A week after tabling the measure, City Council unanimously approved a resolution to award a $30,000 contract for consulting services related to analyzing operations of the city and leading the Rahway 2030 Initiative.
The resolution (AR-168-18) passed 8-0 during a brief special meeting last night, with 5th Ward Councilwoman Jennifer Wenson-Maier the only representative absent. A week earlier, Wenson-Maier had sought more information about the proposed contract with Landolfi & Associates Government Solutions Corporation. She did not return an email sent last night seeking comment.
UPDATED, Aug. 28: Wenson-Maier said she received the information she needed and would have voted for the resolution. “If you look at the history of how many times I have challenged an item on the agenda, you will see that it is rare and only with considerable thought,” she said in an email reply.
Landolfi & Associates submitted a proposal dated July 3 to “analyze administrative efficiencies and operations.” The resolution also indicates the firm will lead the Rahway 2030 Initiative to develop “a plan for moving the city forward based on the vision and desire of the stakeholders in the community.”
There were no comments or questions from council members or the public during Monday’s special meeting that lasted some 10 minutes and included one other resolution that was adopted. The lone question was a technical one, from Councilman At-Large James Baker, about whether City Council had to first “un-table” the resolution (it did not).
The governing body had tabled the AR-168-18 during its regular meeting on Aug. 13 by a 6-3 vote. The resolution was tabled until the next regular meeting, scheduled for Sept. 10, unless a special meeting was called.
Interim Mayor Ray Giacobbe, Jr. said via email that council members received what they had requested last week: A copy of the proposal and a resume and also met individually with principal Robert Landolfi, a longtime business administrator for the City of Woodbridge. Giacobbe said Wenson-Maier was unavailable to attend Monday’s special meeting but “indicated that she is in full support of the resolution.”
Landolfi was in attendance Monday night but did not speak publicly nor was he asked any questions, greeting council members individually before the meeting got underway.
