Smoking Ordinance
The Town Council Meeting covered some important health issues. The newly proposed smoking ordinance has been discussed at several past meetings, and the council is eager to hear of further public comment prior to putting the topic to a vote. The town proposal differs slightly from one recently passed by the NJ Assembly and now being debated by the State Senate, bill 2177. The Oakland proposal prohibits those 19 and under from smoking in public, while the State proposal sets the age and under 19. A person must be 19 years old to buy tobacco in New Jersey.
The Oakland ordinance would also include the use of chew tobacco for those under age. Presently, Oakland is seeking to institute the law in a manner similar to the drug free school zones, and prohibit smoking by those 19 and under within a thousand feet of a school on public property. Previous debate within the council centered on the liabilities of those found in violation. The State bill presently begins with written warnings, parental notification, community service and then leads into monetary fines.
The ordinance in Oakland has been separated into parts, one of which address a Fresh Air Zone on the recreational fields. There seemed to be little debate on the debate on the merits or complexities involved in banning smoking from the recreational fields. This ban would apply to all ages, making enforcement easier.
BioTerrorism / Pandemics
Council member Pignatelli raised the issue of how the town wants to address the Municipal Point of Distribution should the area be hit by a pandemic or bio-terrorist attack. If an emergency is declared on the state state level, approximately 21 POD sites would be set up by the Bergen County Department of Health Services throughout the County to distribute medication, pills or vaccine shots. It is estimated that 2,000 people per hour would need to pass through each of the POD sites if medication were to be distributed within a 48 hour period.
The Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has cited NJ for making progress in being prepared for public health emergencies, but Council member Pignatelli’s concerns on Municipal PODs brings to light many gaps in whatever plans may exist. The town must weigh the regulations imposed should they assume responsibility for their own citizens in a crisis, and compare it to the reality of the County actually being able to deliver the services promised in an emergency situation. The subject will be raised again in September as more information is collected
Cooperative Buying
The Council approved purchases of fuel for the borough through the Bergen County Cooperative Buying System and the Bergen Morris County Cooperative Pricing System.
Open Space Grant Finalized
The Council executed the grant agreement for 1.5 million dollars which will provide the funds required to purchase the 50.4 acres of land referred to as NJ Capitol Property. This grant, which has been in the works for a long time, makes Oakland one of the most successful towns in the State with regards to attaining grant funding to preserve Open Space.
Motor Vehicle Violation Surcharge
The Town Council voted on a resolution to protest the State’s plan to implement a $40 surcharge on motor vehicle violations. The surcharge was intended to make up for the cuts in State Police budgets and finance their ability to continue policing small municipalities with no local police departments. The Council originally intended to support the bill which would have returned half the surcharge to the municipal budget, but recent revisions in Trenton put that into doubt.
Tennis Courts
By the end of August, the Town hopes to have a better understanding of what grant money might be available as they seek to establish a budget for the reconstruction of the tennis courts which are used by both town residents and students. As noted by a resident at the town meeting, neighboring Wyckoff has recently rebuilt their tennis courts with significant participation of the municipal DPW. The Council was aware of the Wyckoff solution, but was not sure Oakland’s DPW had the same set of resources to be of similar assistance.
Insurance Network
Council member Di Pentima discussd the town’s involvement in a new hospital network. The new program continues to offer the same benefits, but it is expected to save over one hundred thousand dollars annually.