Northfield City Council Meeting

hi
hello chair it's not in a good way
[Music]
hmm
[Music]
um
but there was an update
I'm sorry whatever okay
good evening this is the work session
for Northfield city council August 15th
of 2023.
this meeting was properly advertised and
according to the public law in 1970
5 sorry chapter 231
and in the Press of Atlantic City on
January 7th of this year we have a flag
salute led by Council for attemptuese
please all right
project
s
roll call Mrs Bucci here Mrs corefanio
here Mr Deweese Mr Leeds Mr Notaro
Mr Smith here Mr Palestina here Mr Chow
Mr President thank you
uh I have a motion for approval of the
minutes
thank you I skipped right to the meeting
okay
committee reports
Mr Leeds
thank you
uh first of all I'm going to start uh
correcting my vehicles control to the
family of
deputy chief Robert Lee of the
Northfield fire department pathway
a couple days ago
the deputy chief
the entire definition still active Power
Player spent more than 50 years of this
uh City's Fire Company
that type of dedication has done part of
these days Society so I really want to
kind of you know his family
and also shared it be careful a legacy
that's on that with his son William with
the current volunteers and it depends on
coal so it was a fair part Affair here
in the city
thank you
again
49 fire calls July
38 of them were First Responders because
98 calls by inferior engine molecular uh
26 times we had depending neutral event
called out of the city
for uh
emergencies
firefighters
Parker antique trench and as well as the
I don't know who the police officers
will responded last Friday but there was
a call for service here for the city
hall this company has his family house
and they responded and needed that
individuals
was dignity and professionals and so I
just want to thank them for being so
quick
helping
and get the treatment that I needed
thank you
councilman Louise
um thank you um the city hall delayed
um we had a light installed to
illuminate the actual sign so appealed
good chance right by and give me your
thoughts
um we changed the size of the light
bulbs in there to brighten it a little
bit so
it's the uh they need yeah I stopped
over it's much better now it helps quite
a bit if it's not illuminated enough we
could put two more of the goose neck
lights on the front side of the sign to
illuminate a little bit better if I'm
trying not to do that because I think it
may look off balance a little bit so
anyway let me uh let me know your
thoughts on that also the columns for
the front of the city hall are in we're
waiting for the uh the schedule from see
Alexander boom yeah
photos
also we had a couple um fence repaired
at the Little League field in the
softball field
in the dish you could have public works
so it has removed 15 dead trees around
the um inner loop of the park
they were in danger of following to the
um base that just dropped them in place
um that's about it
thank you councilman councilman
um I would also like to extend my
condolences to the family in the
Northfield fire department for uh the
passing a retired deputy chief Robert
Meade we've only had interaction with
with him over the last couple years he's
a very
he's just a great person and I want to
thank him for his service and see the
terrible walk to our community
um I want to
um commend the police department for
this chalk the wall cut
um
thank you for getting all the all the
ice cream stores in town involved in
that thank you for your Outreach to the
community it's it's so nice to see the
change in seeing our police out in the
community and out with our businesses so
thank you so much for doing that it
looks like a really fun contest for for
the kids
um Municipal Alliance Trump or treat the
date for that is October 7th from 5 to
7. sign ups are now going on contact
Shannon Campbell at City Hall
um and I attended tonight the grand
opening of the ultimate event space
which is located at 331 Felton Road they
are a
um six party venue they Supply
everything but your caterer and your
beverages or whatever they
um part the tables and chairs and
decorations and it's a really cute state
to probably can fit like 30 people in
there but it's really a beautiful space
so they want to congratulate them and
welcome to the community as far as the
economic development commission it's
concerned
we are we continue to work
uh on the with tryout on the economic
element and we're working closely with
the planning board and I would need to
be the planning board engineer
um to get that accomplished so we're
moving forward that's working out really
well and that's it for me well thank you
councilman Smith
thank you Mr President uh the two small
items the Northfield Community school
will be open next time we meet the
September 7th the uh the school year
begins so obviously we extend our best
wishes for a successful opening through
the full year as the as the summer winds
down here we don't admit it but the kids
will be back in school soon enough so we
wish them the best of luck as they open
the school year there was to be a County
Court meeting virtually last week and it
was canceled once again so that's
happened quite a bit lately so nothing
to report there in terms of the county
um and finally I just want to Echo the
sentence again for the Leeds family the
um the Leeds family has been a fixture
in Northfield uh you know I've played
Little League baseball with Billy Leeds
way back when uh and Mr lead is always
around and always presents and certainly
has uh certainly a record of legacy of
dedication to our city so we commence
and for that and you know wish the
family the best at this time thank you
councilman girlfriend thank you council
president
um
is everybody else as well condolences to
the leads family I'm friends with their
family for a long time so and thank you
for your many years of service
um the cultural committee will be doing
a fall flea market November 18th more to
follow on that if you're interested
contact Joe and Brennan on the cultural
committee email for the city
um or Mainland the next board meeting
there was a board meeting last night the
next board meeting is September 18th at
6 and there will be on August 30th a
freshman orientation and Club sign up so
anybody who has an incoming freshman
make sure they get out to do that that's
all I have thank you thank you uh the
only thing I have is uh from the
my commit I don't think for my
committees but I did attend the acua
meeting uh
out at the treatment plant
uh the as it stands right now they're
doing very well against budget uh
they're they're
about 589 000 ahead of budget
um through the half a year but
um
much of that is based on on interest
income that they that they received that
they didn't anticipate because interest
rates have climbed but the main main
thing is uh their their expenses were
you know a lot up and down as we go
halfway through the year but the main
thing is that they're planning about 15
million dollars in up breeds
over the next several years
um
the the plant was built in 1978
so a lot of the equipment is white aged
and uh
the new equipment will obviously cost
all of us a little bit but um through
the debt service but the um
the efficiency that they'll gain from it
and uh
and the cleaner air they what they do is
they uh incinerate the waste after they
dry it so we're one of only five
incinerators in New Jersey
by comparison California has one in the
whole state so
um it's a
as as
through the years that's one of the
things that tend to go away as those
incinerary but they
um then you have to bury the waste so uh
it is a better way of getting uh getting
rid of it uh other or you have to cheat
or ship it out of the state or
or burn it
um Ocean County those do a program with
a
pelletize it and sell it as fertilizer
but
that would be a different upgrade that
they would have to do but all all that
being said uh Northfield were are
lows are down by approximately 20
compared to what was budgeted so uh we
believe that's a lot of that has to do
with the slip line that we had done to
um
that's good news for us so our fees will
drop again going forward
hopefully
uh only other thing I'd like to mention
is that look yeah obviously my
condolences for for the leads family and
um
and then I just wanted to congratulate
and thank everybody for Northfield night
out for great success that was uh the
last month or beginning of this month
um
switching it to Thursday night had a lot
of vendors had a lot of participation
and uh
it was always it's always nice to see
everybody out there and see all please
and doing all the cooking
and that's all I have top I had
something I expected of everybody an
update about mayor child some may or may
not mayor child
in the hospital he is um seeking or
getting treatment to make himself feel
better so um but he addressed him
comfortably and he hopes to be out in
you know a couple of days but I'm not
certain about that but I will keep
everyone posted
thanks for everyone asking and checking
in I appreciate it thank you thank you
uh do we have any update I don't have
any update on the the evening
proposals uh at high committee uh food
trucks
okay
Mr Authority
cancel uh
Wildlife insurance
there's an event for the whole week the
life that there's a master lights and
background checks everything and then
there's a per event kernel
thank you thank you thank you
um affordable housing I don't believe we
have anything to add right at this time
um
oh that's down here
I can do it now
okay yeah you never mind
okay we'll wait
I mean we could probably take that off
as an ad hoc I think yeah
yeah I think that we should have left
that was designed to deal with like okay
I don't know when all those other things
well there are three separate projects
they're not I think the ad hoc was the
overall more housing okay
they overlap
okay
um
stormwater
nothing
no update on the sale of the properties
we're still waiting on the well that's
that habitat or that
oh there it is yeah I got the title
reports uh we ordered the title reports
for the free properties uh one of them
is uh there's no records found so we
can't and that is uh 121.1 uh so they
were unable to find any lavitative
record to that property
and this is a title company and that's
their business so I'm assuming if they
can't find that it's not out there the
other two properties
um
59
101.02 and 6611 got both title reports
we do in fact own both properties uh as
far back as 1942 and the second property
back to 1958 both titles appear clear to
me
um they're clear of any judgments
they're clear of any open Mortgage in
the record uh there's no tidelines
claims on either property and the city
itself is clear of any Bankruptcy Court
judgments or any judgments against it as
well as the Patriot Act search so we're
clear of all that on
block 69 there are two easements of
record uh that came about in 2011. uh
one's a utility easement uh so I'm
assuming something happened in that area
back in 2011 and we encountered the
properties with two treatments but I
don't anticipate that they will uh
affect the development of the parcel at
all so
um Next Step will be for me to send this
off to
um oh what's the name here
yeah so I'll get them off the habitat
and see if they're interested in
purchasing and Mary I do have two
invoices from Purity uh for the two
Title Services if you haven't got one
thank you sir
so what what happens with the one with
what 128 with block 121 lot 1.
I didn't find a date of record I don't
think
I don't necessarily say we own it
um I mean it's on our tax holds as us
but we have no support here
uh I can ask better company what else
they can look into but I think that one
may be a different
okay
you've been maintaining this property
who's maintaining it I have no clue we
are
that pretty much clears it up they can't
they can't find the last year bro
they can't find a left feet of record I
don't know how to say that dude
it might be on that map but I'm in the
properties here the D-Day
what
I could find out what she already
suggests
somebody has to have it uh it might be
uh something to do with uh you know
something to do for Bob Bishop who's
that mole guy I referred to in the past
uh but he's going to be expensive so at
some point we have to figure out is it
worth it yeah
it probably had something to do with
when we acquired the the railroad
properties
but all right it's next yeah it's right
off that okay
you want me to try to get a number from
Bob Bishop as to what it would cost him
to try to research the title
because that's your plan as um
uh what's it called reasonable potential
yes okay I'll do that
okay moving on to well grants I think we
have some discussion on safer to school
requirement
yes I mean we don't have any other new
grants so that would that's a new Grant
okay
um
foreign
oh and you know
very old okay
can we get crossbones yeah I think
what was that report that's done by uh
by Dan papinski you're great at 250.
have you uh looked at that I assume you
have
a girlfriend here to live on the west
side
okay
and then Cedarburg
but so when we repay you both
are all the crosswalks going to be in
that Paving project
[Music]
okay
just in general everybody
yeah but there's no opportunities
the problem is you write a book
there's a lot of sections so there's no
room to have exciting devices
and realign that like that okay
but there's more roots that are safe
routes to school not just about right
yeah
just to be continuous
it's like that okay
create
password yeah
um
and we needed this didn't by November
okay
um
for it yes okay yeah
yes leave this
I think we're all in agreement
okay uh
at this time can we everybody please
refer to the agenda
no
approval of the minutes councilwoman
carpano councilman Smith
ordinance 11 councilman Smith and
councilman DeWeese
the resolutions
is there anyone that wants anything
program consent agenda
okay uh consent agenda 147 through 160
councilman leads and councilman DeWeese
ordinance 12.
councilwoman Bucci and councilman Leeds
payment of bills councilman DeWees
and councilwoman carpena
and meeting notices councilman Smith
councilman leads
and Clark family thank you
thank you
at this time uh
we'll open the meeting to the public
anyone from the public wishing to speak
on a topic we ask you to please step
forward and state your name and address
for the record
onboard 117 Northfield Avenue
um question on the alignment realignment
of the bike path to design and and
okay
yeah because there's some of these you
know living right at that intersection
I've come upon that to hold my breath
watching people particularly coming from
the Tilton Road side
you know don't even blow up for that
because they can't see what's coming on
from yeah
[Music]
yeah that's
that would be a vast Improvement but at
least you know then it's disciples who
were the best more responsible for a
safe process good point uh secondly the
discussion on uh habitat as a former
member of the former chapter of Atlantic
County Habitat
I know you haven't used it okay my
experience in the past with habitat with
other communities
Pleasantville Atlantic City Galloway
Township Hamilton Township
where
the city in some cases
in order to get affordable housing
committed
good donated The Watch
now you know I know that not always
possible or feasible but I think it's
something that Council might want to
consider in an effort to gain some
affordable housing
yes that's yeah that could possibly yeah
that is definitely an option okay good
thank you
if there's anyone in Zoom please raise
your hand if you'd like to speak
no hands right
okay seeing no one public session is now
closed
all in favor
aye any foot
we'll start the regular meeting
momentarily
good evening this is the regular meeting
for Northfield city council August 15th
of 2023.
this meeting has been properly
advertised in the Press of Atlantic City
in accordance with public law 1975
chapter 231 on Saturday January 7th of
this year may have the flag salute led
by council president pro tem DeWees
please all right
chance
please remain soon thank you all to take
a moment to honor the memory of retired
deputy chief Bob Leeds from the city of
Northfield Volunteer Fire Company Bob
passed away August the 13th he was a
dedicated volunteer with deep ties to
the community over 50 years of volunteer
service
I thank you
um information provides some service
will be shared by or has been shared by
Chief films and Americans
thanks we'll call please
Mrs Bucci here Mrs corfano here Mr
DeWees Mr Leeds Mr Notaro Mr Smith here
Mr palestino here Mr Chow
Mr President thank you
um
I would like to make a motion for the
approval of the minutes from July 18
2023 they have been properly advertised
in the Press of Atlantic City and a copy
is located in clerk Clerk's Office
second
all in favor all right any opposed
we have a motion free adoption of
ordinance
11-2023 Boden warnings
I'd like to make a motion to adopt
ordinance 11-2023 to be read by title
only
so I think
ordinance 11 of 2023 is a bond ordinance
of prep rating 740 000 and authorizing
the issuance of seven hundred three
thousand dollars in bonds or notes of
the city of Northfield for various
improvements or purposes authorized to
be undertaken by the city of Northfield
in the county of Atlantic state of New
Jersey this is the second reading there
will be a public hearing after which the
matter will be considered for final
adoption
the ordinance is presently posted in
full in the lobby of City Hall as well
as on the municipal website since
introduction anyone who requested a copy
of the ordinance would have been
provided with one free of charge in the
office of the municipal clerk during
regular business hours if approved this
evening it will be published the final
time in the price of Atlantic City with
the required estoppel statement on
August 22nd of 2023.
thank you
this is
fine this is all
projects in our Capital plan so we've
all discussed these if there's any any
other discussion
okay at this time we'll now open the
meeting to the public on ordinance
11-2023 and that ordinance alone
Asia please step forward state your name
and address for the record and there's a
five minute limit first speaker
and anyone in Zoom wishing to speak
please raise your hand
you know what to do
okay seeing no one public session is now
closed
roll call
Mrs Bucci yes Mrs Carfagno yes Mr DeWees
yeah Mr Leeds Mr Notaro Mr Smith yes Mr
palestino yes motion carries for the
adoption of ordinance 11 of 2023.
the council president I had the um the
mayor's annual recycling contest huh
okay
into the honors young lady
thank you
go ahead
and the winter is winter is Richard I'm
wishing it was when Richard Hurley of
six Catherine place congratulations
congratulations Mr Hurley
is that complete America report
I didn't want to hear my reports
report
Mr Nasir
and and we're it will do that within the
contract of budget we don't need to be
able to do it don't need to do anything
else with that
okay
anyone have any objection to that
or is there any other I mean is that the
most uh less streets already under
construction so it makes
4K anymore
it was the street even in the big Becker
which is Linear B
yeah
okay
I think weird
I think we have no objections
interesting I think change over the
problem is cleaner and just highlight
the new section
yeah
well yeah I just wanted to decide
um not changing the quantity just
changing performance of the contract
there based on the math week yeah and I
think the council can probably approve
that change in order to tonight if they
want that way it gets signed and we have
to wait till next month is it something
that's going to be constructed before
next month our next meeting I'm not sure
what you're going to do I just I haven't
contacted
um
I would prefer it be done by Chain
Jordan
um
we can probably vote on that tonight of
our resolution to that effect money so
you can Voice voting but if it's reduced
to writing the examples
okay
let's do it in writing next meeting
again all right and hopefully he doesn't
if he needs to mobilize before that let
us know and maybe leave us all about
that
's it any other questions for uh
furniture
okay thank you
at this minute at this moment we'll uh
open the me this meeting to the public
anyone from the public wishing to speak
on any topic we ask you to please step
forward state your name address for the
record and observe five minute limit
first speaker
and again if anyone who's in Zoom
wishing a specifically grade your hand
yes
iPad guest can you hear me
I've given you I've given you permission
to unmute yourself
can you hear me
yes
hi uh good evening members of city
council this is Mayor Chow speaking uh
first of all number one I have a
statement uh I want to extend my
condolences to
deputy chief leads uh family mayor child
if it's on speaker would you mind taking
it off speakerphone please
all right let's see
can you hear me now
can everybody hear him yes
all right as I said I'd like to extend
my condolences to the Leeds family
um I've been an active volunteer fireman
since 1976 and I've had the privilege of
working with deputy chief leads uh since
then uh he truly exemplifies what a
volunteer is to our municipality and
um he was truly a dedicated individual
so he will surely be missed and again I
want to extend my condolences to his
family
uh also I wanted to extend my
congratulations to Mr Hurley for winning
the recycling program and recycling bin
will be delivered to your house shortly
thereafter
uh and the last item I want to announce
is that in conjunctions and I would say
that but it's been going on for about
five or six years now I've had a program
in conjunction with the cooperation of
our local McDonald's uh restaurant here
in Northfield uh that we would give as
an incentive through our Police
Department uh and a incentive of a free
ice cream sunday uh donated by the
uh they said Northfield McDonald's
program uh it is something that I've
tried to instill Upon Our members of the
community about the importance of
wearing safety helmets uh for our uh
children who are riding bicycles so
surely uh within probably the end of
this month our police department members
while they are on patrol will be
distributed as an incentive and as if as
a prize for those children who are
wearing their helmets as far as Spike
safety is concerned that's all I have
thank you very much Mr President members
of City Council
thank you mayor hope you're feeling well
thank you
anyone else in Zoom
no no more hands no more hands seeing no
one these public sessions now closed
uh on the resolutions all matters listed
under the consent agenda are considered
to be routine in nature and having been
reviewed by Council will be enacted by
one motion any item may be removed from
the consent agenda at the request of any
council member and if so removed will be
treated as a separate matter
any items requiring expenditure are
supported by a certificate of
availability of funds
we have a motion to vote by consent
agenda thank God Nick that's very
important to vote by consent agenda
resolution
147 Falcon 24 through 150 2015.
second
all in favor
aye any opposed
we have a motion to adopt the consent
agenda okay make the emotions
resolutions
[Music]
second
any discussion
roll call
Mrs bouchi yes Mrs corfanio yes Mr
DeWees yes Mr Leeds Mr Notaro Mr Smith
yes Mr Palestina yes motion carriage for
the adoption of the consent agenda
independent
congratulations thank you
you may have a motion to introduce
ordinance 12-2023 I'd like to move to
enter
to 23 to be read by title only second
ordinance 12 of 2023 is an ordinance
amending Ordinance one of 2023 which
provides and establishes salary ranges
of officers and officers and employees
of the city of Northfield in the county
of Atlantic this is the introduction
there will be no public input the
ordinance will be published in the Press
of Atlantic City on August 23rd
um it is presently posted in the lobby
of City Hall as well as on the municipal
website and anytime up until the day of
the public hearing if a member of the
public wants a copy of the ordinance
they will be provided with one free of
charge in the office of the municipal
clerk there will be a second reading a
public hearing and the matter will be
considered for final adoption on
September 12th
roll call please
roll call any questions
thank you Mrs Pucci yes Mrs Carfagno yes
Mr DeWees yes Mr Leeds yeah Mr Notaro Mr
Smith yes Mr Palestina yes Mr carriage
for the instruction coordinates 12 of
2023. any minute bills I think emergency
paying your bills and one million five
hundred two thousand five hundred six
thousand and fifteen cents second
roll call
Mrs Bucci yes Mrs corfano yes Mr DeWees
Mr Leeds yeah Mr nataro Mr Smith yes Mr
palestino yes motion carries for payment
of Bill any new notices next city
council meeting will be September the
12th at 6 PM with a work session and the
regular session of meetings
all in favor
thank you