Verona Council Meeting Tinged With Gratitude

It was business as usual at the recent meeting of the Verona Township governing body. It might be expected that a Council meeting three days before Thanksgiving wound be strictly perfunctory but progress was made and the seats were full as the residents observed the passing and introduction of ordinances and resolutions.

The night began with an update by Leslie Regino and Cyndi Hawkins of The Woman’s Club of Verona, regarding the sales of their luminaries kits for the “Share Your Light Night,” scheduled this year for the night of Saturday, December 10.  They are more than half-way to their goal with three weeks left until the festive night.

A special presentation was made by Verona resident Don Smartt, who also owns Commercial District Services based in Verona. Commercial District Services is a leading provider of supplemental services to managers of outdoor public spaces and business districts throughout Northern New Jersey. Smartt, on behalf of his family and his staff, expressed his gratitude to the Township for the exceptional job done in the clean up after the October snowstorm. As a token of appreciation, Smartt donated a check for $500 to The Verona Children’s Fund to assist families in need. In closing, Smartt added, “I’m somebody who travels throughout Northern New Jersey and many other municipalities [for my company] and I can tell you…that this community responded far better than many other communities with far larger budgets and far higher tax rates.”

Jane Eliasof and Ben Blinder of the Verona Landmarks Preservation Commission offered a report on works in progress including the United Methodist Church and how the site becomes a designated landmark, first locally, then statewide and eventually, on the national level. More information is available here. 

In his report, Township Manager Joseph Martin introduced a discussion of the Community Development Block Grant application for 2012. Township Engineer, Jim Helb, highlighted the process of identifying potential sites in need of improvement along with the application process. These projects are paid for mostly by grants from the Federal Government, requiring little contribution from local taxpayers and municipalities.

Three projects were listed for 2012, which included improvements to Personette Avenue and Depot Street, Park Place and the Public Library. A public hearing and reading of the resolution prioritizing the projects will be held at the Dec. 5 Council meeting.

Deputy Mayor Bob Manley called attention to two news articles on Verona, which appeared in the national media. On November 19, The Wall Street Journal ran an article entitled, “Verona’s Small Town Roots Prove a Draw.”  On Monday, the 21^st, the Associated Press published an article for distribution dealing with seniors aging in their own homes, entitled “Aging in a Place."

A public hearing and vote for final passage was held for a Bond Ordinance appropriating $184,000, which includes authorizing the issuance of $175,000 in bonds for the reconstruction of Church Street. The $175,000 cost will eventually be covered by a Community Development Block Grant from the Federal Government. The vote was unanimous for approval.

A unanimous vote also approved a second ordinance dealing with traffic flow and parking around the Community Center, including the new Centennial Field Access Drive, which will be completed in a matter of weeks.

After approval of ten “housekeeping” Resolutions, the meeting was adjourned. The next Council Meeting will be held on December 5.