The meeting’s most urgent discussion focused on a large fire at Drew University, which ignited around 11:45 p.m. near the tennis courts. The blaze involved a structure fully engulfed in flames, with surrounding grass also catching fire. The fire alarm was raised to two alarms, and firefighters managed to limit the spread with assistance from partner agencies. This incident resulted in only one minor injury to a firefighter. The fire department also highlighted a separate response to a serious motor vehicle collision on Route 24, which resulted in a teenage passenger being ejected from the vehicle. The importance of seatbelt use was underscored to prevent such injuries in the future.

In financial matters, the council was reminded about the fourth quarter taxes due on November 1st, with an extended grace period until November 12th. The borough wired over $4 million to the Board of Education as part of their monthly obligations. On the operational front, Madison scored 43.5 out of 46.5 points on the New Jersey best practices checklist. This checklist assesses various governance aspects, emphasizing Madison’s fiscal integrity.

Environmental initiatives also took center stage, with discussions on accumulated absence liability reserves and the management of storm recovery reserves. The borough has opted to handle sick time payouts through terminal leave instead of maintaining a reserve, a decision resulting from changes in policy for newer employees. With regards to storm recovery, Madison’s unique electric utility and budgeting practices allow it to allocate more funds upfront for winter weather, avoiding the need for small reserves.

Lead inspections are becoming mandatory at the municipal level, and the borough is developing a program to inspect single-family and two-family homes. The challenge lies in identifying these homes, as larger buildings are already state-inspected. Tax records will be used to notify homeowners, and external companies may be hired to conduct inspections due to limited staff capacity.

Public comments highlighted environmental concerns, with Claire Witcom advocating for renaming the conservation complex and stressing its ecological importance. Claire emphasized the need to manage invasive species and raise public awareness about the forest’s ecology, noting that prior restoration efforts mitigated risks from a recent fire at Drew Forest.

Several ordinances were discussed and approved, including a $160,000 allocation for emergency repairs to the public works garage roof and a policy establishing authorized personnel-only access to restricted borough areas. The consent agenda featured climate action resolutions, such as applying for a climate vulnerability assessment grant and adopting an electric vehicle adoption leadership pledge. These initiatives aim to align the borough with state requirements and enhance sustainability practices.

In public works and engineering updates, significant projects were reported, including the completion of library construction work and ongoing telecommunications upgrades. The MRC solar carport project was awarded to Bullet Electric, with a contract amount just under $2 million.

The Madison Health Department issued a health warning about five measles cases in nearby counties, all linked to unvaccinated individuals. Residents were urged to stay current on vaccinations, including flu and COVID vaccines.