Come Out To Town of Harrison Mayor & Council Meeting Tues. May 7, 2024

The Town of Harrison, New Jersey, is set to host its next Mayor & Council meeting on Tuesday, May 7, 2024, at the Harrison Town Hall located at 318 Harrison Avenue. The proceedings are scheduled to begin with a caucus at 6:15 p.m. in the Conference Room on the third floor, followed by the main council meeting at 6:30 p.m. Meetings usually take no longer than one hour.  Most meetings are 30 minutes at most. The latter will only happen if residents and stakeholders show up that it exceeds the occupancy rating of the smaller Conference Room. 

The Harrison Council Chambers is a much better room and a room used by every Mayor of Harrison since it was built to hold Mayor & Conference meetings until Mayor Fife took over as Mayor. Come Out and Join Your Neighbors in making a difference that will immediately improve your neighborhood. Without Your participation, our Democracy will not work.  Make it your routine to come out to Harrison Mayor & Council like you make it a routine to exercise, play a sport, or gather with friends.

Agenda Overview

Harrison Mayor & Council Chambers

The meeting will commence with a call to order and a recitation of the Sunshine Notice, ensuring adherence to public notice requirements. Following the Pledge of Allegiance, a roll call will confirm the attendance of the council members.

Key items on the agenda include:

Approval of Minutes: The council will review and approve the minutes from the previous meeting held on April 23, 2024. There is no copy of the previous meeting minutes to be reviewed by the public attached to the meeting agenda.

Municipal Budget for 2024:

• A resolution to read the 2024 municipal budget by title only will be proposed, followed by a public hearing.
• Amendments to the budget will be considered, and a final resolution to adopt the budget will be voted on.
• The Town of Harrison is not benefiting from 14 million dollars in revenue from Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILOTS) from developers which was the result of the vision of the late Mayor Raymond J. McDonough and its then Council to redevelop the southern industrial part of the Town of Harrison into a residential and office neighborhood. The Harrison Redevelopment plan however is at risk due to current Mayor James Fife’s acceptance of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) plan to place a Toxic Dioxin-Laden Cancer Causing Sludge in Harrison.
• Ordinance No. 1508: This ordinance proposes salary increases for members of the Harrison Police Department (PBA Local 22A), amending previous ordinances related to the police salary structure and providing an increase Made possible by PILOTS money.
• Finance Resolutions:
• Authorizations for the purchase of vehicles for the police, fire, and public works departments.
• A resolution to manage the payment of bills and payrolls for the town.

The Importance of Public Participation

Well Attended Harrison Community Policing Unit Meeting At Cobalt Lofts

The meeting will include a segment for public comment, allowing residents of Harrison to voice their opinions and concerns directly to the Mayor & Town Councill. This part of the meeting is in many ways the most important because it allows individuals, residents, or stakeholders, to ask questions and make comments directly to the Mayor & Town Council

Residents and stakeholders are encouraged to attend, as the meeting will address significant aspects of municipal governance, including budget allocations and essential service enhancements. It presents an opportunity for the public to engage with local government officials and contribute to the decision-making process affecting their community. In the last two Mayor & Council meetings residents attended and participated during the Public Session which resulted in moving the Mayor & Council into action on issues that were important to Quality of Life in the community.

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