M I N U T E S November 28, 2000
A Regular Meeting of the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Hasbrouck Heights was held on Tuesday, November 28, 2000 at 8:00 p.m. at the Masonic Lodge, 200 Division Avenue, corner of the Boulevard, Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey. Mayor Torre stated that the meeting complied with the Sunshine Law, adequate notice of this meeting having been made to all members of the Council by personal service on December 28, 1999 and transmitted to The Observer, The Record and The Herald News on December 28, 1999. ROLL CALL: Present: Mayor William J. Torre, Councilman Andrew Link, Councilman Herbert D. Heeren, Councilman Justin DiPisa, Councilman Garrett R. Pepe, Councilwoman Marlene Verrastro Absent: Councilman John E. Wassberg
SALUTE TO THE FLAG AND PLEDGE
OF ALLEGIANCE: Mayor Torre led in the Salute to the Flag and the Pledge of Allegiance. COMMUNICATIONS: None
APPROVAL OF MINUTES: October 24, 2000 On a motion by Councilwoman Verrastro, seconded by Councilman DiPisa, and unanimously carried, except for Councilman Heeren abstaining as he had not been present, the foregoing Minutes were accepted.
PETITIONS: None
BILLS: BE IT RESOLVED that the claims and accounts amounting to $293,164.78 specified in the schedule hereto annexed, having been examined and approved by the Finance Commissioner, or his Deputy, be paid and that warrants be issued therefore. Signed Andrew Link III On motion by Councilwoman Verrastro, seconded by Councilman DiPisa, and unanimously carried, the foregoing Resolution was adopted.
FINANCE , STREETS and TRANSPORTATION: Under Finance, Councilman Link reported that the Current Fund cash balance as of Oct. 31, 2000 was $2,059,140.91 and at Sept. 30, 2000 was $1,487,354.92, an increase of $571,785.99 for the month. The entire balance was invested and earned approximately 6.50%. Cash receipts for October totaled $2,408,447.30 of which $2,127,518.13 was for Current Taxes, $192,957.00 was Grants and State Aid and $87,972.17 was Miscellaneous Revenues. Cash Disbursements for October totaled $1,830,906.74 of which $1,067,503,91was Local School Taxes, $374,744.26 was Salaries and $388,658.57 was Other Expenses. He reported that all streets were in place.
POLICE: Councilman Heeren gave the Police report. He said the department was honored by the NDWI. A program had been conducted at the high school with Juniors whereby they rode golf carts through a course and put on fatal vision goggles to simulate what a drunk driver sees. A letter was received from the high school thanking the department. During the month of September there were 1,144 requests for service to the police desk, 212 were 9-1-1, 142 were relative to Rt. 17 and Rt. 46 incidents, Wood-Ridge, 44, other municipalities 30, and 286 from Teterboro. There were 241 parking summonses, a reduction of 29 from last year, of which 217 were for overnight parking, 10 were in a 1 hour zone, and 13 in prohibitive zones. To date there are 2,775 tickets issued, a reduction of over 600 from last year.
FIRE AND RECREATION: Commissioner DiPisa gave the
Fire Report for October: Fire Alarms: Hasbrouck Heights, 61 calls, year to date 514;
Teterboro 8, year to date 58; mutual aid 0, year to date 16; total for the month 69, year
to date 588. Ambulance calls for October: Hasbrouck Heights, 59, year to date 554;
paramedic assisted calls 33, year to date 290; Teterboro, 11, year to date 72; paramedic
assisted 6, year to date 61; mutual aid, 7, year to date 58; paramedic assisted 1, year to
date 20; total 117, year to date 1,055. Mayor Torre commended the Anti Drug Council on revitalization and also invited everyone to attend the Stroll which was for everyone.
SANITATION AND PUBLIC FACILITIES: Under Recycling, Councilman Pepe reported that Dec. 3 was the last day to rake leaves into the street. Under Buildings, the Buildings Committee is still meeting weekly, the trees were removed from the Central Avenue and Boulevard properties. Bob Heck is entertaining bids for demolition of the homes, as they are being destroyed by vandalism and this property should be leveled at this point. On Dec. 12, the council will be prepared to vote on the Municipal Building. He commended the Chamber of Commerce on the Christmas Parade, remarking that Hackensack University Medical Center builds their own floats and thanked all who participated in the parade.
LAND USE AND WELFARE: Under Building and Land Use, Councilwoman Verrastro did not have a report, but welcomed Donna Van Dongen as secretary to the Building Department and Pat Vella as an additional Property Maintenance Code Official. Under Welfare, cases for October were 6, new cases 1, cases denied 3, cases pending 2, and money expended was $1,050. Twenty families received Thanksgiving contributions, and due to lack of storage facilities, gift certificates and turkeys were distributed and the same should be done for Christmas. She also thanked the Chamber of Commerce for a great parade and knows from personal experience that a lot of work is involved.
REPORT OF MAYOR: Mayor Torre began his report with
the resignation of Georgeann Chandless Esmerado who had been a Library Trustee for many
years and wished her well. RESIGNATIONS: Georgeann Chandless Esmerado from the Library Board of Trustees On a motion by Councilman Pepe, seconded by Councilman DiPisa, and unanimously carried, the foregoing Resignation was accepted. He continued his report that Hasbrouck Heights had received a Fiscal Year 2001 Transportation Trust Fund Municipal Aid Formula Program grant for Kipp Avenue repaving from the Boulevard to Woodside Avenue in the amount of $145,000. He thanked the Chamber on the parade, also the Police Department, DPW, Fire Department. He also commended Jeff Licameli and Ricky Price on the refurbishing of the 1948 Sno Go. He thanked the Pioneer Club for opening their doors to Santa. He reminded everyone the Walk and Tree Lighting. He congratulated the clergy of Hasbrouck Heights for a wonderful Ecumenical Service on Nov. 19 at which time Mayor Torre was invited to speak. He thanks the Euclid Masons for inviting the Mayor and Council to their Annual Ball and it was a wonderful event. He congratulated Corpus Christi on a wonderful play and the Jr. Woman’s Club on a great Comedy Night which raised funds for the Ralph J. Pepe Vest Fund. He also reiterated the fact that on Dec. 12 a vote would be made on the concept of the Building Complex and then it will go to the Planning Board for concept and site plan review and public comment accepted, then the site plan will be finalized and the plan will go into its construction drawing phase. He wished Dottie Link a quick recovery.
NEW BUSINESS: CONSENT AGENDA: On a motion by Councilman DiPisa, seconded by Councilman Pepe, and unanimously accepted, the foregoing Consent Agenda resolution was approved. (Copies attached)
169. Authorizing Objection of Cablevision Proposed Rate Adjustment 170. Authorizing Agreement Between the Borough of Hasbrouck Heights and Metricom 171. Authorizing Agreement of Name Change of North Jersey Intergovernmental Insurance Fund 172. Authorizing Grant Agreement with the Dept. of Environmental Protection 173. Authorizing Replacement Current Account Checks to the County of Bergen Treasurer for Checks Lost in the Mail 174. Authorizing a Check Made Against the Hasbrouck Heights Special Fire Insurance Proceeds Trust Account On a motion by Councilman Pepe,
seconded by Councilwoman Verrastro, and unanimously accepted, the foregoing Resolutions
were approved. (Copies attached) ORDINANCES ON INTRODUCTION: None
Mayor Torre opened the meeting to the public for anyone wishing to speak on Ordinances No. 1913, 1914, and 1915. There being no one wishing to speak , Mayor Torre closed the public hearing on said ordinances.
BE IT RESOLVED that an
Ordinance entitled "AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND AND SUPPLEMENT SECTION 55-19 ENTITLED
"SPECIAL PROTECTION" OF CHAPTER 55 ENTITLED "POLICE DEPARTMENT" OF THE
CODE OF THE BOROUGH OF HASBROUCK HEIGHTS SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE SPECIAL SERVICES
AFFORDED THEREUNDER MUST BE APPROVED BY THE CHIEF OF POLICE AND SO AS TO SPECIFICALLY SET
FORTH THE FEES FOR SUCH SERVICES" be now passed on second and final reading and
the Borough Clerk be and is hereby authorized and directed to publish said Ordinance, same
to be published in The Observer, a newspaper circulating and published in the Borough of
Hasbrouck Heights. ORDINANCE NO. 1914: BE IT RESOLVED that an Ordinance entitled "AN ORDINANCE TO SUPPLEMENT SECTION 261-38 OF THE CODE OF THE BOROUGH OF HASBROUCK HEIGHTS REGULATING VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC SO AS TO INCLUDE THE INTERSECTION OF PLANT ROAD EXTENSION AND PLANT ROAD WITHIN THE LIST OF INTERSECTIONS DESIGNATED AS "STOP INTERSECTIONS" be now passed on second and final reading and the Borough Clerk be and is hereby authorized and directed to publish said Ordinance, same to be published in The Observer, a newspaper circulating and published in the Borough of Hasbrouck Heights.
BE IT RESOLVED that an Ordinance entitled "AN ORDINANCE TO AUTHORIZE THE ACQUISITION OF COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT AND TO APPROPRIATE THE SUM OF $120,000.00 THEREFOR, TO AUTHORIZE THE IMPROVEMENT OF PARKS AND TO APPROPRIATE THE SUM OF $50,000.00 THEREFOR, TO AUTHORIZE THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE POLICE PISTOL RANGE AND TO APPROPRIATE THE SUM OF $50,000.00 THEREFOR AND TO AUTHORIZE THE ACQUISITION OF A 4-WHEEL DRIVE MOTOR VEHICLE FOR THE USE OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND TO APPROPRIATE THE SUM OF $35,000.00 THEREFOR, ALL OF WHICH APPROPRIATIONS SHALL BE MADE FROM A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE GRANT THROUGH THE NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS MADE TO THIS BOROUGH FOR THE AFORESAID PURPOSES IN THE TOTAL SUM OF $255,000.00"be now passed on second and final reading and the Borough Clerk be and is hereby authorized and directed to publish said Ordinance, same to be published in The Observer, a newspaper circulating and published in the Borough of Hasbrouck Heights. On a motion by Councilman DiPisa, seconded by Councilman Pepe, and unanimously carried, the foregoing Ordinances on Introduction were accepted.
Mayor Torre invited anyone wishing to speak to please come forward. Martin Van Dyke, 240 Ottawa Avenue, asked about the asbestos found in the two houses to be demolished and was told it was only in the asbestos shingles on the outside and they would be property abated. He asked if estimates would be obtained from Coleman and Company of Lebanon, NJ, for the new Borough Hall, that he had spoken with them and they could be 23% less to construct, could work in all kinds of weather, and have their own contractors regarding plumbing, electrical, air conditioning, etc. He said they would let you use your own architect. Councilman DiPisa questioned permanence, durability, and discussion centered around the brochures Van Dyke had obtained and given to the Building Committee regarding the various buildings that had already been constructed. Donna Wipper, 231 Madison Avenue, questioned if Plan B was to be the one recommended, if holding up knocking down those two buildings (Ventola/Mohair) and Mayor Torre explained that the concept has to be voted on, then a site plan prepared and given to the Planning Board to review as well as the Board of Adjustment, which will take some time to go through all the phases. She felt that she would prefer having the Shell Station used for parking, which could well be available by the time the project is at the stages when the parking lots will be constructed. She was told that at this time the Mayor and Council were happy to be moving to the next step. Tony Walsh, 154 Division Avenue, was curious about the status of Woodland Park playing field and was told that the engineer had reported that the field should be ready in the Spring providing there are no other problems. Dorothy Petroulis, 215 Central Avenue, asked that if work is done by the DPW as had been to take down the trees on the Central/Boulevard property at 7 a.m., could the neighbors be made aware and could it be at least at 8 a.m. She had also asked if the neighbors could be allowed to take a memento from the contents of the two homes and that before being demolished, would any items be salvaged and recommended contacting the high school to possibly use some of the contents for projects or as practice in home improvement.
There being no further business to come before the Mayor and Council, the public portion of the meeting was adjourned. I, ROSE MARIE SEES, Borough Clerk of the Borough of Hasbrouck Heights, do hereby certify that the foregoing Minutes are to the best of my knowledge a true account of the Regular Meeting held on November 28, 2000. Rose Marie Sees, RMC [ Back to Index of Mayor & Council Minutes ]
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