Rent Advisory Committee Approves New Member
Ruane's recommendation of Di Guilio approved unanimously. Also, Litterio unveils plans for township's bicentennial celebration next year.
Although Robert Ruane and his colleagues on Bloomfield's Town Council are often in opposition, they found common ground at Monday night's conference meeting when it came to naming a new member of the Rent Advisory Committee.
Ruane's recommendation of Christopher Di Guilio, a township native who serves as a security site manager for Toys R Us, was seconded by Councilman Nick Joanow before being unanimously approved by a 7-0 vote.
At this week's meeting, there was no mention of the "Unconscionable Rent ordinance" that generated heated discussion last week. At that meeting, Councilmen Joanow and Ruane opposed a revised version that omitted the five-percent rent cap designed to protect tenants. Though Joanow criticized it for being “a total gutting of any semblance of rent control," it passed by a 4-2 vote last week (with Councilwoman Janice Litterio absent.)
The original ordinance introduced with the five-percent cap had been approved by a 7-0 margin.
“This is a big, crushing problem of greedy landlords in the community abusing senior citizens, minorities, unemployed and downtrodden people,” Ruane said.
Meetings for the Rent Advisory Committee will begin “after the holidays” according to Councilwoman Peggy O'Boyle Dunigan.
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Monday's meeting began with Litterio providing a presentation on what the Bloomfield Bicentennial Committee, of which she is chairperson, has planned for the township's 200th anniversary.
Litterio said festivities will begin on Bloomfield's official birthday of March 23, 2012, at Bloomfield College with a reading of the original town charter, a reenactment of the first town meeting and presenting winners of an essay contest who best describe how the town has changed since 1812.
Other highlights will include planting a bicentennial tree on April 27, having members of the Bloomfield High School Class of 1962 dig up the time capsule it buried 50 years ago on Memorial Day, and holding Restaurant Week and a bicentennial fireworks special the week of July 2.
Litterio also suggested Upper Memorial Park being dedicated as Bicentennial Park, although this would have to be voted upon, and approved, by the council.
Two more Committee meetings will take place on Dec. 3 and Dec. 17 at 10:30 a.m. at Bloomfield College.
