Resident urges ordinance penalizing unlicensed contractors and asks committee to put charter commission question on ballot

Tony Cacciotti, a Millstone resident, asked the township committee at its meeting to adopt a local ordinance to impose maximum penalties and strengthen enforcement against unlicensed people performing regulated trades such as plumbing, electrical and HVAC work.

Cacciotti said he and trade associations have prepared a draft ordinance for the committee to review and that municipal adoption would allow local enforcement of violations that he said mirror existing state limits. "We've created the actual ordinance for the committee, so it could be reviewed," he said, adding the proposed local law "meets the fines that are already state limited" and could generate revenue for the township. Committee members asked procedural and enforcement questions; the committee agreed to accept Cacciotti’s materials and to have legal staff review the draft.

Cacciotti also formally requested that the committee place a public question on the next general-election ballot to create a charter commission governed by the Optional Municipality Charter Law, saying such a commission would provide a structured process for residents to review alternative government structures and present recommendations to the township committee. "This commission can provide a structured, legally backed path to evaluate alternative government structures," he said.

Committee response and next steps: Committee members asked for the draft ordinance to be emailed to the clerk so it could be disseminated to staff and legal counsel; one member said the town attorneys would "look at it" and that staff would get back to Cacciotti with next steps. No formal direction to place the charter question on the ballot was recorded; the request was received as public comment and will be considered by the committee and legal counsel.

Other public concerns: Residents also raised storm-related communication and utility maintenance issues, asking who is responsible for lower-level communication lines (Optimum/Verizon) and trimming vegetation where wires run low. One resident said low-hanging lines and tree limbs are a recurring safety and service problem and asked how the township can pressure providers for proactive trimming and response. Committee members said they would research responsibilities and report back.

The public-comment period closed at 8:44 p.m., and the meeting adjourned shortly afterward.