Summit’s governing body considers a host of issues at each meeting and I encourage you to look at the city website and review the entire Common Council agenda at http://summitcitynj.iqm2.com/citizens
Hometown Heroes. Resident Michael Arlein will present a proposal for a program to honor Summit’s veterans. The idea is to attach banners displaying an image of the service member with dates of service and branch of the military to street lights along designated city streets from Memorial Day through July 4. Private funds would be raised to purchase the banners, and the cost of installing them would be an in-kind contribution from the City of Summit Department of Community Services. Support for the program will be provided by a number of local organizations, including the American Legion and Summit Area Public Foundation.
Development Regulations & Ordinances (DRO). Council will decide on a request from the Planning Board to fund a comprehensive review and redraft of the DRO. Since 2003, the city has conducted two Master Plan re-examinations, numerous land use studies, and only piecemeal review and changes to the DRO. I believe that the DRO would benefit from being a more cohesive, concise, and consistent document with goals based on public input in the 2016 Master Plan re-examination and look forward to approving this request.
Annual Volunteer Service Award. Each year, mayor and council will look to honor a Summit resident for their outstanding contribution as a community volunteer. For the first award, we will honor Tom O’Rourke, a devoted volunteer who worked on many projects to improve the lives of Summit residents, including nine years on the Summit Board of Education. We are a better town because of Tom O’Rourke, and for that, we are all grateful.