Township Council Meeting: Lots Of Whispers And Then Some Fireworks

If the Montclair Township Council's meeting Tuesday night could be summed up in three words, according to interest levels, they would be skateboarding, traffic, and budget. The council approved a resolution supporting plans for a skate park and also approved many of the traffic changes requested by residents living around the new $35 million Charles H. Bullock Elementary School, set to open in September.

Indeed—although there were plenty of whispers among blatantly disenchanted residents permeating the council chambers before the formal gathering was called to order—the first two hours or so of the meeting went by with barely more than a few words of dissent.

But then the public comment part of the night arrived at the end of the lengthy agenda marked by ordinance after ordinance related to traffic and parking.

The councilors had just expressed their hopes that a proposed $69.8 million budget might be approved by the end of September, emphasizing to the audience that they were working hard to find cuts to prevent too many services from being impacted.

Then, Mayor Jerry Fried commended Township Manager Marc D. Dashield on his fine work so far on the budget, specifically mentioning how Dashield had been able to successfully negotiate with the unions.

All in all, he said, it had been "a successful budget process."

But then at about 10:30 p.m. members of the public were asked for their comments.

Patrick Ciancitto, chief steward of the Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU), stood up and gave an impassioned speech about how non-union employees are giving nothing back to the Township despite the harsh economic climate.

He said that union members had agreed to take six furlough days.

"Non-union personnel are allowed to use vacation and personal time for their furlough days, but not us," Ciancitto said, adding that the negotiation process hardly went smoothly.

"We gave concession after concession and we gave back our raise," he said, adding that union members had received a 1.5 percent raise in January, but gave it back.

Richard Burrell, who represented the American Federal of State County and Municipal Employees, agreed.

"When non-union personnel and management are allowed to use vacation days and personal days as their furlough days ... this is a blatant insult," he said.

Burrell said that non-union personnel are not taking any salary hits.

"Why should management and non-union personnel be any different?" he asked.

But Dashield defended the budget negotiation process arguing that—by his calculations—an average union employee earning $50,000 a year would be contributing back about $1,279 while an avereage non-union employee was contributing back about $1,897.

"At the end of the day everyone is contributing and, if not equally, non-union people are actually contributing more," he said.

In other news, the council unanimously approved the resolution showing support for a skate park in Montclair while making it clear that no public funds would be spent.

Skatepark in Montclair NJ!—which formed about a year ago—had asked for the council's support so that it can start seeking private funds for a skate park.

"We are thrilled that we have successfully taken the first step towards making a skate park become a reality," said Angel Kenney, one of the group's organizers. "Not only will a skate park provide a safe and legal place for so many of our young people to skate together, but so many of them will share in the pride of knowing that they helped to make this happen."  

The council also approved various traffic measures designed to improve safety in the area around the new Charles H. Bullock School, which will open at 55 Washington Street.

Many residents who live near the school turned up at Tuesday night's meeting and most seemed happy with concessions being made by the council.

Various ordinances were approved designed to ease traffic circulation including a measure to provide for one-way traffic on portions of Hartley and Fulton streets.