Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Municipal Governance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Northvale council approves junior firefighter appointment, places DPW foreman question into closed session
Summary
The council appointed an 18-year-old junior firefighter, handled routine consent items including policies and cooperative agreements, and moved into closed session after a public commenter raised concerns about a proposed Department of Public Works (DPW) foreman appointment.
The Northvale mayor and council appointed Troy Esman, 18, of 159 Sheriff Avenue, to the Northvale Fire Department and advanced routine municipal business at the meeting; discussion about a proposed DPW foreman prompted public comment and a motion to move into closed session for further personnel discussion.
Mayor McGuire asked for a motion to appoint Troy Esman to the fire department; the council voted by roll call and all recorded votes were in favor. "Congratulations to Troy, a new member of the fire department," the mayor said after the vote. The appointment was moved by Councilman Cygolasti and seconded by Councilwoman McMorrow (as stated on the record).
The council considered a consent agenda that listed Resolutions 49 through 59, covering measures such as adopting a youth sports referee policy (Res. 49), naming municipal representatives to the Bergen County Community Development Regional Committee (Res. 50), authorizing participation in a Bergen County cooperative purchasing alliance (Res. 51), renewing a shared public-works services agreement (Res. 52), soliciting bids for a Riverside cooperative program (Res. 53), appointing Dennis Marshall as foreman in the DPW (Res. 54), releasing a $23,000 portion of a $210,000 performance bond for Great Hope Development (Res. 55), approving a raffle license for the Knights of Columbus at St. Anthony's Church (Res. 56), submitting the municipal alliance fiscal grant application for substance-abuse programming (Res. 57), renewing a one-year professional-services contract with auditor Will Tots & Company (Res. 58), and payment of bills (Res. 59). Where the transcript does not record additional details, the article notes those items as not specified.
Resident Billy Hague questioned the foreman appointment and the effect of adding "a third boss" in DPW, saying staff had not been consulted and asking that he and Brian be included in further discussion. "I don't understand the having third boss, having 3 chiefs with 5 workers," Hague said, requesting the council postpone any change and hold a separate discussion with DPW staff.
Mayor McGuire and other council members said the intent was to acknowledge experience and that a foreman would work under existing superintendents. Council members acknowledged the quality of DPW work but also agreed the personnel-sensitive portion of the matter should be discussed out of public session. After brief discussion, a motion and second were made to go into closed session for further discussion of the personnel issue; the meeting record shows the motion carried and the council moved into closed session. The transcript does not contain an open-session final vote on Resolution 54 (foreman appointment) or the full recorded roll call for the consent agenda; those outcomes are therefore not specified in the public portion of the transcript.
The council said it would notify the public when it reconvened to open session.
