Councilors Say They Must See Action Plan Before Approving 2010 Budget

There may be pumpkins on front porches, but there's still no 2010 budget. The Township Council voted 3-3 on Tuesday night on a lean and controversial budget. Four votes were needed to pass it. Before approving the budget, council members say they must see an action plan for the future, as well as money put back into the budget.

"I need to see both money put back into the budget, as well as a plan," said Councilor Cary Africk on Wednesday. "I believe we have the plan. So at this point if I saw a transfer of money from both the Label Street property, and the sewer connection fee, I would feel justified in approving the budget.

"Even $200,000 would work for me," he said. "The council knows this so I am baffled about their digging in their heels. This is not about personalities. This is about the town's welfare."

Africk would like to see $200,000 from the sewer connection fees collected from Montclair State University, as well as more money from the town's sale of its Label Street property, put into the 2010 budget.

Councilor Renee Baskerville said Wednesday that she needs to see exact and specific timelines that will "hold us accountable so that we don't continue to do 'crash course' budgets.

"I also want a plan as to how we will generate revenue or provide services which may be lacking in our township ... i.e. seniors programs ... in our under-utilized buildings," she said. "I am meeting with the manager today and hopefully will get a concrete plan in writing so that we can move from lip service to outstanding 'township services' within a reasonable budget."

Councilor Rich Murnick has been out of the country this week. Voting in favor of the budget Tuesday night was Mayor Jerry Fried, Councilor Nick Lewis, and Councilor Kathryn Weller-Demming. Voting against it was Africk, Baskerville, and Deputy Mayor Roger Terry.

And the tie vote came despite some good news. Township Manager Marc Dashield announced that another $295,000 in payments in lieu of taxes — revenue — has been discovered that can be applied to the 2010 budget. The money comes from an apartment development near the Bay Street Train Station with 163 units that's received its temporary certificate of occupancy.

The influx means that the 2010 budget of $70,430,948 would spark only a 5.7 percent property tax increase — and not a 5.8 percent property tax hike — when the school, municipal, and county increases are combined. The municipal portion, about a quarter of the total tax, would have an increase over the previous year of closer to 9 percent instead of 10 percent.

The council will take up the budget again next week at a meeting on Tuesday evening.

Clearly, Fried was disappointed.

"This budget represents real structural changes of the kind that I and a majority of council were fighting hard for [even] in last year's budget," Fried said. "It's the beginning of October. With only a couple of months left in the year, all this talk about cuts in the 2010 budget is essentiallly just a show. I'm telling you that because there's just not enought time left ... 80 percent of bills and salaries have been paid out."

According to Fried, the state has said that Montclair is one of only 10 towns — out of a total of 566 — in New Jersey that has yet to pass a 2010 budget. The state will levy a fine against the council members unless they pass a budget soon.

But many residents in attendance expressed concern that Fried wasn't trying hard enough to find cuts and they praised those on the council who were still seeking reductions.

They also chastized Fried and the other council members for not doing enough to make adjustments to the budget over the last few months — months when the Township was waiting for word as to whether it would obtain some transitional aid from the state. The state denied Montclair's application late last month.

Meanwhile, Africk put forth an amendment Tuesday night that would have allowed the town to use $200,000 in sewer connection fees.

The resolution was shot down.

"What I'm really insisting on is a real plan for 2011," he said.

Indeed, Africk also presented a long list of action items for the future. Among them was an independent review of the Montclair Parking Authority, which has just started in the last few days. In addition, he wants to see a freeze on all promotions and hiring, more discussion with the unions, and the formation of a citizen budget committee to work with the council members, among several other ideas.

"Can we give you a 0 percent tax increase for 2010? No," Africk said. "Can we make a good faith effort? Yes."

Indeed, going forward, Africk, as well as Terry and Baskerville, say they won't be comfortable approving a 2010 budget until a real course of action is in place that addresses future budget years.

Baskerville said it's unfair for anyone to say that members of the council are grandstanding.

"I've been very specific about what I needed to feel comfortable passing the budget  ... I started with my concerns two years ago," she said, emphasizing her ongoing questions over Montclair employees' health benefits and prescription plans. "I have also asked specific questions about empty buildlings in Montclair ... and about what our plan is going forward.

"I've said at two or three council meetings what it is that I would feel comfortable with," she said. "And that's a plan of action and accountability and I haven't gotten that yet."

In the end, the council members did agree on one thing — they voted unanimously to replace Terry as deputy mayor with Weller-Demming.

Council members said the deputy mayor position in Montclair holds no real authority and that it should be rotated among members.