The Livingston Township Council passed several resolutions, introduced an ordinance to pay for well remediation, and discussed incentives for volunteer first responders, during its Monday, May 15, regular meeting. The meeting was livestreamed and may be viewed on Livingston’s Facebook and YouTube pages.
At the start of the meeting, the Council acknowledged that the Kiwanis Karnival would be running all week, through Saturday, May 20, and gave members of Livingston Kiwanis Club the opportunity to discuss the organization. The club is in its 94th year of service in the community, and the mayor also issued Livingston Kiwanis a proclamation.
During the meeting, Mayor Michael Vieira appointed Livingston High School studentsAadit Pisal and Chloe Marrache to the Livingston Environmental Commission.
Volunteer Incentives
In a conference meeting prior to the regular meeting, Council members discussed potentially forming a committee to research incentives for volunteer fire, first aid, and auxiliary police officers. The goal, they said, would be to encourage membership. Currently, incentives are in place for volunteers based on the number of calls to which they respond.
“It’s increasingly challenging to get volunteers,” township manager Barry Lewis said.
A committee would likely include Mayor Vieira and Council member Shawn Klein, who both volunteered during the discussion; township manager Lewis; township CFO Ann Cucci, and high ranking fire, police, and EMS officials.
The Council also briefly discussed potentially changing town requirements to allow people who work but do not live in Livingston to join these organizations. This would not only potentially add new members, but cover periods of the workday when some active volunteers are out of town and unavailable.
Sign Ordinance Reintroduced
An ordinance was amended and reintroduced to permit monument signs on certain eligible properties in the B and B-1 zones on the township zoning map. The ordinance would permit certain storefronts located perpendicular to their street frontage to install signs along the main roadway. Among the changes to the amended ordinances is that logos will be permitted on monument signs.
The new ordinance will have a final hearing during the Tuesday, May 30, meeting.
Floodplain Management Carried
An ordinance to adopt floodplain management regulations for the town was carried to the next meeting, on Tuesday, May 30. The ordinance would repeal and adopt a new section of the township code, related to hazard maps.
Well Remediation
A bond ordinance providing a supplemental appropriation of $6 million for a phase of the township’s well remediation project was introduced. Specifically, the money will pay for the design and construction of ion exchange treatment facilities to remedy existing PFOAand chemical contamination at Wells 1, 2, 4, 8 and 11 within the township. The funds are in addition to the $6.4 million that was approved in May of 2022, for a total of $12.4 million.
This ordinance will have a final hearing during the Tuesday, May 30, meeting.
Ordinances Pulled
Two ordinances were pulled prior to introduction.
This included an ordinance that sought to adopt a redevelopment plan for a property at the intersection of East Northfield Road and South Livingston Avenue. A related resolution to this was also pulled. Prior to being knocked down years ago for an approved mixed use housing complex, the site was home to the Northfield Baptist Church and other businesses, but the area has been left in disarray since those buildings were knocked down.
The Council authorized the preparation of a redevelopment plan for the area in November of 2022 and received it in April. Without the adoption of the redevelopment plan, the owner would be unable to receive a PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) for the property.
Additionally, another ordinance was pulled that sought to authorize the township to enter into a purchase and sale agreement with Brightview Senior Living Development, LLC, providing for the acquisition of a portion of property. That portion is commonly known as 321 South Livingston Avenue. It is currently the site of the West Essex YMCA, which will soon move across the street to the former site of the Grace Lutheran Church.
The reason for the ordinances’ removal was not discussed publicly.
Contracts Awarded
The Council approved a resolution authorizing the award of a contract to Mott MacDonald, LLC in an amount not to exceed $308,100 to provide professional engineering services for duplicate screen upgrades.
Mott MacDonald was also awarded a contract, not to exceed $134,800, for phase one of a skimmer replacement and design project.
Change Order
Another resolution authorized a change in a contract with JEV Construction, LLC. The firm was originally awarded a contract in the amount of $755,000 to provide primary sludge pumping upgrades. Due to “unanticipated conditions,” the contract, previously increased to $774,341.92, will again be increased by $1,904.61. The new amount of the contract now totals $776,246.53.
Taxes Canceled
The Council also approved a resolution canceling property taxes on property owned by Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center due to the hospital’s tax exempt status.
Water Treatment
According to township manager Lewis, Livingston will soon go out to bid on a contract for PFAS treatments of the town’s wells.
As long as the bids are reasonable, a contract is expected to be awarded in June, with remedial treatments beginning shortly after that time.
Closed Session
The Council went into a closed session during the conference meeting, prior to the start of the regular meeting, to discuss redevelopment, Fair Share Housing, and contract negotiations.
It was after this meeting that the Council opted to pull several resolutions from the agenda.
