Early in the meeting, residents Susie Maharan and Katherine Brady voiced safety concerns for children walking to Ridge Elementary School, citing increasing traffic and lack of safe pathways on Clinton Avenue. Mayor Paul Vagianos and Council Member Lorraine Reynolds promised a examination of the issue, recognizing the need to ensure the children’s safety.

Moving to the forefront of the council’s agenda was the challenge of staffing the police department. Chief Jacqueline Luthcke outlined the difficulties in recruiting qualified candidates, with the department having found only three suitable applicants for the police academy out of the eight needed. Despite the authorization to hire, budgetary constraints necessitated a debate about the need to scale back, with council members scrutinizing proposed budget increases and specific line items, including contractual services and overtime.

The council contemplated the purchase of a motorcycle for the police department. Council Member Pamela Perron supported the $15,000 investment, while Council Member Reynolds questioned its necessity against potential budget overages. The motorcycle’s community policing benefits were discussed, with the decision to revisit the issue after a clearer budget picture emerged.

The proposal to hire retired police officers as SLEOs for middle and high school security was a point of discussion. Chief Luthcke underscored the initiative’s importance, particularly for older students statistically more prone to trouble. The council weighed the financial impact on the existing School Resource Officer (SRO) program and the division of costs between the municipality and the Board of Education.

Concerns were raised regarding the cost of accreditation for police officers, with new mandates from the New Jersey Police Training Commission requiring licensing without providing funding. The financial burden on the department was a critical area of discussion, as was the need for additional police cars and the replacement of portable radios for enhanced communication during emergencies.

The library’s value of circulated materials, estimated at $8 million annually, and plans for new study and conference rooms to meet the demand for quiet spaces were highlighted. The council commended the library’s revenue generation and addressed the need for a generator hookup for public safety during power outages.

Further discussions included the Village clerk’s overview of office activities, the municipal election’s associated expenses, and the potential reduction of polling locations due to early voting. The Village attorney’s budget was scrutinized, with a focus on litigation costs and upcoming labor contract negotiations.

On the administrative side, the council discussed the restructuring of the assistant to the Village manager position to a communications and special projects director role, aimed at improving public information dissemination. The Finance and Tax Collector departments highlighted the need for additional staff and process improvements, including a new time and attendance system.

The council’s budget also underwent review, with additions earmarked for a grant writer and a consultant for the central business district’s special improvement district. The importance of successful grant awards and the potential use of the grant writer for the World War I Memorial cleanup were points of interest.

As the meeting progressed, other agenda items were previewed for future discussion, including emergency management, water, solid waste, recycling, debt service, revenues, and staff levels. Despite the gravity of the topics, the council managed to share light-hearted moments, with Valentine’s Day providing some levity.