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Rockleigh mayor and council adopt A‑Zone zoning amendment, approve spending and personnel items
Summary
At its June 1 meeting the Rockleigh Mayor and Council adopted Ordinance 2026‑6 clarifying permitted uses in the A Zone, approved multiple resolutions including a TACO appointment and bid authorization for Volvo Drive improvements, and adopted an amended affordable‑housing spending plan.
The Mayor and Council of the Borough of Rockleigh met on June 1, 2026, and adopted Ordinance 2026‑6, a change to Chapter 34 (Zoning) clarifying permitted uses in the borough’s A Zone single‑family residential district. Council President Frank Cumiskey called the meeting to order at 7:04 p.m. and the roll call showed all members present except Mayor James G. Pontone, who was absent.
The ordinance (2026‑6) was presented for second reading and public hearing. The Council opened the hearing and no members of the public spoke. A motion to adopt the ordinance passed by roll call with six affirmative votes (Cumiskey, Mender, David Hansen, Bresnak, Antine and Altman). The ordinance updates Section 34‑6.1 to reaffirm single‑family detached dwellings as a permitted use and to prohibit boarding‑ and rooming‑house uses in the A Zone.
The Council also approved a number of routine and administrative items by unanimous vote. Notable actions included: - Resolution 2026‑51: appointing Laurie Engel as Technical Assistant to the Construction Code Official (TACO), effective April 1, 2026; compensation noted at $14,159.02 annually for nine hours per week. The appointment replaces Ms. Engel’s prior Administrative Assistant title. - Resolution 2026‑44: authorizing the Borough Clerk to advertise for bids for NJDOT‑funded Volvo Drive roadway improvements based on the Borough Engineer’s plans and specifications. - Resolution 2026‑45: renewing the Rockleigh Country Club’s plenary retail consumption liquor license for 2026–2027, subject to receipt of the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control filing receipt and payment of filing costs (license no. 0255‑33‑001‑003). - Resolution 2026‑50: approval of the bills list and claims (claims listed at $34,198.31 with payroll payments previously made of $27,832.43); Council asked clarifying questions about a General Code line item (codification services) and the Clerk provided explanation.
Financial housekeeping included approval of a Corrective Action Plan responding to the Borough’s 2025 audit (Resolution 2026‑49). The Chief Financial Officer outlined three corrective steps: review and clear prior‑year grant reserves, review and clear unallocated escrow deposit balances, and reconcile the detail improvement authorizations ledger in the General Capital Fund to audit balances; the CFO said item three is already in progress.
The meeting also included the Council’s adoption of an amended Fourth Round Affordable Housing Trust Fund Spending Plan (Resolution 2026‑48), which adds funding for the Borough’s accessory‑apartment program. The Borough’s HEFSP earlier recorded a present need of zero units and a prospective need of 14 units under court order; the amended spending plan is intended to align expenditures with state fair‑share guidance.
Council business concluded with routine committee reports (including updates on Polaris equipment procurement and the Northern Valley Coalition park project) and a report on a recent visit from the New Jersey Forestry Division. The Council entered closed session at 7:45 p.m. to discuss ongoing litigation involving the Planning Board and Borough and adjourned after returning to open session.
The Council scheduled further procedural steps (publication or second readings where applicable) and indicated ordinances introduced at the meeting will return for later consideration under the required notice periods.
