Highlights From Monday's Mayor and Council Meeting

Utility companies that do road construction work in the Borough of New Milford will now have to pay in advance for the services of police personnel.

The mayor and council unanimously passed the ordinance that was introduced last month, at their May 23 public meeting.

Borough Attorney Mark Madaio explained to the governing body that the measure was a standard ordinance, one that is used in many boroughs throughout the area.

“This ordinance will assure that utilities will establish escrow accounts and pre-pay for the use of police personnel,” he said.

Next the governing body entered into a discussion about a request from the fire department to put together an ordinance that would require residents who have fire hydrants in front of their homes to shovel them out when it snows.

Madaio said that the matter came down to “a policy question.”

“The fundamental question is do you agree with the idea that residents who have a fire hydrant in front of their house need to shovel them out,” he said.

Councilman Dominic Colucci suggested that the borough bring back a “adopt a hydrant” program as a way to educate residents about the importance of keeping fire hydrants free of snow in winter.

Mayor Ann Subrizi tabled the discussion until next month.

In her report, given earlier in the meeting, Subrizi informed the council that the borough will be receiving $83,000 in community development money.

The mayor said the money would be used to “finish up resurfacing work on Reichelt Road, a project that began in 2009."

Council reports that were given highlighted a number of upcoming events in the borough.

These events include the 334^th Birthday Party for the borough scheduled for Sunday, June 12 at the Art Center of Northern New Jersey on Center Street.

Councilman Howard Berner said the New Milford Girl Scouts will be honored at this event for a recent project they completed where they interviewed senior residents as part of an oral history project.  

“This should be a very nice event,” he said.

Berner, who is the liaison to the Historic Preservation Commission, said the group will be planning a large event for next year’s 335^th anniversary celebration.

In another upcoming event, the borough’s historic Huguenot Cemetery, located behind the borough hall, will be open on Thursday, May 26 for a Boy Scout ceremony at 7 p.m.

This cemetery, which has buried in it some of the borough’s earliest settlers, is only open to the public a few times a year.

The date of the borough’s annual National Night Out celebration was also announced and is scheduled for Tuesday, August 2.