COUNCIL MEETING

At the onset of the meeting the Mayor reported that she and City Administrator Dashield had participated in a conference call regarding the Governor's proposed Pension Payment Deferral Plan and she had relayed the gist of the call and her recommendation that the Council consider it to the Council's Finance Committee. My own opinion, which carries little weight, is that this is another bad financial suggestion. It is using a band aid to cover a grievous error in the submitted proposed budget. The Council would only be passing on an increased tax burden to taxpayers 3 years hence.

Administrator Dashield also discussed the city's joining with other county municipalities in presenting a list a needed projects for Federal Stimulus Funds if the County Freeholders will be the local allocating vehicle for available funds. Councilman Mapp also recommended that there is up to a $5million available municipal funds from the state if application is made in a timely manner. Councilman Reid suggested that special attention should be directed to repair or replacement of city roads which are in a disastrous state due to the weather.

The Council is going ahead with its 1 agenda, 1 business session a month plan. The big question will be if the compressing two meetings into one will also take the present time allotted to a meeting. This was set in the 2005 Council rules. An ordinance amending the changes in the Council meetings was introduced for first reading. There were conflict corrections included in this draft from the original version. However Bernice Paglia pointed out that there were still inappropriate dates in the presented ordinance. A change in venue for the Feb 9 agenda session must be proceeded by a published legal notice no later then this Saturday.Well, the Council finally authorized the 24/7 cars for the City Administrator and for the Director of Public Safety, much time was spent on matters that should have been concluded long ago. The regulations concerning the use of the cars should be ironed out before the next budget is enacted. It is a done deal for this year's budget.

In fact the real problem facing the Council probably resulted from remarks made that the cars were part of a verbal contract between the Mayor and the recipient.The Council was never made aware of the agreement, nor of any stipulations on the vehicles usage. The entire issue of city vehicle assignment must be reviewed. This is another fiscal breach that has to be avoided.

The Council passed a resolution appointing Scirocco Financial Group as Risk Management Consultant for FY2009 (from Jul 1 , 2008 to June 31 2009). This outfit has been doing the work for years but apparently no one checked to see if the Council had approved a renewal for the current year. One more good fiscal sign.

A resolution to adopt a temporary emergency appropriations for March and April was withdrawn. Also withdrawn was a resolution for a change order relating to the South Second Street Repayment Project. Apparently, further adjustments are need.

There was a great deal of confusion at the meeting arising from changes in the order of presenting Resolutions for voting due to justified removal of three Resolutions from the rubber check Consent Agenda to requiring a specific vote. Our legislative body continues to exhibit a lack of knowledge of Parliamentary Procedures and often binding actions are taken in a manner that would only be appropriate in a small social club. There is always a remote danger that some action could be subject to overrule following a court challenge as to the action's legality. Perhaps room in the budget could be found to purchase for each Councilor a copy of Robert's Rules of Order.

In response to a citizen's complaint about the PMUA's 20% across the board billing increase this quarter, Council President Burney and Corporation Counsel Williamson noted that the Authority was independent and the city had no control over it. All complaints should be voiced at the PMUA's open Commissioner's' meeting. The 1995 Council created this omnipotent monster, perhaps a review and publication of the creating ordinance and any revisions plus a review of pertinent state laws and regulations are in order'

In case the City's Internet site's calender of events is still blank for February, next Monday's Agenda Sessions is set for Washington School at 7:30 PM.