ALLENTOWN – When the public portion of an Allentown Borough Council meeting ends, it does not mean the evening has concluded for the members of the governing body.
An executive session, also known as a closed session, often follows the public portion of the meeting.
During the executive session, the borough’s elected officials are permitted to discuss issues related to personnel matters, contract negotiations, the acquisition of property, and pending or possible matters of litigation.
On Aug. 14, Mayor Greg Westfall and council members spent two hours in executive session discussing 12 items. On Sept. 11, the minutes of the executive session were approved by the council, meaning members of the public could file an Open Public Records Act (OPRA) request to obtain the minutes of the executive session.
On Sept. 12, the Examiner filed an OPRA request for the minutes of the Aug. 14 executive session. The minutes were promptly provided by the municipal clerk.
OPRA permits municipal officials to redact the discussions of executive session items that have not been concluded. In the case of the minutes from the Aug. 14 closed session, discussions regarding eight of the 12 items officials discussed were completely redacted.
A review of the executive session minutes shows that borough officials discussed a varied list of topics in closed session that evening. They were joined by Borough Attorney Greg Cannon. The borough’s engineer, Carmela Roberts, joined officials for a discussion of one item, according to the minutes, which listed the following issues as having been discussed, with an explanation provided if the matter was concluded:
• Litigation/New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection administrative consent order. This was the item during which Roberts joined the mayor and council members. All information regarding this matter was redacted.
• Contractual/Sanitary and water connections for a property in the borough. All information regarding this matter was redacted.
• Contractual/148 S. Main St. – Cannon said he had been contacted by the property’s owner, who wants to turn the property over to Allentown for a pocket park. Cannon cautioned the council members that if they assumed ownership of the land, they assumed responsibility for the environmental issues in the ground. The previous tax lien certificate holder took title and then returned the property, so there is likely to be an issue with its condition. Council members gave Cannon permission to meet with the property owner’s attorney to discuss options.
• Fraternal Order of Police No. 114, contractual bargaining agreement. All information regarding this matter was redacted.
• Personnel/police officer disciplinary proceeding. All information regarding this matter was redacted.
• Contractual/Allentown United Methodist Church parking lot letter of intent. All information regarding this matter was redacted.
• Contractual/New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Green Acres violation letter. All information regarding this matter was redacted.
• Contractual/Allentown, Upper Freehold Township and Upper Freehold Regional School District school security shared service agreement: Council President Thomas Fritts reported that he spoke with Board of Education President Patricia Hogan. After Allentown officials decided against using Class III officers (to provide security at the school district’s campuses), the school district investigated other opportunities. Hamilton Township and Plumsted Township have not responded. Upper Freehold Township is not sharing any information with the school district. If the school district decides to come back to Allentown, a special meeting may need to be scheduled. Councilman Robert Strovinsky suggested other ways Allentown may be able to work with the school district. He suggested requesting an office on the school grounds where the officer patrolling the grounds could do paperwork to have more of a presence on the school grounds.
• Contractual/Robbinsville Township, salt shared service agreement: Westfall received an email from Robbinsville officials informing Allentown they were not renewing their agreement for salt at the end of the year. Westfall is concerned that vehicle repairs and brush pick-up agreements will be terminated next. Strovinsky suggested looking at local providers for vehicle repairs. Fritts suggested looking at Hamilton Township. Westfall said he would reach out to the county to see if there were opportunities there.
• Contractual/Central Jersey Waste, recycling contract. All information regarding this matter was redacted.
• Litigation/Abandoned property list update. All information regarding this matter was redacted.
• Personnel/Archivist: Municipal Clerk Laurie Gavin met a retired archivist from the state who is looking to volunteer her time a few hours a week assisting the borough with its records. The woman’s resume has been forwarded to the Personnel Committee, which approved. A resolution will be added to the council agenda authorizing the woman to volunteer with the borough and putting her on notice that she is not covered by the borough’s workers’ compensation or liability insurances.