STILLWATER TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE MEETING
2023 Budget Meeting #1
A SPECIAL BUDGET MEETING of the Stillwater Township Committee was called to order by Mayor Scott at 6:04 p.m. noting the meeting date, time and place were sent to the New Jersey Herald and posted at the Town Hall, on the Township’s website and advised those present that this meeting was being held in compliance with provisions of P.L. 1975, Chapter 231, Sections 4 & 13.
The flag was saluted.
Roll Call: PRESENT: Mr. Barta, Mrs. Rumsey, Mr. Fisher, Ms. Chammings and Mayor Scott. Others presents were: Mrs. Leonard, CFO, Mrs. Delaney, Committeewoman Elect
Mayor Scott asked the CFO how much of the 2022 budget was not utilized. Mrs. Leonard said she would get Mayor Scott the information requested the next day.
Mrs. Leonard began the budget discussions noting the agenda she prepared for tonight’s discussion highlights items with different amounts requested from the 2022 budget. The discussion tonight will be on Department and Board/Commission operating expenses only. Mrs. Leonard said tonight’s discussion is easy and she will have some of the more impactful budget increase discussions at subsequent budget meetings so even if the requests of tonight’s requests are approved some line items may be reduced to keep the overall budget increase as small as possible.
Mrs. Leonard said the General Administration budget request for 2023 is 2.5% above 2022 with increases in forms, books & subscriptions line from $350 to $375 and an increase in office supplies from $2500 to $2750. The General Administration requests were approved. The General Administration operating expense budget for 2023 is $11,350.00
The Mayor and Committee’s budget requests are missing amounts for Gifts/Awards and Memorial Day. The Township Committee decided to keep the requests the same as 2022: $1250 in Gifts/Awards and $1000 for Memorial Day. The Mayor/Committee operating expense 2023 budget is $4,100.00
The Municipal Clerk’s budget request is $5.3% higher because the Deputy Clerk is completing the Municipal Clerk education classes already approved by the Township Committee. The Municipal Clerk operating budget requests for 2023 is $16,950.00
The Finance operating expense budget request remains the same for 2023 at $32,000.00
The Tax Collection operating expense budget request for 2023 is 5% lower than 2022 because no estimated tax bill expense is expected. The budget request for 2023 is $6,485.00.
The Tax Assessment budget request increased 5% for an increase in dues expense from $100 to $175. The total operating expense budget requested is $13,240.00
The Planning Board requests for 2023 is the same as 2022 but there will be a new secretary and a new engineer so the operating expenses may change depending on who is chosen for those positions. The Planning Board request for 2023 is $5,300.00.
The Land Use Other expense line will be decreased 30% from $6500.00 to $5000 in 2023. This line was created to aid in the remediation of property located at 992 Fairview Lake Road.
The Zoning Board request for 2023 is 10% higher than 2022 for legal fees which request went from $3,000 to $3,500 because the legal fees realized in 2022 was $4,940.05. The secretary and engineering positions will be filled with new employees for 2023 so the amount requested ($6,895.00) is an estimate at this time.
The Zoning Officer’s requests are 5.5% higher for seminars/training in 2023 going from $200 to $300. The Zoning Officer’s 2023 Operating Expense request is $1,900.
The Building Department’s requests for 2023 is 11% higher than 2022 due to purchasing new updated code books. The line for forms and books went from $500 to $1000 to cover the cost of the new reference books. The operating expense budget request for 2022 for the building department is $5,000.00
The Township Committee decided to keep the Sheriff’s patrols of Stillwater for 2023. The operating expense for this service will remain at $15,000.00
The Office of Emergency Management’s 2023 request is up 10%. Gear expense is increasing going from $500 to $1,000, OEM training reduced from $1,200 to $1,000, CERT/MRC Miscellaneous decreased from $1,200 to $1,000, CERT/MRC Training increased from $500 to $750 with a total request for 2023 of $6,550.00.
The Environmental Commission’s 2023 operating expense budget request is the same as 2022 at $5,650.00.
The Recreation Commission’s operating expense budget request for 2023 is up $21.3%. Field maintenance is requested at $2,000 and Miss Stillwater contest (which was part of Stillwater Day and now a stand-alone event) their request is $1,500.00 (since there is no way to predict how many applicants for Miss Stillwater, Little Miss and Little Mr. Stillwater the Township will have in any year). The total operating expense requested for 2023 is $19,950.00
The CFO raised the Municipal Service Act line 2.4% for fuel costs in 2023 bringing that line’s request from $84,000.00 to $86,000.00.
The Celebration of Public Events line is $2500 and the request for 2023 is the same. The Township Committee must spend the $2500 in the line for 2022 and the CFO will be giving the governing body prices of t-shirts, hats and beer glasses to be used at the 2025 bi-centennial celebration so the funds may be encumbered in 2022.
The line for the Joint Court will go from $44,522.00 for 2022 to $45,412.00 per the Shared Service Agreement currently in effect.
The CFO noted if all figures discussed this evening do not change it will represent a 2.8% increase in the budget from 2022 to 2023.
There being no further business, Mr. Fisher made a motion to adjourn the budget meeting at 6:53 p.m.., seconded by Ms. Chammings. In a voice vote, all were in favor.
Respectfully submitted,
Lynda Knott, RMC
Visit the Office of Emergency Management page for links and the latest information
