STILLWATER TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE MEETING

April 7, 2020 – Regular Meeting

A REGULAR MEETING of the Stillwater Township Committee was called to order by Mayor Chammings at 7:03 p.m. noting the meeting date, time and place were duly published in the New Jersey Herald and posted at the Town Hall and advised those present that this meeting was being held in compliance with provisions of P.L. 1975, Chapter 231, Sections 4 & 13. Mayor Chammings added the meeting was being held virtually on Zoom and this meeting was also advertised with the link in the New Jersey Herald, the Stillwater Township website (www.stillwatertownshipnj.com) on the Stillwater Township Face Book page and other local Face Book pages.

Roll Call was taken and the flag was saluted.

PRESENT: Committeeman Morrison, Committeewoman Rumsey, Deputy Mayor Scott, Mayor Chammings, Municipal Clerk Lynda Knott, Attorney Angelo Bolcato ABSENT: Committeeman Fisher

MINUTES: March 3, 2020 Regular and Executive Meetings Minutes

A motion was made by Mr. Scott to accept the minutes as presented, seconded by Mrs. Rumsey. Roll Call Vote: Mrs. Rumsey, yes, Mr. Morrison, yes, Mr. Scott, yes, Mayor Chammings, yes.

MINUTES: March 17,, 2020 Executive and Regular Meeting Minutes

A motion was made by Mr. Morrison to accept the minutes as presented, seconded by Mrs. Rumsey. Roll Call Vote: Mrs. Rumsey, yes, Mr. Morrison, yes, Mr. Scott, abstained, Mayor Chammings, yes.

RESOLUTIONS: 2020-064 Mayors’ Appointment of Theresa Martin as a Member of the Stillwater Area Voluntary Fire Company with Committee Concurrence
2020-065 Approving a Cooperative Plan with the Townships of Fredon and Hampton for each municipality’s registrar to be deputized to act on behalf of the participating municipalities

A motion was made by Mr. Scott, seconded by Mr. Morrison.

Roll Call Vote: Mrs. Rumsey, yes, Mr. Morrison, yes, Mr. Scott, yes, Mayor Chammings, yes.

BILLS LIST #6: $824,046.10

RESOLUTION 2020-066 PAYMENT OF BILLS

Mr. Scott made a motion to adopt Resolution 2020-066, funds permitting, seconded by Mrs. Rumsey.

Roll Call Vote: Ms. Rumsey, yes, Mr. Morrison, yes, Mr. Scott, yes, Mayor Chammings, yes

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Mrs. Rumsey reported the fire department has been moving and organizing their equipment between the three buildings to optimize response time for the community.

Mrs. Rumsey noted the Stillwater Board of Education met via Zoom as well and there is nothing new to report.

Mr. Morrison had no report at this time.

Mr. Scott reported the Recreation Commission and Planning Board meetings had been cancelled. Mr. Scott said the DPW has been working with three men on and three men off switching weekly.

Mayor Chammings said she could speak for an hour but would be reporting the highlights. The Recycling Center was re-open the past weekend April 4 and 5, 2020 and the hours for the upcoming weekend would extend Saturday by an hour and close Sunday for Easter.

Mayor Chammings stated the County has 345 positive COVID-19 results and 5 new deaths – mostly from nursing homes. Mayor Chammings said the information is changing by the minute and that she and the clerk were working hard to keep the website updated with the best information. Mayor Chammings said there are still no positive cases in Stillwater and she wants everyone to be safe. Mayor Chammings noted Governor Murphy has extended New Jersey’s “Pause” until Saturday, May 9, 2020. Mayor Chammings suggested to Mr. Scott that he speak with the Recreation Commission to move Stillwater Day to the fall. Mr. Scott said he has already spoken with the Recreation Chairman and that she was speaking with the other members on a date in September or October. Mayor Chammings said the clerk has sent the Recreation Commission a copy of the firework contract. The clerk confirmed the firework contract has an open reschedule date so there will be no problem with the date change.

Mayor Chammings said the Zoning Board did have one application and the State has sent very specific instructions on holding a planning or zoning board meeting with professionals and exhibits. Mayor Chammings will speak with the board secretary to see if the board will hold the meeting.

Mayor Chammings thanked the Municipal Employees who have been going into the building and working from home and the DPW employees for keeping the recycling center open. Mayor Chammings said she has not received a single phone call from a resident complaining about not having their questions answered by employees.

Mayor Chammings noted Sussex County has introduced their budget with a 1.83% increase which works out to approximately .55 per $100,000.00 value.

AMENDMENTS TO AGENDA Resolutions 2020-067 and 2020-068

OPEN PUBLIC SESSION

At this point, this portion of the meeting was opened to the public.

There being no members of the public wishing to speak, this portion of the meeting was closed to the public at 9:44 p.m.

NEW BUSINESS:

ORDINANCE 2020-04 AN ORDINANCE FIXING SALARIES AND WAGES OF OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES OF THE TOWNSHIP OF STILLWATER, COUNTY OF SUSSEX AND STATE OF NEW JERSEY, FOR THE YEAR 2020

ORDINANCE 2020-04A AN ORDINANCE FIXING SALARIES AND WAGES OF OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES OF THE TOWNSHIP OF STILLWATER, COUNTY OF SUSSEX AND STATE OF NEW JERSEY, FOR THE YEAR 2020

Mr. Morrison made a motion to tablet Ordinances 2020-04 and 2020-04A to allow for further discussion. The Ordinances will be introduced on Tuesday, May 19, 2020, seconded by Mrs. Rumsey.

Roll Call Vote: Ms. Rumsey, yes, Mr. Morrison, yes, Mr. Scott, yes, Mayor Chammings, yes

ORDINANCE 2020-05 CAPITAL ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $39,000 FOR PURPOSES AUTHORIZED TO BE UNDERTAKEN BY THE TOWNSHIP OF STILLWATER, IN THE COUNTY OF SUSSEX, NEW JERSEY [Public Hearing and Adoption 04/21/2020]

CAPITAL ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $39,000 FOR

PURPOSES AUTHORIZED TO BE UNDERTAKEN BY

THE TOWNSHIP OF STILLWATER, IN THE COUNTY OF SUSSEX, NEW JERSEY

BE IT ORDAINED by the Township Committee of the Township of Stillwater, in the County of Sussex, New Jersey, AS FOLLOWS;

Section 1. The several improvements described in Section 3 of this capital ordinance are hereby respectively authorized as general improvements to be made or acquired by the Township of Stillwater, New Jersey. For the said several improvements or purposes stated in said Section 3, there are hereby appropriated the respective sums of money therein stated as the appropriations made for said improvements or purposes, said sums being inclusive of all appropriations heretofore made therefore and amounting in the aggregate to $39,000, which has heretofore been set aside for the improvements or purposes stated in Section 3 and now available therefore by virtue of provision in a previously adopted budget or budgets of the Township for capital improvement purposes.

Section 2. For the financing of said improvements or purposes and to meet the part of said $39,000.00 appropriations, the Township will use $39,000.00 from the General Capital Improvement Fund.

Section 3. The improvements hereby authorized and the several purposes for the allocation of which said obligations are to be spent, the appropriation made for an estimated cost of each such purpose, and the estimated maximum amount of funds to be spent for each such purpose, are respectively as follows:

Public Works Vehicle

RAM 3500 Utility Truck Base $ 39,000.00 General C.I.F.

All the aforestated improvements or purposes where applicable, are in accordance with specifications on file in the office of the Township Clerk, which specifications are hereby approved.

Section 4. The following additional matters are hereby determined, declared, recited and stated:

1. The said purposes described in Section 3 of this capital ordinance are capital expenses and are each a property or improvement which the Township may lawfully acquire or make as a general improvement, and no part of the cost thereof has been or shall be specifically assessed on property specially benefited thereby.
2. The average period of usefulness of said purposes within the limitations of said Local bond Law and taking into consideration the respective amounts of the said obligations authorized for the several purposes, according to the reasonable life thereof computed by this capital ordinance, is five (5) years.

Section 5. The capital budget or temporary capital budget of the Township is hereby amended to conform with the provisions of this ordinance to the extent of any inconsistency herewith and the resolutions promulgated by the Local Finance Board showing all detail of the amended capital budget or temporary capital budget and capital program as approved by the Director, Division of Local Government Services, are on file with the Township Clerk and are available for public inspection.

Section 6. This capital ordinance shall take effect ten (10) days after the publication thereof after final adoption.

Mrs. Rumsey made a motion to Introduce Ordinances 2020-05, seconded by Mr. Morrison.

Roll Call Vote: Ms. Rumsey, yes, Mr. Morrison, yes, Mr. Scott, yes, Mayor Chammings, yes

DISCUSSION ITEMS:

Mayor Chammings said Governor Murphy’s Executive Order #115 allows recently retired employees to be rehired without any effect on their pension and the Township Committee would like to have Keith Whitehead back as a potential substitute seasonal employee.

2020-067 AUTHORIZING THE APPOINTMENT OF KEITH WHITEHEAD

AS SUBSTITUTE SEASONAL EMPLOYEE

Mrs. Rumsey made a motion to Adopt 2020-067, seconded by Mr. Morrison.

Roll Call Vote: Ms. Rumsey, yes, Mr. Morrison, yes, Mr. Scott, yes, Mayor Chammings, yes

Mr. Bolcato reported the Saragusas’ are requesting the Township to issue a Quit Claim Deed to show the title company the property purchased by them in 1995 was a merged lots 4, 5, and 6 of their property.

2020-068 AUTHORIZING A QUIT CLAIM DEED TRANSFERRING THE TOWNSHIP OF STILLWATER’S INTERST, IF ANY, IN THE REAL PROPERTY KNOWN AS TAX BLOCK 502, LOTS 5 AND 6 TO ALBERT SARAGUSA AND TAMMY SARAGUSA

Mr. Morrison made a motion to Adopt 2020-067, seconded by Mrs. Rumsey.

Roll Call Vote: Ms. Rumsey, yes, Mr. Morrison, yes, Mr. Scott, yes, Mayor Chammings, yes

At this point, this portion of the meeting was opened to the public

Mrs. Dania Bodensieck, 905 Five Points Lane, asked if Veterans’ Park would remain open. Mayor Chammings said she would like to keep the park open as long as people are not abusing the park by not social distancing. Mr. Paul Mole also weighed in saying he was in the park and really no one was there and the fellow fishermen who were there were keeping their distance. Mr. Mole noted opening day of the fishing season is Saturday, April 11^th and that it was still catch and release. Open fishing may bring more people. Kathy Draghi, 1016 Route 619 asked if Veterans Park would still be open if the surrounding towns closed their parks. Again the Township Committee said they would prefer to keep the park open if not abused.

There being no members of the public wishing to speak, this portion of the meeting was closed.

ATTORNEY REPORT: None

There being no further business, Mr. Scott made a motion to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Mrs. Rumsey at 7:48 p.m. In a voice vote, all were in favor.

Respectfully submitted,

Lynda Knott, Township Clerk