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High Bridge council approves consent agenda, introduces truck-weight and stormwater ordinances and debates snow-in-street enforcement
Summary
Council approved a multi-item consent agenda (Resolutions 086–090), adopted a Maser contract amendment to study golf-course redevelopment (Resolution 085), introduced Ordinances 2021-007 and 2021-008 for future hearings, and discussed Resolution 091 on snow-in-street enforcement; all motions passed with a 5–0 recorded vote and one member absent.
At its Feb. 11, 2021 virtual meeting the Borough of High Bridge council approved a consent agenda of routine and administrative measures, advanced two new ordinances for public hearing on Feb. 25, and discussed how to enforce a newly adopted Snow In Street resolution.
The council approved the consent agenda (Resolutions 086–090) by motion (Strange/Ferry) and a 5–0 roll call with Councilwoman Moore recorded absent. The minutes do not itemize debate on each consent item; they address several items individually afterward.
Mayor Michele Lee introduced Resolution 085, an amendment to a professional services contract with Maser to explore the future of the borough’s golf course. According to the minutes, Mayor Lee spoke about “the history of paying off the golf course, the possible future of the golf course, the intent to have a golf course redevelopment plan put into place and the intent to have Maser assist with this plan,” and thanked Councilman Columbus for his work on the issue. The council adopted Resolution 085 by roll call (5 yes, 1 absent).
The council introduced two ordinances for later public hearings: Ordinance 2021-007 (amending Chapter 184-8 to exclude trucks over certain weights) and Ordinance 2021-008 (amending the borough’s Stormwater Management Plan). Motions to introduce both ordinances carried; Mayor Lee directed that each be published in the Express Times and/or the Hunterdon County Democrat with public hearings set for Feb. 25, 2021.
Council members debated Resolution 091, a Snow In Street policy intended to give the borough enforcement authority for residents who push or place snow into public roadways after plowing. Councilman Strange asked for specification of an amount of snow that would trigger enforcement and expressed concern the resolution was broad and could be used to report neighbors unfairly. Administrator Bonnie Fleming told the council that having the resolution in place allows the borough to enforce and amend the policy if needed. Clerk Adam Young noted prior complaints about residents emptying entire driveways into the street after plowing. Director of the Department of Public Works Rick Roll explained the resolution’s intent: it targets people who empty their driveways into the road or put snow from sidewalks into the road, and said the borough aims to keep a center lane open using an eight-foot plow though some homeowner shoveling may still be necessary.
The council approved the Snow In Street resolution and then approved the bill list totaling $909,348.63. The bill list motion (Hughes/Strange) passed by roll call 5 yes, 1 absent. The meeting adjourned with the next council meeting scheduled for Feb. 25, 2021 at 7:30 p.m. on Zoom.
The minutes record substantive council concern about the Snow In Street resolution’s scope and staff clarified the policy’s intended use; the record does not show a numeric threshold for enforcement or an explicit enforcement protocol beyond the general intent described by DPW leadership.
