Ogdensburg council approves recreation, road grant actions, hires lifeguard and adopts MS4 ordinances

Mayor George P. Hutnick called the Borough of Ogdensburg council to order at 7 p.m. on June 26 and led the Pledge of Allegiance. The council approved a consent agenda (with item 6 — lifeguard pay rates—handled separately) and took several formal actions on resolutions and ordinances.

The council authorized a discharge of a Home Improvement Program mortgage for 25 Wausau Street, noting the original $11,531 loan met the program’s 10-year forgiveness conditions. It also approved grant applications for Washington Road and Lincoln Avenue resurfacing with the New Jersey Department of Transportation and inserted a $6,807.19 Clean Communities grant into the 2023 budget.

Mayor Hutnick said the Borough received a $75,000 Local Recreation Improvement Grant from the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs to rehabilitate public recreation facilities, including basketball and tennis courts, playground updates and installation of an ADA-compliant walkway at Fireman’s Field Park. “We received a recreation grant for seventy-five thousand dollars to redo or help increase the usage of Fireman’s Field Park,” Mayor Hutnick said. The resolution authorizing use of the Sussex County Cooperative contract and a contract with Riverview Paving, Inc. passed.

On personnel matters the council approved hiring Willow Palmer as a lifeguard at Heaters Pond at $15.50 per hour. The council also separately approved Resolution 56-2023 adjusting pay rates for two previously hired lifeguards: Dean O’Dell to $16.00 per hour and Justyn Hetman to $15.25 per hour, effective retroactive to June 17, 2023. Councilwoman Cowdrick recused herself from the vote on the pay adjustments.

The council adopted Ordinance 06-2023 to add section 18-4 on improper disposal of waste to the Borough’s Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) code and adopted Ordinance 07-2023 establishing a yard waste collection program (section 18-5); both adoptions passed with unanimous recorded yeas from the attending members. The council introduced Ordinance 08-2023 on private storm drain inlet retrofitting and set the public hearing for July 10, 2023.

In old-business updates, officials said a Local Planning Services meeting was held and a stakeholder meeting is being scheduled for the week of July 17 to review a downtown redevelopment study. Borough Attorney Robert McBriar recommended purchasing a title insurance policy before the Borough accepts the former First Aid Squad building; Councilman DeMeo moved to allow counsel to order the title policy and the motion carried. McBriar said the deed contains a reversion clause that would return the property to the Borough if the First Aid Squad ceased to operate.

The council discussed peddler/solicitor permits and possible public notice and a ‘no knock’ list after a resident raised concerns about door-to-door solicitations. Mayor Hutnick reported storm drains on North Clark were not covered by the existing storm drain grant and noted repeated water-main breaks on Bettino Street; CFO Mike Marceau said American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds could be used for repairs. During public comment, resident Ken Goff said a long-vacant property at 20 Glen Brook has overgrown grass, rodents and occasional used needles; Mayor Hutnick said he would contact the zoning officer, county health and animal control.

The council approved payment of bills and departmental finance reports and adjourned at 7:41 p.m.

Votes at a glance: - Consent agenda (items 1–9 except item 6): Approved (Yeas: Ciasullo, Cowdrick, DeMeo, Poyer, Ruitenberg). - Resolution 56-2023 (lifeguard pay adjustments): Approved (Yeas: Ciasullo, DeMeo, Poyer, Ruitenberg; Councilwoman Cowdrick recused). - Ordinance 06-2023 (adopted): Approved (Yeas: Ciasullo, Cowdrick, DeMeo, Poyer, Ruitenberg). - Ordinance 07-2023 (adopted): Approved (Yeas: Ciasullo, Cowdrick, DeMeo, Poyer, Ruitenberg). - Ordinance 08-2023 (introduced): Introduced and set for public hearing July 10, 2023 (Yeas: Ciasullo, Cowdrick, DeMeo, Poyer, Ruitenberg).

Next steps and follow-ups include a July 10 public hearing on Ordinance 08-2023, a stakeholder meeting the week of July 17 on the local planning/redevelopment study, procurement steps under the Sussex County Cooperative for the recreation grant work, and the Borough attorney ordering a title search/policy for the former First Aid Squad building.