Council Adopts Policy Prohibiting Immigration Enforcement on Borough Property; Approves Shared Services Agreement for Tax Collector Services with Scotch Plains

(Fanwood, NJ) – The Borough Council passed a resolution at Monday’s work session meeting adopting a policy prohibiting civil immigration enforcement by the federal government’s Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border protection agents on Borough property.

According to the resolution, the policy prohibits “the Borough of Fanwood from assisting, facilitating, or cooperating with federal, state, or local government entities regarding civil immigration enforcement using Borough property or resources, unless pursuant to a valid judicial warrant, judicial order, or otherwise authorized by law.” The policy applies to all “Borough employees, contractors, and agents of Borough departments, agencies, authorities, boards, and commissions… and to all non-public areas in any building, structure, land, parking lot, garage, vehicle, park, or other real or personal property owned, leased, operated, maintained, or controlled by the Borough of Fanwood.”

The issue was brought to the Mayor and Council several months ago by residents Kristyna Frantz and Serena Brennan, who have spoken at council meetings since February asking for Fanwood to adopt the policy. They attended Monday’s meeting and thanked the council for their action.

Residents Kristyna Frantz and Serena Brennan thank Mayor Colleen Mahr and the Borough Council for passage of its resolution prohibiting immigration enforcement on Borough-owned property.

Council President Gina Berry, Councilwoman Erin McElroy Barker, Mayor Colleen Mahr, residents Kristyna Frantz and Serena Brennan, and Councilman Jeff Banks.

Resident Anna Moeslein also spoke in favor of the resolution prohibiting immigration enforcement on Borough-owned property.

Resident Anna Moeslein comments on the resolution prohibiting immigration enforcement on Borough-owned property.

The resolution passed by the council supports New Jersey Assembly Bill No. 4071 “which seeks to discontinue racially influenced policing based solely on an individual’s immigration or citizenship status, while creating a state-wide training program and urge the New Jersey Legislature and Governor Mikie Sherrill to pass this legislation.”

Councilwoman Erin McElroy Barker spoke in favor of the new policy, saying she has spent her career working with the immigrant community as a social worker.

Councilwoman Erin McElroy Barker comments on the passage of the Borough’s policy on prohibiting immigration enforcement on Borough-owned property.

“I have worked with people who are poor, suffering, sick, homeless and mentally ill for my entire career. I was also raised in a town where I was a minority. I am intimately familiar with racism and all of its tentacles, and I have been significantly distressed over the last several years now about how open and blatant racism has become institutionalized and accepted at the very highest levels of our government and in all our communities,” the Councilwoman said. “At no point when I was growing up did I think that wasn’t going to continue to get better. In fact, what I have witnessed over the last eight years is that we have gone completely backwards and we are now a society where it is ok for me to say something about you because you have an accent or because you don’t speak English…or for me to make broad sweeping statements about an entire population of people that I have absolutely no experience with. In my opinion, what we have done to immigrants in this country is so disgusting I can barely watch it.”

The Council approved a resolution for a shared services agreement with the Township of Scotch Plains for tax collection and sewer fee collection services for a term of five years. Borough Administrator Jesse Moehlman said the agreement, which begins on May 1, follows the retirement of Fanwood Tax Collector Paula Ferreira. Moehlman said Fanwood residents will still be able use the drop box at Borough Hall to pay their taxes as well as by paying online or by mail. In-person assistance and tax-related questions will now be handled at the Scotch Plains Tax Office, located at 430 Park Ave., Scotch Plains. For more information, click here.

Resolutions were approved to advertise bids for improvements to Waldon Road and Kyte Place as well as Watson Road and Graybar Terrace.

A resolution was approved to amend a grant application to the New Jersey Historic Trust for the rehabilitation of the Historic Fanwood Train Station project.

At the start of the meeting, Mayor Colleen Mahr administered the oath to Bridget Kelly as a member of the Fanwood Historical Preservation Commission and to Olivia Haas as a member of the Fanwood Environmental Commission.

Mayor Colleen Mahr administers the oath to Bridget Kelly as a member of the Fanwood Historical Preservation Commission as her father, Michael Kelly, holds the Bible.

Mayor Colleen Mahr administers the oath to Olivia Haas as a member of the Fanwood Environmental Commission as Leslie Krone-Speck, Commission chair, holds the Bible.

Councilwoman Katherine Mitchell noted that Borough’s Arbor Day event will be held on Friday, April 24. She said a mailer that went out last week had an incorrect date. The program begins at 4 pm at the Carriage House Park.