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Home My Public Portal About1997/03/20 The Regular Meeting of the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Carteret was caned to order by Mayor Peter 1. Sica, 7:30 P.M., Municipal Court/Police Facility, 230 Roosevelt Avenue, Carteret, New Jersey on Thursday, March 20,1997. Upon individual roll call vote, the following were noted present: Mayor Peter J. Sica Councilmember Deborah Bialowarczuk " John DuPont " James Failace " Jack Fazekas " William Feingold " Stanley Gutowski Also noted present was Borough Attorney Craig Coughlin. The meeting was opened with a minute of silent prayer and the pledge of allegiance led by Mayor Peter 1. Sica. The Clerk stated that on March 14, 1997, in full compliance with the Open Public Meetings Act, a notice of tonight's meeting was sent to The Home News and Tribune, The Star Ledger and posted on the Bulletin Board. Upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers Fazekas and Failace and unanimous atlirmative vote of the filll membership present, the minutes of January 16th and 30th, 1997 were approved as transcribed and engrossed by the Clerk. At this time, upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers Failace and Feingold and unanimous affinnative vote ofthe full membership present, the Public Hearing on the 1997 Local Municipal Budget was opened to the public. 1 .L There being no comments from the audience present, upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers Failace and Fazekas and unanimous a!1innative vote of the full membership present, the Public Hearing on the 1997 Local Municipal Budget was dosed. ~1ARæ 20, 1997 REGUU,R ~1EErING ROLL CALL PRAYER, PLECGE OF ALLEGIANCE STATEt1ENT OF HEErING APPROVAL OF ~lINUTES PUBLIC HEARING - 1997 LOCAL HUNICIPAL BUIX;Er Cl.DSED ~æ 20, 1997 BIDS - IHPROVEMENTS TO LEFFERT STREET This was the night advertised to receive bids for Improvements to Leffert Street and the Mayor called for all bids. Upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers DuPont and Fazekas and unanimous affinnative vote of the full membership present, the Clerk was directed to open and read aloud all bids received which were as follows: BIDDER 10% 1. Schifano Construction Co. BB 1 Smalley Avenue Middlesex, N. J. 08846 2. Penaloza-Calderone BB 1000 Hamilton St. Somerset, N. 1. 08873 3. Alpine Road Builders Inc. BB 629 Amboy Avenue Edison, N. J 08837 BID PRICE $28,920.00 $25,050.00 $23,560.00 HELD FOR STUDY Upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers Failace and Fazekas and unanimous affinnative vote of the full membership present, the bids were held for study. ORDINANCE #97-8 CAPITAL IHPROVEMENT REPAIRS - æERRY PICKER & IHPROVEMENTS TO 20 COOKE AVENUE ORDINANCE #97-8 was introduced and adopted on First Reading and the Clerk authorized and directed to advertise same for Public Hearing to be held April 3, 1997, upon MMS&C by Council members Failace and Fazekas. FIRST READING Upon individual roll call vote, Councilmembers DuPont, Failace, Fazekas and Gutowski voted in the affirmative for the adoption. Councilmembers Bialowarczuk and Feingold voted No. ORDINANCE #97-8 "AN ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR EQUIPMENT AND BUILDING REPAIRS FOR THE BOROUGH OF CARTERET, COUNTY OF MIDDLESEX, STATE OF NEW JERSEY, APPROPRIATING $40,00000 FROM THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND OF THE BOROUGH FOR THE COST THEREFOR" 2 Councilmember Bialowarczuk asked if she could vote yes on one and no on the other. Borough Attorney Coughlin said no. The ordinance stands alone and it is that piece of legislation that you need to vote on. You could propose amendments to it. You could ask that they be separate ordinances, but you could not vote for a portion of the ordinance. ORDINANCE #97-9 was introduced and adopted on First Reading and the Clerk authorized and directed to advertise same for Public Hearing to be held April 3, 1997, upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers Failace and DuPont. Upon individual roll call vote, Councilmembers Bialowarczuk, DuPont, Failace, Fazekas, Feingold and Gutowski voted in the affinnative for the adoption. ORDINANCE #97-9 "AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER \09, ARTICLE 5 OF THE CODE OF THE BOROUGH OF CARTERET, ENTITLED "CONSTRUCTION CODES, UNIFORM" PROVIDING FOR THE WAIVER OF FEES IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES" The Clerk stated that Ordinance #97-7 was introduced and passed upon First Reading at a Regular Meeting of the Borough Council of the Borough ofCarteret held on March 6, 1997. It was duly published in The Home News & Tribune on March II, 1997 with notice that it will be considered for final passage after Public Hearing to be held on March 20, 1997 at approximately 7:30 PM. The Ordinance was posted on the bulletin board and copies were made available to the general public and according to law, she re,¡d the Ordinance by title. Upon MlvIS&C, by Councilmembers Gutowski and Failace and unanimous aftìrmative vote of the fi!ll membership present, the Mayor declared the Public Hearing to be open: 3 There being no comment5 or objections to the Ordinance, the Mayor declared the Public Hearing to be closed upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers Failace and Faækas and unanimous affirmative vote of the full membership present. ~1ARæ 20, 1997 COHHENTS ORDINANCE #97-9 WAIVER OF FEES FIRST READING ORDINANCE 4,'97 -7 SEi-1ER CONNECTION FEES PUBLIC HEARING HEARING CLOSED March 20, 1997 AOOPTED Upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers Failace and DuPont ORDINANCE #97-7 "AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 207 "SEWERS" ARTICLE III "SEWER CONNECTION FEES", OF THE REVISED GENERAL ORDINANCES OF THE BOROUGH OF CARTERET" was adopted. Upon individual roll call vote, Councilmembers DuPont, Failace, Fazekas, Gutowski voted in the affinnative for the adoption. Councilmembers Bialowarczuk and Feingold voted No. Approved and Adopted: March 20. 1997 Introduced: March 6. 1997 Advertised as adopted on First Reading with Notice of Public Hearing: March 11. 1997 Hearing Held: March 20. 1997 Approved: Mayor Peter 1. Sica Advertised as finally adopted: March 29. 1997 COt1MENTS Councilmember Bialowarczuk stated that she thinks they will have a lot of problems with this. She doesn't think the people of the Borough are going to see it until a few months from now and they're going to be extremely upset over it. Councilmember Failace stated that he doesn't think there is any problem with it. It gives them the opportunity to give money back to the people. We can still do all of the projects and still give something back to the people. MEETING OPENED - PUBLIC INPUT ON RESOLUTIONS A copy of each resolution was placed upon the table for public review prior to the meeting in accordance with the Rules of Council and upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers Failace and Fazekas and unanimous affinnative vote of the full membership present, the meeting was opened for public input on all resolutions. 4 Sophie Cherepon asked what VNA is. Mayor Sica said that it is the Visiting Nurse Association. Mrs. Cherepon asked what the RCA agreement is. Mayor Sica explained that the resolution authorizes us to negotiate with Amwell for some RCA monies Mrs. Cherepon asked if that was the low cost housing like Mt. Laurel. Mayor Sica said yes. Mrs. Cherepon asked what is the Borough's obligation from the State on that. How much percentage were we supposed to provide? Mayor Sica stated that we don't have an obligation. What we're doing with East Amwell is we're getting any where from $100,000.00 to $400,000.00. All of that money is specifically eannarked to give to homeowners to improve their homes. We don't have a Mt. Laurel obligation, we're over and above what Mt. Laurel.....(inaudible). Mrs. Cherepon said that in Massachusetts, in two communities they give seniors, in order to entice them to stay, a big reduction on their property tax. The seniors stayed and used that money that they saved in taxes to fix their homes and property and they didn't have to build new schools in those two communities. Mayor Sica said that can't be done here. Mrs. Cherepon stated that the Senate and Legislature can do it. Mayor Sica said that is not the point. The point is that we have a chance to get somewhere from $100,00000 to $400,000.00 to give out to the citizens of Carteret. Just in the last go-around we had over seventy-five applications. If we were to give out $15,000.00 to each one of those applicants, a lot of seniors and a lot of poor people to fix their homes, it would come in excess of a million and a half dollars. Mrs. Cherepon asked if we will be putting it into any kind of projects. Mayor Sica said that this particular East Amwell project is specifically geared to give the money to the taxpayers. We can't put it in as general revenue to reduce taxes. It's to give it to people whose homes need new furnaces, new roofs, not to the taxpayers. We can't put it in as general revenue to reduce taxes. It's to give it to people whose homes need new furnaces, roofs, windows and porches. That's what that is for. 5 Mrs. Cherepon said that she doesn't want to see any more low cost housing. ~;".FCH 20, :.r,07 COMMENTS (Con't.) MARCH 20. 1997 MEETING CLOSED There being no further comments or objections to the Resolutions, the Mayor declared the Public Hearing to be closed upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers Failace and Fazekas and unanimous affirmative vote of the full membership present. RESOLUTI ON #97-103 RAFFLE LI CENSES RESOLUTION #97-\03 was introduced by the Mayor and was referred to th( Council for action. ADOPTED Upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers Failace and DuPont RESOLUTION #97-103 "DIRECTING THE ISSUANCE OF RAFFLE LICENSES TO THE HUNGARIAN REFORMED CHURCH OF CARTERET, LITTLE CARTERET LEAGUE, INC. & ST. JOSEPH CHURCH" was adopted. Upon individual roll call vote, Councilmembers Bialowarczuk, DuPont, Failace, Fazekas, Feingold and Gutowski voted in the affirmative. RESOLUTI ON #97-104 AMUSEMENT GAr~ES DISTRIBUTOR'S LICENSE RESOLUTION #97-104 was introduced by the Mayor and was referred to the Council for action. ADOPTED Upon MMS&C, b~' Councilmembers Failace and DuPont RESOLUTION #97-\04 "RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF AMUSEMENT GAMES DISTRIBUTIOR'S LICENSE" was adopted. Upon individual roll call vote, Councilmembers Bialowarczuk, DuPont, Failace, Fazekas, Feingold and Gutowski voted in the affinnative. RESOLUTI ON #97-105 AMENDMENT TO TEMPORARY BUDGET RESOLUTION #97-\05 was introduced by the Mayor and was referred to the Council for action. 6 Upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers Failace and Fazekas RESOLUTION #97-105 "AUTHORIZING AMENDMENT TO THE THE 1997 TEMPORARY BUDGET" was adopted. Upon individual roll call vote, Councilmembers Bialowarczuk, DuPont, Failace, Fazekas, Feingold and Gutowski voted in the affinnative. RESOLUTION #97-106 was introduced by the Mayor and was referred to the Council for action. Upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers DuPont and Fazekas RESOLUTION #97-106 "AUTHORIZING MAYOR TO EXECUTE AGREEMENT WITH VISITING NURSE ASSOCIATION OF CENTRAL JERSEY" was adopted. Upon individual roll call vote, Councilmembers Bialowarczuk, DuPont, Failace, Fazekas, Feingold and Gutowski voted in the aftìrmalÎve. RESOLUTION #97-107 was introduced by the Mayor and was referred to the Council for action. Upon MMS&C, by Council members Failace and DuPont RESOLUTION #97-107 "PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT FOR ACCOUNTING SERVICES" 7 was adopted. Uµon individual roll call vote, Councilmembers DuPont, F"ailace, Fazekas and Gutowski voted in the affirmative. Councilmembers Bia\owan;zuk and Feingo!d v0ted No. BARCH 20, 1997 AOOPTED RESOLUTION ;\'97·-106 VN/\ i\GREEt1ENT AOOPTED RESOLUTION ;\'97-107 PROFESSIONAL SERVICES - LERCH, VINCI & HIGGINS RE: SEWER FEE ANALYSIS AOOPTED HARæ 20, 1997 RESOLUTION #97-108 PROFESSIONAL SERVICES - KATHERINE ALDRIDGE - RE: 1997 TAX APPEALS RESOLUTION #97-\08 was introduced by the Mayor and was referred to the Council for action. ADOPTED Upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers Failace and DuPont RESOLUTION #97-108 "PROFESSIONAL SERVICE CONTRACT FOR LEGAL SERVICES" was adopted. Upon individual roll call vote, Councilmembers Bialowarczuk, DuPont, Failace, Fazekas and Gutowski voted in the affirmative. Councilmember Feingold voted No. RESOLUTION #97-109 BINGO LICENSE RESOLUTION #97-\09 was introduced by the Mayor and was referred to the Council for action. ADOPTED Upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers Fazekas and Feingold RESOLUTION #97-\09 "DIRECTING THE ISSUANCE OF BINGO LICENSES TO CARTERET JEWISH COMIvIUNITY CENTER" was adopted. Upon individual roll call vote, Councilmembers Bialowarczuk, DuPont, Failace, Fazekas and Gutowski voted in the affirmative. Councilmember Feingold Abstained. Before Resolution #97-1\0 was introduced Councilmember Failace proposed the name of Jefft-ey Pino. RESOLUTION #97-110 APPOINTING PINO LIBRARY BOARD RESOLUTION #97-] 10 was introduced by the Mayor and was referred to the Council for action. 8 ADOPTED Upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers Failace and Gutowski RESOLUTION #97-1\0 "APPOINTMENT TO LIBRARY BOARD OFTRUSTEES-CARTERETFREE PUBLIC LIBRARY" was adopted. Upon individual roll call vote, Councilmembers DuPont, Failace, Fazekas and Gutowski voted in the affinnative. Councilmembers Bialowarczuk and Feingold voted No. RESOLUTION #97-111 was introduced by the Mayor and was referred to the Council for action. Upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers Gutowski and Fazekas RESOLUTION #97-111 "APPOINTING RON SIMON AS EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR" was adopted. Upon individual roll call vote, Councilmembers Bialowarczuk, DuPont, Failace, Fazekas, Feingold and Gutowski voted in the affinnative. RESOLUTION #97-112 was introduced by the Mayor and was refelTed to the Council for action. Councilmember Gutowski asked the Borough Attorney if the wording of the resolution was correct. Can we say resident owners of single and two family homes? 9 Attorney Coughlin said that he had a chance to talk to the people at the Council on Affordable Housing based on the fact that we had some discussions on this proposed agreement with regard to that. Specifically, with regard to the way we could eannark the funds. It's his understanding that you cannot exclude rental units, eligible rental units from being included in the project. Eligible means that there are certain restrictions that have to be placed on, that in coordination with that there needs to be certain restrictions, including deed restrictions on the units. In his discussions, they had some specific talks about whether there could be three or four unit homes that needed to be included in that, or whether single and double family homes.....it could be limited to that. His understanding that in fact, that you couldn't limit it to single and two family homes. Multi-unit homes in excess of two needed to be included provided that the landlord was willing to comply with the requirements. ~1ARCH 20, 1997 RESOLUTION 1m -110 (Con't.) RCSOLlJfION #97-111 APPOINTING SHlON - EHERGENCY ~NAGEt1ENT COORDINATOR ADOPIED RESOUITION #97-112 RCA AGREll1ENT - EAST At1WELL TOWNSHIP MARæ 20, 1997 RESOLUTION #97-112 (Can't.) It seems to him, in order to comply with that rule or at least his understanding of the rule, is that what they need to do is to amend the resolution to include eligible rental units in addition to owner occupied homes. Maybe owner occupied....(inaudible)....single family homes is his understanding of the way it works. Councilmember Gutowski noted that it doesn't say owner occupied. It just says resident owners. Attorney Coughlin explained that through his discussions with the Council on Affordable Housing, they talked about owner occupied and eligible rental units. Councilmember Gutowski stated that his concern is and he certainly is not against taking this money to help our citizens, his concern is someone coming here and buying a three, four, five or six family home and turning around and asking us to give them money, number one, and asking for what he is definitely opposed to, an abatement or exemption in their taxes. He said that he wants to know if this has to be worded specifically so, like the Mayor said before, we know that it's going to the homeowner. Mayor Sica noted that there is nothing in there saying that we're going to give anything to developers. Councilmember Gutowski said that he didn't say developer. He said someone coming in and buying a four, five or six family home who isn't a resident of this town. The Mayor said that if someone came in here and bought a three, four, five or six family their income would knock them right out of there. It has to give to a homeowner, not someone that bought something specifically for an investment purpose. It has to be a homeowner. You have to own the property in Carteret in order to get the money. Attorney Coughlin said that he is not sure if that is correct. His understanding is that as long as the landlord is willing to comply with the requirements and that is to include the deed restrictions for ten years, to abide by the fact that certain units have to be allocated for low and moderate income housing and that COAH be able to approve rent increases. They may be eligible. Mayor Sica explained that if someone comes in, in a single home and requests money and he's under the..... 10 Borough Attorney Coughlin asked if it was owner occupant. '- Mayor Sica said owner occupant single family home and he is under that amount of money....... The Borough Attorney said he may not be eligible but that is a separate analysis. The Council's question is whether the scope of whom is eligible goes beyond two family homes. That was the question he was responding to. Councilmember Gutowski noted that he asked it because at the meeting yesterday, Ms. HoJden produced a list of people that have applied for this money and they are residents of this town. He would want to be assured that those are the people that get it. Mayor Sica said that if they pass the resolution worded this way and it goes before Affordable Housing and they agree to it, that is the end of the agreement. We don't want it any other way. Ifthey don't agree to what we're saying here then they could keep their money. Attorney Coughlin said that this is a statement of our intent. Councilmember Failace asked if it has to be approved by East Amwell. Mayor Sica said that it has to be approved by East Amwell and it has to be approved by the State. If they don't approve iL..(inaudible)..keep the money. Attorney Coughlin explained that the plan ultimately has to be approved by the Council on Affordable Housing. Based on his conversations with the people at COAH, the limit to single and two family houses is in opposition to their rules. If we were to do that, to go through this entire process and do that, then theoretically they would reject it unless the rule was subsequently amended. The Mayor said that if they don't amend their rules, we're going to stick with this. He doesn't think it's that way. If we pass this and they don't like it, it's too bad. Mrs. Holden noted that we have to submit a project plan. The plan she is authorized to submit is limiting this to single family, owner occupied homes and two family units. We only have a limited amount of money coming in from this plan so she is trying to keep it encapsulated. If they say no that is not acceptable, then we'll come back and offer it to another direction, to include another wording at that time. 11 Mayor Sica said that basically this is saying that if they agree to us being allowed to use it for single and two family resident only homes, we will do it. If he gets that agreement he'll sign it. If he doesn't get that agreement they can shove it. He won't sign it. ~1ARCH 2r), 1997 CCMnHITS (Con't.) ~1ARCH 20, 1997 COMMENTS (Con't. ) Councilmember Gutowski asked if they can stipulate owner occupied homes. It just says resident. He questioned if we can change that to say owner occupied so we know the person who's getting money is living in the house. Attorney Coughlin stated that his understanding is that we can require an owner occupied. Mayor Sica said that resident owner is the same thing as resident occupied. Councilmember Gutowski disagreed and said that a resident can be somebody who lives on the other side of town not living in the house. Attorney Coughlin said that as Pat Holden had indicated, that was her intent. A resident of the Borough.....(inaudible). For example, a resident can own more than one house. They would, therefore, be the owner of a house and a resident of the Borough, but not the resident owner of each house. The owner occupied language is probably.....(inaudible)....better. Councilmember Failace asked ¡fthey can amend it for owner occupied. Attorney Coughlin said yes they can. At1ENDED Upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers Failace & DuPont and unanimous affinnative vote of the full membership present, the resolution was amended to read "owner occupied" instead of "resident owners". ADOPTED Upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers Fazekas and Bialowarczuk RESOLUTION #97-112 "AUTHORIZING RCA AGREEMENT WITH EAST AMWELL TOWNSHIP" was adopted as amended. Upon individual roll call vote, Councilmembers Bialowarczuk, DuPont, Failace, Fazekas, Feingold and Gutowski voted in the affinnative. 12 COMMENTS Councilmember DuPont said that they want to make sure that everybody knows that we want to take this money but not for developers. We want to rehabilitate existing houses in the Borough for the owners. --~~ Councilmember Failace said that he thinks that they should commission some kind of study before they do any more of this, to see where they're going to be ten, fifteen and twenty years down the road. It's important that all of the Councilmembers and the citizens of the town know exactly what is happening. - Councilmember Gutowski agreed with Councilmember Failace that they need a study on the ramifications of the future. Mr. DuPont was right, that we want to make sure the homeowner is the one that gets the money. Mayor Sica asked the Borough Attorney who he spoke with at COAH. Borough Attorney Coughlin said he spoke to Shirley Bishop who is the Executive Director and Mary Beth Lonergan. Upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers Failace and Fazekas the Agenda was amended to include Resolution #97-] \3. Upon individual roll call vote, Councilmembers Bialowarczuk, DuPont, Failace, Fazekas, Feingold and Gutowski voted in the affinnative. RESOLUTION #97-1\3 was introduced by the Mayor. Upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers Failace and DuPont and unanimous affinnative vote of the full membership present, the meeting was opened to the public. There being no comments or objections to the resolution, the Mayor declared the Public Hearing to be closed upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers Gutowski and Fazekas and unanimous affirmative vote of the full membership present. Upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers Gutowski and DuPont RESOLUTION #97-1\3 "RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING EQUIPMENT REP AIR" 13 was adopted. Upon individual roll call vote, Councilmembers Bialowarczuk, DuPont, Failace, Fazekas, Feingold and Gutowski voted in the affirmative. Councilmember Bialowarczuk stated that she was glad to see the paperwork problem was cleaned up. MARCH 20, 1997 COMMENTS (Can't.) AGENDA AMENDED RESOLUTION #97 -113 AUTHORIZING EQUIPMENT REPAIR OPEN TO POBLIC CLOSED ADOPTED COt1MENTS MARCH 20, 1997 PAYMENT OF BILLS Upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers Gutowski and Fazekas, all bills appearing on the prepared list, properly audited and signed, were ordered to be paid. Upon individual roll call vote Councilmembers Bialowarczuk, DuPont, Failace, Fazekas, Feingold and Gutowski voted in the affirmative. COt1MUNICATION - TOWNSHIP OF MANCHESTER The Clerk stated that she was in receipt of a Resolution from the Township of Manchester urging legislation supporting State reimbursement for totally disabled veterans property tax exemption. Upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers DuPont and Failace and unanimous aftìrmative vote of the full membership present, it was ordered to be received and placed on file. REPORTS - DEP ART~1ENTS The Clerk stated that she was in receipt of the following reports: Board of Health - February 1997 Inspection of Buildings - February 1997; Total estimated cost of construction, $11,177,121.00. To Treasurer, $50,193.00. Treasurer - February 1997. All reports were ordered to be received and placed on file. STANDING COM~lITTEES BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS: Committee Chairman Bialowarczuk reported that the new sign is up on the bank annex. They're moving with everything on the inside. She'd like to get it done as quickly as possible and get everyone moved over. She said that an issue that is important to her is the sewer user fee and she has to make another comment on it. She said that she'd like to see it made as a tax so that she could write it off on her yearly income tax. That's giving something back to everyone, but it's also blowing a smoke screen. The smoke screen is taking what is in the sewer user fund out to balance the budget. That was done once before and it gave us enormous problems. When they took office they had problems because prior to that the money had been taken out and used to balance the budget. When the streets continue to cave in and the sewers continue to cave in and all that work isn't done on a cash basis, we're going to have to bond for it. l~ '- You can't continually take that kind of money to balance a budget. That's not what it's there for. It's not there to just use for any particular reason. It's earmarked for certain things which are your roads and sewers. You balance the budget with it, your taxes are going up next year. What you get back in using it as a write off on your income tax, you're going to be paying two or three times that amount. She hopes that everybody pays attention to this. There's going to be some big changes. Yes, you're going to get a little back, but you're going to pay a lot more in the future. Instead ofthe homes we've had up for sale, we're going to have a lot more homes up for sale. She reported Progress. FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION: Committee Chainnan Failace reported that they filed the fonns for discretionary aid on the 24th. We still don't have anything back yet. God willing, we'll get at least the $400,000.00. Hopefully, a little more. In response to Mrs. Bialowarczuk, Councilmember Failace said that they've heard the tenn smoke screen accounting, etc. It's not smoke screen accounting. Last year, when Mrs. Bialowarczuk was on Finance, we reduced expenses by $427,000.00 by not paying the pension. We had an opportunity because we always paid a year ahead. We had discussed it, as the Mayor and Council, and had decided to take the shot and see if they could help out the people last year. Which is what they did. Mrs. Bialowarczuk was on Finance and on the Council and agreed to it and voted yes on the budget. Is that a smoke screen? Councilmember Bialowarczuk said No. Councilmember Failace questioned if that was a smoke screen and said that this is not a smoke screen. He asked ifthe pension money was taken out. Did we not pay the pension last year? Mayor Sica explained that they paid the pension the year before. They always pay a year in advance. They felt it was more advantageous last year to use the surplus we had in there and keep our money so we could make interest and everything else on it. That's what we did. Councilmember Failace said that they kept the money. It wasn't in the budget last year but that $400,000.00 had to go into the budget this year, which we did, $500,000.00 which we did. We gave an opportunity to keep the taxes down just a little bit. That's the same thing we're doing here. Exactly the same thing. The people put the money in there. They have a right have it back number one. Number two, maybe Mr. Vinci will J1nd more than $200,000.00 when he does the research on the sewers, going back on the sewers to the inception to find if we have done things correctly. Ifwe haven't, maybe they'll find more and that'll help make up for the little things we did last year. These sewers will still get J1xed and the streets will get J1xed. He reported Progress. 1~ :FIRE: Committee Chairman Fazekas reported that he is glad to see the Firefighters there tonight. As we all know, there was an article in the paper of what happened last Tuesday, the truck being delayed. MARCH 20, 1997 STAND!W, Cm1'1!:E~<; (Coni:. ) MARCH 20. 1997 STANDING COMMITTEES (Con 't.) He said that he just wants to make a statement concerning that. It's a separate incident and has no reflection on the Carteret Fire Department as a whole, past and future. Everyone is committed to the safety of the residents of this town. He said that he knows who the Carteret Fire Department is. This is a separate incident. Unfortunately, it's in the paper and unfortunately, every town has separate incidents, but it becomes a public display. There are people who would like to keep it in that public arena. For himself, there's no reflection on the Fire Department as a whole. He is proud to represent the Carteret Fire Department as a whole. With that, we will move along in the future. PARKS AND RECREATION: Committee Chainnan Gutowski reported that the Parks Department is working hard. Willie Kolibas was away again last week. He still has an illness in his family, so he didn't get a chance to talk to him until tonight. There was a new fence installed down at the Knights of Columbus field. The fields are getting into shape. The dirt is ordered for opening day. This Council will be meeting with Mr. Kolibas and a few of the other people in the Recreation Department to discuss the new Recreation Building to decide who is going to run it and how the expenses are going to be shared. That wi1l be happening very soon. The parks are open and available for your use. POLICE: Committee Chainnan DuPont reported that they have their Police Committee Meetings and many topics came up. One big one was the equipment. They have a very serious problem in the Police Department with the radios. They're just not safe. This week he signed off on a requisition to purchase some radios. That is just the beginning. They're looking to do more. He reported Progress. PUBLIC WORKS: Committee Chairman Failace reported that Ted Surick has been out a couple of days. He spoke with George Carpenter. You could drive down some of the streets, like Jackson Avenue, and you can see on the side where Public Service maybe did some work and you've got indentations. They haven't finished the job. He told them to send a letter out to Public Service and anybody else who felt the need to dig up our streets and not fix them properly or they haven't come back to finish the job. The Mayor has said that if they didn't do it, we'll do it and ........(inaudible). Mayor Sica agreed. Coucilmember Failace said we have to let them dig them up" but they have to fix them according to our standards and not their standards. 16 The Mayor said that they have a State bond. We'll attach it and wi1l just hold back their money. ....# '-- Councilmember Failace said that they are out there working on potholes. There's a lot more. If anyone has any or sees any they should be reported. They are very dangerous and we don't want anybody to get hurt. He reported Progress. MUNICIPAL GARAGE SERVICES: Committee Chairman Feingold said that the Mayor has mentioned this before and it bears repeating concerning the Affordable Housing money that we're getting and doing great things for the residents. We hear a lot oftalk about developers, but we dont' hear talk about what the developers do for the residents. Case in point, 59 Roosevelt Avenue. The developer is responsible for that One of our residents, Zoltan Szabo, was given a decent place to live. He was a great photographer for the high school, affiicated with a serious illness, couldn't afford to pay his taxes. Now he's there for the rest of his life in a decent place because of some money that went to a developer as a loan. We didn't give him anything We gave him an incentive maybe. We didn't hand him anything. Up the Hill, do you think that anyone else would come in here? The Mayor has touched on this, but it bears repeating because when he hears about this, making them look as though they're doing something for an out of towner, a developer, not indirectly benefitting the residents ofCarteret. Everything that has been doneup the Hill has a direct relation to our property taxes and a total work of this town. Everything that's going to be done down Chrome, everything that's going to be done in the Pershing Avenue/Cooke Avenue area is going to bear on us positively. So, to hear that about developers, he doesn't think that's being totally forthright and accurate. He stood behind what's been going on up in the Hill. He'll continue to stand behind it. He reported Progress The Mayor issued the following Proclamation: PROCLAMATION WHEREAS, the Carteret Office for the Disabled will hold its 13th Annual Disabilities Day on Sunday, April 6, 1997 at the St. Demetrius Hall, 691 Roosevelt Avenue, Carteret, from 12:00 Noon to 4:00 P.M.; and WHEREAS, Carteret Disabilities Awareness Day is held as an informational and social gathering to be enjoyed by all who choose to attend; and WHEREAS, this event is only made po~sible through the combined efforts of many volunteers from non-profit organizations and Borough Departments and businesses within our community; and 17 WHEREAS, the Office for the Disabled continues to expand opportunities for Disabled Persons to achieve their goals, developing and using their capabilities; MARCH 20, 1997 STANDING cor,·m TT E E S (Con' t.) PROCLAMATION - CARTERET DISABLED AWARENESS DAY MARCH 20, 1997 PROCLAMATION (Con't.) NOW, THEREFORE, I, PETER J. SICA, MAYOR OF THE BOROUGH OF CARTERET, NEW JERSEY do hereby proclaim SUNDAY, APRIL 6, 1997 "CARTERET DISABILITIES AWARENESS DAY" "TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE" FURTHERMORE, I urge the entire community to participate in this program, making it a great success. PROCLAMATION - EMPLOY THE OLDER WORKER WEEK The Mayor issued the following Proclamation: PROCLAMATION "EMPLOY THE OLDER WORKER WEEK" MARCH 9 - 15, 1997 WHEREAS, New Jersey's greatest resource is its people. Everyone has something to offer, experience of mature adults and the new ideas of youth are equally valuable; and WHEREAS, our older citizens are a viable and active part of our community and our workforce. Recent studies indicate that workers over fifty (50) are productive and cost-effective employees. Older employees have a lower turnover rate and a lower rate of absenteeism. In many instances the re..training of older employees to meet the changing needs in the workplace can reduce recruitment and training costs; and WHEREAS, many older New Jerseyans seeking employment have job ready skills, excellent leadership abilities and demonstrate a strong work ethic. Utilizing their many resources makes good economic sense and represents a sound investment for New Jersey business and industry; and WHEREAS, many businesses can re-train older citizens for new jobs through Title V of the Older Americans Act The New Jersey Department of Aging, along with Green Thumb, Inc., and the Department of Labor have worked to inform employers of the quality and skills available to older workers to promote their hiring. 18 NOW, THEREFORE, I, PETER 1. SICA, MAYOR OF THE BOROUGH OF CARTERET do hereby proclaim March 9 - ]5,1997 ..,,"" "EMPLOY THE OLDER WORKER WEEK" I urge all New Jerseyan's to recognize the potential of our older men and women and the enonnous contribution they can make in the workplace. Mayor Sica stated that when they first built the sewer user fee they put money in there to anticipate fixing the streets and fixing the sewers and continuing on with our projects so we would never have to bond. Part of what he envisioned in our sewer user fee, that somewhere along the line, we were going to be successful in getting new businesses into Carteret, new homes into Carteret, fixing up homes, putting them back on the tax rolls, whether it be tax rolls or sewer rolls or whatever it is and that would then generate a tremendous amount of more income to us. In other words, every time we turn around and we bring in another major industry in the City of Carteret they pay a tremendous sewer bill. That money that they pay is for treating the sewers and to pay for the sewer repairs, the pump station, the transfer lines, new sewers that we put in. They pay a part of that. That revenue in that sewer user fee has increased. Although we have decreased the sewer user fee in the City of Carteret twice already the revenue continues to increase. It increases because of good sound planning. For instance, White Rose pays a tremendous sewer bill, D. B. Brown pays a tremendous sewer bill, L & M Foods pays a tremendous sewer bill. Even the apartments up the Hill paid to the City of Carteret last year somewhere around $28,000.00 in sewer user fees. It cost us, the City ofCarteret, less than $8,000.00 to treat that sewage. It gave us a net gain of $20,000.00 in our sewer account and that's forever. It's not just for last year. That will continue to go on as we continue to bring on bigger industries into the City of Carteret that employ people, that sewer revenue will continue to increase. That's the way we're being successful in cutting down on your sewer user fee this year. We collected from 1995 to 1997, about $350,000.00 more in sewer user fees than we did in 1995. If we give you back $300,000.00 it's through the efforts of bringing in those tremendous industries that pay a big share of that sewer cost. That's what continues to move the City of Carteret on. If we continue to bring in industries, bring in jobs, fix houses, build libraries, build sports centers, the town will continue to progress. That sewer user fee in 1993 was the most comprehensive sewer user fee in the State of New Jersey and that's quoted by the DEP at that time. It took into consideration not only 1983 but future years to come. Again, that's what is fostering the ability to cut your sewer user fee because we continue to put more money in the pot, but not out of the taxpayer's pockets, out of the new taxpayer's pockets, the new industries, the new apartments, etc. 19 Upon MMS&C, by Councilmember Gutowski and Failace and unanimous aflÌImative vote of the full membership present, the meeting was opened to the public. MARCH 20. 1997 PROCLAMATION (Con't.) MAYOR PUBLI C DISCUSSION - 5 MINUTE LIMIT MARCH 20. 1997 PUBLIC DISCUSS ION (Con 't.) Sophie Cherepon stated that there was an accident on Roosevelt Avenue, right past the intersection. She noted that it was hard to see the cop and asked if they have vests with florescent stripes. Mayor Sica said that they have them in the trunk of every car. Councilmember DuPont said that they should be worn and that he will talk to the Chief about that. Kay Horvath asked what the advantage was in paying the pension in advance rather than putting the money in the bank and getting interest. Mayor Sica said that we are not doing that anymore. Way back you had to pay in advance. They changed the law saying you didn't have to do that anymore but we had already paid. There was no sense in taking it out. We already paid and they weren't going to give it to us back. When we get an opportunity to utilize the law, we used it. Prior to that you had to pay it in advance. It's predicated on last year's numbers and then they used to send you a bill for the difference. Pat Baker, President of the Tenant's Association for the Bergen Street, Chrome Area. She stated that she is tired of drugs. It is a blessing to see the police oftìcers come down there. The drug traffic has stopped a lot but something has to be done. The drug dealers are taking over. Mayor Sica said that he wishes that they would allow him two weeks to rid this town of drugs. Councilmember DuPont said that at their Police Committee Meetings one of the areas that gets the most attention is the Chrome Section. They are doing the park and ride program and now they have the park and walk program. They are trying to work out the bicycle patrol. The Council is completely behind it. They are working with HUD. They are really making a concerted effort. He is happy to see....(inaudible)....police down there. They are trying their hardest. Edward LePree asked how the sewer bills are detennined. Mayor Sica said it is by gallons you use. Mr. Mancuso said that he has three people living in his home. It is a two family home. He pays $1000.00 a year in sewers opposed to a person who lives across from him with eight members in his family, all grownups and he is paying half of his bill. 20 """---- Mayor Sica said that he has only one sewer. He told Mr. Mancuso that he has two families and is collecting rent. Mr. Mancuso said that he thought it was by consumption. Mayor Sica said that he is collecting rent from that extra unit that has a separate toilet, bathroom, etc. The Holiday Inn has one sewer but two hundred rooms. They pay two hundred (200) times. Mr. Mancuso said that the man across the street has three bathrooms and he has two. Mayor Sica stated that he is col1ecting rent and that man isn't. Councilmember Bialowarczuk said that she understands what Mr. Mancuso is saying because she owns a two family home and she just went through that argument about a week ago. Mayor Sica explained that everybody's sewer bil1 is predicated on gallons used, except when you have apartments or except when you have....1ike the Holiday Inn or apartment building, Cleveland Anns or a five family house. They pay by gallons consumed and units. You have a unit that you're getting rent from. You're turning that cost of that part of the sewer bil1 onto the renter. It's part of the rent whether it's broken down or not. A single family house pays a unit charge, plus the gallons he uses. If the guy across the street has eight grown-ups living there he· may be paying the same unit charge and if he's using more gal10ns than you, he's paying more for the gallons, but only one unit. So his bill, of course, is going to be lower. He's not getting any rent. The Holiday Inn has two hundred units. They pay two hundred units for the sewer bill, plus the gallon charge. Mr. Mancuso said that it seems as they're being penalized. The Mayor disagreed. You are using the sewers and you're getting rent. Ifthey took your house and divided it in half, each would be paying half. Mr. Mancuso added that it is all going into one sewer line. Mayor Sica noted that all the sewage we send to the MCUA goes through one sewer line too. All of the sewers that come out of the Holiday Inn come out of one sewer line. All the sewers that come down Stima Avenue go through one sewer line. It was reviewed by the DEP and everybody else and it was classified as the best user fee they're ever seen. Mr. Mancuso asked if the program started about a year and a half ago to check the sewer connection is completed. 21 The Mayor said that if as house leader is tied in, the gentlemen has to go back and follow it up. That is one of his jobs. His other job is to oversee the construction ofthe sewers that we're repairing to make sure they're being done properly. It continually goes on. MARCH 20, 1997 PUBLI C DISCUSSION (Con't.) {,.,,, MARCH 20, 1997 PUBLI C DISCUSSION (Con't.) In 1983 the City of Carteret proposed to build a sewage plant capable of pumping thirty-five (35) million gallons of sewage a day. That was Mr. Carr and Metcalf and Eddie's brainstonns. He went to court in Washington and in Trenton and argued that there is no way the City of Carteret is ever going to pump thirty-five million gallons. To build a thirty- five million gallon sewage plant would cost us forty million dollars and it would be of no value to us. We were successful in convincing the court that, that was so. They allowed us to bring it down under his best estimate of thirteen and one half million gallons because there were other sewer programs that were instituted,..... the two hundred eight clean water act of 1967 which said you had to separate sanitary and storm sewers. He impressed on the Federal Courts that we were going to do just that. So it would bring it down probably lower than thirteen and one half million gallons, but we would be satisfied to build thirteen and one half million gallons. In 1989, when we went on line, there were two days that we exceeded thirteen and one half million gallons. Since we've gone into this program of more separating of sanitary lines and stonn lines, since we've gone into this program of going house to house and taking the sump pumps off....(inaudible).....the leaders are going into the sanitary system, the highest we've ever pumped last year was six million gallons. So the program works. Yes, it's going to continue. Just the one thing that we found with the High School leaders, tying into the sanitary system took $\00,000.00 gallons out of the system on a rain day. Mr. Mancuso said he just questioned the program because he saw the gentleman going around town and lately he hasn't seen him. The Mayor said he doesn't go back to every house If you are tied in properly he doesn't have to go back to you. He goes back periodically and insists that the people take the rain water out of the system. We continue to do that. Even with that we are getting robbed by the MCUA. He has asked this Council and the attorney to look into it and to see when we can get a meeting with the MCUA. The MCUA charges us, for argument sake, a penny a gallon to treat raw sewage. Raw sewage on any given day from the City of Carteret is approximately two million gallons. When it rains, how they classiJy that it costs a penny, is because it takes so much chlorine, so much lime, so much electricity to treat that two million gallons of heavy sewage that's just straight sewage. Now it rains and we send five million gallons over there. We shouldn't be paying a penny or if we pay a penny, we should pay a penny on two million gallons and a half of a penny on the other three million gallons because it's nothing but diluted water. No, they charge us a penny. 22 .. The towns like Carteret, Woodbridge, Perth Amboy, the older towns that have combination stonn sewers have been carrying the biggest brunt of this including South Amboy and he told Mayor O'Leary about it. We're carrying the brunt of it. Although our sewer flow went down last year, our rate has gone up $160,000.00. That money is not made up by us raising the sewer user fee. That money is being made up again by being successful in bringing in industries that are paying a big share. Unfortunately, the MCUA keeps taking the money and throwing it into the M.U.A. and all ofthese things they're building, not one nickel comes to Carteret. Twenty miUion dollars goes to Raritan Center and he can't get them to put in fifty cents for the bridge over the turnpike. Patricia Baker asked the Mayor to explain what happens on Bergen Street when it rains. It floods to the porch. Mayor Sica explained that they just finished a survey of that whole area. That area on a dry day pumps about 500,000.00 gallons a day when it rains, because there are some connections that the stonn sewers are going into the sanitary sewers. We then pump a million gallons. That means that the line that's carrying 500,000.00 gallons is trying to carry another 500,000.00 gallons. That's what this money has been put in the budget for since 1983. We've corrected it in the Hill area. We've corrected it in Parkview. We've corrected part of it in West Carteret. We're in the process of separating the two systems in West Carteret and we're in the process of finishing up the Hill Section. The next section that's going out for bid is the Chrome Section because again, we have sewer lines that carry both stonn sewers and sanitary sewers. They can't carry it. First of all, they're not big enough to carry both. Secondly, we then pay for plain water to be treated by the MCUA. There are no maps of the City of Carteret. The only maps we have in the City of Carteret are the new ones from all of the new stuffwe .......(inaudible) We're working on it. That's our next project. Michael Menzoff said that he has one question on the RCA agreement. He is all in favor that if we get this money it goes to help the residents in Carteret. If that's the case, these towns that are turning over their obligations to Carteret, to other communities, if they are able to use that money in their communities, why would they turn around and give it to us? 23 Mayor Sica said that it is part of the court's decision. The court has said to the other towns, East Amwell for instance, they have a septic system. The State of New Jersey will not allow septic systems no more. What they are saying to them is that we're not going to allow you to put any more septics in especially for that many houses. The State knows they can't build a sewer plant before houses. What they're saying to them is that they have to help other communities to improve their housing stock. It's a windfall for us He could care less about East Amwell, Readington or Cranbury, as long as the money comes to us and it goes to our citizens MARCH 20, 1997 PUBLI C D I SCU~S I at! (Con 't.) MARCH 20, 1997 PUBLI C DISCUSSION (Con't.) Michael Menzotf said that he is all in favor of that. The question that was nagging at him was if they had the opportunity to help their community, they would help their community. Mayor Sica said they don't. They don't have affordable housing. In order for them to put in affordable housing they'd have to go for millions of dollars to put in sewer systems which would make it economically impossible. He doesn't think any court in the world could make him do that. What the court has done was to say they'll have a happy medium. Towns like Carteret, Perth Amboy, New Brunswick and South Amboy are out there every day trying to get this money. What is does is it says to the more affluent towns where they don't have moderate income, lower income people, they say you make a decent place for someone to live in Carteret, Perth Amboy, South Amboy, New Brunswick and you don't have to put in your sewer system. So it's a windfall for us. ADJOURNED There being no futher business or discussion, upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers Fazekas and Failace and unanimous atlinnative vote of the full membershp present, the meeting adjourned at approximately 8:45 P.M. Respectfully Submitted, ~¿~~ ' THLEEN M. BARNEY, Municipal Clerk KMB/vc ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 24 COUNCIL MEETING BUILDING ESCROW PUBLIC ASSISTANCE PATF I CK.# PATFlI CK.# 8911-8926 SUI TRUST N.J. UNEMPLOYMENT COMP FUND TOTAL CHARGES TO 1997 BUDGET TOTAL CHARGES TO 1996 BUDGET TOTAL CHARGES TO CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS TOTAL CHARGES TO TRUST ACCOUNT TOTAL CHARGES TO LIBRARY RESERVE TOTAL CHARGES TO OTHER RESERVES TOTAL CHARGES TO GRANT FUNDS TOTAL CHARGES TO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TOTAL CHARGES TO DOG TRUST FUND TOTAL MARCH 20, 1997 $0.00 3,569.19 6,314.08 441,640.91 20,667.21 24,112.79 803.91 578.00 691,787.00 9,873.21 11,147.74 273.75 $1,210,767.79