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Mountain Lakes Council swears in Muilenburg as mayor, approves sweeping consent agenda and budget steps
Summary
At its Jan. 5 reorganization meeting, the Mountain Lakes Borough Council elected Melissa Muilenburg mayor, named Thomas Menard deputy mayor, approved a broad consent agenda of appointments and contracts, adopted a temporary 2026 budget resolution and endorsed multiple sustainability and public-safety initiatives.
Melissa Muilenburg was sworn in as mayor at the Mountain Lakes Borough Council reorganization meeting on Jan. 5, 2026, after a nomination by Councilmember Lauren Barnett and a second from Councilmember Thomas Menard. Cara Fox, the borough clerk, administered the oath. Muilenburg then nominated Menard for deputy mayor; the nomination was seconded by Councilmember Cannon and Menard was sworn in.
The Council conducted its reorganization work at Borough Hall, beginning with a roll call and invocation by Father Michael Parisi of St. Catherine's Church. After reading a memorial list of residents who died in 2025 and a moment of silence, Mayor Muilenburg delivered her reorganization remarks (not printed in the minutes).
Council approved a single motion to adopt a long consent agenda that bundled routine annual resolutions, committee and commission reappointments, and several professional-services agreements. Among the items adopted were: the 2026 meeting schedule and official newspapers; designation of bank depositories; re-establishment and appointment of advisory bodies (Woodlands, Lakes Management, Green Team, Traffic & Safety, Finance, Memorial Day Parade, Economic Development and others); appointment of municipal officers including special police officers and fire department leadership; and participation in shared-service and grant programs such as the Whippany River Watershed Committee, the New Jersey recycling tonnage grant and the Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative (PAARI).
Financial and administrative steps taken under the consent motion included adoption of the Borough's 2026 Cash Management Plan and the approval of a temporary 2026 budget resolution to fund operations until the full 2026 budget is adopted. The package also authorized a continuation of dispatch services with Morris County (interlocal) and a mutual-aid arrangement for basic life-support ambulance coverage with Parsippany-Troy Hills. The interlocal dispatch authorization states a payment obligation of $105,789.69 to Morris County for the service.
The Council authorized or reaffirmed several sustainability-focused resolutions: support for 'Safe Routes to School,' a pledge to maintain 'idle free zones' to reduce vehicle idling, a resolution endorsing native-plant preferences and invasive-species controls, a Green Building endorsement for municipal projects, and participation in the Sustainable Jersey municipal-certification program and related grant application process.
A suite of professional services contracts for 2026 were placed on the record and adopted: planning services (Phillips Preiss Grygiel LLC, annual fee not to exceed $10,000), municipal legal services (Murphy McKeon P.C., annual retainer cited at $60,000 with litigation hourly rate specified), municipal auditing services (Nisivoccia LLP, annual fee cited), municipal bond counsel, a registered municipal adviser (Phoenix Advisors, LLC), website maintenance (RDC Design Group), engineering and dam-engineering services, and insurance-risk consulting. The packet and resolutions include contract terms, fee caps and the statutory certification language required for professional-service awards.
The meeting packet cataloged the Borough's bills and claims for the end of 2025; Council approved payment as part of the consent motion. The Council also adopted a resolution rejecting all bids received for a 2025 request to lease tower and ground space at 400 Boulevard for wireless communications (Contract No. 2025-01); the rejection preserves the Borough's option to re-advertise or pursue alternative procurement approaches.
During the public-comment period, resident Dan Barnett thanked volunteers, borough staff and the Fire and Police Departments and offered congratulations to Councilmember Lauren Barnett on having served previous mayoral terms. Council adjourned at 7:27 p.m. on a motion by Deputy Mayor Menard, seconded by Councilmember Cannon, with all members recorded 'Aye.'
What happens next: the Borough will proceed with the regular 2026 meeting schedule adopted under R26-02, will file any required grant applications (including the recycling tonnage grant) and will present the full 2026 municipal budget for the Council's review and adoption later in the year.
