OLD BRIDGE TOWNSHIP COUNCIL
AGENDA MEETING
September 20, 2004
An Agenda meeting of the Township Council of the Township of Old Bridge was held on September 20, 2004 in the Municipal Complex. The meeting was called to order by President Baker who asked all present to participate in a salute to the flag which was followed by a short prayer.
Acting Clerk Lisa Quaglietta announced that this meeting is being held in conformance with the open public meetings act, notice has been given to the newspaper and notice of the meeting has been posted in public places. The next meeting will be September 27, 2004 at 8:00 p.m.
Roll call at 8:06 p.m. by Acting Clerk Lisa Quaglietta showed the following members present: Councilmen Gillespie, Greene, Maher, Testino, President Baker. Councilmen Butler, Calogera, Volkert and Councilwoman Panos were absent.
GUEST PRESENTATION (MJ) – 9/20/04
William Perry of Innovative Engineering, Inc. (Presentation in regards to Verizon Wireless facility at Pension Road Park.)
Attorney Convery: This presentation is just a presentation to the council.
President Baker: This still must go through all the zoning and planning processes and approvals.
Attorney Convery: This proposal is in regard to township owned property. If the township did not own the property, these representatives wouldn't here, they would go directly to planning or zoning.
Mr. Perry presented the council with a map of the proposed site.
Mr. Perry: We are proposing a wireless facility consisting of a 145' monopole on a 37' x 40' (1480 sq ft) area with a fence and landscaped. This would encompass enough extra space for additional carriers. We understand that this is municipal property and that there will be a municipal bid on this.
Attorney Convery: The Township Engineer and Planning Department insist that these types of structures maximize the number of carriers on each pole. Our ordinance requires that any cell tower be at least 500 feet from a residential dwelling. It is my understanding that before they even came in they would propose something that is totally conforming with our existing ordinance with the understanding that they have to go for planning approval. The purpose tonight was simply to get the documents before the council because this is public land.
Councilman Testino: Is this anticipated to be structured like the one that is outside town hall. Will there be additional ground leases?
Mr. Perry: Your bid would be structured that way.
Councilman Testino: Will we reserve the right to put our police antenna up there?
Mayor Phillips: This is all premature.
Mr. Perry: There were other properties that were surveyed. There is no other facility in that area, other than Raceway Park that would accommodate this type of structure and previously another carrier negotiated with Raceway Park and they were denied.
Councilman Greene: Suppose there was another telecommunication company interested in this area, how does the township make a decision?
Mr. Perry: Your attorney will construct a bid and it will probably incorporate and facilitate all five carriers. I would imagine that all the carriers would appear before your board before they can go on the pole. The lead carrier usually owns the pole and the township could lease the ground space.
Councilman Greene: How do you become the lead carrier?
Mr. Perry: You will put out a minimum bid and each interested carrier would submit a proposal.
Councilman Greene: So, ultimately Verizon may not win the bid. Do you feel that this is a good spot?
Mr. Perry: Yes and I know that there are other interested carriers. I know that there is a representative from T-Mobile here tonight.
Councilman Testino: You cannot get any service at Raceway Park.
Mayor Phillips: How far away is this site from the new water tower on East Greystone?
Councilman Greene: About four or five miles.
Mr. Perry: That is a whole different area, and four miles does make a difference in the coverage.
Councilman Greene: Will the bid process be for one carrier, and then other companies wanting to be added on, will go to the company awarded the bid?
Mr. Perry: Your bid will be advertised as prescribed by law and during that advertisement time, you may solicit other carriers, it doesn't mean all five carriers will bid on the bid. Right now I am doing the Spotswood water tower and there are three carriers going on there, we are all working together on it.
Councilman Greene: Could all five come in and say this is a joint bid?
Mr. Perry: Yes. This is initiated by the municipality; not the carriers. Once the municipality advertises it, all five carriers may solicit that bid.
Councilman Greene: The township will not say that we want one bid per carrier.
Mr. Perry: You have to offer it to all five carriers.
Councilman Greene: If this is open to all that want to respond, do you have the ability to work out side deals?
Mr. Perry: No. We have the ability to share knowledge about what is going on with other carriers, just as a courtesy. This will be generic when it goes to bid, what we have supplied could be attached or you could initiate your own bid specs. You may want it to be a 50x50 area as opposed to what we suggest. Each individual carrier will pick up a packet and possibly submit a bid for the opening.
Councilman Greene: The reason that I am interested in this is because I feel that the township should maximize their revenues and the more carriers that are involved, the more revenue, I think the township should make. I would like in the bid process for the attorney to keep me in the loop.
Attorney Convery: We have not gotten that far yet, this is just an introduction and presentation to council, to let you know that there is an interest in that area. Our ordinance requires that you have maximum locations on the pole, I am sure that the approving board would suggest that others come on board so that there are not five carriers at five different locations. There has been no discussions or looking at any bid process yet.
Councilman Greene: I have more questions that I would like to ask at a later date.
Mayor Phillips: This is Mr. Greene's ward and he should be kept in the loop.
Councilman Greene: I do not know how much residential building has gone on in that section, but as soon as this becomes public, there will be questions and I want to be able to respond to them.
Mr. Perry: I have given you my business card and am available to answer any questions.
Councilman Gillespie: Who uses Pension Road Park?
Mr. Badcock: Cricket is the only sport that is there now.
Councilman Gillespie: There are three buildings depicted on the map, are they residents.
Mr. Perry: Yes, they are residential structures.
Councilman Maher: Does our ordinance address the design of the towers? Some municipalities have the towers look like trees.
Mr. Vincenti: I don't believe so.
Councilman Maher: What would have to be done to require that?
Mr. Vincenti: Amend the ordinance.
Councilman Maher: I would suggest that we try and have this pole be designed to look like a tree, since this is one of our parks. We could include that in the specs. I would also like to permanently put it in the ordinance.
Mr. Perry: I would just like to say that the technology standpoint some of the tree designs prohibit all five carriers. We do a flag pole design and they can only accommodate two carriers.
Councilman Maher: I know that the one in Cranford on the Garden State Parkway has five carriers.
Mr. Perry: It does. The branches have translucent limbs and the problem there is the wind load, depending on the height of the pole.
President Baker: Thank you for coming tonight.
PRESENTATION – UPDATES – 9/27/04
Farmland Presentation Update – Council President William Baker
Mannino Park Update – Tom Badcock
HEARINGS (9/27/04)
Release/Reduction Performance Guarantee Town Center.
PUBLIC HEARING (9/27/04)
Budget SFY 2005
ORDINANCE OF SECOND READING
ORD. #33-04 Authorizing the sale of certain property to the State of New Jersey owned by the Township of Old Bridge which is no longer required by the Township for public use and setting the terms of such private sale. (Cheesequake State Park).
No discussion.
ORD. #34-04 Amending various Health Department Fees.
No discussion.
ORD. #35-04 Relocating a bus stop along Route 9 & Inverness Drive.
Councilman Testino: Will this be the same type of shelter or will it be bigger?
Mr. Merwin: There will be two shelters, you will have to check with Culver Amherst for the size.
Councilman Testino: Will the fences be taken down?
Mr. Merwin: Yes.
Councilman Maher: When will the traffic light be taken down at Inverness Drive.?
Mr. Vincenti: There are no plans to remove that light.
Councilman Maher: What would it take to remove the traffic light? It is a hazard. The person who put that there should be fired.
Mr. Vincenti: There were studies done and because of the pedestrian deaths that occurred there I believe that the DOT decided to err on the side of caution. The traffic back-up is not an unexpected consequence of this light.
Councilman Maher: I would like a report from the police department with respect to the amount of traffic accidents there, since that light has been effect.
Chief Collow: Yes.
Councilman Maher: I know that the police were not in support of this light.
Councilman Greene: The police were against it and then they were in favor of it.
Councilman Maher: I would like the chief to give Mr. Vincenti all the supporting documents on this for the removal of this light. I know that there has been two or three fatalities there already.
ORD. #36-04 Codifying Revised Traffic Chapter X as approved by the State Department of Transportation.
No discussion.
CONSENT AGENDA
C-1 Memorialize Release of Performance Guarantee Jake Brown Plaza, L.L.C.
No discussion.
C-2 Resolution acknowledging the observance of the 75th Anniversary of the New Jersey Society of Municipal Engineers.
No discussion.
C-3 Renewal of Contract for Appraisal Services to Buchalski, Reynolds & Brodowski in the amount of $50,000.00 for the period of 7/1/04 – 6/30/05.
Councilman Maher: I would like to know if there have been other bids solicited for this and also for the next item; Harry Haushalter. I have been on council for nine years and these contracts have been awarded each year. These should not be entitled. I would like you to let Mr., Enright know that I will be asking these questions on Monday
Mayor Phillips: Mr. Enright will be here on Monday night to answer any questions.
C-4 Contract for renewal for agreement to provide legal services to Harry Haushalter, Esq., in the amount of $50,000 for the period of 7/1/04 – 6/30/05
No discussion.
C-5 Resolution authorizing award of professional services contract to Maser Consulting to the design of Mannino Park Access Road in the amount of “Not To Exceed” $58,000.00.
No discussion.
C-6 Authorizing payment from the Open Space Trust Fund to the County for the Township's share of development rights to Birardi Farm(Block 13000.16 Lot 15.11) (WB)
President Baker: This is in ward two and is a win-win situation for the Township of Old Bridge.
C-7 Old Bridge First Aid and Rescue Squad request permission to hold their first annual “Ride for Life” motorcycle rally on Sunday, October 3, 2004 at 8 am – 11:30 pm on Marlboro Road between Southwood Drive and Ferris Drive.
No discussion.
C-8 Resolution authorizing Inter-Local Services Agreement with the Old Bridge Board of Education. (WB)
Councilman Greene: Is this something that we do every year?
Mayor Phillips: This has to do with a grant writer. I believe that we agree that this is a position that we need and $40,000.00 has been allocated for this position in the budget. I believe that the Board of Education has hired someone for this position and now we will just be working out the particulars in the agreement.
Councilman Greene: Are we paying $40,000.00 for the grant writer?
Mayor Phillips: That is the figure that we put into the budget. How much we will pay; we will have to figure out how much our share is and what we will be getting for our share.
President Baker: If all goes well, we will have a grant writer and be able to apply for more federal and state money.
C-9 Award of Professional Services Contract for CAPER – 2003 to Linda Wills in the amount of $3,900.00.
Councilman Gillespie: There were alternate proposals submitted that included site visits. Does this proposal include that?
Mr. Vincenti: This report was going to be done in-house but because of an illness it will not be done in house. This is basically for the annual report that is required to be submitted every year.
LIQUOR LICENSE
LL-1 Person To Person of Plenary Distribution License #1209-44-031-002 Jay Amby Gayatri, Inc., from Market Boy Liquors, Inc., located at 1132 Englishtown Road. (RMS)
President Baker: All the paperwork is in order for this to be on Monday.
Public Comments
President Baker opened the public portion. Seeing no hands President Baker closed the public portion.
MOTION
to adjourn at 8:40 p.m. by Councilman Testino, seconded by Councilman Gillespie and so ordered on an all aye vote:
_______________________________
Patrick Gillespie, Vice President
_________________________________
Rose-Marie Saracino, Township Clerk
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