[1. JUNETEENTH FREEDOM DAY PROCLAMATION]
[2. LGBTQIA+ PRIDE MONTH PROCLAMATION]
[3. PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING LOCAL FIREFIGHTERS AND EMERGENCY SERVICES PERSONNEL]
[00:07:57]
AND. WHEREAS MONTGOMERY EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES FOUNDED IN 1972 HAS MORE THAN 70
[00:08:05]
MEMBERS THAT PROVIDE 911 EMERGENCY BASIC LIFE SUPPORT, REHABILITATION, SUPPORT AT FIRE INSTANCES, CPR AND BASIC MEDICAL TRAINING CLASSES, PERFORM STANDBYS AT SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY EVENTS AND RESPOND TO OVER 1750 CALLS YEARLY. NOW THEREFORE BE IT PROCLAIMED THAT THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE OF THE TOWNSHIP OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY OF SOMERSET STATE OF NEW JERSEY, ON BEHALF OF ALL ITS CITIZENS, HEREBY EXPRESSES SINCERE APPRECIATION AND SUPPORT TO THE VOLUNTEERS OF MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY NUMBER ONE MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY NUMBER TWO IN MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES FOR THE DEDICATED SERVICES AND CONTRIBUTIONS PROVIDED IN SAFEGUARDING THE HEALTH SAFETY AND WELL BEING OF THE COMMUNITY. ON THIS SECOND DAY OF JUNE, 2023 SO I WANT TO THANK ALL OF THOSE WONDERFUL VOLUNTEERS AGAIN. WE ARE INDEBTED AND VERY GRACIOUS. THERE'S A LOT OF GRATITUDE FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND ALSO ENCOURAGED OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY TO VOLUNTEER. UM ALL THREE ORGANIZATIONS ARE LOOKING FOR ADDITIONAL MEMBERS. YOU DON'T NECESSARILY NEED TO FIGHT FIRES. PERHAPS YOU WANT TO BE THE POLICE THE FIRE OR PERHAPS YOU WANT TO, UM, UM, DRIVE A TRUCK OR SO FORTH. SAME WITH THE E. M S. YOU DON'T ALL HAVE TO BE E. M T S SO PLEASE JOIN THE GROUPS THAT IF YOU CAN, SO, THANK YOU. AND ARE THERE ANY MEMBERS OF ANY OF THOSE COMMITTEES HERE NOW AND YOU HAVE THE VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATIONS NOW? YOU KINDLY STAND I WANT TO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YEAH. THANK YOU. WE WERE ALREADY PREDATOR. THE[4. SOMERSET COUNTY OFFICE OF PLANNING, POLICY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT]
[00:10:04]
NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA. R IS THE SOMERSET COUNTY OFFICE OF PLANNING POLICY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT? LAURA, DID YOU WANT TO GO THROUGH YOUR STUFF FIRST, OKAY. GOOD EVENING. I'M WALT LANE. I AM THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF PLANNING POLICY ECONOMIC COMPONENT FOR SOMERSET COUNTY. I DIDN'T WITH THE COUNTY FOR SINCE 1997 WHEN I STARTED AS AN INTERN, SO I'VE WORKED IN THE COUNTY FOR A VERY LONG TIME. SO OUR OFFICE DOES A WIDE RANGE OF PLANNING WORK. WE ALSO SUPPORT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. I JOKE. MY OFFICERS DISMISS ARMY KNIFE OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BECAUSE WE SUPPORT EVERYTHING FROM THE OPEN SPACE ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO THE AGRICULTURE, AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT BOARD. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT G. I S THE OPEN SPACE ADVISORY COMMITTEE THAT COUNTIES FILM COMMISSION. THE REGIONAL CENTER PARTNERSHIP OF SOMERSET COUNTY, SOMERSET COUNTY ENERGY COUNCIL. SO WE HAVE A GOOD, VERY TALENTED IN LARGE TEAM THAT PROVIDES A LOT OF DIFFERENT PLANNING SERVICES AND SUPPORT TO OUR MISSISSIPPI POLITIES AND ADVANCING THE COUNTY'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PRIORITIES. SO THE OFFICE USED TO BE THE PLANNING OFFICE. BUT IN 2021, THE COMMISSIONER'S FORMED THE OFFICE OF PLANNING POLICY OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BACK TO SOMERSET COUNTY. THAT WAS UM, DONE ON WITH AN EXECUTIVE ON LOAN TO COUNTY EMPLOYEE ON LOAN TO THE SOMERSET COUNTY BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP AT ALL BACK IN HOUSE BECAUSE REALLY THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS AND THE NEW COUNTY MINISTRATIONS COMEDY MORE. I REALLY WANT TO DOUBLE DOWN ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND PROVIDE MORE SUPPORT AND ENSURE THAT THE HEALTH OF THE ECONOMIC YEAH. ECONOMICS OF THE COUNTY, OKAY? YEAH ARE IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE ALL THE SERVICES. OF THE REVENUE TO SUPPORT ALL THE SERVICES THE COUNTY PROVIDES. SO CAN I ASK YOU A QUESTION? WAS IT EVER WITH THE WITH YOUR GROUP AND THEN PULLED OUT WHEN I STARTED AS AN INTERN IN 97, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OFFICE WAS ACTUALLY AT THE COUNTY AND THEN WHEN THE COUNTY IN THE BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP IN THE SOMERSET ALLIANCE FOR ACTION SUMMER SETS PARTNERSHIP UNC THERE WAS A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT TRUST YOU IN THE FUTURE ALL BECAME THE SOMERSET COUNTY BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP IN THE EARLY TWO THOUSANDS. JOHN MADDOX, WHO WAS THE FORMER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, BASICALLY WAS AN EXECUTIVE ON LOAN EVEN THOUGH HE'S ACCOUNTING EMPLOYEE. HE SAT DOWN AT THE BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP . OKAY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OUT OF THERE. OKAY, THANK YOU. JUST TO CONFUSE EVERYONE. YES, EXACTLY. SO BEING AROUND FOR SO LONG, I KIND OF REMEMBER. SO, UM JUST CAPELLINI IS OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MANAGER HAS BEEN AN AWESOME ADDITION TO OUR TEAM HIGHLY QUALIFIED THE LETTER KIND OF INTRODUCE HERSELF IN A FEW MINUTES, BUT REALLY HERE TO KIND OF SHOW WHAT? YOU KNOW WHAT RESOURCES WE CAN PROVIDE TO DETENTION. WE REALLY WANT TO PARTNER WITH OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES TO PROMOTE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WORK, HAND IN HAND. WE FEEL THAT CAN MAKE US UM, HIGHLIGHT OUR COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE. IF WE CAN SHOW THAT THERE WAS THE COORDINATION BETWEEN COUNTY, LOCAL AND STATE GOVERNMENTS, JESSICA HAS AWESOME CONNECTIONS WITH THE STATE AGENCIES THAT DO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY TO BUSINESS ACTION CENTER AND CHOOSE NEW JERSEY SO OKAY WITH THEM FOR MANY YEARS, AND WE HAVE TREMENDOUS RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEM NOW, SO I WOULD LIKE TO COME UP AND KIND OF TALK ABOUT ALL THE GREAT WORK SHE'S BEEN DOING THE LAST YEAR THAT SHE'S BEEN ON OUR TEAM. AND THEN I CAN KIND OF TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE PLANNING ASSISTANCE WE'VE PROVIDED OVER THE YEARS TO OUR TOWN. WELL, THAT'S WONDERFUL.AND WHILE YOU COME UP, I ALSO, UM DENNIS HERE IS THE LIAISON TO OUR OWN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION, AND HE'S A BUSINESS OWNER AND ENTREPRENEUR HERE, SO, UM, WE'RE GLAD TO MAKE THIS CONNECTION STRONGER CONNECTION BECAUSE I KNOW YOU'VE MET BEFORE, TOO. SO ABSOLUTELY. GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME . JESSICA PELINI, MANAGER OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND DENNIS , I KNOW WE'VE MET IN THE PAST AND HAPPY TO SEE YOU AND LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING MORE CLOSELY WITH YOU. UM SO I JOINED THE COUNTY ABOUT A YEAR AGO. WE ARE HELPING TO ATTRACT NEW COMPANIES TO THE COUNTY SUPPORT OUR EXISTING BUSINESSES TO GROW AND BE COMPETITIVE. AND WE DO A LOT OF WORK ON WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT , MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE THE TALENTED WORKFORCE LETTER COMPANIES NEED AND THEN ALSO ON SUSTAINABILITY, ENSURING THAT OUR BUSINESSES ARE, UM, MAKING DECISIONS THAT ARE BENEFITING THE ENVIRONMENT, CONSERVING NATURAL RESOURCES BUT ALSO ABLE TO GROW AND THRIVE WITHIN THE COUNTY. SO THERE'S A KIND OF THE FOUR BUCKETS THAT WE FOCUS ON.
UM WE WERE ASKED TO SPEAK A BIT MORE SPECIFICALLY TONIGHT ABOUT THE TRENDS THAT WE'RE SEEING IN THE LIFE SCIENCES. UM, SO THAT'S I HAVE A COUPLE OF SLIDES ON THAT JUST STARTING OUT AT A TOP LEVEL. UM JUST TO GIVE EVERYONE A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND, SO WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE. NEW
[00:15:03]
JERSEY IS ONE OF THE TOP FIVE STATES IN THE COUNTRY FOR LIFE SCIENCES, WHERE THE NUMBER THREE LIFE SCIENCES CLUSTER. UM A LOT OF THAT IS BECAUSE OF LEGACY COMPANIES THAT WE HAVE IN NEW JERSEY. WE'VE HISTORICALLY BEEN A VERY STRONG STATE FOR PHARMACEUTICALS, BUT ALSO BIOTECH AND MEDICAL DEVICES. UM WE HAVE ONE OF THE BEST WORK FORCES IN THE COUNTRY FOR THE LIFE SCIENCES, WHICH IS THE REASON THAT WE CONTINUE TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN COMPANIES.ONE OF THE STATS THAT GOVERNOR MURPHY LIKES TO SHARE AS WE HAVE MORE SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS PER SQUARE MILE THAN ANYWHERE IN THE US FOR A WHILE IT WAS MORE THAN ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. I THINK ISRAEL IS NOW BEATING US THERE, BUT UM, WE STILL REMAIN, UM, ONE OF THE TOP IN THE WORLD FOR LIFE SCIENCES. TALENT UM, THAT PIPELINE IS FUELED BY PROGRAMS LIKE THE ROCKERS, MBA AND PHARMACEUTICAL MANAGEMENT, WHICH IS A TOP PROGRAM IN THE WORLD. UM AND THEN DRILLING DOWN, UM. ONE OF THE REASONS THAT THE STATE CONTINUES TO BE A LEADER IN LIFE SCIENCES IS BECAUSE WE'VE PUT A LOT OF RESOURCES AND STAFF INTO CONTINUING TO GROW THE INDUSTRY . SO GOVERNOR MURPHY'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN, THEY HAVE EIGHT TARGET SECTORS. LIFE SCIENCES IS ONE OF THEM, UM, AT THE STATE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGENCY. THEY FOCUS ON THOSE TARGETS SECTORS SO THEY HAVE DEDICATED STAFF. THEIR JOB. 100% OF THE TIME IS TO WORK WITH LIFE SCIENCES COMPANY. EARNINGS TO ATTRACT THEM HERE. TO HELP THEM GROW AND TO CONNECT THEM TO SPECIFIC RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE. THERE'S OVER 10 PROGRAMS AT THE STATE LEVEL THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED FOR LIFE SCIENCES COMPANIES ALL THE WAY FROM AN ENTREPRENEUR WHO WANTS TO START A COMPANY TO OUR LARGEST BUSINESSES THAT ARE LOOKING TO ADD NEW EMPLOYEES OR DEVELOP NEW PRODUCTS. UM THE STATE ALSO HAS A DEDICATED INCUBATOR FOR THE LIFE SCIENCES . IT'S IN NORTH BRUNSWICK. IT IS CONSISTENTLY FULL, UM, THEY HAVE BIOTECH COMPANIES THERE, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE A LOT OF COMPANIES THAT WORK WITHIN THE SUPPLY CHAIN. A LOT OF SERVICES BUSINESSES THAT START OUT IN THAT INCUBATOR, GROW QUICKLY AND THEN LOOK TO FIND SPACE THROUGHOUT THE STATE. AND THEN THERE ARE ALSO TWO DEDICATED INDUSTRY ASSOCIATIONS, THE HEALTHCARE INSTITUTE OF NEW JERSEY AND BIO NJ. UM SO COMING DOWN MORE TO SOMERSET COUNTY, OUR TOP FIVE COUNTY FOR EMPLOYMENT WITHIN THE LIFE SCIENCES, NEARLY 10,000 EMPLOYEES IN 2020. UM. WE ONE OF THE STATS THAT WE TELL IT IS WE HAVE 50% OF THE WORLD'S MOST PROFITABLE PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES, NOT NECESSARILY THEIR HEADQUARTERS, BUT THEY HAVE OPERATIONS WITHIN THE COUNTY, MANY OF THEM ITS U. S HEADQUARTERS, BUT FOR OTHERS, IT MAY BE MANUFACTURING DISTRIBUTION. AND WITHIN THE LAST YEAR ALONE WE'VE HAD COMPANIES ANNOUNCED PLANS TO OCCUPY OVER 700,000 SQUARE FEET OF SPACE IN THE COUNTY. SO THERE'S A COMPANIES LIKE DAIICHI PTC THERAPEUTICS BE AP PHARMA UM, SO THAT'S UM. QUITE A LARGE COMMITMENT WITH COMPANIES, UM, SHOWING THAT THEY BELIEVE IN SOMERSET COUNTY AND WANT TO ACCESS OUR WORKFORCE. UM. AT THE COUNTY LEVEL, SO I MENTIONED AT THE STATE LEVEL THERE'S DEDICATED RESOURCES AND THEN AT THE COUNTY LEVEL, WE HAVE THREE SECTORS THAT WERE PRIMARILY FOCUSED ON ATTRACTING AND RETAINING IN THE COUNTY. ADVANCED MANUFACTURING. UM LIFE SCIENCES AND PROFESSIONAL SERVICES. SO WE HAVE AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WEB PAGE ON THAT WEBSITE. WE TALK SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE LIFE SCIENCES SECTOR. WE ATTEND CONFERENCES. WALTER LAST WEEK WAS AT THE BIO INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE, WHICH IS THE LARGEST LIFE SCIENCES CONFERENCE HELD AND THE COUNTRY. AND HE'S THERE TALKING ABOUT WHY COMPANIES MIGHT WANT TO INVEST IN SOMERSET COUNTY. MY BACKGROUND. I WORKED AT CHOOSING NEW JERSEY FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS SPECIFICALLY FOCUSED ON THE LIFE SCIENCES INDUSTRY. SO YOU HAVE STAFF AT THE COUNTY WHO ARE USED TO WORKING WITH LIFE SCIENCES COMPANIES. UM AND WE'VE RECENTLY COMMITTED $3 MILLION TO RARITAN VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE. THEY ARE GOING TO BE LAUNCHING THE FIRST CLEAN ROOM TRAINING PROGRAM AT A COUNTY COLLEGE IN NEW JERSEY. IT'S ALSO GOING TO BE ONE OF THE FIRST AND ONLY CLEAN ROOM TRAINING PROGRAMS IN THE NORTHEAST. UM AND INITIALLY THEY WILL BE FOCUSED ON SELLING GENE THERAPY MANUFACTURING, AND THEY'RE DEVELOPING THAT CURRICULUM IN COLLABORATION WITH INDUSTRY, SO THAT WILL BE A SPECIFIC TALENT PIPELINE THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE LOCALLY TO SUPPORT ONE OF THE INDUSTRIES WHERE WE'RE SEEING THE MOST GROWTH, WHICH IS INSULIN, GENE
[00:20:04]
THERAPY MANUFACTURING. AND HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH COMPANIES LOCALLY WERE AWARE THAT BUSINESSES TODAY ARE READY TO HIRE HUNDREDS TO THOUSANDS OF EMPLOYEES BUT FOR HAVING THAT SKILLED WORKFORCE. UM AND THESE ARE I MENTIONED WE HAVE THIS EXCELLENT WORK FORCE. THESE JOBS SPECIFICALLY DON'T REQUIRE A COLLEGE DEGREE. A LOT OF THE EXISTING WORKFORCE THAT WE HAVE IS MASTERS OR PHD LEVEL. UM AND WITH THE GROWTH IN THE SUBMERGING AREA, YOU CAN ACTUALLY GO TO OUR VCC AND GET A CERTIFICATE AND MAKING CLOSE TO SIX FIGURES. SO THESE ARE GREAT JOBS AND A GROWING INDUSTRY AND WE'RE LOOKING TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT OUR VCC AND ROLLING OUT THAT PROGRAM SO WE CAN SUPPORT THE GROWTH THAT WE'RE SEEING AND SELLING GENE THERAPY. UM SO SOME OF THE TRENDS THAT WE'RE SEEING THIS IS JUST SORT OF NATIONWIDE . BIG PICTURE. UM, YOU MAY BE SEEING SOME HEADLINES THAT LIFE SCIENCES GROWTH IS SLOWING. THAT'S BECAUSE LIFE SCIENCES GROWTH WAS AT RECORD HIGHS COMING OUT OF THE PANDEMIC, SO WE'RE SORT OF RETURNING TO, UM A NORMAL PACE OF GROWTH. WE ARE STILL SEEING A LOT OF DEMAND FOR LAB AND R AND D SPACE ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT WE SAW PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC, AND VC FUNDING IS ON PACE TO EXCEED PRE PANDEMIC LEVELS. OF COURSE, THERE ARE SOME CONCERNS AROUND THE POTENTIAL ECONOMIC SLOWDOWN. UM AND THAT COULD POTENTIALLY IMPACT VC FUNDING. WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN NEW JERSEY OVER A 10 YEAR PERIOD. LIFE SCIENCES WAGES ARE UP. THE STATE I MENTIONED HAS PUT A LOT OF RESOURCES INTO SUPPORTING THE GROWTH OF THE INDUSTRY AND THAT IS PAYING OFF IN R V. C RANKINGS HAVE INCREASED QUITE SIGNIFICANTLY. THERE'S A NUMBER OF PROGRAMS AT THE STATE LEVEL THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO ATTRACT MORE FUNDING INTO STARTUPS. SO YOU'LL SEE THAT WE'RE NOW IN THE TOP 10 NATIONWIDE. UM RIGHT NOW WE HAVE MORE DEMAND THAN SPACE AVAILABLE SO UM, WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE COMPANIES SEEKING OVER 400,000 SQUARE FEET OF SPACE, AND IT'S NOT CURRENTLY AVAILABLE TO THEM. UM ANOTHER SIGN THAT COMPANIES ARE LOOKING FOR SPACE ARE INCUBATORS IN THE SURROUNDING REGION IN PHILADELPHIA, BUT THEN ALSO OUR INCUBATOR IN NORTH BRUNSWICK OR CONSISTENTLY FULL WITH COMPANIES LOOKING TO SPIN OUT TRYING TO FIND SPACE. SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF NEW LIFE SCIENCES CAMPUSES THAT ARE CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION. TO MEET THIS DEMAND. THERE'S THE HELIX IN NEW BRUNSWICK NASTY KENNEL WORTH AND THE COVE IN JERSEY CITY, OR OR SOME OF THE LARGER ONES THAT ARE COMING ONLINE. MOST OF THESE ARE LAB AND R AND D NOT NECESSARILY MANUFACTURING. NONE IN SOMERSET COUNTY. ARE THERE ANY PLANS IN SOMERSET COUNTY OR MONTGOMERY MANSION? ONE COMING UP IN THE IN THE SLIDES THAT'S TARGETED MORE TO THAT GAP IN MANUFACTURING SPACE COMING ONLINE, AND ANOTHER POINT TO MAKE IS THAT COMPANIES ARE LOOKING FOR CLASS A SPACE SO CLASSES LIKE THE HIGHEST QUALITY SPACE. UM CAMPUSES THAT HAVE A LOT OF AMENITIES BEFORE YOU WERE SEEING COMPANIES GOING INTO CAMPUSES WHERE THEIR EMPLOYEES WOULD COME TO WORK, AND EVERYTHING WOULD BE THERE. YOU'D HAVE YOUR CAFETERIA THERE YOUR DAYCARE, YOUR GYM AND EMPLOYERS DIDN'T HAVE TO LEAVE AND A LOT OF COMPANIES NOW BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE WORKING FROM HOME. THEY WANT TO ATTRACT PEOPLE TO COME BACK INTO THE OFFICE. AND SO NOW WE'RE SEEING A TREND WHERE THEY WANT TO BE MORE AND MORE OF A DOWNTOWN SETTING OR SOMEWHERE WHERE EMPLOYEES COULD GO OUT AFTER WORK. THEY COULD GET A BITE TO EAT. THEY CAN BE MORE SOCIAL. UM SO EVEN COMPANIES GOING INTO MULTI TENANT CAMPUSES WHERE THEIR EMPLOYEES COULD INTERACT WITH PEOPLE FROM OTHER COMPANIES. UM SO IT'S THE HIGH QUALITY SPACE WITH AMENITIES. AND I MENTIONED THE GROWTH IN SELLING GENE THERAPY. UM, SO SOME OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE'RE SEEING IN THIS SPACE FOR MONTGOMERY, YOU DO HAVE EXISTING LIFE SCIENCES TENANTS, SO IT'S NOT, UM. FOR LIFE SCIENCES COMPANIES. THEY'RE NOT UNFAMILIAR WITH MONTGOMERY, YOUR PROXIMITY TO PRINCETON UNIVERSITY AND ESPECIALLY WITH THE UNIVERSITY BEING MORE EXTERNAL FACING NOW THEY DO HAVE THEIR OWN LIFE SCIENCES INCUBATOR, THE BIO LABS. UM THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY THERE TO POTENTIALLY ATTRACT SOME OF THE STARTUPS THAT ARE SPINNING OUT OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY THAT WANT TO STAY IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE UNIVERSITY AND MAYBE FIND, UM POTENTIALLY MORE AFFORDABLE SPACE. UM AND THEN ALSO, I MENTIONED THAT THE CLASS A AND MANY RICH ENVIRONMENTS, THE MONTGOMERY PROMENADE. UM ONE THAT COMES ONLINE COULD FILL THAT LIVE WORK PLAY. UM. THAT[00:25:06]
SPACE THAT PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR WHERE THEY COULD GO OUT. THEY COULD GRAB A BITE TO EAT THAT CAN NETWORK WITH OTHER PEOPLE. SO THAT'S AN ASSET THAT YOU HAVE COMING ONLINE THAT COULD FILL A LOT OF THE, UM, NEEDS THAT COMPANIES HAVE TODAY. UM AND THEN THESE ARE JUST SOME OTHER CONSIDERATIONS. AND WALTER , MAYBE YOU CAN COME BACK UP AT THIS POINT AND TALK ABOUT A T AND T SITE, BUT JUST SOME THINGS TO THINK ABOUT WITH, YOU KNOW, SPACE THAT YOU MAY HAVE ABOUT AVAILABLE IS WHETHER IT WOULD BE UPGRADED, REFIT AGAIN, THINKING ABOUT THE CLASS A THAT MOST COMPANIES ARE LOOKING FOR. UM A LOT OF THE DEMAND THAT WE'RE SEEING IS REALLY IN MANUFACTURING SPACE. SO THAT'S CHALLENGING THERAPY MANUFACTURING. UM I MENTIONED THERE ARE A COUPLE OF CAMPUSES REALLY LARGE ONES COMING ONLINE THAT ARE MOSTLY ON THE LAB, R AND D SIDE. SO THE MANUFACTURING IS A AN AREA WHERE WE'RE STILL SEEING A LOT OF DEMAND AND NOT AS MUCH SPACE COMING ONLINE. UM AND THEN WORKING WITH OUR STATE PARTNERS. THEY'RE SEEING SOME OF THE FASTEST GROWTH IN THE SUPPLY CHAIN FOR THE SERVICES COMPANIES THAT ARE SUPPORTING THE PHARMACEUTICAL, THE BIOTECH, SO THEY MAY BE COMPANIES THAT ARE DOING QUALITY TESTING THAT SORT OF WORK THAT DON'T NECESSARILY NEED THE SAME LEVEL OF LAB SPACE . BUT THEY WANT TO BE NEAR THE LIFE SCIENCES COMPANIES. THEY NEED SOME UM, ZONING THAT, YOU KNOW, ALLOWS DIFFERENT TYPES OF TESTING, BUT NOT NECESSARILY, YOU KNOW, YOUR HIGHEST AND LAB SPACE. SO, WALTER, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANTED TO TALK ABOUT 18. QUESTIONS FOR JESSICA. ME JUST WENT OVER. I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS WELL, THE AVERAGE SQUARE FOOTAGE OF SPACE THAT, UM , LIFE SCIENCES LOOK FOR FROM SMALLEST, SMALLER BIG. CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE SQUARE FOOTAGE? YEAH SO, UM, YOU KNOW, IT VARIES RIGHT BECAUSE YOU HAVE ENTREPRENEURS OR JUST GETTING STARTED. AND WE HAVE THE WE HAVE A NUMBER OF INCUBATORS THROUGHOUT THE STATE. WE HAVE WE COULD USE MORE. UM, BUT FROM WHAT WE'RE SEEING AND WHAT WE'RE HEARING FROM OUR STATE PARTNERS LEG GAP WHERE A LOT OF COMPANIES ARE LOOKING FOR SPACE WHERE WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE ENOUGH SPACE TODAY. UM AS BETWEEN, LIKE THE 5000 SQUARE FEET UP TO 25,000 SQUARE FEET, SO IT'S NOT THE HUGE, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT LIKE A GSK LOOKING FOR A 200,000 SQUARE FOOT HEADQUARTERS. IT'S A LOT OF THESE, LIKE SERVICES COMPANIES OR COMPANIES THAT ARE SPINNING OUT OF AN INCUBATOR, AND MAYBE THEY HAVE 10 TO 20 EMPLOYEES. IT'S THOSE COMPANIES ARE LOOKING FOR SPACE WHERE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH. ANYTHING.HELP ME ON THAT QUESTIONS. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. I WAS GOING TO SO I ASKED WALTER TO COME UP BECAUSE I KNOW YOU. YOU SPECIFICALLY ASKED ABOUT ANY SPACE COMING ONLINE IN SOMERSET COUNTY. OKAY, GREAT. THANKS, JESSICA. SO WE HAD LAUNCHED MANY YEARS AGO. OUR COUNTY INVESTMENT FRAMEWORK, WHICH IDENTIFY WHERE AREAS TARGETED FOR GROWTH AND TARGET FOR PRESERVATION IN THE COUNTY, SO WE USED THAT TO GET SOME ADDITIONAL GRANT FUNDING FROM THE NORTH JERSEY TRANSPORTATION PLANNING AUTHORITY. WE LAUNCHED OUR SUPPORTING PRIORITY INVESTMENT IN SOMERSET COUNTY, WHERE WE LOOKED AT SOME OF THE TARGETED GROWTH AREAS, SO WE HAVE 24 PRIORITY GROWTH INVESTMENT AREAS IN THE COUNTY. THEY RANGE FROM PLACES LIKE THE T AND T CAMPUS TO THE SOMERSET COUNTY REGIONAL CENTER AND THE INDUSTRIAL OFFICER COMPLEX, LIKE ON IN NORTHERN FRANKLIN TWO BY 2 87 THERE SO THEY AND THEY, THOSE PLACES RANGE OF EXISTING TOWN CENTERS LIKE THE BOUND BROOKS TO MANVILLE, NORTH PLAINFIELD AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN. AND SO, BUT NOT MONTGOMERY MONTGOMERY AT THE TIME WHEN WE DID THE COUNTY INVESTMENT FRAMEWORK, WE IDENTIFY GROWTH AREAS, BUT NOT ANY OF THE PRIORITY GROWTH BECAUSE THAT WHOLE PROCESS WAS BASED ON LOCAL NEEDS OF GROUND UP AND YOU KNOW, I'M JUST TEASING. IT'S ONE OF THE HAVE A BIG CHIP ON OUR SHOULDER. JUST SO YOU KNOW, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF UPDATING THE FEELING THE LOVE FROM BUT BUT UM I'M NOT SURPRISED, BUT BUT WE ARE LIKE THERE'S A NEW, UH, UPDATE CURRENTLY ACTUALLY IN THE PROCESS OF UPDATING THE INVESTMENT FRAMEWORK RIGHT NOW, THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS WILL BE REACHIN DOUBLE CHECKING AND WE'LL HAVE ALL THE DATA YOU NEED. SO LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU NEED THAT PROCESS, I GUESS WHEN YOU REACH OUT THE MEDIA'S PALETTE EASE FOR FEEDBACK TO BE INCLUDED. ABSOLUTELY SO WHEN WE DID THAT WITH WE ACTUALLY WORKED HAND IN HAND WITH MR PALETTE EASE IDENTIFYING TO THE COUNTY INVESTMENT FRAMEWORK MAP ACTUALLY GOES TO THE PARCEL LEVEL, SO IT'S BUILT OFF STATE PLANNING AREAS. THERE'S A WHOLE HOST. I COULD GO ON FOR AN HOUR ABOUT HOW WE DEVELOPED IT, BUT TIMEFRAME FOR THAT PROCESS. OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS. WE'LL BE RIGHT. CAN WE RE ERECTION WORKING WITH RUTGERS UNIVERSITY RIGHT NOW TO HELP US UPDATE THAT? UM SO WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF BEING ABLE TO ROLL STUFF OUT
[00:30:01]
TO THE TOWNS IN THE COMING MONTHS. OKAY AND WHAT'S THE TURNAROUND? TIME TO GET THAT FEEDBACK TO YOU? JUST UM, WE'LL WE'LL WORK WITH OUR MISSILE PARTNERS. IF YOU NEED, YOU KNOW , WE WILL NOT MOVE FORWARD WITHOUT INPUT FROM THE TOWN'S. I'M JUST TRYING TO BE INTERMINABLE, PROCESS ORIENTED SHOW. I WOULD SAY, LIKE A MONTH OR TWO, PROBABLY SEPTEMBER OR OCTOBER. AT SOME POINT, YOU HAVE TO REPORT BACK OUT. YEAH I WOULD SAY PROBABLY TOWARDS THE BEGINNING OF IN SOMETIME IN THE FALL. WE'RE ACTUALLY HAVING A LITTLE BIT OF A STAFFING ISSUE AT THE OFFICE TO IT. SOME CHANGE OVER SO, BUT WE ARE, UM, WE ARE COMMITTED TO WORKING WITH THE TOWNS I KNOW WORKED WITH LORI FOR MANY, MANY YEARS AND I NEVER PUT ANYTHING IN OUR PLANS THAT THAT THIS WILL SUPPORT BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO CALL FROM THE TOWNSHIP TO THE COMMISSIONER SAYING, WHAT'S WALT DOING SO, LIKE WE REALLY TRIED TO MAKE SURE THERE'S THAT LEVEL OF CONSENSUS, AND IT'S REALLY SERVED THIS WELL GOING AFTER GRANTS, AND YOU KNOW THE TOWN'S USING OUR WORK AND PARTNERING AND GETTING THINGS DONE. SO THANKS. DEFINITELY YOU HAVE MY WORD THAT WE WILL INCORPORATE MONTGOMERY'S COMMENTS AND CONCERNS IN OUR THANK YOU. IT'S ON THE RECORD RIGHT WAS RAISED. IF YOU DON'T TELL A LOT IF YOU DON'T LIKE YOU DON'T HAVE TO REMEMBER WHAT STORY OKAY. SO, UM WE? ONE OF THE SITES WAS THE AT AND T CAMPUS IN BEDMINSTER TOWNSHIP. WE PROACTIVELY WORKED WITH THE MAYOR AND THE PLANNING BOARD IN THE ACCOUNT COMMITTEE THERE. WE KNEW IT WAS. THE GOAL WAS TO KEEP A T AND T IN BEDMINSTER IN SOMERSET COUNTY, BUT IF THEY DECIDED TO MOVE OUT WHAT KIND OF WHAT? WHAT DID BEDMINSTER WANT TO SEE ON THAT CAMPUS? SO UM, SUCCESS BY MINISTER 80 T IS DOWNSIZING AND MOVING TO ANOTHER LOCATION IN BEDMINSTER TOWNSHIPS WERE RETAINED A T AND T IN THE SUMMER, MR COUNTY, WHICH WAS THE ULTIMATE FIRST GOAL, AND THEN WE CAME UP WITH, UM SOMEHOW. DEVELOPMENT FOR LIKE A LIFE SCIENCES HIGH TECH CAMPUS IN OUR SUPPORTING PRIOR INVESTMENT STUDY. TOWNSHIP WAS INTERESTED PURSUING THAT MORE AND ACTUALLY TURNING INTO ZONING AND MASTER PLAN AMENDMENTS. SO WE RECEIVED SOUGHT AND RECEIVED A GRANT FROM THE NEW JERSEY HIGHLANDS COUNCIL TO DEVELOP THAT THAT INTO A REAL PLAN. UM, AND THAT WAS ADOPTED AT THE END. IN NOVEMBER OF LAST YEAR. WE WORKED WITH THEM JUST GO AND I PROVIDED COMMENTS ON TWEAKING THE ZONING LANGUAGE TO MAKE SURE ASEPTIC MANUFACTURING WAS, BUT HE REALLY THE USE OF THAT CAMPUS WILL BE IT'S GONNA BE A REDEVELOPMENT. IT'S GOING TO PROBABLY ALLOW UP TO 2 MILLION SQUARE FEET OF A MIXTURE OF OFFICE LAB MANUFACTURING SPACE WHERE WAREHOUSING BUT ONLY WITH ASSOCIATED WITH THE MANUFACTURING ON THAT, BUT IT'S MEANT TO ALSO BE LIKE THE SCALE UP, SO IT'S FOR R AND D SO YOU COULD DO LIKE PROTOTYPING OF LAB PROCESSES AND PRODUCTION PROCESS AND SCALING IT UP, SO IT'S REALLY MEANT TO LOOK AT LIFE SCIENCES OF LAWS ADVANCED MANUFACTURING ALSO BUILDING OFF THE FIBER INTERNET THAT IS THERE FOR SO FOR DATA ANALYTICS, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS SO, BUT IT ALSO ALLOWS FOR A MIXTURE OF USES ON THE SITE. SO FROM A HOTEL CONFERENCE CENTER, UM, REACH SOME RETAIL, SOME RESTAURANT USE OF, YOU KNOW, ART, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC PERFORMANCE SPACE TO REALLY EVERYTHING WOULD ACCEPT RESIDENTIAL BECAUSE, SINCE THE SITE IS KIND OF ISOLATED IT DOESN'T REALLY MAKE SENSE TO ISOLATE. PEOPLE YOU KNOW, RESIDENTIAL EVENINGS IN THOSE AREAS, SO THE TOWNSHIP IS NOW WE'RE ACTIVELY WORKING WITH THE OWNER OF THE SITE, WHICH IS METLIFE, THE TOWNSHIP. AND TO JESSICA'S CONNECTIONS, A LOT OF THE STATE AGENCIES WE'RE ACTUALLY WORKING WITH THE STATE PLANNING COMMISSION BY MR WILL BE DESIGNATED HABIT GOING THROUGH THE PLANE ENDORSEMENT PROCESS AND WE WERE TRYING WITH THAT WAY WILL ALLOW THEM WHEN THAT IS DESIGNATED AS PART OF THEIR CENTER TO ACCESS UM, STATE INCENTIVES NOT ONLY FROM THE FROM THE O T, BUT ALSO FROM THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY FOR THE EMERGED PROGRAM AND HOPEFULLY THE ASPIRE PROGRAM. SO REALLY, WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO OVER THE YEARS IS A LINE. STATE POLICIES, LOCAL POLICIES AND COUNTY POLICY IS TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ALWAYS IN THE FRONT OF THE LINE FOR POTENTIAL FUNDING SOURCES. IT'S WORKED PRETTY WELL FOR A LOT FOR A LOT OF OUR TOWNS ARE GETTING THESE RESOURCES AND YOU KNOW, WE COULD DEFINITELY DO THE SAME WITH MONTGOMERY AND WORKING WITH THAT WITH YOU ON THAT. SO THAT'S A NUTSHELL. SO THAT'S JUST A COPY OF THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THE 18 C SITE WAS FEATURED IN REAL ESTATE, NEW JERSEY HIGHLIGHTED THE PROCESS OF THE COORDINATION BETWEEN STATE COUNTY, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS . SO YEAH, WE'RE GETTING A LOT OF GOOD PRESS OUT OF THAT, AND YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY AN EXAMPLE OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE WITH MANY OF OUR TOWNS. THAT'S GREAT.WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS BEEN TOO MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING OUT. THANK YOU MAY GET TO SEE SOME OF THIS DURING JUST FOR THE MEAN FOR THE TOWNSHIP PARTICIPATING IN LEADERSHIP SOMERSET PROGRAMS. I GOT TO SEE A LOT OF THIS, AND I THINK THE MORE WE CAN, YOU KNOW, COLLABORATE. UM I KNOW WE'RE ON THE SOUTHERN TIP OF SOMERSET COUNTY. UM BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU KNOW WE'RE TOP OF MIND AND REALLY EAGER AND MOTIVATED TO ENGAGE OKAY. IN THE PAST WEEK, WE'VE WORKED, BUT YOU KNOW, YOU ACTUALLY HAVE A REALLY GOOD PLANNER. WE DO. YES THERE WAS. MONTGOMERY WAS AHEAD OF THE CURVE ON SOME OF THESE THINGS AS
[00:35:05]
WELL. SO YOU KNOW, FROM HIS WORK, YOU KNOW, THEY DIDN'T NEED, YOU KNOW, AT THE TIME. WE DIDN'T HAVE A LOT TO ADD DOING GOOD STUFF HERE. BUT WHAT WE WERE TALKING I THINK LORENA HAD BEEN TALKING ABOUT IS WE MAY HAVE SOME OPPORTUNITIES TO KIND OF TWEAK SOME OF OUR ZONE.THAT'S THE EASIEST THING. THE LOWEST HANGING FRUIT IS TO JUST TWEAK THINGS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE SO THAT WE CAN MAYBE HIT SOME OF THESE THESE GAP AREAS MADE IT. MAYBE I'M NOT SURE MANUFACTURING BUT MAYBE MYSPACE PERSPECTIVE. IF IT'S ALREADY OFFICE COMMERCIAL, WHAT ELSE IS IT NEEDS TO BE SOME OF THAT? I WOULD JUST THANK YOU, WALTER. JESSICA SO MUCH FOR COMING TONIGHT. UM UM IT'S REALLY BEEN IMPRESSED WITH THE WORK YOU'VE BEEN DOING AND I AM SO EXCITED TO BRING YOU TO SPEAK WITH OUR TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE TONIGHT. WE DO HAVE A MASTER PLAN COMMITTEE THAT HAS THE MAYOR, THE DEPUTY MAYOR. I'M SORRY. THE MAYOR AND COMMITTEE PERSON, TODD AND ALSO THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING BOARD ARE PLANNING BOARD CHAIR BUT YOU KNOW, REALLY ARE FULL. FIVE MEMBERS OF OUR TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE ARE VERY INVESTED IN THIS IN THIS PROCESS . MONTGOMERY IS PRIMARILY RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY. WE HAVE SMALL POCKETS OF NON RESIDENTIAL , SO THOSE AREAS ARE VERY VALUABLE TO US, AND WE'RE INTERESTED IN KEEPING THEM SUCCESSFUL AND. YOU KNOW, ON THE BOOKS AS A GOOD RATE, ABLES. SO UM, I FELT VERY STRONGLY THAT THIS PRESENTATION NOT ONLY FOR THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE, BUT FOR OUR CONSULTANT MICHAEL SULLIVAN, WHO'S HERE TONIGHT, AND SHERRY CREWS ARE, YOU KNOW ARE PLANNING COORDINATOR TO ALSO BE PART AND KIND OF ALL HEARING THIS AND WHATEVER THE NEXT STEPS MIGHT BE , UM, WHERE WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO KIND OF TAKE THE NEXT STEPS BE. LET'S TALK THAT. WHAT SHOULD WE BE? SHOULD WE BE? WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS OR WHAT WOULD YOU RECOMMEND? WHAT WE WANT TO FRAME IT ALSO, I DIDN'T REALLY GET INTO IT WHEN I SPEAK ABOUT THE OFFICE, BUT THE IDEA OF THIS PLANNING POLICY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SO OUR OFFICE WE REPORT DIRECTLY TO THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR ON PART OF THE SENIOR MANAGEMENT TEAM AND PART OF THE CHARGE THAT I HAVE IS TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ALLOWING ALIGNING COUNTY POLICIES ACROSS ALL OF COUNTY GOVERNMENT SO THE IDEA WHEN JESSICA MENTIONED THE INVESTMENT IN ORDER TO VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE, WE WILL WOVEN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES INTO EVERYTHING WE DO THROUGHOUT THE PLANNING OFFICE. SO IN OUR PRESERVATION, OUR AWARD WINNING PRESERVATION MASTER PLAN WE TALK ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TOURISM STRATEGIES AND THAT LEVERAGING OFF THE I VIEW THE FUNDING THAT THE COUNTY HAS SPENT IN OUR LOCAL PARTNERS I SPENT IN PRESERVING OPEN SPACE PRESERVING FORMS. PRESERVING CONSERVING RESOURCES ARE INVESTMENTS AND HOW WE CAN LEVERAGE THAT FOR OTHER ECONOMIC ACTIVITY, SO WELL WHEN WE PROVIDED FUNDING TO THE BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP TO DO THIS, IP INSEE TOWARDS KIND OF HIGHLIGHT THE CRAFT BEVERAGE MAKERS IN THE COUNTY. WE ALSO TALK ABOUT HISTORIC RESOURCES DOWNTOWNS.
FARM FARMERS MARKETS. THOSE TYPES OF THINGS IS THAT IF IT'S AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DRIVER ALSO, IT'S ALSO PART OF THE OVERALL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY BECAUSE THAT'S A TALENT ATTRACTION AND RETENTION. YOU KNOW, WE ARE. HALFWAY BETWEEN NEW YORK AND PHILADELPHIA. WE HAVE THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS. WE HAVE PRIVATE OPEN SPACES AND FARMS AND ALL THAT AND VIBRANT DOWNTOWNS. GREAT SCHOOL, SO THIS IS A GREAT PLACE IF YOU CAN WORK REMOTELY PART OF THE TIME. THIS IS WHY YOU WANT TO LIVE HERE. SO THESE ARE ALL THE AMENITIES THAT WE'RE TRYING TO INCREASE THAT AS WELL. WE ARE ATTRACTING ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT CHANGE ZONING THE ZONING FROM OFFICE TO RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT. WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE YOU SPEAK TO LORI . I WANTED MY ALSO. MICHAEL AND I WERE TALKING A LITTLE BIT. MICHAEL MIGHT HAVE SOME THOUGHTS TO OR WHAT COULD TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THEY KICKED OFF THE PROCESS. UM IN IN BED WITH THE BEDMINSTER. WE SAW SOME OUTSIDE GRANT RESOURCES TO THAT , YOU KNOW, BUT YOU KNOW, WE HAVE VERY GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE OFFICER PLANNING ADVOCACY IN THE STATE. JESSICA'S GOT GREAT WITH THE IDEA SO THERE MAY BE E D, A FUNDING RIGHT STRANDED ASSET. THERE'S A STRANDED ASSET GRANT THAT'S AVAILABLE FROM THE NEW JERSEY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY THAT LOOKS AT HELPING PROVIDE SOME RESOURCES TO READ VISION. REPURPOSE, YOU KNOW. UNDERPERFORMING COMMERCIAL ASSETS. OKAY WE'RE HAPPY TO COME TO MULTIPLE MEETINGS LIKE WE'RE JUST GONNA MAKE OURSELVES AVAILABLE. SO IF WE NEEDED TO COME TO COMMITTEE MEETINGS OR HAVE ANOTHER FOLLOW UP MEETING ABOUT TALKING ABOUT STRATEGY, WE'RE HAPPY TO DO THAT. WHAT WE DO SO, YEAH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS, I THINK GOING TO BE HOPEFULLY COMING DOWN THE PIPELINE TO CENTRAL JERSEY IS BECAUSE NOW CENTRAL JERSEY DOES EXIST. BUT MOST WHAT I HAVE HEARD AND PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I'VE GOT MIGHT GET THIS WRONG, BUT A LOT OF THAT IS GOING TO BE MARKETING DOLLARS THAT ARE GOING TO COME OUT OF THAT. UM SO FOR THIS AREA, SO, UM I GUESS SOME OF OUR RETAIL WE HAVE TO KIND OF MAPPING INTO A MARKETING FRAMEWORK AS WELL. SO DO YOU SEE? IS THAT WHERE YOU'RE HEARING AND TAKE THE MONEY WILL BE COMING FROM THE BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP ON A Y SOMERSET CAMPAIGN TALENT ATTRACTION RETENTION. WE DID YOU KNOW FROM EVERYTHING THAT THE COMMISSIONERS AND COLLEEN HAD CHARGED US WITH THE DO FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WE ADDED.
JESSICA I COULDN'T DO IT OURSELVES. SO WE ACTUALLY BROUGHT ANOTHER CREATED. ANOTHER
[00:40:02]
POSITION BROUGHT SOMETHING ON BOARD. THEY HAVE A MARKETING BACKGROUND, SO HE HIT BEN'S CHARGES TO HELP US MARKET THIS, SO WE'RE ALREADY DOING SOME STUFF, AND NOW WE'RE GOING OUT TO VARIOUS CONFERENCES LIKE JESSICA MENTIONED AS A BIO INTERNATIONAL WITH 15,000 OF MY CLOSEST FRIENDS THAT ARE ALL IN THE LIFE SCIENCES FIELD, BUT I WAS SHOWING THEM THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT IN SOMERSET COUNTY AND TALKING ABOUT HOW OUR COUNTY HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT DSG LIKE WE'RE ONE AND PROBABLY ONLY A FEW COUNTIES IN THE COUNTRY, ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT THAT MADE SOME CONTACTS WITH PEOPLE IN THE E U THAT WHEN I MENTIONED THAT THEIR EYES LIT UP BECAUSE LIKE YOU, SO IF WE CAN ATTRACT THAT'S THERE'S A LOT OF FOREIGN INVESTMENT THAT'S POTENTIALLY COMING HERE. YOU KNOW, ONE OF SOMERSET COUNTIES, GREATEST STRENGTHS IS THAT ARE WERE VERY DIVERSE COMMUNITY MORE THAN 25% OF OUR POPULATIONS. FOREIGN BORN IF WE CAN SHOW THAT WE'RE WELCOMING COMMUNITY AND THERE AND THERE'S ALREADY THAT SUPPORT SYSTEM THERE, AND WE'RE TALENTED WORKFORCE AND OUR GREAT AMENITIES LIKE I'M HOPING THAT LIKE THEY COME HERE WHEN THEY LAND. THAT SOUNDS GOOD TO US. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING IN. AND THEN WHAT WERE THE NEXT ITEM WE'RE GOING TO HAVE IS PUBLIC COMMENTS. SO SOMETIMES ONE REASON WE DO PRESENTATIONS BEFOREHAND IS THAT YOU MAY GET SOME OTHER QUESTIONS. SO YOU MIGHT NOT BE ON THE LOOK OUT FOR[5. PUBLIC COMMENT]
THAT. WELL, THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SO SPEAKING OF PUBLIC COMMENT. THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS PUBLIC COMMENT. 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 ASK THAT YOU INSTEAD INDICATE THAT YOU JOIN IN OUR SUPPORT. THOSE COMMENTS PREVIOUSLY MADE GROUPS ARE ASKED TO SELECT A SPOKESPERSON TO SPEAK ON THEIR BEHALF. SO WITH THAT, I OPENED UP PUBLIC COMMENT AND PLEASE COME FORWARD AND STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, AND WE MAY ASK FOR SOME SPELLING SURE, COME FORWARD. MY NAME IS DR VAN BEVEREN. I'VE BEEN OKAY, YOUR ADDRESS. MY ADDRESS IS 95. 952 ROUTE. 5 18. OKAY JUST QUICKLY. DO YOU NEED SCHOOLING AT ALL? COULD YOU SPELL YOUR NAME? JUST SPELL YOUR NAME AGAIN? CAPITAL B E V. ER. E N. AS IN NANCY. THANK YOU. AS I WAS SAYING, I'VE BEEN THANK YOU HAVE BEEN LIVING IN MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP FOR THE PAST 45 YEARS. AND I WAS ONE OF THE FIRST ONES TO ASK FOR SOLAR PANELS AND WAS DENIED. UM I WAS ONE OF THE FIRST ONES TO ASK FOR CHICKENS. IN MY BACKYARD AND WAS DENIED.AND UM, NOW I'M ASKING FOR A WINDMILL ON DUTCH AND I'M USED TO WINDMILLS. I LIVE ON LITTLE MORE THAN MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP ACRE. AND, UM. I WAS BORN AND RAISED AND EDUCATED IN THE NETHERLANDS, AND SO I NATURALLY ASKED FOR A HOMEMADE WINDMILL AND THEY LAUGHED ME OUT OF THE OLD. IN THE OFFICE. NOW WE'RE NEW OFFICE IN NEW OPEN MIND. SO WHERE DOES THAT YOU NEED ME LIKE A WINDMILL? FOR WIND POWER. THE RULES NOW DICTATE THAT I HAVE TO HAVE AT LEAST SIX ACRES. LIKE WE NEEDED A MINIMUM OF FIVE ACRES FOR ONE CHICKEN, REMEMBER? YEAH YOU DO REMEMBER THAT RIGHT? WELL I WANT 24 7 WIND POWER BECAUSE THE WINDS ARE GETTING STRONGER. HMM. AND HAIL ALL OVER THE WORLD IS GETTING BIGGER. AND WITHIN 5 TO 10 YEARS WE WILL HAVE VERY, VERY HEAVY HAILS. HMM. SO I'M NOT A FAN OF SOLAR ALSO BECAUSE I'VE GOT TREES AND I LIKE MY TREES. UM FUTURE HEALTH TERMS WILL MAKE MINCEMEAT OUT OF SOLAR PANELS. BUT, UM. THE MANY WIND POWERS HAVE IMPROVED TREMENDOUSLY THAT THE REASON FOR DENYING THEM TO CITIZENS. WITH THE FULL ACRE READY, ABLE AND WILLING ARE INCREASINGLY UNCLEAR AND UNEXPLAINED. FRANKLY I STILL NOT KNOW WHY WE ARE BEING DENIED . THERE'S NO ONE WILL TELL ME UNTIL I'M FORCED TO PAY A $5000 VARIANTS. WITH NO GUARANTEE OF A SUCCESSFUL EXPLANATION. AND BEING RETIRED. I CAN'T AFFORD TO PLAY THIS UNFAIR LOTTERY.
TODAY'S GERMAN MADE ROOF POWERED TURBINES ARE SMALLER. THE STRONGER, QUIETER THEY'RE MORE EFFICIENT. THEY'RE SAFER. THAN THEY'VE EVER BEEN BEFORE, AND THEY NO LONGER NEED TO BE MOUNTED VERY HIGH, NO HIGHER THAN THE OLD ROOF MOUNTED TV ANTENNA AND TODAY'S SATELLITE
[00:45:01]
DISHES. SO AS FAR AS EYESORES ARE CONCERNED, I DON'T REMEMBER ANY ORGANIZED EFFORTS BENT ON CONFISCATING TV AND TENNIS AND SATELLITE DISHES, SO THAT'S NOT A GOOD ARGUMENT. THE NEW WIND POWERS CAN BE MOUNTED ON ALMOST ANY ROOFTOP. AND THERE ARE NO LONGER I SOURCE. MOST IMPORTANT , THE SMALL TURBINES WILL DO WONDERS FOR ALL OF OUR ENERGY BILLS AND THE LAST SPEAKER FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNING, UM SHOULD HAVE STAYED WHO HE'S THEY'RE STILL HERE.ALRIGHT WELL, UTILITY RATES HAVE BEEN GOING UP LIKE THE THERMOMETER. ENOUGH FRIENDLY BUT GREEDY ENERGY SUPPLIERS ARE NOT NEARLY DONE RAISING THEIR RIGHTS. SOON MANY OF US WILL BE UNABLE TO PAY FOR OUR COOLING SYSTEMS. AND FORCED TO MOVE TO SMALLER VENUES RATHER THAN THE HOMES THAT WE'VE OCCUPIED FOR DECADES. IN OTHER WORDS, IT'S HIGH TIME FOR AN ENERGY UPGRADE.
WE HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY. WE HAVE THE SAFETY FEATURES. WE HAVE EVERYTHING THAT WE NEED AND YET TO KEEP IT AT SIX ACRES. IS ONLY A SMALL FRACTION OF MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP RESIDENTS THAT CAN AFFORD THAT KIND OF ACREAGE. I REALIZED THAT I'M UP AGAINST A NATIONALLY IF NOT A STATE AGENDA , AND WITH POTUS, MAKING NOISE ABOUT GETTING RID OF GASTOS AND OTHERS TRYING TO LIMIT THE USE.
FOSSIL FUEL ELECTRICITY. THERE'S LITTLE DEBATE, BUT THAT WE ARE BEING PUSHED IN EVERY DIRECTION TOWARDS ENERGY SLAVERY. MAYBE THERE WAS ONCE A LEGITIMATE REASON TO LIMIT WINTER BYNES TO SIX ACRES. IN MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP, AND I FEEL THE RICH GET RICHER REPORT FOR BUT WITH THE DIRE NEED FOR ENERGY INDEPENDENCE, ADVANCEMENT IN TURBINE TECHNOLOGY, AND THE LITTLE GUYS NEED THERE'S PLENTY OF ROOM FOR DEBATE. AND A NEW LOOK AT AN ANCIENT LOCAL POLICIES THAT ARE NO LONGER USEFUL, BUT INSTEAD ARE HOLDING ALL OF US BACK. I NEED WIND POWER ON MY ACRE. AND THE LONGER WE WAIT, THE MORE MONEY WE THROW INTO THE WIND. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UM I WILL JUST SAY WE USUALLY KEEP ALL THE COMMENTS TO THE END. BUT I'M GONNA PERHAPS YOU CAN SET UP SOME TIME. I'D LOVE TO TALK TO YOU MORE ABOUT THIS PERSONALLY, AND THEN WE OFTEN HAVE CODE THAT'S IN PLACE THAT WE NEED TO TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT SO, UM AND I'M FRANKLY, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS TO OUR ATTENTION. SO I'D LIKE TO MEET WITH YOU AND MAYBE ALSO WITH OUR ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION. UM AND THERE'S A COUPLE OF OTHER ENTREPRENEURS ACTUALLY IN THE TOWN THAT ARE DEVELOPING THESE THINGS AS WELL. SO, UM SO IF YOU WOULD I'M VERY TIRED SO YOU CAN SEE THAT SOUNDS GOOD, BUT I THINK YOU KNOW WE FIRST OF ALL, WE APPRECIATE IT WHEN SOMEBODY COMES WITH MACHINE, YOU THINK? YEAH THAT MIGHT BE SOME OF THESE THINGS NEED TO BE LOOKED AT AGAIN, SO I THINK WE WILL DEFINITELY TAKE A LOOK AT IT.
OKAY CAN GIVE LORI SOME INFORMATION ON WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. WHAT THE ROOFTOP WIND TURBINE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT IT SO MUCH SMALLER, MANY, MANY TURBINES THAT YOU CAN, YOU KNOW , LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE A PRESENTATION IN OUR FUTURE. WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE COME ON. THERE'S NO ONE KNOWS. GOING ONCE. WHAT ELSE? WITH THAT? WELL, NO ONE ELSE WHO REPUBLIC COMMENT, IF NOT WELL, THEN CLOSED. PUBLIC COMMENT. THANK YOU. OKAY THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE CONSENT AGENDA. THIS IS NOT DO
[Consent Agenda]
WE HAVE TO TAKE AN ITEM OFF OF THIS ONE? OKAY OKAY. SO ALL LISTED. ALL MATTERS LISTED IS HERE. YOU COULD ADD. THE APOSTLE. IS THERE SOMETHING NO, BECAUSE I THINK MR RUTO RYOBI WAS WANT TO DO. HIS COURSE WHEREVER IT IS IT TO EAT POWER. YOU WANT TO SPEAK IN CORRESPONDENT SO HE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT? THAT POINT? OKAY EXCUSE ME. SO THE NEXT ITEM IS CONSENT AGENDA. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING. ALL MATTERS LISTED HERE UNDER ARE CONSIDERED TO BE ROUTINE IN NATURE AND WILL BE ENACTED IN ONE MOTION. ANY TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE PERSON MAY REQUEST THAT I HAD TO BE REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. AND OF COURSE, ANY EXPLANATION QUESTIONS? BARNEY REQUEST. IF NOT DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVED BY COULD JUST POINT OUT THAT, UM, ON THE CONSENTED DON'T THINK THAT'S WORKING ON THE CONSENT AGENDA TOTALING $578,581[00:50:03]
OF GRANTS THAT WHETHER IT'S THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, MOSTLY THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT ARE CLEAN COMMUNITIES, SO I JUST WANTED TO GIVE COMPLIMENTS TO THE STAFF THAT ARE CONSTANTLY WRITING GRANTS AND SEEKING MONEY TO HELP CREATE THESE PROGRAMS, SO I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YES WE'VE BEEN PUSHING THAT A LOT. SO THANK YOU ALL AND I KNOW WE'RE GONNA HAVE A COUPLE MORE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO ANNOUNCE SOON TOO. SO THANK YOU WANT TO SHARE WHEN A THANK YOU, MR MCDERMOTT FOR HIS FIRST SERVICE. IS THAT ON WHICH ONE PROPERTY FOR PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION 100% WONDERFUL. OKAY THANK YOU. ONE LAST THING. THE LAST ITEM ON THE CONSENT IS OUR FOUR PROBATIONARY OFFICERS OR HAVE COMPLETED THEIR PROBATIONARY PERIOD. UM THAT'S OFFICER BRIDGEWATER, CHIN LARUE AND MERKEL AND SO THEY ARE BEING MADE PERMANENT POLICE OFFICERS, SO CONGRATULATIONS TO THEM AND TO CAPTAIN BET FOR HIS WHOLE TEAM FOR THE TRAINING PROGRAM, AND WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. WE APPRECIATE THAT. THAT IS WONDERFUL. THANK YOU. SO ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ANY OTHER COMMENTS? NOPE OKAY WITH THAT, UM, DO I HAVE APPROVAL FOR DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? WHAT ARE WE DOING WHAT YOU WANT TO DO? A THROUGH OUR AND INCLUDES RESOLUTIONS ARE 23-6. THERE'S 159 THROUGH OUR 23-6 DASH 174 SO MOVED. 2ND 2ND PLEASE. COMMITTEE MEMBER ON YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER BARICAN? YES, YES. GOOD. RUN SEVEN. GREAT THE NEXT ITEM IS[24. AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASE OF NATURAL GAS SUPPLY SERVICES FOR PUBLIC USE ON AN ONLINE AUCTION WEBSITE]
RESOLUTION. 23-6 DASH 175 AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASE OF NATURAL GAS SUPPLY SERVICES FOR PUBLIC USE ON AN ONLINE AUCTION WEBSITE IS, UM THIS RESOLUTION PERTAINS TO MUNICIPAL OPERATIONS ONLY DOESN'T PERTAIN TO A PRIVATE RESIDENCE. NATURAL GAS. UM OUR MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS.NATURAL GAS CONTRACT IS UP ON JULY 1ST. SO THIS RESOLUTION ALLOWS US TO HAVE AN AUCTION TO RECEIVE BIDS ON OUR NATURAL GAS SUPPLIER. SO THE IMAX IS THE COMPANY WHO RUNS OUR AUCTION. UH WE SELECT THE BIDDER WHO PROVIDES THE MOST ADVANTAGEOUS RATE. VIA THE BIDS, AND THIS IS ROUTINE IN NATURE. UM WE DO THIS WHENEVER THE CONTRACT IS UP. DO I HAVE A MOTION TO PROVE SO? MOVED? 2ND 2ND. COMMITTEE MEMBER ON YES, BARICAN. YES YES. NEXT ITEM RESOLUTION. 23-6 DASH 176
[25. AUTHORZING THE RENEWAL OF 2023-2024 PLENARY RETAIL CONSUMPTION LICENSES, PLENARY RETAIL DISTRIBUTION LICENSES, AND CLUB LICENSES]
AUTHORIZING THE RENEWAL OF THE RETAIL CONSUMPTIVE LICENSE. ALL OF THE LICENSES WERE SOME OF THESE REMOVED OR NOT. LISA HAS AN UPDATE. IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS FOR ALL OF THE LIQUOR LICENSES, ALL THE CURRENT THESE ARE APPROVED. THESE ARE LOCATED.THESE ARE ALL THE GOOD BECAUSE I KNOW THERE WERE A FEW THAT HAD TO GET PULLED. ONE HAD TO BE PULLED FOR TAX CLEARANCE. AND THEN ALL THE YOU HAVE TO HAVE TO BE CALLED BECAUSE OF TAX CLEARANCE AND THEN THE POCKET. FOR UM MADISON. MARQUETTE WAS REMOVED AS WELL. OKAY SO WE'LL SEE THAT IN THE FUTURE JULY 6TH AGENDA. OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU HAVE A MOTION TO GROUP 2ND 2ND, PLEASE. SOMEBODY MEMBER ON? YES HARRIGAN. YES. CANON? YES. NEXT ITEM RESOLUTION 23-6 DASH 178
[26. AUTHORIZING ROAD PAVING SERVICES THROUGH THE MORRIS COUNTY COOPERATIVE]
AUTHORIZING ROAD PAVING SERVICES THROUGH THE WORST COUNTY COOPERATIVE, SO THIS IS PART OF OUR ANNUAL ROAD PAVING PROJECT, AND WE USE THE MORRIS COUNTY COOPERATIVE BECAUSE THERE'S STRENGTH IN NUMBERS COMPETITIVE PRICING AND WE ARE DOING. WE HAVE A PROGRAM THAT ANALYZES THE CONDITION OF OUR ROADS THROUGHOUT THE TOWNSHIP. AND SO WE KEEP A LIST OF THE PROPER ROADS THAT ARE IN LINE FOR. UM THIS IS IN THIS SENSE WERE MILLING AND PAVING AND IT'S KILLED IAN BRANDYWINE. UM, AND IT'S APPROVED AS PART OF OUR BUDGET, OKAY? SO CLARIFYING QUESTIONS. SO IS THERE A SOMERSET COUNTY COOPERATIVE OR WE JUST USE THE MORRIS COUNTY COOPERATIVE. THE MORRIS COUNTY COOPERATIVE HAS. I KNOW WE'VE ALWAYS USED THEM FOR PAVING. SO UM, LET'S TAKE A LOOK. NEXT TIME TO JUST SEE GOOD IDEA. BUT NOT NOW. LET'S GO FORWARD WITH THIS . DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE A 2ND? 2ND CALL PLEASE. COMMITTEE MEMBER ON? YES[27. ORDINANCE #23-1702 – 2023 Salary and Wages – Introduction]
REMEMBER BARICAN CANNON? YES THE NEXT ITEM IS AN INTRODUCTION ORDINANCE 23-1702 THESE ARE FOR THE 2023 SALARY AND WAGES AGAIN. THIS IS AN INTRODUCTION. AND THIS IS A ORDINANCE THAT IS DONE EVERY YEAR FOR OUR NON UNION EMPLOYEES. AND THESE ARE THE MINIMUM AND MAXIMUMS THAT ARE[00:55:04]
ALL WRITTEN HERE. OKAY DO I HAVE A MOTION TO INTRODUCE SOME OF 2ND 2ND, PLEASE? COMMITTEE MEMBER ON? YES MEMBER BARICAN. YES, YES. THE NEXT ITEM WE'RE GOING TO ACTUALLY CARRY RIGHT.[28. ORDINANCE #23-1701 – Montgomery Ridge Phase 1 – Master Plan Road ROW Acceptance – Public Hearing]
THIS IS ORDINANCE 23-1701 BECAUSE IT'S A MONTGOMERY RIDGE PHASE ONE CORRECT. WE HAVE YOU HAVE TO ABSTAIN AND WE DON'T HAVE A QUORUM. SO WE'RE GOING TO CARRY THAT RIGHT? OKAY? JUST TO CLARIFY. IT'S NOT THAT YOU DON'T HAVE A QUORUM. YOU JUST WOULDN'T HAVE THE NUMBER OF VOTES REQUIRED QUORUM. MAKE CONFUSED PEOPLE. BUT IF CONFUSES ME, WE DON'T HAVE A POST STORY, BUT YOU SHOULD STILL OPEN IT FOR PUBLIC HEARING IN CASE ANYBODY CAME TO SPEAK TODAY AND THEN THE PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE CARRIED TO SIX. OKAY, SO I'M GONNA REVERSE EVERYTHING I JUST SAID ON THAT ONE. SO WE SO WE'RE NOT CARRYING IT. WE'RE GOING TO OPEN THE PUBLIC AREA AND THEN WE'RE GONNA CARRY THE SECOND PART. THANK YOU, OKAY. CLARIFICATION ORDINANCE 23-1701. THIS IS MONTGOMERY RIDGE. PHASE ONE MASTER PLAN RO RO ACCEPTANCE. THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING. IS THERE ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO COME UP? SPECIFIC TO THIS. OKAY DO I HAVE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? MOVED. 2ND 2ND FAVOR BY JUST AND THEN FOR THE SECOND PART, WE ARE GOING TO CARRY GOOD TILL JULY. 6. THANK YOU. OKAY THE NEXT ITEM IS APPROVAL OF[29. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
MINUTES. UM ARE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS IF NOT THE REGULAR SESSION MINUTES OF MAY 18TH 2023 SHOULD BE APPROVED. DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SOME MOVED 2ND 2ND FAVOR PEOPLE. NEXT ITEM[30. PAYMENT OF BILLS]
IS PAYMENT OF BILLS POSTED. OUR THREE HIGHEST BILLS ARE OUR PAYMENT TO THE BOARD OF ED FOR THEIR PORTION OF OUR PROPERTY TAXES. THEY REMINDER THE BOARD OF EDUCATION IS APPROXIMATELY 70% OF OUR PROPERTY TAX BILL, WHEREAS OUR PORTION IS ABOUT 15% SO OUR TAX PAYMENT FOR THIS QUARTER IS 7,113,002. THE NEXT PAYMENT IS TO CENTRAL JERSEY HEALTH INSURANCE FUND. THAT IS 168,335. IF YOU REMEMBER WE'RE IN A HEALTH INSURANCE FUND, NOT THE STATE HEALTH BENEFITS PROGRAM. SO WE DO LIKE TO TOUT THAT. THOSE MUNICIPALITIES THAT ARE IN THE STATE HEALTH BENEFITS PLAN SAW IN PREMIUMS GO UP 22% THIS YEAR, OURS WENT UP, 0.15% SO WE'RE VERY HAPPY ABOUT THAT.AND THE NEXT HIGHEST IS OUR ANNUAL CONTRIBUTION TO THE VOLUNTEER EMERGENCY. THE S OF $70,000. AND THAT IS IN PART DUE TO OUR OUR MONEY THAT WE RECEIVED FROM UM, THE GOVERNMENT , SO THAT'S GREAT. AND I DID WANT TO ALSO JUST MENTIONED ON PAGE THREE. WE HAVE A WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS DURING OUR PRESENTATION. STAR KNIT SOLUTIONS. UM, THEY DO ALL OF OUR SECURITY FOR US, SO THAT WE, UH, STAY SAFE. BUT AT THE I T PRESENTATION WE TALKED ABOUT DO ALL MULTIFACTOR. AUTHENTICATION AND THAT HAS BEEN ROLLED OUT AND IS RUNNING VERY SUCCESSFULLY WITH ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES. SO KUDOS TO JACK IN THE I T TEAM AND ALL OF THE STAFF WHO WHO ACCLIMATED VERY QUICKLY FOR THAT. OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WITH THAT. DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? 2ND 2ND, PLEASE COMMITTEE MEMBER ON YES, MEMBER BARICAN? YES, YES. HOLD IT. I GUESS THAT'S. BUT IS IT LISTED ON HERE? COMMITTEE CORRESPONDENCE? I THINK IT'S ONE OF THE COMMUNITY RESPONDENTS IS OKAY UNDER. YEAH. OKAY OKAY. THE NEXT ITEM IS COMMITTEE
[Additional Item]
CORRESPONDENT. SO THE FIRST IS ABOUT AN O. E M COORDINATOR APPOINTMENT OF EVAN, UM STEM POLOS AS DEPUTY COORDINATOR FOR O E. M. THIS IS GREAT, BECAUSE, UM WE NEED TO EXPAND OUR O E. M.AND I'M VERY HAPPY TO HEAR THAT. AND THE NEXT WOULD BE AN EMAIL FROM ON ON SHOT REGARDING PICKLEBALL COURTS AND I BELIEVE IS MR SHOT HERE TONIGHT? OKAY SO WE HAVE A LOT OF INTEREST IN PICKLEBALL. AND WHEN I GIVE AN UPDATE ON THE RECREATION COMMITTEE WILL GIVE AN UPDATE ON PICKLEBALL. UNDER NEW AND UNFINISHED BUSINESS. WE HAVE THE COMMERCIAL RECREATIONAL FACILITIES. WAS THERE, SOMEBODY HERE THAT WANTED TO SPEAK ON THAT, OR THERE WAS A LETTER FOR
[01:00:03]
THAT. OKAY? SO HOW DO YOU WANT TO WHAT IS IT? THIS IS THE LETTER THAT YOU PASS THE WORD.DO YOU WANT TO? WE WANT TO DO THIS. OKAY WHY DON'T YOU COME ON UP AND SPEAK? SO THIS IS REGARDING THE B Y O B COMMERCIAL RECREATIONAL FACILITIES. OKAY SO ONCE YOU YES, MY NAME IS PAWAN GUPTA AND PRESIDENT OF THE TOWNSHIP. LIVE IT 17 RIVER ROAD. NOT TOO FAR FROM HERE. IF I WALK , IT'S ABOUT 23 MINUTES WALK. IT'S ON THE OTHER SIDE OF TWO OR SIX, YOU KNOW, AFTER ORCHARD AH , I'M A RESIDENT FOR 18 YEARS CAME IN THIS TOWN 2005. MY KIDS GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL. AND IN 2021. I ALSO ACQUIRED WHEN COMMERCIAL PROPERTY WHICH USED TO BE CAMPS, HARDWARE OH, AND, UH, AT THIS CURRENT TIME, YOU KNOW, I'M RUNNING HERE FLOATING AND KITCHEN CABINET BUSINESS OUT OF THIS FACILITY, AND ITS FACILITY IS QUITE BIG. ITS TOTAL LADIES ABOUT 13,000 SQUARE FOOT AND I ONLY NEED ABOUT 4 5000 SQUARE FOOT AND I WAS LOOKING FOR SOME OTHER BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY. ACTUALLY, WHEN I ACQUIRED THIS PROPERTY I HAD A FEW THINGS IN MIND. AND I WAS TALKING TO PEOPLE IN THE TOWN AND YOU KNOW, LIKE WHAT YOU KNOW , COULD BE A GOOD BUSINESS AND I HAVE MY ACTUALLY OPERATIONS MANAGER SONNY. WE ALSO RESIDENT OF THE TOWN. HE SUGGESTED THAT INDOOR GOLF SAME FACILITY. CAN BE VERY GOOD BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THAT MANY ENTERTAINMENT FACILITY IN THE TOWN AND THIS IS A VERY VERY GROWING BUSINESS FACILITIES ARE THEY STARTED FROM ABOUT 3 4000 SQUARE FOOT ABOUT 56 YEARS AGO. AND NOW I HAVE SEEN FACILITIES HAVE AS LARGE AS 17,000 SQUARE FOOT ACTUALLY, ONLY YESTERDAY BECAUSE I'M A FLOORING CONTRACTOR. WE PUT A BED IN PHILADELPHIA, BUT IT'S 17,000 SQUARE FOOT GOLF FACILITY AS A FLOORING CONTRACTOR, AN INDOOR GOLF SIMULATION AND YOU KNOW YOU GOT THE ZONING APPROVAL FOR THAT, AND YOU KNOW, WE STARTED RESEARCHING ALL THE FACILITY THE VIRTUALLY ALL THE INDOOR GOLF FACILITY. THEY ALLOWED B Y YOU'LL BE OKAY. UH AND YOU KNOW THAT I DON'T SEE THAT MANY ENTERTAINMENT FACILITY IN THE TOWN AND ALSO YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TIGER'S TAIL. YOU KNOW, A GOOD BODY, YOU KNOW VERY HISTORICAL PLACE, YOU KNOW TO BE IN BUT NOT TOO MANY SO FUNNY, ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, MOTIVATED ME . YOU KNOW THAT THIS COULD BE A VERY, VERY GOOD THING. SO 1ST 1000 TAKING IT SERIOUSLY. BUT THEN YOU KNOW WE STARTED DOING RESEARCH. WE WENT TO 10 15 GOLF FACILITY, AND I REALIZED THAT THIS IS THE WAY TO GO AND YOU KNOW HERE I AM, YOU KNOW FOR BYU APPROVAL. OKAY SO WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO APPROVE TONIGHT. BUT SO THIS IS THE REQUEST IS, TOO IF YOU OPEN UP THIS FACILITY TO MAKE IT A B Y O B PLACE, OKAY. HOW BIG IS YOU'RE SAYING DIFFERENT RANGES FROM 2000 TO 17,000 SO FACILITY IS GOING TO BE ABOUT 4700 SQUARE FOOT, YOU KNOW? AND HOW MANY SIMILAR IS THAT DEBT PLANNING TO HAVE SIX SIMULATORS? SIMULATORS? OKAY, UM HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE IN ONE SIMULATION GROUP LIKE WHAT'S THE YOU KNOW, IT COULD BE JUST ONE PERSON SOLO, AND IT COULD BE, YOU KNOW, 34 PEOPLE PLAYING TOGETHER IT COULD BE LIKE LIKE A REGULAR GOLF FACILITY, YOU KNOW ? AH IT'S BASICALLY A VIRTUAL GOLF YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE 80% OF THE SAME ENTERTAINMENT IN WINTER WHEN YOU CANNOT GO OUTSIDE AND PEOPLE HAVE CRAVING, YOU KNOW, THEY COME AND SHOOT THE BALL BALLS AND, YOU KNOW AH! THE 11 GOLF SIM CAN HAVE ANY ANYWHERE FROM 1 TO 45 PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, PLAYING IN ONE THING. AND I SEE YOU ALSO HAVE PROVIDED AN ORDINANCE FROM THE TOWNSHIP OF WALL THAT DOES ALLOW THIS, OKAY? YEP. OKAY? WELL THANK YOU FOR BRINGING TO ATTENTION WILL HAVE TO TAKE TAKE A LOOK AT IT. SURE MORE QUESTION. UM INSURANCE'S I'M SURE YOU HAVE THE PROPER INSURANCES. IF YOU DO HAVE PROPERTY INSURANCE, YES, THAT WOULD COVER CONSUMPTION ON SITE.
YES, YES, MHM. HMM. OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT
[Additional Item]
IT. OKAY? OKAY? THE NEXT IS SHADE TREE COMMITTEE. UM I'M GONNA INVITE LARRY. WE'RE GOING TO SIT UP HERE ON THE DAY AS TOGETHER, LARRY, THAT'S OKAY TO SIT UP HERE WITH US, LARRY. COME[01:05:04]
AROUND THIS WAY. COME UP THIS WAY, YOU KNOW. BY LORI I THINK, YEP, BECAUSE YOU HAVE A PRESENTATION, RIGHT? I AGREE. PEOPLE ARE PRETTY LONG. SO UM, WE THOUGHT OF LARRY KOPLIK IS OUR SHADE TREE COMMITTEE CHAIR. SO WE THOUGHT THAT WE WOULD, UM, GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON WHERE THINGS HOW THINGS ARE GOING WITH THAT SO FAR IN 2023. SO UM, UM CAN YOU SET HIM UP WITH THE MICROPHONE? YEAH YES, BUT THERE'S ANOTHER ONE RIGHT THERE. THAT MICROPHONE POINT. OKAY OKAY, SO WE'LL GO THROUGH THESE SLIDES PRETTY QUICKLY BECAUSE MANY OF YOU ARE ALREADY PRETTY FAMILIAR WITH IT. BUT UM, ONE OF THE PRIMARY DUTIES OF OUR SHADE TREE COMMITTEE WHO DOES OUTSTANDING WORK. IS STREET TREES ON ROADS THAT DON'T HAVE TREES. SO YOU COULD SEE LARRY PROVIDED THIS PICTURE OF WHAT? UM CEDAR LANE IN MONTGOMERY LOOKED LIKE BACK IN 1990 BEFORE ANY TREES WERE THERE AND THEN THROUGH OUR TREE PROGRAM, WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE AND YOU KNOW, BACK IN 2006, SO REALLY MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN THE COMMUNITY AND SO MANY BENEFITS.SO THEIR PRIMARY DUTIES DEVISED THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE ON PLANTING AND MAINTENANCE OF STREET TREES IN MUNICIPAL RIGHTS OF WAY, AND THEY DEVELOP A BUDGET AND WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE STAFF. THEY HAVE A FEW OTHER DUTIES, PUBLIC EDUCATION, WHICH THEY DO AN AMAZING JOB WITH THEIR SHARING OF RESOURCES AT COMMUNITY EVENTS THERE AT OBVIOUSLY, THEY'RE ARBOR DAY EVENTS. UM THEY HAVE PLAYED A CRITICAL ROLE IN UPDATING OUR TREE ORDINANCE. UM AND THEY HAVE OTHER DUTIES. WE LOVE THAT ONE AS ASSIGNED BY THE TASHA COMMITTEE. UM IN GENERAL, WE HAVE SEVEN MEMBERS. LARRY KOPLIK IS OUR CHAIRPERSON HAS BEEN THE CHAIR FOR HOW LONG LARRY 10 15 YEARS. UM WE HAVE A NEW ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT IN THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT.
DOMINIQUE MARCHI, AND SHE IS THE LIAISON AND STAFF PERSON FOR THE SHADE TREE AND COMMITTEE PERSON ON IS THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE LIAISON. AND THEN A NUMBER OF STAFF WORK. UM LAUREN ARE OPEN SPACE AND STEWARDSHIP DIRECTOR WHO'S HERE TONIGHT? SHE SHE ADVISES, UM SHE ACTUALLY WAS PROBABLY ONE OF THE FIRST LIAISONS. I THINK FOR OFFICIAL LIAISONS TO THE SHADE TREE COMMITTEE. UM AND HELPED REALLY ESTABLISHED THAT GREAT WORKING RELATIONSHIP THAT WE HAVE WITH THEM AND BUT AGAIN FINAL OVERSIGHT WITH THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE SO, UM, THEY JUST FINISHED UP. 1988 PLAN, SO THEY WERE REALLY WORKING HARD. YOU CAN SEE. I THINK IT'S SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 2300 AND 2500 TREES THAT HAVE BEEN PLANTED IN MONTGOMERY, THANKS TO THE SHADE TREE COMMITTEE. UM AND SO, LARRY BACK IN THINK WHEN WE WERE RESUMING, STILL CAME TO TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE TO GIVE AN UPDATE, UM AND DISCUSS THE ROLE OF THE SHADE TREE, AND AT THAT TIME, THERE WAS SORT OF A THREE PRONGED APPROACH, UM, STREET TREE REPLACEMENT BECAUSE WE HAVE THE ASH TREES AS AN ISSUE TREES IN THE PARKS AND THE ARBORETUM PLANTINGS. UM SO FOR ACTION ITEMS IN 2023 THAT I WAS WORKING WITH THE SHADE TREE COMMITTEE AND STAFF ON IS FOR BABIES, BASICALLY FOR ITEMS COMMUNICATION TO IMPROVE OUR COMMUNICATION BECAUSE WE CAN ALWAYS DO BETTER BETWEEN THE SHADE TREE COMMITTEE AND THE STAFF TO INCREASE COORDINATION ON BUDGETING, PLANTING PLANS, MAINTENANCE. UM AND INVENTORY SO WE BIG HAVE AN INVENTORY ON EXCEL THAT THEY SHADE TREE. UM AND I THINK LAUREN WAS WORKING ON AS WELL. OR I KNOW IRENE STEIN, ONE OF THE MEMBERS REALLY DEDICATED A LOT OF TIME TO THAT. AS YOU'VE HEARD US TALK ABOUT A LOT OF PILOT. IT'S AN CLOUD BASED PROGRAM THAT WE DO SO MANY DIFFERENT MUNICIPAL OPERATIONS NOW ON, THEY HAVE, UH A MODULE THAT'S READY FOR ENTRY OF THE TREE DATA. UM SIDEWALK DAMAGE.
IT'S BEEN DISCUSSED FOR A WHILE , AND I HAVE A SLIDE ON THIS THAT WILL GO INTO AND HOW CAN WE IMPLEMENT MEASURES TO REDUCE STREET TREE ROOT IMPACT ON SIDEWALKS? AND THEN SORT OF A NEW PLAN? WHERE ARE WE GOING BEYOND OUR 1988 PLAN? SO IN 2023 , WE IMPLEMENTED SOME NEW PROCEDURES TO KIND OF INCREASE THAT COMMUNICATION AND COORDINATION, SO IT'S STILL FOLLOWS. THAT SHADE TREE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS, YOU KNOW WHERE WHEN AND WHAT TYPE OF
[01:10:02]
TREES TO PLANT. I'M KIND OF CALLING IT A CONSENSUS PLAN. WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY THAT WE'RE CREATING WHERE STAFF AND THE SHADE TREE CAN SIT DOWN TOGETHER AROUND THE TABLE AND SORT OF TALK ABOUT THAT. JUST IT'S SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE NOT EVERYBODY KNOWS. YOU KNOW EVERY LITTLE ASPECT OF THE PARK AND IF A TREE IS PLANTED IN A PARTICULAR AREA OF THE PARK, WHERE A DIFFERENT USE IS SUPPOSED TO BE HAPPENING , WE REALLY NEED TO THAT COORDINATION TO HAPPEN. AND I THINK, UM LARRY HAS APPRECIATED IT. I KNOW JOHN GROGAN OR MARK HERMAN. THEY'VE ALL SORT OF APPRECIATED THAT CONCERTED EFFORT THAT WE'RE MAKING TO HAVE GET US AROUND THE TABLE. UM, THE COORDINATION OVERSIGHT. WE'VE DELEGATED JOHN GRUGGER, OUR PARKS AND REC DIRECTOR TO HELP OVERSEE THOSE PLANTINGS IN THE PARKS AND ARBORETUM. HE CONSULTS WITH STAFF, AND MARK HERMAN, OUR TOWNSHIP ENGINEER WHO REALLY THE FIXING OF THE SIDEWALKS REALLY FALLS ON HIM AND HIS HIS ROAD BUDGET SO HE DOES HAVE A VESTED INTEREST IN IN THE STREET TREES THAT ARE PLANTED IN THE IN THE RIGHT OF WAY. AND AGAIN. FINAL APPROVAL. NOTHING CHANGING. THERE WERE THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE, YOU KNOW, HAS ITS ITS REALLY YOUR PLAN WE'RE ADVISING. YOU UM SO THE STATUS OF THE INVENTORY WE HAVE ABOUT 2300 TREES THAT WE PLANTED SINCE 88 THERE IN AN EXCEL SPREADSHEET, SO WE WERE ABLE TO SECURE AN INTERN THROUGH THE COUNTY SOMERSET YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM, SO IT WILL BE 100% FUNDED THROUGH THE COUNTY AND THAT PERSON WHO, UM, SHE'S ABOUT TO HEAD OFF TO STEVENS INSTITUTE , AND SHE'S GOING TO BE AN ENVIRONMENT STUDY ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING, AND SHE IS A MASTER GARDENER AT SUMMER SPECULATIVE SOMERSET COUNTY SO I MEAN, WHO WE WERE SO EXCITED WHEN THAT RESUME KIND OF CAME THROUGH, SO ONE OF THE THINGS SHE'LL BE DOING IS WORKING WITH LARRY INPUTTING INFORMATION IN THE MODULE GOING OUT AND INSPECTING . LARRY WILL HELP, YOU KNOW, TRAIN HER ON THE HEALTH OF A TREE AND THAT'S REALLY ONE OF THE ASPECTS OF THE PLATFORM TRACKING AT THE TREE CARE AND THE MAINTENANCE AND WHAT FUTURE WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE. BECAUSE I THINK WE FEEL LIKE THAT MIGHT BE A PIECE THAT WE COULD DO BETTER IN. ABSOLUTELY UM YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. YEAH CAN YOU HEAR ME IN THIS? JUST WANT TO POINT OUT ? I TOOK THAT PICTURE TODAY. THAT IS THE SAME STREET THAT WE SAW. PREVIOUSLY CEDAR LANE.WHERE IN 1990. THERE WERE NO TREES AND THEN IN 2006. THEY WERE VERY HEALTHY AND HAPPY ASHTRAYS. THOSE ASHTRAYS. UNFORTUNATELY ALL HAVE DIED, AS ARE ALL ASHTRAYS. NOT JUST THE MONTGOMERY ANYWHERE. WEST OF EAST OF MINNESOTA AND MICHIGAN ARE ALL DYING BECAUSE OF THE ASH BOARD. SO ALL THE TREES THAT WE PLANTED BACK IN 1990 ALL DIED. THEY OUGHT TO BE CUT DOWN AND AGAIN. WE'RE BACK WHERE WE STARTED WITH NO TREES, SO OVER THE LAST TWO TAKES A WHILE YOU KNOW WHAT WE HAVE A LIMITED BUDGET. AND WE HAVE LOTS OF STREETS AND PARKS TO PLANT SO IT TOOK OVER FOUR YEARS OVER FOUR YEAR PERIOD. WE SLOWLY ADDED BACK. THE SWEET COUNTRIES TO REPLACE THE ASHTRAYS THAT HAD DIED, AND THAT'S WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE TODAY, SO WE'RE STARTING OVER AND THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO DO. ON A LOT OF MONTGOMERY'S STREETS AND IN THE PARKS AND IN THE ARBORETUM BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF ASHTRAYS HAD DIED, AND THEY JUST NEED TO BE REPLACED.
LARRY ARE THEY ALL SUITE COMES OR NOW YOU'RE DOING MORE INTERSPERSE TREES, RIGHT? BECAUSE ALSO IT COMES WE. I THOUGHT THAT WAS YOU'RE NOT TRYING TO DO LIKE A MONO CASE SOMETHING COMES THROUGH AND WE GET A SWEET GUMBO OR SOMETHING. THERE. THAT IS, THAT IS AN ISSUE. IT'S NOT IT'S NOT THAT LONGEST STREET, YOU KNOW, AND WE SOMETIMES WHAT WE'LL DO IS IF IT'S A LONG STREET WILL PLANT ONE BLOCK OR TWO BLOCKS WITH ONE SPECIES, AND THEN THE NEXT SECTION WILL BE ANOTHER SPECIES. WE'VE MOVED AWAY FROM THE ALTERNATING. TACTIC. OKAY, MAKES SENSE. SO ONE OF THE OTHER GOALS FOR 2023 WAS TO KIND OF REALLY TRY AND GET OUR HANDS AROUND, IF ANYTHING COULD BE DONE TO HELP REDUCE THE REALLY IT'S A COST TO US TIME AND LABOR AND MATERIALS TO FIX THE SIDEWALKS AND TO HAZARD FOR THE WALKING PUBLIC AS WELL. WHEN THE TREE ROOTS PULL UP THE SIDEWALK, AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT WE'RE INSTITUTING THIS YEAR IS PUTTING IN ROOT BARRIERS. TO TRY AND REDUCE THOSE IMPACTS. AND SO THERE'S AN, UH, A SAMPLE OF WHAT IT MIGHT LOOK LIKE, AND IT'S A IT'S A MOLDED MATERIAL THAT BASICALLY GOES IN AGAINST THE TREE PLANTING AND THE SIDEWALK AND THEN THE ROOTS GO DOWN FURTHER AND THE KIND OF UNDERNEATH THE SIDEWALK THAT'S THE GOAL. CAN I ASK YOU A QUESTION BECAUSE THERE ARE MUNICIPALITIES THAT HAVE OLDER TREES AND THEN THEY JUST THEY WERE OUT THE SIDEWALK AROUND THE TREE. RIGHT LIKE PRINCETON IS THAT, UM, AN EASEMENT ISSUE OR CERTAINLY DO HAVE A CERTAIN
[01:15:04]
AMOUNT WITHIN THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY THAT WE CAN WORK WITH, SO IT'S NOT ALWAYS AVAILABLE TO DO THAT UNTIL UNLESS WE ASK PERMISSION FROM THE PROPERTY OWNER TOO. AND WE HAVE. I MEAN, THE TREES ARE SET OFF HOW FAR LARRY PER 10 FT. OR YOU DON'T HAVE THAT MUCH ROOM. I MEAN, WE'VE GOT BETWEEN EACH TREE SO YOU WOULD BE YOU WOULD BE ZIGZAGGING YOUR IT'S ABOUT 40 FT . 40 FT, DEPENDING ON THE SPECIES, SOMEBODY WE WOULD. WE'RE WELCOMING ALL IDEAS LIKE LARRY WAS TALKING TO PRINCETON ABOUT ONE THING THAT THEY DO AS A TEMPORARY STOP GAP IS SORT OF SHAVE THE TOP OF THE SIDEWALK TO TRY AND OH, TINA, PART OF THE SIDEWALK OFF PART AS RIGHT NOW WE POP IT UP. UM WE SHAVE THE ROOTS DOWN AND THEN PUT A NEW SECTION IN PLACE. SO THE OTHER ASPECT THAT LARRY AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT IS ONCE THE INVENTORY IS UPLOADED INTO THE PILOT. WE CAN GO BACK AND TAKE A LOOK AT WHICH TREES HAVE HAVE THE HAVE HAD THE LEAST IMPACT ON THE SIDEWALKS AND MAYBE FOCUS ON PLANTING SOME OF THE OLDER ONES THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE. DIFFERENT TYPES OF ROUTES THAT MAKE GREAT SO STARTING WITH THE INVENTORY IS THE WAY TO GO. I'M GLAD THAT WE HAVE AN INTERN JUST MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT THE REPAIRS, SO I MEAN, I'M NOT SURE THIS IS A DONE DEAL. I MEAN, WE'RE IT'S REALLY WE'RE ASKING YOU FOR YOUR COUNSEL ON THIS BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THIS ROOT BARRIERS ARE LOT MORE EXPENSIVE. WAY OF PLANTING A TREE. YOU HAVEN'T YOU KNOW WHEN YOU PLANT STREET TREE IT'S ABOUT 150 TO $200 FOR THE PAYMENT TO THE LANDSCAPER TO PLANT IT IN ADDITION TO THE COST OF THE TREE I TRIED TO GET SOME QUOTES THIS PAST SPRING WHEN WE INSTITUTED THIS IDEA OF ROOT BARRIERS AND ONE OF MY. LONG TIME LANDSCAPERS. JUSTIN, WHY DON'T I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO THAT. I DON'T DO THAT. I'M NOT BIDDING THIS YEAR. ANOTHER ONE WHO I RARELY USED BECAUSE HE IS SO EXPENSIVE, CAME IN WITH A RIDICULOUSLY HIGH OFFER. THE ONLY ONE WHO WAS A REASONABLE ONE WAS STILL AND HE'S NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE, HE SAID. I'VE DONE ROOT BARRIERS AROUND BAMBOO AND IN A YOU KNOW, HOUSEHOLD, BUT I'VE NEVER DONE SWEET TREE ROOT BARRIERS, BUT HE CALCULATED OUT WHAT IT MIGHT COST. FOR HIS THE LABOR OF DIGGING THIS LOT BECAUSE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A LONG STILL WORKING ON FIGURING FIGURING OUT SOLUTIONS REALLY, EXACTLY WITH THE LABOR TO RECREATE THIS LONG FRENCH TO THEN PUT THE AIR IN THE COST WOULD BE ABOUT FOUR TIMES HIGHER THAN WITHOUT THE ROOF AREA. SO THAT MEANS IF I'M GONNA IF SHADE TREE IS GOING TO GET THE SAME BUDGET USUALLY GETS REALLY GOING TO HAVE 1/4 AS MANY TREES TO PLANT. OKAY, SO IF I CAN JUST INTERRUPT YOU BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO COORDINATE TOO, AND I THINK THE INVENTORIES GREAT AND ALSO THINKING ABOUT WHEN WE'RE READING WHEN WE RE PAVING CERTAIN ROADS ARE WE ARE THEIR WAY OPPORTUNITIES WHEN WE'RE REPAVING THE ROADS TO DO MORE PLANTING THEIR INNOCENT LIKE IF IT'S COORDINATED FOR, AND MAYBE THAT'S THAT WOULD LOWER THE COST . I DON'T KNOW THERE. WE JUST HAVE TO LOOK AT ALL THE DIFFERENT NOT SURE THAT THE ROAD PAVING AS ANYTHING TO DO WITH THIS SIDEWALKS BECAUSE THE ISSUE IS NOT THE TREE ROOTS ARE NOT AFFECTING THE ROADS. THEY'RE AFFECTING THE SIDEWALKS. IN TERMS OF I KNOW THAT MARK WHEN WE WERE DISCUSSING THIS, I THINK IT WAS SOMEWHERE UPWARDS OF A MILLION DOLLARS OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS OF THE ROADS BUDGET WAS TOWARDS SIDEWALK REPAIR, SO IT'S AS LARRY'S POINTING OUT. YOU KNOW THE ROOT BARRIERS EXPENSIVE WHEN WE DO THE SIDEWALK PREPARED. WE DO THE BARRIERS. I DON'T KNOW. WE HAVE PREPARED SO EXPENSIVE, SO I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT THAT IT'S A WORK IN PROGRESS. IT'S A PROBLEM WE'VE IDENTIFIED. WE WANT TREES.I MEAN, THE TREES ARE REALLY IMPORTANT, RIGHT. WE KNOW THAT AND BUT WITH THE SAME TIME WE'RE TRYING TO FIND ESPECIALLY WITH CHANGES IN MATERIAL SCIENCES AND SO FORTH. WHAT CAN WE DO THAT MIGHT SATISFIED BOTH. WE'RE NOT SPENDING A MILLION DOLLARS IN THE SIDEWALK REPAIR AND WE'RE ABLE TO PLANT MORE TREES, PLANTING THEM SOMEWHERE. UM AS WE LEARN MORE ABOUT IT, I DON'T KNOW. I THINK IT'S A BIG, THE MORE WE LEARN ABOUT IT AND COME UP WITH DIFFERENT IDEAS BECAUSE WE WANT WE WANT BOTH, UM, LIKE YOU'RE SAYING, FINDING A TREE THAT THAT ROOTS GO A LITTLE BIT DEEPER AND SPREAD OUT RATHER THAN AND DOESN'T AFFECT IMPACT. THE SIDEWALKS AND THEY'RE THEY'RE THEY'RE ALL IT'S ALWAYS GOING TO HAPPEN. EVEN WITH THIS IS A QUESTION OF TIME. I MEAN, THIS IS JUST PART OF THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS. BASICALLY IF YOU WANT TO HAVE STREET TREES, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE SIDEWALK PROBLEMS. SO WE HAVE TO BE HONEST ABOUT THAT. IT'S JUST A QUESTION OF HOW LONG IT'S GOING TO BE AND WHAT YOU DECIDE YOUR VALUE. I MEAN, I WAS LOOKING UP SOME ARTICLES ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF TREES VERSUS COSTS. AND PEOPLE OF CALCULATED OUT. IT'S
[01:20:03]
LIKE A 3 TO 1 RATIO BENEFITS TO COST TREES OR THE ONE OF THE FEW THINGS THAT YOU INVEST IN IT. IT ACTUALLY APPRECIATES IN VALUE. SO THAT'S YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE THING YOU HAVE TO BALANCE LIKE, CAN WE JUST LIVE WITH REPLACING THE SIDEWALKS? ARE WE GOING TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF TREE PLANTINGS BY PUTTING IN THE REPAIRS AND THAT COST COULD ALSO BE, YOU KNOW, IS IT A 10 YEAR SIDEWALK REPLACEMENT OR 20 YEARS? SIDEWALK REPLACEMENT? YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU'RE SAYING SO.MAYBE WE CAN LOOK INTO THOSE TYPE OF TREES. THAT IS 20 YEARS , 10 YEARS. ADDITIONALLY YOU CAN . YOU CAN EXTEND THE LIFE OF THE SIDEWALK LIKE PRINCETON DOES BY DOING GRINDING DOWN THE EDGE OR ALTERNATIVELY, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER THING YOU CAN DO IS YOU CAN PUT IN A PATCH LIKE A LITTLE RAMP OF EXTRA WRITE NOTES TO ASPHALT TO JUST RAISE IT, SO IT'S NOT A TRIPPING HAZARD. TRIPPING HAZARD . YOU OKAY? WELL, WE'LL KEEP WORKING AT IT, SO I JUST HAVE A QUICK QUESTION ON THE SO ALL THE WORK THAT WE JUST WE'RE DOING ON THE NEW SIDEWALKS WE JUST CREATED ON ORCHARD ROAD WITH ANYTHING IMPLEMENTED THERE OR THERE'S NO STREET TREES I HAD, I WOULD HAVE TO ASK MARK IS NO. I MEAN, I ASKED. YOU KNOW ABOUT THAT, AND HE SAID THERE WAS NO REPAIRS, AND THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. I WONDERED, LIKE, YOU KNOW. SHADE TREE IS BEING ASKED TO DO THIS. AND THEN THIS WASN'T DONE RIGHT HERE. SO I'M JUST WONDERING, I DO APPRECIATE THE HISTORY. HAVING GONE THROUGH THE BUDGET. I WAS NOT AWARE OF SOMEBODY NEED A VISUAL. I DIDN'T REALIZE WE HAD JUST LOST ALL THOSE TREES. AND SO THANK YOU. THAT'S VERY INSIGHTFUL FOR ME AS WE'RE THINKING ABOUT FUNDING FOR THE FUTURE. GREAT THANK YOU. AND JUST THEY'LL I THINK ONE OF THE LAST SLIDES WE HAVE IS, UM, THE HAVE BEEN ASKED FOR THE FUTURE PLANTING PLAN. SO LARRY HAS PREPARED LARRY AND THE SHADE TREE HAVE PREPARED SORT OF WHAT 2023 2024 AND BEYOND LOOK LIKE SO HE'S DONE A GOOD JOB AND IDENTIFYING WHERE THE DEAD ASH TREES ARE. WE HAD A BAD DROUGHT IN 2022. AND SO THIS I THINK HAD BEEN REQUESTED IN THE LAST TIME , BUT I MEAN, I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU. THOSE 55 TREES. SHOULD THEY REALLY HAVE DIED? LIKE WHAT COULD WE HAVE DONE FROM A PARKS DEPARTMENT TO ACTUALLY PUT BAGS OF WATER ON THESE TREES LIKE THIS IS THAT'S TO ME KIND OF A TRAVESTY TO BE QUITE CANDID WITH YOU BECAUSE THERE ARE WAYS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE TREES THAT WE PLANT DON'T DIE OF DROUGHT. THEY MAY DRIVE. THEY MAY NOT MAKE IT RIGHT BECAUSE SOME OF THESE TREES DON'T MAKE IT. BUT IF THESE HAVE DIED FROM DROUGHT, AND WE COULD HAVE GONE TO BELLE MEADE COOP AND BOUGHT A $6 BAG TO ZIP UP AND PUT AROUND AND PUT IN WATER, I THINK RIGHT TO ME IS REALLY JUST NOT SPEAKS TO ONE OF MY FIRST GOALS, WHICH IS COORDINATION AND COMMUNICATION BECAUSE IT'S ALL IT'S BUT IF THESE ARE SOME OF THEM IN THE PARK WE HAVE PART OF PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING AROUND ON MORE SO I MEAN, I GOT THAT'S WHERE THAT'S VERY DISAPPOINTING FOR NUMBER TWO FOR NEXT YEAR. FOCUS ON MAY 28 20 NO LIKE NOW, THIS PARTICULAR PUT IN ANY TREES NOW WE WERE GOING TO HAVE OTHER TREES WE PUT IN THAT ARE GOING TO DIE. SO I THINK LIKE TOMORROW GO LOOK AT THE TREES IN THE PARKS AS YOU'RE MOWING AND GO BUY SOME OF THESE BAGS OF WATER. I CAN SPEAK TO THAT. I MEAN, I'VE BEEN I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH JOHN GREGORY, WHO'S THE HEAD OF PARKS BECAUSE THEY DID PLANT FOR SHADE TREE COMMITTEE ABOUT 20 TREES THIS YEAR, AND SO I'VE BEEN REMINDING JOHN AND I THINK THEY'RE GETTING A PROGRAM OF PLANT OF WATERING THOSE TREES. I MEAN, THAT'S YOU NEED TO DO THAT. I MEAN, WE THE SHADE FOR COMMITTEE. WHEN WE WHEN WE PLANT THE TREES FOR THE HOMEOWNERS IN FRONT OF THEIR HOUSES ALONG THE STREET, WE GIVE THEM A PIECE OF PAPER WITH SOME GUIDELINES ABOUT TAKING CARE OF THE TREE, WHICH, OF COURSE THEY DON'T HAVE TO DO BECAUSE IT'S REALLY A TOWNSHIP TREE. BUT IF THEY'D LIKE THE TREE TO LIVE, BE NICE IF THEY PUT SOME WATER ON, AND WE RECOMMEND 10 GALLONS A WEEK IF THERE ISN'T ONE INCH OF RAINFALL I RECENTLY READ ANOTHER RECENT ARTICLE IN THE SHADE TREE FEDERATION NEWSLETTER, WHICH ACTUALLY RECOMMENDED 20 TO 40 GALLONS TWICE A WEEK FOR NEWLY PLANTED TREAT. LET'S GET THOSE BAGS. I MEAN, HONESTLY, THOSE BAGS THEY ONLY HOLD LIKE FIVE GALLONS. THAT'S OKAY THERE MORE THAN ONCE A WEEK. LARRY I'M JUST SAYING, LIKE THIS IS NOT SURE, BUT IT'S JUST THE WAY RIGHT. BUT IT'S STILL A QUESTION OF LABOR.
I MEAN, SOMEONE HAS TO STAND THERE AND FILL THEM UP MYSELF. IT DOESN'T TAKE LONG TO FILL UP A BAG. I'M SORRY. IT'S BETTER THAN OTHERWISE YOU IF YOU DON'T YOU DON'T WANT US TO PLANT YOU DON'T WANT US TO WATER. I DON'T CARE HOW YOU WATER. IF YOU WANT TO HAVE BAGS, YOU CAN HAVE BAGS WITH IT. YOU KNOW THE PARKS TO RUN. IT STILL HAS TO GO THERE WITH THE WATER TRUCK AND HOLD THE HOSE. SO I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE DOING. IS THAT IT? I MEAN, I PERSONALLY I THINK WE SHOULD BE ASHAMED. IF WE LET OUR THE TREES THAT WE PLANTED. I AGREE. I MEAN, LAST SUMMER WAS A DISASTER. SO LET'S KEEP GOING. THINK SO YEAH, YEAH. WHICH IS WHY EVERYBODY NEEDS A SEAT AT THE TABLE. BECAUSE JUST BECAUSE WE WANT TO PLANT ALL THESE TREES, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT
[01:25:03]
WE HAVE THE CAPACITY TO MAKE PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT IT. I GET THAT, BUT I DO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH TRYING TO DO. I'M SORRY. AND EVEN FRANKLY, THE STREET TREES, BUT I DON'T KNOW, BUT THE PARKS ARE REALLY FOR ME IS THAT'S REALLY AGGRAVATING TO BE LOCATED WITH YOU. I'M SORRY. GO AHEAD, ALMOST. THAT'S ALL WE HAVE. FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR DOING THIS. AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT THE SHADE TREES DONE. I'M REALLY GLAD THAT WE'VE GOT AN INTERN THE INTERN COMING IN FOR THAT INVENTORY. I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE START WITH THE INVENTORY. I KNOW WE WERE PUSHING IT FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS. IN FACT, I THINK LAUREN AND I HELPED DESIGN THE FIRST INVENTORY IN GULF PILOT. SO THE FIRST THING YOU SEE IS THAT EVEN RELEVANT ANYMORE, RIGHT? BECAUSE WITH VOLUNTEERS, AND THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT THING TO KNOW. SO LIKE ALL OF THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE HAS BEEN DONE WITH VOLUNTEERS. WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THEIR SEVENTIES AND EIGHTIES, CLIMBING TREES IN THE ARBORETUM AND CUTTING THINGS ON. IT'S REALLY RIDICULOUS, AND THAT'S ONE REASON WE CREATED. WE PULLED PARKS OUT OF DPW IS WE HAVE TO HAVE A BETTER SOLUTION HERE. SO UM, AND WE KNEW IT WAS GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME. SO THIS IS A GREAT GREAT OGRE HAS BEEN IN ABSOLUTE MOST A YEAR NOW IN HIS NEW ROLE, SO I THINK THAT HE'S HE'S VERY EXCITED TO BE WORKING WITH JOHN SNYDER AND LARRY ON, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO TAKE CARE OF SOME OF SOME OF THE ABSOLUTELY SO VERY BUT REALLY, THANK YOU. I MEAN, I'VE BEEN A LIAISON. I HAVE TO DISCLOSURE.YEAH, JUST ONE OTHER FINAL. POINT THIS IS THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I BROUGHT UP WHEN I SPOKE.
TO YOU COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO FROM MY FIVE MINUTES, WHICH IS STILL AN ISSUE, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, I'M GOING TO BE MEETING WITH LORI AND MARK AND JOHN SOMETIME IN JULY AND AUGUST TO MAKE PLANS FOR THIS FALL'S PLANTINGS AND 2024 PLANTINGS. BUT THERE'S STILL THE ISSUE OF LIKE, WHO IS THE ULTIMATE DECIDER HERE, YOU KNOW, LIKE, YOU KNOW, AS A DISCUSSED WHEN I WAS HERE A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO WE WERE PLANNING ON PLANTING. TREES ON THE HEART DRIVE TO REPLACE ASHTRAYS THAT DIED. JUST LIKE IN THE CEDAR LANE PHOTOS, YOU KNOW THEY'RE ALL THE TREES. THERE WERE ASHES ARE JUST GONE. WE NEED TO START OVER. AND SO THERE HAD BEEN 22 ASH TREES IN THIS SECTION, AND I WENT OUT AND MARKED OUT SPOTS. FOR REPLACEMENTS AND IN THAT INTERIM SENSE OF TREES. ORIGINAL TREES WERE PLANTED WILL LIST ONE HOMEOWNER STREET GREW UP THAT DIDN'T THERE WASN'T A SPACE FOR A TREE, SO I CAME UP WITH A TOTAL OF 21. NEW TREES MARKED THEM OUT. AND THEN I MET WITH LORI AND OTHER STAFF, AND THEY LOOKED AT AERIAL MAPS AND DECIDED OH, NO, THERE'S NOT ROOM FOR 21 TREES, OR WE'RE GOING TO PLANT FIVE TREES THERE. AND THEN I WENT OUT WITH MARK HERMAN AND SAID, OH, WELL, MAYBE WE COULD DO A COUPLE MORE HERE, BUT STILL, IT'S NOT ANYWHERE NEAR THE 21. THAT SHADE TREATMENT RECOMMENDED WHERE YOU HAVE THE NEW LIAISON, RIGHT? I MEAN, DENNIS HAS BEEN LIAISON, LIAISON OR OR ME, SO WE AS IT SAID ON THE BOTTOM THING, THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE MAKES THE ULTIMATE DECISION. THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT EXACTLY RIGHT, SO THAT'S THAT'S WHY I'M TELLING YOU WHAT THE ISSUE IS. YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE WE NEED TO DECIDE, YOU KNOW. DO YOU WANT YOU KNOW, I MEAN, MONTGOMERY HAS A GOAL OF INCREASING THE TREE CANOPY BECAUSE OF ALL THE BENEFITS WE ALL KNOW ABOUT THE TREES PROVIDE. SO THERE IS ROOM FOR THOSE TREES THERE. YOU KNOW, AND YOU KNOW WHAT? I CAN'T REALLY I THINK JUST TALKING ABOUT THAT ONE SPECIFIC THING, BUT I THINK YOU MAKE YOU MAKE A GREAT POINT.
RIGHT OF WHO MAKES THE ULTIMATE DECISION. I'M JUST TELLING YOU WHO DOES. I CAN'T SPEAK TO THAT ONE RIGHT NOW, BUT BUT PART OF THIS STARTS WITH KIND OF THE INVENTORY AND THEN GETTING THE PLAN TOGETHER. THAT'S REALLY WHAT START. I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE WANT TO START. HONESTLY SO, UM, COMMUNICATIONS, SO IF EVERYBODY IS ABLE TO GET BE IN THE ROOM OR SHADE TREE COMES TO SHADE TREE AND WE DISCUSS IT TOGETHER. UM, I THINK WE CAN FIND A SOLUTION TO COME TO THAT MEETING. LORI, SOME OF THEM COME TO THE MEETING IN JULY. DENNIS COME OR, OF COURSE. YES, OF COURSE. I MEAN, YEAH, LIKE YOU TO BE PART OF THE DISCUSSION BECAUSE YOU'RE THE ULTIMATE DECIDERS. OKAY GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. REALLY. I'VE LEARNED A LOT ABOUT TREES SINCE BEING ON SINCE THE LIAISON IT I'VE PLANTED A NUMBER OF MYSELF IN LINE. AND GUESS WHAT? THEY'VE ALL LIVED BECAUSE WATERED THEM. SORRY ME OFF. I'M SORRY. THE NEXT THING SO THANK YOU VERY,
[Additional Item]
VERY MUCH. THE NEXT ITEM IS ABOUT THE CELL TOWER. LAURIE DO YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE CELL TOWER OR LAURIE? DO YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT THE CELL TOWER? NOW THAT OR ARE YOU GONNA THERE'S AN UPDATE OR GLORY OR LISA? UM WE ARE WORKING. WE ARE WORKING ON A RESOLUTION THAT WOULD AUTHORIZE US TO GO OUT TO BID AND AS A COURTESY WE DID WANT TO PROVIDE NOTICE TO SOME OF THE NEIGHBORS AROUND SURROUNDING THE PROPERTY . SO I THINK WE JUST WANTED TO KIND OF UPDATE YOU ON THE PROCESS. ANYTHING ELSE? WENDY THAT WE WANTED TO SHARE ON THAT. NO I WAS JUST CHECKING MY NOTES TO SEE IF WE HAD THE DATE FOR WHEN WE WOULD BE INVITING THE HOMEOWNERS. BUT I DON'T THINK WE HAVE THAT YET. IT MIGHT BE THE SECOND MEETING IN JULY. I WON'T BE HERE ON THE FIRST. SO THIS IS[01:30:06]
SO FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. WHAT ONE OF THE THINGS JUST TO BRING ANYBODY WHO MIGHT BE LISTENING OR HERE UP TO SPEED ON, UM OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE HAS SAID, LISTEN, IF WE'RE GETTING A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WANT SELF. WE NEED CELL COVERAGE. WE NEED COMMUNICATION TOWERS, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE A LOT OF MUNICIPAL LANDS. AND WE ALWAYS FEEL THAT IF WE CAN LOOK AT OUR MUNICIPAL LAND, AND IT CAN BENEFIT L OF THE TAXPAYERS, BECAUSE WHEN YOU PUT UP A SOUTH TOWER, YOU GET FEES AND SO FORTH . SO WE I MEAN, THAT WAS SOMETHING WE CHARGED. UM YOUR PREDECESSOR WITH BEFORE AND LORI . THANK YOU FOR MOVING ALONG, SO WE ARE CONSIDERING A CELL TOWER ON THIS PROPERTY OVER DOWN THERE , RIGHT? THAT'S WHERE ONE OF THE MARKS WEST SIDE OF THE WEST SIDE OF THE PROPERTY? YEAH. WHERE THE THERE WAS A WAS A PAVED PAD THERE NOW, AND THAT'S WHERE THEY HAD A TREATMENT FACILITY. SANITARY TREATMENT SMALL CYCLOPS . THEY CALL IT FOR THE CONDO TECH PROPERTY, SO IT WAS A PREVIOUS AREAS. THAT AREA THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY DEVELOPED HERE ON THE PROPERTY IN TERMS OF THE PROCESS, WILL WILL HAVE ONE OF THE OTHER TOWNSHIP COMEDIANS WILL DO THE PRESENTATION AND HAVE THE HOMEOWNERS INVITED TO THAT AS WELL. THAT'S THE PROCESS OR DIFFERENT. WE DID THE PRESENTATION WITH THE PHOTO SIMULATION SO WE CAN DEFINITELY REFER FOR EVERYONE TO CHECK THE VIDEO OUT IF THEY WANT TO, OR IF YOU PREFER TO HAVE THAT SHARED AGAIN. WE CAN WE CAN DO EITHER. REALLY OKAY. I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT MEETING IT WAS THAT WE? MAYBE IT WAS TWO MEETINGS AGO OR THE LAST MEETING WHEN WE DID THAT PRESENTATION, TRYING TO REMEMBER THE DATE SEEMS OFF BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE THE MEETING THE WEEK OF THE ELECTION OR THE WEEK BEFORE THE ELECTION. SO IT WAS THE LAST MEETING, BUT IT WAS TOO MAY MAY 18TH IT WAS IN PUBLIC. YES 18TH 18TH SO PEOPLE SHOULD LOOK AT THE MAY 18TH VIDEO. OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU. THANKS QUESTIONS, OKAY. THE NEXT ITEM. I'M GOING TO SKIP[Additional Item]
OVER THE ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT. WELL SHE'S ALWAYS BUSY AND LET'S JUST GO INTO COMMITTEE REPORTS.OKAY BECAUSE WE'VE GOT A BUNCH TO GO THROUGH BECAUSE WE'VE HAD SUCH A LONG TIME. I'VE GOT A HUGE AMOUNT. YOU WANT ME TO START OR DO YOU WANT TO START DENNIS? NO, I THINK I'M OKAY WITH THE E D. C. I WILL WE HAD LARRY COME OUT FOR SHADE TREES. SO? SO YOU'RE OKAY WITH THE D. C OKAY, SO YOU KNOW WHETHER QUICK OKAY, GO AHEAD. YOU KNOW, VETERANS COMMITTEE IS, YOU KNOW KIND OF CLOSING DOWN FOR THE SUMMER AND WILL RESUME IN SEPTEMBER IN PREPARATIONS FOR VETERANS DAY, BUT WE DID HAVE A THINK A VERY SUCCESSFUL MORAL DAY. OKAY LET'S WE'RE GONNA FINISH THIS AND WE'LL CIRCLE BACK. SO WE DID HAVE A VERY SUCCESSFUL MEMORIAL. THEY CEREMONY AND YOU HAVE A LOT OF OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HILLSBOROUGH DFW. SO I THINK THAT'S A THAT PILOTS WORK AND REALLY WANT TO TRY. REALLY, UM, WORK TOGETHER WITH VETERANS ORGANIZATIONS BEYOND JUST IN MONTGOMERY. UM AND FOR THOSE WHO ARE ABLE TO JOIN US AT 6 P.M. OR EARLIER THIS EVENING, WE HAD THE EAGLE SCOUT LUCAS CLARK, WHO PRESENTED A FEW CYCLES AGO COMPLETE HIS EAGLE SCOUT PROJECT . AND SO JUST I GUESS PUBLIC NOTICE. MAYBE LAURIE. IF THERE'S A WAY WE CAN, YOU KNOW, PUT THIS ON THE WEBSITE. WE DO NOW HAVE A PROPER PLACE TO DISPOSE ABOUT OF AN AMERICAN FLAG OR, YOU KNOW, STATE FLAG ETCETERA THAT WILL BE PROPERLY DISPOSED OF IN THE RIGHT CEREMONIAL MANNER, SO IT'S RIGHT THERE AS THE IMMEDIATELY TO YOUR RIGHT WHEN YOU ENTER THE MUNICIPAL BUILDING. AND I THINK WE DISPOSE OF THEM. EIGHT OF THEM ARE 10 TODAY, SO IT WAS GREAT. IT WAS DEFINITELY AN INVENTORY, AND THEN THE OPEN SPACE COMMITTEE HAD TO RESCHEDULE THE MEETING TO ACTUALLY TWO DAYS AGO BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER. I COULD ONLY STAY FOR ABOUT THE FIRST HOUR. BUT YOU KNOW I KNOW OUR CLOSE SESSION. THERE'S A NUMBER OF PROPERTIES ARE BEING DISCUSSED FOR FROGS, OCEANS, SO BE DISCUSSING THOSE IN CLOSED SESSION. OKAY, GREAT. SO UM, SINCE THE DEPUTY MAYOR'S SICK, I GAVE HER MY LARYNGITIS. I TOOK OVER SOME OF HER MEETINGS, SO I GOT A LONG ONE THIS WEEK. SO THE FIRST THING UM, EARLY IN MAY 23RD. I WENT TO THE, UH, THE MONTGOMERY PB A CLAY SHOOT, AND I WOULD LIKE EVERYONE TO KNOW THAT I WAS AN AWARD WINNER THERE AND FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, UH, THIS TOILET IS THE AWARD THAT I WON FOR THE LOW SCORE, SO IT'S AMAZING. I WAS LIKE THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST AWARDS. I WENT, SO I WAS TERRIBLE, BUT I HAD SUCH A GREAT I HAD A GREAT TIME DOING IT, AND I BELIEVE THAT WILL BE THERE FOR A BIT. UM, IT WAS REALLY WONDERFUL TO DO. I'VE NEVER, EVER SHOT A RIFLE BEFORE AND THEN JUST DO THINGS. I WAS TERRIBLE. CLEARLY THE SHOTGUN. SORRY WHAT THE HECK? I WAS SHOOTING SO, BUT EVERYONE WAS WONDERFUL, AND IT'S A UM, JUST THERE WERE THE THERE WAS A GREAT GIFT BASKET THAT WAS GIVEN BY THE TIGER'S TAIL. IT WAS JUST A GREAT EVENT. SO UM THE ONLY GOOD THING IS THE FORMER DEPUTY MAYOR SHELLEY BELL WENT THE FIRST YEAR AND AT LEAST I GOT TWO MORE THAN
[01:35:01]
SHE DID, BUT THANK YOU. AND IF YOU WOULD PASS MY THANKS ALONG, CAPTAIN IT WAS A LOT OF FUN. BUT WHEN I CAME IN AS ALL THOSE AWARDS, AND THEN I SAW THIS TOILET I THOUGHT OF NO, I THINK THAT'S GOT MY NAME ON IT. THE NICE ONE. THIS COULD BE YOURS. NO I DON'T THINK THAT WILL STAY IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE. BUT THANK YOU. THE NEXT ONE, THOUGH, WAS MEMORIAL DAY, AND IT WAS A GREAT EVENT. I WAS, UM IT WAS A LOVELY DAY, WELL ATTENDED. AND SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO THERE AND THANK YOU FOR OUR VETERANS COMMITTEE AS WELL. DO YOU WANT TO SAY THAT? I RECEIVED A LOT OF LOT OF MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY THAT REALLY APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS YOU MADE. THANK YOU. ABSOLUTELY HAPPY TO DO IT. UM I ALSO ATTENDED. OH, WE, OF COURSE, HAD LARGE JUNE 2ND COMMUNITY PICNIC WITH THAT WE MENTIONED EARLIER. IT WAS UM NO , UH WAIT, PETER IN THE GREAT THING IS WE HAD JOE THE ICE CREAM GUY AND I MADE ANYBODY THAT WE DID GIVE A FREE ICE CREAM TO LISTEN TO MY SPIEL ABOUT OUR VOLUNTEERS, SO HOPEFULLY THEY DON'T KNOW IF THEY GOT AN INCREASE IN DONATIONS OR SOMETHING. BUT IT WAS A NICE COMMUNITY EVENT, BUT ALSO ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT WERE IN THE PARK THAT NIGHT WERE, OF COURSE, VERY HAPPY TO SEE JOE THE ICE CREAM GUY, BUT IT DID HAVE A COST WASN'T QUITE FREE. THEY HAD TO LISTEN TO ME SPIEL WITH MICRO KEY VOICE AT THE TIME, SO BUT THAT WAS A WONDERFUL TIME AND WE APPRECIATE IT. EVERYTHING THAT ALL OF OUR VOLUNTEERS DO. UM ON SUNDAY, THE FOURTH WE HAD AN EAT FESTIVAL IN THE SAME PARK. AND THEN LATER THAT DAY, THE STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL FOR THE TROOP 46, WHICH WAS A LOT OF FUN AS WELL. REALLY WELL ATTENDED. I COULDN'T BELIEVE HOW MANY PEOPLE I COULDN'T FIND A PLACE TO PARK THEIR HUGE UM AND THEN THIS LAST LAST WEEK, ALL OF THE SECOND GRADERS CAME IN OVER THREE DAYS HERE INTO THE MUNICIPAL. EVERY SINGLE ONE CAME IN. WE HAD FOUR FOR GROUPS EACH DAY, SO THREE DAYS IN A ROW, AND THEY GOT TO MEET, UM, ANIMAL CONTROL. THEY MET THE POLICE WERE THE HIGHLIGHT. I HAVE TO SAY, UM UM SOME OF THEM WERE ABLE TO COME INTO THIS ROOM AND MEET THE MAYOR. AND THEN THE LAST ONE WAS THE LIVE. VERY LIBRARY. YES. SO THAT WAS THAT WAS A LOT OF FUN. UNFORTUNATELY WE WERE ONE OF THE DAYS IT WAS CLOSED FOR EARLY VOTING OR VOTING VOTING. SO UM AND I GOT A LOT OF GREAT QUESTION SOME OF THEM REALLY ABOUT THE CIVICS AND THEN OTHER ONES LIKE YOU KNOW HOW OLD ARE YOU? SO BUT IT WAS. IT WAS JUST WONDERFUL TO HAVE THEM ALL COME AND, UH LOT OF FUN THERE. SO THE NEXT ONE WAS. THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION HAD A, UH THEY'RE MEETING ON JUNE 6TH AND, UM THERE WERE MANY THINGS TALKED ABOUT ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, INCLUDING A NEW WORLD THAT'S COMING OUT INTO PLACE. THE INLAND FLOOD PROTECTION RULE. AS WELL AS SOME UPDATES ON SOME GRANTS. WE WERE, UNFORTUNATELY, WE'RE NOT WE'RE NOT ABLE TO GET THE SUSTAINABLE JERSEY GRANT, BUT WE'LL KEEP TRYING FOR OUR FLEET INVENTORY. SO THAT WAS GOOD GROUP. THEN WE ALSO HAD THE RECREATION COMMITTEE. WELL, COMMITTEEWOMAN, UM. SINGH WAS ILL. I TOOK OVER THE COMMITTEE AND WE TALKED ABOUT PICKLEBALL. SO LET ME GIVE YOU A QUICK UPDATE ON THE ON THE RECREATION COMMITTEE. THERE WAS A GIRL SCOUT PRESENTATION OF THREE GIRL SCOUTS CAME IN. THERE WERE FOUR THAT HAD DONE A PRESENTATION ABOUT NESTING BOXES AND KINDNESS GARDENS THAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE PUTTING ADVANCED HORN PARK AND I SAID, OF COURSE, I BROUGHT UP CLEM AND I'M POINTING TO HIM IN THE AUDIENCE, AND THEY WERE SAID, OH, YES, WE'LL WORK WITH HIM TO MAKE SURE THEY GET THE RIGHT BOXES. SO YOU MIGHT BE PULLED INTO THAT ONE, GLEN, BUT THEY WERE WONDERFUL. UM AND IT WAS GREAT TO HAVE THEM COME IN THERE AND WORK ON THEIR PRESENTATION AND SHOW EVERYBODY ALL THE GREAT WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING, AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE PUBLISHING IT, DOING SOME WORKSHOPS TO EDUCATE PEOPLE ON BIRDS AND HOW IMPORTANT THEY ARE AND PUBLISHING SOME ARTICLES AND SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS AS WELL IN ORDER TO HELP OUR DECLINING BIRD POPULATION AND ALSO HELP WITH PROMOTING NATIVE PLANTS AND ALSO WITH KINDNESS THIS KIDS WILL BE ABLE TO PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO ENJOY THIS GARDEN AS WELL. WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT ARE THE FIREWORKS THAT ARE COMING UP ON THE 20/9 SO EVERYONE THE TICKETS ARE NOW FOR SALE FOR YOUR PARKING, BUT YOU HAVE TO GO IN PERSON TO AUTO KAUFMAN TO GET THEM LAST YEAR WAS WE THINK WE'RE TALKING 7500 TO 8000 PEOPLE THAT WERE THERE, SO I THINK HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE GREAT WEATHER AND A GREAT TIME. SO PLEASE, EVERYONE COME OUT. IT'S HIGHLIGHT, I WOULD SAY AS WELL. UM THAT'S PRETTY MUCH. OH, PICKLEBALL. THERE WE GO. SO WE DID TALK ABOUT THAT. WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF HARD TIME WHEN I WAS TOLD THEY WERE HARD TIME GETTING SOME QUOTES AND THE FIRST THING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS PARTNERING WITH THE BOARD OF EDGE, SO IT'S GOING TO BE IN FRONT OF THEM TO, UM, USE COURTS AT UM S TO RETROFIT TO MAKE SIX DEDICATED PICKLEBALL COURTS. THE COST, HOWEVER, IS QUITE HIGH. IT'S $42,000 JUST TO DO THAT. SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE REACH OUT TO THE HEAD OF THE BOARD EVENT, AND THEY'RE GOING TO LOOK AT IT AS WELL. BECAUSE UM, IT IS SOMETHING THAT THE PUBLIC WILL BE ABLE TO USE, BUT NOT AT ALL TIMES, AND WHEN SCHOOL'S IN SESSION, THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO USE IT. SO WE'RE LIKE, WELL, THE KIDS REALLY WANTED AS WELL. SO LET'S SPLIT IT. SO GOOD THING FOR MONTGOMERY TAXPAYERS SO MORE[01:40:04]
TO COME ON THAT, BUT I THINK THAT'S THE FIRST THING AS WE ALSO LOOK FOR DEDICATED ONE DEDICATED PICKLEBALL COURTS OR EXPENSIVE IN THE COST IS GOING WAY UP BECAUSE IT'S A VERY IT'S A VERY, UM, POPULAR SPORT. AS WELL. SO UM, WE HAVEN'T THROWN THE DEDICATED ONES OFF THE TABLE, BUT THE FIRST ONES THAT WILL BE COMING HOPEFULLY WILL BE WITH WITH THE, UM S AND SO THERE WE GO. THERE'S OUR UPDATE ON PICKLEBALL AND THEN THE NEXT MEETING. I THINK THAT WAS IT. NO BOARD OF HEALTH. SO THE BOARD OF HEALTH THAT LAST NIGHT AND UM ONE OF THE TOPIC WAS GETTING EVERYBODY ON LICENSING SEWERS IN THE TOWN. SO BOY, WHAT A PROCESS THAT IS. HALF OF THE TOWN IS ON SEWERS. ANYTHING THAT WAS 19 NINETIES EXEMPTED FROM THE SEWER LICENSING. SO UM, THEY'RE GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS RIGHT NOW AND SEEING WHAT MAYBE YOU CAN DO TO MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE STREAMLINED AS WELL AND GOING FROM AN OLD ACCESS DATABASE INTO PILOT SO GOOD USE OF OUR TOWN.THAT SYSTEM AS WELL AND THEY'RE ALSO GONNA BRING YOU ON A NEW OUTREACH COORDINATOR AND, UM, ALSO LOOKING AT THERE'S AN OPIOID SETTLEMENT AND DISCUSSIONS A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS ABOUT WHAT MONTGOMERY WOULD DO WITH THEIR PORTION OF THAT AND A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT NARCAN.
AND HOW CAN WE CAN EDUCATE AND ALSO MAKE THINGS AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC? SO THANK YOU TO THE BOARD OF HEALTH. AND THAT WAS IT, LARRY, IF YOU WANT, LARRY, YOU SAID THAT YOU WANTED TO MAKE A COMMENT. WHY DON'T YOU JUST COMING UP TO THE PUBLIC THING? SO UM, THIS IS ABOUT THE SHADE TREE. YES OKAY. I WANTED TO SAY THAT YOU GET YOU NEED NAME. MY NAME IS SARAH ROBERTS AND I LIVE AT 48 HARLINGEN ROAD, AND I WANTED TO SAY THAT MANY PEOPLE I THINK THAT BECAUSE MONTGOMERY HAS LOTS OF TREES ALREADY LOTS OF GREEN SPACES THAT STREET TREES AREN'T THAT IMPORTANT, BUT FROM WHAT I HEAR, AND WHAT I READ, UM, STREET TREES ARE AMONG THE MOST IMPORTANT TREES THAT WE COULD HAVE THEY TRAFFIC CALMING DEVICES. THEY REDUCE ROAD RAGE. THEY REDUCE STRESS IN GENERAL AND BLOOD PRESSURE LEVELS IN DRIVERS AND PERHAPS PEDESTRIANS , TOO, AND THEY ALSO MAKE THE STREETS. UM OH, AND I SHOULD SAY THAT THE PLACES THAT HAVE STREET TREES AS OPPOSED TO TREES IN BACKYARDS. PEOPLE HAVE FEWER HEART ATTACKS AND STROKES. AND THEY ALSO, UM DO REDUCE AIR POLLUTION FROM THE ROAD GOING INTO PEOPLE'S PRIVATE SPACES, AND THEY SHADE THE SIDEWALKS AND THE PAVEMENT AND THE BUILDINGS SO THAT THE SIDEWALKS ARE NOT AS HOT IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO WALK.
THE SIDEWALK IS NOT REFLECTING HEAT UP TO THEM OR RADIATING HEAT. AND OF COURSE, THE SUN IS NOT FOLLOWING ON THEIR HEAD AND THE CANOPY OF THE TREE SETS UP A LITTLE BREEZE AND A LITTLE, UM, UM, WATER VAPOR FROM EVAPORATION , TRANSPIRATION AND ALL THESE THINGS CAN MAKE THE EQUIVALENT OF SEVERAL DEGREES, COOLER TEMPERATURE, AND SO PEOPLE GET MORE EXERCISE. AND UM, ALSO, UM, BUILDINGS CAN BE SHADED BY STREET TREES SO THAT, UM, WE SPEND LESS ENERGY AND MAYBE LESS AIR CONDITIONING IN THE CAR'S VALUE, ALL THE TREES AND ON THE STREET AS WELL. I THINK IT WAS A LOT TO, UH, CALL THE STREETS, QUOTA SIDEWALKS, WHICH ARE, YOU KNOW, RADIATING. OF HEAT IF IT IF IT'S NOT SHADED SO RIGHT AND ALSO MAKE THE BLACKTOP LAST LONGER ON THE STREETS. EXACTLY OKAY, THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH DISJOINTED MEETING THIS THIS WEEK, SO I'M GOING TO TURN
[Additional Item]
IT BACK TO YOU, LAURIE FOR THE ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT, SO PROGRESS ON THE ORCHARD ROAD WORK IS MOVING ALONG VERY WELL. UM WE IF YOU NOTICED A MAJORITY OF THE SIDEWALK IS BEING INSTALLED, UM, THE INTERSECTION AT 206 AND ORCHARD WORD WILL TAKE A LITTLE LONGER BECAUSE IT'S D O. T IS ACTUALLY TAKING THE LEAD ON THAT. AND SO WE'RE THINKING THE FALL SO RIGHT NOW THIS TEMPORARY MEASURES TO STOP PEOPLE FROM FROM CONTINUING, UM , WHERE THE SIDEWALK ENDS, AND WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THAT A LITTLE STEP FURTHER AND ENHANCE AND PUT SOME SIGNAGE THAT EXPLAINS TO PEOPLE TO THE SIDEWALK WILL BE. WHAT DO THEY NEED TO DO? JUST PUT A CORRECT ACROSS WALKING OR IS IT ALSO CHANGING THE THEY'LL BE PUTTING CROSSWALKS IN AND I THINK THEY'RE DOING SOME, UH YOU KNOW, PEDESTRIAN PUSH BUTTONS, THE WHOLE UPGRADES OVER THE PEDESTRIAN UPGRADES TO THE INTERSECTION. WHAT ABOUT THE CROSSWALK? BETWEEN MONTGOMERY[01:45:01]
RIDGE COMMUNITY AND YES, THAT IS ALSO COMING IN THE SUMMER. YES, LIKE NO, THAT WILL BE SOONER.YES THE D O T WORK CROSSING THE STREET. YES YES, MYSELF. HMM YES , COMES IN FIRST, BECAUSE THAT'S A THAT'S NOT PART OF OUR PROJECT. YES. MM HMM. UM TIMING AND THAT I'M SORRY. TIMING LIKE JULY AUGUST I WILL HAVE IT FROM MARK. SO LET ME PULL IT UP, BUT I DON'T REMEMBER. I THINK HE GAVE A J. HE DOESN'T WANT TO COMMIT TO, YOU KNOW THE DAY AND TIME, BUT I THINK IT'S GENERALLY EARLY, UH, SUMMER, SO I THINK WE'RE LOOKING IN JULY, BUT I WILL. REACH OUT AGAIN FOR MORE OF A HARD TIME LINE. UM I JUST WANTED TO REMIND US ALL THAT A YEAR AGO YESTERDAY WE DID THE RIBBON CUTTING FOR THIS BUILDING . SO IT'S BEEN A YEAR THAT WE TODAY HAVE SHADES. THEY'RE COMING. I WANTED THEM FOR TODAY, BUT THEY HAVE BEEN ORDERED THEIR IN TRANSIT AND I EXPECT THEM TO BE INSTALLED NEXT WEEK. YOU HAVE TO HAVE A RIBBON CUTTING JUST FOR THOSE SHADES CAN MAKE THE JOKE. MAYBE WE SHOULD HAVE THE EQUAL SCOUTS DO IT BECAUSE YOU GOT THAT BOX INBOUND. MY UM AND SO I DID WANT TO MAKE A GREAT ANNOUNCEMENT. THE D E P DID A COMPETITIVE GRANT PROGRAM THEY HAD $7 MILLION TO FOR TOWNS TO APPLY FOR PROJECTS TOWNS AND, YOU KNOW, REALLY ANYONE. I THINK RUTGERS APPLIED FOR THE MONEY AS WELL. TO ASSIST WITH STORMWATER PROJECTS, SO MITIGATION PROJECTS ENHANCEMENT PROJECTS. AND IF YOU REMEMBER ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MONTGOMERY WAS DOING IS WORKING ON AND NOW WE'VE BEEN ANALYZING ALL THE DETENTION BASINS WE HAVE . WE HAVE MANY THAT ARE OWNED BY MUNICIPALITY, THE MUNICIPALITY, THE COUNTY OR THE H PRIVATE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION. SO ALL OF THE MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT WANTS SOME ARE QUITE OLD, SO THEY'RE OUTDATED IN TERMS OF THE TECHNOLOGY. UM AND WE THEY PROVIDE BOTH WATER QUALITY AND WATER. QUANTITY QUANTITY BEING WHAT HELPS RETAIN WATER SO THAT WE HAVE DECREASED IN. WE HAVE A FLOODING ISSUE HERE IN TOWN, OBVIOUSLY AND SO THROUGH SUSTAINABLE JERSEY. WE RECEIVED A GRANT TO DO A STUDY OF HOW WE COULD DO ONE OF THE MEASURES TO ASSIST WITH STORMWATER MANAGEMENT IS CONVERTING OLDER, ANTIQUATED BASINS TO BIO RETENTION BASINS. SO THEY WE WERE ABLE TO HIRE A CONCERN.
VULTAN PRINCETON HYDRO. THEY HELPED WORK WITH STAFF TO DEVELOP A PLAN. OF WHICH AGING DETENTION BASINS WOULD BE MOST BENEFICIAL. BIGGEST BANG FOR YOUR BUCK IN TERMS OF CHANGING THOSE OUT FROM THE OLDER CONVENTIONAL MODELS THAT ARE SOMEWHAT OUTDATED. AND SO OUT OF THAT REPORT, LAUREN WAS LOST, ER , OPEN SPACE AND STEWARDSHIP DIRECTOR MARK HERMAN ARE TANGIBLE ENGINEER CAME TOGETHER AND WROTE THIS GRANT TO D E P AGAIN. IT'S $7 MILLION. IT WAS A VERY COMPETITIVE GRANT 97 APPLICANTS. 31 WERE SUCCESSFUL AND OUR PROJECT WAS ONE OF THE ONES THEY JUST ANNOUNCED THIS WEEK. SO WE'RE RECEIVING $431,000 TO CONVERT SEVERAL MUNICIPALLY OWNED OLDER, OUTDATED BASINS TO REALLY, YOU KNOW, TRYING IN OUR EFFORTS TO IMPROVE WATER QUALITY, IMPROVE THE FUNCTIONING AND ALSO HELP REDUCE FLOODING. I MEAN, EVERY LITTLE BIT COUNTS, SO WE'RE THRILLED. WE'RE VERY AND YOU KNOW KUDOS TO THE STAFF BECAUSE THESE GRANT APPLICATIONS ARE NO JOKE, SO THEY REALLY THEY OBVIOUSLY DO A GREAT JOB BECAUSE WE'RE SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING THEM SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK THEY DID. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AND I KNOW I ANNOY YOU BECAUSE I'M ALWAYS GOING. HOW ABOUT THIS? GRANT HOW ABOUT THIS GRANT WITH THIS GROUP? SO SOMETIMES IT'S LIKE WE ALREADY TOLD YOU THAT IT LOOKS LIKE OKAY, FINE.
USUALLY I FIND WE'VE ALREADY APPLIED. SO THAT'S I THINK ALWAYS MUSIC TO MY EARS. THANK YOU, LAUREN AND MARK. THIS IS JUST GREAT WHEN THAT CAME THROUGH, AND THEY WERE GOING DOWN THERE FOR THIS RIVER. I WAS LIKE YOU'RE GOING DOWN FOR 20 25,000 THAT WE WERE ALL GETTING SO I WAS GLAD THAT IT'S YEAH, WE WERE EXCITED ABOUT THAT IS WONDERFUL. THANK YOU. LAST THING AND OTHER PROJECTS THAT WE SORT OF BEEN KEEPING OUR PULSE ON IS COMMUTER BUS SERVICE TO NEW YORK CITY, UM VERY HIGH INTEREST LEVEL FROM SOME MONTGOMERY RESIDENTS. UH WE'RE KIND OF LOOKING AT IT IN 33 WAYS. ONE SHERRY CRUZ WAS HERE TONIGHT FROM OUR PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
SHE HAS REACHED OUT TO THE VARIOUS PRIVATE BUS COMPANIES TO SEE WHAT WOULD IT TAKE TO HAVE THEM COME DO A LINE TWO MONTHS OUT TO NEW YORK FROM MONTGOMERY . UM ONE OF THE THINGS OBVIOUSLY, RIDERSHIP CONSISTENT. RIDERSHIP AND THE NUMBERS THEY'RE LOOKING, YOU KNOW TO HAVE AT LEAST THREE QUARTERS OF A BUS FULL OF RIDERS ON A DAILY BASIS. UM AND THE SECOND WOULD
[01:50:05]
BE A LOCATION FOR THE PARK AND RIDE AND WE HAVE HAD IDENTIFIED A FEW LOCATIONS, BUT SOME ARE NO LONGER VIABLE. SO THE SECOND APPROACH, THOUGH, IS THE DEVELOPER OF THE PIKE RUN DEVELOPMENT, ONE OF THEIR OUT PARCELS IS, UM, ADJACENT IN THE GENERAL VICINITY OF BELLE MEADE FARMERS CO OP, SO IT'S LAND. RIGHT OFF OF 206 BETWEEN THE TRAIN LINE AND TOWNSHIP LINE ROAD THERE. THEY HAVE EARMARKED THAT FOR A FUTURE PARKING RIGHT, SO THEY'RE ALSO VERY INTERESTED IN TRYING TO DO THAT. AND SO WE'VE BEEN ENCOURAGING THEM TO HELP US, YOU KNOW, PUSH THIS ALONG. AND THE THIRD THING IS HILLSBOROUGH TOWNSHIP HAS A SURVEY OUT RIGHT NOW, AND THEY REACHED OUT TO MONTGOMERY AND WE SAID YES, WE ABSOLUTELY WOULD LOVE TO HELP SUPPORT YOUR EFFORTS TO REACTIVATE THE COMMUTER BUS THAT EMANATED FROM THE KOHL'S LOWE'S SHOPPING CENTER IN HILLSBORO, AND IF THEY WOULD START IF THEY REACTIVATED THAT, WOULD THEY HAVE A STOP STOP ONE IN MONTGOMERY OR A SECOND LINE, SO WE'RE ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO FILL THAT SURVEY OUT. AND WE'LL LIKELY DO OUR OWN SURVEY TO GATHER SOME ADDITIONAL INPUT. SO UM, MAYBE WE CAN HAVE A SURVEY OUT THERE DURING THE FOURTH OF JULY, AND I KNOW THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF PEOPLE THERE AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE MAY NOT WANT TO DO A SURVEY, BUT I THINK WE CAN REACH OUT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE AND SEE WHO WOULD BE ONE TO TAKE THAT. UH THE BUS. YEAH, WELL, WE HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS, BUT WE FOR THE WE ACTUALLY HAD A COUPLE OF IDEAS THAT WE WERE GOING TO DO WITH THE THING AND WE SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT? IT'S AN EVENT THAT WE'VE KNOWN WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO PUT THE MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT OUT THERE IN A COUPLE OF OTHER EVENTS, AND WE FIND YOU KNOW WE'RE NOT A BIG NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE WANT TO COME BY. SO, UM, I THINK WE DECIDED THAT WE HAD ONE TABLE THAT WE WERE GOING TO DO A COUPLE THINGS THAT MAYBE WE CAN INCLUDE IT THERE IF THERE'S A CURE CODE, BUT, UM, WE'RE GOING TO KEEP IT AT A MINIMUM BECAUSE IT'S A GREAT TURNOUT.BUT NOBODY CARES ABOUT THE FIREWORKS. ANY GREAT CHINESE SCIENTIST SAYS DO YOU WANT, UM, PARKING RIGHT? OR A BUS SERVICE INTO THE CITY? YEAH, YOU'RE GONNA PAINT THAT. ME ATTRACTIVE.
OKAY GREAT. WELL, THANK YOU. THANK YOU KNOW, GREAT IDEA. GREAT IDEA. OKAY, SO THE NEXT THING IS THE UPCOMING MEETINGS JULY, 6TH WILL HAVE THE ORDINANCE FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE, UM THE ORDINANCE FOR THE SALARY AND WAGES ORDINANCE AND ALSO THE RESOLUTION THAT ACCOMPANIES THAT. OKAY AND A COUPLE OF OTHER ITEMS HERE AND THERE. PROBABLY ANOTHER PRESENTATION, BUT MAYBE NOT. ARE WE GONNA JULY 6TH? I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE A QUORUM TO WE HAVE TO CHECK THAT WE DO HAVE ONE, EVERYBODY. OKAY WONDERFUL. UM BEFORE WE LEAVE, I WANT TO WELCOME YOU, LISA. I GET TO SWEAR THESE IN EARLY AND, UM, WE SEE IS OUR NEW TOWNSHIP CLERK.
SO THANK YOU. LISA IS ALREADY SHE HIT THE GROUND RUNNING AND SHE WAS ABLE. WELL, DONNA KUKLA WAS HERE. THERE WAS SOME TRANSITION TIME, SO IT WORKED OUT FOR EVERYONE'S BENEFIT. AND WE ARE VERY, VERY EXCITED THAT YOU'RE HERE. THANK YOU AND MANAGE THE ELECTION. YES SHE HELPED MANAGE ELECTION RATE CAME IN RIGHT DEAL WITH AN ELECTION SO HAPPY TO BE HERE. THANK YOU.
[31. RESOLUTION TO CLOSE MEETING TO THE PUBLIC]
BUT WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE YOU. SO THE NEXT ITEM IS TO RESOLUTION TO CLOSE THE MEETING TO THE PUBLIC BE IT RESOLVED BY THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE OF THE TOWNSHIP OF MONTGOMERY AND SOMERSET COUNTY, NEW JERSEY AS FOLLOWS THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE WILL NOW CONVENE IN A CLOSED SESSION THAT WILL BE LIMITED ONLY TO CONSIDERATION OF ITEMS WITH RESPECT TO WHICH THE PUBLIC MAY BE EXCLUDED. PURSUANT TO SECTION SEVEN B OF THE OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS ACT, THE GENERAL NATURE OF THE SUBJECTS TO BE DISCUSSED IN THE SESSION OR AS FOLLOWS. ADVICE OF COUNSEL WITH RESPECT TO LITIGATION AND POTENTIAL ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY FOR OPEN SPACE CONSERVATION, RECREATION AND OUR MUNICIPAL PURPOSES. BLOCK 8001 LOTS OF 57.1 AND EIGHT STATS BLOCK 1101 LOT, 12. HOLY MOLY. THERE'S A LOT OF THEM ON HERE SO PEOPLE CAN REFER TO ALL OF THOSE THAT ARE ON THERE. UM SO THAT WE ALSO WILL BE DISCUSSING WHICH IS EXCITING, POTENTIAL ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY AND THE THIRD PART AND IT IS UNKNOWN PRECISELY WHEN THE MATTERS DISCUSSED IN THIS SESSION WILL BE DISCLOSED TO THE PUBLIC ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY AND SETTLEMENT OF LITIGATION SHALL ONLY BE APPROVED BY THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE IN THIS PUBLIC SESSION. SO DO I HAVE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE MEETING TO THE PUBLIC 2ND 2ND FAVOR? THANK YOU FOR COMING.SO DO I HAVE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE CLOSED SESSION? SO MOVED SECOND FAVOR. I DO I HAVE A MOTION TO OPEN THE SESSION, SO MOVED 2ND 2ND. HOWEVER I DO I HAVE TO MOVE TO ADJOURN. 2ND 2ND. ALL IN FAVOR. AYE. OKAY. GOOD NIGHT.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.