Bayonne council approves refunding bond, redevelopment items and multiple contracts; dozens of ordinances and resolutions advanced (votes at a glance)

The Bayonne Municipal Council on Feb. 19 handled an extensive agenda: the council adopted a refunding bond ordinance, approved several ordinances by final passage, introduced multiple redevelopment and zoning ordinances for public hearings in March, and voted to award a number of city contracts for equipment and infrastructure.

Key votes and outcomes (selected)

- Refunding bond ordinance (O1): Adopted. The ordinance provides for refunding all or a portion of the city's general obligation refunding bonds and school refunding bonds dated June 10, 2015, and appropriates a combined amount not to exceed $22,700,000 for that purpose. Roll call: Booker: Aye; Carroll: Aye; Perez: Aye; LaPalouse: Aye.

- Redevelopment plan adoption for 1012–1022 Avenue C (O2): Adopted after public hearing; roll call: Booker: Aye; Carroll: No; Perez: Aye; LaPalouse: Aye.

- Vacation of a portion of Avenue I (O3): Adopted after public hearing; unanimous recorded "Aye" votes from present members.

- Amendments to the revised general ordinances (property maintenance and traffic chapters, O4–O6 and others): Adopted or moved to final hearing as listed on the agenda with recorded aye votes.

- Introductions and hearings fixed (selected): The council introduced and fixed hearings for several redevelopment and financial-agreement ordinances to be heard in March, including items involving 111 Avenue F Partners Urban Renewal LLC (O11), 445–461 Avenue C Urban Renewal LLC (O12), Des Moines Residents Urban Renewal LLC (O13), and 26 North Avenue Urban Renewal LLC (O14). Several of those items were introduced with council members voting "Aye" and hearings set for March 19, 2025 at 6 p.m.

- Contracts and purchases (resolutions): Council approved multiple procurement items including a UPS emergency power backup contract with Safeware ($195,161.60, R1), a citywide camera project contract with LTW ($1,425,000, R2), a 100-foot rear-mount ladder truck from Spartan Motors ($1,429,868, R3), and a Spartan fire engine ($813,103, R4). The council also awarded emergency generator work for pump stations (R14, $999,375) and approved the procurement and installation of a large chiller for the municipal building waterfront installation (R13, $1,150,500 as recorded in the agenda).

- Licenses and administrative actions: The council approved a charitable clothing bins license to A & E Clothing Corporation for up to 10 bins (R12) and designated the Bergen Record and the Trenton Times as the city’s primary newspapers for notices beginning in March (R31). Council also adopted routine communications, officers’ reports and consent resolutions.

- Health and public-safety items: The council authorized an interlocal agreement with the Hudson Regional Health Commission to conduct elevated blood lead investigations (add-on; up to $17,500 for the term) and approved continued membership in the Regional Health Commission for 2025 ($25,944 assessment).

- Recognition: The council presented a citation and proclamation recognizing Joseph G. Nichols for more than 30 years of service; the body voted aye to adopt the citation and proclamation.

Several items were the subject of brief discussion (for example, council members asked planning staff to follow up on setback and site-plan questions for introduced redevelopment proposals). No final decisions on zoning exceptions, redevelopment financial-agreement terms or memoranda of understanding were reported beyond those items formally introduced or voted on during the meeting.

Votes were recorded orally for each item during roll call; a number of consent resolutions were adopted as a block after one item (CR4) was removed for question-and-answer.

Ending

The council adjourned to closed session after completing its agenda; multiple introduced ordinances were set for public hearings at March council meetings, and several procurement contracts and administrative agreements were approved for immediate implementation.