December 6, 2005

 

 

A Budget/Workshop Meeting of the Township Council of the Township of Roxbury was held on December 6, 2005 at 1715 Route 46, Ledgewood, N.J. at 7:30 p.m.

 

OPEN PUBLIC MEETING STATEMENT

Notice is hereby given that a Special Meeting of the Township Council of the Township of Roxbury will be held on Tuesday, December 6, 2005 at 7:30 PM, at 1715 Route 46, Ledgewood, New Jersey.  This meeting is being held for the purpose of discussing the Recreation Plan and the 2006 Budget.

 

Adequate notice of this meeting of the Township Council of the Township of Roxbury was given as required by the Open Public Meetings Act as follows:  Notice was faxed to the Daily Record, the Newark Star Ledger and the Roxbury Register on November 15, 2005; notice was posted on the bulletin board in the main hallway of the Municipal Building on November 15, 2005.

 

ROLL CALL:  (Present)  Councilmen Fred Hall, Jim Rilee, Tim Smith, and Mayor Richard Zoschak

 

Councilman Martin Schmidt arrived at  7:40 PM.

 

Absent:  Councilwoman Sandy Urgo and Councilman John Ciaramella

 

ALSO PRESENT:  Christopher Raths, Township Manager; Anthony Bucco, Township Attorney and BettyLou DeCroce Township Clerk

 

Mayor Zoschak amended the order of business to hear the Presentation on the Recreation

Master Plan.

 

The Recreation Committee members present were Jim Gordon, Chairman, Committee Members; Don Banta, Edward Hade, John Eschmann, Greg Somjen and Dave Stierli, Recreation Director.

 

The  Committee gave an overview of the Recreation Master Plan.  Discussion ensued pertaining to future ball fields, turf field and the future needs of the public in our Roxbury Township Recreation Program.  The Council did agree with the overall concept the Committee has worked on.  Questions as to funding were discussed.  Council asked the Committee  how much  seed money was needed to begin moving forward.  The Committee stated that they would have an initial need of approximately $20,000.00.  Council would like the Recreation Committee to meet with the Board of Education to see if some of the future needs for recreation could be a shared service with the schools.  Mr. Rilee felt that the Plan was well thought out.  Mr. Smith also applauded the efforts of the Committee.  Mr. Smith  asked where the funding for the seed money would come from.  Mr. Stierli stated that they were looking into old bond ordinances that were approved for previous recreation projects.  Funds in the ordinances should be available if the anticipated cost were less then projected. If the township has not closed the bond ordinance out as of this date and there are funds available they could close the bond out and the remaining funds would be placed in the fund balance to be utilized for seed money.  Mr. Hall stated that they would continue to look for future funding.    Also Mr. Hall stated that more research on the turf field would need to take place pertaining to actual cost, safety aspect of field turf, drainage, seed money and grants.  Further Mr. Hall requested that Bettylou DeCroce , Township Clerk work with the Committee to help with grants etc. 

 

In closing the Committee agreed to meet with the Board of Education  in an attempt to plan for the use of the fields, as well as shared services and funding.

 

EXECUTIVE SESSION

05-415  Resolution of the Township Council of the Township of Roxbury, in the County of Morris, New Jersey, authorizing conference of the Township Council with the public excluded.

 

Mr. Rilee made a motion to adopt Resolution #05-415.  Mr. Smith seconded the motion.

 

Roll Call:          Mr. Rilee – Yes     Mr. Smith – Yes

                         Mr. Hall – Yes       Mr. Schmidt – Yes

                         Mayor Zoschak – Yes

 

Motion Carried 5 to 0

 

Council returned to the Special Meeting at 9:15 PM.

                        

REPORTS OF COUNCIL LIAISON REPRESENTATIVES, COUNCIL COMMITTEES AND NEW BUSINESS/OLD BUSINESS.

 

q       Presentation:  Recreation Master Plan  Previously discussed

q       Presentation:  2006 Budget Discussion

 

Mr. Raths presented to Council a Summary of Department Totals.  Mr. Raths discussed the FY 2005 appropriated budget for the following departments: Information Technology, Engineering, Building and Grounds, Safety Office, Fire Presentation, Fire Department #1, Fire Department #2, Fire Department #3, Police, Roads, Equipment Repair, Sanitation/Recycling, Health 7 Animal Control, Parks and Recreation, Library, Municipal Court, Minor Equipment.  The FY2005 appropriated funds  for the Current Fund is $1,516,145.00. The FY 2006 Original Current Fund request is $1,417,605 and the FY2006 Revised is $1,900,180.00.  Council discussed the potential tax points for the year 2006.  It was the consensus of the Council that the 2006 Budget would need to be cut to within a 3 to 4 point increase.  Because of fixed cost such as pension, medical and contractual agreements the Council would not be able to budget the township without an increase as it would cause a loss of services to the residents.

 

Council continued to discuss the DPW Facility to be built at the Pine Street property.  Mr. Raths advised Council that the problem was waiting for the DEP to give a determination on the existing well or if we would need to drill a new well.  Council did have concern with the potential cost of  $125,000 for a test well at the Pine Street property.  Discussion ensued pertaining to the firm capacity needs of the township of 37,000 gallons per day and not having DEP approval pertaining to a well on the Pine Street site.  Mr. Schmidt recommended the township look for an alternate location for the well.   Council agreed to wait for Mr. Grau to update the projections needed for the township and this site.  Mr. Raths will get an update on the status of the DEP pertaining to the well on the Pine Street property.

 

MATTERS REQUESTED/REFERRED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS, MANAGER, ATTORNEY OR CLERK.

 

 

PUBLIC PORTION

 

No Public Input

 

DRAFT ORDINANCES FOR DISCUSSION

None

 

ORDINANCES TO BE INTRODUCED                                               

None

 

HEARING AND ADOPTION OF ORDINANCES ON SECOND READING

None

 

DRAFT RESOLUTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

None

 

INTRODUCTION AND ADOPTION OF RESOLUTIONS

None

 

COMMUNICATIONS

December 2, 2005

 

Mr. Hall made a motion to file the December 2, 2005 Communications.  Mr. Schmidt seconded the motion.

 

Roll Call - All In Favor – Yes

 

Motion Carried – 5 to 0

 

Discussion took place pertaining to a review of the Township fees.  The Township Clerk, BettyLou DeCroce,  advised Council that the Liquor License renewals could be increased by 10%.   Council would like an ordinance prepared for that increase.

 

 

EXECUTIVE SESSION

None

 

ADJOURNMENT

 

At 10:15 PM Mr. Hall made a motion to adjourn the Special Meeting.  Mr. Schmidt seconded the motion.

 

Roll Call – All In Favor – Yes

 

Motion Carried 5 to 0

 

 

Submitted By:

 

 

 

 

_______________________

BettyLou DeCroce

Township Clerk

 

 

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

DATE:                         February 14, 2006

ROLL CALL:              Mr. Rilee – yes            Mr. Smith – yes

                                    Mr. Ciaramella – yes   Mrs. DeFillippo – abstain

                                    Mr. Hall - yes