[1. RESOLUTION TO CLOSE MEETING TO THE PUBLIC]
[00:00:03]
EVENING THIS IS THE AGENDA FOR THE MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE MEETING MARCH 16TH 2023. THE TIME IS SIX P.M. IT IS A TOWNSHIP COMMITTEES INTENDING TO CONCLUDE THIS MEETING NO LATER THAN 11. PM NO COPIES. HERE. HERE. HERE. TOO MANY PLACES CHALLENGE HERE. UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS ACT NOTICE OF THE CRIME IS PLACE OF THIS MEETING HAS BEEN POSTED AND SENT TO THE OFFICIALLY DESIGNATED NEWSPAPERS. THE FIRST ITEM IS A RESOLUTION TO CLOSE THE MEETING TO THE PUBLIC. YOU HAVE TO DO THIS SUIT TO THE FLAG. WE'RE GOING TO DO IT AFTERWARDS. SHOW. THE FIRST ITEM IS A RESOLUTION TO CLOSE THE BE RESOLVED BY THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE OF THE TOWNSHIP, MONTGOMERY AND SOMERSET COUNTY, NEW JERSEY AS FOLLOWS. ATTENTION COMMITTEE WILL NOW CONVENE IN A CLOSED SESSION THAT WILL BE LIMITED ONLY TO CONSIDERATION OF ITEMS QUICK RESPECT TO WHICH THE PUBLIC MAY BE EXCLUDED. PURSUANT TO SECTION SEVEN B OF THE OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS ACT. THE GENERAL NATURE OF THE SUBJECT TO BE DISCUSSED IN THIS SESSION IS AS FOLLOWS. PERSONNEL TOWNSHIP CLERK INTERVIEW. IT IS UNKNOWN PRECISELY WHEN THE MATTER DISCUSSED IN THE SECTION WILL BE DISCLOSED TO THE PUBLIC. NO APPOINTMENT SHALL BE MADE EXCEPT BY ACTION OF THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE IN A PUBLIC SESSION.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO CLOSE TO BEING TO THE PUBLIC, SO MOVED 2ND 2ND ALL IN FAVOR.
THAT WAS PRETTY COOL. YOU'RE ONE GALLON SOMETHING. GOOD EVENING. WE'VE ALREADY OPENED THE MEETING AND GOING INTO CLOSED SESSION. SO NOW DO I HAVE A MOTION TO CLOSE SECTOR SALUTE 2ND 2ND ALL IN FAVOR. I HAVE A MOTION TO REOPEN THE MEETING TO THE PUBLIC. SO MOVED 2ND 2ND ALL IN PAPER. FOR THE FIRST THING WE WILL DO IS SALUTE THE FLAG. YES, WE DO.
GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. HOW ARE THE ACOUSTICS IN HERE? WE FINALLY GOT OUR A V BACK. SO IF YOU CAN'T HEAR, DO THIS, AND WE'LL TRY TO I THINK THEY CAN CALL FROM THE GATE HERE. BACK THERE, ELI. YES, OKAY. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S THAT ON THESE ARE ON ON. YEAH, OKAY. OKAY WELL,
[2. RECOGNIZING MARVIN SCHULDINER]
NICE TO SEE EVERYONE TONIGHT, THE FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS RECOGNITION FOR MARVIN SHULDINER AND THE DEPUTY MAYOR HAS REQUESTED TO BE THE ONE SPEAKING THIS MORNING, GONNA STAND UP AND COME IN THE FRONT. IT IS SO NICE TO SEE YOU, MARVIN. AND OF COURSE WE THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE FOR THE TOWNSHIP. SO I'M GOING TO READ THE PROCLAMATION. THERE'S A COMMUNITY DERIVES ITS STRENGTH FROM PEOPLE WHO ENDEAVOR TO HELP OTHERS AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE PUBLIC GOOD AND WHERE THERE'S MARVIN SHELDON ER HAS WORKED DILIGENTLY ON BEHALF OF MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP RESIDENTS DURING HIS YEARS OF SERVICE. AND WHEREAS COMMITTEE PERSON SHALL DINNER LEFT PUBLIC OFFICE IN DECEMBER OF 2022, HAVING THIRD MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP IN THE FOLLOWING CAPACITIES. DEPUTY MAYOR 2020 AND 2021 BORDER FIRE PREVENTION 2021 2022 BUDGET AND FINANCE COMMITTEE 2019 2020 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION 2021 2022 PLANNING BOARD MEMBER 2019 2022 2021 2022 THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE MEMBER. 2019 2020 2021 2022. TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE 2019 2020 2021 2022 SOMERSET COUNTY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION, 2020.WHERE IS DURING HIS YEARS OF SERVICE, MARVIN FAITHFULLY PERFORMED THE DUTIES AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE OFFICE AND HAS GIVEN HIS UTMOST TO THE RESIDENTS OF MONTGOMERY. NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT WE, THE MEMBERS OF THE MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE ON BEHALF OF THE PEOPLE OF MONTGOMERY. EXPRESS OUR DEEPEST APPRECIATION TO THE HONORABLE MARVIN SHELL DINNER FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY AND EXTEND A FOND FAREWELL AND WARMEST WISHES FOR THE FUTURE. ON THE 16TH DAY OF MARCH, 2023.
[00:06:15]
LET ME JUST SAY A FEW WORDS, THOUGH, AHEAD. AND BELIEVE ME, I'LL KEEP IT SHORT BECAUSE WHEN I USED TO SIT UP THERE AND YOU WERE GOING LONG WINDOW TO BE LIKE, OH, MY GOD, WE GOT THIS LONG AGENDA. UM SO FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK THE COMMITTEE FOR THE RECOGNITION. UM WISH I WAS STILL SITTING UP THERE WITH YOU, BUT ON THE HEALTH OBVIOUSLY DIDN'T MAKE ME A FULL PARTICIPANT HERE, AND IT'S NOT FAIR TO THE REST OF YOU. I WANT TO THANK STAFF AND THERE'S WAY TOO MANY TO THANK, UM AND THERE ARE A WHOLE BUNCH OF STAFF WHO HAVE RETIRED, EVEN THOUGH IT'S ONLY BEEN FOUR YEARS. SO UM I DEFINITELY WANT TO THANK ALL OF THE STAFF. I WANT TO THANK MY FAMILY. THEY'RE HERE IN THE BACK. THEY PUT UP WITH NOT HAVING ME A LOT OF NIGHTS. UM AND YOUR LIFE STILL BEING KIND OF YOUNG FISH UNIVERSE STARTED. HE WAS SEVEN OR EIGHT. UM AND FRAN REALLY HAD SPENT A LOT OF NIGHTS COVERING FOR ME AS WELL. AND SHE HAS A LOT OF AS YOU KNOW, SHE HAS ALL OF MY TIME. STUFF TO DO. SO UM, I WANNA THANK THEM AND ALSO WANT TO THANK THE PEOPLE OF MONTGOMERY. FOR PUTTING THEIR TRUST AND FAITH IN ME TO REPRESENT THEM FOR FOUR YEARS. SO AGAIN. THANK YOU. I'M NOT DEAD. SO YOU KNOW YOU ALL NEED HELP WITH SOMETHING. LET ME KNOW. UM YOU KNOW, I'M STILL AROUND AND AGAIN . I JUST REALLY APPRECIATE THE RECOGNITION AND I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S GOOD WORDS AS I'VE GONE THROUGH. NOT ONLY THIS THROUGH THE BYPASS SURGERY AND EVERYTHING I'VE GONE THROUGH IN THE LAST YEAR, BUT ALSO MY OTHER HEALTH SCARE THAT I HAD BACK IN 2019. SO AH. NO ONE WILL HEAR. BUT OFFER THE BETTER SO AGAIN.THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND, UH, FINISH YOUR READING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MARVIN. THE NEXT THE
[3. STOUTSBURG SOURLAND AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM PRESENTATION]
NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA. IT WILL BE A PRESENTATION BY THE STOUTS . BERG SAUERLAND AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM. WE'VE HAD THIS ON THE SCHEDULE WHAT THIS IS THE THIRD OR FOURTH TIME. THE THIRD TIME'S A CHARM. UM WE HAD HAD THEM SCHEDULED EARLIER ON. AND OF COURSE, WITH ALL OF OUR AUDIO VISUAL PROBLEMS. WE REALLY DID NOT WANT TO HAVE YOU DO A PRESENTATION WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IN THE PUBLIC AND CAN SEE THIS AS WELL. SO DID YOU? WE WANT TO HAVE SOMEONE COME ON UP. DID WE WANT TO ARRANGE THIS? I THOUGHT THERE WAS SLEEPING OVER THERE.DO YOU WANT TO SIT UP HERE? YOU WANT TO COME? COME SIT UP HERE BECAUSE THEN EVERYONE CAN SEE YOU FROM THE AUDIENCE AND THE T V. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. IT IS SUCH AN HONOR TO BE HERE, REPRESENTING THE SOUTHWARK SUTHERLAND AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM. UM I WANT TO THANK MAYOR KEENAN AND THE MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE FELT AND THEN THAT A BISHOP JOHNSON AND THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE SPOUSE WORKS SAARLAND AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM. WE CALL IT, SAM. OKAY SO WHEN I'M TALKING TO MY MOM, SHE'S ALWAYS LIKE WHO'S SAM? I THINK SHE'LL GET IT. SO I HAVE FOR A LONG TIME, THEN VERY, VERY INTERESTED IN AMERICAN HISTORY.
UM I'M REALLY I CONSIDER MYSELF A HISTORY BUFF, AND I'VE BEEN PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND I THOUGHT I KNEW A LOT. A REALLY A LOT UNTIL I MET, UM AND ABOUT 2017. TO PHENOMENAL VISIONARY WOMEN'S DELAINE BUCK AND BEVERLY MILLS AT THE HILLSBOROUGH LITTLE BIT. AND THEY TOLD ME AND THE WHOLE AUDIENCE OF PEOPLE THINGS THAT ABSOLUTELY BLEW MY MIND. SO
[00:10:02]
I WANT TO COME HERE AND SHARE IT WITH YOU. MISSION OF SAM AND REALLY SHARE WITH YOU SOME INFORMATION THAT I THINK UM, YOU WILL FIND USEFUL ALSO. SO AND WE TALK ABOUT SLAVERY IN AMERICA.UM WE HAVE TO GO RIGHT TO THE VERY BEGINNING. IT REALLY STARTS WITH THE TRANSATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE. AND I'VE LEARNED IN SCHOOL THAT EUROPEANS I WENT OVER TO AFRICA AND JUST SORT OF WHOLESALE GRABBED UP A BUNCH OF PEOPLE. UM INDISCRIMINATELY AND BROUGHT THEM OVER AS INFLATED PEOPLE. WELL, THAT'S NOT REALLY TRUE. ON A COUPLE OF LEVELS. UM SO FIRST OF ALL. WHEN THE EUROPEAN. WENT OVER TO AFRICA. THEY NOT ONLY STOLE PEOPLE FROM THEIR FAMILIES, BUT THEY TOOK ALSO WITH THOSE PEOPLE CONSIDERABLE AGRICULTURAL KNOWLEDGE. OKAY SO AFRICANS WERE PRIDES PRIZED NOT ONLY FOR THEIR STRONG BODIES. AND THEIR RESISTANCE TO DISEASE, BUT ALSO THEY BROUGHT WITH THEM. EXCEPTIONAL SKILLS AND WEAVING. TEXTILES WOULDN'T STILL MASONRY AND A LONG HISTORY WITH HORSE WITH HORSES AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY. UM, AND IT. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I DIDN'T KNOW. RICE CULTIVATION. SO IT IS NO COINCIDENCE THAT RICE CULTIVATION TECHNIQUES IN THE UNITED STATES MIRROR RICE CULTIVATION TECHNIQUES AND WESTERN AFRICA. WHICH ARE THOUSANDS OF YEARS OLD. ANOTHER THING THAT I DIDN'T KNOW. I'M I'M WONDERING IF YOU KNEW THAT SLAVERY EXISTED IN ALL OF THE COLONIES. I'D ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT SLAVERY WAS A SOUTHERN THING. THAT HAPPENED IN THE AMERICAN SOUTH. UM NOT NOT SO NORTHERN MERCHANTS. UM BENEFITED MASSIVELY FROM THE TRADE OF MOLASSES, RAMLA. AND AT ONE POINT COLONIAL AMERICA HAS HAD MORE THAN 40,000 SLAVES ENSLAVED PEOPLE IN BONDAGE ON THE PORTS, CITIES AND FORMS OF THE OF THE NORTH. SO THE DUTCH LIKELY INTRODUCED SLAVERY, SLAVERY IN THE UNITED STATES IN THE 17TH CENTURY. UM THE LORD PROPRIETORS ENCOURAGE SLAVERY BY RANTING IMMIGRANT LANDOWNERS ADDITIONAL LAND FOR EACH SLAVE THAT THEY OWN. AND 17. OH, TWO, QUEEN ANNE. UM TOLD NEW JERSEY'S FIRST GOVERNMENT GOVERNOR TO TAKE ALL THE NECESSARY STEPS TO ENSURE THAT THE PROVINCE HAD A CONSTANT AND SUFFICIENT SUPPLY OF MORE CHANTEL NEGROES. SO WHERE DID THEY ARRIVE? IN NEW JERSEY? HOW DID THEY GET HERE? BASICALLY THEY CAME THROUGH THE PORTS ALONG THE DELAWARE RIVER LONG ISLAND FOR THE AMBOY, RARITAN BAY AND OUT OF PENNSYLVANIA.
FROM THE BRUNSWICK, THE ENSLAVES WENT TO FARMED ALONG OUR LOCAL MILLSTONE VALLEY WATERWAYS.
PRIOR TO THE 18TH CENTURY. THE ENSLAVED COMING INTO PENNSYLVANIA CAME FROM THE WEST INDIES AND THE AMERICAN SOUTH. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? BY THE LATE 17 HUNDREDS 7 70% OF THE SLAVES CAME DIRECTLY FROM AFRICAN. DO YOU WANT TO KNOW WHY BECAUSE OF SLAVERY REVOLTS IN THE WEST INDIES AND IN THE AMERICAN SOUTH. SO UM, THE MOVIES COMING FROM AFRICA WAS SEEN AS LESS REBELLION. SO BUT WASN'T AN OCCURRENCE THIS I WONDER HOW MANY OF YOU HEARD THIS, TOO? PEOPLE ASK. WELL, IT WAS DIFFERENT. YOU KNOW IT WASN'T AS BRUTAL AND THE NORTH AS IT WAS IN THE SOUTH. I WANT YOU TO WRAP YOUR HEAD AROUND. THE MASSIVE BRUTALITY THAT WILL TAKE TO MAKE GROWN MEN AND WOMEN SUBMIT TO OTHER HUMANS WITHOUT FAIR EXCHANGE. OF REWARD. OKAY IT WAS A BRUTAL RULE SYSTEM AND A VIOLENT SYSTEM WHEREVER IT EXISTED. UM AS DEMAND INCREASED ACROSS NEW JERSEY AND NEW JERSEY TO PRODUCE AGRICULTURE, THE NUMBER OF ENSLAVED PEOPLE INCREASED. AND AS THE NUMBER OF ENSLAVED INCREASE THE NUMBER OF REVOLTS UM, SO NEW JERSEY FLAVORS LIKE THEIR SOUTHERN COUNTERPARTS LIVED IN CONSTANT FEAR OF INSURRECTION. FEAR FOR THEIR PROPERTY AND FEAR FOR THEIR LIVES. WHY WOULDN'T THEY? UM FOLLOWING A NUMBER OF HIGH PROFILE SLAVE REVOLTS IN NEW YORK CITY AND NEW JERSEY. THEY WERE REPRESSED WITH EXTREME VIOLENCE. NEW JERSEY PASSED A SERIES OF LAWS LIMITING FREEDOMS TO EXPLAIN AND FREE FLAGS.
ENSLAVED PEOPLE WHO WERE TAKING PLACE AND REBELLIONS WERE PUBLICLY EXECUTED. TOO LATE.
BURNED THAT MISTAKE. UM BLACKS WERE NOT ALLOWED TO CONGREGATE IN GROUPS OF MORE THAN FIVE
[00:15:05]
PEOPLE AND THEIR MOVEMENT WAS SEVERELY RESTRICTED UNDER PENALTY OF LAW. THERE ARE LAWS IN NEW JERSEY AND THROUGHOUT THE NORTH NORTHEAST, AND IN FACT, IT'S THE UNITED STATES LIMITING FREE BLACKS FROM OWNING PROPERTY. AND THEIR FINANCIAL PENALTIES. BEFORE FOR FREEING ENSLAVED PEOPLE. SO NEW JERSEY IS KNOWN AS THE GARDEN STATE. WE ARE SO PROUD, UM, AT THIS POINT THAT AH! WE PRODUCE SOME OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY PRODUCTS ANYWHERE IN THE UNITED STATES AND AGRICULTURE AND THE JERSEY IS A ONE BILLION PLUS INDUSTRY. JERSEY FRESH. THE WEBSITE MAINTAINS THAT THE STATE'S THIRD LARGEST INDUSTRY IS FOOD AND AGRICULTURE, AND THE STATE IS IN THE TOP 10 FOR EGGPLANT, CRANBERRY BELL PEPPERS, UM BUT THE 16 HUNDREDS TO THE MID 18 HUNDREDS. TO STEAL A LINE FROM. UM HAMBLETON, WHO WAS REALLY DOING THE PLANTING? WHO REALLY DOING THE PLANTING. AND BY 17 90 11,500 ENSLAVED PEOPLE LIVED IN NEW JERSEY MORE THAN ALL OF NEW ENGLAND COMBINED. WRAP YOUR HEAD AROUND THAT, UNLIKE THE SOUTHERN STATES, WHERE ENSLAVED PEOPLE WERE USED ON LARGE, LARGE TOBACCO, UM PLANTATIONS. TOBACCO AND COTTON. IN NEW JERSEY. UM.BE ENSLAVED MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN. LET'S NOT FORGET CHILDREN WERE ENSLAVED AND USED FOR FORCED LABOR. UM THESE THESE FARMS HAD BETWEEN TWO AND 10. ENSLAVED PERSONS. UM PERFORM.
IT'S REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT NEW JERSEY'S, UH , TEMPERATE CLIMATE AND RICH SOIL ENCOURAGED A HIGH DEMAND FOR ENSLAVED LABOR TO PRODUCE THE GRAINS, FRUITS, THE VEGETABLES ON A REALLY LARGE SCALE. UM. WE ALWAYS SAY IN NEW JERSEY, IS LOCAL BUT IN TERMS OF ITS AGRICULTURE, NEW JERSEY WAS NOT JUST PARTICIPATING IN A LOCAL AGRICULTURE PRODUCE WAS SHIPPED TO LARGE MARKETS IN NEW YORK CITY AND PHILADELPHIA AS WELL AS THE CARIBBEAN. AND DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COLONIAL SYSTEM, SO THEY USE FREE LANGUAGE TO EXTRACT BASKETBALL FOR THE BRITISH EMPIRE, AND LATER FOR THE UNIFORM, THE UNITED STATES SO, UM. PETER CHANDLER SCRIBED IN HIS DIARY. TODAY I LEFT THE LAND OF SLAVERY NEW JERSEY, WHERE BLACKS ARE PERMITTED TO BE HELD IN BONDAGE. ALMOST EVERY FARMER HAS BETWEEN ONE TO A HALF A DOZEN FOOT SLAVES. I FOUND THIS SHOCKING IN 17 50 IN CENTRAL NEW JERSEY ENSLAVED MALES. OUTNUMBERED LANDLESS WHITE MALES. I'LL SAY THAT AGAIN. ENSLAVED MALES OUTNUMBERED LANDLESS WHITE MALES. THE MAXIMUM ENSLAVED POPULATION AND NEW JERSEY GIVEN BY THE CENSUS REPORTS AND 1800 WAS 12,422. NEW JERSEY AGAIN HAD ONE OF THE MOST SEVERE SLAVE CLOAK CODES IN THE NORTH BECAUSE IT WAS SUCH A BIG INDUSTRY HERE AND AGAIN, IT'S REALLY HARD TO GET HUMAN BEINGS TO WORK WITHOUT COMPENSATION UNDER SUCH MENTALITY. SO THEY LIVED IN CONSTANT FEAR. NOT ONLY WERE ENSLAVED PEOPLE WORKING IN AGRICULTURE AS THEY WORKED IN NEW JERSEY SITTINGS AND ARTISAN SHOPS AS SAILORS AND SHIPBUILDERS. WE ALL RECOGNIZE THIS. THIS IS ON 5 18 WASHINGTON LOYAL FORUM THAT IS A VOLUNTEER WHEREIN SLAVE PEOPLE WERE KEPT. ANYWHERE FROM 5000 TO 10,000 FREED AND ENSLAVED BLACK SOLDIERS FOUGHT FOR LOFTY IDEAS. OF EQUALITY AND LIBERTY PROMISED AND OUR DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. UM AND MANY REGRADE, AS MANY AS 8% OF THE SOLDIERS WERE OF AFRICAN DESCENT. ACCORDING TO THE FORCES , AN HONORABLE FORCES AND IN 17 76. THESE PEOPLE ARE NOT JUST FIGHTING FOR THE FREEDOM OF THE UNITED STATES. THEY WERE HOPING FOR EMANCIPATION. THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN. SO IT IS ALSO A FACT. ON JANUARY 3RD 2008 NEW JERSEY ISSUES AND A FORMAL APOLOGY FOR SLAVERY, BECOMING THE FIRST NORTHERN STATE TO OFFICIALLY APOLOGIZE. THEY APOLOGIZED FOR PERPETUATING THE INSTITUTION OF SLAVERY. SO TODAY IN OUR AREA.
IF YOU'RE WALKING THROUGH THE SHOWER LINED MOUNTAINS. IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL. IT'S SO PRISTINE, AND
[00:20:04]
IT'S HARD TO IMAGINE. UH, THE SCOPE. AND THE IMPACT OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN PRESENCE RIGHT HERE NEARLY 300 YEARS AGO. I'VE BEEN LIVING IN THIS AREA FOR 35 YEARS, AND WHEN I GOT HERE, I STILL HAVE VERY FEW PEOPLE WHO LOOK LIKE ME. AND I THOUGHT THAT YOU KNOW, LIKE PEOPLE WHO LOOK LIKE ME WERE NEVER HERE AND THAT I WAS SORT OF LIKE INTEGRATING THE PLACE. NOT SO SHOCKING. A FEW 100 YEARS AGO, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN FACT. THEN MANY, MANY , MANY, MANY PEOPLE WHO LOOK LIKE ME, UM WORKING AND TOILING AND BUILDING WEALTH, UM IN NEW JERSEY. SO IN NEW JERSEY SLAVERY PLAYED A CENTRAL ROLE IN THE FOUNDATION OF WEALTH FOR THE LOCAL REGIONAL ECONOMY. YET.ONCE THEY WERE LIBERATED FROM THE BARBARITY OF ENSLAVEMENT. AFRICAN AMERICANS WERE PUSHED TO THE ECONOMIC MARGINS AND SYSTEMATICALLY DEPRIVED OF OPPORTUNITY. SO HERE IN THE SAUERLAND REGION. THIS MEANT AFTER SLAVERY WAS OVER, THEY WERE PUSHED INTO THE LESS DESIRABLE AND INHOSPITABLE ROCKY HILLS OF THE SARALYN MOUNTAINS, WHERE THE UNEVEN TERRAIN AND THE LACK OF GROUNDWATER MADE LARGE SCALE FARMING AND SUBSISTENCE MOVINGLY DIFFICULT. BUT DESPITE INCREDIBLE ODDS. THE COMMUNITIES OF THE SOUR LINES SURVIVED FOR MORE THAN 100 YEARS, HELPING PEACH CULTIVATION PEAK AROUND THE END OF THE 18 HUNDREDS TO ABOUT FOUR MILLION TREES. BUT THE COMMUNITIES WORK CONSISTENTLY UNDER THREAT. UM FROM OUTSIDERS. TO NATURAL DISASTERS, STARTING WITH THE PEACH FLIGHTS THAT HAPPENED IN 18 99. AND THEN IN THE 20TH CENTURY USHERED IN, YOU KNOW THINGS THAT WE'RE FAMILIAR WITH, LIKE REDLINING, UM, WHICH EXACERBATED PREEXISTING LACK OF GENERATIONAL WEALTH. UM AND SO MANY OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE FOUND A HOME IN THE CENTRAL AND MOUNTAIN IN THE REGION WERE FORCED OUT. PRICED OUT OF THEIR OWN NEIGHBORHOODS. AND SO, BASICALLY WHAT HAD BEEN A THRIVING COMMUNITY. SCATTERED BECAUSE OF LACK OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES. UM AND MOSTLY VANISHED ALONG WITH THEIR STORIES. BUT NOT ENTIRELY. NOT ENTIRELY. BY THE 19 SEVENTIES. KNOWLEDGE OF THEIR HISTORY OF THE STORIES AND CONTRIBUTION WAS IN DANGER OF VANISHING ENTIRELY. JUST GOTTA UNTIL. IT WAS AMAZING , PHENOMENAL, VISIONARY WOMEN IN LANE BUCK AND BARELY KNOWS, UM REALLY BECAME INTERESTED. AND THEIR OWN FAMILY HISTORY PARTIALLY BECAUSE THEY WERE FIGHTING A BATTLE FOR THE STRAUSBERG CEMETERY. IT WAS IN DANGER OF BEING OVER RUN WITH DEVELOPMENT. AND, UH, AFTER WINNING THAT BATTLE. THEY STARTED TO LOOK INTO THE STONES AND WHO WAS BURIED THERE, AND THEY FOUND SO MANY MEMBERS OF THEIR OWN FAMILIES. BUT THEY WROTE THIS BOOK. THE STONES COULD TALK. UM REALLY RECLAIMING THEIR HISTORY AND REALLY SHARING INFORMATION ABOUT THE AFRICAN AMERICAN CONTRIBUTION TO THIS AREA AND THE IMPACT OF SLAVERY ON ON PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE. AND THAT'S JUST THE END. WHEN I TALK ABOUT THE IMPACT IS NOT JUST THE IMPACT, TOO. BLACK QUOTES THERE'S AN IMPACT TO THE WHITE COMMUNITY AS WELL AS AN IMPACT TO EVERYONE. SO. UM SAM'S MISSION IS TO TELL THE STORY OF THE UNIQUE CULTURE EXPERIENCE AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY AND THIS IRELAND MOUNTAIN REGION AND CENTRAL NEW JERSEY. SO WE ARE CONFIDENT. THAT. WHEN WE SHARE THESE STORIES. WHEN WE TELL THESE STORIES, THE PURPOSE IS NOT TO SHOCK TO SHAME. TO MAKE ANYONE SAD. THAT'S NOT THE PURPOSE AT ALL. THE PURPOSE IS TO EDUCATE US SO THAT WE CAN UNDERSTAND THE INEQUITIES TODAY. MUCH LIKE WHEN YOU GO TO THE DOCTOR AND YOU GET A HISTORY OF YOUR BODY. THEY WANT NOT JUST YOUR HISTORY. THEY WANT YOUR FAMILY SISTER THAT WANT YOUR GRANDPARENTS HISTORY, AND THAT WAY THEY CAN SEE THE ENTIRE PICTURE AND THAT WAY YOU'RE ABLE TO RECOMMEND A REMEDY FOR THE FUTURE. AND THAT'S WHAT SAM IS ABOUT. RECOMMENDING A REMEDY FOR THE FUTURE. HOW DO WE COME TOGETHER? HOW DO WE WORK TOGETHER? HOW DO WE STOP KICKING THE CAN OF RACISM AND SYSTEMATIC AND EQUITIES DOWN THE ROAD FOR OUR CHILDREN TO DEAL WITH, OVER AND OVER AGAIN. ACCOMPLISHMENT. WE'VE HAD SOME AMAZING
[00:25:03]
ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND IN THE YEAR 2022 WE ACQUIRED THE TRUE FARMSTEAD. AND THIS IS A HISTORICALLY AFRICAN AMERICANS. POSTED AND HOME TO BLACK. REVOLUTIONARY WAR AND WORLD WAR.TWO VETERANS. THE TRUE FAMILY LIVED AT THE FARM SAID FROM 18 81 TO 1994. AND THIS IS FAMILY PLAYED A CRUCIAL ROLE IN THE LIFE OF THE MOUNT ZION AMY CHURCH. THEY ACTUALLY DONATED THE LAND THAT THAT CHURCH WAS BUILT ON AFTER THE ORIGINAL CHURCH, WHICH WAS UP IN THE MOUNTAINS. UM I WAS OVERCOME BY FIRE IN THE IN THE LATE 18 HUNDREDS. UM, OUR BOARD MEMBER.
PET PAIN IS THE DAUGHTER OF WORLD WAR TWO VETERAN AND MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT LEGEND ROBERT TRUE. WHICH THERE'S A BUILDING BUILDING AND A PLAQUE IN HIS NAME IN MONTGOMERY. SO THAT IS, UM YOUNG PAT KANE WITH HER FATHER AND MOTHER. WE ALSO HAD OUR FIRST JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION. UM AND JUNE. AND THIS IS A BUNCH OF KIDS FROM ACROSS OUR COMMUNITY BUILDING THE BELT. AND THIS IS RIGHT NOW ON DISPLAY AT THE TRUE FARMSTEAD. TAKE A LOOK AT THIS. SO THAT IS THE PICTURE OF THE CHALDEAN CHURCH. IN 2011. AND THEN IN 2022. DEPENDING WHAT IT'S FILLED WITH JOY AND CHILDREN AND LEARNING AND OUR FOUNDERS AND JUST ABOUT A MONTH AGO. WE'RE EXCITED THAT WE HAVE A NEW EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. UM SOME OF THEM ARE IN THE AUDIENCE HERE. WE'VE GOT TAPPED FORMER HOGAN UM BRUCE DANIELS, JOHN BUCK. COME HERE. THE OUR NEW EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE HAS THE ADDITION OF STEPHANIE ADKINS AND PAT PAIN IS DONE ON THE COMMITTEE FOR A WHILE. I DON'T KNOW IF ALL OF YOU MADE OXTAIL FAST, BUT IT WAS AND WE RAISED OVER $30,000 FOR SAM OPERATION. OUR FOUNDERS TO PHENOMENAL LADIES. ARE YOU GUYS READY FOR THIS? THEY HAVE A NEW BOOK COMING IN JULY OF 2023 CALLED THE AFRICAN AMERICANS S CENTRAL NEW JERSEY, A HISTORY OF HARMONY AND HOSTILITY. AND YOU SHOULD CATCH WHEN YOU'RE HAVING A MOMENT. THE PRICE OF SILENCE WITH DOCUMENTARY THAT'S RUNNING ON PUBLIC TELEVISION. WE TELL THE STORIES UM. FAMILY IS PUBLISHING A SERIES OF CHILDREN'S BOOKS. MOUNT REVOLVING AROUND THE LIVES OF OUR FEMALE HEROINES AND FROM SAM AND THAT IS PAT PAIN. AND BEVERLY AND ELAINE. SO YOU'RE GOING TO GET TO SEE HISTORY THROUGH THE LIVES OF THESE VIVACIOUS, AMAZING AMAZING CHILDREN. SO THAT'S THAT'S COMING SOON. IN 2024. SAM WON THE MELON MELON AWARD, 600 K, WHICH IS ALLOWING US TO HIRE A FUNDING DEVELOPMENT MANAGER WE'VE HIRED AND EXHIBIT AND EDUCATION COORDINATOR AND AN OFFICE MANAGER. WE'VE HAD REALLY A GREAT SEASON OF BRAND. SO THIS IS THIS IS REALLY 2022 2023 BUNBURY. FUN THE MELON GRANT, THE SOMERSET COUNTY CHIP BRANDT , UM, WITH SOMERSET COUNTY LAB PRINT, THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION GRANT AND THE HISTORIC CROSS GRANT. THE NEW JERSEY HISTORIC COMMISSION. SO. OUR FUTURE. SO IN COLLABORATION WITH THE SARALYN CONSERVANCY MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP. SOMERSET COUNTY IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY. WE ARE GOING TO BE BREAKING FOUNTAIN BREAKING GROUND WITHIN THE NEXT 3 TO 5 YEARS ON THE AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM COMPLEX AND ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEM. AND THIS. THIS THIS BUILDING SPACE WILL WILL HOLD SPACES FOR WORKSHOPS AND CONVERSATIONS. EDUCATION AND EXHIBITS AND ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS CENTER. NATURE TRAILS, HERITAGE GARDENS. UM. THE WHOLE PUBLIC EVENTS THERE, SUCH AS GREEK GERMAN TEAMS. WUHAN, VISITING ARTIST STUDIOS, MUSEUM SHOP, CULTURAL PERFORMANCES, UM SO MANY GOOD THINGS. WHAT WE'RE HOPING TO DO WITH THIS IS TO BUILD THE SOCIAL FABRIC OF OUR TO REALLY HAVE A PLACE WHERE OUR COMMUNITY WILL BE ABLE TO COME TOGETHER. UNDERSTAND ONE ANOTHER AND FILL THE FUTURE THAT WE ALL
[00:30:04]
RICHLY DESERVED. UPCOMING EVENTS AT THE END OF THIS MONTH, WHICH IS SEVEN DAYS. I CAN'T BELIEVE IT. WE HAVE A NEW EXHIBIT AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN OF THE SOUR LANDS THAT'S GOING TO BE ON MARCH 27 26 UM, LET'S GO TO OUR WEBSITE TO FIND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT ARE JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION IS HAPPENING ON JUNE 17TH. AND FOR ROLLING OUT THIS FRIDAY TRUEHEART DINNER A TRUE FUND SAID IN OCTOBER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ON THREE TOWNSHIP IS A GREAT PARTNER. WE ARE SO GRATEFUL FOR THE SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT THAT YOU'VE GIVEN, UM THE SAME ORGANIZATION OVER THESE YEARS. WELL, WE ARE VERY, VERY PROUD TO CONTINUE THAT SUPPORT, AND I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'LL BE DOING IT KICKING OFF A CAPITAL CAMPAIGN. SOON AND WHEN DO YOU WHEN WILL BE WHEN YOU BE? WILL YOU BE KICKING THAT OFF? UM VERY SHORTLY, PROBABLY WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS. WOULD YOU LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THAT AT ALL? YOU CAN COMING UP AND USE THAT BECAUSE THEN IT WILL GO TO THE TELEVISION IS BOTH YES. UM AS WE SORT OF IRON OUT ALL THE DETAILS SURROUNDING TRUE FARMSTEAD AND THE, UM THE COMPLEX WHICH IS GONNA BE INCREDIBLY EXCITING. UM ONCE SOME OF THOSE THINGS ARE FINALIZED, WILL BE ABLE TO KICK OFF THAT CAMPAIGN. THE INITIAL PHASE OF THAT CAMPAIGN IS TO RAISE $5.5 MILLION. YOU CAN ALL JUST BREATHE THAT IN FOR A MOMENT. UM I'M CONFIDENT THAT WE CAN DO IT. OUR CONSULTANTS ARE CONFIDENT THAT WE CAN DO IT. WE HAVE THE RIGHT TEAM IN PLACE. WE HAVE AMAZING PARTNERS SO SEE TUNED FOR THAT BECAUSE THERE'S DEFINITELY GOING TO BE WAYS FOR YOU TO SUPPORT THAT ENDEAVOR. THANK YOU. IN MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP WILL SUPPORT YOU AS WELL. AND WE'VE TALKED TO BRUCE AND OFTEN IN TERMS OF HOW WE CAN HELP FACILITATE AS YOU GROW UP THAT COMPLEX AS WELL. SO WE'RE VERY PROUD TO BE PARTNERS WITH YOU IN THIS AND I WANT TO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING HERE AND EDUCATING US AND EDUCATING THE COMMUNITY. AND OF COURSE, ANYTHING MORE THAT WE CAN DO. WE I KNOW PERSONALLY, I'M VERY HAPPY TO DO THAT. I WOULD GIVE A PLUG FOR EVERYBODY NEXT YEAR TO THE OXTAIL FIRST. IT'S PRETTY AWESOME, AND THE PEACH COCKTAILS WERE DELICIOUS. SO UM PLEASE COME AND DONATE. IT'S ALWAYS VERY A GREAT TIME AND A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE WITH A LOT OF GREAT PEOPLE. SO THANK YOU DO THAT I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO OTHERS. I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS AMAZING PRESENTATION. FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE. AS WE WORKED OUT OUR AUDIOVISUAL ISSUES, AND AS YOU CAN SEE, IT WAS DEFINITELY WORTH THE WAIT. THAT ISN'T AN OVERWHELMING HISTORY THAT YOU JUST SHARED. I'VE LIVED IN NEW JERSEY SINCE 1988 AND I DID NOT KNOW ALMOST ANY OF THEM. AND THAT IS. TO ME. EMBARRASSING UM AND JUST THANK YOU FOR SHINING A LIGHT NOT ONLY ON THE HISTORY OF SLAVERY IN NEW JERSEY, BUT THE HISTORY OF SLAVERY HERE IN MONTGOMERY, EVERYONE SHOULD BE AWARE OF THE FACT THAT YOU SHARED BUT YOU KNOW, THAT IS OUR HISTORY. BUT THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF JOY IN WHAT YOU SHARED BECAUSE WE HAVE THE ABILITY AND YOU HAVE THE ABILITY THROUGH EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE DOING TO, UM REALLY HIGHLIGHT. YOU KNOW HOW WE ARE ABLE TO LIVE NOW AND TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH THOSE WHO ARE HERE NOW, SO THAT THE STORY LIVES ON. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. I APPRECIATE IT. I JUST DON'T KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS. I JUST WANTED TO ACTUALLY ALSO, SAY ANOTHER. THANK YOU SO MUCH AS AN IMMIGRANT, THOUGH, HISTORY BUFF , THERE WAS SO MANY THINGS THAT I DIDN'T KNOW. AND IT'S YOU KNOW, REMARKABLE THAT YOU KNOW YOU'RE ABLE TO PRESENT ALL OF THIS. AND I'M HOPING THE RESIDENTS OF MONTGOMERY WE HAVE A BIG, DIVERSE COMMUNITY. GET TO SEE THIS. GET TO HEAR THIS PRESENTATION, AND I'M HOPING THAT PEOPLE REALIZE ALL THE HISTORY BEHIND WHAT HAPPENED. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. I REALLY DO APPRECIATE IT. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT WELL, ABSOLUTELY NEED ALL HANDS ON DECK IN ORDER TO MAKE THIS A REALITY. SO UM, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN KNOWING HOW TO DONATE SAM, PLEASE GO TO SAM MUSEUM .ORG. BECAUSE IT DONATE PAGE AND WE WILL NEED THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY TO MAKE THIS WORK. ABSOLUTELY THANK YOU. I HEARD ALL OF YOU MENTIONING THAT FOR SOME OF YOU THIS THE FIRST TIME YOU'VE HEARD THIS. WE CAN CERTAINLY ARRANGE A VISIT FOR THE COMMITTEE TO COME OUT AND YOU CAN EXPERIENCE WHAT OUR STUDENTS EXPERIENCE WHEN THEY COME WERE THERE FOR STUDENTS OF ALL AGES AND LIFELONG LEARNERS, SO PLEASE REACH OUT. WE'LL CERTAINLY PLAYING A SPECIAL EVENT FOR YOU ALL TO COME OUT AND HEAR WHAT WE DO. THANK YOU.[00:35:03]
THANK YOU. AND I WOULD DEFINITELY GIVE A PLUG FOR THE FIRST BOOK. IF ANYONE HASN'T READ. IT IS REALLY EYE OPENING FOR ME WHEN I WAS BEEN FASCINATED. SINCE READING THAT BOOK, AND I'VE GIVEN IT TO SO MANY DIFFERENT PEOPLE. IN FACT, WHEN WE'VE OPENED UP A COUPLE OF LIBRARIES, THAT WAS MY BOOK THAT I DONATED HERE, AND I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THE TO THE NEXT BOOK. IN FACT, I'VE TALKED TO THE HEAD OF THE SOMERSET COUNTY LIBRARIES JUST NEED TO SEE IF THEY COULD WHAT WE COULD DO TO DO SOMETHING WHEN YOU SPEND THE SWIM UP LINK. WHEN YOU DO THE BOOK LAUNCHES SO THAT WOULD BE JUST WONDERFUL. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING.AND IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE THAT YOU WANT TO COME ON UP IF NOT, I GUESS WE'LL SEE EVERYBODY AT THE NEXT OXTAIL FEST AND OR A MARCH. LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION ABOUT THE MARCH. 20TH IS THAT ONE OF THE TIMES FOR THE MARCH 25TH TO 27, IS IT? CAN YOU COME AT ANY TIME FOR THE EXHIBIT? 1 30 TO 4. OKAY TERRIFIC. AND I THINK WE'LL BE ABLE TO PUT WILL BE ABLE TO PUT THIS PRESENTATION UP ON THEIR ON OUR WEBSITE AS WELL. SO OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC CAN COME BACK AND REFER TO IT SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR AGAIN YOUR PATIENCE AND YOUR EXPERIENCE HERE. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THE NEXT
[4. OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM 20TH ANNIVERSARY]
ITEM. I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO THE CUBANS FOR THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA. THANK YOU. MARCH 20TH 2023 MARKS THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE START OF OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM.ACCORDING TO THE APARTMENT OF DEFENSE NEARLY 4500 US MULTI PERSONNEL WERE KILLED. NEARLY 32,000 WERE WOUNDED IN THE IRAQ WAR. THE VIA ESTIMATES THAT MORE THAN 3.6 MILLION VETERANS SERVED IN THE POST LINING LEVEL 11 ERROR. MONTGOMERY COMMUNITY HAS A LONG AND DISTINGUISHED HISTORY OF SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY AND THE VETERAN COMMUNITY AND OUR TOWNSHIP IS NAMED AFTER MAJOR GENERAL RICHARD MONTGOMERY, WHO WAS KILLED IN ACTION IN THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR TEACHING ME TODAY ABOUT A GREAT WORLD WAR TWO VETERAN ROBERT THROUGH THAT ALSO SUPPORTED THIS NATION AND HIS COMMUNITY. THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT WITH ME. UM SEVERAL MONTGOMERY RESIDENTS WERE ALSO DEPLOYED TO OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM MONTGOMERY RESIDENT AND CURRENT U. S ARMY BRIGADIER GENERAL JOHN LUCAS COMMANDED A RANGER INFANTRY COMPANY DURING OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM. KEVIN CLINICS ARE TWO TOWARDS IRAQ AND THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS AND WAS WOUNDED IN BATTLE EARNING THE PURPLE HEART MEDAL. AND MONTGOMERY HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 2000 GRADUATE ASHLEY HENDERSON. HUFF PAID THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE WHEN A ROADSIDE SIDE BOMB DETONATED WHILE SHE WAS ON PATROL ON SEPTEMBER 19TH 2006. SHE WAS THE FIRST NEW JERSEY FEMALE TO BE KILLED IN THE WAR. AS WE SAY. IN THE VETERAN COMMUNITY, OUR FALLEN SOLDIERS ARE LOST, BUT NEVER FORGOTTEN. WE HONORED THE VALERIE SACRIFICES AND WOUNDS BOTH SEEN AND UNSEEN, BORNE BY OUR MILITARY PERSONNEL, VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES. THEY ASKED THAT WE REMEMBER THEM AS MARCH 20TH APPROACHES AND THEN WE CONTINUE WORKING AS A COMMUNITY TO ACTUALLY SUPPORT THEM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AS WELL.
[5. POLICE REPORT – Lt. Andrew Perry]
THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS OUR POLICE REPORT, LIEUTENANT AND ANDREW PERRY WILL BE PRESENTING IT. GOOD EVENING. FIRST LIKE TO SAY THAT THIS PRESENTATION ON SAM NOT SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. JUST BY WAY OF INTRODUCTION FOR THOSE WHO IN THE AUDIENCE AND ALSO LISTENING LIEUTENANT ANDREW CURRY AND I'M CURRENTLY OVERSEEING THE SERVICES DIVISION FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. I JUST WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE INCIDENT THAT OCCURRED LAST WEEK AND JUST BY WAY OF BACKGROUND. ON MONDAY, MARCH 6TH AT 7 59. PM. THIS CARBON RESPONDED TO A 911 CALL OVER PEDESTRIAN STRUCK. BY VEHICLE ON STATE HIGHWAY 206. ON THE AIR TO STARBUCKS. I DON'T WANT TO INTERRUPT YOU. I THINK YOU NEED TO SPEAK MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE HERE. THEY NEED TO GET IT LOUDER . YEP THAT'S OKAY. SO AGAIN. JUST ON MONDAY, MARCH 6TH AT APPROXIMATELY 7 59 PM POLICE RESPONDED TO A 911 CALL OF THE PEDESTRIAN STRUCK BY A VEHICLE. ON STATE HIGHWAY 206 IN AREAS STARBUCKS. RESPONDING OFFICERS MADE CONTACT WITH AN ADULT FEMALE WHO WAS REPORTEDLY STRUCK BY A VEHICLE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CROSS TWO OH SIX MID BLOCK. THE STRIKING VEHICLE DID NOT REMAIN ON SCENE. THE PEDESTRIAN SUSTAINED NON LIFE THREATENING INJURIES. SHE WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL, AND SHE HAS SINCE BEEN RELEASED AT THIS TIME. A PRESS RELEASE WAS SENT OUT. OUR DEPARTMENT MESSAGE BOARD WAS POSTED AT THE SCENE THE FOLLOWING DAY, ASKING FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE. THROUGH FOLLOW UP INVESTIGATION, A VEHICLE OF INTEREST WAS ESTABLISHED. THAT VEHICLE IS FOR YOU TO BE A POSSIBLY A DODGE RAM SECOND GENERATION MODEL YEAR 1994 TO[00:40:06]
2002. DARK IN COLOR. AT THE TIME WITH A SNOWPLOW ATTACHED. SNOWPLOW LIGHTING, AMBER ROOF CAB LIGHTS. AND PROBE SIDE VIEW MIRRORS BASED ON THAT INFORMATION. A SECOND PRESSURE RELEASE WAS ESTABLISHED AND HAS SINCE BEEN SENT OUT ALONG WITH STILL SHOTS OF THAT VEHICLE, BOTH TO THE PRESS, AS WELL AS SOCIAL MEDIA AND HOPES OF GENERATING SOME RESPONSE FROM THE PUBLIC AS WELL. OKAY IT IS STILL A VERY ACTIVE INVESTIGATION AT THIS TIME. BUT KEEPING THAT IN MIND AND BASED ON WHAT I TOLD YOU IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS RELATED TO THAT PARTICULAR INCIDENT. KEEP IN MIND AGAIN THAT IT IS AN ACTIVE INVESTIGATION WILL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANYTHING. QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMUNITY. I KNOW THAT THE TRANSMISSION ADVISORY COMMITTEE HAS MET AND I WILL HAVE IDEALIST . LAURIE WANTS TO GO FIRST. I CAN JUST GIVE A LITTLE UPDATE TO THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE INTO THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT STAFF ARE ALSO COORDINATING WITH THE POLICE OR ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT PLANNING DEPARTMENT. ELECTED OFFICIALS AND SOME OF THE POINTS THAT WE JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW. WE'VE MET SEVERAL TIMES WITH SOMERSET COUNTY, UM, ADVOCATING FOR SIDEWALKS ON 5 18 BECAUSE WE'VE NOTICED AN INCREASE OF PEDESTRIANS ALONG 5 18. WE'VE INVITED THE N J. D O T BIKE AND PEDESTRIAN GROUP TO COME UP TO OUR LOCATION WHERE THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED SO THEY CAN REVIEW THE SITUATION AND IF THERE IS ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO IMPROVE CONDITIONS ON THE GROUND AND WILL CONTINUE TO ACTIVELY WORK WITH THAT GROUP, UM ARE TOWNSHIP ENGINEER IS LOOKING AT POSSIBLY WORKING WITH THE PROPERTY OWNER OF STARBUCKS TO ADD SOME ADDITIONAL SIGNAGE DIRECTING PEOPLE TOWARDS THE COSTS CROSSWALK THERE AT THE LIGHT. WHICH THAT DEVELOPER DID UPGRADE IN TERMS OF THE TIMING, PEDESTRIAN, UM SIGNALING AND THE CROSSWALKS. THEY'RE WE'VE DONE OUTREACH AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO OUTREACH TO THE HOMEOWNER ASSOCIATIONS AND MANAGEMENT COMPANIES OF THE AREA TO HELP RESIDENTS WITH WAY FINDING AND HOW TO NAVIGATE THROUGH THE CONSTRUCTION AREAS. UM AND LASTLY, WE'LL BE UPDATING THE TOWNSHIP WEBSITE FOR KIND OF A CLEARINGHOUSE OF INFORMATION. ANDY TOWNSHIP INFORMATION THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING PEDESTRIAN MOVEMENT PLANS. UH ALL OF THAT KIND OF THING WILL BE FOUND ON THE WEBSITE. UM AND I JUST WANTED TO, YOU KNOW, FIGURE BACK ON THAT FESTIVAL ON THE TECH MEETING THAT WE HAD, WHICH IS THE TRAFFIC ADVISORY COMMITTEE. SO WE LOOKED AT THIS PARTICULAR INCIDENT LIKE LITTLE IN PARIS SAID. WE CANNOT GET INTO THE DETAILS OF THIS, BUT WE ARE LOOKING AT SOME POSSIBILITIES. THERE IS, UM WE WERE TOLD THAT THERE IS SOME LACK OF STREET LIGHTS. AND THAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE DOING SOME MORE LIGHTING. THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE ASKED. WELL SEE, THAT'S WHAT LAURIE SAID THAT EXPLODING APPROACHING THE N J D O T FOR THAT. AND WE'VE ALSO HAD ONE INCIDENT. THIS WAS THE DISCUSSION AT THE TRAFFIC ADVISORY. WE HAD ANOTHER INCIDENT IN MONTGOMERY ON TOUR SIX WITH THIS IS CLOSER TO THE DEVELOPMENT, WHICH IS THE COUNTRY CLUB ESTATES, AND THAT HAS BEEN IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN. TAKEN CARE OF IF YOU WANTED TO JUST TOUCH ON THAT A LITTLE BURY WHAT WAS THE STEPS THAT WERE TAKEN OVER THERE? YEAH OF COURSE TO THAT THAT CONTINUES. SPEAK OF WAS ANOTHER PEDESTRIAN CRASH. UNFORTUNATELY, THREE TEENAGERS GOT STRUCK BY A VEHICLE IN NOVEMBER OF 2022 AT THE INTERSECTION OF ROUTE TWO. OH, SIX. SOUTHBOUND AT THE BILL MEET GREEKTOWN ROAD, WHICH IS ANOTHER SIGNALIZED INTERSECTION. AT THAT POINT, THOSE PEDESTRIANS WERE IN A MORE CROSSWALK. THEY WERE FOLLOWING THE RULES, MEANING THEY ESTABLISHED THEMSELVES WITHIN THE CROSSWALK. THEY WERE FOLLOWING THE PEDESTRIAN SIGNAL AND CROSSING AT THE CORRECT TIME, AND UNFORTUNATELY THEY WERE STRUCK BY A VEHICLE. IN RESPONSE TO THAT WE REACHED OUT THROUGH D O T AFTER HAVING A TRAFFIC ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING AND THE RESULT OF THAT RESPONSE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION WAS TO DELAY THE GREEN LIGHT FOR BELLAMY, GRIGGS TOWN ROAD TRAFFIC. SO NOW ALL DIRECTIONS OF TRAFFIC HAVE A RED LIGHT WHEN SOMEBODY ACTIVATES THE PETS SIGNAL, AND IT GIVES A CERTAIN TIME INTERVAL FOR ALLOWANCE PEDESTRIANS ACROSS FROM ONE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO THE OTHER BEFORE TRAFFIC HAS A GREEN LIGHT, AN EXAMPLE TO GO THROUGH THAT INTERSECTION. OKAY, THAT'S THAT'S GOOD TO KNOW. AND THEN THIS CASE IN PARTICULAR IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, BECAUSE JUST ADD ONTO THAT IS THE FACT THAT THIS CASE IS A MID BLOCK. SO DO NOT JUST HAPPENED WITHIN A CROSSWALK. SO THERE'S NO DEFICIENCIES THAT WERE REALLY YOU NOTED WITH THE INTERSECTION OR THAT'S NEARBY RIGHT AT CENTER DRIVING VILLAGE DRIVE BECAUSE IT DIDN'T HAPPEN AT THE INTERSECTION. SO I CAN JUST ADD TO HAVE WRONG WITH SAYING IS FOR US AND OF PEDESTRIAN AS WELL AS DRIVER POINTS OF INTEREST FOR[00:45:06]
HIS, UM, IF YOU ARE A DRIVER, OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, IT'S YOU'RE REQUIRED BY LAW TO STOP. THAT SOMEONE THAT'S IN THE CROSSWALK. UM CERTAINLY, SPEED IS ALWAYS A FACTOR. AND THE FASTER YOU GO, THE MORE STOPPING DISTANCE YOU'RE GOING TO NEED. SO YOU'VE GOT TO OBEY THIS FIELD LIMITS AND REDUCE YOUR SPEED. WHEN YOU'RE MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN. LOOK FOR PEDESTRIANS CROSSING ON THAT SIDE SHEET BEFORE YOU COMPLETE THAT TURN AND CERTAINLY , YOU KNOW, DISTRACTIONS. PUT THE CELL PHONE DOWN. UM, DON'T DRIVE IMPAIRED. WHAT'S REALLY INCREASE YOUR RISK OF BEGINNINGS WHEN ASKING NOT ONLY WOULD A PEDESTRIAN BUT ALSO WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. AS FAR AS PEDESTRIANS GO IF THERE IS A MARKED CROSSWALK AT A SIGNAL. ALWAYS USE THAT THAT'S GONNA BE YOUR SAFEST REPORTED ACROSS THE STREET. IF YOU DO HAVE TO CROSS THE STREET, AND THERE IS NO MORE CROSSWALK AND CERTAINLY WILL FALSELY BEFORE YOU GO ACROSS. DON'T BE DISTRACTED IF THERE IS NO SIDEWALKS AND WALK AGAINST TRAFFIC, SO YOU'RE FACING TRAFFIC SO YOU CAN SEE ONCOMING VEHICLES. BUT IF THERE IS A SIDEWALK, YOU ARE REQUIRED TO USE IT. AND THEN IF YOU ARE AT AT NIGHT REFLECTIVE CLOTHING USING FLASHLIGHTS. ANYTHING THAT DRAWS ATTENTION TO YOURSELF. THE DRIVERS CAN SEE US HERE SAFELY. THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND WE DISCUSSED THE FACT THAT YOU KNOW THERE IS A LOT OF NEW DEVELOPMENT COMING IN, AND PEOPLE ARE CROSSING OVER TO THE SHOPPING CENTERS. SO WE JUST HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU KNOW THEY FOLLOW THE SIGNS. AND I BELIEVE OUR ENGINEER MONTGOMERY ENGINEERS LOOKING AT SOME SIGNS , WHICH YOU HAD MENTIONED ABOUT PEDESTRIANS, YOU KNOW, GIVING THEM THAT SAFETY. I MET WITH MARK HERMAN AT THE SCENE. DURING THE WEEK WE SPOKE ABOUT NOT ONLY INVOLVING SIGNS THAT COULD BE INCLUDED BOTH ON THE PROPERTY DOWN THERE, BUT ALSO ALONG THE CORRIDOR TWO OH, SIX JUST TO BRING ATTENTION TO USING THE MORE CROSSWALK THAT STARE AND DIRECTING PEOPLE TO USE THAT VERSUS TRYING TO CROSS MID BLOCK , SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE ABLE TO PUSH THAT FORWARD. AND THEN, UH, YOU KNOW, I DO SIT AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS PART OF THE TRAFFIC ADVISORY COMMITTEE. SO CERTAINLY BE A PART OF THAT PARTNERSHIP AS WELL AND SEE WHAT ELSE WE DO. SO WHAT? WE'RE WHAT WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS THE MAYOR IS SET UP A SAFETY ADVISORY COMMITTEE SINCE THE ATTACK ONLY MEETS. UM DOESN'T NEED THAT OFTEN, AND UM, DEPUTY MAYOR IS GOING TO HAVE THAT UP TO REALLY FOCUS ON THIS TWO. OH, SIX CORRIDOR TO FIGURE OUT. I MEAN, WE'RE UNBELIEVABLY FORTUNATE THAT DESPITE THESE TWO ENDS, AND THERE'S BEEN NO FATALITIES, BUT I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT THIS IS NOT GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE THE CASE AND SO THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE LOOK AT EVERY SINGLE AVENUE AND SINCE THESE ARE NOT TECHNICALLY OUR ROADS, RIGHT, IT'S A STATE ROAD AND THEN WE HAVE 5 18. WE HAVE 61. THESE ARE ALL COUNTY ROADS SO THAT WE HAVE TO WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS. BUT ALSO FIGURE OUT ARE THERE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO FROM A LIGHTING PERSPECTIVE, WHICH ARE THEIR SIDEWALKS THAT WE HAVE TO PRIORITIZE WITH OUR PARTNERS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY WOULD GET IN THERE? CROSS WORKS. MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP PEOPLE SAFE BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO GET PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR CARS AND MOVING AND SO, UM, SAFETY IS PARAMOUNT. SO THAT'S WHY I'VE REQUESTED THAT DEPUTY MAYOR HAD THIS UP. WE'LL INVITE THE MOTHERS. OF COURSE, YOU WILL BE INVOLVED IN THIS AS WELL. BUT MEETING MORE OFTEN NOT JUST TO FOCUS ON TRAFFIC, BUT REALLY ABOUT SAFETY, VERY SPECIFIC TO THAT, SO THAT WE CAN GET A PLAN TO GET THIS THING MOVING AND KEEP PEOPLE SAFE. NO, THANK YOU, MA'AM, ESPECIALLY NOW THAT WILL HAVE DEVELOPMENT BEHIND SHOPRITE AREA AS WELL. SO IT'S GOING TO BE ALL THOSE PEOPLE BACK ON THE STREET AS WELL. CONTINUE TO GROW, AND I'M CERTAINLY THAT YOU KNOW, A CAMPAIGN BUILT ON, YOU KNOW, JUST COMMUNICATION AND EDUCATION . PROBLEM WILL GO A LONG WAY DOWN THERE JUST TO, YOU KNOW, GET THE WORD OUT THERE TRYING TO BE SAFE. BOTH DRIVERS AND PEDESTRIANS SO OKAY. CAN YOU CAN'T INFINITE EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF NOTIFYING THE PUBLIC THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THE DANGERS OF TWO OH, SIX HOW FAST THE VEHICLES TRAVELED. YOU KNOW , MAYBE I'M LIKE PUBLIC EVENTS OR, UM, COMMUNITY EVENTS YOU CAN COME OUT AND IF THERE'S A LOT OF CHILDREN EMPHASIZED THAT TWO OH, SIX IS A VERY DANGEROUS ROAD, AND THEY MUST FOLLOW THE THAT IS THE CROSSWALKS AND DESIGNS. THE MORE IT'S TALKED ABOUT MORE WORLD GET AROUND. HOPEFULLY, MORE PEOPLE WILL BE INVOLVED IN IT. BUT, YOU KNOW, MONTGOMERY IS A MEMBER OF THE GREATER MERCER TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION, WHICH I'M SURE YOU'RE ALL AWARE, AND THEY RUN THE STREET SMART CAMPAIGNS WHEN MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING GET INVOLVED, AND THEN MHM. SO THE RECOMMENDATION IS THE STREETS RIGHT FROM GREATER MERCER TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY? YES, THAT AS WELL AND EDUCATING, BUT EDUCATION IS ONE THING BECAUSE WE HAVE TO KEEP EDUCATING, BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO DO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO TO PUT IN. MAKE SURE WE HAVE VERY SAFE THINGS AND LIGHTING AND ALL THAT STUFF. WE DO EVERY ATTACK IT FROM A LOT OF DIFFERENT ANGLES. SO THANK YOU FOR ENGINEERING GOES ALONG WITH IT. EDUCATION. ABSOLUTELY.ABSOLUTELY THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA WILL
[6. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PRESENTATION – Jack Ferrara]
BE A SOMEONE WHO IS PROBABLY VERY, VERY HAPPY THAT THE AUDIOVISUAL IS FINALLY WORKING.UM THANK YOU, MAYOR. SO JENNIFER WILL BE PRESENTING ON THE MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP I T
[00:50:06]
DEPARTMENT. SO THANK YOU. MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP I D TORMENT CONSISTS OF MYSELF. PAT COLUCCI.TOM IS IT MY OTHER FULL TIME? I T GUY WHO IS STATIONED THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. WHICH IS 90% OF TIME WHERE HE NEEDS TO BE OKAY. SO I ALSO HAVE TO ME GRAPH, WHOSE PART TIME SHE DOES OUR WEBSITE, ADMINISTRATION AND COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER FOR THE TOWNSHIP AS WELL. UM, AND THROUGH THEM. WHO HE DOES OUR BASIC HELP DESK. SHE'S ALONE TO ME FOR 10 HOURS A DAY OR WEEKS ARE AND SHE DOES, LIKE, BASICALLY, PASSWORD RESETS ANYTHING LIKE QUICK THAT CAN BE DONE. SHE HAS ACCESS TO ALL OUR SYSTEMS, AND SHE DOES SOME QUICK WEBSITE MAINTENANCE. WHAT IS I T DO WE CONTROL THE STUFF THAT PLUGS INTO THE WALL AT MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP. UM MAINTAINING INFRASTRUCTURE SINCE WE MOVED HERE, MOSTLY EVERYTHING IS COMPUTERIZED IN SOME WAY, SO I'M TOUCHING THAT SYSTEM. YOU KNOW, CLEANING UP MESSES WHEN THEY CAME INSTALLED IT AND THEN MAINTAINING IT. UM, INSURANCE. BUSINESS CONTINUITY AND SECURE OPERATIONS. THAT'S A BIG THING FOR ME WHEN I BECAME DIRECTOR TWO YEARS AGO, I MADE SURE THAT WE HAD OFFSITE BACKUPS. WE HAVE THE CLOUD BACKUPS. BUT THEN WE ALSO HAVE OTHER FACILITIES IN MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP THAT I'VE PUSHED THAT OFF, TOO, SO WE CAN GET UP RUNNING VERY QUICKLY. UM WE HAVE OVER 140 EMPLOYEES THAT I DEAL WITH. ON A DAILY BASIS, SEVEN BUILDINGS FACILITY AND SECURITY CAMERAS THAT WE CAME HERE WE HAVE TREMENDOUS NEW SECURITY SYSTEM WHEN THE PD DEPARTMENT AND THE NEW CAMERA SYSTEM THAT ALMOST EVERY PLACE AROUND THIS BUILDING UM, WE HAVE 2200 COMPUTERS, WORKSTATIONS AND PHONES. COMPUTER NETWORK, SO I HAVE SERVERS, FIREWALLS, SWITCHES, MANAGING AND NETWORK SECURITY. LAST YEAR WE MOVED OVER TO OVERWATCH, WHICH IS A 24 HOUR DAY MONITORING OF OUR SYSTEM. SO AS SOON AS SOMETHING HAPPENS, THEY SECURE IT. THEY LOCK IT DOWN. THEY CALL ME UM AND THEY ALSO HAVE A MILLION DOLLAR. YOU KNOW IF WE EVER GET HIT, DON'T HELP US UP TO A MILLION DOLLARS, SO IT'S WELL WORTH. YOU KNOW THE COGNITIVE, SEPARATE PERSON WORKING FOR US BEFORE WE GO. AND WHAT ARE WHAT ARE FOR STP. FOUR STUDENTS TREATMENT PLANTS. THANK YOU. I'M ALSO DEALING WITH THAT NOW WE'RE UPGRADING THEM AND MAKING THEM MORE SECURE AARON LINKING SO THEY CAN BE AT ONE SITE DURING THE STORM AND MONITORING THE SYSTEM. TERRIFIC. THANK YOU.
EMAIL, COMMUNICATIONS OUTLOOK AND WEB MAIL. WE HAVE ALSO DO EMAIL, ARCHIVING SPAM FILTERING, AND OUR WHOLE SYSTEM IS BACKED UP TO THE CLOUD AS WELL. UM, I'M PREGNANT OFF PREM. CLASS B SYSTEMS. SOCIAL MEDIA RECORDING ARCHIVES, ALL OUR SOCIAL MEDIA NEEDS TO BE ARCHIVED PER STATE LAW. AND THEN MATH AND G I S SERVERS, WHICH WE'RE UPGRADING THIS YEAR TO ANOTHER SYSTEM.
DEPARTMENT SERVICES NETWORK SERVICES MAINTENANCE. JUST EQUIPMENT HARDWARE ON PREM AND CLOUD BASED BACK UP AND RECOVERY . I CAN'T TELL YOU. HOW OFTEN DO I HAVE, SOMEONE SAID. I DELETED SOMETHING OFF THE SERVER AND I HAVE TO GO RECOVER IT. STAFF SUPPORT HELP DESK AND OVERSIGHT OF 40 DIFFERENT VENDORS. WE HAVE WITH THE SECURITY A V ALL THAT AND DEPARTMENT SUPERVISION. UM I ALSO I T IS BIG IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. I STARTED OFF IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WE HAVE OVER 30. POLICE CARS WITH COMPUTERS IN THEM MODEMS USING THEIR INFO COP TO DO TICKETS. THERE ARE CAD REPORTS AND THEIR DESKTOPS. ALONG WITH NOW THEY'VE HAD BODY CAMERAS AND WATCH GUARD AT ALL.
GO TO THE CLOUD AND HAVE TO BE REDACTED, WHICH IS ALL HANDLED BY I T DEPARTMENT. WE DO EMERGENCY LIGHTS, THE RADIOS. ALL THAT IN THE CARS ARE ALL COMPUTERIZED ARE ALL UP IN THE NETWORK THAT WE CONTROL. HELPDESK TICKETS WENT UP SINCE THE SYSTEM WE HAVE ABOUT 20 TICKET TODAY OF SOMEONE JUST SAYING, HEY, I NEED HELP. MY PRINTER'S NOT PRINTING OR MY COMPUTER WON'T START PHYSICAL EQUIPMENT. WE MOVED TO THIS NEW BUILDING WITHOUT A PROBLEM FROM DAY ONE. WE HAD SOME VENDOR PROBLEMS AND THEN THE PROBLEMS. THANK YOU, MAYOR FOR GETTING US THROUGH THAT, BUT WE ON THE I T N YOU KNOW, WE MOVED ON WITHOUT A PROBLEM. WE DID HAVE SOME OVERSIGHT, AND NOW WE HAVE EVEN MORE OVERSIGHT OF THE SYSTEM IN THE BUILDING. UM SOFTWARE SURVEY WE DID RECENTLY. A SURVEY BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENTS AND SEE WHAT THE SOFTWARE THAT WE HAVE AND HOW THEY LIKE IT. HOW WE CAN IMPROVE THAT AND HOW WE CAN COME MAINSTREAM INTO ONE PLATFORM, WHICH IS PRETTY MUCH GOT PILOT THIS TIME ALLOWS THE PUBLIC TO PAY ONLINE. LOOK AT TAX BILLS AND ALL THAT. YOU MUNICIPAL CENTER JUST ALONE WHEN I'VE COME HERE CAME HERE. WE HAD 60 NETWORK CAMERAS OVER 50 DOOR LOCKS OR COMPUTERIZED TIMED AND KIOSK SEX. EACH VACUUM. ALTHOUGH
[00:55:07]
IT'S WARM IN HERE TONIGHT, IT'S ALL CONTROLLED BY THE COMPUTER. SO MOSTLY THEY COME TO US. WE WORK WITH THEM TO GET IT FIXED. SEVEN NEW MEETING ROOMS WITH HIGH TECH BOARDS TO THIS LOBBY DISPLAYS. UPGRADED TO A FIVE CAMERA SWAGGART SYSTEM NOW WHICH IS ALSO LIVE STREAMING TO THEM.THEY HAD A STUDIO THERE THAT THEY ACTUALLY CONTROL WHEN WE'RE HAVING A LIFE EVENT HERE. AH AND OUR NEW SOUND SYSTEM THAT BROKEN NOW IT'S UP AND RUNNING, SO WE SAW SOME TWEAKS. UH WATER TREATMENT PLANTS THIS YEAR. WE HAVE REALLY WORKED WITH THE PLATE PLANTS ON MOD ARISING THE SYSTEM AND SECURING THE SYSTEM. SO WE HAVE AIRED GAPS. THEY ARE CONNECTED INTERNALLY ON OUR NETWORK. BUT THEY DON'T GO OUT OTHER THAN TO BE MADE BY G THAT DOES A LOT OF THEIR MAINTENANCE ON THEM. BUT THEY CAN CONTROL IT FROM ONE SITE NOW, WHICH WAS NEVER DONE BEFORE, AND IT'S TOTALLY SECURED. SO WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT ANYTHING. SO UM, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER SECURITY MONITORING BY OVERWATCH , WHICH IS OUR ANTIVIRUS AND EVERYTHING 24 HOURS A DAY. I REALLY IT'S GREAT STATE POLICE FROM NEW JERSEY UTILIZE IT. GOVERNMENT UTILIZES IT. I'M DOING A DAY TO DAY WITH OPERATION SYSTEMS OF WINDOWS 10 11 SERVERS. AND OUR FINANCIAL SOFTWARE. M S. I PILOT. IS ONE OF OUR BIGGEST ONES NOW. HAVE I MENTIONED BEFORE ACROSS THE TRACK. GULF PILOT. REALLY DOES. THE FIRST MODULE WAS DEVELOPED IN 2020. STARTING WITH OPRAH ALARM, URGENCY, ZONING PERMITS AND FOOD VENDORS GREW 37 MODULES. AND MORE ABOUT THE LAUNCH. SO I KNOW THE DEPARTMENTS ARE LIKING IT AND LEARNING A LOT MORE FOR IT. WE DO HAVE ONE OF MY STAFF MEMBERS WHOSE KIND OF THE GURU BUT WE'RE HOPING TO EXPAND THAT. GREAT.
THANK YOU. THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE MODULES THAT WE HAVE UP AND RUNNING RIGHT NOW. WE JUST LAUNCHED THE CONTAINER FACILITY MODULE, WHICH ALLOWS THE PUBLIC TO PAY ONLINE AHEAD OF TIME, PICK THEIR TIME AND JUST GO OVER THERE AND GET IT DONE. THAT'S GOOD. SO INSTEAD OF COMING IN HERE FOR TICKETS, THEY CAN JUST GO ONLINE. GET ALL THE TICKETS FOR THE CONTAINER BOTH THEIR TIME DOING THEIR AVAILABLE. THEY'LL GET A PRINT OUT AND THEY PAID FOR IT WITH CREDIT CARDS.
GREAT, THANK YOU. INCREASE ALARM REGISTRY UP TO FROM 2021 TO 2022. 694% OPRAH. 2 12.
CONTAINER FACILITY. 193 AND THE ONLY PRIMITIVE 157 AND THEN 2022 2023 DOG LICENSES. 52 CAT LICENSES 227. CONSTRUCTION THAT WERE INPUTTED BY THE STAFF IS UP BY 7.5. WHERE'S IS CONSTRUCTION ? THEY'RE NOT 100% ON MY GETTING. CORRECT SOME OF THE FIRE AND ALL OF THEM, BUT THIS IS WHAT THEY'RE INPUTTING ON DATABASES. THEY JUST CAME ONLINE. RIGHT WHEN WE MOVED, THEY CAME ONLINE. SO AS IT SO IF I WANT TO GO PUT IN A CONSTRUCTION PERMIT, I CAN NOW DO IT. MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC. YEAH I DON'T THINK SO YET. NO, YOU HAVE TO GO UP THERE NOW, AND WE'LL PUT IT. OKAY PILOT THEMSELVES, BUT I WOULDN'T LISTEN. WHEN THEY'RE WHEN ARE THEY GOING TO HAVE IT SO THAT THE PUBLIC INCOME YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW THAT, BUT MAYBE YOU CAN FIND THAT OUT IN THE PROCESS OF IT. I THINK THEY'RE JUST TRYING TO GET THE SAME SYSTEM WORKING FOR THEMSELVES. OKAY I'M HOPING THIS YEAR WE HAD THAT UP AND RUNNING. IT'S GREAT BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S ALSO A WAY YOU CAN, UM THERE'S A CALENDAR AND A TIME SYSTEM ON THERE, SO YOU CAN KIND OF FIGURE OUT WHEN SOMEBODY'S GOING TO BE COMING. EVENTUALLY INSPECTIONS? YES, FOR INSPECTION, SO I WANT TO GET THAT OUT. SO IN TOTAL SUBMISSION 7725 SINCE START DATE, WHICH IS TREMENDOUS, AND HOPEFULLY IT GOES UP. THINGS TO COME THIS YEAR. CYBER SECURITY ENHANCEMENTS. THAT'S MY BIG GOAL IS ALWAYS CYBERSECURITY AND MAKE SURE OUR NETWORK SECURE UM, WE'RE GOING TO M F A, WHICH IS BASICALLY YOU GUYS USED FOR YOUR BANKING WHEN YOU GET THE DUAL AUTHENTICATION TO GET THE TEXT MESSAGE TO YOUR PHONE ANYTIME YOU LOG ONTO THE EMAIL SYSTEM, OR EVEN OUR SYSTEM IN THE HOUSE. WE'RE CHANGING OUR PHONE CARRIERS, AND WE'RE GOING TO REDUCE THE COST BY $1000 A MONTH, SO WE GOT A NEW PHONES WITH DUAL BACK UP, SO THEY'RE ALSO, YOU KNOW. BACK UP. UM ADDITIONAL MODULES FOR GOLF PILOT. AND COMPUTER KIOSK. I MEAN, THEY PUT DOWN HERE SO 24 HOURS A DAY CUSTOM PEOPLE CAN COME IN PUBLIC COMMAND PAY THEIR BILLS. RESEARCH THINGS AND PUT IN REQUESTS. DIRECTOR CORRECT QUESTION. THINGS LIKE CYBER SECURITY, OR, YOU KNOW, KIND OF WE'RE KIND OF RISKS. WE DO ANY EXTERNAL AUDITS OR SOMEONE COMING AUDIT US? YES. SO THE INSURANCE COMPANY COMES UH, YEARLY AND THEY DO AN AUDIT OF US. WE ARE THE TOP TIER. THERE'S FOUR TIERS. WE MAKE NUMBER ONE. UM SO WE GET AUDITED BY THEM.
THAT REPORT COMES TO TOWNSHIP COMMUNITY. IT COMES TO YOU GUYS I BELIEVE OR AND THEN HE WANTS TO KNOW ABOUT THE AUDIT FOR THE AUDIT FOR THE IT DEPARTMENT TO THE TOWNSHIP. I DON'T KNOW. I
[01:00:05]
CAN LOOK INTO THAT. I CAN SEND A COPY TO YOU GUYS, BECAUSE I DO GET IT. THANK YOU FOR COPY OF THAT. WELL I MUST SAY WHEN I JOINED WHAT IS IT FOUR YEARS AGO ? I DON'T THINK I THINK WE HAD ONE IDEA PERSON AND NOTHING WAS ONLINE. AND SO THE FIRST BRINGING OF PILOT AND THAT WAS UNDER, UM, I THINK MAYOR SET OFF DROP. REMEMBER HOW FAR WE'VE COME? SO EVERYTHING WAS DONE WAS MANUAL. SO THIS IS GREAT THAT WE HAVE MADE THINGS MORE ACCESSIBLE TO PEOPLE ONLINE AS WELL AS PEOPLE, PEOPLE THAT WANT TO COME IN AND STILL DO THINGS FACE TO FACE. WE HAVE THAT SO WE CAN COVER ALL OF OUR STAKEHOLDERS HERE. THE PRESIDENT, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THANK YOU. UM REALLY BRINGING US FORWARD AND WE GO FORWARD TO DOING MORE AND MORE WITH COPILOT. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND I WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE TO GET US INTO THIS HILDEN. I'VE SAID THIS A COUPLE OF TIMES, BUT FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WE WOULDN'T BE HERE IF JACK HAD WAS NOT WORKING. 24 7 ENTIRE TIME. UM AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DID. YOU REALLY PICKED THE BALL UP. LOT OF THIS FELL INTO YOU AT THE LAST MINUTE AND YOU REALLY GOT IT OVER THE FINISH LINE ON THIS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR HARD WORK. NICE TO SEE WE HAVE AN I T DEPARTMENT NOW. YEAH.[7. PUBLIC COMMENT]
REPORT WAS A HELP DESK. I OKAY? THE NEXT ITEM ON EACH AND HIS PUBLIC COMMENT. SO EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE A MAXIMUM OF FIVE MINUTES TO SPEAK AND SHOULD LIMIT COMMENTS TO MATTERS PERTAINING TO THE TOWNSHIP. ADDITIONALLY IF YOUR COMMENTS ARE SIMILAR TO COMMENTS ALREADY MADE, INSTEAD OF REPEATING THEM AT LENGTH, WE ASKED THAT YOU INSTEAD INDICATE THAT YOU JOIN IN OR SUPPORT. THOSE COMMENTS PREVIOUSLY MADE GROUPS ARE ASKED TO SELECT A SPOKESPERSON TO SPEAK ON THEIR BEHALF. SO WITH THAT I WILL OPEN THIS UP TO PUBLIC COMMENT. UM PLEASE COME FORWARD. YOU'D STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD. WE GOT ONE PERSON COMING THAT ONE TAKER. DON'T FALL. DON'T RUN, DON'T SLIP FOR ASKING 19 YORK DRIVE. REALLY EASY. I JUST WANT TO SAY I CAME TO THE THING ON TUESDAY. SENATOR DESPAIR AND I REALLY ENJOYED MYSELF. I GOT TO TALK TO A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT PROFESSIONAL STAFF AND LEARN ABOUT THINGS. FOR A PROJECT I HOPE TO DO. ONTARIO VALLEY ROAD. AND BONNIE WATSON COLEMAN THING WAS GREAT. I JUST WANT TO SAY THANKS FOR THAT. IT WAS I DEFINITELY APPRECIATE IT. ALL RIGHT. WELL, THANK YOU FOR COMING. THANK YOU. NO, NO. IF NOT WITH THAT, I WILL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT. THE NEXT ITEM ON[8. CONSENT AGENDA]
THE AGENDA IS THE CONSENT AGENDA, SO ALL MATTERS LISTED HERE UNDER ARE CONSIDERED TO BE ROUTINE IN NATURE AND WILL BE ENACTED IN ONE MOTION. ARE THERE ANY REQUESTS FROM THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE TO REMOVE AN ITEM FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION OR THERE ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY? PLEASE JUST MAKE SURE I GOT ALL THE NUMBERS. SO WITH THAT, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE CONSENT AGENDA COVERING RESOLUTION 23-3 DASH 86 THROUGH. RESOLUTION 23-3 DASH 92 , AS WELL AS THE MAYORAL APPOINTMENT WITH CONSENT OF THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE OF THE APPROPRIATE AUTHORITY. SIMILARLY 2ND 2ND LOCAL, PLEASE. REMEMBER ON YES, TODD? YES MEMBER BARICAN ? YES, DEPUTY MAYOR SING. MAYOR[9. RESOLUTION #23-3-93 - APPROVING SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT WITH DOBCO Inc.]
KENNEDY YES. THE NEXT ITEM IS VERY RESOLUTION 23-3 DASH 93 APPROVING THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT WITH DOB COTE INC. THIS. SO THIS IS, UM, GET CLOSER. THANK YOU, MARY. THIS IS A SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT TO CLOSE OUT ALL THE UM, EXISTING CONTRACT MATTERS OF FINISHING UP THE BUILDING, AS WELL AS A SLIGHT INCREASE IN THE TOTAL. COST. THOSE $10,000 AND SEN.1007 $150 THAT WILL COME AS CHANGE ORDER FROM THE COUNTY. SO THE DOG CO. WHO WAS THE BUILDER? WE ARE ENTERED INTO WHAT? WE WERE NOT. IT WAS ACTUALLY THE SOMERSET COUNTY IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY, BUT WE HAD TO APPROVE THIS SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT. RIGHT CORRECT BECAUSE THE CONTRACT WAS BETWEEN DHAKA AND THE IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY, HOWEVER, BECAUSE WE PUT THE BILL PURCHASE AGREEMENT, IT WAS WOULD INCREASE YOUR TOTAL PURCHASE BY THIS AMOUNT. SO ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME DOWNSTAIRS AND YOU KNOW, NOT DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE. 2ND 2ND. WE'LL CALL PLEASE REMEMBER ON TODD? YES. MANY MEMBERS OF ARROGANT YES, NURSING. YES, MAYOR KEENAN. NO. I DIDN'T WANT
[01:05:10]
TO PAY ONE DIME OVER WHAT WE HAD SAID SO 10,000 $750,000 IS MORE THAN ONE DIME SO. RESOLUTION[10. RESOLUTION #23-3-94 - APPROVING A COST SHARING TRAFFIC SIGNAL AGREEMENT WITH NJDOT AT ROUTE 206 AND ORCHARD ROAD]
23-3 DASH 94 APPROVING A COST SHARING TRAFFIC SIGNAL AGREEMENT WITH NJ DOT AT ROUTE 206 AND ORCHARD ROAD. THIS IS, UM WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS FOR THE FEW MEETINGS. NOW WE'VE BEEN TAKING CERTAIN ACTION. WE HAVE A GRANT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO ADD SIDEWALKS ON ORCHARD ROAD TO CONNECT THE EAST SIDE OF ORCHARD AND BRIDGEPOINT ROAD TO THE NEW MUNICIPAL CENTER. UM AND SO THE D O T, UH, IS COST SHARING ON IMPROVEMENTS OUTSIDE OF THE SIDEWALK PROJECT TO, UM TO UPGRADE THE TRAFFIC SIGNAL. OUR COST SHARE IS ABOUT $16,000. SO ALL THE. STATE TAXES WE PAY AND THEY CAN'T BURY THE WHOLE THING. WE STILL HAVE TO THINK THEY WERE TRYING TO GET US TO PAY $200,000 . SO I THINK I THINK WE WERE ABLE TO 16 IS GOOD WITH 16. WE DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT TICKS ME OFF TO PAY. WE PAY A LOT OF STATE TAXES HERE AS WELL. SO WE'LL HAVE TO TALK TO OUR ASSEMBLY PEOPLE ABOUT JUST THINKING THAT'S WHERE SHE'S LOOKING. SO SO WITH THAT WE HAVE A MOTION TO PROVE SOME MOVED. 2ND 2ND CALL, PLEASE. REMEMBER ON YES TIMES? YES MANY MEMBERS ARROGANT. YES SING? YES, MAYOR CANNON? YES. RESOLUTION 23-3[11. RESOLUTION #23-3-95 - AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASE OF CROWDSTRIKE FALCON COMPLETE ENDPOINT PROTECTION PROPRIETARY COMPUTER SOFTWARE]
DASH 95 AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASE OF CROWDSTRIKE FALCON, COMPLETE ENDPOINT PROTECTION AND PROPRIETY. COMPUTER SOFTWARE VERY APPROPRIATE BASED ON OUR PRESENTATION. ANY QUESTIONS? WITH THAT, UM DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE SOMEONE? A 2ND 2ND, PLEASE. MAYBE MEMBER RON? YES REMEMBER PARK? YES. YOU REMEMBER BARICAN? DEPUTY MAYOR SING YES. RESOLUTION 23-3 DASH 96[12. RESOLUTION #23-3-96 – AUTHORIZING THE SALE OF A PLENARY RETAIL CONSUMPTION LICENSE]
AUTHORIZING THE SALE OF A RETAIL CONSUMPTIVE LICENSE. SO DONNA KUBA OR TOWNSHIP CLERK HAD BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION THAT GIVEN THE CURRENT UPDATED CENSUS NUMBERS WE HAD AVAILABLE TO US THE ABILITY TO SELL ONE ADDITIONAL CONSUMPTION LICENSE THAT, UH, FOR A RESTAURANT. UM, AND SO IT WAS DISCUSSED THAT WE SHOULD MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT THERE ARE SOME DEVELOPMENTS GOING ON THAT HAVE INTEREST IN PURCHASING A RESTAURANT. LIQUOR LICENSE. AND SO THIS AUTHORIZES THAT TO PROCEED AND THE TIMELINE WOULD BE MAY 2ND WOULD BE, UM THE BIDDERS WOULD BE PRE QUALIFYING AND THEN MAY 9TH WE WOULD BE OPENING THE BID. THIS IS THE FIRST STEP IN THE BUILDING. DO THAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE? SO THAT WILL BE GOING OUT TO BID FOR THE MINIMUM BID OF $425,000 A SECOND, SO IF YOU'RE INTERESTED. MAY 2ND UM, WITH THAT OF THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE MOVE TO 2ND 2ND.WE'LL CALL PLEASE. COMMITTEE MEMBER ON YES, TODD? YES MANY MEMBER BARICAN. YES DEPUTY MAYOR
[13. ORDINANCE #23-1695]
SING. YES. MAYOR KEENAN? YES? NEXT IS ORDINANCE 23-1695. THIS IS FOR THE PARKS AND RECREATION AREA FEES. THIS IS AN INTRODUCTION. SO WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS AS IT HAS LED TO THE INTRODUCTION OF THIS ORDINANCE. THE CHANGE IS THIS PARTICULAR SECTION OF THE WRECK RECREATION FEES ORDINANCE HAD NOT BEEN TOUCHED WHEN PRIOR WE HAD UPDATED OUR FEES FOR RENTING OUT THE COMMUNITY CENTER. SO THIS REALLY THE BASIC, IT CHANGES FROM A DAILY RATE TO AN HOURLY HOURLY RATE, AND IT'S CONSISTENT WITH WHAT ALL OF THE TOWNS SURROUNDING ARE CHARGING AS WELL AND WE ARE ROLLING OUT FOR IN TOWN REC LEAGUES. THAT RATE WILL KIND OF INCREMENTALLY INCREASE OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS JUST BECAUSE THEY PLAN THEIR BUDGETS AND THEIR FEES ARE MULTIPLE, MULTI YEARS SO RATHER THAN HAVING ONE LARGE IMPACT TO THEIR, UM, THEIR FAMILIES THAT THE REC DEPARTMENT WANTED TO WORK WITH THEM TO KIND OF INCREASE IT SLIGHTLY OVER TIME FOR THE IN TOWN LEAGUES. SO WHEN I BOOK IT THIS WHERE WHERE IT DOES THAT INCREMENTAL THING.WHAT AM I MISSING BECAUSE IT SAYS STARTING JULY 1ST 2020 $10 PER HOUR PER FIELD, RIGHT, SO THEY'LL BE THEY'LL BUT THEY'LL MAX AT $50 PER DAY. UM, AND THAT WILL THAT MAX WILL PHASE OUT OVER TIME. SO IN 2023, THEY WILL PAY THE $10 PER HOUR PER FIELD OR A MAX OF THE $50 PER TAPE.
[01:10:04]
TODAY PER FIELD, SO IF THEY WANTED TO DO IT EIGHT HOURS THEY WOULD ONLY BE CHARGED TO $50.AND THEN. THEN IT GOES TOO MUCH, AND THEN IT WAS $70 MAX, AND THEN NO MAX IN 2025. SO IF THEY WANTED A FIELD FOR EIGHT HOURS, IT WOULD BE 80 $80. SO THE DAY IS CONSIDERED IT HOURS. IT DOESN'T SAY WHERE THIS IS THE DAY IN HERE. THE DAY WOULD BE THEIR SUNUP TO SUNDOWN. FROM THE FIELD, SO IT WOULD BE DURING THAT LENGTH OF TIME. THAT THEY WANTED TO MUSIC. IT WAS. YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THEY DO USE IT LONGER. IT DOESN'T VARY ON PEAK SEASONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THINK IT'S WORTH. DOES IT VARY BY PEAK SEASON, RIGHT IF THERE'S LIKE, ON WEEKENDS SATURDAYS WHERE IT'S, YOU KNOW. YOU KNOW PEOPLE ARE FIGHTING FOR SPACE IS I THINK A LOT OF TIMES THE SOCCER LEAGUE WILL WILL HAVE A, UM, WEEKEND COMPETITION SO THEY MIGHT BOOK MULTIPLE FIELDS FOR MORE THAN FOUR HOURS. SO, UM WE'RE GOING TO BE CHARGING $10 PER HOUR PER FIELD, BUT AS WE ROLL IT OUT THIS THIS WAS A KIND OF A COMPROMISE THAT THEY WANTED TO BE ABLE TO DO SO IF THEY NEEDED IT FOR EIGHT HOURS THERE, MAX WOULD BE $50. IN 2020 CAN WE ADD THAT PER FIELD WITH NO MAXELL? IT'S JUST I MEAN, I'M JUST CONCERNED ABOUT IS THE DAY RATE. WE NEED TO DEFINE THE DAYBREAK IN HOW LONG A DAY IS OR NOT. ARE YOU COMFORTABLE WITH? I THINK THE REC DEPARTMENT IS YEAH, IT WENT OUT TO IMPLEMENT. YEAH, THAT'S FINE, BUT BEAUTIFUL. YOUR FIELDS ARE ONLY AVAILABLE CERTAIN HOURS. I MEAN, THEY'RE NOT 24 7, SO THAT WILL ALSO HELP CONSTITUTE OKAY, THAT DO I HAVE A MOTION TO INTRODUCE YES, IT'S A MOVED 2ND 2ND, PLEASE. SEPTEMBER ON. COMMITTEE MEMBER TIED YES, MANY MEMBERS OF ARROGANT SING YES. THE NEXT ITEM IS THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES. UM
[14. ORDINANCE #23-1696]
IF THERE ARE NO CORRECTIONS FOR THE REGULAR SESSION MINUTES FOR MARCH, 6TH 2023. IN THE 14TH WANTS EXPENSIVE. I'M SO SORRY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SORRY NUMBER 14 IS OKAY? YES THIS IS ORDINANCE 23-1696. THIS IS FOR THE ZION WORDS VILLE ROAD OR OW ACQUISITION. THIS IS AN INTRODUCTION. THE ORDINANCE IS REQUIRED BECAUSE THE DEDICATION OF THIS RIGHT OF WAY AREAS REQUIRED BY THE PROPERTY OWNER AS PART OF THEIR APPROVALS. AND SO IN ORDER TO ACCEPT THE DEDICATION IT HAS TO BE DONE BY ORDINANCE. DO I HAVE A MOMENT TO INTRODUCE SOME OF SECONDS? WE'LL CALL PLEASE. REMEMBER? REMEMBER BARICAN? YES. YES. NOW. THE NEXT ITEM IS FOR THE APPROVAL OF[15. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
MINUTES. ARE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS FROM THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE? IF NOT DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FOR THE REGULAR SESSION FOR MARCH 6TH 2023 SIMILAR SECOND ALL IN FAVOR. I ABSTAIN JUST BECAUSE YES. OKAY, SO ONE. THE NEXT ITEM IS THE PAYMENT OF[16. PAYMENT OF BILLS – Posted]
BILLS POSTED MAYOR. WE HAVE THE THREE HIGHEST SPILLS. WE'RE PAYING TO A RELATED TO INSURANCE . WE HAVE OUR CENTRAL JERSEY HEALTH INSURANCE FUND PAYMENT 169,184. THAT'S FOR OUR HEALTH INSURANCE PAYMENT, AND THE MID JERSEY NEW JERSEY SORRY, MID JERSEY MUNICIPAL JOINT INSURANCE FUND THAT IS OUR THIRD INSTALLMENT FOR THE YEAR. IT'S $138,000 200. 138,216 THAT'S OUR LIABILITY INSURANCE AND OUR, UM UH, INTEREST PAYMENT FOR THE NEW MUNICIPAL COMPLEX. SOMERSET COUNTY TO THE SOMERSET COUNTY IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY, $611,000.60. DOLLARS. THEY'RE YOUR THREE HIGHEST SPELLS. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM POTENTIAL MEDIUM. THEY NEED ITEMS. NO. OKAY WITH THAT. DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE SOME OF 2ND 2ND LOCAL, PLEASE. MEMBER ON COMMITTEE MEMBER TODD MANY MEMBER BARRAGAN YES. MEDICINE YES. YES THE NEXT ITEM IS[COMMITTEE CORRESPONDENCE]
[01:15:06]
COMMITTEE, CORRESPONDENCE, NAUSEA AND THE PICKLE BALL COURTS. SHE HAD TO REQUEST. FROM MR SHOCK. ASKING THAT THE TOWNSHIP. ADDRESS THE LACK OF A PICKLE OF PICKLED BOARD. YES BALL, OF COURSE. YOU WANT A CHOCOLATE? YEAH SO WE HAVE TALKED TO MR SHAW AT AT THE REC . WE ARE TRYING TO SEE WHAT CAN BE DONE. IT'S AN EXPENSE AND WE HAVE BEEN TALKING AND I TALKED TO THE MAYOR AND WE CAN ALSO LOOK AT THE SCHOOL BOARD TO SEE IF THEY'RE GOING TO BE THE SCHOOL. UH, WE ARE GOING TO USE THE TENNIS COURTS AT THE SCHOOL. SO AT THIS POINT, WE ARE GOING TO TALK TO THE SCHOOL BOARD AND SEE IF THEY WANT TO DO SOMETHING WITH US AND WHICH WE HOPE THEY WANT TO, BECAUSE IT'S THEIR TOWN AS WELL. SO AT THAT TIME, I THINK I'LL REACH OUT TO MR SHINE. ASK HIM ALSO TO SEND THIS PETITION TO THE SCHOOL BOARD. THANK YOU. SO UM, JUST FOR MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE IN THE PUBLIC, THERE WAS A REQUEST FOR A CAPTIVE AND THE NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT WHERE WE WOULD BE PAYING FROM THE MUNICIPALITY FOR THESE UPGRADES TO A TENNIS COURT THAT'S FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. UM NOT GIVING ACCESS TO ANY OF OUR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. THEY CAN'T GO THERE DURING SCHOOL HOURS. IT IS A SCHOOL DISTRICT ASSET. AND SO THE REQUEST HAS BEEN PUSHING BACK THE SAY WE PAY A LOT IN SCHOOL TAXES. THE MAJORITY OF OUR TAXES DO GO TO THE SCHOOL. SO PERHAPS THEY WOULD. UM UH DO THIS ON THEIR OWN, FRANKLY, IF NOT MEET US, AT LEAST HALFWAY, BUT I WE'VE BEEN DIRTY. REALLY MAKING SURE THAT WE DON'T DOUBLE TAX ARE, UM A TAXPAYERS. ALL OF US UP HERE, AND EVERYONE IN THE AUDIENCE AS WELL. SO THANK YOU, BUT I MEAN, PICKLEBALL IS A IT'S A REALLY INTERESTING SPORT. A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED. WE DO WANT TO SEE MORE OF THEM. THAT IS THE EASIEST OPTION AS WE LOOK FOR POTENTIALLY OTHER PLACES TO ACTUALLY CONSTRUCT THEM. UM SO IT IS A GOOD USE OF FUNDS, BUT FRANKLY, I'D LIKE TO SEE IF THEY COULD PAY FOR PART OF IT AS WELL, TOO. SO PLEASE GO TO THE SCHOOL BOARD AND ASKED THEM AS WELL AND THEN WE DID GET A QUOTE FOR THEM. AT THIS POINT WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT $21,000. AND OF COURSE, WE WOULD LOVE TO COLLABORATE WITH THE SCHOOLS.YOU CAN MENTION THAT THE GOVERNOR CAME BY AND WAS ALSO IN FAVOR OF HELPING MONTGOMERY SCHOOL SYSTEMS, SO OKAY, ABSOLUTELY. ABSOLUTELY I DIDN'T ACTUALLY PICKLEBALL COURT. THANK
[NEW & UNFINISHED BUSINESS]
YOU. UM NEW AND UNFINISHED BUSINESS. YOU'RE GONNA GIVE US AN UPDATE ON THE COMMUNICATIONS TOWER THERE, YOU KNOW, AS WE LOOK FOR WAYS TO INCREASE OUR INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS HERE AT THE NEW SITE, ONE WAY WOULD BE THE INSTALLATION OF A COMMUNICATIONS TOWER HERE ON THE PROPERTY, SO FIRST AND FOREMOST , IT WOULD SERVE OUR EMERGENCY SERVICES AND THEN ADDITIONALLY, THE TOWER CAN SUPPORT KOLOK ATION FOR WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS AND CARRIERS, SO THAT WOULD HELP IMPROVE COVERAGE, WHICH ARE RESIDENTS HAVE I HAVE MADE KNOWN THERE ARE SOME COVERAGE GAPS IN TOWN, SO THAT'S WHAT WE ARE LOOKING TO DO, AND IT WOULD NEED TO BE THROUGH THE BID PROCESS. SO WE ARE WORKING WITH THE TOWNSHIP ATTORNEY AND OUR TOWNSHIP CLERK AND PREPARING TO BRING THAT TO YOU IN THE NEAR FUTURE. THAT'S GREAT, AND I KNOW WE'VE BEEN PUTTING UP THAT REQUEST TO LOOKING AT ANY OF OUR MUNICIPAL PROPERTIES IF THEY ARE APPROPRIATE FOR THESE KIND OF COMMUNICATION SOUR, IT IS SOMETHING THAT IF IT BENEFITS ALL OVER THE TAXPAYERS OF MONTGOMERY AS WELL, SO THANK YOU FOR MOVING THIS FORWARD. I'M INTERESTED TO SEE WHERE THEY WANT TO PUT IT IN LOVE TO SEE WITH BITS COME OUT AS WELL. I'LL[ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT]
TURN IT OVER TO THE ADMINISTRATORS REPORTING CONTINUE FURTHER PROGRESS THAT THE 5 18 TO 6 INTERSECTION, THE OWNER OF THE ABANDONED TEXACO GAS STATION HAS AGREED TO DEMOLISH THE BUILDING. SO WE'RE VERY, VERY HAPPY ABOUT THAT. BELIEVE IT WHEN I SEE IT, BUT THAT SOUNDS WONDERFUL. UM AND SO THEY JOINED THEIR NEIGHBOR THAT THAT'S THE VACANT AUTO PARTS STORE WHO SUBMITTED A DEMOLITION PERMIT FOR REVIEW IN FEBRUARY. AND THAT IS GOING THROUGH ALL THE PRIOR REVIEWS THAT NEEDED AND THEN THE DEMOLITION WORK HAS BEEN COMPLETED AT 10 26 5 18.THAT'S THE BUILDING BEHIND WAWA, WHERE THE ROOF HAD COLLAPSED MANY YEARS AGO. AND THEY KNOW HOW THE CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL THAT THAT WORK IS COMPLETE. SO THINGS ARE MOVING AND HAPPENING AT 5 18 INTO A SIX TO TRY AND CLEAN UP THOSE EYESORES, THOSE LONGSTANDING I SOURCE SO WE'RE VERY HAPPY ABOUT THAT. UM WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE SHADE TREE COMMITTEE TO ADDRESS ADDITIONAL STREET TREE AND SHADE TREE PLANTS HERE AT THE MUNICIPAL COMPLEX. AND WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH SOMERSET COUNTY, AS THE PROPERTY IS, YOU KNOW, REMAINS OWNED BY SOMERSET COUNTY THAT WE CAN JOINTLY ENDEAVOR THAT AND THERE ARE A FEW GRANTS THAT WERE LOOKING
[01:20:02]
INTO AS WELL. SO HOPEFULLY BETWEEN THIS YEAR THE NEXT YEAR, I'M SURE WITH THE AMOUNT OF TREES WE'D LIKE TO SEE PLANTED ON THE PROJECT OF PROPERTY WILL PROBABLY A MULTI YEAR PROJECT.BUT WE ARE ACTIVELY WORKING. WITH THE SUBCOMMITTEE THAT WAS CREATED FOR THE KIND OF THE GREENING OF THE MUNICIPAL BUILDING SITE AND ALSO ON THE PROPERTY. WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH A COMPANY TO MOVE THE SOLAR PROJECT ALONG FOR ROOF MOUNTED OR COMBINATION WITH A CARPORT.
SO WE'RE WE'LL BE GOING OUT TO BID ON THAT PROJECT AS WELL. IN THE FUTURE. WE'RE WORKING ON THAT KIND OF GETTING THOSE DOCUMENTS TOGETHER. THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE HAD WANTED TO DO PRIOR TO MOVING INTO THE BUILDING AND IT NEEDED TO GET DEFERRED, BUT IT'S BACK ON THE TABLE, AND SO WE'RE EXCITED TO MOVE THAT FORWARD. HMM. ANOTHER NEW BUILDING ITEM. THE BLINDS HAVE BEEN ORDERED FOR THE FOR THE ROOM. HERE ARE COUNCIL CHAMBERS. THEY ARE SPECIAL TYPES OF BLINDS THE THEIR MOTORIZED. UM, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW THAT ORIGINAL COMPANY WAS BACK WHEN BANKRUPT, SO THE BLINDS WE WERE NOT ABLE TO OBTAIN. WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH SEVERAL OTHER COMPANIES, AND SO WE'VE FINALLY HAVE A VENDOR THERE IN THE SYSTEM. THE BLINDS ARE ORDERED.
SO IT WILL TAKE ABOUT SIX WEEKS FOR THEM TO COME IN AND THEN JUST A FEW DAYS TO INSTALL, SO WE'RE HAPPY ABOUT THAT. UM WE WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT ACTUALLY ONE OF OUR OLDEST APARTMENT COMPLEXES IN MONTGOMERY BUILT IN 1978. PRINCETON HILL APARTMENTS ARE LOCATED ON BLUE SPRING ROAD THAT THE COMPLEX ACTUALLY WAS SOLD IN IN DECEMBER OF 2022. SO THE NEW OWNER HAS BEEN WORKING COOPERATIVELY WITH OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT AND OUR FIRE PREVENTION BUREAU. TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE. UM UH, SINCE IT IS AN OLDER COMPLEX WITH LOCAL AND STATE CODES, AND THEY ACTUALLY HAVE BEEN SUBMITTING BUILDING PERMITS TO UPGRADE THE APARTMENTS, RENOVATE THEM AS THE APARTMENTS BECOME AVAILABLE, SO I'M SURE THERE WILL BE ONGOING THINGS HAPPENING AT THAT APARTMENT COMPLEX, BUT WE WERE HAPPY THAT THEY'LL BE SOME UPGRADES TO THAT. THAT LOCATION . ARE THEY GOING TO RENAME IT? THE MONTGOMERY HILL APARTMENTS? CAN THEY PLEASE PAINT THEM AND MAKE THEM LOOK LIKE DEPARTMENT? THEY LOOK LIKE THIS SHOULDN'T BE HERE. UM AND WE WANTED TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THE SOME OF THE PROPERTIES THAT WERE IMPACTED BY IDA. THEY CONTINUE TO WORK. SIX PROPERTIES WERE SELECTED FOR THE BLUE MAKERS PROGRAM, WHICH, AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT PRIOR WAS QUITE AN ACHIEVEMENT FOR, UM FOR MONTGOMERY BECAUSE WE WEREN'T SURE IF WE WOULD LEAVE WOULD BE ABLE TO GET INTO THAT, BUT IT'S VERY COMPETITIVE PROGRAM. AGAIN LAUREN WESOLOWSKI ARE OPEN SPACE AND STEWARDSHIP DIRECTOR SHAWN DEVLIN R O. E M MANAGER AND MARK HERMAN, OUR TOWNSHIP ENGINEER. REALLY UM, ONCE THOSE PROPERTIES KIND OF ARE FINALLY COMPLETED, WE DO NEED TO BRING THEM IN AND REALLY CELEBRATE THEIR ACHIEVEMENT BECAUSE IT WAS IT WAS QUITE A LOT OF WORK ON THEIR PART, A LOT OF DILIGENCE, BUT IT'S QUITE AN ACHIEVEMENT, AND SO THEY'RE THOSE PROPERTIES ARE NOW IN THE FINAL STAGES OF REVIEW. AND ONCE, UM ONCE FEMA IS DONE WITH THEIR REVIEW, IT GOES TO THE GREENACRES ACQUISITION TEAM, WHICH WILL THEN KIND OF TAKE IT TO THE FINISH LINE. SO WE'RE VERY, VERY EXCITED FOR THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN WAITING A VERY LONG TIME AND VERY DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES. SO WE APPRECIATE THAT, AND I KNOW WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THEM CLOSELY WITH THE GREENACRES SEEING ARE THEY THEY KNOW THAT WE HAVE THE RESOURCES ON OUR SIDE IN TERMS OF THE PEOPLE TO HELP FACILITATE THIS SO THAT I KNOW THEY HAVE 100 PROPERTIES OR SOMETHING, AND I DON'T WANT TO BE THE LAST THREE OR THE LAST SIX. RIGHT SO WE'D LIKE TO BE AT THE TOP OF THE DEEPS OR WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO, AND WE CAN, UNFORTUNATELY, ARE 70 PERSON IS GONE, BUT WE DEFINITELY WANT TO GET THAT UP FRONT. UM, I THINK EVERYONE IS PARTNERED VERY WELL WITH THEM. AND I THINK THEY'RE WELL AWARE THAT, UM, THAT THE TOWNSHIP ARE PARTNERS WITH THIS WITH THE HOMEOWNERS IN THIS AND WILLING TO DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO GET THEM MOVED QUICKLY AND GET SOME WINS FOR EVERYBODY TO GET THESE HOMES TAKEN CARE OF. IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME LONG, LONG TIME IN COMING HOME OWNERS WHO HAVE BEEN SITTING THERE FOR THAT LONG WAITING ON THIS ONE. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. FOR TONIGHT. I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION ON THE TREES. WHAT KIND OF TREES ARE WE THINKING OF PLANTING FLOWERING? FLORIDA FRUIT TREES. MEN DON'T BREAK DOWN THIS PATH. YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT TREES, NO TREES, SO THE TREES ARE GOING TO BE SO WE HAVE, UM, THE TEAM THAT'S LOOKING AT IT. THERE'S UH THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME NATIVE TREES. THERE'S GONNA BE SOME SHADE TREES. THERE'S GOING TO BE A VARIETY OF THEM, BUT THEY WILL BE. THERE WILL BE NO INVASIVES, BUT THEY WILL BE IN FACT, WE SHOULD BE THAT WE SHOULD HAVE THAT PLAN. THIS WEEK. I WAS JUST TALKING TO LARRY KOPLIK ARE
[01:25:02]
SHADE TREE COMMITTEE CHAIR. HE'S UM IT WAS AT ONE OF THEIR MEMBERS. SHE'S PREPARING A PLAN FOR US. SHE'S BEEN WORKING WITH OUR ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT ON, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT SHE'S NOT IDENTIFYING LOCATIONS WHERE THERE'S UTILITIES UNDERGROUND. AND THANKS TO THIS COORDINATION , UM I ALSO ASKED ABOUT THE TYPES OF TREES SO IF WE COULD HAVE, YOU KNOW SPRING FLOWERING AND FALL COLORFUL, TRICKY WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE. BUT YES TO THE MAYOR'S POINT. WE DO RECOMMEND NATIVE TREES. SO, UM WELL WE'LL SHARE THAT PLAN WHEN WE GET THAT , OKAY, YOU JUST TOO, BUT THAT'S OKAY. BRADFORD PEAR. WHATEVER YOU SAY, FOLKS. NO THEY'RE WELL AWARE OF THE DEER ISSUES AS WELL HERE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. VERY BUSY, SO I'LL TURN OVER TO COMMITTEE REPORTS. DO[COMMITTEE REPORTS]
YOU HAVE ANY ON START WITH YOU? UM SOMEBODY REPORTS. ON. THE E. D. C WAS THE ONLY COMMITTEE THAT I MET WITH THIS PAST. WEEK AND THEY'RE REALLY JUST CAN YOU JUST GO RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE PUBLISHING RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU SEE IS, UM JUST PRIMARILY FOCUSED ON A GETTING THE. FUN FEST GOING AND TRYING TO WORK ON GETTING INFORMATION OUT MAYBE FROM BUSINESS INFORM THE COMMUNITY ON WHAT TYPE OF BUSINESSES THEY WANT IN MONTGOMERY. SO WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE THAT OUT. THANK YOU WHEN HIS MAN MONTGOMERY. I MEAN, WHAT IS THE SUBSTANCE? NO, IT'S NOT SUB BEST WHEN THE FUN FEST. YES APRIL 20TH APRIL 30TH APRIL 30TH. OKAY, THANK YOU. I DO NOT HAVE ANY COMMITTEE UPDATES THIS WEEK. OKAY, OKAY. OPEN SPACE COMMITTEE MET LAST WEEK. TWO MAIN TOPICS THAT WERE DISCUSSED THERE WAS A RECENT APPROVAL OF FEASIBILITY STUDY BECOMES HERE AT THE LAST MINUTE OR PRIOR, ONE THAT'S GOING TO LOOK AT WHEN YOU'RE FOUR DIFFERENT OPTIONS OF TRYING TO CONNECT. THIS MEANS THIS MUNICIPAL CENTER THROUGH TRAILS, YOU KNOW, GOING SOUTH FROM HERE AND SO WE'RE LOOKING FOR A PRODUCT. THE BETTER GET, YOU KNOW TO GET SELECTED STARTED APPROVED. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE RIGHT PROCESSES FOR THAT VENDOR TO REPORT BACK TO THE OPEN SPACE COMMITTEE. SO COULD GET BETTER UNDERSTAND? UH, HOUSE FOUR STUDIES ARE GOING ON MARCH 25TH ON SATURDAY THERE WILL BE A TREE PLANTING EVENT AT HOME PARK FROM 1 TO 3 P.M. HE WANTS INTERESTED OR WANT TO GET A GOOD WORKOUT IN PLEASE FEEL FREE TO JOIN. THE BUDGET FINANCING COMMITTEE MEETING CONTINUES TO MEET EVERY WEEK. UM WE HAVE A SOLID DRAFT BUDGET PROPOSAL. ARE YOU KNOW? AND THE MAYOR AND I HAVE SIT ON THAT COMMITTEE AND SO YOU KNOW, THEY'RE TAKING OUR INPUT, AND WE'VE GOT A LOT OF HARD LOT OF HARD DISCUSSIONS. CHALLENGES UH , CREATIVE WORK AROUND, SO WE THINK WE'RE IN A GOOD SPOT TO HAVE SOMETHING THAT WILL NOW THAT OUR CFO WOULD BE SAYING SOME MEETINGS WITH THE OTHER TOWNS BECAME MEMBERS TO KIND OF GET THEIR INPUT. SO WE COULD HAVE A ROBUST AND EFFECTIVE DISCUSSION. SHOULD BECOME APRIL 6TH THAT WILL BE INTRODUCED, WHICH IS OUR NEXT MEETING. SO YOU KNOW, RECOMMEND TOPS HAVE COME HERE TO SORT OF PROBLEMS. PROCESS PERSPECTIVE, IT WOULD BE INTRODUCED. ON THE SIXTH. AND THEN PUBLIC COMMENT ON IT WOULD PROBABLY BE A MONTH LATER BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S LIKE A 2028 DATE. DIFFERENCE THAT YOU KNOW IT NEEDS TO BE SAID BEFORE IT CAN BE VOTED ON. I THINK THE OTHER THING I WOULD ADD A LINK TO THAT IS THE AND AS WE TALKED ABOUT TAX TAXES, YOU KNOW THE MAJORITY OF OUR OUR RESIDENTS. TAXES ARE IN SCHOOL BOARD. THE BUDGET WAS INTRODUCED. LAST TUESDAY. I THINK IT WILL BE MORE AND ON AND PUBLIC COMMENT NEXT MONTH SO I CAN CONTINUE RECOMMEND PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT PROCESS. I DID. I DID WATCH IT AFTER THE AFTER WE HAD THE SURFACES FAIR, SO I GOT A GOOD UNDERSTANDING. WHAT'S AND WHAT STARTED IT. GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YES UM, I HAD A COUPLE OF COMMITTEES MEET ACTUALLY, THE MONTGOMERY YOUTH LEADERSHIP COUNCIL MET AND ACTUALLY, I SEE ONE OF OUR CHAIRS COMPATIBLE IF YOU CAN JUST STAND UP, HE'S PART OF THE HUGE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL. HE'S ACTUALLY THE CO CHAIR. THANK YOU SO MUCH. YOU CAN SIT DOWN NOW, AND WE ARE VERY PROUD OF OUR YOUTH IN MONTGOMERY. WE MAY ACTUALLY PARTICIPATED IN THE SERVICES FAIR WHERE THEY WERE THE GREETING. UM PEOPLE COMING IN. THEY WERE SPEAKING TO ELECTED OFFICIALS. THEY WERE SIGNING PEOPLE UP FOR THE E BULLETIN, SO WE ARE QUITE PROUD OF ALL THAT THEY DID. AND OF COURSE, JUST ONE ALSO MENTIONED THAT SO WE HAVE A COMPARATIVELY A AND SIONA WHO ARE GOING TO BE THE CO CHAIRS, AND THEN WE HAVE[01:30:07]
STUDENTS WHO ARE PART OF A FEW COMMITTEES AND COMMISSIONS TO MEET ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION. WE HAVE SHAHANA AND MAHI AND I BELIEVE THE STRONG CLEANUP WHICH, UH, MR KEENAN IS PART OF THERE'S GOING TO BE MY CITY WHO'S GONNA BE WORKING ON THAT, AND SHE'S GOING TO BE REACHING OUT TO YOU. AND FOR BOARD OF HEALTH. WE HAD G. OPPA TELLING KR AND THEY CAME BY AND THEY WENT TO THE MEETING AND TOOK SOME NOTES THAN FOR OPEN SPACE COMMITTEE. I THINK THEY CAME AS WELL AND STEPPING UP. AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE THEM AS INFORMATION MANAGEMENT. WE HAVE HABITATIONS . WE HAVE SOCIAL MEDIA, WHICH IS GOING TO BE WHAT THE YOUTH IS GOING TO TAKE OUT TO THE TOWNSHIP AS TO WHAT WE ARE DOING HERE AT THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE MEETINGS. AND BASICALLY THE MEDIA. IN GENERAL. THEY WILL BE WORKING WITH TAMMY GRAPH TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING FALLS WITHIN THE PARAMETERS WHICH ARE ALLOWED SO AGAIN. WE WANT TO THANK THE YOUTH FOR ALL THAT THEY'RE DOING FOR THE TOWNSHIP. AND THEN, OF COURSE, I WAS PART OF THE TRAFFIC ADVISORY COMMITTEE, WHICH WE TALKED ABOUT. BUT WE ARE ALSO WORKING ON THE SOMERSET COUNTY OF SOMERSET MOVING PLAN. AND ESPECIALLY WHAT I WANT TO BRING UP IS RESIDENTS HAVE REACHED OUT TO THINGS. SOME RESIDENTS ARE LOOKING TO GET FROM MONTGOMERY TO MANHATTAN FOR WORK NOW THAT PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO GO BACK TO WORK. SO WE HAVE LOOKED INTO THAT WE HAVE HAD SUGGESTIONS OF MAYBE GETTING A BUS HERE AND GETTING THE BUS TO GO TO SECAUCUS JUNCTION. SINCE YOU KNOW PEOPLE CAN THEN TAKE SOME THE TRAIN FROM CHICAGO. SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON. AND THEN PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, ESPECIALLY FOR OUR VCC. PEOPLE ARE ASKING FOR THAT. SO AT THE TRAFFIC ADVISORY COMMITTEE, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT IT, LEST WE WILL UPDATE YOU AS WE LOOK AROUND AS TO WHAT IS POSSIBLE.THEN ALSO WE TALKED ABOUT THE GRANDEUR AND 601 THE LEFT TURN OVER THERE, AND MARK HARMON, OUR ENGINEERS WORKING ON THAT. THERE IS ALSO A FLOWER AND BIRD PETITIONS FOR REDUCING THE TRAFFIC SPEED LIMIT. IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT'S GOING TO BE FEASIBLE. BUT WE ARE TALKING TO FIND OUT WHAT IS POSSIBLE. SO WHERE IS THAT? THAT'S THE THAT'S GOING TO BE FRANK DERBY HAD SENT A PETITION WITH 100 AND 50 SUPPORTERS. AND THIS IS THE BLOB HANDBOOK TRAFFIC PETITION. SO WHY IS IT NOT POSSIBLE TO LOOK? UH I WAS TOLD THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE TOUGH. THIS IS COMING FROM . I DON'T KNOW IF THERE IS NOT HERE, BUT, YEAH, THEY WERE SAYING THAT THAT MAYBE A TOUGH CALL FROM THE COUNTY TO GET THAT DONE. BUT YES, WE ARE LOOKING AT IT. NOBODY IS SAYING IT'S IMPOSSIBLE. BUT IT'S A TOUGH CALL, I GUESS. I'M SURPRISED SINCE THEY DO IT IN HOPE OVER ROW AND JOHN 5 18 AS WELL. SO I DON'T KNOW. WE WILL. WE WILL TAKE THAT DOWN AND I WILL MAKE SURE THAT I BRING THAT UP. THAT CAN BE DONE IN HOPEFUL BUT STRONG. WE'RE DOING IT IN MONTGOMERY. I BELIEVE IT IS THE TONE. THAT IS A PROBLEM THAT THE SPEED AND THE TONE ON SIX OF ONE SO THAT THAT'S WHAT IT WAS BROUGHT UP. BUT, YES, I WILL TAKE THAT NOTE DOWN IF IT'S GOING TO BE DONE IN ONE DOWN, WHY CAN'T IT BE DONE IN THE OTHER TOWN? SO AND THEN THE LAST ONE I HAVE IS THE BILL OF HEALTH. WE HAD A GOOD MEETING WHERE, UM, OF COURSE THE COMMENTS WERE THAT WE HAVE A CUT INTO VACANCY FOR THE HEALTH EDUCATOR POSITION. AND IF ANYBODY IN THE TOWNSHIP IS LOOKING OR ANYBODY KNOWS, WE WOULD LOVE FOR THEM TO REACH OUT. IT'S A GREAT TOWNSHIP TO WORK FOR. AND THEN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS PLANNING A STRATEGIC EVENT IN APRIL TWO NOUR PUBLIC HEALTH WEEK AND THEN THERE WAS A COVID UPDATE THAT THE STATE CONTACT TRACES WILL BE DISBANDED IN ME. SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WANTED TO BRING UP AND YOU KNOW, THE MOST PROBABLY WILL BE DOING COVID VACCINES ON DEMAND RATHER THAN DOING YOU KNOW THE CLINICS. AND THEN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT ALSO RECEIVED AN AWARD LETTER FROM PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE FOR A GRANT OF 132, AND THAT WOULD HELP IT PROFESSIONAL TRAINING AND CONFERENCES. AND THEN WE TALKED ABOUT THE MUNICIPAL ALLIANCE. A GRANT APPLICATION IS COMING UP SOON, SO THEY ARE TRYING TO PUT SOME GOALS AND OBJECTIVES TOGETHER FOR THAT.
AND OF COURSE, WE TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE HAVE YOUTH LEADERSHIP COUNCIL MEMBERS THERE, SO THAT WAS IT, BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH. THAT'S MY REPORT FROM MY GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SO WE WERE THE HOST FOR THE SPELLING BEE FROM THE SOMERSET COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM HERE. MONTGOMERY AND IT WAS THE WINNER ACTUALLY CAME FROM MONTGOMERY. IT WAS A LOT OF FUN.
UM WE DIDN'T HAVE A NAVY, BUT THEY BROUGHT THEIR OWN AND IT WAS WELL ATTENDED AND QUITE IMPRESSIVE GROUP OF YOUNG PEOPLE . UM AND THAT INDIVIDUAL BUT WILL BE GOING ON TO THE NATIONALS AS WELL. SO THERE WAS JUST A GREAT A GREAT NIGHT OR AFTERNOON. UM, ALSO, LET'S SEE.
[01:35:06]
WE HAD THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION HAS MET AND. AND LOOKING AT AGAIN, WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING THE UM ANNUAL AWARDS, PROBABLY ON THE APRIL 20TH. SO DANNY, CAN YOU PUT THAT ON THE JUST MAKE A NOTE OF IT? THEY'D LIKE TO COME IN TO DO THE, UM THE PRESENTATION OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL AWARDS AND AGAIN WE TALKED ABOUT THE SOLAR ON THIS BUILDING. UM, WE ALSO, WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO MAKE MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP BUILDING AND GROUNDS RIVER FRIENDLY, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT IS DONE BY THE WATERSHED INSTITUTE. AND SO WE'RE LIKE, TAKE A BIT, BUT WE THAT'S WILL BE ONE OF OUR GOALS HERE AS WELL. THERE WILL BE A STREAM CLEANUP, WHICH WILL BE HAPPENING ON APRIL 15TH. IT'S GOING TO BE PART OF THE IDA MESS THAT'S STILL OUT THERE ALONG THE ROCK, BROOKE SHOW, UM FOLKS WILL BE ABLE TO MEET AT THE AUTO KAUFFMAN CENTER, AND THEN THEY'LL BE BUSTED THREE DIFFERENT LOCATIONS ALONG THE ROCK, BROOKE TO CLEAN UP UM, THERE'S ALSO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE EARTH DAY HERE ON APRIL 23RD RIGHT HERE AT THE MUNICIPAL COMPLEX. THAT'S FROM SUNDAY FROM 11 TO 2. SO UM, THEY'LL BRING YOUR BIKES, TENNIS RACKETS, SNEAKERS, ALL SORTS OF DIFFERENT THINGS. SO THERE'LL BE A WHOLE LIST AND THEN THINK THERE IS A LIST ON THE TOWNSHIP SITE WHAT YOU CAN BE DROPPING OFF. AS WELL. UM THAT SOUNDS EXCITING.IT'S A GREAT IT'S REALLY A GREAT EVENT. I DON'T THINK OH, THE SHADE TREE COMMITTEE WILL BE GIVING OUT SEEDLINGS. I'M NOT GOING TO BE GIVING THEM OUT THIS YEAR, WHICH IS OKAY. KIND OF WITH 1000 OF THEM. BUT YES, SO WE WILL BE GIVING OUT SEEDLINGS WILL BE GIVING OUT MILKWEED AS WELL. THAT THE HEAD OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, THE CHAIR HER HER SISTER AND BROTHER IN LAW DONATED EVERY YEAR. SO WE ALSO THE WILDLIFE COMMITTEE MET , THEY'LL BE COMING LATER ON TO JUST GIVE YOU THE FINAL NUMBERS IN TERMS OF THE SEASON AND IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY HARVESTED, BUT IT LOOKS TO BE ABOUT A BIT SHY OF 2 50 OF THAT 80 WERE DONATED. AND WE HAVE ONE OF THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF DONATIONS TO THE HUNTERS FOR THE HUNGRY AS WELL, UM, ALWAYS GOING THROUGH THE SAME SURVEY RESULTS THEY WERE LAMENTING THE FACT THAT THIS WAS DONE HIS LAST, UM, COMMITTEE AND THEY WANTED TO ACTUALLY STORE HER IN ONE OF THE BIG GRAIN BARREL STILL NEXT YEAR, THE CORN BARRELS. SO UM, DONNA, WE DONE WAS VERY WELL. SHE HAS RUN A FABULOUS, FABULOUS PROGRAM HAS PROMISED SHE'LL COME RIGHT. ACTUALLY SAID SHE MIGHT, BUT, UM SO WE'RE ALSO TALKING, AND EVERY YEAR WE LOOK AT ALL THE DIFFERENT PROPERTIES. THERE'S ANOTHER PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT IS GOING TO BE LOOKED AT. AND BASICALLY WHAT HAD THE PROCESSES THAT, UM MORE IN FIRST TAKES A LOOK AT THE PROPERTY THAT IS MUNICIPALLY OWNED TO SAY, DOES IT MAKE SENSE ? AND THEN IT GETS WALKED BY SOME OF THE HUNTERS TO SEE. DOES IT REALLY MAKE SENSE AT ALL? AND THEN THE NUMBER OF, UM HUNDREDS. THAT WOULD BE ON IT. IF INDEED THERE, IS IT. SO THAT WAS THE WILDLIFE COMMITTEE WHO BET AS WELL AND THEN WE HAD THE SERVICES FAIR THIS PAST WEEK, WHICH WAS UNFORTUNATELY THE WEATHER DIDN'T HELP US OUT, SO I THINK IT DID IMPACT SOME OF THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT WERE ABLE TO ATTEND, BUT IT WAS WONDERFUL TO SEE THE PEOPLE THAT DID COME.
I THINK IT WAS VERY HELPFUL. IT WAS GREAT TO HAVE ALL OF THE UM, OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO EVEN MEET. WHO DO A LOT OF THE WORK HERE, RIGHT? SO I WANTED TO THANK YOU, RORY FOR DOING A LOT OF THE HEAVY LIFTING ON THIS. YOU AND YOUR TEAM, SO THANK YOU WAS GREAT. AND I KNOW EVERYBODY APPRECIATED IT AS WELL. AND UM, I WAS ABLE TO FIND OUT DIFFERENT THINGS THAT I'M GOING TO SIGN UP TO DO HERE AS WELL. SO THANK YOU, EVERYBODY. UM FOR COMING AND THANK YOU FOR HOLDING. IT WAS VERY WELL ATTENDED THE PICTURES ON THE PICTURE IS GOING TO BE ON THE WEBSITE FOR THE SERVICES FAIR. I BELIEVE SO TAMMY TAMMY WAS TALKING ABOUT WOULD BE GOOD BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY KNOWS WHAT A BIG EVENT IT WAS. AND SO THEY CAN COME TO THE NEXT ONE WHENEVER THAT IS POSTED ON HER FACEBOOK SITE UNDER FACEBOOK, OKAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE ALSO AT THE FAIR, I MET THE LIBRARIES AND THE LIBRARIANS. THEY DID GET A WONDERFUL LETTER. WE RECEIVED THAT LETTER AS WELL. UM AND I LIKE TO THINK THEM FOR WHAT A WONDERFUL JOB THAT THEY'RE DOING . I ALSO MET A LIBRARIAN WHO DID , UM, HE SPECIFIED IN BUSINESSES. UM AND SHE WAS A REALLY GREAT RESOURCE I THINK FOR THE TOWN UM, AND FOR THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, SO I APPRECIATE CONVERSATIONS WITH HER AS WELL. THE SECOND THAT THE LIBRARY STAFF IS AMAZING. I'M IN THE LIBRARY A LOT. YEAH AND IT'S A VERY PLEASANT AT LEAST TO BE, MHM AND I TOLD HER AFFORDED, BUT ALSO THE TOLD US THAT THEY WERE LOOKING TO SOME GRANT WRITING CLASSES FOR SEMINARS FOR THE TOWNSHIP. SO LOOK OUT FOR THAT. WHEN THEY RUN, THOSE WILL LET YOU KNOW. THANK YOU. SO THAT'S
[UPCOMING MEETINGS]
IT ON THE COMMITTEE REPORTS. SO OUR UPCOMING MEETING WILL BE ONE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL AWARDS[01:40:04]
PRESENTATION, OF COURSE, WILL BE HAVING THE BUDGET VERY SOON AS WELL. SO WITH THAT. DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? SO MOVED SECONDS SECONDS. ALL IN FAVOR.* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.