Municipal Open Space Trust Advisory Committee (MOST) – Wednesday, October 4, 2023 at 6:30 pm was by zoom only. That 45 minute zoom video remains available on the Township website if you Click Here but be aware to move your cursor to Minute 13 where the meeting actually begins..
· Note The participation of the Manager to describe MOST
expenditures begins at that 13 minute mark and continues to minute 28. The Manager described current balances, large project expenditures and the fact that the Township continues to try to purchase 1084 Queen Anne Road.
Several participants requested that the expenditure data be included on the web site and asked specifically that it be presented in an easily understood form. The Manager indicated that it would be there by 10/5 and, in fact, it was there by 5:00 pm on 10/6. Voices notes, however, that the format for MOST expenses now provided on the website continues to be dramatically divergent from the easily understood presentation by the Manager.
The data is found on the MOST page – at the bottom. Click Here. Voices has begun an effort to research the new data which is for 2022 and to Oct 3 of 2023. It is surely not in a format that provides the public with what was requested – a format that could readily be linked to the Manager’s presentation. To begin with, why
on the very first day of 2023 did the Town expend $90,680 of MOST as payments to its Township engineer – with half of it going to bandshell work and the other half described simply as “original contract”.
We encourage our readers to take a look at these MOST expense reports; help us explain them to our residents.
· Yes Teaneck is making some progress in increased Township transparency – and the Manager’s description of MOST was a help, But we remind everyone that MOST is an extra tax that Teaneck voters voluntarily agreed by referendum to support for specific open space and recreation purposes. They need a clearer picture of how that half-million$ annually is spent than has been provided to date.
Next MOST meeting is scheduled for November 1.
Parks, Playgrounds & Recreation Advisory Board (PPRAB) – Wednesday, October 4, 2023 at 7:30 pm. A 1hr/22min video of this meeting, too, is now available on the website (Click Here) but move your cursor to minute 15 where the meeting actually begins . The Manager reported steps being taken on recreation upgrades in specific parks (His report began at minute 16 and continued to minute 39). Many issues were raised and readers are encouraged to review it.
Much of the remainder of the meeting involved discussion of the Council’s rationale for creating a new “Fields” advisory board. (An ordinance to that effect is likely to be introduced at the next Council meeting.) That advisory board would inevitably take away some of the current PPRAB scope.
( Click Here for meeting agenda. Next meeting is scheduled for November 1.)
Board of Adjustment – October 5, 2023 at 7:00 pm by zoom only. The video of this long meeting is not yet (as of 10/10 AM) available on the website. The meeting addressed several applications where the renovation/additions that involved zoning variances had already been completed. In one case steps had already been taken to reduce the scope of the required variances.
When it is posted, this meeting’s video will be of particular
interest to readers concerned with whether the Town agrees to approve variances after they have already been implemented before the applicant seeks BofA approval.
BofA chair Meyer agreed with public input that the publishing of the missing BofA minutes was imperative!
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