Oxford Township Committee approves $80,000 DOT bridge grant anticipation, designates municipal parcel for non-condemnation redevelopment

The Township Committee of Oxford Township voted unanimously on Aug. 7 to approve a package of budget and administrative resolutions, including anticipating an $80,000 New Jersey Department of Transportation Municipal Aid grant for the Kent Street pedestrian bridge and designating a township-owned parcel as an area in need of non-condemnation redevelopment.

Mayor Gerald Norton said the committee had seen an image of the completed bridge at the contractor's site and that the contractor could begin work as early as Aug. 12 but was expected to start no later than Aug. 19. The committee approved Resolution 2024-93 to request the Director of Local Government Services' prior written consent to include the DOT grant as an item of general revenue in the 2024 budget.

The meeting covered routine budget insertions and housekeeping matters: cancellations of erroneously charged tax interest (Resolution 2024-94), insertion of small grant revenues (Resolutions 2024-95 through 2024-97), certification of the 2023 annual audit and acceptance of the Chief Financial Officer's Corrective Action Plan (Resolutions 2024-99 and 2024-100), and cancellation of an old municipal tax-sale certificate (Resolution 2024-101). The committee also appointed Rose Witt as the township's Qualified Purchasing Agent under N.J.S.A. 40A:11-3A (Resolution 2024-98).

Township Planner Tim O'Brien explained the difference between a rehabilitation study and a redevelopment designation: "a rehabilitation study is for the structures and for financial reasons it is only for 5 years as a redevelopment study is to start from scratch and for financial reasons you get up to 30 years," he said, as the committee authorized the Planning Board to undertake a preliminary investigation of Block 45, Lot 1 to determine whether it qualifies for non-condemnation redevelopment (Resolution 2024-103). Separately, the committee designated Block 1.01, Lot 3.03 as an area in need of non-condemnation redevelopment and will transmit that determination to the Commissioner of Community Affairs for review (Resolution 2024-102). Mayor Norton said he had held an informal meeting with residents to address questions about the study.

On local operations, the committee approved the PTA's request to hold a Trunk-or-Treat event at Oxford Lake (Oct. 26, 2024; rain date Oct. 27) with a required certificate of insurance and no bounce houses, and authorized contracting with Confires Fire Protection Service for the township's fire alarm work after the DPW supervisor solicited bids. The committee approved a two-treatment water-chestnut control contract with Great Blue for $5,500 (one treatment in the fall and another in 2025) for Oxford Lake.

The committee also approved a temporary suspension of sewer and garbage fees for the property at 341 Route 31 while the structure remains uninhabitable due to fire damage (Resolution 2024-104). In routine business, members reviewed school-board and library outreach updates, public-safety activity (including a Washington Police Department report that National Night Out drew a good turnout despite rain), and the printed bills lists; the committee approved payment of the bills as presented.

During final public comment, resident Sharon Keanon thanked the committee for opting back into the Sussex/Warren County cooperative and raised a question about a news item concerning the regional utility. The committee entered an executive session to discuss a lake-director/personnel matter, a real-property matter, a contract item and an update on the Steele litigation; no formal action was taken in executive session. The meeting adjourned at 7:43 p.m.

Votes at a glance: Resolutions 2024-93 through 2024-104 and routine motions noted above were approved by recorded roll-call votes (where recorded) with Ayes: 3, Nays: 0, Abstain: 0, Absent: 0 on the listed items.