Masson resigns as Sussex Borough DPW chair

SUSSEX BOROUGH — Borough Councilwoman Linda Masson announced on Tuesday, Oct. 21, she was resigning as chairwoman of the Deapartment of Public Works for the rest of 2014.

During the meeting, the borough council shot down a proposal to change the borough's billing and disconnection of service for the water and sewer utility, 5-1. Masson was the only council member to vote for the ordinance. Councilwoman Marina Krynicky, Councilman Bruce LaBar, Councilman Salvatore Lagattuta and Councilwoman Annette Stendor and Councilwoman Georgeanna Stoll voted against the measure.

Borough attorney Francis J. McGovern told the council if the borough adopted Aqua's paymente and discontinuance policies, it would need to post discontinuance notices and make inquiries at tenants' doors monthly instead of quarterly.

“A lot of detail here,” said McGovern who said he spent 6 or 7 hours researching the ordinance.

McGovern said there also are “two concerns of separating out utilities. Separate agreements would need to be made for each utility.” He said he was not sure if there was the ability to separate and shut off.

"Technically, it wouldn't be really possible," Mayor Jonathan Rose said.

McGovern said it would be good if he sat down with the staff to see how the ordinance would work because they are an important part of the process. McGovern said he had no input on how the ordinance would work.

Residents will vote on Tuesday on whether the borough should sell the water and sewer utility to Aqua N.J.

“If people can't live with this, then they should vote a certain way," Masson said. "It is not fair after the sale of the utility.”

Krynicky said changing the billing system would be expensive for the borough to implement, but Masson said she did not see it as a big expense.

"The Borough is left with a lot of unpaid accounts," she said. "This will help us not to be in that position.”

Toni Smith — the Borough's Water Sewer Collector — said the uncollected rate of 26.2 percent includes High Ridge, which will remain on the 90-day uncollected list until the litigation is resolved, about $605,000.

Smith also explained that the cookie factory did not become delinquent until the property was abandoned during the second quarter.