Special Meeting Harrison NJ Mayor & Council Mon. Aug. 7th 2023

On Monday evening August 7th, the Mayor and Council of Harrison, NJ will be conducting a Special Meeting. This in-person meeting is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. and will be held in the Harrison Town Hall, situated at 318 Harrison Avenue, Harrison NJ. All interested parties are welcome to attend in the Third Floor Conference Room. Take the Elevator or walk up the two flights of marble staircases.

The Mayor & Council met on Tuesday, August 1, 2023, less than a week ago. Read our article on the August 1^st meeting entitled Cameras, Pay Raises, Cannabis at Mayor & Council Meeting

Two Resolutions

Two resolutions are on the table for the Special Meeting. The first item on the agenda is a legal resolution about a Shared Services Agreement with the County of Bergen. Termed as "A Resolution Authorizing Execution of a Shared Services Agreement with the County of Bergen (TBS)."  There is no Resolution for this shared services agreement attached to the Agenda published online.  A current Shared Services Agreement with the County of Bergen is the Animal Control Shared Service Agreement.

Shared Services Mystery & Educated Guess

Shared services agreements offer numerous potential benefits, including resource optimization, cost reductions, and more efficient service delivery. However, they also require careful consideration, particularly around the details of the implementation and service level agreements. It's anticipated that the Mayor and Council will conduct a comprehensive examination of the proposed agreement during this Special Meeting.  Currently, there are no details on what the Bergen County Animal Control services will provide and at what cost to taxpayers, and what additional costs will be incurred by residents who use their services.  There are fees in addition to the fee paid by the Town of Harrison to Bergen County Animal Control that individual town residents must pay for using their services.

Liquor License Renewals

The second resolution up for review is a License-related matter, referred to as "A Resolution to Approve ABC License Renewals for the 2023-2024 License Term." The ABC licenses in question about the sale of alcohol, including the licenses of bars, restaurants, and other establishments serving alcohol within Harrison. These renewals, critical to both local business operations and the broader community, are due for the upcoming 2023-2024 term. The two licenses being sought to be renewed is the ACP Harrison Retail Holding LLC and the Elda & Arlindo Enterprises Inc.  There is no Tradename associated with ACP Harrison Retail Holding LLC so it is not clear if that Liquor License is not being utilized but being held as a pocket license for investment purposes.  The second license for Elda & Arlindo Enterprises Inc. is identified as being used by Steve’s Liquors which is located at 219 Harrison Avenue, Harrison NJ.

Public Comment Period

The public will also be allowed to address the Council during a designated Public Comment portion of the meeting. This segment provides the citizens of Harrison with an invaluable platform to express their views, share their ideas, and interact directly with their local representatives. Attendees are encouraged to come prepared with their questions, concerns, or comments regarding the resolutions, or any other community-related matters. Each speaker is allocated 5 minutes to speak which can be extended at the discretion of the Mayor.

These meetings are a pivotal part of local governance, enabling town leadership to make informed decisions that shape the future of the community. They also serve as a critical space for residents to voice their opinions and contribute to the democratic process. The Mayor and Council of Harrison, NJ are known for their very short meetings. Of late, the meetings have been going longer as more residents are attending and taking the opportunity to address important issues in the Public Session of the meetings.  At the Tuesday, July 11, 2023, residents raised the issue of Red Bull Arena games and their inability to access their residences because South Frank E. Rodgers Blvd. was closed to vehicular traffic.  Read more about the latter in our article entitled Harrison NJ Residents Cry Foul Over Red Bulls Traffic Restrictions.

The Mayor & Council is holding this meeting In Person as there is no indication on the Town of Harrison website that it will be held via Zoom. The location of the meeting, the Third Floor Conference Room, also indicates that the Mayor & Council anticipate a low turnout from the Public as the Conference Room is a very small space as compared to the Mayor & Council chambers located on the 2^nd Floor. The Public is welcome to attend and can ask questions and comment at the Public session of the meeting on any topic.  The Public Session is not limited to discussion of Agenda items.  Hope to see you there.

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