[CALL TO ORDER] [00:00:06] THE MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE, CALLED TO ORDER AT 701. ROLL CALL PLEASE. MAYOR SINGH HERE. DEPUTY MAYOR BARRAGAN HERE. COMMITTEE MEMBER TAYLOR TODD HERE. COMMITTEE MEMBER ON. COMMITTEE MEMBER. MARTIN. NOTICE OF MEETING IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS ACT. ADEQUATE NOTICE OF THIS MEETING WAS PROVIDED ON JANUARY 12TH, 2026 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. 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. OKAY. [1. Proclamation – Recognizing Eagle Scouts Ryan Babler, Ayaan Kalsekar, Daniel Leopold and Ayaan Sachdeva] PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING EAGLE SCOUT RYAN. BABBLER, ARVIND KALSEKAR, DANIEL LEOPOLD AND IAN SACHDEVA. WHEREAS RYAN BABBLER, AYAN KALSEKAR, DANIEL LEOPOLD AND AYAN SACHDEVA OF TROOP 46 HAVE ATTAINED THE PRESTIGIOUS RANK OF EAGLE SCOUT WITH THE BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA. AND WHEREAS THE STANDARDS ESTABLISHED FOR THIS HONOR ARE HIGH AND VERY DIFFICULT TO ACHIEVE, AND WHEREAS THOSE WHO HAVE WORKED DILIGENTLY TO ACHIEVE THIS RANK HAVE EXHIBITED EXCELLENCE IN LEADERSHIP AND A DEEP COMMITMENT TO THEIR COMMUNITY. AND WHEREAS RYAN BABBLERS DESIGN AND INSTALLATION OF A 30 FOOT WALKWAY OVER A COMMONLY FLOODED AREA IN HALLER PARK IS AN OUTSTANDING AND INNOVATIVE USE OF TOWNSHIP RESOURCES, THE NEW WALKWAY PROVIDES IMPROVED ACCESSIBILITY AND ENHANCES THE PARK'S INFRASTRUCTURE, OFFERING MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY YEAR ROUND ENJOYMENT OF OPEN SPACE. AND WHEREAS I ION ASSEMBLY AND INSTALLATION OF TWO GOLF HITTING NETS AND MATS AT THE GREEN KNOLL GOLF COURSE REPRESENT AN INNOVATIVE USE OF COUNTY PROPERTY THAT MEANINGFULLY BENEFITS THE COMMUNITY OF ALL AGES. THE DESIGNATED SPACE OFFERS GOLFERS A SAFE AND ACCESSIBLE PLACE TO PRACTICE AND ENHANCE SKILLS SEPARATE FROM OTHER AREAS OF THE COURSE, OFFERING A POSITIVE, ENJOYABLE EXPERIENCE. AND WHEREAS DANIEL LEOPOLD'S INSTALLATION OF APPROXIMATELY 170FT OF FIVE FOOT HIGH NEW FENCING, ADDITION TO INTERPRETIVE LANGUAGE SIGNAGE AND THE PLANTING OF NATIVE GROUND COVER AT THE AZALEA ENCLOSURE AT THE MONTGOMERY ARBORETUM IS AN OUTSTANDING AND INNOVATIVE USE OF COMMUNITY RESOURCES. SUCH IMPROVEMENTS PROVIDE ENVIRONMENTALLY ENVIRONMENTAL PRESERVATION, ENHANCED EDUCATION, AND IMPROVED HABITAT QUALITY, HABITAT QUALITY, ENRICHING VISITOR EXPERIENCE, AND SUPPORTING THE ARBORETUM'S MISSION OF ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP. AND WHEREAS ION SUCH DEVORE'S IMPROVEMENT AT THE ADOPTION MEETING AREA AT THE ANIMAL ALLIANCE OF NEW JERSEY, CONSISTING OF THE DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION AND INSTALLATION OF TWO SETS OF TABLES AND BENCHES IN OUTDOOR AREAS, IS AN OUTSTANDING AND INNOVATIVE USE OF ORGANIZATIONS RESOURCES. THE BENCHES AND TABLES SIGNIFICANTLY ENHANCE THE SITE'S FUNCTIONALITY AND APPEARANCE, OFFERING A PLEASANT, COMFORTABLE AREA FOR STAFF, VOLUNTEERS AND POTENTIAL OWNERS TO INTERACT WITH THE ANIMALS, HOLD MEETINGS, AND EVEN ENJOY SOME DOWNTIME. SECOND. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED ON THIS 19TH DAY OF FEBRUARY 2026 WITH GREAT PRIDE, THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE OF THE TOWNSHIP OF MONTGOMERY, COUNTY OF SOMERSET, NEW JERSEY, HEREBY EXTENDS SINCERE CONGRATULATIONS TO RYAN BABBLER, IAN KALSEKAR, DANIEL LEOPOLD AND IAN SACHDEVA ON THIS MILESTONE ACHIEVEMENT AND OFFERS BEST WISHES FOR CONTINUED SUCCESS. CAN HAVE THE BOYS COME UP TO THE FRONT. THANK. OH. DOES SHE HAVE? TIME? [00:05:35] TO? [2. Consent Agenda] OKAY. CONSENT AGENDA. ALL MATTERS LISTED ON THE CONSENT AGENDA ARE CONSIDERED TO BE ROUTINE AND WILL BE ENACTED BY ONE MOTION. THERE WILL BE NO SEPARATE DISCUSSION OF THESE ITEMS. IF DISCUSSION IS DESIRED, THAT ITEM WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA AND CONSIDERED SEPARATELY. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE? MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE CONSENT AGENDA? RESOLUTIONS 26 274 TWO. RESOLUTIONS 26 TWO. DASH 77. SO MOVED. SECOND. ROLL CALL PLEASE. COMMITTEE MEMBER. ANNE. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. TAYLOR. TODD. [3. Approval of Minutes] YES. DEPUTY MAYOR. BARRIGAN. YES. MAYOR. SINGH. YES. APPROVAL OF MINUTES. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE REGULAR MEETING MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 5TH, 2026. SO MOVED SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. HI. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE EXECUTIVE SESSION? MEETING MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 5TH, 2026. SO MOVED SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. RESOLUTION 22 DASH 78. PAYMENT [4. Resolution #26-2-78 - Payment of Bills] OF BILLS POSTED. MAYOR, OUR TOP THREE BILLS ON PAGE TWO. WE HAVE A DEBT PAYMENT IN PRINCIPLE $670,000. DEBT PAYMENT IN INTEREST $400,039.38. OUR BOARD OF ED SCHOOL TAXES $8,759,996. AND ON PAGE SIX, OUR PIKE BROOK UPGRADE AND EXPANSION PROJECT $1,081,539.75. OKAY. THANK YOU. YEAH, I THINK IT'S A YOU KNOW, WE ALL KNOW THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF SNOW IN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS. THIS HAS BEEN A FUN WINTER. SO OBVIOUSLY THERE'S ALSO A A BIG BILL FOR FOR SALT. SO HOPEFULLY WE'RE BEHIND SOME OF THAT SNOW. BUT WE'LL KIND OF CONTINUE TO MONITOR THAT AS WE. IT'S HARD TO TELL WITH THE WEEKEND. YEAH OKAY. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 22 DASH 78. SO MOVED. SECOND. ROLL CALL PLEASE. COMMITTEE MEMBER. ANNE. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. TAYLOR. TODD. YES. DEPUTY MAYOR. BARRAGAN. YES. MAYOR. SINGH. YES. [5. Township Committee Reports] TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE REPORTS. COMMITTEE ON. DON'T HAVE ANY TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE FROM MY DIFFERENT COMMITTEES, BUT. I'D LIKE TO SAY YESTERDAY WAS ASH WEDNESDAY. AND TODAY IT'S STARTING LENT, STARTING THIS, STARTING YESTERDAY. AND WE WISH EVERYBODY WHO CELEBRATES A BLESSED LENT. AND I'D LIKE TO ALSO SEND MY GRATITUDE TO THE AMAZING POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT HAS CONTINUOUSLY SHOWN AMAZING VALOR WITH THE WITH THE APPREHENSION OF THREE CRIMINALS, AND THE FOLLOW SUIT OF FOLLOWING ALL OF THEM AND TRACKING THEM DOWN. AND, YOU KNOW, KEEPING OUR COMMUNITY SAFE. I THINK IT'S, YOU KNOW, A DEEP CHALLENGE FOR ANYBODY. AND IMAGINE THE FAMILY WHO WHO GOT THE HOUSE BROKEN INTO WHEN SHE LIVED, WHEN SHE WAS IN THE HOUSE. SO, YOU KNOW, GREATLY APPRECIATED. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN RECOGNIZE THEM IN THE FUTURE. TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE MEETINGS. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. I DON'T HAVE TOO MUCH OF AN UPDATE, ALTHOUGH I FIRST WANT TO CONGRATULATE OUR EAGLE SCOUTS. THAT IS VERY EXCITING. I KNOW THAT THAT IS QUITE AN UNDERTAKING AND I'M REALLY EXCITED EVERY TIME WE GET TO RECOGNIZE AND CELEBRATE THEM. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH NEXT MONTH, NOT THIS MONTH, BUT NEXT MONTH. MARCH IS COLON CANCER AWARENESS MONTH, AND I JUST LEARNED THAT ON MARCH 5TH, WHICH IS ALSO A TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE NIGHT, I THINK AROUND THE SAME TIME AS THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE MEETING, THERE WILL BE AN EVENT THAT WILL FEATURE A GIANT COLON, AN INFLATABLE COLON. YES, I SAID THAT. SO IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME [00:10:07] AND TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT A I SUPPOSE IT LOOKS LIKE A HEALTHY COLON. COME ON DOWN ON MARCH 5TH. AND THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT. YEAH A LITTLE EARLIER IN THE MONTH. SO LANDMARKS LATER IN THE MONTH. WE'VE BEEN A BUDGET FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETINGS HAVE BEEN KICKING OFF REVIEWING VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS WILL CONTINUE DOING THAT AND UPDATING THE TOWNSHIP AS WE GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE A BUDGET PRESENTED IN THE APPROPRIATE TIME FRAME. VETERANS MEMORIAL COMMITTEE MET EARLIER IN THE MONTH. WE HAD A REALLY GREAT PRESENTATION FROM MEMBERS OF THE VAN HARLINGEN SOCIETY, ONE SPECIFIC MEMBER WHO HAS DONE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF RESEARCH ON A SIGNIFICANT MORE NUMBER OF, YOU KNOW, RESIDENTS OR INDIVIDUALS WHO HAD BEEN IN THIS TOWN, MAYBE NOT HAVE BEEN BORN, BUT WHO HAD HAD FOUND SOME RECORDS OF SERVING IN THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR. SO REALLY EXCITED TO KIND OF CONTINUE TO PARTNERING WITH THAT RESEARCH AND SEE, YOU KNOW, HOW WE CAN INCORPORATE THAT AS PART OF THE OVERALL REVOLUTION. 250 ACTIVITIES. SO, OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND FOR THE RECREATION COMMITTEE, WE HAD A DISCUSSION ON A PROPOSED EQUITY POOL FACILITY DEVELOPMENT. THEY'RE LOOKING FOR A NEW INDOOR POOL FACILITY. AND THAT WAS A DISCUSSION AT RECREATION. AND THERE WAS ALSO DISCUSSION ON THE TWO 50TH ANNIVERSARY PARADE PLANNING AND THE FIREWORKS AND PARADE FUNDING CHALLENGES. THERE WAS DISCUSSION ON A DRONE SHOW AS A FIREWORKS ALTERNATIVE. THE THE COMMITTEE IS LOOKING INTO IT AND THEY SEEM ALL VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT LOOKING AT THIS OPTION. THERE WAS ALSO THE CHESS TABLE INITIATIVE. THIS IS IN SKILLMAN PARK OR OTHER PARKS THAT WAS REQUESTED BY A RESIDENT, AND THE COMMITTEE GOT A CHANCE TO DISCUSS IT. AND AT THIS POINT THERE IS A REQUEST. SO THERE'S GOING TO BE AN OFFICIAL LETTER TO THE COUNTIES BEING PLANNED BY THE COMMITTEE. CRICKET GROUND RESERVATION POLICY. THAT WAS DISCUSSED BECAUSE AS WE'VE REALIZED, AS THE WEATHER CHANGES, A LOT OF PEOPLE DO WANT TO PLAY CRICKET. AND THE REC DIRECTOR SEEMS TO BE GETTING A LOT OF CALLS FOR HAVING, YOU KNOW, CRICKET FIELDS AVAILABLE TO EVERYBODY. YOUTH SPORTS SPECIALIZATION DEBATE. AND THERE WAS DISCUSSION ON HIGHLIGHTING THE TREND OF YOUTH WHO ARE SPECIALIZING IN ONE SPORT YEAR ROUND. AND, YOU KNOW, ACCORDING TO THE REC COMMITTEE, THIS IS MORE OF PARENTS TRYING TO DECIDE AT THIS POINT, I GUESS, THE THERE'S A PURSUIT OF SCHOLARSHIPS AND PERCEIVED ATHLETIC GREATNESS. BUT IT CAME IN FRONT OF THE RECREATION DEPARTMENT, SO THEY ARE BOARDED UP TO THE RECREATION COMMITTEE. SO THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED AT THE RECREATION COMMITTEE. A LOT OF DISCUSSION GOING ON. AND I GUESS AS FAR AS PLANNING BOARD, YOU'LL, LAURIE, WILL BE TALKING ABOUT THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING UPDATE ON THAT. AND JUST WANTED TO AS COMMITTEE SAID YESTERDAY WAS ASH WEDNESDAY. THEN WE ALL WERE THERE FOR LUNAR LUNAR NEW YEAR CELEBRATIONS AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL. I WAS THERE FOR RAMADAN CELEBRATION IN FRANKLIN, SO JUST WANT TO WISH ALL RESIDENTS WHO ARE CELEBRATING AND THAT'S IT FOR MY COMMITTEE REPORT. AND AT THAT POINT WE'LL GO TO THE [6. Administrator's Report] ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT. THANK YOU. MAYOR, COUPLE OF QUICK UPDATES. OUR TRANSPORTATION SURVEY IS STILL LIVE, AND WE ARE ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO FILL THAT OUT. AND THAT IS AVAILABLE ON THE WEBSITE. THE FRIDAY SHOPPING BUS. WE'RE PROMOTING THAT EVERY FRIDAY. THERE'S A FREE BUS YOU HAVE TO CALL TO MAKE MAKE THE APPOINTMENT TO BE PICKED UP AND DROPPED. FOOD SHOPPING. IF YOU NEED OTHER ERRANDS IN THE FOOD SHOPPING, IT'S CAJUN MARKET AND SHOPRITE, AND IT'S FOR SENIOR CITIZENS AND ANYONE WITH A DISABILITY. SO WE'RE PROMOTING THAT. WE'VE HAD IT THIS BUS SERVICE FOR QUITE A WHILE, BUT WE'RE TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE TO PROMOTE IT. THE FOOD PANTRY, AS YOU KNOW, WE STARTED THE YEAR WITH A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE FOOD BANK NETWORK OF SOMERSET COUNTY. WE'RE MAKING THE MOVE TO THEIR OASIS PROGRAM, WHICH IS CLIENT MANAGEMENT AND FOOD MANAGEMENT PROGRAM. AND SO THAT TRAINING HAPPENED THIS PAST WEEK WITH THE STAFF. AND JUST AN UPDATE FROM OUR HEALTH OFFICER ON AN ISSUE THAT IS TAKING PLACE IN SOMERSET COUNTY AND OTHER PLACES, THERE IS RECENT REPORTS OF DEAD WILD BIRDS THAT ARE FOUND, TWO IN SOMERSET COUNTY PARKS, DUKE ISLAND PARK AND A COUNTY PARK IN BASKING RIDGE. THOSE IN THOSE INSTANCES, THE COUNTY PARK COMMISSION DID CLEAN UP THE CARCASSES IN THE BASKING RIDGE LOCATION AT THE DUKE ISLAND PARK. MANY OF THE BIRDS ARE FROZEN IN THE WATER, SO REMOVAL CURRENTLY IS NOT POSSIBLE. BUT THE NJDEP [00:15:02] DIVISION OF FISH AND WILDLIFE HAS NOTED AN INCREASE IN REPORTS OF SICK AND DEAD WILD WILD BIRDS STATEWIDE. THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH ONGOING DETECTIONS OF HIGHLY PATHOGENIC AVIAN INFLUENZA H5N1 IN WILD BIRD POPULATIONS. SO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, NEW JERSEY STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH HAS PROVIDED INFORMATION TO SHARE WITH THE PUBLIC. IF YOU RESIDENTS DO WANT TO REPORT A SICK OR DEAD WILD BIRD TO THE DEP FISH AND WILDLIFE, THEY HAVE A WILD BIRD DISEASE REPORTING FORM ON THEIR WEBSITE THAT WILL ALSO BE LINKED TO FROM OUR WEBSITE, AND THEN ANY QUESTIONS, THEY CAN CALL THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT DIRECTLY. (908) 533-9331 TO DATE HERE IN MONTGOMERY, THERE WAS ONE DEAD BIRD FOUND IN A BOX PLACED AT THE VETERANS PARK. IT WAS FOUND BY OUR PARKS EMPLOYEE. I THINK IT HAPPENED EARLIER TODAY AND IT WAS PICKED UP BY OUR ANIMAL CONTROL SOLUTIONS. THAT'S MY ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I COULD JUST JUMP IN. I KNOW IT WAS. I WAS LATE TO THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING. JUST MADE IT TO THE CLOSED SESSION. BUT I DO WANT TO THANK OUR, OUR ALL OF OUR FIRST RESPONDERS AND DPW FOR ALL THE SNOW THAT WE HAVE BEEN HAVING. I THINK WE TAKE IT FOR GRANTED. YOU KNOW, THE TOWN THAT WE LIVE IN, SOMETIMES THEY COMPLAIN, BUT I WOULD SAY AFTER THE LAST STORM AND I TALKED TO MY COLLEAGUES AT WORK, AND THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN DIFFERENT TOWNS IN NEW JERSEY WHO PEOPLE COULD STILL NOT GET, YOU KNOW, GET OUT OF THEIR HOUSES OR COULDN'T EVEN GET THEIR KIDS TO SCHOOL. AND I KNOW I DID NOT HEAR THAT IN MONTGOMERY. SO JUST IF YOU COULD RELAY, YOU KNOW, OUR APPRECIATION TO THE ENTIRE STAFF FOR BEING ON IT. YEAH, REALLY GOOD WORK. YES. I GUESS WE'LL HAVE A STATEMENT. [7. Statement – Affordable Housing Update] AFFORDABLE HOUSING UPDATE. YES. SO I'M GOING TO MOVE OVER TO THAT LOCATION AND GIVE A SMALL PRESENTATION THAT WE DID FOR THE PLANNING BOARD ON MONDAY NIGHT LAST MONDAY. MAYBE IT WAS MONDAY AND LAST MONDAY, LAST MONDAY LAST WEEK. AND SO I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO SHARE WITH THE FULL TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE. AND IT'S IT'S PRETTY BRIEF. OKAY. THANK YOU. SO AS WE TALKED ABOUT, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF AMENDING OUR HOUSING PLAN ELEMENT OF THE MASTER PLAN AND THE FAIR SHARE PLAN, THAT AN INFORMATION SESSION WAS HELD WITH THE PLANNING BOARD ON FEBRUARY 9TH. SO WHAT WE COVERED WITH THE PLANNING BOARD WAS AN OVERVIEW OF THE MASTER PLAN, BECAUSE THE PLANNING BOARD, THAT'S ONE OF THE THE DUTIES THAT THEY HAVE IS TO ADOPT, PREPARE AND ADOPT THE MASTER PLAN. WHAT THAT IS HOW THIS PLAN FITS IN WITH THAT PLAN. AND WE TOOK PLANNING BOARD MEMBERS QUESTIONS AND PUBLIC QUESTIONS. SO IN GENERAL, WHAT IS A MASTER PLAN? WE KIND OF USE IT AS A BUZZWORD, BUT WE DON'T MIGHT ALL KNOW WHAT IT MEANS. OUR VERY FIRST MASTER PLAN HERE IN MONTGOMERY WAS 1971. THERE'S A COPY OF IT, AND WE DO. WE NOTED THAT OTTO KAUFMANN WAS THE MAYOR AT THE TIME, AND WE ALL KNOW OUR COMMUNITY CENTER IS NAMED THE KAUFMANN COMMUNITY CENTER. AND THERE WERE OTHER FAMILIAR NAMES ON THAT. BUT IT'S ESSENTIALLY A GUIDING DOCUMENT THAT SETS THE VISION AND POLICIES FOR LAND USE THAT'S DESIRED BY A TOWN. AND THEN IT'S ADOPTED BY THE PLANNING BOARD, CREATES THE FOUNDATION FOR OUR ZONING LAND USE DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCES THAT GOVERN THE DEVELOPMENT. AND THEN THOSE SPECIFIC ZONING ORDINANCES, THEY MUST BE CONSISTENT WITH THE MASTER PLAN, AND THEY'RE ADOPTED THROUGH THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE THROUGH A PUBLIC PROCESS. AND THEN WE HAD A LINK TO WHERE ALL OF THE MASTER PLAN ELEMENTS CAN BE FOUND ON THE WEBSITE. WE ALSO HAVE HARD COPIES OF THEM. IF ANYONE WANTED TO COME IN AND TAKE A LOOK AT ANYTHING. SO ONE OF THE QUESTIONS WAS HOW DOES IT REMAIN CURRENT? SO THERE ARE SPECIFIC SUBELEMENTS THAT ARE AMENDED OVER TIME AS NEEDED. THE LAND USE PLAN ELEMENT OF A MASTER PLAN, WHICH REALLY MIGHT CHANGE OR RECOMMEND CHANGES TO THE ZONING IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE TOWN, PROBABLY CHANGES MORE FREQUENTLY THAN SOME OF THE OTHERS, BUT THERE'S A HISTORIC PRESERVATION ELEMENT OPEN SPACE, RECREATION, TRANSPORTATION, VARIOUS DIFFERENT ELEMENTS THAT ALL MAKE UP THE MASTER PLAN, THE HOUSING PLAN ELEMENT AND FAIR SHARE PLAN IS ONE OTHER ELEMENT. SO THE MASTER PLAN HAS GOALS, OBJECTIVES AND POLICIES. THEY MUST BE REVIEWED PERIODICALLY EVERY TEN YEARS TO ENSURE THEY REMAIN APPROPRIATE AND CONSISTENT. THAT PROCESS IS CALLED THE REEXAMINATION PROCESS, AND IT PRODUCES A REEXAMINATION REPORT OF THE MASTER PLAN. AND THAT WILL INCLUDE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR UPDATES TO THE PLAN AND ZONING ORDINANCE. POTENTIAL ZONING ORDINANCE CHANGES. OUR LAST RE-EXAM WAS DONE IN 2017, SO [00:20:02] TIMING OF THE UPCOMING MASTER PLAN REEXAMINATION THE STATE MUNICIPAL LAND USE LAW, AS I MENTIONED, REQUIRES IT TO BE REEXAMINED EVERY TEN YEARS. SO WE'RE DUE IN 2027. WE ARE ANTICIPATING THE REEXAMINATION PROCESS TO BEGIN THIS YEAR, AND WE'RE VERY SOON TO ANNOUNCE A BIG GRANT THAT WE RECEIVED TO UNDERTAKE THAT. WE'VE BEEN ASKED TO WAIT UNTIL MARCH WHEN IT GETS OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCED. BUT MONTGOMERY WAS ONE OF THE SUCCESSFUL TOWNS TO GET IT. THERE AREN'T A LOT OF PLANNING GRANTS OUT THERE ANYMORE, SO IT'S A BIG DEAL AND WE'RE VERY, VERY PROUD OF IT AND WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE PROCESS FORTHCOMING. AND THAT PROCESS WILL BE LED BY THE PLANNING BOARD, AS IT'S A RE-EXAM OF THE MASTER PLAN. SO WHAT IS THE HOUSING PLAN ELEMENT AND FAIR SHARE PLAN? THEY KIND OF WORK HAND IN HAND. THE HOUSING PLAN ELEMENT HAS DEMOGRAPHICS, STATISTICAL INFORMATION, AND THEN THE FAIR SHARE PLAN IS REALLY WHERE THE TOWNSHIP WOULD ESTABLISH HOW WE ADDRESS THE STATE MANDATED AFFORDABLE HOUSING NEED. IT'S ADOPTED BOTH OF THOSE PARTS AS PART OF THE MASTER PLAN. IT CAN BE AMENDED AS CIRCUMSTANCES AND OBJECTIVES CHANGE. YOU CAN SEE THE THIRD ROUND PLAN WAS ACTUALLY ADOPTED IN 2008 AND THEN AMENDED IN 2010, 2018 AND 2020. SO, YOU KNOW, THE STATE DOES RECOGNIZE THAT SITUATIONS CHANGE. IT'S IT'S A MASTER PLAN IS A LIVING AND BREATHING DOCUMENT. AND SO THE THIRD ROUND PLAN YOU COULD SEE WENT THROUGH MANY ITERATIONS. AND TO BE FAIR, THE STATE CHANGED THE RULES IN THAT PERIOD OF TIME. AND THERE WAS A LOT OF LITIGATION GOING ON. SO SOME OF IT WAS IN WORKING IN TANDEM WITH THAT. IT DOES NEED TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE MASTER PLAN. SO DOES THE MASTER PLAN CHANGE ZONING? WE GET THAT QUESTION A LOT. NO, IT'S A POLICY DOCUMENT. IT'S PREPARED AND ADOPTED BY THE PLANNING BOARD. ZONING CHANGES THEN ARE A SEPARATE PROCESS THAT INCLUDES THE PUBLIC HEARING. AND IT'S CONDUCTED BY THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE. THE ZONING MAP IS ON THE RIGHT, AND YOU AND IT IS AVAILABLE ON THE WEBSITE, AND IT'S AN INTERACTIVE MAP. SO YOU CAN ZOOM IN TO A PARTICULAR PIECE OF PROPERTY AND SEE THE EXACT ZONING AND SEE WHAT THE REQUIREMENTS ARE. SO WHAT TO EXPECT DURING ROUND FOUR. SO STATE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN NEW JERSEY LITIGATION LEGISLATION REGULATION HAS DEVELOPED OVER A 50 YEAR PERIOD IN NEW JERSEY AROUND WE'VE KIND OF COVERED THIS IS A TIME PERIOD DURING WHICH THOSE HOUSING RULES AND ASSIGNS OBLIGATIONS TO MUNICIPALITIES. SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE IN ROUND FOUR. IT'S A TEN YEAR PERIOD, 2025 THROUGH 2035. WHAT ARE THE REQUIRED ACTIONS TURN ROUND FOR ADOPTION OF THE PLAN BY THE PLANNING BOARD AND ORDINANCES BY THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE. IMPLEMENTATION. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PLAN BY STAFF AND OUR ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT. COMMUNITY GRANTS. PLANNING AND HOUSING. A BIG KEY THING TO REMEMBER BECAUSE IT'S A TEN YEAR PERIOD. ONE OF THE BIG THINGS IS THE MIDPOINT REVIEW. SO IN 2030, THE STATE WILL TELL ALL MUNICIPALITIES PROVIDE US WITH YOUR PROGRESS REPORT. HOW ARE YOU DOING ON WHAT YOU SAID YOU HOW YOU WOULD IMPLEMENT THE OBLIGATION. AND THEN 2035 COMPLIANCE MECHANISMS SHOULD BE COMPLETED OR UNDERWAY. SO KEY CHANGES IN THE DRAFT AMENDED FOURTH ROUND PLAN. SO SINCE ADOPTING THE PLAN IN JUNE OF 2025, CIRCUMSTANCES CHANGE, AS WE'VE DISCUSSED IN DIFFERENT FORUMS TO ALLOW THE TOWNSHIP TO EXTEND ADDITIONAL AFFORDABILITY CONTROLS ON EXISTING AFFORDABLE UNITS. SO WE ARE AMENDING OUR PLAN TO REMOVE SOME PREVIOUSLY PROPOSED INCLUSIONARY DEVELOPMENTS AND PRIORITIZE THE PRESERVATION OF THESE ADDITIONAL EXISTING AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS, AND ALSO PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION RELATED TO THOSE EXTENSION OF AFFORDABILITY CONTROLS. AND THOSE WILL ALL BE ATTACHMENTS TO THE PLAN. SO WE TRY TO LET PEOPLE KNOW IT'S REALLY LIKE A 40 PAGE PLAN, BUT IT MIGHT LOOK LIKE A 300 PAGE PLAN BECAUSE THERE'S ALL THESE ATTACHMENTS. WHEN WE UPLOADED IT TO THE WEBSITE, THIS TIME THE PLAN IS ONE ATTACHMENT AND THEN ONE DOCUMENT. ALL THE ATTACHMENTS ARE ANOTHER DOCUMENT. SO PEOPLE JUST WANT TO GO TO A 40 PAGE REPORT. THEY CAN GO TO THE 40 PAGE REPORT. THEY WANT IT ALL. IT'S ALL ALL THERE. NOT EVERY TOWN DOES ALL OF THEIR APPENDICES, BUT WE PROVIDE EVERYTHING KEY TERMS, TO KNOW SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS. THAT CAN BE A LITTLE CHALLENGING BECAUSE WE TALK IN THESE TERMS SO FREQUENTLY. AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING CREDIT DOESN'T. IT REFERS TO A REGULATORY CREDIT THAT THE MUNICIPALITY EARNS TOWARDS ITS STATE MANDATED OBLIGATION. SO THE STATE ALLOCATED 260 CREDITS TO THE TOWNSHIP. BUT A CREDIT DOESN'T NECESSARILY EQUATE TO AN ACTUAL NEW HOUSING UNIT. SO FOR THE TOTAL CALCULATION OR TOTAL ALLOCATION, THE STATE PERMITS UP TO 25% BONUS CREDITS. SO FOR CERTAIN MECHANISMS AND WE'RE WE HAVE MAXIMIZED THOSE. SO RIGHT OFF THE TOP THAT COMES OFF. AND THEN ANY CREDITS ABOVE WHAT THE STATE ALLOCATES ARE CONSIDERED [00:25:02] SURPLUS UNITS. AND THEY GET CARRIED OVER TO A FUTURE ROUND. SO WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE AMENDED PLAN THERE'S SPECIFIC CHANGES TO THE PLAN. YOU'LL SEE. REMOVED MEANS MOSTLY THOSE INCLUSIONARY DEVELOPMENTS. ANYTHING THAT'S UNCHANGED IS DEVELOPMENTS CLAIMED AS THE THIRD ROUND BONUS CREDITS THAT CARRIED OVER OTHER. ALSO UNCHANGED WERE THE EXTENSIONS OF AFFORDABILITY CONTROLS FOR THE FAMILY FOR SALE UNITS THAT WAS PROPOSED AND IN THE ADOPTED PLAN, AND THAT REMAINS UNCHANGED. MODIFIED EXTENSIONS OF AFFORDABILITY CONTROLS IN THE SENIOR RENTAL UNITS, WE WERE ABLE TO INCREASE THE TOTAL CREDITS CLAIMED, AND WHAT'S NEW IS THE EXTENSION OF AFFORDABILITY CONTROLS THAT HAVE BEEN ADDED. THAT'S THE PIKE RUN FAMILY RENTAL UNITS REMOVED FROM THE PLAN. WE WENT KIND OF SITE BY SITE SO PEOPLE ALSO COULD SEE WHAT A CURRENT STATUS WAS. SO THE ECON SITE FORMERLY CAN VIEW J AND J PROPERTY IS AVAILABLE FOR REUSE OR REDEVELOPMENT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE EXISTING ZONING WITH A PLANNING BOARD APPLICATION, WHETHER IT'S A SITE PLAN OR SUBDIVISION, AND OR ALSO THROUGH THE USE VARIANCE APPLICATION PROCESS THAT GOES THROUGH THE ZONING BOARD. THOSE ARE PERMITTED BY THE MUNICIPAL LAND USE LAW. THOSE ARE WHAT IS AVAILABLE. 23 ORCHARD ROAD. THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE AUTHORIZED AND DIRECTED THE PLANNING BOARD TO CONDUCT THE PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION TO DETERMINE WHETHER 23 ORCHARD ROAD MEETS THE CRITERIA FOR DESIGNATION AS A NON CONDEMNATION REDEVELOPMENT AREA. THAT WAS BACK IN OCTOBER 2025. SO THE PLANNING BOARD WOULD LIKELY REVIEW THAT ANTICIPATED, ANTICIPATED, COMPLETED STUDY IN MARCH OF THIS COMING MONTH AND THRIVE ASSISTED LIVING, THOUGH THAT PROJECT IS PROCEEDING AND THOSE CREDITS WILL BE CLAIMED IN A FUTURE ROUND. AND THOSE WERE SENIOR CREDITS. HEY LAURA, CAN I JUST ASK A QUESTION OR MAYBE ASK YOU TO EXPLAIN? BECAUSE I GET THESE QUESTIONS A LOT, ESPECIALLY. CAN VIEW ECON SITE. SO IT'S BEEN REMOVED FROM THE PLAN. I THINK, YOU KNOW THERE'S A LOT BEEN DISCUSSION AROUND THAT. SO THIS IS THE FORMALIZATION OF THIS. BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, MAYBE IT'S JUST IMPORTANT THAT THAT SITE DOES HAVE APPROVED ZONING. AND IF THEY WORK TOWARD IF THEY MOVE TOWARDS THAT ZONING, THAT'S WELL WITHIN THEIR CURRENT PARAMETERS UNDER THE LAW. RIGHT? SO WHICH I THINK, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A TOWN HALL EARLIER LAST YEAR THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY CAME IN TO DISCUSS WHAT THEY'RE APPROVED FOR AS OF RIGHT NOW, WHICH CANDY WAS JJ WAS, YOU KNOW, OVER THE LAST 20, 30, 40, HOWEVER LONG THEY'VE BEEN HERE SINCE THE 70S. RIGHT? RIGHT. YES. RIGHT. AND ON THAT TOPIC, THE OUR ORDINANCE ALSO PROVIDES FOR INFORMAL REVIEW OF A CONCEPT PLAN BY THE PLANNING BOARD. SO I KNOW THAT WE HAD SPOKEN WITH ECON DEVELOPMENT ABOUT THAT PROCESS. SO IF THERE WAS A PLAN THAT THEY WANTED TO SHARE WITH THE PLANNING BOARD, THERE'S NO NO ONE'S HELD. IT'S IT'S A FREE, FREE DISCUSSION WHERE THEY WOULD PRESENT A PLAN THAT MAYBE IS WHATEVER THE PLAN, THEY WANT AN INFORMAL CONCEPT PLAN. THE PLANNING BOARD COULD GIVE FEEDBACK. THE PUBLIC COULD GIVE FEEDBACK. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY COULD DO AT ANY TIME AS WELL. SO THEY CAN EITHER SUBMIT A CONFORMING SITE PLAN TO THE CURRENT ZONING TO REDEVELOP IT AT ANY TIME. WHAT WHAT THEY WHAT FOR THOSE ON THE PLANNING BOARD, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT IF KNOW, IF ECON THE OWNER NOW OF THE LOCATION THAT THEY PUT IN A PERMIT FOR SOMETHING THAT THEY ALREADY ARE ZONED FOR, THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING PLAN. THAT'S JUST LIKE IF I IN MY BACKYARD, WHICH IT'S A LITTLE IT'S NOT NECESSARILY THE PERMIT THEY FIRST HAVE TO GET THE APPROVAL FOR THE SITE PLAN, BUT YES, THEN THE THAT GOES THROUGH THE PLANNING BOARD. YEP. JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE CAN UNDERSTAND THAT, BECAUSE I GET A LOT OF QUESTIONS THAT, YOU KNOW, IF THEY'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING THAT THAT SITE WILL LEGALLY THEY'RE ALLOWED TO DO A NUMBER OF THINGS, WHATEVER THEY'RE CURRENTLY ZONED HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING. I THINK WHAT CONFUSED PEOPLE WAS THE THAT THEY THEY WANTED TO APPLY FOR A GENERAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN. SO THAT'S EVEN ANOTHER TERM. RIGHT. AND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? AND THE GENERAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IS NOT AN OFFICIAL SITE [00:30:02] PLAN. IT'S IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT OUR ORDINANCE PERMITS. IT REQUIRES LESS INFORMATION FOR THE PLANNING BOARD. AND IT'S MOSTLY USED FOR EXISTING ZONING AND A PHASING. AND IT VESTS THE ZONING FOR UP TO 20 YEARS. SO THAT WAS MORE A PROCEDURAL THAT WE DON'T HAVE A LOCAL ZONING ORDINANCE FOR THE GDP. BUT ABSOLUTELY, THEY COULD SUBMIT A SITE PLAN FOR APPROVAL ON THE ON THE CURRENT ZONING, THE GDP IS ISN'T REALLY OTHER THAN VESTING THEM IN THEIR ZONING. IT IT THEY COULDN'T PULL BUILDING PERMITS WITH AN APPROVED GDP. THEY WOULD STILL NEED TO PROVIDE COME IN WITH A SITE PLAN APPLICATION TO. SO IT'S SORT OF AN INTERIM STEP THAT DOESN'T REALLY GET THEM ANYWHERE. BUT THE INFORMAL IS AVAILABLE TO THEM AS WELL TO COME IN AND AND SHARE FREELY WITH THE PLANNING BOARD AND THE PUBLIC. SO UNCHANGED WAS THE AFFORDABLE EXTENSION OF THE EXPIRING AFFORDABILITY CONTROLS ON MCKINLEY COMMONS AND MONTGOMERY GLEN. THEY REMAIN IN THE PLAN, A MODIFIED MCKINLEY COURT. I THINK WE ARE TAKING MORE. WE'RE ABLE TO TAKE MORE BONUS CREDITS FROM THEM, BECAUSE THERE'S A CAP ON THE TOTAL NUMBER OF OF AGE RESTRICTED UNITS YOU CAN HAVE. SO BY PUSHING THRIVE TO THE NEXT ROUND AND AND GET DOING THESE EXTENSIONS, IT IT'S IT'S A BETTER OPTION FOR IT TO CLAIM AS MANY OF EXTENSIONS AS POSSIBLE TO PRESERVE THOSE UNITS. SO THE NEW ADDITION IS THE PIKE RUN MARKET I'M SORRY FAMILY RENTAL. AND YOU COULD SEE THERE'S COLUMN EXIST THE NUMBER OF EXISTING UNITS. AND THEN THE BONUS CREDITS. WE'VE MAXED OUT OUR BONUS CREDITS. THERE ARE 210 UNITS THERE. RIGHT NOW WE'RE EXTENDING 96. DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE CAN'T EXTEND MORE IN THE FUTURE. BUT. BUT WHAT? THIS IS WHAT THE PLAN IS PROPOSING. WHAT ARE AFFORDABILITY CONTROLS? PEOPLE KIND OF HAVE ASKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT. SO THE STATE HAS THE UNIFORM HOUSING AFFORDABILITY CONTROLS ACT. IT SETS STATEWIDE REGULATIONS. HOW HOW THEY'RE PRICED. SO MAXIMUM RENT, MAXIMUM SALE PRICE, HOW THEY'RE HOW THE UNITS ARE MAINTAINED AND ADMINISTERED. IT ESTABLISHES THE CONTROL PERIOD. IT'S TYPICALLY A 30 YEAR DEED RESTRICTION. AND IT SETS THE INCOME ELIGIBILITY STANDARDS, EXTENSION OF EXPIRING CONTROLS. YOU KNOW, WE REALLY HAVE TALKED ABOUT FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, PRESERVATION OF EXISTING AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS THE CREATION OF NEW AFFORDABLE UNITS, MAYBE EVEN MORE SO BECAUSE IT PROTECTS OUR EXISTING RESIDENTS IN TOWN AND LETS THEM REMAIN IN THOSE UNITS FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME. THE NEW JERSEY FAIR HOUSING ACT ENCOURAGES LONG TERM AFFORDABILITY BY PERMITTING MUNICIPALITIES TO EXTEND AFFORDABILITY CONTROLS, AND THESE ARE UNITS THAT WOULD OTHERWISE BE LOST TO THE REGULAR HOUSING MARKET BEYOND THE 30 YEARS. SO WE REALLY, AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT FOCUSING ON EXTENDING THOSE CONTROLS, BECAUSE THEY WILL THEY WILL EXPIRE DURING THIS TEN YEAR PERIOD HAS BEEN A PRIORITY FOR US. SO THIS JUST DESCRIBES HOW TO READ THE DOCUMENT BECAUSE IT'S YOU. YOU MIGHT NEED TO USE IT WITH THE ADOPTED JUNE PLAN, YOU WON'T REALLY NEED TO. IT'LL BE VERY CLEAR WHAT'S CHANGING AND WHAT'S NOT. YOU'LL GET ALL THE INFORMATION YOU NEED IN THE AMENDED PLAN. BUT FOR INSTANCE, WE DIDN'T RECOVER ALL OF THE HOW THE DATA FROM THE HOUSING PLAN BECAUSE THAT REMAINED UNCHANGED. SO WE REALLY FOCUSED ON WHAT WAS CHANGING IMPORTANT DATES. WE WE HAVE THE THE HEARING IS SCHEDULED FOR MONDAY. WE ARE MONITORING THE WEATHER BECAUSE THERE MAY OR MAY NOT BE BAD WEATHER ON MONDAY. AND WE'LL WE'LL REVISIT THAT, YOU KNOW, TOMORROW AND SEE WHAT MIGHT NEED TO BE DONE. BUT HOPEFULLY WE CAN HAVE THE HEARING AS PLANNED. AND TONIGHT THERE ARE INTRODUCTION OF THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING ORDINANCE. AND THEN THE ONCE THE PLAN IS ADOPTED MONDAY BY THE PLANNING BOARD, IT'S ENDORSED BY THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE ON MARCH 5TH. AND WE'LL HAVE OUR PUBLIC HEARING THAT SAME NIGHT FOR THE ADOPTION OF THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING ORDINANCE. AND THEN WE JUST LET EVERYONE KNOW ABOUT THE VARIOUS POWERPOINT PRESENTATIONS THAT ARE AVAILABLE ON THE WEBSITE, STARTING BACK FROM JANUARY OF 2025, WHEN WE SORT OF KICKED IT OFF HERE WITH THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE AND THE PUBLIC HEARING AND THEN THE TOWN HALLS AND LISTENING SESSIONS THAT WE HAD, YOU KNOW, WE OPENED IT FOR QUESTIONS AND THERE WEREN'T REALLY TOO MANY QUESTIONS. TRYING TO THINK THERE WAS A COUPLE. THERE WAS ONE ABOUT THE GDP VERSUS AN INFORMAL. AND WE WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT AT THE PLANNING BOARD. I'M TRYING TO THINK I HAVE A QUESTION, BUT I THINK IT'S MORE FOR CLARITY. BUT MAYBE WENDY MIGHT YOU KNOW, WE HAD TALKED ABOUT THAT. WE YOU KNOW, THERE'S THERE'S SOME CHALLENGES TO THE PLAN. THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A STATE PROCESS FOR ADJUDICATORS. I'M PROBABLY WRONG IS THAT'S COMPLETE, I'M ASSUMING, OR THAT'S STILL ONGOING. WE ARE STILL AWAITING THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE PROGRAM. JUDGE, I CHECKED AS RECENTLY AS THIS MORNING. I HAD NOT SEEN IT, BUT I'VE BEEN ADVISED THAT IT'S COMING. OKAY, BUT I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT FOR THE LAST TEN DAYS. YES. I JUST WANT TO BE SURE THE CLARITY OF WHERE ALL THE PROCESSES ARE, SO I DO, IF I MAY. LORI, I JUST WANT TO JUMP IN. LORI HAD A SLIDE ON THERE ABOUT WHAT YOU HAVE IS THE UNIFORM HOUSING AFFORDABILITY CONTROLS YOU ARE INTRODUCING TONIGHT. I, I THINK THAT RIGHT THERE. RIGHT. SO ORDINANCE 20 6-1771, WHICH IS A REPEAL AND REPLACE OF YOUR CHAPTER 15 OF YOUR CODE. CHAPTER 15 OF YOUR CODE WAS BASICALLY ENACTING THE PROVISIONS OF THE UNIFORM HOUSING CONTROL ACT. ALTHOUGH SOME OF THE REGULATIONS ARE STILL SIMILAR, THE REFERENCE POINTS HAVE CHANGED. SO, YOU KNOW, EXTENSION CONTROLS IS NOW A DIFFERENT NUMBER IN THE SECTION, THINGS LIKE THAT. SO I [00:35:03] KNOW THAT IT SEEMS REALLY MASSIVE TO THE PUBLIC. I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT IT'S REALLY NOT THAT BIG OF A DIFFERENCE, BUT IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE HITTING ALL OF THE CORRECT STATUTORY AND REGULATORY REFERENCES, WE ARE PUTTING FORTH BEFORE YOU A MODEL THAT WAS CREATED BY THE STATE IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE REFERENCES ARE CORRECT. SO. AND CHAPTER 15 IN YOUR CODE IS HOW THOSE UNITS ARE MONITORED AND MARKETED AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT THAT RUNS WITH IT ON THE AFFORDABILITY CONTROLS. SO IT WAS A GREAT SEGUE TO TELL YOU WHAT'S WHAT IT IS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE CONSIDERING. NOT NOT PLANS, BUT YEAH. OKAY. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. OKAY. PUBLIC COMMENT. MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING [8. Public Comment] TO ADDRESS THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE ON MATTERS PERTAINING TO THE TOWNSHIP WILL BE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON. IF COMMENTS ARE SIMILAR TO THOSE ALREADY STATED, PLEASE INDICATE YOUR SUPPORT OR YOUR OPPOSITION GROUPS ARE ASKED TO SELECT A SPOKESPERSON. ARE THERE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO ADDRESS THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE? I'M CANDY WILLIS AND I'M JUST GOING TO READ A STATEMENT IF THAT'S OKAY. MY FAMILY MOVED TO MONTGOMERY IN 1985. WE WERE SO EXCITED ABOUT THE HOUSE INSPECTION THAT WE ARRIVED 15 MINUTES EARLY, AND SO WE HAD TO DRIVE AROUND THE BLOCK A FEW TIMES. IT WAS JUST ME, MY HUSBAND, AND OUR EIGHT MONTH OLD BABY. WE WERE SOON PULLED OVER BY THE POLICE AND ASKED WHAT WE WERE DOING. SOMEONE HAD CALLED THEM. MY HUSBAND WAS GUILTY OF DRIVING WHILE BLACK. PERHAPS BECAUSE OF THAT EXPERIENCE AND SEVERAL OTHER RACIALLY MOTIVATED INCIDENTS INVOLVING THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM, I HAVE MADE IT MY BUSINESS TO LEARN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE ABOUT THE HISTORY OF BLACK PEOPLE IN MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP, NOT PRINCETON, NOT GENERALLY JUST MONTGOMERY. I SAY ALL THIS TO SAY HOW DISMAYED I AM WITH YOUR RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING BLACK HISTORY MONTH. AND BY THE WAY, IT LOOKS LIKE THE SAME RESOLUTION HAS BEEN READ FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT UNTIL TODAY, AND MY COMMENTS ARE ONLY REGARDING THE APPROPRIATENESS OF THE RESOLUTION AND SHOULD NOT BE CONSTRUED IN ANY OTHER WAY. I'M NOT SLAMMING ANYBODY. IT'S THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH, AND I'M 100% FINE WITH RECOGNIZING IT. BUT I AM NOT FINE WITH YOUR GRATUITOUS CONFLATION OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH WITH A WELL FUNDED NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION MANAGED BY PAID STAFFERS WITH NO TIES TO MONTGOMERY ASIDE FROM THEIR PHYSICAL PLANT, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME EXCLUDING OTHER HISTORICALLY MINDED, ALL VOLUNTEER NON-PROFITS WHO HAVE BEEN SHARING MONTGOMERY'S HISTORY, INCLUDING BLACK HISTORY, WITH THE COMMUNITY FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. EXCUSE ME, DO YOU KNOW YOUR MONTGOMERY HISTORY? UNTIL RECENTLY, MONTGOMERY WAS AN AGRARIAN COMMUNITY, VERY DIFFERENT FROM THE TOWN SURROUNDING US. WE HAD NO DOWNTOWN, NO TOWN CENTER. INSTEAD, THERE WERE CROSSROADS, MAYBE A MILL OR A BLACKSMITH SHOP OR A CHURCH OR A TAVERN. THE PEOPLE WERE FARMERS. YES. LOCAL LANDOWNERS HELD SLAVES. I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO FIND OUT MUCH ABOUT LOCAL BLACKS AND COLONIAL TIMES THAT YOU MENTIONED IN YOUR RESOLUTION, BUT I KNOW A LOT ABOUT MONTGOMERY'S 19TH CENTURY BLACK COMMUNITY UP UNTIL 1865, WHEN SLAVERY ENDED, THE SLAVEHOLDERS, THE BIRTHS, THE RUNAWAYS, THE POPULATION, THE MANUMISSIONS, THE DATES, THE LAWS, AND HOW THEY WERE MANIPULATED. THERE'S NO DENYING IT. AND OF COURSE, IT'S WRONG. DO YOU KNOW YOUR MONTGOMERY HISTORY? DID YOU KNOW THAT THERE WERE 125 DAIRY FARMS IN MONTGOMERY IN THE EARLY 1900S, AND NOW THERE ARE NONE? DID YOU KNOW THAT MONTGOMERY FARMERS WERE NOT WEALTHY? DID YOU KNOW THAT IT BECAME SO DIFFICULT TO SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES THAT THEY HAD TO SELL OFF THEIR LANDS TO OUTSIDE DEVELOPERS TO STAY ALIVE FINANCIALLY? AND THAT HAPPENED IN THE 60S, THE 1960S. DID YOU KNOW THAT MONTGOMERY WASN'T WHAT YOU REFER TO AS, QUOTE, ONE OF THE WEALTHIEST AREAS IN NEW JERSEY? WHEN I MOVED HERE IN 1985, DID YOU KNOW THAT MONTGOMERY DID NOT BECOME A DESIRABLE PLACE TO LIVE UNTIL THE 90S, WHEN DEVELOPMENT TOOK OFF AND THE HIGH SCHOOL WAS NAMED A BLUE RIBBON SCHOOL? THE IMPLICATION YOUR TIME IS DONE, MONTGOMERY WAS BUILT ON THE BACK OF YOUR TIME IS DONE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. IF ANYTHING, YOUR RESOLUTION IS SHORTSIGHTED. YOU INSULTING, DIVISIVE AND NON-INCLUSIVE TO RESIDENTS LIKE ME. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? HI. HELLO MAYOR AND MEMBERS, I'M LLOYD FERNANDEZ, 37 FAIRVIEW ROAD, SKILLMAN. I'M SORRY, COULD YOU REPEAT YOUR LAST NAME, LLOYD FERNANDEZ FERNANDES SKILLMAN, NEW JERSEY. I, I WANT TO TAKE EXCEPTION, AND I EXPECT THE TOWNSHIP TO TAKE EXCEPTION TO THE ARTICLE ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT WAS PUBLISHED IN MONTGOMERY NEWS AS PART OF THAT ARTICLE ABOUT THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING [00:40:02] ORDINANCE TODAY. THEY INCLUDED PLANS FROM ECON PROPOSALS. THAT WAS VERY CONFUSING TO THE RESIDENTS, AND IT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN THERE BECAUSE TODAY'S AFFORDABLE HOUSING ORDINANCE HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH PROPOSED ADDITIONAL OR OTHER THINGS THAT ICAHN WANTED TO DO. I ALSO MUST TAKE EXCEPTION TO THE PRESENTATION, GIVEN THAT CALLED THE CANVAS SITE ECON SITE, THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS ECON SITE AS FAR AS I KNOW. THAT NAME I THINK SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE PRESENTATION, AND IT SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM ANYTHING THAT REFERS TO 199 GRAND VIEW. ECON WAS THE INITIAL DEVELOPER, I BELIEVE, WHO WORKED WITH THE TOWNSHIP IN 2024 AND UP TO JUNE 2025. BUT IN JUNE 2025, THEY GAVE UP ITS RIGHTS BECAUSE THE COMMITMENT LETTER THAT WAS GIVEN BY GIVEN TO THE TOWNSHIP CAME FROM A COMPANY CALLED 199 GRANDVIEW PARTNERS LLC. 199 GRANDVIEW PARTNERS LLC COULD NOT HAVE PROVIDED THAT COMMITMENT UNTIL AND UNLESS ALL THEY HAD ALL RIGHTS TO THE DEVELOPMENT. SO ECON GAVE UP ALL RIGHTS TO 199 GRANDVIEW PARTNERS, LLC AND THEREFORE CANNOT AT ANY TIME CLAIM TO BE INDEPENDENTLY A DEVELOPER ON THE SITE. THEY CLAIMED THAT IN AN INFORMATION SESSION AT KENVUE IN NOVEMBER, THEY ALSO CLAIMED THAT THEY HAD INTERESTS IN THE PROPERTY AS PART OF A LAWSUIT THAT THEY FILED AGAINST THE TOWNSHIP. AFFORDABLE HOUSING. I EXPECT THE TOWNSHIP SHOULD HAVE PUSHED BACK ON THAT LAWSUIT AND SAID, HEY, THE COMMITMENT LETTER WE GOT WAS FROM GRANDVIEW PARTNERS, 199 GRANDVIEW PARTNERS LLC AND NOT ECON. SO ONLY 199 GRANDVIEW PARTNERS LLC HAD THE RIGHT TO ANY KIND OF LAWSUITS AGAINST THE TOWNSHIP ON ITS AFFORDABLE HOUSING. FURTHERMORE, JOHNSON AND JOHNSON THAT OWNED THE PROPERTY AT THE TIME SUPPOSEDLY GAVE ECON DEVELOPERS THE RIGHT TO DEVELOP. AS OF DECEMBER AND PROBABLY EARLY JANUARY. THE PROPERTY IS NOT OWNED BY JOHNSON AND JOHNSON ANYMORE. THE PROPERTY IS NOW OWNED BY FOUR LLCS, AND NONE OF THEM IS ECON DEVELOPMENT. SO I WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR THAT I THINK THAT THE TOWNSHIP SHOULD NOT REFER TO ANYTHING RELATED TO ECON DEVELOPMENT, BECAUSE ECON DEVELOPMENT, AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, FROM A LEGAL PERSPECTIVE, IS IRRELEVANT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. OKAY, NEXT. I'M NANCY CASTELLINO. I'M HERE TO JUST CLARIFY THINGS. IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE TOLD A NUMBER OF TIMES IN THE PAST, AND WE WANT TO MAKE IT CRYSTAL CLEAR TO THE TOWNSHIP. WE, THE RESIDENTS, DO NOT WANT DO NOT WANT HOUSING ON CAN VIEW SITE. OUR POSITION HAS NEVER CHANGED. IT'S CLEAR, NEVER CHANGED. IT WAS THE SAME AFFORDABLE HOUSING DISCUSSION AND IT REMAINS THE SAME TODAY. OUR POSITION HAS NOT CHANGED. THERE SHOULD BE NO ZONING CHANGE. RESIDENTS SUPPORTED THE EXISTING LIGHT INDUSTRIAL AND IT SHOULD REMAIN IN PLACE. WE AS RESIDENTS DO NOT HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT. THE TOWNSHIP DOES NOT NEED TO PRESENT WITH OPTIONS ONE, 2 OR 3 THAT WHAT MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP NEWSPAPER HAS BEEN SAYING ABOUT. LET ME REMIND THE TOWNSHIP THERE IS ANOTHER SIMPLE AND EASY OPTION. LEAVE IT AS IT IS. NO ZONING CHANGE. THE ZONING REMAINS EXACTLY AS IT IS. KEEP IT AS IT STANDS. SO MY NEXT QUESTION, THIS QUESTION IS TO ALL OF YOU, ALL AND EVEN PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT HERE ON THE PLANNING BOARD. DOES THE TOWNSHIP HAVE ANY DIRECT OR INDIRECT INTEREST IN THE CAN VIEW PROPERTY? WILL MAYOR SING THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE AND THE PLANNING BOARD MEMBERS CONFIRM WHETHER THEY OR THEIR FRIENDS HAVE ANY DIRECT OR INDIRECT FINANCIAL AND BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS WITH ECON OR THE OWNERS OR THE SITE DEVELOPERS OF THE PROPERTY OWNER. IT IS ON RECORD. SO I'M ASKING THIS. TO [00:45:08] MY KNOWLEDGE, THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NOBODY SITTING AT THE DAIS EITHER AT THE PLANNING BOARD LEVEL OR AT THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE. THAT IS PART OF ANY OF THE FOUR LLC'S THAT SEEM TO BE RECORD OWNERS OF THAT SITE NOW, OR ANY INTEREST IN THOSE THERE. THERE'S NO INTEREST. ANY DISCLOSURES ARE PROVIDED. I'M SORRY, ANY DISCLOSURES ARE PROVIDED ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIPS WITH THOSE INVESTORS. ANYBODY WHO SITS AT THIS TABLE, MYSELF INCLUDED, HAS TO REPORT ANY INTEREST IN ANY BUSINESS OR PROPERTY TO THE STATE ANNUALLY. AND THAT WOULD COME UP IF THAT WAS AN ISSUE. SO NO, I HAVE NOT AWARE OF ANYBODY HAVING ANY INTEREST. OKAY. WHEN WE HAD FILED THE CHALLENGE ABOUT THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING ATTORNEY HAD FILED, THERE WAS CONTAMINATION ON THE PROPERTY AND THAT CONTAMINATION, I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT IT IS STILL ACTIVE. AND SO I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THOSE ISSUES ARE NOT CONSIDERED AND JUST BEEN SAYING THERE'S NO CONTAMINATION. I CAN GIVE YOU PAPERWORK HERE IF YOU GUYS WANT TO SEE AND TO THE. YOUR TIME IS UP. THANK YOU. YOU CAN LEAVE THE PAPER PAPERWORK HERE WITH THE CLERK, AND WE CAN HAVE SOMEONE TAKE A LOOK. I JUST I KNOW YOUR TIME IS UP, BUT I THINK THIS MIGHT HELP. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING IN OUR HOUSING PLAN NOW THAT CONTEMPLATES ANY CHANGE OF ZONING OR ANY HOUSING OPPORTUNITY AT THAT SITE. MOREOVER, BEFORE ANYTHING COULD EVER BE CHANGED IN THAT ZONING, IT WOULD HAVE TO COME TO THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE FOR AN ORDINANCE THAT WOULD BE NOTICED WITH A PUBLIC HEARING AND A 200 FOOT LIST. SO IF YOU'RE WITHIN 200FT OF ANY PERIMETER OF THOSE HUNDREDS OF ACRES, YOU WOULD GET A NOTICE THAT THE ZONING WAS GOING TO BE CHANGED. SO I CAN ASSURE YOU THERE'S WE WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR, YES, THAT NOTHING WILL BE CHANGED. SNEAKINGLY EVERYTHING HAS TO BE DONE ON RECORD. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? PUBLIC COMMENT. GOOD EVENING. IN 2019, WHEN I SERVED AS MAYOR OF MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP FOR THE NAME, FOR THE RECORD, FOR HARVARD CIRCLE IN 2019, WHEN I SERVED AS MAYOR OF MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP, I HOSTED OUR COMMUNITY'S FIRST INTERFAITH IFTAR. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL EVENING, THE FIRST TIME OUR TOWNSHIP FORMALLY CREATED SPACE FOR MUSLIM RESIDENTS TO GATHER PUBLICLY, TO BE WELCOMED AND TO BELONG. IT REFLECTED WHAT INTERFAITH WORK SHOULD BE OPEN, INCLUSIVE AND ROOTED IN SHARED HUMANITY. THIS YEAR, WHEN I SAW AN INVITATION FOR ANOTHER INTERFAITH IN MONTGOMERY, AN EVENT AT WHICH THE MAYOR AND POLICE CHIEF WILL BE SPEAKING, I REGISTERED EXPECTING THE SAME SPIRIT OF OPENNESS. I WAS SHOCKED WHEN I WAS CONTACTED AND TOLD THAT I'M NOT WELCOME TO ATTEND. INTERFAITH GATHERINGS ARE SUPPOSED TO BUILD TRUST. THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER ACROSS DIFFERENCES WHEN THEY START EXCLUDING PEOPLE BASED ON THEIR POLITICAL VIEWS OR MORE POSITIONS, THEY STOP BEING ABOUT FAITH AND COMMUNITY AND START BEING ABOUT OPTICS. AS WE ENTER RAMADAN, A MONTH CENTERED ON JUSTICE, TRUTH AND CARE FOR THE VULNERABLE, MANY MUSLIMS IN THIS COUNTRY ARE ALREADY FEELING SURVEILLED AND STIGMATIZED. JUST RECENTLY, A SITTING MEMBER OF CONGRESS, RANDY FINE, PUBLICLY STATED THAT HE WOULD CHOOSE DOGS OVER MUSLIMS. THAT IS THE LEVEL OF DEHUMANIZATION, DEHUMANIZING RHETORIC. MUSLIMS ARE HEARING FROM PEOPLE IN POSITIONS OF POWER. AT A MOMENT LIKE THIS, LOCAL LEADERSHIP SHOULD BE BUILDING TRUST WITH MUSLIM RESIDENTS, NOT NARROWING THE CIRCLE OF WHO IS WELCOME. THIS EXCLUSION REVEALS A PATTERN. I WAS PREVIOUSLY TOLD BY THE MAYOR AND DEPUTY MAYOR THAT GOVERNMENT FUNDING WAS BEING WITHHELD FROM MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP BECAUSE OF MY PUBLIC SPEECH OPPOSING GENOCIDE IN GAZA. THE MESSAGE IS UNMISTAKABLE THAT SPEAKING OUT ON MATTERS OF CONSCIENCE CARRIES CONSEQUENCES IN THIS COMMUNITY. THAT KIND OF PRESSURE CHILLS DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION AND UNDERMINES TRUST. SO I WOULD LIKE TO ASK, HOW IS THIS DECISION BEING MADE? WHO IS INCLUDED OR EXCLUDED FROM THIS INTERFAITH EVENT WHERE THE MAYOR IS GOING TO SPEAK, ESPECIALLY WHICH LOCAL MUSLIMS AND WHICH RESIDENTS ARE ALLOWED TO ATTEND? IF OUR COMMUNITY TRULY VALUES PLURALISM, THEN IT MUST BE STRONG ENOUGH TO INCLUDE PEOPLE WHO SPEAK UNCOMFORTABLE TRUTHS. IF WE BELIEVE IN RELIGIOUS FREEDOM, THEN WE MUST DEFEND FREEDOM OF CONSCIENCE. AND IF WE CLAIM TO CARE ABOUT INCLUSION, THEN WE CANNOT SELECTIVELY DECIDE WHICH MUSLIMS ARE ACCEPTABLE AND WHICH ARE NOT. THAT IS WHY I'M SPEAKING TODAY OUT OF RESPONSIBILITY TO THE COMMUNITY I CARE ABOUT. MONTGOMERY DESERVES INTERFAITH SPACES GROUNDED IN COURAGE, HONESTY AND REAL INCLUSION, NOT JUST THE APPEARANCE OF IT. I WISH EVERYONE A MEANINGFUL HOLIDAY. [00:50:01] AS MANY HEARD, THERE ARE ALL SORTS OF HOLIDAYS THIS TIME OF YEAR, BUT SPECIFICALLY FOR THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY. A PEACEFUL RAMADAN. THANK YOU. WISH YOU ALL HAVE RAMADAN MUBARAK AS WELL. ATTORNEY WENDY, I'M GOING TO ASK THE INDULGENCE OF THE TOWNSHIP. I FEEL I HAVE TO SPEAK. THIS IS THE EVENT THAT HAS BEEN MENTIONED BY SADAF. JAFAR IS A PRIVATE EVENT. HONESTLY, I DO NOT EVEN HAVE A. NO ONE'S REACHED OUT TO ME TO SPEAK AT THE EVENT. I'VE HAD NO INVITATION. I DO KNOW THAT THERE IS AN EVENT, SO I DON'T THINK THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE ALL HERE ARE PART OF THIS EVENT AND IF ANYBODY'S NOT INVITED, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE THE HOST. IT'S NOT US. THE SECOND THING I REALLY WANTED TO BRING UP, AND I HATE TO DO IT BECAUSE IT'S NOT ME, IT'S THE MAYOR'S OFFICE. IT'S A DIGNITY OF THE OFFICE. I REALLY FEEL THAT THIS WHOLE CONVERSATION ABOUT YOU NOT BEING YOU, BEING ASKED THAT IT'S BECAUSE OF GAZA THAT YOU WERE ASKED TO NOT BE PART OF. IT'S NOT TRUE. I NEVER SAID THOSE WORDS. IF ANYBODY ELSE SAID IT, THAT'S NOT ME. I WOULD LIKE YOU TO STOP SAYING MERSING. WHENEVER YOU BRING THAT UP, WHENEVER YOU BRING THE THE LIGHTING OF THE CRESCENT, BECAUSE THAT WAS DONE WHEN MAYOR KEENAN WAS THERE. I WAS NOT THE MAYOR. SO THAT'S THE ONLY INDULGENCE I WANT FROM THE PUBLIC. THERE IS A DIGNITY TO THE OFFICE OF THE MAYOR, AND IT DOESN'T MATTER IF PEOPLE ARE PETTY, VICIOUS, WHATEVER THEY ARE, BUT THIS IS NOT THE PLACE. IF YOU HAVE A CONVERSATION LIKE THIS AND YOU WANT TO TALK, YOU'RE MOST WELCOME TO SET UP AN APPOINTMENT. COME AND SEE THE MAYOR, THE DEPUTY MAYOR, OR ANYBODY ON THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE AND DISCUSS WITH US. SO I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE ALL WORK TOGETHER AND NOT SOW SEEDS OF DIVISION IN A TOWN THAT WE ALL LOVE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR INDULGENCE. ANYONE ELSE FOR COMMENT? HI, MY NAME IS BRIAN AN OF SKILLMAN. I WASN'T EXPECTING TO. BRIAN NAN N A N N YES NANN3 N'S WASN'T EXPECTING TO BE HERE TODAY, BUT I'M WAITING FOR MY DAUGHTER, OKAY? I'M SOMEONE WHO GOES TO SCHOEMAN PARK EVERY DAY, AND I THINK IF ANYONE IN THE TOWNSHIP GOES TO THE PARK OR YOURSELF GOES TO SCHOEMAN PARK. YOU'VE NOTICED RECENTLY THAT THE THE COUNTY PUT UP A SIGN ASKING PEOPLE WHO HAVE DOGS TO CLEAN UP AFTER THEIR DOGS AND THE THE STATE OF SCHOEMAN PARK AFTER THIS SNOWSTORM. AND I'VE SEEN THIS EFFECT. MANY TOWNSHIPS IN NEW JERSEY AND IN NEW YORK HAS JUST BEEN TERRIBLE. SO I APPRECIATE THAT THE COUNTY HAS PUT OUT THIS BIG SIGN SAYING, PLEASE PICK UP AFTER YOUR DOGS, BECAUSE THEY DO PROVIDE DOGGY BAGS AND THE THE AMOUNT OF FECES IN SCHOEMAN PARK HAS BEEN ALARMING. AND I GET IT, IT WAS REALLY COLD AND THERE WAS A LOT OF SNOW AND IT'S UNPLEASANT AND THE COUNTY SEEMS LIKE THEY HAVE DONE A CLEAN UP AND WITH THE SNOW MELTING THERE'S JUST THERE'S STILL A LOT. SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE TOWNSHIP COULD DO AS FAR AS MAYBE THE HEALTH BOARD, MAYBE PUTTING OUT A FRIENDLY REMINDER IN THE NEWSLETTER OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S BEEN A TOPIC WITH THE THE BOARD OF HEALTH LATELY, BUT IT'S JUST BEEN A VERY UNPLEASANT EXPERIENCE. WE HAVE ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PARKS IN SOMERSET COUNTY, AND SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING IT TO OUR ATTENTION. WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT OUR ADMINISTRATOR IS RIGHT THERE. WE'LL REACH OUT TO THE COUNTY. AND YEAH, THANK YOU SO MUCH. IF I COULD JUST JUMP IN BECAUSE SURE. YOU KNOW, I DID FOLLOW UP WITH THE COUNTY ON ANOTHER ITEM, BUT MAYBE IT'S THE SAME GROUP BECAUSE I KNOW RECYCLING HAS BEEN A LITTLE BIT DELAYED, AT LEAST, YOU KNOW, NOT JUST A WEEK AFTER THE STORM, BUT THE WEEK AFTER THAT. I DID SPEAK TO TWO OF THE COMMISSIONERS ON ON THE TOPIC. I THINK THEY'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH SOME TRANSITION. I SAID, I APPRECIATE THAT, BUT THE MINIMUM WE COULD DO IS TO A LITTLE BIT OF NOTIFICATION IF THERE'S GOING TO BE A DELAY SO PEOPLE CAN PLAN APPROPRIATELY. BUT I THINK WE SHOULD, YOU KNOW, MAYBE IF WE COULD ALSO ADD THAT TO. YEAH. COLLEEN. YEAH. SHE'S SHE'S TAKING NOTES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YEAH. OKAY. ORDINANCES. INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING ORDINANCE 26 1771. [9. Ordinance #26-1771 – An Ordinance of the Township of Montgomery Repealing and Replacing Chapter 15, "Affordable Housing" – Introduction/First Reading] AN ORDINANCE OF THE TOWNSHIP OF MONTGOMERY REPEALING AND REPLACING CHAPTER 15 AFFORDABLE HOUSING. BE IT RESOLVED BY THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE OF THE TOWNSHIP OF MONTGOMERY, THAT [00:55:04] THE FOREGOING ORDINANCE WILL BE B HEREBY PASSED ON FIRST READING, AND THE SAME BE PUBLISHED ACCORDING TO LAW, WITH A PUBLIC HEARING AND A VOTE SCHEDULED FOR THE MEETING OF MARCH 5TH, 2026. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO INTRODUCE ORDINANCE 26 1771. SO MOVED. SECOND. ROLL CALL PLEASE. COMMITTEE MEMBER AND YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. TAYLOR. TODD. YES. DEPUTY MAYOR. [10. Ordinance #26-1772 – An Ordinance Establishing a Comprehensive Salary and Wage Plan for the Township of Montgomery, Somerset County, and to Provide for its Administration in 2026 – Introduction/First Reading] BARRAGAN. YES. MAYOR. SINGH. YES. ORDINANCE 20 6-1772. AN ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING A COMPREHENSIVE SALARY AND WAGE PLAN FOR THE TOWNSHIP OF MONTGOMERY, SOMERSET COUNTY, AND TO PROVIDE FOR ITS ADMINISTRATION IN 2026 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 MARCH 5TH, 2026. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO INTRODUCE ORDINANCE 20 6-1772. SO MOVED SECOND. ROLL CALL PLEASE. COMMITTEE MEMBER. ANNE. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. TAYLOR. YES. DEPUTY MAYOR. BARRAGAN. YES. MAYOR. SINGH. YES. ORDINANCE 26 [11. Ordinance #26-1773 – An Ordinance Amending Schedule XXI, Traffic Regulations on Private Property, of Chapter VIIA, Traffic Schedules, Section 10.2 of Chapter III, Police Regulations, and Section 11.3 of Chapter III, Police Regulations of the Code of the Township of Montgomery (1984) to Add the Private Property of Montgomery Place (Formerly known as Pike Run Plaza) – Introduction/First Reading] 1773. AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SCHEDULE 21. TRAFFIC REGULATION ON PRIVATE PROPERTY OF CHAPTER SEVEN A TRAFFIC SCHEDULES. SECTION 10.2 OF CHAPTER THREE POLICE REGULATIONS IN SECTION 11.3 OF CHAPTER THREE. POLICE REGULATIONS OF CODE OF THE TOWNSHIP OF MONTGOMERY, 1984. TO ADD THE PRIVATE PROPERTY OF MONTGOMERY PLACE, FORMERLY KNOWN AS PECAN PLAZA, BE IT 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 MARCH 5TH, 2026. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO INTRODUCE ORDINANCE 26 1773. SO MOVED. SECOND. ROLL CALL PLEASE. COMMITTEE MEMBER ON. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. TAYLOR. YES. DEPUTY MAYOR. BARRAGAN. YES. [12. Ordinance #26-1770 – An Ordinance of the Township of Montgomery, County of Somerset, New Jersey Amending, Revising and Supplementing Chapter 4 General Licensing, of the Code of the Township of Montgomery, 1984 by Establishing Regulations and Permit Requirements for the Filming Throughout Montgomery Township – Public Hearing/Final Adoption] MAYOR. SINGH. YES. ORDINANCES. PUBLIC HEARING. FINAL ADOPTION ORDINANCE 20 6-1770. AN ORDINANCE OF THE TOWNSHIP OF MONTGOMERY. COUNTY OF SOMERSET, STATE OF NEW JERSEY, AMENDING, REVISING, AND SUPPLEMENTING CHAPTER FOR GENERAL LICENSING. THE CODE OF THE TOWNSHIP OF MONTGOMERY, 1984, BY ESTABLISHING REGULATIONS AND PERMIT REQUIREMENTS FOR THE FILMING THROUGHOUT MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP. AND I AM REALLY HAPPY TO WELCOME JESSICA BELLINI FROM SOMERSET COUNTY. SHE'S THE MANAGER OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. AND DAVID SKINNER FROM THE FILM COMMISSION. I GUESS I'M GOING TO HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN. ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS, MAYOR, PERHAPS YOU'D LIKE TO LET THEM SPEAK? YEAH, YEAH, THAT WAY WE'LL DO IT. I JUST HAVE IT IN THE REVERSE ORDER. BUT NO, THAT'S FINE. IT GENERATES QUESTIONS. RIGHT? THAT'S A GOOD POINT. INVITE INVITING DAVID AND JAY. MOTION PICTURE AND TELEVISION COMMISSION AND SOMERSET COUNTY MANAGER OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT JESSICA PELINI. AND IF YOU BOTH COULD TAKE TURNS AND SPEAK TO THIS AMAZING INITIATIVE THAT WE ARE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO, VERY EXCITED. SO THANK YOU FOR AGAIN FOR FOR HAVING US UP HERE. APPRECIATE IT. MY NAME IS DAVID SCHOENER FOR THE SAKE OF THE ARGUMENT, 50 DEVONSHIRE ROAD IN CEDAR GROVE, NEW JERSEY. AND I AM THE SENIOR ADVISOR TO THE NEW JERSEY MOTION PICTURE AND TELEVISION COMMISSION, AND WHICH IS PART OF THE NEW JERSEY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR RECOGNIZING THE BOY SCOUTS TONIGHT. MY OLDEST, MY ONE OF MY TWINS IS A BOY SCOUT AND THE OTHER ONES WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SO PART OF THE NEW JERSEY MOTION PICTURE AND TELEVISION COMMISSION, WHAT WE DO IS WE HAVE ESTABLISHED SOMETHING CALLED THE FILM READY PROGRAM. AND A FILM READY PROGRAM IS A STREAMLINED, UNIVERSAL PROGRAM THROUGHOUT NEW JERSEY'S 563 MUNICIPALITIES. I BELIEVE THERE'S 563 MUNICIPALITIES, AND THERE'S 563 DIFFERENT WAYS TO DO FILMMAKING. AND SO WHAT WE TRY TO DO WITH A FILM READY PROGRAM IS WE TRY TO STREAMLINE THE PROCESS FOR FILMMAKERS WHEN THEY'RE THINKING ABOUT COMING INTO NEW JERSEY SO THAT IT KIND OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN EXPECTING. IT'S KIND OF LIKE THE PREGNANCY BOOKS THAT YOU SEE, YOU KNOW, YOU READ THE BOOK AND IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU'RE EXPECTING. AND SO WHEN FILMMAKERS ARE COMING INTO THE STATE, THEY ARE TYPICALLY NOT AWARE OF IT. WE'RE WORKING VERY AGGRESSIVELY TO BRING MORE HERE. AS YOU CAN SEE, ALL THE DIFFERENT DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING AROUND THE STATE. SO WHAT WE DO IS WE STREAMLINE THE PROCESS AND WE TRY TO HAVE RULES AND REGULATIONS THAT ARE UNIVERSAL THROUGHOUT ALL THE MUNICIPALITIES. CURRENTLY, WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 550 MUNICIPALITIES. WE CALL THEM LOCALITIES THAT ARE NOW FILM READY, ALONG WITH ALONG WITH COUNTIES. SOMERSET COUNTY IS WHAT WE CONSIDER A FILM READY COUNTY. AND I THINK BY THE END OF THIS YEAR WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER MAYBE 80 THAT WILL BE THERE. SO [01:00:03] WHEN FILMMAKERS ARE THINKING ABOUT COMING INTO THE COMMUNITY, THEY KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT. AND IT'S GENERAL GUIDELINES AND IT WORKS VERY WELL BECAUSE EVERYONE KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT'S HAPPENING. RECENTLY YOU FOLKS HOSTED A COMPLETE UNKNOWN, WHICH WAS KIND OF FUN. THE UNFORTUNATE THING, AS IN ANYTHING THAT IS ART, THEY CUT THE SCENE FROM THE MOVIE. I WILL TELL YOU THAT THE CITY OF CLIFTON WAS VERY BUMMED TO BECAUSE RUTT'S HUT. IF ANYONE KNOWS RUTT'S HUT WAS ALSO IN THE MOVIE AND GOT CUT FROM IT. BUT WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS WE WANT TO KEEP ON PROMOTING MORE PRODUCTION IN YOUR COMMUNITY, BECAUSE THE BENEFITS ARE NOT ONLY THE MOM AND POP SHOPS THAT THEY PATRONIZE IN THE COMMUNITY, ALSO THE VARIOUS RESIDENTS THAT WORK IN THE COMMUNITY. IT'S A VERY SIMPLE FIVE STEP PROCESS. YOU GUYS HAVE DONE ALL THE COMPONENTS OF THE PROCESS. THE ORDINANCE IS JUST ONE OF THE THE LAST, THE LAST PROCESSES. AND ONCE YOU PASS THE ORDINANCE, WE MEET ONCE A WEEK INTERNALLY IN OUR OFFICE. WE REVIEW EVERYTHING AND THEN WE SIGN OFF, AND THEN ELIZABETH WILL DESIGNATE YOU FOLKS FILM READY COMMUNITY, RIGHT? EVEN THOUGH WE WERE PLEASE, I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY THAT. YEAH. THAT'S. YEAH. RIGHT. EVEN THOUGH WE WERE SAD THAT WE WERE NOT IN THE MOVIE, MONTGOMERY WASN'T THE THE TOWN DID MAKE MONEY, I BELIEVE CLOSE TO $27,000 WITH OUR SMALL BUSINESSES. AND SO WE'RE THANKFUL WE DIDN'T. MAYBE WE'LL MAKE IT TO THE NEXT. YES. AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT REALLY IS ABOUT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. AND IT'S ALSO ABOUT LOCAL BUSINESSES BEING PATRONIZED AND LOCAL PEOPLE WORKING. I MEAN, THAT IS IT AT THE END OF THE DAY, AND THE STATE MONITORS IT VERY CLOSELY TO MAKE SURE THAT IT THE THAT THOSE OBLIGATIONS ACTUALLY HAPPEN. OKAY. WE'RE VERY EXCITED. DO YOU ALSO GET INVOLVED WITH LIKE STUDIOS AND YOU KNOW LIKE I KNOW PATTERSON JUST MENTIONED THAT THEY'RE GOING TO. RIGHT. SO STUDIO THERE'S A LOT A LOT OF MOVING PARTS THAT ARE GOING ON RIGHT NOW WITH A BIGGER PICTURE. AND I'LL TALK AS LONG AS YOU WANT BECAUSE I LOVE TALKING ABOUT THIS. I'M VERY PASSIONATE. I'VE BEEN DOING IT SINCE 1985. SO WE HAVE WHAT'S CALLED STUDIO PARTNERS WITH THE STATE. SO THE STATE HAS GOT THREE STUDIO PARTNERS RIGHT NOW. THEY'VE FILLED UP ALL THE SLOTS. THERE'S THREE PARTNERS ONES NETFLIX, ONES LIONSGATE AND ONES PARAMOUNT. AND SO WHAT THOSE PARTNERS ARE COMMITTED TO IS BUILDING 250 ZERO ZERO ZERO SQUARE FEET OF SPACE, MINUS PARKING, TO CULTIVATE MORE INFRASTRUCTURE. BECAUSE WE'RE REALLY ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE. I KNOW THERE IS A FACILITY THAT THEY WANT TO DO IN PATERSON. THEY'RE NOT PART OF THAT PARTICULAR PROGRAM. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE. IT'S JUST AN OBLIGATION OF WHAT'S GOING ON. AND IT'S SOMETHING WE WORK PRETTY HARD AT. JUST JUST CURIOUS. YEAH. NO, ABSOLUTELY. THAT THERE'S LAND IN MONTGOMERY OR A, A BUILDING THAT THEY CAN COME INTO THE BUILDING IN QUESTION. YEAH. USUALLY THEY LIKE ABOUT 13 ACRES IS KIND OF LIKE THE IDEAL KIND OF LIKE COMMERCIALLY 13 ACRES, 300,000, ABOUT 300,000FT■!S. YEAH, YEAH. AND IT'S WONDERFUL BECAUSE WE TALK ABOUT ALL THESE DIFFERENT DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE GOING ON. AND WHEN YOU GO DOWN TO EVEN NETFLIX DOWN AT FORT MONMOUTH, THE BIGGEST THING WAS THAT WHEN THE FEDS DECOMMISSIONED THE BASE, YOU KNOW, THE AREA REALLY KIND OF REALLY SUFFERED, SUFFERED A LOT BUSINESS. EVERYTHING DROPPED. SO NETFLIX HAS BEEN AN AMAZING COMMUNITY PARTNER WITH BOTH OCEANPORT AND WITH EATONTOWN, AND THEY DO A LOT OF COMMUNITY BENEFITS BESIDES ALL THE TRADITIONAL THINGS THAT YOU WOULD THINK, OKAY, IF YOU IF YOU KNOW ANY STUDIOS OR SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, I WILL, I WILL DEFINITELY KEEP IT IN MIND. THAT'S, THAT'S THE THAT'S THE TASK NOW. YEAH. AND AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK IT'S ALSO WORTH POINTING OUT AND I KNOW YOU CAN TALK AS WELL. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US ON THE STATE LEVEL IS, AND WITHOUT GETTING INTO THE WEEDS, IS THERE'S SOMETHING CALLED THE STUDIO ZONE. THE STUDIO ZONE IS IF YOU PUT A PIN IN COLUMBUS CIRCLE AND YOU DRAW A 30 MILE CIRCUMFERENCE, THAT'S A UNIONIZED ZONE WHERE YOU CAN HAVE UNIONIZED CREW MEMBERS REPORT WITHIN THAT ZONE AND THEY DON'T PAY THEM TRAVEL TIME. GUYS ARE A LITTLE BIT OUTSIDE THE ZONE. SO THE STATE WORKS VERY AGGRESSIVELY TO PUSH FILM PRODUCTION INTO ALL PARTS OF THE STATE, BECAUSE WE'RE HERE FOR EVERYONE IN THE STATE. WE WORK VERY AGGRESSIVELY FOR CENTRAL JERSEY, VERY AGGRESSIVELY FOR SOUTH JERSEY. SO OUR GOAL IS ONCE YOU GUYS BECOME FILM READY, IS TO BE ABLE TO REALLY PUSH THAT. WHEN WE DO OUR VARIOUS TRIPS OUT TO LOS ANGELES AND TO VARIOUS FUNCTIONS THAT WE GO TO BE ABLE TO SAY, LISTEN, HERE'S A HERE'S ANOTHER COMMUNITY THAT YOU CAN GO TO. THEY MAY BE A LITTLE BIT OUTSIDE WHAT WE CALL STUDIO ZONE, BUT THEY'RE THEY'RE READY TO HOST YOU. AND TO BE FAIR, YOU FOLKS DID AN AMAZING JOB ON A COMPLETE UNKNOWN. OH, THAT'S. I'LL TALK. THAT'S GOOD TO KNOW. BE CAREFUL. NO NO NO NO, THAT THAT IS GOOD TO KNOW. AND OF COURSE, YOU'RE PART OF THE EINSTEIN ALLEY. SO IF YOU'RE DOING A MOVIE ON EINSTEIN, WE WILL. MONTGOMERY HAS TO BE IN IT SOMEHOW. WELL, PRINCETON IS RIGHT DOWN THE STREET. SO. PRINCETON. YES. YES, YES. THE OTHER TOWN. YES. OKAY. WELL, WE'LL ASK JESSICA TO SAY A FEW WORDS. AND IF YOU WOULD STAY HERE, THEN WE'LL TAKE A PICTURE WITH THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE. WE'LL TAKE A PICTURE WHICH YOU CAN SEND TO. WHAT IS IT, JEFF BEZOS? OKAY. OKAY. GREAT. SO [01:05:03] JESSICA PAOLINI, FOR THE RECORD, AND I AM NOT A MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP RESIDENT. I LIVE IN LAWRENCE TOWNSHIP IN MERCER COUNTY, BUT HERE TO VOICE MY SUPPORT ON BEHALF OF THE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR THE COUNTY, FOR MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP TO PURSUE FILM READY CERTIFICATION. DAVID IS A TREMENDOUS PARTNER TO US, AND WITH THIS FILM READY DESIGNATION, WE WILL BE WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH DAVID, WITH THE TEAM AT EDA TO PROMOTE YOUR COMMUNITY. AND ONE OF THE MAIN WAYS WE DO THAT IS THROUGH THE COUNTY FILM COMMISSION. SO WE HAVE A ROBUST WEBSITE WHERE WE SHOWCASE ALL OF THE ASSETS OF SOMERSET COUNTY. WE HAVE STAFF, MYSELF AND MY TEAM WHO WORK ON A DAILY BASIS TO SUPPORT THE FILM COMMISSION AND HELP ATTRACT THE FILM INDUSTRY TO SOMERSET COUNTY. AND THIS IS REALLY IDEAL TIMING, BECAUSE SOMERSET COUNTY IS GOING TO BECOME EVEN MORE WELL KNOWN TO THE FILM INDUSTRY, AS RARITAN VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE IS JUST LAUNCHING NEW TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR HAIR AND MAKEUP AND FILM AND EXPLORING, LAUNCHING A SPECIAL EFFECTS COURSE THIS SUMMER. THEY'VE ALSO RECENTLY ENTERED INTO A TRAINING AGREEMENT WHERE THERE'S A MAJOR STUDIO UTILIZING SPACE AT THE COLLEGE AS PART OF THEIR TRAINING, SO THERE'S A LOT OF ACTIVITY HAPPENING IN THE COUNTY. OF COURSE, DAVID MENTIONED A COMPLETE UNKNOWN, BUT WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF OTHER SIGNIFICANT FEATURE FILMS HAPPENING HERE IN THE COUNTY THE WHISPER MAN IN NORTH PLAINFIELD, HAPPY GILMORE TWO IN BEDMINSTER, THE BEAST IN ME AND PEAPACK-GLADSTONE. SO THERE'S A LOT OF INTEREST, EXCITEMENT AROUND SOMERSET COUNTY. WE HAVE A GREAT PARTNERSHIP IN THE STATE, AND WE HAVE OUR COUNTY COLLEGE ON BOARD THAT WILL BE TRAINING INDIVIDUALS TO WORK IN THE INDUSTRY, INCLUDING MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP RESIDENTS. SO HAPPY TO ALSO PLUG YOU IN WITH THAT NEW TRAINING PROGRAM THAT'S HAPPENING. AND JUST WANT TO REASSURE YOU THAT OUR STAFF IS AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT AND PROMOTE YOU WITH THIS DESIGNATION. THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU. JESSICA. JUST A STUDIO ZONE. YEAH. JESSICA, JUST JUST A QUICK, QUICK QUESTION ON THE ON RARITAN VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND THIS OPPORTUNITY IT. SO IF A STUDENT IN MONTGOMERY WANTED TO BE PART OF THAT OVER THE SUMMER MAYBE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, HOW WOULD THEY GO ABOUT IT. YEAH. SO THEY ARE JUST LAUNCHING THE FIRST COHORT NOW. THEY WILL BE DOING ADDITIONAL COHORTS SO I CAN SEND INFORMATION, A FLIER ABOUT WHEN EACH COHORT IS BEING HELD. THERE ARE SCHOLARSHIPS AND OTHER PROGRAMS AVAILABLE THAT YOU COULD ACCESS IF NEEDED. SO HAPPY TO PUT YOU IN TOUCH WITH AMY LEIGHTON, WHO LEADS THE COSMETOLOGY PROGRAM AT RVC. WE CAN SHARE ALL THE DETAILS AND WALK RESIDENTS THROUGH THE COHORTS WHAT THEY WOULD LEARN COMING OUT OF THE PROGRAM, WHERE THEY COULD POTENTIALLY WORK. WE ARE ACTUALLY JUST LAUNCHING AN INITIATIVE WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE GOING INTO LOCAL HIGH SCHOOLS, STARTING FIRST WITH NORTH PLAINFIELD TO HOLD CAREER DAYS. SO WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING A CAREER DAY IN NORTH PLAINFIELD, LIKELY IN APRIL. FOCUS SPECIFICALLY ON FILM, OKAY, LETTING STUDENTS KNOW ABOUT THIS NEW TRAINING PROGRAM THAT'S AVAILABLE. THEY'LL GET TO MEET MEMBERS OF OUR FILM COMMISSION, MEET WITH AMY. SO THAT COULD BE AN AVENUE WHERE ABSOLUTELY INTO MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE'D LOVE THAT. JUST WANT TO SAY THE EXCITING THING ABOUT ABOUT WHAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT, RVC IS THAT THEY'RE PART OF WHAT WE CALL THE NEW JERSEY FILM ACADEMY'S, AND THE FILM ACADEMY'S ARE LAUNCHING THROUGH THE COUNTY COLLEGES. AND THE COUNTY COLLEGES ARE REALLY SET UP, YOU KNOW, IT'S WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. THAT'S REALLY WHAT IT IS. AND ONE OF THE WONDERFUL THINGS THAT'S GOING ON IS THAT EACH COUNTY COLLEGE KIND OF TAKES A LEAD, DEPENDING ON MAYBE THEIR EXPERTISE THERE. IT DOESN'T MEAN EXCLUSIVE, BUT RARITAN VALLEY DOES. COSMETOLOGY MAKEUP REALLY FANTASTICALLY. AND SO THEY'RE GOING TO LEAN INTO THAT TO START FOR THIS FILM TRAINING. AND IT'S ALL ABOUT HOW DO WE PREPARE YOUNG PEOPLE OR PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING A SECOND CAREER. HOW DO WE GET THEM READY TO ENTER THIS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT THAT'S GOING ON, THIS MASSIVE DEVELOPMENT THAT'S HAPPENING IN THE STATE? AND I THINK JUST STAY IN TOUCH WITH ME, MAYOR, OR ANYONE ON THE COUNCIL FOR SURE TO WE'LL TALK ABOUT MORE ABOUT THEIR VARIOUS DIFFERENT THINGS THAT THEY DO. THE COUNTY COLLEGE ALSO HAS A SOMETHING CALLED THE PA TRAINING CAMP, THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE THE THIRD YEAR OF GENEROUS SUPPORT OF ANONYMOUS DONOR THIS YEAR TO FUND IT, AND IT'S A GREAT TWO DAY BOOT CAMP FOR SOMEONE THAT WANTS TO GET INTO THIS FIELD, BUT IS MAYBE NOT SURE. AND IT'S TWO DAYS, 9 TO 5, AND THEY REALLY KIND OF RUN YOU THROUGH THE DRILL ABOUT WHAT TO DO. BUT ONE OF THE THINGS I LIKE TO STRESS AND ONCE AGAIN, I'LL TALK FOREVER, I LOVE WHAT I DO IS THAT THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT PAYING, MIDDLE CLASS UNION JOBS THAT ARE NOT NECESSARILY THE DIRECTOR, THE WRITER, THE STAR, THE CELEBRITY, THAT HIGH PROFILE. THERE ARE THOSE [01:10:02] OPPORTUNITIES, WHETHER YOU'RE THE GRIP, THE GAFFER, COSMETOLOGY, MAKEUP, IT'S ALL THOSE THINGS. THOSE ARE GREAT JOBS AND YOU GET TO STAY IN THE WORLD OF FILM AND TV, BUT IT'S JUST DIFFERENT AREAS. AND I REALLY TRY TO STRESS THAT WITH PEOPLE BECAUSE THERE IS OPPORTUNITIES. IF YOU WANT TO BE IN THAT WORLD TO FOLLOW YOUR PASSION, THAT MAY NOT BE THOSE TOP KIND OF HIGH PROFILE JOBS. KNOW THAT THAT'S REALLY, REALLY INTERESTING AND HOPEFULLY I WON'T TAKE THOSE JOBS. SO IT'S ALL GOOD. SO WE'LL COME DOWN FOR A WHOLE NOTHER CONVERSATION. WE'LL COME DOWN. THANK YOU. TO THE FINNISH PUBLIC. OH I FORGOT I HAVE TO CLOSE IT. YES. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ADOPT ORDINANCE 20 6-1770. SO MOVED. SECOND. ROLL CALL PLEASE. COMMITTEE MEMBER. ANNE. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. TAYLOR. TODD. YES. DEPUTY MAYOR. BARRAGAN. YES. MAYOR. SINGH. YES. OKAY. I THINK WE SHOULD CLAP. YAY! THROUGH THE PROCESS. IT IS A PROCESS. BUT IT'S EXCITING AND. EVERYTHING IS. WE REALLY DO EXCUSE US IN OUR OPPORTUNITY TO CHAMPION THIS AND YOU LOOK FOR ANY OPPORTUNITY YOU. GIVE IT TO. OH, OKAY. BETTER, BETTER. BUT MAYBE TRY AND GET A LITTLE, LITTLE CLOSER. IF WE COULD DO THREE. YEAH, EITHER. I GET A LITTLE MOTION. INSTAGRAM AND HAVE TWO. OKAY. 123 AND THEN ONE, TWO. PERFECT. THANK YOU. PERFECT. ALL FOLLOW THE. SO WE HAVE NO. OTHER. IN THAT. THAT'S REALLY. ALL I GOT. FOR. OKAY. WE ARE ON. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR COMING. THANK YOU. OKAY. YEAH. SO WHERE AM I. HOLD ON GUYS AGAIN THIS ONE RIGHT HERE 15. WE HAVE TO DO 15 NOW RIGHT NEXT THURSDAY OKAY. CERTIFIED OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. OKAY OKAY. WE JUST NEED TO KNOW WHAT I GOT IT NEXT THURSDAY EVERY THURSDAY OKAY. WE DO. EVERYONE THAT ALREADY GOT IT OKAY. IS LISA JOINING THE FILM COMMISSION I DON'T KNOW. SHE'S SHE'S RESOLUTIONS RESOLUTION 22 [13. Resolution #26-2-79 – State of New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Green Acres Program Enabling Resolution for Supplemental Funding Request] DASH 79, STATE OF NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION. GREEN ACRES PROGRAM IN ENABLING RESOLUTION FOR SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING REQUEST. MAYOR. WE DO THIS PERIODICALLY WITH GREEN ACRES. IT'S PERFUNCTORY. IT'S JUST PROVIDING THEM WITH OUR FUNDING REQUESTS. WE WON'T BE FULLY FUNDED AT THIS AMOUNT. WE DO HAVE GREEN ACRES MONEY, SORT OF IN THE BANK THAT THEY'VE PROVIDED IN THE PAST TO US THAT IS AVAILABLE TO US WHEN WHEN WE DO OUR NEXT ACQUISITION PROJECT. AND IT'S FUNDED 50% OF THE COST THROUGH THE STATE GRANT. THAT SOUNDS GOOD. OKAY. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 22 DASH 79. SO MOVED. SECOND ROLL CALL, PLEASE. COMMITTEE MEMBER ON. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. TAYLOR. TODD. YES. DEPUTY MAYOR [14. Resolution #26-2-80 – Authorizing 2026 Purchases from SHI International Corp. Under State Contract for Software Licenses and Computer Equipment] BERRIGAN. YES. MAYOR SINGH. YES. RESOLUTION 22 DASH 80, AUTHORIZING 2026 PURCHASES FROM I INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION UNDER STATE CONTRACT FOR SOFTWARE LICENSES AND COMPUTER EQUIPMENT. SO WE WE STARTED USING A A COUPLE YEARS AGO GETTING VERY FAVORABLE PRICING FROM THEM THROUGH THE STATE CO-OP AND THE BERGEN COUNTY CO-OP AS WELL, AND HAVE HAD GREAT EXPERIENCE USING THEM. SO WE'LL BE USING THEM AGAIN IN 2026. WONDERFUL. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 22? DASH 80. SO MOVED SECOND. ROLL CALL PLEASE. COMMITTEE MEMBER. ANNE. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. TAYLOR. TODD. YES. DEPUTY MAYOR BERRIGAN. YES. MAYOR. SINGH. [15. Resolution #26-2-81 – Resolution of Support from Montgomery Township Authorizing the 2026 Sustainable Jersey Grants Program Funded by the PSEG Foundation Grant Application] [01:15:03] YES. RESOLUTION 22 DASH 81. RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT FROM MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP AUTHORIZING THE 2026 SUSTAINABLE JERSEY GRANTS PROGRAM, FUNDED BY CNG FOUNDATION GRANT APPLICATION. SO WE'VE TALKED ABOUT SUSTAINABLE JERSEY IN THE PAST. IT'S A NONPROFIT THAT ADVISES MUNICIPALITIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE ON HOW TO BE MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY AND MORE SUSTAINABLE IN GENERAL. AND SO EVERY YEAR THEY DO A GRANT PROGRAM. WE'VE RECEIVED IT MULTIPLE TIMES ON MANY VARIOUS DIFFERENT ITEMS. THIS YEAR, WE'RE APPLYING FOR A $20,000 GRANT TO PREPARE A CLIMATE CHANGE RELATED HAZARD VULNERABILITY PLAN. IT'S DEFINITELY A MOUTHFUL. IT'S ACTUALLY A STATE REQUIRED ELEMENT OF YOUR LAND USE PLAN THAT WE TALKED ABOUT THE MASTER PLAN TONIGHT, AND THAT WAS PUT IN PLACE BY THE STATE A FEW YEARS AGO. AND SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO IF WE RECEIVE THE GRANT, WHICH GENERALLY DO, WE HAVE A GREAT TRACK RECORD WITH SUSTAINABLE JERSEY RECEIVING GRANTS AND COMPLETING THEM ON TIME AND DOING GREAT WORK. SO WE'RE EXCITED TO APPLY FOR THIS. OKAY, PERFECT. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 22 DASH 81. SO MOVED. SECOND. ROLL CALL PLEASE. COMMITTEE MEMBER ON. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. TAYLOR. TODD. YES. DEPUTY MAYOR. BARRAGAN. YES. MAYOR. SINGH. [16. Resolution #26-2-82 – Authorizing 2026 Professional Services Agreements] YES. RESOLUTION 22 DASH 82 AUTHORIZING 2026 PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENTS. SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE DO EVERY YEAR. IT PROVIDES THE NAMES OF ALL OF THE VARIOUS PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AND THE NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNTS THAT WE WILL BE USING. AND ACROSS ALL DEPARTMENTS AND, AND DEPARTMENTS. OKAY. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 22 DASH 82. SO MOVED. SECOND. ROLL CALL PLEASE. COMMITTEE MEMBER. ANNE. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. TAYLOR. TODD. [17. Resolution #26-2-83 – Authorizing Contract Award to William J. Guarini, Inc. for Emergency Repair Services Related to Sewage Line Repair at the Municipal Building Through Hunterdon County Coop] YES. DEPUTY MAYOR. BARRAGAN. YES. MAYOR. SINGH. YES. RESOLUTION 22 DASH 83 AUTHORIZING CONTRACT AWARD TO WILLIAM J. GUERRINI, INC. FOR EMERGENCY REPAIR SERVICES RELATED TO SEWAGE LINE REPAIR AT THE MUNICIPAL BUILDING THROUGH HUNTERDON COUNTY CO-OP. SO THIS WE. I GAVE YOU AN UPDATE AT OUR LAST MEETING, I BELIEVE, AND THIS IS RELATES TO THE THE THE LINE THAT DRAINS FROM THE BATHROOM. YES. OUT TO THE THE PARKING LOT AND THAT THE PIPE HAS SAGGED. WE'VE TRIED MANY DIFFERENT WAYS TO TRY AND ADDRESS THE ISSUE, BUT IT REALLY IS COMING DOWN TO THAT LINE NEEDING TO BE REPAIRED. WE'VE CAPTURED IT. WE'VE BROUGHT IN PROBABLY 3 OR 4 PLUMBING FIRMS. WE'VE HAD MULTIPLE QUOTES. THIS IS ON THROUGH HUNTERDON COUNTY CO-OP. AND THE GOOD NEWS IS THEY BELIEVE THEY CAN GET THE WORK DONE OVER THE WEEKEND. NOT NOT THIS COMING WEEKEND, BUT IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE WEEKEND, WHERE WE HAD WONDERED IF IT WOULD TAKE A WEEK OR TWO, HOW WE WOULD MOVE THINGS AROUND THE LOBBY, ESPECIALLY ACCESS TO THE ELEVATOR, AND THEN THE BATHROOMS WOULD BE CLOSED FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME. KNOCK ON WOOD, IT'S THE WEEKEND THAT THE CONTRACTOR BELIEVES THEY CAN GET IT DONE, AND THAT WOULD BE GREAT NEWS. AND THE SOONER THE BETTER BECAUSE IT'S IT DEFINITELY NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED. AGAIN, WE DIDN'T BUILD THE BUILDING SOMERSET COUNTY IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY DID, BUT WE DO HAVE A RESERVE FOR THINGS THAT MAY MAY COME UP. AND SO WE HAVE MONEY BUDGETED FOR EMERGENCY ITEMS LIKE THIS. THAT'S THAT'S GOOD TO HEAR. AND EVEN THOUGH IT'S GOING TO BE THE WEEKEND, WE'RE GOING TO BE LETTING THE LIBRARY KNOW. YES, AS SOON AS WE HAVE THE DATES. WE'VE ALREADY BEEN COMMUNICATING AT STAFF MEETINGS FOR THE POLICE. THEY'LL NEED TO BE SIGNS OUTSIDE HOW PEOPLE WILL. PEOPLE WILL ENTER THROUGH THE SIDE DOOR ON THE COMMUNITY, DRIVE SIDE TO ACCESS THE POLICE LOBBY. OKAY. MAKES SENSE. OKAY. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 22, DASH 83. SO MOVED. SECOND. ROLL CALL PLEASE. COMMITTEE MEMBER. ANNE. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. TAYLOR. TODD. YES. DEPUTY MAYOR. BARRIGAN. [18. Resolution #26-2-84 – Authorizing Execution of an Agreement for Reservation of Sewage Capacity and Granting Temporary Construction Access Rights with Harlingen Associates, LLC for the Country Classics at Montgomery Project – Block 6001, Lot 33.01] YES. MAYOR. SINGH. YES. RESOLUTION 22 DASH 84 AUTHORIZING EXECUTION OF AN AGREEMENT FOR RESERVATION OF SEWAGE CAPACITY AND GRANTING TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION ACCESS RIGHTS WITH HALOGEN ASSOCIATES, LLC FOR THE COUNTRY CLASSICS AT MONTGOMERY PROJECT BLOCK 6001, LOT 33.01. THANK YOU, MAYOR AND TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE. THIS IS A PROJECT THAT WE'VE OFTEN REFERRED TO AS THE HALOGEN PROJECT. AS YOU MAY RECALL, THE DEVELOPER WAS ASKED TO RUN SEWER THROUGH A CERTAIN DIRECTION SO THAT THE TOWNSHIP COULD PIGGYBACK ON THAT LINE WITH THE TRUNK LINE AND A GRAVITY LINE, SO THAT HOUSES WITHIN THAT HALOGEN AREA THAT DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE SEWER, THAT ARE ON SEPTIC WILL HAVE THE ABILITY TO CONNECT IN THE [01:20:04] FUTURE. SO WHAT WE'VE DONE IS INSTEAD OF THE NORMAL OR YOUR USUAL SEWER RESERVATION AGREEMENT, WHERE THERE'S THE PAYMENT FOR THOSE CONNECTIONS, ETCETERA, WE'VE INCORPORATED IT TO ALSO INCLUDE ACCESS TO AN EASEMENT WE'VE ACQUIRED, AS WELL AS OUR DPW PROPERTY, AND ANOTHER ACCESS THAT WE REQUIRED FOR EMS TO REACH DPW PROPERTY, SO THAT THE BUILDERS OF THIS PROJECT WILL HAVE ACCESS TO RUN THE LINE IN THE DIRECTION THAT WE REQUESTED. SO IT'S ALL ENCOMPASSED INTO ONE AGREEMENT. OH, THAT'S GOOD TO HEAR. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 22 DASH 84. SO MOVED. SECOND. ROLL CALL PLEASE. COMMITTEE MEMBER. ANNE. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. TAYLOR. TODD. YES. DEPUTY MAYOR. BARRAGAN. YES. MAYOR. SINGH. YES. [19. Resolution #26-2-85 – Authorizing Final Change Order No. 3 for BID #06-2022, Stage II Flood Protection Project (Decrease) and a No Cost Time Extension] RESOLUTION 22 DASH 85 AUTHORIZING FINAL CHANGE. ORDER NUMBER THREE FOR BID ZERO SIX 2022. STAGE TWO FLOOD PROTECTION PROJECT DECREASE. OH, THAT'S NICE. AND A NO NO COST TIME EXTENSION. SO STAGE TWO FLOOD PROTECTION AND THE UPGRADE TO THE PLANT IS WINDING DOWN THAT WORK. AND SO THIS LAST CHANGE IS A DECREASE. AND IT'S BASICALLY A CLOSEOUT OF CREDITS THAT THE STAFF NEGOTIATED QUANTITY ADJUSTMENTS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. THIS PROJECT ALSO WE'VE TALKED ABOUT HAS RECEIVED TWO FEMA GRANTS SO FAR 2 MILLION PLUS. SO THAT IS ALSO HELPFUL TOWARDS THIS PROJECT. BUT YEAH, WE'RE WE'RE THE ADJUSTMENTS THAT WE DID THIS. THIS WILL DECREASE THAT BY $174,968.74. THAT'S GREAT WORK. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 22 DASH 85. SO MOVED. SECOND. ROLL CALL PLEASE. COMMITTEE MEMBER. ANNE. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. TAYLOR. YES. DEPUTY MAYOR. BARRAGAN. YES. MAYOR. SINGH. YES. RESOLUTION [20. Resolution #26-2-86 – Authorizing the Purchase of Policy Maintenance and Accreditation Services Through Sourcewell Contract #011822-LXP with Lexipol, LLC for the Montgomery Township Police Department] 22 DASH 86 AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASE OF POLICY, MAINTENANCE AND ACCREDITATION SERVICES THROUGH SOURCEWELL. CONTRACT 011822 LXP WITH LEXI POOL, LLC FOR THE MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP POLICE DEPARTMENT. OKAY, MAYOR. CHIEF BET IS HERE. IF YOU'D LIKE TO HEAR A FEW WORDS ABOUT THE ACCREDITATION PROCESS, LOOK FORWARD TO IT. SO WE WE HAD TALKED ABOUT YEARS AGO ABOUT ACCREDITATION AND WE HAD LOOKED INTO IT. UNFORTUNATELY, THE OLD FACILITY WE HAD, WE WERE UNABLE TO PURSUE ACCREDITATION BECAUSE OF OUR DETENTION FACILITY, WOULDN'T MEET ACCREDITATION STANDARDS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS. SO ONE OF THE CRITICAL COMPONENTS OF THE FIVE YEAR PLAN THAT I HAD PUT IN PLACE WAS BECOMING A NATIONALLY ACCREDITED. SO WE STARTED ABOUT A YEAR AGO OF THE INTRODUCTION, DISCUSSION, PLANNING PHASE AND HOW WE WERE GOING TO DO IT. WE KIND OF MISSED A GRANT AT ONE POINT. A LITTLE TECHNICAL SNAFU. SO WE STARTED TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX OF HOW WE WERE GOING TO DO IT, AND WE GOT THE APPROVAL FROM THE SOMERSET COUNTY PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE TO UTILIZE OUR FORFEITURE FUNDS. SO IT'S A TWO PHASE, TWO YEAR PROCESS. THE FIRST PHASE IS GOING TO BE POLICY REVISION AND MAINTENANCE REVIEW, AND THEN WE'LL GO THROUGH THE ACCREDITATION PROCESS. ALL IN ALL, IT'S ABOUT ROUGHLY $30,000. AND OUR FORFEITURE FUNDS ARE ABOUT $27,000. SO LOOKING INTO FUTURE EXPENSES, THERE IS A GRANT THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE APPLYING THAT'S UPCOMING THROUGH THE NEW JERSEY STATE ASSOCIATION OF CHIEFS OF POLICE. SO WE WILL BE APPLYING FOR THAT GRANT. WE'RE OPTIMISTIC THAT HOPEFULLY WE WILL GET IT. IT'LL SUSTAIN OUR YEARLY FEE OF $1,677 TO MAINTAIN THAT ACCREDITATION STATUS. WHAT'S IMPORTANT ABOUT ACCREDITATION, I THINK, IS BEST PRACTICES ALIGN BETWEEN STATE AND NATIONAL STANDARDS. SO WE ARE PURSUING IT'S A CRITICAL COMPONENT IN ONE OF OUR GOALS OF ATTAINING EXCELLENCE IN BEST PRACTICES. AND, YOU KNOW, OPERATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS. SO ENHANCED TRANSPARENCY REDUCE LIABILITY COSTS. SO IT'S DEFINITELY GOING TO HAVE A REDUCTION IN INSURANCE PREMIUMS. LIEUTENANT LARSON IS WORKING HAS MADE CALLS TO THE GIF. THEY WERE ACTUALLY READY TO HELP WITH SOME SMALL FINANCIAL AMOUNTS IF WE NEEDED IT. SO WE'RE WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THIS. IT'S A LOT OF WORK MOVING FORWARD. BUT HOPEFULLY IN TWO [01:25:04] YEARS IT'LL BE COMPLETE. SO WE'RE WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT IT. DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ACCREDITATION? THAT'S GREAT. NO I THINK IT'S WONDERFUL. AND NOW WE HAVE TO THE RIGHT HOLDING CELL I BELIEVE. YEAH WE WE HAVE WE HAVE THE FACILITY THE THE YOU KNOW, THE GROUNDS FOR IT NOW AND I JUST IT'S I THINK IT'S ANOTHER WE WE HAVE COME A VERY LONG WAY IN REBRANDING THIS POLICE DEPARTMENT AND INFUSING WITH OUR COMMUNITY, OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY ACROSS THE BOARD. AND I THINK THAT THIS IS JUST ANOTHER ELEMENT THAT IS GOING TO REALLY HELP WITH RECRUITMENT, RETENTION, PRIDE IN THE ORGANIZATION, TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY WITH OUR COMMUNITY. SO I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT IT AND ANY DEPARTMENT DESERVES A GRANT. IT'S IT'S YOUR DEPARTMENT AND THE MONTGOMERY POLICE DEPARTMENT. SO YEAH, THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU FOR THE ACKNOWLEDGMENT AND THE RECOGNITION OF THE BURGLARY, THE OCCUPIED DWELLING THAT OCCURRED ON DECEMBER 16TH. IT WAS GREAT WORK. AGAIN. YOU KNOW, WE SIT THROUGH THESE COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND IT'S HARD TO EXPLAIN LINE ITEMS, BUT A LOT OF YOU KNOW THAT THAT EVENING WE HAD RESPONDED TO A91 CALL FOR IT WAS THE HOMEOWNER HAD HEARD SOUNDS INSIDE THE HOME. RESPONDING OFFICERS GOT THERE. THEY HAD AN INDIVIDUAL WALKING DOWN THE DRIVEWAY. THEY ORDERED HIM TO THE GROUND. HE REFUSED. HE RAN. WE WERE KIND OF LIMITED ON STAFFING. WE CALLED ADDITIONAL RESOURCES. BERNARDS TOWNSHIP, SEND DOWN A DRONE. WE USE DRONE TECHNOLOGY TO TRACK INDIVIDUALS. SOMERSET COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE SENT DOWN A K-9 FOR US. HILLSBOROUGH RIGHT ON THE BORDER THERE. GREAT PARTNERS. THEY WERE THERE RIGHT AWAY. SO IT WAS REALLY GOOD. AND WE WE USED SOME OF THE INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY. SOME THAT WE CAN'T SPEAK ABOUT, BUT THAT UTILIZE AND LINE ITEMS THROUGH OUR BUDGET. AND IT JUST SHOWED LIKE WITHIN 24 HOURS, WE WE HAD ONE IN CUSTODY THAT NIGHT. I IDENTIFIED THE TWO THAT EVENING, WORKED THROUGH THE EVENING. ONE WAS APPREHENDED THE NEXT DAY DOWN IN TRENTON, AND THE OTHER ONE WAS IDENTIFIED THE NEXT DAY, BUT WE DIDN'T CATCH UP WITH HIM FOR A FEW WEEKS. AND OBVIOUSLY THE OUR PARTNERS, THE SOMERSET COUNTY PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE, THEY PUT OUT ALL THE RELEASE ON THAT. THE PRESS RELEASE, WHEN WE RISE TO A CRIME OF AN INDICTABLE NATURE, THEY TAKE OVER. IF THEY'RE INVOLVED IN THE INVESTIGATION, THEN ALL THE PRESS INFORMATION GOES THROUGH THEM. SO NOW THAT THE THEY PUT THEIR PRESS RELEASE OUT SO I CAN SPEAK ABOUT IT. OKAY. THANK YOU AGAIN. GREAT WORK. AND AS YOU'VE TOLD US THAT YOU ARE WORKING TOWARDS MAKING THIS A DESTINATION POLICE STATION, YOU KNOW YOU ARE GETTING THERE. THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WE ARE GETTING THERE. WE'RE TAKING YOU KNOW, WE'RE TAKING ONE STEP AT A TIME. WE'RE BEING YOU KNOW, WE'RE BEING CAUTIOUS AND HOW WE'RE GETTING THERE NOT TO GET THERE TOO QUICK, BUT JUST TO MAKE SURE WE COVER ALL THE BASES AND LISTEN, WE'RE WE'RE ALL BLESSED. WE HAVE A REALLY GREAT GROUP OF MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE DEDICATED, COMMITTED AND DO A GREAT JOB DAY IN AND DAY OUT. AND WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR SUPPORT DAY IN AND DAY OUT. SO THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU SO MUCH. OKAY. THIS IS MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 22 DASH 86. SO MOVED. SECOND. ROLL CALL PLEASE. COMMITTEE MEMBER AND YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. TAYLOR. YES. DEPUTY MAYOR. BARRAGAN. YES. MAYOR. SINGH. YES. RESOLUTION [21. Resolution #26-2-87 – Authorizing the Sale of 145 Hartwick Drive, a COAH Deed Restricted Affordable Housing Complex to Skillman Affordable NJ, LLC] 22 DASH 87 AUTHORIZING THE SALE OF 145 HARTWICK DRIVE, A QUAD DEED RESTRICTED AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMPLEX TO SKILLMAN AFFORDABLE NJ, LLC. THANK YOU. MAYOR. SO WHEN YOU HAVE A BUILDING SUCH AS 145 HARTWICK DRIVE THAT HAS A AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEED RESTRICTION ON IT, THE DEED RESTRICTION REQUIRES NOTICE AND APPROVAL BY THE TOWNSHIP IN ORDER TO ALLOW FOR THE SALE. SO THIS THE PROPERTY IS UP FOR SALE AND IT'S BEEN REQUESTED THAT YOU ALL APPROVE IT. THE CURRENT OWNER IS 145 HARTWICK DRIVE AND IS IN A CONTRACT TO SELL THE PROPERTY TO SKILLMAN LLC. THE RESTRICTIONS ON THE PROPERTY WILL STILL CONTINUE. THE TERMS OF THE DEED RESTRICTION STAY IN EFFECT. THEY WOULD BE ASSUMING THEM AND SO THEY JUST NEED SOME SOMEWHAT OF A HOUSEKEEPING CHECK OFF THAT YOU ALL APPROVE. SO THAT'S WHY THERE'S A RESOLUTION. OKAY. JUST GENERAL QUESTION. ANY LIKE KIND OF STATE AGENCY KIND OF OVERSEE THAT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IT'S THEY'RE OPERATING UNDER AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR THAT'S JUST PRIVATE TO PRIVATE, WHERE THE ONLY LIKE MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTAL KIND OF CHECK IN ON THIS. YEAH. SO THE MARKETS ARE REGULATED EITHER BY YOUR ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT OR IS THIS ONE WITH OUR ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT OR DO THEY USE THEIR OWN. THEY THEY USE THEIR OWN [01:30:05] ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, BUT THEY ARE STILL LICENSED BY THE STATE. AND IT'S STILL PART OF OUR ANNUAL REPORTING TO THE STATE. SO THEY THEY ARE MONITORED AND THERE IS OVERSIGHT. THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT HAS TO REPORT TO YOUR HOUSING LIAISON AT ANY GIVEN TIME, BUT AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR. OKAY. AND THERE IS OVERSIGHT OKAY. AND THAT'S PART OF WHAT'S IN THE ORDINANCE THAT YOU'RE REPEALING AND REPLACING IS STILL THAT OVERSIGHT. ANOTHER PLUG FOR CHAPTER 15. OH OKAY. THERE WE GO. OKAY. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 22 DASH 87. SO MOVED. SECOND. ROLL CALL PLEASE. COMMITTEE MEMBER ANNE. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER TAYLOR. TODD. [22. Resolution #26-2-88 – Authorizing the Settlement of the Tax Appeal Regarding Lot 1 in Block 4020 as set forth on the Official Tax Maps of Montgomery Township Owned During Subject Tax Years by Country Club Meadows, LLC] YES. DEPUTY MAYOR. BARRAGAN. YES. MAYOR. SINGH. YES. RESOLUTION 22 DASH 88 AUTHORIZING THE SETTLEMENT OF TAX APPEAL REGARDING LOT ONE IN BLOCK 4020, AS SET FORTH ON THE OFFICIAL TAX MAP OF MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP, OWNED DURING SUBJECT TAX YEARS BY COUNTRY CLUB MEADOWS, LLC. THANK YOU MAYOR. SO THIS IS ANOTHER TAX COURT SETTLEMENT THAT IS COMING BEFORE YOU. IT'S A PRETTY FAVORABLE SETTLEMENT AS PER YOUR TAX ATTORNEY. SO WHAT I'VE BEEN ADVISED IS THAT IT IS THE TOWNSHIP IS GETTING THE CREDIT AGAINST FUTURE TAXES, AND THE TAXPAYER WAIVED ANY INTEREST ON A REFUND AS WELL. OKAY. SO IT'S A COMPREHENSIVE SETTLEMENT OF ADDED ASSESSMENT ONWARD FROM 22 THROUGH 25 AND SETTING THE RATE FOR 26. OKAY. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 22 DASH 88. SO MOVED. SECOND. ROLL CALL PLEASE. COMMITTEE MEMBER. ALLEN. ABSTAIN. COMMITTEE MEMBER. TAYLOR. TODD. YES. DEPUTY MAYOR. BARRAGAN. YES. [23. Correspondence] MAYOR. SINGH. YES. CORRESPONDENCE. LETTER FROM SOMERSET COUNTY OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP'S 2025 MUNICIPAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLAN. SCORE. THERE'S A SCORE, LAURIE. YES. SO WE RECEIVED 90 OUT OF 100 POINTS. WE ACTUALLY WENT UP ON OUR POINTS BECAUSE THERE WAS THE TIMING. IF YOU REMEMBER, WE DID A RESOLUTION FOR THE MCKNIGHT PARKING COMPLEX THAT WE COULD USE AS A DEBRIS MANAGEMENT AFTER A STORM. SO JUST THE TIMING OF WHEN WE DID THAT RESOLUTION, IT JUST CAME A LITTLE BIT BEHIND WHEN THE PLAN WAS SUBMITTED. SO THOSE POINTS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED NOW. AND THERE WAS THE COUNTY MOVED TO REGIONAL LOCAL EMERGENCY PLANNING COUNCIL MEETINGS. AND SO THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A MISCOMMUNICATION ON OUR PART THAT THOSE REGIONAL MEETINGS WERE IN PLACE OF THE LOCAL MEETINGS. SO ONCE WE GOT THAT COMMUNICATION CORRECTED, WE'RE BACK TO HAVING OUR LOCAL EMERGENCY PLANNING COUNCIL MEETINGS, YOU KNOW, AND THEN REPORT BACK TO THE TO THE LARGER GROUP. SO WE'RE ACTUALLY AT 100% OKAY, WONDERFUL NEW AND UNFINISHED BUSINESS. MONTGOMERY [24. New and Unfinished Business] FRIENDS OF OPEN SPACE REQUEST TO COST SHARE A RESIDENT SHREDDING EVENT IN JULY. LISA. SO AS YOU RECALL, LAST YEAR THE TOWNSHIP COLLABORATED WITH THE MONTGOMERY FRIENDS OF OPEN SPACE TO HOLD A SHRED DAY DURING A FARMER'S MARKET IN JULY. THE. THE ORGANIZATION IS REQUESTING TO HOLD ANOTHER SHRED EVENT IN JULY OF THIS YEAR. I JUST WANT TO LET THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE KNOW THAT LAUREN MASLOWSKI SHE'S THE OUR OPEN SPACE AND STEWART DIRECTOR. SHE HAS HOSTED A THEY HOST AN EARTH DAY IN MAY WHERE THERE WILL BE A SHRED EVENT FOR RESIDENTS AS WELL. BUT THIS WOULD BE A SECOND EVENT FOR OUR RESIDENTS. THE COST THIS YEAR HAS INCREASED. THERE IS A 33% INCREASE IN THE SHRED TRUCK. IT WOULD COST THE TOWNSHIP OF EACH PARTNER $500. SO THIS IS BEFORE YOU TO CONSIDER. I CAN BRING IT UP NEXT MEETING AGAIN FOR DECISION, BUT SOMETHING FOR YOU TO THINK ABOUT AND LET ME KNOW. IS THAT THE ONLY COMPANY THAT WE CAN ASK FOR USE VITAL SHRED. I CAN I CAN LOOK FOR ANOTHER ONE. BUT THIS IS WHAT I'VE. THIS IS THE COMPANY WE'D USE LAST. SO IN ORDER TO HAVE SOME COST FOR YOU TONIGHT, I CAN RESEARCH THAT FURTHER. OKAY. THANK YOU. YEAH. THE ONLY THING I WOULD SAY IS I, I DO LIKE GOING TO THE SHREDDING THAT THE COUNTY DOES. LET'S JUST MAKE SURE IT DOESN'T. IT'S NOT TOO CLOSE. LIKE THERE'S A JUNE 27TH ONE IN HILLSBOROUGH. THERE'S A JULY 18TH ONE IN BRIDGEWATER. LET'S JUST MAKE SURE IT'S NOT LIKE THE SAME WEEKEND, BECAUSE THEN WE'RE KIND OF LIKE DEFEATING THE PURPOSE. WE COULD HAVE A STEERED SOMEONE TO A FREE ONE. AND ALSO I THINK EARTH DAY LAUREN WAS MENTIONING, DO WE DO A SHRED TRUCK ON EARTH DAY? DID I JUST YEAH, I JUST SAID THAT SHE DID. YEAH. THAT'S RIGHT. YEAH THAT'S OKAY. OKAY. YES WE DID. SO YEAH. OKAY. I THINK ANOTHER THING THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE IS ENOUGH RESIDENTS KNOW ABOUT IT. I THINK LAST YEAR IT WAS WELL ATTENDED. THEY THEY WELL ATTENDED. WAS IT THE SHREDDING [01:35:02] EVENT. IT WAS. YEAH. IT WAS RAINING THAT DAY. OH IT WAS RAINING. YEAH. OH I CAN'T CONTROL THE WEATHER. PRINCETON SHOWJUMPING LLC, DBA HUNTER FARMS REQUEST FOR 2026 OUTDOOR ASSEMBLY PERMIT. SO PRINCETON SHOWJUMPING HAS ONCE AGAIN SUBMITTED AN APPLICATION FOR AN OUTDOOR THEIR OUTDOOR ASSEMBLY PERMIT APPLICATION FOR THEIR EVENTS FOR 2026, AND IT HAS BEEN DISTRIBUTED TO YOU FOR CONSIDERATION AS WELL AS THE RESPECTIVE DEPARTMENTS. THERE ARE SOME UNRESOLVED ISSUES RIGHT NOW THAT ARE STILL BEING REVIEWED BY THE DEPARTMENTS. OPEN SPACE HAS REQUESTED AN AMPLIFICATION PERMIT, SO THAT'S STILL IN REVIEW. ALSO, THERE'S SOME CONSIDERATION REGARDING THE TENTS BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY, BECAUSE OF THE PREVIOUS ISSUES WITH THE TENTS. GLORY WILL TALK MORE ABOUT THAT. BUT I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT ALL OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS ARE IN REVIEW AND AWARE OF THAT WHAT THOSE REQUESTS ARE, AND LORI CAN TALK MORE. AND THEY HAVE SUBMITTED THE TRAFFIC PLAN THAT WAS REQUESTED BY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. AND THAT IS IN REVIEW. OKAY. SO RIGHT NOW, PER THE TOWNSHIP ORDINANCE, THEY ARE REQUIRED. ANY APPLICANT IS REQUIRED TO SUBMIT THEIR APPLICATION TO YOU WITHIN TEN DAYS OF THE MEETING DATE. AND NOW FROM THIS DATE ON, YOU HAVE 30 DAYS TO TO DETERMINE YOUR DECISION ON WHEN WHETHER YOU WILL APPROVE OR DENY BY RESOLUTION. SO NO LATER THAN MARCH 19TH. YOU HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION. OKAY. THANK YOU. YES, LORI. SO IF YOU RECALL, LAST YEAR THEY HAD THEIR SECOND TENT COLLAPSE INCIDENT AT PRINCETON SHOW JUMPING. AND SO OUR BUILDING SUB CODE OFFICIAL AND CONSTRUCTION OFFICIAL WORKED WITH LAUREN WASIKOWSKI, WHO'S OUR OPEN SPACE DIRECTOR, TO REACH OUT TO THE CDC. THAT'S THE STATE AG DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION, WHICH GOVERNS THE FARMLAND PRESERVATION EASEMENT ON THAT PROPERTY, TO DISCUSS A STRATEGY THAT THEY HAD THAT WOULD BE MINIMAL IMPACT TO THE GROUND, ESSENTIALLY A SERIES OF FOOTINGS THAT WOULD BE PUT IN THAT THE TENT WOULD ATTACH TO RATHER THAN THE PIN, YOU KNOW, KIND OF THE, THE MECHANISM WHERE IT GOES INTO THE GROUND BECAUSE THOSE THINGS WERE JUST RIPPED OUT BY THIS WINDSTORM. WE'VE SEEN THAT LAND AREA SEEMS TO BE PRONE TO THESE VERY HIGH WINDS THAT PASS THROUGH. AND THE CDC DENIED IT. SO THEY DENIED OUR REQUEST OR. YES. YES. AND WE DO STILL FEEL THAT IT IS A REASONABLE REQUEST TO BE MADE. SO WE DISCUSSED SENDING A LETTER TO THE DEPARTMENT TO THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE TO EXPLAIN THE SITUATION. AND AT THE SAME TIME, THE DCA, THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS, WHICH GOVERNS OUR CONSTRUCTION DEPARTMENT, HAS BEEN REACHING OUT TO TOWNS THAT HAVE THESE VERY LARGE EQUESTRIAN TENTS TO KIND OF FIND OUT A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT WHAT'S GOING ON, WHAT YOU REQUIRE. SO I'M HOPING THAT THE STATE AGENCIES ARE TALKING TO EACH OTHER, BUT THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE FOR THE TOWNSHIP. AND THE STATE REALLY SHOULD BE TAKING A LITTLE MORE CONCERN INTO HOW THESE TENTS ARE MANAGED. TOTAL SAFETY. SO, I MEAN, WHAT WAS THE REASON FOR DENYING? I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND BECAUSE BECAUSE OF THE FARMLAND PRESERVATION, THEY'RE SAYING NOTHING PERMANENT CAN BE PLACED INTO THE GROUND. NOW, WHAT'S PERMANENT IS SMALL FOOTING IN CERTAIN AREAS WHERE THIS TENT IS PUT UP, YOU KNOW, EVERY YEAR ANYWAY. SO AND IT'S NOTHING THAT I THINK IT COMES UP OUT OF THE GROUND. IT REALLY DIDN'T MAKE A LOT OF SENSE THAT IT WAS DENIED THE SAFETY ISSUES. YES, TOTALLY. WE DO. CAN YOU IMAGINE THAT TENT, HOW BIG IT IS FALLING ON PEOPLE? I MEAN, I WILL SAY THAT I DON'T THINK IT'S EVER FALL FALLEN BEFORE. THEY'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR. NO. BUT NOW WE'VE HAD TWO, TWO, TWO VERY CATASTROPHIC COLLAPSES. IT'S WITH GOD'S GRACE. WE DIDN'T HAVE AMBULANCES RUNNING ALL OVER THE PLACE. AND IF THEY'RE WILLING TO DO THE FOOTINGS, I MEAN, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY. NO, BUT THE STATE IS. STATE IS. YEAH. RIGHT. REJECTING. OKAY. I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO SPEND A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME ON, BECAUSE I FORGOT WHAT IT WAS. SEPTEMBER. YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU WHEN YOU WERE OUT AND WE HAD THAT FREAKISH STORM. YEAH. THAT WENT THROUGH LIKE, LIKE A PATHWAY. RIGHT. LIKE I DID GO ONTO THE GROUNDS AND AND THAT LOOKED LIKE A DISASTER AREA. I MEAN, AND IF I'M NOW HEARING THAT THE SOME OF THE STRUCTURES COLLAPSED, NOT AROUND THAT TIME, IT FEELS LIKE IT'S A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. AND THERE'S GOT TO BE SOME KIND OF MIDDLE GROUND WE COULD REACH WITH THE STATE TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ATTENDING THE SHOWJUMPING, GOD FORBID. YEAH. NO. RIGHT. YEAH. I THINK A LOT OF KIDS IN THAT SHOW JUMPING ANYONE. RIGHT. YEAH. THERE'S. YES. YEAH. I THINK WE'LL HAVE TO CIRCLE BACK TO THEM BECAUSE SEEMS LIKE I MEAN, THEY'RE BEING LIKE, YOU KNOW, I THINK THEY JUST DON'T. YEAH, I WISH, I WISH I WAS LITERALLY LOOKING TO SEE IF MY. DID I TAKE ANY PICTURES. WELL [01:40:03] WE HAVE, WE HAVE A LOT OF PICTURES BECAUSE THEY, WE HAD TO INSPECT IT AFTER AFTER IT HAPPENED. AND THE SADC SAW ALL THOSE PICTURES AND THEY THEY LAID OUT A VERY CLEAR CASE AS TO WHY THIS WAS WHAT SHOULD BE APPROVED. AND SO THAT'S WHY WE NEED TO ESCALATE IT ABOVE THE STATE AG DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION AND, AND SEE WHERE IT TAKES US AND MIGHT HAVE TO ESCALATE IT EVEN FURTHER. BUT DCA AND THE DEPARTMENT OF AG, THEY NEED TO BE COMMUNICATING AS WELL. THEY'RE ALL IN THEIR SILOS. NOBODY'S LISTENING TO ANYBODY. YEAH, OKAY. NO FUTURE AGENDA [26. Resolution #26-2-89 Executive Session] ITEMS. THERE'S NO MATTERS LISTED. RESOLUTION 22 DASH 89 EXECUTIVE SESSION. BE IT RESOLVED. TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE OF THE TOWNSHIP OF MONTGOMERY, COUNTY OF SOMERSET, NEW JERSEY, AS FOLLOWS. THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE WILL NOW CONVENE IN A CLOSED SESSION THAT WILL BE LIMITED ONLY TO CONSIDERATION OF ITEMS WITH RESPECT TO WHICH THE PUBLIC MAY BE EXCLUDED. PURSUANT TO SECTION SEVEN B OF THE OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS ACT. PAGES. THE GENERAL NATURE OF THE SUBJECTS TO BE DISCUSSED IN THIS SESSION ARE AS FOLLOWS. LITIGATION. DOCKET NUMBER SOM DASH L153 25. AFFORDABLE HOUSING. IT IS UNKNOWN PRECISELY WHEN THE MATTER DISCUSSED IN THIS SESSION WILL BE DISCLOSED TO THE PUBLIC. ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY AND SETTLEMENT OF LITIGATION SHALL ONLY BE APPROVED BY THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE IN A PUBLIC SESSION. THIS RESOLUTION SHALL TAKE EFFECT IMMEDIATELY. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 22? DASH 89. SO MOVED SECOND. ROLL CALL PLEASE. COMMITTEE MEMBER ON. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. TAYLOR. YES. DEPUTY MAYOR BERRIGAN. YES. MAYOR OKAY. HOLD ON. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO CLOSE EXECUTIVE SESSION AND OPEN REGULAR SESSION. SO MOVED SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE, AYE. ADJOURNMENT. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? SO MOVED SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.