Minutes: January 13, 2021 (R)

Call to Order

Meeting was called to order by Steve Tombalakian, board attorney at 7:00 p.m. via Zoom Webinar.

Statement of Compliance

Pursuant to the Open Public Meetings Act, adequate notice of this reorganization meeting has been provided to the public and the press on January 13, 2020 by delivering to the press such notice and posting same at the municipal building.

Salute to the Flag

Attorney Tombalakian led the assemblage of the flag.

Oath of Office Administered to

Attorney Tombalakian performed the oath of office to the following members of the land use board:

Class 1 1 yr. term expiring 12-31-21 - Mayor’s Designee Diane Wexler
Class III 1 yr. term expiring 12-31-21 - John Auberger
Class IV 4 yr. term expiring 12-31-24 - Martin Theobald
Class IV 4 yr. term expiring 12-31-24 - Andrea Cocula
Alt. # 3: 2 yr. term expiring 12-31-22 - Paul Mele

Note that Mr. Joseph Tadrick was not present and will be sworn in at a later date for position of Alt. # 2 - 2 yr. term expiring 12-31-22.

Reorganization 2021

Nomination of Officers

LUB Chairman

Ms. Cocula nominated Mr. Theobald. Ms. Wexler seconded the nomination. No other nominations were made. All members were in favor on nomination of Mr. Theobald for LUB chairman.

LUB Vice Chairman

Mr. Theobald nominated Mr. Spoerl. Ms. Cocula seconded the nomination. No other nominations were made. All members were in favor of nomination of Mr. Spoerl for LUB vice chairman.

Professional Service Appointments

Mr. Theobald made a motion to appoint Kimberly Decker as the land use board secretary for 2021 and Ms. Wexler seconded the motion. No other nominations were made. All members were in favor.

Mr. Theobald made a motion to appoint Irene Mills as the land use board recording secretary for 2020 and Ms. Cocula seconded the motion. No other nominations were made. All members were in favor.

Mr. Theobald made a motion to appoint Glenn Kienz, Esq. as the land use board attorney for 2021 and Ms. Cocula seconded the motion. No other nominations were made. All members were in favor.

Mr. Theobald made a motion to appoint Cory Stoner, PE as the land use board engineer for 2021 and Mr. Mele seconded the motion. No other nominations were made. All members were in favor.

Mr. Theobald made a motion to appoint Jessica Caldwell, PP, as the land use board planner for 2021 and Mr. Williams seconded the motion. No other nominations were made. All members were in favor.

Mr. Theobald made a motion to appoint Laddey, Clark & Ryan as the board conflict attorney for 2021 and Ms. Cocula seconded the motion. No other nominations were made. All members were in favor.

Consent Agenda

Chairman Theobald asked for a motion to approve Resolutions #21-01 and #21-02 simultaneously.

Motion: Motion was made by Mr. Theobald to approve Resolution #21-01 and Resolution #21-02 and was seconded by Mr. Spoerl. All members were in favor.
Motion passed.

Resolution No. 21-01: Designating the Official Newspaper

WHEREAS, it is necessary for the Township of Vernon Land Use Board to designate an official newspaper for notice to be published by applicants and the board so as to advise the public as to the matters pending before this board.

WHEREAS, it is the opinion of the land use board that the New Jersey Herald and Sunday Herald have the greatest likelihood of informing the public within the jurisdictional area.

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the land use board of the Township of Vernon in the County of Sussex, State of New Jersey that the New Jersey Herald and the Sunday Herald are hereby designated as the official newspaper and the Star Ledger will be designated as the alternate newspaper of the land use board of the Township of Vernon for the year 2021.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the secretary to the land use board is hereby directed to utilize the bulletin board of the municipal building of the Township of Vernon, 21 Church Street, Vernon, New Jersey 07462, as the designated place where all official notices of the land use board are to be posted.

Resolution No. 21-02: Schedule of Meeting Dates for the year 2021

WHEREAS, the Open Public Meetings Act, Chapter 231, P.L. 1975 requires certain public bodies to comply with the provisions of Section 13 of said act:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the land use board of the Township of Vernon as follows:

1. The regularly scheduled meetings will be held in the Vernon Municipal Center, located at 21 Church Street, Vernon, New Jersey at 7:00 p.m. on the following dates (second and fourth Wednesday of each month).

REGULAR MEETINGS

+January 13, 2021**
January 27, 2021**
February 10, 2021**
February 24, 2021**
March 10, 2021**
March 24, 2021**
April 14, 2021**
April 28, 2021**
May 12, 2021**
May 26, 2021**
June 9, 2021
June 23, 2021
July 14, 2021
July 28, 2021
August 11, 2021
August 25, 2021
September 8, 2021
September 22, 2021
October 13, 2021
October 27, 2021
November 10, 2021
November 24, 2021
*December 8, 2021
+January 12, 2022

*Due to holiday, only one meeting scheduled
** Remote public meetings
+Reorganization and regular meeting

2. The site inspections will be held the first Saturday of every month on the following dates beginning at 9:00 am:

SITE INSPECTIONS

January 2, 2021
February 6, 2021
March 6, 2021
April 3, 2021
May 1, 2021
June 5, 2021
July 3, 2021
August 7, 2021
September 4, 2021
October 2, 2021
November 6, 2021
December 4, 2021
January 1, 2022

Remote public meetings will be conducted using the Zoom operating system. Electronic notice/agenda will be posted on the Vernon Township website at Vernontwp.com, and the main access door of the municipal building located at 21 Church Street, Vernon, New Jersey 07462. This notice/agenda will contain the web address/dial-in phone numbers, meeting or webinar identification (ID) and meeting password specific to each date of public hearing.

Members of the public calling in may participate by dialing *9 on their phones to “raise their hand” in the virtual meeting. The meeting host will either call your name or the last 3 digits of your phone number when it is your turn to participate. At that point, you will be unmuted to speak and you must state your name and address.

At least ten (10) days before the meeting, meeting materials will be posted online and can be obtained via: Vernontwp.com under the land use board as indicated on the website. Exhibits that are expected to be relied upon during the public hearing will be available for public inspection forty-eight (48) hours before the public hearing at the same website.

Interested parties may submit exhibit materials to the land use board secretary no later than twenty-four (24) hours before the hearing date and time. Please send exhibit materials via email to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or contact Kimberley Decker, land use board secretary, with any questions, at 973-764-4055 ext. 2279.

For those needing to view paper copies of the materials, they will be available between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, located at the Township of Vernon, Vernon Municipal Center, 21 Church Street, Vernon, NJ 07462. Please contact the land use board secretary, to set up a viewing time, via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or contact Kimberley Decker, land use board secretary, with any questions, at 973-764-4055 ext. 2279.

Members of the public may make public comments through audio and video (if the meeting is held via video), during the meeting. For matters NOT involving a public hearing under the New Jersey Municipal Land Use Law, N.J.S.A. 40:55D-1, et seq., public comments may be submitted to the board secretary via email or written letter if received at least eight (8) hours prior to the meeting. Public comments on matters that are not the subject of a public hearing on an application for development before the board shall be read at the remote meeting with the same time restrictions of all public comments at the meeting. Duplicative comments may be summarized at the discretion of the board chair.

A copy of this schedule and resolution shall be:

1. Posted and maintained throughout the year on the bulletin board, Township of Vernon, Vernon Municipal Center, 21 Church Street, Vernon, NJ 07462.

2. Mailed, at no cost, to the following newspapers: The New Jersey Herald and The Sunday Herald.

4. A copy of this resolution shall also be filed with the township clerk and posted on the township website, http://www.vernontwp.com.

Chairman Theobald made a motion to allow Vice Chairman Spoerl to sign land use board documents in his absence. Motion was seconded by Ms. Cocula. All members were in favor.

Adjournment

Having no more board business, a motion was made to adjourn the reorganization meeting by Mr. Theobald and was seconded by Mr. Williams. All members were in favor.

Meeting was adjourned at 7:15 p.m.

Respectfully Submitted
Irene Mills, Recording Secretary