[CALL TO ORDER]
          [00:00:03]
          WELL, THEY WERE RIGHT. THEY WERE RUNNING LATE. I MEAN, CALL TO ORDER. THIS IS THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE. CALLED TO ORDER AT 7:00. ROLL CALL PLEASE. 
          MAYOR SINGH. DEPUTY MAYOR BERRIGAN HERE. COMMITTEE MEMBER TAYLOR TODD HERE. COMMITTEE MEMBER. ANNE HERE. COMMITTEE MEMBER. MARTIN HERE. NOTICE THE MEETING IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS ACT. ADEQUATE NOTICE OF THIS MEETING WAS PROVIDED ON JANUARY 10TH, 2025, TO THE 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. 
          I PLEDGE 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. ALL RIGHT. SO 
          [1. Presentation – Second Quarter 2025 Financials ]
WE'RE GOING TO START WITH A PRESENTATION WITH THE SECOND QUARTER OF 2025 FINANCIALS WITH OUR CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, MICHAEL PITTS. CONNECTED RIGHT. CONNECTED RIGHT. YEAH. HERE WE GO. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. DEPUTY MAYOR AND COMMITTEE. WE WILL START OUR TWO. I THINK YOU JUST NEED TO GET CLOSER TO MIKE. CAN YOU HEAR ME? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, DEPUTY MAYOR AND COMMITTEE, FOR HAVING ME TODAY. WE WILL BE GOING OVER OUR SECOND QUARTER FINANCE REPORT, AS WE DO EVERY QUARTER. A LITTLE SUMMARY OF WHAT WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT TODAY. JUST SOME QUARTERLY NEWS. WE'LL TALK ABOUT SOME REVENUES, OUR TAX PERCENT OF COLLECTION. OF COURSE THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT SINCE IT'S OUR LARGEST SOURCE OF REVENUE. WE'LL SLIGHTLY TALK ABOUT OUR APPROPRIATIONS, WHICH ARE OUR EXPENSES. TALK ABOUT BUDGET. AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE AUDIT. THIS FOUR MINUTES BECAUSE EVERYBODY HAS TO GO THROUGH YOUR I'M SORRY. EXCUSE ME SIR. YOU CANNOT SPEAK FROM THE AUDIENCE. SO WE'LL CONTINUE MOVING FORWARD. THANK YOU. DO YOU WANT ME TO DO. 
          WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO KEEP GOING? MAYOR? DEPUTY MAYOR, PLEASE CONTINUE. OKAY. YEAH. SO, AS YOU ALL KNOW, THE BUDGET WAS ADOPTED IN ON MAY 1ST. WE HAD A TAX RATE OF 4.4804 $0.08, AS YOU'LL SEE IN A COUPLE OF SLIDES, WHEN WE DO THE BREAKOUT OF THE TAX BILL, WHICH WILL BE SENT OUT LATER THIS MONTH, THE OVERALL TAX BILL WHEN YOU RECEIVE IT FOR THE AVERAGE HOME WILL BE INCREASED BY 1.82%. WHEN YOU TAKE INTO ACCOUNT ALL OF THE ENTITIES THAT ARE INVOLVED IN YOUR PROPERTY TAXES. BUT AGAIN, ONE OF THE BIGGEST NEWS IN THE SECOND QUARTER WAS THE BUDGET ADOPTION. OF COURSE, WE HAD THE PRESENTATION, WE HAD THE BUDGET ADOPTION. ALSO, OUR CAPITAL ORDINANCES FROM THE 2025 BUDGET WERE ADOPTED. THOSE ARE LARGER TICKET ITEMS LIKE OUR ROADS, ANY LARGE VEHICLES. SO AGAIN, WE WERE ABLE TO ADOPT THOSE AS WELL. WE HAD OUR 2024 AUDIT COMPLETED, WHICH I'LL TALK ABOUT TOWARDS THE END OF THIS PRESENTATION. AND OUR SEWER BILLS WERE ALSO MAILED IN THE SECOND QUARTER. REAL QUICK, JUST GOING OVER SOME OF OUR MAJOR REVENUES, TAXES, OF COURSE, OUR LARGEST REVENUE, JUST LIKE ANY MUNICIPALITY COMPARED TO LAST YEAR. AT THIS POINT, WE'RE UP ABOUT $575,000. INTEREST ON INVESTMENT. ANOTHER LARGE REVENUE FOR US IS DOWN JUST ABOUT 40,000. AGAIN, THAT'S ABOUT THAT'S EXPECTED. WE EXPECTED THAT DUE TO THE RATES DECREASING SLIGHTLY, SOME SOME OF OUR OTHER LARGER REVENUES. 
          CONSTRUCTION CODE AS YOU CAN SEE TOWARDS THE MIDDLE OF THE CHART IS UP ABOUT $135,000. AND AGAIN, THAT'S ALWAYS A PLEASANT SURPRISE BECAUSE WE NEVER TRULY KNOW WHAT PROJECTS WILL TRULY GO ON THE BOOKS AND WHAT FEES WE COLLECT. SO AGAIN, THAT'S UP ABOUT $135,000, AND MISCELLANEOUS REVENUE IS ALSO UP ABOUT $45,000. OVERALL, OUR REVENUES ARE WHERE WE THOUGHT THEY WOULD BE. AGAIN, WE'RE NOT. BEATING OUR PROJECTIONS, BUT AT THE SAME TIME WE'RE NOT BELOW THEM. SO WE'RE WE'RE RIGHT WHERE WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE. OUR PROPERTY TAX PERCENTAGE OF COLLECTION. AGAIN, THIS RELATES TO WHAT WAS BILLED VERSUS WHAT WAS COLLECTED. AND WE'RE AT 99.43% COMPARED TO 99.71% LAST YEAR. AGAIN, NO CONCERN. AS YOU CAN SEE, GOING BACK TO 2021, IT WAS AT ABOUT 98.68% WHEN COVID HIT. WE HAD THAT DIP, BUT NOW WE'RE BACK TO RIGHT AROUND THAT 99% THAT WE'RE ALL USED TO. SO THERE'S NO CONCERN THERE WHEN IT COMES TO THE PERCENTAGE OF COLLECTION HALFWAY THROUGH THE YEAR. OUR BUDGET APPROPRIATIONS AS OF JUNE 30TH, 2025, WE SPENT WE HAVE ABOUT 17.7, 17.8 MILLION REMAINING TO GET US TO THE END OF THE YEAR. THAT'S ABOUT 54% OF 
          [00:05:05]
OUR BUDGET STILL REMAINING AT THIS POINT. LAST YEAR WE WERE AT 49%. SO WE ARE MANAGING OUR APPROPRIATIONS PROPERLY AND WE HAVE NO CONCERNS IN TERMS OF OVER EXPENDITURES, WHICH, AGAIN, IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE ARE PERMITTED TO DO. SO IN TERMS OF OUR BUDGET APPROPRIATIONS, WE'RE RIGHT WHERE WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE. OTHER NEWS GOING ON. WE DID SCHEDULE OUR TAX SALE A COUPLE WEEKS AGO. WE SCHEDULED IT FOR OCTOBER 15TH, 2025. THIS IS RELATED TO THE 2024 DELINQUENT TAXES, AND THAT WILL BE DONE ON OCTOBER 15TH, 2025. AND THAT IS DONE ELECTRONICALLY ON REAL AUCTION. IT'S DONE ONLINE BACK IN THE DAY AGAIN, BACK IN THE DAY WHEN I FIRST STARTED, THIS WAS DONE IN PERSON IN IN THE MEETING ROOM, PEOPLE WOULD COME AND THEY'D BID ON PROPERTY TAXES. BUT NOW IT'S ALL DONE ONLINE. SPOKE A LITTLE ABOUT SEWER BILLS. THOSE WERE SENT OUT WERE DUE MAY 1ST. THE FIRST HALF WAS DUE JUNE 1ST. SORRY. WITH A GRACE PERIOD OF JUNE 10TH AND THE SECOND HALF. SEWER BILLS WILL BE COMING UP SEPTEMBER 1ST WITH THE GRACE PERIOD OF SEPTEMBER 10TH. PROPERTY TAX BILLS. THE THIRD QUARTER, JUST LIKE ANY YEAR, IS DELAYED. THE REASON IT'S DELAYED IS BECAUSE THE COUNTY DOES NOT CERTIFY THE RATES UNTIL THEY GET IT FROM THE STATE. THE STATE, AS YOU ALL KNOW, IS A FISCAL YEAR BUDGET. SO THEY DO NOT ADOPT THEIR BUDGET OR DO NOT FORMALIZE THEIR BUDGET UNTIL JUST ABOUT JULY 1ST. ONCE THEY FORMALIZE THEIR BUDGET, THAT'S WHEN THEY CERTIFY EVERY OTHER TAX RATE THAT THEY RECEIVE. IT GETS TO THE COUNTY, THE COUNTY CERTIFIES IT AND BRINGS IT TO US. SO WE JUST RECEIVED OURS JUST ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF AGO. WE'RE WORKING ON GETTING THE PROPERTY TAX BILLS OUT. WE ARE PUSHING THE THIRD QUARTER GRACE PERIOD TO AUGUST 28TH, 2025. YOU SHOULD BE RECEIVING THOSE BILLS THE FIRST WEEK OF AUGUST AT THE LATEST. SO AGAIN, PROPERTY TAX BILLS. THE GRACE PERIOD IS EXTENDED THROUGH AUGUST 28TH, 2025. I KNOW WE'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF CALLS ON THAT. OUR 2025 PROPERTY TAX RATE, IT'S 3.438 DEPENDING ON WHAT FIRE DISTRICT YOU LIVE IN. FIRE DISTRICT ONE IS AN ADDITIONAL .051, AND FIRE DISTRICT TWO IS AN ADDITIONAL .053. AGAIN, THAT'S AN INCREASE OVER PRIOR YEAR OF ABOUT 1.82% COMPARED TO LAST YEAR. AND THIS IS NOT JUST A MUNICIPAL BUDGET. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ALL ALL OF YOUR TAX RATES 2025 COMPARED TO 2024, INCREASE ABOUT 1.82%. TAX ALLOCATION, WHICH AGAIN, WE GO OVER THIS IN FULL DETAIL WHEN I DO MY BUDGET PRESENTATIONS EARLIER IN THE YEAR. WHEN YOU RECEIVE YOUR PROPERTY TAX BILLS, JUST ABOUT 67%, 66.91% GOES TO THE SCHOOL, 13.75 PLUS, OUR OPEN SPACE OF 1.15% COMES TO US. FIRE DISTRICTS. AVERAGE IS ABOUT 1.49%. COUNTY IS THE FINAL 313 .47 FOR THE COUNTY. COUNTY OPEN SPACE 1.43% AND THE COUNTY LIBRARY 1.81%. THAT'S THE ALLOCATION OF YOUR TAXES. AND AGAIN, EVEN THOUGH THE TAX COLLECTOR, I COLLECT ALL OF YOUR TAXES EVERY MONTH, I SEND OUT THE SCHOOLS PORTION. AND EVERY QUARTER I SEND OUT THE COUNTY PORTION. AND WE GET TO KEEP THAT 13.75 AND THAT 1.15 FOR OPEN SPACE. 2026 BUDGET. IT'S KIND OF AMAZING. WE'RE ALREADY TALKING ABOUT OUR 2026 BUDGET. IT'S JULY 17TH. AMAZING HOW WE'VE GOTTEN HERE SO FAST. BUT IN MID SEPTEMBER THE DEPARTMENT HEADS WILL START WORKING ON THEIR 2026 BUDGET REQUEST. BY DECEMBER, WE'LL HAVE MEETINGS WITH THE DEPARTMENT HEADS. LORI AND MYSELF WILL START MEETING WITH THE DEPARTMENT HEADS. AND THEN BY JANUARY, WE WILL START MEETING WITH THE FINANCE COMMITTEE TO WORK ON THAT 2026 BUDGET. BUT AGAIN, THE WHOLE PROCESS STARTS IN MID SEPTEMBER. SOME BIG NEWS HERE. STATE HEALTH BENEFITS GOING UP 35% THIS UPCOMING YEAR. PRIOR TO THAT IT WAS 20 OVER 20%. LUCKILY WE ARE NOT IN THE STATE HEALTH BENEFIT PLAN. WE ARE UNDER A HEALTH INSURANCE FUND A HALF. WE DID HAVE A RECORD INCREASE LAST YEAR, BUT NOWHERE NEAR WHAT THE STATE IS SAW, AND WE DON'T EXPECT IT TO BE NEARLY AS MUCH AS THE STATE'S 35%. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THERE ARE EXPENSES THAT THAT WE EXPECT TO INCREASE OUT OF OUR CONTROL, LIKE HEALTH BENEFITS, LIKE LIABILITY INSURANCE, LIKE PENSIONS. AGAIN, THAT THAT ALL COMES FROM THE STATE. SO THAT'S STUFF WE'RE KEEPING AN EYE ON AS WELL AS CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS GOING ON. THERE'S A LOT GOING ON FOR OUR 2026 BUDGET, AND IT'S NEVER TOO EARLY TO PREPARE FOR THAT. FINALLY, OUR AUDIT WAS CONCLUDED 
          [00:10:02]
A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO. WE HAVE A RESOLUTION LATER ON IN THIS MEETING, BUT THIS IS REALLY THE PORTION THAT I'LL QUICKLY TALK ABOUT THE AUDIT. EVERY YEAR, WE EVERY MUNICIPALITY IS REQUIRED TO HAVE AN INDEPENDENT REVIEW, A THIRD PARTY COME IN AND AUDIT OUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, INCLUDING OUR AUDITORS. IT CAME IN THIS YEAR AND THEY FOUND NO MATERIAL MISSTATEMENTS. I'LL GO OVER MORE DETAILS IN A SECOND. BUT JUST SO EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS WHAT AN AUDIT IS AS ON THE SLIDE, IT'S AN INDEPENDENT REVIEW OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT'S FINANCIAL RECORDS, INTERNAL CONTROLS AND COMPLIANCE WITH STATE FEDERAL LAWS AND OTHER LAWS. AS WELL. IT ENSURES ACCURACY. IT ENSURES COMPLIANCE, ASSESSES OUR INTERNAL CONTROLS AND RISK MANAGEMENT, AND PROMOTES TRANSPARENCY AND PUBLIC TRUST. RIGHT. YOU WANT TO HAVE A THIRD PARTY COME IN, REVIEW OUR RECORDS AND FORMULATE PROFESSIONAL REPORT AND THAT WILL BE POSTED ONLINE AS WELL. 
          THE ACTUAL AUDIT REPORT. IT'S ABOUT 170 PAGES, 168 PAGES THAT ANYBODY IS AVAILABLE. ANYONE IS WHO HAS ACCESS, CAN VIEW IT, OR THEY CAN GET A COPY FROM THE CLERK, BUT IT WILL BE ONLINE. 
          THE PURPOSE OF AN AUDIT. AGAIN, WE WENT OVER THAT OUTCOME. THERE'S AUDIT FINDINGS, IF ANY, HIGHLIGHT DEFICIENCIES OR NONCOMPLIANCE. NO FINDINGS MEANS THAT THE MUNICIPALITY IS OPERATING EFFICIENTLY. RIGHT. AUDIT. OVERALL, WE JUST WENT OVER. AUDITORS WERE SIMPLY CLOONEY AND COMPANY. THIS WAS FOR THE YEAR ENDING 2024, RIGHT. WE'RE CALENDAR YEAR MUNICIPALITIES. SO IT'S JANUARY 1ST, 2024 TO DECEMBER 31ST, 2024. KEY RESULTS FROM THE AUDIT. AGAIN, THERE WAS NO MATERIAL WEAKNESSES FOUND IN INTERNAL CONTROLS OR FINANCIAL REPORTING. NO SIGNIFICANT DEFICIENCIES IDENTIFIED OR MATERIAL MISSTATEMENTS, NO COMPLIANCE FINDINGS FOR MAJOR FEDERAL OR STATE PROGRAMS. AND AGAIN, WE'RE A LOW RISK AUDITEE. 
          THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE WERE PERFECT, RIGHT? THERE WAS NO RECOMMENDATIONS, WHICH AGAIN, IF THERE'S SOME MAJOR FINDINGS OR SOME OR COMMENTS THAT ARE ARE PREVALENT AND ARE CONSISTENT YEAR OVER YEAR, THEY'LL PUT A RECOMMENDATION DOWN. I REMEMBER WHEN I FIRST GOT HERE, WE HAD RECOMMENDATIONS THAT BANQUETS, BANQUETS WERE NOT BEING COMPLETED IN A TIMELY FASHION. I THINK THEY HAD TWO YEARS OF ROW OF COMMENTS, AND EVENTUALLY IT WAS BUILT UP TO A RECOMMENDATION. WE HAVEN'T HAD A RECOMMENDATION IN A WHILE, BUT WE DO HAVE COMMENTS. FOR EXAMPLE, ONE OF THE COMMENTS THEY HAD THIS YEAR IS KEEP AN EYE ON YOUR DEPOSIT DEPOSITS. 
          WHEN WE RECEIVE A DEPOSIT FROM A RESIDENT OR A BUSINESS, THE STATE STATUTE STATES THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE A DEPOSITED WITH 48 HOURS. THE AUDITORS RAN A SERIES OF TESTS AND THEY FOUND A COUPLE THAT WERE FELL OUT OF THAT 48, 80, 48 HOUR RANGE, ONE FELL A DAY LATE, ANOTHER ONE FELL TWO DAYS LATE. AGAIN, NOTHING SERIOUS, BUT STUFF LIKE THAT. THEY WANT YOU TO KEEP KEEP ON TOP OF SO IT DOESN'T INCREASE. AGAIN, NOTHING. WE'RE NEVER GOING TO BE PERFECT, BUT WE STRIVE TO BE AS AS CLOSE TO PERFECT AS POSSIBLE. ANOTHER COMMENT THEY HAD WAS ENCUMBRANCES, RIGHT? WHEN WE BEFORE WE CAN MAKE A PURCHASE OR PROCURE A SERVICE, WE ACTUALLY HAVE TO ENCUMBER IN OUR SYSTEM, THERE ACTUALLY HAS TO BE A PO NUMBER GENERATED IN OUR ACCOUNTING SYSTEM. IF A PURCHASE IS. IF A PURCHASE IF SOMETHING IS PURCHASED BEFORE IT APPEAL IS GENERATED BEFORE IT'S ENCUMBERED, THAT'S TECHNICALLY AN ENCUMBRANCE VIOLATION. AGAIN, THEY THEY TAKE ABOUT 50 RANDOM POS. THEY TEST A CERTAIN AMOUNT IF THEY FIND SOME MISSTATEMENT. 
          IF THEY FIND A COUPLE OF ENCUMBRANCE VIOLATIONS, THEY SELECT ANOTHER 2550. AND AGAIN THEY FOUND A FEW. EVERY YEAR THEY FIND A FEW. BUT AGAIN, THAT'S ONE OF THE COMMENTS. THEY SAY, HEY, STAY ON TOP OF THAT. STAY ON TOP OF ALL OF THE DEPARTMENT HEADS AND THE EMPLOYEES THAT HANDLE THE REQUISITIONS AND THE PURCHASE ORDERS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE FOLLOWING THE ENCUMBRANCE LAWS, PURCHASING AND PROCUREMENT LAWS. SO THAT'S ANOTHER COMMENT. 
          THEY MADE, ANOTHER SMALL COMMENT THEY MADE. THEY SAID, WHEN WE DO OUR CHAPTER 159 RESOLUTIONS, WHICH IS WHEN WE RECEIVE A GRANT AND WE WANT TO ENTER IT INTO THE BUDGET, AFTER THE RESOLUTION IS APPROVED, WE SEND IT OFF TO THE STATE. THEY SAY, MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE A AN AWARD LETTER PRIOR TO SUBMITTING IT TO THE STATE, PRIOR TO PASSING A RESOLUTION. AN EMAIL ALL THE TIME DOES NOT JUSTIFY YOU BEING ABLE TO DO THAT. SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WILL STAY ON TOP OF AS WELL. 
          ANOTHER ONE WAS WE HAVE SOME OLD GRANTS THAT WE NEED TO CLEAN OUT. SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'LL LOOK AT THIS YEAR. AND WE'LL SEE RESOLUTIONS TOWARDS THE END OF THE YEAR TO CLEAN OUT THOSE OLD GRANTS AND CLOSE THEM OUT, ONES THAT GO BACK PROBABLY 15 PLUS YEARS. PROJECTS ARE DONE. THERE'S FUNDS LEFT OVER AGAIN. IT'S LITERALLY AN ACCOUNTING ENTRY THAT WILL BE DONE, BUT IT CLEANS UP YOUR BOOKS. SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE COMMENTS WE HAD. AGAIN, NOTHING CRAZY, NOTHING THAT THAT RISES TO THE LEVEL OF A RECOMMENDATION OVERALL. AGAIN, NO MATERIAL MISSTATEMENTS. YOU KNOW, I APPLAUD THE DEPARTMENT HEADS. THEY TAKE THIS VERY SERIOUSLY. 
          THE AUDITORS ALWAYS COME BACK TO ME AFTER AND WANTING ME TO PASS ON HOW GRATEFUL THEY ARE TO THE 
          [00:15:01]
DEPARTMENT HEADS OF WHAT A GOOD JOB THEY DO, AND FOLLOW THE LAWS NOT ONLY FOLLOW THE LAWS, BUT FOLLOW OUR PROCESSES. THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING. LET'S SEE. ALL THE FINDINGS AGAIN. I JUST WENT OVER THERE. NO RECOMMENDATIONS. CLEAN AUDIT ACROSS THE BOARDS MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP FINANCE OPERATIONS AND GRANT MANAGEMENT ARE IN FULL COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAWS AND REGULATIONS REFLECTING SOUND GOVERNANCE AND FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY. AND ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE. MAYBE JUST A COUPLE OF COMMENTS. NUMBER ONE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT COMPREHENSIVE OVERVIEW. AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO TRY AND GET THESE BUDGET REVIEWS, AT LEAST ON A QUARTERLY BASIS. SO THANK YOU FOR GETTING THROUGH THAT. NUMBER ONE, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I KNOW, WE DO A REALLY GREAT JOB OF, YOU KNOW, MANAGING THE COSTS, EXPENSES AND KEEPING ALL THE DEPARTMENT HEADS ON BUDGETS. OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S A LOT OF EXTERNAL FACTORS THAT ARE THAT DRIVE RISKS THAT, YOU KNOW, CAN BE DEEMED LIKE OUT OF CONTROL. ARE WE SEEING ANY EITHER RISKS OR OPPORTUNITIES AS WE GO, YOU KNOW, INTO THIS BUDGET YEAR, BUT ALSO INTO NEXT YEAR THAT MAYBE OTHER TOWNSHIPS ARE DEALING WITH? AGAIN, THE BIGGEST RISKS THAT THAT EVERY YEAR WE'VE BEEN FACING THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, AS YOU KNOW, OF COURSE, IS THE HEALTH BENEFITS, REGARDLESS IF WE'RE IN THE HALF OR THE STATE, YOU KNOW, THOSE PREMIUMS HAVE BEEN INCREASING SIGNIFICANTLY. PENSIONS ARE CONTRIBUTION, EMPLOYER CONTRIBUTION. RIGHT. THERE'S THE EMPLOYEE PAYS A PORTION AND THEN THE EMPLOYER PAYS A PORTION. 
          EVERY YEAR THE STATE INCREASES THE AMOUNT THAT THE EMPLOYER CONTRIBUTES. SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE HAVE NO CONTROL OVER. I THINK CAPITAL IS SOMETHING OR CAPITAL IS SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE LOOK AT EVERY YEAR AND WE TRY TO MANAGE. IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE TO DO ROADS. IT GETS EVEN EVERY YEAR WITH INFLATION. ROADS BECOME A NEVER ENDING EXPENSE. WE DON'T WANT TO GET TO A POINT WHERE WE DON'T NEGLECT THEM. SO WE DO. WE DO INVEST A LOT, WHICH IS WHY, YOU SEE, WE USUALLY GO OUT FOR DEBT WHEN IT COMES TO OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS. BUT AGAIN, I THINK IN TERMS OF RISK, IT'S REALLY THOSE STATE, THOSE STATE MANDATES THAT WE HAVE NO CONTROL OVER. WE DO HAVE CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS NOT ONLY FOR THE PBA. WE HAVE OUR ACP UNION ALSO COMING UP AS WELL. SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF PRESSURE BEING PUT ON NOT ONLY NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET, BUT ALSO 2027, 2028. BUT WE ALWAYS LOOK AT WAYS TO TRY TO INCREASE THAT OTHER SIDE, NOT ONLY BEING EFFICIENT WITH APPROPRIATIONS, BUT AT THE SAME TIME LOOKING AT OUR REVENUES, TRYING TO FIND MORE OPPORTUNITIES LIKE SHARED SERVICES. I KNOW WE'RE ON NEW CELL TOWER. LEASE IS ABOUT TO GET KICKED IN. JUST TRYING TO FIND WAYS TO GENERATE MORE STREAMS OF REVENUE. AT THE SAME TIME, YOU KNOW, WITH WITH WORKING HAND IN HAND WITH, WITH THE APPROPRIATIONS, DEALING WITH THOSE AND MANAGING THOSE APPROPRIATELY. BUT THERE COMES A TIME AND A POINT WHERE THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH YOU CAN DO, AND SORRY, DID YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING THEN? YEAH. QUESTION ON GRANTS. HOW ARE WE WHAT GRANTS THIS YEAR AND WHAT IS YOUR PROJECTION OF RECEIVING THOSE GRANTS NEXT YEAR? SO AGAIN, AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR WHEN EVERYTHING WAS GOING ON WITH WITH FUNDING BEING CUT AND WHATNOT, WE WERE VERY CONCERNED, ESPECIALLY WITH OUR HEALTH GRANTS. LUCKILY, THE PAST MONTH OR SO, WE FOUND OUT THAT THE GRANTS THAT WE WOULD BE RECEIVING, YOU KNOW, WE NO LONGER HAVE TO HOLD OUR BREATH. WE WILL BE RECEIVING. WILL SOME OF THOSE GRANTS BE CUT? I THINK THEY WILL WHEN IT COMES TO THAT HEALTH SIDE. BUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE STATE GRANTS, THAT WE GET MUNICIPAL AID EVERY YEAR, WHICH AGAIN, 1.3 MILLION, 1.6 1.3 MILLION EVERY YEAR, I DON'T THINK THAT WILL BE TOUCHED. YOU KNOW, THE STATE AID. BUT IN TERMS OF THE DISCRETIONARY GRANTS, I THINK THEY WILL SLOW DOWN A LITTLE IN TERMS OF THE MATERIAL NATURE OF THAT. I DON'T THINK WE WILL SEE THAT IN 2026. SO I THINK FOR 2026 WE'LL BE FINE. WE DO HAVE BRUNO ASSOCIATES, WHICH IS OUR GRANT CONSULTANTS, WHICH ARE CONSISTENTLY LOOKING FOR GRANTS, CONSISTENTLY APPLYING FOR GRANTS FOR US, WHICH HAS BEEN A LIFESAVER, NOT ONLY APPLYING BUT MANAGING THEM AS WELL, WHICH HAS BEEN A LIFE SAVER AND HAS BEEN WORTH EVERY PENNY. I MEAN, THEY'VE THEY'VE MADE WHAT WE PAY THEM PLUS TENFOLD, NOT TENFOLD. 
          THAT'D BE A LOT, BUT NOT PROBABLY TENFOLD 40,000. SO IN TERMS OF GRANTS, WE'RE VERY WE'RE MORE AGGRESSIVE THAN WE HAVE BEEN IN THE PAST BECAUSE WE HAVE THE CONSULTANTS AND BECAUSE IN THE PAST, EVEN IF WE COULD APPLY FOR THEM, THE PROBLEM WAS IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT TO MANAGE. NOW WE HAVE THEM TO OFFLOAD ALL THAT WORK TO THEM. SO TO ANSWER YOUR I KNOW IT'S A LONG WINDED, BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, I THINK THE PRESSURE IN 2025 HAS WEANED OFF IN 26 WILL BE OKAY, BUT I THINK 27 WILL BE THE YEAR THAT IF ANYTHING TRULY HAPPENS, IS WHEN WE'LL SEE A DEFICIT IN GRANTS. OKAY, SO WE JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PLANNING FOR POSSIBLE DEFICITS AND YOU KNOW, WHERE WE'RE GOING TO ADJUST, CORRECT? YES. EVERY YEAR IN THE BUDGET PROCESS AS WE GO THROUGH THE 2026, 2027 AND SO ON PROCESS, WE'LL LOOK AT THE POTENTIAL GRANTS. AND AGAIN, IF THE GRANTS AREN'T THERE AND THE PROGRAM IS CONTINGENT ON GRANTS, 
          [00:20:03]
UNFORTUNATELY THAT'S A DECISION WE'LL HAVE TO MAKE WITH THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, WITH THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE. DO WE WANT TO CONTINUE THIS PROGRAM THROUGH OTHER SOURCES OF FUNDS OR, YOU KNOW, DO WE WANT TO GO THAT THAT OTHER ROUTE? BUT YES, EVERY YEAR THE BUDGET COMMITTEE TRULY LOOKS DEEP INTO THE GRANTS, WHAT THEY'RE FUNDING AND, YOU KNOW, CONTINGENCIES IF GRANTS DO GO AWAY. THEN MY SECOND COMMENT, I JUST WANTED TO, YOU KNOW, APPLAUD THAT YOU AND THE ENTIRE DEPARTMENT ON THE AUDIT REVIEWS, I ACTUALLY GET EXCITED FOR THIS TIME OF THE YEAR, BECAUSE I ACTUALLY DO GO THROUGH THE ENTIRE AUDIT REVIEW AND HAVING MY BACKGROUND IN CORPORATE FINANCE, JUST REALLY TRYING TO MAKE SURE, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S OUR ONE WAY, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE AN INDEPENDENT THIRD PARTY COME IN AND GO THROUGH ALL OF THE INFORMATION. I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT I THINK EVERYONE SAYS THAT. I FEEL LIKE ANY GOOD AUDITOR IS ALWAYS GOING TO BRING SOMETHING UP, AND THEN THAT'S THEIR JOB. AND THE REPORT THAT I SAW OVER THIS PAST WEEK REALLY REFLECTS SOME OF THE BEST YEARS THAT I'VE HAD. YOU KNOW, WHEN I'VE WORKED WITH DEPARTMENTS, HAD LIKE REALLY STRONG, SOLID AUDIT FINDINGS. SO, YOU KNOW, CONGRATULATIONS. I KNOW THAT DOESN'T COME EASILY. THAT'S BEEN ON TOP OF ALL THE, THE SMALL THINGS AND THE BIG THINGS AT ALL TIMES. SO JUST WANT TO THANK YOU. AND I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THOSE AUDITS AND THE FINANCIAL DISCIPLINE IS WHAT GETS US THE TRIPLE A BOND RATING THAT WE HAVE THAT REALLY LOWERS OUR OUR COST TO BORROW AND TO EFFECTIVELY MANAGE THESE LONG TERM INVESTMENTS THAT WE WANT TO MAKE IN THE TOWN. AND MAYBE I'LL JUST TAKE A QUICK MOMENT HERE, BECAUSE I DID SEE SOMETHING ON SOCIAL MEDIA. THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT GRANTS AND FUNDING. I DID SEE A POST FROM OUR OUR LEGISLATIVE DIRECTORS IN LD 16 THAT MONTGOMERY WAS HIGHLIGHTED AS ONE OF THE TOWNSHIPS THAT'S GOING TO RECEIVE SOME SOME MONEY FROM THE STATE. SO I THINK THAT'S JUST ANOTHER WAY THAT WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE WORK WITH ALL OF OUR STAKEHOLDERS TO ENSURE WE FIND MANY DIFFERENT WAYS TO FUND THE WORK THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IN MONTGOMERY. SO I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT WE ARE LISTED THERE. AND HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, WE'LL BE ABLE TO MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT IN THE NEAR TERM. FINGERS CROSSED. GOOD. OKAY, LET'S SEE. ALL RIGHT. PUBLIC 
          [2. Public Comment ]
COMMENT. MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO ADDRESS THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE ON MATTERS PERTAINING TO 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 SPOKES PERSON. ONE QUICK ANNOUNCEMENT I'D LIKE TO MAKE, BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS AROUND THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PLAN. AS MAYOR SINGH DID DISCUSS AT THE LAST TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE MEETING WILL BE ANNOUNCING, YOU KNOW, OUR FIRST PROBABLY MULTIPLE COMMUNICATION SLASH TOWN HALLS THAT WILL HAPPEN IN EARLY AUGUST. SO WE'RE TRYING TO WRAP UP A DAY AND MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE RIGHT EXPERTS AND TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE MEMBER ATTENDANCE, AND WE WILL GET THAT IN A TIMELY MANNER SO THAT EVERYONE CAN PARTICIPATE. ARE THERE ANY MEMBERS WHO WOULD LIKE TO HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT? PLEASE COME FORWARD, SIR. YOU WANT MY NAME AND ADDRESS? YES. LAST NAME, NAME, ADDRESS AND EDWARD SILVERMAN I'VE LIVED ON FAIRVIEW ROAD FOR 35 YEARS. JUST GIVE YOUR NAME AND THEN SPELL YOUR LAST NAME SO THAT WE KNOW THE CLERK GETS IT. FOR THE RECORD, YOU DON'T NEED TO GIVE YOUR ADDRESS, OKAY? S I L V E R M A N. DO I NEED TO SWEAR IN? NO, NO, NO, YOU'RE VERY CASUAL HERE, OKAY? IT'S DIFFERENT THAN THE PLANNING BOARD. ALL RIGHT. MY COMMENTS ARE IN REGARD TO THE INCLUSION OF THE KEN VIEW SITE IN THE FOURTH ROUND HOUSING AND FAIR SHARE PLAN, AND I'M GOING TO MAKE FOUR COMMENTS AND THEN OFFER TWO SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE COMMITTEE TO MAKE. ONE, THE PLANNING BOARD AND TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE HAVE ADOPTED THE PROPOSED FAIR HOUSING PLAN BASED ON FALSE AND MISLEADING INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE TOWNSHIP ADMINISTRATOR AND OR THE CONSULTANT, AND INCLUDED IN THE PLAN THAT WAS VOTED ON AND APPROVED BY THE PLANNING BOARD. 
          I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU TWO EXAMPLES, BUT THERE'S PROBABLY MORE. THE PLAN SAYS, AND I QUOTE, THE SITE WILL NOT AFFECT ANY HISTORIC OR ARCHITECTURALLY IMPORTANT SITES AND DISTRICTS. 
          THERE ARE NO HISTORIC OR ARCHITECTURALLY IMPORTANT SITES OR BUILDINGS ON THE PROPERTY, OR IN THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY THAT WILL AFFECT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING. THAT STATEMENT IS FALSE AND MISLEADING. THE CORRECT INFORMATION IS AS FOLLOWS. 
          IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROPOSED HOUSING ON THE SITE WILL REQUIRE DEMOLITION OF THE EXISTING HEADQUARTERS BUILDING. THE BUILDING IS A SIGNIFICANT EXAMPLE OF LATE MODERN ARCHITECTURE. IT WAS DESIGNED BY HENRY AND COBB AND W STEVEN WOOD OF I.M. PEI AND PARTNERS, WITH OVERSIGHT BY PEI HIMSELF. IT EVOLVED COLLABORATION WITH RENOWNED LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT LAURIE OLIN, FURTHER ENHANCING ITS OVERALL DESIGN AND HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE. 
          CONSTRUCTION OF THE PROPOSED HOUSING DEVELOPMENT WILL RESULT IN THE LOSS OF ONE OF THE MOST ARCHITECTURALLY IMPORTANT BUILDINGS IN MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP. IN ITS PLACE WILL BE A NONDESCRIPT HOUSING DEVELOPMENT SIMILAR TO THOUSANDS OF OTHERS TO THE PLAN THAT WAS VOTED ON AND APPROVED BY THE PLANNING BOARD AND TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE, SAYS, REFERRING TO THE SITE. AND I QUOTE, IT IS UNDERUTILIZED AND THE PROPOSED INCLUSIONARY DEVELOPMENT PRESENTS A VERY GOOD UTILIZATION OF THIS SITE THAT IS FALSE AND MISLEADING. THE CORRECT INFORMATION IS AS FOLLOWS. THE SITE IS CURRENTLY FULLY UTILIZED, AS ANTICIPATED IN THE TOWNSHIP ZONING LAWS AND 
          [00:25:05]
MASTER PLAN. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROPOSED HOUSING DEVELOPMENT WOULD REQUIRE SIGNIFICANT CHANGING OF ZONING REGULATIONS AND OR VARIANCES, AND WOULD HAVE A SIGNIFICANT NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH IS OPPOSED BY MANY OF THE NEARBY RESIDENTS. THREE GIVEN THAT THE INCLUSION OF 417 HOUSING UNITS IN THE FOURTH ROUND HOUSING AND FAIR SHARE PLAN WAS BASED ON FALSE AND MISLEADING INFORMATION, THAT IT REQUIRED DEMOLITION OF ONE OF THE MOST ARCHITECTURALLY IMPORTANT BUILDINGS IN THE TOWNSHIP, THAT IT WOULD RESULT IN SEVERE DEGRADATION OF ONE OF THE FEW REMAINING AREAS OF THE TOWN, RETAINING A PREDOMINANTLY RURAL CHARACTER THAT IT IS CONTRARY TO THE TOWN'S MASTER PLAN THAT IS INCONSISTENT WITH EXISTING ZONING. SO YOUR TIME IS UP. YOUR TIME IS UP, SIR. WE'LL BE HAVING A. THE TOWN HALL WILL HAVE OTHER OUTLETS TO FOR THAT TO HAPPEN. EXCUSE ME. THANK YOU. YOU CAN JUST COME FORWARD. 
          HELLO, CHRIS. I'M A 30 YEAR RESIDENT OF MONTGOMERY. YOUR LAST NAME, PLEASE. D O L L A R D. SO IN REGARDS TO THE KEN VIEW LOW INCOME HOUSING SITE, MONTGOMERY MIGHT AS WELL START SOLICITING NEW STREET NAMES FOR FAIRVIEW AND GRANDVIEW. THEY'RE APTLY NAMED FOR THEIR ELEVATION AND SWEEPING EASTERN VIEWS OF THE SURROUNDING LANDSCAPE. IF THE 250 UNITS OF MANDATED LOW INCOME HOUSING GOES THROUGH, PEOPLE WHO PAID FOR THESE SOURLAND MOUNTAIN VIEWS WILL BE LOOKING OUT OVER HUNDREDS OF LOW INCOME, MID-RISE HOUSING UNITS. POOR VIEW ROAD AND MOUNT LAUREL VIEW ROAD MIGHT BE SUITABLE. NEW NAMES. LOWER UTILITY, THE OLD J AND J SITE AND MORE RECENTLY ITS SUBSIDIARY KEN VIEW WAS A TERRIFIC TAX RATABLE AND SOURCE OF PREMIUM PHARMACEUTICAL EMPLOYMENT FOR THE TOWNSHIP. A MAJOR EMPLOYMENT DRAW FOR RESIDENTS, ATTRACTING A WELL-EDUCATED WORKFORCE AND BUOYING REAL ESTATE VALUES TO TRADE. THIS FOR 250 UNITS OF LOW INCOME HOUSING, IS A DOWNGRADE TO THE TOWNSHIP OF IMMENSE PROPORTIONS. NOT ONLY DO WE LOSE THE HIGH END EMPLOYMENT DRAW, BUT WE REPLACE IT WITH A PERPETUAL COST TO THE COMMUNITY. 
          I'D MUCH RATHER SEE THIS GO INTO REDEVELOPMENT AS R&D LAB SPACE, OR TORN DOWN FOR OPEN SPACE. A PARALLEL CASE IN POINT IS THE OLD BELL LABS SPACE ON CARTER ROAD IN HOPEWELL. A PORTION WAS REDEVELOPED INTO R&D SPACE AND A PORTION WAS RAZED FOR OPEN SPACE IN THE FORM OF THE MOUNT ROSE PRESERVE CLOSE TO THE COMMUNITY. MONTGOMERY RESIDENTS WILL NEED TO PAY FOR UPGRADED INFRASTRUCTURE, INCLUDING SEWER, ROADS, ACCESS TO THE SITE, TRAFFIC LIGHTS, INCREASED TRAFFIC ON OUR EXISTING ROADS, AND INCREASED ENROLLMENT ENROLLMENT, TAXING OUR EXISTING SCHOOLS. THERE'S A LACK OF SERVICES IN THAT AREA. NO BUSSING THAT I KNOW OF. SHOPPING IS TEN MINUTES TO DOWNTOWN, SEWER IS NON-EXISTENT AND HEALTH CARE IS 20 MINUTES AWAY IN PENNINGTON OR PLAINSBORO. THANK YOU. DAVE LEONARD L E L N A R D I'VE BEEN A TOWNSHIP RESIDENT FOR 45 YEARS. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE HAD TO ADDRESS THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE. I'M NOT HAPPY ABOUT IT. IN REVIEWING THE FOURTH ROUND OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING PRESENTATION OF JANUARY 16TH FROM YOUR WEBSITE, SLATE, 23 STATES WITH RESPECT TO OUR CALCULATED NEED OF AFFORDABLE UNITS, THAT THE LAND CAPACITY IN MONTGOMERY. THE TOTAL ACREAGE OF DEVELOPABLE LAND IS 202 ACRES. AND THAT IS WHAT IS THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS CALCULATED ON. HOWEVER, THE SUBMITTED FOURTH ROUND PLAN NOW HAS ADDED THE RURAL KEN VIEW SITE TO THE PLAN, WHICH WAS PREVIOUSLY DEEMED BY THE STATE NOT IN MONTGOMERY'S DEVELOPABLE LAND. 
          CAPACITY FROM THE SUBMITTED PLAN CAN VIEW ADDS 382 ACRES TO THOSE 202 ACRES. HOW CAN THIS BOTH BE TRUE? HOW CAN WE MAGICALLY FIND ANOTHER 382 ACRES TO ADD TO OUR DEVELOPABLE LAND? AND WHAT IS THE EFFECT OF THAT ON THE CALCULATION OF DEVELOPABLE LAND AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEMAND FROM THE STATE NOW AND INTO THE FUTURE? SECONDLY, THERE ARE PROBLEMS WITH THE SUBMITTED PLAN. THERE ARE SEVERAL DEFICIENCIES, SOME OF WHICH HAVE ALREADY BEEN CALLED OUT BY ED SILVERMAN. BUT ONE OF THE MOST GLARING IS THE TOTAL ABSENCE IN THE PLAN OF ANY OTHER CONSIDERED PROPERTIES. HOW CAN THIS BE AND WHY WERE THEY NOT INCLUDED? THEY WERE INCLUDED IN THE THIRD ROUND PLAN, BUT THERE ARE NONE IN THE FOURTH ROUND PLAN. NONE AT ALL. THIRDLY, THE ALTERNATIVES 
          [00:30:05]
RELATED TO MY PREVIOUS COMMENT WHAT IS PLAN B AND PLAN C? IN THE EVENT THAT THE KEN VIEW PROPERTY WAS NOT AVAILABLE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, IT'S IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO BELIEVE THAT NO OTHER CONSIDERATION WAS GIVEN TO ANY OTHER SITES. AND WHAT IF THE PLAN IS CHALLENGED AND THE KEN VIEW PROPERTY IS REMOVED FROM MONTGOMERY'S AFFORDABLE HOUSING PLAN? WHAT THEN? WHAT DOES THE TOWNSHIP PLAN TO DO TO MODIFY OR AMEND THE PLAN? TO REPLACE THE KEN VIEW PROPERTY? I WOULD REQUEST THAT THE COMMITTEE, THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE, PASS A RESOLUTION ON THE FOURTH ROUND HOUSING AND FAIR SHARE PLAN AND DIRECT THE TOWNSHIP ADMINISTRATION WITHIN 30 DAYS TO DEVELOP AN ALTERNATIVE PLAN BASED ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT THE KEN VIEW SITE CANNOT BE USED. THIS WOULD PROVIDE THE ANSWER TO A QUESTION ASKED BY A MEMBER OF THE PLANNING BOARD DURING THE PLANNING BOARD VIEW, WHICH IS WHAT WOULD HAVE YOU PROPOSED IF THE KEN VIEW SITE WAS NOT AVAILABLE? MY LAST COMMENT IS THE PROCESS OF THIS. IT IS NICE TO HEAR THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HOLD TOWN MEETINGS IN AUGUST, BUT THE CONCRETE WILL ALREADY BE SETTING BY THAT POINT AND THE PLAN WILL NOT BE ABLE TO BE CHANGED. THANK YOU. 
          JACOBSON J A C O B O N. I'VE LIVED ON GRANDVIEW ROAD SINCE 1978. MY COMMENTS ARE QUITE SIMPLE ACTUALLY. I'M NOT QUITE AS ELOQUENT AS MY OTHER COLLEAGUES, AND I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT THEY SAID. I HAVE QUESTIONS FOR ALL OF YOU TO BEGIN. HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE EVER BEEN ON GRANDVIEW ROAD? ALL RIGHT, I'M SORRY WE DON'T DO THE QUESTION AND ANSWER WHILE YOU'RE SPEAKING SO THAT YOU GET YOUR FULL THREE MINUTES. THIS IS PART OF IT, OKAY? JUST RAISE YOUR HAND. THAT'S ALL. OKAY, SO YOU HAVE NOT VISITED THE GRANDVIEW SITE, CORRECT. THE KEN VIEW SITE YOU HAVE. OKAY. THE DEPUTY MAYOR. YES. OKAY. HAVE YOU I SUGGEST, IF YOU'LL PARDON MY BOLDNESS, THAT YOU ALL DRIVE UP TO GRANDVIEW, LOOK AT THE PROPERTY OF THE KEN VIEW SITE, THEN DRIVE UP THE HILL, THE MOUNTAIN. SEE WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE RURAL AREA OF OUR TOWNSHIP. 
          LOOK AT THE TWO LANE BRIDGES ON GRANDVIEW, AND IMAGINE 100 CARS COMING OUT OF KEN VIEW DURING MORNING RUSH HOUR, BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT ALL GOING TO GO ON 601. AND IMAGINE THAT THAT TAKES 120 APPROXIMATELY 120 CARS TO FILL A HALF A MILE. I LIVE HALF A MILE FROM THE BROOK. THAT'S 120 CARS. HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO GET OUT? SO THERE'S A THERE'S A SERIOUS PROBLEM HERE THAT HAS NOT BEEN ADDRESSED. AND OF NOTE HAS BEEN SAID BEFORE THAT THE J AND J BUILDINGS ARE DESIGNED BY AMP, AND THEY ARE PLANNED TO BE DEMOLISHED. AND IT IS SHAMEFUL, TOTALLY SHAMEFUL TO DO THAT TO THIS KIND OF ARCHITECTURE. OKAY. FURTHERMORE, HOWEVER, I DO BELIEVE THAT THE THAT THIS PROJECT IS REALLY VERY POORLY DESIGNED AS YOU WANT THIS COMMUNITY TO OF ABOUT 1200 PEOPLE TO BE IN, BUILT IN AN ISOLATED AREA OF OUR TOWNSHIP, WHICH HAS ALREADY BEEN ADDRESSED. HOW IS THIS SENSIBLE PLANNING? YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER THAT. AND WILL THE INFRASTRUCTURE SUPPORT THIS INFLUX OF PEOPLE AND CARS? AND TO REPEAT WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN SAID, THERE ARE NO SERVICES AVAILABLE TO PEOPLE LIVING DOWN AT THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL THAT ARE WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE. SENIORS LIKE TO WALK PEOPLE WHO HAVE LONG ARE GOING TO OCCUPY LOW INCOME HOUSING DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE CARS, ALTHOUGH IT WAS INSISTED UPON IT. THE PLANNING BOARD MEETING THAT THEY WILL. SO NOW IS THE TIME TO BEGIN TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX. 
          THANK YOU, MA'AM, THAT YOUR TIME IS UP. THANK YOU. VERY. SURE. NO WORRIES. I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE MY. Y'ALL KNOW WHO I AM, FRANK DRIFT. AND I'VE BEEN HERE FOR 82.5 YEARS. I'LL BE 
          [00:35:01]
MORE THAN ANY OF YOU WERE OR YOU NEVER WERE AROUND. AND I'VE WORKED AT J AND J SINCE DAY ONE. 
          YOU KNOW, I GO THERE EVERY SINGLE DAY. YOU KNOW, IT'S A IT'LL BE A DAMN SHAME TO TEAR THOSE BUILDINGS DOWN. YOU KNOW, THE TRAFFIC IS TERRIBLE. HAVE YOU EVER TRIED TO COME OUT OF THERE TO 601? IT'S TERRIBLE. YOU NEED A TRAFFIC LIGHT. ALL THE ROADS, ONE BRIDGE. YOU KNOW, WE. 
          I THINK WE SHOULD THINK ABOUT IT, YOU KNOW, AND SPEND OUR MONEY LOOKING FOR SOMETHING ELSE. YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE THE STATE PROPERTY BEHIND THE SCHOOL. I THINK THERE'S 280 ACRES THERE. AND BY THE OTHER SCHOOL, I THINK THE THERE'S MAYBE 300 ACRES THERE. SO WHY DOESN'T THE STATE, IF THEY MANDATE IT, GIVE US THE LAND TO BUILD THEM? THAT WOULD BE SIMPLE ENOUGH. AND THE KIDS CAN WALK TO SCHOOL, YOU KNOW. AND THE OTHER THING I WANT TO BRING UP IS I THINK IT'S TERRIBLE WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. WE NEED TO HAVE A CONTRACT FOR THE POLICE OFFICERS. IF THESE GUYS, I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF HALF OF THEM DON'T LEAVE. AND THEN WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO, TRAIN ALL NEW ONES? WOULD YOU WORK WITHOUT A CONTRACT? WOULD YOU? WOULD. YOU KNOW, I THINK WE NEED TO DO THAT AND QUIT RUNNING AROUND RUNNING AROUND IN A CIRCLE BECAUSE I THINK ALL OF YOU ARE DOING A POOR JOB. THANK YOU. 
          FIJA. OKAY. I'M SORRY F E F E J A OKAY. SO FIRST, IT JUST BOGGLES MY MIND THAT NOT ALL OF YOU HAVE BEEN TO THE KEN VIEW SITE. ONLY BINS. YOU'VE ALL BEEN, YOU'VE ALL BEEN. WE'VE ALL BEEN. IT SOUNDED LIKE ONLY LIKE SOME OF THEM. OKAY, SO I AGREE WITH EVERY SINGLE THING THAT EVERYTHING EVERYONE ELSE HAS SAID HERE, AND I URGE EVERYONE ELSE TO GET UP HERE AND SAY THE SAME THING. THE OTHER THING IS THE 125 ACRES THAT'S BEING OTHECATED TO THE TOWNSHIP ON THE RIDE. C S YOU GANS PLEUYEAS ASTRAIGH STNSWER A AS T OAT'SWH GOING TO PPEN IHAFHIS T THROU?GH CAN YOU PLEEAS SAY,TEDEHAT T F OPENORPACE SND A NO, TT'SHAE'RE G WNGOI TO ADD THAT TO ALL T OPENHEPACE S THEOTAN MAKEERVICE SS F ALLOR DON'E ACRPLS THEOS STREEWHOT HAVE AT NYERVICE SIN THES AR.EA PLEASE. LIKE TTHA WOU BELD LEAST THAYOUT AN CO IF D ITTH GOES THRGH.OU BUT IGREE A SHODN'TUL ITHOULDN S'T BE GO THUGH INROHE FIR TST PLA.CE THK YOU.ANEORGE G DESANS. JTIT E M O SECONNED. I WANTO PROV OUR AORNEYTT JUST EID ONE QCKUI RESNSEPO TO THE NOTEECAUSE B THINK IHERE'S T STIONUE AUTBO LEIK GETTING Y INNT THESEN I TSE ND I A WANT TO MA SUREKE TH THAT ATULD BECODDRESS A.ED SO ERE'STH A CPLE THOUGSIN TT BEENEEN B MENTIED THAON SOMEMA IT'LL SAVEOME S PPLEEO GITA A II COULF D JTUS THEM NS . SOOW TNK YOUHA ,PUTYDE MOR. FAYST OFIR ALL, ITS 250 UNITSOAN LOW L INCE HAT AR TE GNG TOOI BE AT TH SITE.AT THE TNSHIPOW OVERALL ON IS TIETH 2 UNITS60 .'SIT NOT BEING ALL PUT IN AT KN EW.VI SOALLING CT I PROOIEW V IS INCOACCATE. IURS NOTT' 250 LOW ME UNI.TS THEY'RE PUTNGTI MENTDE. I ALSO WANDTE TO NIOHEN W FOLKS AREORRIED W ABT THEOUNFRAST ICTURERU TTHEO SI,TE IF TS GETSHI DEVOPED,EL GOINIRASTRUNFURE, TCT ROADSHE IN,G  THE SER TO EWETH SITE, LAL OF AT ISTH BORNEY THE B DELOPERVE THATILL NO W BTE P UT THEON RESENTS.IDN ADDI ION.TI FAR AASS  KENIEW V BEING A GRTEAEVENUE ROURCE, S WANT I T OMINDRE ERYBODYVEE HAVE W REIVEDCE NICEOT THAT OF MASS WHILS,LAHAT I TIST  CLOSI. SONG IENDERST UDANT WOUL IBE Y'SOD DESEIROR CAN F Y OUNCA VIEW TO CONSIR HERDE EEY'VETHLREADY A ANNOUED THANC TEY'RETH MOVGIN TO MMIT.SU TH'REEY AEADYLR CLOSI DOWNNG SO WLE THEHI MAYRE BETHER O OPONS THTIAT MAY CEOM THRGH INOU TH FUTUREE FOR TS SITHITHATE E NOTARFFORDA AE,BL HOUSING CAN VI,EWONTINU CGINS NOT I GOING T O ANBEPTION OECAUSE BHEY'VE T SAID YATTH THEREY' SO IG.UST J WANTO MAKE T TH PUTAT TT OUTHAHERE. T THE CONTIP CWNMITTEEOM HAD NO LROF OAKING  MN VIEWKETAY. S U CAN'YO FORCET BUSIN ASES TO ST AGAINAY. THEY N'TWOE B THERE. MIGHT BLLE ANOTHER BUSESS? IINT BE.T WILITL E B HOUNG?SI WANTSEE 'LATWH HPENS.APUT I B TO MA CLEARKE, KEN VIE WLL NOTWI BE TRE.HEN I AITION,DD SAID TI HE INFRARUCTURST EULD BWOPAIDE  BY THEEVELOP DER 
          [00:40:06]
HIS WE T TREGOO HROUGH T. AND I NTWAO CLAR TY, AIF I'VENDAID S AT THE LAST MTING AEE IND OT ERYBODYVEAS W HE,ER BUT R CLARFOICATIOIFN PPOSES,UR THE'SER MYANTEPS SO THIS T PRESS.OC WHETHEN  LANDAPACIT C , WCH ISHI ONLY ONE OF THREE DIFFERENT FACTORS THAT WERE USED TO FUNNEL DOWN THE OBLIGATIONS TO TOWNS FROM THE STATE WIDE LEVEL, THE LAND CAPACITY FACTOR IS NOT WHAT THE TOWNS ARE SUPPOSED TO LOOK AT FOR BUILDING. IT'S WHAT'S LOOKED AT AS FAR AS WHAT THE STATE OVERALL IS LOOKING AT LAND TOWARDS GIVING AN ALLOCATION TO THE TOWN. IF MONTGOMERY DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH LAND AND WAS A VACANT LAND ANALYSIS TOWN, WHICH IS LANDS LIKE AMAWA THAT SAY THAT WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH AVAILABLE LAND DUE TO OTHER RESTRICTIONS. EVEN IF YOU WERE THEN CONSIDERING WHAT LAND DO YOU HAVE AVAILABLE, IT STILL WOULDN'T BE THE SAME LAND THAT'S USED IN THE CAPACITY FACTOR. IT'S APPLES TO ORANGES AND I UNDERSTAND IT'S VERY CONFUSING AND I AGREE WITH YOU. IT'S VERY CONFUSING, BUT IT'S APPLES TO ORANGES. AND WHETHER THERE'S 200 ACRES OF LAND CAPACITY AND WHETHER THERE'S 300 ACRES AT KEN VIEW, THEY'RE NOT COUNTED IN THE SAME BOX WHEN YOU'RE GETTING INTO DIFFERENT STEPS OF THE PROCESS. SO I UNDERSTAND THE FRUSTRATION, BUT IT'S APPLES TO ORANGES. IT MIGHT EVEN BE APPLES TO TOMATOES OR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT OF WHAT WE ARE DESCRIBING. THAT BEING SAID, WHERE WE ARE IN THE PROCESS NOW IS THAT A PLAN HAD TO BE ADOPTED BY JUNE 30TH. WE HAVE MADE RESERVATIONS IN THE PLAN FOR THE POTENTIAL FOR AMENDMENT, AND WE RESERVE THE RIGHTS TO DO SO. 
          SHOULD SOMETHING PROVE TO NOT BE BUILDABLE IN THE FUTURE. THERE'S MANY STUDIES THAT THE STATE DID NOT GIVE THE TOWNSHIP ENOUGH TIME TO DO. HOWEVER, IF A DEVELOPER HAS PROPOSED THAT THEIR SITE CAN BE USED, IT'S IN A SEWER SERVICE AREA, ETC. AND IT MEETS, YOU KNOW, IN THE FOUR PRONGS AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL, THEN IT HAD TO BE CONSIDERED. AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WONDERING HOW CAN YOU GOT IN, THOSE ARE THE SITES THAT THAT WERE GIVEN. THAT'S HOW IT GOT INTO THE PLAN, BECAUSE AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL, IT WOULD PASS THOSE FOUR PRONGS FOR THE JUNE 30TH TEST. IF JUNE 30TH OF NEXT YEAR, WE FIND OUT FOR SOME REASON THAT LET'S SAY THERE ISN'T SEWER. AND EVEN THOUGH IT'S IN THE SEWER SERVICE AREA AND IT REALLY NEEDS A DURATIONAL ADJUSTMENT, THE TOWNSHIP WILL HAVE TO AMEND THEIR PLAN TO ADDRESS THAT. BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS AS WE GET MORE TIME TO INVESTIGATE A LOT OF THESE STUDIES JUST THERE'S NO TIME AND IT HASN'T HAPPENED YET BECAUSE OF THE SHORT DEADLINES OF THE STATE MANDATES. SO WITH THAT CONSIDERATION, YES, IF SOMETHING IS FOUND TO BE WRONG, THE TOWNSHIP WILL BE AMENDING IT. HOWEVER, PUTTING FORTH THE PLAN ON JUNE 30TH TO PROTECT THE MUNICIPALITY FROM ANY OTHER TYPE OF LAWSUITS FROM BUILDERS WAS A NECESSARY STEP TO PROTECT YOU FROM LOSING YOUR RIGHT TO DECIDE WHICH PROPERTY WOULD REPLACE IT, SHOULD IT BE FOUND TO NOT BE VIABLE. OTHERWISE, THAT CHOICE MAY BE TAKEN AWAY FROM THE TOWNSHIP. THANK YOU GEORGE, THIS IS LAST NAME D SPACE S A N C T I S. I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I'VE BEEN HERE 25 YEARS. GIVEN AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT I'VE HEARD AND WHAT'S BEEN DONE, I THINK THE PLANNING WAS VERY POORLY CONCEIVED AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, WAS VERY BADLY COMMUNICATED TO THE TOWNSHIP RESIDENTS. FOR SOMEONE TO STAND UP AT THE PLANNING BOARD MEETING AND TELL US THAT, WELL, WE POSTED SOMETHING IN THE IN THE COURIER IN JANUARY, TO ME IS ALMOST LAUGHABLE. I CERTAINLY HAVE NEVER READ THE COURIER. I'M SURE THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM THAT DON'T READ THE COURIER. THESE THINGS SHOULD HAVE BEEN COMMUNICATED ESPECIALLY TO THE PEOPLE IN THE AFFECTED AREAS BY LEGAL NOTICE AT THE VERY LEAST. AND I'M HOPING THAT IN THE FUTURE, SHOULD THIS ARISE AGAIN, THAT WE WILL NOT RELY ON THE COURIER AS A METHOD OF COMMUNICATING WHAT I CONSIDER EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TOWNSHIP ISSUES TO MONTGOMERY RESIDENTS. THE OTHER THING IS, I FIND IT INCONCEIVABLE THAT MONTGOMERY, UNLIKE MANY OTHER MUNICIPALITIES, HAS NOT CHALLENGED THE STATE QUOTAS. YOU LOOK AT HILLSBORO, THEY CHALLENGED THOSE QUOTAS. THEY HAD THOSE NUMBERS REDUCED. THEY HAVE. I SPOKE TO THE MAYOR AT THE OTHER LAST WEEK. SO UNLESS YOU'RE THE MAYOR, ARE YOU THE MAYOR OF HILLSBORO? TURNED THEM DOWN. THEY HAVE NOW DONE A VACANT LAND ANALYSIS AND A DURATIONAL ADJUSTMENT IN THEIR COMPLIANCE PLAN, WHICH IS STILL UNDER REVIEW, WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT BE ACCEPTED BY THE STATE 
          [00:45:01]
AFTER THE AUGUST 31ST DEADLINE. IT HAS NOT. IT'S NOT A DONE DEAL. THIS IS WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING. BUT THEY WERE READY SHOT DOWN ONCE. BUT THERE ARE OTHER MUNICIPALITIES, OTHER OTHER PLACES WHERE THEY HAVE HAD THOSE QUOTAS REDUCED, AM I CORRECT? IT'S A DIFFERENT I'M. 
          I'M NOT SURE WHAT YOU'RE ASKING ME. THE QUESTION THAT YOU'RE ASKING. ARE THERE TOWNS? AND IT'S NOT SIMPLE. I WISH IT WAS. ARE THERE TOWNS THAT, ON THEIR JANUARY RESOLUTION, PROFFERED A NUMBER THAT WAS LESS THAN WHAT THE DCA HAD CALCULATED? YES. THERE ARE. ARE THERE TOWNS THAT HAD THAT NUMBER DROPPED OUT OF MISTAKES THAT WERE MADE IN THE DCA CALCULATION? YES. THERE ARE. 
          ARE THEY SUBSTANTIAL DEVIATIONS? NOT USUALLY. MOST TOWNS WERE WITHIN 6 TO 10 UNITS. 
          REGARDLESS, WE AS A TOWNSHIP SHOULD CHALLENGE THOSE QUOTAS EVERY YEAR, EVEN IF WE REDUCE IT BY A SMALL AMOUNT. I THINK EVERYBODY WOULD WANT THAT TO HAPPEN. AND I'M HOPING THAT IN THE FUTURE THAT YOU'LL ACTUALLY THINK OF DOING THAT BECAUSE WE, AS MONTGOMERY RESIDENTS WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT HAPPEN. WELL, THAT'S I THINK I MAYBE COULD ASK IT TO BE CLEAR TO CHALLENGE THE NUMBER. IT'S EVERY TEN YEARS. IT'S NOT EVERY YEAR. AND THERE HAS TO BE A BASIS FOR IT. AND IT WAS NOT FOUND THAT THERE WAS MISTAKE SUFFICIENT THAT WOULD ACTUALLY CHANGE THE NUMBER IN MONTGOMERY. SO THAT'S WHY THE DECISION WAS MADE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE NUMBER, RATHER THAN HAVING TO FUND A CHALLENGE OUT OF TAXPAYER MONIES WHEN THE DEVIATION, IF ANY, WAS MINIMAL, IT WAS NOT FOUND TO BE GLARING MISTAKES, AS IN OTHER TOWNS WHERE IT WAS ABLE TO BE CHANGED. 
          IF I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT AND MAYBE YOU CAN CONFIRM MY UNDERSTANDING, I THINK WE, YOU KNOW, TRIED TO BRING THIS UP IN, IN SOME OF THE JANUARY TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE MEETINGS WHERE THIS WAS BEING INTRODUCED. IF WE WOULD HAVE I'M GOING TO SPEAK FOR MYSELF, IF I WOULD HAVE SEEN ANYTHING THAT WOULD HAVE SAID THAT THERE WAS A MATERIAL CHANGE, YOU KNOW, I THINK I WOULD HAVE MOVED TOWARDS CHALLENGING THE ONE THING I WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE ELSE UNDERSTANDS IS THAT IF YOU CHALLENGE THAT NUMBER, YOU'RE ALSO LOSING IMMUNITY FROM BEING SUED BY DEVELOPERS. SO IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'M TRYING TO SPEAK HERE. I'M SHOWING RESPECT TO ALL EVERYONE SPEAKING AND LISTENING. SO I WOULD APPRECIATE THE SAME THING FOR MYSELF AND ANYONE ELSE HERE. SO I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO CALL OUT THAT, YOU KNOW, AS WE WERE LOOKING AT THESE OPTIONS, WE MADE THE TOUGH CHOICE TO NOT PUT THE TOWNSHIP AT RISK. IS THAT SO? AND I ALSO SHOULD NOTE THAT, AS I WAS SAYING EARLIER, WITH THE LAND CAPACITY FACTOR, IT'S ONE OUT OF THREE DIFFERENT NUMBERS THAT CREATED YOUR PERCENTAGE POINTS TOWARDS WHAT WOULD BE ALLOCATED FROM THE REGION. AND ANOTHER REASON WHY SOME SLIGHT DEVIATIONS IN THE LAND CAPACITY WEREN'T CHALLENGED WAS BECAUSE THE DRIVING NUMBER FOR MONTGOMERY WAS ACTUALLY THE INCOME AND NOT THE LAND. AND SO THE DEVIATION JUST BECAME SMALLER AND SMALLER BECAUSE THE INCOME WASN'T INCORRECT. IT WAS BASED ON CENSUS DATA. THE EQUALIZATION FACTOR, NONRESIDENTIAL DATA WAS NOT INCORRECT. AND SO THERE JUST WASN'T A BIG ENOUGH CASE TO BE MADE TO DEFEND A CHALLENGE TO THE NUMBER OF THE DCA. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN GREAT IF THERE WAS, AND WE CERTAINLY WOULD HAVE DONE THAT AND SHOULD TEN YEARS FROM NOW THAT BE THE CASE. I WOULD IMAGINE THAT THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE AT THAT TIME WILL CERTAINLY FORGE FORWARD TO MAKE SURE THAT THE DATA IS CORRECT IN THE ANALYSIS, BUT IF THE DATA IS NOT GOING TO MOVE THE NUMBER, WE CAN'T JUST CHALLENGE IT BECAUSE WE DON'T LIKE IT. THERE'S A REASON THAT YOU HAVE TO SET FORTH, AND WE WOULD HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION AS PART OF THAT CHALLENGE, AND IT WASN'T THERE. GO AHEAD. THANK YOU. JENNIFER WANNELL W I N E L I WOULD FIRST SAY I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENT ABOUT KEN VIEW BEING SOLD. I DON'T THINK ANYONE HERE IS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT WE WERE GOING TO TRY TO MAKE KEN VIEW STAY. SO JUST I MEAN, WE KNOW IT'S GETTING SOLD, BUT YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE WEREN'T SORT OF IMAGINING THAT THIS WOULD BE THE RESULT OF THE SALE. I DO AGREE WITH EVERYONE WHO HAS SPOKEN BEFORE, AND THE ONLY THING I WOULD ADD IS I LIVE ON TOP OF A HILL AND I HAVE HAD MY BASEMENT FLOOD. I'VE HAD TO PURCHASE FLOOD INSURANCE. I NEVER THOUGHT I'D HAVE TO DO THAT ON THE TOP OF A HILL. I'M STILL WATCHING WATER FROM MONDAY'S RAIN TRICKLING DOWN MY HILL ONTO FAIRVIEW ROAD, DOWN THROUGH THROUGH HOLLOW ROAD. IT'S FINE TO SAY THE DEVELOPER IS GOING TO COME IN AND PUT ALL THIS INFRASTRUCTURE IN. ARE THEY GOING TO COME IN AND CLEAN UP THE FLOODS THAT ARE INEVITABLY GOING TO RESULT WHEN SOMETHING LIKE THIS GETS PUT THERE? AND SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT WHERE WE ARE OBVIOUSLY WITH, WITH CLIMATE CHANGE. AND, YOU KNOW, IT IT'S INCONCEIVABLE TO ME TO THINK THAT YOU'RE GOING TO PUT A DEVELOPMENT LIKE THAT IN THERE. 
          [00:50:01]
AND THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAVE CONSEQUENCES FOR ALL OF US. SO THAT'S WHAT I WOULD ADD. THANK. 
          SORRY. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS MIKE PASSARO AND IT'S P I S U R O. I'M THE POLICY DIRECTOR FOR THE WATERSHED INSTITUTE. KIND OF APPROPRIATE. I'M COMING IN AFTER THE COMMENTS ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE. I'M HERE TO THANK THE COMMITTEE. I'M HERE TO THANK THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND COMMITTEE MEMBER, MARTIN, FOR PUTTING BEFORE YOU A RESOLUTION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. NINE, A SUPPORTING THE RESILIENT ENVIRONMENT AND LANDSCAPES RULE, RULE. THIS IS VITALLY IMPORTANT FOR THE STATE. YOU MAY HAVE SEEN A LOT OF NEWS IN THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS. THESE RULES, THEY'RE CALLED THE COAST RULES. BUT THERE'S A LOT FOR INLAND AND FOR NEW JERSEY. THESE RULES HAVE BEEN DELAYED. THEY'RE GOING TO BE WEAKENED OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. AND SO HAVING THE CALL OF MUNICIPALITIES TO THE GOVERNOR SHOWING SUPPORT FOR THESE RULES, SHOWING SUPPORT FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO REDUCE FLOODING AND MAKING OUR COMMUNITIES RESILIENT IS SO VITALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH THE RULES ARE BEING WEAKENED AND RELEASED ON MONDAY, THERE ARE THOSE WHO ARE STILL NOT HAPPY AND WANT TO SEE THEM EVEN MORE WEAK, AND THEY WANT TO SEE THE RULES EVEN DELAYED FURTHER. SO IMPORTANT PROTECTIONS FOR COMMUNITIES LIKE MONTGOMERY, WHERE WE WILL START HAVING STORMWATER MANAGEMENT, WHICH ACTUALLY ADDRESSES VOLUME, ACTUALLY ADDRESSES A REQUIREMENT TO REDUCE FLOODING, TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITIES MORE RESILIENT, TO TAKE OPPORTUNITIES AS WE REDEVELOP OUR COMMUNITIES TO DO BETTER. ALL THOSE ARE GOING TO BE DELAYED. SO HAVING THIS, THIS MUNICIPALITY AND MANY OTHERS STAND UP AND SAY, GOVERNOR MURPHY, YOU PROMISED THESE RULES BACK IN 2020. WE NEED THEM NOW. WE DON'T NEED THEM A YEAR FROM NOW. WE DON'T NEED THEM FIVE YEARS FROM NOW. WE'LL MAKE OUR COMMUNITIES MORE RESILIENT. AND I WOULD SUGGEST AND ASK EVERYONE HERE, REACH OUT TO THE GOVERNOR ON OUR WEBSITE. WE HAVE A CALL TO ACTION TO EMAIL THE GOVERNOR TO GET THESE RULES DONE. I WOULD SAY TO THE TOWNSHIP AND TO ALL TOWNSHIPS, THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES TO ADOPT STRONGER ORDINANCES NOW, NOT HAVING TO WAIT FOR DEP TO ADOPT THE RULES AND DO IT IN MONTGOMERY A COUPLE YEARS AGO, DID THAT WORKED WITH US TO ADOPT SOME ENHANCEMENTS, AND THERE'S STILL MORE WE CAN DO SO THAT AS WE DEVELOP, WE'RE NOT MAKING THINGS AS BAD AS THEY WILL BE, AND WE CAN TAKE OPPORTUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE REGION TO MAKE THINGS BETTER. MONTGOMERY HAS BEEN A LEADER ON ENHANCEMENTS IN ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION. AND AGAIN, I JUST THANK YOU AND I URGE YOU TO VOTE FOR THAT CONSENT AGENDA ITEM. 
          AND I IF THERE'S ANYONE WHO HAS ANY QUESTIONS ON THE RULES, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM IF I CAN. 
          SO AGAIN, THANK YOU. THANK ANYONE ELSE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. GOOD EVENING, DEPUTY MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE AND FELLOW RESIDENTS. MY NAME IS PAUL BLODGETT AND I COME TO YOU. PLEASE SPELL YOUR LAST NAME. SECOND, PLEASE SPELL YOUR LAST NAME G E T. I COME TONIGHT AS A PROUD RESIDENT WHO CARES DEEPLY ABOUT THE FUTURE OF OUR COMMUNITY. FIRST, LET ME BEGIN BY AFFIRMING MY FULL SUPPORT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING. I BELIEVE MONTGOMERY HAS HISTORICALLY DONE A COMMENDABLE JOB FULFILLING ITS OBLIGATION TO PROVIDE EQUITABLE HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES. WE HAVE SHOWN THAT IT'S POSSIBLE TO GROW RESPONSIBILITY WHILE PRESERVING THE VALUES THAT MAKE OUR TOWN SPECIAL. AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS NOT JUST A LEGAL MANDATE, IT'S A MORAL ONE, AND I APPLAUD THE WORK THIS TOWNSHIP HAS DONE TO MEET THAT OBLIGATION OVER THE PAST YEARS. SECOND, I WANT TO EXPRESS MY SUPPORT FOR THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE IN PURSUING OTHER OPTIONS THAN THE ONE THAT HAS BEEN PRESENTED. THIS HAS BEEN A VERY DIFFICULT FOURTH ROUND PROCESS. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE LEGAL ENVIRONMENT HAS SHIFTED. THIS ROUND OF OBLIGATIONS HAS REMOVED MANY OF THE TOOLS AND CHOICES THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY AVAILABLE TO THE TOWN TO PURSUE A AFFORDABLE HOUSING. THE PROCESS, AS IT STANDS TODAY, UNFAIRLY, UNFAIRLY SIDELINES LOCAL VOICES. YOURS AND OURS, AND INSTEAD PRIORITIZES PLANNING PROFESSIONALS AND DEVELOPERS. I DON'T ENVY THE POSITION THAT YOU WERE PUT IN, AND I RECOGNIZE THAT THE PLAN NOW IN PLACE REFLECTS THE PATH OF LEAST RESISTANCE BASED ON WHAT YOU HAD AVAILABLE AT THE TIME. HOWEVER, 
          [00:55:03]
I DON'T THINK THAT THE STORY IS OVER. EVEN WITH THE WITH THIS PLAN IN PLACE, WE SHOULD NOT CONSIDER OUR OPTIONS CLOSED. I ENCOURAGE THIS COMMITTEE AND OUR COMMUNITY TO PURSUE PURSUE ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS THAT FULFILL OUR OBLIGATIONS MORE COMPREHENSIVELY AND IN A MORE HOLISTIC WAY. SOLUTIONS THAT INTEGRATE OUR TOWN'S LONG TERM VISION, INFRASTRUCTURE AND VALUES. ONE SINGLE MASSIVE DEVELOPMENT IN AN AREA NOT INTENDED FOR SUCH SHOULD NOT BE OUR ONLY LEGACY. WE OWE IT TO OUR CURRENT AND FUTURE RESIDENTS TO KEEP EXPLORING POSSIBILITIES, CREATIVE PLANNING, SMALLER DISTRIBUTED SITES, ADAPTIVE REUSE, REGIONAL PARTNERSHIPS AND WHATEVER IS NEEDED TO MAKE THE OUTCOME MORE BALANCED AND SUSTAINABLE. I URGE YOU TO SEE THIS NOT AS THE END OF THE PROCESS, BUT AS THE BEGINNING OF A NEW CHAPTER, ONE WHERE MONTGOMERY ONCE AGAIN SHOWS ITS LEADERSHIP IN SHAPING OUR COMMUNITY THAT'S BOTH INCLUSIVE AND INTENTIONAL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND FOR LISTENING. NOT CLOSING UP. SIR, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK, MA'AM? OH, SORRY. YOUR TOPIC. MARION PERRY P AS IN PAUL E R R Y. GOOD EVENING AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. I'M HERE AS A RESIDENT WHO LIVES NEAR THE STAGE TWO TREATMENT PLANT THAT'S CURRENTLY BEING RENOVATED AND EXPANDED. FOR OVER A YEAR, MY NEIGHBORS AND I HAVE ENDURED AN UNACCEPTABLE LEVEL OF DISRUPTION. THE NOISE AND VIBRATION HAVE HAS LITERALLY RATTLED OUR WINDOWS. THE SMELL HAS REPEATEDLY BEEN UNBEARABLE. 
          AT ONE POINT WHEN THEY WERE DRILLING THROUGH ROCK, THE SHRILL SOUND WAS SO INTENSE FOR DAYS THAT I HAD TO TEMPORARILY RELOCATE. I WORK FROM HOME. I COULD NOT DO THAT. THE ODOR IS REALLY THE MOST TROUBLING, AND IT HAS BEEN OUR CONCERN THAT HAS BEEN IGNORED FOR MONTHS. WE WERE NEVER PROPERLY NOTIFIED ABOUT THE PROJECT, ITS TIMELINE, OR THE IMPACT ON OUR DAILY LIVES. 
          WE WERE TOLD REPEATEDLY WHEN WE REACHED OUT THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE ABOUT THE ODOR UNTIL OVER THE LAST MONTH, WHEN ENOUGH RESIDENTS RECENTLY COMPLAINED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, WHICH ISSUED VIOLATIONS, THEN SUDDENLY SOMETHING COULD BE DONE. AND THAT TELLS ME THAT IT WASN'T ABOUT TECHNICAL LIMITATIONS, BUT IT WAS ABOUT WILLINGNESS. IN FACT, WHEN I SPOKE WITH THE NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH CASE MANAGER, HE TOLD ME THAT HE ASKED THE PROJECT MANAGER ON SITE WHETHER THERE HAD BEEN ANY ODOR COMPLAINTS, AND THE PROJECT MANAGER TOLD HIM NO, BUT I HAVE A STRING OF TEXT MESSAGES WITH THAT VERY SAME PERSON OVER THE LAST YEAR THAT SAYS OTHERWISE. 
          THE PLANT WILL SERVE THE TOWNSHIP AND EXIST IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE THERE DESERVE BASIC DECENCY, TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY AND LIVABILITY, INCLUDING THE ABILITY FOR OUR CHILDREN TO PLAY OUTSIDE AND TO BE ABLE TO PLAN A BARBECUE WITHOUT HAVING TO CALL OFF THIS BECAUSE OF THE SMELL AT THE LAST MINUTE, THE HUMAN WASTE SMELL IS SO STRONG THAT IT HAS PERMEATED INSIDE THE HOUSES OF THE NEIGHBORS IN THAT AREA. SO TONIGHT I ASK THE COUNCIL TO DO THREE THINGS. FIRST, TELL US CLEARLY WHAT'S BEING DONE NOW TO CONTROL THE ODOR AND WHAT LONG TERM SOLUTIONS ARE IN PLACE. SECONDLY, CONFIRM THAT THE SMELL WILL BE PERMANENTLY RESOLVED AT THE END OF THE PROJECT. IT WAS NOT AN ISSUE PRIOR. IT SHOULD NOT BE MORE OF AN ISSUE WHEN IT'S SUPPOSEDLY BEING UPGRADED. AND THIRDLY, TO PROVIDE A FIRM, REALISTIC COMPLETION DATE AND COMMIT TO IT. IT HAS BEEN PUSHED OUT MULTIPLE TIMES. I KNOW IT'S CONSTRUCTION, BUT IT'S INCREDIBLY INCONVENIENT AND DISGUSTING WHAT'S HAPPENING. I'D ALSO ASK, LIKE A SPECIFIC LEGAL QUESTION. GIVEN THE SCALE OF THE PROJECT, DID IT TRIGGER THE THRESHOLDS UNDER NEW JERSEY LAW THAT REQUIRE FORMAL NOTICE? IF SO, PUBLIC NOTIFICATION IS REQUIRED TO BE SENT BY CERTIFIED MAIL. I LIVE NEARBY, I NEVER RECEIVED A THING, NOR DID ANY OF MY NEIGHBORS, AND SO I'M LOOKING FOR A CONFIRMATION ABOUT WERE THOSE NOTICES SENT TO WHOM AND WHEN AND IF THOSE THRESHOLDS WERE NOT TRIGGERED, WHAT OUTREACH WAS IN FACT DONE TO INFORM THE COMMUNITY AS A MATTER OF BEST PRACTICE? I THINK THAT BEING A GOOD NEIGHBOR MEANS SAYING MORE THAN YOU CARE. IT'S ACTUALLY DOING SOMETHING ABOUT IT. THANK YOU. BEFORE MAYBE. 
          RESPONSES. OKAY, OKAY, JUST ONE SECOND. I DO WANT TO SAY, MA'AM, I'M SORRY. I'VE ONLY RECENTLY BECOME AWARE OF THIS SITUATION. I KNOW THERE'S BEEN SOME DISCUSSION ON IF YOU WANT TO SHARE, BUT MY ALSO RECOMMEND THAT. AND OBVIOUSLY I'LL SHARE THIS WITH THE MAYOR IS MAYBE WE IT'S PROBABLY OVERDUE FOR AN UPDATE ON THE ON THE OVERALL PROJECT AND HAVE THE ACTUAL PEOPLE RUNNING THE PROJECTS COME IN SO THAT THE PUBLIC CAN HEAR AS WELL. BUT SURE. SO THE STAGE TWO TREATMENT PLANT SERVES BOTH MONTGOMERY AND PORTIONS OF MONTGOMERY AND ROCKY HILL. IT HAD NOT BEEN UPDATED IN DECADES, AND SO THE TOWNSHIP HAD BEEN WORKING ON A PLAN TO ADD A 
          [01:00:07]
STORM, A WALL THAT WOULD, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU. ADDING STORM RESILIENCY AND ALSO UPGRADE TO MODERN TECHNIQUES. SO THE PROCESS WAS I DO WE DO RECOGNIZE THAT THE DRILLING INTO THE BEDROCK FOR THE STORM, THE FLOOD WALL WAS CAUSED DISRUPTIONS TO THE NEIGHBORS. IT'S THERE WAS NOTHING THAT COULD BE DONE. THAT WALL NEEDED TO BE INSTALLED IN TERMS OF THE ODORS. YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER, AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT HERE WITH THE UPDATES, WE ARE OPERATING A VERY OUTDATED SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT WHILE CONSTRUCTION IS GOING ON TO UPGRADE THE PLANT. SO IT'S A DELICATE BALANCE OF MAKING SURE THAT THE EFFLUENT THAT IS BEING PUT INTO THE SEWER TREATMENT PLANT IS STILL BEING TREATED, TREATED PROPERLY. CHRIS LUCADO, OUR SEWER DIRECTOR, HAS BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH WITH THE NEIGHBOR THAT JUST SPOKE, THE ROCKY HILL RESIDENT, AND ALSO DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF DEP. SO DEP, THEIR AIR QUALITY FOLKS HAD COME OUT TO THE SITE AND ALSO THE WATER QUALITY FOLKS WHO ISSUE OUR PERMITS. WE HAVE WE HAVE A PERMITTED SYSTEM THAT IS MAINTAINED AND OVERSEEN BY DEP. WE HAVE OUTSIDE CONSULTANT THAT ALSO OVERSEES IT. SO THAT WHOLE PROCESS IS DONE UNDER DEP SCRUTINY. WE ALSO HAVE DIFFERENT DEP FUNDING, THE ENVIRONMENTAL INFRASTRUCTURE TRUST FUND. SO ALL OF THE PROCESSES ARE HIGHLY REGULATED AND MANAGED AND MONITORED AND DOCUMENTED BY THE STATE. SO WE HAVE THAT OVERSIGHT. SO THE RECENT ISSUE WITH THIS, THE SMELL AND THE HEAT THAT WAS TAKING PLACE, WE WERE WAITING FOR A PIECE TO ARRIVE, TO TURN THE BLOWER ON FOR THE NEW SYSTEM. AND SO IN ORDER FOR US TO TRY AND JUMP START THAT WITHOUT VOIDING ANY WARRANTIES ON ANYTHING, WE DID HAVE OUR CONTRACTOR ENGAGE AN ELECTRICAL ENGINEER TO COME IN AND COME UP WITH A PROCESS THAT WILL TEMPORARILY HELP AND HAS HELPED WITH WITH THE SMELL AND DEP. THE AIR QUALITY FOLKS HAVE BEEN OUT TO THE SITE. THEY'VE BEEN OUT TO THE SITE MULTIPLE TIMES, AND EVERYTHING IS OPERATING THE WAY IT SHOULD. IN TERMS OF THE SMELLS. THAT BEING SAID, IT IS A SEWER TREATMENT PLANT, SO I CAN'T PROMISE THAT THERE WON'T BE CERTAIN ODORS FROM TIME TO TIME. LIKE IF YOU WERE HAVING YOUR SEPTIC TANK PUMPED, THERE'S RESIDUAL SLUDGE THAT DOES GET, YOU KNOW, CLEANED OUT AND HAULED OFF. SO, YOU KNOW, THAT WILL CONTINUE INTO THE FUTURE PERIODICALLY, SIMILAR TO HAVING A SEPTIC TANK PUMPED. 
          BUT THE PROJECT IS, YOU KNOW, ON SCHEDULE TO FINISH. WE'RE NEARING THE END. I ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO, YOU KNOW, COME OUT AND TAKE A LOOK. IT'S QUITE AN IMPRESSIVE PROJECT. AND THE STAFF, YOU KNOW, ARE IN THERE WORKING REALLY HARD TO KEEP IT RUNNING AND MAKING SURE WE'RE MEETING ALL OF OUR PERMIT PERMIT REQUIREMENTS AND LEVELS. AND DO YOU HAVE A COMPLETION DATE? I'M SORRY, DO YOU HAVE A COMPLETION DATE? I CAN GET THAT FOR YOU. OKAY. WE CAN UPDATE LATER. THANK YOU. OKAY. GOOD EVENING GUYS. ALAN MALHOTRA. M A L H O T R A. I FEEL A LITTLE BIT OF A DUTY TO SORT OF REPRESENT THE NEXT GENERATION COMING THROUGH HERE. I'VE BEEN IN THE COUNTY OR IN THE IN THE TOWN HERE 30 YEARS. I STARTED KINDERGARTEN HERE. YOU KNOW, I THE WORRY IS, IS REALLY THE, THE TRAFFIC BOTH AT THE TOP OF THE BRIDGE AND COMING DOWN. WE BOTH I, I GREW UP IN THIS COMMUNITY MOVED AWAY FOR A LITTLE BIT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF TOWNSHIP LINE ROAD. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL HILLSBORO RESIDENT, AND NOW I'VE JUST MADE THE MOVE BACK TO BE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO LIVE IN SKILLMAN. MY SISTER JUST BOUGHT A HOME FOUR MONTHS AGO, FIVE MINUTES AWAY ON OFF OF SUNSET. AND THERE'S A REASON WE CHOSE TO START OUR FAMILIES HERE. AND WHAT WE'RE REALLY THINKING ABOUT IS HOW THIS AFFECTS US. NOT NOW, BUT HOW DO WE HOW DOES IT AFFECT THE NEXT 30, 40, 50 YEARS, GOD WILLING, IN THIS COMMUNITY? AND WHAT DO WE NEED TO BE DOING TO SAYING, HEY, WE CARE, WE WANT TO HELP, AND WE'RE ALL FOR INCLUSION, BUT ALSO URGE YOU, PLEASE, IF THERE'S A PLAN B, IF THERE'S A PLAN C, CAN WE PLEASE BE LOOKING AT THAT? BECAUSE THOSE TRAFFIC PATTERNS WILL AFFECT US AND PEOPLE THAT HAVE JUST MADE BIG MONETARY INVESTMENTS, BIG LIFE 
          [01:05:05]
DECISIONS AND HOW THEY WANT TO RAISE THEIR FAMILIES AND TO PROTECT THEIR CHILDREN ON THESE STREETS. AND IF THERE'S ANY WAY FOR US TO DO THAT SO THAT WE CAN PRESERVE THAT BEAUTIFUL RIDE DOWN GRANDVIEW, WHERE MY BIKE BARELY FITS OVER THAT BRIDGE, HUNDRED, 300, 400 CARS A DAY ON THOSE BRIDGES IS GOING TO MAKE A BIG IMPACT, NOT ONLY TO THE SAFETY AND THE CONGESTION IN THESE AREAS, BUT ALSO THE WILDLIFE. THERE'S A REASON WE PICKED TO LIVE NEAR CONSERVATION AREAS, AND WE DRIVE BY. AND THERE'S A REASON WE DIDN'T LIVE IN WESTCHESTER, IN NEW YORK, IN NORTH JERSEY CAME BACK HERE. AND THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOU GUYS TO KNOW. AND YOU'RE AFFECTING THAT. 
          WE APPRECIATE IT. SO FIGHT FOR US PLEASE. THANK YOU. 
          HELLO. MY NAME IS SEAN BUCKLEY AND I LIVE ON PIN OAK ROAD. AND MY LAST NAME IS SPELLED B, U C K L E Y. FOR TRANSPARENCY SAKE. I AM A LAWYER. I'VE BEEN PRACTICING FOR 40 YEARS IN PRINCETON. I HAVE SOME PROBLEMS WITH. FIRST OF ALL, I WAS TOLD ABOUT THIS. I ACTUALLY LEARNED ABOUT THIS WHEN I RETURNED FROM A VACATION IN JULY, AND I REALLY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE LACK OF NOTICE TO THE PEOPLE WHO WOULD BE MOST AFFECTED. WHEN WE FIRST MOVED INTO SKILLMAN OVER 30 YEARS AGO, A NEIGHBOR ON THE OTHER SIDE OF DUTCHTOWN, ZION IN HILLSBOROUGH, WAS PLANNING TO PUT IN A DEEPER WELL. HILLSBOROUGH SENT US CERTIFIED LETTERS TELLING US HOW WE WOULD BE IMPACTED BY THIS. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE DIDN'T RECEIVE CERTIFIED LETTERS OR ANY TYPE OF CIRCULARS TELLING US WHEN THIS WAS GOING ON IN JANUARY, SO WE COULD HAVE MORE INPUT AND NOT BE FACING A DEADLINE. THE SECOND THING IS, I HAVE HEARD, AND I HAVE NOT HAD THE TIME TO LOOK INTO IT, THAT A PRIOR MASTER PLAN OR WHATEVER YOU'RE DOING FOR THIS MOUNT LAUREL INCLUDED THE OLD POLICE HEADQUARTERS AS A SITE. I DON'T KNOW WHY IT'S NOT INCLUDED OR WASN'T INCLUDED THIS TIME AS OPPOSED TO KEN VIEW, BUT IT SEEMED TO ME THAT THAT WOULD BE IN A BETTER AREA WHERE THERE IS MORE DEVELOPMENT AND MORE INFRASTRUCTURE. BUT THE LAST THING I HAVE TO TELL YOU IS WE ARE DEALING IN AN AGE NOW WHERE CERTAIN POLITICS AND CERTAIN FORCES ARE SAYING TO BIG PHARMA, COME BACK TO THE STATES. YESTERDAY, A SITE THERMO FISHER ACQUIRED A SITE IN NORTHERN JERSEY. WHY CAN'T WE MAKE KEN VIEW A SIMILAR SITE FOR BIG PHARMA COMING BACK? HAS ANYONE EVEN THOUGHT ABOUT THAT? WE'VE TRIED. OKAY. YOU'VE TRIED. IT'S GOING TO GET EVEN WORSE. IRELAND IS GOING TO HAVE A LOSING A LOT OF MANUFACTURING SITES. SO I THINK YOU TRIED. YOU SAY YOU TRIED. OKAY. BUT WHEN I READ THIS IN A PAPER ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED WITH THERMO FISHER, IT MAKES ME WONDER WHAT ATTEMPTS HAVE BEEN MADE, BECAUSE THAT IS AN ATTRACTIVE SITE FOR A PHARMA COMPANY. THANK YOU. ARMAND RAJWANI I'M NOT HERE TO TALK ABOUT KEN VIEW. I THINK YOU GUYS HAVE ALREADY TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF ALL THESE WELL-INTENTIONED PEOPLE AND THEY'RE ALREADY SELLING BAD LAST NAME RAY H.W. AND I I'M SORRY. REH H W A N I. CAN YOU TELL ME WHEN MY TIMER STARTS? YES. STARTED. OKAY. CAN YOU, LIKE, JUST TELL ME WHEN IT STARTS AND START IT STARTED. OKAY. IT STARTED. SO I'M NOT HERE TO TALK ABOUT KEN. I THINK YOU'VE ALREADY TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THESE PEOPLE INTO SOME SORT OF UNCERTAINTY, INTO WHAT THE TOWN WILL BECOME, RIGHT? THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IT WILL BECOME. I'M NOT HERE TO TALK ABOUT THAT. I'M ACTUALLY HERE TO TALK ABOUT A SEPARATE INCIDENT. I STOPPED NOTICING THE WHITE AND RED FIRE COMPANY TRUCK PARKED OUTSIDE TIGER'S TAIL AT ABOUT 8 P.M. ALMOST EVERY NIGHT. YOU KNOW ME. 
          NAIVE THINKING THERE WAS A FIRE THERE EVERY NIGHT. NO, IT'S ACTUALLY SAFETY OFFICER AND TRUSTEE RICH KENNEDY DRINKING WITH A GOVERNMENT VEHICLE AND THEN GETTING BACK IN HIS TRUCK THAT WE PAY FOR, THAT WE PAY THE GAS FOR AND DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE. AND I'VE BEEN TOLD BY MANY PEOPLE AT THE VOLUNTEER COMPANY THAT THEY DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE. WHEN THEY WENT TO EXPRESS THIS CONCERN, THEY WERE DEMOTED, SAYING THAT IT WAS DEFAMATION. THIS IS INSANE. I DON'T WANT TO BE PAYING TAXES TO SOMEONE WHO'S GOING TO GET IN A COMPANY VEHICLE. EVERYONE HAS SEEN IT, BY THE WAY, TOO. I DRIVE PAST TIGER'S HILL EVERY DAY FOR WORK. I STOP SEEING IT. 
          [01:10:01]
ABOUT A MONTH AND A HALF AGO. RED WHITE STRIPED F-150 RICH KENNEDY, THE SAFETY OFFICER. 
          HE'S ALSO A TRUSTEE. I WANT TO KNOW WHY THEY WOULD GET MAD AT THE MEMBER FOR REPORTING THAT, HEY, I DON'T WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS VOLUNTEER COMPANY WHERE THE SAFETY OFFICER IS DRINKING IN HIS OFFICIAL CAPACITY AS A SAFETY OFFICER. I MEAN, THIS IS THE MOST MONTGOMERY CORRUPTION THING I'VE EVER HEARD. SECOND THING IS, I KNOW NINA SINGH WAS SAYING, OH, WE CAN'T GET INVOLVED IN A LAWSUIT BECAUSE IT'LL COST US TOO MUCH MONEY. WE ARE INVOLVED IN MULTIPLE LAWSUITS. YOU AND THE FORMER MAYOR, DEBORAH KEENAN, ACTUALLY REMOVED JEFFREY GRANT FROM AN OPEN MEETING, A PUBLIC MEETING. AND HE ORDERED SYLVIA ABET TO REMOVE HIM FROM THE MEETING. 
          RIGHT. SO YOU GUYS HAVE ALREADY VIOLATED HIS CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS. THE LAWSUIT HAS BEEN OPEN SINCE 2024, I THINK SO, I MEAN, IF THERE WAS NOTHING THERE, I'D ASSUME IT'D BE CLOSED. SO I'D LIKE YOUR RESPONSE AS TO WHY IT'S BEEN DISMISSED. MONTHS AGO. IT WAS DISMISSED MONTHS AGO. IT'S NOT WHAT THE THIS IS ON GOOGLE. BUT REGARDLESS, WE HAVE AN OPEN LAWSUIT FROM JOANNA NIEMOJOWSKI AGAINST CONNER SCHAKOWSKY. AND THIS IS THE SECOND LAWSUIT. THE FIRST LAWSUIT, HE WENT 89 MILES AN HOUR IN A 35 MILE AN HOUR SCHOOL ZONE, DIDN'T CLEAR AN INTERSECTION, AND DISABLED JEANINE SANTERRE. WE PAID OUT $1.6 MILLION. WE ALSO PAID OUT ANOTHER MILLION DOLLARS AND LOSING POLICE CONTRACTS LIKE SALVATORE UNTIL HE SAID OR WHATEVER. I JUST DON'T THINK WE SHOULD ACTUALLY BE PAYING THE POLICE MORE IF THEY CAN'T HAVE ACCOUNTABILITY. WHEN I ASK THE POLICE CHIEF, SYLVIA BETTE, FOR A COMMENT ON, YOU KNOW, THIS CASE, THAT TAXPAYERS HAVE PAID $1.6 MILLION TO SETTLE, I'M TOLD THAT THEY DON'T MAKE COMMENTS ON INVESTIGATIONS DONE BY OTHER AGENCIES. SO IF THERE'S NO ACCOUNTABILITY FROM THE TOP OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHY IS EVERYONE LEAVING THE POLICE? I THINK IT'S A CULTURE ISSUE. I THINK IT'S A LEADERSHIP ISSUE. I DON'T THINK THEY'RE GOING TO SOUTH BRUNSWICK FOR 2000 MORE BUCKS. RIGHT. AND THEN YOU HAVE SALVATORE AND TILLY COMING HERE SAYING, OH, WE DON'T GET PAID ENOUGH. HE GETS PAID $115,000 A YEAR. AND WHAT DO WE INCREASE THE PENSION TO 11.9%. SO UNLESS THERE'S SOME SORT OF ACCOUNTABILITY LEADERSHIP. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. FORGET WE WE'VE ALREADY PAID ONE LAWSUIT $1.6 MILLION. CONNOR. YOUR TIME IS UP. ANOTHER LAWSUITS OPEN AND HE HAS A THIRD TIME IS UP FOR FALSE ARREST. EXCUSE ME, SIR, BUT YOU NEED TO THANK YOU. YOUR TIME IS UP, SIR. THANK YOU. ARE THERE ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS? SIR? JUST FOR CLARIFICATION. JUST FOR CLARIFICATION. THE FIRE COMPANY IS A SEPARATE ENTITY THAN THE TOWNSHIP TO BE LIKE THE SCHOOL BOARD HAVING A TRUCK THERE. OKAY, SO. BUT I THINK MAYBE FOLLOW THE FIRE COMPANY ON THAT ONE. MY NAME IS GERALD WASSERMAN W A S S E R M A N. I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. I WONDER IF YOU COULD JUST CLARIFY FOR ME HOW MANY LOW INCOME UNITS ARE THERE GOING TO BE ON KEN VIEW? YOU SAID THERE WERE 250, BUT HOW MANY ARE THERE? IS THE QUESTION HOW MANY ARE AT KENT? THE PROPOSED IN THE PLAN AT THE CAM VIEW SITE. YES. 70 ON SITE AND EXTENSION OF CONTROLS WHICH WE'VE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT. EXTENSION OF CONTROLS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THIS TEN YEAR PERIOD, WHERE WE FUND THE EXTENSION OF THE 30 YEAR DEED RESTRICTION FOR ANOTHER 30 YEARS. AND SO THOSE WOULD BE THE REMAINING OBLIGATION. THEY WOULD THEY WOULD BE EXTENDING CONTROLS ON EXISTING UNITS ELSEWHERE IN THE TOWNSHIP. SO 70 UNITS IS THAT IS THAT RIGHT? 70. YEAH. I'M SORRY. SORRY, SIR. DO YOU MIND JUST GOING THROUGH YOUR SO WE CAN CALCULATE YOUR THREE MINUTES AND THEN AT THE END WE CAN ADDRESS YOUR COMMENTS ALTOGETHER I CAN'T ALL RIGHT. SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND. ALL RIGHT. SO OF THOSE UNITS HOW MUCH LAND IS TAKEN FOR THE LOW INCOME UNITS. THAT'S NOT SOMETHING WE CAN ANSWER UNTIL THERE'S A PLAN SITE PLAN THAT COMES IN. I'M SORRY. YOU MAY WANT TO JUST SO YOU DON'T YOU DON'T KNOW. WELL, IT WOULD BE 70 UNITS BROKEN UP INTO DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT BUILDINGS. 
          SO MAYBE FIVE ACRES. FIVE ACRES. NOW THE OLD TOWNSHIP BUILDING, YOU KNOW. YEAH. THAT'S GOT LIKE 18 ACRES, DOESN'T IT. WELL THERE'S 19 ACRES IS, IS, IS SWAMP LAND. AND I THINK WHAT'S HELPFUL IS AS EVERYBODY'S MAKING THEIR COMMENTS, AS THE DEPUTY MAYOR HAD ANNOUNCED, WE'RE HAVING A TOWN HALL MEETING THAT WILL HAVE A LITTLE MORE INTERACTIVITY. AND SO WE APPRECIATE. SO SOMEONE ELSE HAD ASKED, I THINK, WHAT ABOUT A PLAN A OR PLAN B OR AN ALTERNATE SITE? SO I THINK THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE ALSO TRYING TO SAY. SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE GATHER EVERYBODY'S COMMENTS. AND THEN AT THAT TOWN HALL MEETING IT WON'T BE LIKE THIS. WE'LL KIND OF BE MORE WORKING COLLABORATIVELY, WHICH IS REALLY WHAT THE RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN 
          [01:15:02]
ASKING AT THESE PUBLIC MEETINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING. SO I THINK I'M TAKING EVERYONE'S COMMENTS DOWN, AND THAT'S MY INTENTION OF WHAT I HOPE TO GET OUT OF THAT MEETING WOULD BE DEFINITELY SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW. SO. SO YOU'LL BE ABLE TO ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS? YES. HOW MUCH LAND AND HOW MANY UNITS? OKAY. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. YEAH. DO YOU HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS THOUGH? I MEAN, YOU, YOU I JUST, YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY YOU NEED THAT HUGE PLACE TO BUILD 70 UNITS ON FIVE ACRES. IT SEEMS LIKE, YOU KNOW, A TOTALLY RIDICULOUS WAY OF DOING IT. I MEAN, DID YOU SAY THAT PLACE HAS SEWERS? YES. 
          SEWER SERVICE AREA? YES. WHERE? IT'S IN THE SEWER SERVICE. IN THE. IN? YES. IN A PLAN? NO. IN THE BACK OF THE PROPERTY. THERE'S A THERE'S A TREATMENT FACILITY. WHERE DOES THAT WHERE DOES THAT EMPTY. SIR. I'M SORRY, I KNOW WE'VE BEEN GOING BACK AND FORTH ABOUT. YOUR TIME IS UP. 
          THANK YOU. MR. TONY LAND. L A N LAST NAME. I'M A RESIDENT HERE IN BELLE MEADE. SO MY COMMENT NOT REALLY RELATED TO THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, ALTHOUGH THAT IS A CONCERN OF MINE. IT'S REALLY AROUND THE FLOODING. SO I GREW UP IN HILLSBOROUGH, WENT THROUGH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THERE AND WE LIKE WE HAD SNOW DAYS, BUT NOW MY KIDS ARE IN SCHOOL AND WE GET RAIN DAYS BECAUSE IT FLOODS, RIGHT? SO THERE'S NO MORE SNOW DAYS. THERE'S RAIN DAYS. I SEE ALL THESE DEVELOPMENTS HAPPENING. YOU KNOW, SOME OF IT'S COMMERCIAL AND SOME OF IT, I THINK, LEGAL OBLIGATION. BUT I THINK AS A RESIDENT I'M CONCERNED I WANT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS THE TOWNSHIP DOING TO MITIGATE FLOOD BECAUSE IT'S LIFE THREATENING. RIGHT. IDA? FIVE YEARS AGO, PEOPLE DIED IN SOMERSET COUNTY. THAT'S I'M AFRAID EVERY TIME IT RAINS THAT MY KIDS WON'T BE ABLE TO GET BACK ON THEIR BUSSES. SO WHAT IS THIS TOWNSHIP? I DON'T HEAR ANYTHING ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING TO MITIGATE FLOODS. RIGHT. AND I DON'T THINK IT'S A MONTGOMERY ISSUE ALONE. RIGHT. LIKE THE WATERSHED, IT'S A HUGE ISSUE. LIKE IT SHOULD BE A COUNTY ISSUE, A STATE ISSUE. BUT I REALLY WOULD WANT TO HEAR MORE COMMUNICATION AND ENGAGE THE RESIDENTS. LIKE LITERALLY STREETS TURN INTO RIVERS. RIGHT. AND THAT'S THAT'S NOT RIGHT. SO THAT'S MY COMMENT. YEAH. I THINK IF I COULD JUST MENTION AND MIKE PIZARRO FROM THE WATERSHED INSTITUTE, WE'RE KIND OF MAKING EYE CONTACT BECAUSE OF EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE JUST BEEN TALKING ABOUT. THE WATERSHED, BECAUSE WATER AND FLOODING IS NOT ISOLATED TO OUR POLITICAL BOUNDARIES. THE WATERSHED HAS ACTUALLY LED MULTIPLE TOWNS IN OUR WATERSHED TO COME TOGETHER TO DO A PLAN THAT THE STATE, YOU KNOW, IS MANDATING TO LOOK AT THE FLOODING ISSUES, THE STORMWATER ISSUES, AND HOW YOU CAN HAVE SPECIFIC PROJECTS IMPLEMENT SPECIFIC PROJECTS, WHETHER IT'S RETROFITTING OLD BASINS, IMPLEMENTING OTHER STORMWATER MEASURES THAT WILL ALL HAVE, YOU KNOW, A COST AND HOW WE PAY FOR THAT AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT COMING TOGETHER ON A REGIONAL LEVEL, AND THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT THE MAYOR, MYSELF, OUR PLANNING ASSISTANT PLANNING DIRECTOR AND OUR TOWNSHIP ENGINEER ALL SAT IN. WE TOWNSHIP MONTGOMERY ACTUALLY HOSTED A PROBABLY A GOOD SERIES OF MEETINGS WITH 12 OR SO TOWNS IN OUR AREA TO DO THAT. SO HAPPY WE'VE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT HERE, BUT HAPPY TO COMMUNICATE A LITTLE BIT MORE TO THE PUBLIC. YOU KNOW, AS THINGS PROGRESS IN THAT. AND JUST TO ADD TO THAT, RECENTLY THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE ADOPTED A RESOLUTION TO ENTER INTO A POTENTIAL SHARED SERVICE WITH THE OTHER MUNICIPALITIES SO THAT WE CAN COMBINE RESOURCES TO DO THIS WATERSHED WIDE PLAN. A COUPLE OF TOWNS HAVE SIGNALED THEIR DESIRE TO ALSO WORK TOGETHER WITH MONTGOMERY. WE'RE WAITING ON THE OTHER TOWNS TO RESPOND, AND THEREAFTER THERE WILL PROBABLY BE MORE AGENDA ITEMS MOVING FORWARD IN ORDER TO EFFECTUATE THIS PLAN. AND I DO BELIEVE THAT MONTGOMERY IS TAKING THE LEAD TO TRY TO COORDINATE, ALONG WITH THE WATERSHED INSTITUTE, TO GET EVERYBODY TO REALIZE THAT WATER IS NOT A BOUND TOWNSHIP BOUNDARY ISSUE. WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE USE OF THE RESOURCES AND TO REDUCE COSTS TO THE RESIDENTS FOR THE PRICE OF THESE STUDIES AND IMPLEMENTATION OF WHATEVER RECOMMENDATIONS COME OUT OF THE STUDIES, I THINK I'LL MAKE THE RECOMMENDATION TO MAYOR SINGH AS WELL TO FOR A SECOND HALF OF THE YEAR, AGENDA ITEM AS WELL. I MEAN, TWO WOMEN, YOU KNOW, DIED IN PLAINFIELD. I MEAN, IN OUR IN OUR COUNTY. I KNOW MONTGOMERY WAS OKAY AND I'M GOING TO QUOTE 
          [01:20:05]
UNQUOTE THERE. BUT THAT'S THAT'S NOT A THAT'S NOT REALLY COMMUNICATING WHAT WE'RE DOING. 
          SO THANK YOU FOR THE POINTS. YEAH. FLOODING IS DEFINITELY A MAJOR CONCERN. AND YOU KNOW I BELIEVE PART OF IT IS THE CONTINUOUS FLOODING. IT'S LIKE HAIR IN THE DRAIN RIGHT. SO IF THERE'S CONTINUOUS FLOODING IT'S GOING TO KEEP CLOGGING UP MORE YOU KNOW SIMPLE EASY ACCESS OF WATER TO RUNOFF. AND THAT IS A MAJOR CHALLENGE WITH WITH HELPING TO CLEAR OUT ALL THE DEBRIS FROM PROPER DRAINS. SO IT'S DEFINITELY A MAJOR CONCERN FOR US. REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED EVEN A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO? WE WEREN'T ABLE TO LEAVE MONTGOMERY. IT WAS UP AND DOWN. 
          206 AND, YOU KNOW, THE ONLY WAY OUT WAS, I THINK, ONE ROAD THROUGH PRINCETON. SO IT'S ALWAYS A MAJOR CONCERN FOR US. ABSOLUTELY. ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT? OKAY. CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT. I'LL JUST CHECK TO SEE. OH, SORRY. ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT. PLEASE COME FORWARD. DIANE PETERSON, CAN YOU COME CLOSER TO MICROPHONE MA'AM I'M SORRY DIANE PETERSON P E D E R S E N I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING. AND I'M SAD. BUT I DO AGREE WITH EVERY COMMENT THEY MADE REGARDING KEN VIEW. AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. 
          DEBORAH KEENAN. KEENAN K E E N A N. SO HAVING A PUBLIC IT'S GOOD. I THINK THAT YOU'RE ALLOWING THE PUBLIC TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON. BUT FRANKLY, FROM THE PROCEDURES THAT HAVE BEEN PUT IN PLACE BY THE COURTS IN TERMS OF THE HOUSING DISPUTE RESOLUTION PROGRAM, THAT'S TOO LATE. THE NUMBERS THAT WERE PUT FORWARD BY LAW IN THIS LITIGATION, IN THE LEGISLATION THAT IS RIGHT HERE ALLOWED 30 DAYS AFTER THE FIRST NUMBERS, WERE THERE FOR SOMEONE TO CHALLENGE THE NUMBERS. IF NOT, THEY GO INTO EFFECT AND THEY ARE BINDING. SO ALL THE NUMBERS ARE BINDING THAT THAT SHIP HAS SAILED, AS WE SAY. BUT NOW WE'RE AT THE SECOND HALF, WHICH IS WHEN THE HOUSING ELEMENT AND FAIR SHARE PLAN. SO THE IT WAS DUE, AS YOU ALL KNOW, FOR JANUARY 30TH AND THIS WILL BE HAPPENING EVERY TEN YEARS, THE SAME EXACT PROCESS FOR THE FOURTH, FIFTH, SIXTH AND SUBSEQUENT ROUNDS. WHAT CAN HAPPEN IS THERE CAN ONLY BE A CHALLENGE. INTERESTED PARTIES MAY FILE A CHALLENGE TO THE MUNICIPALITY'S HOUSING ELEMENT AND FAIR SHARE PLAN BY AUGUST 31ST, 2025. CHALLENGES FILED AFTER THAT STATUTORY DEADLINE WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED BY THE PROGRAM OKAY, IF THEY ARE FILED AT A TIMELY THING, THE MATTER WILL BE REFERRED TO THE PROGRAM TO REVIEW WHETHER OR NOT THE CHALLENGE SPECIFICS WITH PARTICULARITY, WITH SITES AND ELEMENTS OF THE MUNICIPAL PLAN. THEY'RE ALLEGED TO NOT COMPLY WITH THE FHA. SO I'M NOT SURE HOW YOU CAN MAKE ANOTHER CHANGE TO THE PLAN BEFORE THIS HAPPENS. WITH PLAN B OR PLAN C, I'VE BEEN LOOKING AT ALL THE LAW. I DON'T SEE WHERE THAT HAPPENS. YOU'VE PUT IT FORWARD, AND NOW ANYBODY WOULD NEED TO OBJECT THROUGH THIS SYSTEM THAT HAS BEEN SET UP THROUGH THE LEGISLATION. SO WE HAVE UNTIL ANY INTERESTED PARTIES WOULD HAVE ONLY UNTIL AUGUST 31ST. OTHERWISE IT BECOMES BINDING AS THE WAY THAT IT IS. SO IF IT IS SUCCESSFUL, THERE'S A WHOLE PROCESS THAT CAN GOES THROUGH. THE GOAL, OF COURSE, WAS THE LEGISLATION THAT WAS SIGNED IN MARCH 20TH OF 2024 WAS TO KEEP THINGS OUT OF THE COURT. AND SO THEY PUT TOGETHER A WHOLE THIS AFFORDABLE HOUSING DISPUTE RESOLUTION PROGRAM, WHICH I WOULD ASSUME ALL OF YOU ON THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE KNOW ABOUT, BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT DEFINES THE LAWS NOW AND IN GOING TO BE IN THE NEXT TEN YEARS. AND SO I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHEN YOU SAY YOU CAN CHANGE THE PLANS, IF YOU GET A CHALLENGE, YOU CAN CHANGE THE PLANS. FROM WHERE I SIT, IT COULD BE WRONG, BUT I CAN'T SEE IF YOU WERE TO CHANGE THE PLANS MIDSTREAM. I CAN SEE IN THE FIVE YEAR MARK THAT CAN BE LOOKED AT, BUT NOT UNTIL UNTIL THAT HAS BEEN AFFECTED. SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE CLEAR TO PEOPLE THAT IT'S FINE THAT YOU'RE DOING THIS IN AUGUST, BUT IT'S LATE. IT'S TOO LATE. THESE THIS IS THE PLAN. 
          AND THIS PLAN WILL GO INTO EFFECT. RIGHT? IT'S A DONE DEAL. SO UNLESS THERE IS A CHALLENGE THAT'S THE REALITY. THANK YOU. SO IF I MAY. IS THERE ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. YES PLEASE. OF COURSE. JALAL AHMED A H M 80. GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU FOR GIVING THE OPPORTUNITY. I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS AND I HAVE SOME COMMENTS. WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO FIRST READ ALL THE QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS ALTOGETHER, PLEASE? OKAY, SO FIRST OF ALL, THE FOURTH ROUND HOUSING PLAN FELT 
          [01:25:08]
RUSHED AND LACKED EARLY PUBLIC INPUT. HOW WILL THE TOWNSHIP ENSURE A MORE INCLUSIVE AND TRANSPARENT PROCESS FOR FUTURE PLANNING AND AMENDMENTS? NUMBER TWO, WHY IS KEN VIEW LACKING PUBLIC TRANSIT AND WALKABILITY CONSIDERED THE MOST APPROPRIATE SITE FOR AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT, GIVEN WALKABILITY AND PUBLIC SERVICES ARE KEY BENEFITS OF A WELL-DESIGNED AFFORDABLE HOUSING. QUESTION NUMBER THREE HAS AN INDEPENDENT ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS BASED ON NEW FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT ORDINANCE BEING COMMISSIONED FOR KEN VIEW. IF SO, HOW DO THESE FINDINGS IMPACT UNIT COUNTS AND FINANCIAL VIABILITY? IF NOT, WHEN CAN WE EXPECT IT? I'LL SKIP SOME QUESTIONS WHICH ARE LIKE QUESTION AROUND PLAN B AND PLAN C. I'M SURE YOU GUYS ARE WORKING ON IT. I DO HAVE A QUESTION WHICH ONE GENTLEMAN ASKED EARLIER AND WANT TO CLARIFY HOW MANY TOTAL AFFORDABLE UNITS ARE THERE IN THE TOWNSHIP TODAY, AND IT'LL BE GREAT TO KNOW. BASED ON THAT. COULD YOU JUST REPEAT THAT I MISSED HOW HOW MANY TOTAL AFFORDABLE UNITS ARE THERE TODAY? TOTAL FROM BEGINNING. ANOTHER THING AS WE AS BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE ORDINANCES WHICH MIGHT DEEM THESE SITES INAPPROPRIATE OR OR OR. NOT COMPLIANT, HOW DOES THE TOWNSHIP LOOKING TO ADDRESS, IF CHALLENGED, THAT IT IS AN UNREALISTIC PROPOSAL FROM THE TOWNSHIP, WHICH WILL AGAIN LEAD TO BUILDER'S REMEDY? THOSE WERE MY QUESTIONS. IF YOU KNOW YOU CAN ANSWER NOW OR I CAN PROCEED TO COMMENTS. WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE TOWNSHIP'S COMMITMENT TO MEET AFFORDABLE HOUSING OBLIGATIONS AND THE CRITICAL NEED FOR ACCESSIBLE HOUSING. HOWEVER, THIS MUST BE BALANCED WITH OUR COMMUNITY'S LONG TERM VISION AND CHARACTER PRESERVATION. PUBLIC OPPOSITION TO KEN VIEW PLAN IS NOT NOT IN MY BACKYARD ISM, BUT REFLECTS GENUINE CONCERNS ABOUT TRANSFORMING OUR RURAL AREA. SEVERE TRAFFIC IMPACTS, AND THE PERCEPTION THAT WE ARE BEING FORCED INTO IT. WE URGE THE TOWNSHIP TO ADDRESS THESE CONCERNS WITH PROACTIVE, DATA DRIVEN NEGOTIATIONS AND TRANSPARENT COMMUNICATIONS, NOT SOLELY LEGAL COMPLIANCE. WE SUPPORT MIXED INCOME DEVELOPMENTS AND CREATIVE REUSE OF EXISTING BUILDINGS FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING. I'LL STOP. CAN YOU PLEASE ANSWER THE QUESTIONS? CAN I JUST SEE IF THERE'S ANYONE ELSE WHO'S ON ON SPEAKING ON PUBLIC COMMENT? OKAY, I'M GOING TO CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT. YOU CAN ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS OKAY. SO AS FAR AS A SITE LIKE KEN VIEW THAT YOU SAID INDICATED IF THEY'RE LACKING TRANSIT AND SIDEWALKS, THIS WOULD ALL BE ITEMS THAT WOULD BE ADDRESSED BEFORE AN APPLICATION IS ACTUALLY MADE. THE PLANNING THE HOUSING ELEMENT FAIR SHARE PLAN IS AN ELEMENT OF THE TOWNSHIP'S MASTER PLAN. IT IS NOT THE ACTUAL ORDINANCES SAYING WHAT THE ZONING IS GOING TO BE. ALL OF THAT IS YET TO COME. AGAIN, FOR EVERYONE THAT THAT THINKS THIS IS A LITTLE BIT RUSHED, WE'RE RIGHT THERE WITH YOU, THAT WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO GET TO EACH SPOT THAT WE CAN. BUT AS FAR AS LACKING SIDEWALKS, I WOULD BELIEVE THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT MAY BE ASKED FOR DURING THE COURSE OF ACTUAL DESIGN. I DON'T WANT TO PUT ANY WORDS INTO THE MOUTHS OF OTHER FOLKS, BUT YES, THAT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT IS BEING LOOKED AT. RESIDENTS HAD RAISED THE POINT ABOUT TRANSIT AT THE AT A PRIOR MEETING. 
          WONDERFUL POINT. WE'RE LOOKING INTO WHAT CAN BE DONE, POTENTIALLY EVEN SEEING WHAT THE DEVELOPER CAN DO FOR PRIVATE, EVEN JITNEY SERVICE, SOMETHING TO GET TO ANOTHER AREA IF NOT AN ACTUAL BUS LINE. I'M NOT. PLEASE DON'T SAY I'M SAYING IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, BUT IT IS A CONCERN. 
          IT'S A VALID CONCERN. WE APPRECIATE THAT FEEDBACK AND WE'RE HOPING THAT WE CAN DO SOMETHING IF THAT SITE DOES GET DEVELOPED, THAT THAT WOULD BE PART OF THE REQUIREMENTS TO ALLOW FOR THE DEVELOPMENT. SO THANK YOU TO ALL THE RESIDENTS. AGAIN, IT MAY LOOK LIKE, YOU KNOW,  US AGAINST YOU OR ME AGAINST YOU. IT'S ALL REALLY GREAT FEEDBACK AND VERY VALID AND HELPFUL FOR DEVELOPING WHAT MAY ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE, THE ZONING IF THAT SITE GOES FORWARD. THERE. WERE YOU ASKED ABOUT AN INDEPENDENT ANALYSIS BEING COMMISSIONED FOR FLOOD? 
          [01:30:03]
THAT, AGAIN, WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD COME DOWN THE ROAD BEFORE AN APPROVAL, BUT AFTER THIS HOUSING PLAN. SO WE'RE NOT THERE YET, AND IT CERTAINLY IS GOING TO BE REQUIRED. NOT ONLY THAT, BUT, YOU KNOW, THE STORMWATER RULES ARE MUCH MORE STRINGENT TODAY THAN WHEN JOHNSON AND JOHNSON CONSTRUCTED THEIR. SO THERE IS THE NEED FOR RETAINAGE AREAS FOR SURE. 
          THERE'S NEW RULES THAT REQUIRE TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE. I MEAN, WELL, IT REQUIRES IT, BUT WE'RE HOPING TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE THAT IT WORKS, RIGHT. THAT RETAINS THE WATER ON SITE TO ALLOW IT TO THEN GO DOWN TO DISPERSE AND SLOWS DOWN THE FLOOD ONTO ADJOINING AREAS. ALL OF THOSE RULES WOULD BE IN EFFECT AND REQUIRED FOR ANY APPLICATION FOR DEVELOPMENT ON ANY SITE IN TOWN TODAY, MOVING FORWARD, AS OF A YEAR OR TWO AGO THAT IT WAS ALREADY ADOPTED. I BELIEVE THE REQUIREMENT WAS BY LAST JULY BY THE STATE AFFORDABLE UNITS IN ALL OF MONTGOMERY IN EXISTENCE TODAY. I WILL HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU UNLESS LORI KNOWS THAT OFF THE TOP OF HER HEAD, I HAVE A LOT OF NUMBERS IN MY HEAD, SO I APOLOGIZE. I DON'T HAVE EVERYTHING FOR EACH TOWN READY. AND AS FAR AS HOW IS THE TOWNSHIP GOING TO ADDRESS A CHALLENGE IF IT'S FOUND THAT THIS SITE IS UNREALISTIC, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN ONLY ADDRESS IF AND WHEN, BECAUSE QUITE HONESTLY, THAT'S ALMOST LIKE A LITIGATION STRATEGY. SO AS MUCH AS I'D LOVE TO SAY EXACTLY WHAT IT'S GOING TO DO, I WOULD CAUTION ANYBODY UP HERE FROM TRYING TO EVEN GUESS WHAT WOULD COME NEXT, BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO SEE WHERE YOU ARE AT THE TIME AND WHO IS AROUND AND WHO'S MAKING THE CHALLENGE AND WHAT IS COMING WITH IT. SO THAT'S JUST NOT SOMETHING LEGALLY THAT I WOULD RECOMMEND TO ANY GOVERNING BODY THAT I REPRESENT TO ANSWER TO THE PUBLIC. AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT, AND I'LL TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THAT ONE. I THINK THAT WAS ALL THE QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. DO YOU WANT. SORRY, MA'AM. WE CAN'T HAVE INDIVIDUALS SPEAKING, BUT WE ARE GOING TO FINALIZE THAT DATE AND GET THAT TO EVERYONE WITH ENOUGH AS MUCH NOTICE. WE ARE LOOKING AT LIKE THE FIRST HALF OF AUGUST, BUT IT WILL NOT BE THE LAST MEETING. SO WE DO LOOK AT, I MEAN, A NUMBER OF THESE DISCUSSIONS HAPPENING AND NOT JUST TO HAVE THESE TUNNELS ABOUT THIS, BUT AS WE GO OUT THROUGH THE PROCESS, THAT WAS THE COMMITMENT THAT CAME FROM THE ENTIRE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ENHANCE AND OVERCOMMUNICATE ENSURE THAT WE HAVE MULTIPLE PROCESSES TO GET FEEDBACK AND TO PROVIDE INPUT TO, TO RESIDENTS. 
          YEAH, I WILL SAY EVERYBODY'S COMMENTS TODAY. I GREATLY APPRECIATE EVERYBODY COMING OUT HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE IT'S IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS IMPORTANT. AND I WE ALL UNDERSTAND ALL YOUR CONCERNS AND PASSIONS. YOU KNOW THE CAN VIEW SITE IS UNFORTUNATE BECAUSE WE REALLY WANTED TO KEEP YOU KNOW KEN VIEW HERE. YOU KNOW THAT WAS OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY AND TRIED TO FILL IT OF COURSE IS OUR NUMBER TWO PRIORITY. BUT YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY WITH OUR CONNECTIONS OF STATE AND COUNTY EFFORTS, EVERYBODY, ALL THE BUSINESS DEPARTMENTS, NOBODY WAS ABLE TO HELP. YOU KNOW, WE WILL WE WILL CONTINUE TO LOOK AND HOPE YOU CAN COME OUT TO THE TOWN HALL AND HEAR ALL OUR RESPONSES TO YOUR CONCERNS AND COMMENTS. YOU KNOW, WE'RE DEFINITELY LOOKING AND TRY TO FIND OPTIONS. YOU KNOW, WE DO NEED A BUS IN OUR TOWN, YOU KNOW. SO HOW DO WE FIGURE THAT OUT? NOT JUST IF KEN VIEW COMES IN OR DOESN'T COME IN. WE STILL NEED OUR RESIDENTS TO MOVE AROUND THROUGHOUT OUR TOWN. IT HELPS WITH TRAFFIC. IT HELPS WITH OTHER THINGS. SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR COMING OUT. AND YOU KNOW, WOULD LOVE TO HEAR YOUR COMMENTS IN THE FUTURE. SO I WOULD ALSO SAY, SORRY MA'AM, NO PUBLIC COMMENTS. CLOSED, MA'AM. CLOSED. CLOSED. YES. ARE YOU KIDDING? YEAH. PLEASE. SO I WOULD I WOULD LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE FOR COMING OUT. YOU KNOW, ONCE AGAIN I APPRECIATE YOUR PASSION. I RECENTLY WENT TO THE HILLSBORO PLANNING BOARD MEETING ON BEHALF OF THE TOWNSHIP, AND THAT WAS REALLY VERY EDUCATIONAL BECAUSE JUST LIKE YOU, THE RESIDENTS OF HILLSBORO ARE VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT ARGUING AGAINST A PARTICULAR APPLICATION. AND IT'S APPRECIATED. SO I'M COMMITTED, AND I KNOW MY COLLEAGUES ARE COMMITTED TO COMMUNICATING IN THIS PROCESS AND TO BRAINSTORMING ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE PASSION AROUND THIS CAN VIEW SITE. AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, I UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM. BUT, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE AS MANY ALTERNATIVES AS YOU MIGHT THINK. YOU KNOW EVERYTHING. IT SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT IDEA, BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE MAY BE REASONS WHY IT'S NOT FEASIBLE. FOR EXAMPLE, IT MIGHT 
          [01:35:05]
BE A GREAT PIECE OF PROPERTY, BUT IF WE DON'T OWN IT OR HAVE A SOMEONE WHO DOES OWN IT WHO'S WILLING TO DEVELOP IT, IT'S NOT AN OPTION. THOSE ARE THINGS THAT NEED TO BE CONSIDERED. SO THESE ARE THINGS THAT WILL CONTINUE TO COME OUT AS WE CONTINUE TO HAVE OUR TOWN HALLS AND OUR OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOU TO SHARE YOUR FEEDBACK. AND I'M HOPING THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO COME TO A SOLUTION THAT HELPS EVERYONE OR SATISFIES EVERYONE. BUT WE MAY NOT, BECAUSE THAT'S REALISTIC. THIS IS NOT AN ADVERSARIAL PROCESS. IT'S A COMPLICATED PROCESS. IT'S GOING TO BE A LONG PROCESS. THE WORDS DONE DEAL ARE NOT APPROPRIATE TO BE USED IN MY OPINION. AT THIS POINT, I'M NOT CONSIDERING ANYTHING DONE AND I'M COMMITTED TO BRAINSTORMING SOLUTIONS WITH EVERYONE'S PARTICIPATION. YEAH, WE ALL LIVE HERE. YOU KNOW, WE'RE WE'RE RESIDENTS JUST LIKE YOU GUYS. SO AND YOU KNOW, WE MOVED HERE FOR THE FOR THE WAY MONTGOMERY IS. RIGHT. YOU KNOW, AND MY KIDS ARE GOING TO SCHOOL. SO IT'S WE'RE NOT GOING I'M NOT MOVING ANYTIME SOON. AND REALLY WE'RE WE'RE ON THE SCENE. WE'RE IN THE SAME BOAT. AND WE'RE CONCERNED AS MUCH AS YOU GUYS ARE CONCERNED. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND WE ARE DEFINITELY TRYING OUR BEST COMEDIAN MARTIN, IF YOU WANT TO MAKE ANY COMMENTS. NO, I JUST WANT TO REITERATE THAT YEAH THE COMMENTS ARE APPRECIATED. DIFFERENCES ARE ARE WELCOME. IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO ME THAT WE CAN HAVE DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW AND LOOK AT THINGS DIFFERENTLY, ALTHOUGH I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF POINTS HAVE BEEN MADE WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF AGREEMENT AND, AND I, I WANT TO I WANT TO THANK, THANK YOU FOR COMING FORWARD. AND I WANT TO CONTINUE TO WORK AND LOOK AT WHAT CAN BE DONE TO ADDRESS THE CONCERNS. YEAH. AND I DO WANT TO ECHO MY COLLEAGUE'S COMMENTS. I THINK THERE'S TWO POINTS THAT I DO WANT TO MAKE. ONE OF THEM'S A LITTLE BIT SPECIFIC. I THINK THERE'S A LOT DISCUSSION ABOUT CAN VIEW. I AM NOT AN EXPERT IN THIS FIELD, BUT I HAVE EXPERIENCE IN SITE CLOSURES, FARM SITES, AND I THINK FOR THOSE WHO HAVE LIVED IN MONTGOMERY FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME, I THINK YOU MAY KNOW THE HISTORY OF AND I WANT TO BE CAREFUL HERE. I'M NO LONGER A JOHNSON JOHNSON EMPLOYEE, SO I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR ABOUT THAT. THERE'S SOME QUESTIONS BEFORE, BUT THE MYTHOLOGY IS RIGHT THAT A MAJOR HIGHWAY, WHETHER IT'S THE TURNPIKE, WAS GOING TO COME THROUGH MONTGOMERY. AND THAT'S WHY THEY CHOSE THE SITE AND STARTED BUILDING ON IT. AND THEN WHEN I WAS ACTUALLY. TO RESIDENTS, A VERY PROUD RESIDENT WHO HAS LIVED HERE FOR A LONG TIME PROUDLY TOLD ME HE'S LIKE, OH, I WAS A PERSON WHO LED THE FIGHT TO GET THE TURNPIKE NOT TO COME THROUGH MONTGOMERY. SO ESSENTIALLY, YOU KNOW, THE MYTHOLOGY OF ALL THAT IS THAT THERE'S THIS HUGE SITE THAT'S WAS INTENDED TO BE BUILT NEXT TO A MAJOR INTERSECTION OF TRANSPORTATION. AND, YOU KNOW, IT WAS STUCK. AND SO OBVIOUSLY CAN VIEW WAS A SPIN OUT OF JOHNSON AND JOHNSON. AND THEY MOVED AND THEY MOVED TO SUMMIT TO BE CLOSER TO MORE THOROUGH WAYS. AND I KNOW THERE'S A GENTLEMAN WHO CAME AND SPOKE ABOUT SOME, YOU KNOW, NEW THERMO FISHER SCIENTIFIC. I THINK COMING IN, A LOT OF THOSE SITES ARE NEXT TO MAJOR HIGHWAYS. AND ONCE I WAS NO LONGER CONFLICTED, I DID GO MEET KEN. AND WE DID ASK, IS THERE ANYTHING WE CAN DO? AND THEY HAD ALREADY MADE THEIR DECISION, AND AT LEAST MY OPINION IS THAT THERE IS NO COMPANY THAT THE PHARMACEUTICAL, I THINK WAS CALLED OR LET'S JUST CALL IT LIFE SCIENCES, THAT WOULD PROBABLY LOOK FOR IT. 
          AGAIN, I CAN'T SAY LIKE AUTHORITATIVELY, BUT AT LEAST FROM MY EXPERIENCE, I THINK WE WOULD LOVE NOTHING MORE THAN, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER EMPLOYER TO COME IN AND TO BALANCE OUT, YOU KNOW, OUR TAX REVENUES, ETC. AND SO I THINK I JUST WANT TO KIND OF SHARE THAT. AND THE SECOND PIECE IS CONNECTED WITH OTHER INDIVIDUALS ARE SAYING IS JUST LIKE I WAS DISCUSSING WITH MICHAEL PITTS AROUND OUR BUDGET AND LOOKING AT RISKS AND OPPORTUNITIES, I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE IT'S PRUDENT FOR US TO CONTINUE LOOKING AT WHAT ALL OUR OTHER OPTIONS ARE, BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW IF HOW THESE ARE GOING TO COME THROUGH, RIGHT, YOU KNOW, ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS, ZONING, ETC. AND SO WE HAVE TO KIND OF CONTINUE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE OUR OTHER OPTIONS AND MAKE SURE WE HAVE CONTINGENCY PLANS, YOU KNOW, SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL ALIGNED ON THAT. SO I DID WANT TO SAY SOMETHING. YEAH. THE ONLY THING IS ONCE AGAIN, THIS IS A LIVING DOCUMENT. IT IS ALWAYS PART OF A MASTER PLAN. IT'S SUBJECT TO CHANGE. AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT CONDUCIVE TO COMPARE ONE TOWN TO ANOTHER ON THEIR PLANS BECAUSE EACH TOWN IS SO DISTINCTLY DIFFERENT. AND THAT IMPACTS HOW THEIR PLANS ARE PUT FORTH AND WHAT THEIR COMPLIANCE CAPABILITIES LOOK LIKE AS WELL. SO JUST WANTED TO CAUTION IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT ANOTHER TOWN 
          [01:40:03]
WHO MAY BE UP IN NORTH JERSEY AND DOESN'T HAVE AVAILABLE LAND SPACE, AND THEY'RE PUTTING A HEADLINE OF WE ADJUSTED OUR NUMBER DOWN TO ZERO, IT'S NOT ACTUALLY AN ADJUSTMENT. IT'S A VACANT LAND ADJUSTMENT, WHICH BASICALLY INDICATES THIS IS THE AVAILABLE OPEN SPACE THAT WE HAVE TO DEVELOP ON TODAY. AND THE REST OF THAT NUMBER, AS MUCH AS THE NEWSPAPERS DON'T SAY IT FOLLOWS THEM LIKE A CHOKEHOLD BEHIND ON WHAT'S CALLED UNMET NEED. EVERY TOWN IS DIFFERENT. 
          IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, GETTING A COUTURE DRESS AND EXPECTING IT TO FIT TWO DIFFERENT PEOPLE WITH DIFFERENT SIZES. SO I KNOW THAT THIS TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE IS VERY COMMITTED TO LOOKING INTO WHAT IS POSSIBLE IN MONTGOMERY. AND I WOULD JUST ASK EVERYONE TO GIVE THEM A LITTLE GRACE TO REALIZE THAT MONTGOMERY IS NOT THE SAME AS EVERY OTHER TOWN THAT MAY BE IN THE HEADLINES, WITH A DIFFERENT TYPE OF COMPLIANCE PLAN. THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. ORDINANCES. INTRODUCTION AND 
          [3. Ordinance #25-1761 – Amending Schedule VI, “One-Way Streets,” Schedule VIII, “Stop Intersections,” and  Schedule XVII “Speed Limits,” of Chapter VII, of the Code of the Township of Montgomery (1984) to Establish or  Amend No One-Way Streets, Stop Sign Locations, and Speed Limits on Township Line Road – Introduction/First  Reading ]
FIRST READING ORDINANCE NUMBER 20 5-1761. AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SCHEDULE SIX ONE WAY STREETS, 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 ONE WAY STREETS, STOP SIGN LOCATIONS, AND SPEED LIMITS ON TOWNSHIP LINE ROAD BE RESOLVED BY THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE OF THE TOWNSHIP OF MONTGOMERY THAT THE FOREGOING ORDINANCE BE HEREBY PASSED ON FIRST READING, AND THAT THE SAME BE PUBLISHED ACCORDING TO LAW, WITH A PUBLIC HEARING AND A VOTE SCHEDULED FOR THE MEETING OF AUGUST 7TH, 2025. MAY I HAVE A MOTION? INTRODUCE ORDINANCE NUMBER 20 5-1761. SO MOVED. SECOND ROLL CALL, PLEASE. COMMITTEE MEMBER. MARTIN. YES. 
          COMMITTEE MEMBER. ANN. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. TAYLOR. TODD. YES. DEPUTY. MAYOR. BERRIGAN. 
          YES. ORDINANCE. PUBLIC HEARING. FINAL ADOPTIONS. THERE ARE NO ORDINANCES FOR FINAL ADOPTION. 
          [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 ON 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? OKAY, MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE CONSENT AGENDA? RESOLUTIONS NUMBER 20 5-723 8 TO 25. DASH 7-240. SO MOVED. SECOND ROLL CALL, PLEASE. COMMITTEE MEMBER. MARTIN. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. ANN. YES. 
          COMMITTEE MEMBER. TAYLOR. TODD. YES. DEPUTY. MAYOR. BERRIGAN. YES. RESOLUTIONS. RESOLUTION 
          [7. Resolution #25-7-241 – Review of Annual Audit Report 2024 ]
NUMBER 20 5-7241. REVIEW OF ANNUAL AUDIT REPORT OF 2024. I'LL JUST SEE IF THERE'S ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS. I KNOW MICHAEL PITTS DID REVIEW THAT IN HIS FINANCIAL REVIEW, BUT IN CASE THERE'S ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE. NO. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION? NUMBER 20 FIVE. DASH SEVEN, DASH TWO FOR ONE. SO MOVED. SECOND ROLL CALL, PLEASE. 
          COMMITTEE MEMBER. MARTIN. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. ANN. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. TAYLOR. TODD. 
          YES. DEPUTY MAYOR BERRIGAN. YES. APPROVAL OF MINUTES. THERE ARE NO MINUTES FOR APPROVAL. DID I MISS IT? SECOND. OKAY. HEALTH OFFICER PRESENTATION. I'M SORRY. IS THERE A HEALTH OFFICER PRESENTATION? NO. OKAY, OKAY. SO APPROVAL MINUTES. THERE ARE NO MINUTES FOR APPROVAL. 12 
          [9. Resolution #25-7-242 – Payment of Bills ]
RESOLUTION NUMBER 20 5-7-242. PAYMENT OF BILLS POSTED. YES. DEPUTY MAYOR, ON THE FIRST PAGE, YOU WILL SEE A PAYMENT TO BEN SCHAEFER RECREATION THAT CAME OUT OF OUR GRANT FUND FOR $744,664.63. THAT'S FOR THE INCLUSIVE PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT AND INSTALLATION RIGHT OUTSIDE, ABOUT A FEW LINES BELOW THAT IS OUR MONTHLY HEALTH INSURANCE BILL. SO OUR AUGUST 2025 AETNA BILL IS $168,794. THEN IF YOU GO TO PAGE FOUR, THERE'S TIMMERMAN CO FOR THE PURCHASE OF A STREET SWEEPER. IT WAS PART OF OUR CAPITAL PLAN. SO THAT'S COMING OUT OF OUR CAPITAL FUND FOR $263,091.51. AND THEN FINALLY ON PAGE SIX TO ALLIED CONCERN CONSTRUCTION GROUP FOR STAGE TWO FLOOD PROTECTION PROJECT $528,625.20. THOSE ARE YOUR LARGEST BILLS ON THIS BILL LIST. 
          ANY QUESTIONS? MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION NUMBER? NUMBER 25. DASH SEVEN. 
          DASH 242. SO MOVED. SECOND ROLL CALL, PLEASE. COMMITTEE MEMBER. MARTIN. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. 
          YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. TAYLOR. TODD. YES. DEPUTY MAYOR BERRIGAN. YES. CORRESPONDENCE. 
          [01:45:02]
THERE'S NO CORRESPONDENCE. NEW AND UNFINISHED BUSINESS. THERE IS NO NEW AND UNFINISHED 
          [12. Township Committee Reports ]
BUSINESS. TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE REPORTS. I THINK HE DOESN'T HAVE ANY. OH, GOOD. OKAY, SO SOMERSET COUNTY BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP IS DOING A SEATED IN SOMERSET. IS THEY BASICALLY JUST SHOWCASING ALL THE AGRITOURISM AND THE FARMS IN OUR TOWN AND OUR MONTGOMERY'S MARIE VOORHEES AND HER HIDDEN SPRING, LAVENDER AND ALPACA FARM IS FEATURED IN THE IN THE MAGAZINE. SO, YOU KNOW, CONGRATULATIONS TO HER. AND YOU KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE IN THE MUNICIPAL BUILDING. SO IF YOU WANT TO PICK UP A MAGAZINE SOON, IT SHOULD BE AVAILABLE. RESTAURANT WEEK IS SEPTEMBER 8TH TO 14TH. IF YOU'RE A OWNER OF A RESTAURANT OR IF YOU KNOW SOMEBODY AND YOU ASK THEM IF THEY'RE PARTICIPATING, IT'S A GOOD WAY TO, YOU KNOW, SHOP LOCAL AND, YOU KNOW, HAVE A TOUR AND TASTE OF DIFFERENT CUISINES THROUGHOUT MONTGOMERY. SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT. ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. SO I HAVE TWO UPDATES ON BEHALF OF THE OPEN SPACE COMMITTEE. FIRST, THEY HAD THEIR REGULAR MEETING ON JULY 8TH AND THEY HAD TRAILS DAY SINCE WE LAST MET. AND THEY SAID IT WAS THE BIGGEST CROWD EVER. ALSO, THERE IS A THERE WAS A KICK OFF MEETING HELD ON FRIDAY WITH THE FRIENDS OF HOPEWELL VALLEY OPEN SPACE REGARDING DEVELOPING A STEWARDSHIP PLAN FOR THE LAND VIEW PRESERVE, WHICH IS ON HOLLOW ROAD. AND FINALLY, SAM, THE SOUTH AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM WILL HAVE AN EXHIBIT OPENING ON AUGUST 8TH ON BLACK BASEBALL. I KNOW MY HUSBAND'S GOING TO BE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT BECAUSE HE'S A BIG BASEBALL FAN, SO I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO BE AWARE OF THAT. AND THERE ARE SOME ACQUISITION UPDATES THAT I THINK WILL BE ON FUTURE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE AGENDAS. SO LOOK OUT FOR THAT. AND THEN AS FAR AS THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, THE BOARD OF HEALTH, RATHER, THEY MET ON JULY 9TH. AND AT THAT TIME THEY DID HAVE A PRESENTATION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH STRATEGIC PLAN FOR 2020 TO 2025, WHICH I THINK WILL BE COMING BEFORE THIS, THIS BODY FOR PRESENTATION AT SOME POINT IN THE NEAR FUTURE. ALSO, GOING BACK TO OPEN SPACE IS ONE THING I FORGOT TO SAY. SO THEY ALSO CALLED ATTENTION TO OUR MONTGOMERY HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR STUDENT, AALIYAH PADMAVATHI, WHO WROTE A WINNING ESSAY ABOUT WHAT I LIKE ABOUT MY HOMETOWN, IS PRESENTED TO THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE A COUPLE OF MEETINGS AGO. SHE PRESENTED IT TO US AND IT WAS AMAZING. AND OPEN SPACE DEFINITELY WAS MENTIONED AS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT SHE REALLY LOVES ABOUT THE TOWN. SO I WANTED TO CALL MORE ATTENTION TO THAT. AND THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. VETERANS COMMITTEE DID NOT MEET IN JULY, BUT A, A LETTER WAS SENT TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO SEE IF THE STUDENTS CAN GET VETERAN'S DAY OFF IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE WITH THE ANNUAL CEREMONIES. IT IS A IT IS, YOU KNOW, ON A ON A SCHOOL DAY. SO WE'LL CONTINUE FOLLOWING UP ON THAT AND LANDMARKS MEETS NEXT WEEK. 
          [13. Administrator’s Report ]
ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT. THANK YOU. SUMMER CAMP IS GOING WELL. WE HAVE 250 CAMPERS REGISTERED WITH 20 CAMP COUNSELORS. SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS HAVE BEEN REPORTED A TALENT SHOW. THEY'VE WORKED WITH, THERAPY DOGS, AND OUR OWN FIRST RESPONDERS CAME OUT WITH FOR TOUCH-A-TRUCK. THE PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT IS ALSO SERVING AN ADDITIONAL 400 REGISTERED PROGRAM USERS. OVER 30 PROGRAMS INCLUDE SPORTS AND CREATIVE CAMPS, AND ONE OF THE UNIQUE ONES THAT THEY DO IS A THEATER CAMP, AND THEY'RE CURRENTLY DOING BYE BYE BIRDIE, AND THEY'LL BE DOING A YOUTH EDITION OF THAT. IT TAKES TWO WEEKS TO PRACTICE, LEARN THE PLAY, AND THEN THEY PERFORM THE PLAY AND THE FINAL SESSIONS, FINDING NEMO KIDS. SO THAT'S KIND OF A BIG HIT. IF PEOPLE WANTED TO GO OUT AND SEE THE YOUNG PEOPLE IN MONTGOMERY. THE BROADWAY CRICKET PITCH UPGRADES ARE ANTICIPATED TO START NEXT WEEK, AND THEY'LL TAKE ABOUT 3 TO 4 WEEKS TO COMPLETE. AND AS I MENTIONED, ONCE COMPLETE, IT WILL OPEN UP SATURDAY AFTERNOONS AND ALL DAY SUNDAY FOR RESIDENTS TO RESERVE THE UPGRADED CONCRETE PITCH. THE COUNTY, SOMERSET COUNTY, OPERATES THE SENIOR CENTER HERE IN MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP. AS YOU KNOW, DENISE CROWLEY, OUR LONGTIME MANAGER, RETIRED. SO THEY'RE IN THE THEY'RE REVIEWING RESUMES AND HAVE BEGUN INTERVIEWING JOHN GROEGER. THE DIRECTOR AND MYSELF PARTICIPATED IN A SECOND INTERVIEW FOR ONE OF THE PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYEES AND HAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE, I THINK WOULD BE A GREAT ASSET. AND SO WE'RE 
          [01:50:06]
THERE'LL BE ABOUT TWO MORE INTERVIEWS THAT WILL BE CONDUCTING WITH THE COUNTY AND HOPEFULLY BE ABLE TO FILL THAT. THE COUNTY WILL BE ABLE TO FILL THAT POSITION SOON. WE'RE WORKING ON THE FINAL ASPECTS OF THE DRAINAGE FOR THE PLAYGROUND. IT'S SET TO START NEXT WEEK. 
          WE'RE JUST WAITING ON THE MATERIALS AND IT'LL TAKE ABOUT ONE WEEK TO COMPLETE. AS WE APPROACH THE SEPTEMBER CLOSURE OF THE ELKS FOOD PANTRY, WE'VE SEEN A SLIGHT UPTICK IN ABOUT THREE FAMILIES COMING OVER TO OUR PANTRY, SO WE ARE NOW SERVING 52 FAMILIES IN OUR FOOD PANTRY. WE HAVE A MEETING PLANNED WITH LISA YOUNGBERG, WHO WAS ONE OF THE MONTGOMERY RESIDENTS WHO INITIALLY STARTED THE FOOD PANTRY TO REACTIVATE AND EXPAND OUR VOLUNTEER PROGRAM. I THINK WE HAD COVID, AND THEN WE HAD SOME ARP FUNDS THAT HELPED WITH THE ELKS PROGRAM, ELKS FOOD PANTRY. AND NOW THAT WE'RE SORT OF REGULATING ALL OF THAT OUT, WE'D WE'D LIKE TO KIND OF REACTIVATE REGULAR FOOD DRIVES, GETTING THE VOLUNTEERS. AND SO THE NEW SENIOR CENTER MANAGER WILL HELP WITH THAT AS WELL. STAGE TWO SEWER TREATMENT PLANT WILL BE SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETE SEPTEMBER 30TH, WITH FINAL COMPLETION ON DECEMBER 1ST. AND THE VETERANS COMMITTEE HAS A CALL OUT FOR PURPLE HEART IF YOU WANT TO. YEAH. SO AUGUST IS, YOU KNOW, HAS NATIONAL PURPLE HEART DAY. SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE HONOR OF BEING DESIGNED AS ONE OF THE PURPLE HEART COMMUNITY WITHIN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY AS PART OF THE PRIVILEGE AND REMEMBERING AND ACKNOWLEDGING THE SACRIFICE OF THOSE WHO GAVE SO MUCH FOR THE FREEDOM AND OPPORTUNITIES WE HAVE TODAY. THE MONTGOMERY VETERANS MEMORIAL COMMITTEE WILL BE CONTINUING TO COLLECT AND ADD TO THE STORIES OF PURPLE HEART IN OUR COMMUNITY. FOR ANY PURPLE HEART RECIPIENTS CURRENTLY RESIDING IN MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP, AS WELL AS CURRENT TOWNSHIP RESIDENTS THAT ARE IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBERS OF A PURPLE HEART RECIPIENT, YOU KNOW, PARENTS, GRANDPARENTS, ETC. THIS DISTINCTION INCLUDES YOU OR SOMEONE IN YOUR FAMILY AND YOU HAVE NOT YET SPOKEN WITH THE MONTGOMERY VETERANS MEMORIAL COMMITTEE. PLEASE CALL OUR TOWNSHIP CLERK, LISA FOGLIA, AT (908) 359-8211. EXTENSION 2240. BY THE END OF THE MONTH, THE VETERANS COMMITTEE AND THE TOWNSHIP PLANS TO AGAIN RECOGNIZE ALL OF OUR PURPLE HEART RESIDENTS ON AUGUST 7TH, WHICH IS NATIONAL PURPLE HEART DAY, AND MAINTAIN A PERMANENT RECORD OF STORIES OF HONOR AND REMEMBRANCE ON THE WEBSITE. ANYTHING ELSE FOR MR. AND I WOULD JUST FOCUS THAT THE GREEKS TOWN BRIDGE, THE GREEK. THE ONE LANE BRIDGE THAT CONNECTS MONTGOMERY OFF RIVER ROAD TO FRANKLIN AND CANAL ROAD. THE COUNTY HAD HAS EXECUTED A STUDY, LOOKED AT 12 DIFFERENT ALTERNATIVES. THEY HAVE A PREFERRED ALIGNMENT. THEY'RE REFINING THAT ALIGNMENT OF FOR AN ALTERNATIVE OF UPGRADING. IT WOULD SIGNALIZE NOT ADD A SECOND SECOND LANE TO THE BRIDGE. THAT OPTION IS MORE EXPENSIVE AND ALSO MORE TIME CONSUMING BECAUSE THEY NEED TO GET CERTAIN ENVIRONMENTAL PERMITS, BECAUSE THAT'S A REGULATED AREA BOTH AT BEING A STATE PARK AND THEN ALSO THE RIVER THERE AND ANY OF THE WETLANDS ASSOCIATED. SO THEY'RE LOOKING AT THAT PLAN AND THEY'RE GOING TO BRING THEY RECEIVED PUBLIC COMMENT UP THROUGH JULY 15TH, AND THEY ARE GOING TO BRING THE TOWNS BACK IN TO KIND OF TAKE A LOOK AT THE FINAL PLAN. SO I'LL HAVE SOMETHING FOR YOU IN AN UPCOMING MEETING. BUT I ENCOURAGE ANY RESIDENT THAT IS INTERESTED IN WHAT THE COUNTY IS LOOKING TO DO. GRIGGSTOWN CAUSEWAY IS A COUNTY BRIDGE. GO TO THEIR WEBSITE. JUST GOOGLE GRIGGSTOWN BRIDGE, SOMERSET COUNTY. IT'LL COME RIGHT UP AND THEY'VE POPULATED A WEB PAGE, SO YOU CAN SEE ALL OF THE DIFFERENT ALTERNATIVES THAT THEY LOOKED AT, THE PREFERRED ALIGNMENT AND CONTACT NUMBERS. IF YOU NEED TO REACH THE COUNTY ENGINEER, THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. ALTHOUGH THERE'S NOTHING FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS A NUMBER OF TIMES. WE WILL BE PUBLISHING A DATE AND MAYBE MULTIPLE DATES OF TOWN HALL TYPE DISCUSSION FORUMS FOR ON THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING. 18 EXECUTIVE SESSION. THERE ARE NO MATTERS FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION. ADJOURNMENT MAY HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN SO MOVED SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.