Board of Trustees Discuss SID, Invite Non-Profits to Meetings

A recap of Wednesday and Monday’s Board of Trustees (BOT) Conference Agenda

Announcements

• A representative from Congressman William Pascrell’s office will be in village hall the fourth Monday of each month at 7 p.m., prior to the regular meeting, to discuss any matter of concern to South Orange residents.
• A Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholders meeting is scheduled for:
  • Thursday, October 20 at 7 p.m. at the Hall of Records, Room 506 in Newark
  • Wednesday, December 7 at 7 p.m. at the Hall of Records, Room 506 in Newark

Finance & Information Technology Committee (Report provided on Oct. 12)

• Trustee Howard Levison announced the village has entered into a new information technology (IT) maintenance agreement with the school district. The school district, who has a contract with Synergy Corporation, will be assisting by providing a help desk and maintenance services.  Currently there is only one person in the South Orange IT department.
• The BOT received a Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEI) for village hall. Levison said the RFEI was not feasible for what is being proposed for the use of the building. The BOT was conflicted about how the building should be used, what perks should be provided if they do a sale/lease and the timeline they wanted it done.
• Levison analyzed the recent . Levison went into the details of what the contract will cost in the next two years compared to what it would’ve cost the village had Gross not resigned. Overall while the new contract and the interim Village Administrator’s contract will cost the village a projected $13,914 more over the next two years, the village saves significantly more on the lifetime benefits provided to Gross had he not resigned.
• Levison presented a slide on the recent structural changes that the village has had. Among them were outsourcing the code enforcement, auto repair and court system to Maplewood.
• Levison explained why the tax rate is not the 1.59% that some thought it would be.  The 2% cap that the BOT must stick to is just against the year over year expense/revenue ratios.  Following a value assessment to the town, the tax rate raised to 2.74%. 
• Levison thanked Seton Hall for working with the village to provide in town.

Public Safety Committee

• The plans for Fairview Avenue will go as planned with the exception of the bump-outs that residents were opposed to.
• Residents from the Newstead area raised a concern about the county detouring cars through the area when they close South Orange Avenue.  Trustee Michael Goldberg said the SOPD would be putting up detour signs to direct the cars out of Newstead.
• The Citizen’s Public Safety Committee will be providing an e-bulletin about recent safety concerns and incidents.
• Goldberg discussed a recent request by Fire Chief Jeff Markey for a new ladder truck for the fire department. The current truck used by the SOFD was purchased in 1988 and the average lifespan of a ladder truck is 25 years.  Goldberg said that he felt the BOT should hold off on the request until it is determined if the fire department would be merging with their Maplewood counterpart.
  
  A question was asked about whether the Maplewood trucks and South Orange trucks were interchangeable. SOFD Captain Dan Sullivan explained the sizes of the trucks were different and that each one is customized to the town the trucks are used in. It was asked whether the town could purchase a “slightly used” truck and Sullivan said he did not think it would be a good idea.
  
  The BOT agreed to further the discussion into November after the potential merger with Maplewood is discussed.

Planning & Zoning

• Trustee Mark Rosner reported the county has been notified to start enforcing the no parking rules on Wyoming Avenue. 
• The Council on Affordable Housing updated the committee on their code enforcement being transferred to the Department of Community Affairs.

Recreation & Cultural Affairs Committee

• Trustee Nancy Gould thanked everyone involved in the Giants of Jazz concert, calling it a success.
• Gould said a resident has been complaining about quality of life issues on Flood’s Hill and she is working with SOPD and the Baird about them.
• Gould said the committee is looking into how programs at the Baird will be affected when the employees of village hall move into the building during renovations.

Public Works & Infrastructure Committee

• Village Engineer Sal Renda discussed the committee is planning how to move village hall employees to Baird.
• The Old Stone House will be surveyed.
• Preliminary plans have been passed to the county about widening South Orange Avenue and Church Street.
• Any resident who wishes to have some of the cobblestones from the Raymond/Ralston construction project, they may pick them up at the Division of Public Works yard on the usual recycling days.
• Trustee Janine Bauer updated the BOT on the RFP for single streamed recycling.

Legal & Personnel Committee

• Trustee Deborah Davis Ford updated the BOT on the salary ordinance that has been tabled for several months. She said she hopes to have a final draft for the board to review soon. The ordinance is expected to adjust salaries to reflect the current economic environment.
• Davis Ford updated everyone on the search for a new village administrator.  She said the timeline would be to hire someone within 3-4 months. Over 50 applicants have applied for the position.  The village has sent out an RFP for a search firm to help out.  Also the village has posted the job online.
• The committee is looking at the “best practices” of village hall employees.  This involves all the rules in regards to vacation time, the way employees handle themselves and the way the Village is structured.

Village President’s Report

• Village President Alex Torpey announced Nov. 28 is the ending date to accept applications for village administrator. Potential applicants can submit resumés to adminsearch@southorange.org.
• Torpey announced he will be starting a monthly television show on SOMAtv.

Board as a Whole

• Tax Assessor Ellen Foye-Malgieri said she expects the latest tax reassessment numbers to be available by the end of October.
• At the Oct. 12 meeting, the board discussed the given by the Special Improvement District Advisory Committee.
  
  Rosner, responding to some of the , said that Clean Sweep South Orange is also welcome to work with the SID.  He also said every time a SID is discussed, the Chamber of Commerce re-energizes.
  
  Levison felt the report was “wishy-washy.”  He asked the chamber to back up their claims they have an alternative plan and asked to see what they would do.  He questioned why businesses are so against a SID since they will be paying a small amount in the grand scheme of things.  He felt this SID, if enacted, would be business controlled.
  
  Gould felt the business recruiting projection was low. She felt the business recruiter should be devoting all their time to the job.  She also wanted to make sure that the best of Main Street South Orange wasn’t lost in the shuffle.
  
  Gould also questioned why that the Chamber of Commerce all of a sudden is reinvigorated.  She questioned whether the chamber’s business plan would be long-term.
  
  Goldberg questioned how sustainable a volunteer driven effort will be. The chamber had previously said they can put together a volunteer driven business plan.
  
  Davis Ford noted the passion on both sides of the SID.
  
  Bauer questioned the consensus among the committee members about what is expected on the SID.  She felt the budget projection lacked detail and were more “line items.” She asked to see a more robust projection of how the money would be spent.  She was also concerned about the board structure.
  
  The BOT agreed to review the report and discuss it at the Oct. 24 BOT regular meeting. They also decided to submit questions to the committee for them to answer at that meeting.

• Village Counsel Steven Rother updated the BOT on the Old Stone House.  He said the historic easement is in place and that the buyer will have to reimburse the village for it.
• Goldberg questioned why the BOT was allowing the Community Coalition of Race to present in future meetings since he was under the impression that the town was only providing space for them, but no longer funding the organization. Rosner explained that there has been no actual action made yet to defund them since the budget has not been passed for next year.  Torpey said the village still supports the CCR, despite the lack of funding and examples were given to Goldberg about other organizations that the village supports that give presentations to the BOT without funding provided.
  
  Bauer suggested that more non-profits present at future BOT meetings.  It was agreed that standard time slots would be offered during regular meetings for non-profits to come and present to the BOT.  In addition, the BOT will be asking for more commissions and committees to present.

Video of all the board of trustees meetings can be viewed on the South Orange Village website here.