TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON, WARREN COUNTY
Regular Meeting
February 20, 2007

TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON, WARREN COUNTY

Regular Minutes
February 20, 2007

The regular meeting of the Township Committee was held this date at the Municipal/Police Building located on Little Philadelphia Road. The meeting was called to order at 7:30  p.m. by Deputy Mayor Samir Elbassiouny.

SUNSHINE LAW COMPLIANCE - The Mayor noted that this meeting was being held in compliance with the Open Public Meetings Law of 1975 in as much as a notice had been published in the Star Gazette and transmitted to the Express Times and posted at the municipal building.

ROLL CALL Dempski, present; Elbassiouny, present; Kovacs, present; Mueller present.  Michael Lavery, Township Attorney and Mary Ann O’Neil, Township Clerk were also present. Also present was Pete de Boer, Certified Public Works Manager, Richard B Vollmar, Township Engineer and Alex Soffiantini, Township Architect.  Horensky was absent.

SALUTE TO FLAG

APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Kovacs made a motion to approve the Reorganization Meeting Minutes of January 1, 2007, Mueller seconded.  All were in favor.

Mueller made a motion to approve the Regular Meeting Minutes of January 16, 2007, Kovacs seconded. All were in favor.

Kovacs made a motion to approve the Executive Meeting Minutes of January 16, 2007, Mueller seconded  All were in favor.

Dempski made a motion to approve the Budget Meeting Minutes of January 20, 2007, Mueller seconded. All were in favor.

Mueller made a motion to approve the Executive Meeting Minutes of January 20, 2007, Dempski seconded.  All were in favor.

Kovacs made a motion to approve the Budget Meeting Minutes of February 3, 2007, Dempski seconded.  All were in favor.

Dempski made a motion to approve Executive Meeting Minutes of February 3, 2007, Mueller seconded. All were in favor.

APPROVAL OF BID SPECS
Vollmar, Township Engineer, had reviewed bid packages on the Curb and Sidewalk Improvements on Castle Street, Dale Avenue and Bowerstown Road and recommended awarding of the contract to Tony’s Concrete, Newark, New Jersey.  Dempski made a motion to accept the recommendation of Vollmar and award the bid to Tony’s Concrete, Newark, New Jersey, Kovacs seconded.
ROLL CALL: Dempski, yes; Kovacs, yes; Elbassiouny, yes; Mueller, yes.

ORDINANCES
Kovacs made a motion to open Ordinance 07-04 -Bond Ordinance to Authorize the Making of Various Improvements to Public Buildings in, by and for the Township of Washington,, in the County of Warren, State of New Jersey, to appropriate the sum of $2,600,000 to pay the cost thereof, to make a down payment, to authorize the issuance of bonds to finance such appropriation and to provide for the issuance of Bond Anticipation Notes in anticipation of the issuance of such bonds to the public, Mueller seconded. All were in favor.

Richard J Strunk, 116 Brass Castle Road, read a statement into the record  as follows - We are here tonight to talk about a 2.6 million dollar bond issue. This whole new concept of gutting and redesigning this building project headed by Mr. Kovacs and Mr. Horensky can simply be described as “extravagant, unnecessary and wasteful”. In reviewing these plans I can now see why they did not want the public to see them and it took a special request put before township council to get them released.

 I was going to continue tonight to urge the committee to rethink total demolition on the inside of the building and again adopt a conservative approach to a concept of “keep the cost lower by using existing office space and do a minimum of renovation”.
 
But, I now understand that somehow a select few have given the okay to begin demolishing the inside of the building without due process of having the majority of the committee vote to do so at an open public session. This is a classic example as to why there is an “open public meeting sunshine law”; to prevent these kinds of activities out of the view and knowledge of the public.

We now have no secondary position to fall back on when the bids come in excessively high. We now have been forced into a total renovation. This only makes it too clear that some committee members continue to take the attitude that “we are going to do what we want regardless of what others may want”.

Tonight we are now going to witness an example of this bond issue not passing. Why? And there is no doubt in my mind that this 2.6 million dollar bond would have passed. Except a bond issue needs a super majority or 4 votes. And because Mr. Dempski and Mr. Mueller would not support such extravagant spending is the major reason it is not going to pass and not because there has been a rethinking to conservative spending. I arrive at this opinion by having attended recent meetings and listening to the various attitudes of committee members.

Later we will now see a new lower bond introduced for 1.6 million. It sounds and looks good, except we presently have another ordinance for $830,000.00 still outstanding. By my simple math that puts us right back to 2.4 million dollars.

How did we get such high numbers? We were told, by Mr. Kovacs, we needed a new architect with more municipal experience. His resume shows one building. We were told, by Mr. Horensky, the building was not seismically designed in the old plans. Even though two township committee members checked with the building code inspectors and were told the original plans met code. The new architect under “seismic restraint” (or in layman’s terms, “incase we have an earthquake”), has added some additional wires installed to support the drop ceilings. He is costing us and additional $114,000.00.

 In the original downstairs plans for the police, we had more than doubled their existing space from the old building to the new one. I had the police take me to different departments to show me their facilities, many brand new. The committee at that time was still overly generous in allotting space to the police department for a department of their size. The old plan also allowed for future expansion. I continue to believe and support our police in them having appropriate spaces to work. But for two years the police were unable to convince the committee in that time, they needed the majority of the downstairs 6,000 square feet. The committee at that time wanted to keep some space downstairs flexible for future township expansion.

We now show a plan that for the police department, that looks more like one for Washington DC, than Washington Township; including: lockers for 25 officers when we have 12 officers, additional space for future locker rooms, a break room, a training/briefing room, a squad room, a watch commanders room with a private bathroom, and a lieutenant’s office. All for a department that has only two officers on the road at a time.

 I could go on in detail about other extravagant spending throughout this plan. But we are here to talk about money. It would be great if money was no object and everybody could have everything. But sometimes we have to say, “no”. “No, we can’t afford that”. Because money IS the object. And this plan and the people in charge of it have lost track of that concept.

 We continue to  be “pushed” down the path to build a legacy for some committee members. Thank you.

Brett Matheis, 61 Cemetery Hill Road, said he was at the meeting asking the Committee  to do something with the infrastructure of township offices and police department. There is a need and it needs to be tackled. Also, if they are going to do something, do it right now and not ask for more money ten years from now to do it again.

Elizabeth Scovill 5 Osprey Court said ditto to what Matheis said.  She would like to be proud of the building the Committee put together and there is no way she can be proud of it in the current state. She said, whatever it takes, she wants to be proud of going by and saying, “That’s my town hall.”
 
Tom Prisk 5 Osprey Court. said he has attended most of the meetings for the last two years. He has seen the entire thing evolve. Prisk said at the end of December 2005 he attended a meeting and three months before that, he had asked the Committee to appoint a Project Manager.  He is also the representative, liaison between the Township and Hawk Pointe.  He was trying to get his people to come to the meetings to try to stop what was happening. You cannot buy a building that is 30 years old and with a $380,000 budget hope to do a good job.  It was mentioned that due diligence should have been done, it should have been done two years ago.   If it had been done, they would have found out they had a 30 year old Butler Building that needed major everything. There is no way any of the original budgets passed could have fulfilled the bill to make it a place that they could be proud of and the people that work in it would be proud of as well.  Prisk had a memo he wrote to his board which he read: A special meeting was held last night to discuss renovations of the Brown and Brown Building(B&B)  Other things on the agenda were the report from   the forensic accountant auditor investigation and a joint meeting between the Boro and the Township.  The only meeting that was open was on the B&B Building .  As it turns out, B&B plans to move on December 16, 2005.  They were supposed to be out in June. The building was bought in December 2004 and it took a year to get them out. They were supposed to move in June 2005, B&B contracted to pay $75,000 in renovations, provided they were done while they were still there. They moved out on December 12, 2005, so the Township had a week to pick up and try to get renovations done. 

Jeff Strunk gave the Township Committee and himself copies of the architect’s latest budget revisions and layouts. During the public questions portion of the meeting he again, for the record, asked why there was no Project Manager for the B&B Building. He further stated, as an outside observer, “It seems to me that Mr. Strunk is serving as the Project Manager” and he expressed concern that this opens the entire Township Committee up to unnecessary criticism and exposure. Prisk said this has happened.  Already the lack of such a person has cost the Township $75,000. At that time they were discussing the sale of the Administration Building and said, lets go for $1.6 million.  That was the original thing posted when they tried to sell the building.  They ended up $950,000, which is sitting there and getting no money for it. They have lost all the ratables on B&B which is costing money and each month they waste it is getting more expensive to bring this up to a standard that the Committee should be proud of. 

The original budget was $380,000, this one was for $458,000.   There was $50,000 for an elevator, $50,000 to fix up the roads and parking lots.  There was nothing about a bathroom or anything on the first floor. He was just over to  the building a few weeks ago and would rather go outside than go into that bathroom.  The $14,000 for the architect, $15,000 for Project Manager, who was never appointed until the third time he asked for it and Committee finally appointed the Township Engineer, Robert Miller, who would give Dempski a report every week.  On these budgets, there was never anything in there about the facade of the building or how the people would be equipped. The picture that the press took, the B&B Building looks like The Grapevine, you cannot tell the difference between the two buildings. This is something the Township should not be proud of at all.

Two people said, lets do it right and that is where he was coming from - all the meetings that he has attended usually there are two votes on one side and two votes on the other side and it depends on who the mayor is at the time.  For the last two years, two votes have been on one side supporting Mayor Dempski, now supporting Mayor Horensky.  Prisk said, “Lets get all five working together, instead of three - two”.  He did not agree with Strunk in saying the plans were extravagant. Nobody wants a Taj Mahal, they want a building they can be proud of. He wants to be proud of Washington Township and he thinks they are is getting the short end of the stick by penny pinching.  Please do not take it out of the hides of the employees by not giving them desks and files.  Thank you.

Al Ivany, 1010 Butler Park Road, said first of all, he was in favor of the purchase of the Brown and Brown Building for use as the Washington Township Municipal Building and renovating the building for the initially proposed $360,000 seemed both a feasible proposition at a reasonable price - especially since the Township was going to sell the existing building to offset costs.  After the cost estimates rose to more than $800.000 and the building needed more work than originally thought, he still felt the project could be salvaged, as long as this would be the final cost. Then bids came in for more than $1 million dollars and as high as $1.5 million, and the project, according to the minutes posted on the Township Web Site, languished for months and months. Then it was made public that prior to the purchase of the building, also according to the minutes, no intensive inspections had been done on the building, only a walk through by the committee or certain members thereof.    At that point, it certainly seemed that the Township Committee should have taken another hard look at this project to see it was indeed feasible and cost effective.

Then, after the new year of 2007, and without more than a budget hearing on a Saturday for public notice, a proposal for a bond of $2.6 million, in addition to the currently sitting bond of more than $800,000, as proposed, for a total of nearly $3.5 million dollars.  This is unacceptable as he sees it. Not only have costs sky rocketed beyond comprehension, there has been and continues to be no education of the residents of Washington Township by the Township Committee as to why the costs have risen so dramatically.  There has also be cryptic quotations by the Township Committee in the press regarding the use of the bond  money, such as some will be used for other uses, still those uses have not been made clear. The last minute proposal on the bond on a Saturday raises concerns regarding the proper open and transparent running of government. Add to that the fact that the only way the residents of Washington Township were able to access the plans for what would become “our municipal building” was after the Express Times did an Open Public Records Request and the entire process becomes questionable.
 
If the Brown and Brown Building is in such disrepair, then maybe the Township should consider selling it and finding a more suitable and feasible location for a new municipal complex.   If it is salvageable, then they should take a very close look at how best to bring the building up to code and make it function for the Township and the people of this community that will be paying for their municipal complex should have a say in what they would like to see in it.  The Committee should be reaching out and holding some public hearings and put forth several plans and cost estimates, not operating in a perceived cloak of secrecy.  Therefore, he asked the Committee to reject the proposal for not only the $2.6 million dollar bond, but also for any additional proposals at this time, including rescinding the outstanding bond for $850,000 until the Community can be educated on the plans and have a say in what they would like their municipal complex to be. He asked this, not to drag the process on indefinely, but to foster an open and transparent process they can all be confident in and one that will insure the outcome is one they will all be proud of.

Julie Morangello, Primrose Lane, asked where the budget was for this building, has it been given out yet?  She agreed with everything that Ivany said.  Who is going to say what is for this roof and what is for the Gyro Building, how is the money being spent and where is the $814,000 that they have already loaned?   Where is the budget, can they give her a copy of it?   The people should be able to see what the Committee is spending this money on.    Dempski said that professional services have been spent out of the money, but this was budgeted to go out to bond for, so a large portion has not been spent yet. Morangello asked, Is the Township was going to publish a copy of how the money will be spent.  Elbassiouny explained how monies are spent on public buildings and how the process works.

John Grdovic, 7 Baltusol Avenue , said in response to the statement about the architect producing the budget, someone previously stated he had experience one municipal building.  He did not know the commercial experience and cannot comment on that, but if there is one municipal building, wouldn’t it make sense that others get brought into the budgeting process that might have more experience in renovation and construction of multi-million dollar projects.   Kovacs said they looked at 12 different architects. There was discussion on how the municipal budget process works in hiring architect and creating plans to go out for bid. Grdovic said he would not be comfortable asking the people of the town to support a bond of this size based on one estimate. You are asking the people to approve millions of dollars based on one estimate, nobody would do it. You would not do it with your house, don’t do it with our money, please. There is a level of responsibility that goes along with this.

Ron Greenwald, 6 Roaring Rock Road, said he has built buildings and has worked with architects and engineers. He has had his maintenance people draw floor plans, give them to an estimator who will work up a price and give you extremely cost value.  If we are going to be responsible politicians and leaders, then lets be responsible politicians and leaders and do it correctly, not hidden - out in the open and correctly and responsibly.

Martin Ridder, 70 Pleasant Valley Road, just wanted to say he use to own the Washington House with his dad. It was sold to the people that made it Ocino’s.  They put $3 million dollars into the building, they did not last two years - what happens when the business cannot pay their bills, they go out of business.   If the Township cannot pay their bills, they raise their taxes. He said he could speak for everybody and they think their taxes are high enough, please spend the money properly and make a proper building. It does not have to be a Taj Mahal or castle, just something that can operate for a township in Warren County.  

Comments ended at 8:00 p.m.  Elbassiouny asked for a motion to close the public hearing. Dempski made a motion to close the public hearing, Kovacs seconded.  All were in favor.  Kovacs made a motion to approve Ordinance 07-04, Dempski seconded.
ROLL CALL: Kovacs, yes; Dempski, no; Elbassiouny, no; Mueller, no.

Kovacs made a motion to approve, on first reading, Ordinance 07-05, Ordinance to Amend an Ordinance fixing the Salaries of the Officers and Employees of the Township of Washington, County of Warren and State of New Jersey 2007-01, (Code & Construction), Dempski seconded.
ROLL CALL: Kovacs, yes; Dempski, yes; Mueller, yes; Elbassiouny, yes.
Public Hearing and Second Reading will be Saturday, March 3, 2007.

Kovacs made a motion to approve Ordinance 07-06  on first reading  - Bond Ordinance to Authorize the Making of Various Improvements to Public Buildings in, by and for the Township of Washington, in the County of Warren, Sate of New Jersey, to appropriate the sum of $1,600,000 to pay the cost thereof, to make a down payment, to authorize the issuance of bonds to finance such appropriation and to provide for the issuance of Bond Anticipation Notes in anticipation of the issuance of such bonds, Dempski seconded.
ROLL CALL: Kovacs, yes; Dempski, yes; Mueller, yes; Elbassiouny, yes.
Public Hearing and Second Reading will be Tuesday, March 20, 2007.

RESOLUTIONS
The Deputy Mayor advised that any item for discussion should be removed prior to approval. Otherwise, one motion will cover all items on Consent Agenda. Lavery asked that 07-14 be pulled and voted on separately.  Lavery asked that Resolution 07-38 be removed until he can review it  and will have it on the March Agenda.
 
Lavery said he had been asked to review the RFP’s for special litigation and recommended that Attorney Edward Glynn be appointed to Special Litigation and Attorney Martin Allen of the firm of Di Francesco, Bateman, Coley, Yospin, Kunzman, Davis and Lehrer for Tax Litigation.  Kovacs made a motion that Resolution 07-14 Resolution Authorizing the Award of a Fair and Open Contract for Special Litigation  Counsel to Attorney Edward Glynn and Martin Allen be approved, Mueller seconded.  Lavery said he felt it would be a good idea to do a RFP for special labor counsel.
ROLL CALL: Kovacs, yes; Mueller, yes; Dempski, yes; Elbassiouny, yes.

Kovacs made a motion to approve Resolution 07-31, excluding Resolution 07-38, up to Resolution 07-41 be approved, Dempski seconded.
ROLL CALL: Kovacs, yes; Dempski, yes; Mueller, yes; Elbassiouny, yes.
07-31 Tonnage Grant Application Form
07-32 Authorize and Approve Salaries and Wages for Certain Employees (Phillip Smith)
07-33 Authorize and Approve Salaries and Wages for Certain Employees (Ryan Lance/William Risko)
07-34 Refund of Property Owners List (Kenderian Zalinski Associates)
07-35 Dedication by Rider/Interlocal Services Uniform Code Construction Office
07-36 Resolution Authorizing the signing of Interlocal Agreement with Mansfield/Code & Construction
07-37 Tax Sale Certificate Redemption Resolution, Block 38, Lot 22 C0018
07-39 Resolution Authorizing Mayor to execute the Agreement & Statement of Cost for Municipal Police Services between NJ DOT and the Township of Washington
07-40 2006 Budget Appropriation Transfer
07-41 Resolution Authorizing Mayor to sign ENSR Proposal

REPORT FROM STAFF
de Boer said he had been asked to comment on a section of the Sign Ordinance on Street Signs.  After discussion, it was the consensus of the Committee to keep Street Signs at 6".    Lavery will have an amendment to the Sign Ordinance prepared for the March meeting.

de Boer said, as Chairman of the Safety Committee, he would like to see a member of the Township Committee sitting on the Safety Committee. Elbassiouny volunteered to serve on the Committee.

de Boer said he has some used vehicles and equipment that he would like to have sold by bid and asked to start the process.  Lavery will have a resolution prepared for the March meeting stating that the vehicles and equipment is no longer needed for public purposes and asked that he be provided with vin and other information.

PUBLIC QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS (8:10pm)
Barry Bourquin, Pear Tree Developers, asked the status of the Maintenance Bond that he had brought the attention of the Committee last month. The last inspection was in November.   Vollmar, Township Engineer, said he spoke with Bourquin today. There are three  issues that need priority treatment, one of which is Bourquins.  Vollmar said, due to the transition with the engineers, they will be taking it over and giving it top priority and expect to get something to him by the end of the week.

John Grdovic, 7 Baltusol Avenue said in his development, Fairway Estates, there are actual duplicate signs all over the development.  There are original posts with signs, new signs stuck in with cheap green posts and new signs are stuck up right next to the old ones. He asked that the old signs be removed and new ones on instead of the way it has been done in the past.

Cathy Fiore, Mine Hill Road, asked that a line be put down the center of their road, which has not been done in many years.  It is very dangerous when there is a fog, because of not having a line down the center of the road.   Elbassiouny said this is something that will be done in the spring.

Al Ivany, 1010 Butler Road, said, following up on his comment about open and transparent government, he noticed de Boer asking for approval going out to bid for vehicles and equipment.   He asked if it was possible for the community to know what vehicles and equipment are on the list. It seems all to frequently, on these agendas, they see this a lot and never know what they are talking about.  It certainly does not seem the Township has a lack of new vehicles and equipment.  Elbassiouny said it was selling the old vehicles that are no longer needed and will be sold to highest bidder.   Ivany requested that the agenda be more specific in the future, because they seem to be overly general. This way the community would be involved.

Kathy Enz, Spring Lane, said she has been at the meetings many times and was unhappy to be there again. Five years ago, her neighbors started harassing her about her driveway.  She has a preserved farm on Spring Lane. She was in court in October for four days trying to keep the driveway to the farm open for farm machinery. She won the decision, the judge gave her a deeded right-of-way on a triangle. Enz said she owns the driveway and where it flares to go around toward Washington it crosses the neighbors corner.  This is a small piece of property.  They put up strings, boulders and other aggravation. 
 
Enz said she was focused on getting farm equipment in and out of the driveway. It wasn’t until after when they tried to get the surveyor up there to do the description that they put up three huge boulders up across this piece of property.  She asked the Committee to look into this. de Boer went up and he said they are not in the public right-of-way.  She has a new certified deed that proves they are in the public right-of-way.

Enz said it never crossed her mind about a fire until the boulders went up.    Now there is the question of whether or not the fire engines can get in this driveway.  The fire engine was down and being repaired. The Fire Chief was up on Saturday and said the rock has to be moved.   Enz asked that the Township Committee enforce their own ordinance that states obstacles must be taken out of the public right-of-way.  The police are supposed to enforce it.

Kovacs said  the police department, road department and fire department have been to this  area. Enz said everybody was there and they talked to the neighbor, but nobody told her they were coming.  Kovacs said they all agreed that they could get into the property.  Kovacs said the neighbors even agreed to sell her part of the property there.  Enz said it wasn’t much footage and they wanted a high amount for it.

Kovacs said this has been going on for years and it is not the Township’s responsibility, it belongs in court  and as far as the Township is concerned, they are not bothering the right-of-way.  Kovacs asked what the judge said.  Enz said the judge told the surveyor to draw it up to allow farm vehicles to get in there, they gave her 8 feet, which is not quite wide enough. If the boulders were not there, there would be no problem. There has to be a written description on both of their deeds and pins put in the ground and they are not to obstruct it.

Dempski said he did not want to see the Township get dragged into a civil matter, which the tax payers would have to foot the bill for, because this is between two private people. Enz said that is what the Committee has been saying for three years, but she was showing them the map that shows the boulders are in the public right-of-way.    If the fire engine clears it, there is no problem.  Elbassiouney said nothing should be done until they see if the fire truck can get through.   Enz said, if it doesn’t clear, she wants something in writing from the committee to give to the judge that they need more than they have, but mostly she wants the boulders pushed back, because they are in the right-of-way.

Tom Prisk, 5 Osprey Court, said he thought the turn out for this evening was great. He wished there had been turn outs like this for the last two years and encouraged everybody to attend future meetings to voice their opinions to the Committee, because they work very hard.  Dempski has worked very hard the last two years. Prisk asked the people to participate.

REPORT FROM PROJECT ARCHITECT
Elbassiouny said the architect was present and would do a presentation on all aspects of the new Municipal Building.  He asked the people to hold their comments and questions until after the presentation. 

Alex Soffiantini, Project  Architect,  did a presentation on the new Municipal Building, starting with the history of the building, showed the sketches of the two floors and addressed all comments and questions that were asked by the people present. The sketches of the two floors will be put on the website for the public to pull up and review. (Ended at 9:15 p.m.)

Dempski made a motion to take a break at 9:15 p.m., Mueller seconded.  All were in favor.  Dempski made a motion to return to the meeting at 9:30 p.m,  Mueller seconded. All were in favor.

OTHER
Elbassiouny had the new employees that will be working in the newly organized Code and Construction Office introduce themselves to the Committee and the audience. They were Christopher Rose who would be Construction Official and Plumbing Sub Code Official; Joseph Rossi, Electrical Sub Code Official; Carolyn Quinn, Secretary; Dennis Allen, Building Sub Code Official and Building Inspector and George Mc Grath, Fire Sub Code and Fire Inspector.   Elbassiouny asked for a motion to approve the hiring of these employees. Kovacs made a motion to approve Christopher Rose, Joseph Rossi, Carolyn Quinn, Dennis Allen and George Mc Grath as employees in the Code and Construction Office, Dempski seconded. 
ROLL CALL; Kovacs, yes; Dempski, yes; Mueller, Elbassiouny, yes.

 OLD BUSINESS
1. Lavery said the discussion on the police gym will be discussed in Executive Session under attorney/client privilege.

2. There was discussion on how de Boer would be paid for being Project Manager on the Brown and Brown Building. Elbassiouny said there was a motion made at the last meeting to pay the  salary and wages of de Boer out of the salary and wages abd anything after working hours, out of bond.     Kovacs said that during working hours de Boer had asked for permission to put in 7 hours a week, which would be during normal working hours, in which case the salary would be the salary he normally gets from the Township.  Anything that is over the normal working hours, then that would come out of the bond. Dempski made a motion that de Boer be authorized to work as Project Manager during normal working hours, to be paid from Road Department Salary and Wages and anything beyond those hours would be out of the Bond, Elbassiouny seconded.
ROLL CALL: Dempski, yes; Elbassiouny, yes; Kovacs, yes; Mueller, yes.

NEW BUSINESS
1. Discussion on the DPW doing repair work at the Brass Castle and Port Colden Schools, with Washington Township Board of Education responsible for the payment of the materials. de Boer said he had asked the school to put their request n writing to the Township Committee  de Boer said that the DPW might not even do it, they may use the Morris County Co-op. Mueller made a motion that the DPW do the repair work at Brass Castle and Port Colden Schools, after a report being given at the next meeting of all the details on this project, Dempski seconded.
ROLL CALL: Mueller, yes; Dempski, yes; Kovacs, yes; Elbassiouny, yes.

2. Kovacs made a motion that the Washington Panthers request to use the meeting room on March 9 from 6pm to 8pm and Saturday, March 10 from 9 a.m. until noon and Friday, March 23 from 6pm to 8pm and Saturday, March 24 from 9am until noon be approved, Mueller seconded.  All were in favor.

3. Kovacs made a motion to approve the Township Clerk attending the Annual Municipal Clerks Conference in Atlantic City March 5 through 8, Mueller seconded. All were in favor.

4. Mueller made a motion to approve the Certified Public Works Manager attending a Public Records and OPRA Class in Bethlehem Township on Thursday, March 1, Elbassiouny seconded. All were in favor.

5. Mueller made a motion to approve the request from Ray Kunzman, WTYA Little League, for sign ups on  Tuesday, February 27 and Thursday March 8, Elbassiouny seconded.   All were in favor except Dempski who abstained.

6. Discussion from Finance Department on recycling items left at Brown and Brown and items stored at the DPW and Administration Garage. Lavery asked if the equipment was left at Brown and Brown and if they were, they could be part of the contract of sale. If not, there was no problem.  Kovacs made a motion to approve the DPW to take the equipment left at the Brown and Brown Building to recycling,  Dempski seconded.  All were in favor.

7. Kovacs made a motion to change the next budget meeting from Saturday, February 24, 2007 to Saturday, March 3, 2007 at 10:00 a.m., Mueller seconded. All were in favor.

8. Dempski made a motion to allow a  helicopter flown by Todd Welch to land at Warren Hills on Saturday, February 28, 2007, Mueller seconded. All were in favor.

REPORTS FROM OFFICIALS
Barry Mueller met with Mr. Jinks, new Superintendent of Township Schools and spoke of things they may possibly do together.

The Historical Commission is working on the Auto-Giro Dedication on May 19, 2007.

David Dempski had no report.

Michael A Kovacs talked with the auditor and the Budget Meeting has been rescheduled from February 24, 2007 to March 3, 2007 in order to do second reading on the Salary Ordinance.

Kovacs said, on Brown and Brown, Dempski had sent an e-mail to everybody which had 15 items of concern, which was discussed.  Kovacs said he overlook the electronic sound system, alarm system etc because he was concentrating on the building. Kovacs has asked Dempski to take over the sound system, phone system, computer systems, locations, etc.  Dempski agreed to do this. 

Samir Elbassiouny asked Richard Vollmar, Township Engineer, to read his monthly report to the Committee.
Vollmar’s report included Geotechnical Review for the Land Use Board Projects and will be meeting with them next Wednesday.   Vollmar brought a contract to the meeting to be signed by the Mayor.  Elbassiouny said the Committee has taken a different approach with the contractors and wording will be added to the contractors, that the final report at the end of the year must be ready for the December meeting. A status report and what stage projects are at the time of the report should be in the report.   Elbassiouny asked Vollmar to look into the drainage problem at Fairway Golf Course.
 
Kovacs asked de Boer how much has been accomplished by DPW in the Demolition Process percentage wise  at the Brown and Brown Building. de Boer said probably 50% was done. 

Elbassiouny said he has been working on Code and Construction  Officials.  He said that there are some very good people on board and hopes the Township will benefit from them. The biggest challenge was to have everybody be Class I HHS. .

Chief Mc Donald said, with reference to the newly hired Code and Construction Officials, he would like to send them down to get ID Badges, with photo, made up.  Elbassiouny said they are doing background checks also. The Construction Office will be in the Log Cabin by the golf course.   Mansfield is also supplying the Township with space for the  next three months until the Township is set up.   The Township will receive $90,000 from Mansfield to run their department.

PAYMENT OF BILLS
Mueller made a motion to approve the bills, Kovacs seconded. All were in favor, except Kovacs, who abstained.

EXECUTIVE SESSION
Elbassiouny made a motion to go into Executive Session at 10:00 p.m., for the purpose of personnel, two contractional matters (Unity Bank and AJR Property) and attorney/client matters which was the discussion of police contract and police gym, Kovacs seconded. All were in favor.

The doors were opened. Dempski made a motion to come out of Executive Session at 11:40 p.m. , Mueller seconded.  All were in favor.

Lavery said the Committee came out of Executive Session at 11:40 p.m. where they discussed a personnel matter which was police negotiations, two contractional matters, one being Unity Bank and one AJR, and one attorney/client privilege matter which was the police gym.  No official action was taken.

Kovacs made a motion to adjourn at 11:41 p.m., Mueller seconded. All were in favor,

Respectfully submitted,

Mary Ann O’Neil RMC/CMC
Township Clerk