Northfield City Council Annual Reorganization Meeting

it's always my
Traer
fix
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it um transfers
yeah the ability to do more business in
that
home get over time for the third
one that would make more
sense
there's nobody hit the Gap there's
no long and painful good evening
everyone welcome to the city of
Northfield annual re reorganization
meeting this meeting was properly
advertised according to Public Law 1975
chapter 231 and in the Press of Atlantic
City on December 9th of 2023
may have a flag salute led by mayor Chow
please please
rise I pledge allegiance to flag the
United States of America and to the
Republic for which stands one nation
under God indivisible with liberty and
justice for all thank you please be
seated roll call Mrs BCI here Mrs
carfano here Mr deise here Mr Leeds here
Mr Notaro here Mr Palestina here Mr
Smith here Mr Chow
here the first order of business will be
the ceremonial oath of office for mayor
Erland Chow which will be administered
by Deputy clerk Shannon Campbell there
she is and Erland I believe is
accompanied by some very special guests
are you not mayor Chow yes would you
like to introduce them uh well first of
all it's my family uh sister Alicia and
her husband and her hus excuse me her
her daughter's husband and wife family I
I have my sister Jackie and of course we
have Greg and my special guests who will
be holding the Bible for me are
Jennifer's
children right look at Emma
and hi Earl and
ch s
sare that I was
Constitution of the United
States and the
Constitution the state of New
Jersey that I will be at true faith and
to and allegiance to the same the
government and to the government establ
in the United States government
establish in the United States and and
in the state under the authority of the
people under the authority of the people
and that I will faithfully and that I
will Faithfully partially and partially
and justly perform and justly performed
all the all the duties of the office of
Mayor all the office of Mayor city of
norfield of the city of norfield New
Jersey New Jersey according to the best
of my ability according to the best of
my ability to to help me
[Music]
go
[Music]
unfortunately married
no you got to run
away thank
you thank
you
thank you and congratulations mayor Chow
the record solicitor Facenda is with us
this evening however he is participating
by Zoom Mr Facenda are you
there I am happy New Year
everybody thank
you um the next order of business on the
agenda is the election of a council
president for 2020 floor the um floor is
now open for nominations for the office
of council president for calendar year
2024 are there any nominations than
nominee Eric
Le thank you Mr
deise are there any other
nominations the floor is now closed for
nominations for the office of council
president I will need a motion and a
second to elect Eric Leeds as council
president for
2024 I'll make the motion to okay elect
council president Eric
we I a second please I'll second
that hey there's a motion and a second
on the floor to elect Eric Leeds as
council president for calendar year 2024
Mrs
bchi yes Mrs corano yes Mr DZ yes Mr
Leeds Mr Notaro yes Mr palacina yes Mr
Smith yes motion carries congratul
rations council president would you like
to take your
seat
hello everybody I'd like to uh ask for
uh nominations for the council president
pro4 for 2024 Mr President I'll uh
nominate uh Councilman Greg
D are there any other
nominations oppos of nominations for
council president 10 for
2024
please oh that's right uh may I have a
motion um motion and second please
second call so the motion on and second
on the floor to elect Councilman Greg
dwiz as council president proem for a
calendar year 2024 Mrs bchi yes Mrs car
Mr
deds Mr Notaro yes Mr Palestina yes Mr
Smith yes Mr Leeds yes motion carries
for the election of councilman DZ as
council president protm for year 2024
congratulations mayor would you please
he your state of the city address thank
you uh before I give my address uh I
would like to congratulate councilman
Lees on his election as council
president I also like to congratulate on
the reelection of councilman Dave Naro
and also councilman um Greg deise so
congratulations gentlemen and also
congratulations for Tom Palestina I'm
didn't I'm sorry my brother-in-law I'm
so I'm staring at me no I he didn't get
he didn't run for a reelection
councilman Tom Palestina congratulations
gentlemen sorry for the Miss Mick up
there um I just want to give my mayor's
report before I give my address uh first
of all I want to recognize Atlanta
County Commissioner Moren Kern in the
audience and I believe that's your
husband there Moren welcome uh want also
want to um thank everyone that volunteer
and also assist in the holiday tree
lighting con uh event here at Northfield
City Hall despite the conditions of the
weather we had a good pretty good
turnout and I know the kids enjoyed
Santa coming and the little goodies that
were distributed at the Firehall I want
to also recognize that on uh January the
4th at Mainland Regional High School at
6 PM uh the three mayors of Northfield
Lynwood and Summers Point myself uh will
be presenting three proclamations and
awards to recognize the outstanding uh
work and and certificates of reward for
the Mainland Regional football team
champion state champion and our
cheerleaders and also our band so uh
anyone would like to attend that's at
six o'clock at the North Mainland
Regional High School
auditorium I want to also congratulate
and thank all those that participated
and there were 28 entries for the
mayor's holiday light contest they were
beautiful and anyone who got to see some
of them they did an outstanding job this
year I also want to thank the various
businesses that contributed and donated
the door prize or I should say the
prizes for all the recipients that
participated uh due to their generosity
I believe every one of those 28
individuals will receive some kind of a
gift from the vendor so thank you so
very much for the outstanding donation
and work from all the residents that
participated at this time and I I'll
present my mayor state of the city
address uh good evening members of city
council honored guests friends family
and residents of Northfield 2023 was a
challenging year for the municipal
budget despite our best efforts we were
unable to maintain a zero increase in
the local purpose tax as we had in in
2022 increase in the cost of goods and
services along with the substantial
increases in employment costs resulted
in a 1.5
increase in our residence even so we
continue to uphold the high level of
service that our residents expect and
through efficiencies continue to provide
those services at less than 28 cents for
every tax dollar our building department
Revenue decreased to less than half of
what it was in
2022 but the signs of economic recovery
in our business Community were
encouraging norfield happily welcomed 23
new businesses in the indicating that
the commercial sector continues to grow
here in our city to forer economic grou
excuse me our city officials have
reinvent re re reinvent I'm sorry the
city of northfield's Economic
Development commission and have joined
forces with the Atlantic County Economic
Alliance and I want to thank
councilwoman bchi for the outstanding
work that she does demonstrated to
continue and support uh in this account
events and and commissions with the
business Community together with members
of our community and plan and
professions we are working to attract
and retain commercial
Enterprises this is an impressive group
of people and we are very fortunate and
lucky to have Business Leaders like this
in our community despite Financial
challenges we continue to maintain a
stable financial position with a strong
Surplus balance we have retained our
doublea credit rating with a positive
outlook our tax collection rate is
strong at
99.1% and our total assess value in 2023
was just over
$867
million now some of our key
accomplishments for the year
2023 included the following city council
adopted 233 resolutions and 13
ordinances we replac over 400 ft of
existence storm water pipe along Oak
Avenue with 80% of the cost born by the
water company and received close to
$100,000 in funds from the water company
towards the paven restoration of Oak
Avenue we were also awarded
$556,000 and a grant funding for roadway
improvements Public Safety recycling
efforts and Community Education and many
more in April we celebrated the grand
open of our new playground at Birch grow
Park and thank you so very much for
councilman deise who took upon himself
to take on this project and if any of
you have been out there it's a it's a
wonderful
facility we completed phase two of our
sanitary slip uh lining project which
will result in additional savings in our
2025 or 24 sanitary sewer flows of
approximately
$175,000 we completed the first phase of
our records image project all planning
board records have been digitized along
with the permanent records in the
municipal clerk's office we added three
new sets of bleachers at the city's
athletic fields and updated the city tax
maps and we installed new seating in
city council chambers and awarded a
contract for the replacement of the roof
at City Hall both funded by the American
Rescue act we purchased new vehicles for
the public works and the police and fire
departments we were awarded a grant for
Energy savings improvements at the
municipal facilities with an estimated
annual savings energy cost of
approximately $5,000 a year we entered
into a shared service agreement for the
services of our Chief Financial Officer
and completed our second year as a
participant in the central Municipal
Court of Atlanta County the police
department in Municipal Alliance hosted
many events this year including our
National Night Out event trunk or treat
at grow Park coffee with the cop twice
cookies with the cop our bike radio
movie night at Birch grow and hooked on
fishing and a senior luncheon we held an
annual Memorial Day ceremony and
Veterans Day events at Veterans Park we
can conducted the mayor's recycling
contest holiday lightting contest and
held two Wellness fairs for employees
with over 30 employees in
attendance uh and June excuse me welcome
our new own Miss New Jersey who by the
way is a is a resident of Northfield in
front of city hall with her family
friends and many
residents in addition to a frisbee golf
course of north of bco Park and
significant improvements to our Baseball
Major League field phase two of our
Digital Imaging project for our Public
Works to include our building department
is the next phase the paven of Oak
Avenue bash Avenue and a portion of
Ridgewood Drive was also accomplished
and the completion of the upgrade of to
the Zion Road for sanitary sewer pump s
station as we look at upon another
Year's End I want to take a moment to
recognize our most valuable assets our
employees and volunteers and thank you
all for your service to our residents
and our
community in 2023 we swore in our new
chief of police we congratulate Eileen
pantalena crossing guard school crossing
guard who retired after incredible 36
years of service and we welcome 13 new
hes including two police officers and
three part-time
firefighters we had several promotions
within the department of the police
including a intentional lieutenant and
one promotion in the public works we
also endured tragic loss with the deaths
of our Deputy cherief fire department of
the Volunteer Fire Company Bobby leads
and our longtime payroll specialist Ray
Adams I am grateful for the members of
the Volunteer Fire Company and the
Ladies Auxiliary these men and women
have spent countless hours away from
their families to ensure the safety of
ours and thank you to the members of the
planer board the Birch grow Park
Advisory Board cultural committee
Library Board of Trustees and those who
plan and organize City events such as is
the Fourth of July parade and annual
holiday tree lighting thank you to the
veterans of our community for their past
service and their dedication and effort
to serve and honor those that have been
served and honored in its respect and
thank you so very well to our many
parents who spend endless hours of time
and hours on the city's athletic fields
coaching our youth's Sports helping the
children of our community
to develop physical skills make friends
have fun learn teamwork and learn to
play fair these are life learning skills
and lessons that extend well beyond
their time here in Northfield and that
will benefit future generations to come
and finally thank you to the members of
city council for your ongoing hard work
and commitment I know it's not an easy
task and I know that all of you are very
dedicated and once again I thank you for
your commitment and service to the
community and finally I look forward to
working together with everyone to
continue to provide excellent services
to the residents and to the business
community of Northfield thank you again
ladies and
gentlemen thank you council
president uh may I have a motion to
approve the minutes from the December 12
meeting
second please
second all in
favor
any good yep all right I like to open up
the meeting to the public session uh
this meeting is now open to the public
for anyone to speak on any subject
please state your name and city of
residence for the record and observe a
five minute Tim Li from
speak
take able to us out there couple of the
gentlemen that were here that designed
fores before were out there based on
some the advice they were giving me and
what we look like essentially going to
be working with i' probably opt to just
create a n hole for first and then maybe
be on
that
we get our new assignments then we'll um
address but I believe
it's there anybody else from the
public any Zoom
hand anyone in Zoom wishing to speak
please raise your
hand no
seeing no one now the public session is
closed let's move on the resolutions um
all matters listed under the content
agenda are considered to be routine in
nature and have been reviewed by Council
we will Ena by one motion any item may
be removed from the content agenda at
the request of any council member and if
so removed will be treated as a separate
matter any items require expenditures
are supported by certification
availability of funds are there any uh
members that want any items remov from
the
you know which one number 22
okay so
noted there is an executive session this
evening that will be held at the end of
the meeting and we will come back in the
public session uh to make a comment for
the record after the executive session
has concluded any vote made on the
subjects discussed during the execu
session will made
public based on the discussion during
closed sessions the council may vote to
consider resolution
[Music]
33-2247 33 of 204
32 3 33 of
32 33 33 of
20 32 32 32
32 may have a second
second roll
call what are we do you can do all in
favor on that one all in favor I I any
you
oppos now you're going to have motion to
adopt the consent agenda I have a motion
to adopt the consent agenda make a
motion to adopt the consent agenda 1
2024 through 32 of 2024 have a second
please any further questions or comments
from
Council have roll call
please Mrs bchi yes Mrs corano Mr deiz
yes Mr Notaro yes Mr Smith patina yes Mr
Smith yes Mr Leeds yes motion cares for
the adoption of the consent
agenda with Mr Smith's abstention duly
noted on resolution 22 of
2024 I have a motion to introduce
ordinance
2024 necessary motion to introduce
coordinates one
2024
catch
up Ordinance one of 2024 is an ordinance
providing for and establishing salary
ranges of officers and employees of the
city of Northfield and repealing all
ordinances here to adopted the
provisions of which are inconsistent
here with this is the interest
introduction there will be no public
input the ordinance will be published in
the Press of Atlantic City on January
9th it is presently posted in full in
the lobby of City Hall as well as on the
municipal website there will be a second
reading a public hearing after which the
matter will be considered for final
adoption on January 16th of this
year roll
call
Mrs bchi yes Mrs carfano Mr deiz yes Mr
Notaro yes Mr Palestina yes Mr Smith yes
Mr Leeds yes motion carries for the
introduction of Ordinance one of
2024 motion for payment of the
bills make necessary motion to authorize
payment theill am
6179
second
77 it's not
77639
nope
fantastic it might have been at last
[Laughter]
reorg call I'm sorry who was the second
please thank
you
Mrs bchi yes Mrs corano Mr deise yes Mr
Notaro yes Mr palino yes Mr Smith yes Mr
Leeds yes motion carries for payment of
bills next city council meeting will be
January
16th 6 PM work session with the
regularly scheduled meeting following
after that prior moving execu session
par will read a statement for the
record
so the council will be moving into
executive session which was just
approved as part of the consent agenda
um for those participating in public we
would ask that you please excuse
yourselves for Council from council
chambers for the duration of the
executive session those participating
via Zoom we will be muting the audio and
pausing the video for the duration of
the closed session Council will remain
here in city council chambers um is the
labor attorney here yet yes she's here
there she is
okay
um we are required to set forth as much
information as possible for the public
about the subject matter to be discussed
as well as provide for the public the
amount of time that can be expected to
elapse before the non-public minutes can
be disclosed um labor Council curio are
you prepared to make a statement for the
record so before we go into closed
session a statement for the record has
to be made a setting forth as much
information as possible without um
disclosing privilege about what we're
going to talk about and that statement's
made in public before the public leaves
are you prepared to do that do you need
a moment okay I can I can do that Mary
if
needed Chris can do it you want Chris to
do
it
okay Chris hold on I'm just GNA turn up
the volume so that I can make sure
everybody can hear you
okay sure thank
you go ahead
thank you uh as authorized by resolution
33 uh of
2024 the city council for the city of
Northfield will now enter into an
executive session not open to the
general public as authorized by the New
Jersey open public meetings act uh the
subject matter uh to be discussed uh in
the executive session is the appointment
of a conflict labor Council uh in
accordance with njsa 40 Co 40a Co
11-511 inspection when permitted uh and
Allowed by law at this time the time
frame for that is unknown uh but if
official action is taken tonight uh the
uh minutes would be disclosed uh
relatively quickly after that in
accordance with the
law okay thank you for thank you Mr
Venda words
to than you everybody for coming um Mr
President before we adjourn I just have
two statements I forgot to mention if I
have any
is okay yeah oh okay I'm sorry uh I just
want to recognize and congratulate our
newly appointed city engineer Mr deasil
from eggar egar Township right uh so
welcome and congratulations on your
appointment as our new city engineer I
also want to uh recognize councilman Tom
Palestina uh for his outstanding service
for this last three years as council
president uh your leadership and
dedication is certainly noted uh I know
having served that position it's not an
easy position but thank you so very much
and I I recognize and appreciate that
thank you thank you council
president council president can I ask
one further question real quick if
that's not a problem
absolutely uh Nancy Holm uh has sent
everybody or Mary has forwarded a memo
from our co counil uh the question I
need to find out is anybody available or
willing uh to go to Trenton I I believe
it's in Trenton and Mary can correct me
if that's wrong uh to attend the
Appropriations Committee meeting
scheduled for this Thursday at noon and
possibly a senate committee meeting I
think what Nancy and her uh Jeff seren
and uh are trying to do is is G uh you
know gather up as much support in
opposition to this proposed Bill uh that
will significantly affect the COA
requirements uh Andor the legisl in and
of itself um I've been asked to find out
if anybody is willing or able to go uh
this Thursday at noon uh to attend with
Jeff
seran I should mention that Jeff will be
in attendance so we'll be represented
there uh I would imagine Nancy Holm may
be there as well uh so the fact that we
can't go is not necessarily fatal uh but
it would be a good good show of
support I don't believe anybody could go
with this short time
notice okay no worries we'll let Nancy
know
that all right now we're gonna adjourn
to Executive session thank you all for
coming
out all
right so nice to meet
you see you later
ja no snow
right
y good night Sir Chris can you hear me
Chris can you hear
me I can all right hang up now we're
going to call you on the phone okay all
right should I connect from Zoom as well
yes Mr Facenda go
ahead 24 the city council for the city
of Northfield has completed its
executive session in accordance with the
open public meetings act the matters
discussed uh which required uh attorney
K's privileged conversations with uh
labor law Council uh were the
appointment of a conflict labor Council
in accordance uh with njsa
48151 uh as a professional Service uh
the city did keep minutes of that
executive session which will be made
available through public inspection when
permitted by law as my understanding
that the city uh in terms of formal
action will now consider resolution 33-
2024 which is on tonight's agenda uh for
adoption everybody M for the adoption of
resolution 33-
2024
motion
second
favor I'm sorry who's the second please
me
than roll call Mrs bchi yes Mrs carfano
Mr deise Mr Notaro yes Mr P Ina yes Mr
Smith Mr Le yes motion carries for the
adoption of resolution 33 of
2024 I also would like to thank
councilman Paul Cena for the last three
years of being council president one
week there for with that being said have
a motion
toour being able to beat C president do
without
it thank you all right now that we have
anybody oppose no thank
you Happy New Year everybody thank you
for allowing to participate by Zoom andh
tonight iate that thanks Chris enjoy
your last time Chris night
everybody get
one
just kidding