Here we go….

When I first thought of doing this blog, my goal was to give more transparency to what went on at our Town Council and, for a short time, Board of Education meetings beyond what was provided in the publicly-available minutes. The hope was that more residents would become involved and attend the meetings, thereby holding our elected officials more accountable to the community they serve.

I had intended to do the blog initially for a year, starting with the reorganization meeting in January and ending in December. My changing work schedule, increased Board of Education responsibilities, and commitments to other boards and committees on which I serve, combined with the toll of a recent personal loss, have me reevaluating how I spend what’s left of my little free time.

Each blog entry entails hours of work, from attending the actual meeting and taking notes to translating those notes into something readable. I realize I no longer have the time and energy to create a product that lives up to my own high standards.

I believe that communication is key in increasing and enhancing community engagement. I will continue to administer the Don’t Shoot the Allamuchy Messenger Facebook page, providing local information as I am able, allowing others to do the same.

I hope that you have all found value in what I have presented over the past 10 months. And, who knows, perhaps it has encouraged one of you to pick up where I’ve left off.

~Abby

(Agenda for this meeting and the minutes, once approved, can be found here: http://allamuchynj.org/2020meetings)

The meeting was called to order at 6:30 PM. The mayor and three council members (Quinoa, Tuohy, and Cote) were in the council chamber, while everyone else, including Councilman Ochwat, the township attorney, the township clerk, the Recreation Director, and five members of the public, attended over Zoom.

OPENING STATEMENT: There was no opening statement by the mayor.

ENGINEER’S REPORT / ACTION LIST

The engineer reported on the following:

• Updated storm water management rules from the State of New Jersey will require an update to the storm water ordinance
• Traffic study work – waiting for a written response from the county engineer
• Ordinance update for the water tank replacement funding. The bid documents are being updated for public bid with an anticipated opening on December 3^rd
• Cat Swamp Road improvement project
• DPW roof project update
• 2020 Road Resurfacing program
• Sparrow Hawk water main
• Emergency generator for Pump Station #1
• Scoreboard structural and electrical design
• Dog Park accessibility evaluation: The evaluation is complete and the engineer presented a schematic (which could not be seen by the audience of the initial design. There was a long discussion about the costs. The engineer can provide the estimated costs, but Councilman Ochwat argued that until it is determined where the money would come from it did not make sense for the engineer to do any further work. At issue is the fact that when the dog park was first established, it was supposed to be self-sustaining (any fund-raised monies were to cover its costs). There is not enough money in the trust fund to cover the costs to make the park ADA-compliant. Other council members preferred to have the costs from the engineer before making a decision about funding and, ultimately, the future of the dog park. 

ATTORNEY’S REPORT

The attorney reported on the following:

• Municipal court agreement with Knowlton
• Lake Eagle Rock dredging work is complete, but there is an issue with the removal of the equipment. From the attorney’s perspective, the township’s involvement is complete and anything further needs to be handled between PVPOA and the developer.
• The dump truck purchased through the online auction has been picked up
• Request for an Executive Session

MAYOR’S REPORT

It was very difficult to hear the mayor clearly. From what I could tell, he reported on the following:

• Additional CARES funding application
• Update on COAH meeting
• Follow up on a discussion in September regarding the response recovery billing agreement (?)

COUNCIL MEMBER’S REPORT

Councilman Cote

Councilman Cote reported on the meeting that he and Councilwoman Tuohy had with the CFO to dicuss financing for fire trucks.

Councilwoman Tuohy

Councilwoman Tuohy reported on a call that she received regarding the DPW coming into work on the holiday to deal with an issue regarding the gate at the dog park, thus incurring overtime. She said that council needs to determine 1) who has the authority to call any department in for overtime on a holiday and 2) if something happens over the weekend with the dog park, should the dog park just be closed until it can be dealt with. The mayor said there was an issue was called in as a problem with the lock and accessibility to the park. The normal procedure is to contact DPW, regardless of day. If the procedure needs to be changed, the Recreation Commission would need to do that.

Councilwoman Tuohy followed up with the fact that the call to DPW was made by a resident. This resident had been the Dog Park Commissioner, but had resigned recently. DPW was unaware of the resignation. The mayor responded that would have been Recreation’s responsibility to communicate.

Mike Pucowski, the Recreation Director, was on the call and had planned to announce the resignation during his report later in the agenda. He then proceeded to report that he received a text on October 7^th from Lisa Lomonaco stepping down as Dog Park Commissioner. Those responsibilities will fall on Mr. Pucowski until another commissioner is appointed. Mr. Pucowski said that the future of the dog park was discussed at the Recreation Commission meeting the prior night. The mayor had proposed moving the dog park function to buildings and grounds. Instead, the Commission would like to fill the commissioner role, with a dog park committee formed.

Councilman Quinoa

Councilman Quinoa, who is also a recreation commissioner, followed up on the discussion regarding a new commissioner. The position is being advertised and the commissioners will interview applicants and make a recommendation. Councilman Quinoa also confirmed that all current dog park records are now in town hall.

Councilman Ochwat

Councilman Ochwat provided an update on the restoration of the WWII plaque. They had tried inexpensive methods of restoration (e.g., Brasso) and none worked. The mayor and council approved the work to be done by a professional at a cost not to exceed $600.

Councilman Ochwat also had a question about the water and sewer overtime hours and questioned if it would be more cost-effective to hire a part-time resource to cover the weekends.

BOARD / COMMISSION REPORTS

Mike Pucowski, the Recreation Director, added the following to his report:

• The lights at Green Acres have been repaired
• Update on the scoreboards
• Recreation has been able to find a new secretary (the commission had ben without one for the past year or so). The application has been sent to the town clerk. The mayor asked if this was a paid vs. volunteer position. Per the code, the commissioners appoint a secretary and fix and determine the salary of the position, subject to approval of township council. Councilwoman Tuohy indicated that while the commission approved the secretary, she would like to follow the procedures as laid out in the personnel manual.

MUNICIPAL CLERK’S REPORT

The clerk reported on the following:

• Request from a support group to use the fire house (Hafner Hall) on the second Tuesday of every month.
• A reminder that the November meetings have been changed to Mondays
• The 2020 League of Municipalities conference will be virtual
• Regarding the dog park, anything coming in for the dog park should be put in writing. Phone calls should be followed up in email. Also, recreation will need to review the forms and the rules & regulations and update, if necessary
• Halloween hours will be on the website
• There will be a zoning report issued this month
• There is potential legislation in the works for virtual raffles and games of chance
• Notice sent to Plainview Growers regarding their compressed natural gas system

PUBLIC SESSION

A resident wanted thank Growing Dirt, Jeff Wallace, and Rosemary Tuohy for getting the farmer’s market at Rutherfurd Hall up and running while keeping everyone safe and helping the community.

The same resident then called out the mayor for not replying to an email and “unthanked” him and his wife for bashing the farm market and putting inappropriate things about the Board of Education on a public forum, quoting one of the posts (Note: there are multiple posts), “So glad have no kids in Allamuchy School. Certain people running for the board positions I would never vote for or trust with an ant.” The resident pointed out that the mayor and his wife as a commissioner (at the time of the posts) represent our town. Four of the people running for Board of Ed are currently serving and there is one new person – they all work hard, and they are volunteer positions. She reminded the mayor that when you are elected, you have to be held to a higher standard. She called the situation “disgusting,” especially coming from a resident, a commissioner, and the mayor’s wife.

There was no response to the resident.

ORDINANCES – FIRST READING: There are no ordinances up for first reading

ORDINANCES – SECOND READING:

The following ordinances will be posted on the website, with second reading scheduled for 10/20/2020

• #2020-12 – Vision Committee Amendment
• #2020-13 – Bond Ordinance $150,000 (Water Storage Tank)
• #2020-14 – Capital – B/G Improvement – $25,000

RESOLUTIONS

The following resolutions were discussed:

• Resolution to Renew Insurance Fund – Statewide Insurance Fund – January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2023
• Statewide Insurance Fund – Indemnity and Trust Agreement

OTHER / NEW BUSINESS

The following was voted on and approved, with the mayor abstaining:

• Approval of Blue Light Permit (Renewal)

OLD BUSINESS

There was little/no discussion on the old business items.

PAYMENT OF BILLS

There was a discussion about the timing and payment of bills.

EXECUTIVE SESSION / ADJOURNMENT: The group went into Executive Session at 8:28 pm, with adjournment to follow.

NEXT REGULAR MEETING – Wednesday, October 28, 2020 @ 6:30 pm

NEXT WORKSHOP MEETING – MONDAY, November, 9, 2020 @ 6:30 pm (NOTE THE DAY)

The meeting, held over Zoom, was called to order at 6:37 pm. The mayor, all council members, the attorney, and three members of the public were present.

Following the Pledge of Allegiance, there was the usual Moment of Silence. The Moment of Silence was dedicated to Robert Vinson, one of our firemen, a member of many groups in town and, to quote the mayor, “a great public servant.” [I had the pleasure of knowing Bob. To quote a neighbor, “Every time I see a butterfly, I will think of him.” Please keep Bob, his wife Judy, and his family in your thoughts and prayers.]

OPENING REMARKS

The only opening remarks that the mayor had were to wish the Municipal Clerk, Anne Marie Tracy, a Happy Birthday and to express appreciation for everything that she does. [Happy Birthday, Anne Marie!]

APPROVAL OF MINUTES / ACCEPTANCE OF BOARD/COMMISSION REPORTS

The minutes were approved unanimously, with no discussion. The Board and Commission Reports were approved, with Councilman Quinoa abstaining.

ENGINEER’S REPORT

The Engineer’s Report was read by the Clerk. There were three resolutions that needed to be voted on. All three passed, with Councilwoman Tuohy abstaining on all three:

• Release of two-year Maintenance Guarantee for Locust Court
• Rejection of Release for Performance Guarantee on the detention basin in Section 1a of Mountain Ridge (there are some construction items not completed).
• Release Request for Mallard Drive and Indigo Road improvements in Mountain Ridge pursuant to three conditions being met.

ATTORNEY’S REPORT

The attorney reported on the following:

• The Lake Eagle Rock dredging has been completed (the machinery is still there) and needs to be verified before money in the trust account can be released.
• The buyer of the dump truck has not picked it up and has indicated he doesn’t want it. The attorney will send a letter with a deadline, as approved by the mayor and council.
• He requested a brief executive session at the end of the public meeting to discuss matters that are confidential under state law.

MAYOR’S REPORT

The mayor reported on the following:

• Three weeks ago he forwarded to council a questionnaire from the Warren County Planning Department requesting information on what major transportation projects, among other things, are facing the municipality. Since he had not heard any feedback, he responded on his own regarding the necessity of a traffic signal at the intersection of Cat Swamp Road and Route 517.
• He received an email from the Race Director of the Shades of Death Half Marathon. The event has been canceled for 2020 and they hope to resume in 2021.

TOWNSHIP COUNCIL REPORTS

Councilman Cote

At a previous meeting, the mayor and council agreed to have the township engineer and his company, Maser Consulting, perform the duties that would normally fall under the zoning official. However, that had not been made official. A motion was made and this was approved by all members.

Councilwoman Tuohy

The councilwoman reported on the following:

• The resolution to authorize entry into a shared services agreement with Knowlton Township for Municipal Court services was ready. The resolution was approved unanimously. Councilman Quinoa took the opportunity to congratulate Councilwoman Tuohy on her hard work to get this done over the past year and a half.
• The Salary resolution containing the 2020 salary increases was ready. It passed unanimously.
• Background checks are in progress. They started with Recreation because soccer season is underway and the coaches need to have them. Administration should be next. She is trying to set up an account with the provider so that the employees do not have to pay out of pocket initially.
• She wished to revisit the decision that was made at the last meeting to go back to in-person meetings starting in October. The original plan was to have the meetings at Hafner Hall, but the internet there is spotty. After much discussion, it was decided that the meetings would be held in the council chamber in Town Hall. Council members can attend in person or over Zoom. Professional staff (e.g., attorney, engineer, etc.) along with the public would also be able to attend using Zoom.

Councilman Quinoa

The councilman discussed the following:

• He requested an update on the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) installation for the dog park. The engineer is working on it and will report at the next workshop meeting in October. The councilman also asked if anyone contacted the person who originally brought this to council’s attention and the answer was “yes.”
• The stone and the plaque for the memorial for Mr. Ed Tracy, Sr. has arrived and the councilman questioned whether a ceremony would be held. It was decided to wait until early spring with the hope that something could be done in person. The ceremony will also include the dedication of the bench for another long-time employee, Betty Drake.

Councilman Ochwat

The councilman provided an update on the restoration of the World War II plaque. It is currently being evaluated at a restoration place and he hopes to have a price quote at the workshop.

PUBLIC SESSION

One member of the public spoke about the following:

• She indicated that there are some school districts conducting board meetings in person, with signup sheets for the public to determine how many people will be in person vs. remote [to comply with indoor gathering restrictions, I would imagine].
• She asked about the amendment for the Vision Committee that was up for First Reading. The current ordinance requires that all members must be Allamuchy residents. The amendment changes that for the business owner representative only, requiring that the person have a permanent business in town but does not have to be an Allamuchy resident.
• She followed up with a question regarding the timeline. The mayor replied that he has all of the names but the appointments will not be made until the amendment has been through second reading and approved.

ORDINANCES – FIRST READING

The following ordinances were up for First Reading:

• 2020-12: Vision Committee Amendment. Passed unanimously.
• 2020-13: Bond Ordinance $150,000 (Water Storage Tank). This is a supplemental ordinance for funding of the new water storage tank. Passed unanimously.
• 2020-14: Capital – Buildings & Grounds Improvements – $25,000. Passed unanimously.

ORDINANCES – SECOND READING

The following ordinances was up for Second Reading and Public Hearing:

• 2020-11 – Cable TV Franchise Renewal. There was no public comment. Councilman Cote wanted to remind everyone, for the record, that this is not an exclusive agreement and does not prevent other service providers from coming into town to provide a similar service. Passed unanimously.

RESOLUTIONS

There was a resolution for a tax sale certificate redemption. This passed unanimously.

OTHER / NEW BUSINESS

The following was discussed:

• Trick or Treat. The mayor and council indicated that trick-or-treating will be allowed between the hours of 4 – 8 pm.
• The Rabies Clinic will be held on November 7^th from 9 – 11 am. There will be an insert in The Panther. Social distancing guidelines will be followed.
• Warren County approved the ballot box position in front of Town Hall. The ballot box will be installed Thursday or Friday of this week. Ballots should be received soon. There is a camera on the box 24-7.
• There was a water leak under the building which was fixed by the water department.

OLD BUSINESS

A couple of items (Municipal Court and Cable TV Contract) were removed. The memorials for the spring were added.

Councilwoman Tuohy requested an update on the meeting that she and the mayor had with Baker regarding COAH units. The mayor indicated that it is currently with the attorneys.

Councilwoman Tuohy requested that the engineer review the playground for ADA compliance as well. This will be discussed at the next meeting.

Finally, Councilwoman Tuohy indicated that all of council have either met or spoken with the Fire Chief and Assistant Chief regarding the Capital Plan. They will be invited for a formal presentation “soon.”

APPROVE PAYMENT OF BILLS AND ADD-ON LIST

The bills were approved. Councilwoman Tuohy indicated that she and the mayor would meet with the CFO to discuss the Capital Plan for the Fire Department. Councilman Quinoa questioned whether the mayor should be involved in those discussions given his association with the fire department. The mayor agreed to withdraw from the meeting and Councilman Cote will now go instead.

EXECUTIVE SESSION / ADJOURNMENT

The group went into Executive Session at 7:42 pm (by my clock), with adjournment to follow [I wasn’t sticking around].

NEXT WORKSHOP MEETING: October 14, 2020 @ 6:30 pm

NEXT REGULAR MEETING: October 28, 2020 @ 6:30 pm

With vote-by-mail ballots appearing in mail boxes over the next couple of weeks, Don’t Shoot the (Allamuchy) Messenger is providing local Allamuchy candidates the opportunity to present themselves to the voters. The content was provided by the candidates themselves. Candidates were not asked specific questions, but were asked to provide a short bio, with name, background, reasons they are running, and what they bring to the position should they be elected, along with a picture and contact information, if desired. For official information on the General Election, including ballot procedures and polling locations, please visit the official election site for Warren County at warrencountyvotes.com. This is the third of three groups of candidates to be presented

There are two candidates running for two three-year terms on the Allamuchy Town Council: James “Jim” Cote (R) and Rosemary Tuohy (R). There are no Democratic candidates on the ballot. [Abby Christmann had received enough write-in votes in the Democratic primary to appear on the ballot, but declined.]

JAMES “JIM” COTE (R)

Born 9/3/47
Allamuchy Resident since 1998
Married – Valerie
Six children – eight grandchildren
Mercy College – BS Business Management
USAF 1966-1969 Vietnam 1968-1969

Prior Allamuchy Councilman and Mayor

Co-planar Inc
Denville NJ
Owner/CEO 1996-2018

Leading Technologies
Leech burg Pa
VP Mfg 1994-1996

Dynacraft Inc
Murrysville Pa-Penang Malaysia
Global Stamping Manager 1974-1996

International Paper
Tall man NY
Mfg Manager 1970-1974

Jas Matthews Inc
Clifton NJ
Customer Service 1969-1970

ROSEMARY TUOHY (R)

My husband, Robert, and I have resided in Allamuchy for 14 years. I have had a successful real estate career for 17 years and have over 10 years in the property & casualty insurance field. I managed an insurance consulting firm as well as investigated, negotiated, and settled complex insurance claims with a Fortune 500 Company.

I am well-informed on the issues and challenges facing Allamuchy Township. I was first elected to Allamuchy Town Council in 2018.  I serve on the Personnel and Finance Committees for the township as well as being the Liaison to the Board of Education.

For the past four years I have been elected twice to the Board of Trustees of the Panther Valley Property Owners’ Association.  I am chair of the Personnel, Recreation, and By-Laws Committees.  I am an active member of Friends of Rutherfurd Hall and serve on the Capital Campaign Committee for the Rutherfurd Hall Foundation.

I ran for Town Council in 2017 on “Trust and Transparency Matters.” I believe I delivered on my promise by producing results for all Allamuchy’s residents.  During my tenure I have advocated for, or was the driving force behind, the following accomplishments:

• Successfully negotiated a Shared Services Agreement for Allamuchy Municipal Court with a neighboring town. This accomplishment anticipates reducing our losses by tens of thousands of dollars in 2021.  Prior agreements benefited everyone else but Allamuchy who carried the burden and expense of running the court.
• Played a major part in merging our Roads Department and Building and Grounds to form the Department of Public Works and supported the employment of a Full-Time Certified Public Works Supervisor.  This was very cost-effective as the township is now able to perform projects in-house rather than contracting them out to a third party at a higher rate. This provides a substantial cost savings to our residents.
• Supported the needed upgrades of the water and sewer system while maintaining a tight budget and reducing our debt load.   We have consistently been replacing worn out and old infrastructure.  We still have a way to go but we are taking major strides in improving our water and sewer plant with a desperately needed water tank coming in 2021.
• Implemented policies and procedures for our employees by revising our Employee Manual. We are now able to track hours worked, over-time hours, comp time, projects completed, and expenditures with monthly reports from our various departments thus providing a clear, precise picture of the needs of a department. Additionally, in accordance with the new Employee Manual, I have been coordinating background checks for our employees as well as volunteers who work with our children, seniors, and/or are responsible for handling funds.
• Recognizing the financial hardship residents may be experiencing due to COVID-19,  I advocated and was successful in getting a zero increase in our 2020 Municipal Tax without compromising or reducing our services to our residents.  
• Assisted and advocated for the Allamuchy Seniors to provide them with a budget to meet their needs.   During COVID-19, I facilitated and provided hundreds of hot meals and farm-fresh produce to senior citizens throughout Allamuchy.   In addition, I was instrumental in bringing a Recreation Commissioner for Adult and Senior activities and implementing Pickleball for township residents at the Allamuchy Township School and the new pickleball courts within Panther Valley.
• I was proud to be a part of a great group of residents that won the fight  to prevent  Advanced Recovery, a drug rehabilitation center, from seeking approval from our Land Use Board to build a large rehabilitation center in our town.  We must continue our efforts to balance the beauty of our town with the future needs of our township. 

It has been an honor to represent the residents of Allamuchy Township during my first term. I am proud of the work I have accomplished.   My vision has always been to have an open and transparent government with a major focus on the functions of town government that matter most to our residents.  

I am hoping to continue to serve all residents of Allamuchy Township.   My top priorities going forward are to face the challenges head-on with regards to the lack of ratables our town will encounter while services will continue to rise.  We need to put a plan in place and find solutions to fill the gap.   One of my best traits is being a problem solver.   It is imperative that all stakeholders have a part in developing a plan of action to ensure we are being fiscally responsible while ensuring an efficient delivery of services with as little impact on taxpayers as possible.   We also need to continue major projects on infrastructure upgrades while keeping any impact to our taxpayers in mind.  I have been working closely with our volunteer fire department on a capital plan to ensure that the safety of our residents and their homes are our top priority.  Ultimately, communication is the key to a well-run township.  I will continue to be open and transparent and improve the communication at the township level, as well as continuing to be available to our residents via telephone, email, social media, or face-to-face meetings.  I see bright days on the horizon for Allamuchy Township.

It has been a complex and trying year for Allamuchy and our great country.  We need committed leadership to guide us through what follows. I promise to continue to deliver Leadership and Results for Allamuchy.   I am kindly asking that you Cast Your Vote for ROSEMARY TUOHY on November 3, 2020 so we can keep Allamuchy Moving Forward in the Right Direction.    I am available as always to talk to you should you have any questions or concerns.  I can be reached at 201-424-2329.

We are just a few weeks out from the November 3^rd General Election. That seems like a long way off but, in reality, vote-by-mail ballots will be arriving in the mail starting as soon as next week.

While many are focused on the Presidential, Senate, and House of Representative candidates, there are also county and local candidates that will be appearing on the ballot. In the coming days, Don’t Shoot the (Allamuchy) Messenger will be posting candidate bios – provided by the candidates themselves – for the local Allamuchy races to allow you, the voters, to be informed when casting your vote. For more information about the election, please visit the official county election site at warrencountyvotes.com.

ALLAMUCHY GENERAL ELECTION CANDIDATES (Bios will be provided over the coming days)

Council Member – 3-year term (Vote for up to 2):

• James “Jim” Cote (R) (jimcote1@yahoo.com)
• Rosemary Tuohy (R) (Rosemary_Tuohy@yahoo.com)
• No Democratic nomination made

Allamuchy Board of Education – 3-year term (Vote for up to 3). Candidates are listed in the order they should appear on the ballot

• Lisa-ann Moyer (landrioli@hotmail.com)
• Craig Green (craiggreen215@aol.com)
• Venita Prudenti (vprudenti@aes.k12.nj.us)
• Lisa Strutin (lstrutin@aes.k12.nj.us)

Allamuchy Board of Education – Unexpired 1-year term (Vote for 1):

• Abigail “Abby” Christmann (christmann4allamuchy@gmail.com)

WARREN COUNTY

In addition to the local Allamuchy races, there are two races at the county level. I will not be providing bios for these candidates.

Warren County Freeholder – 3-year term (Vote for 1)

• Lori Ciesla (R)(loriannciesla@gmail.com)
• Theresa Bender Chapman (D) (theresabchapmanforfreeholder@gmail.com)

Warren County Surrogate – 5-year term (Vote for 1)

• Kevin M. O’Neill (R) (oneill.kevin45@gmail.com)
• John Massaro (D) (jmassaro7@gmail.com)

The meeting was held via Zoom. The agenda and minutes (once approved) can be found here: http://allamuchynj.org/2020meetings. For the meeting recording, submit an OPRA request to the municipal clerk.

The meeting was called to order at 6:33 pm, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and a Moment of Silence. The mayor and all council members were present, along with the township attorney, township engineer, and municipal clerk. I was the only member of the public present, as indicated by the Zoom attendee list.

OPENING STATEMENT: Once again, there was no opening statement.

ENGINEER’S REPORT / ACTION LIST

The township engineer reported on the following:

• The traffic signal study for CR 517 and Cat Swamp Road. The county engineer is working on a formal response.
• Water Storage Tank Project. This will be readvertised for bid.
• Cat Swamp Road Improvement Project. The contract was awarded and work should begin soon.
• DPW Roofing Project. The contractor is waiting for materials to be delivered.
• 2020 Road Resurfacing Program. Work by outside contractors has been completed.
• Emergency Generator for Sanitary Sewer Pump Station #1. This is out for public bid.
• Various Developer Action Items.
• New Scoreboards at Green Acres. The engineer met with the Recreation Director and DPW to discuss the scoreboard project. The plan is for two scoreboards – a large one for the main field (field # 1) that would work for baseball, softball, and soccer and a smaller one for the far fenced-in field (field # 3). These will help bring groups to Allamuchy and provide the ability to host all-star games and other events. There is sufficient money in capital to cover the costs. There are design components that are needed before permits can be issued. The mayor and council approved the engineer to proceed.

ATTORNEY’S REPORT

The attorney reported on a situation regarding the dog park. There was an inquiry from an individual about why the dog park is not handicapped-accessible in accordance with the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act).  According to the attorney, the dog park does indeed need to be handicapped accessible. The engineer provided an initial estimate of approximately $20,000, but a full study would need to be done at a cost of approximately $4,500 to determine the full scope and cost. The attorney proposed three options: 1) Shut the dog park down and not use it; 2) make the improvements to make it accessible; and 3) create a second dog park that is handicapped accessible.

Councilman Ochwat asked the question that I had, as I’m sure many of you do: “Was this a consideration when the dog park was proposed/built? Was it overlooked? Why are we looking at it now?” From the discussion and comments, it should have been looked at and should have been done when the dog park was built.

Councilwoman Tuohy raised the point that all of the recreation facilities should be re-assessed. Also, the initial discussion was around building a wheelchair ramp and other improvements for wheelchair access, but the councilwoman said that the assessment should address other disabilities as well.

Councilwoman Tuohy also mentioned that when the dog park was being built, it was supposed to be self-sufficient yet here we are about to spend tens of thousands of dollars to correct something. Since it is not self-sufficient, she suggested that it should be brought fully into the recreation department, with a budget, and not treated as a separate entity.

There was a discussion of where the funding for the study and, ultimately, the improvements would come from. The funding for the feasibility study will come from the dog park trust fund that was set up when the dog park was first established. The mayor will need to sit with the CFO to determine funding for the improvements. Councilwoman Tuohy also suggested some grants that could be looked at for funding.

The attorney also reported on the cable franchise agreement ordinance. There was a request to determine if Altice would be willing to do an eight-year agreement, versus the current ten-year agreement. While they were willing to consider it, changing the agreement at this point in time would force the process back to the beginning, further delaying the approval with no real down-side to keeping it at ten years. It was decided to keep at ten years and allow the ordinance to go to second reading at the regular meeting.

Finally, the attorney reported on an amendment to the Vision Committee ordinance, specifying that the business owner member of the committee does not need to be an Allamuchy resident.

MAYOR’S REPORT

The mayor reported on the Fire Department Recovery Fees contract.

COUNCIL MEMBER’S REPORT

Councilman Cote

Councilman Cote wished to discuss a return to in-person meetings. He suggested having the meetings in Hafner Hall. The mayor reminded him that when last discussed, they would need unanimous consent from all council members as everyone needs to be comfortable. Councilman Ochwat expressed some discomfort, but also indicated he would not stand in the way of the change if everyone else was comfortable with it. There was additional discussion as to whether there can be a hybrid – with some council members in-person and others on Zoom. This would also apply to members of the public who wish to attend but do not feel comfortable attending in person. In the end, they decided to have in-person meetings starting in October, but with Zoom available for those that wish to attend remotely.

The councilman also reported on a meeting that he and Councilwoman Tuohy had with the Fire Chief. He deferred to Councilwoman Tuohy to report the details.

Councilwoman Tuohy

The councilwoman reported on the following:

• There was a meeting between certain town officials and representatives from the fire department to discuss a capital plan for replacement of fire trucks. One truck needs to be replaced in the near future.
• She provided an update on the court shared services agreement.
• Background checks for township employees and volunteers are ready to start
• She updated council on her findings regarding the Water & Sewer supervisor working while on vacation (he was taking calls regarding the power outage during his vacation). After some discussion, a vote was taken on giving back a vacation day to this individual. All council members voted “yes,” with the mayor voting “no.”

Councilman Quinoa

The councilman took exception to an email he received from the mayor relaying a request from the construction official for a meeting. There was no indication why this individual was requesting to meet with the councilman except it was “in his best interest to attend.” The mayor could provide no insight as to the subject matter. The councilman indicated that he would not meet unless the reason for the meeting request was made clear.

Councilman Ochwat

The councilman requested updates on the following:

• The old dump truck that was auctioned off but which the new owner refused to take. The clerk provided an update that he will be picking it within the week.
• The affordable housing meeting with Baker Residential. It was decided that the company involved with the units in Old Farm Village should be part of the process and it is now with the attorneys.

BOARD / COMMISSION REPORTS: None

MUNICIPAL CLERK’S REPORT

The clerk provided an update on the question posed at the last meeting regarding the address on the election ballots. She reached out to the county clerk, who said the ballots will be out by October 5^th.  On the ballot [the part that goes inside the envelope], voters should enter “Allamuchy” as the municipality. On the outer mailing envelope, it should be the mailing address [most residents have a non-Allamuchy mailing address]. Councilwoman Tuohy added that she also spoke with the county clerk and she was told that if Allamuchy is not entered into the municipality field, that the municipality code on the ballot envelope would direct it properly [However, every attempt should be made to enter the correct municipality]. The county is still designing the ballot. There will be a ballot drop box installed outside of town hall. If a voter chooses to drop their ballot off on election day, the poll worker will be required to sign it [for chain of custody purposes, I would imagine]. This information will be available on the town website (www.allamuchy.org), with a sample. [There is also good information on the official county election website warrencountyvotes.com].

With regard to candidate signs, the municipality is allowing signs to be posted in town now [the ordinance says 30 days before the election].

Finally, the clerk addressed a letter received from the Warren County Department of Land Preservation.

PUBLIC SESSION:

I believe I was the only member of the public. I took the opportunity to thank the mayor and council for agreeing to continue use of Zoom, even when they are meeting in person, for those of us who may still not feel comfortable attending in-person meetings.

ORDINANCES – FIRST READING.

The following ordinance will be on the agenda for first reading at the September 23^rd Regular Meeting. The ordinance is available for review at: http://allamuchynj.org/index.asp?SEC=B340735D-896E-41FD-8493-BF9E20FCDEF4

• #2020-12 – Vision Committee Amendment.

ORDINANCES – SECOND READING

The following ordinance will be on the agenda for second reading, public comment, and adoption at the September 23^rd Regular Meeting. The ordinance is available for review at http://allamuchynj.org/index.asp?SEC=B340735D-896E-41FD-8493-BF9E20FCDEF4

• #2020-11 – Cable TV Franchise Renewal

RESOLUTIONS

The following resolution will be voted on at the September 23^rd Regular Meeting:

• 2020 Salary Resolution

OTHER / NEW BUSINESS

The council and mayor voted on approval of a blue light permit for a new firefighter. All council members voted “yes,” with the mayor abstaining [as he usually does due to his connection to the fire department].

OLD BUSINESS: There was no discussion on any Old Business items

PAYMENT OF BILLS: There were no bills to approve.

EXECUTIVE SESSION: No Executive Session needed.

ADJOURNMENT @ 8:44 pm

NEXT REGULAR MEETING: Wednesday, September 23, 2020 @ 6:30 pm

NEXT WORKSHOP MEETING: Wednesday, October 14, 2020 @ 6:30 pm

The agenda and minutes (once approved) can be found here: http://allamuchynj.org/2020meetings. The recording can also be requested from the clerk via an OPRA request.

The meeting was held via Zoom. In addition to the mayor, council, attorney, and clerk, there were four members of the public present, according to the Zoom attendee list.

CALL TO ORDER @ 6:36 pm

Following the Pledge of Allegiance, a Moment of Silence was held for the “Drake family and that justice will be served.” [The Drake family had suffered a barn fire a few weeks back. It was unclear what the mayor meant by the latter part of his statement.]

OPENING REMARKS: Once again, there were no opening remarks.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES: The minutes for two prior meetings were approved and the listed Board/Commission reports were accepted.

ENGINEER’S REPORT

There were two items on the report that were to be voted on later in the meeing:

• Cat Swamp Road Improvement Project
• Authorization of payments for construction on various roads, including Bear Creek and Southtown Roads.

ATTORNEY’S REPORT

The attorney provided an update on the resolution requested by Planet Networks at the previous meeting.

MAYOR’S REPORT

The mayor reported on the following:

• He was contacted by the Recycling Coordinator, who recommended canceling the e-Waste cleanup day. This was approved by Council and also included canceling garbage cleanup. [This had already been canceled by the Pollution Control Financing Authority of Warren County.]
• The mayor received an email on August 10^th from Councilwoman Tuohy and the Personnel Committee regarding a complaint by a resident about an employee. The Personnel Committee researched it and determined that the complaint was unfounded. It sounded like there was an issue with an employee speaking loudly so the resident could her them over the air conditioning and other noise within the building while maintaining the required distancing due to COVID (you can read the minutes/listen to the recording for the details). There was a discussion as to whether the resident had been contacted during the investigation of the complaint. The resident had apparently provided a significant amount of detail in the letter, so it was deemed unnecessary. The response to the resident will include the findings and an opportunity to dispute. A vote was held to accept the Personnel Committee’s report. Four council members voted “yes” with the mayor voting “no” (with no explanation as to why).
• There was an issue with a state official talking loudly and using profane language to the point where an employee had to close both their doors. Since this person is a state official and not a township employee, it was requested that the mayor have a discussion with the official regarding proper decorum when in the building.
• The mayor received an email from the legal firm representing Mattar Enterprises regarding the discussions about the process for the approval of the outdoor patio. It sounded like somewhere it had been implied that their client had engaged in unlawful conduct. Council clarified that the discussions were never about the applicant, but were about the process that the zoning official followed to review and approve the application. It was reiterated that Mattars and their businesses are an asset to the town.
• The mayor addressed a rumor that the Water & Sewer department head had been given back a vacation day because he was working, via phone, when he was away during the power outage. There was discussion about how much he was on the phone and whether it mattered if he worked from where he was or had come back from his vacation to work. Council was going to vote on granting the day, but it was determined that additional information was needed.
• The mayor made his initial appointments for the Vision Committee. Again, the mayor was caught up on the word “appointment” and whether another organization, such as the Board of Education, could “appoint” someone. Another question was whether he had the right to override the recommendation from an organization. In reality, the groups have the authority to “designate” a representative, and the mayor performs the “mechanical act” [attorney’s words] of appointing someone. The initial list follows:
  • The mayor
  • Board of Education: Mary Renaud
  • Land Use Board: TBD. There was no meeting, and they want to meet as a group to recommend someone.
  • Recreation: Mike Pucowski, Recreation Director
  • Seniors: John LaPadula
  • Rutherfurd Hall: Cris Gibbs. She is also the farming representative.
  • Business: Dr. Fedich, Village Family Clinic
  • Community: Charlie Fineran (Director of Open Space), Dr. Cusmano

The ordinance says that the members must be Allamuchy residents, which discounted two of the members (Mr. Pucowski and Dr. Fedich). They may revisit the ordinance to change the residency requirements for the business owner. It was decided to table the appointments until all recommendations are made and the ordinance is amended, as appropriate.

TOWNSHOP COUNCIL REPORTS

Councilman Cote

Councilman Cote had a question about the speed limit signs on Cat Swamp Road that have not been changed since the ordinance to lower the speed limit was passed. It is believed that they would be changed during the planned reconstruction of Cat Swamp Road.

Councilwoman Tuohy

Councilwoman Tuohy reported on the following:

• Email that she sent to the mayor and Council regarding salary increases
• Municipal Court: The contract for shared services with Knowlton has been finalized and is in review
• Background Checks: She had an appointment scheduled with the service company and will be sending out directions on how the checks will proceed. If there is a large number of people, she will see if they can come on site.

Councilman Quinoa

Councilman Quinoa had nothing to report.

Councilman Ochwat

Councilman Ochwat reported on the following:

• WWII Plaque Renovation: Brasso didn’t work, so he is exploring other ideas.
• Grass cutting around Welcome Sign #4 (on Route 517 at Allamuchy-Independence border)
• Dump Truck Auction: the buyer still has not picked up

CLERK’S REPORT

The municipal clerk reported on the following:

• Placing of a ballot box at Town Hall for the November election
• The polling locations for the November election: Districts 1 & 2 will be at Hafner Hall. Districts 3 & 4 will be at town hall.
• There was a discussion about filling out the address when most of the residents of Allamuchy have a non-Allamuchy mailing address. The clerk will follow up with the Election Board.
• Rabies Clinic, and whether to proceed. She will get more information
• Zoning Update and questions from PVPOA

PUBLIC SESSION

• A member of the public had a question about how the change in district location, mailing address questions, and other election procedures will be communicated. The clerk responded that it would be on the website and should also be on the sample ballot voters receive.
• Lisa Strutin, who is running for re-election to the Board of Education, had a question about the ordinance that states signs cannot go out more than 30 days after the election. She pointed out that many people may have already cast their ballots by that time. This is a town ordinance, so it would be a question of how it is interpreted and whether or not it is enforced. For this election only, it sounds like it will be interpreted in such a way to allow signs to go up now, since ballots are being mailed mid-September. [So all of you who are on the November ballot, you should be free to put out your signs.]
• Lori Ciesla, Freeholder candidate spoke. She is going around to all of the towns and attending the meetings. She complimented the mayor and council on the “great meeting.” And said that it is “great to see a council talk everything out.” Side note, the freeholder will be elected as a “freeholder” but will be sworn in as a “commissioner.”

Councilwoman Tuohy reminded the mayor and council that there was a discussion about having a memorial for Ed Tracy, Sr., a long-time employee of the town who had passed away. There was an issue getting the boulder for the memorial through the originally-planned channel. The mayor and council voted to approve $500 to purchase a boulder. The clerk, Anne Marie, who is Mr. Tracy’s daughter, gave a heartfelt Thank You.

ORDINANCES (FIRST READING)

• # 2020-11 – Cable TV Franchise Renewal

RESOLUTIONS

• Tax Resolutions – Redemptions
• Planet Networks

OTHER/NEW BUSINESS

• Approval of New Fire Department Membership Applications (both applicants were approved, with the mayor abstaining from the vote). Councilwoman Tuohy commented that it was nice to see a woman joining [Will they still call themselves “the brotherhood”?]

OLD BUSINESS

Councilwoman Tuohy wanted to thank the residents of Allamuchy for keeping our COVID numbers down [we were at 35 at the time of the meeting].

APPROVE PAYMENT OF BILLS AND ADD-ON LIST (No discussion)

EXECUTIVE SESSION (None needed)

ADJOURNMENT @ 8:31 pm

NEXT WORKSHOP MEETING: September 9, 2020 @ 6:30 pm

NEXT REGULAR MEETING: September 23, 2020 @ 6:30 pm

The agenda for this meeting can be found here: http://allamuchynj.org/vertical/sites/%7BFFEC7C1F-E8A4-412C-A698-D10C0A872E47%7D/uploads/AUGUST_12_2020_WORKSHOP_MEETING_AGENDA.pdf

For additional details about any of the topics, you can wait for the meeting minutes to be published to the town website (after they are approved), or you can submit an OPRA request for the recording to the town clerk.

The meeting was called to order at 6:37 pm. The mayor, all council members, the attorney, clerk, engineer, the Planet Networks representative, and about four members of the public were listed as present on the Zoom attendees list.

OPENING STATEMENT

There was no opening statement from the mayor. I guess nothing significant happened in town since the last meeting like, say, a tropical storm that left almost 100% of Allamuchy’s residents without power.

ENGINEER’S REPORT

The engineer reported on the following:

• Traffic signal at Route 517 and Cat Swamp Road
• Water Storage Tank Feasibility Study
• CSR Improvement Project bids
• DPW Roof Assessment Project
• 2020 Road Resurfacing Program
• Emergency generator for Sanitary Sewer Pump Station 1

PLANET NETWORKS

Mr. Robert Boyle from Planet Networks presented to the governing body. Planet Networks is an Internet Service Provider. They are required to request and be granted permission to work in the right of way of the township. He gave an update of Planet Networks’ plans to install cable in various locations around Allamuchy. There was a discussion about some of the areas within Allamuchy that do not currently have cable service and how this may be a reasonable alternative.

ATTORNEY’S REPORT

The attorney reported on the following:

• A resolution for Lake Eagle Rock silt removal (unanimously adopted)

MAYOR’S REPORT

The mayor reported on the following:

• Resignation from the Zoning Official. The mayor reached out to Maser Consulting (i.e., our township engineer) for a proposal. Some background on this: there was a special meeting back on July 30^th to discuss “personnel matters.” The person involved was the Zoning Official, Dave Diehl. Mr. Diehl chose to have the issue discussed during the public session, so the recording is readily available for anyone who wishes to OPRA it. At issue was the timeline and procedures for the approval of the temporary outdoor patio constructed by Mattar’s Bistro. In summary, an application to create a patio for outdoor dining in accordance with the governor’s Executive Order and the county Board of Health guidance for outdoor dining was submitted to Mr. Diehl.  The request was acknowledged by Mr. Diehl and the applicant was told they could proceed with the project, which is within the Highlands Preservation area. The project started before the township resolution on outdoor dining was adopted and the official approval letter was sent. Nowhere does it say in writing, neither in the application nor in the approval, that the patio is meant to be temporary.
• Vision Committee: He has the majority of the returns back on the appointments he was hoping to have those for the next meeting. Councilman Quinoa asked if the mayor received recommendations from each subsection (e.g., Recreation Commission, Board of Education) in accordance with the new ordinance. The mayor simply responded that he followed the ordinance and will provide the names at the next meeting [more on this during Public Session].
• The mayor and Councilwoman Tuohy, along with other parties, were to meet with Baker Residential regarding affordable housing
• He was contacted by the Blairstown Court wanting to look into a shared services agreement.
• The mayor received correspondence from the owner of the Allamuchy General Store Café, Dean Peshkopia, regarding property tax reduction for business owners, similar to what is being done in Newark. Mr. Peshkopia was not present at the meeting so the discussion was limited until he comes forward for the discussion.
• The mayor asked the intern if he is interested in continuing in that role. The intern is going to temporarily step down.

COUNCIL MEMBERS REPORT

Councilman Cote: Nothing to report

Councilwoman Tuohy

Councilwoman Tuohy reported on the following:

• Motion to accept the resignation of the Zoning Official, Mr. Diehl. This passed with the mayor as the only “no” vote.
  • The attorney pointed out that Mr. Diehl submitted two resignation letters (one went to the end of the month; the other was the day that it was submitted). The attorney stated that the first one has some assertions from a legal standpoint that he would take issue wish. The sound was somewhat garbled, but it was something about Council interfering with the issuance of outdoor dining permits. The attorney stated that Mr. Diehl’s assertions do not accurately reflect what took place
• Shared services agreement with Knowlton for the municipal court contract is in review. She also stated that she spoke with our judge about Blairstown and he does not think it will be a good fit. It was decided that Blairstown’s request would be rejected at this time.
• Background checks. These are being pushed out to department heads with detailed instructions. There is a Recreation Commissioner who recently had a background check, so it was agreed that person would not have to have another one at this time
• Board of Education. Dr. Flynn sent out the report on the reopening of the schools
• Recreation Commission. Abby Christmann [me] was appointed the Chair under the new bylaws that were recently adopted.

Finally, Councilwoman Tuohy thanked the residents for everything they did to help out during the power outage. She stated that she was proud to be part of the community seeing everyone helping each other.

Councilman Quinoa

Councilman Quinoa stated that the Personnel Committee had every intention of filing a full report of its findings regarding Mr. Diehl. [More background: The Personnel Committee (Councilwoman Tuohy and Councilman Quinoa) had interviewed Mr. Diehl regarding the previously-discussed application. My impression from what was discussed during the Special Meeting is that he was less than forthcoming.]

Councilman Ochwat

Councilman Ochwat reported on the following:

• While the mayor was away the previous weekend, the councilman received a call from DPW regarding the auction of the old pickup (the person who had the high bid and had already paid for it was apparently refusing to take it).
• He had a complaint by a citizen about an employee. The mayor reached out Personnel who will be providing its recommendation

BOARD / COMMISSION REPORTS: None

MUNICIPAL CLERK’S REPORT

The clerk reported on the resolutions to be voted on.

PUBLIC SESSION

Mrs. Strutin, the Board of Education President, spoke about the Vision Committee. She stated that she received an email from the mayor approximately 2 – 3 months ago saying is wanted to appoint a specific member of the Board of Education (BoE) to the committee. The ordinance says that the BoE would do the recommendation, and the person that the mayor had requested was not whom she would have appointed (not that the person would have done a bad job, she just felt there was another member who would have been better suited for the role).  The ordinance says [disclaimer: I’m reading the marked up ordinance from the website, so it may not be the final version]: “…the Vision Committee shall consist of the following….One member of the Board of Education, who shall be designated by the Board of Education.” Regarding members of the general public, “Any members of the general public…shall be selected by the Mayor, with the advice and consent of the Council.” The ordinance then goes on to say “Each of the individual members shall be formally appointed….”  There was a lot of discussion over the words “designated” and “appointed.” When requested to do so, the attorney interpreted the ordinance to say that the member is designated by the school board, and the actual appointment of the person is simply an administerial act.  For some reason, the mayor wanted to make it very clear that only he can “appoint” members, almost making it sound like he could pick whomever he wanted regardless of whom the individual groups designated.

ORDINANCES – FIRST READING:

The following ordinance will be up for First Reading at the August 26^th meeting:

• #2020-11 – Cable TV Franchise Renewal

ORDINANCES – SECOND READING: None

RESOLUTIONS

• Approval of Liquor Licenses – 2020/2020
• Planet Networks – ROW Letter/Municipal Resolution (to be reviewed)

OTHER/NEW BUSINESS

• Approval of Raffle Application

OLD BUSINESS: No discussion

PAYMENT OF BILLS

EXECUTIVE SESSION: None

ADJOURNMENT @ 8:20 pm

NEXT REGULAR MEETING: August 26, 2020 @ 6:30 pm

NEXT WORKSHOP MEETING: September 9, 2020 @ 6:30 pm