Borough Of Fanwood: Fanwood Council Resumes In-Person Meetings

Press release from the Borough of Fanwood :

February 8th, 2022

Wide shot

The Fanwood Borough Council held its first in-person meeting in almost two years on Monday, February 7, 2022, in light of decreasing COVID numbers across New Jersey and a high vaccination rate in Fanwood. Mayor Colleen Mahr, the Council members, Borough staff and citizens attending the meeting all wore masks, removing them only to speak. Since the spring of 2020, the meetings were held virtually via ZOOM and Facebook stream.

Monday’s meeting was the monthly agenda or work session during which various issues and possible ordinances and resolutions are discussed and, in some cases, acted upon. Issues discussed at the meeting:

Police Director Michael Bramhall

Dogs in parks—Council members debated whether to repeal a decades-old ordinance prohibiting dogs from Borough parks. The Recreation Commission has recommended the ordinance remain intact. Councilwoman Patricia Walsh presented an argument for keeping the ordinance, saying “the parks are not dog parks, they are people parks.” Councilwoman Francine Glaser floated the idea of allowing dogs on the grassy areas but not on playing fields. One resident told the council that Fanwood is one of only two towns in Union County that doesn’t allow dogs in public parks. The Council will continue the dialogue.

Car thefts and break-ins—Police Director Michael Bramhall told the Council that car thefts and break-ins are epidemic in our area. In every Fanwood case, the car was left unlocked with valuables in plain sight. He urged the public to lock their cars, even when parked in front of their homes or in their driveways, and remove purses, laptops, phones and anything else of value.

Public Works Director Clint Dicksen

Recycling—Public Works Director Clint Dicksen spoke about the ongoing delays in curbside recycling collection due to manpower and equipment issues at the Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authorities, Fanwood’s curbside collection vendor. Mayor Mahr said the PMUA has sent a letter to the Borough informing it that it will be dissolved in the spring, though it intends to honor its current contract through April. Dicksen reported there have been dialogues with several other vendors but an official Request for Proposals must be issued by the town. That’s expected to happen at the end of February, with the goal of having a new vendor in place by May.

Electric car charging ports—Borough Engineer Antonios Panagopoulos reported that two charging ports will be installed soon in the municipal parking lot.

Enhanced TV coverage—The meeting debuted a new, four-camera television system to air the Council meetings. The four cameras are installed on the walls allowing multiple angles and closeups of speakers. The switching is done on a small control panel operated by one person who also sends the signal to Fios channel 24, Comcast channel 35 and the Facebook live stream.

Council members Francine Glaser and Jeff Banks

Councilwoman Erin McElroy Barker and Council President Anthony Carter

Councilwoman Patricia Walsh and Kathy Mitchell

TV control panel with operator Rich Desimone

The next Council meeting will be the regular business meeting on Feb. 21, 7:00 PM at 75 N. Martine Avenue.

Police Director Michael Bramhall

This press release was produced by the Borough of Fanwood. The views expressed here are the author’s own.