Budget Hearing: Code Enforcement and Fire Department.

PERTH AMBOY – Code Enforcement Director Jamie Rios came up to present his budget. “This budget will include vehicle maintenance and we’re not requesting any more money. There’s no Master Plan requested money for the Code Enforcement allocation.”

CFO Jill Goldy spoke up and said, “$138,000 was allocated last year to the Planning Board for the Master Plan. This was planned for the Capital Program.”

Business Administrator Adam Cruz then added, “This is the operating budget.”

Councilman Fernando Gonzalez spoke up and said, “I don’t remember this passing through our hands.”

Cruz responded, “I will forward you what was adopted in 2014. This is the 2018 budget.”

Gonzalez then stated, “This budget does not stand alone.”

Council President Bill Petrick then spoke up. “What is the $800,000 line item for books and publication for the Zoning and Planning Boards?”

Rios responded, “All Members of these two boards get books when they go for their training which is mandated by law. This amount includes the books and training.”

Gonzalez spoke again and suggested when members of these boards finish their training, they should sign off on this. “I still have my books.”

Petrick then suggested to Gonzalez, “Maybe you should return those training books.”

Rios continued, “Those board members get state law books and principals of the boards they are on. They get the state law books at the training sessions.”

Petrick then stated, “Members of these boards requested funds for other training classes such as at the League of Municipalities.”

Rios responded, “This is the first I’ve heard of this and I don’t know what the cost will be (to send board members for additional training).

Petrick replied, “Maybe a line-item can be added for additional training.”

Gonzalez then suggested, “We should encourage the people who chair the Planning and Zoning Boards to go for additional training at the League of Municipalities.”

Petrick added, “We shouldn’t exclude other members. We can put additional funds in and if all those funds aren’t used, they can be returned to the general fund.”

Gonzalez then questioned the line-item for legal advertisements. He wanted to know why the cost was $900 for the Planning Board and $350 for the Zoning Board.”

Rios responded, “By law, the Planning Board has to do more advertising because of litigation sometimes taking place.”

Petrick then asked questions about personnel about a Clerk 1 Title, Code Enforcement Training and sub-codes.

B.A. Cruz responded, “There is a new Code Enforcement Trainee. We post internally first for these positions and if then if there’s no new applicants, it’s advertised to the general public.”

Gonzalez then requested the name of the last 10 hires, when they were hired, and the salary when they were hired.

Councilman Fernando Irizarry said, “I noticed a reduction of third-party fees.”

Fernando Gonzalez then asked, “What do you make for the City as far as fees that were collected?”

Rios responded, “In 2017, there were 2062 building permits with $841,000 in fees collected. In 2016, 1700 permits were issued and there were over $1 million in fees collected.”

Gonzalez responded, “I know there are code changes coming.”

Rios said, “That’s right and the DCA (Department of Community Affairs) is doing a lot of those changes. Residential Housing Laws were changed. If something is not attached to a structure, a construction permit is not needed. We are not required to do inspections on these structures because of these changes. Write letters to your legislatures about your concerns. This is for new construction and rehabs.”

CFO Jill Goldy had additional comments, “The Code Enforcement Fees are to cover the cost of the operation. Over the last two years, there were less permits, but those were large amounts.”

Irizarry questioned the $2000 for third-party inspections. 

Rios said he had requested $20,000.

Irizarry wanted to know about the printing and binding cost and $800 for a TV.

Rios responded, “The building permit process takes too long. The state has a video in English and Spanish. This would be for City business and to help educate the public.”

Petrick then questioned, “Why does it take longer to get permits here than in other cities? In other cities, it takes a day. In Perth Amboy, it takes weeks or sometimes months.”

Rios said, “There are 2000 permits now, and it takes 20 days to do a permit.”

Petrick wanted to know why the applicants have to make out two different checks.

Rios responded, “That’s standard. One is for the City fees. One is for the State fees. We need to see those individual permits to see why some take longer than others.”

Councilman Gonzalez said, “We always take the longest to get anything through. Nothing has changed in the last 30 years. Most realtors say Perth Amboy is impossible to deal with and it reflects on me as a Councilman.”

Petrick spoke up and asked, “If it’s working in a nearby community, why can’t it work here?”

Rios responded, “I disagree with Councilman Gonzalez. Most take 3 days. Woodbridge only does fire inspections. We do two more inspections than Woodbridge and South Amboy.”

Councilman Fernando Irizarry questioned the vehicle maintenance item, “If we have aging vehicles, we should be more proactive in replacing them.”

Rios responded, “We have a maintenance program and work with the Police Department to make the vehicle last longer.”

Irizarry then said, “There is one new full time hiree for the fire prevention inspection.”

Rios said, “We’re not hiring this year.”

Perth Amboy Fire Department Acting Chief Ed Mullen came up to answer questions regarding the Fire Department Budget.

Councilman Irizarry said, “I saw no new hires and no money budgeted in 2017.”

Mullen responded, “We have no new hires and we are requesting $290 more than 2017. We have 67 members now and made cuts in outside training because of funding. We’ve had funding for CPR training and grant money for the Dive and Rescue Team. The Division of Fire Training offers free classes and the OSHA Training is no cost to the City. $10,000 is allocated to the Marine Boat Maintenance and the Port Security Funds is $30,000.”

Councilman Fernando Gonzalez complemented the Fire Department for the job they did at the recent Senior Building Fire. “You brought pride to the City.”

Mullen responded, “That’s due to our personnel. At 4 p.m., there was a fire alarm at that Senior Apartment Building (Corner of Goodwin and Fayette). There was a water flow from the 11th Floor. There was a fire in Apartment 11G and the cause is still undetermined, and the fire was contained to that one apartment. The resident was not home at the time. The fire caused other apartments and the ceiling on the ground floor to leak. We, along with EMT’s had to carry residents down and up the stairs. The Housing Department did a great job and the elevators were affected.” Mullen then gave an update when the Fire Boat had an accident. “There was a tear in the Fire Boat when it hit something. The boat was salvaged. It’s been in for repairs for the last two weeks. The $5000 in repairs was recovered by the insurance deductible.”

Council President Petrick was happy, “There were no injuries, which is good.”

The public portion then took place. Resident Jeremy Baratta who is also a member of the Zoning Board came up to speak. He talked about the training that the Board Members received. As he spoke, he held up a book that he said he purchased. “The training that is provided is a 5-hour class and this State Book is thin. They are not giving away an $135 book. The entire Planning Board should go to the League (of Municipalities Training Courses). I went. I was told it was $1500 to send the Board to the meeting. He (Rios) should have stated the exact name of the book that he mentioned the Board Members get in the classes. The League of Municipalities Classes are in depth and all members should go.”

Businesswoman Virginia Lugo came up to speak next. She stated, “This should be a standalone meeting starting at 7 p.m. We need more information than just one sheet of paper that states the time and date (of the Budget Hearings). This is not a forensic budget. How much money was spent and was any surplus monies left from previous years from each department?”

CFO Jill Goldy spoke up, “That information is on the City’s website.”

Lugo continued, “There is money transferred to new opened bank accounts. We’ve never had a forensic audit on the budget.”

Goldy then spoke up again and told the Council, “This is an adopted budget. You (the Council) are given monthly status reports. We have audits each year as required.”

Resident Ana Mascenik who is on the Zoning Board said, “I saw there is money for the Planning Board and we should have the book that Jeremy Baratta was showing the Council Members.”

Council President Petrick said, “In the budget, money was allocated for the Planning and Zoning Boards.”