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Passaic Council adopts battery safety ordinance and multiple parking, zoning and finance measures
Summary
At its May 6 meeting the Passaic City Council adopted an ordinance regulating lithium-ion battery sales and storage and approved a slate of other ordinances and resolutions, including disabled parking designations and contracts for telecom and public-safety systems.
The Passaic City Council on May 6 adopted an ordinance aimed at tightening safety rules for retail storage and handling of lithium-ion batteries and approved a bundle of additional ordinances and resolutions affecting parking, disabled parking spaces, municipal telecom services and capital projects.
The council voted unanimously on the lithium-ion battery safety ordinance (Proposed Ordinance 24-81-25) after a short public hearing in which the mayor and fire department staff described recent incidents of batteries combusting in retail settings. The ordinance requires retailers to handle certified (UL or equivalent) batteries, use designated storage and charging safeguards, and follow disposal protocols intended to reduce fire risk.
Council members also approved Proposed Ordinance 24-82-25, which amends designations for restricted parking for disabled persons by specifying New Jersey license plate numbers. A group of ordinances listed as items 3 through 11 was adopted together by roll call, and ordinance 12 was voted on separately as shown in the meeting record. The council introduced Ordinance 27 for first reading and set a second hearing for May 20.
In resolutions, the council authorized a contract for telecom and data transmission services that the administration said supports public-safety radios and upgraded network circuits; staff described the contract as roughly $6,000 per month for service that helps maintain upgraded antennas and radio systems. The council also approved a number of routine resolutions (items 13–26) covering municipal business and procurement. Vote roll calls on the record show unanimous or near-unanimous support for the measures presented that evening.
Why it matters: The battery ordinance is intended to reduce local fire incidents tied to noncertified lithium batteries sold or stored at retail; the telecom contract supports emergency communications infrastructure the administration said had experienced outages in adverse conditions. The other approvals maintain routine municipal operations, parking designations and capital project adjustments.
Votes at a glance - Proposed Ordinance 24-81-25 (lithium-ion battery safety): Approved by roll call (record shows affirmative votes by council members present). Motion/second: not specified in public record. Outcome: approved. - Proposed Ordinance 24-82-25 (disabled parking by NJ license plate): Approved by roll call. Outcome: approved. - Ordinances 3–11: Adopted as a block by roll call. Outcome: approved. - Ordinance 12: Voted separately; approved by roll call. Outcome: approved. - Ordinance 27: Introduced for first reading; public hearing set for May 20. Outcome: introduced. - Resolutions 13–26: Approved by roll call (authorizing contracts, grants, and routine municipal actions). Outcome: approved.
What the record shows: Roll-call votes are recorded in the meeting transcript with affirmative responses from Council President Schaer and council members Monk, Love, Mello, Schwartz, Garcia and Colombo Montanez. The meeting minutes and ordinance texts will specify the full legal language, effective dates and implementing details.
The council meeting concluded after motions to approve the agenda items and payments of bills were carried by roll call.
