Michele Garry

The agenda for this regular council meeting included hearings and final adoptions for three ordinances: Ordinance No. 25-14 regarding the addition of regulations for portable toilets; Ordinance No. 25-16 amending regulations for probationary policemen; and Ordinance No. 25-17 amending floodplain management regulations, particularly concerning variances, prompted by 2025 flooding events. The meeting also addressed a Consent Agenda featuring numerous resolutions, such as authorizing the hiring of a new Administrative Assistant (retroactive to January 5, 2026), authorizing the Tax Collector to charge interest on delinquent accounts and cancel taxes for disabled veterans, authorizing electronic tax sales participation, transferring unidentifiable prior year tax credits to surplus, and making multiple appointments to various committees including the Library Advisory Committee, Municipal Alliance Committee, Somerset County Community Development Committee, Somerset County Cultural & Heritage Advisory Committee, Youth Services Commission, and Planning Board. Additionally, the Council adopted a Temporary Budget for 2026, named the Courier News as the official newspaper for 2026, and authorized the Mayor and/or Clerk to execute agreements when the Council is not in session.

The announcement is for Budget Hearings with Department Heads, which will be held in the Borough Hall Conference Room. The hearings are open to the public.

The ordinance authorizes a special emergency appropriation not exceeding $800,000 to fund the preparation and execution of a complete program of revaluation of real property within the Borough, as ordered by the Somerset County Board of Taxation. This program aims to update and make current any previous revaluation efforts for the use of the local assessor.

The agenda includes a roll call, compliance statement, and approval of council meeting minutes from September 8, 2025. It features hearings and final adoptions of ordinances related to land development concerning commercial recreational adult-use cannabis operations, amendments to traffic regulations regarding handicapped parking, and parking prohibitions on certain streets. A mayoral proclamation for Hispanic Heritage Month 2025 is also on the agenda. Additionally, the agenda covers a consent agenda with items such as authorizing duplicate tax sale certificates, canceling and refunding taxes for disabled veterans, agreements with Davey Resource Group for a tree inventory project, final payments to Crossroads Paving Company and Reliance Home Remodeling LLC, a refund of a food permit fee, renewal of a limo license, and awarding a contract with Crossroads Paving Co. for the Fairview Avenue Improvement Project. The agenda also includes convening an executive session for litigation and labor negotiations, communications, reports, requests for agenda items, public comment, and comments by the mayor, administrator, and council members.

The resolution authorizes the Mayor and Borough Clerk to execute an agreement with Crossroads Paving Co. for the 2023 Capital Road Improvements-Phase II-Various Roads Project. The Borough solicited bids for the project and Crossroads Paving Co. submitted the lowest bid. Grotto Engineering Associates, LLC indicated that the bid is favorable and the prices are reasonable. The Borough has appropriated sufficient funds to cover the cost of the work.