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Salem City Council adopts consent agenda, names grant analyst and approves ARPA spending
Summary
On Nov. 12 the Salem City Common Council adopted a 12-item consent agenda including a partnership to pursue a U.S. EPA grant, appointment of a grant analyst, ARPA-funded public-safety and infrastructure spending, change orders for municipal projects, and an emergency demolition authorization for a hazardous property at 49 Olive Street.
The Salem City Common Council on Nov. 12 adopted Resolutions 2024-286 through 2024-297 as a consent agenda, approving a package of personnel appointments, grant partnerships, American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) expenditures, construction change orders and an emergency demolition authorization.
Clerk/Administrator Ben Angeli opened the meeting by reading the public-notice statement and instructing the public that the initial comment period was limited to agenda items. "The public is instructed that this portion of the meeting is provided for comments and questions on Agenda items only," he said; later in the meeting the council opened a general public-comment period, during which no members of the public spoke.
The roll-call vote to adopt the consent agenda was unanimous among those present: S. Cline — yes; T. Gregory — yes; V. Groce — yes; S. Kellum — yes; C. Loatman — yes; J. Long — yes. No abstentions were recorded.
Key items adopted on the consent agenda included:
- Res. 2024-286: Authorization for Mayor to sign a partnership agreement with Gateway Community Action Agency to submit a U.S. EPA Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Program grant application and to serve as lead applicant if awarded. The attached draft partnership agreement defines the lead applicant/subgrantee roles and dispute-resolution procedures.
- Res. 2024-290: Appointment of Emily Hazy as the City’s Grant Analyst/Writer/Program Monitor on a full-time basis at an annual salary of $65,000, with an effective start date noted as Nov. 18, 2024.
- Res. 2024-289 (Attachment A): ARPA eligible expenditures authorizing $36,631.30 for traffic control signs and basketball court striping (listed as the specific Attachment A items). In a separate ARPA authorization (Res. 2024-296 and its Attachment A) the council also approved $173,000 of ARPA allocations designated for revenue-replacement-style items: $25,000 (fire department), $43,000 (EMS ambulance service), $20,000 (property clean-up/blight), $10,000 (recreation beautification) and $75,000 (police salary and wages).
- Res. 2024-291: Approval of Change Order No. 1 (final) for the FY 2024 NJDOT Municipal Aid resurfacing of New Market Street, increasing the contract by $23,642.16 (8.83%) to a final amount of $291,318.40 to reflect as-built quantity adjustments (engineer recommendation by Bryson & Yates Consulting Engineers was included in the record).
- Res. 2024-294: Authorization of Change Order No. 2 and final for the City municipal building fit-out project with Aliano Brothers, yielding a net increase of $7,925.62 and a final contract total of $252,270.62 for unforeseen municipal court office adjustments and a rear-door handrail.
- Res. 2024-293: Declaration of an emergency and authorization to contract with Ricco Demolition to demolish the structure at 49 Olive Street, with a quoted cost of $24,000 charged to account g-02-40-350-403; the construction official had determined the structure was an imminent hazard.
- Res. 2024-292: Acceptance of a no-cost extension proposed by Social Contract LLC for the Salem City Community Violence Prevention Program Coordinator project, extending the project timeline through March 31, 2025 to allow completion of remaining design and stakeholder engagement work.
- Res. 2024-295: Authorization for Mayor Veler to send a letter of support to DCA Commissioner Jacquelyn A. Suárez endorsing Eastern Pacific Development’s request for 30 place-based project vouchers for Salem Senior Village; the mayor’s draft letter states the vouchers would support rehabilitation of occupied units and the property’s infrastructure.
Council also set the City reorganization meeting for Jan. 3, 2025 at 4 p.m. at the Old Salem County Court House (Res. 2024-297).
No formal public debate or recorded dissent accompanied the consent-adopted items; all items were taken on the consent motion and roll-call vote as shown above. The council then proceeded to an executive session to discuss litigation and contract negotiations related to housing proposals; the meeting record notes no formal action was taken while the council was in closed session.
The next caucus meeting was announced for Nov. 18, 2024.
