The Alternative Press

The first topic the council discussed was about their contract with Cablevision.

 

At a Dec. 11, 2012 meeting, Don Viapree from Cablevision had presented the council with a process renewal.

 

The council had the option of choosing a $5,000 grant for 10 years, or a $12,000 grant for 15 years for the Cablevision renewal process.

 

The council had stated it was a “no-brainer” to choose the 15-year plan which they had submitted a draft to Cablevision for.

 

Mayor Rosemarie Maio addressed the council at this past Tuesday’s meeting that Cablevision had changed their renewal process to a $2,600 grant up front, with $600 a month for 15 years, or a $16,000 grant up front and $6,000 over the next five years.

 

“As a council, we are not happy about this,” expressed Maio who then stated, “I will make sure the town hall is packed full of citizens with complaints on Cablevision.”

 

“Can I tell Cablevision that I want to pay my cable bill half in the beginning of the month and half at the end?” asked councilman Mike Depew.

 

Once again, the council had decided that the second choice of $16,000, with a payment of $6,000 over the next five years, was the favorable option, although they were unhappy.

 

Another topic of discussion was the pet census. According to state law, municipalities need a door-to-door census for their pets, especially dogs.

 

The Stanhope Board of Health wants a dog census compiled every two years.

 

“The census is paid by the dog trust,” said Maio as township administrator, Brian McNeilly comcurrently stated, “There is well over $8,000 dollars in the dog trust.”

 

The council explained they are making money on the dog trust, because there are barely any expenses being used.

 

Maio had suggested the possibility of hiring college students to conduct the census, however, McNeilly stated that by having a special officer it would be “economical and probably get better results than we would from a college student,” mainly based on the fact that most college students have liability issues.

 

The paperwork has to be filled out by Sept. 1, thus starting the census in the spring.

 

The council plans on notifying its residents at an upcoming rabies clinic in April.

 

The town council has also been working on its 2013 municipal budget.

 

Dana Mooney, a Chief Finance Officer and Tax Collector at the Borough of Stanhope presented the council with three different scenarios for their municipal budget.

 

The third scenario, which the council chose, was adding $40,000 to the budget making a 1.4 levee increase.

 

“I would like to use less surplus,” stated councilman Jim Benson who then said, “I’d like to keep that money close to home.”