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HomeMy Public PortalAbout2000/12/19 The Regular Meeting of the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Carteret was called to order by Mayor James A. Failace approximately 7:30 P.M. on Tuesday, December 19, 2000, Municipal Court!Police Facility, 230 Roosevelt Avenue, Carteret, New Jersey. Upon individual roll call, the following were noted present: Councilmember Patrick Crilley " James O'Brien " Remy Quinones " Janet Santoro " Buddy Sohayda Also noted present was Borough Attorney Craig Coughlin. Noted absent was Councilmember Jack Fazekas. The meeting was opened with a moment of Silent Prayer and The Pledge of Allegiance led by Mayor James A. Failace. The Clerk stated that on December 15, 2000, in full compliance with the Open Public Meetings Act, a notice of tonight's meeting was sent to The Home News Tribune, The Star-Ledger and posted on the bulletin board. Upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers Quinones and O'Brien and unanimous affirmative vote of the five (5) Councilmembers present, the minutes of October 19, 2000 were approved as transcribed and engrossed by the Clerk. Upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers Crilley and Quinones and unanimous affirmative vote of the five (5) Councilmembers present, the Agenda was amended so Beverly Hedesh, Recreation Commissioner could present the winners of the House Lighting Contest. 1. Beverly Hedesh said Friday winners were chosen and the judges were taken to St. D's because there weren't enough tables in the Community Center. She thanked Andy Mazan and Bob Rynkiewicz for helping decorate. She said the Senior Citizens had a really great time and this was the best contest and judging they had. Mrs. Hedesh announced the names of the winners of the contest which were 2 Buchanan Street, DECEMBER 19, 2000 COUNCIL MEETING ROLL CALL PRAYER, PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE STATEMENT OF MEETING NOTICE MINUTES FOR APPROVAL MOTION TO AMEND THE AGENDA RE: BEVERLY HEDESH WINNERS OF THE HOUSE LIGHTING CONTEST DECEMBER 19, 2000 WINNERS OF THE HOUSE LIGHTING CONTEST (Continued) fifth place-winner of a hundred dollar gift certificate to Shop-Rite; 69 Hermann Street-4th place winner of a hundred-fifty dollar Shop-Rite gift certificate; 21 Harrison Avenue-3'd place winner of a two-hundred dollar Shop-Rite gift certificate; 34 Stima A venue-2nd place winner of a two hundred-fifty dollar Shop-Rite gift certificate; 39 Christopher Street-1st place winner of a three hundred dollar gift certificate to Shop-Rite and Honorable Mention was to K-2 Mercer Street which received a fifty dollar Shop-Rite gift certificate. She wished the Mayor and Council a happy holiday and happy New Year. The Mayor thanked all who entered the contest and asked Mrs. Hedesh if there would be a list available if anyone wanted to go around to see the winners. Beverly Hedesh said she would leave a list in the Clerk's Office and have Mr. Kately put the winners on the town bulletin board. MOTION TO TABLE ORDINANCE 100-54 CREATING A REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY Upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers Crilley and Quinones a motion was made to table Ordinance #00-54. Upon individual roll call vote Councilmember Crilley, O'Brien, Quinones, Santoro and Sohayda voted in the affirmative. Council member Fazekas was noted absent. ORDINANCE 100-55 ELIMINATING HEALTH BENEFITS FOR CERTAIN BOROUGH OFFICIALS The Clerk stated Ordinance #00-55 was introduced and passed upon First Reading at a Regular Meeting of the Borough Council held on December 7, 2000. It was duly published in the Home News Tribune on December 12, 2000 with notice that it will be considered for final passage after Public Hearing to be held on December 19, 2000 at approximately 7:30 P.M. The Ordinance was posted on the bulletin board and copies were made available to the general public and according to law, she read the Ordinance by title. PUBLIC HEARING Upon MMS&C, by Councilmember Crilley and Quinones and unanimous affirmative vote of the five (5) Councilmembers present, the Mayor declared the Public Hearing to be open: HEARING CLOSED There being no comments or objections to the Ordinance, the Mayor declared the Public Hearing to be closed, upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers Crilley and Quinones and unanimous affirmative vote of the five (5) Councilmembers present. 2. Upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers Crilley and Quinones ORDINANCE #00-55 "ELIMINATING HEALTH BENEFITS FOR CERTAIN BOROUGH OFFICIALS" was finally adopted. Upon individual roll call vote, Councilmembers Crilley, O'Brien, Quinones voted in the affirmative. Councilmembers Santoro and Sohayda voted no. Councilmember Fazekas was noted absent. Approved and Adopted: December 19, 2000 Introduced: December 7. 2000 Advertised as adopted on First Reading with notice of Public Hearing December 12. 2000 Hearing held: December 19. 2000 Approved by Mayor James A. Failace Advertised as Finally Adopted: Januarv 2. 2001 The clerk stated Ordinance #00-56 was introduced and passed upon First Reading at a Regular Meeting of the Borough Council held on December 7, 2000. It was duly published in the Home News Tribune on December 12, 2000 with notice that it will be considered for final passage after Public Hearing to be held on December 19, 2000 at approximately 7:30 P.M. The Ordinance was posted on the bulletin board and copies were made available to the general public and according to law, she read the Ordinance by title. Upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers Crilley and O'Brien and unanimous affirmative vote of the five (5) Councilmembers present, the Mayor declared the Public Hearing to be open: There being no comments or objections to the Ordinance, the Mayor declared the Public Hearing to be closed, upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers Quinones and O'Brien and unanimous affirmative vote of the five (5) Councilmembers present. 3. Upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers Quinones and O'Brien ORDINANCE #00-56 "ORDINANCE TO AMEND ORDINANCE #71-9 ESTABLISHING SALARY SCHEDULES AND FIXING THE MANNER OF PAYMENTS OF SALARIES FOR VARIOUS OFFICIALS AND EMPLOYEES OF THE BOROUGH OF CARTERET" DECEMBER 19, 2000 ORDINANCE 100-55 ELIMINATING HEALTH BENEFITS FOR CERTAIN BOROUGH OFFICIALS ADOPTED ORDINANCE 100-56 AMENDING SALARY ORDINANCE 171-9,RE: TREASURER/CFO PUBLIC HEARING HEARING CLOSED ADOPTED DECEMBER 19, 2000 ORDINANCE 100-56 (Continued) ADOPTED JRDINANCE 100-57 \MENDING SALARY JRDINANCE 171-9, Œ: PLANNING 30ARD/ZONING 30ARD ENGINEER 'UBLIC HEARING IEARING CLOSED DOPTED was finally adopted. Upon individual roll call vote, Councilmembers O'Brien, Quinones, Santoro and Sohayda voted in the affirmative. Councilmember Crilley abstained. Councilmember Fazekas was noted absent. Approved and Adopted: December 19. 2000 Introduced: December 7. 2000 Advertised as adopted on First Reading with notice of Public Hearing: December 12. 2000 Hearing held: December 19. 2000 Approved by: Mavor James A. Failace Advertised as Finally Adopted: Januarv 2.2001 The Clerk stated Ordinance #00-57 was introduced and passed upon First Reading at a Regular Meeting of the Borough Council held on December 7,2000. It was duly published in the Home News Tribune on December 12, 2000 with notice that it will be considered for final passage after Public Hearing to be held on December 19, 2000 at approximately 7:30 P.M. The Ordinance was posted on the bulletin board and copies were made available to the general public and according to law, she read the Ordinance by title. Upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers Quinones and O'Brien and unanimous affirmative vote of the five (5) Councilmembers present, the Mayor declared the Public Hearing to be open: There being no comments or objections to the Ordinance, the Mayor declared the Public Hearing to be closed, upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers Quinones and O'Brien and unanimous affirmative vote of the five (5) Councilmembers present. Upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers Quinones and O'Brien ORDINANCE #00-57 "ORDINANCE TO AMEND ORDINANCE #71-9 ESTABLISHING SALARY SCHEDULES AND FIXING THE MANNER OF PAYMENTS OF SALARIES FOR VARIOUS OFFICIALS AND EMPLOYEES OF THE BOROUGH OF CARTERET" was finally adopted. Upon individual roll call vote, Council members Crilley, O'Brien, Quinones, Santoro and Sohayda voted in the affirmative. Councilmember Fazekas was noted absent. 4. Approved and Adopted: December 19. 2000 Introduced: December 7. 2000 Advertised as adopted on First Reading with notice of Public Hearing: December 12. 2000 Hearing held: December 19. 2000 Approved by: Mayor James A. Failace Advertised as Finally Adopted: Januarv 2. 2001 The Clerk stated Ordinance #00-58 was introduced and passed upon First Reading at a Regular meeting of the Borough Council held on December 7,2000. It was duly published in the Home News Tribune on December 12, 2000 with notice that it will be considered for final passage after Public Hearing to be held on December 19, 2000 at approximately 7:30 P.M. The Ordinance was posted on the bulletin board and copies were made available to the general public and according to law, she read the Ordinance by title. Upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers Crilley and Quinones and unanimous affirmative vote of the five (5) Councilmembers present, the Mayor declared the Public Hearing to be open: Stan Gutowski, New Jersey Avenue, said he has heard comments concerning Resolution #00-58, Police Director, where people have said publicly and out on the street that this Council should not be doing this. He said the terms of this Council end on December 31, 2000. He said government doesn't stop, the recent presidential election was full of controversy but said President Clinton did not stop being president. He said the Senate just came together to pass a budget Resolution for next year and thirty-three percent of the Senate will not be in office next year. He said the Council was elected for three years and felt they had a right to do what they see fit in those three years. He said as far as the Police Director, he said he interviewed Mr. Elg and felt he probably knew him better than anyone on the Council. Mr. Gutowski said the Police Department and the officers were getting along fine with no complaints and felt Director Elg was doing such a great job he should be rewarded and said for the next three years the department would know who was running it. He reminded everyone when he was on the Council he stated Director Elg wasn't the first choice, but he was the best choice. He said the department is very stable and in good hands and advised the Council to rehire and extend the contract for Director Elg. 5. Ronald Rios, Marion Street agreed that the Council has the right to vote until the end of their term of office and said as far as the Police Director's salary he felt that it was excessive. He said he wished the Council would reconsider ten thousand dollars in the time of two years. DECEMBER 19, 2000 ORDINANCE 100-57 (Continued) ORDINANCE 100-58 AMENDING SALARY ORDINANCE 171-9, RE: POLICE DIRECTOR PUBLIC HEARING COMMENTS DECEMBER 19, 2000 HEARING CLOSED mOPTED :OMMENTS There being no further comments or objections to the Ordinance, the Mayor declared the Public Hearing to be closed, upon MMS&C, by Council members Crilley and O'Brien and unanimous affirmative vote of the five (5) Councilmembers present. Upon MMS&C, by Council members Crilley and Quinones ORDINANCE #00-58 "AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND ORDINANCE #71-9 ESTABLISHING SALARY SCHEDULES AND FIXING THE MANNER OF PAYMENTS OF SALARIES FOR VARIOUS OFFICIALS AND EMPLOYEES OF THE BOROUGH OF CARTERET" was finally adopted. Upon individual roll call vote, Councilmembers Crilley, O'Brien and Councilmembers Santoro Fazekas was noted absent. Quinones voted in and Sohayda voted no. the affirmative. Councilmember Councilmember Crilley said some have mentioned this was a lame duck appointment but he said he did not see it that way and said he saw it moving the Borough forward into the twentieth century. He said Chris Elg told the Council at a meeting he put the Community first, Policemen second and Politicians last and said Mr. Elg has done that. Councilmember Crilley said not one Police Officer has come to him with a complaint about their boss but that was not the case before he was hired. He said there were many complaints before and said Chris has done a great job for the Borough and deserves to be rewarded. Councilmember Quinones said she disagreed with Council-elect Rios that this was an excessive raise and said one hundred and three thousand dollars was for the safety and well being on a day to day basis of our residents. She said the School Superintendant was paid in excess of one hundred and twenty thousand dollars to be in charge of the day to day affairs of our children. She didn't feel it was comparable. Councilmember Santoro said this individual's contract still had a year and a half remaining. She said the Council never goes out with a year and a half remaining on any contract and renegotiate, whether it were white collar, blue collar, police or firemen and renegotiate three years out. She said this Director was hired to work aside from politics and aside from answering to the Mayor and Council and said they are by passing that by doing this now. She said if there was a year and a half remaining on the contract they wait until six months before the end of the contract and then it is decided, not a year and a half before. 6. Councilmember Sohayda said he had to question the statutory ability of giving someone three years on top of the year and a half. Mayor Failace told Councilmember Sohayda it was not three years on top of the year and a half it was a year and a half on top of the year and a half. He said Chris Elg has done one heck of a job at the Police Department and he was proud to have him here. He said he thought most of the citizens feel he has done a great job also. Mayor Failace asked the Council to amend the Resolution to award the bid for the fire pumper truck and said Resolution #00-394 needs to be changed. He said the award should go to the American La France Company. He asked the Clerk if we put the wrong name on the Resolution. The Clerk said we didn't know the name at the time and said everything was the same it just had to be clarified. Upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers Quinones and Crilley and unanimous affirmative vote of the five (5) Councilmembers present motion was made to amend the agenda to correct the name on Resolution #00-394 on the Order of Business. A copy of each Resolution was placed on the table for public review prior to the meeting in accordance with the Rules of Council and upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers Crilley and O'Brien and unanimous affirmative vote of the five (5) Councilmembers present, the meeting was opened for public input on all Resolutions. William Kolibas, Jr. asked why the appointment was being made on Resolution #00-421 and said he had nothing against Mr. Riley but thought there was already someone doing that job. Mayor Failace said they did have someone doing that job but at this time he couldn't say anymore about it in public. Borough Attorney Coughlin said it was a personnel matter and there was a vacancy in that position which had to be filled. 7. William Kolibas Jr. said he disagreed because the Borough would be extending money to this individual and questioned why we are paying someone else when we already had someone being paid in this position. Borough Attorney Coughlin told Mr. Kolibas there was a vacancy in the position right now and said the basis results in a personnel matter. He said he has advised the Mayor and Council not to comment any further in regards to that. He said Mr. Riley is being appointed on an acting basis. DECEMBER 19, 2000 COMMENTS RESOLUTION 100-394 NEEDS TO BE AMENDED BECAUSE OF NAME: AMERICAN LAFRANCE COMPANY MOTION TO AMEND THE AGENDA TO CORRECT NAME ON ORDER OF BUSINESS MEETING OPENED PUBLIC INPUT ON ALL RESOLUTIONS COMMENTS DECEMBER 19, 2000 COMMENTS (Continued) Mr. Kolibas, Jr. said the rumor on the street was. . and said the taxpayers of this town demand an answer to what happened with the foreman in that department, George Carpenter. Borough Attorney Coughlin repeated he has advised the Mayor and Council not to comment with regards to the personnel matter. He said there was a vacancy in that position and the Council was not double paying, Mr. Riley was being appointed on an acting basis, not a permanent basis. Mr. Kolibas, Jr. said he didn't agree with Mr. Coughlin and said the people have a right to know and they will and felt it was a travesty. Gary Cordero, Democratic Municipal Chairman, said he heard before that government needs to run through December thirty-first and said the people of Carteret decided in November who they wanted to represent them and hoped that would be respected. He said he hoped if there were disagreements that would be where Carteret would settle the disagreements as a whole. Robert Kately asked if anyone was aware of the status as far as the money for the playground equipment referred to in Resolution #00- 426. Councilmember Crilley said there was enough money and that the Council would not vote on this if there weren't enough funds. Mayor Failace said they were aware because there were quite a few requisitions put through on this. Councilmember Santoro asked if the requisitions were signed. Mayor Failace said there were quite a few requisitions put through and said he did not say if they were signed or not. Councilmember Crilley said he signed the ones that he approved. Councilmember Santoro said this one wasn't signed and asked Councilmember Crilley if what he was doing was bypassing to do it by Resolution. Councilmember Crilley said absolutely. Councilmember Santoro asked Councilmember Crilley if the Council would know that the funds were certified because the requisition wasn't signed. Mayor Failace said the funds have been certified. Robert Kately said assuming the Mayor and Council was getting their information from Councilmember Crilley, head of the Parks & Recreation Committee concerning the monies for what they are buying. He said the problem was that Councilmember Crilley has not spoken to him in nine months concerning what was being done in the parks, what projects were being undertaken or what was needed to finish what has been started. He said purchasing this equipment was 8. the greatest thing in the whole world but they had other projects that have to be finished. Councilmember Crilley said the monies that are being spent for this project and the lighting project are coming out of the hundred thousand-dollar bond. He said the hundred thousand dollars was specifically put in the budget for equipment for parks and playgrounds not for projects in the park, ball fields or anything like that. Mayor Failace said this requisition was originally signed and said they might want to ask Councilmember Sohayda why he took it. Robert Kately said they were given two hundred thousand dollars, as Pat said, one hundred thousand dollars was put into the regular park budget. He said the other one hundred thousand dollars was put into a bond and said with work being done they have already spent sixty eight thousand dollars, thirty-two thousand dollars is left. He said Killam automatically got one quarter of the money, which was twenty- seven thousand five hundred before anything was done. He said after they pay for the lights on Veteran's Field there is twelve thousand dollars remaining and said the town could use lights on every field. He said if you combine the monies remaining there is forty-seven thousand dollars left for improvements in parks between the two hundred thousand dollars. He said right now there was four projects underway and said they needed twenty-five thousand dollars to finish what was started. Mayor Failace said next year there will be two hundred thousand to finish those projects. Councilmember Crilley asked Mr. Kately if he needed the two hundred thousand dollars before January 1st he said there was forty seven thousand dollars left in the budget for equipment and asked Mr. Kately to explain why they wouldn't spend that money. Robert Kately said the point was they were going to bury the money in next year's budget. Councilmember Crilley said it is this year's money if you don't spend it you lose it and asked why you wouldn't spend it. Robert Kately said instead of spending the forty one thousand on playground equipment, he felt they should finish the four projects that were already started. Mayor Failace said January 1st there would be two hundred thousand dollars for the parks. L Councilmember Crilley asked who's decision it was to spend this money on the twenty five thousand dollars worth of projects and not on equipment as it was put in the budget to spend. He said no one should be spending the money on anything other than equipment for the parks. He asked Mr. Kately what the four projects were. Robert Katley said the dugouts in Chrome Field, the work down Chrome, which would be another ten thousand dollars. He said just because you spend forty thousand dollars on equipment you are not DECEMBER 19, 2000 COMMENTS (Continued) DECEMBER 19, 2000 COMMENTS (Continued) done, and said there is still fifteen to twenty thousand dollars worth of work to be done. He said top soil and cement was needed. . . Council member Crilley asked Mr. Kately what they budgeted for on Cornell Estates and said he knew that. Robert Kately didn't know. original plan. said he hasn't spoken to Councilmember Crilley he He said they spent twenty thousand more than the Councilmember Crilley said they budgeted for that, but said the playground equipment will not be installed until after January first and could be used from next year's budget. Robert Kately said the point was they should finish the projects they have now. Councilmember Crilley asked Mr. Kately when he needed the money to finish the projects they were doing right now. Robert Kately said as soon as possible and felt the Council was going to spend it before doing so. Council member Crilley said there are two weeks until the next budget and asked if Mr. Kately was going to spend the twenty five thousand in the next two weeks. Robert Kately said we should finish what is remaining and look into other playground equipment. Mayor Failace said the people voted in November to take one penny to bring in one hundred thousand dollars in this year that would also be in next year. He said there should be a hundred thousand every year. He said the original project was a million-dollar project over five years for the rehabilitation of the parks, for ADA accessibility. He said if the new Council chose not to do that shame on them because the money is there and appropriated in the right way because the citizens of Carteret voted for this. Ron Rios, Marion Street said he felt this was a lame duck decision and asked the governing body to reconsider the contract on Resolution #00-419 and said as far as sick leave he asked if there was any other Borough employees or supervisors that got the same. Borough Attorney Coughlin said it was identical to his previous contract. Council member Crilley said he was almost positive this mirrored by the supervisor's contract. - Ron Rios asked for clarification on the tuition reimbursement. 10. Mayor Failace said this council and last year's Council believes in education. Ron Rios said he believes in education also but asked if other employees get it also. Mayor Failace said he believed the Police contract pays for tuition and reiterated this was the same as he has had. Ron Rios said he felt this was excessive and read some of the agreement to the Council. He said the Council was doing this a week before the end of the year said he felt this was a burden to the taxpayers. Mayor Failace said the Council was doing this because he deserves it. He said many Police Officers have told him the Police Director was doing a great job and said the Council chose to reward and didn't understand what the burden to the taxpayers would be since he was already there. Stan Gutowski said he recommended the Council rehires and extend his contract and said the old police contract had a perpetual payment for the credits the police officers earned and this was a never ending payment of credits. He said the new contract reimburses their tuition and said this mirrors this contract. There being no further comments or objections to the Resolutions, the Mayor declared the Public Hearing to be closed, upon MMS&C, by Crilley and Quinones and unanimous affirmative vote of the five (5) Councilmembers present. RESOLUTION #00-409 was introduced by the Mayor and referred to the Council for action. Upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers Crilley and O'Brien RESOLUTION #00-409 "DIRECTING THE ISSUANCE OF VARIOUS RAFFLE LICENSES" was adopted. Upon individual roll call vote, Councilmembers Crilley, O'Brien, Quinones, Santoro and Sohayda voted in the affirmative. Councilmember Fazekas was noted absent. 11. RESOLUTION #00-410 was introduced by the Mayor and referred to the Council for action. DECEMBER 19, 2000 COMMENTS (Continued) HEARING CLOSED RESOLUTION 100-409 DIRECTING THE ISSUANCE OF VARIOUS RAFFLE LICENSES ADOPTED RESOLUTION 100-410 REFUND OF TAX/AND OR SEWER OVERPAYMENTS DECEMBER 19, 2000 RESOLUTION 100-410 (Continued) \DOPTED lESOLUTION 100-411 'ROVIDING FOR THE :RANSFER OF iURPLUS FUNDS DOPTED ESOLUTION 100-412 UTHORIZING BIDS UMP TRUCK )OPTED )MMENTS Upon MMS&C, by Council members Crilley and O'Brien RESOLUTION #00-410 "REFUND OF TAX AND/OR SEWER FEE OVERPAYMENTS" was adopted. Upon individual roll call vote, Councilmembers Crilley, O'Brien, Quinones, Santoro and Sohayda voted in the affirmative. Councilmember Fazekas was noted absent. RESOLUTION #00-411 was introduced by the Mayor and referred to the Council for action. Upon MMS&C, by Councilmember Crilley and Quinones RESOLUTION #00-411 "PROVIDING FOR THE TRANSFER OF SURPLUS FUNDS" was adopted. Upon individual roll call vote, Council members Crilley, O'Brien, Quinones, Santoro and Sohayda voted in the affirmative. Councilmember Fazekas was noted absent. - RESOLUTION #00-412 was introduced by the Mayor and referred to the Council for action. Upon MMS&C, by Council members Crilley and Sohayda RESOLUTION #00-412 "AUTHORIZING BIDS-DUMP TRUCK" was adopted. Upon individual roll call vote, Councilmembers Crilley, O'Brien, Quinones, Santoro and Sohayda voted in the affirmative. Councilmember Fazekas was noted absent. Council member Crilley asked what funds this would be coming from. 12. Mayor Failace said he believed it was coming from the Recycling funds, and said they put it in the bonds. Councilmember Sohayda said this was to replace the truck that was on the chipper, the large dump truck. Councilmember Crilley asked if this was the same as the trucks they already had and asked the estimated cost of the truck. Ted Surick said sixty thousand dollars. RESOLUTION #00-413 was introduced by the Mayor and referred to the Council for action. Upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers Crilley and O'Brien RESOLUTION #00-413 "AUTHORIZING VARIOUS CONTRACTORS TO PERFORM REHABILITATION OF HOMES PURSUANT TO COAH" was adopted. Upon individual roll call vote, Councilmembers Crilley, O'Brien, Quinones, Santoro and Sohayda voted in the affirmative. Councilmember Fazekas was noted absent. RESOLUTION #00-414 was introduced by the Mayor and referred to the Council for action. Upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers Crilley and Quinones RESOLUTION #00-414 "CANCELLATION OF 2000 APPROPRIATION BALANCES" was adopted. Upon individual roll call vote Councilmembers Crilley, O'Brien, Quinones, Santoro and Sohayda voted in the affirmative. Councilmember Fazekas was noted absent. L3. DECEMBER 19, 2000 COMMENTS (Continued) RESOLUTION 100-413 AUTHORIZING VARIOUS CONTRACTORS TO PERFORM REHABILITATION OF HOMES PURSUANT TO COAH ADOPTED RESOLUTION 100-414 CANCELLATION OF 2000 APPROPRIATION BALANCES ADOPTED DECEMBER 19, 2000 RESOLUTION 100-415 AWARD OF BID- SPACESAVER SYSTEMS OF NJ, INC., RE: POLICE EVIDENCE ROOM & STORAGE SYSTEM A.DOPTED ~ESOLUTION 100-416 ~REATING A lAND I CAPPED PARKING ;PACE-86 ;ARTERET AVENUE DOPTED ESOLUTION 100-417 WARD OF BID-LUCAS LECTRIC CO., RE: IGHTING AT ETERANS' FIELD )OPTED RESOLUTION #00-415 was introduced by the Mayor and referred to the Council for action. Upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers Quinones and Crilley RESOLUTION #00-415 "A WARD OF BID-SPACESA VER SYSTEMS OF NJ, INC., RE: POLICE EVIDENCE ROOM & STORAGE SYSTEM" was adopted. Upon individual roll call vote, Councilmembers Crilley, O'Brien, Quinones, Santoro and Sohayda voted in the affirmative. Councilmember Fazekas was noted absent. RESOLUTION #00-416 was introduced by the Mayor and referred to the Council for action. Upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers Quinones and Crilley RESOLUTION #00-416 "CREATING A HANDICAPPED P ARKING SPACE AT 86 CARTERET A VENUE" was adopted. Upon individual roll call vote, Council members Crilley, O'Brien, Quinones, Santoro and Sohayda voted in the affirmative. Councilmember Fazekas was noted absent. RESOLUTION #00-417 was introduced by the Mayor and referred to the Council for action. Upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers Crilley and Quinones RESOLUTION #00-417 14. "A WARD OF BID-VETERAN' S BALL FIELD LIGHTING" was adopted. Upon individual roll call vote, Councilmembers Crilley, O'Brien, Quinones, Santoro and Sohayda voted in the affirmative. Councilmember Fazekas was noted absent. Councilmember Crilley said this hundred thousand dollars was appropriated for equipment and said they were originally going to use this money to redo the basketball and tennis courts in the parks but said the cost was more than was budgeted and the Council decided to go in a different direction. He said this was something the Girl's Softball League and Little League and the Woman's League have been after the Borough to do since the park was built. He said the original plan was to put lights on both fields and said they built the Recreation Building adjacent to the field without the lights which he felt did not make any sense since the concession is there and could not be used at night games. RESOLUTION #00-418 was introduced by the Mayor and referred to the Council for action. Upon MMS&C, by Council members Crilley and Quinones RESOLUTION #00-418 "RESOLUTION APPROVING CHANGE ORDER" was adopted. Upon individual roll call vote, Councilmembers Crilley, O'Brien, Quinones, Santoro and Sohayda voted in the affirmative. Councilmember Fazekas was noted absent. RESOLUTION #00-419 was introduced by the Mayor and referred to the Council for action. Upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers Quinones and Crilley RESOLUTION #00-419 "APPROVING EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT" 15. was adopted. Upon individual roll call vote, Councilmembers Crilley, O'Brien and Quinones voted in the affirmative. Councilmembers Santoro and Sohayda voted no. Council member Fazekas was noted absent. Councilmember Santoro said one of the questions she asked at the Agenda Meeting was if an evaluation of this person was done and the answer given was there hadn't been but the person has done a good job. She said she would have liked to see an evaluation done and said DECEMBER 19, 2000 COMMENTS RESOLUTION 100-418 APPROVING CHANGE ORDER-$16,911.24 RE: MARVEC CONSTRUCTION CORP. ADOPTED RESOLUTION 100-419 APPROVING EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT-POLICE DIRECTOR ADOPTED COMMENTS DECEMBER 19, 2000 COMMENTS (Continued) lESOLUTION 100-420 .UTHORIZING Œ'ITLEMENT .GREEMENT-SURICK '. BOROUGH OF :ARTERET DOPTED ESOLUTION 100-421 PPOINTING JOHN ILEY-SUPERVISOR, fREETS & ROADS >OPTED a year and a half to go on someone's contract does not warrant moving ahead to extend it another year and a half. She said she didn't agree with some items in the agreement including five weeks vacation and unlimited tuition reimbursement. She said if he was doing a good job now, she felt in a year from now he would still be doing a good job. Council member Quinones said the Council does not formally have a policy to review department heads, yet raises were given to department heads based on the good job they do for the Borough. She said Chris was doing a good job and felt his position was easy enough to evaluate on a day to day basis and said as far as the tuition reimbursement she felt some of the Council value education and some do not. Council member Santoro said it was not just giving someone a raise, it was extending someone's contract and said they are binding the money for three years. RESOLUTION #00-420 was introduced by the Mayor and referred to the Council for action. Upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers Crilley and Quinones RESOLUTION #00-420 " AUTHORIZING SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT" was adopted. Upon individual roll call vote, Councilmembers Crilley, O'Brien, Quinones, Santoro and Sohayda voted in the affirmative. Councilmembers Fazekas was noted absent. RESOLUTION #00-421 was introduced by the Mayor and referred to the Council for action. Upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers Crilley and Quinones RESOLUTION #00-421 "APPOINTING ACTING SUPERVISOR- STREETS & ROADS DEPARTMENT" 16. was adopted. Upon individual roll call vote, Councilmembers Crilley, O'Brien, Quinones, Santoro and Sohayda voted in the affirmative. Councilmember Fazekas was noted absent. RESOLUTION #00-422 was introduced by the Mayor and referred to the Council for action. Upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers Crilley and Quinones RESOLUTION #00-422 "PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT FOR LEGAL SERVICES" was adopted. Upon individual roll call vote, Councilmembers Crilley, O'Brien, Quinones voted in the affirmative. Councilmembers Santoro and Sohayda voted no. Councilmember Fazekas was noted absent. RESOLUTION #00-423 was introduced by the Mayor and referred to the Council for action. Upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers Quinones and Crilley RESOLUTION #00-423 "AWARD OF BID-BOILER REPLACEMENT POLICE STATION" was adopted. Upon individual roll call vote, Councilmembers Crilley, O'Brien, Quinones, Santoro and Sohayda voted in the affirmative. Councilmember Fazekas was noted absent. RESOLUTION #00-424 was introduced by the Mayor and referred to the Council for action. Upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers Quinones and Santoro RESOLUTION #00-424 "AUTHORIZING SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT WITH STRUCTURAL PRESERVATION SYSTEMS" 17. was adopted. Upon individual roll call vote, Councilmembers Crilley, O'Brien, Quinones, Santoro and Sohayda voted in the affirmative. Councilmember Fazekas was noted absent. DECEMBER 19, 2000 RESOLTUION 100-422 PROFESSIONAL SERVICES MCMANIMON & SCOTLAND, NOT TO EXCEED $2000.00, RE: SALE OF BOND ANTICIPATION NOTES ADOPTED RESOLUTION 100-423 AWARD OF BID-ERIN ENVIRONMENTAL, RE: BOILER REPLACEMENT POLICE STATION ADOPTED RESOLUTION 100-424 AUTHORIZING SE'ITLEMENT AGREEMENT WITH STRUCTURAL PRESERVATION SYSTEMS ADOPTED DECEMBER 19, 2000 iESOLUTION 100-425 \PPROVING ADDENDUM JITH AFSCME COUNCIL 73, RE: C. NAGY .DOPTED ESOLUTION 100-426 UTHORIZING 'URCHASE OF LAYGROUND ,QUIPMENT-MARTURANO ECREATION CO. DOPTED DMMENTS RESOLUTION #00-425 was introduced by the Mayor and referred to the Council for action. Upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers Quinones and Sohayda RESOLUTION #00-425 "APPROVING ADDENDUM WITH ASFCME COUNCIL 73 (WHITE COLLARS)" was adopted. Upon individual roll call vote, Councilmembers O'Brien, Quinones, Santoro and Sohayda voted in the affirmative. Councilmember Crilley abstained. Councilmember Fazekas was noted absent. RESOLUTION #00-426 was introduced by the Mayor and referred to the Council for action. Upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers Crilley and Quinones RESOLUTION #00-426 "AUTHORIZING PURCHASE OF PLA YGROUND EQUIPMENT" was adopted. Upon individual roll call vote, Councilmembers Crilley, O'Brien and Quinones voted in the affirmative. Councilmembers Santoro and Sohayda voted no. Councilmember Fazekas was noted absent. Councilmember Crilley said the reason the Council had to do a Resolution was they could not get four Councilmembers to sign the requisition order to pay for the equipment for Shore Crest Park. He said he came to the Council Meeting with the requisition and he received four signatures from four Councilmembers. He said on Friday at twelve fifteen he called the CFO to make sure there were enough funds for the recreation equipment and the lights because he received the bids for the lights. He said he noticed Council member Sohayda's name was removed from the requisition after he signed his name and asked him why. He said Councilmember Sohayda told him Councilmember Santoro told him the county was giving us grants to fix the parks. He said he told Councilmember Sohayda the county has been promising money for the last four to five years to fix the parks and said even if they get money from grants the parks need millions of dollars of repairs. He said if you do not use the money in the budget, you lose it and asked why the Council would deprive the people of Carteret a chance to fix the parks. He said he didn't understand it and 18. said it must have been a political move or it was done to embarrass him. He said the citizens could ask the Councilmembers because he did not see anything other than politics keeping the town from moving forward. He said the money is there, they have done things in other parks and asked why they shouldn't do it and urged the people in the audience to ask for answers he could not get. Councilmember Santoro said there was a Green Acres Grant and after speaking to Patrick DeBlasio who said we have paid into an Open Space Account with the county which was upwards of four hundred and fifty thousand dollars. She said the town never got anything back from the county for this fund. She said she felt very strongly that the town was entitled to money for the parks and open space. She said the town needs the equipment and said she listens to the supervisor who works in the parks on a day to day basis. She said if the supervisor was concerned about the money and finishing the parks she said she would listen to him. She said that in the last few days Governor Whitman has awarded grants in upwards of ten thousand dollars per municipality to upgrade playground equipment. She said if we got this money it would free up money to use for other things needed in the parks. She said the concern was not if we need the equipment it was if we wait she felt we could get more by getting the money from the county and expending the money in the budget and using it in other areas. Councilmember Sohayda said he wanted Councilmember Crilley publicly to be aware that he had no intention of embarrassing him in any way shape or form. He said it was a dollar and cents issue and he felt it was a better idea to get the money for the town from the state or the county. Mayor Failace said the Council knows they will be getting two hundred thousand dollars next year, the year after and the year after that because the people of Carteret said so when they voted on this in November. He said we have over a million dollars worth of projects to do and said they are fixing the satellite parks and said everyone knows Carteret Park needs new playground equipment. He said the Council decided to do things in the satellite parks because things have not been done in those parks over the years. He said if the Council took this project out of what they were asking the county for they could add another eight hundred thousand dollars worth of projects to the county. He said all the Council wants to do is sit and wait and said no one wants to burden the taxpayers, the money is there and needs to be spent on the parks. He urged the Council to use the money on the parks because he felt the children deserve the money to be spent on the parks. He said it is easy to say let's wait and see and said Carteret has waited to see much too long. 19. Councilmember Quinones told Councilmember Sohayda she hoped after he had been on the Council for a year it was nice to get grants but said as he might have noticed even though people say they are giving grants sometimes the money does not come in on time. She said sometimes you just can't wait and you have to move ahead, especially when it comes to kids. Councilmember Crilley said when the Council spoke to Mr. Kately in the beginning of the year, Mr. Kately felt a good idea for the Green DECEMBER 19, 2000 COMMENTS DECEMBER 19, 2000 COMMENTS (Continued) ESOLUTION 100-427 UTHORIZING AYMENT TO SIMON OSCO, RE: . MAKWINSKI DOPTED )MMENTS Acres money would be to redo the pond. He said Mr. Kately agreed with the Mayor's idea of the amphitheater but it was Mr. Kately's opinion that the pond in the park was in dire need of being drained and the cement base needs to be redone. He said if he remembered the conversation correctly, it would be a couple hundred thousand dollars to complete the project if not more. He said they also spoke about the park on the waterfront that they were trying to finish and said the Borough has a million dollar grant and matching funds for this project but felt they should get the county involved which would give them more money from Green Acres. He said the county did the waterfront park on the South Amboy/Sayreville border and said he would love it if the county would do a beautiful job like that on the waterfront in Carteret. He said the Council has been working on how to best spend money to benefit all the people in the Borough of Carteret and keep the taxes at a reasonable level which he felt this Council has done in the last four to five years. Council member Santoro said since Mr. Crilley mentioned the amphitheater and the pond. She said the football field in the Sportsman area needs to be corrected and redone and additional playground equipment. She said the Council does hear what is being said and takes it into consideration, then adds to it. Councilmember Crilley agreed that all those things need to be done and asked why they should stop anything. RESOLUTION #00-427 was introduced by the Mayor and referred to the Council for action. Upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers Crilley and O'Brien RESOLUTION #00-427 "AUTHORIZING PAYMENT TO SIMON BOSCO" was adopted. Upon individual roll call vote, Counci]members Crilley, O'Brien, Santoro and Councilmember Quinones noted absent. Sohayda abstained. voted in the affirmative. Councilmember Fazekas was Councilmember Quinones said she was abstaining because the Councilmember who was primarily responsible for the matter was not present to vote on it himself. Councilmember Santoro asked Borough Attorney Coughlin what that had to do with it and asked if the Councilmember could vote on this being he was involved. 20. Borough Attorney Coughlin said he didn't know he was involved with anything relative with this Resolution. He said he could vote on this Resolution and he would have to decide for himself as every Councilmember decides for their self with each vote. Councilmember Santoro asked if the Council was responsible for these fees. Borough Attorney Coughlin said they are responsible under the contract. RESOLUTION #00-428 was introduced by the Mayor and referred to the Council for action. Upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers Quinones and O'Brien RESOLUTION #00-428 "RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING PAYMENT" was tabled. Upon individual roll call vote, Councilmembers Crilley, O'Brien, Quinones, Santoro and Sohayda voted in the affirmative. Councilmember Fazekas was noted absent. Borough Attorney Coughlin said he spoke to Ms. Hartman today and said she had some issues in regard to her bill that needed further discussion with the Council and he said she agreed on tabling the Resolution. RESOLUTION #00-429 was introduced by the Mayor and referred to the Council for action. Upon MMS&C, by Council members Crilley and Quinones RESOLUTION #00-429 "AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF A TAXICAB OWNER'S LICENSE FOR THE 2000-2002 LICENSE TERM" was adopted. Upon individual roll call vote, Councilmembers Crilley, O'Brien, Quinones, Santoro and Sohayda voted in the affirmative. Councilmember Fazekas was noted absent. 21. DECEMBER 19, 2000 COMMENTS (Continued) RESOLUTION 100-428 APPROVING PAYMENT TO DEIRDRE HARTMAN, ESQ. K. MAKWINSKI TABLED COMMENTS RESOLUTION 100-429 DIRECTING ISSUANCE OF A TAXICAB OWNER LICENSE-PEN'S RAM TRADING, INC. ADOPTED DECEMBER 19, 2000 RESOLUTION 100-430 (Continued) ADOPTED ~ESOLUTION 100-431 \MENDING RESOLUTION ~00-394-AWARD OF nD TO AMERICAN .AFRANCE COMPANY .DOPTED OMMUNICATIONS: IGHLAND PARK J DIVISION OF DLID WASTE ANAGEMENT mDLESEX JUNTY RESOLUTION #00-430 was introduced by the Mayor and referred to the Council for action. Upon MMS&C, by Council members Crilley and Quinones RESOLUTION #00-430 "AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCCE OF A NEW TAXICAB DRIVER'S LICENSE FOR THE 2000-2001 LICENSE TERM" was adopted. Upon individual roll call vote, Councilmembers Crilley, O'Brien, Quinones, Santoro and Sohayda voted in the affirmative. Council member Fazekas was noted absent. RESOLUTION #00-431 was introduced by the Mayor and referred to the Council for action. Upon MMS&C, by Council members Crilley and O'Brien RESOLUTION #00-431 "AMENDING RESOLUTION #00-394- AWARD OF BID TO AMERICAN LA FRANCE" was adopted. Upon individua] roll call vote, Councilmembers Crilley, O'Brien, Quinones, Santoro, Sohayda voted in the affirmative. Councilmember Fazekas was noted absent. The C]erk stated that she was in receipt of a Communication from the Borough of Highland Park-Resolution opposing pending legislation which would eliminate municipal rent control (A-2188) The Clerk stated that she was in receipt of a Communication from NJ Division of Solid Waste Management-Public Hearing on Amendment to MC Solid Waste Management Plan, 12/28/00, 6:00 P.M., New Brunswick, Re: Blandford Land Development Corporation. The Clerk stated that she was in receipt of a Communication from the County of Middlesex-Resolution confirming execution of MC Prosecutor's Multi-Jurisdictional Narcotics Task Force Agreement. 22. Upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers O'Brien and Quinones and unanimous affirmative vote of the five (5) Councilmembers present all Communications were ordered to be received and placed on file. Upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers Crilley and Quinones all bills appearing on the prepared list properly audited and signed were ordered to be paid. Upon individual roll call vote, Councilmembers Crilley, O'Brien, Quinones, Santoro and Sohayda voted in the affirmative. Councilmember Fazekas was noted absent. The Clerk stated that she was in receipt of the following reports: 1. Board of Health-November 2000. 2. Inspection of Buildings-November 2000 3. Treasurer-November 2000 BUILDINGS & GROUNDS: Committee Chairperson Santoro said they were moving along to opening the Community Center in January and said she hopefully they would be moving people into offices over the holidays. She said this Sunday was the opening of the town center in the front that began with UEZ money and said they were just waiting for the granite monument for the center. She reported progress. FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION: Committee Chairperson O'Brien said they made it to the end of the year. He reported progress. FIRE: Councilmember Quinones reported progress. 23. PARKS & RECREATION: Committee Chairperson Crilley said this was his last meeting as a Councilmember and said he was sure some people were glad to hear that and said some may not be. He said he felt Mr. Cordero and some other members of what he likes to call the New Democratic Party come to meetings with a personal agenda. He said that agenda not only slows what progress has gone on for the last four years, it reverses it. He said he does agree that each new Council has the right to do what they feel fit but said he hoped every Council would have the people in mind when it comes to cost and taxpayers. DECEMBER 19, 2000 PAYMENT OF BILLS REPORTS DEPARTMENT STANDING COMMITTEES DECEMBER 19, 2000 STANDING COMMITTEES (Continued) He said he understood the new Council was going to change the engineers and felt it would be a detriment to the town because of the on going sewer projects. He said he hoped this did not delay the process that was taking place and delay the people who have waited many years to get to the point they were at now. He said he be]ieved it was their intent to get rid of the Police Director and replace these people with their own choice. He said if anyone wants to call him a crony of Mayor Failace he would take it as a compliment. He said the person they are talking about replacing the Police Director with he felt that person was a good man and a good officer but said he was not as qualified as Director Elg. He said he thought their plan was to fire the Business Administrator but he wasn't sure if they were going to replace him with their own administrator or they planned to go without one. He said he believed that would be a mistake for the Borough because the town has over a twenty million-dollar budget and needs someone who knows how to run the town like a business. He said the Council went to Trenton to talk about the Redevelopment Agency and said the Council spoke against it for various reasons. He said they want to put their own people on that board and felt it was the cronyism. He said he felt instead of bringing the town forward, and bringing a mixture of people onto this board, they want to put their own people on the board. He said the Borough workers have joined together to remove him from office as well as others in the past and said that was their right. He said he has sat there quietly for six months and didn't bother Mr. Kately, he let him run his department as he saw fit and said he didn't want to interfere. He said Mr. Kately has done a fine job running the Parks Department in the last three years and had no complaints. He asked the people that removed him to see where they are today as opposed to three years ago. He said when he took office the Borough employees supported them and complained to the Council about the working conditions in the Borough concerning supervisors and various working conditions. He said since he has been on the Council they have been trying to correct that condition and felt they have brought professionalism to the Council. He thought the intention was to demote the Public Works Director and replace him with someone who is not as qualified, have the experience or the licenses as the Public Work Director the Borough has now. He said the Borough employees don't realize how good they have it and said they have come to the Council with complaints about the supervisors in some departments and they have made the changes that had to be made to make conditions better for them. He said they no longer work in fear of their jobs, which was a condition, which existed here years ago. He said they have promoted based on ability rather than political affiliation and didn't think anyone in the Borough was slighted based on their political affiliation in this town. He said he felt they did things the right way but the employees still felt fit to have him removed. He told the Clerk to have his card ready on Monday morning he will be in to change his party affiliation to the New Democratic Party. He said there are many Borough workers who do a great job, if not most of them and said he thought they come to work with a purpose, to improve the quality of life in the Borough for the citizens they work for. He said the Parks Department, who he is in charge of has many good men and said they have done a good job in the last three years. He thanked Kathleen Barney and the Clerk's office and said since the day he came into the job he got nothing but support and help any time he rang the phone no matter who it was taking the call. He said he believed the Clerk was probably one of the 24. best in the state and said she does a damn good job for the Borough. He said people don't know what a jewel we have right here in Carteret and said she does a great job and was glad to work with her and thanked her for her help. He thanked the Recreation Commission headed by Beverly Hedesh and listed all members and said these people give of their time freely. He listed the various things Mrs. Hedesh and the committee do during the year for the people of Carteret and said they give many, many, many thousands of hours of volunteer time to the Borough each year and he could not thank them enough. He told Mrs. Hedesh they do a great job for the Borough of Carteret and said they have made this Council and Mayor look good time and again and said he personally thanked them. He reported progress. POLICE: Committee Chairperson Quinones said to Councilmember O'Brien and Crilley that it has been a pleasure working with them and said they both have been committed to serving the people and felt they have done that well. She thanked the police officers and the firefighters who have assisted in the tanker spill last week, which they were able to keep under control. She said the Police Department has been conducting sobriety check point testing over the last few weeks which have resulted in five drunk driving arrests and over eighty summonses for failure to wear seat belts, driving while suspended and open alcoholic beverage containers in a car. She said she strongly disagreed with the statement Council-elect Rios made concerning the Police Director contract when he said the people of Carteret are going to suffer for this. She went on to list all the good things Police Director Elg has done for the Borough in the last twenty-two months he has been working here and said his salary amounted to much less than the grant money that he has taken in. She told of raids, special units, the County Prosecutor's Office and the officers in Carteret working together on projects and continued reading from the list she had made up concerning his accomplishments. She said after all these accomplishments she felt it really hard to justify that the people of Carteret are going to suffer for this. She said he has brought professionalism, stability to the department and said she thought the people of Carteret have benefited by his presence and hoped they would continue to do so. She reported progress. l5. PUBLIC WORKS: Committee Chairperson Sohayda said there was a list of twenty-seven new street signs that have been ordered. He said the Director of Public Works has told him that they will be going up as soon he has the manpower to handle the situation. He said the gas tank at the Public Works Department was almost ready to be completed. He said the leaves were almost all picked up and they have seventy tons of salt so that they are ready for the winter. He said Recycling is moving along smoothly and said in the Sewer Department the men are out almost every day cleaning the sewer areas on local streets. He said there were problems a few weeks ago during a rain DECEMBER 19, 2000 STANDING COMMITTEES (Continued) DECEMBER 19, 2000 STANDING COMMITTEES (Continued) :;OUNCILMEMBER JAMES O'BRIEN AYOR FAILACE storm and the vacuum truck which is forty years old held up well but he felt they need a new truck. He reported progress. BOARD OF EDUCATION: Committee Chairperson Santoro said she would like everyone to remember Fred Grigni, the Board of Education member who recently passed away. She said during the construction project he had given a year and a half of his time before serving as a member of the board and attended numerous meetings. She said this man gave his heart and soul, was a terrific individual and will be sorely missed. Councilmember O'Brien apologized for taking time out the meeting but said he may not be at the January first meeting and had a few things he would like to say. He said he was currently exploring the possibility of entering the priesthood. He went on to explain his feelings, he said the reason he became a teacher was to serve people and it was also the reason he entered public service and said it was not politics. He said in 1988 he had the pleasure of serving as an intern to Senator Lautenberg and he said he learned a valuable lesson from Senator Lautenberg which was you have to vote how you believe and try to do what is best for the peop]e. He said he felt he has done that with his voting ninety-five percent of the time and said there was no one perfect. He said it took him five and a half years to get passionate about an issue, the Cell Phone Ordinance and reiterated if the Ordinance saved one life, he felt it was worth it. He said he has gone into this to serve the public and for nothing else he said in recent years the politics of this town has made serving people efficiently and effective]y very difficult but not impossible. He read a poem written by Mother Teresa, which he had also read at a meeting in June and said it has been a pleasure serving the Borough the last seven years. He wished everyone a happy holiday and a healthy and happy New Year. He said it has been an interesting six years and said he is done with politics but he was not done with people, he would be doing it in a higher and nobler fashion. Councilmember O'Brien was noted absent at 8:50 P.M. Mayor Failace said Councilmember O'Brien was a good honest man who cared about the town and said he was going to miss him. He said this Saturday they had the Town Center Dedication, a lot of people were there, it was a great time and there was a wonderful dedication by the veterans. He said he was very happy to see Joe Vas, Mayor of Perth Amboy there and told him if the Council could do what Joe Vas has done for Perth Amboy in Carteret they will have done one heck of a job. He thanked Councilmember Crilley for the job he has done in the parks and said he has put a Herculean effort into getting money for the parks. He said one penny does not seem to be a lot of money, but said that one penny in the next five years along with what was put into 26. the budget this year will give the town a million dollars to fix up the parks. He said he was sure Councilmember Crilley would be there at meetings to ensure that the money is being spent properly and they are fixing up the parks. He said the Council could wait, but they chose not to wait because they would still be in the same place ten years from now. He said he, Councilmember Quinones, Daphne Miles and former Councilmember Stan Gutowski went down to Trenton in favor of the Redevelopment Agency to meet with the Local Finance Board. He said Council member Santoro, Sohayda and Councilmember-elect Reiman went to Trenton because they want to wait. Councilmember Fazekas sent a letter to the Local Finance Board saying he was against it or maybe he wanted them to wait, he was against them approving it on the thirteenth, yet he voted to approve the Redevelopment Agency. He said Councilmember-elect Rios sent a letter saying he wanted to wait so that it would be done right. He said Councilmember Santoro told the Finance Board she needed more information before the Council did this and went on to list all the information the Council and Council-elect had concerning the Redevelopment. He said Councilmember Sohayda had a problem with how the bonding works and said they could not bond unless the Council bonds for it, but he wasn't sure if he was in favor of it or not. He said Council-elect Reiman said the lame duck Mayor was trying to fill the agency with his cronies and read the list of his cronies with their credentials and long list of accomplishments. He said he was making a list of names for this agency and said anyone could give him names, but when they got down to Trenton Councilmember Santoro said she didn't know when he needed the names. He said Dan Reiman should stand up and apologize to any members of the Redevelopment Agency who are in attendance. He said in the newspaper Councilmember-elect Reiman said if Remy and the Mayor do not like what he is going to do they know where the door is. He said Reiman said the Mayor is a lame duck, but he said he was not a lame duck and did not control anyone on the Council and never has. He said Pat Crilley could tell anyone how much he controls him, not at all since they fight like crazy all the time. He asked Councilmember-elect Reiman to stand up and tell everyone who the Mayor's cronies are. Councilmember Quinones told Councilmember-elect Reiman she wasn't going to respond to his statement in the newspaper because she felt it was very ignorant and said he would never be a big enough person to show her, the Mayor or anyone else in the room the door. Councilmember Santoro said she felt it was a shame that the last meeting of the year the Mayor and the people who lost the election decided to create havoc, point the finger and play games. She said the Mayor should watch it or he will be next. 7. Mayor Failace said he wasn't worried about being next and said he cared about Carteret. He said he had another life outside of this and said he spoke the truth about what happened and asked the Councilmember to explain. He said he only spoke the truth about what happened and said it was on record at the last Council meeting. He said he put good hard working people on this committee and not one was his crony. He said he wanted to see Carteret move forward and said he did give thought to the Council, unlike what Councilmember-elect Reiman said in the newspaper. He said this Council has plenty to do with sewer, taxes and Borough Hall in need DECEMBER 19, 2000 MAYOR FAILACE (Continued) COMMENTS DECEMBER 19, 2000 COMMENTS (Continued) >UBLIC DISCUSSION :OMMENTS of repairs. He said the Council doesn't need to control this, they have enough to take care of and said he concerned himse]f with the credentials of the people he chose and said at least one of them had a sign up for Reiman and Rios, but it doesn't matter to him. He said what mattered to him was moving Carteret forward and said he was tired of being called a lame duck and being told to see the door. He said he would continue to do what has to be done for at least the next two years. He said he was asking for Councilmember-elect Reiman to explain to these people and felt he owed an apology to each and every one of them. He said if Councilmember-elect Reiman wants someone else on this that would be fine but said on January tenth he was going to Trenton to present the same people to the board for approval. He told Councilmember Santoro that the board in Trenton said it was the most concise plan ever given to them and said they have no questions. He said this is all on record for anyone that does not believe him. Upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers Crilley and Quinones and unanimous affirmative vote of the five (5) Councilmembers present, the meeting was opened to the public for discussion. Stan Gutowski, New Jersey Avenue said he attended the redevelopment meeting to listen because of the feelings and comments he has heard concerning who should be appointed to this committee. He said some have said the new Council should be the new Redevelopment Agency because they would handle this better. He said he feJt the new Council should have taken the time to do their homework and said there was a conflict of interest. He said he felt the new Council had no authority to sit on the Redevelopment Agency. He said Councilmember Fazekas, Santoro and Reiman have relatives that live in property that were developed by a developer in this town that could potentially develop more property in this town and felt this was a direct or indirect benefit to them. He said Council member Santoro is a real estate agent and questioned if the company she worked for would be involved in this. He said Councilmember Sohayda owns a shade company business in town and bothered Mr. Gutowski for a job in the Board of Education before becoming a Councilmember. He said Councilmember Sohayda has done seven thousand dollars worth of work for the Board of Education this year as a Councilmember and said this was a direct benefit to him. He said Councilmember-elect Reiman works for the largest contributor of the UEZ, Shop-Rite. He said they are going to redevelop lower Roosevelt Avenue by putting in grocery stores, which will affect Mr. Sitar's business. He said the incoming Council can not sit on the board when it would directly or indirectly affect each of them and their employers, because of potential conflicts. He said the new Counci] could sit up there and abstain on everything, which would leave only one member of the Council; Council President Quinones to vote on the issues. He said if the Council wants to do this right the redevelopment should be given to the citizens. 28. James Mancuso, Carteret, former crony and proud to have been one said the bill for the Board of Education if rejected by the Board of Education then comes before the Council. He informed Councilmember Sohayda that he would not be able to vote on that budget. He asked what had been going on in the passed five years before these people were elected because he said from what he is hearing at this meeting it seems that nothing has been done and he knew that wasn't true because he was involved. He told the Mayor he would rather be a crony for him than a hypocrite and a liar. He said he felt all of which had been going on at this meeting. Pastor Amos Dickerson, Jr., AME Zion Church, explained to the Council what he and his church stood for. He said he has attended many Council meetings and given his input on issues concerning children and various issues in the community. He thanked the Mayor for asking him to join the Redevelopment Agency and asked the Mayor how long the Mayor knew him and how well. He told the community and the Council he is no one's crony. William Kolibas, Jr., 13 Colgan Avneue, said the Council is speaking a lot about cronies and lame ducks. He asked how many meetings in a row Councilmember Jack Fazekas has missed. He asked Borough Attorney Coughlin to clarify the Ordinance dealing with when you miss three meetings in a row. He said he believed it stated the Council could take action to remove him and he said he felt the Council should take appropriate action. He said Councilmember Fazekas was being paid to do a job and said Mr. Riggio was not being paid to be on the Redevelopment Agency and was not a crony. He said the crony was Councilmember Fazekas who he felt had no spine and no backbone. He said at the last Council meeting Ms. Miles brought up an important point and he researched it before speaking tonight. He said on Carteret and Coolidge Avenue he counted seven crossing guards and said there are two on Roosevelt Avenue. He said he always thought what Ms. Miles said at meetings was a joke, that African American people said they were being discriminated against or that they were being looked down on and he now knows this is true. He said he wants to know when this would be addressed and who would address it. Councilmember Santoro said crossing guards come under police. Councilmember Quinones said they do and there has to be cooperation with the schools and said to Council member Santoro was the Board of Education liaison and said the two Councilmembers should speak to the School Board. She said she would speak to Captain Hojecki in the Police Department about this to try and rectify the situation. Willam Kolibas, Jr. asked Councilmember Crilley if he heard correctly that he wanted a party change card, and said he should see him. He asked the Council why he was fired. 9. Councilmember Quinones said it had something to do with an altercation. William Kolibas, Jr. asked if it had anything to do with conduct unbecoming a public employee. He said what happened this week with a certain employee falls under the same situation and he demanded as a tax payer of this town the other employee be held to the same standards as he was and as Vie Kazio, Jr. was. He said he will come to every Council meeting and harp on it. He asked what DECEMBER 19, 2000 COMMENTS (Continued) DECEMBER 19, 2000 COMMENTS (Continued) happened in closed session regarding Mr. Leonard Sitar asking for the busing of people to Shop-Rite. Mayor Failace said it was discussed and he believed John Riggio was sent a letter and the Council will sit down to discuss it with him since he is the head of the Urban Enterprise Zone. Willliam Kolibas, Jr. said it was wrong for this Council to provide a bus for Mr. Sitar, and Mr. Reiman's employer and he will be at every meeting to speak against it. Gladys Wilder, AME Zion Church, said Dan Reiman has a lot of cronies of his own because she was sure everyone shopped at Shop- Rite, they would be his cronies and Mr. Sitar's cronies. She said on behalf of her pastor, she to]d Councilmernber Reiman he will apologize and said she wanted a retraction in the newspaper. Daphne Miles, Pulaski Avenue, said Counci]member Santoro knew at the meeting before going to Trenton what was going to happen in Trenton and asked what she didn't know when she agreed to that. She said she was going to be at every meeting until this passed. She said if it was up to her the Mayor, Councilmembers Crilley and Quinones would still be on the Council. She said the people in Chrome were not important, but the Councilmembers come to Chrome to get their vote. She said the people in Chrome are just a small number and that is why they will be attending all meetings to get what they want. She said the incoming Councilmembers would not do anything for the redevelopment of Chrome. She asked if they were always going to be left behind and said Councilmember Santoro spoke about a hundred thousand dollars. She said there is thirty years of neglect and asked if the people and their children were worth three thousand dollars a year. She said she asked Reverend Dickerson if Chrome was really a part of Carteret. She said Councilmember Santoro needed more information and had to check the traffic, but felt someone mentally challenged knows something needs to be done with the traffic down there. She said they allowed the light to be put there and traffic to be dumped into their backyards, but the people are tired now and she said they are going to fight the incoming Council because the people do not want them to be in charge of redevelopment. She said the Counci] did not deserve to be in charge of redevelopment and said when the Council goes to Trenton on January tenth, they would go down with them because the people are sick of living in what they are living in. She said they are people, humans and they live in Carteret. She said if Councilmember-elect Reiman does not apologize to Pastor Dickerson by eleven o'clock Sunday morning, he will wish he did and went on to speak loudly to Councilmember-elect Reiman. Mayor Failace said they are in public but thought Mr. Reiman had nothing to say but when the Mayor got home the newspaper called him and said Mr. Reiman had called. Mayor Failace said he passed around a copy of the list and made sure the Council members had a copy and said Council-elect Reiman knew who was on the list. 30. Shawn Seymore, Edwin Street asked what the conflict was all about and asked the Council to explain it to her and asked if the Council had something against them. Councilmember Santoro said she was premature and told Ms. Seymore to come on January tenth to see what it was about and said there was no problem. Shawn Seymore said Councilmember Santoro was trying to stop everything and asked her what she wanted. She asked Councilmember Santoro if they needed a bus to go to Trenton because they could go down there and said she would be willing to go with them. She said she felt enough was enough. Mayor Failace said he didn't believe they were against redevelopment and felt they just wanted to control it. Shawn Seymore said it was for the people and said it was not about the Council. Mayor Failace said as good as his list is he felt the redevelopment would probably be with the new Councilor a list of their own and said that was the problem. Kelly Colazzo, Longfellow Street asked if Councilmember Santoro had a problem with the Mayor's list for redevelopment. Councilmember Santoro said she had a problem with some of the people on the list and said one of the questions from a commissioner in Trenton was that two of the people on the list were related. She said she felt there should be more members on the committee. Kelly Colazzo asked Councilmember Santoro if they should be citizens and not Councilmembers who should be added and asked if she had a problem with redevelopment of lower Roosevelt Avenue. Councilmember Santoro said she never said it should be more Councilmembers and said it should be citizens. She said she does not have a problem with redevelopment of lower Roosevelt Avenue and said she had recently said that on the record. Kelly Colazzo asked if Councilmember Santoro wanted Council control over the redevelopment. Councilmember Santoro said she wanted to have input to it and said that was what she was a Councilmember for and said the people could accept it or not but she has the right to have input into it. Kelly Colazzo asked if when Councilmember Santoro brought people into Carteret to buy house if she avoided bringing them in through lower Roosevelt A venue because of the way it looked. Councilmember Santoro said it was not true 31. Councilmember Quinones wanted to clarify the question that was asked by the commissioner in Trenton which was if there were a relation between Keith Riggio and John Riggio and said that was simply that. She said there was no statement made that that could be a conflict or anything and said it was simply a question. She said whether the Council is on the Redevelopment or not, the Council will always have input on it even if they don't control it. DECEMBER 19, 2000 COMMENTS (Continued) DECEMBER 19, 2000 COMMENTS (Continued) Mayor Failace said as much as he loves Keith Riggio, a lifelong resident, he would have told him his father was on maybe we could put someone else on. He said he didn't see anything wrong with appointing him, because he is a certified public accountant. He said he has the financial credentials. He said if the Council felt everyone else on his list was okay, he would ask Keith Riggio to come off and let the Council put someone else on even though it wou]d hurt the Mayor. He said the sad thing was the whole list would probab]y change and felt that was sad. Mary Fountaine invited Councilmember Santoro to sit outside her house on Roosevelt Avenue and count the trucks that go by since Councilmember Santoro was not aware of how much truck traffic there was. Councilmember Santoro said the subject of traffic came up in the twenty-five minute interview because they asked about the rerouting of trucks through the whole redevelopment area. She said as she has said at prior Agenda Meetings, in order for the Industrial Road to happen, there were different situations that had to happen. She said of course she knew the traffic situation in that area and said she sat on the UEZ when money was allocated for down there. She said they walked to reroute and look at the area and said she was not unfamiliar with the traffic down there. Mary Fountaine asked Councilmember Santoro why any time anything negative in the Chrome area comes up, Councilmember Santoro's name was on the top of the list but when the people question it at Council Meetings Councilmember Santoro always says she is for them. She said Council member Santoro is always in the middle of everything and asked why. Councilmember Santoro said maybe because she was not the Mayor's crony. Mary Fountaine said that was not the issue, but since Councilmember Santoro brought it up, she said Council-elect Reiman should apologize to her pastor. She said she felt Councilmember Santoro shou]d step back and look at things before saying something because she is always in the middle of everything. She said Councilmember Santoro was always smiling like it was a joke and said it was not a joke, and the people did not think it was funny. She said she was living there all her life and said she has never seen Councilmember Santoro down there unless it was election time and she was looking for votes. Daphne Miles said when they leave the meeting she didn't want anyone to confuse what was said in the audience that she was the cause of all the problems down Chrome. She asked if Councilmember Santoro had a problem with the agency being run by the names on the list they would be bringing to Trenton on January tenth except Keith Riggio. 32. Councilmember Santoro said she had a couple other names that were on the list she had problems with. She said she would have a problem with Mr. CriUey sitting on the agency but at this point she didn't want to discuss it and said it should be a discussion of the new Council. Daphne Miles said we are at a Council Meeting and they were not worried about Danny Reiman and Ronnie Rios until the Mayor swears them in on January first and said they were talking about today. She asked if Councilmember Santoro had a problem with just Patrick Crilley and maybe Keith Riggio because his father was on it. Councilmember Santoro said she didn't remember who was on it right now but said she didn't want to play. Daphne Miles said Councilmember Santoro called it playing but they call it survival and said she couldn't sleep at night because of how important it was to her. She said a good friend of hers said they made Daphne cry and said if you had an ounce of anything in your heart you would cry about the way Chrome is. She said they are trying to move forward and do not deserve what is happening in their neighborhood. She said she does not see any of the property owners being held accountable for the way they let their buildings go. She said the people that live in Chrome get blamed for it and said they are tired of it. She said she wants to know right now who Councilmember Santoro objects to right now and asked if Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse would be acceptable to her. Councilmember Santoro asked if Ms. Miles wanted redevelopment to happen down there and did she want the best possible person and asked if anyone looked to see if there were better people who might want to get involved. Daphne Miles said she felt Councilmember Santoro insulted everyone on the list. She said she could call Pat Crilley any time of the night and he has always been there to help and said it was at any time not just at election time. John Sudia, Cypress Street asked why the Ordinance for the Redevelopment Agency was tabled. Mayor Failace said it was tabled until it could be approved by the Local Finance Board in Trenton. He said they postponed it until January because of the opposition. John Sudia said he hears a lot of argument about who was going to control the agency and said the attorney will advise the Council that once this agency is created it will become an autonomous body. He said an autonomous body means no one controls it except the commissioners sitting on it. He said the Mayor and Council may recommend or advise but said it is up to the committee to decide what happens. He said he liked the Mayor's choices even though he doesn't always agree with the Mayor and asked Councilmembers Sohayda and Santoro to leave these people alone so they could get the job done. 33. Mayor Failace said he expected the Local Finance Board would approve a Redevelopment Agency on January tenth. He said they said this was one of the finest, most comprehensive plans they have ever received and they did not have any questions about it. He said Rahway went before them and they had no plan, but said Carteret did everything right. He said he feels the incoming Council does want redevelopment and revitalization of lower Roosevelt. He said he does DECEMBER 19, 2000 COMMENTS (Continued) DECEMBER 19, 2000 COMMENTS (Continued) not agree with the Council doing it and said he would fight against the Council doing it because they have too many things to do. He said he will go to Trenton with the list and said he was sure the list would be changed by the new Council but was not sure if the whole list would change and said he knew it would be approved. He said the people on the list would continue and move the project forward and invited everyone to come to Trenton with the Council. John Riggio said he was a little embarrassed when people bantered his son's name. He asked the Council where else anyone could get a certified public account who is a young family man living in town to dedicate his time for free. He said he took exception to what Councilmember Santoro said and said his son resigned because it was not worth it. He said as far as he is concerned he worked very hard to get a grant for this and went on television to say the stake holders should be in charge and told the Council he needed this like he needed another hole in the head. He said he also resigned from the board because he said he would not get involved with this because it was nothing but trouble. He said this was not a paying job and did not want his family to be the subject of ridicule. He said he was embarrassed because of what a twenty-four year old kid who did not take office yet said. He said he didn't know what to say to him because January first he would be working for him as a Borough employee. He said he wasn't going to stand up at the meeting to say anything but asked how much his name and his son's name could stand for volunteering. He wished the project a lot of luck but as far as his family was concerned they didn't want to be involved. Mayor Failace tried to get order by banging on the desk and said some one stole his gavel, maybe one of his cronies. Stanley Gutowski asked if the Local Finance Board had any other questions about the membership list the Council presented to them and reiterated what the Mayor and Councilmember Quinones said concerning how pleased the Board was with their choices and how they presented it. He asked the Council's opinion of what would happen if they went to Trenton to present the same list and asked if the Council would need the approval of the members before creating the Redeve]opment Agency. Mayor Failace said he didn't know but said it was so important to him that this continues and the Redevelopment Agency goes on. He said for that reason he would not go against any of the names submitted by other members. He said he would do this because it needs to be done and said the names he has on this list are good dedicated people. He said he wouldn't go against another list if the Board does approve it but said he would voice his concerns. Stan Gutowski asked Councilmember Santoro which names she objected to on the list. 34· Councilmember Santoro said he would have to wait until January. Kelly Colazzo said since serving on a Counci] was a paid position she questioned if there were any rules or guidelines that the Councilmembers had to follow and asked if they were able to disrespect anyone they wanted. Mayor Failace said they could do what ever they want and said that was the Rules of Council. Levi Jones said he has been in Carteret for fifty-six years and told Council-elect Reiman he was going to die and go to hell. He said he felt if the pastor was a priest, Mr. Reiman would have never spoke to him like that. Linda Pino said she felt the Mayor should keep the Riggios and get rid of Santoro and her cronies. Councilmember Quinones said she felt Mr. Riggio was a valuable potential member of the Redevelopment Agency and said he was certainly qualified to sit on the committee. She said since there was no formal apology offered tonight, she apologized to the people on the list for being subjected to something like that. There being no further business or discussion, upon MMS&C, by Quinones and Crilley and unanimous affirmative vote of the five (5) members present, the meeting was adjourned at approximately 9:50 P.M. Respectfully submitted, ~' Øi~ 1. -, - - --,<-,<L-f ' - ..L¿¿."........- ,<:.. . KATHLEEN M. BARNEY, RMCtcM Municipal Clerk KMB/cp 35. DECEMBER 19, 2000 COMMENTS (Continued) ADJOURNED DECEMBER 19, 2000 COUNCIL MEETING