Jesus R. Huaranga

The Council addressed various financial matters, including temporary emergency appropriations for the municipal, parking, and water/sewer utility budgets. The meeting included a public hearing and an amendment to the 2026 Municipal Budget, the re-appointment of a Police Director and HR Director, and the appointment of a Special Law Enforcement Officer. Other actions included authorizing property tax and utility overpayment refunds, a transfer of funds to the Harrison Board of Education, and approving construction escrow account closures. The Council also authorized the purchase of LED retrofitting for Little League lights and a Ford F-350 for the Department of Public Works, amended a tax appeal settlement, and introduced or adopted ordinances concerning construction permit fees and financial agreement amendments with urban renewal entities.

The Mayor and Council discussed and acted on several administrative and financial items. Key actions included the re-appointment of the Police Director and Human Resources Director, the public hearing and amendment of the 2026 municipal budget, and the approval of various license renewals, including ABC, amusement devices, and ice cream truck licenses. The Council adopted an ordinance authorizing financial agreement amendments for urban renewal entities and introduced an ordinance regarding construction permit fees. Additionally, the Council approved the appointment of a special law enforcement officer, authorized temporary emergency appropriations for municipal, parking, and water/sewer budgets, and processed property tax and utility overpayment refunds. The Council also authorized a financial transfer to the local Board of Education, approved construction escrow account closures, authorized purchases for department equipment (LED lighting and a municipal vehicle), and amended a previously approved tax appeal settlement.

The Council discussed and adopted resolutions for an Affirmative Marketing Plan for affordable housing and an amended Spending Plan for the Affordable Housing Trust Fund. The meeting also included the introduction of two ordinances regarding civil service employees and the towing rotation, as well as the formal adoption of several ordinances concerning land development, municipal budget appropriation limits, the police department's table of organization, land acquisition, and parking rates.

The agenda for the Mayor and Council meeting included several key legal and financial resolutions, as well as ordinance introductions and adoptions. Legal items included resolutions concerning Somerset Street conversion to a one-way street, and the adoption of the 'Affirmative Marketing Plan' and the Spending Plan for the Affordable Housing Trust Fund. Ordinances introduced or adopted covered amendments related to Civil Service Employees, the Town of Harrison Towing Rotation, the Land Development Ordinance, exceeding municipal budget appropriation limits, the Table of Organization of the Harrison Police Department, purchase of specific land parcels, parking rates for the Harrison Parking Center, and amendments to affordable housing regulations to meet Fair Housing Act requirements. Finance agenda items involved resolutions authorizing appropriation reserve transfers, execution of an Interlocal Agreement with the Harrison Redevelopment Agency for parking services, authorizing outside lien redemptions and overpayment refunds, awarding a professional services contract for remedial investigation at the Cape May Street Dog Park, and payment of bills and payrolls. The supporting documents detail the proposed Spending Plan for the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, projecting total revenues of $18,470,854 through June 30, 2035, with a current balance of $9,658,160 as of December 31, 2025.

The meeting agenda for the Mayor and Council included several key resolutions and actions. Under Legal, a resolution was scheduled authorizing the execution of a Development Agreement with Block A Partners Urban Renewal I LLC and Block B Partners Urban Renewal I, LLC regarding property within the Waterfront Redevelopment Area. The Finance section covered resolutions authorizing the Town of Harrison to terminate participation in the New Jersey State Health Benefits Plan and to join the NJ Solutions Joint Health Insurance Fund. Further finance matters included resolutions for temporary emergency appropriations to the 2026 Municipal Operating Budget, the 2026 Water and Sewer Utility Budget, and the 2026 Parking Utility Budget, as well as a resolution for the payment of bills and payrolls.