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MONTVILLE TOWNSHIP
ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
MINUTES OF JULY 20, 2011
Start
time 8:00AM
ROLL CALL
Ron Cain, Jr. - present Margaret Miller – Sanders - present
Everett Vreeland - absent Deane Driscoll - present
Ron Soussa - absent Kevin Seidel, Alt. #2 - present
Jennifer
Horowitz - absent Arnold
Schancupp – alt #1 - present
Alexander Kachmar - absent
Liaisons:
Township
Committee: Jim Sandham - absent; Deb Nielson (alt) - present
Planning Board Liaison: Tony
Speciale - present
Environmental Commission: Monica Mianecki - absent
Township
Staff:
Meghan Hunscher, PP - present
OLD BUSINESS
Board of Adjustment -
Deane Driscoll
Deane reported that the Lake Valhalla Club continues to be
heard by the board.
Planning Board - Tony
Speciale
Tony was absent at the last Planning Board meeting. Ms. Nielson reports that the updates to the
master plan continues.
Other Updates
There is a rumor that the Pine Brook Motel may be purchased and
redeveloped. A member indicated that
there may have been a sale within the current family that owns the
property. Also, Suppa’s Restaurant
closed.
Ms. Hunscher indicated that Maggie Peters, formerly
executive director with the Morris County Economic Development Commission,
resigned and has taken a position with Bergen County.
Subcommittee
Reports
New Business
No report.
Business Retention
Mr. Driscoll indicated that in 2008, the then-chair of the
EDC sent a mass mailing of surveys to businesses in town and there was a very
low response rate. The surveys were sent
to the business list provided by the Chamber of Commerce.
Ms. Miller-Sanders suggests that in light of this, it may be
prudent to wait until the Morris County Economic Development Commission can
handle the survey since it appears there will be follow-up required. Ron Cain, who had been on the EDC at the time
of the original mailing, was also concerned about going forward with this
mailing without the County's
assistance. There was no opposition to delaying project by the members present. Ms. Hunscher requested that Ms.
Miller-Sanders contact Mayor Sandham.
NEW BUSINESS
Speaker
Maggie Miller-Sanders, Esq. is a member of the Chamber of
Commerce (past President) and attorney. She interviewed two dozen chamber members for
feedback on customer service at Montville. The feedback was generally negative and
respondents asked to remain anonymous.
She indicates that this is what businesses’ experiences were like in the
past, and may not be entirely representative of existing conditions.
Feedback included the following:
- Employees
are not friendly
- Businesses
do not feel that they are listened to
- The
answer always seems to be “No”
- Businesses
feel as though they are treated like enemies
- The
culture of town hall is to stall projects
- Planning
and Zoning Boards are daunting and scary
- The
process in Montville
is too expensive and businesses would rather relocate
- Businesses
do not ask for escrow or bonding to be returned due to fear of retaliation
or being asked to do something else to their property
- Employees
are unwilling to pass files to other departments
- Businesses
do not like the threat of a new site plan if a use changes
- Businesses
would like a “how to” guide to each department
- Businesses
request that an organization chart be presented in the front lobby so
people know who are the department heads and staff
APPLICANTS
No applicants were scheduled to appear.
MINUTES
Adoption of EDC minutes of 6-15-11
– Eligible: Ron Cain, Jr., Margaret Miller – Sanders, Everett Vreeland, Deane
Driscoll, Ron Soussa, Alexander Kachmar
Minutes were approved as presented on a motion by Mr.
Driscoll and seconded by Mrs. Miller-Sanders. So carried.
ADJOURNMENT
There be no further items to discuss, the meeting was
adjourned at 9:25 a.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Meghan Hunscher, PP
Principal Planner
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