Apr 04, 2024 Township Committee

[00:00:04]

GOOD AND EVERYBODY TAKE THEIR SEATS. WE'LL BE STARTING. MEETING CALLED TO ORDER. THIS IS

[Call to Order]

COMMITTEE MEMBER ON HERE. NOTICE OF MEETING AND IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS ACT. ADEQUATE NOTICE OF THIS MEETING WAS PROVIDED ON JANUARY 1220 24 TO THE KOREA NEWS AND THE STAR LEDGER. POSTED ON THE MUNICIPAL BULLETIN BOARD AND FILED WITH THE TOWNSHIP CLERK SALUTE TO THE FLAG. TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. FOR WHAT? ONE NATION. OH, MY GOD. INDIVIDUAL AND JUSTICE. YEAH. DEPUTY MAYOR BARRIGAN IS GOING TO READ THE PROCLAMATION

[1. Proclamation – Recognizing Arbor Day 2024]

[2. Proclamation – Recognizing National Public Health Week 2024]

[20. Resolution #24-4-141 – Authorizing the Appointment of Lorette Pruden to the Economic Development Commission]

[00:05:02]

SECOND ROLL CALL, PLEASE. COMMITTEE MEMBER ON YES. DEPUTY MAYOR BARRAGAN MAYOR SING YES.

IF I COULD JUST ASK LORETTE TO PLEASE COME TO THE DESK AND WE WILL ADMINISTER THE ORTHODOX.

SHE LIVES IN THAT. PUBLIC COMMENT. MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO ADDRESS THE TOWNSHIP

[3. Public Comment]

[00:10:01]

UM I, I WENT ONLINE. I WAS WOR WORKING IN THE AREA. TEACHING IN THE AREA WAS A HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH TEACHER FOR 41 YEARS. AND UM, LOOKING IN THE AREA, AND I WENT TO A SITE CALLED NEIGHBORHOOD SCOUT.COM. AND ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS TYPE IN AN ADDRESS, AND THEN YOU TYPE IN THE AREA YOU'RE MOVING TO, AND IT WILL GIVE YOU A COMPARISON. UM AND I GREW UP IN IN A IN A RURAL AREA OF WESTPORT, CONNECTICUT. AND THEY SAID THIS WAS THE EQUIVALENT COMMUNITY, SO THAT'S WHY I MOVED HERE. SO AND I'D LIKE LIVING HERE. UM, A COUPLE OF THINGS I WANT TO BRING UP. UM I READ WITH INTEREST. THE ARTICLE IN THE NEW YORK TIMES ABOUT MONTGOMERY. WHICH I THINK REALLY DID NOT DO US JUSTICE AND IN THE BEGINNING OF THE ARTICLE, UM I, I BELIEVE HER NAME IS DEBORAH. IS IT? DEBORAH? I DON'T KNOW HER IS THAT THE WOMAN NAMED DEBRA YES. UH, YOU MEAN, UH, THE PREVIOUS MAYOR. I DIDN'T HEAR IS THAT THE PREVIOUS MAYOR? YOU'RE SAYING DEBORAH KEENAN? I THINK SO. YES, YEAH, SHE WAS INTERVIEWED AND IT. IT BEGAN BY SAYING THAT YOU KNOW, SHE SHE SHE ALWAYS HATES IT WHEN PEOPLE DON'T SAY THEY LIVE IN MONTGOMERY. UM YOU KNOW, THEY SAY THEY LIVE IN HILLSBOROUGH. I'VE NEVER HEARD THAT. BUT I CERTAINLY HAVE HEARD LOTS OF PEOPLE SAY THEY LIVE IN PRINCETON. I DO NOT HAVE MY FACEBOOK ADDRESS AS PRINCETON. I HAVE IT AS MONTGOMERY BECAUSE I'M PROUD OF LIVING HERE. I THINK ANYWAY, LET'S CUT TO THE CHASE. I THERE. I WAS GONNA SAY THAT IT'S THREE MINUTES. SO YES, THAT'S OVER. NO, NO, I WAS JUST SAYING IT'S THREE MINUTES. WE GOT TO THE IT'S NOT GONNA BE LONG. UM THE MOST SPECIFIC THING IS THAT, UM I LIVE IN MONTGOMERY WOODS, WHICH IS A TOWNHOUSE COMMUNITY, WHICH IS OFF RIVER ROAD. AND WHAT HAS HAPPENED IS IT'S JUST REALLY GONE TO POT. I MEAN, THEY HAVE. WE'RE WE'RE BLESSED TO HAVE THE MASONIC CENTER THERE. I THANK THEM. YOU KNOW, MY GREAT GRANDFATHER WAS A MASON AND YOU KNOW THEY DO WONDERFUL THINGS, BUT THE FENCE OUTSIDE THE BUILDING ALONG THE ROAD IS USELESS. IT'S NOT PROTECTED, AND IT'S ALL RUSTED AND BENT. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THAT. AND THERE IS A HUGE TREE THAT EXTENDS FROM TWO TELEPHONE POLES TO EACH OTHER. I HAVE PICTURES OF IT. THAT'S BEEN THERE FOR A FEW YEARS, LAYING RIGHT NEXT TO THE ROAD. IT LOOKS HIDEOUS AND DOWN THE ROAD FARTHER ARE THREE TREES THAT I DON'T KNOW IF THEY WERE CUT OR FALLEN. THAT ARE STACKED LIKE THIS OVERLOOKING THE ROAD THAT LOOK HORRIBLE. UM AND YOU KNOW THAT'S WHY PEOPLE DON'T SAY THEY LIVE IN MONTGOMERY. YOU KNOW, I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE A B. HAVE A BRAND HERE, YOU KNOW? WHAT DO YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU THINK OF MONTGOMERY? I USED TO HAVE KIDS DO COLLEGE ESSAYS. THE FIRST THING WE DID IS GET A BRAND. WHAT ARE YOU SELLING? YOU KNOW? AND THEN I THINK WE COULD RAISE THE BAR. BUT I'D LIKE IT TO BE AS CLEAN AND PRETTY AS POSSIBLE.

I THINK IT'S A BEAUTIFUL PLACE. OK, SO THAT'S THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO SAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SENTIMENT VERY MUCH, AND WE ARE WORKING ON MAKING IT A ANYONE ELSE? HI. MY NAME IS JANICE SCHMIDLIN. I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT HERE FOR 23 YEARS. COULD YOU SPELL YOUR LAST NAME FOR ID LIN? WE ALSO MOVED TO MONTGOMERY BECAUSE OF THE BEAUTIFUL AREA THAT WE HAVE HERE WE HAVE YOU KNOW THE WE LIVE ON BT HILLS. SO WE HAVE THE GREEN ACRES BEHIND US, WHICH IS VERY NICE AND LOVE THAT I AM A TREE LOVER, BUT I WILL SAY THAT YOU GUYS MAKE IT VERY HARD TO LIVE IN MONTGOMERY. I NOT ONLY PAY YOU FOR MY ALARM THAT KEEPS LESS POLICE OFFICERS COMING TO MY HOUSE. I PAY YOU FOR MY SEPTIC, WHICH I HAD TO HAVE PUMPED OUT AND HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT I NEED TO PAY YOU FOR THAT TO SHOW YOU THAT I'M DOING THAT. DOING THAT BECAUSE OF SAFETY FOR MY FAMILY, AND NOW YOU'RE TELLING ME THAT I NEED TO PAY YOU TO CREATE A FUND IF I HAVE A TREE THAT NEEDS TO COME DOWN, AND I THINK THAT THAT'S REALLY NOT RIGHT TO DO THAT. I MEAN, IF I'M WONDER IF THE TOWNSHIP IS PAYING FOR ALL THE TREES THAT YOU KNOCKED DOWN FOR THE MALL THAT WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR 20 YEARS, WHICH I REALLY DON'T WANT HERE IN MONTGOMERY, AND I'M SURE YOU'RE NOT PAYING FOR THOSE TREES. I'M SURE THEY'RE ALL THE PLACES THAT YOU HAVE THAT YOU'RE BUILDING APARTMENTS AND TOWNHOUSES. WHILE THOSE TREES THAT WERE DESTROYED CONVENIENTLY WERE DONE BEFORE MAY 1ST RIGHT, SO NOT GIVING A LOT OF ADVANCED NOTICE TO OTHER PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO DO THE SAME THING THAT YOU DID WHAT YOU'RE GONNA DO WITH THIS TREE FUND.

I'M ALREADY PAYING HIGH TAXES TO LIVE IN THIS TOWN. WHAT YOU'RE DOING WITH THIS TREE FUND SO YOU CAN PLANT TREES IN THE PLACES THAT YOU WANT TO HAVE THEM? I DON'T THINK IS QUITE FAIR IF YOU'RE NOT PAYING INTO THE FUND AND I THINK THAT YOU SHOULD REALLY CONSIDER HOW MUCH IS BEING I LOOKED AT THE NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT DEP REGULATIONS. THERE'S NOTHING TALKING ABOUT

[00:15:03]

SECONDLY DEAD TREES ARE EXEMPT, AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE AND THEN PLEASE REMEMBER THAT THIS IS COMING FROM THE STATE? YES THEY DO SAY THAT THE REPLACEMENT COSTS ARE GOING TO BE ON MUNICIPALITIES. OUR STAFF HAS LOOKED AT ALL THE MUNICIPALITIES AROUND US, AND THIS IS WHAT THEY ARE DOING FOR THEIR TREES. AND THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT MONTGOMERY IS DOING. OUT OF JUST BEING YOU KNOW, PUNITIVE TO OUR RESIDENTS. WE THE REPLACEMENT FOR TREES IS 1.5 CALIBER, WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT THE STATE IS DOING. THE FEES WE HEARD AT THE TOWN HALL, 100 AND 50 FOR A PERMIT WAS NOT LIKED. WE BROUGHT IT DOWN TO $40 SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE ALL RESIDENTS TO PLEASE LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THE 27 TOWN HALL. WE REALLY WORKED HARD, BELIEVE ME, BUT WHAT WE ARE BEING TOLD BY ANYBODY WHO HAS IF YOU SOMEONE TO PLANT A TREE. THAT'S THE 500 IF YOU DO A 1.5 CALIBER BY YOURSELF, YOU'RE MOST WELCOME TO DO IT. THERE IS NO COST TO YOU.

I MEAN, OF COURSE, THE COST OF YOU YOU'RE TAKING IF YOU'RE TAKING A LIGHT TREE IF YOU'RE TAKING IT'S A DEAD TREE. THERE IS NO COST TO YOU. YOU'RE COMING FOR A W. SO I JUST I'M USUALLY WE DON'T ADDRESS I GET THAT AND I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS THERE AND I DID SEE THAT YOU CAME DOWN FROM THE 150 TO THE 40. I WILL TELL YOU THAT LIVING HERE FOR 23 YEARS I'VE ACTUALLY PLANTED FIVE TREES IN OUR BACKYARD. WE'VE ALL DIED. I DON'T KNOW WHY? BECAUSE I'VE DONE ALL THE WATERING ALL THE FERTILIZING. I'M STRUGGLING TO KEEP TREES RIGHT NOW. WE SPEND $600 A YEAR TO FERTILIZE OUR TREES. WE HAVE A BEAUTIFUL MAGNOLIA. WE HAVE A BEE TREE THAT HAS SOME KIND OF FUNGUS ON IT RIGHT NOW AND ALSO OUR MAPLE AND FOR THREE YEARS NOW WE'VE BEEN FIGHTING TO TRY AND SAVE THESE TREES AND PAYING $600 TO HAVE THEM FERTILIZED BY THE TREE . AND SO I'VE ALREADY PUT IN MY 1800 IN THE LAST THREE YEARS, AND THE TREES STILL AREN'T COMING BACK, AND WE ARE TRYING TO KEEP THEM BECAUSE WE WANT THEM ON OUR PROPERTY. I'M A TREE LOVER. WE PLANTED FIVE TREES THAT WERE, YOU KNOW, 5 FT. TALL FOR SOME REASON WE LIVE ON FREAKING FARMLAND, AND FOR SOME REASON, THEY THEY WOULDN'T STAY. THEY WOULDN'T LIVE LONGER THAN A FEW MONTHS EVEN THOUGH WE WERE DOING ALL THE RIGHT THINGS. SO THEN I'D HAVE TO COME TO YOU FOR ANOTHER PERMIT. BECAUSE THAT TREE WON'T WORK. YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST A CYCLE. IT'S A WAIVER. YEAH, IT'S A WAIVER, BUT I ALSO ENCOURAGE YOU TO COME ON 27TH. WE HAVE A ARE CELEBRATION RIGHT HERE, WHERE WE'LL HAVE LARRY KOPLIK, WHO'S AN ICON IN THIS COMMUNITY FOR PLANTING TREES. HE IS GOING TO DO LIKE A SESSION AND EDUCATION SESSION AND I HAVE TO. I JUST I MEAN, THANK UH, COMMITTEE MAN ON WHO'S PUTTING THIS TOGETHER, SO THERE WILL BE THIS SESSION OF HOW YOU PLANT TREES BECAUSE HONESTLY, I COULD LEARN AS WELL AND THIS IS ON 27TH RIGHT HERE AT THE TOWNSHIP. AND I UNDERSTAND TOTALLY BECAUSE I'VE LIVED YOUR LIFE IN MY TREE HAVE DIED, SO IT'S GOOD TO HAVE SOMEONE LIKE LARRY KOPLIK. HE'S ON THE SHADE. COMMITTEE SO IS DEPUTY MAYOR BARRIGAN SO WE'LL MAKE ALL OUR EFFORTS THAT WE CAN DO. BUT YOU KNOW, MOTHER NATURE IS MOTHER NATURE, BUT I APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE FOR THE TOWNSHIP IN PLANTING AND WE'RE HAVING OUR OUR. YOU KNOW, TREATED EVERY YEAR TOO, BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP THAT BABY ALIVE, TOO. APPRECIATE IT. SO I WE DID COME TO ARBOR DAY BEFORE WE'VE GOT TREES BEFORE THEY TOLD US ALL THE RIGHT THINGS TO DO.

TWO YEARS AGO, WE PLANTED 13 TREES, AND ONE TREE HAS MADE IT AND THAT'S IT. WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT LARRY PUBLIC I DO WANT TO SAY, YOU KNOW. THANK YOU FOR GOING FROM 150 TO 40. I SAW THAT IN IT TONIGHT. BUT PLEASE CONSIDER SOME OTHER THINGS IN THERE. WHERE MAYBE THIS, YOU KNOW, MAYBE SOME OF YOUR FUND GOES BACK TO PEOPLE, YOU KNOW? AND MAYBE WHEN THEY DID IT THE RIGHT WAY, AND THEY CAME TO YOU FOR THE PERMITS. MAYBE THEY GET 20 PER 20 PER DOLLARS BACK OR THEY GET HALF OF THAT BACK TO HELP PLANT THE NEW TREE, YOU KNOW, CONSIDER SOMETHING ELSE BECAUSE WE DO PAY THE HIGHEST TAXES AROUND HERE, AND THAT'S TO HAVE ALL THESE BEAUTIFUL, YOU KNOW, SCHOOLS AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT. BUT ONCE OUR KIDS ARE OUT OF SCHOOL, WE DON'T FEEL THAT BENEFIT ANYMORE. SO IF YOU CAN THINK ABOUT SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THAT'S A REBATE PROGRAM WITH IT. SO THAT WAY PEOPLE AREN'T GOING TO FEEL LIKE THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GET ANYTHING OUT OF IT. IT MAY BE BETTER AND THEN USE YOUR MONEY THAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR BUDGETS TO PAY FOR THE TREES ALONG. OH, SORRY ALONG THE STREETS INSTEAD OF USING OURS. WE APPRECIATE ALL YOUR COMMENTS. BELIEVE ME, THE THREE PEOPLE SITTING HERE HAVE WORKED REALLY HARD ON THIS AND WE'RE HEARING YOU AND AT THE SAME TIME THERE IS GOING TO BE A GRACE PERIOD AS WELL, WHICH IS GOING TO BE FOR EDUCATION. SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO MAKING SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY UNDERSTANDS AND

[00:20:01]

MAY 1ST. YES. AND THIS IS UPDATED. SO YOU SHOULD DEFINITELY PICK IT UP. OK SO I HAVEN'T HAD A TIME A MOMENT TO REVIEW IT. BUT, UM YEAH, SO ALL OF YOU HAVE STEPPED UP TO THE ROLE OF LEADERSHIP, WHICH IS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN OUR COMMUNITY. I APPLAUD YOU FOR VOLUNTEERING TO DO THAT, UM, IT PROVIDES YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE COMMUNITY.

COMES WITH A LOT OF RESPONSIBILITY. AND AUTHORITY, WHICH I'M SURE NONE OF YOU TAKE LIGHTLY. UM SO, UH, I'M SORRY. I DIDN'T SAY THAT. RIGHT WHICH I'M SURE ALL OF YOU. DO NOT TAKE LIGHTLY. UM SO WHAT I DID WAS I, UH I TRACKED IT DOWN TO THE STATE STATUTE. WHICH IN FACT HAS NOT BEEN ENACTED. AND IN FACT HAS BEEN INTRODUCED TO THE 2024 2025 LEGISLATIVE CALENDAR. SO IT STILL UNDER CONSIDERATION. UM, THE ASSEMBLY NUMBER 371. AND, UM AND PAIRED WITH THAT IS SENATE BILL NUMBER 314 SPONSORED BY, UH, THE SENATOR IS SENATOR DAGON IN MIDDLESEX, AND LINDA GREENSTEIN, WHO IS A WHO IS A STATE SENATOR FOR MIDDLESEX AND MERCER. UM THE ASSEMBLY PERSON, UH, HAS IT HE HAS INTRODUCED HIS STERLING STANLEY. THE ST STATE STATUTE HAS NOT YET BEEN ENACTED. IT'S GOING TO TAKE A COUPLE OF FEW YEARS TO ENACT THIS BECAUSE IT'S BE IT'S BEEN REFERRED OUT TO COMMITTEE IN THE ASSEMBLY. IT'S BEEN REFERRED OUT TO THE STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE. AT THE AT THE SENATE LEVEL. IT'S BEEN REFERRED OUT TO THE COMMUNITY IN URBAN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE. SO IT IS IN COMMITTEE BEING CONSIDERED. TREE ACT ITSELF IS A LINE. IN THE REVISED STATUTE, WHERE THE PROPOSED REVISED STATUTE SO I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE GUIDELINES ARE FOR THE STATE. WITH REGARD TO HOW BIG THE TREE NEEDS TO BE. I DO KNOW THAT TREES ARE VERY EXPENSIVE TO REMOVE. I'VE BEEN LIVING IN MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP WITH MY HUSBAND, SINCE, UH 2001, MA'AM, I JUST WANNA LET YOU KNOW YOU'RE THREE MINUTES ARE OVER. SO IF YOU CAN, WE'VE HAD MORE THAN 70 TREES COME DOWN ON OUR PROPERTY. THEY COST UPWARD OF $700 TO REMOVE TO REPLACE THAT TREE CAN COST UPWARDS OF $250. I THINK THAT THE COMMITTEE HAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO EFFECT CHANGES IN THE TOWNSHIP. TO PREVENT FLOODING. WE LIVE ACROSS THE WAY FROM THE GRIGGS TOWN CAUSEWAY. TODAY IT TOOK ME AN EXTRA EIGHT MILES TO GET TO MY DESTINATION.

I TRAVEL EAST TO HEIGHTS 10 EAST WINDSOR AREA ON A WEEKLY BASIS. AND WHEN THE CAUSEWAYS CLOSED, I HAVE TO CIRCUMVENT AND GO THROUGH. OTHER AREAS. MA'AM, I HATE TO YOU KNOW, TODAY, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE ROAD WAS BLOCKED. IT CAUSED ME FURTHER CIRCUMVENTION. PLANTING TREES IF

[00:25:07]

I DID. I BUILT A LITTLE FIELD, NO CHARGE. SHOOTING RANGE. I BUILT THIS SHOOTING RANGE. WHEN I WHEN I BOUGHT THE SHOOTING RANGE THE DEAL WAS I'LL BUILD IT AS LONG AS I CAN GO PRACTICE.

MM. WELL FRANK. WE ALL KNOW YOU'VE DONE SO MUCH FOR THE TOWN . IF YOU WANNA GET TO GET TO YOUR POINT, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT THE BELT TO GO IN THE HUNTING COMMITTEE. UH, THE SOCCER LEAGUE. BUT I THINK WHAT YOU PEOPLE SHOULD DO IS BECAUSE I CHECKED WITH WES WINDSOR, AND THEY HAVE NOT ADOPTED AN ORDINANCE YET. YOU KNOW, SO WHEN YOU SAY EVERYBODY IS ADOPTED ONE NO ONE HAS MOST OF THE TOWNS MOST OF THE TOWNS. YES WELL, WHAT WAS IT LIKE AND TELL THE TRUTH, BECAUSE A LOT OF THE TOWNS THAT I CHECKED ADOPTING THE TALENTS. I MEAN, THE STATES.

NO NO FEES. LIKE I HEARD YOU SAY YOU GONNA SLOW TO $40. OK NOW. BUILDING. I MEAN FOR ME. HOW AM I GONNA GET THAT PERMIT? I'M GONNA COME IN. GONNA FILL IT OUT WHAT I NEED I'M UNCUT. I'M GONNA GIVE YOU MY $40, AND IT'S GONNA GO IN THE BACK AND GET RID OF THE EIGHT. WHY WOULD YOU REVIEW A TREE BUT FOR CUTTING THE TREE DOWN. YOU KNOW THE REVIEW A TREE FOR PLACING YOUR HOT WATER HERE.

YOU DON'T REPLACE A TREE FOR YOU KNOW ALL THAT LITTLE STUFF, BUT I MEAN, NOT A TREE. I'M SORRY.

YOU DON'T NEED TO GET A REVIEW FOR ALL THAT. TO GET A PERMIT OVER THE COUNTER. I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT. YOU KNOW, AND I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND PLANTING TREES. I PLANTED MORE TREES LIKE I SAID, THAN ANYBODY HERE. BUT I THINK IF YOU DID SOMETHING LIKE THAT, I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN AN

[00:30:02]

GO TO PRINCETON. BUT YOU DON'T LIKE IT. THAT'S WHAT I HAVE TO SAY. AND, UM I HOPE YOU REALLY THINK ABOUT IT. WE ARE LISTENING. BELIEVE ME, THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, FRANK. I'M CHRIS NEWMAN. I UH, LIVE IN TOWN FOR A LONG TIME. NOT AS LONG AS FRANK. UM I JUST WANNA SAY I'M IN FAVOR OF THE ORDINANCE, JUST LIKE I WAS LAST WEEK WHEN WE ALL STOOD UP AND SAID THE SAME THINGS THAT WE'RE SAYING TONIGHT. UM I JUST THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT IT GETS ON THE RECORD THAT TREES DO HELP WITH STORM WATER. UM I WAS LOOKING AT THE WATER RUN DOWN THE MOUNTAIN TODAY BECAUSE I HAVE, I DON'T KNOW. SEVERAL DOZEN DEAD ASH TREES AND THE WATER JUST POURS OFF MY PROPERTY. NOW I TOO HAVE PLANTED A WHOLE BUNCH OF TREES. I PROBABLY SPENT $20,000 ON TREATING TREES TRYING TO SAVE ASH TREES, REMOVING TREES, PLANTING LIVE TREES. SOME OF THEM LIVE. SOME OF THEM DIE. THAT'S NATURE. DEAD TREES ARE IMPORTANT. THEY MAY BE UNSIGHTLY , BUT THEY DO A LOT FOR THE ENVIRONMENT. SO I THINK I HOPE THAT WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT MAKING OUR TOWN PRETTY, UH, FOR OUR BRAND THAT WE KEEP IN MIND THE ENTIRE UH UH UH, ECOSYSTEM.

I MEAN, A DEAD TREE IS IMPORTANT, RIGHT? MAY NOT LOOK NICE, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE IT THERE JUST ON CLASS TODAY ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT DEAD TREES ARE TO THE ENVIRONMENT. UM I'M DISAPPOINTED THAT YOU DECREASED IT TO $40. I THINK 150 WAS GOOD. IF YOU'RE TAKING DOWN A LIVE TREE TO PUT IN YOUR POOL, I THINK YOU COULD AFFORD 100 AND $50. IT SEEMS TO ME A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE COMING UP HERE. ALL WORRIED ABOUT THIS. YOU'RE NOT CHARGING FOR TAKING DOWN DEAD TREES. UM DOES EVERYBODY HERE WANT TO TAKE DOWN A LIVE TREES? I MEAN, I DON'T SEE WHAT THE BIG ISSUE IS THAT EVERYBODY IS SO UPSET ABOUT THIS. I THINK MOST OF US AGREE. WE LIKE TREES, AND WE DON'T WANT TO GO AROUND CUTTING DOWN LIVE TREES ON OUR PROPERTY. I'M IN FAVOR OF THE ORDINANCE. I WISH HE HADN'T LOWERED IT. UM DEAD TREES ARE GOOD. UH THERE'S ONE MORE THING I WANT TO SAY, BUT I FORGET. THANK YOU. NO THANK YOU. WE UNDERSTAND THAT YOU DIDN'T LIKE IT, LORD. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? OKAY, WE WILL BE. WHILE SHE'S WALKING TO THE DESK. I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE LARRY KOPLIK . I DID TALK ABOUT LARRY AND WHAT HE DOES AT THE SHADE TREE COMMITTEE. YOU WERE NOT HERE AND THEN 27TH OF, UH, THIS APRIL MONTH THERE IS GOING TO BE A DAY CELEBRATION RIGHT HERE WHERE LARRY IS GONNA EDUCATE PEOPLE HOW TO RIGHTLY PLANT TREES.

THANK YOU, LARRY. MY NAME IS SARAH ROBERTS AND, UM I LIKE TREES A LOT. I KNOW THAT THEY'RE VERY IMPORTANT IN PREVENTING FLOODING, AND, UM ALSO, THEY, UM , KEEP US COOLER IN THE SUMMER, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT. AND, UM THEY ARE IMPORTANT FOR, UM ON POLLINATORS AND FOR BIRDS AND, UM THEY ARE A WONDERFUL WINDBREAK. UM, YOU DON'T EVEN REALIZE HOW THEY'RE DOING THAT UNTIL YOU GET SOME PLACE LIKE THE PARKING LOT OUT HERE, WHICH IS VERY WINDY. AND, UM I. I KNEW SOME PEOPLE WHO LIVED IN A NEW DEVELOPMENT AND THEY TALKED ABOUT THAT MONTGOMERY WIND AND BECAUSE WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, A NEIGHBORHOOD FULL OF MATURE TREES. I HAD NO IDEA WHAT THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT. TILL I VISITED THEIR HOUSE. IT WAS VERY, VERY WINDY. AND, UM UM, ANYWAY, I. I LIKE THE ORDINANCE PERSONALLY, THE WAY IT IS. I KNOW THAT IT'S UM GONNA BE VERY HARD ON A LOT OF PEOPLE. AND UM, BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE IN TOWN WHO ARE LIKE BARELY HOLDING ON TO KEEPING THEIR HOMES AND THEIR PROPERTIES AND, UM I DON'T KNOW WHAT CAN BE DONE. ABOUT THAT CONFLICT BETWEEN THOSE PEOPLE AND ALSO THEN THE PEOPLE WHO JUST COME IN AND CUT DOWN TREES. FOR FUN. UM WITH NOT REALIZING THAT THEY MAY BE CROSSING THE FLOOD. AND I, UM I HAVE TO SAY THAT I KNOW VERY WELL. THAT THE WATER THAT FALLS ON THE ROOF OF MY HOUSE IN? UH I GUESS I COULD SAY UPPER HARLINGEN. RUNS OFF THE ROOF. IT RUNS THROUGH THE LAWN. IT RUNS INTO THE WOODS. UM WHERE I SEE IT TRICKLING THROUGH IN LITTLE DRAINAGE WASTE THAT WE HAVE DOWN

[00:35:06]

CLOSING PUBLIC COMMENT. NOW WE HAVE THE BUDGET PRESENTATION BY OUR CFO MICHAEL PITTS. YEAH I I'D LIKE TO MAKE A COUPLE COMMENTS ON ON THE BUTTON. I WILL LET THE DEPUTY MAYOR MAKE A FEW COMMENTS BEFORE WE GET. UH TO YEAH, I THINK YOU KNOW, THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT PART OF, UH, YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THIS, UH, TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE, AND OBVIOUSLY A BIG PART OF THAT IS, UH, REVIEWING PASSING THE BUDGET RIGHT, WHICH IS FUNDED THROUGH AS YOU CAN IMAGINE OUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS AND OTHER RATES. SO FIRST THING I DO REALLY WANT TO.

THANK UM OUR TOWN ADMINISTRATOR LAURIE, OUR CFO. MICHAEL UH, CAPTAIN BED AND ALL OF THE DEPARTMENT HEADS WHO HAVE SPENT A LOT OF TIME PROBABLY OVER THE LAST 3 TO 6 MONTHS. UH THOUGHTFULLY COMING UP WITH YOU KNOW HOW THEY CAN BETTER SERVE OUR COMMUNITIES, AND A LOT OF THAT OBVIOUSLY REQUIRES INVESTMENT. I ALSO WANNA THANK THIS, UH, THE CIVILIAN MEMBERS OF OUR BUDGET AND FINANCE COMMITTEE WHO SPENT UH, PRETTY MUCH EVERY WEEK FOR THE LAST THREE MONTHS. MEETINGS IN THE EVENING, UH, REVIEWING EVERY SINGLE DEPARTMENT, THEIR BUDGET THEIR CAPITAL INVESTMENTS, AND, YOU KNOW, WANNA, YOU KNOW, HIGHLIGHT THEIR NAS. CATHERINE LOG, FORMER COMMITTEEMAN KEN HUANG AND ZELDA SPENCE WALLACE. I REALLY WANT TO THANK ALL THREE OF YOU FOR SPENDING YOUR EVENINGS UM AND PROVIDING GREAT INPUT. GREAT QUESTIONS, UM, CHALLENGING DATA CHALLENGING DATA SOURCES. UH, BUT REALLY, UH , ELEVATING, UH, THE DISCUSSION THAT WE'VE HAD AS A AS A TOWNSHIP. UH YOU KNOW, THE LEADERSHIP AND YOU KNOW, HOLDING ALL OF OUR YOU KNOW, DEPARTMENT HEADS ACCOUNTABLE RIGHT FOR, YOU KNOW, BRINGING UP GREAT IDEAS BUT ALSO FIGURING OUT HOW WE COULD BEST FUND THEM. NOW I'M GONNA TAKE YOU KNOW WE HAVE TAKEN SIGNIFICANT CARE AND DILIGENCE OVER THE LAST THREE MONTHS. YOU KNOW EVERYONE. HE HEARS A TAXPAYER. UH SO WE'RE IN IT WITH EVERYONE, AND SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE MAKE THE RIGHT NEAR TERM AND LONG TERM INVESTMENTS IN IN THIS BEAUTIFUL TOWNSHIP THAT WE LOVE LIVING IN, BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, HAVING THE RIGHT FISCAL DISCIPLINE AND OUR FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY. VERY IMPORTANT, UM, TO MANAGE YOU KNOW THE LEVEL INVESTMENT REQUIRED FROM TAXATION. THIS IS BEFORE OUR DEPARTMENT HAS DID A GREAT JOB DISCUSSING HOW BEST TO SERVE OUR RESIDENTS. BUT AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, UH, THROUGHOUT THESE DISCUSSIONS, A RE ALWAYS MORE WANTS THAN WHAT WE CAN RESPONSIBLY SUPPORT. AND SO WHAT? WE WHAT'S GONNA BE PRESENTED BY OUR CFO IS REALLY, REALLY STRIKING THE RIGHT BALANCE OF MAKING SURE MAKING THOSE HARD DECISIONS INVESTMENTS IN OUR COMMITTEE WHILE MINIMIZING THE IMPACT ON THE TAXPAYER. AND SO, UM, WANT TO REALLY TALK ABOUT LIKE SOME OF THE KEY HIGHLIGHTS OF WHAT'S REALLY DRIVING SOME OF THE INCREASED INVESTMENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE ALL FEEL, YOU KNOW THAT REALLY STRONGLY AND WE'VE HEARD A LOT OF THIS, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THE COMMUNITY THROUGH DISCUSSIONS, BUT ALSO WITH A LOT OF STATISTICS THAT WE REVIEWED OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS. SO THE FIRST THE FIRST PART IS THAT YOU KNOW, WE'RE PROPOSING INCREASING THE POLICE FORCE BY TWO OFFICERS. UH, WHICH IS THE FIRST INCREASE IN OVER 10 YEARS. UM AND THIS IS REALLY DRIVEN BY, YOU KNOW SOME OF THE SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN MENTAL HEALTH COSTS THAT ARE THAT ARE POLICE DEPARTMENTS ARE DEALING WITH AND IT TAKES LONGER TO DEAL WITH THOSE. WE ARE ALSO SIMULTANEOUSLY THE MAYOR AND I ALL THE TOUCH P WORKING WITH THE COUNTY AND OUR STATE LEGISLATORS TO SEE IF WE COULD GET MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCATES TO ALSO WORK WITHIN, UH, WORK SIDE BY SIDE FOR POLICE OFFICERS, BUT AT THE

[00:40:02]

UH, WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT BUDGET, BUT WE'RE ALSO KEEPING CAPITAL CONSISTENT TO LAST YEAR FOR MAKING A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF INVESTMENTS IN INFRASTRUCTURE AND ALSO ON ON THINGS LIKE NECESSARY VEHICLES, ET CETERA. IT'S REQUIRED BY ALL OF OUR, UH, DEPARTMENTS IN ORDER TO YOU KNOW, SERVICE AND SUPPORT THE RESIDENTS. UH, SO ALL THOSE THINGS YOU KNOW, IN CONTEXT, WE REALLY PUT A TARGET TO MAKE SURE A YEAR OVER YEAR AGAIN THAT ANY INVESTMENTS ARE MAKING ARE SIGNIFICANTLY BELOW THE RATE OF INFLATION BECAUSE WE DO LIVE IN AN INFLATION ENVIRONMENT. SO THE SAME INFLATION THAT WE ALL DEAL WITH WHEN WE GO TO THIS, UH, EITHER THE GROCERY STORE AT THE GAS PUMP. UH WE'RE ALSO DEALING HERE WITH, UH, WHETHER IT'S VENDORS. UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, UM YOU KNOW, CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS FOR INCREASE INCREASES IN PAY FOR DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, UNIONS, AND SO WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP CONTROL AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, BUT ENSURING THAT ANY KIND OF INCREASE IN INVESTMENTS ARE WELL BELOW THE RATE OF INFLATION. SO REALLY, UH, FEEL VERY PROUD ABOUT THE BUDGET WE HAVE. WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK OVER THE SUMMER ON HOW WE CAN DO BETTER LONGER TERM PLANNING, BUT ALSO LOOK AT YOU KNOW WHAT ARE OTHER FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES WE HAVE IN ORDER TO MINIMIZE THE BURDEN ON INDIVIDUAL TAXPAYER, AND THAT'S GOING TO BE YOU KNOW A LOT OF DISCUSSION ON QUALIFICATIONS AND WHERE WE NEED TO FOCUS ON. THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GONNA BE FOCUSING ON AS WE LOOK FROM A FINANCIAL PERSPECTIVE.

[4. 2024 Budget Presentation]

SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, FIRST SLIDE LIKE WE ALWAYS WANT TO TALK ABOUT, LIKE THE MAYOR JUST MENTIONED THE PROPERTY TAXES WHEN YOU RECEIVE YOUR TAX BILL. YES YOU SEND YOUR TAX BILL TO US OR YOU BRING IT IN. AND YES, YOU YELL AT ME, OK, I CAN TAKE IT. I'M A BIG BOY. IT'S FINE RECOLLECT 100% OF YOUR TAXES. BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE SHORT 69% OF THAT GOES TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. UH, 15% OF THAT GOES TO, UM UH, THE COUNTY AND THE REST COMES TO US. IF YOU CONCLUDE OPEN SPACE. WE'RE ABOUT 14% RIGHT. SO LET'S SAY YOU RECEIVE A BILL FOR $10,000. YES, WE'RE GOING TO COLLECT $10,000. WE'RE GONNA ONLY KEEP 1400 OF THOSE THE REST. EVERY MONTH WE SEND TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT EVERY QUARTER WE SEND TO THE COUNTY, SO JUST ALWAYS KEEP THAT IN MIND WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TAXES, BECAUSE TRULY WE CAN ONLY CONTROL THE MUNICIPAL SHARE. WE CAN'T CONTROL THAT 86% THAT DOESN'T STAY WITH US AS MUCH AS WE WOULD LOVE TO. UNFORTUNATELY WE DO NOT. THEY HAVE THEIR OWN. UH, THEY HAVE THEIR OWN COMMITTEE. THEY HAVE THEIR OWN BUDGET. WE HAVE NO SAY IN IT. UNFORTUNATELY. AGAIN HERE'S JUST ANOTHER CHART FOR YOU GUYS TO LOOK AT YOUR PROPERTY TAXES. THIS WILL BE POSTED ONLINE TOMORROW MONDAY, THE LATEST, BUT JUST SO EVERYONE HAS A GOOD PICTURE OF WHERE YOUR TAXES ARE GOING. THE BUDGET PROCESS.

[00:45:03]

WE'RE NOT BRIDGEWATER. WE'RE NOT MANVILLE WHERE YOU'RE SEEING 1015 20 EVEN SOMETIMES 30% TOWNSHIP GROWTH RIGHT THAT WE'RE JUST NOT MADE UP LIKE THAT. YOU DON'T SEE US CONSTRUCTING BUILDINGS, TOWNHOUSES EVERYWHERE , SO WE'LL TALK ABOUT HOW MUCH WE GREW VERY MINIMAL. BUT AGAIN, THE CESSOR VALUATION IS VERY IMPORTANT TO THE EQUATION. NEXT WE HAD OUR BUDGET AND FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING WITH ALL THE DEPARTMENT HEADS. A COUPLE OF THEM CAME. I KNOW POLICE CAME A COUPLE OF TIMES. SO SILVIO AND CREW THANK YOU FOR A GREAT JOB. YOU DID THE DATA YOU PROVIDED, UM AND WE MET WITH THEM TRY TO CUT THEIR BUDGET DOWN IF NEED BE, AND NOW WE ARE AT THE BUDGET INTRODUCTION PHASE FROM HERE. IF ALL GOES WELL, WE'LL ADVERTISE IT AND THE FIRST MEETING IN MAY WILL HAVE OUR BUDGET HEARING AND ADOPTION. SAME PROCESS AS THE PAST FEW YEARS. 2024 MAY COST DRIVERS. THE INCREASE OF THE 2024 BUDGET WAS $823,000 JUST ABOUT 2.7% WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT OUR BUDGET, THE MAIN COST DRIVERS IS REALLY POLICE CARS, JUST LIKE ANY MUNICIPALITY.

POLICE IS USUALLY THE MOST EXPENSIVE. THIS IS INCLUDING TWO NEW OFFICERS, STARTING IN IN JULY. WE DID HAPPIER THIS YEAR JUST TO OFFSET SOME OF THE COST AND PUSH THEM TO NEXT YEAR, BUT WE HAVE TWO NEW OFFICERS SALARIES NOT INCLUDING POLICE, 100 AND $15,000, THAT EXPENSE 105,000. DOLLAR INCREASE. POLICE PENSIONS INCREASED ABOUT SIX ALMOST 7% $86,000 HEALTH BENEFITS INCREASED OVER 4% TO 80,000 AND UTILITIES AGAIN MINOR INCREASE, BUT IT'S STILL AN INCREASE. THESE ARE OUR MAIN COST DRIVERS OUT OF THAT $823,000. THIS IS ABOUT 87% OF THOSE INCREASES. I IF I COULD DO THAT, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT UM, IF YOU LOOK AT THESE MAIN COST DRIVERS THE ONE THING THAT'S REALLY CONTROLLABLE IN THIS FISCAL YEAR IS REALLY THE TWO NEW OFFICERS BESIDES SOME SMALLER PIECES, SO EVERYTHING ELSE NO, IT'S ACTUALLY A FIXED COST BASED ON CONTRACTS. PENSION CALCULATIONS THAT WERE APPROVED OVER THE LAST YOU KNOW, PRIOR YEARS, AND SO WHAT'S NOT LISTENING. HERE IS ALL THE MAIN COST DRIVERS IS ALL THE REDUCTIONS THAT A LOT OF GREAT DEPARTMENTS THAT COME WITH TO TRY TO GET US TO THIS AMOUNT, SO I REALLY WANT TO COMMEND IT LIKE THIS IS A SUMMARY, BUT IT'S A LOT OF HARD WORK FROM A LOT OF DEPARTMENT HEADS LIKE FINDING WAYS TO TAKE COSTS TO CONTROL COSTS FLAT. POINT. NOT BUDGET 2024 BUDGET THE SNAPSHOT. WE TALKED ABOUT THE SET VALLEYS. IT ONLY GREW LESS THAN A PERCENT. IT GREW 0.097% POINT. IT SHOULD BE 0.97. I'M GONNA TAKE THAT OUT. IF YOU 0.97% JUST UNDER 1. UM TO 4,041,575,000. THAT'S UP FROM 4,002,000,600. SO AGAIN.

YOU'RE NOT SEEING THAT 10% 20% WERE. THEN IT INCREASES. THE REVENUE ALLOWS YOU TO DO A LITTLE MORE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME THE TAX RATE DECREASED BECAUSE OF THE EQUATION. THE AVERAGE ASSESSED HOME ONLY INCREASED $823 AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, PROPERTY TAX RATE INCREASE 2.79% AGAIN. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE WORK HARD TO GET DOWN AT THE SAME TIME. ALLOW US TO OPERATE THE WAY WE NEED. GET THE OFFICERS HANDLE ALL THE INFLATION AGAIN. THIS IS UNDER INFLATION, BUT THAT 2.79 EQUATES TO THE AVERAGE SS HOME. PAYING $5.66 MORE A MONTH THAN THEY DID LAST YEAR. SUMMARY OF WHAT I JUST SPOKE ABOUT COMPARING 2023 TO 2024. YOU HAVE THE TAX RATE INCREASE THAT WE SPOKE ABOUT FROM, UH 45.4. CENTS TO 46.7. CENTS THE ANNUAL INCREASE ON THE AVERAGE ASSESSED HOME. IS $67.93 . SO THE AVERAGE ASSESSED HOME WILL BE PAYING JUST UNDER $68 MORE ANNUALLY THAN THEY DID LAST YEAR. BASED ON THIS BUDGET THAT EQUATES TO $5.66 MORE A MONTH THAN THEY DID LAST YEAR, AND THE TAX ON THE AVERAGE HOME OF $507,000 FOR THE MUNICIPAL PORTION IS 2365. VERY IMPORTANT SLIDE. THAT RESIDENT SHOULD KNOW WHICH THIS IS A SLIDE. I LIKE TO REALLY SPEND SOME TIME ON TO. SO YOU ALL KNOW HOW TO NUMBER ONE. CALCULATE YOUR TAX RATE. HOW WE CAME UP WITH THE TAX RATE YOU BASICALLY TAKE AS YOU CAN SEE THE EQUATION. TAKE THE TAX LEVY.

THIS IS WHAT ARE WE ASKING THE RESIDENTS IN THE HALL TO PAY THAT 18,854,000 YOU DIVIDE IT BY THE ASSESSED VALUE THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THE ASSESSOR. MULTIPLY IT BY 100. THAT'S THAT

[00:50:03]

THAT'S YOUR ANNUAL INCREASE ON THE AVERAGE ASSESSED HOME. YOU DIVIDE THAT BY 12, YOU GET THE MONTHLY INCREASE. NOW. PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT SLIDE IS IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO PAY IN MUNICIPAL TAXES, YOU TAKE YOUR HOUSE VALUE, NOT WHAT'S ON ZILLOW. IT'S WHAT'S ON THE TEXTBOOK. UH, ZILLOW IS GOING TO BE A LOT HIGHER THAN WE MOST LIKELY HAVE IN YOUR TEXTBOOK FOR A LOT OF THE RESIDENTS. UM, BUT THAT'S 500. SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOUR HOUSE IS WORTH $507,051, YOU WOULD MULTIPLY IT BY THE TAX RATE OF 0.467 DIVIDED BY 100 THAT COMES UP WITH THE MUNICIPAL HATCHES THAT YOU PAY SO THAT $2365 OR $197 A MONTH YOU PAY FOR THE MUNICIPAL SERVICES RIGHT? THE ROADS, THE POLICE ADMINISTRATION ENGINEERING UM ALL OUR CAPITAL.

THAT'S WHAT THIS UH THESE FUNDS GO TO AND A REMINDER. WE 13.25% OF THE TOTAL PROPERTY TAX BILL.

I'LL SKIM THROUGH THIS NEXT SLIDE JUST SHOWS YOU THE TAX RATES. WHOEVER'S INTEREST RATE CAN GO ONLINE AND SEE THIS WHEN I POST IT. OUR BUDGET, SO OUR CURRENT BUDGET IS 32,405,000. IF YOU LOOK AT LAST YEAR'S BUDGET, LAST YEAR'S BUDGET IS GOING TO SHOW 40,425,000 THAT'S DECEIVING . THAT'S BECAUSE WE RECEIVED OVER $10 MILLION IN GRANTS LAST YEAR, AS OPPOSED TO ABOUT 1.5 THIS YEAR TO DATE AS GRANTS COME IN, WE'LL ADJUST THE CURRENT FUND BUDGET. BUT IF YOU TAKE THAT AWAY, TAKE THE GRANTS AWAY, WHICH IS WHAT WE LIKE TO LOOK AT. YOU LOOK AT THE BUDGET WITHOUT THE GRANTS. THIS BUDGET INCREASED BY AS WE MENTIONED 823. $1000 TAX RATE YEAR OVER YEAR FROM 18,000,165 LAST YEAR TO 18,000,854 THIS YEAR. UM INCREASE OF $688,000. THIS.

CONSTRAINTS THAT WE HAVE. WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT MUNICIPAL BUDGET, THERE'S TWO CAPS. THERE'S THE 2% TAX LEVY CAP, WHICH BASICALLY STATES YOU CAN'T RAISE TAXES MORE THAN 2. UNLESS IT'S RELATED TO EXCLUSION, WHICH IS IN PARAGRAPH TWO. DEBT SERVICE CAPITAL DEFERRED CHARGES EMERGENCIES IF YOUR TAXES INCREASE MORE THAN 2% BECAUSE OF THESE EXCLUSIONS, YOU'RE FINE.

THERE IS ALSO A CAP BANK THAT YEAR OVER YEAR IF YOU DON'T GO OVER THAT, 2% YOU CAN SAVE IT, AND IT CARRIES OVER TO THE NEXT YEAR. BUT AGAIN, WE'RE ALWAYS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE 2% TAX LEVY CAP, OR ELSE WE WOULD HAVE TO GO OUT FOR A REFERENDUM. HAVE THE RESIDENTS VOTE ON IT? UM, SO AGAIN, NO ISSUES WITH THE 2. TAX LEVY CAP. NEXT ONE IS OUR APPROPRIATION CAP. IT BASICALLY STATES UM, YOU CAN ONLY RAISE YOUR INSIDE THE CAP APPROPRIATIONS. WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT BUDGETS, YOU HAVE TWO TYPES OF APPROPRIATIONS, RIGHT APPROPRIATIONS ARE EXPENSES. YOU HAVE YOUR INSIDE THE CAP APPROPRIATIONS, WHICH ARE IN THE SECOND PARAGRAPH, YOUR SALARY AND WAGES AND YOUR OPERATING EXPENSES, WHICH IS A MAJORITY OF YOUR YOUR APPROPRIATIONS. AND THEN YOU HAVE YOUR OUTSIDE THE CAPITAL APPROPRIATIONS DEBT CAPITAL RESERVE F COLLECTED TAXES. UM GRANTS EMERGENCY AUTHORIZATIONS. REGARDLESS THIS IS TALKING ABOUT INSIDE THE CAP APPROPRIATIONS. YOU CAN'T RAISE THOSE OVER 2% 2.5% OR THE COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT, WHICHEVER IS LOWER THIS YEAR. THE COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT WAS 2.5. THE STATE ALSO ALLOWS YOU TO PASS AN ORDINANCE ADOPT AN ORDINANCE ALLOWS YOU TO RAISE YOUR INSIDE THE CAP APPROPRIATIONS BY 3.5% WE DO THIS EVERY YEAR. IT'S A BUDGETING TOOL, JUST LIKE WE DID THIS YEAR. THERE IS A COMMON MISCONCEPTION THAT WHEN WE PASS THIS ORDINANCE THAT OUR TAXES ARE GOING TO RAISE 3.5% AND THAT'S FALSE AS YOU CAN SEE. THIS YEAR, WE DID THE ORDINANCE OF 3.5% WE'RE UNDER 3% AND AT THE SAME TIME THERE IS A LOT OF VARIABLES WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT YOUR YOUR TAXES, AND WE SPOKE ABOUT THEM A COUPLE OF SLIDES. YOU HAVE YOUR ASSESS VALUES. YOU HAVE YOUR REVENUES.

YOU HAVE YOUR OUTSIDE THE CAPITAL APPROPRIATION BECAUSE ANY MIX AND MATCH OF THOSE COULD INCREASE OR DECREASE YOUR TAXES. THE NEXT COUPLE OF SIDES TALK ABOUT THAT. WHOEVER IS INTERESTED. I'M NOT GOING TO HARP ON IT TOO MUCH. WE'LL GO ON TO OUR BUDGETED REVENUES. JUST LIKE ANY MUNICIPALITY. THE MAIN REVENUE IS PROPERTY TAXES. 18,854,000 NEXT IS OUR SURPLUS 5.3 MILLION THIS YEAR, WE WILL TALK ABOUT SURPLUS IN A COUPLE OF SLIDES. IT'S UP, THOUGH, FROM 4,000,143 LAST YEAR. THE REASON FOR THE INCREASE THIS YEAR IS LAST YEAR. WE HAD AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN FUNDS IN THE PAST TWO YEARS, SO WE'RE ABLE TO OFFSET THE SURPLUS USE STATE AID IS STAGNANT ABOUT ALMOST EVERY YEAR. YOU KNOW THE SCHOOL LUCKILY GETS INCREASES A DECENT AMOUNT OF INCREASES IN THEIR STATE AID. EVERY YEAR, AT LEAST RECENTLY, WE'VE BEEN STUCK AT THIS NUMBER FOR QUITE SOME TIME. INTERESTING INVESTMENTS WITH INTEREST RATES GOING THROUGH THE

[00:55:02]

UM SO SECURITY 910,000 ON THE UTILITIES, 931,000 AND VEHICLE MAINTENANCE. WE ALREADY SPOKE ABOUT THE MAIN COST DRIVERS. LOOK AT OUR, UH APPROPRIATIONS AND SALARIES. 35% WE HAVE OUR DEBT 18% 11% OF THE OTHER EXPENSES LIKE OUR OTHER DEPARTMENT EXPENSES THAT WE SPEAK OF THAT WE SPOKE ABOUT FOR THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS. THEN YOU HAVE YOUR INSURANCE PENSIONS AND THE REST OF OUR APPROPRIATIONS MAKE UP THE THIS PIE TARP. THIS IS A THIS IS A USEFUL GRAPH TO KIND OF SEE WHERE OUR BUDGET WAS THE TOP TOP COLUMN. THE LIGHT GREEN IS OUR BUDGET WITH GRANTS AND DARK GREEN IS OUR BUDGET WITHOUT GRANTS. THAT'S THE ONE THAT I LIKE TO LOOK AT AND COMPARE. AND AS YOU SEE IN 2023, OUR BUDGET WITH GRANTS WAS OVER 40 MILLION THIS YEAR. WE'RE AT 32 MILLION, BUT IT WILL INCREASE AS WE GET MORE GRANTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE BUDGET WITHOUT GRANTS, IT WAS 30,000,140 LAST YEAR, AND NOW WE'RE UP TO 30,963,000. JUST LOOKING AT SOME OF OUR LARGER BUDGETS. WE ALREADY SPOKE ABOUT POLICE RIGHT. THE INCREASE. HAS TO DO WITH MOST OF THAT INCREASE HAS TO DO WITH TWO NEW EMPLOYEES COMING ON BOARD. WELL WELL NEEDED. EMPLOYEES COMING ON BOARD DPW 1.83% HEALTH IS 4.88% A COUPLE INCREASES THERE ONE SOMEBODY WAS SENDING SOMEBODY TO SCHOOL. ANOTHER ONE HAS TO DEAL WITH SALARIES. SOME INCREASES THERE RECREATION ABOUT 4.5% AS WE SPOKE ABOUT IN REVENUES AS THEIR PROGRAMS START TO PICK UP.

YES THEIR APPROPRIATIONS. THEIR EXPENSE WILL PICK UP. BUT SO WILL THE REVENUE AS YOU SAW THE REVENUE INCREASE A COUPLE OF SLIDES AGO. THE REST OF THEM ARE RIGHT AROUND THAT 2 2.5.

INCREASE. SAME WITH OUR OTHER DEPARTMENTS. ADMIN EXEC AND DATA PROCESSING INCREASE THEIR BUDGETS A LITTLE DUE TO OPERATIONS THAT ARE GOING ON THERE. EMPLOYEE GROUP HEALTH.

[01:00:04]

UM, UNFORTUNATELY, WE JUST FINANCIALLY. WE CANNOT DO THAT. SO WE TRY TO SET THE PRIORITIES FOR ALL THE DEPARTMENTS AND COME UP WITH A CAPITAL PLAN PLAN YEAR OVER YEAR TO HELP US MOVE FORWARD POLICE DEPARTMENT AT $100,000. AND THOSE ARE SOME OF THE EQUIPMENT THAT THEY'RE LOOKING TO GET. UH, I $26,000 YEAH, I 7500 ENGINEERING IS OUR BIGGEST ONE. THEY COME IN WITH 3 $4 MILLION EVERY YEAR TO FIX THE ROADS. UNFORTUNATELY AGAIN, WE JUST CAN'T FINANCIALLY TAKE ON THAT BURDEN. SO AS OF RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE AT $1.4 MILLION. PARK $69,000 RECREATION, 65 BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS, 100. OH, EM 7000 DPW STREETS AND ROADS THAT ALSO ASSIST WITH PAVING $754,000. AND WE ALSO HAVE ANOTHER JUST ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS THAT WE HAVE SET ASIDE AT THE GOVERNING BODY WILL TAKE A LOOK AT THE REALLY PRIORITIZE SOME KEY ITEMS ON THEIR AGENDA. AND JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT, UM, BECAUSE WE DID A LOT OF GREAT WORK WITH OUR BUDGET FINANCE COMMITTEE. UM YOU KNOW, KIND OF RAN OUT OF TIME, BUT WE KNEW THAT WE WANTED TO FIND A PRIORITIZE THE TOP INVESTMENTS FROM EACH OF THE DEPARTMENTS. SO THAT'S A PROCESS THAT'S GONNA TAKE PLACE AFTER THE BUDGET GETS APPROVED, SO WE CAN ALLOCATE OUT THAT MILLION DOLLARS TO THE BEST, YOU KNOW, RETURN ON INVESTMENT PROJECTS BEYOND THE COPPER CAPITAL ALLOCATED AT THIS POINT, SO MAKE SURE IT WILL BE VERY TRANSPARENT ON THAT. UH, BUT WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UM WE HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO KIND OF DO THAT DILIGENCE AND MAKE SURE WE'RE INVESTING IN THE BEST PROJECTS.

THANK YOU, DEPUTY MAYOR. SO AGAIN. PROPERTY TAXES, RIGHT 80 86 80. YOU KNOW, 69% GOES TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS. WE'RE KEEPING 4 13.25 PLUS THE 1% MUNICIPAL OPEN SPACE. THE REST GOES TO THE COUNTY. IN TERMS OF THE SEWER UTILITY BUDGET, NOT A NOT A LARGE INCREASE. 2.3% $183,000 A LOT OF THAT HAS TO DO WITH CAPITAL AND DEBT INCREASES. THEY WENT FROM 7,849,000 LAST YEAR TO 8,032,000 THIS YEAR. AS YOU CAN SEE THE MAIN COST DRIVERS. YEAH, THEY WERE OFFSETS. SO AGAIN, THE COST DRIVERS ARE GREATER THAN THE INCREASE. BUT THESE WERE THE LARGEST INCREASES CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS OF 130,000 AND OUR ANNUAL DEBT INCREASE OF 110,000. JUST A REAL QUICK, UH, SHOW OF OUR SU RETAIL. A BUDGET APPROPRIATION DEBT SERVICE IS YOUR BIGGEST EXPENSE OVER THERE

[01:05:03]

CAPITAL PROJECTS. YOU KNOW, THE ONES THAT ARE IN THIS BUDGET ARE COLLECTION SYSTEMS, PIPE LINING, SUBVERSIVE PUMP REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE, WHOLE REHABILITATION. TO READ HISTORY.

UH, WE'RE WORKING ON THE 2024 RATE. HOPEFULLY BY NEXT MEETING, WE'LL HAVE SOMETHING THERE. BUT THIS IS JUST A BRIEF VIEW OF OUR SEWER RATE HISTORY RIGHT. THE BASE FEE WAS FINALLY INCREASED LAST YEAR HADN'T BEEN INCREASED IN MANY YEARS BEFORE THAT OVER 10 YEARS BEFORE THAT, AND THEN THE USAGE FEE IS ALSO INCREASED. UM AND JUST REMEMBER THAT OUR SEWER REVENUE COMES FROM PRIOR YEARS AMERICAN WATER READING, SO IT ALL DEPENDS ON YOU KNOW HOW THOSE READINGS ARE WHEN WE GET THEM IF THEY'RE LOWER OR HIGHER, THAT KIND OF DICTATES THE FEES THAT WE TRY TO SET TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S ENOUGH CASH FLOW TO OPERATE THE SEWER UTILITY BUDGET. FOR A BUDGET CALENDAR.

TODAY WE HAVE THE BUDGET PRESENTATION INTRODUCTION MAY 2ND. WE'LL HAVE THE BUDGET HEARING AND IF ALL GOES WELL, THE ADOPTION SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU FOR SITTING THROUGH THIS, UH EVERYBODY AND ANY, UH, QUESTIONS. I JUST WANTED TO. WELL, FIRST, I WANNA THANK YOU, MICHAEL. AND THANKS FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP THROUGH THIS PROCESS, BUT JUST IT'S A CLEAR WHEN WILL THIS PRESENTATION OF THE BUDGET FILES BE NORMALLY AVAILABLE FOR THE PUBLIC TO REVIEW? I WOULD SAY THE LATEST MONDAY THAT WOULD BE THE LATEST AND SO YOU JUST FOR EVERYONE.

THE BUDGET PROCESS IS VERY INTERESTING. USUALLY IF WE PUT SOMETHING, UH, TO BE DISCUSSED, IT USUALLY GETS APPROVED IN THE REVIEW AND FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AND IMPROVED IN THE FOLLOWING TOUCH OF COMMUNITY. THE BUDGET IS UNIQUE. BECAUSE IT'S SO IMPORTANT. UH, WE ACTUALLY GIVE THE PUBLIC TWO MEANINGS YOU KNOW CYCLES IN ORDER TO REVIEW AND BE PREPARED FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS.

THAT'S WHY IT DOESN'T GET REVIEWED OR IMPROVED UNTIL MAY, SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT'S CLEAR. SO IT'S REALLY TO GIVE EVERYONE ENOUGH TIME TO REVIEW AND PROVIDE FEEDBACK AND COMMENTS. AND UH, THIS YEAR. WE'RE UH HOW ARE WE COMPARED TO THE INFLATION NUMBERS WELL BELOW INFLATION, SO INFLATION WAS OVER 3. WE'RE UNDER THAT AT THAT 2.79. SEVEN. THANK YOU AGAIN, MICHAEL. AND I JUST WANNA AGAIN REMIND EVERYBODY FOR THE 13% AND , UH, FOR THE MUNICIPAL BUDGET AND THE 1% THAT YOU SAID THE MUNICIPAL OPEN SPACE. UH, THE TOWNSHIP DOES ALL THE ROADS. WE DO THE PARKS, THE PUBLIC SAFETY, WHICH IS OUR AMAZING POLICE OFFICERS AND MAINTENANCE OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE. OUR PUBLIC HEALTH STORM WATER MANAGEMENT IS ALL THAT WE DO IN THE 13% AND THE 1% TO THE OPEN SPACE, SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE RESIDENTS REALIZE THAT WE WORK REALLY DILIGENTLY. THE AGAIN THE BF COMMITTEE AND CATHERINE L IS HERE. THEY WORKED DAY AND NIGHT WITH THE DEPUTY MAYOR AND I TO GO OVER ALL THE BUDGET FROM ALL THE DEPARTMENTS, SO I REALLY DO APPRECIATE ALL THE TIME THAT WAS PUT IN AND THANK YOU, MICHAEL. FOR ALL YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THAT, AND DEPUTY MAYOR, UH BARRIGAN AND THANK YOU, EVERYONE. OKAY SO NOW RESOLUTION NUMBER 24-4 DASH

[5. Resolution #24-4-132 – 2024 Municipal Budget – Introduction]

[6. Ordinance #24-1721 – An Ordinance Amending Chapter 16, “Land Development,” of the Code of the Township of Montgomery (1984), County of Somerset, State of New Jersey, Adding the Requirements for Privately Owned Salt Storage for Compliance with the Municipal Stormwater Regulation Program Requirements Set Forth by The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection – Introduction/First Reading]

[7. Ordinance #24-1722 – An Ordinance Amending Chapter 16, “Land Development,” of the Code of the Township of Montgomery, County of Somerset, State of New Jersey, Updating and Amending the Requirements for Stormwater Management for Development Within the Township – Introduction/First Reading]

[01:10:05]

[8. Ordinance #24-1723 – An Ordinance Amending Chapter 2, “Administration,” Chapter 14, “Soil and Soil Removal,” and Chapter 16, “Land Development,” of the Code of the Township of Montgomery (1984), County of Somerset, State of New Jersey, Updating and Amending the Requirements for Soil Disturbance, Soil Hauling and Tree Removal Within the Township – Introduction/First Reading]

[9. Ordinance #24-1724 – An Ordinance of the Township of Montgomery, County of Somerset, State of New Jersey, Adding Chapter 8-9 Lead-Based Paint Inspections to the Code of the Township of Montgomery (1984) – Introduction/First Reading]

[10. Ordinance #24-1725 - An Ordinance Reappropriating $1,759,536 Proceeds of Obligations not Needed for Their Original Purpose in Order to Provide for the Township’s Obligation Under its Redevelopment Agreement by and Between the Township and RPM Development, LLC to Provide for Costs Related to Construction of Affordable Housing in and by the Township of Montgomery, in the County of Somerset, New Jersey – Introduction/First Reading]

[11. Ordinance #24-1720 - An Ordinance of the Township of Montgomery in Somerset County Authorizing the Transfer of Interest in Property Designated as Block 20001, Lot 10.07 to RPM Development, LLC for the Development of a Municipally Sponsored 100% Senior Affordable Housing Project – Public Hearing/Final Adoption]

SUBDIVIDE AND TRANSFER THE SUBDIVIDED PROPERTY TO R PM, AS WELL AS SOME EASEMENTS THAT ARE NEEDED FOR THE CONSTRUCTION, SUCH AS A DRIVEWAY. ACCESS EASEMENT. UH SEWER EASEMENT, ET CETERA, ET CETERA. THAT WOULD CONNECT ACROSS THIS PROPERTY TO THAT PROPERTY SO THAT THEY WOULD HAVE UTILITIES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OK? MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING, SO SECOND BE IT RESOLVED BY THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE OF THE TOWNSHIP OF MONTGOMERY THAT THE FOREGOING ORDINANCE BE HEARD BY ADOPTED THIS FOURTH DAY OF APRIL 2024 AND THAT THE ORDINANCE SUMMARY BE PUBLISHED IN AN OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER, AS REQUIRED BY LAW, MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT ORDINANCE NUMBER 24-1720 SO SECOND LOCAL POLICE COMMITTEE MEMBER ON YES, DEPUTY MAYOR BEGAN. YES, MAYOR SAYING YES. CONSENT AGENDA. ALL MATTERS

[Consent Agenda]

[01:15:05]

THERE WILL BE NO SEPARATE DISCUSSIONS OF THESE ITEMS. IF DISCUSSION IS DESIRED. THAT ITEM WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA AND CONSIDERED SEPARATELY . ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE? OK? IF WE CAN GO TO P EIGHT. OK? MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE CONSENT AGENDA RESOLUTION 24-4 DASH 1332 24-4 DASH 135 SECOND ROLL CALL, PLEASE COMMITTEE MEMBER ON YES, DEPUTY MAYOR, MAYOR SING YES. RESOLUTIONS. RESOLUTION NUMBER 24-4 DASH 136

[15. Resolution #24-4-136 – Authorizing a One-year Extension of Farm Lease Agreements]

[16. Resolution #24-4-137 – Authorizing Contract Extension #1 for Sewer Excavation and Repair Services – Galbraith & Son Excavation]

[17. Resolution #24-4-138 – Approving and Authorizing the Execution of an Amended Redevelopment Agreement Between the Township of Montgomery and RPM Development, LLC for Property Located at Orchard Road and Headquarters Park Drive, also Known as Block 20001, Lot 10.05, Located in an Area in Need of Redevelopment for Development of an Affordable Housing Project]

SO THIS IS RELATED TO THE ORDINANCE. IT'S THE SAME PROJECT WITH R PM DEVELOPERS AND, UH, THAT REDEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WAS ENTERED INTO AGAIN, IN 2021, AND SO THERE'S A COUPLE OF, UM, ITEMS THAT JUST NEEDED TO BE UPDATED, AND SO THEY'RE INCORPORATED INTO WHAT WOULD BE THE FIRST AMENDMENT OF THE REDEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT. OK, MAY I HAVE MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION NUMBER 24-4 DASH 138. SECOND CALL ON DEPUTY MAYOR BEGAN. YES MAYOR SING. YES

[18. Resolution #24-4-139 – Authorizing a Shared Services Agreement Between the Township of Hillsborough and Montgomery Township for LEAP Implementation Grant]

THAT'S GREAT TO KNOW IT. SO WIN WIN. YEAH I KNOW. I JUST DID ASK, UH, SINCE, UH, HILLSBOROUGH. SO THIS BUT ATTACHING OUR NA ME TO GRANT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA HELP YOU GET OVER THE FINISHING LINE. I DO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU KNOW WE DO HAVE A CLEAR ALIGNMENT INSURANCES FROM HILLSBORO THAT WE WANNA USE IT. WE CAN OR AT LEAST, YOU KNOW, UM ALL GOOD, FAIR INTENTION, OR, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER THAT LEGAL LANGUAGE IS THAT LIKE YOU WON'T BE REFUSED. UM SO BECAUSE I THINK ONCE THE GRANT COMES IN, IT'S UNDER THEM, AND SO END UP GETTING THE BIDDING AWARD WITH THEM ON AND WANT TO USE IT. AND UM, I YOU KNOW, THINK HES BRO FOR APPROACHING US TO DO THIS TOGETHER. I STRONGLY BELIEVE

[01:20:04]

[19. Resolution #24-4-140 – Authorizing Execution of Construction Sequence Agreement for RPM Development, Headquarters Drive Urban Renewal Associates, LP]

[21. Resolution #24-4-142 – Payment of Bills – Posted]

[24. Township Committee Reports]

PROPERLY UM AND WE'LL HAVE CHILDREN ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN AS WELL. ARE WE HAVE A NEW C CHAIR? DIANA ANDES WHO WAS ON THE NEWS YOU CAN READ ABOUT HER. AND, UM I THINK THAT'S IT FOR YEAH, I DIDN'T HAVE ANY COMMITTEE MEETINGS EXCEPT FOR THE BUDGET FINANCE COMMITTEE. I MEAN, CLOSING OUT AGAINST THIS DRAFT OF THE BUDGET AGAIN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO ALL THOSE MEMBERS. I JUST, UH OK , I JUST WANTED TO TALK ABOUT, UM, THE LAST EVENT THAT WE HAD, UM IN TOWN, WHICH WAS LAST SATURDAY. UH IT WAS A SAFETY DAY AND, OF COURSE, OUR WINTERS FARMERS MARKET. IT WAS A GREAT COLLABORATION AGAIN. WE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE COME OUT. UH, WE HAD OUR FIRST RESPONDERS THERE. IT WAS ORGANIZED BY THE ELKS AND THEY DID A WONDERFUL JOB, AND IT FELL UNDER THE MAYOR'S WELLNESS WHERE WE WOULD HAVE SAFETY, WHICH IS WELLNESS, OF COURSE IN THE NUTRITION, WHICH, OF COURSE, THE FARMERS MARKET. SO WE'VE BEEN HAVING A FEW SUCCESSFUL, UM OF THESE, UH, EVENTS AND WE'VE BEEN NOTICED. WE ARE ON THE WATCH LIST FOR THE HEALTHY TOWN RECOGNITION, WHICH WERE VERY PLEASED BECAUSE THE LAST FARMERS MARKET WE DID, UM, WELLNESS EVENT, UH, ALONG WITH IT, AND THAT WAS VERY WELL ATTENDED. AND NOW, OF COURSE, WE'LL HAVE THE

[01:25:03]

[25. Administrator’s Reports]