TOWNSHIP COUNCIL PUBLIC MEETING MINUTES - March 2, 2010

The Public Meeting of the Mount Olive Township Council was called to Order at 8:00 pm by President Tobey: We will begin with the Open Publics Meeting Announcement as the Pledge of Allegiance and moment of reflection was earlier.

OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS ACT ANNOUNCEMENT
According to the Open Public Meetings Act, adequate notice of this meeting has been given to the Mount Olive Chronicle. Notice has been posted at the Municipal Building, 204 Flanders-Drakestown Road, Mount Olive Township, New Jersey and notices were sent to those requesting the same.

ROLL CALL

Present: Mrs. Labow, Mr. Walsh, Mr. Perkins, Mr. Roman, Mr. Mania and Mr. Tobey

Absent: Mr. Greenbaum

Also Present: David Scapicchio, Mayor; Sherry Maniscalco, CFO; Bill Sohl, Business Administrator; John Dorsey and Dominic DiYanni, Esqs., Township Attorneys; Lisa Lashway, Township Clerk

APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS – None

CORRESPONDENCE

RESOLUTIONS / ORDINANCES / CORRESPONDENCE OTHER TOWNS

1. Resolution of the Township of Branchburg received February 16, 2010, to establish municipal Housing Fees for College Students. PDF Correspondence

2. Notice of Public Hearing, Township of Washington, Morris County, in the matter of Black Oak Golf Club, LLC. PDF Correspondence

DOT / DEP / LOI / HIGHLANDS

3. Letter received February 18, 2010, from Maser Consulting, P.A., regarding a Freshwater Wetlands and Flood Hazard Area Application. PDF Correspondence

4. Letter received February 19, 2010, from Maser Consulting, P.A., regarding an application for a Flood Hazard Area Individual Permit, Freshwater Wetlands General Permit, and Transition Area Waivers. PDF Correspondence

5. Letter received February 22, 2010, from the State of New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection regarding 27 Bennington Drive. PDF Correspondence

6. Letter received February 24, 2010, from the State of New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection regarding Mine Hill Reservoir Dam. PDF Correspondence

7. Letter received March 1, 2010, from Schommer Engineering, Inc., regarding an application for a modification to Individual Permit and Stream Encroachment Permit, Deerfield Estates (a.k.a Rezamir Estates). PDF Correspondence

8. Letter received March 1, 2010, from the State of New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection regarding Child Care Facility Approval Letter. PDF Correspondence

9. Letter received March 1, 2010, from the State of New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection regarding 28 Harris Lane. PDF Correspondence

LEAGUE OF MUNICIPALITIES

10. Email received February 12, 2010, from the State of New Jersey League of Municipalities regarding Governor’s intergovernmental affairs team. PDF Correspondence

11. Email received February 15, 2010, from the State of New Jersey League of Municipalities regarding Snow Emergency. PDF Correspondence

12. Email received February 15, 2010, from the State of New Jersey League of Municipalities regarding NJLM Media Event. PDF Correspondence

13. Email received February 16, 2010, from the State of New Jersey League of Municipalities regarding Mayor’s Letter OPRA Fees. PDF Correspondence

14. Email received February 16, 2010, from the State of New Jersey League of Municipalities regarding Mayor’s Letter Revised OPRA. PDF Correspondence

15. Email received February 16, 2010, from the State of New Jersey League of Municipalities regarding Mayor’s Letter COAH Exec Order. PDF Correspondence

16. Email received February 16, 2010, from the State of New Jersey League of Municipalities regarding Mayor’s Letter League Staff on PERS. PDF Correspondence

17. Email received February 17, 2010, from the State of New Jersey League of Municipalities regarding Upcoming Seminar. PDF Correspondence

18. Email received February 17, 2010, from the State of New Jersey League of Municipalities regarding NJLM New Jersey Alliance Program. PDF Correspondence

19. Email received February 18, 2010, from the State of New Jersey League of Municipalities regarding Three Issues. PDF Correspondence

20. Email received February 19, 2010, from the State of New Jersey League of Municipalities regarding Two Issues. PDF Correspondence

21. Email received February 22, 2010, from the State of New Jersey League of Municipalities regarding Several Issues. PDF Correspondence

22. Email received February 23, 2010, from the State of New Jersey League of Municipalities regarding Redevelopment Training. PDF Correspondence

23. Email received February 24, 2010, from the State of New Jersey League of Municipalities regarding Community Energy Outreach Trainings. PDF Correspondence

24. Email received February 25, 2010, from the State of New Jersey League of Municipalities regarding Two Issues. PDF Correspondence

25. Email received February 25, 2010, from the State of New Jersey League of Municipalities regarding Mayors Letter. PDF Correspondence

26. Email received February 28, 2010, from the State of New Jersey League of Municipalities regarding March 2010 Mayors Newsline. PDF Correspondence

LETTER FROM LEGISLATIVE REPRESENTATIVES

27. Email received February 20, 2010, from Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen regarding e-Newsletter. PDF Correspondence

28. Email received February 26, 2010, from Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen regarding e-Newsletter. PDF Correspondence

UTILITIES

29. Letter received February 22, 2010, from Comcast of Northwest New Jersey, LLC, regarding channel changes. PDF Correspondence

30. Email received February 26, 2010, from Verizon regarding FIOS TV Programming. PDF Correspondence

31. Letter received March 1, 2010 from Comcast of Northwest New Jersey, LLC, regarding price adjustments. PDF Correspondence

DCA

32. Email received February 17, 2010, from the State of New Jersey Department of Community Affairs regarding Fiscal and Related Laws Passed at the end of 2009 Legislative Session. PDF Correspondence

33. Email received March 1, 2010, from the State of new Jersey Department of Community Affairs regarding GovConnect Update. PDF Correspondence

MORRIS COUNTY

34. Minutes received from the Morris County Planning Board regarding the January 21, 2010 Minutes. PDF Correspondence

FEDERAL

35. Email received February 26, 2010, from the United Nations Conference regarding an Invitation to Conference March 16-19, 2010. PDF Correspondence

President Tobey: We are up to Correspondence. We have 35 pieces. Does anyone on Council wish to discuss any? Seeing none, we are up to ordinances for public hearing. We have two ordinances this evening.

ORDINANCES FOR PUBLIC HEARING

President Tobey: I open the hearing to the public on:

Ord. #6-2010 An Ordinance of the Township of Mount Olive, County of Morris, State of New Jersey Amending and Supplementing Chapter 106, Dogs and Other Animals, of the Revised General Ordinances.

President Tobey: Does anyone from the public wish to be heard? Seeing none, Mr. Walsh, would you please move that?

Mr. Walsh: Sure, I would like to move Ordinance #6-2010.

Mrs. Labow: Second.

President Tobey: Thank you. It has been moved and seconded. Any Council discussion? Seeing none, roll call please.

ROLL CALL: Passed Unanimously

President Tobey: Ordinance #6-2010 is passed on second reading, and I hereby direct the Clerk to forward a copy of same to the Mayor and publish the notice of adoption as required by law. I open the hearing to the public on Ord. #7-2010, entitled:

Ord. #7-2010 An Ordinance of the Township of Mount Olive, County of Morris, State of New Jersey Amending Certain Portions of Chapter 106, Dogs and Other Animals, Article IV, Cats, Section 106-25, Licensing Requirements; Fees, of the Revised General Ordinances.

Nelson Russell, Budd Lake: The way this ordinance is written, my understanding is if a cat arrived on my
doorstep without its neutering papers, I have 239 months worth of penalty to pay because the stretch of time in
this section is April 1990.

Mrs. Lashway: That is when the ordinance was first adopted that established the licensing of cats in Mount
Olive Township.

Mr. Russell: Let’s see, within the specified time period and the only specified time period is April 1990.

Mr. Perkins: Nelson, I think what you need to read is that it says, during the month of April 1990 and shall
thereafter, during the month of April, annually, apply for and procure from the Clerk of the municipality or
other designated government officer, etc., etc.

Mr. Russell: The other question I have is virtually anything else that we have to register or license be it a car,
be it software, be it whatever, you obtain it, you license it.

Mr. Perkins: That’s right.

Mr. Russell: Why do we restrict this to April?

Mr. Perkins: We don’t. That’s when the licensing starts in April.

Mr. Russell: If you don’t do it in April, you have to pay a penalty.

Mr. Perkins: If you have an animal in your house, in your possession that you have failed to register during the
month of April, then yes, you would have a penalty. If you don’t have an animal and you don’t procure an
animal until the month of June, then you go in and obtain a license during the month of June.

Mr. Dorsey: Excuse me. Is your objection that it says April 1990?

Mr. Russell: Yes.

Mr. Roman: That was his first objection.

Mr. Dorsey: You can take 1990 out. You can just strike that out.

Mr. Perkins: Does that help you out Nelson?

Mr. Russell: That is very helpful.

Mr. Perkins: So we’ll just have during the month of April.

Mr. Dorsey: Just make a motion to amend the ordinance to take out 1990.

Mr. Russell: I’m just wondering why we can’t do it on a continuing basis, when you acquire a cat you license
it. In 1990 we didn’t have the computers we have now. We could put it all on a spreadsheet. You could sort it
by date. You could sort it by address. You could sort it by person. Does it make any difference whether I
register a cat today? Because if I have to wait until April to license a cat…

Mr. Perkins: You don’t. I think I tried to explain it to you Nelson. Any time you purchase or adopt an animal,
it is your responsibility to have the inoculation papers and license that pet. Whether that is in April, May, June,
July, August all the way through up until the subsequent March, it is your responsibility. The licensing of
animals, begins for cats in April. They begin to send out the notices and start submitting the license applications
in April.

Mr. Russell: Then what is the time period specified.

Mrs. Labow: Dogs are January.

Mr. Perkins: Where are you reading the time period specified?

Mr. Russell: In paragraph G, subsection G.

Mr. Perkins: After the payment of the fee, persons who fail to obtain a license within the time period specified
in this section will be subject to…so if you haven’t gotten, and it says annually, apply for a license.

Mr. Russell: What is the time period specified in the section?

Mr. Perkins: Any time during your licensing time. If you license your animal, they are going to send you a
renewal notice. You have a certain amount of time to renew. So typically now, every April when they send you
that notification, it’s now your responsibility to send in the money and get the license done. It’s kind of like
your car. You know when it used to be the registration and the inspection all used to happen at the same time,
now they don’t. So if you buy a cat now…

Mr. Russell: Nobody buys a cat. Cats find you.

Mr. Perkins: No one buys a cat?

Mr. Sohl: You obtain a cat.

Mr. Dorsey: We agree that 1990 is taken out. Once you take 1990 out, it makes perfect sense. April is the
renewal year, I mean renewal month.

Mr. Perkins: If you bought it in March, guess what happens in April. You renew it.

Mrs. Labow: Dogs are January. It’s the same thing with dogs, Nelson. It’s the same exact thing.

Mr. Russell: Okay, I’m just wondering why…

Mr. Perkins: Don’t get a puppy at Christmas.

Mr. Nelson: Okay.

Mrs. Labow: The reason why, Mr. Tobey may I? The reason why we have it in January and April is because
there are a couple thousand pets in this town. It’s just too much for the Health Department to take cat and dog
licenses in January so when they instituted the cat licensing, they decided to bring it out a couple of months and
make it April annually instead of January just they are not bombarded so they can handle the processing of the
licenses.

Mr. Roman: Are you saying that cats are second class citizens? Is that why they got pushed back?

Mrs. Labow: You could think that April comes first and January comes the following year. That’s why they picked a couple of months later because it just was too much.

Mr. Russell: Why not spread it over 12 months as opposed to…

Mrs. Labow: And have a different month? That would be too cumbersome to keep tract of.

Mr. Russell: That’s the way you do your car.

Mrs. Labow: Well you do, but you have to be efficient too in government. You can’t be having everybody’s licenses come due at a different time.

Mr. Russell: Why not?

Mrs. Labow: It’s not efficient. It’s too much to keep track of.

Mr. Russell: Get an excel spreadsheet. Here are the people in March, here are the people in April, and here are the people in May.

Mrs. Labow: It’s not an efficient way to send out notices. I don’t believe so. Don’t you agree?

Mr. Sohl: I agree with you.

President Tobey: Mr. Russell, thank you. Anyone else from the public? I am going to make a motion to amend
Ordinance #7-2010 and take out 1990. Can I get a second?

Mr. Mania: I’ll second it.

President Tobey: Mr. Perkins, would you please move Ordinance #7-2010 as amended?

Mr. Perkins: Yes, Mr. President. I move for adoption and final passage #7-2010 as amended.

Mr. Roman: Second.

President Tobey: Thank you. It has been moved and seconded. Any other Council discussion? Mrs. Labow.

Mrs. Labow: I just want to clarify because at the last meeting when I had asked a question about the feral cat
Ordinance, Mr. Dorsey did send his opinion on that and this ordinance deals strictly with domestic cats. The
feral cat ordinance deals with feral cats and this does not trump or supersede the feral cat ordinance. I just
wanted to say that we did get the final determination. Thank you.

President Tobey: Thank you. Roll Call please.

ROLL CALL: Passed Unanimously

President Tobey: Ordinance #7-2010 is passed on second reading, and I hereby direct the Clerk to forward a
copy of same to the Mayor and publish the notice of adoption as required by law.

ORDINANCES FOR FIRST READING - none

President Tobey: Moving on, we are up to Consent Resolutions. We have seven listed. Does anyone on Council wish to move any to Non Consent? Seeing none, Mrs. Labow would you please move them?

CONSENT RESOLUTIONS AGENDA:

Resolutions on the Consent Agenda List are considered to be routine and non-controversial by the Township Council and will be approved by one motion (one vote). There will be no separate discussion or debate on each of these resolutions except for the possibility of brief clarifying statements that may be offered. If one or more Council member requests, any individual resolution on the Consent Agenda may be removed from the Consent Agenda List and acted on separately.

CONSENT RESOLUTIONS – C. Labow

1. Resolution of the Township Council of the Township of Mount Olive Revising the Resolution “Establishing a Policy for Waiver of Employee Coverage Under the Health Benefits Program” Previously Adopted On February 2, 2010. PDF Resolution

2. Resolution of the Township Council of the Township of Mount Olive Amending the 2010 Temporary Budget for the Current Fund (Street & Roads – Other Expenses). PDF Resolution

3. Resolution of the Township Council of the Township of Mount Olive Authorizing the Cancellation of a General Capital Ordinance Balance. PDF Resolution

4. Resolution of the Township Council of the Township of Mount Olive Authorizing the Extension of a Contract with Golub Animal Hospital for Animal Control Services for the Year 2010-2011. PDF Resolution

5. Resolution of the Township Council of the Township of Mount Olive Authorizing the Mayor to Execute Professional Services Contracts. PDF Resolution

6. Resolution of the Township Council of the Township of Mount Olive Authorizing a Settlement in Connection with the Tax Appeal Entitled Enterprise Park, Inc. v. Mount Olive Township. PDF Resolution

7. Resolution of the Township Council, Township of Mount Olive Endorsing Senate Bill S838. PDF Resolution

Mrs. Labow: Thank you Mr. President. I move Consent Resolutions one through seven.

Mr. Roman: Second.

PUBLIC PORTION ON CONSENT RESOLUTIONS

President Tobey: It has been moved and seconded. Is there anyone one from the public who wishes to be heard?

COUNCIL COMMENTS ON CONSENT RESOLUTIONS

President Tobey: Seeing none, any Council comments? Roll Call please.

ROLL CALL: Passed Unanimously

RESOLUTIONS NON-CONSENT -none

PUBLIC PORTION ON INDIVIDUAL RESOLUTIONS - none

COUNCIL COMMENTS ON INDIVIDUAL RESOLUTIONS - none

ROLL CALL

MOTIONS – CONSENT – P. Walsh

1. Appointment of Brian Levine, Esq. to a 3 year unexpired term to expire 12/31/2012.

President Tobey: Moving on, we are up to Motions. The first motion is the appointment of Mr. Brian Levine to a three year unexpired term to expire 12/31/2012. Mr. Walsh, would you please move motion number one?

Mrs. Lashway: I just want to add, that’s a correction. We appointed him at the last meeting to a two year term and it’s really a three year term.

President Tobey: Thank you, Mr. Walsh.

Mr. Walsh: I’d like to move motion number one.

Mrs. Labow: Second.

President Tobey: It’s been moved and seconded. Roll Call, please.

ROLL CALL - Passed Unanimously

2. Bill List. PDF Bill List

President Tobey: Mr. Walsh, would you please move the Bill List?

Mr. Walsh: Yes, I’d like to move motion number two.

President Tobey: Thank you, I’ll second that. Does anyone from the public have any questions on the Bill List? Any Council members, have any questions? Roll Call, please.

ROLL CALL – Passed Unanimously

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS

President Tobey: Administrative reports, Mr. Sohl, Mayor?

Mayor Scapicchio: No reports.

OLD BUSINESS

President Tobey: Thank you, any Old Business, New Business?

NEW BUSINESS

Mrs. Labow: I just have a New Business. Before the meeting I had sent an email earlier today requesting the cost for the apartment or headquarters that was set up over at Drake Brook Park for our paid EMS service. Sherry said, Bill, you’re working on that?

Mayor Scapicchio: We’re working on getting you the answers.

Mrs. Labow: Okay, thank you.

LEGAL MATTERS

President Tobey: Any Legal Matters, Mr. Dorsey?

Mr. Dorsey: No.

COUNCIL REPORTS

President Tobey: Any Council Reports? Does any Council member have any reports this evening? Mr. Roman?

Mr. Roman: Since our last meeting, there were actually two Board of Education meetings. At the first one, the School Design Committee report was presented and approved by the Board of Education. Ms. Gadelha was one of the spearheads of that committee. Last night a Budget Committee meeting was held to discuss the operating budget. A couple of the items that were on the table were custodial staff, maintenance of the buildings and fleet maintenance. The only item that was discussed at length that could possibly see some kind of savings was on the fleet maintenance. Dr. Reynolds presented his preliminary figures on the budget. Some of the items that he made a note on are; he anticipates State Aid would be reduced by $2.1 million. Equalization Aid would be reduced by approximately $2 million. That is on the downside of revenue. On increases he anticipates health insurance rates to go up 27%. That is mostly due to usage. They have a usage rate of approximately 94%. So I guess as the saying goes, if you get it for free, you use it a lot more.

President Tobey: Mr. Roman, are you saying that they are losing a total of $4 million?

Mr. Roman: Potentially they can see a reduction in State Aid of approximately $4.1 million. Equalization Aid is an aid that depending on where you are on the table; whether you are a rich district or a poor district, we happen to land kind of in the middle, we get about $2 million for that. If you’re a poor district, you get more. He anticipates the budget that he’ll be introducing which will be introduced tentatively on Friday and will be placed on the web site; the actual operating dollar amount will be the same or less than last year. Much like we are doing, but because of the decrease in revenue or contribution from the State, obviously taxes will go up. For 2009 they did realize an operating surplus of $2 million. So based on performances that happened during the 2009 year, they were able to streamline certain procedures. They were able to realize a savings of $2 million. One of the participants in last night’s meeting made a statement that this Council should have cut their budget by another $2 million because they had it to cut. If the number comes out the way they do, and if he’s required to balance the budget and stay under CAP; he is not even aware whether CAP will be at 3% or 4%. It might be the possibility that they might need to reduce 40 teaching units. That is the worst case scenario. The other thing I had mentioned, not at last night’s meeting but the previous one was to request that all previous Bill Lists be available on the website and be archivalable. I’m hoping that at the minimum going forward, all Bill Lists would be on the server and available for anybody who wishes. At the most I would like to see at lease last year or maybe even two years worth of Bill Lists are readily available. That is all I have for the Board of Education.

President Tobey: Thank you, Mrs. Labow?

Mrs. Labow: I have a question for Mr. Roman. When they said that they were able to realize a $2 million surplus by streamlining, did they specify anything in particular that they’ve streamlined? Are there any procedures that they did?

Mr. Roman: Some of the items that I recall that were a savings were actually consolidation of routes. Spreading stops a little bit farther out.

Mrs. Labow: Oh, for the busing?

Mr. Roman: For the busing I think they reduced…

Mrs. Labow: So they really didn’t know what kind of savings they would have until they actually tried it?

Mr. Roman: No, and I think if I recall some of the savings might have happened in the Magellan program that they were doing. I didn’t take copious notes on that as to where they realized the $2 million savings. Needless to say, going forward I don’t think they anticipate realizing that many more savings. At least the $2 million savings that was realized last year can be used to offset the reduction in State Aid that is anticipated to be arriving.

Mrs. Labow: That’s great, very good news. So it’s a little bit here and a little bit there and it adds up.

Mr. Roman: Yes.

Recreation Liaison Report – none
Board of Health Report – none
Planning Board Report – none
Open Space Committee Report – none
Legislative Committee Report – none
Pride Committee Report – none
Board of Education Liaison Report
Lake/Environment Issues Committee – none
Safety Committee Liaison – none
Economic Development Committee Report – none
Library Board Liaison – none
Senior Citizen Liaison – none
Community Development Revenue Sharing – none

PUBLIC PORTION

President Tobey: Any other Council Reports? Seeing none, were up to the second Public Portion. Does anyone from the public wish to be heard? Yes, sir?

Ned McDonnell, Budd Lake: This is a question on the Bill List. Actually two questions. First one is page four near the bottom of the page. A smart key for a 2001 Audi and a remote control for a 2001 Audi. Could somebody explain what that may be?

Mrs. Maniscalco: I know this was related to a car that they obtained, it was a forfeited car that they obtained. I have to actually look at the purchase order to get the specifics. So you’re going to have to give me a minute on that one.

Mr. McDonald: Do we have a 2001 Audi?

Mrs. Maniscalco: No, it’s forfeited property. It was forfeited property that we acquired.

Mr. McDonald: So we do have it?

Mrs. Maniscalco: We have it, yes.

Mr. McDonald: From the Police Department?

Mrs. Maniscalco: Exactly, I am not a car person, so I knew this was probably going to come up. I wrote it down on the PO. There is an issue with the key I guess. It’s keyed by the specific Audi manufacturer. This is related to what they needed to do. Alex….

Mrs. Labow: I can also explain it too. I have a smart key also in my car. What it is, it is a special key that you don’t need to put a key in the ignition and it’s programmed. It’s like a hundred dollars for this key. They actually have to program it in order for them to get it to work.

Mr. McDonald: I am not concerned with the specifics of why a smart key is needed but what are we doing with a 2001 Audi?

Mrs. Labow: It was surrendered. It was in a bust or whatever…

Mr. Sohl: We didn’t buy it.

President Tobey: The question is Sherry, what happens from here with the vehicle?

Mr. Maniscalco: Let me just be clear. This money is coming from there state law enforcement account. It’s money that is accumulated as a result of activities that they do. It’s really grant money; it’s not general taxation money, okay? What are they going to do with it from here? I don’t really know. I can’t speak about that.

Mr. McDonald: Who makes that determination? What will be done with the car?

Mrs. Maniscalco: The Police Chief is going to make that determination.

Mayor Scapicchio: We can find out specifically what the Chief has in mind. Usually they use these vehicles for undercover.

Mr. McDonald: Okay, good enough.

Mrs. Maniscalco: Thanks Colleen.

Mr. McDonald: Another question, page eight. I think I’ve asked this before in previous year. Coffee machine supplies, $703.00. Where is this coffee machine, who uses it and why are we paying for coffee?

Mrs. Maniscalco: We have a coffee machine that’s located in the cafeteria. We do pay for supplies, but we also charge for coffee. I think its twenty five cents?

Mrs. Labow: I think it fifty cents now. It used to be twenty five.

Mr. McDonald: So this isn’t just free coffee for the employees?

Mrs. Maniscalco: No, we do charge for it. There’s hot chocolate, there’s coffee I believe is what it is.

Mr. Sohl: If you have your own tea bags, there is free hot water.

Mrs. Maniscalco: There ya go.

Mr. McDonald: Okay, so it’s just sort of partial…

Mrs. Maniscalco: Your only seeing the expense side of it Ned. You’re not seeing the revenue that we take in from it. Is it a wash? No, but we do recover something.

President Tobey: You know what, just going back to the car, Mayor and Mr. Sohl, in lieu of keeping it, do we have an option to sell it and bring the money in?

Mayor Scapicchio: We’ll find out from the Chief and report back.

Mr. Roman: If I may interject, that expense for getting that key and all that, it is lower than I would have expected.

President Tobey: Does anyone else from the public wish to be heard?

Amy Ingrassia, Indian Spring Road, Budd Lake: I’m not up to date on what’s going on with EMS Squads in Flanders and Budd Lake. I’d like to know a little bit more about that. I understand that you want to go with Mid-Atlantic and I also understand that the Fire Department got an 18% increase. So I would like to know why our EMS is in jeopardy.

President Tobey: The Status with the EMS is we are trying to coordinate another meeting to sit down with the appropriate parties to find a resolution, to find some common ground if you will. We are hoping to have that meeting next week actually. With regard to the Fire Department, I don’t believe that’s accurate. Is that correct?

Mrs. Ingrassia: I understand that they got an 18% increase and I also understand that Mid-Atlantic wants out of their contract?

President Tobey: Well, I don’t believe that’s the case. Mr. Sohl, do you know anything about that?

Mrs. Ingrassia: Well, I got that right from the First Aid Squad.

Mayor Scapicchio: The First Aid Squad is not being accurate or honest with you. We have received no notification. In fact, Mr. Sohl actually inquired based on some rumor that was floating around. Atlantic Health who is the present provider Monday through Friday, from 5:00am to 5:00pm intends to honor the contract which expires sometime in June. At that time we will go out to rebid.

Mr. Sohl: Or sooner.

Mr. Roman: We’ll do it before hand right?

Mayor Scapicchio: Right.

Mrs. Ingrassia: So there’s going to be another meeting next week then?

President Tobey: In two weeks.

Mrs. Ingrassia: In two weeks?

President Tobey: Yes, you know one of the things I want to state which is really the truth and accurate, we’re not looking to do away with the EMS. What we’re looking to do is, we’ve identified a concern and we’ve also identified a hybrid model that’s a benefit for the Municipality and the volunteers are still there. I have heard that a number of times, people say you want to do away with them. Nothing could be further from the truth. That is not accurate, that statement.

Mrs. Ingrassia: So one of their rigs was not taken away already?

President Tobey: No.

Mrs. Ingrassia: Okay, so they’re in full possession of their equipment?

President Tobey: I will defer to the Mayor.

Mayor Scapicchio: They are in full possession of their equipment.

Mr. Sohl: No one from the Administration has seized anything.

Mrs. Ingrassia: Okay, like I said, I wasn’t completely up to date. I was out of State for part of January so I kind of missed out on what was going on.

President Tobey: Yes.

Mrs. Ingrassia: Okay, thank you.

President Tobey: Thank you very much. Does anyone else from the public wish to be heard? Seeing none, any closing comments? Mr. Roman?

Mr. Roman: I thought we were going to go down the line.

Mr. Perkins: We don’t do that anymore.

Mr. Roman: Actually the young lady who was just making that statement; that is precisely why we got to make sure that our meetings get televised. Not only on TV but be placed on our website because unfortunately the stuff that gets discussed here; by the time it gets disseminated and passed around in the public it, if a resident wants to be informed, unfortunately right now the information where they can get it from is either going to be third party hearsay information or a particular point of view that might only be placed in a newspaper article that they might not even go out and purchase it. At least if we make our meetings available on the website, achievable, at their own time, at their own leisure, they can download it, view it, pod cast, or whatever they want to do but at least that way there is no excuse for anybody not to be informed on any issues.

President Tobey: Thank you Mr. Roman. Are there any other Council comments, Mr. Perkins?

Mr. Perkins: Thank you, Mr. President. I would just like to echo what Councilman Roman has said. If you go to our Township website, you know you can view the Minutes and view the Agendas and you can open up all the Resolutions and the Ordinances. They are all in PDF. Obviously avail yourself to that. I know the press has utilized that much to their advantage. It’s a much quicker way to be able to find out, I cannot guarantee you. I don’t know how this television thing is going to go. I can tell you with a 100% certainty that by tomorrow, if they were here, successfully videotaping it today, it would be on channel 21 tomorrow morning for your viewing pleasure. I can’t tell you that within two weeks once the Minutes are approved they will be posted on the website and you’ll be able to hear word for word exactly what each and every one of us had to say about any specific issue.

President Tobey: Thank you, and for the record it should be noted that the Safety Committee actually approved the hybrid plan. And the Safety Committee is made up of representatives… excuse me?

Mrs. Labow: They didn’t actually approve it. They agreed to work with the RFP to go out.

President Tobey: They…

Mrs. Labow: I don’t want to get into it.

President Tobey: We’re not going to debate it. I was at the meeting, and they approved it.

Mrs. Labow: We’re not going to debate it but I understand they did not approve the hybrid.

President Tobey: Mayor, do you want to come in and join me with this because you were at the meeting? The Safety Committee approved to move forward with the hybrid plan.

Mrs. Labow: I think we should have the discussion when the members are here and they can also state what they wanted.

Mayor Scapicchio: They voted yes with the exception of Budd Lake Fire who abstained. They all voted yes.

Mrs. Labow: They voted to go out, to help with the RFP.

Mayor Scapicchio: You weren’t at the meeting Colleen, you’re wrong.

Mrs. Labow: I’m not necessarily wrong.

Mayor Scapicchio: The Police Chief, Budd Lake Rescue, Flanders Fire, Flanders Rescue, all supported it.

Mrs. Labow: Well, we’ll see.

President Tobey: Okay, thank you. We’ll continue, we’ll continue. Is there any other Council comments? Seeing none, at this time I will accept a motion to adjourn.

Mr. Mania: So moved.

Mr. Walsh: Second.

AYE

ADJOURNMENT

Motion was made and seconded, all in favor and none opposed, the meeting was adjourned at 8:25pm.

_________________________________
Phil Tobey, Council President

I, Lisa M. Lashway, Township Clerk of the Township of Mount Olive do hereby certify that the foregoing Minutes is a true and correct copy of the Minutes approved at a legally convened meeting of the Mount Olive Township Council duly held on April 13, 2010.

_________________________________
Lisa Lashway, Township Clerk

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