November 10, 2020 Regular Meeting Minutes

STILLWATER TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE MEETING

November 10, 2020 – Regular Meeting

A REGULAR MEETING of the Stillwater Township Committee was called to order by Mayor Chammings at 7:02 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. PRESENT: Committeewoman Rumsey, Committeeman Morrison and Mayor Chammings, Municipal Clerk Lynda Knott, Attorney Angelo Bolcato ABSENT: Deputy Mayor Scott and Committeeman Fisher

Roll Call was taken and the flag was saluted.

MINUTES:

Executive Minutes from October 6, 2020 were tabled until the November 17, 2020 meeting because there is a lack of quorum to vote.

September 15, 2020 Executive Minutes: A motion was made by Mrs. Rumsey to adopt the Minutes, seconded by Mr. Morrison. Roll Call Vote: Mrs. Rumsey, yes, Mr. Morrison, yes Mayor Chammings, yes.

REPORTS: Zoning Officer Report of September 2020

Mr. Scott asked where the Tax Assessor’s report was he asked for a few months ago. Mr. Morrison said all departments should report every month.

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

BILLS LIST #16: $ 611,925.48

RESOLUTION 2020-143 Authorizing Payment of Bills

WHEREAS, the Chief Finance Officer has certified that funds are available in the proper account; and

WHEREAS, the Chief Finance 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 November 10, 2020 and on file and available for public inspection in the Office of the Chief Finance Officer and approved by the Chief Finance Officer for payment, be paid.

A motion was made by Mr. Morrison to adopt Resolution 2020-143, seconded by Mrs. Rumsey. Roll Call Vote: Mrs. Rumsey, yes, Mr. Morrison, yes Mayor Chammings, yes.

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

Mayor Chammings reported for the absent Mr. Scott and said the DPW has been helping the town hall employees to clean up the vault. The a new DPW employee started on October 31, 2020 and has been acclimating well to the position.

Mayor Chammings reported the Recreation Commission has been working on its 2021 budget request. Mayor Chammings provided the Township Committee members with a copy of the Recreation Commission’s 5-year Capital Plan outlining what had been requested. The playground phases I and II have been completed at Veterans Park but the parking lot paving has not. The Recreation Commission would like to use their unused 2020 budget funds to pave the parking lot.

The Holiday Tree lighting will be held on December 11, 2020 at 7:00 p.m. at the Community Center.

Mrs. Dawn Delaney, Chair of the Recreation Commission, added the Recreation Commission will be amending the field use agreement form to include provisions for special items i.e. lights.

Mrs. Rumsey reported she attended the Stillwater Board of Education meeting via zoom on November 2, 2020. Mrs. Rumsey said the Board of Education has completed the fiscal audit and expenditures were down by one percent (1%) last year. Audit reports will be available through the School CFO.

Mrs. Rumsey said the Stillwater Board of Education may loose $300,000.00 in State funding next year.

Mrs. Rumsey noted the Board of Education will be advertising for a librarian and no school or sport activities are being permitted in the building.

Mrs. Rumsey reported the bathrooms at the community center are being remodeled.

Mrs. Rumsey invited Chief Steven Sugar to give his report for fire and EMS. Chief Sugar reported the fire department answered 152 calls year-to-date with 27 of those calls requiring the UTV and the EMS 277 calls year-to-date.

Chief Sugar also reported the pick-up truck is in Ohio for the custom bed fabrication and installation. Mrs. Rumsey and Mayor Chammings thanked Chief Sugar for his report.

Mrs. Rumsey said the Public Safety meetings for November and December are cancelled and new meetings will be scheduled in the new year.

Mr. Morrison reported twenty applications have been received by the Township in response to its advertisement for receptionist. The Township Committee will be reviewing the applications in executive session this evening. The Personnel Committee hopes to have interviews shortly and the finalists interview with the entire committee in December.

Mayor Chammings reported there is an uptick in positive tests for COVID in Sussex County and stressed for all of us to continue being safe and taking all the necessary precautions against the disease.

Mayor Chammings said she is working on the Sussex County Mitigation Plan update and will attend a November 12, 2020 workshop.

Mayor Chammings has installed a temporary microphone for the computer in the meeting room and is awaiting the camera and owl microphone.

Mayor Chammings also reported the Zoning Board of Adjustment has two new members who will be appointed this evening.

AMENDMENTS TO AGENDA: Employee request to carry over vacation, cheer meeting application for community center.

OPEN PUBLIC SESSION:

Marcia Bradley, Stillwater CERT Coordinator, reported CERT participated with the Historical Society at the Gristmill on 10/24/20 and the 10/26/20 clean-up day with an assignment in Veterans Park. CERT will also help out at the Sussex County Flu Clinic on 11/14/2020 in the Richards Building at the Sussex County Fair Grounds and will present CERT to the Hampton Township Committee on November 24, 2020 in hope of Hampton starting a chapter of CERT to be a tripod service to our community like the fire/ems services.

Mrs. Heidi Mountford, 921 Mt. Benevolence Road, asked about the public land auction. Mayor Chammings said it is a land sale only with two buildable lots and other undersized lots adjacent landowners have approached the town to sell.

Mr. Scott Douglas, 965 Ridge Road, expressed his concerns about a vacant and abandoned home located at 963 Ridge Road. Mr. Douglas noted the property is maintained by an outside agency, the owners have not been there for at least five months and the water and electric have been shut off. Mayor Chammings said the Zoning Officer is looking into the situation and she would be following up to see what the Zoning Officer has found out.

Seeing no one else from the public wished to speak so this portion of the meeting was closed.

OLD BUSINESS:

DISCUSSION ITEMS:

Update on 992 Fairview Lake Road (Block 2401 Lot 37) Mr. Bolcato reported regarding e-mails between the Zoning Officer and the NJDEP where the State said it wanted an environmental investigation on the property. The State also noted there is a $62,000 lien still due on the property. Mr. Bolcato said the Township cannot do an investigation on private property.

Mayor Chammings said she spoke with Kerry Pflugh and was asked what properties the Township has issues with and Mrs. Pflugh was told 992 Fairview Lake Road and the recycling center. Mayor Chammings had thought perhaps the recycling center property could be used for a solar field. Mayor Chammings said the Township should look into funding for cleaning up brown fields. Mayor Chammings noted the questions asked only brought more questions.

Mr. Bolcato suggested contacting the County Freeholders and/or State Legislators to help get some answers.

2020 Rabies Clinic –Mayor Chammings said she has spoken to Dr. Bertoldo’ s office and they are very busy. Mayor Chammings was told if a resident wished to bring their pet to Dr. Bertoldo’ s office they would be given a discount of the cost of the rabies vaccine.

DISCUSSION ITEMS:

North Shore House, LLC – NJDEP Treatment Works Approval: Michael Vreeland, the township’s municipal engineer reviewed the plans and prepared a memo for the Township Committee. The clerk will have Mr. Vreeland mail the maps and paperwork to Mr. Bolcato for his review. If all is in order Mayor Chammings will sign the agreement by resolution at the November 17, 2020 meeting.

Facility Use Agreements for Community Center:

1. Stillwater PTA for Talent Show – 12/4, 12/5 or snow date 12/6

A motion was made by Mayor Chammings to approve the application, seconded by Mrs. Rumsey. Roll Call Vote: Mrs. Rumsey, yes, Mr. Morrison, yes Mayor Chammings, yes.

1. Pack 83-BSA for meetings first and third Friday night of each month

A motion was made by Mrs. Rumsey to approve the application, seconded by Mr. Morrison. Roll Call Vote: Mrs. Rumsey, yes, Mr. Morrison, yes Mayor Chammings, yes.

1. Stillwater PTA for Holiday Shop 12/15, 12/16, 12/17

A motion was made by Mayor Chammings to approve the application, seconded by Mr. Morrison. Roll Call Vote: Mrs. Rumsey, yes, Mr. Morrison, yes Mayor Chammings, yes.

1. KMFL Cheerleading parties 11/16 and 11/18

A motion was made by Mrs. Rumsey to approve the application, seconded by Mr. Morrison. Roll Call Vote: Mrs. Rumsey, yes, Mr. Morrison, yes Mayor Chammings, yes.

2020 Best Practices Inventory: Mayor Chammings discussed the types of questions the township answers in order to receive state aid each year.

The Township Committee received a memo from an employee asking to carry 2020 vacation days to 2021.

A motion was made by Mayor Chammings to approve the application, seconded by Mrs. Rumsey. Roll Call Vote: Mrs. Rumsey, yes, Mr. Morrison, yes Mayor Chammings, yes.

NEW BUSINESS:

RESOLUTION 2020-144 Authorizing Appointments of Members to the Zoning Board of Adjustment

A motion was made by Mayor Chammings to approve the application, seconded by Mrs. Rumsey. Roll Call Vote: Mrs. Rumsey, yes, Mr. Morrison, yes Mayor Chammings, yes.

OPEN PUBLIC SESSION

Mrs. Alicia Gardner, Millbrook Road and member of the Stillwater Recreation Commission, thanked Mayor Chammings and the Committee for opening up the community center for non-profits – especially during the pandemic allowing community activities to continue.

Seeing no one else from the public wishing to speak this portion of the meeting was closed.

ATTORNEY’S REPORT: Mr. Bolcato said he had no report.

EXECUTIVE SESSION: 8:26 p.m.

After the reading of the following Resolution to enter into Executive Session, a motion was made by Mr. Morrison, seconded by Mrs. Rumsey and carried by roll call vote to adopt the resolution permitting the Committee to go into Executive Session at 08:26 p.m.

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: Personnel and Attorney Client

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.

There being no further business to attend to, a motion was made by Mrs. Morrison, seconded by Mrs. Rumsey to conclude the Executive Session at 9:06 p.m., unanimously carried by roll call vote.

There being no further business, Mr. Morrison made a motion to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Mrs. Rumsey at 9:07 p.m. In a voice vote, all were in favor.

Respectfully submitted,

Lynda Knott, Township Clerk