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HomeMy Public PortalAbout1996/08/08 The Agenda Meeting preceding the Regular Meeting of August 15, 1996 was called to order by Mayor Peter J. Sica at 7:00 P.M. on Thursday, August 8, 1996 at the Council Offices, Municipal Building, 61 Cooke Avenue, Carteret, New Jersey. Upon individual roll call, the following were noted present: Councilmember Deborah Bialowarczuk James Failace Jack Fazekas William Feingold James O'Brien John 1. Vesey, Jr. " " " " " Also noted present was Borough Attorney Robert A. Hedesh. Mailed to the Home News & Tribune, The Star Ledger and posted on the bulletin board on August 1, 1996. MINUTES FOR AFPROV AL: June 20, July 18 & July 22, 1996 BIDS: a) Fuel Oil b) Gasoline c) Chevrolet Suburban TO ADDRESS GOVERNING BODY: a) Borough Engineer Parmar b) Harold Ferguson BOROUGH ENGINEER PARMAR said the T. V. inspection and sealing of pipe cracks work in West Carteret is 60% done. Quite a few additional cracks and pipe damages have been located. A full record is kept including video tapes. The final report will be submitted when it is over. 1 AUGUST 8, 1996 AGENDA MEETING ROLL CALL STATEMENT OF MEETING NOTICE MINUTES FOR APPROVAL BIDS TO ADDRESS GOVERNING BODY Borough Engineer Parmar West Carteret Sewer Pipes AUGUST 8, 1996 Additional Pipe Work Borough Engineer Parmar said manhole sealing work is still not started. As reported earlier additional pipe work done is as follows: These are the line items. Manhole Work PVC 4" additional 30' @ $75.00 ft = $ 2,250.00 Replacing Damaged 8" additional 46' @ $250.00 = $11,500.00 " " 12" " 20' @ $25000 = $ 5,000.00 " " 15" " 92' @ $250.00 = $23,000.00 " " 18" " 5' @ $250.00 = $ 1,250.00 " conn. " 8" " 5 nos. @ $2,500.00 = $12,500.00 " " " 12" " 6 nos. @ $2,500.00 = $15,000.00 " " " 15" " 5 nos. @ $2,500.00 = $12,500.00 New Frame & Cover 7" @$ 600.00 = $ 4.200.00 TOTAL $87,200.00 Marvec A resolution approving change order is needed for Marvec Construction Corp. A detailed record of the above measurements is kept. Sports Field The Sports Field Project is complete except for adjustment of one light and a new ballast on another. Library Borough Engineer Parmar said Architect John Wanskus has started sitting regularly in the Building Department to attend to the long list of punch list on the Library drawings and he is also accommodating the Library Board's suggestions which are practical. Mayor Sica said some of the things that they wanted we are not doing. They are major revisions and we would be here another three months doing the drawings. Additional bathrooms are not necessary. Hopefully, within the next week or so he should have those drawings finished and we can go out to bid Councilmember Failace asked if they were going to have the Library Board look at the drawings again? Mayor Sica said no. Enough is enough. We will never get this thing built Borough Hall Front Steps Borough Engineer Parmar said the project for the Borough Hall front steps is revised by the Architect as per code and state law. He has agreed to do this at no cost to the borough as a good will gesture. This is likely to be ready for bid within 8 to 10 days. D.O.T. Grant Application - 1997 The Department of Transportation grant application for 1997 has been submitted before the deadline. GATX - Storm Se\·¡ers Borough Engineer Parmar said a meeting was held with GATX regarding storm sewers through their area. Response has been very cooperative and helpful. Cardell Borough Engineer Parmar said three meetings were held with Cardell to review their final bill for sewer repairs. Their final amount of $53,819.50 has been accepted by him for $41,319.50. Their original purchase order was for $104,500.00. The final amount of their work now is $72,767.90. The savings is utilized for the emergency work on Blanchard Street sewer collapse work. ~ ~ Mayor Sica said the way we've settled this is that he would bring it up tonight and if we agree, we will save the money, and he will pay him tomorrow. He asked that the Council vote on paying this bill tonight. Borough Attorney Hedesh said they could take a vote on it tonight and memorialize it at the next meeting. Upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers Bialowarczuk and Failace and individual roll call vote, Councilmembers Bialowarczuk, Failace, Fazekas, Feingold, O'Brien and Vesey voted yes to have the Mayor pay Cardell. Borough Engineer Parmar spoke about Frank Santos and the fact that we haven't paid him. He was being paid through the contractor. We paid the contractor and the contractor was supposed to pay Mr. Santos, but that has not happened and he has not gotten paid in three months. He requested that the Council pay him on a requisition for his hours. Mayor Sica said there is no problem with that. Mayor Sica asked the Borough Engineer about the inspection he made on 45 Frederick Street when two people got flooded. There was water on one side and the other lady said there was sewerage on her side. Borough Engineer Parmar said they said that but when he went there they were all clean. Mayor Sica said the problem is that he got a taxpayer who called up from 45 Frederick that said her basement got flooded in that heavy rain, but they were the only ones that got flooded. Nobody else got flooded. He sent Parmar up there and there wasn't a problem with our sewers, so it had to be something from them that caused the problem. They are now submitting bills and they want to get paid for the damage in their cellar. The guy across the street said he called AI Biel and Mr. Biel went up there and pumped the cellar out and it was not the city's fault. It was his own fault because he had some kind of a drain there. He told the Borough Engineer that he needed a report from him on this. He also needs a report from the Health Department. He doesn't see how we can pay it. If the whole block got flooded that would be a different story, but no one on the right hand side or the left hand side of them got flooded. They were the only ones. He said after he reads the report from the Borough Engineer he will report back to the Council at the next meeting. In addition to that, he got a call from a gentleman on Pinho Avenue and he got another calJ from a guy on Stima Avenue. There is a cave-in at the sewer there. He told the Borough Engineer to go up there and take a look at it. The b'uy's name is Schwab. The other is on Pinho right across from the park. Councilmember Failace said he was asked by a lot of people at softball what was going on with the building? 3 Mayor Sica said they met with Paulius, and within two weeks Paulius will pour the foundations. There is a problem that he will explain to them later on After the foundations are poured it will just be the matter of giving the contract out and let them start building it. AUGUST 8, 1996 Cardell Con' t. F. Santos Se\Jer s Sports Facility AUGUST 8, 1996 Harold Ferguson - Preferred Compnesation Fire Truck Insurance HAROLD FERGUSON said he wanted to give a progress reports on a few items. One is on the preferred compensation plan. He received a letter from the Division of Local Government Services today approving Pebsco and Valic He said as employees know more about it, they will certainly appreciate it and more and more people wilJ join. He suggested that a letter go out with the Mayor's signature to the employees advising them that these organizations have been approved and giving them the phone numbers of both representatives so they may contact them and set up appointments at their convenience at their homes after work hours. Mr. Ferguson said he was getting insurance coverage for the five Fire Trucks. They do not have colJision or comprehensive coverage. He has gotten two proposals and suggested that they go with Global, who has our auto coverage now. The premium is $11,000.00. Mayor Sica said he thinks they should go for it. Councilmember Failace asked if all these years we didn't have coverage on the fire equipment. Mayor Sica and Mr. Ferguson said they always had liability. Mayor Sica said if a fire truck was damaged it wasn't a big deal, we would fix it. Now, the fire trucks are so sophisticated. Just the bumper is $3,000.00 when we had to replace that bumper on #9 truck. At the ShelJ Oil fire we had the closest pieces of apparatus near the fire, it could have very easily damaged it and Shell Oil wouldn't pay for it, so we would be stuck There's about $7,000.00 worth of damage on the fire truck as it is. Borough Attorney Hedesh said $7,935.00 is just the bumper chrome. Mayor Sica said they are covering it so we are okay, but if in fact we have a problem we would lose the fire truck and they are too expensive. The newest fire truck we have set us back over $300,000.00. Taxpayers don't realize what it takes to keep just the fire truck apparatus up. The snorkel is over 20 years old so eventually we will have to replace that. To do that it will cost $500,000.00. He thinks they should go for the insurance. Borough Attorney Hedesh said it sounds cheap to him. Mayor Sica said they never got it before because it was so much money, but because we are out there shopping now, we saved a lot of money last year on insurance. We are out there shopping every day. Even as late as today we were still shopping with Blue Cross and Blue Shield trying to beat them down for a few dolJars on the prescription plan. Because we are working hard on it, it has come down to what is manageable now. He thinks they should go for this. Borough Attorney Hedesh asked Mr. Ferguson ifhe could see the coverage 4 proposal on the equipment when he gets it. He would like to see the exclusions and everything on the apparatus. Mr. Ferguson said before we give them any money we will get a copy of the contract and Mr. Hedesh can examine it. Mr. Ferguson said the other person who quoted was Boynton and Boynton, they were fairly competitive. They were $12,500, but their deductible was $2000.00 and they didn't address themselves to the (inaudible). Mayor Sica asked Mr. Ferguson what else he had? Mr. Ferguson spoke about the Prescription Plan. He said he understood that they negotiated the contract with the White Collar workers for the prescription plan and they got it. He said he thinks we are very fortunate. He got them to honor the 1995 rates at this time. The other problem is Blue Cross requires 75% of participation. Knowing the union situations and the Council is in the process of negotiating some contracts, he got them to commit themselves and they will honor the agreement and allow us to come in piece meal, as the union's agree to it. This may require some labor and paperwork. Mayor Sica said basically we could piece meal them in. That was a major accomplishment all by itself. Mr. Ferguson said he would like to (inaudible). Mayor Sica said that is personnel and should be discussed in Closed Session. ORDINANCES: Public Hearing 1. Capital Improvement, Appropriating $250,000.00 for Various Sewer Improvements. RESOL~JTI.QNS : 1. Directing the Issuance of Raffie Licenses. 2. Authorizing Bids - Senior Citizen Transportation Bus. 3. Authorizing Purchases from State Contractors - 1996. 4. Budget Insertion - Municipal Court Alcohol, Education and Rehabilitation Fund, $43.93 5. Budget Insertion - Urban Enterprise Zone Program, $57,500.00. 6. Memorializing disciplinary action - Victor Kazio, Jr. Councilmember Failace asked a question regarding State Contractors that was inaudible. 5 Mayor Sica replied the State bids certain things and they can get it a whole lot cheaper than we do. Ifwe are going to buy something, we first check \vith the state contractors to see if it's cheaper buying it from them. Then it doesn't have to be bid. If it's not cheaper from them, we buy it from sornewl ere else. Unless we say we are going to buy it from them, we can't buy it from them. AUGUST 8, 1996 H. Ferguson - Re: Insurance - Fire Engines Prescription Plan ORDINANCES Public Hearing RESOLUTIONS Comments State Ccntractors AUGUST 8, 1996 UEZ Councilmember Failace asked about the UEZ. Mayor Sica said before we can apply to UEZ, we have to know what the (inaudible) is going to cost. He said there is no doubt that they will get some money. REPORTS REPORTS: 1. Clerk's Office - July 1996 2. Fire - June 1996 3. Inspection of Buildings - July 1996 4. Welfare - June 1996. APPLICATIONS APPLICATIONS: 1. St. Joseph's Church - Amend BL 1382 by adding a date. 2. Carteret Mobile Park - 1996/1997 License Renewal. 3. ABC Transfer - Carteret Mall Liquors, Inc. to Sheenali, Inc. 4. ABC Transfer - New Cape II, Inc. (Discount Liquors) to ATMIY A, Inc. CO~1t1UNICATIONS COMMUNICATIONS 1. New Jersey Office of State Planning - Proposed amendments to State Planning Rules. Comments accepted until 10/31/96 MATTERS FOR DISCUSSION Catch & Release MATTERS FOR DISCUSSION 1. ORDINANCE #95-38 - Catch & Release Pond. Mayor Sica said to rescind this ordinance. K. Fadem 2. KAREN FADEM - Construction Office. Closed Session B. Schmanko 3. OFFICER SCHMANKO -Requesting confirmation of official date of hire. Closed Session Zoning Board - Drew Packard 4. DREW PACKARD - Resignation from Zoning Board - Vacancy, term expires 12/31/96. Put Resolution on for Council Meeting. ! MATTERS FOR DISCUSSION Con't. : 5. GLORIA GOODRICH - Requesting replacement of absentee member of Planning Board, term expires ]2/31/99. Put Resolution on for Council Meeting. 6. JUNK VEIDCLE BIDS - Two cars on list not available Hold for Borough Attorney Hedesh to discuss. 7. TOM W ATKINSON - Zoning Map & Ordinance revisions. Mayor Sica asked the Council to review them and if they had any questions to contact Mr. Watkinson. We will set up a meeting with him to go over the revisions. He said to have him in before or after the next Agenda Meeting. Borough Attorney Hedesh said they would have to modify the resolution on the Junk Car bids. 8. PATRICK DeBLASIO - Requesting resolution to appoint Public Resources, Inc. for $1,500.00, Re: Arbitrage Rebate Calculation Put Resolution on for Council Meeting. 9. HANDICAPPED PARKING - L. Resko, 190 Randolph Street. Denied by Borough Engineer because he had a driveway. Mayor Sica said that's not the problem. He can't get in or out of his car when it's in his driveway. He said they should approve it and to put a resolution on for the Council Meeting. ]0. PTL. CONNOLLY - Requesting appointment of Barry Albin, Esq. for legal defense. Closed Session. 11. LT. HOJECKI - Requesting appointment of Francis Hartman, Esq. for legal defense. Closed Session. ]2. PTL. CSIMBOK - Requesting appointment of Steven Altman, Esq. for legal defense. Closed Session. 13. LOTTIE CIARKOWSKI - Contract item. Closed Session. 14. RON BUTLER - Resignation. Mayor Sica said they would look for a part-time guy now. 7 AUGUST 8, 1996 Planning Board Appointment Junk Vehicles Zoning Map & Ordinance Revisions Junk Vehicles Public Resources, Inc. L. Resko Ptl. Connolly Lt. Hojecki Ptl. Csimbok L. Ciarkowski Resignation of Janitor ,....;, "''', f," AUGUST 8, 1996 Tax Sale Certificate Foreclosures 15. JOSEPH P. SCHIAPPA, ESQ. - Requesting professional service resolution for 1996 Tax Sale Certificate Foreclosures, not to exceed $7,500.00. Mayor Sica asked the Borough Attorney ifhe usually did these? Borough Attorney Hedesh said he has always done them. Mr. Schiappa did them because Attorney Triarsi didn't want to do them. Mayor Sica said to take it off and let Borough Attorney Hedesh do them. AFSCt1E White Cellar 16. AFSCME CONTRACT - need resolutions providing life insurance increase and prescription plan. Borough Attorney Hedesh will do resolution for Council Meeting. Borough Attorney Hedesh asked if they could hold the AFSCME resolution. Mayor Sica said no, because we told them we were going to give them life insurance and Harold Ferguson just explained that he got it approved from Blue Cross & Blue Shield to put them in as we go along. Fire Subcode Fees 17. RALPH DeFRANCESCO - Requesting amendment to Fire Subcode fees, Section 109.5. Hold. F. Raia - Lieu of Taxes 18. FRANK RAIA - a) Requesting two resolutions to enter into an agreement for payment in lieu of taxes for various properties. b) Requesting resolution to apply and accept N.P Balanced Housing Funds. Mayor Sica said on the buildings, one of them is Cardinal China, where Mr. Raia is going to pay the taxes that the building pays right now, in addition to that he is going to pay 28 times the sewer rate for each apartment. Borough Attorney Hedesh asked if the Municipal Clerk had"a copy of the agreements? Municipal Clerk Barney said no. She only had the one they did the last time. Mayor Sica said they are the ones up the Hill and Cardinal China. Councilmember Failace said he had a problem. He knows this has gone back and forth for a long time. Redoing a building like Cardinal China and putting a million and a half into it Mayor Sica there is no doubt about it that he is going to put money in, but he is getting money from the county. He is not putting two million dollars of his money in there. We're getting a grant from the county for $400,000.00 to 8 rehab that building and he's making decent affordable places for people to live. Just like he did up the Hill. Or do we want to leave that building stay like that Councilmember Failace said he understood what the Mayor was saying, but his problem was with $12,000 in taxes on a building like that. Mayor Sica said that is what it is paying now. It's not paying a penny less. He said right now we have a building that is just sitting there. Mr. Raia is still going to pay the $12,500 in taxes, we're going to get about $9,000 a year in sewer fees that we are not getting now. It's a dilapidated building that's sitting there falling apart that he's going to make decent, atfordable housing out of for preferably Seniors. It will only be one bedroom and studio apartments and he is going to try to rent it to Seniors. He can't just say he's only going to rent it to Seniors, like he can't just say he is only going to rent it to Italians. They did affordable housing for people out of a dilapidated building. It's a total eyesore that's been sitting like that for years. Councilmember Failace said he understands. He said he did some work on his house and his taxes are going up. He's got to pay. J Mayor Sica said the whole concept of America is to help people that need help. If people need affordable housing, then people that can afford to help should help. He said he read an article about Mr. Gutowski, who is running on the Democratic ticket. He works at the Paper Mill Playhouse. He asked if they knew how much money the State of New Jersey supplies to the Paper Mill Playhouse in grants every year so they could pay him to fix the stage? If they turned around and said they didn't need the Paper Mill Playhouse, Mr. Gutowski would be out of a job, but he doesn't want to help to have people have an affordable place to live. If they would have listened to you guys, the Hill would still be a mess. Councilmember Failace said don't say "you guys" because he didn't have anything to do with that. Mayor Sica said but Mr. Failace is doing the same thing now. Councilmember Failace said what he is saying is that Frank Raia is getting rich on the backs of the people of Carteret. L Mayor Sica said Frank Raia is not getting rich on the backs of the people ofCarteret and he is going to tell him how stupid that statement is. Frank Raia went yesterday in front of the county and he demonstrated to the county that what he is doing and the way he's charging it, he's actually doing it for less than non-profit organizations could do it and providing decent houses for people. Look at Cleveland School. It's an asset to the City ofCarteret. What were we getting out of Cleveland School, nothing. Now, we have a beautiful place where people can afford to pay a half decent rent and have a nice place to live. Look at the Hill and what he did with that Peek-a-boo Lounge. Would we rather have that? He didn't think so. Would they want to keep the other side of the Hill a dilapidated fire house that would cost the city thousands of dollars to take down. All those other buildings up there that are a mess and he is fixing them up. If they want to ]eave it that way. If they want to leave Cardinal China that way, that's fine also. Cardinal China is sitting there in front of something that we are trying to build, a decent park. Here's a guy who is going to come in, fix the building, pave the street, put curbs and put all this stuff in and you're telling me he's getting rich. He gets $9,000 a year to maintain it. That's his fee. 9 AUGUST 8, 1996 F. Raia Cen't. AUGUST 8, 1996 F. Raia Can't. Councilmember Failace asked if he sells it tomorrow, what's it worth? Mayor Sica said no, he can't sell it. If Mr. Failace did his homework he would find out..... Councilmember Failace said he did his homework and he thinks he can sell it. Mayor Sica asked him to reduce it to writing. Show us where he can sell it or that he will sell it and that agreement doesn't stay the way it is. He said he didn't understand them. Here we are trying to clean up dilapidated areas. Councilmember Failace said this was his opinion. Mayor Sica said that wasn't Mr. Failace's opinion, it was Gabe Comba's opinion. Councilmember Failace said most definitely it was not. The Mayor wants to make everything that way and it's not. For the longest time he has believed that Mr. Raia is getting rich on the back of Carteret people and he still believes that. Councilmember Failace said if that thing isn't rented, Raia still gets paid by the State. Mayor Sica said no way. Councilmember Failace said he would submit it to writing. Mayor Sica said do it He said Mr. Failace is telling him that when one ofMr. Raia's apartments are empty the State gives him money. He never heard anything like that in his life. He never heard anything so silly in his life. He said he could care less if Mr. Raia makes money because Mr. Raia is a businessman. All he cares about is that he is not making excessive money and raping the people ofCarteret. All he cares about is that he is cleaning up the dilapidated areas and he and the rest of the taxpayers are giving people an affordable decent place to live. Councilmember Failace said he agreed with him on Riechold and D.B.Brown, all of those tax abatements, he agreed with the Mayor 100%. But, we're going to talk about 25 or 30 years...... Mayor Sica told him to vote against it. That's all. Councilmember Failace said he wasn't trying to argue with him. He's only talking. Mayor Sica said well have the facts right. Councilmember Failace said he thinks he has them. Mayor Sica said no. He gets them from the wrong people. The proof of the 1( pudding is.. . and why the people ,^~Il side with it, is they can go over there and look at Cleveland School and talk to the people there. The old people, the handicapped people, the young people and ask them if they are happy living in a clean decent place. Go up the Hill and ask the people that are living in that new building that was just completed up there. ~ Mayor Sica said Mr. Raia took that burnt out building and developed it into a beautiful place. Ask those people up there if they are happy. See if the area is getting cleaned up. When he does the same thing on the other side, the proof is in the pudding Councilmember Failace asked what does N.P. mean. Municipal Clerk Barney said Neighborhood Preservation. Mayor Sica said what that means is Mr. Raia applies to Trenton or New Brunswick and they give him money so that people could have a decent place to live. It's a hell of a lot better than the Democratic philosophy of the Dolan Homes. He can remember when the Democrats came in in the early 50's. They were going to build everything. They built the Dolan Homes. It's today's slums. Go to Newark and see what they did over there. They built all those high-risers. They stacked people on top of one another like cattle and 20 years later they had to spend millions of dollars to tear them down because you can't treat people like that. You have to give people decent places to live and that is what we are doing. It's funny that the County and the State of New Jersey are so impressed with what we are doing that they are just throwing the money at us to make sure people have decent places to live. That's what this country is all about. He said "You guys seem to have lost sight of that". 1 Borough Attorney Hedesh said the part up the Hill is already done. All the abatement ordinances have already been done. This is just approval. Mayor Sica said to put the resolutions for Mr. Raia on. BUSINESS ADDED: COUNCILMEMBER BIALOW ARCZUK said she would like certificates of merit given to the Carteret Girl's Softball AlIStars. They won three tournaments and she feels they should be recognized at the Council Meeting. Mayor Sica directed the Clerk to have the certificates made and to have the members of the team come to the next Council Meeting. M'A YOR: Mayor Sica said in the absence ofVic Kazio in the Parks Department, we hired Joe DeDomenico as part-time under the recycling program, he wants to move him over to the Parks Department because they are short handed and make him permanent laborer. 11 [n place of Mr. DeDomenico in the Recycling Department, he would like to hire Kevin Vitale on a temporary basis. That will be on for next meeting. Councilmember F'ailace said he thought they were going to hold off on hiring someone. Mayor Sica said we don't have the people. AUGUST 8, 1996 F. Raia Cen't. BUSINESS ADDED Certificates of Herit - Girl's Softball All-Stars MAYOR J. DeDomenico K. Vitale IGUST 8, 1996 . Hayward Street Mayor Sica told the lady at 54 Hayward Street they would get her tree cut down, they were getting prices they would get her a letter. The town can not take it down it is too big. He told the Clerk to give her a letter for her insurance company stating they were going to take the tree down. Unidentified Woman said the Council passed a Resolution on Bocci Courts and they still don't have them in Carteret Park. Mayor Failace said he would get the town a Bocci Ball Court. He said they would put the Bocci Ball Court by the Senior Center where someone said it was wetlands, and he felt it was not wetlands because there was never a stream or pond there. He said they would put one or two Bocci Ball Courts in the Park. ~SOLUTION #96-212 ~SOLUTlON TO ) INTO CLOSED ~SSI6tl RESOLUTION #96-212 was introduced by the Mayor and referred to the Council for action. Upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers Vesey and Failace -- RESOLUTION #96-212 "RESOLUTION TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION" was adopted. Upon individual roll call vote, Counci1members Bialowarczuk, Failace, Fazekas, Feingold, O'Brien and Vesey voted in the affirmative. DJOURNED TO LOSED SESSION At approximately 7:50 P.M. a Closed Session was held. PEN TO PUBLIC At approximately 8:44 P.M., upon MMS&C, by Councilmembers Feingold and O'Brien and unanimous affirmative vote of the full Council present this meeting was opened to the public. DJOURNED A motion to adjourn was made by Councilmember Bialowarczuk and second by Councilmember O'Brien. At approximately 8:45 P.M., after no further discussion, this meeting was adjourned. 12 KATHLEEN M. BARNEY Municipal Clerk KMB/sj /cp