Good afternoon, Montclair. I hope you had a chance to attend the recent African American Heritage Foundation Parade & Festival or Montclair Pride over the last ten days because collectively these events truly showed what makes our community such a special place and that when we lift up and celebrate all of our differences, the energy we create is palpable and spectacular. Below, I’m also sharing information about Juneteenth events, kicking off this week.
Tomorrow night we’re having our June Council Meeting (which I’m guessing probably won’t be as fun as anything I mentioned above) … alas… time for governing. The meeting will be held tomorrow, Tuesday, June 13th at 7:00pm in the Township Council Chambers at 205 Claremont Avenue, streamed on TV34 and on our Township YouTube channel. You can see the full agendahere.
The Council will not be introducing our updated plan for Lackawanna Plaza tomorrow night. Some additional details needed to be worked out and introduction will not take place until July 18th. We are also not taking any action with regard to school funding at this time.
School Funding
I first want to apologize to the Board of Education for the tone in my last email on the matter. I was feeling the overall frustration in the community and was reacting to incomplete information and perspective on the Township side when I expressed concern about the school budget process. I disagree with the district’s decision not to pursue the healthcare cost exemption as well as the decision not to ask voters for permission to exceed the 2% cap. But I also respect that they had made a promise to the community that they wanted to keep and I didn’t mean to question the integrity of the process and certainly not any individual’s contribution to it.
I’m still continuing to have conversations with school officials and my colleagues to see what can be done. There is a lot I want to understand and I’m not in favor of making any decisions that raise municipal taxes if the district isn’t willing to raise school taxes. I want all of you to know my three guiding principles when it comes to school funding:
1) Take no action to harm to the Township’s exceptionally rare AAA bond rating
2) Collaborate with the School District in every way possible, believing that the fate of our town intrinsically inked to the success of our public schools
3) Revisit the approach to PILOTs both in terms of updating the guidelines and ensuring they are more beneficial than general taxation – and – in ensuring that our schools are receiving enough of the overall taxation pie to fund their needs
I’m in receipt of correspondence from many of you and I hear you. We needed to pass the budget in May. We have a town to run, a credit rating to maintain and all constituencies and services to consider. We cannot be a government and I will not be a leader who reacts to the heat of the moment. We must establish or revisit certain principles and take action to shift our prioritization and spending to reflect those principles. We also most look to collaborate on shared services with the district, work together on going for grants and advocating for more state aid. We can’t do that in a night or even a month. This will take time.
Recognizing Montclair Legends
Photos: Montclair Local / Baristanet
We will start the evening off with proclamations that you can read here starting on page 8 of the June 13th agenda, recognizing three giants of our community. We’ll be honoring Dan Gill — famed Glenfield Middle School teacher of 53 years who represents the best of our values; Dr. Barnes, along with Carter Optometry for all of their contributions to the South End Business District, the community and Montclair as a whole; and in memoriam, Dr. George Cameron for his 45 years at the helm of Cameron Animal Hospital and his contributions to animal welfare.
HOUSING IN MONTCLAIR
13 Units for the Unhoused
We have approximately $2M in our Affordable Housing Trust Fund. In my time on the Council, we’ve figured out how to use some of it to help very low and low income residents moving into designated affordable units, with covering security deposits and first months rent. We continue to think about other ways to use these funds.
One way under consideration is the acquisition of 34 Union Street for $1M to utilize its 13 units/rooms to create temporary housing for the un-housed to start to meet some of the need identified by the recently completed Montclair Township Strategic Plan to End Unsheltered Homelessness, spearheaded by Councilor David Cummings, our staff and critical partners like the Montclair Emergency Services for the Homeless (MESH). I’m in support of this as I think it’s a very smart and humane investment.
Property Acquistion for Affordable Housing
In addition to the above, another way, which we’re contemplating tomorrow night is the acquisition of 14 Miller Street which is currently owned by HomeCorp and contains three affordable units. The cost of this is $455,000, which we could spend of the above mentioned $2M (or remaining $1M if we acquire 34 Union St.). I’m struggling with this because on the one hand, I don’t want to lose any affordable housing in Montclair and on the other, spending 24% of our Affordable Housing Trust Fund on three units doesn’t strike me as creating the strongest return on investment. I’ll be contemplating this over the next 24 hours.
Our Residential Rental Assistance Program
The Montclair Residential Rental Assistance Program that we created out of a settlement regarding the rent control law, opened on Friday. The Montclair Residential Rental Assistance Program (MRRAP) provides temporary rental assistance to low and moderate-income households affected by employment loss.
To participate, you must submit a pre-application. A link to the pre-application form and more information are provided in this Residential Rental Assistance information pamphlet.
Lackawanna Plaza Update
Regrettably, we have to push the vote on the introduction of the revised plan to our July 18th meeting. Internal Township work was severely hampered by the attack on our computer servers and access to key documents was cut off, limiting the ability for information to be shared with the Council and for us to have enough time to review and react to it, at least for me to be comfortable introducing it.
I continue to talk to residents all over Montclair about the project and with the planned revisions, which include lessening the density and height of several of the buildings, I believe that this remains our best opportunity in a generation to develop this site in a way that reflects Montclair’s values in terms of eco-friendly building, integrating true affordability, bringing in the largest grocery store in Montclair and doing it all in a way that creates community within the site with all of the planned open space.
I also believe that if we don’t do this, we will give up this amazing opportunity and this site will be developed, without our input (as of right) in a way that goes against everything I hope for. I can’t possibly be more opposed to letting that happen. This is our shot at getting this right and ensuring we control the destiny of our downtown and don’t just succumb to market forces like so many other places (see: Bloomfield by the Bloomfield train station — no thanks). Your Council Members need to know how you feel about this. Have you made your voice heard?
I also want to let folks know that early last week I asked my lawyers to withdraw the lawsuit against a current resident and a former resident who we feel crossed serious lines with their conduct earlier this year. This was a decision I made out of a desire to try and put the need for some inner peace and community healing in front of the need to be right. I had a very strong case that I was prepared to litigate fully. But as a mayoral candidate now, this is a distraction and my focus needs to be on solving some of our larger challenges as a town.
Leaf Blowers in Montclair
Please see above for the current law on gas-powered leaf blowers. Presently it is illegal for them to be used at all. I’m working with Councilors Russo, Schlager and Price Abrams on a possible ban as I do fully support phasing in a ban of these devices. I led the efforts three years ago to cut the allowed usage in Montclair by 50%. It isn’t if, it’s when. I need for the when to be fair to all of our stakeholders and that’s what I’m currently contemplating.
Of particular concern to me is that many lawn care companies also provide snow removal services. We do also have to be mindful of increasing costs of these services and how those costs are passed on to tenants and/or seniors in Montclair at a time when affordability is a real challenge. I want to commend folks like Anna Grossman, Deb Ellis, Peter Holm, Leah & Joel Katz and many others for being so thoughtful and so helpful. I hope we can have an Ordinance ready to introduce at the July 18th meeting that establishes a ban but with an appropriate phase-in to allow for the marketplace to adjust to the change.
Quick Updates on Other Planned Action:
- Considering awarding a contract to DeCotiis, Fitzpatrick, Cole & Giblin LLP as special counsel for Montclair Township to begin to take over important legal work for the Town, including handling litigation.
- Considering awarding a contract to Government Strategy Group (run my a former Montclair Township Manager Joe Hartnett) to help with current Township management and conduct a search for a new, permanent Township Manager
- Awarding a theater liquor license to Montclair Film at The Claridge Theater
- Applying for a grant to make roadway and stormwater infrastructure improvements to Upper Mountain Ave. from Claremont to Jerome
- Applying for a Safe Streets & Roads for All (SS4A) grant to support Vision Zero Task Force work
- Make Chestnut and Central a 4-way stop
- Fix Glenridge Ave. & Forest Street to ensure multi-way stop
- Awarding a contract to upgrade the bathroom at the main public library branch to make it ADA accessible and authorizing the award of a contract to help with water infiltration at the Bellevue Ave. branch
- Adoption of a Bond Ordinance allowing for capital expenditures to:
- Acquire a new rubbish truck and street sweeper
- Acquire and install a new emergency communications system for fire, police, EMS and emergency services
- Finish the town-wide curbing and paving project started under the Jackson administration
- Start to rehabilitate the police station
- Continued stormwater infrastructure projects
- Acquiring PPE for the Fire Department
Freedom Week Starts Now
All Week Events – Culminating with a Festival at Hillside School on Saturday!
First Event Tonight at 7pm – A Zoom with author Dionne Ford.
Thanks, everyone. Have a great week!
Peter
Our mailing address is:
41 Watchung Plaza, Suite 318
Montclair, NJ 07042