Lawrence Council Meeting Agenda Available for Review

The next meeting of Lawrence Township Council will take place tomorrow, Tuesday, Dec. 4, beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the municipal building at 2207 Lawrence Rd. (Route 206).

The meeting agenda and Township Manager Richard Krawczun’s traditional pre-meeting memo are available from the township’s website and the Patch media box to the right.

According to those documents, four ordinances will be formally introduced during the meeting.

The ordinances, if approved at a subsequent council meeting, will generate additional revenue for the township by: increasing fees charged for participation in township recreation programs; creating fees for residential and commercial property owners to obtain zoning permits; increasing existing fees and creating new fees charged for emergency medical services; and create a new “bulk collection service fee for residential properties that receive curbside collection services.”

The possibility of raising recreation fees was discussed at the Nov. 8 council meeting, while a discussion about creating zoning permit fees took place at the Sept. 4 council meeting.

The idea of charging residential property owners an annual flat fee for bulk trash pickup – whether or not they use the service – was put forth in detail at the Sept. 18 council meeting, and garnered vocal opposition from some residents at subsequent council meetings.

The township administration and council have been struggling to reduce expenses and increase revenues in order to bring the 2013 municipal budget in compliance with the state’s 2 percent tax levy cap. The most-recent estimation made public last month by Krawczun was that the 2013 budget was still about $502,000 over the tax cap.

For the convenience of readers, the contents of the meeting agenda are also reproduced below:

Lawrence Township Council

• Lawrence Township Municipal Building
• Council Meeting Room – Upper Level
• Tuesday, December 4, 2012
• 6:30 P.M.

1. Mayor's Welcome and Roll Call

Statement Of Proper Notice: "Adequate notice of this meeting of the Lawrence Township Council being held on Tuesday, December 4, 2012, has been provided through the posting of the annual meeting schedule of said Council in accordance with Section 13 of the Open Public Meetings Act."

2. Pledge of Allegiance

3. Review and Revision of the Agenda

4. Public Participation

5. Adoption of Minutes of Previous Meetings

A. Regular Meeting – April 3, 2012

B. Regular Meeting – April 18, 2012

C. Special Meeting – April 30, 2012

D. Regular Meeting – May 1, 2012

6. Introduction of Ordinances

A. An Ordinance Amending Entitled An Ordinance Amending, The Consolidated License, Permit And Fee Chapter Of The Lawrence Township Administrative Code – Recreation Fees

B. An Ordinance Amending Ordinance No. 2079-11 Amending The Consolidated License, Permit And Fee Chapter Of The Lawrence Township Administrative Code – Zoning Fees

C. An Ordinance Amending And Supplementing Chapter 6a Of The Administrative Code Of The Township Of Lawrence Establishing And Implementing Fees For Emergency Medical Services

D. An Ordinance Amending The Consolidated License, Permit And Fee Chapter Of The Lawrence Administrative Code – Bulk Waste Collection User Fee

7. Resolutions

A. Authorizing Township Council Meeting Dates for 2013

B. Authorizing Refunds for Overpaid 2012 Taxes

C. Authorizing Tax Collector to Bid at Tax Sale

D. Authorizing Recreation Fee Refunds

E. Authorizing Refund of Escrow for Peter Boetsma, IP-25/12

F. Authorizing Maintenance Bond Releases for Liberty Green Phases I & II, SP-10/99

G. Authorizing a Closed Session of Council Immediately Following the Regular Meeting to Discuss Caloiaro, et al v Township of Lawrence and Paff v Township of Lawrence

H. Authorizing a Transfer of 2012 Current Fund Appropriations

I. Authorizing an Emergency Appropriation to the 2012 Budget Due to Superstorm Sandy

J. Authorizing Amending the Professional Services Contract for Planning Consultant to Planning Board

8. Awarding and/or Rejecting of Bids (* with public participation)

9. Adoption of Ordinances (* with public participation)

A. Ordinance Amending Ordinance 2050-10 Known As The Salary Ordinance Of The Township Of Lawrence Unclassified And/Or Exempt, Seasonal, Emergency (Non-Union) Employees For 2010-2013

10. Manager's Report

A. Invoice Listing – September 2012

B. Invoice Listing - October 2012

11. Attorney's Report

12. Clerk's Report

13. Written Communications

14. Old Business

15. New Business

16. Executive Session (if authorized)

17. Adjournment

Next Council Meetings:

• Tuesday, December 18, 2012

For the convenience of readers, the contents of the township manager’s memo are also reproduced below:

Upcoming Meeting 12/4/2012

Introduction of Ordinances

There are four ordinances for introduction.

Ordinance 6-A authorizes increases to various recreational program fees.

Ordinance 6-B authorizes the establishment of zoning permit fees for residential and commercial purposes. The new fees are estimated to generate approximately $20,000 in annual revenue.

Ordinance 6-C amends existing fees and authorizes new fees for Emergency Medical Services. The transport fee will increase from $675.00 to $785.00. The mileage charge will increase from $10.00 to $15.00 per mile calculated one way; the oxygen charge will increase from $60 to $70. New fees will be authorized for cervical collars and extrication from motor vehicles. In addition, the ordinance will authorize balance billing for both residents and non-residents.

Ordinance 6-D authorizes the establishment of a bulk collection service fee for residential properties that receive curb side collection services. The ordinance permits the fee to be set annually by resolution of the governing body between $0 and $55.00.

Resolutions

The agenda includes routine administrative authorizations as well as resolutions providing for refunds, bond releases and acceptances.

Resolution 7-C authorizes the Lawrence Township Tax Collector to bid at the tax sale of December 10,2012 for the tax sale certificates against properties designated as “affordable housing” units. The intention is to protect the affordable units from being removed from the Lawrence Township affordable housing inventory.

Resolution 7-H authorizes the transfer of funds between 2012 current fund appropriations.

Resolution 7- I authorizes an emergency appropriation of funds in the amount of $17,500 to supplement the Police Salary and Wages budget due to overtime costs associated with Super Storm Sandy. The full amount of emergency appropriations related to this storm event is $145,000.

Resolution 7-J amends the professional services agreement of Philip Caton of Clarke Caton Hintz for services as Planning Consultant to the Lawrence Township Planning Board by increasing the contract amount $10,000.00 for review fees. The new contract maximum is $115,000. Funding will be made available from applicant escrow fees.

Award of Bids

There are no bid awards or rejections on the agenda.

Adoption of Ordinances

There is one ordinance for adoption.

Ordinance 9-A amends the current salary ordinance for unclassified employees by adding the position of per diem Public Safety Telecommunications Operator.

Please feel free to contact me should you have any questions about the agenda or any other matter.