Borough Facilities Committee

November 7, 2007

8:30 AM; Borough Hall

 

 

Members:  Borough Manager, Gary Webb; Police Chief Robert Tovo; Former Fire Chief Doug McWilliams;  Councilwoman Ellen Emr;  Councilman Stephen Shaw;  Councilman Richard Urankar (chair), Board of Education Member Mark Cohen; Planning Board Member Joan Nix; Historic Preservation Committee member Pat Rusak

 

Robert Tovo and Mark Cohen were absent.  The meeting started at 8:40am

 

 

I.                   The minutes of the October 19, 2007 meeting were approved. (McWilliams)       

  

 

II.                Site Options  (Webb/Ryden)

 

-Bill Ryden presented a wetlands overview for three sites.  They were, in front of the existing DPW building, in front of the existing Borough Hall and at the rear of the existing Borough Hall parking lot.  A survey was presented that showed the wetlands delineation and the potential building areas for each site.  Also presented was his recommendation for an increased parking lot, since, in his opinion, Pocono is too narrow a street to safely accommodate permanent street parking.  The committee discussed the advantages and disadvantages of each site.   

 

-Bill Ryden also spoke about the need for a LOI (Letter of Interpretation) with the New Jersey State Department of Environmental Protection about the surveyed wetlands, and that an LOI should take about 6-9months to receive.  The committee noted that the LOI could affect our possible timeline.  The LOI should cost about $5,000, if only the areas near the potential building sites are surveyed.  However, we may need to survey the entire Block and Lot, which extends from Crane Road to Pocono Road and from the Boulevard to the residences bordering on Morris.  If the State requires a larger survey the price will most likely increase.

 

-After reviewing the options, the committee thought that the back of the current parking lot scenario had the most promise.  It was acknowledged that all scenarios are for site location in general, and that the actual shape and other specifics of a possible building are still quite fluid.                                                         

 

 

 

III.             User Needs Analysis  (Shaw)                                                                 

 

-Steve Shaw provided a brief summary of the User Needs report and open issues.  New information included more detail about the Board of Education’s space needs.  Also discussed were the needs of the Fire Department.  Doug McWilliams, former Fire Chief, looked at specs for the fire house and found that according to engineering guidelines the Fire Department should have about 2,100 square feet.  Our current plan would provide about 1,000 square feet, which is about 1100 square feet less than recommended.  However, the Fire Department thinks it can do with less due to the multiple use of some space.  Neither figure includes the truck bays, which are considered adequate.  

 

IV.              Communications Issues  (Urankar, Emr, Shaw)                         

-Steve, Ellen, Gary and Richard presented an outline of their respective portions of the upcoming public presentation, scheduled for Tuesday, November 13^th at 7:30 at the High School.  Some ideas where shared and further refinement will take place amongst the group over the weekend.  Each was assigned to bring more visual aids to the presentation for the council and public to see.

 

V.                 Timeline (Webb) Gary will make changes to any areas that may need it and make a visual for the presentation, as well.                                                   

 

VI.              Next Meeting Date was not yet determined.   Richard will contact committee members about possible meeting times after the public presentation.  All committee members were urged to help get the word out and bring people to the presentation. 

 

VII.           Finished 10:35am