Goodbyes, Financial Discussion at Borough Council Meeting

The final Madison Borough Council meeting of the year featured fond goodbyes for one its members and budget discussion, both for current agenda issues and for the future.

Almost all council members wished John Elias well during his final regular meeting with the group, though not without a little good-natured ribbing.

"I for one am going to miss the hand gesturing, the knee jiggling, moving up the microphone, grabbing the table…," councilwoman Astri Baillie said. "But more importantly, I'll really miss his thoughtful, insightful comments. The budget process, any issue, he always raised great questions."

That sentiment was echoed by other members, including councilman Robert Conley who said one could never put a price Elias' work, wisdom and dedication to the borough.

"Let me also take this opportunity to say thank you to everybody on this governing body, members of the borough, administration, for their hard work. … It's been a privilege to serve you," Elias said.

Attention went toward the financial state of the borough soon after the well-wishes, with many of the comments coming from council president Jeannie Tsukamoto. Tsukamoto, in her committee report for finance, said that, as reported by the borough's chief financial officer, Robert Kalafut, the revenue plan for the 2010 budget will be much weaker than it had been for the previous year. She said Kalafut estimates that the revenue shortfall will be approx $1.8 million dollars for 2010, due to issues such as decreases in the electric surplus, state aid, interest income, and the depletion of the assessment trust in 2009.

Tsukamoto's other comments relating to finance were directed at the budget transfers authorized during the meeting. Tsukamoto's biggest concern was with different departments overrunning their 2009 budgets and asking for the extra money at the end of the year to be transferred.

"The department heads are accountable to their budget," Tsukamoto said. "Their job is to manage their budget and meet their budget so they don't come back at the end of the year and ask for more money, essentially after they have spent it."

Kalafut, Mayor Mary-Anna Holden, and Borough Administrator Raymond Codey explained at different points that there were several factors contributing to the overruns, including unforeseen legal fees due to litigation – where the Planning Board is acting as a defendant – and several departments needing new vehicles after accidents.

Tsukamoto said her point was that she didn't want to make a practice in the future of reducing budgets in the beginning of the year, only to have departments coming back at the end of the year asking for more money after it had already been spent.

Council notes 

• One of the vehicles that needed replacing was a police car after the individual driving the car had hit a pole in a one-car accident. The borough has taken disciplinary action, and is trying to prevent future accident through a corrective action plan, which could reduce insurance premiums.
• Elizabeth Osborne congratulated on officially becoming borough clerk. She had previously been serving as the acting clerk.
• The borough is waiting to find out if it will receive a grant that would go toward improving the area at Lincoln Place. The borough should know if it will receive that grant in January.
• The borough is also hoping to receive a $300,000 community development grant from Morris County to go toward building affordable housing on a property on Walnut Street, adjacent to the Civic Center. Codey said there were no guarantees of funds, but that borough needed to apply through the housing authority to be eligible for the grant. Any proposed construction would have to go through the Planning Board first.
• The use of $950,000 from the Madison Open Space Trust Fund for the purchase of the Bailey-Ellard fields was passed in an ordinance, 5-0. Councilman Dr. Vincent Esposito was not present at the meeting on Monday night, which is why only five members voted.