Meeting Recap: Verona Council and Residents Dig for More Budget Cuts

At Monday evening’s Township Council meeting, the Council's bottom line request to Township Manager, Joseph Martin, was to find scenarios where possible cuts could be made to get a flat, or near flat, total tax increase, to offset increases from pensions, benefits and debt service.

Mayor Teena Schwartz made the initial request by reiterating the Council’s request from last summer. Schwartz stated, “[The request was that] you come back to us with a budget that was a zero tax increase.” When Martin replied, “I think I have done that,” the Mayor emphasized to Martin, “I understand that we are at zero within the cap. I don’t believe at that time that I mentioned within the cap or the understanding was [to be] within the cap.”

The questioning is a reflection on the municipal budget that was introduced at the last Council meeting. At that time, Martin introduced a $21.4 million budget that he said was a “zero percent increase in the tax levy.” However, the Township Manager advised, “Just because there is a zero percent increase, this does not mean that your taxes will not increase.”

Martin was referring to the cost obligations that the Township has little control over, including police and municipal employees' union contractual pay increases, pension and benefits contributions as well as township debt service.

According to Martin, as the budget is now, the average home assessed at $400,000, could see an annual municipal tax increase of approximately $200, or $3.85 a week before school and county taxes are added in.

During the public portion of the meeting, residents and Council members supported the Mayor’s request for Martin to devise possible scenarios the administration might be able to find for additional cuts to the budget.

Martin advised that because of possible cuts in state aid in 2012, with any decisions the Council makes in 2011, they should take into account what is likely to happen in 2012, and he added, “Incidentally, we are in good shape for 2012.”

Mayor Schwartz concluded, “I need to know what the choices are,” which Martin said he will provide, both anecdotally and in power point form.

Proclamations

The Council meeting began with two proclamations. A proclamation was made in honor of Arbor Day, which, since 1949, was set aside as the last Friday of April to promote the planting of trees and the protection of forests. In 2010, Verona was named a “Tree City USA,” by the National Association of State Foresters. The proclamation was accepted by Robert Dickison of the Verona Shade Tree Commission. In his acceptance speech, Dickison proudly mention that this was the 26^th time in a row that Verona was named a “Tree City USA.”

The second proclamation was made to honor Colin Farawell. A senior at Verona High, Farawell is known as Verona High School’s winningest wrestler with over 40 wins this season. In addition to being a wrestling champion, Colin Farawell is also a top scorer for the Verona lacrosse team and a member of the football team. Farawell accepted the proclamation along with his family at the meeting.

Resolutions

Before adjourning, the council adopted a resolution endorsing the submission of a recycling grant application to the NJ EPA, authorizing Township Engineer, James Helb to file the application and designating all monies received from the recycling to be used solely for the purpose of future recycling.