| Author | Message | ||
     mrosner Citizen Username: Mrosner Post Number: 1742 Registered: 4-2002 |
MHD: It was the second reading of the salary ordinance. It was for 2004/05 and covered most if not all department heads. It passed 5 -1. I was the only one who voted against the ordinance. I did vote yes the first time but I said unless there was a couple of explanations and changes I was not going to vote in favor on the second reading. | ||
| singlemalt Citizen Username: Singlemalt Post Number: 835 Registered: 12-2001  |
Mark, Can the results of the ordinance be reversed by a future BOT? Essentially, could we put Mr. Gross back to where his salaries were for his numerous important positions prior to the passage of this ordinance? | ||
| mrosner Citizen Username: Mrosner Post Number: 1744 Registered: 4-2002 |
The salary ordinance covered all department heads and some other salary issues including the Police contract. The village administrator's pay is part of his contract. Any stipend for a seperate title or job function does not have to be renewed. By the way, I think the vote on the ordinance was 4 -1 (I think Mary abstained or recused herself). | ||
| Howard Levison Citizen Username: Levisonh Post Number: 179 Registered: 1-2004 |
I think it would have been appropriate to have canceled last evenings meeting given the storm. As I understand it some of the Board members had to be chauffeured by the police so they could attend. There were important questions that need to be asked - How do we justify a 6.21% raise? Why were certain positions increased more than 20% re: Assistant Administrator? | ||
| mrosner Citizen Username: Mrosner Post Number: 1749 Registered: 4-2002 |
It is the village president's call to cancel a meeting. There was some concern that the BOT would not be able to meet again before the next regularly scheduled meeting. I did cancel the Planning and Zoning committee meeting. Those questions can still be asked at the next meeting. | ||
| singlemalt Citizen Username: Singlemalt Post Number: 837 Registered: 12-2001 |
Mark, If your vote count is accurate (assuming Mary removed herself), did Trustee Joyce vote for this as well? The same Trustee Joyce that is managing the "let's run again 1 candidate short" again this year - "itsaboutresults" ticket? Please tell me I am wrong! I usually agree with Trustee Joyce on 99.9% of the issues. Jeff DuBowy is looking like a much stronger candidate as the days pass. | ||
| singlemalt Citizen Username: Singlemalt Post Number: 838 Registered: 12-2001 |
I stand corrected - Patrick was not present when the vote to reallocate Mr. Gross' salary took place last week. Apologies to Mr. Joyce. | ||
| MHD Citizen Username: Mayhewdrive Post Number: 1955 Registered: 5-2001  |
Mark, To reiterate malt's question & one I posed earlier: Can the results of the "contract amendment resolution" be reversed by a future BOT? Essentially, could we put Mr. Gross back to where his salaries were for his numerous important positions prior to the passage of this ordinance? If so, that would be all the more reason to elect new blood to the BOT in May. | ||
| mrosner Citizen Username: Mrosner Post Number: 1751 Registered: 4-2002 |
MHD: I don't know the legal answer to reversing the resolution. Since it amends a contract, I would guess both parties would have to agree to the change. | ||
| Allan J Rosen Citizen Username: Allanrosen Post Number: 137 Registered: 4-2003 |
The 4 votes for the salary ordinance on second reading were myself, Patrick, Steve, and Arthur. | ||
| MHD Citizen Username: Mayhewdrive Post Number: 1958 Registered: 5-2001 |
Just to be clear....Dr. Rosen's post above at 10:37am is in reference to the salary ordinance, which is completely separate from the amendment to John Gross's contract. The amendment to John Gross's contract essentially provides him 80% of his current salary in a tenured position. If the Village were to "fire" him as Administrator, we would still have to pay him 80% of his current salary to be Treasurer. We are still awaiting an explanation from Dr. Rosen, Steglitz, or Taylor on what benefit this provides the TAXPAYERS of this town? | ||
| MHD Citizen Username: Mayhewdrive Post Number: 1959 Registered: 5-2001 |
An article on this issue was in today's Star Ledger: http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/essex/index.ssf?/base/news-6/1109919541218430.xml Mark is absolutely right that his job performance should be his security blanket. Are there any other Village positions that have contracts? | ||
| bets Supporter Username: Bets Post Number: 1007 Registered: 6-2001  |
*********************** silence *********************** | ||
| Howard Levison Citizen Username: Levisonh Post Number: 184 Registered: 1-2004 |
Yes, Contracted: Director of Code Enforcement Engineer Tenured: CFO Clerk Treasurer Tax Collector | ||
| MHD Citizen Username: Mayhewdrive Post Number: 1961 Registered: 5-2001 |
Howard, Thanks. Dr. Rosen, Perhaps we should make the Village Engineer also be Tax Collector and then shift his salary to the tenured portion, so he wouldn't have to worry about his job as a result of pesky elections either???? Oh, I forgot... Sal Renda actually does a good job AND isn't having an intimate personal relationship with a Trustee, so there is no need to provide him additional job security, right? | ||
| MHD Citizen Username: Mayhewdrive Post Number: 1970 Registered: 5-2001 |
Howard, What about Village attorney? Doesn't he also have a contract with the Village? Maybe we should also make him Village Clerk and then shift his salary to the tenured portion, so he wouldn't have to worry about his job as a result of pesky elections either???? Oh, I forgot...he isn't having an intimate personal relationship with a Trustee. | ||
| MHD Citizen Username: Mayhewdrive Post Number: 1982 Registered: 5-2001 |
I guess I'll have to accept the silence above as speaking for itself. For Monday's meeting, in addition to Harold's questions, I noticed 2 other agenda items that I was curious about: 1) Snow plowing ordinance (permitted time for snowblowing) - Can someone please explain what the "permitted times" are? I can't imagine snowblowing is prohibited in hours different than when construction is permitted. 2) Resolution Accepting the Gift of a Tony Smith Sculpture. - From earlier discussions, I was under the impression that the fabrication, installation and maintenance costs on this "gift" was quite significant. Can someone please address those costs before we accept this "gift"? | ||
| mrosner Citizen Username: Mrosner Post Number: 1778 Registered: 4-2002 |
MHD: I have not read the proposed snowblowing ordinance yet, but planned to ask the village attorney for a condensed explanation. As for your second question, the BOT has not been given a complete breakdown for how much it will cost to accept the gift. I did ask that the information be provided before we vote on accepting the gift. | ||
| Howard Levison Citizen Username: Levisonh Post Number: 191 Registered: 1-2004  |
Aln / Mark / Patrick: Does the following agenda items for Monday's BOT meeting mean that there are now Developer agreements for ShopRite and Beifus projects and both include some sort of Pilot/Tax Abatement? If so, would you provide further details. 5. Ordinance of the Board of Trustees of the Township of South Orange Village, Approving Long Term Tax Exemption Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A:20-1 et seq. for Block 1909, Lots 1, 2, 3, 8 and 9, 1-7 South Orange Avenue and 9-25 Vose Avenue, Otherwise Known as the Shop Rite Site. 6. Ordinance of the Board of Trustees of the Township of South Orange Village,Approving Long Term Tax Exemption Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A:20-1 et seq. for Block 1904, Lots 8 and 10, 1-25 West South Orange Avenue, Otherwise Known as the Beifus Site. | ||
| Allan J Rosen Citizen Username: Allanrosen Post Number: 139 Registered: 4-2003 |
Howard, Yes, new agreements have been sent to the BoT, but I think we need to discuss them first before saying what they are. Nothing will be agreed to without revealing all details to the public, and they must be voted on publically. Since these are ordinances, the public can comment at least on second reading. |
