The next Common Council meeting will be held on Tuesday, December 1 at 7:30PM. Members of Common Council, Mayor Radest, and city staff will be participating electronically in the meeting. For this and all future electronic meetings, members of the public will be able to comment by video or audio conference. Comments will also be accepted by email or by mail to cityclerk@cityofsummit.org. Comments must be received by noon on December 1. Access codes for the Zoom platform and instructions for public comment will be posted on the city website prior to the meeting.
Every Common Council meeting is broadcast live on HTTV Verizon channel 30 and Comcast channel 36 and 34. The meeting will also be broadcast live on the City of Summit YouTube Channel.
Common Council will hold hearings on two proposed ordinances. The first hearing will be on an ordinance to repeal and replace the Development Regulation Ordinance (DRO) that was adopted in 2019. The 2019 ordinance was a comprehensive revision of the DRO. Upon adoption of the DRO in 2019, the Planning Board proposed that in 2020, it would work with city staff to make corrections or adjustments to the revised DRO as issues arose or areas in need of clarification became evident. Because of many minor typographical and format changes, DRO corrections will be done as a repeal and replacement to streamline the process. The second hearing will be on an ordinance to amend the DRO to prohibit the location of facilities that engage in the sale, growth, and distribution of marijuana in Summit.
Council will also consider three ordinances for introduction with hearings to be scheduled for the December 15 meeting. The first ordinance from the Finance Committee will authorize a COVID-19 related special emergency appropriation in the amount of $850,000 to make up the revenue shortfalls from the Parking Authority as a result of the Public Health Emergency. State law allows for this appropriation and provides that it shall be paid back over 5 years starting in 2022. The second ordinance from the Finance Committee amends the ordinance governing the procedure for payment of bills to comply with prompt payment law. Finally, the Community Programs and Parking Services Committee will introduce an ordinance to amend city code to increase quarterly overnight parking permit fees and to allow on-street overnight permit parking on certain city streets. The overnight quarterly parking fees will increase from $75 to $100 and for senior citizens from $56.25 to $75. This is the first rate increase since 2006. On-street overnight parking permits will be available on specific streets that are adjacent to multi-dwelling units with 10 or more units.
The Finance Committee will introduce four resolutions. The first is to approve the Chief Financial Officer’s certification of COVID-19 related deficits in revenue and additional expenditures and authorizes the CFO to submit an application to the New Jersey Division of Local Government Services for a COVID-19 Special Emergency Application. Next, council will vote on two housekeeping resolutions to schedule school levy payments to the Summit Board of Education for the first half of 2021 and to schedule municipal, sewer, parking and school debt service payments for 2021. Last, council will vote on a resolution to authorize a professional services agreement for tax appeal counsel for 2021.
Community Programs and Parking Services Committee has one resolution for consideration to authorize a month-to-month contract with Lyft for ridesharing services for the period between December 3, 2020 and December 2, 2021 for a total amount not to exceed $6,600. The current contract expires on December 2, 2020 and the current usage of the Lyft ridesharing program is down because of the health emergency. If the usage exceeds the total amount of $6,600 during the year, the city will issue an RFP for these services.
Council will consider three resolutions from the Safety and Health Committee. First is to appoint a police officer. Second, council will consider a resolution to authorize the emergency purchase of a police vehicle to replace one that was declared a total loss by the municipal insurance carrier following an accident. Finally, council will vote on a resolution to amend the professional services agreement with the architect tasked with design services for the new fire house. The architect incurred additional fees in the amount of $52,415.40 in preparing construction documents for: (1) adding radiant heat as an alternative for the bid documents (2) value engineering to reduce the project cost and (3) reimbursable allowances.
The Capital Projects and Community Services Committee will introduce three resolutions. First, council will consider a resolution to authorize an expenditure of $191,672 from the Affordable Housing Trust Fund for affordability assistance for a two-family house at 31 Russell Place for a period of 30 years. Next, council will consider a resolution to authorize a Community Development Block Grant application for $4,000 for the Senior Connections Bus and $10,000 for the Share the Fun Club, both operated through the Department of Community Programs. Finally, council will hear a resolution to declare a vacancy in the Division of Public Works, Municipal Disposal Area Unit.
To view the complete Common Council agenda, go to https://www.cityofsummit.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/502?fileID=25140
Printable agenda preview: https://www.cityofsummit.org/DocumentCenter/View/5080/Fox-Council-President-Preview-120120
Next Common Council Meeting: Tuesday, December 15, 2020.