ALRIGHT. SO ARE YOU READY? WE'LL PUT IT ALL ON THE RECORD. OKAY. GIVE ME A LOOSE GAVEL.
[I. OPENING STATEMENT]
[00:00:05]
HEY, ALL OF OUR GAVEL AT LEAST RIGHT HERE. OKAY, I'M GOING TO CALL THIS MEETING OF THE MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT TO ORDER. THIS IS THE REORGANIZATIONAL AND REGULAR MEETING OF JANUARY 27TH, 2026, AND IT IS NOW 701 VERIZON TIME. UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS ACT, NOTICES OF THE TIME AND PLACE OF THIS MEETING HAVE BEEN POSTED AND SENT TO THE OFFICIALLY DESIGNATED NEWSPAPERS. I'M NOW GOING TO CALL THE ROLL, BUT I FIRST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE NEW BOARD MEMBERS. HAVE YOU ALL SIGNED YOUR OATHS OF OFFICE? YES. HAS ANYONE NOT SIGNED AN OATH OF OFFICE? EXCELLENT. ABU SAHIB.IS EXCUSED. ABSENT. BLAZAWSKI PRESENT. BLODGETT. PRESENT. BRONZE. HERE. ROSENTHAL ALSO.
EXCUSE ME. WALMART. HERE. WOOD HERE. DOSHI. HERE. SHAH HERE. HOW DO YOU PRONOUNCE MAYAN? MAYAN. THANK YOU. HERE. DELANTY. HERE. OKAY. ALSO PRESENT ARE DRILL, MCMANUS, GALLON AND DAJI IS EXCUSED. YES. THAT'S RIGHT. OKAY, LET'S DO THE FLAG. SALUTE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD,
[IV. REORGANIZATION]
INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. WE'RE NOW GOING TO GO TO THE REORGANIZATIONAL PORTION OF THE MEETING, THE ELECTION OF OFFICERS. AND I'M GOING TO ASK FOR A NOMINATION FOR CHAIR. ANYONE WANT TO MAKE A NOMINATION? NOMINATE PAUL BLODGETT. AND FOR THE RECORD, WHO DOESN'T? THAT MADE THE NOMINATION? JOHN WALMART. IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND THAT. AND YOU ARE MIKE WOOD. OKAY. NOW, ARE THERE ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS FOR CHAIR HEARING? NONE. I WILL ASK FOR A MOTION TO CLOSE NOMINATIONS. I'M GOING TO ASK WALMART TO MAKE THAT MOTION. SO MOVED. AND I'M GOING TO ASK WOOD TO SECOND IT. I SECOND AND I'M GOING TO HAVE A ROLL CALL. LET'S SEE. 12345678. SO JUST FOR THE FOR NEW MEMBERS THIS IS SEVEN MEMBER BOARD WITH A BUNCH OF ALTERNATES. SO YOU ALL VOTING ON EVERYTHING IS NO MORE THAN SEVEN. SO IF YOU HAVE SEVEN REGULAR MEMBERS HERE THOSE ARE THE SEVEN. IF A MEMBER IS ABSENT YOU CALL IT IN THE ORDER OF ALTERNATES. SO, MR. CHAIR, CAN YOU TELL ME, SINCE WE HAVE TWO REGULAR MEMBERS WHO ARE ABSENT, WHO ARE WHOSE ALTERNATE ONE AND WHO'S ALTERNATE TWO, THEY ARE IN THE ORDER OF PRECEDENCE WITH BOB AND TRISHA. OKAY. SO THAT WAS NOT HERE. LET ME JUST I'M BETTER AS A BOARD ATTORNEY THAN A BOARD SECRETARY. SLOW AS A BOARD SECRETARY. 234567 OKAY. BLAZAWSKI. YES. BLODGETT. YES. BRUNS. YES. WALMART. YES. WOOD.YES. DOSHI. YES. AND. SHAH. YES. OKAY. MR. CHAIRMAN. GREAT. I TURN THE GAVEL OVER TO YOU.
THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND IT IS A PLEASURE TO CONTINUE TO SERVE THIS BOARD AND THIS TOWNSHIP. I THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE ANOTHER GREAT YEAR. I THIS IS PROBABLY MY FAVORITE VOLUNTEER ACTIVITY TO DO THIS THIS ZONING BOARD. IT'S A LOT OF WORK AND I THANK EVERYONE THAT IS DOING IT ALONGSIDE ME. I REALLY DO THINK THAT WE HAVE A GROWING PROFESSIONAL BOARD, AND I'M PROUD TO TO LEAD IT. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONFIDENCE IN ME.
I WILL MAKE A CALL FOR NOMINATIONS FOR VICE CHAIR. NOW I'D LIKE TO NOMINATE AMY ROSENTHAL. THANK YOU. SO MISS BRZOZOWSKI IS NOMINATED AMY ROSENTHAL I WILL SECOND THAT NOMINATION FOR AMY. AMY EXPRESSED TO ME THAT SHE WOULD ACCEPT THE NOMINATION. SHE IS NOT PRESENT, BY THE WAY. SHE DOESN'T HAVE TO ACCEPT IT. SHE SHE DID THAT VIA EMAIL AND SHE HAS SERVED WELL AS VICE CHAIR IN THE PAST. SO I'M VERY HAPPY THAT SHE'S WILLING TO CONTINUE TO SERVE AS WELL. ARE THERE ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS FOR VICE CHAIR HEARING? NONE. WE'LL MAKE A MOTION, ACTUALLY, MISS BLAZAWSKI, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE NOMINATIONS. I MAKE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE NOMINATION, AND I WILL SECOND THAT. ALL IN FAVOR? ALL RIGHT.
ROLL CALL, PLEASE, MR. GALEN BLAZAWSKI. YES. BLODGETT. YES. BRUNS. YES. WALLMARK. YES. WOOD.
YES. DOSHI. YES. SHAH. YES. ALL RIGHT. NEXT IS THE NOMINATIONS FOR A CHAIR. PRO TEMP. THIS IS
[00:05:10]
THE ESSENTIALLY THE SECOND VICE CHAIR. IF BOTH OF BOTH ARE ABSENT, THOSE ARE THE THOSE ARE THE DUTIES. CAN I HAVE A NOMINATION FOR A CHAIR PRO TEM? MR. CHAIRMAN, I'D LIKE TO NOMINATE JOHN WALMART. ABSOLUTELY. YES. UNLESS ANYBODY ELSE WOULD LIKE TO I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO SECOND THAT NOMINATION. JOHN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO DO THAT.ARE THERE ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS FOR CHAIR PRO TEM? HEARING? NONE. CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO CLOSE NOMINATIONS? I MOVE TO CLOSE THE NOMINATIONS AND I WILL SECOND THAT. COULD I ALL IN FAVOR? HEARING ALL EYES. ANY NAYS? GREAT. MOTION PASSES. THE ROLL CALL, PLEASE, MR. GALEN BLAZAWSKI. YES. BLODGETT. YES. BRUNS. YES. WALLMARK. YES. WOOD. YES. DOSHI. YES. SHAH. YES. AND THEN THE APPOINTMENT OF THE RECORDING SECRETARY, I WOULD LIKE TO THIS IS GOING TO BE MATT GALEN, OUR ZONING OFFICER FOR THE TOWN ZONING PROFESSIONAL. CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO APPOINT MATT DILLON AS THE RECORDING SECRETARY? SO MOVED MR. WALMART SECOND. AND MR. WOOD, THANK YOU. CAN I HAVE A ROLL CALL, PLEASE? MR. GALEN BLAZAWSKI. YES. BLODGETT. YES.
BRUNS. YES. WALMART. YES. WOOD. YES. DOSHI. YES. SHAH. YES. GREAT. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. SO THE MEETING SCHEDULED FOR THIS, FOR THIS COMING YEAR, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE ZONING BOARD OF ADMINISTRATION OF THE TOWNSHIP OF MONTGOMERY, WILL MEET ON 2026 ON THE FOURTH TUESDAY OF THE MONTH, WITH THE FOURTH THURSDAY OF THE MONTH BEING UTILIZED AS A MEETING DATE, BUT ONLY AS MAY BE NECESSARY FOR SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES, AND THAT THE MONTHLY MEETING DATES OF THE BOARD ARE HEREBY SCHEDULED ON THE FOLLOWING DATES TO COMMENCE AT 7 P.M. IN THE MUNICIPAL BUILDING LOCATED AT 100 COMMUNITY DRIVE, SKILLMAN, NEW JERSEY. IT'S A BEAUTIFUL BUILDING. THE FOLLOWING DATES ARE JANUARY 27TH, FEBRUARY 24TH AND 26TH. MARCH 24TH AND 26TH.
APRIL 23RD AND 28TH. JUNE 23RD AND 25TH. JULY 23RD AND 27TH. AUGUST 25TH AND 27TH. SEPTEMBER 22ND AND 24TH. NOVEMBER 24TH AND DECEMBER 22ND. DOES ANYBODY SEE ANY CONFLICT WITH ANY OF THOSE DATES FOR OTHER RELIGIOUS OR PUBLIC HOLIDAYS? WE HAVE OCCASIONALLY MISSED THOSE BEFORE WE CAN. WE CAN CALL ATTENTION TO THEM LATER. THESE ARE JUST NEED TO BE DESIGNATED AHEAD OF TIME. IF ANYBODY EVERYBODY CAN REVIEW THEIR CALENDARS, WE'LL BE. IT'D BE BEST TO GET THEM AS WELL AHEAD OF TIME, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT THE 2027 REORGANIZATION MEETING THAT'S NEXT YEAR IS HEREBY SCHEDULED FOR JANUARY 26TH, 2027, TO COMMENCE AT 7 P.M. IN THE MUNICIPAL BUILDING LOCATED AT 100 COMMUNITY DRIVE, SKILLMAN, NEW JERSEY. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT MEETINGS ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND FORMAL ACTION MAY BE TAKEN AT ALL MEETINGS. SPECIAL WORK SESSIONS SCHEDULED PERIODICALLY WILL BE NOTICED AS REQUIRED UPON SCHEDULING, AND THIS NOTICE SHALL BE TRANSMITTED TO THE OFFICIALLY DESIGNATED NEWSPAPER AND FILED WITH THE CLERK OF MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP. CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THOSE MEETING SCHEDULE THAT RESOLUTION? YES. SO MOVED. SECOND, MISS BLAZAWSKI ROLL CALL, PLEASE. BLAZAWSKI. YES. BLODGETT. YES. BRUNS. YES. WALMART. YES. WOULD. YES. DOSHI.
YES. SHAH. YES. ALL RIGHT. FOR OLD TIMERS, YOU'LL NOTICE SOMETHING DIFFERENT IN THE THIS NEXT SESSION. SO BETWEEN JANUARY 1ST AND JANUARY 2026 AND MARCH 1ST, 2026, THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER FOR LEGAL, MUNICIPAL ADVERTISING AND NOTICE SHALL BE THE COURIER NEWS AND STAR LITERATURE IN ACCORDANCE WITH PL 2025, CHAPTER 72, S 4654, NO LATER THAN MARCH 1ST, 2026. TOWNSHIP NOTICE WILL BE POSTED ON THE MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP WEBSITE AND WILL BE AVAILABLE AT PUBLIC NOTICES BAR, MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP, NEW JERSEY. BEGINNING.
THIS IS A LINK BEGINNING MARCH 1ST, 2026. APPLICANT NOTICES FOR PUBLIC HEARINGS MUST BE IN AN ELIGIBLE ON ONLINE NEWS PUBLICATION. I THINK THIS IS A GREAT STEP. THE PASSED BY THE LEGISLATURE LAST YEAR. THIS IS IN MANY. MUCH OF THE FEEDBACK WE GET IS THAT NOBODY KNOWS EVEN HOW TO ACCESS THE COURIER NEWS. AND SO THIS IS MUCH BETTER FOR TRANSPARENCY AND
[00:10:06]
OPENNESS TO THE PUBLIC, I BELIEVE. SO THANKS FOR THE PUBLIC TO SPEAK UP ABOUT THIS ISSUE. CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS NOTION, THIS DESIGNATION? SO MOVED. THANK YOU, MR. WALMART. SECOND, MR. WOOD, ROLL CALL PLEASE. LAZOVSKY. YES. BLODGETT. YES.BRUNS. YES. WALMART. YES. WOOD. YES. DOSHI. YES. SHAH. YES. GREAT. MOTION CARRIES. NEXT IS SECTION E, NEW JERSEY FEDERATION OF PLANNING OFFICIALS MEMBERSHIP. THIS IS A $212.50 MEMBERSHIP. THIS IS COVERS TWO THINGS. IT COVERS YOUR THE THE DISTRIBUTION OF THIS NEW JERSEY PLANNER. IT ALSO COVERS TRAINING FOR NEW BOARD MEMBERS AND PROBABLY SOME OTHER THINGS AS WELL. IT'S A MODEST COST OF $212. CAN I GET A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS MEMBERSHIP? MOVED? SECOND, THANK YOU MR. WALMART AND MR. WOULD CAN I HAVE A ROLL CALL, PLEASE? BLESOVSKY. YES. BLODGETT. YES. BRUNS. YES. WALMART. YES. WOOD. YES. DOSHI.
YES. SHAH. YES. OKAY. AND NOW SECTION F, THE APPOINTMENT OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICES UNDER THE LOCAL UNIT PAY TO PLAY LAW. THIS IS RESOLUTION 0162026. WHEREAS THERE EXISTS A NEED TO ACQUIRE FOLLOWING PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FOR 2026 WITHOUT A FAIR AND OPEN PROCESS AS DEFINED BY PL 2004 C, SECTION C 19, THE LOCAL UNIT PAY TO PLAY LAW. THE ZONING BOARD, ATTORNEY, ZONING BOARD, PLANNER, ZONING BOARD, TRAFFIC ENGINEER, ZONING BOARD, LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT, AND ZONING BOARD ENGINEER. WHEREAS THE MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP PURCHASING AGENT HAS DETERMINED AND CERTIFIED IN WRITING THAT THE VALUE OF THE SERVICE OVER THE COURSE OF THE CONTRACT IS ANTICIPATED TO EXCEED $17,500. AND WHEREAS THE NEW JERSEY LOCAL PUBLIC CONTRACTS LAW NJSA 40, A COLON 11 TECH ONE AUTHORIZES THE AWARD OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACTS WITHOUT COMPETITIVE BIDDING, AND WHEREAS THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER HAS CERTIFIED THAT SUFFICIENT FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE FOR THE AFORESAID SERVICES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE AMOUNT SET FORTH IN THE 2026 TEMPORARY BUDGET, WITH PERFORMANCE OF SAID SERVICES AFTER MARCH 31ST, 2026 BEING SUBJECT TO THE TOWNSHIP AMENDMENT TO THE 2026 TEMPORARY BUDGET AND OR ADOPTION OF THE FINAL 2026 BUDGET. NOW, THEREFORE, IT BE RESOLVED BY THE ZONING BOARD OF THE TOWNSHIP OF MONTGOMERY AS FOLLOWS. THE CHAIRMAN IS HEREBY AUTHORIZED AND DIRECTED TO EXECUTE A PROPER AGREEMENT WITH THE FOLLOWING. STICKLE, CORNING, SULLIVAN AND DRILL, LLC, I DON'T THINK. DO I NEED TO READ THE REST? JUST. JUST THE NAMES. KYLE MCMANUS AND ASSOCIATES, LLC IS OUR BOARD PLANNER. THAT'S YOU SEE, THAT'S BETH MCMANUS FOR ANYONE WHO HASN'T RECOGNIZED HER. IF SHE HASN'T INTRODUCED HERSELF. TNM ASSOCIATES AS ZONING BOARD TRAFFIC ENGINEER, KYLE MCMANUS ASSOCIATES, LLC AS OUR BOARD LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT, AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESOLUTIONS, INC. AS OUR BOARD ENGINEER. THIS CONTRACT IS AWARDED FOR THE PERIOD OF ONE YEAR AND FOR THE AMOUNT SET FORTH IN THE CONTRACT, AND WITHOUT COMPETITIVE BIDDING AS PROFESSIONAL SERVICES UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE LOCAL PUBLIC CONTRACTS LAW. NJSA 40, A COLON 11 TEC 51A AS CONTRACTS FOR SERVICES TO BE PERFORMED BY THE PERSONS AUTHORIZED BY LAW TO PRACTICE RECOGNIZED PROFESSIONS AND ARE REGULATED BY LAW, AND BECAUSE THE SERVICES ARE TO BE PERFORMED AND NOT SUSCEPTIBLE TO QUANTITATIVE QUANTIFYING AND BIDS SPECIFICATIONS. THESE COUNTRIES HAVE COMPLETED AND FILED WITH MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP A CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS AFFIDAVIT AS REQUIRED BY NJSA 19. COLON 444 A TECH TWO 20.2, CERTIFYING THAT THEY HAVE NOT MADE ANY PROHIBITED CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CANDIDATE COMMITTEE OR MUNICIPAL COMMITTEE REPRESENTING THE ELECTED OFFICIALS OF THE TOWNSHIP. A COPY OF THIS RESOLUTION AND THE CERTIFICATIONS OF CONTRACT VALUE, THE CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS ACT DATED AND THE EXECUTED AGREEMENT SHALL BE PLACED ON FILE IN THE OFFICE OF ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT. I NOTICE OF THIS ACTION SHALL BE PUBLISHED ONCE IN THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER AS REQUIRED BY LAW. PERFORMANCE OF SERVICES UNDER THE TERMS OF THESE CONTRACTS AND PAYMENT FOR THESE SERVICES SUBJECT TO THE CERTIFICATION OF AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS BY THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER. THAT'S A LOT. MOTION TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION ONE A MOTION. AND THEN I HAVE A QUESTION. EITHER WAY QUESTION OR MOTION. MY QUESTION IS WHAT WHAT IS THE PROCESS THAT IS USED TO GIVE THESE CONTRACTS? THAT IS, I KNOW YOU READ A LOT OF STUFF HERE, BUT BUT HOW? IT'S IT'S NOT BY BID. I THINK IT'S A VERY APPROPRIATE QUESTION BECAUSE WE DO HAVE ACTUALLY A BRAND NEW BOARD PLANNER AND, AND BOARD
[00:15:06]
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT. SO IT'S ACTUALLY VERY GOOD THAT YOU'RE ASKING THIS QUESTION. SO THANK YOU. THE PROCESS. BUT BEFORE YOU DO, YOU WANT ME TO GIVE YOU THE LEGAL BASIS FOR NOT HAVING TO AWARD A NOT HAVING TO BID. IT WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE A LEGAL BASIS. BUT I THINK IN THE SPIRIT OF OPENNESS AND TRANSPARENCY, I'LL TALK ABOUT THE PROCESS THAT WE REALLY FULLY USE. BUT YES, TO MAKE SURE I'M COVERING MY BASES, GO AHEAD. SO MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP IS ONE OF A NUMBER OF MUNICIPALITIES THAT DO NOT ACCEPT CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THEIR PROFESSIONALS. IF ANY OF US MADE CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS, THEN IN ORDER TO HIRE ANY OF US, YOU WOULD HAVE TO PUT IT OUT TO PUBLIC BID. MY FIRM AND I KNOW BEST FIRM. WE WANT TO GET HIRED ON THE MERITS. IF YOU DON'T LIKE US ON THE MERITS, DON'T HIRE US. WE'RE NOT GOING TO GIVE CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS. EVEN THOUGH THE PAY TO PLAY LAW, YOU KNOW, ON ITS FACE SAYS, WELL, IF YOU'RE GOING TO GIVE CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS, YOU HAVE TO PUBLICLY BID IT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT DOESN'T INFLUENCE WHO GETS HIRED. WELL, THE ONLY WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT DOESN'T INFLUENCE WHO GETS HIRED IS IF YOU DON'T GIVE CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS. SO IF YOU DON'T GIVE CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS LIKE ALL OF YOUR PROFESSIONALS DON'T, AND IF YOUR MUNICIPALITY DOESN'T ACCEPT CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS LIKE YOUR MUNICIPALITY DOESN'T, THEN THERE'S NO REASON TO HAVE TO PUT IT OUT TO PUBLIC BID. AND YOU CAN ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH WHOEVER YOU WANT. AND NOW THE CHAIRMAN WILL DESCRIBE THE PROCESS OF HOW YOU GO ABOUT HIRING PROFESSIONALS WITHOUT HAVING TO DO A PUBLIC BID. YEAH, YEAH. SO I GUESS I'LL START FROM, FROM KIND OF THE MOTIVATION OF WHY WE CONSIDERED, YOU KNOW, A DIFFERENT GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE GOING FORWARD FOR THE ONE FOR THE RECORD, THIS BOARD, THE DECISION THAT IS BEFORE THE BOARD THIS EVENING DOES NOT REFLECT ANYTHING POORLY ABOUT OUR PREVIOUS PLANNER. FOR I WANT TO SAY THAT WE MADE A DECISION THOUGH, THAT DUE TO THE COMPLEXITY OF FUTURE ZONING BOARD APPLICATIONS AND OUR EXPERIENCE WITH THE PREVIOUS CHANGE THAT WE MADE, THAT HAVING INDEPENDENT SERVICES FOR THE ZONING BOARD AND THE PLANNING BOARD, THAT IT COMES AT NO ADDITIONAL COST TO THE TOWNSHIP, ACTUALLY REALLY MAKES A BENEFIT. YOU ESSENTIALLY GET TWO DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES FOR ALL THE ALL THE ALL THE APPLICATIONS THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO DISCUSS AND CONSIDER.SO THE FACT THAT WE'VE SEEN EXCELLENT WORK BY KYLE MCMANUS ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS BEFORE THE KYLE MCMANUS HAD KIND OF STOOD OUT TO ME AS ONE OF THE MORE PREMIER PLANNING PROFESSIONAL FIRMS. SO I HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH A NUMBER OF PEOPLE, A NUMBER OF PEOPLE ON THE BOARD. JOHN WALMART, SRI ACTUALLY, AMY AND EMAD, WHO ARE WHO AREN'T HERE TODAY. AND AND THEN JOHN AND I ASK IF, IF, IF THEY THOUGHT THERE WAS A CONSENSUS AROUND KIND OF A NEW A NEW PLANNER. WHEN I ASKED JOHN WHO HE THOUGHT WOULD MIGHT BE THE BEST PLANNER, IMMEDIATELY OUT OF HIS MOUTH WAS WAS KYLE MCMANUS. AND AND HE RATTLED OFF A LIST OF OF REASONS WHY HE THOUGHT THAT THEY WERE THE BEST FOR HIM. I THEN INDEPENDENTLY, WITHOUT ACTUALLY CONFERRING, TALK TO THE OUR PLANNING PROFESSIONALS. LORI SAVRAN SHERRY CRUZ I THINK THEY CONFERRED WITH WITH MATT GILLEN. I THINK MAYBE, BUT NONETHELESS, THEY ALSO, OUT OF THEIR MOUTHS SAID, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A PREMIER FIRM FOR OUR TOWN AND SCOTT MCMANUS AND SO THEY THEN I WENT BACK AND WE HAD CONVERSATIONS, DUE DILIGENCE ON FOR A FEW OCCASIONS. WE JOHN, I DON'T REMEMBER WHO ELSE WAS ON THAT CALL. WERE YOU ON THAT CALL? I AND I THINK I INVITED YOU TO AND WE DISCUSSED THE RELATIVE, YOU KNOW, EXPECTATIONS AND THE MERITS OF, OF THIS, OF THIS NEW OF NEW PLANNING FIRM. AND I WAS VERY SATISFIED. AND I THINK THAT WE ARE ACTUALLY IN A STRONG, FAR STRONGER POSITION NOW WITH, WITH THIS INDEPENDENT AND NEW REPRESENTATION THAT WE HAVE ON THIS FOR OUR BOARD CLERK AND HENCE IS OUR WAS OUR PREVIOUS PLANNER, OUR STILL GOING TO BE SERVING THE TOWNSHIP FOR THE PLANNING BOARD, YOU KNOW. AND SO WE AND WE WANTED TO THANK THEM FOR, YOU KNOW, MANY YEARS OF DILIGENT SERVICE. BUT WE REALLY FELT THAT AS A GOVERNANCE DECISION THAT THIS WAS BETTER STRATEGY GOING FORWARD. SO I THANK YOU FOR ASKING THE QUESTION ABOUT THIS. CAN I ASK A QUESTION? YES, PLEASE. COULD YOU JUST WHY ARE THE ALLOCATED AMOUNTS SPLIT BETWEEN TWO ACCOUNTS BEFORE FOR
[00:20:02]
THE. OH THIS IS A, THIS THIS VERY SPECIFIC QUESTION OF EACH OF EACH ONE. I'M NOT SURE. MATT, DO YOU HAVE ANY REASON. I'M SURE IT'S A FINANCE. YOU KNOW, I CAN QUESTION BUT I CAN FIND OUT. SO IN GENERAL THE THE BOA PROFESSIONALS WE CHARGE FOR REVIEW OF AN APPLICATION FOR DEVELOPMENT. THE TOWNSHIP DOESN'T PAY US. WE REPRESENT THE BOARD THROUGH ESCROW ACCOUNTS SET UP BY DEVELOPERS. WE GET PAID RIGHT NOW. HOWEVER, THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT ARE NON ESCROW. FOR EXAMPLE, MY ATTENDANCE AT TONIGHT'S MEETING. THERE'S NO ESCROW ACCOUNT TO CHARGE. SO ONE OF THESE ACCOUNTS WILL BE THE BOA GENERAL ACCOUNT. ONE OF THESE IS ANTICIPATED LITIGATION. NOT THAT THERE IS ANY ANTICIPATED LITIGATION, BUT THERE'S AN AMOUNT SET ASIDE FOR LITIGATION. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE THIRD ACCOUNT IS FOR ME, BUT IT'S.BUT THE CFO MAKES A DETERMINATION OF HOW MUCH TO ESTIMATE FOR BUDGET PURPOSES.
AND IF ANY OF THOSE ACCOUNTS GO OVER $1 OVER, THEN THEY HAVE TO COME BACK TO THE BOARD FOR A FURTHER AUTHORIZATION OF THAT AMOUNT. YOU KNOW WHAT THE OTHER ONE MIGHT BE FOR? I DON'T WANT TO GUESS. KYLE MCMANUS THE SAME THING. THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE THE GENERAL AMOUNT AND THEN THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE. YOU KNOW, $25,000, WHICH IF YOU LOOK AT THE ACCOUNT CODE AND MATCH IT WITH MY ACCOUNT CODE. SO I HAVE $19,000 FOR ACCOUNT, 23, TWO 8856 874. I DON'T KNOW THIS FOR A FACT. I'M GOING TO ASSUME THAT THAT'S THE LITIGATION BUDGET FOR ME. IF YOU LOOK AT BETH'S ACCOUNT OR KYLE MCMANUS, THEY HAVE $25,000 UNDER THAT SAME ACCOUNT. AGAIN, PROBABLY ON THE THEORY THAT IF WE NEED AN EXPERT WITNESS OR SOMETHING FOR THAT, THAT WOULD BE THEM.
NOW I'M LOOKING AT THE OTHER ACCOUNT NUMBERS, AND THE REASON I PICKED THOSE TWO IS YOU'LL SEE AGAIN, LARGER AMOUNTS IN THAT ACCOUNT, 23, TWO, 88, 56, EIGHT, 74. AND THEN THE DIFFERENT SMALLER ACCOUNTS. RIGHT. SO I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHICH ONE IS WHICH, BUT THAT'S WHY. THANK YOU. THE THIRD ACCOUNT IS ESCROW. ONE OF THOSE IS AN ESCROW OKAY. SO THE CFO IS DOING IT THAT WAY. IN MY OPINION THEY DON'T HAVE TO. BUT IF THEY WANT TO DO IT THAT WAY, THAT'S FINE. SO THAT THE BIG ONE MUST BE ESCROW. BECAUSE THE WAY MY OPINION ON THAT IS.
THAT'S BETWEEN THE BOARD PROFESSIONAL AND THE APPLICANT. IF THE APPLICANT THINKS WE'VE OVERCHARGED, THERE'S A MECHANISM WHERE THEY CAN APPEAL THAT TO THE GOVERNING BODY, NOT TO THE BOA. AND THEN IF THAT FAILS TO THE CONSTRUCT, THE COUNTY CONSTRUCTION BOARD OF APPEALS. YEAH. BUT IF, IF MAYBE THAT MAKES SENSE. THE LARGE ONE FOR EVERYONE IS ESCROW. YEP. SO ESCROW LITIGATION, GENERAL BUDGET IS MY GUESS. GREAT. THANKS. THAT SATISFY YOUR QUESTION? I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO ASK THAT. SO MISS MCMANUS IS ACTUALLY HERE TONIGHT. IF WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR FOR HER, WE. I GUESS WE COULD ASK THEM NOW. SO WE CAN EITHER DO THAT OR OR HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE WITHOUT QUESTION. SO IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS. WOULD YOU LIKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF OR TO BE CLEAR TO BE CLEAR ABOUT IT? YEAH. THIS IS A SUBCOMMITTEE WHICH WAS LESS THAN A QUORUM.
THAT'S RECOMMENDED THAT THE BOARD HIRE HER. SO THIS IS THE NIGHT THAT THAT'S WHY SHE'S HERE. THE ONLY REASON THAT THEY HAVEN'T DONE THAT FOR ME AND THE OTHER PEOPLE IS BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR YEARS. WHEN I FIRST STARTED, THAT'S WHAT THEY DID WITH ME, TOO.
YEAH. YEAH. SO. HI, FOLKS. MY NAME IS BETH MCMANUS. I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE. I RECOGNIZE A LOT OF YOU BECAUSE I HAVE TESTIFIED HERE IN THE PAST, BUT IT'S IT'S BEEN SOME TIME, AND IT'S NICE TO BE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THINGS STARTING TONIGHT AND WORKING HOPEFULLY FOR THE BOARD PENDING, I GUESS, A UPCOMING VOTE IN A FEW MINUTES. I AM OUR OFFICE IS IN HOPEWELL, SO WE'RE NOT TOO FAR FROM YOU FOLKS, WHERE OUR OFFICE SPECIFICALLY IS IN HOPEWELL BOROUGH, AND I LIVE A LITTLE FURTHER SOUTH DOWN IN EWING, BUT I'VE BEEN OPERATING IN THIS AREA, CERTAINLY IN JERSEY, DOING LAND USE SINCE ABOUT 2001. AND I'M SORT OF BORN AND RAISED AND SPENT ALMOST MY ENTIRE LIFE HERE IN NEW JERSEY. AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT MY BACKGROUND. I HAVE AN UNDERGRAD DEGREE IN ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY, MASTER'S DEGREE IN CITY AND REGIONAL PLANNING. I'VE BEEN WORKING FOR MUNICIPALITIES, AT LEAST FOR AT
[00:25:06]
LEAST 70% OF MY TIME SINCE 2001, WHEN I FIRST STARTED WORKING IN LAND USE. AND AND I'VE BEEN LICENSED FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS OR SO. BUT LIKE I SAID, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS FOLKS MIGHT HAVE. OKAY, MR. CHAIRMAN, THROUGH YOU, I. HOW MANY MUNICIPALITIES DO YOU SERVE? LET'S SEE AS SO I DO A LOT OF TOWNS WHERE I WORK AS ONLY THEIR AFFORDABLE HOUSING PLANNER. SO INCLUDING THOSE TOWNS, IT'S PROBABLY I THINK ABOUT 15 MUNICIPALITIES, BUT WORKING FOR EITHER WORKING NOT JUST AS THEIR AFFORDABLE HOUSING PLANNER. IT IS, I WOULD SAY. ANOTHER 3 OR 4 TOWNS, I GUESS, DEPENDING ON THE ON THE TIMING. SOME TOWNS I DO MOST AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BUT SOMETIMES THEY PULL ME IN TO DO SOMETHING ELSE. SO I WOULD SAY I'VE ANOTHER, ANOTHER THREE TOWNS REGULARLY THAT I'M ATTENDING MEETINGS AND DOING VARIOUS PROJECTS FOR. AND THEN THE REST OF THOSE MUNICIPALITIES ARE AFFORDABLE HOUSING ARE MORE OF A SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES. AND HOW LARGE IS YOUR STAFF AND WHO WOULD BE THE REPRESENTATIVE TO THIS ZONING BOARD? SO THE REPRESENTATIVE IS ME. AND LOOK, I MEAN, THERE ARE GOING TO BE NIGHTS WHERE MAYBE I HAVE A VACATION OR I'M SICK AND I'LL HAVE SOMEBODY ELSE FILL IN FOR ME. BUT THE WAY THAT OUR FIRM WORKS IS IF YOU'VE CONTRACT, YOU KNOW, EVERY TOWN, THEY MIGHT YOU GUYS HAVE A CONTRACT OR MAY HAVE A CONTRACT WITH KYLE MCMANUS ASSOCIATES, BUT IT'S UNDERSTOOD THAT YOU'RE BASICALLY CONTRACTING FOR FOR ME, JUST LIKE MY PARTNER JIM KYLE'S TOWNS, THEY'VE CONTRACTED FOR HIM. THAT'S WHO THEY WANT TO ATTEND THE MEETING. SO THE WAY THAT WE LOOK AT IT IS I AM HERE FOR MONTGOMERY. IF NEEDED, I'LL HAVE JIM FILL IN JIM KYLE. BUT YOU SHOULD SEE ME HERE 98% OF THE TIME. BUT IN TERMS OF OUR STAFF SIZE, WE ARE A SMALL FIRM. SO IT'S IT'S MYSELF AND JIM KYLE WERE THE TWO PRINCIPALS OF THE FIRM. WE ALSO HAVE KENDRA LILLY WORKING FOR US AND SHE IS OUR LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT. SO YOU YOU MAY SEE HER HERE AS WELL, EITHER WITH ME OR PERHAPS IF SHE'S ALSO A PLANNER, SHE'S ALSO I SHOULD. YES. THANK YOU. KENDRA IS ALSO A PLANNER, SO SHE SHE MAY FILL IN FOR ME AS WELL, ESPECIALLY IF THERE'S A REALLY LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE HEAVY APPLICATION. I COULD I COULD FORESEE THAT, BUT IT'S THE THE THREE OF US AS THE, I GUESS, SENIOR STAFF AND PRINCIPALS. AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE A YOUNGER PLANNER, TOM DEMARTINO, WHO'S NOT QUITE LICENSED YET. I, I DO THINK HE'LL COME TO THESE MEETINGS, PROBABLY TO JUST WATCH AND LEARN, BUT NOT NECESSARILY TO TO SERVE AS YOUR PLANNER, AT LEAST NOT FOR QUITE SOME TIME, I THINK. AND THEN BEYOND THAT, WE'RE REALLY JUST ADMIN STAFF. SO WE'RE WE'RE A BOUTIQUE FIRM.AND I THINK ONE OF THE GOOD THINGS FOR OUR CLIENTS IS THAT WHEN YOU'VE CHOSEN TO WORK WITH US, YOU'RE GOING TO GET THAT PERSON, BECAUSE QUITE FRANKLY, I DON'T HAVE ANOTHER TEN PEOPLE TO SEND HERE. EVEN IF I WANTED TO. THANK YOU. YEAH. GREAT. GREAT. COULD I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION? SO MOVED. MR. WALMART SECOND. I'LL SECOND. GREAT. ROLL CALL, PLEASE. YES. BLODGETT. YES. BRUNS. YES. WALMART. YES. WOOD. YES. DOSHI. YES. SHAH. YES.
GREAT. ALL RIGHT. WELL, WELCOME TO THE TEAM. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND THANK YOU ALL FOR THAT DISCUSSION. THAT WAS GOOD. I ALSO WANTED TO JUST ON THE FOR THE RECORD SAY I THINK OUR PREVIOUS PLANNER FOR, YOU KNOW, MANY YEARS OF GOOD SERVICE TO SO. THE NEXT SECTION IS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. BUT I SEE NO PERSONS IN THE PUBLIC SO WE CAN SKIP THAT. WE DO HAVE AN
[VI. APPLICATION WITHDRAWAL]
APPLICATION THAT'S WITHDRAWING. THIS IS FROM QUITE A LONG TIME AGO CASE BA TECH ZERO TWO, TECH 20. THIS IS FOR SECTOR SITE LLC SECTOR SITE TOWER ASSETS AND NEW YORKA. THIS WAS THE VERIZON WIRELESS TOWER THAT IS ON 26 DEAD TREE RUN. THE BLOCK OFFICIALLY BLOCK 17 001 LOT 11.02. THIS IS THE DISMISSAL OF THIS APPLICATION WITHOUT PREJUDICE. FOR THE RECORD, THIS APPLICATION. THE HEARING NEVER COMMENCED BEFORE THE BOARD. IS THAT CORRECT? NO. WE DID WE DID HAVE A HEARING BEFORE THE BOARD. IF THE HEARING COMMENCED, THEN THEY DON'T HAVE THE FUNERAL, RIGHT? THE UNILATERAL RIGHT TO JUST WITHDRAW IT. WE HAVE TO AGREE TO DISMISS WITH RIGHT.YOU MAKE A MOTION TO DISMISS WITHOUT PREJUDICE A VERY SHORT RESOLUTION. YEAH, YEAH. THIS STARTED BEFORE MY TIME. IT DID. THIS WAS THIS WAS THE FIRST MEETING THAT WE DID ON ZOOM
[00:30:01]
AFTER COVID. IF YOU NOTICED THE THE DATE ZERO TWO TECH 20, THIS WAS THE THAT WAS WHEN THE THING WAS. AND SO THIS WAS A CELL TOWER ON JOHNSON'S FARM ON DEAD TREE RUN. THE THE NEVER PROCEEDED WITH THE APPLICATION BECAUSE AS YOU'LL NOTICE, THERE'S A CELL TOWER GOING UP RIGHT HERE. AND THAT PROVIDED THE COVERAGE THAT THEY NEEDED. SO THAT I BELIEVE THAT'S WHY THEY WITHDRAWN THE APPLICATION, HAVE NOT CONFERRED WITH THEM. BUT SO YOU'RE MAKING A MOTION TO DISMISS WITHOUT PREJUDICE. I WOULD MAKE A MOTION TO DISMISS WITHOUT PREJUDICE. I'LL SECOND.THANK YOU. MR. WALMART COULD HAVE A ROLL CALL, PLEASE. BLESOVSKY. YES. BLODGETT. YES.
BRUNS. YES. WALMART. YES. WOOD. YES. DOSHI. YES. SHAH. YES. ALL RIGHT. AND THEN APPROVAL OF OUR
[VII. MINUTES]
MINUTES OF OUR LAST MEETING OF THE YEAR LAST YEAR, NOVEMBER 25TH, 2025. CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THOSE MINUTES? SO MOVED MR. WALMART, SECOND MISS BLAZAWSKI, I HEARD ROLL CALL BLAZAWSKI. YES. BLODGETT. WAS IT YOU, MRS. BRONSON? IT WAS ME. OKAY, I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT.OKAY, SO THE MOTION WAS WAS WAS WAS MR. AND MRS. BRONSON. GOTCHA. BRONZE. YES. WALMART.
[VIII. CLOSED SESSION]
YES. WOOD. YES. ALL RIGHT. SO WE ARE LIKE WE DID LAST YEAR. WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO A CLOSED SESSION. THIS IS TO RECEIVE SOME GUIDANCE, LEGAL GUIDANCE ON OUR ROLES RESPONSIBILITIES.I THOUGHT IT WAS THE IT WAS THE IT WAS THE FIRST TIME WE'D EVER DONE THAT. AND I THOUGHT IT WAS VERY PRODUCTIVE TRAINING THAT WE GET WE GET THE INSIGHT FROM THE MAN WHO WROTE THE BOOK ESSENTIALLY, AND, AND, AND KIND OF INSIGHT INTO HIS METHODOLOGIES OF HOW TO THINK ABOUT THE LEGAL ASPECTS OF BECAUSE IT'S LEGAL ADVICE, IT HAS TO BE DONE IN CLOSED SESSION. SO WHEREAS NJSA TEN TECH FOR TECH 12 OPEN MEETINGS ACT AUTHORIZES THE BOARD TO EXCLUDE PUBLIC FROM THE PORTION OF THE MEETING WHICH IS AT, WHICH IS AT WHICH THIS BOARD DISCUSSES CERTAIN MATTERS, WHEREAS THE BOARD IS ABOUT TO DISCUSS SUCH A MATTER, SPECIFICALLY, LEGAL TRAINING DURING THE DURING WHICH THE BOARD ATTORNEY WILL BE GIVING LEGAL ADVICE, FALLING WITHIN THE ATTORNEY CLIENT PRIVILEGE, AND WHERE CONFIDENTIALITY IS REQUIRED IN ORDER FOR THE BOARD ATTORNEY TO EXERCISE HIS ETHICAL DUTIES AS AN ATTORNEY.
WHEREAS THE BOARD BELIEVES THAT THE PUBLIC SHOULD BE EXCLUDED FROM THE DISCUSSION NOW, THEREFORE, IT BE RESOLVED IN MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT ON THIS 27TH DAY OF JANUARY 2026, THAT THE BOARD NOW GO INTO CLOSED SESSION AND THE PUBLIC BE EXCLUDED, BE IT RESOLVED BY MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT. THAT IS ANTICIPATED, THAT THE GENERAL SCOPE OF THE DISCUSSIONS WILL BE DISCLOSED AND INCLUDED IN THE MINUTES OF THE OPEN SESSION OF THE BOARD MEETING, BUT THAT THE SPECIFICS OF THE DISCUSSION, WHICH WILL INVOLVE AND INCLUDE LEGAL ADVICE, WILL NOT BE DISCLOSED TO THE PUBLIC BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT THE LEGAL ADVICE WILL FALL WITHIN ATTORNEY CLIENT PRIVILEGE. DISCUSSION OF MATTERS COVERED BY THE ATTORNEY CLIENT PRIVILEGE. SO THAT'S THAT'S THE LIST WE'RE WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH. SO CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION OKAY. SO MOVED WALMART SECOND MR. SHARPE. ALRIGHT. ALL IN FAVOR. AYE. AYE. ANY NAYS. ANY ANY ABSTENTIONS
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.