NORTH HANOVER TOWNSHIP

TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES

SPECIAL BUDGET WORKSHOP

February 24, 2022 5:30 P.M.

 

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CALL TO ORDER                 Mayor Doyle called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

           

FLAG SALUTE:                     Led by Mayor Doyle

 

 

ROLL CALL:                       Mayor Doyle

                                                Deputy Mayor Forsyth

                                                Committeeman DeBaecke – departed 8:01 pm

                                                Committeeman Kocubinski

                                                Committeeman O’Donnell

 

Absent:                                    None

 

Also Present:  Township Clerk Picariello, CFO Bruno and Financial Advisor Julie Neidam

                                                                                                 

SUNSHINE STATEMENT:    “The provisions of the Open Public Meetings Act have been met. Notice of this meeting has been transmitted by email to the Courier Post, Burlington County Times and The Trenton Times as well as given to those having requested same and posted on the Township bulletin board located in the foyer of the municipal building”.

                                               

PUBLIC COMMENT: Members of the public wishing to address the Township Committee must state their name and address for the record. 

                       

Mayor Doyle opened the meeting to the public.  There were no public comments this evening

 

MOTION TO CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT

Proposed By: Committeeman DeBaecke

Seconded By: Deputy Mayor Forsyth

 

BUDGET WORKSHOP – TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE TO REVIEW BUDGET LINE ITEMS – NO ACTION WILL BE TAKEN

 

CFO Bruno introduced Ms. Neidam from NW Financial.  He asked her to be present to review the eligible items under the American Rescue money (ARP).  CFO Bruno recommended using the funds over a four-year period for the EMS issue.  Ms. Neidam noted she specializes in the ARP legislation.  She gave a brief re-cap of the stimulus bill.  She noted the interim final rule came out in July 2021 and final rules came out in January 2022.  She stated there were four main categories.  She stated they were Public Sector revenues, Public Health in responding to the negative economic impact, premium pay and infrastructure.  She gave an overview of each category.  She noted there is a one-time standard allowance of up to ten million dollars for public sector revenue losses.  She reviewed items that were eligible for Government services.  She reviewed ineligible uses.  She also discussed the reporting requirements.  The deadline for obligating the funds is December 2024 and for spending is December 2026.  CFO Bruno noted his plan will have the monies expended by 2024 to address the EMS issues.  CFO Bruno noted the allocation was $780,000.  Committeeman DeBaecke inquired if funds could be used to reimburse for projects already completed.  Ms. Neidam noted from March of 2020 until present.  Ms. Neidam noted a Township employee would have to be the point of contact for the reports that must be submitted.  Mayor Doyle inquired about other avenues for the spending.  CFO Bruno noted it would be discussed in further detail with the budget discussion.  Ms. Neidam provided Mayor Doyle with a listing of general governmental services.  Ms. Neidham left the meeting at 6:15pm and the Township Committee thanked her for her time.

 

CFO Bruno reviewed the budgetary needs and noted the ARP monies would help transition the budget to where it needs to be to cover the EMS operation over the next few years.  He stated this would be used in conjunction a tax increase of .02 cents over the next four years would be needed.  He stated he was able to hold the current budget for all other operations.  He also noted the Police contract is also an impact.  However, the administration fees have absorbed some of the increases.  He reviewed the cap bank.  Committeeman Doyle inquired about the amount of the bank in 2019.  It was determined that it was from the year permanent financing was done for the debt.   The general consensus was to raise by .02 cents and to have $150,000 for capital improvements.  The budget will be introduced on March 17th.

 

 

MOTION TO ADJOURN                           8:19 pm

 

Proposed By: Committeeman O’Donnell

Seconded By: Committeeman Kocubinski

 

                       

Respectively submitted,

 

____________________

Mary Picariello, RMC/CMR/CTC

Township Clerk