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Audubon commissioners approve payments, raffle licenses and road grant application; close for litigation
Summary
At the June 20, 2023 Borough of Audubon commissioners meeting, officials unanimously approved monthly bill payments, three raffle licenses for the Audubon Education Foundation, a NJDOT grant application for Hampshire Avenue phase II and North Merchant Street, contracts for lead-assessment and police services, and a shared municipal court agreement; the meeting recessed to closed session on litigation and adjourned at 7:28 p.m.
Mayor Jakubowski called the Borough of Audubon Board of Commissioners to order at 7:00 p.m. and read the meeting notice, stating, "Notice of this meeting has been provided in a legal notice published in the Courier Post and the Retrospect; and posted in accordance with Title 10 of the New Jersey Statutes Annotated, specifying a 7:00 p.m. meeting time; and that formal action may or may not be taken at all Caucus and Commissioners meetings." The reading preceded a roll-call attendance that listed Mayor Jakubowski, Commissioner Lee and Commissioner Whitman.
The board approved routine business and a slate of resolutions with unanimous support. Commissioner Whitman moved to approve the payment of bills for June 2023 (Resolution 2023-100); Commissioner Lee seconded, and the motion passed on unanimous roll call. Commissioners also approved three off-premises raffle licenses for the Audubon Education Foundation (Resolutions 2023-101, 2023-102 and 2023-103), each carried after motion and second. Eric Miller, assistant principal at Audubon High School, later addressed the board during public comment to thank commissioners for approving the raffles and displayed samples of the gym floor pieces the school is raffling.
The board authorized the borough engineer to make a grant application and execute any NJ Department of Transportation contract for reconstruction of Hampshire Avenue — Phase II — and North Merchant Street (Resolution 2023-104). Commissioners approved a tax cancellation tied to a totally disabled veteran status for Block 43.01, Lot 10 (Resolution 2023-105). The meeting record shows additional contract approvals: Bay Hill Environmental for lead-based paint assessment and lead-safe clearance services (Resolution 2023-106), a contract naming Thomas J. Tassi as chief of police (Resolution 2023-107), and a shared-service agreement with the Borough of Gibbsboro for municipal court services (Resolution 2023-108).
Commissioner comments noted operational progress and community notices. Commissioner Whitman said all bills had been paid and praised timely repaving work at the recreation center ahead of an upcoming YMCA summer camp. Commissioner Lee reported visiting Gibbsboro's court facility with Audubon's court administrator and said the shared-service contract includes a six-month trial and exit clauses; he also said New Jersey American Water (NJAW) is distributing information to residents about lead versus copper piping and urged residents to review the materials. Mayor Jakubowski described coordination among three government bodies to complete the rec center project, reiterated the expected paving schedule if weather permits, said funds come from multi-year open-space grants, and announced July 4 parade plans (parade starts at 8:15 a.m. and ends at the FJW Rec & Com Center), postcard notices to residents, and Thursday summer movie nights with library story time prior to the films.
The board moved to open and then close public comment. After approving Resolution 2023-109 to enter a closed session for litigation, the commissioners reconvened and adjourned the meeting at 7:28 p.m.
Votes at a glance (as recorded in the minutes): - 2023-100 (payment of bills for June 2023): approved (mover: Commissioner Whitman; seconder: Commissioner Lee; roll-call unanimous) - 2023-101 (raffle license 02-2023, Audubon Education Foundation): approved (mover: Commissioner Lee; seconder: Commissioner Whitman; unanimous) - 2023-102 (raffle license 03-2023, Audubon Education Foundation): approved (mover: Commissioner Whitman; seconder: Commissioner Lee; unanimous) - 2023-103 (raffle license 04-2023, Audubon Education Foundation): approved (mover: Commissioner Lee; seconder: Commissioner Whitman; unanimous) - 2023-104 (NJDOT grant application — Hampshire Ave Phase II & N. Merchant St): approved (mover: Commissioner Whitman; seconder: Commissioner Lee; unanimous) - 2023-105 (tax cancellation for totally disabled veteran, Block 43.01 Lot 10): approved (mover: Commissioner Lee; seconder: Commissioner Whitman; unanimous) - 2023-106 (Bay Hill Environmental contract — lead assessment/clearance): approved (mover: Commissioner Whitman; seconder: Commissioner Lee; unanimous) - 2023-107 (contract with Thomas J. Tassi, Chief of Police): approved (mover: Commissioner Lee; seconder: Commissioner Whitman; unanimous) - 2023-108 (shared-service agreement with Borough of Gibbsboro for municipal court services): approved (mover: Commissioner Lee; seconder: Commissioner Whitman; unanimous) - 2023-109 (closed session for litigation): approved (mover: Commissioner Whitman; seconder: Commissioner Lee; unanimous)
Next steps and context: the minutes note the borough will pursue the NJDOT grant application and will implement the shared-service court arrangement with an initial trial provision; no votes were recorded against any resolution and no ordinances were presented for action at this meeting.
