M I N U T E S September 11, 2001 Mayor Torre stated that the meeting complied with the Sunshine Law, due notice having been made to all members by personal service on January 1, 2001 and to The Observer, The Record and the Herald News on January 1, 2001. ROLL CALL: Present: Mayor William J. Torre, Councilman Andrew Link III, Councilman Herbert D. Heeren, Councilman Justin A. DiPisa, Councilman Garrett R. Pepe, Councilwoman Verrastro, Councilman John Wassberg Absent: None
SALUTE TO THE FLAG AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Mayor Torre led in the Salute to the Flag and Pledge of Allegiance. Mayor Torre began the meeting by offering the condolences of the entire Council and Borough to all the people who lost their lives today in the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. He encouraged all residents to go about their normal lives, and that justice would be served on this cowardly attack. The Borough Crisis Intervention Committee and Emergency Management Council had met at 11 a.m. and put a basic plan together with the Police and Fire Departments and Office of Emergency Management and that they decided to continue with school, provide shelters for children whose parents might arrive late, additional police officers were brought in, the Fire Department would be on call, they were asked to send a pumper and ambulance on standby to New York City, and plans for an additional shelter at the high school were made, if necessary. At 7 p.m., it was noted that all the children were picked up and an additional shelter was not necessary. He urged all residents to fly the American Flag proudly.
PETITIONS: None BILLS: BE IT RESOLVED that the claims and accounts amounting to $1,255,290.35 specified in the schedule hereto annexed, having been examined and approved by the Finance Commissioner, or his Deputy, be paid and that warrants be issued therefor. Signed Andrew Link
III On a motion by Councilman Pepe, seconded by Councilman DiPisa, and unanimously carried, the foregoing Resolution was adopted.
CONSENT AGENDA: 131. Raffle License for Hasbrouck Heights Music parents Association, Inc. On a motion by Councilman Wassberg, seconded by Councilwoman Verrastro, and unanimously carried, the foregoing Consent Agenda Resolutions were approved (copies attached)
RESOLUTIONS: 133. Dog Licenses - Payment of Fees to State 134. Authorizing Advertisement for Bids for Demolition of Old Municipal Building on Hamilton Avenue and Borough Owned Property on the Boulevard On a motion by Councilman DiPisa, seconded by Councilwoman Verrastro, and unanimously carried, the foregoing Resolutions were approved (copies attached). Councilman Pepe alerted residents that the properties at 210 and 214 Central Avenue would be demolished Thursday and Friday of this week.
APPOINTMENTS:
None RESIGNATIONS: Marcia Imken as Trustee of the Free Public Library Board On a motion by Councilman Pepe, seconded by Councilwoman Verrastro, and unanimously carried, the foregoing Resignation was accepted with regret.
ORDINANCE (S) ON INTRODUCTION: None
ORDINANCE (S) ON CONTINUED PUBLIC HEARING: A response prepared by Borough Attorney Chandless to the inquiry of the attorney of the objector is made a part of the file with this Ordinance. ORDINANCE NO. 1946: Mayor opened the meeting to the public for anyone wishing to speak on Ordinance No. 1946. There being no one wishing to speak, Mayor Torre closed the public hearing on said ordinance. BE IT RESOLVED that an Ordinance entitled "AN ORDINANCE TO VACATE A SMALL PORTION CONTAINING 971 SQUARE FEET OF UNIMPROVED HILLSIDE DRIVE ALONG ITS NORTHERLY SIDELINE AT ITS TERMINUS AT FOURTH STREET IN THE BOROUGH OF HASBROUCK HEIGHTS PURSUANT TO N.J.S.A. 40:67-19" be now passed on second and final reading and the Borough Clerk be and is hereby authorized and directed to publish said Ordinances, same to be published in The Observer, a newspaper circulating and published in the Borough of Hasbrouck Heights. On a motion by Councilman Heeren, seconded by Councilman DiPisa, with Councilman Pepe questioning if all the residents concerns had been addressed and Borough Attorney Chandless gave a brief history from 1979 to present of considerations given to this property. He felt the only last question was does this additional property acquired by the property owner by this vacation give him an opportunity to subdivide and said it does not, it is at the opposite end of the property. This addition of land does not give him any advantage toward a subdivision. After more discussion by the councilman and the attorney, the councilman voted no, based on hearing conflicting stories regarding the previous history on this property. Councilman Andrew Link III announced that Corpus Christi Church and Bible Baptist Church would be open until 10 p.m. for prayers for those who wished to go, a result of the tragedy of the World Trade Center this day. Mayor Torre invited Pastor Fred Diekman of the First Reformed Church of Hasbrouck Heights to speak on the services the clergy in town were planning. Pastor Diekman reiterated what Councilman Link had announced and that the clergy were available for counseling. A service was in the planning stages for sometime during the weekend. This being the first meeting of the month, the Mayor dispensed with opening the meeting to the public and said that the meeting would be open to the public on September 25, 2001.
RECESS FOR CAUCUS: Mayor Torre announced that the meeting would be recessed for Caucus.
ADJOURN: There being no further business to be conducted by the Mayor and Council, the meeting was adjourned. I, ROSE MARIE SEES, Borough Clerk of the Borough of Hasbrouck Heights, do hereby certify that the foregoing Minutes are to the best of my knowledge a true account of the Mayor and Council Meeting held on September 11, 2001. Rose Marie Sees |