Kathleen Williams’ concerns took center stage as she sought accountability for the Roundtop Road improvements and the responses to her inquiries. The council confirmed the borough engineer’s responsibility for ensuring the work met engineering specifications and designs. However, Williams highlighted that her replies to correspondence from the borough had gone unanswered. The council acknowledged the transition to a new borough engineer might result in delayed responses but reassured her that there would be continuity in the assessments.

Williams also brought to light that borough employees had been stating she was filing a lawsuit against the borough, which she firmly denied. She requested clarification on who was spreading this false information and emphasized the serious nature of such claims, which she considered slander. Mayor Mary Jane Canose and the council addressed her concerns, stating that while Williams had not filed a lawsuit, her complaints to state agencies could be perceived similarly to litigation. The council agreed to instruct borough employees to stop making false claims about her intentions and to ensure that communication about her situation was accurate and respectful.

On another matter, the council addressed Ordinance 2023-1988, which pertains to sewer connection fees, user rates, and allocation, amending Chapter 16 of the borough code entitled “Sewer Regulations. ” The public hearing for the ordinance saw no comments or objections from those present, leading to its successful passage by the council.

The meeting also involved routine council business, such as approving minutes from previous meetings and discussing resolutions. The resolutions covered various topics, including an Open Public Records Act (OPRA) request, which sparked a brief discussion on transparency and the importance of providing complete information to the public. Council member Jay Ambelang made a point to express hope for improved transparency in future borough communications.

In addition to these topics, the council briefly touched on the request from Somerset Hills Lacrosse for extended signage duration for registration promotion. After deliberation, the council agreed to allow the signs to be placed at playing fields for two months while limiting display time at other locations to two weeks, with the possibility of revisiting the placement if another group’s need arises.