Regular
Meeting of the Roxbury Mount Arlington Consolidation Study Commission
Roxbury
Recreation Office
72 Eyland
Avenue, Succasunna, NJ 07876
7:00pm, August
12, 2015
MINUTES
1. Call
to Order
a.
Vice Chair Gene Paradiso called the meeting to
order at 7:08pm
2. Pledge
of Allegiance
a.
Vice Chair Gene Paradiso led the commission in
the pledge of allegiance
3. NJ
Open Public Meetings Law
Vice Chair Gene Paradiso read aloud, This meeting has
been advertised and is being conducted in accordance with the provisions of the
“Senator Byron M. Baer Open Public Meetings Act,” P.L. 1975, c. 231
4. Roll
Call
a.
The following were in attendance: Nancy Absalon, Paula Danchuk, Anthony
Fernandez, Jerry Frisco, Larry Millus, Gene Paradiso, Chris Raths, Vincent
Reilly, Chris Rogers, Laurel Whitney
b.
The following were absent: Maureen Castriotta, George Haeuber, Fred
Hall, Craig Heard, Roger Jinks, Steve Sadow
5. Introduction
of Elected Officials and/or Recognition of Their Representatives
a.
none
6. Election
and Installation of Officers, If Applicable
a.
none
7. Introduction
of Guest Speaker or Presentation, If Applicable
a.
Gina Genovese, Courage to Connect NJ –
Fundraising Video Presentation
i.
Gina Genovese played the crowd sourcing video
she prepared
ii.
The donate button goes to Razzu
iii.
Donations will be kept separate and not co-mingled
with other Courage to Connect money
iv.
Video will ask for $20 donations
v.
End of Septemeber is the target date for
completion
vi.
Gene Paradiso asked if the donors info will be
retained?
vii.
Gina Genovese stated that Courage to Connect
will not hold any billing info. It will
be captured by Razzu
viii.
Laurel Whitney asked if this a model for other
towns to do the same?
ix.
Wendy stated that you can add a personal message
when you share the video
x.
Anthony Fernandez stated that he was unhappy
that the Mount Arlington School in one of the slides was bigger than the
Roxbury School
xi.
Larry Millus stated that we should include the
opposing views in the video
xii.
Chris Rogers stated that the video showed the
possibility of saving taxes and better service.
It did not guarantee it.
xiii.
Anthony Fernandez stated that he is here to
listen and is not in favor of the video
xiv.
Gina Genovese stated that the big school and
little school were easy to change
xv.
Wendy stated that we could just use town one and
town two in place of town names
xvi.
Gina Genovese stated that she is not
pro-consolidation. Instead she works at
making sure it is an option for communities to study
xvii.
Gina Genovese stated she is currently working
with Flemington and Raritan. The choice
to consolidate has to benefit both towns
xviii.
Gene Paradiso stated the voters will decide
xix.
Anthony Fernandez stated the video is one sided
xx.
Gina played the video a second time
xxi.
Gene Paradiso stated that the statement “help
bring together” should state “help determine if they would be good together”
xxii.
Anthony Fernandez stated the video was all pro
consolidation
xxiii.
Nancy Absalon suggested that the boy in the
video could say “help fund the study” rather than “help fund the consolidation’
xxiv.
Paula Danchuk stated the video should state
“help fund the commission”
xxv.
Gina Genovese spoke about the differences
between shard services and consolidation
xxvi.
Anthony Fernandez stated that he was not pro
consolidation. He stated that he was not
going to be happy with the video no matter what you do
xxvii.
Gina Genovese stated that there was no money
from the state to fund the study
xxviii.
Anthony Fernandez asked why Gina Genovese was
targeting kids in the video
xxix.
Gina Genovese stated that you have to appeal to
the emotional side of the issue
xxx.
Jerry Frisco stated that the research agrees
with this
xxxi.
Gina Genovese stated that she requested a
timeline of the petitioners actions from Chris Rogers
xxxii.
Chris Rogers stated that Gina’s organization is
offering to raise money for the commission with private donations. Critics of the study commission should be
happy that we are attempting to do this with private money. Steve Sadow had previously stated that the
study would cost the taxpayers of both towns $300,000.
xxxiii.
Gina Genovese stated that this fundraising
effort would be a barometer of public support
xxxiv.
Nancy Absalon asked if a line item could be
added to the treasurer’s report?
xxxv.
Gina Genovese showed the video again as Chris
Raths entered the room
xxxvi.
Gene Paradiso stated that we don’t currently
need a resolution and that we would seek to approve the video at the September
meeting
xxxvii.
Vincent Reilly asked if there was a question on
the ballot for Flemington and Raritan?
xxxviii.
Gina Genovese stated that it was a non binding
resolution to gauge the interest of the residents of each town. This is similar to an effort in the Mendham’s
a few years ago. In that case one was
interested and one was not.
xxxix.
Gene Paradiso thanked Gina Genovese for her and
her organizations efforts
8. Public
Comments on Agenda Items Only (Limited To 3 Minutes Per Person)
a.
none
9. Secretary’s
Report
a.
Correspondence
i.
Secretary Chris Rogers stated there was no
correspondence
·
2015-401 RESOLVED, that the Roxbury Mount Arlington
Consolidation Study approves the minutes for July 8, 2015. See attached
o Chris Rogers made a motion to approve the minutes from
August 12, 2015. Paula Danchuk made a
second.
o Paula Danchuk – Y, Jerry Frisco – Y, Gene Paradiso –
Y, Chris Raths – Y, Vincent Reilly – Y, Chris Rogers – Y, Laurel Whitney – Y, Motion
Passes
·
2015-402 RESOLVED, that the Roxbury Mount Arlington
Consolidation Study approves the updated commissioner roster for August 12,
2015 for publishing. See attached
o Chris Rogers made a motion to approve commissioner
roster from August 12, 2015. Paula
Danchuk made a second.
o Paula Danchuk – Y, Jerry Frisco – Y, Gene Paradiso –
Y, Chris Raths – Y, Vincent Reilly – Y, Chris Rogers – Y, Laurel Whitney – Y, Motion
Passes
10. Treasurer’s
Report
a.
Bank Account Balance
i.
Treasurer Laurel Whitney stated there were no
expenses or donations from July 9, 2015 to August 12, 2015
·
2015- 403 RESOLVED, that the Roxbury Mount Arlington
Consolidation Study approves the donations from July 9, 2015 to August 12, 2015. See attached
o Laurel Whitney made a motion to approve the donations
from July 9, 2015 to August 12, 2015. Chris
Rogers made a second.
o Paula Danchuk – Y, Jerry Frisco – Y, Gene Paradiso –
Y, Chris Raths – Y, Vincent Reilly – Y, Chris Rogers – Y, Laurel Whitney – Y, Motion
Passes
·
2015- 404 RESOLVED, that the Roxbury Mount Arlington
Consolidation Study approves the expenditures from July 9, 2015 to August 12,
2015. See attached
o Laurel Whitney made a motion to approve the expenses
from July 9, 2015 to August 12, 2015. Chris
Rogers made a second.
o Paula Danchuk – Y, Jerry Frisco – Y, Gene Paradiso –
Y, Chris Raths – Y, Vincent Reilly – Y, Chris Rogers – Y, Laurel Whitney – Y, Motion
Passes
11. Chairman’s
Report
a.
Vice Chair Gene Paradiso stated he and Craig
Heard met with Superintendent Jamison and Superintendent Tierney. They were cordial and cooperative and were
willing to work with the commission. If an OPRA is needed for requests, they
will let us know. They asked each to
participate in the Education Committee
i.
Laurel Whitney stated there was an existing
email address
ii.
Chris Rogers stated that we should wait until an
attorney reviews OPRA policies prior to posting
iii.
Anthony Fernandez stated that we have not yet
voted to approve an attorney
iv.
Chris Rogers stated that Craig Heard has been
speaking to the attorney who offered to work for us on a pro bono basis.
v.
Gene Paradiso stated he will reach out to Craig
Heard to find out the next steps
12. Committee
Reports
a.
Bylaws Committee (ADHOC)
·
2015-405 RESOLVED, that the Roxbury Mount Arlington
Consolidation Study approves the proposed Bylaws. See attached
i.
Gene Paradiso
made a motion to approve the bylaws as presented. Laurel Whitney made a second.
ii.
Gene Paradiso
stated that the bylaws do not preclude the commission from recommending a
partial consolidation
iii.
Gene Paradiso
also stated that the committee removed the policy section as that would mean it
would take 2/3 vote to change any policy added to the bylaws
iv.
Chris Raths told
the committee they did good work
v.
Paula Danchuk –
Y, Jerry Frisco – Y, Gene Paradiso – Y, Chris Raths – Y, Vincent Reilly – Y,
Chris Rogers – Y, Laurel Whitney – Y, Motion Passes
vi.
As the bylaws
state that alternates can vote for absent members of the commission, Gene
Paradiso noted that Larry Millus was able to vote for Maureen Castriotta and
Anthony Fernandez was able to vote for Steve Sadow
a.
Technology
Committee (ADHOC)
i.
Chris Rogers
stated there was no update
b.
Fundraising
Committee (ADHOC)
i.
Jerry Frisco
stated there was no update
13. Resolutions
a.
Vice Chair Gene Paradiso stated there were no
further resolutions at this time
14. Old/Unfinished Business
a.
Insurance
i.
Gene Paradiso stated that the insurance quote
that was received was retracted
ii.
Chris Rogers asked if we could ask Courage to
Connect if we could use their insurance for meeting purposes?
iii.
Chris Raths asked if we need insurance?
iv.
Larry Millus stated that he would get a quote
v.
Gene Paradiso stated that we would table for now
and continue to seek quotes as we continue to receive donations
14. New
Business
a.
Sub Committee Meetings
i.
Data
Collection, Craig Heard
1.
Gene
Paradiso stated there was no report
ii.
Municipal
Government, Laurel Whitney
1.
Laurel
Whitney stated that the committee is in the process of creating a
baseline. Next meeting is not yet
scheduled
iii.
Education,
Gene Paradiso
1.
Gene
Paradiso passed out Education Committee Minutes
2.
Anthony
Fernandez stated that there would likely be duplication in some committees
3.
Jerry
Frisco stated that we should have joint meetings
4.
Gene Paradiso stated that we should read the
purposes of each committee and communicate monthly. Put all requests for information through
Craig Heard who chairs the Data Collection Committee
iv.
*Finance/Administration
1.
Gene
Paradiso asked this committee to meet tonight
v.
DPW /
Utilities, Paula Danchuk
1.
Paula
Danchuk stated there was no report but Chris Raths has sent charts to the
committee
vi.
*Police/Fire/EMS
1.
Gene
Paradiso asked this committee to meet tonight
vii.
*Personnel
1.
Gene
Paradiso asked this committee to meet tonight
viii.
*Shared
/ Social Services
1.
Gene
Paradiso asked this committee to meet tonight
*=committee to meet tonight
15. Public
Comment
a.
Ralph Nappi
i.
Ralph Nappi stated that the commission has
spoken to both superintendents of schools.
He asked if they were both cooperating
ii.
Gene Paradiso stated they were
iii.
Ralph Nappi asked if anything had been requested
via OPRA.
iv.
Gene Paradiso stated that nothing had yet been
requested and the commission is trying not to use OPRA
v.
Ralph Nappi asked when the next Education
Committee would be?
vi.
Gene Paradiso stated that it had not been
scheduled, however it would be when Craig Heard gets back
16.
Adjournment
a.
Vice Chair Gene
Paradiso adjourned the meeting at 9:48pm
