Council Votes on Ordinance Amending Rules of the Council; Approves Geese Management Program

An ordinance proposed by Councilman Joe Krakoviak regarding posting council agendas on the township website garnered unanimous approval on first reading after
"I think it's an important step forward on transparency and making transparency a priority. It's a win-win for everybody," Krakoviak said.

The proposed ordinance was at first by council president Patricia Spango who felt there was no need to "fix something that wasn't broken."

The ordinance, though, was included in the Feb. 7 meeting and voted through by all council members on first reading.

"I'm pleased that the council president put it on the agenda and I'm pleased my fellow council members supported it," Krakoviak said.

The issue was first discussed when Krakoviak expressed concern about the promptness of information posted on the website when the .

The ordinance, drafted with the help of assistant attorney Kenneth Kayser, codifies the practice of posting the agenda and related resolutions and ordinances on the website and mandates they be online no later than the Friday before the meeting.

The ordinance also notes that any changes, additions or deletions to the agenda be "expeditiously posted" to the website by the Monday afternoon prior to the meeting.

Any items tabled or removed by the council must also be posted on the website the following day.

In another move, the township council approved, in a 4-1 vote, to contract Goose Control Technology of NJ to curb the geese population in West Orange.

Krakoviak was the lone dissenter.

"From my perspective … I think it's a lot money," he said, adding that he felt the task could be completed on a strictly volunteer basis and with a lower budget.

The resolution will contract the company for $3,000 to work at three sties — Stagg Field, Degnan Park and the Oskar Schindler Performing Arts Center.

The company has worked with the township for 11 years providing goose egg treatment.

To addle the eggs, Goose Control Technology coats the eggs with oil to prevent them from getting oxygen and eventually killing them.

According to the resolution $500 will be spent on managing volunteers to identify the nests and $2,500 will be spent on the egg treatment.