[00:00:03]
THE TWO WEEK OLD. WE'RE ON LIVING THE DREAM. GOOD. SERIOUSLY. MEETING CALLED TO
[Call to Order]
ORDER. THIS IS THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE. CALLED TO ORDER AT 7:00. ROLL CALL PLEASE. MAYOR SINGH. DEPUTY MAYOR BARRAGAN HERE. COMMITTEE MEMBER.KEENAN. HERE. COMMITTEE MEMBER. TAYLOR. TODD. HERE. COMMITTEE MEMBER ON HERE. NOTICE OF MEETING AND COMPLIANCE WITH THE OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS ACT. ADEQUATE NOTICE TO THIS MEETING WAS PROVIDED ON JANUARY 12TH, 2024 TO COURIER NEWS AND THE STAR LEDGER POSTED ON THE MUNICIPAL BULLETIN BOARD AND FILED WITH THE TOWNSHIP CLERK. SALUTE TO THE FLAG. PLEASE JOIN US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
[1. Public Comment]
PUBLIC COMMENT. MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO ADDRESS THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE ON MATTERS PERTAINING TO THE TOWNSHIP WILL BE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON. IF COMMENTS ARE SIMILAR TO THOSE ALREADY STATED, PLEASE INDICATE YOUR SUPPORT OR OPPOSITION GROUPS ARE ASKED TO SELECT A SPOKESPERSON. ARE THERE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO ADDRESS THE COMMITTE? DON'T FIGHT THEM ALL OFF. I KNOW THAT I. CHRIS NEWMAN SKILLMAN. LAST TIME I WAS HERE, I TALKED ABOUT ADDITIONAL MONEY FOR THE EMS, AND I'M HOPING YOU HAD SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT. BUT JUST IN CASE YOU NEED MORE INFORMATION, I'M HERE TO PROVIDE YOU SOME MORE INFORMATION. I ACTUALLY REACHED OUT TO SID SARIN, WHO'S THE PRESIDENT OF THE EMS, AND ASKED HIM IF HE HAD ANY IDEA HOW MUCH TIME THEY SPEND FUNDRAISING SINCE THAT SEEMS TO BE THE ONLY WAY THEY GET ANY MONEY. AND HE SAID, I'LL KIND OF SUMMARIZE. THEY SPENT A LOT OF TIME, AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF TIME. THEY SEND OUT MAILERS TO 9000 HOUSEHOLDS, WHICH INVOLVES THE BROCHURE, PRINTING IT AND MAILING IT. 300 HOURS OF WORK, PATIENT SURVEYS, RECORD THE FEEDBACK, MEET WITH CORPORATIONS, WRITE GRANTS, WHICH HE DESCRIBES AS A HUGE TIME SINK. THEY RAISE MONEY AT FIREWORKS. THEY TRIED TO DO A GOLF OUTING, BUT THAT WAS JUST TOO MUCH WORK AND NOT ENOUGH RETURN. AND THEY RECORD EVERY TRANSACTION AND SEND OUT THANK YOU NOTES FOR EVERY DONATION. SO HE SAYS IT'S ROUGHLY ABOUT 700 HOURS PLUS MORE IF THEY DO EVENTS. AND HE FEELS HE'S UNDERCOUNTING IT. THE NUMBERS SEEM RATHER OPTIMISTICALLY LOW THAN REALISTIC. HE SAID THEY SPENT AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF TIME ON THIS. SO IN ADDITION TO EVERYTHING ELSE THEY'RE DOING, THEY'RE SPENDING ABOUT 700 PLUS HOURS A YEAR BEGGING FOR MONEY FROM ALL OF US IN THE TOWN. I MEANT TO GIVE THE DISCLAIMER I AM NOT DOING THIS AT THEIR BEHEST. I'M DOING THIS ON MY OWN. I DID REACH OUT TO SID, BUT HE HAS NOT ASKED ME TO DO THIS OR NO ONE ELSE HAS ASKED ME. I'M JUST DOING IT ON MY OWN. THAT BEING SAID, I'VE DECIDED TO APPLY TO JOIN THE EMS, SO YOU'RE ALL GOING TO BE HAPPY TO FIND OUT THAT I'LL BE IN CLASS ALL NEXT SPRING, SO DON'T BE ATTENDING THESE MEETINGS AND ANNOYING YOU ON THURSDAY NIGHTS. BUT IN DOING THAT, I FOUND OUT THAT THE CLASSES YOU TAKE 240 HOURS OF CLASSES ALL ON YOUR OWN TIME. THE TEXTBOOK IS $300. THE UNIFORM IS ABOUT $300. YOU HAVE TO HAVE A STETHOSCOPE, WHICH I ALREADY HAVE, BUT PROBABLY SOME PEOPLE DON'T. SO BEFORE YOU EVEN GET STARTED, YOU'RE INTO IT FOR PROBABLY $1,000 OUT OF YOUR OWN POCKET. THIS IS NOTHING THAT THE EMS RAISES MONEY FOR. IT'S WHAT THE VOLUNTEERS ARE DOING ON THEIR OWN. SO THAT WAS KIND OF IMPRESSIVE TO ME. AND THEN JUST KIND OF LOOKING BACK AND LOOKING AT THEIR STUFF. THIS YEAR'S BUDGET INCLUDED $100,000 FOR THE POLICE TO HAVE NEW EQUIPMENT, WHICH I LIKE TO CALL NEW FUN TOYS, BUT I ASSUME THAT THE EQUIPMENT, THE VESTS, THE ARMOR, THE RADAR IS KEEPING US SAFER AND KEEPING OUR OFFICERS SAFER. AND I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE COULD GET THE EMS MORE MONEY TO KEEP US SAFER AND HELP THEM OUT. I MEAN, ONE OF THEIR CHEST COMPRESSION MACHINES, WHICH ARE VERY COOL IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT, CAN COST BETWEEN 10 TO $20,000. I DON'T KNOW IF THEY HAVE ENOUGH OF THEM AND I BET THEY HAVE AN EMS EQUIPMENT. WISH LIST. AND THEN FINALLY, NOW THAT I'M GOING TO BE ON THE EMS, I GOT INVITED TO THEIR CELEBRATION THEY'RE HAVING IN TWO WEEKS WHEN YOU ALL ARE GOING TO GIVE THEM A DECLARATION FOR BEING THE BEST EMS IN THE STATE, AND I THOUGHT, WOW, THAT DECLARATION IS NICE, BUT WOULDN'T IT BE FABULOUS IF YOU, LIKE, ANNOUNCED THAT GOING INTO NEXT YEAR YOU'RE GOING TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THEY GET BY THE AMOUNT YOU'RE ALLOWED TO DO BY LAW? SO THAT WAS 125,000 PLUS. IF THEY NEED NEW EQUIPMENT, THINGS LIKE THAT, $70,000 MORE. SO PROCLAMATION IS GREAT, BUT 195,000 WOULD BE AWESOME. AND IT SEEMS TO ME THAT WOULD BE THE PERFECT TIME TO DO THAT. AND IT'D BE REALLY. I'M GOING TO MAXIMIZE MY ANNOYANCE BECAUSE I'M NOT GOING TO BE HERE FOR FOUR MONTHS, BUT IT'D BE REALLY AWESOME IF, LIKE, WE COULD ALL COMMIT TONIGHT TO SAYING, YEAH, WE ARE GOING TO TRY TO PUT THAT IN NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET AND SHOW THEM THE APPRECIATION, GRATITUDE AND THE RESPECT THAT OUR TOWN HAS FOR ALL THE VOLUNTEERS AND THEIR 34,000 HOURS OF WORK AND THE MONEY THAT COMES OUT OF THEIR POCKETS, AS I'M SURE, IS WAY BEYOND $1,000. SO THAT'S MY[00:05:05]
REQUEST. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MAY I ASK A QUESTION? BECAUSE YOU SAID YOU SAID SOMETHING ABOUT. I HAD A QUESTION. YOU SAID, I KNOW IT'S THE STATE LAW SAYS 125 K, BUT WHAT WAS THE 70 K? THE SECOND THING IS THAT YOU CAN DO 125,000, BUT THEN IF THEY HAVE SPECIFIC NEEDS WHICH THEY COME TO YOU WITH AND FOR IT'S NOT, IT'S VERY VAGUE. BUT IF THEY HAVE NEEDS, I ASSUME FOR, FOR THINGS LIKE THAT, AND THEY CAN PROVE THAT NEED TO THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE, YOU ARE ALLOWED TO PAY UP TO ANOTHER $70,000 ON TOP OF THAT 125. SO I THINK YOU CAN GET TO 70. THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE UTILIZED AS PART OF YOUR ANNUAL BUDGET. IT'S MORE LIKE IF, IF AND WHEN SOMETHING IS NEEDED, YOU COULD POTENTIALLY EXCEED IT UP TO THAT MAXIMUM AMOUNT. OKAY. BUT I ALSO THINK AND I KNOW WE CAN WE CAN PURCHASE STUFF ON THEIR BEHALF BECAUSE WE WERE YOU CAN THAT'S YES WE CAN PURCHASE STUFF. IT JUST BECOMES YOURS LIKE IT'S NOT. OH OKAY OKAY. SO I DON'T I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT WORKS LIKE WITH A VEHICLE OR SOMETHING.BECAUSE IF THE TOWN WOULD, WOULD GIVE THEM THE MONEY FOR A VEHICLE THEN THE TOWN OWNS THE VEHICLE, WHEREAS NOW THEY OWN THEIR OWN VEHICLE. SO I AND LIKE I SAID I THIS IS COMING FROM ME.
IT'S NOT COMING FROM THEM. SO I DON'T WANT TO LIKE STEP ON THEIR TOES BUT BUT YEAH. SO THERE'S MORE MONEY. I DON'T KNOW THE TECHNICALITIES OF IT, BUT THE STATUTE LOOKS PRETTY. THE LAW LOOKS PRETTY OPEN TO BE. YEAH. SO I MEAN I'D LIKE TO IF I'M HAVING A HARD ISSUE, I'D LIKE TO HAVE THE AMBULANCE COME THAT HAS THE MACHINE ON BOARD. NOT THE ONE THAT DOESN'T. SO. YEAH.
THANK YOU. THANKS. THANK YOU. ARE THERE ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT? WE'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT. MISS NEWMAN, JUST SO YOU'RE AWARE, I DID ASK OUR CFO TO COME IN BECAUSE WE DID HAVE SOME CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS IN BETWEEN SESSIONS. HE'S NOT HERE YET. HE WILL BE HERE SOON. AND SO AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE ADDRESS. AND WE DID PUT THAT, YOU KNOW,
[2. Ordinance #24-1747 - An Ordinance Replacing and Repealing Ordinance #24-1732 Establishing a Comprehensive Salary and Wage Plan or the Township of Montgomery, County of Somerset, and to Provide for its Administration in 2024 - Introduction/First Reading]
YOUR YOUR LETTER INTO THE AGENDA AS WELL. ORDINANCES. INTRODUCTION. AND FIRST READING ORDINANCE NUMBER 20 4-1747. AN ORDINANCE REPLACING AND REPEALING ORDINANCE NUMBER 24.DASH 1732 ESTABLISHING A COMPREHENSIVE SALARY AND WAGE PLAN FOR THE TOWNSHIP, MONTGOMERY COUNTY OF SOMERSET, AND TO PROVIDE FOR ITS ADMINISTRATION, 2024. BE IT RESOLVED BY THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE OF THE TOWNSHIP MONTGOMERY, THAT THE FOREGOING ORDINANCE BE HEREBY PASSED ON FIRST READING, AND THAT THE SAME BE PUBLISHED ACCORDING TO LAW FOR A PUBLIC HEARING AND A VOTE SCHEDULED FOR THE MEETING ON DECEMBER 19TH, 2024. IS THIS WHERE WE ASK FOR IF THERE'S PUBLIC COMMENTS OR. NO, NO, THIS IS JUST THE INTRODUCTION. MAYOR.
OKAY, RECENT SWEARING IN OF THE POLICE CHIEF BECAUSE WE HADN'T HAD A POLICE CHIEF FOR 25 YEARS, SO THAT SALARY RANGE WAS NOT REFLECTIVE OF WHERE WE'RE AT TODAY. SO THAT'S THAT'S THE AMENDMENT THAT'S HAPPENING. OKAY. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO INTRODUCE ORDINANCE NUMBER 24 1747. SO MOVED SECOND ROLL CALL, PLEASE. COMMITTEE MEMBER RON. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER TAYLOR.
TODD. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. KEENAN. YES. DEPUTY MAYOR BERRIGAN. YES. ORDINANCES,
[3. Ordinance #24-1743 - An Ordinance Amending Schedule I "No Parking," Schedule III "Stop Intersections," and Schedule XVII "Speed Limits," of Chapter VII, of the Code of the Township of Montgomery (1984) to Establish or Amend No Parking Locations, Stop Sign Locations, and Speed Limits on Buttonwood Court, Cairns Place, Dehart Drive, Kingswood Drive, Liberty Belle Court, Marian Drive, and Mill Street - Public Hearing/Final Adoption]
PUBLIC HEARINGS AND FINAL ADOPTION ORDINANCE NUMBER 24 1743. AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SCHEDULE ONE. NO PARKING. SCHEDULE EIGHT STOP INTERSECTIONS AND SCHEDULE 17 SPEED LIMITS OF CHAPTER SEVEN OF THE CODE OF THE TOWNSHIP OF MONTGOMERY, 1984 TO ESTABLISH OR AMEND NO PARKING LOCATIONS, STOP SIGN LOCATIONS, AND SPEED LIMITS ON BOUDEWIJN COURT, CAIRNS PLACE THE HEART DRIVE, KINGSWOOD DRIVE, LIBERTY BELL COURT, MARION DRIVE, AND MILL STREET.PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN. ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? SO MOVED. SECOND, MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT ORDINANCE NUMBER 20 4-1743. SO MOVED. SECOND ROLL CALL, PLEASE. COMMITTEE MEMBER. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. TAYLOR.
[4. Ordinance #24-1744 - An Ordinance of the Township of Montgomery in Somerset County Providing for the Acceptance of Right-of-Way Dedication of Waverly Court - Public Hearing/Final Adoption]
TODD. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. KEENAN. YES. DEPUTY MAYOR BERRIGAN. YES. ORDINANCE 24 1744. AN ORDINANCE OF THE TOWNSHIP OF MONTGOMERY IN SOMERSET COUNTY, PROVIDING FOR THE ACCEPTANCE OF RIGHT OF WAY DEDICATION OF WAVERLY COURT. PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN. ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS? MAY I HAVE A MOTION? MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? SO MOVED. SECOND, MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT ORDINANCE 20 4-1744. SO MOVED. SECOND ROLL CALL, PLEASE. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER TAYLOR. TODD. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. KEENAN. YES.[5. Ordinance #24-1745 - An Ordinance Amending Schedule III "Stop Intersections," and Schedule XVII "Speed Limits," of Chapter VII, of the Code of the Township of Montgomery (1984) to Establish Stop Sign Locations and Speed Limits on Waverly Court - Public Hearing/Final Adoption]
DEPUTY MAYOR BERRIGAN. YES. ORDINANCE NUMBER 24, DASH 1745. AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SCHEDULE EIGHT STOP INTERSECTIONS AND SCHEDULE 17 SPEED LIMITS OF CHAPTER SEVEN OF THE CODE OF THE TOWNSHIP OF MONTGOMERY, 1984 TO ESTABLISH STOP SIGN LOCATIONS AND SPEED LIMITS ON WAVERLY[00:10:05]
COURT. PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN. ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS? MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? SO MOVED. SECOND, MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT ORDINANCE NUMBER 20 4-1745. SO MOVED. SECOND ROLL CALL, PLEASE. COMMITTEE MEMBER ON. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER.TAYLOR. TODD. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. KEENAN. YES. DEPUTY MAYOR BERRIGAN. YES. EIGHT.
[Consent Agenda]
CONSENT AGENDA. ALL MATTERS LISTED ON THE CONSENT AGENDA ARE CONSIDERED TO BE ROUTINE AND WILL BE ENACTED BY ONE MOTION. THERE WILL BE NO SEPARATE DISCUSSION 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 I AM GOING TO REQUEST? BECAUSE I DID HAVE QUESTIONS AND I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHICH IS THE RIGHT ONE. IS THE BUDGET TRANSFERS. THAT'S ON RESOLUTION. THAT'S A SEPARATE RESOLUTION THAT'S ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.IT'S NOT ON CONSENT. OKAY. GREAT. YEAH. NO IT'S THERE. IT'S JUST NOT IN CONSENT AGENDA OKAY.
YEAH. NO IDEA I THOUGHT WAS IN THE ORIGINALLY. NO I'M GOOD THE. ANY ANYTHING ELSE. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE CONSENT AGENDA? RESOLUTION NUMBER 2412. DASH 386 TO RESOLUTION NUMBER 2412 DASH 400. SO MOVED. SECOND ROLL CALL, PLEASE. COMMITTEE MEMBER ON. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. TAYLOR. TODD. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. KEENAN. YES. DEPUTY MAYOR BERRIGAN. YES.
EVERYONE'S FOLLOWING PAGE 11. THANK YOU. RESOLUTIONS A RESOLUTION NUMBER 2412 DASH 401,
[21. Resolution #24-12-401 - Authorizing 2024 Budget Transfers]
AUTHORIZING 2024 BUDGET TRANSFERS. I THINK WE GO TO ITEM M. WE AM I MISSING SOMETHING? I THOUGHT THAT THAT WHERE DID CONSENT END? I THOUGHT THAT CONSENT STARTS. CONSENT ENDS ON.OH ON PAGE EIGHT. I'M SORRY. PAGE TEN. SORRY. OKAY. IF WE COULD POSTPONE THAT UNTIL THE CFO ARRIVES, HE SHOULD BE HERE MOMENTARILY. OKAY? OKAY. DO WHAT THEY SAY. ANYTHING DIFFERENTLY TO JUST GOING TO GO TO THE NEXT. COME BACK TO. DID WE HAVE A MOTION IN A SECOND? NO, NO, NO, HE JUST READ THE TITLE. WE'RE FINE. SKIP TO THE NEXT ONE. YEAH THAT'S FINE OKAY. JUST FOR EVERYONE'S TRANSPARENCY, WE'RE GOING TO SKIP TO THE NEXT RESOLUTION AND WAIT TILL OUR CFO ARRIVES TO SPEAK ABOUT RESOLUTION NUMBER 24. DASH 12 401. SO LETTER B, RESOLUTION
[22. Resolution #24-12-402 - Authorizing First Amendment to Agreement for Infrastructure Upgrade and Capacity in Pike Brook Wastewater Treatment Plant - Hackensack MeridianHealth - Carrier Clinic (Block 2001, Lot 2 and Block 1001, Lot 14.02)]
NUMBER 2412 DASH 402 AUTHORIZING FIRST AMENDMENT TO AGREEMENT FOR INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADE AND CAPACITY IN PIKE BROOK WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT HACKENSACK MERIDIAN HEALTH CARE CLINIC, BLOCK 2001, LOT TWO AND BLOCK 1001. LOT 14 .02. SO AS YOU KNOW, WITH THE CHANGES OVER AT THE CARRIER CLINIC, PART OF WHAT THEY NEEDED TO DO WAS TO DECOMMISSION THEIR WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT. AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE JOINING THE PIKE BROOK ONCE IT'S UPGRADED TO INCORPORATE THEIR CAPACITY. AND THEY'RE MAKING PAYMENTS TOWARDS THOSE UPGRADES. THIS IS AN AGREEMENT THAT YOU PREVIOUSLY ENTERED INTO WITH CARRIER THROUGH THE PASSAGE OF TIME.THIS IS A FIRST AMENDMENT. SOME OF THE THINGS THAT IT'S DOING IS CLARIFYING SOME NEW TIME FRAMES.
OTHERWISE IT WOULD BE EXPIRING, AS WELL AS NOTING PAYMENTS THAT WERE ALREADY MADE AND PAYMENTS THAT ARE TO BE MADE. AND REALLY, IT'S JUST BECAUSE OF PASSAGE OF TIME. ANY QUESTIONS? MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION? NUMBER 24 DASH 12 402. SO MOVED. SECOND ROLL CALL, PLEASE. COMMITTEE MEMBER ON. YE. COMMITTEE MEMBER. TAYLOR. TODD. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER KEENAN.
[23. Resolution #24-12-403 - Authorizing Agreement for Dedication of Sanitary Sewer Force Main from Hackensack Meridian Health - Carrier Behavioral Health, Inc. to the Township of Montgomery, in the County of Somerset]
YES. DEPUTY MAYOR BERRIGAN. YES. RESOLUTION NUMBER 24, DASH 12, DASH 403. AUTHORIZING AGREEMENT FOR DEDICATION OF SANITARY SEWER FORCE MAIN FROM HACKENSACK MERIDIAN HEALTH, CARRIER BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, INC TO THE TOWNSHIP OF MONTGOMERY IN THE COUNTY OF SOMERSET. SO THIS IS RELATED TO THE SAME PROJECT. IT'S THE SECOND SEPARATE AGREEMENT. ONCE THEY'RE THEIR LINES ARE COMPLETED TO CONNECT TO PIKE BROOK. THAT TRUNK LINE IS GOING TO BE DEDICATED BACK TO THE TOWNSHIP. IT IS SOMEWHAT OF A DIFFERENT SITUATION BECAUSE THAT LINE IS ONLY GOING TO BE ABLE TO BE USED FOR CARRIER. SO THIS AGREEMENT SETS THE TERMS OF HOW THINGS WILL BE HANDLED ONCE THE TOWNSHIP TAKES OWNERSHIP. AND FOR VARIOUS REASONS, YOU HAVE TO TAKE OWNERSHIP BECAUSE OF SECONDARY ITEMS. BUT THE IT SETS THE TERMS FOR HOW CARRIER WILL REIMBURSE IF THE TOWNSHIP NEEDS TO MAKE ANY REPAIRS. REGULAR MAINTENANCE, WHICH IS RELATIVELY LOW COST, ACCORDING TO CHRIS. SO THOSE ARE ON THE TOWNSHIP. BUT ANY KIND OF REPAIRS OR IMPROVEMENTS WOULD BE PUT ONTO CARRIER CLINIC. IT ALSO SETS THE TERMS FOR THEY HAVE A LICENSE CROSSING AGREEMENT UNDER CSX LINE. THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO ACTUALLY ACQUIRE THE PROPERTY. SO IT SETS THE TERMS FOR HOW[00:15:04]
THEY WILL CONTINUE TO BE ON THE HOOK, SO TO SPEAK, FOR ANYTHING. IF CSX WERE EVER TO REQUIRE A CHANGE IN THE LINE OR MOVEMENT OF THE LINE, RATHER THAN THE TOWNSHIP HAVING TO DO SO, ANY QUESTIONS? THIS IS TOTALLY KIND OF LIKE AN OFF TOPIC, BUT IS ON CARRIER. I'M NOT SURE IF THEY ARE THEY STILL USING OUR EMS TO DO THINGS, OR ARE THEY TOTALLY ON THEIR OWN SYSTEM NOW? SO THEY WERE ALWAYS ON THEIR OWN SYSTEM. THEY WERE VIOLATING THAT. THAT PROVISION, SO TO SPEAK. I HAVE NOT HEARD ANY COMPLAINTS RECENTLY. I SAW SID AT THE FUNDERS EVENT THAT THEY HAD HAD AND HE I'D ASK THAT SAME QUESTION AND HE SAID IT'S MUCH, MUCH BETTER. THEY HAVE NEW MANAGEMENT AT CARRIER AND THEY ARE NOT CALLING LIKE THEY WERE BEFORE. SO THE SITUATION HAS MUCH IMPROVED. OKAY. SO THEY'RE IT'S HELPING OUT WITH OUR, OUR OUR EMS IS VOLUNTEER TIME AND THEIR SUPPORT BECAUSE YOU KNOW ARE THEY STILL CALLING OR IS THAT VOLUME DROPPED. VOLUME DROPPED. YEAH. HE INDICATED THAT WAS NOT AN ISSUE. IF IT'S IF IT'S LIFE THREATENING, THEY WOULD STILL GET THE CALL. OKAY OKAY OKAY. GO BACK TO THE RESOLUTION. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION NUMBER 24 DASH 12 403. SO MOVED. SECOND ROLL CALL, PLEASE. COMMITTEE MEMBER ANNE. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER TAYLOR. TODD. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. KEENAN. YES.DEPUTY MAYOR BERRIGAN. YES. WITH OUR CFO HAVING ARRIVED, I'M GOING TO SAY THAT WE ARE GOING TO GO GO BACK TO THE FIRST RESOLUTION LETTER A, I'LL REPEAT IT. RESOLUTION NUMBER 2412 DASH 401, AUTHORIZING 2024 BUDGET TRANSFERS. ANY QUESTIONS? YES. SO YOU WANT TO GIVE US I KNOW WE NORMALLY DO THIS AT THIS TIME OF YEAR ANYWAY I KNOW THAT. BUT ARE THERE ANY ONES? SOME OF THEM ARE KIND OF A PRICEY NUMBER. AND CAN YOU KIND OF GO THROUGH AND PENSION ONE IS. YES CORRECT.
I'LL TALK ABOUT THE PENSION AND LEGAL AGAIN. THE OTHER ONES ARE KIND OF YOUR ORDINARY ONES THAT YOU'LL SEE FROM YEAR TO YEAR. WE DO ANNUAL BUDGET TRANSFERS AT THE END OF THE DAY HAS A NET ZERO IMPACT ON THE BUDGET. WE'RE TAKING FUNDS FROM ONE OF THE BUDGET LINES AND MOVING THEM INTO ANOTHER LINE ITEM THAT THAT NEEDS TO FUND. SO NET ZERO IMPACT, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THEY DO WARRANT EXPLANATIONS. THE FRS IS THE POLICE PENSION. THAT NUMBER IS RELATED TO A RETRO PENSION BILL THAT WE JUST RECEIVED THIS YEAR. AND THAT IS RELATED TO THE LAST CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS. IF YOU ALL REMEMBER IT DRAGGED ON TO ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AFTER THE CONTRACT HAD EXPIRED. SO AFTER THE CONTRACT EXPIRED, WE GAVE THEM THE RETROS AND AGAIN, IT WAS A GENEROUS CONTRACT. SO THE RETRO RETROS WERE HIGH, HENCE THE PENSION PAYMENTS WERE HIGH.
SO THE STATE IS ABOUT TWO AND A HALF, THREE YEARS BEHIND WHEN IT COMES TO PENSION BILLING. SO NOW WE RECEIVED OUR PENSION BILL. IT'S RELATED TO YES I KNOW IT'S RELATED TO THE RETRO. SO THAT'S WHAT THAT LINE ITEM IS. THAT'S RELATED TO THE RETRO PENSION. FOR THE LAST PBA NEGOTIATION. WE HAD, THE NEXT ITEM WAS THE LEGA. LEGAL THIS YEAR HAS BEEN AN INTERESTING YEAR TO SAY THE LEAST. THE COST DRIVERS FOR THAT REALLY FOR THIS THIS INCREASE IS RELATED TO LITIGATIONS WE HAVE GOING ON, UNEXPECTED LITIGATIONS. WE HAVE GOING WE HAVE GOING ON. THERE'S SOME LEGAL THAT THAT THAT IT'S IMPACTING OUR LEGAL LINE ITEM. AND AT THE SAME TIME WE ALSO HAVE NEGOTIATIONS. WE STARTED NEGOTIATIONS A LITTLE EARLIER THIS YEAR AND WE'VE BEEN HAVING A BUNCH OF MEETINGS WITH THE PBA ALREADY. SO ALL OF THOSE REALLY HAVE ACCUMULATED INTO THE PERFECT STORM, REQUIRING US TO INCREASE THAT BUDGETED LINE ITEM OR ANY OF THE LEGAL ONES RELATED TO. ARE THEY ALL INTERNAL ONES, OR ARE THEY FROM MAYBE EXTERNAL PARTIES SUCH AS RESIDENTS SUING THE TOWN OR SUING? SOME OF US? WENDY, HOW DO YOU WANT TO ANSWER THAT? THERE'S BOTH THE LITIGATION IN BOTH MANNER. SO IT'S ALL KIND OF FOLDED IN. OKAY. ANY LEGAL BILL OBVIOUSLY AT THIS POINT IS ALL IN THIS POT AS TO SOME OF THE DRIVERS. THERE'S LITIGATION AS WELL AS WHAT WE CALL THE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT, THE GRANT, THE GRANT LITIGATION. WE'RE NOT GOING TO COMMENT ON SPECIFIC ONES. IT'S ALL WHAT IT IS. A TAXPAYER DOLLAR THAT'S. YEAH.
OKAY. GREAT. JUST NEED TO KNOW WHEN. YEAH. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON TRANSFERS. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION. NUMBER 24 DASH 12 401. SO MOVED. SECOND ROLL CALL PLEASE. COMMITTEE MEMBER ON. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. TAYLOR.
TODD. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER KEENAN. YES. DEPUTY MAYOR BERRIGAN. YES. JUST TO CONFIRM,
[24. Resolution #24-12-404 - Authorizing the Promotion of Richard Dietrich as Assistant Public Works Director]
I THINK WE'RE GOING TO DO NEXT, AS IN DOG RESOLUTION NUMBER 2412 DASH 404, AUTHORIZING THE[00:20:04]
PROMOTION OF RICHARD DIETRICH AS ASSISTANT PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR. YES. SO FOLLOWING THE RETIREMENT OF JOE KANE, WHO WAS OUR ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT OF DPW AS PART OF THE SUCCESSION PLAN FOR PUBLIC WORKS, RICH DIETRICH WAS PREVIOUSLY OUR BUILDINGS FOREMAN. IN THAT CAPACITY, HE CARRIES A ELECTRICIAN'S LICENSE. HE PROVIDES ALL OF THE ELECTRICAL SERVICES FOR THE TOWNSHIP AND ALL OF THE BUILDINGS, WHICH, AS YOU KNOW, WE ALSO RUN A SEWER UTILITY. SO THERE'S SEWER PLANT AND THE OTTO KAUFMANN COMMUNITY CENTER AND SENIOR CENTER. SO WE IN HIS PROMOTION, WE WE'VE RECENTLY PROMOTED HIM AND THEN HIS REPLACEMENT WILL NOT NEED TO CARRY THE ELECTRICIANS LICENSE. SO THAT WILL STAY WITH RICH AND THEN IT'LL COME IN AT A LOWER RANGE THAN PRIOR FOR THE FOREMAN'S REPLACEMENT. AND JUST FOR THE PUBLIC. WE HAD ORIGINALLY WAS GOING TO HAVE THIS IN THE CONSENT AGENDA, BUT WE AGREED TO PUT THIS ON A RESOLUTION SO THAT THERE WOULD BE THE AMOUNT OF TIME TO PROVIDE THE TRANSPARENCY AND CLARITY OF THE RESOLUTION, WHICH AT THE END OF THE DAY IS A VERY WELL DESERVED PROMOTION FOR ONE OF OUR EMPLOYEES. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION NUMBER 24, DASH 12 FOR DASH 404. SO MOVED. SECOND ROLL CALL PLEASE. COMMITTEE MEMBER ON.YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER TAYLOR. TODD. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. KEENAN. YES. DEPUTY MAYOR
[25. Approval of Minutes]
BERRIGAN. YES. NUMBER TEN, APPROVAL OF MINUTES. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE EXECUTIVE SESSION? MEETING MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 14TH. SO MOVED SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? I RESOLUTION[26. Resolution #24-12-405 - Payment of Bills - Posted]
NUMBER 11, RESOLUTION NUMBER 2412 DASH 405, PAYMENT OF BILLS POSTED. YES. SO ON THE FIRST PAGE YOU WILL SEE TOWARDS THE BOTTOM THIRD OF THE PAGE YOU'LL SEE TWO PAYMENTS, ONE TO THE FIRE DISTRICT NUMBER ONE OTHER TO FIRE DISTRICT NUMBER TWO IN THE AMOUNT OF $505,250 AND 517,000 750,000. THOSE ARE THE SECOND HALF TAXES THAT WE'RE SENDING OVER TO THEM. THEN IF YOU TURN OVER TO PAGE THREE, ARE OUR COUNTY TAXES, 4,000,800 IS OUR FOURTH QUARTER TAXES, $4,880,108, $0.47. THAT'S TO THE COUNTY. THAT'S FOR COUNTY TAXES. THEN THE COUNTY LIBRARY TAXES $662,133. AND $0.11. AND THEN COUNTY OPEN SPACE TAXES OF. $523,969.69. ANY QUESTIONS? MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION? NUMBER 24 DASH 12 DASH 405. SO MOVED. SECOND ROLL CALL, PLEASE. COMMITTEE MEMBER ON. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. TAYLOR. TODD. YES. COMMITTEE[27. Correspondence]
MEMBER. KEENAN. YES. DEPUTY MAYOR BERRIGAN. YES. CORRESPONDENTS. YEAH. EMAIL FROM CHRISTINE NEWMAN REGARDING EMS FUNDING. MAYBE I'LL JUST PAUSE THERE, JUST BASED ON THE EMAIL AND ALSO THE YOUR PUBLIC COMMENTS FROM THE LAST MEETING, I ASKED THAT WE HAVE OUR CFO TEND TO JUST MAYBE PROVIDE A BRIEF DISCUSSION BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S SOME QUESTIONS ON SURPLUS AND HOW THAT'S USED, AND MAYBE SOME OF THE SOME HISTORICAL TRENDS OF THE EMS FUNDING. YEAH. NO THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR NUMBER ONE. THANK YOU FOR THAT EMAIL. IT'S ALWAYS NICE TO HAVE RESIDENTS PUT IN THESE REQUESTS FOR VOLUNTEERS AND WHATNOT. SO IT WILL NOT FALL ON DEAF EARS. NO GUARANTEES ON ANYTHING. WE ARE STARTING THE BUDGET PROCESS, SO IT WILL DEFINITELY BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION. THAT BEING SAID, YOU KNOW A LITTLE HISTORY WITH THE EMS BACK IN 2021 FOR OUR BUDGET WE HAD, IF YOU GUYS REMEMBER, IT WAS PRETTY LOW.THERE WERE ABOUT $32,000. WE WERE WE WERE GIVING TO THEM. AND OUT OF THAT 32,500, 7000 OF THAT WAS ACTUALLY GETTING CHARGED BACK FOR GAS. SO THEY WERE REALLY GETTING $25,500, WHICH ISN'T A LOT OF MONEY. SO IN 2023, 2022, 2023, IF THE BUDGET COMMITTEE MEMBERS WITH THE ARP FUNDS WE RECEIVE AND WE SAID WE'RE GOING TO INCREASE THE CONTRIBUTION TO THE MAX TO THE 70,000 FOR THOSE TWO YEARS, AND WE ALSO DID NOT CHARGE THEM FOR GAS, AGAIN, THAT'S ABOUT $7,000 A YEAR IN 2024, WITH THE ARP FUNDS GONE, THE BUDGET AND FINANCE COMMITTEE AND THE GOVERNING BODY ALSO DECIDED, YOU KNOW WHAT WE'RE GOING TO STICK TO THE 75, 70,000. WE'RE GOING TO STICK TO NOT CHARGING THEM GAS, EVEN THOUGH, AGAIN, OUR FUNDS ARE THE BUDGET. SO, YOU KNOW, FROM FROM AN INCREASED STANDPOINT FROM 21 TO 24, IT IS A SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE PERCENT. RIGHT, BECAUSE YOU'RE LOOKING AT 25 FIVE THEY WERE RECEIVING. NOW THEY'RE RECEIVING 70 PLUS THE VEHICLE WE GAVE THEM. PLUS YOU KNOW, WE ASSIST THEM AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. NOT SAYING THAT'S ENOUGH, BUT AT THE AT THE END OF THE DAY IT'S NOT NOTHING IN
[00:25:02]
TERMS OF OUR SURPLUS. SURPLUS IS A TRICKY VARIABLE IN THE BUDGET. WE HAVE BEEN USING THIS YEAR $5 MILLION, $5.3 MILLION. THAT'S UP FROM JUST OVER $4 MILLION. THE REASON I MENTIONED THAT IS SURPLUS IS USED IN OUR BUDGET. SURPLUS IS USED BASICALLY TO OFFSET A MAJOR INCREASE IN TAXE.RIGHT AT YOUR PLUG, YOU HAVE ALL YOUR EXPENSES. YOU HAVE YOUR YOUR NON-TAX REVENUE, YOU HAVE YOUR TAX REVENUE. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ALL OF THAT AND YOUR APPROPRIATIONS THAT YOU'RE LOOKING TO GO INTO YOUR NEXT BUDGET IS PLUGGED IN WITH YOUR SURPLUS. WE'RE VERY, I GUESS, DILIGENT IN MAKING SURE THAT WE DON'T DRAIN TOO MUCH OF THAT SURPLUS. SO IF WE PUT $5.3 MILLION THIS YEAR IN OUR BUDGET OF OUR SURPLUS, RIGHT, WE USE $5.3 MILLION. IF WE DON'T REGENERATE THAT IN THE UPCOMING YEAR, THAT MEANS NOW OUR SURPLUS IS REDUCED. AND IF YOU HAVE A CONTINUED TREND OF REDUCTION IN SURPLUS, NOT REGENERATING THE SURPLUS AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE ENOUGH SURPLUS TO FUND WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING TO FUND. HENCE, YOU CAN EITHER HAVE TO INCREASE TAXES OR CUT SERVICES, WHICH IS AGAIN SOMETHING WE'RE VERY DILIGENT IN NOT DOING. SO IN TERMS OF SURPLUS. YOU KNOW, WE ARE DILIGENT ON HOW MUCH WE USE.
AGAIN, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OUR CREDIT RATING, WHICH SAVES US HUNDREDS OF THOUSAND DOLLARS.
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE LOANS WE GO OUT FOR AND THE INTEREST WE SAVE BY HAVING A TRIPLE A RATING, THAT'S THE FIRST THING THEY LOOK AT IS, ALL RIGHT, WHAT'S YOUR SURPLUS NUMBER THIS YEAR? WHERE WAS IT TWO YEARS AGO? WHAT'S OUR TREND? WHAT'S YOUR TREND? ARE YOU GOING DOWN.
ARE YOU GOING UP. SO AGAIN SURPLUS IS VERY IMPORTANT. NOT JUST IT'S NOT JUST A NUMBER LIKE HEY JUST YOU KNOW, KEEP USING MORE SURPLUS BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY THE TOWNS THAT DO THAT DO FIND THEMSELVES IN TROUBLE WHEN THEY, WHEN THEY'RE GOING DOWN THE ROAD OF DRAINING THEIR SURPLUS WITHOUT REGENERATING IT. THAT BEING SAID THOUGH, AGAIN, THIS EMAIL WILL BE AGAIN, THIS REQUEST OF INCREASING IT TO THE MAX OF I THINK IT WAS 125,000 IS GOING TO BE CONSIDERED BY THE BUDGET AND FINANCE COMMITTEE. IT IS THE PROCESS. RIGHT NOW. WE'RE ASKING EVERYONE TO PUT IN THEIR REQUESTS SO THAT THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE ARE AT WITH THAT. IT'S NOT AGAIN, I'M I'M NOT HERE TO SAY NO. I'M NOT HERE TO SAY YES. I'M HERE TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WILL PUT INTO CONSIDERATION FOR THE BUDGET AND FINANCE COMMITTEE. I HAVE SOME COMMENTS, BUT IF ANYONE ELSE WANTS TO MAKE SOME COMMENTS. YEAH, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE. SO YEARS AGO WE HAD SET ASIDE SOME MONEY BECAUSE WE WERE GOING TO PURCHASE AN AMBULANCE. REMEMBER, THAT WAS YEARS AGO. SO IF WE WEREN'T ABLE TO DO THIS BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THE BUDGET, THE SURPLUS AND ALSO THAT'S VERY HELPFUL IN TERMS OF WHEN WE GET WHEN WE'RE ABLE TO FINANCE THINGS, WE HAVE A MUCH BETTER RATE BECAUSE OF THIS. SO ONE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES WE COULD HAVE AND TALK ABOUT NEXT YEAR IS INSTEAD THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY PURCHASED ONE AMBULANCE AND IN NEED OF A SECOND AMBULANCE THAT MAY BE SOMETHING WE SHOULD CONSIDER IN ADDITION OR IN PLACEMENT OF THIS. IF WE'RE NOT ABLE TO YOU KNOW, MAYBE GO UP TO THE 125, WHICH I REALLY HOPE WE'RE ABLE TO DO, BUT ALSO IN ADDITION OR IN REPLACEMENT, ALSO TO REPLACE SOME OF THE EQUIPMENT, BECAUSE THIS IS A SERVICE THAT IS PROVIDED TO EVERYBODY IN THE TOWN. AND FRANKLY, OUR NEIGHBORING TOWNS IN A LOT OF WAYS, AND WE IN NO WAY COULD EVER, EVER REPLACE COULD PROVIDE THAT AS A MUNICIPALITY. YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED TO THOSE THAT HAVE GONE THAT PATH. ONE OF THE REASONS WE ACTUALLY PROVIDE SERVICES TO SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORING TOWNS ARE WE BEING EMS, FRANKLY, IS BECAUSE THEY'VE IN A SENSE, HAD TO PRIVATIZE IT BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE VOLUNTEERS AND THEY DON'T HAVE THAT SUPPORT. SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN, AND I THINK WE CAN DO A LOT. AND I'M REALLY GLAD TO UNDERSTAND HOW THAT PROCESS WORKS. BUT ALSO SAYING WE'VE GOT TO DO AS MUCH AS WE CAN BECAUSE WE ARE AT HUGE RISK IF THEY DO NOT CONTINUE TO DO WELL. AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, THAT'S ALSO A PLUG FOR JUST AS RESIDENTS TO CONSIDER GIVING DONATIONS AS WELL. BUT I THINK WE SHOULD REALLY LOOK INTO HOW WE CAN HELP OFFSET THE COST. IF IT'S NOT DIRECTLY THROUGH SOMETHING WE MAY WANT TO BE HAVE A MORE VARIABLE, SUCH AS SOME OF THE EQUIPMENT THAT WE HAVE. ALSO, THERE'S TAXES THAT WE CAN COVER AS WELL BY LAW. SO I REALLY HOPE THAT WE LOOK EVERY SINGLE WAY POSSIBLE TO DO THAT WITH THE UNDERSTANDING OF HOW IMPORTANT THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT TOOL IS. AS WELL. THAT'S MY TAKE. YEAH. AND I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR THE COMMITTEE. I THINK THERE'S, YOU KNOW, GENERAL ALIGNMENT, YOU KNOW, ON ON THE IMPORTANCE OF EMS AND, AND THAT'S WHY I WAS TALKING TO, TO OUR CFO, YOU KNOW, SINCE THE LAST MEETING IS LIKE, HOW DO WE INCORPORATE EMS INTO THE INTO THE PROCESS IN THE BUDGET PROCESS SO THAT WE CAN PRIORITIZE AS WE FEEL, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD, YOU KNOW, AGAINST THE DIFFERENT NEEDS, RIGHT? WITH THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS. AND I THINK THE OTHER PIECE TO THAT IS MAYBE, YOU KNOW, MICHAEL, MAYBE YOU AND I CAN GET SOME TIME TO SIT AND ALSO KIND OF GIVE THEM AN OVERVIEW ON THE PROCESS. BUT LIKE ALSO THE EXPECTATIONS, LIKE
[00:30:02]
AS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I, WHEN I MET WITH THEM IS LIKE, AND WE TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE CAPITAL NEEDS. IT'S LIKE, WELL, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR NEEDS OVER THE NEXT 2 TO 3 YEARSKNOW,G THAT THEY HADN'T THOUGHT ABOUT. AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE THERE ARE A LOT OF THE LEADERSHIP OF OUR TOWN ADMINISTRATOR. AND OUR CFO HAS STARTED EMBEDDING INTO OUR INTO OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS TO LOOK AT NOT JUST THIS YEAR, BUT LIKE 2 OR 3, FIVE YEARS DOWN THE ROAD SO THAT WE CAN START THINKING ABOUT CAPITAL PLANNING NOW VERSUS LIKE WHEN WE NEED IT.AND SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING THEM AS PART OF THE PROCESS. AND THEN WE CAN MAKE THAT DECISION AS A AS A TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE ON, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE PUT THE BUDGETS AND WHERE WE PRIORITIZE THE TAXPAYER REVENUE. I WILL SAY THAT IF WE HAVE MORE RESIDENTS, WE DEFINITELY NEED MORE SUPPORT FOR OUR EMS BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO GET MORE CALLS. SO WE ALSO HAVE TO PROJECT THAT INTO OUR PLANS. OKAY. BE EMAIL FROM KEN CRUZ EXTENDING GRATITUDE FOR THE PROCLAMATION, RECOGNIZING THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S 50TH ANNIVERSARY. HE ALSO DID SHARE I THINK, THE PHOTO FROM THE. I THINK IT WAS THE STAR-LEDGER FROM THAT DAY, YOU KNOW, SHOWING HIM AS A BRAND NEW POLICE OFFICER. RIGHT. NEW BUSINESS AND OLD BUSINESS. THERE ARE NO MATTERS OF BUSINESS.
[29. Township Committee Reports]
TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE REPORTS I DON'T HAVE A REPORT TONIGHT. GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY, AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT MORE STUFF ON THE NEXT. THAT'S RIGHT. GOOD EVENING. I ACTUALLY DO NOT HAVE ANY COMMITTEE REPORTS, BUT I DO HAVE SOMETHING PERSONAL THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE. AND I PLAN TO SHARE THIS, BUT IT HAPPENS TO BE TIMELY. SO LAST TUESDAY, WHICH WAS TWO DAYS BEFORE THANKSGIVING, MY FAMILY HAD AN UNEXPECTED EXPERIENCE THAT GAVE US A WHOLE NEW LEVEL OF APPRECIATION FOR OUR FIRST LEVEL LOCAL FIRST RESPONDERS. MY OLDEST SON WAS HOME FOR THANKSGIVING, AND HE HAD WHAT COULD ONLY BE DESCRIBED AS A FREAK ACCIDENT AT HOME, AND HE WAS BLEEDING, SO WE NEEDED HELP AND WE HAD TO CALL FOR THE AMBULANCE AND TO SAY WE WERE SHAKEN UP. YOU KNOW, WE WERE REALLY SHAKEN UP BECAUSE HE'S NEVER EVEN HAD A BROKEN BONE, YOU KNOW, SPRAINED ANKLE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. SO WITHIN MINUTES, OFFICER TROY GONZALEZ RESPONDED TO OUR HOME. HE WAITED WITH US UNTIL THE AMBULANCE CAME. I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHERE THE AMBULANCE WAS COMING FROM. I WASN'T EVEN FOCUSED ON WHETHER IT WAS COMING FROM MONTE EMS AND WHEN THEY ARRIVED. THEY WERE ALSO INCREDIBLE, SO EMPATHETIC AND PROFESSIONAL. FIRST LIEUTENANT NOEMI GARCIA AND MEMBER CARRIE-ANN MCGARRY HANDLED OUR SITUATION WITH SKILL AND COMPASSION. THEY TRANSPORTED ME AND MY SON TO PRINCETON HOSPITAL, WHERE HE WAS THE LUCKY RECIPIENT OF 15 STITCHES. THANKFULLY, HE IS HEALING AND HE'LL BE JUST FINE. WE CALLED HIM SCARFACE FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK AND WE SAID YOU SHOULD SEE THE OTHER GUY. BUT YOU KNOW, IN ALL SERIOUSNESS, THIS EXPERIENCE REALLY REMINDED ME HOW FORTUNATE WE ARE TO HAVE MONTGOMERY EMS HAVE SUCH DEDICATED INDIVIDUALS SERVING OUR COMMUNITIES SOON TO INCLUDE ONE DOCTOR, CHRISTINE NEWMAN, APPARENTLY. SO I REALLY WANT TO PUBLICLY THANK OFFICER TROY GONZALEZ, FIRST LIEUTENANT NOEMI GASKILL, AND EMS MEMBER CARRIE ANN MCGARRY FOR THEIR PROFESSIONALISM, THEIR KINDNESS AND CARE. AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT TONIGHT, MONTGOMERY EMS IS ALL VOLUNTEER. THIS IS JUST ME SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF MYSELF PERSONALLY THAT I INTEND TO MAKE A DONATION AND TO REALLY THANK THEM, NOT TAKING A POSITION ON BEHALF OF WHAT THE TOWNSHIP SHOULD DO. BUT I THINK WE ALL UNDERSTAND THAT MONTGOMERY EMS IS VERY IMPORTANT. I FOUND THAT OUT, AND I THINK THAT I'M GOING TO SUPPORT THEM, AND I HOPE THAT EVERYONE ELSE BE ABLE TO DO THE SAME. THANK YOU. WELL, THANK YOU FOR SHARING AND I'M GLAD HE'S OKAY AND HE'S FINE. GOOD. IT IS REALLY HARD. OKAY. I HAVE ONE REPORT WHICH IS OUR ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION REPORT. SO JUST AS A REMINDER, WE WERE AT THE LEAGUE OF MUNICIPALITIES AND WERE WE GOT TO PUBLICLY GET THE RECERTIFICATION FOR THE SUSTAINABLE JERSEY SILVER LEVEL. AND I REALLY WANT TO THANK LAUREN WESOLOWSKI, WHO IS THE REASON THAT WE GET THESE THINGS. YOU KNOW, WHEN WE PUSH FORWARD A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, SHE'S SPENT OUT, I MEAN, HUNDREDS OF HOURS KIND OF COLLECTING STUFF, AND WE'VE CHANGED HOW WE DO CERTAIN THINGS IN ORDER TO ACTUALLY GET THAT CERTIFICATION AS WELL, WHICH IS GREAT. AND THEN SHE DID IT AGAIN. AND SO IT TAKES A LOT OF WORK ON HER BEHALF AND FOLLOW UP. SO THANK YOU. LAUREN COULD NOT DO IT WITHOUT YOU. LAST NIGHT WE HAD OUR FIRST MOVIE THAT WAS SPONSORED BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, AND WE HAD IT AT THE LIBRARY. IT WAS CALLED IT WAS IT WAS A GREAT EVENT AND A VERY TROUBLING TOPIC, BUT IT WAS CALLED WE'RE ALL PLASTIC PEOPLE. NOW, IF YOU GOOGLE IT, IT'S YOU CAN SEE IT ON PBS. IT'S MADE ME KIND OF GO OUT AND CHANGE MY THINKING. WHAT I'M GOING TO DO DIRECTLY. AND I'VE REALLY SWEARING OFF A LOT MORE ON THE PLASTIC SIDE. SO BUT PLEASE GO TAKE A LOOK AT IT. THE EVENT WAS REALLY WELL ATTENDED. WE HAD ABOUT 50 PEOPLE HERE AND[00:35:02]
I WANT TO THANK THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION MEMBER, KATHY LYNCH. SHE WAS THE HOST.SHE DID ALL THE WORK TO BRING IT HERE. AND SHE'S ALSO OUR ONE OF OUR RESIDENT EXPERTS IN PLASTICS AS WELL. SHE HAS A NONPROFIT CALLED GREEN MATTERS. AND MARY REESE, AS THE CHAIR OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, DID A WONDERFUL JOB. SHE ALWAYS DOES SUPPORTING ANY OF THE ACTIVITIES AND WAS VERY SUPPORTIVE OF BRINGING THIS MOVIE HERE. SARAH ROBERTS BROUGHT HER GLUTEN FREE OPTION AND HER CLOTH NAPKINS AND SERVING WARE. SO THAT WAS THANK YOU, SARAH, FOR THAT. AND OF COURSE, LAUREN, SHE CAME UP WITH A LOT OF GREAT FOOD AS WELL. SO WE ATE WELL AND WE WATCHED A GREAT MOVIE, AND WE'RE HOPING TO DO MORE OF THEM NEXT YEAR. THERE WAS A LOT OF GREAT CONVERSATION AROUND IT. AND IF THERE'S MORE TOPICS THAT THE PUBLIC ARE INTERESTED IN, PLEASE REACH OUT TO US AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, BECAUSE WE WANT TO DO MORE AND MORE OF THESE PUBLIC THINGS AT LEAST QUARTERLY. A MOVIE AND PERHAPS MORE THAN THAT, IF PEOPLE ARE VERY INTERESTED IN IT. AND I DO KNOW THERE'S GOING TO BE ANOTHER EVENT THAT'S BEING SPONSORED BY THE SOURLANDS. I THINK IT'S ON THE NINTH, JANUARY 9TH, AND JANE AND JERRY, THERE WILL BE ANOTHER THING DONE ABOUT THE SOURLANDS AND THE ATTEND THAT THAT LOOKS GREAT TOO. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT. THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION HAS THEIR FINAL MEETING NEXT THE WEEK OF THE 10TH. NEXT WEEK IS BY ZOOM, AND IT'S ON THE 10TH. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THAT. THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT. SO VETERANS MEMORIAL COMMITTEE MET THIS WEEK. IT WAS A WE HAD A AFTER ACTION REVIEW ON OUR VETERANS DAY CEREMONY, WHICH I THINK WE ALL AGREE WERE VERY SUCCESSFUL.
AND MOTHER NATURE DEFINITELY ALSO PLAYED ITS PART. AND SO WE TALKED ABOUT LIKE THINGS THAT WE COULD DO BETTER, BETTER COORDINATION, YOU KNOW, WITH THE SCHOOLS COORDINATION WITH THE TOWNSHIP ADMINISTRATION WAS LISTED AS ONE OF THE OUTSTANDING THINGS, INCLUDING OUR OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT. AND THANK YOU TO LISA, OUR CLERK, WHO'S OUR OUR LIAISON TO THE ADMINISTRATION FOR DOING SUCH A WONDERFUL JOB. AND I KNOW WE'RE WE'RE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A NEW LIAISON. SO LOOKING FORWARD TO HER JOINING IN. THE OTHER THING THAT WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT IS THERE'S A NEW JERSEY GOVERNMENT DESIGNATION FOR LIKE VETERAN FRIENDLY TOWNS. THEY ALSO HAVE FOR EMPLOYERS.
AND SO WE ONE OF THE DISCUSSIONS WE HAD IS, YOU KNOW, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO KIND OF STEP UP? I THINK WE ALREADY ARE MEETING SOME OF THE REQUIREMENTS. THERE'S A COUPLE ADDITIONAL ITEMS THAT YOU COULD PROVIDE A LOT OF VALUE TO VETERANS. AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, RECOGNIZE MONTGOMERY. YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HAVE NOTICED IS THAT WE HAVE A REALLY GOOD TURNOUT AT THE VETERANS DAY CEREMONY. I SEE LESS VETERANS THAN WE HAVE IN PAST YEARS. YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER THE FIRST YEAR I CAME, WE HAD ALL THAT SEATING SECTION FULL OF VETERANS THAT THERE COULD BE MANY DIFFERENT REASONS, BUT I KNOW THERE'S ALSO VETERANS IN TOWN OF YOU KNOW, MIDDLE AGE. YOU KNOW, WHO WHO THE QUESTION IS, YOU KNOW, WHY AREN'T THEY ATTENDING SO OR SO WE'RE GOING TO THINK ABOUT HOW DO WE BETTER ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY FOR NEXT YEAR. NO SHADE TREE COMMITTEE MEETING IN DECEMBER. OPEN SPACE WILL BE NEXT WEEK. AND YOU KNOW, I'D BE REMISS TO NOT BRING UP THAT WE HAD OUR HOLIDAY TREE LIGHTING EVENT ON TUESDAY. OBVIOUSLY MORE RECOMMEND, BUT I FIGURED I'D JUST GIVE AN UPDATE. I REALLY WANT TO COMMEND LORI TO TOWNSHIP ADMINISTRATION AND ALL OF THE VOLUNTEERS. YOU KNOW, BETWEEN REC WITH, YOU KNOW, JOHN ROEGER BEING YOU KNOW, MISTER WALDO AND DEFINITELY GOT THE HIGH POINTS FOR HOW THEY CHEER THE DPW. OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND ALL OF THE OTHER TOWNSHIP EMPLOYEES WHO MADE THIS WHOLE ROOM WAS FULL TO THE MAX. AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE BOY SCOUTS FOR CRANKING OUT HOT CHOCOLATE LIKE THERE'S NO TOMORROW AND THE GIRL SCOUT TROOPS FOR LEADING WITH SOME NICE SING ALONGS WITH THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. SO IT WAS A WONDERFUL EVENT. I'M SURE THERE'S LOTS OF VIDEOS AND PICTURES THAT WERE TAKEN TOO SOON TO BE PUBLISHED. SO AGAIN, LORI, GREAT JOB IN EXECUTING THAT. AND I THINK THAT'S ALL I HAVE. SO NEXT WOULD BE ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT. WELL,
[30. Administrator's Report]
I'LL FOLLOW UP ON THE TREE LIGHTING WITH AN UPDATE ON THE TREE PLANTING PROJECT. SO THAT'S THE GRANT THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THE STATE. THE FALL PLANTING. IF YOU'VE SEEN THERE'S SOME NEW TREES ALONG ORCHARD ROAD THAT THAT HAVE BEEN PLANTED. AND I BELIEVE ON THE ENTRANCE DRIVE AND AS PART OF THAT GRANT THE EVERGREEN TREE THAT WAS PART OF THAT. I THINK WE HAD A TREMENDOUS TURNOUT FOR THAT EVENT, GIVEN THE AVAILABILITY OF THE PARKING AND THE SPACE INSIDE. SO THAT DID TURN OUT VERY WELL. I HAD KIND OF LET YOU KNOW ALREADY THAT THE WAYFINDING SIGNAGE ON 206 TO THE MUNICIPAL BUILDING AND ESPECIALLY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE LIBRARY HAS BEEN INSTALLED TASTIC. SO WE'RE VERY HAPPY ABOUT THAT. IT IS QUITE[00:40:05]
INTERESTING THAT IT TOOK SO LONG TO GET THAT APPROVAL. AND BUT BUREAUCRATIC RED TAPE, I GUESS EVEN US AS, AS AS WE ALWAYS SAY WE HAVE TO GET PERMITS JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE AT THE STATE, AND IT TAKES FOREVER. BUT WE'RE HAPPY TO CROSS THAT ONE OFF THE LIST, SOMETHING THAT WE'RE PLEASED, CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC ABOUT IS THAT THE FORMER TEXACO GAS STATION AT THE INTERSECTION OF 206 AND 518, THAT PROPERTY OWNER HAS SUBMITTED A DEMOLITION PERMIT TO BRING THAT BUILDING DOWN. THE PERMIT HAS BEEN SUBMITTED. HE IS PROVIDING ALL THE PAPERWORK THAT'S NECESSARY, GOING THROUGH ALL, GETTING ALL OF THE PROPER APPROVALS. SO THAT'S PROBABLY THE BIGGEST STEP WE'VE HAD ON THAT BUILDING. OUR BOARD OF HEALTH HAD HAD OVER THE YEARS BEEN ISSUING VIOLATIONS.HE'S BEEN REMEDYING THEM. BUT THIS LAST GO AROUND, WE WERE ABLE TO TAKE HIM TO COURT. HE WAS A NO SHOW. SO THAT'S CONTINUING UNTIL THE BUILDING COMES DOWN. WE'RE NOT DROPPING ANY OF OUR PENDING. THE VIOLATIONS THAT THAT ARE OUT THERE. BUT YOU KNOW, WE'LL WE'LL CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC THAT WE EXPECT THE, THE BUILDING TO COME DOWN TIMING, TIMING. WELL I DON'T WANT TO JINX IT. WE HE SAID DEPENDING ON WHEN HE GETS THE PERMIT. SO DEMOLITION PERMITS REQUIRE PROOF THAT ALL THE UTILITIES HAVE BEEN SHUT OFF. HE'S SUBMITTED THAT FROM PSC AND G. THERE HAS TO BE AN ABATEMENT OF ANY RODENTS IN THE BUILDING BEFORE THE BUILDING COMES DOWN. OTHERWISE THEY JUST SCATTER. TIGER'S TAIL WOULD NOT BE HAPPY. SO THAT WILL NEED TO HAPPEN. AND THEN THERE'S USUALLY A FEW SAFETY ISSUES JUST TO MAKE SURE, YOU KNOW HOW IT'S GOING TO ACTUALLY THE PROCESS OF COMING DOWN. BUT I KNOW THAT THE SAME CONTRACTOR THAT DID THE ADJACENT TOOL, AUTO PARTS BUILDING IS DOING THE DEMOLITION HERE AND THAT WENT, YOU KNOW, VERY SMOOTHLY. SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S NOT JUST THE BUILDING, BUT ANY, ANY, ANY OF THE LIGHT POLES AND THAT KIND OF THING. SO THEY WORK ON ALL OF THAT WITH HIM. PROGRESS IS CONTINUING AT MONTGOMERY PROMENADE. YOU SHOULD START TO SEE VERTICAL CONSTRUCTION ON THE WHOLE FOODS SOON. THAT PERMIT HAS BEEN APPROVED AND RELEASED. SO THERE IS CURBING THAT HAS NOW COMPLETE FOR THE ROADWAYS AND SIDEWALKS WILL BE STARTING. PERMITS HAVE BEEN ISSUED FOR THE FOUNDATION ON BUILDING 600, WHICH IS ONE OF THE PAD SITE BUILDINGS THERE, AND SHOULD BE ISSUED SHORTLY FOR ANOTHER ONE OF THE PAD SITES. SO THINGS THINGS ARE MOVING ALONG. THERE'S MAY BE A TIMING ISSUE WITH NEW JERSEY AMERICAN WATER, AND THERE'S SOME WORK THAT THEY NEED TO DO. SO IF PEOPLE SEE ANY HALTING CONSTRUCTION, THESE ARE THESE BIG CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS.
THEY ALL KIND OF ONE THING BUILDS ON ANOTHER. AND THEN SOMETIMES YOU ARE STARTING WORK IN ONE AREA AND THEN GET STOPPED A LITTLE BIT. IF THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN, BECAUSE THEY ALL HAVE TO BE COORDINATED. SO WE WANT TO KEEP THE PUBLIC UPDATED ON WHAT'S HAPPENING, BUT ALSO LET THEM KNOW THAT YOU MAY SEE HOPEFULLY NOT, BUT A PAUSE IF NEW JERSEY AMERICAN IS DELAYED IN DOING DOING SOMETHING, CAN I ASK YOU AND YOU MAY NOT KNOW THIS RIGHT OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD, BUT THERE ARE THE RESIDENTS THAT ARE ALONG THAT LINE. ONE OF THE DEALS IS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO GET PUBLIC. THEY'RE GOING TO GET ACCESS TO THE SEWER THROUGH THROUGH. THAT IS THAT PART. IT'S NOT PART OF THE AMERICAN WATER. BUT IS IT CONNECTED AT ALL TO ANY OF THESE DELAYS OR WHAT? WHEN IS THAT GOING TO. NO, I DON'T THINK THAT'S A SEPARATE, SEPARATE AGREEMENT WITH ALL OF THOSE PRIVATE DEVELOPER PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS. SO I HAVEN'T HEARD THAT THERE'S ANY THERE'S NO HOLD UP ON OUR END. OKAY.
BECAUSE THE SEWER LINES, ALL OF THOSE RESIDENTS THERE BECAUSE THAT WAS PART OF GETTING THE APPROVAL, WAS AGREEING TO THAT SO THAT YOU COULD GET PEOPLE OFF OF THESE SEPTIC SYSTEMS, IN SOME CASES, RIGHT, TO GET THEM ACCESS TO THAT. SO DO YOU MIND JUST TAKING A LOOK AT THE STATUS OF THAT? BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR RESIDENTS ARE TAKEN CARE OF. IT MAY BE WHEN THEY'RE COMING IN TO DO SOME OF THE RESIDENTIAL PIECES THEMSELVES, BUT I KNOW IT. I THINK IT MAY HAVE HAD TO DO WITH THE ROAD. DO YOU REMEMBER? I THINK THEY'RE CONNECTING TO THE LINES THAT PROMENADE'S PUTTING IN FOR THE BUILDINGS THEMSELVES, AND I'M NOT SURE IF THEY'VE REACHED THAT POINT YET IN THE CONSTRUCTION SEQUENCE AGREEMENT. YEAH. TO WHERE THEY'D BE ALLOWED TO PUT THOSE IN. SO BUT THEY'RE GETTING LATERALS FROM THE TRUNK LINE THAT THEY'RE PUTTING IN.
OKAY. GREAT. SO JUST A JUST I THINK HELP MANAGE EXPECTATIONS. GOOD. AND THE MONTGOMERY FRIENDS OF OPEN SPACE WINTER FARMERS MARKET RETURNS. IT WILL BE ON DECEMBER SATURDAY DECEMBER 14TH
[00:45:03]
I WANT TO SAY IT STARTS AT NINE BUT MIGHT BE TEN. I'M NOT SURE. I THINK IT'S 10 TO 1, 1010, 10 TO 1, 10 TO 1. AND THAT IS, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE DIFFERENT VENDORS THAN THEY DO. I THINK IN THE OUTSIDE MARKET, SOME ARE THE SAME, BUT IT'S DEFINITELY IT'S ALWAYS A GOOD TIME TO STOCK UP RIGHT BEFORE THE HOLIDAYS. EXCEPT THE ALCOHOL VENDORS NOT GOING TO BE THERE. RIGHT. AND I KNOW CRAFT BEER. YEAH. AND OUR MONTGOMERY FOOD PANTRY IS STILL COLLECTING I THINK UNTIL THEY'RE COLLECTING GIFT CARDS UNTIL THURSDAY, DECEMBER 16TH. WASN'T IN THE REQUEST, WASN'T I THINK NOT SHOPRITE, BUT LOCAL IF THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, LOCAL. SO IT IS THEY'RE ASKING FOR GIFT CARDS FROM LOCAL REAL SORRY RETAILERS. YES. OKAY. THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. UPCOMING[31. Future Agenda Items]
TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE MEETINGS DECEMBER 19TH AND JANUARY 2ND, 2025 IS REORGANIZATION EXECUTIVE SESSION. THERE ARE NO MATTERS FOR CLOSED SESSION. OH YAY! ADJOURNMENT. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? SO MOVED. SECOND MOTION. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE, AYE.* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.