Borough of Hawthorne

The council discussed the adoption of several ordinances, including those related to employee salaries, fees for police body camera footage, and modifications to the period of delinquency for utility bill payments. Other key topics included parking issues at the local pool, concerns regarding a garbage collection contractor, site plan reviews, management of silt runoff from a construction development, the passing of a veteran police officer, and power outage reporting issues with PSEG.

The council meeting featured the annual environmental program presentation, which recognized local students and a green business for their sustainability efforts. The council also discussed the cleanup status of the Pan Chemical site and ongoing property code violation enforcement related to the Diamond Bridge location. Administrative appointments were made, and the Mayor's report provided updates on traffic safety enforcement on Fairview Avenue, community safety guidelines for air conditioning units, and a recent successful community health fair.

The board engaged in informal discussions regarding new businesses in the borough, a recent health and wellness fair, the status of member positions with upcoming expirations, and the ongoing process of migrating health services to Passaic County. No formal business actions or votes were conducted during this session.

The meeting included discussions on community garden maintenance, including the scheduling of cleanup dates and the purchase of equipment. Spring bird walk schedules and publicity efforts were reviewed, along with the planning and coordination of the upcoming annual environmental celebration, including vendor management, theme design, and volunteer assignments. The commission also reviewed the cleanup status of a local river, confirmed policies regarding native plant landscaping, and continued investigating a cigarette butt recycling program in collaboration with Terra Cycle.

The commission and green team discussed various environmental initiatives including the community garden's spring cleanup and mulch donation, scheduling of spring bird walks, the production of a kids' newsletter, and planning for the annual environmental program and awards. Discussions also covered the logistics for a river cleanup event, the feasibility of planting native plants in sidewalk areas, a cigarette butt collection program, and the implementation of a sports equipment recycling program. Additionally, concerns regarding vine growth on trees at 8 Acre Woods and an update on the Sustainable Jersey program were addressed.