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Stockton council adopts tree-ordinance amendment, approves grants, bond note and appointments
Summary
On Sept. 16 Stockton Borough Council unanimously adopted Ordinance 24-10 amending tree-removal exemptions, approved a $150,000 park grant application with a $50,000 borough match, accepted a $683,639 bond anticipation note sale and approved several administrative resolutions and agreements including a no-cost RCAP GIS mapping service.
Stockton Borough Council on Sept. 16 approved a slate of ordinances, resolutions and administrative actions covering tree-removal rules, grant applications, municipal debt and appointments.
Ordinance 24-10: Council opened and closed the public hearing on Ordinance 24-10 (amending Ordinance 24-02, Tree Removal/Replacement) and adopted the ordinance by roll call (Brown, Fisher, Folz, Hunt, Kozuhowski and Mann). The amendment expands exemptions to include hazard trees and trees removed as part of clearing farmland devoted to agricultural use and reiterates severability and effective date provisions.
Park grant application (Resolution 24-75): Council authorized submitting a Hunterdon County Municipal Park & Recreation Grant application seeking $150,000 for Stockton Borough Park improvements, committing to a 25% borough match up to $50,000 if awarded. Mayor Lipsen recused himself from the dais during discussion of uses for the grant.
Appointments and administrative items: Council appointed Jennifer Terepka as the 2024 Recycling Coordinator (Resolution 24-77) and approved payment of municipal obligations totaling $161,161.31 (Resolution 24-78).
Debt and budget actions: The council accepted the Chief Financial Officer’s Certificate of Determination and Award showing sale of Bond Anticipation Note Series 2024A in the principal amount of $683,639 to Northfield Bank at a price of $683,639 and an interest rate of 4.75% (Resolution 24-79). Council also approved a resolution requesting budget appropriation corrections tied to assessment-of-taxes line items following the tax assessor’s retirement and entry into a shared service agreement (Resolution 24-80).
Agreements: The council authorized a one-year Community Services Agreement with Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP) to perform GPS data collection and GIS mapping of the borough water system at no cost to Stockton (Resolution 24-81). The resolution notes RCAP’s services are grant-funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and that any paid services beyond the one-year term would require subsequent council approval.
Executive session and next steps: Council entered executive session for attorney-client privileged discussions and possible contract negotiations related to disposition of public property, flood mitigation and stormwater, then reconvened and adjourned at 10:15 p.m. The next regular meeting was set for Oct. 21, 2024.
