While agreeing to look into possible problems with the design and construction of the new Buchmuller Park band shell, the Town Council also voted to pay the remaining fee owed to the same architect for the design on the nearby Little League field concession stand.
Former Fire Inspector and current Board of Education Member George Heflich showed the council pictures of problems with the recently constructed band shell which included cracks in the concrete as well as possible code violations such as stairs opening at an angle to doors.
“I was just wondering whether or not the construction was inspected,” Heflich said, urging the mayor to examine the flaws.
Although he also noted that the band shell area had flooded during recent rains, requiring the Department of Public Works to install a pump, Mayor Dennis Elwell said the town was aware of this potential problem before the construction.
“We know that it is a low-lying area and that it can flood during rains,” he said. “But we don’t hold concerts there during the rain.”
But Elwell did accept photos of the damaged band shell to pass onto appropriate officials.
The council voted to pay the architect $8,500 owed for the design work on the concession stand.
Councilman John Bueckner asked for an update on the possible use of the former library near Buchmuller Park – which the same architect was supposed to be looking over to make possible recommendations for a new use.
Town Administrator Anthony Iacono said that to date, no use has been designated for the building, but said the town is looking to apply a grant for the construction of an elevator in order to make it handicapped accessible.
“Whatever use we put it to, the building will have to be handicapped accessible,” he said.
He estimated the cost between $60,000 to $100,000 for the elevator and additional money for conversion of the bathrooms.
Deputy Mayor John Reilly said the town would have to talk to the fire company members, who share the building.
Other business
The council also agreed to seek bids for roadway improvements along Flanagan Way, Fourth Street and Lincoln Avenue, hoping to install additional islands at various points of Flanagan Way.
Elwell said the town is considering one island for near the Hudson Street intersection, where he hoped it would serve to slow turning traffic. Councilman John Bueckner cautioned the mayor about such an island, noting that tractor trailers often turn around at that point and risk doing damage to anything installed there.
The council also agreed to enter into a professional service contract with PMK Group for preliminary design, concept and preparation for the Golden Avenue Pump Station rehab at a fee not to exceed $160,000. This would be part of flood control efforts in the area.
The council rejected bids for renovation to a sports field on Mill Ridge Road, citing the lateness of the season and fears that work would not be done by the beginning of winter.
Judge Kathleen A. Walrod was also appointed to another three-year term as the municipal judge.
Council reports
Councilman Bob Kickey, a member of the town’s Office of Emergency Management, noted that the OEM has had a busy month that included a blackout, a serious fire, and other issues. Deputy Mayor John Reilly added that the volunteer OEM put in a lot of hours during the blackout. He said Hudson County OEM had a drill in which local members were involved on the morning of Aug. 14. Included in that drill was the Meadowlands Hospital. He said by the end of the day the drill stopped being a drill and everyone was in a crisis mode. On top of that, the town had a fire at one of the office complexes.
“To my knowledge, this is the first time our department had had to handle a fire like that,” he said. “They certainly lived up to their training.”
Councilman Grecco noted that the firefighters also had to battle the blaze during a time of high heat and humidity, adding to the stress and strain.
Elwell said the town had received $135,000 refund from the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission as well as a $100,000 grant for the construction of the Mill Creek Point Park. Other grants collected over the last month included a $65,000 Americans with Disabilities grant for the construction of accessible bathrooms at Millridge Road sports fields.
Kickey reported some kids using the new roller rink park on Koelle Boulevard before it was officially opened, going through an unsecured gate once, and then climbing over a section of fence later. Town Administrator said the situation has been corrected and that the official ribbon cutting ceremony is slated for Sept. 6. The new rink will be open after school hours during the week from about 3 to 9:30 p.m. There will be day time hours on weekends, he said.
Cellular phone ban still dead
Bueckner, in his report, asked about possible loss of revenue from tickets that might be issued if the town had a cellular telephone ban. He cited several newspaper accounts that suggested the town might be losing out if the state imposes a cellular phone ban and gets the money instead.
Bueckner has been pushing for the town to pass a local ban the way several other municipalities have around the state. Town Attorney Frank Leanza said if the state were to implement a ban, it would likely collect all ticket money from it, except for court costs incurred by the town – similar to other traffic violations.
Leanza, who also serves as a municipal judge in Guttenberg, has advised the council against such a ban, saying it would not be legal and could be challenged in court.
Reilly noted that careless driving laws currently cover many of the issues a cellular phone driving ban would, and noted that one study done by Automobile Association of America determined that accidents are caused by a number of distractions from changing CDs to tuning the radio. “That study said cellular telephones are just one more distraction,” he said.
Solution to sewer line break?
Barbara Napierski, a resident of Humboldt Street, asked for an update on her sewerage lines. For several months, Napierski claimed town workers broke her sewer line while they were uprooting trees in the neighborhood. Mayor Elwell said he has been discussing the matter and has come up with several possible solutions that include Napierski hiring a contractor to dig up the sewer line.
“Then we would send someone over to inspect it, and if it is determined that the line was broken because of town workers, we would pay for it,” Elwell said.
He also agreed to meet with Napierski in private to discuss other possible options.
Napierski also complained about scooter riding and asked why the town could not impose restrictions.
Reilly said the police are aware of the situation, but that no laws exist that govern operation of these scooters.
“We have decided to treat them like bicycles,” Reilly said. “If we see someone operating them dangerously, we will confiscate them and call in the parents. Hopefully the parents will act.”