Board of Trustees Address Charter Review, Secure Funds for Village Hall

A recap of Monday’s Board of Trustees Special Meeting and Conference Agenda

Announcements

• The will continue every weekend, May 6^th – August 27^th, 7:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
• takes place every Wednesday from 2:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m., in the Sloan Street parking lot, near First Street and will run every Wednesday until October.
• The next Board of Trustees Planning Meeting will be held on Thursday, July 14^th at 7:00 p.m. on the campus of Seton Hall University.  The public is invited to attend.
• The Board of Trustees will hold its next Budget Workshop for the 2011 Municipal Budget on Monday, July 18^th at 7:30 p.m.
• There will be a public forum regarding the South Orange Special Improvement District Advisory Committee on July 20^th at 8:00 p.m. at SOPAC.
• will be held on Tuesday, August 2^nd from 7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. at Flood’s Hill.  In addition to activities arranged by the public safety departments, this year’s movie presentation will be Toy Story 3.

Presentations

• Mary Jo DeFranco was awarded for her winning submission in the Park Signage Design Competition.
• The Community Coalition on Race presented their Quarterly Report to the Board of Trustees.

Ordinances

• Ordinance 2011-12 was tabled until the July 25^th meeting at the request of Trustee Deborah Davis Ford who was not present.  The ordinance amends Section 92-163B(1)(a) of the Code of the Township of South Orange Village to delete the requirement that only one political campaign sign be permitted in residential districts and repealing Section 92-162B(9)(c)[4] of the Code of the Township of South Orange Village which requires a notice of intention to display political signs and requiring the payment of a fee of $25. 
• Ordinance 2011-13 was tabled until the July 25^th meeting following additional information presented by Trustee Howard Levison.  This ordinance amends all sections of the Code of the Township of South Orange Village establishing fees. The ordinance increases those fees, supersedes all previous resolutions that set the fees and creates a single schedule for all fees.
• Ordinance 2011-14 was read for first reading.  It passed 4-0 (Trustee Janine Bauer had not yet arrived).  This ordinance is a bond ordinance authorizing capital improvements by South Orange in the amount of $3,000,000.  $150,000 of this amount will come from the Open Space Trust Fund which is used to preserve historic buildings.  The money would be used for repairs and the renovation of Village Hall.  The ordinance will now be subject to a second reading and public hearing.
•  Ordinance 2011-15 was read for first reading.  It passed 5-0.  This ordinance authorizes capital improvements by South Orange in the amount of $418,919.38.  The money would be used for the remaining improvements and renovation being done to the Fire House.  The ordinance will now be subject to a second reading and public hearing.
• Ordinance 2011-16 was read for first reading.  It passed 5-0.  This ordinance amends prior bond ordinances providing for capital improvements by South Orange.  A maximum of $4,791,766.93 would be re-allocated for a variety of projects being done around South Orange.  The ordinance will now be subject to a second reading and public hearing.

Public Forum

• A member of the New Jersey National Guard, who is also a South Orange resident, requested that South Orange update its code regarding military leave to comply with state law.  The issue was given to Village Counsel for further review.
• A resident brought up the issue of speeding around the corner of Hamilton Road and Finlay Place.  The issue was given to the South Orange Police Department to investigate.

Consent Agenda

• 7 resolutions were passed on the consent agenda. 

One resolution, 2011-186, was removed from the consent agenda for further policy review.

Conference Agenda

The Board of Trustees discussed what action to take on the set forth by the Charter Review committee.  No consensus was made on what action to take and will be decided at the July 25^th Board of Trustees meeting.

Trustee Howard Levison updated the board on the Finance and Information Technology Committee

• Among the items discussed was implementing an online complaint form that would be sent directly to PSE&G and East Orange Water Commission, eliciting input from lobbyists on various projects and electronic ticketing.

Trustee Mark Rosner updated the board on the Planning and Zoning Committee

• Among the items discussed was bump outs on Fairview Avenue, the delaying of the pool bridge, reexamining the South Orange Master Plan, the movement of Village Hall employees during renovation and design standards for vacant stores.
• Trustee Michael Goldberg updated the board on the Special Improvement District advisory committee, noting that the committee is discussing how to handle business contention at the July 20^th public forum and he hopes to have a report on recommendations for the committee by September.

Trustee Nancy Gould updated the board on the Recreation and Cultural Affairs Committee

• Among the items discussed was the condition of the tennis courts, YMCA has been successful thus far with their basketball programming, lighting for Tao will be paid for by their committee and the planters downtown have dead plants.
• Events planned include the weekly summer concerts and an Adult Night (18+) at the pool on August 7^th 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Village Administrator John Gross, in the absence of Trustee Davis Ford, updated the board on the Legal and Personnel Committee

• Among the items discussed was two ordinances for bike racks and impervious surfaces, the Village’s hiring policies are being reviewed, performance evaluations for all staff will be done by the end of August, the sale of the Old Stone House and whether to reevaluate the Board of Health’s function.

Trustee Janine Bauer updated the board on Public Works & Infrastructure Committee

• Among the items discussed was single streamed recycling, gaslight maintenance, an auction for the cobblestone on Ralston Avenue, the replacement of trees on South Orange Avenue and looking to prevent trucks from using diesel fuel.

Sal Renda, Village Engineer, updated the board on Village Infrastructure and Maintenance

• Among the items discussed was the pool bridge is in the construction phase, the committee is looking into the tennis courts and ways to fix them in the future, bike lanes on Mead Street are being worked on, asbestos work is beginning at The Baird, parking lots around Taylor Street and Second Street were evaluated and the proposed bump outs on Fairview Avenue has raised concern among the street’s residents.

Trustee Goldberg updated the board on the Public Safety Committee

• Among the items discussed was National Night Out, fire fighter recognition is hoping to be done by October, the red light cameras are being reviewed, the summer downtown patrols are working well and additional downtown cameras may be added.

Village President Alex Torpey gave the Village President’s Report

• His official office hours are on Tuesdays from 4:30 - 6:30 p.m.

A discussion was held about town hall meetings and if they are successful.  The discussion is going to be continued at the Planning Meeting as to whether town halls serve their intended purpose and if the format needs to be looked at.

The board decided to cancel the Board of Trustee meetings in August.

It was discussed how the Village will memorialize the 10 year anniversary of the attacks on September 11, 2001.  Ideas presented were a ceremony with clergymen from the town and a candle light vigil.  It was also mentioned that Melissa Kopecky of the South Orange Public Library is planning on holding events throughout the day.

Video of this meeting and all previous meetings can be viewed here.