Village Council Special Public Budget Hearing Minutes 20140407

A SPECIAL PUBLIC BUDGET MEETING OF THE VILLAGE COUNCIL OF THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD HELD IN THE SYDNEY V. STOLDT, JR. COURTROOM OF THE RIDGEWOOD VILLAGE HALL, 131 NORTH MAPLE AVENUE, RIDGEWOOD, NEW JERSEY, ON MONDAY, APRIL 7, 2014, AT 5:00 PM.

1. CALL TO ORDER – OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS LAW – ROLL CALL

Deputy Mayor Pucciarelli called the meeting to order at 5:05 P.M., and read the Statement of Compliance with the Open Public Meetings Act. At roll call, the following were present: Councilmembers Hauck, Pucciarelli, Riche, and Walsh. Also present were Roberta Sonenfeld, Village Manager; Heather Mailander, Village Clerk; and Stephen Sanzari, Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Mayor Aronsohn arrived at 5:15 P.M.

Councilman Pucciarelli led those in attendance in the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag and asked for a moment of silence in honor of the American men and women serving in our Armed Forces, as well as those serving as first responders.

2. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC

Councilman Pucciarelli stated that they would now have comments from the public and advised anyone wishing to address the Village Council to come forward. There were no comments from the public at this time.

3. DISCUSSION ITEMS

            REVIEW OF DEPARTMENTAL BUDGETS

1. Capital Budget for Engineering, Paving, Water Pollution Control Facility, Traffic and Signal, Parking Utility

Christopher Rutishauser, Village Engineer, presented the capital budget for these Departments. Starting with the Department of Public Works, Mr. Rutishauser pointed out that the requested amount for road resurfacing and reconstruction in 2014 was $1.3 million; $15,000 was requested for GIS software; $10,000 was requested for the Chestnut Street lot fence, which encloses the trash and dumpster enclosure at that location; an additional $19,000 added to a previously-funded amount of $13,000 for a vehicle replacement (a 1998 Neon). In addition, $50,000 was requested for Lakeview compliance, to put the compost facility in compliance with the new, upgraded permit obtained by the Village, taking it from a class “C” recycling facility to a class “BC” facility, which will better enable the Village to handle leaf compost. Part of that involves building a berm and doing landscaping to help mitigate some of the issues surrounding the facility due to residents’ complaints. Some of the residents have taken their complaints to the Bergen County Department of Health, which then sends representatives to Ridgewood to investigate the complaints.

Mayor Aronsohn asked how the amount requested for street resurfacing in 2014 compares with that of 2013. Mr. Rutishauser believes it is a slight increase over 2013, and that they usually receive anywhere from $1.1 million-$1.3 million. Mayor Aronsohn then asked about the list of roads to be resurfaced, and when it will be made available to the public. Mr. Rutishauser responded that currently, the Department was working on this list based on the two contracts that were awarded in late 2013. Those two contractors should start working as soon as possible, and as soon as it is known how much can be accomplished based on the amounts of their bids, Mr. Rutishauser will have a better understanding of which streets will have to be sent out for bid in the capital appropriation for 2014. Mr. Rutishauser says he has an idea of which streets will be resurfaced, but it is difficult to say until all of the streets have been reassessed, due to the fact that this past winter was a harsh one. Mayor Aronsohn asked if it would be possible to make the list available on the Village website at some point. Ms. Sonenfeld commented that she and Mr. Rutishauser had discussed that, and it is the current goal. She added that the Village is still waiting for the grant money for the repairs on North Van Dien Avenue, which has created a small delay. Ms. Sonenfeld estimated that the grant will be approximately $150,000. Mr. Rutishauser confirmed what Ms. Sonenfeld stated, adding that a grant application was made to the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) to resurface the portion of North Van Dien Avenue from East Ridgewood Avenue to Glen Avenue, which was not covered by the grant covering the southern portion of that road. The contractor should be starting work on the southern portion very soon.

Ms. Sonenfeld stated that, as she and Mr. Rutishauser have already discussed, it is very likely that the funding for the vehicle replacement will be taken out of the 2014 budget. This is because it is possible that, based on some technology that might be considered, it will free up some vehicles, so the purchase of a vehicle will be unnecessary. Mayor Aronsohn asked what would happen to that $13,000 from the prior year. Ms. Sonenfeld responded that the $13,000 is in the sinking fund, which Mr. Sanzari confirmed.

Councilman Pucciarelli asked if it can be anticipated that the $1.3 million for road resurfacing will be part of an on-going program to resurface streets every year, or if this is a one-time expense to cover the cost of resurfacing the worst streets, and another request will be made in five years to resurface some other streets in the Village. Mr. Rutishauser responded that the budget requests for this Department are usually in the $4 million-$5 million range, but during the capital budget hearings, the requests from all of the departments are put together, which adds up to a very large number. All of the Department Supervisors are then told to reduce their budgets, and Mr. Rutishauser said the amount for paving and resurfacing is usually reduced to approximately $1.1 million-$1.3 million every year. It has been inconsistent over the past few years, because the 2013 capital budget was approved in the fall of 2013, while it has usually been approved at around this time of year in the past. Mr. Rutishauser added that he understands that the Financial Advisory Committee (FAC) has recommended that the capital and operating budgets be done simultaneously, and Mr. Rutishauser believes that might be the best course to take. Ms. Sonenfeld commented that she asked Mr. Rutishauser if the residents will be happy when this work is complete, and Mr. Rutishauser responded that normally, asphalt lasts for approximately 15 years, and the current repaving and resurfacing projects are replacing asphalt that is 20 years old. She noted that the Councilmembers might consider accelerating this project at some point, and Mayor Aronsohn said that might be a good idea, because this is both a quality of life issue, as well as a public safety issue. Councilman Pucciarelli agreed, and noted that the residents might appreciate being able to anticipate which streets will be done from year to year. Ms. Sonenfeld pointed out that there is also the issue of County roads versus local roads, because the County has explicitly stated that any problems with curbs, even on County roads, are the municipality’s problem.

Councilman Riche asked if the Kingsbridge Lane project will be done this year, and if it was fully funded. Mr. Rutishauser said it is only partially funded, with $50,000 received during the prior year, but nothing received this year. Councilman Riche thought that $59,000 was received in the prior year, and another $59,000 this year. Ms. Sonenfeld said that was not possible, because that would indicate that it was fully funded. Mr. Rutishauser stated that he knows there is not a sufficient amount to rebuild the pedestrian bridge. Councilman Riche asked if the total estimated cost is incorrect, and Mr. Rutishauser said he believes the total estimated cost will be higher. A new estimate will have to be obtained, and a number of estimates were given several years ago, and this has been a frequent budget item over the years. Councilman Riche asked for confirmation from Mr. Sanzari as to whether it was fully funded or not. Mr. Sanzari responded that there was a bond ordinance approved several years ago. In 2012, the bond ordinance was $1.3 million, and in 2013, it was $1 million.

Moving on to the Traffic and Signal Department, Mr. Rutishauser commented that funding in the amount of $18,000 is being requested to get a spare traffic controller. He explained that those are the units that control the signals as they operate, which have been damaged more frequently due to accidents. Currently, there is only one spare controller, and a second one is needed. When an accident occurs, a controller must be installed, and no spare is available until one is obtained from the manufacturer. The lead time required for ordering spares has become quite extensive. When an accident occurs and the traffic signal is damaged, every effort is made to ensure that the responsible party pays for the repairs. That information is usually obtained from the Police Department, who gets the insurance information from the motorist. Bills are sent to the motorist. Sometimes, it is necessary to go through the representative from the Joint Insurance Fund (JIF), and the worst cases are turned over to the Village Attorney for collection. The other two budget items are for replacement vehicles, one of which is a dump truck that is also used for snow removal when it is not used by the Signal Department; and the other is the service van that dates from the mid-1990s, and has reached the end of its useful life span. Mayor Aronsohn asked if Mr. Rutishauser is hoping to fully fund the dump truck purchase in 2014, and Mr. Rutishauser responded that he is hoping to do so, with the $10,000 received in the prior year for funding. The truck is deteriorating, and it was used a lot during the past winter.

Councilman Pucciarelli noted that Ms. Sonenfeld believes that the Police Department initiative to lease vehicles seems to be promising, and he wondered if it would be possible to lease a dump truck, as well, rather than purchasing one, particularly since they seem to be used so frequently. Ms. Sonenfeld commented that, after discussing the whole issue of vehicles, the other concern seems to be whether the vehicle should be turned over every 2-3 years by buying them at deep discounts on State contract and selling them through auction two years later. The Village could make its money back by doing that, and it would remove a lot of repairs from the Village Garage Repair Facility. Ms. Sonenfeld said she would investigate further to see if this was a viable solution to the problem. She added that this could have an impact on the plans for the new Village Garage Repair Facility, because if the need for repairs is decreased, the need for the repair facility will also decrease. In addition, Ms. Sonenfeld said that she and Mayor Aronsohn are scheduled to meet with Kathleen Donovan, Bergen County Executive, and the County Administrator, and one of the items to be discussed is the possibility of the County opening a vehicle repair facility.

Mr. Rutishauser pointed out that there are also Property Maintenance items requested for the 2014 capital budget. The siding on the Traffic and Signal building needs to be replaced, and $35,000 has been requested to make those repairs. In addition, repairs need to be made to the Village Hall roof, in the amount of $21,000. Councilman Riche asked if the damage to the roof was a result of the solar panels that were installed, and Mr. Rutishauser answered that he is not sure, because the roof was already a couple of years old when the solar panels were installed. At first, the damage seemed to be limited to the area over Ms. Mailander’s office, but several spots in the roof over the Police Department have also become damaged.

Next, Mr. Rutishauser discussed the Water Pollution Control Facility. He pointed out that the digester covers need to be replaced, which are the floating covers on top of the anaerobic digesters. A problem occurred in January with one of the digesters, which must be addressed, and the requested amount is $20,000. The other request is $100,000 for refurbishing the pump station. Mr. Rutishauser explained that the Village has three minor and three major pump stations, which run constantly. Funding is needed to replace pumps as they wear out and fail. The money requested would be used on an as-needed basis, so that when a pump fails, a new one can be purchased. Mayor Aronsohn asked if Mr. Rutishauser anticipates replacing pumps this year, and Mr. Rutishauser responded that several of the pumps are more than 20 years old. Whenever possible, they are rebuilt, but when that is no longer possible, they must be replaced.

Regarding the Parking Utility, Mr. Rutishauser noted that during the capital budget discussions, $15,000 was approved for the continuing program to replace the individual meter mechanisms and meter housings as needed. Approval was also given to purchase some multi-space parking meter units, with particular attention to replacing the Chestnut Street multi-space meter unit. In the discussions with Ms. Sonenfeld, it was decided to present more unified comprehensive proposals on the integration of multi-space meters in the Village, in light of the recent difficulties in the Parking Utility. Mr. Rutishauser commented that the advantage to using the multi-space meters is that they will accept paper currency, and if the Councilmembers wish, they can also accept credit cards. Accepting credit cards allows for more efficient tracking of the money to avoid incidents like the theft of the quarters that recently occurred. Ms. Sonenfeld noted that this would address the Park-and-Ride location on Route 17. Mayor Aronsohn recalled that, in addition to the multi-space parking meter units, he would also like to discuss the possibility of implementing individual meters that accept credit cards, as well as ones that can be paid using smartphone apps. Ms. Sonenfeld stated that she would begin with a proposal to address the Park-and-Ride on Route 17 as a pilot program, with the second goal of implementing the multi-space parking meter units at the Chestnut Street parking lot. Mr. Rutishauser emphasized that it is important to provide those who park at meters with alternative means of payments, which can include credit cards, cash, and smartphone apps. He noted that the UP3 program has also been very successful.

Councilwoman Hauck stated that paying $15,000 a year to replace parking meter mechanisms makes her uncomfortable, because she envisions new parking meters in the near future. Ms. Sonenfeld responded that the $15,000 could be removed from the budget if the new multi-unit system is implemented.

2. Municipal Court

Maria Doerr, Municipal Court Administrator, presented the budget for the Municipal Court. Ms. Doerr brought information to the Councilmembers about where the Municipal Court money goes; what is collected; the other agencies to which some of the Municipal Court monies are sent; how the workload is divided among traffic issues, criminal issues, and what goes to the Village. In addition, Ms. Doerr prepared information about what the budget request was for a particular year, as well as the actual expenditures for that year. She thought it might be helpful to show the Councilmembers that the Municipal Court does not spend any money if it is not necessary to spend it. Every year, the Municipal Court returns funds to the Village. Ms. Doerr pointed out that the budget she is submitting for 2014 is $200 more than the budget submitted in 2010. She also noted that the number of cases filed has decreased since 2010. Revenue has also decreased, but by a different percentage. Comparing 2014 to 2013 shows that there was a 12.26% drop in cases, but only a 2.3% drop in revenue.

Councilman Pucciarelli noted that last year, revenues totaled $407,000, and the total projected expenses were approximately $220,000, which Ms. Doerr confirmed. She added that there are a couple of things to offset the budget. She pointed out the column labeled “POAA,” which stands for Parking Offense Adjudication Act, which was established in 1985 to give towns with a very large parking volume to be able to allocate a certain amount of those funds to offset some expenses. Over the last three years, Ms. Doerr said that they received approval from the Bergen County Assignment Judge to use $10,000 of that money to go toward the salary of one of the Municipal Court employees. In fact, Ms. Doerr just received approval to do that for 2014. Councilman Pucciarelli commented that the yearly increase is approximately $3,000, which is attributable to modest salary increases, which Ms. Doerr confirmed.

Ms. Sonenfeld stated that she and the Councilmembers are trying to examine 2013 actual expenditures to see how they compare with the 2014 budget requests. She pointed out that there are a couple of budget areas in which expenses have increased significantly, and the items that fall under “Other Expenses” show an increase from the 2013 actual amount to the amount requested for 2014, from $216,000 actually spent in 2013, to $224,000 requested for 2014. Ms. Sonenfeld also noted the large increase in the amount requested for the services of an interpreter, from $294.15 to $2,000, and said she would be interested to hear why that increase was necessary. Ms. Doerr responded that approximately 2-3 years ago, they started using LanguageLine, which is a telephone interpreting service. That cut the interpreting budget dramatically. However, Ms. Doerr reminded Ms. Sonenfeld that she must always budget for the unknown, because, for example, a sign language interpreter costs approximately $500 per case. That also relates to the amount of money that the Municipal Court gives back to the Village every year, for those years in which the budgeted funds for the interpreter were not completely used. Ms. Sonenfeld asked Ms. Doerr if it would be possible to take another look at the Municipal Court actual budget for 2013 and compare them to her budget requests, and try to achieve the goal coming in as close to a 0% increase as possible. Ms. Sonenfeld suggested that perhaps she and Ms. Doerr could meet later this week and re-evaluate the 2014 Municipal Court budget.

3. Public Defender

Mr. Sanzari presented the budget for the Office of the Public Defender. He explained that this budget is based on cases that arise during the year, and historically, the budget has been approximately $2,500 annually, although in 2013, approximately $3,000 was expended. The difference was covered by budget transfers at the end of the year, and was attributable to the extra court cases that arose during the year. Councilman Pucciarelli confirmed that this year, the requested budget amount for the Office of the Public Defender is $2,500, which Mr. Sanzari confirmed.

4. Emergency Services

Brian Pullman, Director of Emergency Services, presented the Emergency Services budget to the Councilmembers. Mr. Pullman pointed out that the requested budget for 2014 shows an increase of approximately $4,000 over the 2013 actual expenditures. One of the contributing factors is that in 2013, Mr. Pullman did not budget the full amount for the ambulance drivers and attendants’ insurance, for which an additional payment of $6,000 had to be made for medical directors’ insurance. Mr. Pullman is not sure why this error occurred, because it was budgeted in years past. He believes that Mr. Sanzari tried to obtain the funds from the Insurance Trust Fund, but that was not possible, so the amount is included in the Emergency Services budget this year. Mr. Sanzari explained that part of the premium had been charged to the Insurance Trust Fund, and then was moved to the operating budget. The premium has increased, due to the fact that the facility where the doctor is stationed, which is the hospital, no longer provides insurance, and the doctor must have insurance when he travels with the ambulance. Mr. Pullman commented that the amount charged for the doctor makes a significant difference in the total budget. He also pointed out some other areas where there the appropriated amount was not spent, and mentioned specifically the areas of training and uniforms. Mr. Pullman explained that the reason for that is due to the fact that, as far as training is concerned, as more people join the Emergency Services team, the training budget increases, as well as the budget for uniforms and protective gear. So far, 2014 has been a good year as far as recruiting volunteers is concerned. Mr. Pullman pointed out that there are currently five volunteers attending EMT school at this time, and it is anticipated that after all five have successfully completed the class, they will also need uniforms and protective gear.

Councilman Pucciarelli stated that based on the actual revenues from 2013, the Department of Emergency Services will show a net profit of approximately $59,000. He asked Mr. Pullman to explain how the schedule of revenue generation works, and how charges are levied for ambulance services. That question was asked by email by several different residents of Ridgewood.

Ms. Mailander noted for the record that Mayor Aronsohn arrived at the meeting at 5:15 P.M.

Mr. Pullman answered Councilman Pucciarelli by saying that the Department of Emergency Services bills for every call to which the ambulance responds, whether a transport occurs or not. The rate was set in 2008, and has not increased since that time. It is based on the Medicare rate, so that the Department of Emergency Services gets the maximum benefit through Medicare. For every call that is answered, insurance information is collected. A billing company takes care of all of the billing and the coding, and the revenue generated from those bills is deposited into a Village account. There are cases in which the EMTs provide basic life-support care, and the hospital responders provide advanced life-support care. In such cases, patients receive a bill from the hospital listing the advanced life-support charges, as well as the charges for basic life-support, but they do not receive a separate bill from Mr. Pullman’s Department. The hospital bills for such services, because there is a contract with the hospital, and the Department of Emergency Services is paid by the hospital in such cases. The patient only receives one bill. Councilman Pucciarelli commented that the question was whether the rate is set by the market, but Mr. Pullman explained that it is tied to the Medicare schedule of rates. Mr. Pullman added that per the Village ordinance, the Medicare rate must be reviewed every year, and as a result of the sequester in 2013, the Medicare rate actually decreased. That led to a slight decrease in revenue for his Department.

Councilwoman Hauck thanked Mr. Pullman for everything he and his Department do for the Village, and she believes that Ridgewood benefits from his Department. She commended Mr. Pullman for how his Department amplifies and augments all of the other public safety departments, at very little cost to the Village.

Mayor Aronsohn noted that revenues dropped approximately $23,000 from 2012 to 2013, and he wondered if Mr. Pullman could explain why there was a drop. Mr. Pullman explained that part of that was due to a drop in the Medicare reimbursement after the sequester, and part of it was due to a decrease in billable calls. He added that the number of billable calls varies from year to year, sometimes by as much as 25-50 calls, at approximately $560 per call. Mayor Aronsohn also asked about the additional $8,000 in expenses reflected in the budget, which Mr. Pullman pointed out was largely due to an increase in the insurance premium.

As far as the capital budget is concerned, Mr. Pullman noted that the Department of Emergency Services has several capital requests for 2014. Under building safety and security, $20,000 is being requested to find a door access system to replace the current system. It is a centralized system that will be based off of the network, and from which all the doors can be controlled. Funds are also being requested for security cameras to be placed around the outside of the building, which has been under consideration for several years. Part of this project is in conjunction with the security project outlined by Dylan Hansen, Network Administrator, for Fleet Services. Ms. Sonenfeld interjected that she asked Mr. Hansen about placing security cameras at Graydon Pool, and they will be discussing this week about where the ideal locations for security cameras around the various Village facilities would be. A list of locations has been formulated by Mr. Hansen, Mr. Pullman, and Police Chief John Ward. An integrated proposal will be put together for the purchase and installation of the cameras to present to the Village Council.

Mr. Pullman also noted that there is a line item for the purchase of an all-terrain rescue vehicle, which was still listed in the capital budget after the last meeting he had with Mr. Sanzari. The current ATV is a 2000 John Deere Gator, which has the capability of allowing patients to lie down on the back on a longboard, and allows them to be transported through crowds and over grass. Mr. Pullman hopes to replace the 14-year-old vehicle with a new one, which has enhanced safety features, such as seatbelts for the operator; a roll cage; enclosures for the driver, and for the patient in the back, which also increases privacy. The cost of the ATV is $65,000, and it comes with a trailer in which to house it.

The last capital request for the Office of Emergency Services is $45,000 for the replacement of ambulance stretchers. Mr. Pullman said it is hoped that the ambulance stretchers can be replaced with a newer version that has a power-assist lifting device. One of the things currently being reviewed is the possibility of injuries to Emergency Services personnel, and the most frequent cause of injury is lifting and moving with the stretcher. The technology is expensive, but the devices do last for a long time. Mr. Pullman added that the youngest stretcher currently in use is 10 years old. In addition, there may be some trade-in value on the current stretchers.

Councilman Pucciarelli asked Ms. Sonenfeld if, assuming the vehicle and stretchers were purchased, the total cost would be $110,000, which Mr. Pullman confirmed. Councilman Pucciarelli noted that the operating budget for the Department of Emergency Services showed a net revenue to the Village of approximately $59,000, and he wondered if going forward, the budget will reflect the depreciation of those items so that more realistic budget information can be available. Ms. Sonenfeld said she believes the new forms recommended by the FAC do show such depreciation, and Mr. Sanzari added that all of the budget sheets for the various departments include information about Fleet vehicle costs. Ms. Sonenfeld pointed out that the ATV is not included in the capital request at this time. Mr. Pullman said it was removed at the last meeting, but he was not sure whether that was done intentionally, or if it was some kind of error. Mr. Sanzari said he would go back and check his sheets to find that out, and he noted that this budget request is close to the $2 million limit. Councilman Pucciarelli said it is important to note that if the vehicle purchase is approved, the vehicle will depreciate at a rate of approximately $12,000-$15,000 per year, bringing the vehicle cost in the operating budget from $85,000 to $100,000, and is a better reflection of the true costs of Emergency Services.

Ms. Sonenfeld commented that the capital budget reviews are being done in isolated situations, and perhaps they should be done as part of an integrated look at the entire department, as recommended by the FAC. In addition, a decision must be made about how much is spent in the total capital budget, and then each item must be prioritized. Ms. Mailander said that she actually did that with all of the departments in January, and the requests being brought to these meetings are the reduced requests.

5. Emergency Management

Jeremy Kleiman, Emergency Management Coordinator, presented the budget for the Emergency Management Department. Mr. Kleiman pointed out that in the 2013 appropriated versus actual budgets, there was only one line item which showed a marked difference. The listing for Other Contractual Services showed an appropriation of $4,200, and the actual amount spent was $1,914. Mr. Kleiman explained that this line item was for the subscription for the lightning detection system, which was installed several years ago as part of a joint project with the Board of Education. The Board of Education put out an RFP for the installation of the hardware, and the monthly service fee for the subscription was billed to the Board of Education, which was supposed to send the bill to the Village for payment, as part of the agreement between the two entities. However, for some reason, no bills were received by the Village, and Mr. Sanzari is now working with the Board of Education to correct the situation. That line item represents money that is owed to the Board of Education.

Regarding the operating budget, Mr. Kleiman continued by saying that most of the line items for 2014 are relatively the same as the previous year. However, he did note several increases. One of those increases is for Other Contractual Services, in addition to the subscription for the lightning detection service. For 2014, the amount of $1,700 was budgeted for the SwiftReach reverse 911 call system. During Hurricane Sandy, Mr. Kleiman pointed out that the Village incurred costs from an outside service for the reverse 911 calls made through the Ridgewood Water Utility contract, as opposed to using the County system, which can be used at no cost to Ridgewood. The reason for that is due to the fact that the Village often puts out reverse 911 calls that do not meet the criteria of the County contract, such as when it is not a life-threatening emergency, but is deemed to be an urgent situation. Such calls are made using the Ridgewood Water contract, and the ones that are directed by the Office of Emergency Management are billed back to the Village.

The other new item in the operating budget is $5,400 for the lease of the vehicle, which also has a line item in the capital budget. Mr. Kleiman explained that until 2006, the Emergency Management Coordinator had an emergency vehicle by virtue of holding other positions in the Village, and was able to fulfill the response function of that office. When the positions were separated in 2006, the position of Emergency Management Coordinator was the only one that was left without an entitlement to a vehicle. This has been an untenable position since that time. It is not appropriate that a public safety director, who has responsibilities that are mandated by Statute, should be out in hazardous conditions and situations, responding to emergencies in a personal vehicle. Ever since Mr. Kleiman became the Emergency Management Coordinator, there has been a request in the capital budget for a vehicle for OEM, and every year, the budget request has been taken out of the capital budget. Mr. Kleiman did a survey among the other OEM Coordinators in Bergen County to find out what their standards are. After contacting the other 69 municipalities in the County, and receiving responses from 53 of them, Mr. Kleiman discovered that of those 53 municipalities, 43 of them have a municipal vehicle that is assigned to their OEM. Of those 43 municipalities, 27 of the OEM Coordinators simultaneously hold other positions as senior Police or Fire officials. Of the remaining 16 municipalities that have civilian OEM Coordinators with vehicles assigned to them, 14 are smaller than Ridgewood in population or landmass, or both. That leaves only two municipalities that are larger than Ridgewood and assign vehicles to their OEM Coordinators. However, Mr. Kleiman said the most interesting numbers are related to the 10 municipalities that do not have vehicles assigned to their OEM Coordinators. Of those 10 municipalities, nine are smaller than Ridgewood in population or landmass, or both. That leaves one municipality in all of Bergen County, out of the 53 that responded to Mr. Kleiman’s inquiry, which is larger than Ridgewood and does not provide a vehicle to its OEM Coordinator.

Mayor Aronsohn noted that he and Mr. Kleiman discussed this in the past, as well as the option of designating a vehicle for Mr. Kleiman’s use, rather than purchasing a new vehicle. Mr. Kleiman responded that by Statute, the State of New Jersey requires an OEM Coordinator to be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. He pointed out that it if an incident occurs in the middle of the night, it does not make sense, nor is it productive, for Mr. Kleiman to have to drive his personal vehicle to Village Hall or some other designated parking facility, get the keys to the designated vehicle, find the location where the vehicle is parked, and then respond to the emergency. Another consideration is that the vehicle must be equipped appropriately, as with any other emergency vehicle. In years past, during Village events such as the Fourth of July festivities, vehicles have been borrowed from the Engineering Department, or from the Department of Parks and Recreation. The day before the event, the vehicle would be taken to the Department of Emergency Services, and the volunteers there would be asked to install temporary radios and lights on that vehicle. The day after the event, the vehicle was stripped of those radios and lights, and returned to the appropriate department. Moreover, at one time, Mr. Kleiman had a key to one of the vehicles from the Engineering Department, but the vehicle itself was unsafe. Mayor Aronsohn asked if the 43 municipalities mentioned by Mr. Kleiman have full-time vehicles. Mr. Kleiman responded that in 27 municipalities, the vehicles are shared, because the OEM Coordinators are senior members of the Police or Fire Departments. Mayor Aronsohn then asked how many of the OEM Coordinators who do not hold any other positions in their municipalities have full-time use of a vehicle. Mr. Kleiman responded that 16 of them do.

Councilman Riche noted that the OEM Coordinator often serves as the Incident Commander; is quite often the first person to arrive on the scene; and is responsible for such diverse things as traffic control, light signals, securing the scene, and other actions necessary to resolve the situation. He added that in a nearly $50 million budget like Ridgewood has, the cost of the vehicle is a relatively insignificant dollar amount, but Councilman Riche considers it to be an important and essential item. In recent years, the weather has grown increasingly unpredictable, with storms that seem to get worse with each occurrence. Councilman Riche does not feel comfortable with the fact that the OEM Coordinator must respond to emergency situations in his personal family vehicle.

Ms. Sonenfeld pointed out that perhaps there is a vehicle already in the Village fleet that is not used too often, and perhaps it could be assigned to Mr. Kleiman. The person who is assigned to that vehicle could share another vehicle with someone else. Ms. Sonenfeld suggested that further discussions could be held on the subject.

Councilman Pucciarelli said that after hearing the arguments, he is still not supportive of Village employees having Village-owned vehicles, and taking them home. All too often, such vehicles are used for personal reasons, and the Village fleet is already quite sizable. In addition, there was just a discussion regarding the possibility of using an alternative repair facility for the Village fleet, and Councilman Pucciarelli feels that to go from that conversation to adding another vehicle to the fleet does not make sense to him. Ms. Sonenfeld responded that, based on discussions she and Mayor Aronsohn had with Ms. Donovan and the County Administrator, it might be possible to implement a GPS system on Village vehicles to track them and be able to pinpoint exactly where they are at any given time. The County did that, which enabled them to get rid of many vehicles from their fleet, and has also led to a tremendous decrease in gasoline usage. It has proven to be a very effective tool in controlling expenses. Ms. Sonenfeld suggested that using a GPS system would address many of Councilman Pucciarelli’s concerns. Councilman Pucciarelli acknowledged that Mr. Kleiman has articulated a very strong case for the necessity of having a dedicated vehicle for his use in responding to emergency situations. However, he is also aware that there are Village employees who have Village vehicles and take them home, and Councilman Pucciarelli would like to know who they are and why they need to take those vehicles home. He feels strongly that such information should be made available before another vehicle is purchased. Councilman Pucciarelli also mentioned the issue of idling vehicles, such as when the Police Department does side jobs for PSE&G and the cars are left running. Councilman Pucciarelli is concerned about what that does to the atmosphere, as well as the effect on the vehicles, and the costs associated with leaving them running for hours on end. Ms. Sonenfeld commented that the GPS system would sound an alert when a vehicle is left idling, and the County handled such situations by sending out a supervisor to the vehicle’s location whenever an alert sounded.

Mayor Aronsohn agreed with Ms. Sonenfeld’s suggestion to conduct further discussions on this matter, and he assured Mr. Kleiman that the Councilmembers understand and appreciate the importance of his job, as well as the needs associated with that job.

Regarding the capital budget, Mr. Kleiman pointed out that the requested capital budget went from zero in 2013 to $134,000 for 2014, and he explained the reasons for that. The first item requested in the capital budget is the vehicle, which was already discussed. The second item is the amount of $4,900 for furniture and some computer equipment for the Emergency Operation Center, and several of the Councilmembers have seen the need for this furniture. The money would be used to purchase partitions and desks to go along one wall for each of the disciplines (Department of Public Works; Police Department; Fire Department; Department of Emergency Services), to operate the computers and telephones.

The next item in the capital budget is a request for $20,000 for a digital message sign. The Village Council approved the purchase of a similar sign in 2013, and Mr. Kleiman is currently working with several vendors on the specifications of the technology that is needed. The current plan is to have one sign located at the corner of Linwood Avenue and Maple Avenue, near the current location of the Graydon Park sign. The sign that is under consideration has a 180-degree viewing angle, so if it is placed diagonally, it should be viewable from nearly all sides. The second sign would be located on the east side of the train trestle, facing westbound traffic. Drivers stopping at the light at Broad Street and Franklin Avenue would be able to see the sign. There is also an option of placing another sign on the west side of the train trestle, but because there is no traffic signal at that location, Mr. Kleiman is not sure that it would be a safe location, because drivers would be forced to look up while they are driving around the curve. He added that the prices may decrease slightly depending on which technology is used, as well is the aesthetics around the sign, such as including a pedestal, or a monument frame for the sign. The signs can be programmed remotely. Mayor Aronsohn interjected that he thinks the signs are great idea, both from an OEM perspective, but also to disseminate community information. He asked if Mr. Kleiman envisions that the signs would be used during an event to relay emergency information, as well as relaying information of community events on an everyday basis. Mr. Kleiman responded that it is being viewed as a type of community bulletin board. Under normal conditions, it could be controlled from the Village Clerk’s office, or anyone else designated by the Councilmembers. Emergency information would override the everyday information that is posted on the sign.

Councilwoman Walsh commented that she had a meeting with the Village Manager and the Engineering Department this morning regarding some grant opportunities in capital improvements to be done around the west side of the train trestle, and she believes that Ms. Sonenfeld will be discussing some aspects of the grant with Mr. Kleiman, because it is possible that some of the monies could be used for the sign.

The next item in the capital budget is $10,500 for traffic light transfer switch equipment. Mr. Kleiman explained that there are seven of 12 intersections in the Village that are County-owned, and there is an on-going problem when there is a power outage and the traffic lights are out. Village personnel have no access to the boxes controlling those signals, and the Village generators are not compatible to operate them. The County will allow the Village to install the transfer switches on those boxes to make them compatible with the Village generators. The initial request was to cover the seven intersections, but the amount was cut down to $10,500, which will cover three intersections. Ms. Sonenfeld noted that the Engineering Department is in the process of preparing four grant proposals which might cover some of these requests, and she asked Mr. Kleiman to meet with them to discuss those possibilities.

Councilman Riche said he understands that the OEM facilitates the generators to the traffic signal boxes in an emergency, but he wondered why this expense would not fall under the capital budget for the Traffic and Signal Department. Mr. Sanzari responded that when a Department Supervisor makes a request for particular items, he uses the information obtained from them when they tell him that it is their equipment being used. Furthermore, the Traffic and Signal Department has their own generators. Mr. Kleiman said that when he made his capital budget request, he asked the other departments for input about what they need in an emergency that might fall under the auspices of the OEM. The request of $14,200 for emergency traffic control equipment includes such items as additional barricades, cones, and Police Department flares that are used when roads are closed and in other emergency situations.

The $8,000 that is requested in the capital budget for shelter equipment will cover approximately 50 cots and 50 blankets. There have been on-going discussions about sheltering and the Village’s responsibility to provide shelter during an emergency, but Mr. Kleiman noted that there is currently no equipment to set up such a shelter. The final item is $42,000 for lightning detection equipment replacement. Mr. Kleiman commented that the original vendor who installed the first six or seven pieces of equipment went out of business. There is another vendor available through the County’s cooperative system, and the Councilmembers approved some funds in 2013 to begin installing new equipment at additional field locations that did not have any lightning detection equipment. However, those funds were cut from the budget, and the Board of Education has promised to make up the difference. It is hoped that soon, all of the fields and schools in the Village will have lightning detection equipment installed. The new equipment runs a different system than the old equipment, and it is planned that in several years, the original equipment that was installed will be replaced to be compatible with the newer equipment. Ms. Sonenfeld asked what the risk is if the systems are not compatible. Mr. Kleiman responded that for one thing, it will double the monthly costs for the subscription. The only other issue, according to Mr. Pullman, is that if one of the older pieces of equipment should malfunction, there is no way to replace or repair it at this time. The new system is under warranty.

6. Public Library

Nancy Greene, Director of the Ridgewood Public Library, presented the Library budget to the Councilmembers. She was accompanied by Gail Campbell, Treasurer of the Library Board of Trustees of the Public Library; Christine Driscoll, a member of the Library Board Of Trustees; Chris Yurgelonis, Assistant Director; and Toni Mathes, Business Manager. Ms. Greene drew the Councilmembers’ attention to the blue packets distributed to them. The packets include a new library card for each of the Councilmembers, because Ms. Greene said they wanted to make sure that the Councilmembers take advantage of the newest service available at the library, which is called Zinio, where subscribers get free unlimited downloads from a selection of 100 periodical titles.

Ms. Greene stated that she and her staff are always trying to work on how the Public Library can best enrich the lives of the community in the areas of culture and education. What they are finding is one of the greatest resources in education and culture is the community itself. Ms. Greene pointed out that program attendance has increased by approximately 10%, and some of the programs are so well-attended that they have to find bigger rooms to accommodate all of the people. Currently, there are approximately 12 book discussion groups, and many children groups. People do not come to the Public Library just to borrow books anymore, and Ms. Greene commented that the Public Library must offer things that are beyond what the public can get at Barnes & Noble and Amazon, including such programs as English as a second language; special-needs programs; career programs; homework help; and technology training programs, as well as many others. In addition, Ms. Greene noted that she and her staff do community scans all the time to ensure that the public library is reflective of the needs of the community. Based on the scans, she reported that approximately 35% of Ridgewood residents have a household income level of $200,000 or more, but very few people realize that approximately 12% of Ridgewood households have an income level of under $35,000, and 17% of Ridgewood households have an income level under $50,000. Ms. Greene commented that they are still very committed to the homework help center, which was started several years ago to make sure that tutoring is offered for families who cannot afford to pay for tutors. Members of the National Honor Society are trained as afterschool coaches, and they come to the Public Library on Monday-Thursday from 3:30 P.M.-5:30 P.M. to help other students with their homework. They do this on a volunteer basis, and Ms. Greene noted that they are trying to encourage more of those types of programs. Moreover, Ms. Greene stated that they have found that there is greater use of services provided by the staff. There has been a diminishment of book circulation, as well as media circulation, because more often, people are streaming their entertainment and information via the Internet. However, there has been an increase in such staff services as reference questions, which has shown an approximate 10% increase. Overall, Ms. Greene pointed out that a very diverse population is being served by the Public Library. The number of visitors per month averages approximately 4,000.

Gail Campbell, Treasurer of the Library Board of Trustees, presented the proposed 2014 budget for the Public Library. The amount requested is approximately $2.32 million, which is a 1.9% increase over the 2013 budget, or approximately $42,273. It represents the same increase over the 2009 budget, which shows that between 2009 and 2014, the Public Library budget has decreased, and has started to increase again. As Ms. Greene pointed out, the Public Library is the focal point of the Village, and Ms. Campbell believes that it deserves the Village’s support. Ms. Campbell outlined some of the reasons why the increase is needed: some of the patron services have been declining; there has been a substantial decline in non-resident memberships, amounting to approximately $7,000 less than the previous year, due to a change in Woodcliff Lake’s policies; a decline in DVD rental income of approximately $4,000, due to technologies such as Netflix; and room rental income is expected to decrease by approximately $3,000, due to the fact that the auditorium is used more for Public Library programs, creating less opportunities to rent the auditorium. Some other changes that were not reflected in the budget, such as the fact that the Library café is closed, and it is anticipated that will remain closed until June, which led to a decrease in income of approximately $4,500; and a change in the way the Bergen County Cooperative Library System (BCCLS) interprets the rules, forcing the Public Library to stop charging fees that it had been charging, which will lead to another $8,000 loss in revenue. On the revenue side, Ms. Campbell said they are expecting somewhat of a decrease in patron fees, totaling approximately $17,000.

On the expenditure side, Ms. Campbell said they believe they have been very fiscally responsible. There is a new union contract with Public Library employees that calls for a 2% salary increase. However, they are trying to cut their costs by eliminating surviving spouse lifetime health benefits for all existing and new employees, as well as eliminating lifetime health benefits for all employees hired or newly eligible after January 1, 2014. In addition, since 2004, there has been no terminal leave or unused sick time, and the Public Library employees have been contributing to their health care benefits since that time. Ms. Campbell added that they have also changed utility providers, which should realize some savings.

Ms. Campbell pointed out two other things about the Public Library budget: one is that the Public Library employees do not have automatic salary step increases, and there are no longevity increases built into the contract.

In addition, Ms. Campbell commented that currently, there is an oil tank that needs remediation. Apparently, some of the paperwork was lost by the Village, and it will cost at least $10,000 to repair the tank. However, the good news is that the pension bill is now lower than 2013 by $15,000.

Mayor Aronsohn thanked Ms. Greene and her staff for running a great Public Library. He agreed that the Public Library is a community space, unlike any other space in Ridgewood. In addition, in response to Ms. Greene’s point about the lower-income households in Ridgewood, Mayor Aronsohn stated that the Public Library is a great equalizer. He said that their numbers are very compelling, noting that the Public Library served 333,500 customers last year; holds 474,000 books and media items; answered more than 65,000 reference questions; and hosted 34,000 guest and cultural programs, among other things. That shows what an important place the Public Library really is, and the important role that it plays in Village life. Mayor Aronsohn asked a general question about the declining revenues, and what plans, if any, they have come up with going forward to generate new revenue. He noted that Ms. Campbell pointed out that room rentals have decreased because the Public Library is using that space for other purposes, and he wondered if they had thought about ways to add revenue to the Public Library. Ms. Campbell responded that they are somewhat hampered by the new BCCLS rules when charging fees, because they have been told that they can only charge fines, not fees. That is because the Public Library is supposed to be free, and the staff at BCCLS are very concerned about the Public Library not being free to residents of the community. Ms. Greene agreed that there really is not very much that they can do to generate revenue, but they have been very aggressive in their fee structure. When the budget cuts started approximately five years ago, the Public Library staff started trying to generate fees in order to avoid cutting staff and being forced to close on Sundays. Programs have been added that are open to non-residents, and it was thought that one thing that could be done with the non-resident programs would be to “court” Saddle River, because they do not have a library, and most of their residents currently go to the Upper Saddle River Public Library. Ms. Greene that she does not know what else could be done, as far as fee-based programs are concerned, that will bring in more income.

Councilwoman Hauck commented that she will do anything to support the Public Library, because it is a symbol of Ridgewood, and that Ridgewood is about people, children, and families. As Mayor Aronsohn noted, it is a great equalizer. Councilwoman Hauck pointed out that the Public Library is an expensive Department in the Village, but it is not as expensive as the Police and Fire Departments. Everything is important in the Village, and Councilwoman Hauck pointed out that the Public Library is also sustained through private funding, but it is not fair to keep pushing support for the Public Library on to the private sector. It is up to the Village to do its part in maintaining the Public Library, and not expecting events and private organizations to fund it. Last year, the Village Council started to augment the Public Library budget, and Councilwoman Hauck believes it should be augmented again in 2014. Councilwoman Hauck also pointed out that the Library has outsourced its custodial service, saving a lot of money, and renegotiated union contracts. The management of the Public Library has raised the bar in terms of what their expectations are for their employees.

Councilman Riche asked Mr. Sanzari what the 2014 statutory requirement is for the Public Library. Mr. Sanzari responded that it is $2.096 million. The requested amount is $2.32 million or $224,000 over the mandated amount.

Councilman Pucciarelli commented that the Public Library is not simply a book depository and lender, but a cultural and civic center for the Village. Councilman Pucciarelli also asked why there is such a significant increase in the request for buildings and grounds. Ms. Campbell responded that because the building is aging, it has required some significant repairs, citing as an example the $12,000 that had to be spent in 2013 to repair the roof. Councilman Pucciarelli noted that there had been some discussion about putting in a video security system, and he asked if it was included in the 2014 budget. Ms. Greene said it is not, although it is something that the Councilmembers approved in 2013. It was thought that a video security system would be implemented in partnership with Village Hall, but it turned out that the Public Library must implement the system on its own. However, due to the remediation required for the oil tank, the security system has been put on hold for the time being.

Councilwoman Hauck asked if there are any programs or initiatives planned to try to bring middle school aged children back to the Public Library. It seems like there is a lull between elementary school and high school, when children seem to love going to the public library, and she thinks there must be a way to foster and maintain that love during the middle school years. Ms. Greene responded that programs are not usually targeted to children in grades 6-12, because the children do not want the programs done for them, they would rather do the programs themselves. Therefore, a volunteer program has been created for them, and in 2013, the middle school and high school volunteers contributed more than 3,000 hours of work in the Public Library, including Reading Pals; working in the tech lab helping people understand how to use their new devices; and ESL tutoring for their peers. Ms. Greene said it was discovered that children that age do not necessarily want to be entertained, but they are looking for ways in which they can be useful. In addition, the Youth Librarian goes to Ridgewood High School every year during freshman orientation, accompanied by the Technology Supervisor at the Public Library, and they issue library cards to students right there. Ms. Greene also mentioned that there is a small young adult room in the Public Library, and it always seems to be full.

Ms. Greene closed by saying that the State law established a legal minimum contribution, as pointed out by Councilman Riche, which is based on the assessed value of real estate properties in the community. In addition, an annual legal maximum was established, which is a 15% increase above the previous year budget. The 2014 requested budget falls within that limit.

Next, Ms. Campbell presented the capital budget for the Public Library. The first thing on the list was the oil tank remediation. Ms. Campbell stated that they are certain that they will have to pay at least $10,650 for the remediation. The second thing is a security asset control system, which would allow Public Library employees to go in and out of the building with an ID card that can be swiped, as is done in many office buildings. In addition, access will be limited to some of the internal rooms for security purposes. That would cost approximately $15,000. The third request is for automatic sliding doors with heat curtains. The doors currently in use allow a lot of cold air to enter the building when they automatically open or close, so that would make it more comfortable in the lobby and in the café area. That cost is approximately $26,000. The fourth item is to replace some of the aging computers, at a cost of approximately $7,700. The fifth request is approximately $5,800 to replace old printers and purchase some new ones in the Public Library. The sixth item is for a new audio-video media system for the auditorium, which will cost approximately $24,500. The seventh item is for two self-check kiosks, one to be installed in 2014, and the other to be installed in 2015, costing approximately $18,500. That will allow people to check out books automatically. The final request is for a generator to power the Library during emergencies, with an approximate cost of $125,000 per year for two years. That could provide Village residents a place to go during storms, as well as enabling the community to continue to use the Library during emergencies.

Mayor Aronsohn thinks the generator is a very good idea, for the reasons stated. He also asked how the money the Ridgewood Public Library Foundation and the Friends of the Library contribute to the Public Library is spent. Ms. Campbell responded that most of the money contributed by the Friends of the Library goes toward buying books and providing programs for the Library. They do not pay for any of the capital equipment. The Ridgewood Public Library Foundation provides an endowment, which funds larger projects. Ms. Greene added that the Friends of the Library also pay for the town-wide newsletter that is mailed to every home. Regarding the Foundation, Mayor Aronsohn thinks it is wonderful that there are so many people in the community who will step forward to give their time and money to the Foundation. He asked if it is possible that they might choose to finance one of the items listed in the capital budget requests. Ms. Greene answered that the members of the Foundation have been concentrating on creating an endowment, and their initial goal was a $1 million endowment, which they reached last year. What they are now trying to do is to have the endowment in place so that it can generate income for the Library to use. They have increased their goal to $1.5 million before they start to withdraw funds from it, to give to the Library. In the meantime, they have done Library improvements in the past year, including painting the children’s room, as well as having bead board molding installed to prevent damage to the walls from strollers, book carts, and other things of that nature; and commissioning Ridgewood artists to paint murals outside the children’s room. In addition, the Ridgewood Public Library Foundation supports technology and major improvements to the Library. It is hoped that in another couple of years, it will be possible to renovate the interior of the library and realign the usable space, and the Foundation will be called on at that time to help.

Councilman Pucciarelli commented that he was on the board of the Ridgewood Public Library Foundation for seven or eight years, and he finds that one of the joys of giving to the Foundation is that the Foundation has the luxury of finding projects that will make the Library extraordinary. Councilman Pucciarelli does not think that the Foundation should be called upon to fill the gaps in the capital budget needs. Ms. Greene added that all of the outside performers and other events that come to the Library are funded by the Friends of the Library.

Councilman Riche asked if anyone had investigated the possibility of connecting the Library to the existing generator at Village Hall. Ms. Greene responded that Mr. Rutishauser said that the generator at Village Hall is barely adequate to run the Police Department right now, and that they are hoping to have a better generator installed that will power all of Village Hall. Ms. Greene said she asked if it would be possible to get enough power from the generator to at least keep the alarm panels functional, but Mr. Rutishauser said that is just not possible. However, the Engineering Department has written a grant application for generators that would power both middle schools, as well as the Library so that they can be used as shelters in case of emergencies.

 7. Village Manager

Ms. Sonenfeld presented the budget for the Village Manager’s office. She pointed out that the overall numbers are approximately 15% lower than those of 2013, and a lot of it has to do with differentials in salaries between 2013 and 2014. However, the numbers represent an increase over the 2013 actual expenditures, and Ms. Sonenfeld said her intent is to use the excess to help fund the forensic audit. The biggest increase shown is in employee relations, which includes the Mayor’s Wellness Program, the holiday party, and the picnic. Ms. Sonenfeld believes that cutbacks can be made in those areas, which will also help to start funding for the audit.

Mayor Aronsohn recalled that during the discussion about the Public Library capital budget, a request was made for automatic doors with heat curtains, which he would like to explore as a possibility for the doors to the Village Hall lobby. Ms. Mailander stated that the doors had been discussed with Mr. Rutishauser, and she is not sure where that funding comes from, but she will check with Mr. Rutishauser. Ms. Sonenfeld said it would not be capital requests, because the goal is to keep the capital requests down.

4. ADJOURNMENT

There being no further business to come before the Village Council, on a motion by Councilman Riche, seconded by Councilwoman Walsh, and carried unanimously by voice vote, the meeting was adjourned at 7:02 P.M.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    _____________________________

                                                                                                            Paul S. Aronsohn

                                                                                                                      Mayor

_________________________________

            Heather A. Mailander

                Village Clerk