Amid of the developing issue surrounding Ordinance 2395, which failed two attempts to have it repealed, Samuel Klein Company was awarded two contracts for a total of $11,500.00 during the July 21st Mayor & Council meeting.
As reported previously by Roselle Park News, Samuel Klein & Company had made political campaign contributions in 2014 and 2015 and were awarded professional service contracts in 2015 and 2016. Ordinance 2395 prohibits any company from being awarded a service contract if they make political contributions that total more than $200.
The outstanding issue regarding Samuel Klein & Company is whether – as stipulated in Ordinance 2395 – they knowingly failed to reveal their contributions when they submitted their bid to provide services to the municipality. The ordinance mandated that borough should have received a sworn statement from the professional service provider that the bidder has not made a contribution in excess of $200. It appears that whomever wrote the Request For Proposal (RFP), which lays out the conditions of a bid, did not include the requirement to submit that sworn statement. The department that usually deals with RFPs is the Borough Clerk’s office.
The two contracts are for services associated with the dissolution of the Special Improvement District and the establishing of a separate sewer connection fee.
Resolution 182-16 deals with the final step of the now dissolved SID. The program was abolished in 2014 and the final paperwork was completed by the SID officers earlier this year. Samuel Klein will be tasked with reviewing all filings and statements then will compile and prepare all required federal, state, and dissolution forms to bring the program to a close. The fee for this is $5,000.
Resolution 183-16 will – for $6,500 – have Samuel Klein & Company for establishing a separate sewer connection fee:
- Obtain debt service requirements, including but not limited to sinking funds, reserve funds and other bonds, notes and loans;
- Review capital expenditures made by the Borough not funded by bond ordinances;
- Review any gifts, contributions or subsidies received from Federal, State or County Governments;
- Review all sewer utility bond ordinances;
- Determine total number of service units served by the Borough;
- Determine the estimated average daily flow for each class of user; and
- Prepare a schedule calculating the proposed connection fees
The matter regarding how to officially handle Samuel Klein & Company in relation to Ordinance 2395 is still on-going. It is currently a closed session item that has had no formal resolution announced as of yet.