20220217 - Village Council Special Public Budget Meeting Minutes

A SPECIAL PUBLIC BUDGET MEETING OF THE VILLAGE COUNCIL OF THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD HELD IN THE SYDNEY V. STOLDT, JR. COURT ROOM OF THE RIDGEWOOD VILLAGE HALL, 131 NORTH MAPLE AVENUE, RIDGEWOOD, NEW JERSEY, ON FEBRUARY 17, 2022 AT 5:03 PM

 

1.         CALL TO ORDER – OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS ACT – ROLL CALL – FLAG SALUTE

 

Mayor Knudsen called the meeting to order at 5:03 PM and read the Statement of Compliance with the Open Public Meetings Act.  At roll call the following were present:  Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Sedon; and Mayor Knudsen.  Also present were Heather Mailander, Village Manager/Village Clerk; Robert Rooney, Chief Financial Officer/Parking Utility Director; Stephen Sanzari, Treasurer; and Olivia Dimitri of the Finance Department.  Councilman Vagianos arrived at 5:04 PM.

 

Mayor Knudsen led those in attendance in the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag and asked for a moment of silence for men and women serving our nation, all of Ridgewood’s first responders, and all victims of violent crime.

 

2.         COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC

 

There were no public comments at this time.

 

3.         DISCUSSION ITEMS

 

            A.        REVIEW OF DEPARTMENTAL BUDGETS AND CAPITAL BUDGETS

 

                        1.         POLICE DEPARTMENT

 

Police Chief Jacqueline Luthcke, Captain Forest Lyons, and Sergeant Jay Chuck were attending this meeting to present the proposed Capital and Operating Budgets for the Police Department.

 

Chief Luthcke highlighted some of the accomplishments of the Police Department in 2021.  They are currently in the process of meeting all of the newly required training mandates due to all the legal changes which have occurred this past year.  These include how juveniles are handled, marijuana, de-escalation, resiliency, use of force, defensive tactics, pursuit, and new reporting requirements and systems, to name a few.  These new rules have really changed how police perform their jobs every day.  In 2021, the department was able to purchase and fully implement body-worn cameras for every single officer in the department, and officers were trained in their use.  Chief Luthcke mentioned that this was quite an achievement, since the training for the initial rollout and the continued and proper use of this camera is crucial to every aspect of policing now and in the future.  As a result, Chief Luthcke said that this has increased the workload to police officers, because they must now review and redact significantly more videos than in the past.

 

The Police Department has continued to work on finalizing the hosting contract for the electronic ticketing platform to increase revenue for the Village.  The vendor is currently working on duplicating the special complaint form used by Ridgewood, which will enable not only the Ridgewood Police and other departments to use the platform, but also other municipalities who currently issue summonses in the paper format.  The vendor is also working with the Village’s records management vendor to determine whether e-ticket information can be populated directly into police reports, which would increase efficiency in completing the reports.

 

Goals for 2022 include the hiring, training and promotion of people for both sworn and civilian positions to effectively prepare for oncoming retirements; increasing community policing presence; better utilizing sworn staff; allowing civilian employees to handle the onslaught of the new administrative responsibilities; and increasing the enforcement of parking regulations.  Chief Luthcke said that she wants to work with their vendors and the Signal Department to upgrade their radio infrastructure, which will allow for a more reliable and resilient backup system and would allow Village Hall to “stand on its own” in an emergency.  Radios are the lifelines for police officers and the system is long overdue for necessary upgrades.

 

Chief Luthcke said that she would also like to hire a web design company to create and maintain a robust website for the Police Department.  Many of the recent state mandates require specific information to be posted on the Police Department website.  The prior website was taken down, rather than be in noncompliance with state mandates, and it was decided that a brand-new website should be developed.  The mandatory information is presently on the Village website, but Chief Luthcke feels that it would be worthwhile to hire a company to build and maintain a separate website for the Police Department.

 

Chief Luthcke explained that one of the big increases in their budget for 2022 is the overtime budget, which is due directly to the unfunded mandates.  In the last two years, a lot of training was done virtually, which costs less.  However, the mandated training is extensive, including resiliency training, which takes four days to complete for every officer; the new “use of force” training which takes two days to complete for every officer; and active shooter training which takes days to complete for every officer.  Uncompensated time has increased.  Nothing is certain yet, but there may potentially be six officers retiring this year from the Ridgewood Police Department.

 

“Maintenance of Other Equipment” includes lights, radios, cameras, and equipment in police vehicles.  There are added costs for a fingerprint machine, radio infrastructure, current in-car cameras (which are at the end of their lifespan, and they are very hard to maintain or replace), tasers, and the Village-wide security and access control system.  Regarding the security monitoring system, Chief Luthcke explained that although this line item indicates $72,000.00, she just learned today from their vendor that it will cost an additional $7,000.00, for a total of $79,000.00.

 

Councilwoman Perron asked about a line item “Lights – Regional Communications.”  Chief Luthcke explained that Regional Communications is the name of the company that installs overhead lights and spotlights on the police vehicles.

 

Mayor Knudsen asked Chief Luthcke where the website development costs were included in the Police Department budget.  Chief Luthcke replied that it was listed under “Other Contractual Services (029).”  Chief Luthcke estimates that the website development will cost approximately $5,000.00.

 

Councilwoman Perron noted that the monetary figure listed under “Other Contractual Services” was over $500,000.00.  She asked what the bulk of this money represented.  Chief Luthcke stated that the bulk of that sum represented the crossing guard contracts which amount to approximately $480,000.00 for 32 employees.  Under “Background Information Service,” Councilwoman Perron asked if this was for all Village departments.  It was confirmed that it is for all employees.  Also, Councilwoman Perron asked what “Power DMS Annual License” meant.  Chief Luthcke explained that Power DMS is the electronic recordkeeping system for the Police Department’s policies and procedures and online training.  This prevents the Department from having to print out all the policies and procedures and put them into binders for the officers.  Officers can view these policies and procedures from a computer, car or phone.  Tests can also be taken through this platform.

 

Councilman Vagianos asked why there was a $70,000.00 increase for “Office and Clerical.”  Chief Luthcke explained that there is increased administrative work that needs to be done, including the redacting of videos.  For example, it will take about 1-1/2 hours to view, redact, copy and post a 30-minute video.  She currently has one detective who works four days, out of his five-day workweek, strictly editing these videos.  She would really prefer to better utilize her sworn personnel, and this is why she has requested additional administrative help (at a less expensive compensation) to comply with the new mandates. 

 

Councilman Vagianos also asked why the compensation for the crossing guards increased by almost $80,000.00.  Chief Luthcke explained that the increase was due to the minimum wage requirements and also the fact that they have to provide sick days and time off.  She mentioned that crossing guards haven’t had a raise in a few years, and there has been a staffing shortage as well.  She added that Ridgewood is now one of the lowest-paying towns, so the crossing guards are now leaving for better-paying positions.  She is attempting to bring the pay scale for the crossing guards up to a more competitive level. 

 

Councilman Vagianos indicated that he completely understood the fact that the Police Department is one of the largest departments in Ridgewood and that they are now faced with all of these new mandates; however, he asked Chief Luthcke to carefully review her proposed budget to see what items are absolutely necessary and what items could be delayed for another year or two.  Chief Luthcke said that she will certainly “take another look” at her proposed budget.

 

Mayor Knudsen asked about the possibility of employing video redacting software and asked how many hours a week are required to perform this function.  Chief Luthcke replied that the detectives have a very heavy caseload and are very stressed.  Overtime has increased because of the additional paperwork requirements.  She estimated that it takes approximately 32 hours a week for the video redacting to be completed.  The authorized video redacting software that they are permitted to use is only the basic “Level 1.”  They are trying to streamline the “copying process” with the videos by making it more automated. 

 

Captain Lyons indicated that their budget has a request for the new AI-enabled enhanced redaction software.  However, even with that software, someone has to manually watch the video, observe faces and names, and look for any personally identifiable information for possible redaction.  He said that it is an arduous task and they must be very careful to redact such information from a liability standpoint.  He indicated that because of these additional mandates, police staff have been diverted from investigating certain cases (such as fraud) because they are so short-staffed.

 

Mayor Knudsen asked if the department needs a part-time or full-time employee to perform the video redacting, copying, etc., if the software were obtained, and whether or not the volume of video redaction is reduced, as a result of the recent changes in the court system.  Chief Luthcke replied that, even though some cases may eventually be dismissed (such as for marijuana charges), all discovery, including videos, still has to be provided in advance of the court hearing date.  In addition, numerous factors have to be manually searched for and redacted in videos, such as faces/names of victims and children, as well as audio heard on the videos in relation to other calls which may be coming in at a crime scene, over the police radios, which have nothing to do with the crime scene (such as a traffic stop).

 

Councilwoman Perron asked if the sum of $42,000 would be needed to hire a civilian person to perform the redacting work.  Chief Luthcke replied in the affirmative.  If the civilian has some police experience and some knowledge of the laws, that would be a benefit.

 

Councilwoman Perron asked about the item under “Materials and Supplies” entitled “Open House 2022” and asked whether she missed “a big party.”  Chief Luthcke explained that they had had “great plans” for the May 2020 Open House, which didn’t happen because of Covid in both 2020 and 2021.  Therefore, they are hoping to hold the Open House in 2022 in order to bring people in and introduce them to the work performed by the Police Department and the various equipment that they use (tasers, cameras).  She mentioned that one mandate recently established was to introduce the public to what the new body-mounted cameras look like, and how they operate.  This increases people’s comfort levels and also enhances the professional level of the Police Department staff.

 

Councilwoman Perron asked about the “Leased Vehicles” section in the budget.  Chief Luthcke indicated that the cost of cars has increased dramatically in the last two years.  Costs for parts have also increased and they are hard to obtain.  She spoke about the police vehicles and how additional revenue is generated for the Village when police and police vehicles are needed to safeguard road construction projects.  There was a discussion about the total amount requested for the additional vehicles and two pickup trucks.

 

Councilwoman Perron also asked what the difference was between “E-ticket” and “E-citation.”  Chief Luthcke indicated that E-ticketing deals with electronic motor vehicle tickets; E-citation deals with a short-form complaint/summons for offenses such as disorderly persons which can be issued on the spot, without bringing the offending person physically to the police station.  This E-citation method can be used by other Village departments, such as for leaf offenses, snow non-removal offenses, etc.

 

Regarding the Capital Budget, Chief Luthcke spoke about the reduction in security and access control.  This means that the Police Department would not get any new cameras, access points or anything similar in 2022.  The line item in the Operating Budget is for the contractual maintenance of the cameras.  There had been a request in the Capital Budget for $50,000.00 for new cameras, not just for the Police Department but for other departments as well, but that was taken out.  Mr. Rooney said that this was probably an oversight, and that item would be put back into the Capital Budget, as originally requested.

 

Councilman Vagianos asked for clarification of “access security control.”  Chief Luthcke explained that this represents all of the cameras, door locks and alarm systems throughout Village Hall and all other Ridgewood facilities.  He asked what specific items were being requested in this category.  Chief Luthcke indicated that she could not answer this question specifically because other departments are involved besides the Police Department.  For example, if the Parks and Recreation Department needs a lock at a specific facility (like the skate park), it would fall under the purview of the Police Department budget. 

 

Councilman Vagianos asked if this sum would include additional cameras and security for the parking deck.  Chief Luthcke said that it could certainly include the addition of new cameras at the parking deck or at any location which requires a better camera system.  Councilwoman Perron remarked that the cameras have been upgraded at the parking deck already.  Sgt. Chuck remarked that about one-third of the cameras in the parking deck have already been upgraded and that there are no immediate plans to upgrade them further this year.  However, there are other sites which require upgrades and certain situations occur during the year which require attention.  The requested amount is based upon historical data.

 

Mayor Knudsen asked about the reduction of the “parking garage storage” item on the budget.  Robert Rooney, Chief Financial Officer, indicated that the original estimate was a bit high since some shelving has already been installed at that location; therefore, a more “practical” figure was indicated in the budget.  Chief Luthcke explained that these monies were earmarked for fencing, shelving, etc.  Mayor Knudsen asked about portable radios and radio upgrades.  Chief Luthcke explained that portable radios are carried by officers in their vehicles.  Radio upgrades deal with the radio infrastructure. 

 

Councilwoman Perron asked about the request for office furniture (which was reduced).  She inquired whether the Police Department could utilize any of the furniture no longer needed by the Water Department.  Chief Luthcke indicated that she was more than willing to look at that furniture to see if there was anything they could use.  She mentioned that much of the furniture in Police Headquarters was purchased after Hurricane Floyd in 1999 and was originally used at the Garber Square Police Headquarters.

 

Regarding the in-car cameras, Councilwoman Perron asked what the life expectancy is of the ones they are proposing to purchase.  It was explained that the current cameras used in the Police Department are past their life expectancy by about four or five years and they are barely being held together.  The new system would be connected to the Axon body cameras, so it would be a universal system for everything.  They could obtain a five-year contract for this equipment and, at the end of five years, all the equipment will be replaced if the contract is renewed.  This equipment would also obviate the necessity to run multiple programs in order to perform the video redaction work.

 

Councilwoman Perron asked what kinds of vehicles the Police Department would like to purchase.  Sgt. Chuck indicated that the Police Department would like to replace the oldest cars in the fleet, the Explorers, with new Explorers.  Councilwoman Perron asked if these vehicles were made in a hybrid format.  Sgt. Chuck indicated that they missed the cutoff to order hybrids this year, so only gas-powered vehicles can be ordered at this time.  However, next year they would like to order the hybrid vehicles before the cutoff date.  Ms. Mailander mentioned that the Streets Department is going to be purchasing a hybrid Tahoe this year.  It will be tested out by various department and then a determination will be made as to how effectively they operate.  It was explained that hybrids “charge themselves” while they’re being driven.  There was a short discussion about EV charging stations.

 

Mayor Knudsen asked if summaries of achievements and goals from all departments could be emailed to the Councilmembers in a PDF format.  Ms. Mailander indicated that she would ask all Department Directors to comply with this request.

 

There was a short break and another roll call was taken as follows:  Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Sedon, Vagianos, and Mayor Knudsen.  Also present were Heather Mailander, Village Manager/Village Clerk; Robert Rooney, Chief Financial Officer/Parking Utility Director; Stephen Sanzari, Treasurer; and Olivia Dimitri of the Finance Department.

 

                        2.         OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

 

Ms. Mailander indicated that Jeremy Kleiman is the Village’s Emergency Management Coordinator.  Mr. Kleiman first set forth the accomplishments by the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) in 2021.  They successfully managed their Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) stockpile.  This has been very challenging over the past two years, in terms of obtaining the equipment at a reasonable price and making sure that enough PPE was purchased to protect Village workers, particularly those employees in public safety.  The PPE is located in an offsite storage unit.  Rapid Covid tests were also purchased for employees.  

 

Mr. Kleiman indicated that his department performed their triennial update and recertification of the Village’s Emergency Operations Plan.  Mr. Kleiman mentioned that every three years, the State of New Jersey requires recertification of the Emergency Operations Plan by the State Police, which is then forwarded to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), thereby allowing the Village to become eligible for FEMA reimbursement during a nationally declared disaster.  He added that this document is approximately 1,300 pages long.

 

Mr. Kleiman indicated that his department partnered with Age-Friendly Ridgewood to update the Emergency Preparedness Guidebook, which had not been updated since 2013.  This guidebook was distributed to Ridgewood residents.

 

Some goals for 2022 include finding a new location for their emergency operations center.  They currently share a conference room in the Police Headquarters at Village Hall, which location is not ideal for a variety of reasons, including the fact that Village Hall is in a flood plain.  In addition, Mr. Kleiman is planning on developing a series of emergency preparedness workshops for residents, a number of which have been done in the past.

 

Mr. Kleiman indicated that the Operating Budget for his department is flat this year, except for a maintenance contract for their lightning detection system.  They maintain the hardware and software for the lightning detection system at all ballfields, on both Ridgewood and Board of Education properties.  There is a siren which alerts everyone to potential lightning strikes.  There was an “epic failure” this summer at four sites in the Village where the hardware completely crashed.  Some emergency funding was required to repair the system to avoid liability.  The vendor for this equipment offers an annual maintenance contract, which is useful when there is a problem with the equipment. This includes service calls and replacement of any defective equipment.

 

Mr. Kleiman indicated that his Capital Budget contains a request for $38,000.00 for a surveillance camera trailer.  During demonstrations and protests in the Village a couple of years ago, there was a meeting of public safety directors and they realized they had poor visibility on what was occurring and especially couldn’t monitor what was going on around Village Hall by law enforcement headquarters.  This trailer has a telescoping tower (30 feet high) with cameras on the top.  This can be deployed anywhere in the Village, would offer added security during events, and could be used to remotely monitor (either on a laptop or an iPhone) large gatherings such as the Fourth of July celebratory events and the Memorial Day Run.  His department has borrowed such equipment from the County in the past, but Mr. Kleiman indicated that the equipment is not always available.  One model of the surveillance camera trailer is solar powered; others are powered by a diesel generator.

 

Councilwoman Perron indicated that drones were purchased last year for use in the Village, and she asked whether or not they would serve the same purpose as the surveillance camera trailer. Mr. Kleiman said that they would partially serve this purpose; however, a drone requires someone to operate it and it has limited battery power.  Councilwoman Perron added that the drone operator must also be licensed.

 

Councilman Vagianos asked whether or not the camera has night vision capabilities, and Mr. Kleiman replied in the affirmative.  It could be used during the Fourth of July fireworks display.

 

                        3.         BUILDING DEPARTMENT

 

Ms. Mailander indicated that Anthony Merlino is Director of the Building Department and would be presenting his departmental budget this evening.  Mr. Merlino said that his department has recently fulfilled its goal of hiring plumbing inspectors, which area was understaffed for quite a while.  He stated that his office is packed with boxes of files and he has to go through everything; once completed, they have a storage facility in Glen Rock to store the files.  Permits are being processed fairly quickly; commercial applications are being given priority, especially in light of all the vacancies in the downtown area.

 

Mr. Merlino said that his budget hasn’t changed much from when it was first presented last year, except for the vehicle that was requested and approved last year.  Permit revenues help his department to be self-sufficient.  Councilman Vagianos mentioned that this budget is pretty flat compared to last year, and the only change deals with part-time staffing, since three part-time inspectors were hired.  Mayor Knudsen remarked that she was very happy to see the increased staffing levels, since one of the complaints from residents has always been the length of time it takes to complete inspections and obtain permits. 

 

Ms. Mailander added that she, Mr. Merlino, and Tracy Jeffery, Code Enforcement Officer, met virtually with the landlords a couple of weeks ago and it went very well.  The landlords were made aware of the SDL portal where property owners can learn about the progress of their applications, what approvals have been granted, inspection results, etc.  Mr. Merlino stated that he may conduct some seminars in the future for both residential and commercial property owners to educate them on the permitting process, paperwork, etc. He may also possibly develop a video, which explains the permitting process, and the video can be embedded on the Building Department website.

 

Mayor Knudsen asked whether Mr. Merlino felt that new business applications are being expedited more so now, than previously.  Mr. Merlino replied that he believes this has improved over the last five or six months, with his additional staff.  He reiterated that his office prioritizes commercial applications since they are aware that businesses begin paying rent on the first day of the lease.  Most business premises must be permitted and retrofitted, if necessary, and inspections must be completed as soon as possible, so that these companies can open for business and begin generating revenues.

 

Mr. Merlino made it a point to advise business owners to pay close attention to what changes are allowed in their leased premises and per code, the Village’s permitting schedules, and the time it takes for their contractors to perform any necessary work.  He mentioned that sometimes tenants make changes that are not allowed or that are not code compliant, and therefore there is a failed inspection and further delay.  Mr. Merlino concluded by stating that Ms. Mailander and Mr. Rooney were extremely helpful in helping him to arrive at this final proposed budget and commended each of them for the smooth process.

 

4.         PUBLIC LIBRARY

 

Nancy Greene, Library Director, presented the budget for the Public Library.  She introduced Rei Shinozuka, Treasurer of the Library Board; Gail Campbell, Library Board President; Alex Wasenda, New Business Manager; Lorri Steinbacher, Assistant Director; and Rocco Orlando, a Library Board member and architect, helping with work on the HVAC and roof systems. 

 

Ms. Greene indicated that the Library receives approximately 10,000 visitors a month.  She wasn’t sure what the numbers would look like after the pandemic.  In 2021, the Library was open 343 days.  They were granted over $46,000.00 in State and Federal grants in 2021.  These monies will enable them to create a new website and start a Library podcast series, among other things.  She mentioned that the Library now lends out laptops, iPads, Apple pencils, etc.  Ms. Greene also indicated that the Library developed programs to support community mental health.

 

Ms. Greene stated that the Ridgewood Library remains number one in the state for cultural and educational events.  In 2021, more than 3,400 cultural and educational events were posted for groups and individuals; they had close to 36,000 participants in these events, including ESL classes, story time, and computer classes.  The library staff mentored teen and adult volunteers and were benefited by over 3,000 volunteer hours last year.  New services included “The Library of Things,” where various items are lent out including WiFi hotspots, drills, levels, equipment, etc.  This enables individuals to “try before they buy” or just borrow for a project.  The library is also now offering hybrid simulcasts, a combination of live and remote streaming, where individuals can either attend in person or virtually.

 

Ms. Greene indicated that, on any given day, the library lends out more than 1,000 books, movies or CDs.  Close to 300 questions are answered every day by staff, and there are close to 60 uses of the library’s public computers every day.  She expressed how pleased she was that the library is fully open again and can serve the public.  Among the 78 Bergen County Cooperative Library System (BCCLS) libraries, Ridgewood Library is among the very highest in usage.  The Ridgewood Library is number one in digital book and media circulation, children and teen book circulation, and reference questions answered.  Ridgewood is in the top three for overall books and public service hours.  Ridgewood Library ranks tenth in terms of staff costs, municipal allocation to the library, and the cost per circulating item.

 

Ms. Greene indicated that one of the Library’s main goals in 2022 is to stabilize its financial situation.  The Pease Library has been vacant for most of the year and they are working hard to replace the tenant.  There are two potential tenants at this time, which will be discussed at the next Library Board meeting.  They are constantly pursuing additional grant funds.  Ms. Greene indicated that they are hoping to complete some deferred maintenance on the building. 

 

Ms. Greene mentioned that the “Reimagine Project,” to renovate the Ridgewood Library, encompassed items such as HVAC and roof work.  These projects were stalled for a few years because the costs for performing this work would not have been reimbursed through a grant.  Therefore, facility improvements were delayed.  However, they are hoping to upgrade the HVAC system and perform work on the roof this year.  Ms. Greene remarked that they are also hoping to hook up to the generator located in the library service driveway, which will serve the Ridgewood Water Department. as well. 

 

Another goal for 2022 is to expand community outreach.  They had “pop-up” library events last year and would like to continue doing that this year at other venues, such as sports events, distributing library cards and encouraging non-library users to become members.  Members of the Library staff are also visiting residents who just moved to Ridgewood and gifting them with “Library welcome bags.”

 

Mr. Shinozuka thanked the Village Council for the opportunity to present the Library’s budget. Regarding the Operating Budget, Mr. Shinozuka said he wanted to highlight some items.  They are requesting an increase of the Village appropriation of $57,336.00 (the first increase that has been requested since 2016).  He mentioned that Ms. Greene has done an amazing job working within the constraints of the existing budget.  He pointed out that the net operating income (after expenses) for the Pease Library is projected at zero for 2022 since one of the tenants has left.  Some maintenance must be performed on the Pease Library, in preparation for a new potential tenant.  Mr. Shinozuka indicated that after expenses, even with a tenant, the net revenue from the Pease Library will be a ”break even proposition.” The average rental income for the Pease Library, averaged over the past five years, has been $108,000.00.  They are trying to “close the gap” between the Village appropriation, their revenue, and expenses.

 

Mr. Shinozuka indicated that the “carry forward” amount from last year is way lower than in past years.  He attributed this reduction to the pandemic, as well as the decreased rent from the Pease Library.  He spoke about salaries and benefits increasing, because they are planning to convert two part-time employees into full-time employees, increasing the full-time staff from 12 to 14.  In comparison, ten years ago, there were 21 full-time employees.  These two employees who will be converted to full-time positions are highly qualified individuals, having attained their Masters degrees.  Regarding books, media and technology, Mr. Shinozuka indicated that these are being reduced in the plan, with a great deal of regret, since they are the only discretionary items in the budget that can be adjusted.  Some sacrifices had to be made to try to balance the Library’s budget.  Other expenditures are largely unchanged.

 

Ms. Greene said that the budget contains typical requests for technology and maintenance items. The first are snow rails for the slate roof.  There was a snow slide last year that caused approximately $20,000 in damages, and they hope that installation of the snow rails will prevent further damage in the future.  The next item is restoration of the Maple Avenue entrance to the library, which Ms. Greene indicated looks weather-beaten.  They’ve researched the best way to restore the entrance, whether to wrap the columns with vinyl or to paint them.  However, the fascia is peeling away and the golden eagle needs regilding, so there is a request in the budget to perform this work.  There is a request for $15,000.00 for network equipment/communication systems (telephone).  There is a request for monies to formulate a plan to conduct engineering work in order to connect the entire Library to the Water Department’s generator.  There is also a request for an ADA-compliant water cooler. 

 

Ms. Greene indicated that the request for $750,000.00 for renovations will be used for the Library’s HVAC system, which was originally installed in 1998.  In the last three years, they have been able to replace the three rooftop units, but the largest units (split units located both inside and outside the building) need to be dismantled and newer, more efficient units installed.  These monies will also be utilized to install a new flat roof and repair the existing shingles on the roof and around the cupola.  She thanked Ms. Mailander and Mr. Rooney for their help with developing the budget.

 

Councilwoman Reynolds indicated that there was between $725,000.00 and $750,000.00 in the budget in 2021 for library renovations, and she asked what that was used for.  Ms. Greene indicated that those monies have not been used yet.  They had plans to do major renovations on the Library’s interior at a cost of approximately $7 million.  They had applied for a state grant, which would have covered 50% of that cost.  They have done private fundraising through a Capital Campaign Committee. 

 

In 2020, the Village appropriated up to $1,450,000.00 towards the cost of the project, to be paid when the state grant was approved.  However, the grant was denied, so they are developing a more focused plan, whereby most of the deferred maintenance would be taken care of via municipal support.  Monies raised through private fundraising would be used towards improvements (reorganization of rooms, purchase of new furnishings, and construction of an interior staircase to improve access to the entire Library).  The 2020 appropriation of $1,450,000.00 was “drawn down” and what remains of this appropriation is $725,000.00.

 

Councilwoman Reynolds asked Ms. Greene how much money they have raised privately.  Ms. Greene indicated that their primary benefactor is the David Bolger Trust which pledged $1 million to the project.  The Library Foundation itself has an endowment and they have discussed obtaining a significant gift, totaling approximately $500,000.00.  They have some pledges which total almost $500,000.00, but now they have to speak with the people who pledged money, since the renovation plan is going to be different and try to “sustain their enthusiasm” for the project.  Councilwoman Reynolds asked if they had any plans to do a public outreach.  Ms. Greene said that how it is usually done is that they first do a “quiet campaign/private asks,” reaching out to people who are most likely to donate large amounts, then it is taken to the next level.  The town-wide appeals will be done after the largest donations have been received.

 

5.         EMERGENCY SERVICES

 

Ryan Savaria, Chief of Emergency Medical Services, presented his department’s budget this evening.  The achievement in 2021 that he is most proud of is maintaining services to keep everyone healthy, especially considering the Covid pandemic.  Through their practices, policies, and procedures, all staff interacting with patients or the public were able to stay healthy.  Additional volunteers joined EMS throughout the year.  There are six individuals currently undergoing EMT training, who will join the team upon successful completion of the program.  There remains continued interest and involvement from the community.  He mentioned that a lot of the current policemen and firemen in Ridgewood originally went through his department’s EMT training program.

 

Mr. Savaria indicated that they have been struggling with supply chain issues, so some products which were ordered have not yet been received.  However, they were able to sustain their inventory of medical supplies and other consumables through assistance from Bergen County, the Office of Emergency Management, and some other sources.  Some radios and defibrillators ordered with funds from the Capital Budget have a 16-week delivery delay, since they are “computer chip related.”

 

Mr. Savaria indicated that the Operating Budget is generally flat from last year.  There is a minor increase in materials and supplies, including medications, oxygen, epinephrine, and albuterol for breathing treatments.  Naloxone is presently obtained free of charge.  There is a decrease in stipends but otherwise, everything else is the same.

 

Councilman Vagianos asked why part-time wages in 2021 were about $94,000.00 and in 2022 they are zero.  Mr. Savaria replied that daytime EMS operations were changed last year, so daytime per diem EMTs are no longer utilized by the Department of Emergency Services.

 

Councilman Vagianos remarked that the summary sheet shows an increase of about $10,000 for “Maintenance of Other Equipment,” but the support sheet shows the same appropriation as last year, therefore he assumed there was a typo in one of these figures.  Mr. Savaria confirmed that they did not change that number. Councilman Vagianos also asked about “Other Contractual Services and Materials and Supplies.” The support sheet shows an adjustment, “Correction to be made to S&W.”  One is for $30,000.00 and one is for $45,000.00.  He asked Mr. Savaria what this represented.  Mr. Rooney indicated that any adjustments are usually the result of last year’s budget modifications or adjustments to reduce the budget.  Depending on what the “spend” was for that line item in 2021, adjustments were made downward.  That is what “Bob adjustment” means.

 

Regarding the Capital Budget, Mr. Savaria indicated that there are a few things which his department would like to accomplish which will help grow the department, protect the Village, and keep everyone safe.  His department maintains all of the Village’s defibrillators, in both emergency vehicles and in public access.  Those defibrillators have a definitive shelf life, the end of which, is quickly approaching.  Over the next four years (including this year), he would like to replace the defibrillators in sets of 10.  The newer ones would be placed with the Police Department, Fire Department, and Emergency Management, and the ones formerly used by those departments would be rotated to public access.  Eventually, the oldest units would be declared as surplus and traded in. The newer units have better pads, better computers, and are more likely to detect abnormal or different heart rhythms.  The batteries also last longer in the newer units and afford diagnostics through WiFi or Bluetooth.

 

The next item in the Capital Budget is the replacement of suction units.  The suction units on the ambulances currently in service were actually in these ambulances when he joined the department in 1996.  The company which originally sold these units has since gone out of business, and these particular units are no longer manufactured.  Replacement and consumable parts are no longer produced for these older units.  Therefore, they are seeking to replace all of these units on the vehicles, with spares on the shelf for backup.  They are looking to purchase units compatible with the canisters they currently use, to avoid multiple items in their inventory.  When questioned, Mr. Savaria replied that suction units are used for patients who pass out after choking or swallowing vomit.  He compared suction units to a “small wet/dry vac with a battery.”

 

Mr. Savaria indicated that half of his department assists other Village departments (Police, Fire, EMS, Public Works, Streets, Water) with any traffic issues they have, whether on a local road, highway or otherwise.  This item is for a single-man deployable message sign for traffic.  It would be vehicle mounted.  It is not “word capable” but merely has chevrons and arrows (lefts and rights).  The advantage is that one person can deploy it without leaving his vehicle, keeping them safe.  It would rise eight feet above the roof of the vehicle and give advance warning for motorists, so that traffic may be rerouted away from a location where an incident has occurred (accident) or where construction is being performed.

 

Mr. Savaria reiterated that last year his department replaced portable radios with digital capable, multi-banded/narrow-banded portable radios since the FCC keeps changing the frequency requirements (some frequencies are being dedicated to 5G cell service and bands are being moved around for digital television).  The FCC is also moving around business and emergency communications, and some of the department’s radios do not support the new frequencies.  This year, there is a line item to replace mobile radios in Village vehicles.  However, they are expensive, so they will be replaced gradually over time.

 

Last year, Mr. Savaria indicated that they had a request for building furniture and carpeting, but this was reduced to allot funds only for furniture.  The carpet was cleaned to try to extend its life. The carpet has been there since they moved into the building and is showing some wear, so they are hoping to replace it this year.  Regarding the maintenance to the garage floor, Mr. Savaria explained that their building used to be a classic vehicle repair shop and a warehouse.  The warehouse portion of the building was converted to a garage where the ambulances are stored.  The floors are bare concrete floors which were painted when the building was renovated, and nothing has been done to them since that time.  They would like to apply an epoxy coating to the floor, with hard pieces of plastic in it for grip.  This would protect and level the floor, reduce dust, and make cleanup easier.

 

The last item in the budget deals with the eventual replacement of an ambulance, in which the engine was overhauled approximately five years ago.  The industry standard lifespan for an ambulance is about eight years.  This ambulance has a medium-duty chassis, so it has a longer lifespan.  They are not looking to replace this vehicle this year, but merely showing this projection, as they do every year, of what they anticipate the cost would be to replace the ambulance.

 

Councilman Vagianos recalled the “tour” he had of the Emergency Services Department, including the equipment owned by the Village, as well as equipment borrowed from the County for use, during the Christmas tree celebration.  Councilman Vagianos recalled there was a vehicle which was like a combination of an ambulance and a “gator” type of vehicle and he was told that there would be a request to replace that vehicle; however, he did not notice it in either the Capital or Operating Budget.  Mr. Savaria explained that that item would not be included in this set of budget requests at this time, although it was requested in the past.  It was initially approved, but then rejected at the “spend” level of the process.  Therefore, the project was put on hold.

 

Councilman Vagianos remarked that $45,000.00 seemed like a lot of money for polymer coating for the garage floor.  Mr. Savaria replied that a company came to give a quote on this project several years back.  The surface coating is approximately 1/4” to 3/8” thick, depending on how level the floor is.  The firm performing the job would not merely be applying the coating with a paint roller.  The floor would be acid washed and then a coating would be applied to level the surface, ensuring that it pitches towards the drain.  The floor would then be surface coated with various colors of an epoxy coating which will be quite thick in sections.  Lines will also be painted on the floor to give his staff visual cues of where it is safe to walk.  The material itself is quite expensive.

 

Mayor Knudsen asked what the square footage was of the garage.  Mr. Savaria said that he didn’t know offhand, but could email the information to her.  There are technically nine garages and two of them are double deep, so it is a very expansive area.

 

                        6.         HEALTH DEPARTMENT

 

Dawn Cetrulo, Director of the Health Department, presented the budget for the Health Department.  Her goal for 2021 was to immunize 70% of the Ridgewood adult population and, according to the latest statistics from the State of New Jersey, they immunized 98% of the adult population.  She indicated that they immunized almost 40 Ridgewood homebound residents with Covid-19 vaccines, which was an important endeavor.  They also provided Valentine’s Day cards for the homebound residents with the help of the Civic Youth Group.  While clinics were given for the children, they were kept busy making Valentine’s Day cards.  She received a lot of positive feedback from the residents who received these cards.

 

Her department provided over 4,800 vaccines to Ridgewood residents, including seniors, teens, and children over the age of five.  Of that number, 1,030 were in the 5 to 11 year age group and 3,812 were adults.  Her goal is to continue contact tracing and case investigation within 24 hours.  At one point, she had nine contact tracers, assigned by the State, working on calls.  When Covid numbers came down, the staff was reduced to three employees, out of which two were fired.  She mentioned that she and the one contact tracer still remaining were actually making calls on Christmas Eve.

 

Ms. Cetrulo mentioned that another goal of her department is to work closely with the schools to keep them open and to minimize in-school transmissions.  There was daily communication with the schools.  She met with the Superintendent and the School’s Wellness Director once a week; however, there was a daily meeting at the height of the pandemic.  Ms. Cetrulo mentioned that Governor Murphy is lifting the mask mandate on March 7, 2022 in public schools.  They are awaiting guidance from the State of New Jersey regarding exceptions where mask wearing would be required, such as when children are on the bus.  This information will be disseminated to the public once received.

 

Ms. Cetrulo said that another goal was to work closely with the businesses in the Village to communicate information in a timely manner, including Executive Orders and their interpretation.  She worked closely with Village organizations, social media, and newspapers to send out timely information regarding Covid statistics and protocols. 

 

Ms. Cetrulo mentioned that another goal was the procurement and management of Covid-19 grants to obtain additional personnel, supplies and equipment.  They have completed the first year of the grant which was $142,000.00, and they are in the process of completing the second year of the grant which was $291,000.00.  They just submitted their letter of intent for the third year grant.  It is unknown at this time how much that grant will be, but it is hoped that it will be similar to the second grant.  With the two initial grants, she was able to hire a Vulnerable Population Outreach Coordinator and a Covid Generalist.  Both are health educators.  They have held homeless programs and worked with the Alzheimer’s Association and the Mayor’s Wellness Challenge.

 

This year, the Health Department is initiating a “Lifestyle Challenge,” similar to the “Weight Loss Challenge,” and their goal is to try to get people active.  Incentives for walking into town include a special coupon or discount from a local business to the individual completing the challenge.  Varsity House is a community partner who is helping her with this project.  There will be weigh-ins.  They are also working with the Parks and Recreation Department on this project.  Future projects include financial management, stress management, and getting people “moving and grooving” again.  This “Lifestyle Challenge” begins on April 7, 2022.

 

Ms. Cetrulo indicated that her department successfully assisted over 10 hoarders, improved their living conditions, and connected them to physiological and physical assistance.  Her staff underwent an eight-hour training course regarding hoarding and it was very helpful.  She said that, unfortunately, there was one resident who passed away because she was not discovered soon enough.

 

Although Covid activities have taken up most of their time, Ms. Cetrulo indicated that her department has managed to complete the required inspections, complaints and reports, and the transfer over to a new vital records system for birth certifications.

 

Her goals for 2022 include trying to get the Village community back to pre-COVID normalcy by presenting child health clinics, adult health clinics, wellness programs, and tabling events.  They are currently working on developing several programs. With COVID numbers decreasing, they have redirected their efforts to utilize community partners to assist with community health and wellness. Outreach has been improved largely because of the two new employees who were hired with the grant. She has been working on projects such as Stigma-Free, Homebound Residents, Alzheimer’s Association, and various mental health programs in the community and in the schools.  They are striving to expand their inspection program to twice yearly, especially for the high-risk level restaurants which do not pass their first inspection.  The State of New Jersey mandates inspections only once a year, but Ms. Cetrulo believes that performing inspections twice a year is beneficial to both the restaurants and the Health Department.  Relationships are formed and the business owners become more comfortable with Ms. Cetrulo and her staff.

 

Ms. Cetrulo said that she would like to continue to improve customer service skills within the department through positive recognition and training.  She would like to reinstate employee wellness initiatives for all Village employees, which was really helpful in the past to get employees motivated and improve morale and camaraderie.  Her department currently has Shared Service Agreements with Norwood, Glen Rock, and Fair Lawn.  She would like to increase participation in Shared Service Agreements with other towns, as long as Covid cases remain low.  Vaccine compliance is another goal, not only with Covid but also with influenza.  She would like to make the vaccines more accessible to seniors and homebound residents.  She mentioned that she would also like to finalize the acceptance of credit cards in her department.

 

Ms. Cetrulo indicated that her budget this year has not really changed much.  Salary increases are paid through the grants that her department has applied for and received.

 

Councilman Vagianos asked Ms. Cetrulo how long she expected the extra salaries to be paid through the grant monies.  Ms. Cetrulo said the current second grant ends June 30, 2022, and the third grant has been applied for already, which will extend through June 30, 2023.  She does not really know at this point how long the grants will be received.  Councilman Vagianos said that her remark about 98% of the Ridgewood adult population being vaccinated is impressive.  He asked Ms. Cetrulo if she had vaccination statistics for surrounding communities, and Ms. Cetrulo said that she did.  She has to check to see what can and can’t be shared, and said that perhaps she could share a summary with Councilman Vagianos.

 

Councilwoman Reynolds remarked that Ms. Cetrulo and her team in the Health Department have done a phenomenal job over the last two years.  Ms. Cetrulo was appreciative and highly praised her staff.  Mayor Knudsen stated that she personally witnessed the long hours and days spent by the Health Department staff and thanked them and Ms. Mailander for all their hard work.  Ms. Cetrulo also thanked various Village departments and the nurses at Valley Hospital for all their help and support in making her Covid vaccination efforts successful. Ms. Mailander thanked Ms. Cetrulo and her staff and said that she admired all of their accomplishments. Ms. Cetrulo indicated that she plans to perform outreach to houses of worship to try to find other vulnerable members of the population.  A postcard will be sent out to all households in Ridgewood asking residents to let her department know of any vulnerable or housebound residents, which can be done anonymously. She remarked how she truly witnessed the generosity and kindness of the Ridgewood community during the pandemic.

 

                        7.         VILLAGE MANAGER

 

Ms. Mailander indicated that there were a lot of new hires in the Village:  two new IT assistants, a new Supervisor for Parks and Shade Tree, a new Supervisor for Distribution and Treatment in the Water Department, a new Tax Assessor, a new Building Department Director, and a new Fire Chief.  In 2021, the Village Hall was closed at the beginning of the year and opened up again in June.  Employees have actually been working, however, from April 2020 forward, although on a limited basis.  As of June 2020, all employees have been working on a full-time basis.  The Village Hall was sometimes closed to the public; however, the public was still able to be serviced via phone, email, the service window in the Garden Room, or appointments were made if an in-person visit was necessary.  Ms. Mailander said that eventually, they transitioned to in-person Council Meetings.  Ms. Mailander thanked the staff, Directors, and Supervisors for their cooperation and hard work during the pandemic.

 

For 2022, Ms. Mailander indicated that she would like to finish the diversion and to have the Kings Pond playground installed, which are connected.  She announced that the Water Department’s new headquarters should be opening sometime in June or July 2022, which will be a great achievement.  One of her goals is to reinstate the wellness initiative for employees, including both mental and physical health.  Some examples would be meditation, walking around the Village, a cooking class, etc.  She would like to make progress on the Schedler property improvements (berm, trees, fencing) and get additional approvals from the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) to be able to move forward with other improvements at that property.  She believes that the Schedler house will be completed sometime by the end of the year or early 2023.  Ms. Mailander also indicated that she hoped to have the new phone system installed at Village Hall within four to six weeks.

 

Ms. Mailander indicated that the Village Manager’s budget has not gone up much since 2021.

 

                        8.         VILLAGE COUNCIL

 

Ms. Mailander said that this year’s Village Council budget is basically the same as last year, perhaps $1,000.00 more.  The $7,500.00 for the Central Business District Advisory Committee (CBDAC) is being removed, because that was from last year’s budget request.

 

                        9.         VILLAGE ATTORNEY

 

Robert Rooney presented the budget for the Village Attorney.  He indicated that this year’s budget is slightly higher than last year by about $150,000.00, primarily due to tax appeals and other claims against the Village that have been settled, or are in the process of being settled, and which are being paid out this year.  Money has been put in the budget for union negotiations “just in case.”  There are some contracts which have not been finalized, including the Police contracts.

 

Councilman Vagianos asked what “RME” meant.  Mr. Rooney replied that RME is one of the lawsuits the Village is involved with.  Councilman Vagianos said he assumed the $195,000.00 was the salary for the Village Attorney.  Mr. Rooney indicated that this was a reduction from last year.  Mr. Rogers changed the way he bills the Village, so there was a savings of approximately $40,000.00.

 

Councilwoman Perron asked for clarification about the Labor Attorney fees of $50,000.00 which was appropriated in 2021 and there is now a request for $80,000.00 in 2022. Mr. Rooney said this was correct.  Experience has shown that the Village seeks the advice of Dominick Bratti, Village Labor Attorney, and his colleagues for matters that affect Village departments (Police, Fire) whenever there are contract issues, for interpretations, or if there is any litigation that has to do with grievances.  These matters have been on the rise and they are trying to budget appropriately for this. 

 

Councilwoman Perron asked how the union negotiations differed from that. Mr. Rooney explained that Mr. Bratti is a labor attorney for case law and things of that nature; union negotiations would arise if there were disagreements as to interpretation of clauses in contracts.  Mr. Bratti would handle grievances, and the people who handle union negotiations would handle things such as drafting collective bargaining agreements and/or interpreting contract clauses.

 

 

 

 

                        10.       VILLAGE CLERK

 

Ms. Mailander announced that in 2021, there were 677 OPRA requests that were fulfilled, not including police OPRA requests.  This is 100 more than any previous year.  She said that the Village is “on track” for another record year for OPRA requests.  As of February 16, 2021, there were 71 OPRA requests; as of February 16, 2022, there have been 88 OPRA requests so far this year. 

 

Ms. Mailander indicated that the Primary Election was held in person in June of 2021.  August 2021 saw the filing of petitions from candidates to fill the vacant Village Council seat.  There was a lot of work trying to get candidates’ petitions certified within two weeks, so they could be placed on the November General Election ballot.  The General Election was held in person in November 2021, where new iPads were used for voters to log into and sign their names, prior to voting.  Ms. Mailander and Ms. Young, Deputy Clerk, attended a training program to learn what the changes were going to be so that they could assist the poll workers on that day.  Ms. Mailander indicated that she felt that it was a more streamlined process.  She was told that the voting machines were also going to be changed in 2022. 

 

Utilizing Laserfiche, a scanning OCR program, the Village Clerk’s Office was able to scan and record Resolutions and Ordinances dating back to 2000, contracts dating back to 2014, and minutes dating back to 2004.  As time allows, more scanning will be done.  This allows for easier and faster record searches, which is helpful for OPRA requests and other requests for information.

 

Ms. Mailander indicated that the in 2021, the former Deputy Village Clerk, Donna Jackson, retired after 10 years of employment and Eileen Young was appointed as the new Deputy Village Clerk.  Ms. Mailander said that Ms. Young is doing a great job in her new role.

 

In 2022, Ms. Mailander indicated that she would like to organize a “Shred Day” for all Village departments.  Permission must be obtained from the State of New Jersey to destroy any records.  Approval or non-approval is obtained through an online program called “Artemis.”  She mentioned that many departments have numerous boxes of papers to be destroyed and she would like to arrange for a shred truck to perform the shredding.  A person stands by the truck and hands out a receipt for what was shredded, which is important proof as it pertains to an OPRA request to prove that a document no longer exists, because it was shredded.  Ms. Mailander indicated that certain records have to be kept forever, such as Resolutions, Ordinances, Agendas, Minutes, and the like.  Other documents may be destroyed after a certain number of years.  Another goal would be learning about the new voting machines.

 

The Village Clerk’s budget for 2022 is a bit less than it was for 2021, due to the salaries and wages (the current Deputy Village Clerk is earning less than the former Deputy Village Clerk who was employed by the Village for ten years).

 

                        11.       ELECTIONS

 

Ms. Mailander indicated that the election budget is slightly less in 2022 as compared to 2021.  There is a Municipal Election at the 2022 General Election in November, and the County will pick up most of the cost for that.  The Village, and every other town, gets charged for Primary Elections, which usually costs between $22,000.00 and $26,000.00. 

 

            B.        WRAP-UP AND NEXT STEPS

 

Ms. Mailander indicated that the next Budget Meeting will be held on Friday, February 25, 2022 at 5:00 PM.  There will be presentations of budgets from the Water Department, Solid Waste and Recycling, Finance and Tax Collector, Capital Funds, Debt Service, Deferred Charges, Statutory Expenses, Shared Services, Parking Utility, Revenues for the Current Fund, Salary Accumulated Leave, Staff Levels, Surplus and Current Fund, Trust Funds, and the Overall Budget.

 

Ms. Mailander also hopes to present the final Capital Budget for the entire Village at that meeting.  Discussions will be held regarding appropriations for the Capital Budget, with a goal of reducing it to approximately $7.5 million (currently at $8.9 million).  Mr. Rooney explained that in 2021, the Capital Budget appropriations amounted to over $10 million, due primarily to the approximately $2 million in costs incurred from Hurricane Ida.

 

It is hoped that the final Budget Meeting will be held on Monday, February 28, 2022, but they are waiting for the net valuations taxable from Bergen County, in order to set the new tax rate.  This is crucial this year, due to the large number of ongoing multi-family housing developments in the Village.  Last year, the information from Bergen County on the net valuations taxable was received on March 1, 2021, so Ms. Mailander indicated that she is hopeful that the information will be received earlier this year.  If the information is not received before February 28, 2022, then one additional Special Public Budget Meeting will need to be held between March 1 and March 9, 2022 to finalize the budget and set the tax rate.

 

Councilwoman Perron asked if any Federal money has been received by the Village or if there were any updates regarding same.  Mr. Rooney indicated that the Village received $1.3 million on July 1, 2021 from the American Rescue Plan (ARP) money, which is one-half of the money to which the Village is entitled.  The second half will be received in 2022.  The State of New Jersey has to inform Mr. Rooney as to how this second $1.3 million may be spent.  None of the ARP money goes to the Capital Budget, because the Village has had revenue shortfalls and the 2021 ARP funding has been used to compensate for those shortfalls, especially in the Parking Utility.

 

4.         COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC

 

Mayor Knudsen indicated that there were no members of the public present at this time, so there was no public comment.

 

5.         ADJOURNMENT

 

There being no further business to come before the Village Council, on a motion by Deputy Mayor Sedon, seconded by Councilman Vagianos, and carried unanimously by voice vote, the Village Council’s Special Public Budget Meeting was adjourned at 8:00 P.M.

 

 

 

 

 

                                                ____________________________________

                                                                                                Susan Knudsen

                                                                                                       Mayor

 

 

 

 

 

_______________________________________

                     Heather A. Mailander

             Village Manager/Village Clerk