Verona Council Notebook: January Workshop Meeting

Here is a roundup of key points discussed at the Verona Borough Council workshop meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 31.

Officials Oppose Reassessment

In a unanimous vote, Verona council members passed a resolution opposing county-wide property reassessments, calling for a moratorium and legislation that would implement uniform, state-wide practices.

Anecdotally, officials said many property owners in Verona have received lower assessments. Mayor David Ricupero noted instances where the value of a house increased, but the property value decreased.

“That is nothing but a big mess,” Ricupero said.

President Dom Conte said officials haven’t yet discussed what follow-up actions to take in urging an end to the reassessments.

For now, Councilman Tony Futules said, residents shouldn’t sit back and accept unfair valuation.

“File appeals if you don’t like what you get,” Futules said. “I’ll tell you that.”

Council Looks to Enforce Rental Unit Fees

In an effort to close a gap in the number of rental units in Verona and the number of landlords who pay mandatory fees, council members are planning to send yearly rental unit licensing applications to residents.

Since 2004, Verona has charged landlords a $35 fee for each unit they rent out. But some haven’t gotten the message or simply haven’t complied, officials said.

Officials hope that, by sending out the applications, they will bring in revenue from landlords who haven’t been paying. A copy of a letter that will be sent to residents lists a noncompliance penalty of up to $600 in fines or 30 days in jail.

Ambulance Response Time Standard, Official Says

After complaints of slow emergency response from Guardian Angel Ambulance surfaced earlier this month, Suchevich investigated the complaint and said the response time was about average for the level of emergency reported.

Judy Shoemaker, who works at Robroy Industries, said Guardian Angel Ambulance had to respond to emergencies there in two occasions over the past two years. Both were instances where someone reported severe back pain.

Suchevich said the most recent incident was considered “non-emergency transport,” which has an average response time of 30 minutes. In such cases, ambulances can’t use lights or sirens to get around traffic, she said.

While Suchevich said Shoemaker was satisfied with the information, other officials’ concerns weren’t quelled.

“We’ve had so many problems with Guardian,” Gemellas-Worf said. “What are we waiting for ... a lawsuit?”

Ricupero said other ambulance services are more efficient and suggested trying another company.

“My officers are told that if they need an ambulance now, to bypass Guardian,” Ricupero said. “It’s ridiculous to wait an hour.”

For her part, Suchevich said she'd had several good experiences with Guardian and didn't think they were at fault.

Borough Property Sold Above Low Appraisal

Council voted to sell a borough-owned lot on East Railroad Avenue for $1,000, after an appraisal valued the land at $750.

Earlier in January, some officials balked at the $1,000 offer—half of the amount the borough had tied up in the land and well below the $8,000 to $10,000 asking price. But after an appraiser valued the land at $750, officials worried that further advertising costs to solicit a better offer might squander what little money was left to gain.

Still, Futules and councilwoman Peggy Suchevich spoke against the sale before voting took place.

“For that kind of money, we may as well keep it,” Futules said.

Gemellas-Worf said the interested buyers would prune low-hanging branches on the property and clean up the lot. In addition to getting at least something on the borough’s investment, Gemellas-Worf said, the sale would put the property back on the books for taxes.