Byram Township Council Meeting September 19, 2005

BYRAM TOWNSHIP TOWNSHIP COUNCIL MEETING - DECEMBER 20, 2010

CALL MEETING TO ORDER

Mayor Oscovitchcalled the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.

OPEN PUBLIC MEETING STATEMENT

Adequate notice of this meeting has been made in accordance with the Open Public Meetings Act, NJSA 10:4-6.

ROLL CALL

Mayor Oscovitch, here; Councilwoman Raffay, here; Councilman Rafferty, here; Councilman Thompson, here; Councilman Olson, here; Township Manager Joe Sabatini, Attorney Tom Collins and Municipal Clerk Doris Flynn were also present.

RESOLUTION FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION – Motion by Councilman Olson, second by Councilman Rafferty, to go into executive session at 7:01 p.m. and adopt the below resolution.

RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, the Open Public Meetings Act, P. L. 1975, Chapter 231 permits the exclusion of the public from a meeting in certain circumstances; and

WHEREAS, this public body is of the opinion that such circumstances presently exist.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Mayor and Council of the Township of Byram, that the public shall be excluded from discussion of the following matters:

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Minutes will be kept on file in the Municipal Clerk’s office, and once the matter involving the confidentiality of the above no longer requires that confidentiality, then the minutes shall be made public.

BYRAM TOWNSHIP COUNCIL

Certification: I certify that the Byram Township Council adopted the above resolution

on December 20, 2010.

Doris Flynn

Municipal Clerk

RETURN TO OPEN SESSION - Motion by Councilman Olson, second by Councilman Rafferty to return to open session at 7:34p.m. All members were in favor. Motion Carried.

FLAG SALUTE AND MOMENT OF SILENT REFLECTION

APPROVAL OF AGENDA –Motion by Councilman Olson, seconded by CouncilmanRaffertyto approve the agenda. All members were in favor. Motion carried.

PUBLICPARTIPATION I - Motion by Councilman Rafferty, second by Councilman Thompson, to open to public. All members were in favor. Motion Carried.

After seeing no one wishing to speak, a motion was made by Councilman Olson, second by Councilman Rafferty to close to the public. All members were in favor. Motion Carried.

CONSENT AGENDA - These items are considered to be routine by the Members of the Township Council and will be enacted on by one motion. There will be no separate discussion unless a citizen or Council member so requests in which event the item may be removed from the general order of business and considered in its normal sequence on the agenda. Motion by Councilman Olson, second by Councilwoman Raffay, to approve the consent agenda.

Resolution No. 158-2010 – Release of Cash Performance Bonds in the Amount of $10,000.00 to Garrison Holdings, LLC after Completion of Driveways and Landscaping
Resolution No. 159-2010 – Authorization to Purchase Salt under the County of Sussex Contract for Ice Control Materials
Resolution No. 160-2010 – Amended Calendar Dates of the Scheduled Regular Meetings of the Byram Township Council from 1/1/2011 until 12/31/2011
Resolution No. 161-2010 – Chapter 159 – Amendment to Adopted Budget - $11,420.00
Resolution No. 162-2010 – Chapter 159 – Amendment to Adopted Budget - $7,000.00
Resolution No. 163-2010 – Resolution Authorizing Budget Transfers for 2010 Current Budget - $5,000.00
Resolution No. 164-2010 – Authorization to Purchase a 2011 model year Dodge (or equal) Model 5500 cab and chassis for the Byram Township Department of Public Works
Resolution No. 165-2010 - Authorization to Purchase a Dump Body (2011 Model) and Optional Equipment for the Township of Byram Department of Public Works
Resolution No. 166-2010 – Resolution Authorizing PSA to Farr Forestry Services, LLC not to exceed $4,950 for Hazard Tree Survey
Resolution No. 168-2010 – Resolution Authorizing EUS to Able Environmental Services, Inc. for soil remediation-34 Belton Street
Resolution No. 169-2010 – Resolution Authorizing COBRA Direct Pay for Council members

RESOLUTION NO. 167-2010 – Resolution in Support of Open Space PILOT funding – The Township Manager stated that in June the Council had a discussion on how the governor was proposing to cut money from the PILOT program and eventually phasing out the program. Brian Thompson stated that in addition to this resolution, we should question the State on what incentive would townships have for preserving open space if the PILOT program was discontinued. Councilman Thompson suggested putting a moratorium on preserving open space to try to make an impression on the State.

BILL LIST OF DECEMBER 20, 2010 - Motion by Councilman Rafferty second by Councilman Thompson to approve the bills. Councilwoman Raffay recused from Bill No. 6960, Councilman Rafferty recused from No. 6985 and 7043 and Councilman Thompson recused from Bill No. 6969.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES -

December 6, 2010 Regular Meeting Minutes– Motion by Councilman Rafferty, second by Councilman Thompson, to approve the minutes as presented.

December 6, 2010 Closed Session Minutes – Motion by Councilman Rafferty, second by Councilman Thompson to approve the minutes as presented.

REPORTS

Manager’s Report:

Adoption of Updated Open Space and Recreation Plan was carried to the 1/6/11 planning board meeting.

Starting January 1, the Township will no longer accept credit card payments for taxes.
Recycling Attendant position available. The position was advertised in the New Jersey Herald – it is a maximum of 16 hours per week.
COAH – no objections were received.

Councilman Olson

The EC meets on the December 23rd at 7:30 p.m.

Councilwoman Raffay

Planning Board

The last Planning board meeting was on Dec 16. They discussed the Open Space and Recreation plan but the board still had some questions about changes that were made so the adoption of the document was tabled until the next meeting when some of those questions can be answered.
The next planning board meeting is on Jan 6 at 8pm.

Sussex County Transit

The Citizens Advisory Committee for Sussex County Transit had its last meeting of 2010 on Dec 7. There will be a new route for the Transit system that will go down 206, through Byram, and end at the Netcong train station. If you know of someone who could use this service, tell them to contact Sussex County Transit for more information.

Mayor Oscovitch

On December 14th the Mayor attended the Sussex County Chamber of Commerce B to B breakfast held at the Lafayette House. The breakfast was sponsored by Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice. Mrs. Quinlan spoke. The Mayor stated, “I have seen Mrs. Quinlan in the past; however I never had the opportunity to hear her speak. What an amazing person she is. She spoke with such passion about how hospice has changed from focus on death, to focus on life. You could hear a pin drop while she was speaking; her 20 minute “talk” actually changed me. I realized how insignificant I am at times. The reason for her talk was to let the business community know they are in the process of breaking ground on the new Karen Ann Quinlan home for Hospice and that they are looking for all types of volunteers.”
Sussex County magazine – there is an article on Tom Chapin – spoke about Byram
Wished everyone Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. The Mayor stated that we are fortunate to live in a town that has been so generous and the people who are having hard times will be very appreciative of the generosity.

Councilman Rafferty

Recreation meeting was cancelled for this month.

Councilman Thompsonwished everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

DISCUSSION ITEM - Scouting Recognition – The Council discussed giving plaques to girls making their gold award along with boys ear the rank of Eagle Scout. The Council was in favor of giving plaques to both girls and boys making these high rankings.

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION II – Motion by Councilman Rafferty second by Councilman Olsonto open to the public. All members were in favor. Motion carried.

Earl Riley, 5 Louis Drive,commented on the PILOT program and thought it was calculated on state owned and institutionally owned property. He thinks it is outrageous that the State is cutting PILOT funding, but felt we had to be careful in saying that Byram would put a moratorium on preserving open space. He applauded the Council’s decision on giving plaques for Eagle Scouts and Gold Awards.

Skip Danielson, 18 Hunter Lane, also feels that the scouts are entitled to the recognition. He wished everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Councilman Olson made a motion, seconded by Councilman Rafferty, to close to the public. All members were in favor. Motion carried.

Other Business

The Mayor stated that effective January 2011 the Council meetings will be on the first and third Tuesday of each month. Resolution 160-2010, which was adopted on the consent agenda, listed the amended dates for the Council meetings. There was a mistake in the dates in June and the Council will amend the resolution.

Motion by Councilman Olson, second by Councilman Rafferty, to modify the Reorganization Resolution 160-2010 to change June 7 to June 6 and June 20 to June 21.

RESOLUTION FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION – Motion by Councilman Rafferty, second by Councilman Thompson, to go into executive session at 8:15 p.m. and adopt the below resolution.

RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, the Open Public Meetings Act, P. L. 1975, Chapter 231, Sections 7 and 8, permits the exclusion of the public from a meeting in certain circumstances; and

WHEREAS, this public body is of the opinion that such circumstances presently exist.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Mayor and Council of the Township of Byram, that the public shall be excluded from discussion of the following matters:

Pending/Ongoing Litigation
Contract Negotiations
Attorney Client Privileged Information

BYRAM TOWNSHIP COUNCIL

Certification: I certify that the Byram Township Council adopted the above resolution

on December 20, 2010.

Doris Flynn

Municipal Clerk

RETURN TO OPEN SESSION

Motion by Councilman Rafferty, second by Councilman Thompson, to appoint Township Manager Joe Sabatini as mediator as required by NJSA40:55D-53.2a with regard to the Gordon Byram Associates’ letter disputingengineering escrow charges.

ADJOURN

On the motion by Councilman Rafferty, second by Councilman Thompson, and with all members in favor, the meeting was adjourned at 8:27 p.m.

______

Doris Flynn, RMC James Oscovitch, Mayor

Township Council Meeting Minutes 1 December 20, 2010