Rutherford Borough Approves Contracts and Addresses Public Safety Concerns

The Rutherford Borough Council meeting on January 5th, 2024, focused on the approval of non-fair and open contracts and addressed notable public safety issues raised by residents during the public comment period.

During the meeting, a resident, Bonnie Corkran, shared a distressing incident where a delay in the 911 dispatch system seemingly hindered a swift emergency response. Corkran expressed concerns about the dispatcher’s reluctance to allow direct communication with the responding officer, which could have delayed critical medical assistance. In response to the incident, she discussed a plan to donate pulse oximeters to the local police, believing that such equipment should be readily available in emergency bags to assist in assessing oxygen levels during medical emergencies.

Furthermore, a citizen brought up concerns regarding health issues associated with a local car wash and submitted a letter detailing these concerns. Another safety issue discussed was the absence of a crosswalk at the intersection of Washington and Jackson Avenue, a hazard that was highlighted by a resident who recalled the risks faced by high school students when traveling between the school and Tron field.

The council moved to approve minutes from the previous meeting and authorized several non-fair and open contracts, including those for Terry Company, Rutherford Lodge’s casino night, St. Mary’s PTA for on-premise and off-premise merchandise bingo, and Montana Construction Corporation. These approvals were passed without controversy.

The council members thanked residents for bringing their concerns to the meeting and indicated plans to review the issues. Mayor Frank Nunziato and Council members, including Susan Quatrone and Raymond Guzmán, acknowledged the importance of community feedback and the need for efficient emergency response protocols.

Note: This meeting summary was generated by AI, which can occasionally misspell names, misattribute actions, and state inaccuracies. This summary is intended to be a starting point and you should review the meeting record linked above before acting on anything you read. If we got something wrong, let us know. We’re working every day to improve our process in pursuit of universal local government transparency.

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