Council Adopts 2021 Fee Schedule and Awards Slate of Professional Service Contracts

In its first regular meeting of the year, the Council worked through a long list of routine annual organizational business, including designating official bank depositories, setting an 8%/18% interest schedule for delinquent taxes, reaffirming Open Public Meetings Act compliance procedures, and adopting a comprehensive 2021 municipal fee schedule covering everything from vital records and zoning applications to water/sewer connections and tennis court memberships. The Council also created a formal "Consent Agenda" process for routine, non-controversial resolutions going forward.

The bulk of the meeting was devoted to awarding 2021 professional service contracts following competitive bidding, including Municipal Attorney (Meyner & Landis, not to exceed $200,000), Bond Counsel (McManimon and Scotland, $20,000), Labor Counsel (Apruzzese, McDermott, Mastro & Murphy and Genova Burns, $180,000), Land Use Attorney (Alan Trembulak, $15,000), Land Use Planner (H2M, $30,000), Historic Preservation Commission Consultant (Connolly & Hickey, $26,000), Affordable Housing Consultant (Community Grants, Planning & Housing, $40,000), Municipal Engineer (Ferriero Engineering, $175,000), Utility Engineer (Suburban Consulting Engineers, $100,000), Traffic Engineer (Bright View Engineering, $40,000), Surveyor (Michael Petry Engineering, $30,000), Borough Forester (Rich View Consulting, $30,000), Web Designer (Crusoe Communications/Universal Computer Solutions, $35,000), Borough Physician (Dr. Michael Kelly, $24,000), Auditor (PKF O'Connor Davies, $48,000), Financial Advisor and Special Financial Advisor (Laracy Associates and NW Financial Group, $150,000 each), and a tax appeal appraiser and added-assessment inspector (both Hendrick Appraisal Company, $35,000 and $18,000).

The Council also adopted a resolution restricting outside organizations such as the Glen Ridge Athletic Association and the Gas Lamp Players from using Board of Education facilities during the pandemic due to custodial staffing limits, while continuing to allow individual public use of parks. Councilor Lisovicz congratulated the Police Department on its accreditation from the state Police Chiefs Association. All resolutions passed unanimously.