Hello, everyone. We have a Township Council Meeting tonight, Tuesday, March 14th with a full agenda. This meeting will begin at 7:00pm. It is open to attend in person at 205 Claremont, watch on TV34, and on the Township’s YouTube Channel here. I expect public comment will be open starting around 7:30pm as we’re receiving a briefing from our financial advisor Bob Benecke on our Capital Budget, introducing you all to our new Health Services Director Amy Monaco, and planning to do a Women’s History Month proclamation in the first 30 minutes. Reminder, everyone is limited to 3 minutes of comment during public comment.
To manage your expectations, note that we are not debating or voting on Lackawanna Plaza or the budget tonight. We will also have an Executive Session at the conclusion of our agenda, where we will discuss the situation with the suspended Township Manager, Tim Stafford.
A Social Worker for Montclair
The pandemic took a heavy toll on our community. It hit our finances hard but also showed us where we have some glaring opportunities. Perhaps no community has suffered more than our Seniors and I think it’s time for us to put our money where our symbolic gestures have been.
I’m excited to share that our new full time Health Services Director started last week. Additionally, given that that role is now filled, our Director of Senior Services position is finally posted now and the Township is collaborating with senior advocates to fill that position.
Tonight, Councilor Russo and I are introducing a Resolution to create the position of a full time Social Worker. I think we need to fund a position that connects humans in need to the services that various governments and non-profits provide.
Essex & Nishuane Parks & Pools Update
Other than tying some loose ends, work in Nishuane and Essex Parks is largely complete. This includes something I asked for and am very excited about — refillable water bottle stations. We need to be spending our dollars wisely in this town and for me, that includes investing in eco-friendly solutions like this. We’re also voting to authorize $700,000 in spending to make minor and cosmetic repairs to both pools, starting in the fall. Pools will be open this summer, following last year’s boondoggle between the Township and the contractor who lied to staff about their timeline (and who we won’t use again).
Rental Relief Fund
We’re establishing a one-time $60,000 residential rent relief fund for the purpose of providing monetary relief to residential tenants located within the Township who demonstrate a genuine need or hardship in their ability to met their rental obligations.
Terms are still to be finalized and a process would be set up following enactment tonight. Basic criteria would be that an applicant must prove residency, would need to demonstrate genuine need or hardship based on a household income at or below 80% of the regional median income as defined by the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development; and they must either be unemployed or have had reduced income for 90 days preceding the date of the application. I will share more information on this in the future.
Increasing Variance Costs
This council has been doing a lot of work cleaning up and strengthening our zoning, particularly when it comes to mitigating stormwater runoff. We also have a pending ordinance in review with the Planning Board to increase minimum lot depths in what I hope will make it harder to subdivide lots once enacted. The costs of having attorneys review site plans continues to go and no longer covers the services required. Therefore, we’ll be advancing an update to fees for variances on land use applications.
Vision Zero Task Force Update
As a quick mention, tonight we’re advancing an Ordinance to install a stop sign for traffic traveling westbound on Inwood Ave. at Fernwood. A drop in the bucket but also another box checked.
In terms of the bigger picture, I’m working with Mayor Spiller and Councilor Lori Price Abrams on Resolution to create a Vision Zero Task Force, which we should have ready to introduce and hopefully pass at our March 27th meeting. Councilor Robin Schlager, as a champion of road safety, has also had a lot of input. The Task Force will include citizen representatives, engineers, traffic police, public works, representatives from bike/walk organizations and liaisons to groups that represent seniors, people with disabilities and major institutions like the Board of Education, Essex County and more. It’s time we get a lot more serious on the municipal level about ending traffic, pedestrian and cyclist crashes/accidents on our roads.
Composting Drop Off Pilot
In 2021, a small group of volunteers, including my partner Benjamin, developed a proposal for Montclair to work with a company called Java Compost to pilot a compost drop-off program in town. Like a lot of good ideas that we “don’t have the money for”, this one ended up on a shelf. It’s back now and we’re applying for a Sustainable Jersey grant to fund it. This would be for up to 200 households to pilot a 6-month program where you would bring compost-ready material to select locations around town. If we get the grant, I’ll circle back with more detail.
Judy Weston Memorial Garden
For over a year, Councilor Robin Schlager and I have been working with the Weston Community Foundation Inc., Ron Weston, Elly Meeks and others to advance a plan whereby a Memorial Garden to Judy, fully funded by the Foundation, is established in Watchung Park across from the Pie Store. We’ll be executing a final agreement this evening that will allow construction of the memorial garden to move forward. Judy was a giant in this community and it’s a wonderful thing to be able to dedicate some beautiful, quiet space to her.
Accusations of Conflict of Interest and Worse
For those following recent news, I want to say that I think it is fair game and in fact it is a requirement of members of the public to question if their representatives have any conflicts of interest in conducting official business. It’s also a requirement in a healthy democracy to debate differences of opinions on policy with one’s representatives and for representatives to debate among themselves. But being in a democracy means that sometimes we don’t get our way and that needs to be respected. The comments made by certain individuals identified in my complaint filed on Friday in Essex County Superior Court, unfortunately crossed a serious line. In the interest of protecting myself personally, as well as the integrity of our institutions and processes, I’ve made the difficult decision to pursue civil action.
On the matter of recusal, I continue to keep my options open while I listen to attorneys who understand ethics law. I’m not inclined to unilaterally create a new standard for recusal where one doesn’t already exist. Existing case law does not suggest I have any conflict of interest, given the facts. My fear is that setting a new precedent could potentially cripple our government’s ability to function when you start to apply these standards consistently. The public can be assured that I take all of these issues very seriously and will remain guided by my conscience, my counsel, and my employer’s conflict of interest policies, to ensure I’m always coloring within the lines.
I also think it’s important that my constituents understand that I have perspective here — delivering record affordable housing and a supermarket for my neighbors in the fourth ward, is much more important and longer lasting than me and this temporary situation. But I will always defend myself and do what I think is right. I’ve had a whole life of practice.
-Peter
If you know someone in Montclair who would be interested in receiving these updates, please forward this email to them. They can click his button to subscribe. As you can tell from reading this, local government has incredible power over our safety and quality of life. We need more people to be paying attention and getting involved. Please share these email and let’s get people engaged!