Harrison Mayor and Council Meeting Tues. Mar. 5, 2024 6:15 p.m.

The Town of Harrison is set to host its Mayor and Council meeting on Tuesday, March 5, 2024, starting at 6:15 p.m. at the Harrison Town Hall, located at 318 Harrison Avenue, Harrison, NJ. This session is anticipated to address a variety of resolutions, ordinances, and community concerns.

The caucus will commence at 6:15 p.m. in the Conference Room on the third floor, featuring the call to order, Sunshine Notice, Pledge of Allegiance, and a roll call. A notable presentation titled "Harrison Streets for All: Complete Streets Plan" will highlight the evening's caucus session, focusing on improving town-wide mobility and infrastructure to enhance the quality of life for all residents. An attempt to get more information on the Complete Streets Plan resulted in no reply.  Let’s hope the plan does not take away any available parking spaces.  Let’s hope it includes the building of the Library Park Underground Parking Garage proposed by Anselmo Millan while he was a Councilman years ago as a way to provide residents with much-needed parking in the heart of the business district.

Following the caucus, the main meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. with similar preliminary proceedings, including approval of the minutes from the February 13, 2024, meeting. The agenda outlines a comprehensive slate of legal resolutions.

Legal Resolutions Include:

• West Hudson St. Patrick's Day Parade Authorization for March 10, 2024, celebrating the rich cultural heritage of Harrison and the West Hudson area.
• Public Displays of Fireworks at the Red Bull Arena, but there are no specifics on how many Fireworks displays are allowed for the 2024 Calendar year.  Last year there were 50 days of events at the Red Bull Arena.
• Re-appointment to the Harrison Redevelopment Agency Chairman is going to re-appoint Mayor James Fife as Chairman of the Harrison Redevelopment Agency a position he currently holds.  Mayor Fife has not opposed the EPA Toxic Sludge plant that he said was a Lie during an Election Year almost two years ago. EPA has confirmed in a public meeting that it wants to use the PSE&G to build a toxic sludge dewatering plant and to store debris from the river to be shipped out to other landfills that accept dioxin-laden Agent Orange sludge.

Ordinances for Adoption:

1. Ordinance No. 1502 aims to exceed the municipal budget appropriation limits and exceed a cap set by the State of New Jersey.
2. Ordinance No. 1503 proposes amendments regarding various town fees. Can you guess if the fees are going up or down?
3. Ordinance No. 1504 focuses on providing salary increases for members of the Harrison Police Department - PBA Local 22, and reducing the number of salary steps in the Department.

Additionally, Ordinance No. 1505 will be introduced to amend the organization of the Harrison Fire Department.  The Fire Department has come a long way since the day that Mayor James Fife and the Department of Community Affairs proposed to close the department and have the Newark Fire Department provide fire protection to the Town of Harrison.  I’m sure the Firefighters who were lining the hallway outside the Third Floor Conference Room remember the day.  Who stood up?  Councilman Anselmo Millan was the only one who stood up to oppose the proposal to fire the firefighters and replace them with Newark firefighters.  Will any Harrison Firefighter stand up and tell the story?  Councilman Millan saved their livelihood and careers. Councilman Millan was not lying about the EPA Sludge Dewatering plant coming to the Town of Harrison and he was not lying about his act of courage to stand up for Harrison’s Firefighters. Anselmo Millan does not lack courage.

Finance Resolutions:

The council will also consider finance resolutions, including temporary emergency appropriations to the 2024 municipal budget, cancellation of outstanding checks, overpayment refunds, and redemption of outside lien, alongside the regular payment of bills and payrolls. These measures are crucial for keeping the town's books in order.

Public Comment Period

The meeting will conclude with a public comment session, allowing residents to voice their opinions and concerns directly to their elected officials, followed by an adjournment.

This gathering of Harrison's Mayor and Council is a vital component of the town's governance, ensuring transparency, accountability, and citizen participation in the local decision-making process. Residents are encouraged to attend, offering a unique opportunity to engage with community leaders and contribute to shaping Harrison's future.  Don’t forget to ask any questions you may have.  One question you might want to ask is “Mayor Fife, you said the EPA was coming to Harrison to build a toxic dewatering sludge plant across the street from the Steelworks apartment.  EPA has confirmed it wants to build the plant, are you opposing EPA’s plan?"

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