The council, consisting of Rudy Boonstra, Scott Fisher, Peter Melchionne, Timothy E. Shanley, and Mayor Thomas Madigan, covered a wide range of topics throughout the meeting. A standout point was the township’s successful bid for two grants from the NJ Department of Transportation. These grants will be used to fund necessary improvements and developments within the township. An ordinance will be introduced to accept the second grant and establish the appropriation.

A number of other projects were discussed during the council meeting. The replacement of approximately 1100 linear feet of guide rail on Ravine Avenue and Grand View Avenue was among them. The council also touched on the ongoing leaf collection process, which had started on October 16, and the last collection for white goods scheduled for October 25.

The council sought to resolve ongoing concerns with the Shortline bus service, in communication with Coach USA. Dan Rodriguez, the Vice President of Public Affairs, acknowledged a nationwide shortage of CDL Drivers and proposed an additional morning and evening trip starting October 23 to alleviate congestion issues.

The council also commented on the best practices inventory released by the Department of General Services, proudly announcing that they had exceeded the requirement to maintain state aid funding, with a score of 37 over the needed 29 points.

Among legislative bills discussed, one aims to increase the maximum municipal percentage of affordable fair share housing satisfied by age-restricted units from 25% to 50%. This move is seen as beneficial given New Jersey’s aging population and current housing issues. Other bills related to early voting period extensions and the removal of apprenticeship requirements for public works contractors were also discussed.

In addition to these topics, the council addressed the proposed issuance of National Finance Authority federal tax-exempt revenue bonds for the Christian Healthcare Center project series 2023. The bonds, not exceeding $20 million, will be a limited obligation of the National Finance Authority and will not constitute a debt or obligation on behalf of the township or any other governmental entity in New Jersey.