Bloomfield Town Council meeting, March 22, 2021

    1:57PM Mar 23, 2021

    Speakers:

    Michael Venezia

    Keywords:

    township

    ordinance

    council

    bloomfield

    councilman

    number

    resolution

    administrator

    amend

    moved

    questions

    years

    asian community

    retirement

    reading

    comments

    utility

    mayor

    cultural preservation

    matt

    No care for me

    gonna be loving Zulu

    no cares.

    Whatever comes in he

    goes, that's

    awesome server

    ledger patch barista net and tap into Bloomfield, please stand for pledge allegiance. I pledge allegiance

    to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Please, please

    call the roll. Join us.

    Councilman David Johnson here

    looks like the right to communications written.

    We have two letters from the second group joint meeting. One is recording of what our consumption figures for the 2020 annual report and the other in determining the assessment of Bloomfield. Our portion is number $15,184. From the Churchill consulting engineers on behalf of the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, submitting a permit for maintenance and repair activities from PSE and G painting and traffic control, asking for help to coordinate municipal Academy work in conjunction with clap as company Gas and Electric projects by entering the information on our paving status map portal.

    I had a project

    from the chairman of the fullfilled Education Foundation talonflame advising the township with a tentative date of the sunset clause is Thursday June 24. At 7pm. From a TMT there's executed agreements approved by the D o t for group the avenue improvements that was addressed in the council. On behalf of the Essex County Board of Commissioners,

    there were four ordinances that were

    put forth number four, which is a salary ordinance number five, which is an ordinance establishing new jersey county option hospital, the pilot program for the counter number 14 regarding solid waste management plan with an agreement for advanced recycling, or transfer or and disposal of type 13

    and type 23

    and type 20 feet 27th. We're also on the last one is 15 which is a contract with waste management in New Jersey for transport transportation of solid waste insane commercial waste types. suspected hazardous discharge notifications for 403 Abington 33 116 volts three 172 Montgomery street 239 ampere Parkway, their route to avoid Avenue 7331 Wall Street and lastly from DPW regarding installation of the substation subsurface depressurization at 234 and 73. That's all man.

    Thank you Louise three of anybody here for public comment. Okay. You're technically Yes, but you could come up.

    My name is Robert moss mlss 17 Knuth street I received from the tax department and arrears from 100 $116.29 plus interest. I checked website. According to our own website, I am up to date until February 1, that is listed as open. I don't know why. The amount is here is $1,990. This is my latest checking account statement $1,990 was posted against was charged against my checking account on February 10. I call this morning I did not get an answer. Now, normally, I would not come so quickly before the council, but I've been waiting over a year from your water department, our water whoever it is, for an answer because they are illegally billing me based on my last not my last vote. But when they resumed when they resumed actual readings, illegally be billed me based on arbitrary and capricious estimated readings. This day, I have not received an answer. why this happened? I haven't formed the water department. Once they post once they try to build me for the interest on that I will immediately go to small claims court. And that's why I came so quickly here. I don't know what's going on in this town, one pandemic and nothing works.

    Okay. So, bring your information. That young lady right there, Diana, she will review it and we'll get you an answer about what happened with the your bill. Diana right there.

    Okay. Okay.

    Well look into a free me for your contact information. Anybody else here for public comment? Okay. Before we go into first reading, Councilman gamble wants to

    Councillor gamble.

    Thank you, Mayor. So I just wanted to take a moment and acknowledge the increase in hate crimes against the Asian community that we've seen over the past year. I think I can speak for everyone on this council where we, you know, support our Asian community. We have a large Asian population here in Bloomfield, lots of small businesses owned by those in the Asian community. And I think, you know, we've shown in some of the work we've done in our community that we are working towards being an anti racist community and just want to say that, that type of hate has no home here in Bloomfield, we're stronger because of our diversity. And I just wanted to put a heartfelt message out there to those in the Asian community just because, you know, recently and some conversations with people in that community, they're really scared and it's really frightening just to you know, you know, unprovoked violence against, you know, a community like that is a scary thing. And so we're, we're here for you, our heart goes out to and that's Yeah, that's all.

    Thank you, council again. But,

    you know,

    we're all in agreement that there's no place for hate here in Bloomfield against the Asian community. And I just want to thank you for bringing that up. Thank you, man. Can I get a motion to go into first reading? Second, second. Councilman Cruz All in favor? Aye. Number one,

    Mayor. ordinance to amend Chapter Two for vehicles in traffic or equivalently. For family to dash 20. Schedule 16. Parking prohibited certain counties for request to amend scope 16 to 54 dash six includes road South Friday from 9am to 12pm. Lord speaking to Sky the road, up the road, North Side Thursday 12pm.

    Sunday, second, second, Councilman

    crews. Are there any questions or comments from the council? Luis please call the roll.

    Yes, council approves Yes.

    Yes. Yes.

    Yes. Number two.

    Marin Council have an ordinance to amend Chapter 254 vehicles and traffic article six schedules 254 dash 53.1 scheduled 12 a speed humps the traffic unit along with engineering recommends installation of speed humps at spruce street some

    second second Councilman gamble others Any questions or comments? Luis please call the roll.

    Yes. Councilwoman Cruz?

    Yes,

    yes, yes. Yes. Council on the cruise Can you take number three also

    have an ordinance to amend and supplement chapter 387 of the Bloomfield township code, providing parking for physically limited persons. And these are for disabled parking spaces at 277 North 17th Street 126 Willard 34.2 85 North 1769 Berkeley Avenue and 15 le France. So moved.

    Second second Councilman gamble. Are there any questions or comments? Luis please call the roll.

    Yes,

    yes.

    Yes. Yes.

    Yes. Number four.

    Yep. Good evening, Mayor

    Council. I wanted to briefly discuss the ordinances on tonight's agenda concerning the cultural preservation

    utility. As you'll recall, back in February meeting, new introduced an ordinance creating preservation utility within the township of Bloomfield, and that is listed tonight for second reading. What you also noticed, number four, and five other introduction are two new ordinances, one creating the cultural preservation utility, and a second one establishing operating and management regulations for the result. So since the February meeting, when original ordinance was introduced, we consulted with the state.

    And their recommendation was to break up the first ordinance we did and

    break it up into two, one standalone just creating utility, and then the second one to deal with the operating and management regulations. So that goes needed to be amended from time to time over the years, it would have no impact on the ordinance that created the utility. So functionally, what does that mean? What I would ask you to do there is just drop down in the agenda. Take that number one that john proposed ordinances for second reading. What I would recommend the council to is is moving but not seconded. And the reason is, so that that word is procedurally valid. And you would go to numbers four, and then five, on the introduction of ordinances, and that will begin to start the process over with the new creation ordinance, and then the new management and operation. So basically, I would say take number one first. Okay. don't have anybody seconded, and it doesn't have to wait and then go back to normal.

    Okay, council mundo.

    ordinance reading Brookdale cultural preservation recently he was in the hospital field. So

    anybody for a second? Motion fails. Now, number four, Councilman gamble and first reading.

    Yes, mayor and council I have an ordinance creating the Bloomfield cultural preservation utility within the township of Bloomfield So moved. Second. Second, Councilman

    Rockwell. Are there any questions or comments? Louise, please call the roll.

    Yes.

    Yes.

    Yes.

    Yes. And number five

    Marin council I have an ordinance establishing operating and management regulations for the Bloomfield cultural preservation utility. So moved.

    Second council muddle are any questions or comments? Louise, please call the roll. Yes.

    Yes. Yes.

    Yes.

    Okay. Number two, on the second reading.

    Eric, I still have an ordinance to amend chapter four, which is soliciting Mark Walker's transit merchants to the adoption section.

    Second Council, my crews. Are there any questions or comments from members of the audience? Are there any questions or comments from members of the council? Oh, I'm sorry. Was there anybody on the line Kathy? Okay. Any questions or comments from the council? Please, please call the roll.

    Yes, yes.

    Yes.

    Yes. Yes. Yes. And number three,

    man count seven ordinance repealing chapter 105. Utilities public article one orange street center within the code of the township of Bloomfield. So moved.

    Second.

    Second, Councilwoman Cruz have any questions are sorry. Second, Councilman gamble. Are there any questions or comments from members of the audience?

    Anybody on the line?

    Are there any questions or comments from members of the council? Louise please

    call the roll.

    Yes, yes. Yes. Okay, consent resolutions. Councilman Cruz. Can you please move consent resolution one through 20.

    Man Council, I have consent resolutions one through 22nd

    second council gamble. Does anybody have any questions or comments on these resolutions? All in favor? Aye. Okay, Resolution Number one, Councilman gamble.

    Marion Council, I have a resolution appointing Anthony decend zone as acting township administrator for the township of Bloomfield, So moved. Second. Second. Councilman

    Rockwall? Are there any questions or comments?

    So I just want to explain to the public

    for a minute, it's possible that this process for higher intelligence,

    the topic come up. So

    everyone your toes are in touch with instead of retiring, especially in the last

    heard of the Federal Council.

    So we are working to hire detachment. So the process for that that posted job with me and attaching website was also a municipality, and make some other places as well. And so we received a number of resumes. For it was really good candidates. That was helpful recruiter that I logged on to what was township staff. For me, many of the

    folks that we interviewed were lovely, qualified people who just weren't the right fit.

    So we're taking, you know, a moment because we're fortunate position that Mr. Watkins has given us the freedom staff that is very strong in the students office. So we now have the opportunity to take a minute to think, again about talking about job search, and how we perceive that anytime we have the sense of very qualified person to be in the medical field

    resolution as long

    as you're working with us in town, so I just wanted to make that clear. picture of what we're doing fine. Thank you.

    Thank you, counsel on Monday, I just want to thank you and Councilwoman Cruz, for kind of leading the search amongst your colleagues. And, you know, this Anthony's sends those extremely capable, we're very excited to have him on board on an interim basis. You know, so we're, we're ready to go so we don't miss a beat cosmin join up.

    Let's get a sense of his experience with people. As a former police chief is the supervisor for him. The animal shelter and the parking authority. He's been here for a number of years. He's come to Delhi staff. He has support of department heads. So what I like inserted, in his choice, he was always strips. The continuity of continuing, going forward is critically important. That's is not the time to otj simply me bringing in an outside person who is not familiar with both field management and its community. It's not the time without for what publishing experience this year, all of us have suffered in the new old ways. Taking someone from within, who is close to the system understands, understands us, as a mayor and council is so critically important. And I applaud the decision, we went to consensus need to be a blank at the end is active now how long that will be? I don't know. Because my problem is, Mr. Watkins has raised the bar to such a level where my loved ones have excellent expectation is looking for variable in this five years here. I've been here for a bit longer than having seen prior administrators, you see, early morning, seven o'clock, doesn't wait to wait in his loyalty in his commitment to community, the residents to this council has been emitted from his install, initiating infrastructure changes that will live on beyond is the purchase, we are the beneficiaries of

    the work as a capsule has, such as a gentleman, or so I don't say this lightly. In fact, I'm speaking services, and I never forgot that I was in your shoes your number of years ago. He says it's time to leave my physicians as a guidance counselor. He started four years ago to where I was elbow, but there's there's a sense within yourself that it's time. I'm ready to do this. I'm ready to leave my legacy to this. Yet, I want to go forward and do some of the things that when you say to you, and God bless you, you have my support. And when we said and a shout out that we still wanted not my forte to enjoy your woodworking skills and

    good time when it's time to do the kinds of things that are very intense, thought provoking, and very sad. So government lessons, I promise.

    So let's go ahead and vote on resolution number one. Luis, you call the roll?

    Yes. Yes.

    Yes.

    Yeah. And count.

    Resolution Number two, veteran Council have a resolution authorizing the title change from personnel director to assistant township administrator slash personnel director for Kimberly dooba. Effective March 31 2021. When some of the

    second Council on Dell. Any questions or comments from members of the council? I just want to say that this promotion is very well deserved. Kimmy, I'm going to do a great job in this position. And we're happy to have you here. So good luck. Best of luck in this new position.

    Luis, please

    call the roll.

    Now, yeah,

    that's my Joanna. Yes.

    That's Yeah. Yeah,

    yeah. Yeah.

    Yeah. Okay, I knew this is

    a longer

    video. Second Councilman Joanne, any questions or comments? All in favor? Aye. And licenses,

    aircraft licenses for March 22. All their delivery service mesh, Crystal International. I decided to stick with the same operator. In the address all of a sudden easy to use machine licenses is better than the company, otherwise known as the template precisly approach to 2021 outdoor sidewalk cafe and renewables, Jose Abril robot Steakhouse 55% for further postings and 63. Birds brand customer use. When President Antonio pulls up six points by 74 Robin James fools for the rich. James divided down here for two reasons. One goes door is the door for a luxury.

    Second, Councilwoman Cruz, any questions or comments? All in favor. So before we close out, and I know we've all said it, tonight is our administrator, not walk into the last meeting for good as an administrator, he sat at a distinguished 40 year career and the last five and a half years in the field. We were extremely, extremely long to get when we were when we were doing a search last time around. And like Councilman Mondale said, it's been extremely difficult to replace it. You've been a part of the fullfilled family, we appreciate you. Best of luck on your retirement, we wish you could have stayed longer. But we all understand that retirement is very important. And you get to spend time on forward and that when doing your woodwork. So that's the law. we've all learned. I know I've learned a ton from you. And I'm very grateful for that. So thank you and enjoy your retirement. You want to

    I certainly know that you look good. So thank you. And I know that we'll be doing way more than what we're enjoying your time. But thank you so much for your service. It's been a pleasure to work with you.

    Chapter one model

    building and you really

    grateful for yourself

    for teaching us so much for helping to grow and for helping us really thinking about the topics of the last year shows not to do with your career last going into

    counseling.

    I think I'm just gonna echo it. I mean, you know, you're always been open to our questions, inquiries, finding new ways to look at problems. And I mean, I think that's probably what is gonna be the hardest to replaces, you know, just not going, you know, the same old way to do things. You know, we we were able to reinvent and, you know, make Bloomfield a better place with with your leadership in town hall. So

    good luck and wishing you the best.

    And Matt, thank you also for your service. You've done a lot for Bloomfield, I really, really appreciate it. I agree with Councilman Joanna that you've raised the bar as far as finding replacement. We're really sorry to see you go I'm sorry to see you go. So good luck to you. Thanks.

    And lastly, we have this resolution a proclamation for you, recognizing Matthew wack Watkins for his years of service, whereas Matthew is oftentimes appointed to the position of the township administrator for the township of Bloomfield on October 5 2015, where he assumed the challenging tasks of taking a growing vibrant town to the next level. And whereas during his years in public service, Matt has worked in n different municipalities across three states and also serves as the former director of local government services for the state of New Jersey. And whereas during his six years in the township of Bloomfield, Matt successfully managed multiple redevelopment projects, infrastructure renovation, labor negotiations, secured countless grants for the township, and more importantly, let the administrative operations during the covid 19 pandemic, whereas in the township, in a township that has seen substantial growth over the past five years, the level of commitment and service Matt has brought to the administration will forever be the benchmark for future efforts of development and culture of service that will allow the town to be full Be prepared for the future. And whereas madej truly made a positive impact on all township operations, including its employees that carry the day to day operations by growing and rewarding a culture of transparency and ethical public service that will continue to inspire and influence the work of the township, long after his retirement, and whereas during his tenure, Matt served on various boards and associations in different capacities, such as a township planning board, the 2020 New Jersey international municipal manners managers Association, New Jersey municipal managers Association executive board and was voted the 2019 NJ en April president and were all successes in his 41 years of public service. Matt has decided to retire from the position of township administrator to enjoy a well earned retirement and the quiet Pennsylvania Pocono Mountains, along with his family, and we sadly accept his decision to retire, but extended to him in the most heartfelt appreciation for the job very well done. Now, therefore, I Michael J. Van easy as the mayor of the township of Bloomfield, along with the township council do hereby congratulate Matthew Walker on his retirement and wish him the absolute better than his future endeavors. Congratulations.

    Well, thank you very much. My son's cuts off projects right now that crying and I'm just exhausted. It's been a great.

    There's,

    there's nothing last spring there's been no greater pleasure working here feel a bit terrible, with Barbara and making this our home. For Barbara, it's been around for over 35 years, I guess, closer to that. And, you know, having having them in this town as my home, it's really tough to leave in Britain the second time and people have seen in publications that it's really tough to leave a council and a mayor and staff like this. It's so committed, so dynamic, and so easy to work for. And I can honestly say without any hesitation, spite all the places I've been and all the things that I've done, I've never worked so hard and all my life here. And that's just simply because I wanted to give back to this mayor, and this council, all the support that they gave me. So thank you very much. And I appreciate this very much. And

    I'll miss you all.

    Motion to adjourn. All in favor, aye. Meeting adjourned. Yeah, I think I've tried to grab a picture with Matt before.