TOWNSHIP OF STILLWATER
TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE
FEBRUARY 3, 2026
MEETING MINUTES
A REGULAR MEETING of the Stillwater Township Committee was called to order by Mayor V. Rumsey at 6:01 p.m. Mayor V. Rumsey stated that this meeting is being held in compliance with the provisions of P.L. 1975, Ch. 231, Secs. 4 & 13 the Sunshine Law and that adequate notice of the meeting has been published in the New Jersey Herald as to the time, place, and date of meetings, and is posted in the usual location of posted notices in the municipal building as well as electronically on the township website.
ROLL CALL: Committeeman D. Manser, Deputy Mayor D. Delaney, Committeewoman L. Chammings, Committeeman G. Scott, and Mayor V. Rumsey
Also Present: Township Attorney E. Bernstein
EXECUTIVE SESSION: held in the Stillwater Township Municipal Building.
A MOTION was made by Deputy Mayor D. Delaney, seconded by Committeeman G. Scott, with all members in favor, to adopt the Resolution permitting the Committee to go into Executive Session at 6:02 p.m.
STILLWATER TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE
RESOLUTION FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION
WHEREAS, Section 8 of the Open Public Meetings Act, Chapter 231, P.L. 1975 permits the exclusion of the public from a meeting under certain circumstances; and
WHEREAS, this public body is of the opinion that such circumstances presently exist.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Township Committee of the Township of Stillwater, in the County of Sussex and State of New Jersey as follows:
1. The public shall be excluded from that portion of this meeting.
2. The general nature of the subject matter to be discussed is as follows: Attorney-Client, Litigation/Potential Litigation
3. As nearly as can now be ascertained, the matter or matters to be discussed at this time will be disclosed to the public when such matters are resolved.
A MOTION was made by Committeewoman L. Chammings and seconded by Deputy Mayor D. Delaney, to suspend Executive Session, and go back into Regular Session at 7:00 P.M.
ROLL CALL: Committeeman D. Manser; yes, Committeewoman D. Delaney; yes, Deputy Mayor V. Rumsey; yes, Committeeman G. Scott; yes, Mayor L. Chammings; yes. Motion carried with all in favor.
Township Attorney E. Bernstein stated that he will give his recap after the continued Executive Session following the Regular Meeting.
FLAG SALUTE: Mayor V. Rumsey led the Flag Salute.
HOMETOWN HERO DISCUSSION- LOU SYLVESTER
L. Sylvester had distributed his estimates to the Township Committee before the meeting for their review. He recommended the Township add $7,500 into the budget for the Hometown Hero’s banners. He stated that they should start advertising by April 1st and mail out letters to the veterans living in town. He stated that the banners take approximately two months of advance time when ordering. He’d like to have them by Veteran’s Day. He suggested that maybe the Veteran should have lived in Stillwater for at least a year during their lifetime. The Committee agreed to add a line item for Veteran flags to the budget discussion agenda.
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
Committeeman David Manser
Committeeman D. Manser stated that he didn’t make it to the Recreation Commission meeting because the School Board meeting was the same night. He’s going to attend the KRHS School Board meeting next week on the 12th at 6:00 p.m. for the public relations committee meeting, then the regular meeting at 7:00 p.m. At the Stillwater School BOE meeting, they discussed replacing a broiler. Modifications need to be made before installing the new broiler. The gym has some cracks in the foundation and walls. An engineering firm said that the building is safe and stable to be in, but it’s an issue that they will need to address. They will be interviewing three firms soon to discuss their assessments, recommendations, and proposals. Mr. Tiberi, the gym teacher, was named Teacher of the Year. Mrs. Hurley, the school nurse, was named Support Person of the Year. Mayor V. Rumsey asked the Clerk to send letters of congratulations to them. She also noted that she and D. Delaney met with Dr. Papa to introduce themselves and discuss some ideas.
Committeeman D. Manser stated that the recycling center employees apologize for closing due to the weather. They stayed open later one day, knowing there would be bad weather the following day. Then they were closed the following weekend due to the weather, so they were very busy when they opened again. The plastic dumpster is still an issue. He asked if anyone had a question about whether something is recyclable or not, to please just ask one of the guys for help, don’t just throw it in the dumpster. Then, when it goes to SCMUA, the town gets in trouble and is threatened with not being able to bring the recycling there.
Committeewoman Lisa Chammings
Committeewoman L. Chammings stated that the Zoning Board meeting was cancelled due to the weather. CERT Coordinator M. Tsadilas was supposed to be participating in a Polar Plunge that weekend, but she was unable to due to a structure fire and EMS needing to leave. They will reschedule for sometime in March. The JCP&L presentation was also rescheduled to February 10th at the Stillwater Community Center at 7:00 pm.
CERT is also preparing the Community Safety Series; March 10th will be the first one for 2026, called March Madness; it will be regarding Energy Preparedness, what to do if the power goes out; April 7th will be Caring for Our Caregivers, and May 5th will be Tick and Sun Safety. She will post the additional events once they’re scheduled. CERT Coordinator M. Tsadilas noted that there is going to be a helmet safety program at the Community Center on April 12th; she brought the flyer with her for that, and it will be posted. CERT will also be helping the Recreation Commission to stuff Easter Eggs for the Easter Egg Hunt on April 21st at Veterans Park. They are stuffing approximately 3,000 eggs.
Committeewoman L. Chammings stated that the Clerk is working on updating the Fair Share Housing Trust Fund on the State’s website, which is due February 15th.
As OEM Coordinator, she said that there isn’t really a salt shortage like the rumor that’s going around; it’s a delivery shortage. She touched on the hazmat cleanup on Owassa Road. Everything is currently frozen, so it’s on hold until the Spring at which time they will reassess and remove the items that are still there. There were two incidents this weekend. The first was a violation that went out to a landlord in Stillwater. They have not sent in their landlord registration since 2022 and are facing multiple violations. The second incident was a structure fire. Red Cross came out and gave the family a $600 voucher to stay in a hotel while the home is being remediated.
For Stormwater Management, she is looking into iWorks, which is a software company that will map the stormwater management.
Committeeman George Scott
Committeeman G. Scott stated that some issues with the DPW need to be straightened out, such as the issues knocking down mailboxes.
The Fire Department meeting is next Monday, which he will be attending. Mayor V. Rumsey thanked the Fire Department for the fantastic job that they did at the structure fire over the weekend. They knocked it down quickly.
Deputy Mayor Dawn Delaney
Deputy Mayor D. Delaney stated that the Planning Board meeting was on January 21st. Bob Pierce was nominated as Chairman, and Amanda Kavanaugh was nominated as Vice Chair. There was a long discussion during the public session.
Deputy Mayor D. Delaney stated that a lot is going on with the Recreation Commission. Cleanup Day is scheduled for April 25th. They just hosted the first Senior Game Night for 2026 on Friday. There were approximately 50-60 people who attended. Gina and Tara did a wonderful job with the event; there were lots of games to choose from, everything was decorated nicely, and there were beautifully decorated, homemade cookies by Lorainne DelRocca from Mt Holly Road. CERT Coordinator M. Tsadilas noted that CERT was there with a table present as well. There will be a Rec Workshop meeting on February 16th at 7:00 pm to start planning Stillwater Day. If anyone is interested in being in charge of finding & organizing the vendors for Stillwater Day, please contact Tara. You do not need to be a member of the Recreation Commission to volunteer to help at events. Tara Tosti will be stepping down from the youth Summer Camp after 30+ years of running it. Everyone thanked Tara for her dedication to running the summer camp for so many years!
Mayor V. Rumsey stated that she, Tara, Gina, and D. Delaney are going to be getting together to discuss several ideas for the Community Center. They would like to plan some active Veterans group and a Seniors group, like in Hampton Township. A lot of residents said that they’d really like to see that and love how much parking is available at the Community Center. The building is there to be used!
Committeewoman D. Delaney also noted that there was an issue with the ice machine; it has been moved to a different location by the sink and now has the proper drainage.
Mayor Vera Rumsey
Mayor V. Rumsey stated that the staff at town hall has been phenomenal; they have been under a lot of pressure lately with a lot of different requests coming in. They’ve been meeting all the deadlines, and she’s very proud of them.
AMENDMENTS TO AGENDA None.
PUBLIC SESSION (Agenda Items Only – 3 Minute Time Limit)
Public Session Open.
No Public Comment.
Public Session Closed.
OLD BUSINESS: None
NEW BUSINESS: None
CONSENT AGENDA – All items with an Asterisk (*) are considered to be routine
and non-controversial in nature. All such items will be handled by one (1) motion, one (1) second, and one (1) vote. There will be no separate discussion of any of these items unless a Committee member requests the same, in which case the item(s) will be removed from the Consent Agenda and considered in its normal sequence on the Agenda.
*MINUTES: January 20, 2026 Regular & Executive Meeting Minutes
*CORRESPONDENCE
- Triathlon Event- Road Closure Request
- Statewide Insurance Fund – Recreation Activities
- County of Sussex- 2026 Board of County Commissioners Municipal Liaisons
*RESOLUTIONS:
RESOLUTION 2026-033 A RESOLUTION PERMITTING STILLWATER TOWNSHIP TO ASSESS BLOCK 1901, LOT 6.03, HAMPTON TOWNSHIP
RESOLUTION 2026-038 A RESOLUTION TO AUTHORIZE THE ISSUANCE OF A CHANGE ORDER TO ROAD SAFETY SYSTEMS IN THE AMOUNT OF $3,227.00
RESOLUTION 2026-039 LRIG GRANT
RESOLUTION 2026-040 RESOLUTION TO REFUND PREMIUM DUE ON A TAX LIEN,
WHICH WAS REDEEMED ON DECEMBER 5, 2025, FOR 950 MIDDLEVILLE ROAD, BLOCK 2701 LOT 5
RESOLUTION 2026-041 RESOLUTION TO CANCEL GENERAL CAPITAL BALANCES
RESOLUTION 2026-042 AUTHORIZING REFUND OF ENGINEERING ESCROW ACCOUNTS
APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA
Committeewoman L. Chammings asked that Resolution 2026-033 be removed from the Consent Agenda for a separate vote. She also asked to have Resolution 2026-041 amended to just state that the balances will be returned to the Capitol Improvement Fund.
A MOTION was made by Committeeman G. Scott and seconded by Committeeman D. Manser to adopt the Consent Agenda with the exception of Resolution 2026-033 for further discussion.
ROLL CALL: Committeeman D. Manser; yes, Deputy Mayor D. Delaney; yes, Committeewoman L. Chammings; yes, Committeeman G. Scott; yes, Mayor V. Rumsey; yes. Motion carried with all in favor.
A MOTION was made by Committeeman G. Scott and seconded by Committeeman D. Manser, to adopt Resolution 2026-033.
ROLL CALL: Committeeman D. Manser; yes, Deputy Mayor D. Delaney; yes, Committeewoman L. Chammings; no, Committeeman G. Scott; yes, Mayor V. Rumsey; yes. Motion carried with four in favor and one opposed.
DISCUSSION ITEMS: None
OPEN PUBLIC SESSION
L. Sylvester thanked T. Tosti for everything she’s done for the youth summer camp. He asked if the Township Committee is going to order the American Flags if they could order them so they can be hung for Memorial Day. They will be having their Memorial Day Service again, and if the Sheriff’s Department could be contacted to have their signboards placed at either end of Pond Brook to try to discourage people from flying by. It’s disruptive and distracting during the service.
No further public comment.
PUBLIC SESSION CLOSED.
ATTORNEY’S REPORT
The Township Attorney will continue his report during the executive session.
BILLS LIST #2 $ 1,309,332.96
RESOLUTION 2026-043 AUTHORIZING PAYMENT OF BILLS
WHEREAS, the Chief Financial Officer has certified that funds are available in the proper account; and
WHEREAS, the Chief Financial Officer has approved payment upon certification from
the Township Department Heads that the goods and/or services have been rendered to the
Township;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Mayor and Committee of the Township of Stillwater that the current bill lists, dated February 3, 2026, are on file and available for public inspection in the Office of the Chief Financial Officer and approved by the Chief Financial Officer for payment, be paid.
A MOTION was made by Committeeman G. Scott and seconded by Committeewoman L. Chammings to adopt Resolution 2026-043, funds permitting.
Committeewoman D. Delaney commented that she will be abstaining from check number 33140, which was printed at her place of business.
ROLL CALL: Committeeman D. Manser; yes, Deputy Mayor D. Delaney; yes/abstaining 33140, Mayor V. Rumsey; yes, Committeeman G. Scott; yes, Committeewoman L. Chammings; yes. Motion carried with all in favor.
RETURN TO EXECUTIVE SESSION
A MOTION was made by Committeeman G. Scott and seconded by Committeeman D. Manser, to go back into Executive Session for Attorney-Client Privilege at 7:39 p.m.
ROLL CALL: Committeeman D. Manser; yes, Deputy Mayor D. Delaney; yes, Committeewoman L. Chammings; yes, Committeeman G. Scott; yes, Mayor V. Rumsey; yes. Motion carried with all in favor.
A MOTION was made by Committeewoman L. Chammings and seconded by Deputy Mayor D. Delaney, to go back into Regular Session at 8:41 p.m.
ROLL CALL: Committeeman D. Manser; yes, Deputy Mayor D. Delaney; yes, Committeewoman L. Chammings; yes, Committeeman G. Scott; yes, Mayor V. Rumsey; yes. Motion carried with all in favor.
Township Attorney E. Bernstein stated that the record should reflect that all members of the governing body present, commencing from the Executive Session, are present to recommence the open session, along with the Township Attorney and the Township Clerk. There was a discussion regarding a potential interlocal services agreement under attorney-client privilege and negotiations of the collective bargaining agreement. There is a question regarding the interlocal agreement between Frankford and Stillwater as to public works.
A MOTION was made by Committeewoman L. Chammings and seconded by Committeeman G. Scott, to allow the Mayor and Clerk to work with the Township Attorney on the agreement and to sign it when ready.
ROLL CALL: Committeeman D. Manser; yes, Deputy Mayor D. Delaney; yes, Committeewoman L. Chammings; yes, Committeeman G. Scott; yes, Mayor V. Rumsey; yes. Motion carried with all in favor.
The Township Attorney continued that there was further discussion under attorney-client privilege relative to direction regarding employment matters. The Township Attorney, with his capacity as labor counsel, has been given direction by the governing body to take certain steps to deal with the process and will be getting back to the governing body with the results, which don’t require formal action at this time. In addition, the Township Clerk has been given direction on other employment-related matters involving leave time on advice given by the Township Attorney.
ADJOURNMENT
A MOTION was made by Committeeman G. Scott and seconded by Committeeman D. Manser with all in favor, to adjourn the meeting at 8:44 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Valerie Ingles, RMC
Township Clerk
Visit the Office of Emergency Management page for links and the latest information
