[CALL TO ORDER]
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THE REGULAR MEETING OF MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE CALLED TO ORDER AT 7 P.M. ROLL CALL PLEASE. MAYOR SINGH HERE. DEPUTY MAYOR BARRAGAN HERE. COMMITTEE MEMBER TAYLOR TODD HERE. COMMITTEE MEMBER. ON. COMMITTEE MEMBER. MARTIN HERE. 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 MUNICIPAL BULLETIN BOARD AND FILED WITH THE TOWNSHIP CLERK. SALUTE TO THE FLAG. PLEASE JOIN US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
I 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. CONSENT AGENDA. ALL
[1. Consent Agenda ]
MATTERS LISTED ON THE CONSENT AGENDA ARE CONSIDERED TO BE ROUTINE AND WILL BE ENACTED BY ONE MOTION. THERE WILL BE NO SEPARATE DISCUSSION ON THESE ITEMS. IF DISCUSSION IS DESIRED, THAT ITEM WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA AND CONSIDERED SEPARATELY. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE? MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE CONSENT AGENDA RESOLUTIONS 26-6-164 TO RESOLUTION 26-6-166. SO MOVED. SECOND. ROLL CALL PLEASE.COMMITTEE MEMBER. MARTIN. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. TAYLOR. TODD. YES. DEPUTY. MAYOR. BARRAGAN.
YES. MAYOR. SINGH. YES. APPROVAL OF MINUTES. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE REGULAR
[2. Approval of Minutes ]
MEETING MINUTES OF MAY 14TH, 2026. SO MOVED. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE EXECUTIVE SESSION MEETING? MEETING MINUTES OF MAY 14TH, 2026. SO[3. Resolution #26-6-167 – Payment of Bills ]
MOVED. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE AYE. RESOLUTION 26-6-167. PAYMENT OF BILLS POSTED. MAYOR, WE HAVE OUR THREE HIGHEST BILLS FOR THIS MONTH ARE AETNA INSURANCE $222,490 TRANSDEV FLEET. THAT'S OUR VEHICLE AND EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE CONTRACT, $74,207.62 AND OUR TRANSFER OF THE BOARD OF ED TAXES. AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, THE TOWNSHIP COLLECTS ALL THE TAXES AND THEN DISTRIBUTES TO THE VARIOUS ENTITIES. SO $7,450,365. THANK YOU. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 26-6-167. SO MOVED. SECOND. ROLL CALL PLEASE. COMMITTEE MEMBER. MARTIN. YES.COMMITTEE MEMBER. TAYLOR. TODD. YES. DEPUTY. MAYOR. BARRAGAN. YES. MAYOR. SINGH. YES. AND NOW.
[4. Presentation – Hope Squad, Cory Delgado, Director of School Counseling and Student Wellness, Montgomery High School ]
PRESENTATION. HOPE. SQUAD. CODY DELGADO, DIRECTOR OF SCHOOL COUNSELING AND STUDENT WELLNESS.WELCOME. THANK YOU FOR HAVING US. YES. SO MUCH. WERE WE ABLE TO GET HOOKED UP WITH SOME VISUALS? OH, OKAY. SO WE MIGHT BE THE VISUALS. IT SAYS NOT. SHE'S GOING TO TRY ONE MORE TIME. IF YOU WANTED TO DO MAYBE A BRIEF INTRODUCTION OF. YEAH. YEP. ABSOLUTELY. YES. SO FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR HAVING US. I AM COREY DELGADO. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF COUNSELING AND WELLNESS IN MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP SCHOOL DISTRICT. I'M GOING TO INTRODUCE YOU TO SOME REALLY AMAZING PEOPLE BEHIND ME. FIRST, OUR HOPE SQUAD ADVISORS, JOE BASFORD AND DANIELLE SANTORO. DANIELLE IS ALSO A STUDENT, OUR STUDENT ASSISTANCE COUNSELOR AT THE HIGH SCHOOL.
JOE IS ONE OF OUR HEALTH AND PE TEACHERS AND COACHES. SEVERAL SPORTS, INCLUDING OUR CHAMPIONSHIP BASKETBALL TEAM AND GOLF TEAM. SO MULTI TALENTED, AMAZING THINGS GOING ON. AND ANOTHER TITLE THEY CAN ADD IS HOPE SQUAD ADVISOR. SO BOTH OF THEM WENT THROUGH SOME TRAINING IN ORDER TO HOLD THAT POSITION. AND THEY'LL TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT. YOU PROBABLY KNOW LISA ROMANO. SHE IS OUR PRINCIPAL AT THE LOWER MIDDLE SCHOOL TONIGHT.
YOU'RE GOING TO MEET HOPE SQUAD MEMBERS FROM OUR HIGH SCHOOL. BUT WE ARE WE DID LAUNCH THIS PROGRAM IN THREE SCHOOLS IN OUR LOWER MIDDLE SCHOOL, OUR UPPER MIDDLE SCHOOL AND OUR HIGH SCHOOL. AND THEN OUR MOST IMPORTANT GUESTS HERE ARE MAYA AND DAKOTA, AND YOU'LL GET TO MEET THEM IN A LITTLE BIT TOO, BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO SHARE WITH YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THEIR PERSPECTIVE AND THEIR EXPERIENCE SO FAR. SO JUST TO SET THE TABLE, IT WAS. IT'S BEEN A FEW YEARS THAT MY COLLEAGUES AND I HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT PREVENTION PROGRAMS. WE'RE REALLY GOOD AT REACTING. WE'RE REALLY GOOD WHEN CRISIS HITS. WE KNOW HOW TO RESPOND, WE KNOW HOW TO REACT, BUT WE ARE CONSTANTLY SEARCHING FOR MORE AND MORE
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PREVENTION TYPE OF PROGRAMS, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO STUDENTS HEALTH, MENTAL HEALTH SPECIFICALLY. SO WE WERE FORTUNATE TO HAVE MET A LOCAL FAMILY WHO HAD UNFORTUNATELY BEEN TOUCHED BY SUICIDE IN THEIR FAMILY, WHO WAS VERY CONNECTED TO THIS HOPE SQUAD FOUNDATION. WE LEARNED A LITTLE BIT MORE. WE SAID THIS MIGHT BE A GOOD FIT. IT BECAME NOT JUST A SCHOOL, AND THE COLLABORATION GREW. WHEN WE SPOKE TO MAYOR SINGH AND MAYOR'S WELLNESS CAMPAIGN ABOUT IT. AND SO IT'S REALLY BEEN A NICE COLLABORATION TO GET THIS PROGRAM LAUNCHED IN OUR SCHOOLS. AND WE REALLY JUST LAUNCHED IN JANUARY. SO WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR SUPPORT. AND TONIGHT YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PROGRAM, WHAT IT'S ABOUT AND WHAT WE'VE BEEN UP TO. OKAY. OKAY. SO WITH THAT, I THINK I'M GOING TO INTRODUCE OUR ADVISORS. OH, ARE WE GOING TO DO YOU HAVE IT ON OUR OKAY, WE'RE NOT USING OUR WE COULD HAVE TECH STUFF GOING ON. YOU KNOW, I COULD KEEP TALKING IF YOU WANT. IF ANYTHING, WE'RE ALMOST THERE. OH, OKAY. YEAH. DO YOU WANT TO GET STARTED? YEAH. WE'LL GET WE'LL GET YOU TO. AND THEN WE CAN GET TO THE THE PICTURE. THAT'S FINE. NOT A PROBLEM. WE WE'RE NOT ON OUR PHONE. WE'RE JUST USING THE PHONE AS OUR I GOT YOU, BUT I SWEAR I'M NOT ON THE PHONE THIS TIME. SO THANK YOU TO THE COMMITTEE AND MAYOR SINGH FOR HAVING US HERE TO TALK TO YOU GUYS ABOUT HOPE SQUAD. IT'S SORT OF BECOME A LITTLE BIT OF A PASSION PROJECT. I FEEL JUST IN MY LINE OF WORK, THIS IS WHAT I DO. THIS IS WHY I GOT INTO THE JOB THAT I GOT INTO.SO BEING ABLE TO KIND OF GET THIS HOPE SQUAD OFF THE GROUND HAS BEEN REALLY AMAZING. YES.
THANK YOU AS WELL. I WANT TO PERSONALLY THANK YOU. I'M HONORED AND VERY GRATEFUL TO BE A PART OF THIS PROGRAM. IT'S IT'S VERY MEANINGFUL. IT'S IT'S VERY REWARDING. AND IT'S AWESOME TO WORK WITH SUCH GREAT KIDS AS YOU WILL SOON SEE TOO. SO HOW HOPE SQUAD DESCRIBES THEMSELVES, THEY DESCRIBE THEMSELVES AS SCHOOL BASED, PEER TO PEER SUPPORT PROGRAM THAT TRAINS AND MENTORS STUDENTS WHO ARE NOMINATED BY THEIR PEERS TO PERFORM INTENTIONAL OUTREACH WITH THEIR FELLOW STUDENTS. SO WE JUST WANT TO BE ABLE TO KIND OF EXPLAIN WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IN THE HOPE SQUAD IDEAL. WE WANT TO EXPLAIN WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE HERE AT MHS, AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO HEAR FROM OUR STUDENT REPS AS WELL. SO WE WANT TO USE OUR HOPE SQUAD MEMBERS TO CREATE A CULTURE OF INCLUSIVITY THROUGH PEER TO PEER CONNECTION. THIS WILL NATURALLY PROMOTE A CULTURE OF ANTI-BULLYING, PROMOTE THAT CONNECTED FEELING, WHICH WILL HELP ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO SEEK HELP. IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT OUR HOPE SQUAD MEMBERS, BECAUSE THEY ARE KIDS THEMSELVES, DO NOT FEEL THAT THEY ARE BEING PUT IN THE POSITION OF A COUNSELOR OR A THERAPIST FOR THESE STUDENTS, SO WE REALLY WANT THEM TO BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY WHO MIGHT BE STRUGGLING. THEY WENT THROUGH SOME GATEKEEPER TRAINING WITH US WE HAD GONE THROUGH PRIOR TO THE LAUNCH. THEY WENT THROUGH SOME GATEKEEPER TRAINING WITH US TO KNOW, UNDERSTAND THE SIGNS OF A STUDENT WHO MIGHT BE STRUGGLING, BE ABLE TO LEND A SUPPORTIVE EAR AND THEN DIRECT THEM TO THE RESOURCES THAT THEY CAN USE TO GET HELP. JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON HOW THE STUDENTS WERE SELECTED, UNLIKE A LOT OF OTHER PROGRAMS, IT WASN'T FROM US WHO JUST, YOU KNOW, INTERVIEWED KIDS AND PICKED KIDS THAT WE LIKED. THEY WERE NOMINATED BY THEIR OTHER PEERS. THEY FILLED OUT A FORM. EACH KID IN THE HIGH SCHOOL WAS ABLE TO FILL OUT A FORM AND NOMINATE STUDENTS. AND THEN WE WERE ABLE TO SEE WHO, WHAT STUDENTS WERE NOMINATED THE MOST, AND THEN CONDENSE THAT LIST AND THEN BRING THEM IN AND OFFER THEM THE OPPORTUNITY. IF THEY WANTED TO DO IT, THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO DO IT IF THEY DIDN'T WANT TO. AND WE HAVE ROUGHLY 30. YEAH, ABOUT 30 KIDS, AROUND 30 STUDENTS THAT ARE A PART OF THE PROGRAM. NOW THAT IT'S UP AND RUNNING, THAT'S WONDERFUL. YES. SO IT'S IT WAS REALLY GREAT TO SEE WHAT THEIR PEERS HAD TO SAY ABOUT EACH OF THE STUDENTS WHO WERE NOMINATED AND JOINED HOPE SQUAD, OR EVEN JUST SOME KIDS WHO NOMINATED, WHO MAYBE DIDN'T WANT, DIDN'T FEEL THAT HOPE SQUAD WAS THE GOOD FIT FOR THEM. AT THIS TIME. THERE IS, I THINK, SOMETHING TO BE SAID ABOUT THE FACT THAT THEIR PEERS ARE RECOGNIZING THEM FOR THEIR EXCELLENT CHARACTER. 99% OF THE TIME, A STUDENT WHO IS STRUGGLING IS GOING TO TALK TO A PEER OR A FRIEND BEFORE THEY SPEAK TO AN ADULT, WHICH IS SORT OF THE IDEA THAT HOPE SQUAD WAS BORN OUT OF. SO WE ARE TEACHING THEM NOT ONLY HOW TO SPOT SOMEONE WHO MIGHT BE STRUGGLING, BUT GIVING THEM THE BARRIERS AND THE HELP TO BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES AS WELL, BECAUSE THEY SHOULDN'T BE POURING FROM AN EMPTY CUP EITHER. WE MEET ONCE A MONTH DURING OUR LUNCH, DURING UNIT LUNCH, AND AS THE ADVISORS WE KIND OF TRAIN IS A STRONG WORD, BUT WE JUST TALK ABOUT AND HELP THEM RECOGNIZE WHAT TO LOOK FOR. AND THAT'S BASICALLY THE PREMISES OF THE ENTIRE PROGRAM, IS FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO SPOT SOMETHING GOING ON AND THEN SIMPLY JUST REPORT IT. THEY'RE NOT EXPECTED TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. THEY'RE MORE EXPECTED TO JUST COME AND REPORT IT. BUT ALL OF OUR LESSONS ARE BASED ON THE HOPE APPROACH. WE HAVE ACRONYMS. WE LIKE ACRONYMS IN EDUCATION. AS YOU KNOW. I'M SURE YOU HEAR A LOT OF THEM. H IS FOR HEADS UP TO LOOK FOR THOSE WHO MAY BE STRUGGLING WITH CONCERNS OR FEELINGS. SO MAYBE THAT'S AT LUNCH, MAYBE THAT'S ON SOCIAL MEDIA. MAYBE THAT'S OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL IN A
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SPORT, A CLUB, A PROGRAM, OR IN A SOCIAL SETTING. AND WE JUST GIVE THEM SOME THINGS TO LOOK FOR THAT THEY CAN THEN LET US KNOW IF THEY SEE SOMETHING. OH, IS TO OFFER SUPPORT. WE DO A LOT OF TALK ABOUT LISTENING AND ATTENTIVELY AND ACTIVE LISTENING AND HOW TO LISTEN TO UNDERSTAND SOMEONE VERSUS LISTENING TO RESPOND AND JUST SPEAK. SO WE DO A LOT OF PRACTICE WITH LISTENING AND TALK ABOUT THAT. P IS PROVIDE INFORMATION ABOUT AVAILABLE RESOURCES, WHICH IS SIMPLY COMING TO US OR A GUIDANCE COUNSELOR IN THE SCHOOL AND JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN GET THE HELP THAT'S NEEDED. AND E IS TO EMPOWER THE PEER TO SEEK SUPPORT AND STAY CONNECTED SO THEY CAN ENCOURAGE THEIR PEERS TO, HEY, LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN GET HELP OR, YOU KNOW, SO-AND-SO CAN HELP YOU WITH THIS. LET ME GO WITH YOU OR, OR OFFER TO GO WITH THEM. OR THEY MAY SEEK EITHER MYSELF OR COACH BASFORD OUT OR THEIR OWN STUDENT OR THEIR OWN SCHOOL COUNSELOR AND SAY, HEY, I NOTICED THIS STUDENT IS LOOKING REALLY SAD. IS THERE ANY WAY THAT YOU COULD PULL THEM OUT AND TALK TO THEM AND JUST MAKE SURE EVERYTHING'S OKAY? SO THEY ARE GIVEN ALL THE TOOLS? OH, THERE WE GO. THERE WE ARE, WE ARE. SO I HAD A GREAT PICTURE TOO. NICE. YEAH, THAT WAS, THAT WAS OUR HOPE WEEK, WHICH OUR STUDENT RUSSELL WALK YOU THROUGH. SO WE ARE ON ONE MORE. YEAH. SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE HOPE APPROACH. AND REALLY THIS IS THE FRAMEWORK THAT THE STUDENTS ARE OPERATING UNDER.THESE ARE THE THINGS WE REALLY WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE TAUGHT THEM THIS YEAR. SINCE WE DID HAVE A MID YEAR LAUNCH, WE HAD TO KIND OF TRY AND CONDENSE THINGS AND MAKE SURE THAT WE GOT AT LEAST THE GATEKEEPER MODEL BEFORE WE HEADED INTO OUR HOPE WEEK. SO IF YOU'LL CLICK TO THE NEXT SLIDE, I BELIEVE OUR HOPE WEEK. YES, OUR HOPE WEEK IS THE NEXT SLIDE. SO I WILL GIVE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF OUR HOPE WEEK AND THEN LET OUR STUDENT REPS TAKE OVER. WE HELD OUR HOPE WEEK ON THE LAST DURING THE LAST WEEK OF MAY. SCHEDULE WORKED OUT BEST FOR ALL OF US. WITH THINGS GOING ON IN THE SCHOOL, WE UTILIZE DIFFERENT SPIRIT AND THEME DAYS AND DID A LIKE A TABLING EVENT IN THE COMMONS DURING UNIT LUNCH ONE DAY A WEEK AND I WILL CONTINUE. I WILL STOP MYSELF FROM REMOVING WORDS FROM MY STUDENT REPS MOUTH AND HAVE THEM COME UP HERE AND TALK TO YOU ALL ABOUT THAT. OKAY. SOUNDS GOOD. NO. OKAY. HI, MY NAME IS MAYA BAILEY AND I AM A SOPHOMORE AT MONTGOMERY HIGH SCHOOL, AND I AM PART OF MONTGOMERY'S HOPE SQUAD. AND MY NAME IS DAKOTA NAN, AND I'M A FRESHMAN AT MONTGOMERY HIGH SCHOOL, AND I AM ALSO A PART OF HOPE SQUAD. SO WE WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU WHAT BEING A HOPE SQUAD MEMBER MEANS TO US AND HOW WE'VE SEEN IT IMPACT OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY. FOR ME, BEING A HOPE SQUAD MEMBER IS VERY MEANINGFUL, AND I STILL REMEMBER WHEN I FIRST GOT THE EMAIL TO BE A PART OF IT, I WAS ECSTATIC. I WAS SO EXCITED TO HAVE THE CHANCE TO BE ABLE TO MAKE EVERYONE'S DAYS BETTER AND HELP THEM THROUGH WHATEVER IT IS THEY'RE GOING THROUGH, NO MATTER HOW I COULD HELP, I JUST WANTED TO HELP. IT FELT AMAZING. IT REALLY MADE ME FEEL LIKE I WAS SOMEONE PEOPLE COULD LOOK TO WHEN THEY NEEDED HELP. AND THAT IS WHAT I STRIVE TO DO EVERY SINGLE DAY IN MY ACTIONS AND MY WORDS. I FELT VERY SIMILARLY TO DAKOTA WHEN I HEARD ABOUT HOPE SQUAD. I IMMEDIATELY WAS VERY INTERESTED AND WANTED TO BE PART OF IT AND INVOLVED. AND I ALWAYS TRIED TO BE SOMEBODY THAT MY CLASSMATES CAN GO TO, LIKE AND TRUST, AND I WANT TO BE ABLE TO BE A PERSON THAT CAN BRING A SPARK OF JOY IN SOMEBODY'S DAY, REGARDLESS OF IF THEY'RE HAVING A ROUGH DAY OR A GREAT DAY. AND BEING PART. AND ALSO AS A STUDENT AT MONTGOMERY HIGH SCHOOL, I'VE SEEN KIDS STRUGGLE WITH SOME THINGS EITHER MENTALLY OR EMOTIONALLY, AND I ALWAYS HAVE KNOWN THAT I CAN OFFER FRIENDSHIP TOWARDS THEM AND LOOK OUT FOR THEM, BUT I WAS NEVER ABLE TO GIVE THEM THE LEVEL OF SUPPORT THAT THEY MAY HAVE ACTUALLY NEEDED. AND SO BEING PART OF HOPE SQUAD HAS ALLOWED ME TO DO THAT BETTER, BECAUSE I NOW KNOW THAT I CAN TALK TO OR CONTACT THE SCHOOL COUNSELORS OR COACH BASFORD AND MISS SANTORO AND BE ABLE TO CONNECT THEM TO PEOPLE WHO CAN ACTUALLY HELP THEM. AND ALSO, THIS SCHOOL YEAR HAS BEEN VERY CHALLENGING FOR ME IN TERMS OF THERE'S BEEN YEAH, IT'S BEEN VERY CHALLENGING BETWEEN BALANCING ACADEMICS AND EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AND OTHER DEMANDS. AND SO ONE THING I HAD TO LEARN WAS HOW TO ASK FOR HELP WHEN I NEEDED IT, INSTEAD OF TRYING TO HANDLE EVERYTHING BY MYSELF AND TRY TO BE INDEPENDENT AND FIGURE THINGS OUT. AND BECAUSE WHEN I DID DO THAT, IT WASN'T WORKING. AND I HAD TO LEARN TO GO TO
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SUPPORT FOR HELP. AND THAT SUPPORT IS ACTUALLY REALLY IMPORTANT. AND SOMETIMES IT'S NOT JUST A GOOD IDEA, IT MIGHT BE EVEN NECESSARY. SO AS SOMEBODY WHO'S NOW ON HOPE SQUAD, I HOPE THAT I'M ABLE TO HELP OTHER STUDENTS FIND THEIR VOICE AND BE ABLE TO NOT BE AFRAID TO ASK FOR HELP WHEN THEY REALLY NEED IT. YEAH. ONE THING THAT MY POINTED OUT IS THAT WE'RE ABLE TO HELP OUR SCHOOL IN A MULTIPLE TYPES OF WAYS. AND ONE OF THOSE WAYS IS REACTIVITY. SO THIS MEANS THAT WE ARE ABLE TO BETTER SPOT IF KIDS ARE STRUGGLING OR IF THEY ARE IN NEED OF HELP BECAUSE OF THE MONTHLY WORKSHOPS WE DO AND EVERYTHING THAT MR. BASFORD AND MISS SANTORO HAVE TAUGHT US. HOWEVER, WE ARE ALSO ABLE TO SUPPORT OTHERS PROACTIVELY BY RUNNING EVENTS AND BRINGING AWARENESS OR WELL BY RUNNING EVENTS THAT BRING MENTAL AWARENESS AND FOSTER A SENSE OF COMMUNITY AT OUR SCHOOL. AND ONE WAY THAT WE DO THIS IS THROUGH OUR INSTAGRAM PAGE. THE INSTAGRAM PAGE IS ONE OF MY PERSONAL FAVORITE AND FUNNEST THINGS TO DO. WE'VE ONLY HAD IT UP FOR ABOUT A MONTH OR SO NOW, AND WE'VE ALREADY REACHED 530 FOLLOWERS. AND A LOT OF THOSE ARE FROM LIKE OUR STUDENT BODY TEACHERS, PARENTS. AND IT'S A REALLY GOOD OUTREACH TOOL. AND I FEEL LIKE IT'S A GOOD WAY TO BE CREATIVE AND REALLY REACH PEOPLE IN A WAY THAT IS FUN AND INCLUSIVE FOR EVERYONE. ANOTHER WAY THAT WE HAVE BEEN PROACTIVE IN SUPPORTING OUR COMMUNITY IS HOPE SQUAD. OUR HAT PLANNED A HOPE HOPE WEEK. AND NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. OH THANK YOU. YEAH. SO WE HAD A HOPE WEEK. AND THROUGHOUT THE HOPE WEEK WE HAD SPIRIT DAYS. SO EACH DAY HAD A SPECIFIC THEME THAT KIDS COULD FOLLOW AND LIKE PARTICIPATE IN BY DRESSING UP AND MATCHING. AND SO SOME OF THE THEMES YOU CAN SEE ON THE SLIDE SHOW WERE PAJAMA DAY, MUSIC DAY, GRATITUDE DAY AND GREEN DAY. AND EACH THEME ALSO HAD A SPECIFIC MEANING BEHIND IT. SO FOR EXAMPLE, FOR MUSIC DAY, WEARING THE MUSIC CLOTHING ALSO ACTS LIKE AS A REMINDER THAT MUSIC. WE CAN USE MUSIC TO PROCESS OUR EMOTIONS AND REMIND OURSELVES THAT WE'RE NOT ALONE IN LIKE, WHAT WE'RE FEELING. DURING HOPE WEEK, WE HAD A REALLY FUN DAY DURING LUNCH WHERE WE SET UP STATIONS AROUND THE LUNCHROOM, AND WE HAD FOUR DIFFERENT STATIONS. ONE OF THEM WAS TRIVIA, WHICH WAS THE MOST POPULAR BY FAR BECAUSE EVERYONE WANTS A PRIZE. IT'S A STUDENT SPUN WHEEL WHERE ONCE THEY SPIN THE WHEEL, WE ASK THEM A QUESTION AND THEN WHATEVER IT LANDS ON THE ANSWER, AND THEY CAN EITHER GET A BRACELET OR STICKERS. AND IT WAS SUPER INTERACTIVE, AND IT WAS A REALLY GOOD WAY TO GET PEOPLE TO ACTUALLY WANT TO PARTICIPATE, NOT JUST LIKE THEY NEED TO PARTICIPATE. OUR SECOND WAS EXERCISE, WHERE WE HAD TWO LARGE DICE FOR STUDENTS TO ROLL, AND THERE WAS AN EXERCISE WITH EACH CORRESPONDING NUMBER TO GET PEOPLE UP AND ACTIVE AND REALLY WANTING TO DO THE STATION. OUR THIRD STATION WAS AFFIRMATIONS, WHERE WE HAD A MIRROR AND STUDENTS WOULD WRITE POSITIVE AFFIRMATIONS ON A MIRROR. SO IT'S LIKE YOU'D LOOK AT IT AND IF IT WAS LIKE, YOU'RE AWESOME, YOU'D BE LIKE, OH, I'M AWESOME. THE FOURTH STATION WAS SHED YOUR STRESS WHERE YOU'D WRITE SOMETHING THAT WAS STRESSING YOU OUT OR JUST ANNOYING YOU, AND THEN YOU'D RIP THE PAPER IN HALF TO SYMBOLIZE THAT, YOU KNOW, JUST JUST LEAVE IT BEHIND, YOU KNOW, JUST GO FORWARD WITH A CLEAR MIND AND REALLY JUST BE PROUD OF YOURSELF. AND TODAY, YEAH, SO HOPE SQUAD ISN'T JUST ABOUT BEING LIKE REACTIVE AND HELPING SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS, BUT WE'RE ALSO HELPING TO SUPPORT LIKE OUR SCHOOL AND OUR COMMUNITY. YEAH, IT'S REALLY GOOD TO JUST SAY THAT LIKE, OH, LIKE, EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT STRUGGLING RIGHT NOW, WE ARE ALWAYS THERE FOR YOU. AND IF YOU EVER NEED SOMEONE TO GO TO OR YOU'RE JUST ALONE AND YOU NEED LIKE A FRIEND, WE'RE ALWAYS THERE FOR YOU NO MATTER WHAT. YEAH. AND WE BOTH ARE GRATEFUL TO BE PART OF THIS PROGRAM THAT ALLOWS US TO HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON OTHERS INDIVIDUALLY AND IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR HEARING US. YEAH. THANK YOU, THANK YOU.GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. THIS IS THE PAIN IS REAL AS THE INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT, WE PUT UP SOME PREVIEWS OF THE CONTENT AND THE USERNAME SO YOU CAN KEEP UP WITH OUR ADVENTURES. WE WILL DO THAT. OH, THAT IS SO COOL. A JACUZZI, A THEATER TO WATCH MY MOVIES, COUPLE WHIPS AND LOTS OF FANCY THINGS. THE KIDS, THEY CALLED IT GOONIES. I SEE THE FUTURE CRYSTAL BALL, MIRROR, MIRROR HANGING ON THE WALL. WHO? THE WHITE BOY OF THE MALL GOT YOUR GIRLFRIEND SCREENING ALL THE CALLS. SHE BUBBLING. WE REALLY COOL. THANK YOU. IT MADE US FEEL REALLY
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GOOD. WHICH IS IMPORTANT, RIGHT? CAN WE ASK THE LADIES, THE YOUNG LADIES, SOME QUESTIONS? YEAH, YEAH. THE DAKOTA AND MAYA, IF YOU CAN. YOU KNOW, THERE'S A QUESTION FROM THE DEPUTY MAYOR.I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE ELSE WANTS TO. I JUST WANT TO SAY SOMETHING. YEAH. GO AHEAD.
NUMBER ONE, FANTASTIC PRESENTATION. YOU KNOW, THEY SAY LIKE A PRESENTATION IS LIKE THE PEOPLE FEAR MORE THAT MORE THAN DEATH. SO YOU GUYS DID FANTASTIC. THE QUESTION I HAVE FOR YOU IS WHAT ELSE LIKE DO THE HOPE SQUAD MEMBERS WISH THAT THEY HAD TO KIND OF HELP IMPACT MORE OF THEIR PEERS? WAIT, CAN YOU REPEAT IT? SORRY. LIKE, IS THERE SOMETHING ELSE THAT YOU YOU NEED LIKE SUPPORT FROM OR RESOURCES TO HELP OUT, YOU KNOW, MORE OF YOUR PEERS QUESTION. YEAH, HONESTLY, I THINK WE JUST NEED MORE OUTREACH. LIKE I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A BIGGER AUDIENCE AND HAVE MORE PEOPLE PARTICIPATING IN THE WEEKS AND THE DAYS. AND JUST TO KIND OF UNDERSTAND LIKE WHAT COMMUNITY REALLY MEANS AND THAT IT'S LIKE, OH, IT'S NOT LIKE, YEAH, LIKE YOU HAVE A COMMUNITY, BUT IT'S LIKE WITHIN YOUR FRIEND GROUP, IT'S LIKE, NO, LIKE WE ALL ARE HERE TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER AND TO BE WITH EACH OTHER. AND WE CAN ALL DO THAT THROUGH CREATING LIKE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT. SO JUST LIKE PRESENCE IN THE SCHOOL. YEAH, YEAH, I WOULD AGREE WITH THAT. BEFORE I CAME TO MONTGOMERY, I ACTUALLY WENT TO A REALLY SMALL SCHOOL. AND SO THE SENSE OF COMMUNITY WAS REALLY STRONG. AND LIKE DAKOTA WAS SAYING AT MONTGOMERY, SINCE THE SCHOOL IS SO BIG, YOU GET A LOT OF FRIEND GROUPS. AND SO YOU HAVE THIS TYPE OF COMMUNITY WHERE IT'S LIKE ONLY WITHIN YOUR FRIENDS AND NOT REALLY IT'S KIND OF DIVIDED IN OTHER PLACES. SO LIKE BEING ABLE TO HAVE MORE EVENTS WHERE WE'RE ABLE TO BUILD THOSE BRIDGES BETWEEN THOSE GROUPS WOULD BE GREAT. AND THEN ALSO, I THINK JUST MAKING SURE THAT KIDS ARE LIKE, AWARE THAT THEY CAN GO TO LIKE THE COUNSELING DEPARTMENT FOR HELP, LIKE IS A BIG THING. I THINK JUST MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE KNOW THAT. YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. I, I'M JUST GOING TO ACTUALLY PIGGYBACK ON JUST A COMMENT ON THAT. SO THIS IS BEEN LIKE A PERSONAL PASSION TO HAVE A SPIRIT OF MONTGOMERY. I'VE LIVED HERE FOR 31, 32 YEARS NOW. AND I'VE ALWAYS FELT WHAT IS OUR SPIRIT. AND I'M HOPING THAT YOU KIDS WILL BRING ALL OF US TOGETHER WHEN WHEN WE'RE TALKING SCHOOLS, WE'RE TALKING TOWNSHIP, WE'RE TALKING THE WHOLE COMMUNITY. SO MAYBE THIS IS A PROGRAM THAT'S GOING TO BE, WHEN I KEEP ON SAYING, WHAT IS THE SPIRIT OF MONTGOMERY? YES, IT IS PEOPLE WHO ARE KIND TO EACH OTHER, PEOPLE WHO CARE ABOUT EACH OTHER. SO I THINK WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS OUTREACH, PLEASE LEAN ON ALL OF US TO SEE HOW WE CAN, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE THIS OUTREACH GETS BEYOND THE SCHOOLS BECAUSE ULTIMATELY EVERYBODY IS CONNECTED. RIGHT? SO THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION, DEPUTY MAYOR. I'LL GET THAT GOING. SO I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION. BUT FIRST OF ALL, I ALWAYS SAY HOW EXCITED I AM WHENEVER WE'RE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, CELEBRATE GOOD NEWS HERE AT THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE MEETING, AND ESPECIALLY WHEN IT INVOLVES OUR YOUNG PEOPLE SHOWING THEIR LEADERSHIP AND ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, LEADERSHIP OF YOURSELF, LEADERSHIP OF YOUR PEERS. AND I THINK THIS IS REALLY GREAT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO DATE MYSELF, BUT WE ALL ENJOYED THAT INSTAGRAM REEL. BUT WHEN MOST OF THE ADULTS IN THIS ROOM WERE GROWING UP, THERE WAS NO SOCIAL MEDIA. THERE WAS NONE OF THAT. AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, LIFE HAS BECOME VERY IMPERSONAL. SO TO HAVE A PROGRAM THAT REALLY HAS YOU FACE TO FACE WITH YOUR PEERS, SO THEY KNOW THAT YOU ARE YOU, THAT YOU HEAR THEM.
AND I, I REALLY APPRECIATED WHAT YOU SHARED ABOUT HAVING A TOUGH TIME YOURSELF SO THAT YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, SAY EVEN THOUGH, YOU KNOW, I'M A PEER MENTOR, I'M A ROLE MODEL, BUT EVERYTHING ISN'T PERFECT FOR ME EITHER. I THINK THAT THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO SHARE. SO I COMMEND YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. YEAH. THANK YOU SO MUCH. YOU KNOW, I HAVE A I HAVE AN EIGHTH GRADER. AND I THINK WHAT THIS IS REALLY WHY IT'S SO GREAT AND WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT IS THAT, AS PAT SAID, WE'RE IN A NEW WORLD. WE'RE IN THE WORLD OF SOCIAL MEDIA. WE'RE IN A WORLD WHERE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU IF YOU'RE ON SOME OF THESE THESE APPS LIKE TIK TOK AND WHAT HAVE YOU, IT CAN BE REALLY DEVASTATING WHEN THERE'S BULLYING AND CYBERBULLYING, YOU KNOW, THIS, EVERYONE KNOWS THIS. IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE TO LIVE THROUGH. SO THERE'S THAT. THERE'S, YOU KNOW, FEELING ALONE, FALLING BEHIND IN SCHOOL, YOU KNOW, FEELING LIKE A NUMBER, YOU KNOW, IN, IN A, IN A LARGE HIGH SCHOOL, LIKE, LIKE YOU MENTIONED, MAYA AND I SEE THIS, THIS IS A, THIS IS A WONDERFUL EFFORT THAT IS REALLY WORKING TOGETHER WITH THE THINGS THAT START EARLIER, LIKE AT LMS, THE CHARACTER PILLARS, YOU KNOW, KINDNESS, RESPECT, YOU KNOW, RESPECT, TRUSTWORTHINESS. THESE ARE THESE ARE THE VALUES THAT WE, WE SHARE AND WE, WE PUT FORWARD AS WHAT WE WANT IN OUR TOWN TO
[00:25:01]
SUPPORT COMMUNITY BUILDING. AND WE'RE IN THE BUSINESS OF COMMUNITY BUILDING. THAT'S WHAT WE DO HERE. WE, WE, WE, YOU KNOW, MAYOR LED AN EFFORT TO GET A NEW PLAYGROUND HERE. IT'S A COMMUNITY BUILDING, YOU KNOW, EFFORT AND EVENT. WHEN PEOPLE COME HERE, THEY SEE THEIR NEIGHBORS, THEY COME TO THE FARMER'S MARKET, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR, OUR POLICE ARE, ARE HEAVILY INVOLVED IN VARIOUS THINGS LIKE THEIR AUTISM AWARENESS AND THE BLUE CARD PROGRAM WHERE YOU CAN HAND, HAND THE CARD. SO THIS IS ALL PART OF ONE BIG EFFORT. AND I YOUR WORK IS, IS GOING TO HELP YOU AS LEADERS. YOU'RE ALREADY, YOU KNOW, BECOMING A LEADER.YOU'RE SHOWING LEADERSHIP ABILITY IN, IN, IN DOING THIS, YOU WERE, YOU WERE ELECTED BY YOUR PEERS. SO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, SAME, SAME KIND OF THING GOING ON HERE. AND THAT'S GOING TO HELP YOU GOING FORWARD. AND, AND IT WILL HELP ANYONE, EVEN THE ONES WHO DON'T COME FORWARD IF THEY, THEY, THEY, THEY HEAR WHAT YOUR, YOUR MESSAGE, THEY HEAR YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. MR. PASTOR KNOWS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. THEY JUST KNOW THAT THERE'S SOME, THERE'S SOME, SOME COMPASSION, THERE'S SOME AWARENESS. AND, AND THEN THEY CAN THEY CAN FIGURE IT OUT, YOU KNOW, FROM THERE, MAYBE IT'S COMING TO YOU, MAYBE IT'S NOT, BUT IT'S STILL YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE DOING THE THING TO HELP THEM KNOW THAT THEY'RE NOT ALONE. SO, SO I, I ALSO, THE LAST THING I WANT TO SAY IS THAT YOUR, THE BRANDING OF YOUR, YOUR SQUAD, THE HOPE SQUAD IS, IS BRILLIANT. I MEAN, IT'S BECAUSE IT'S THE, IT'S THE, THE LIFE, THE LIFE, YOU KNOW, LIFE PRESERVER, YOU KNOW, IT, IT HAS A, IT HAS A MEANING OF HELP. AND WE'RE HERE AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO, YOU KNOW, SAVING, YOU KNOW, LIVES. AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT. SO YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, MR. PASTOR. THANK YOU, MISS SANTERO. THANK YOU, MR. DELGADO. YOU GUYS JUST KEEP KEEP DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING. IT'S THE MAYOR'S, YOU KNOW, WELLNESS CAMPAIGN. SHE HAS SO MANY GREAT THINGS GOING ON WITH THAT. I REMEMBER, YOU KNOW, WHEN I FIRST STARTED GETTING INVOLVED HERE A FEW YEARS AGO AND WE, YOU KNOW, WE WERE GOING THROUGH COVID AND THAT WAS THAT WAS A HUGE MENTAL HEALTH EVENT, YOU KNOW, AND SO IT'S NOT THE, THERE'S, THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE THINGS THAT REALLY REQUIRE ATTENTION TO, YOU KNOW, MENTAL HEALTH. ALL OF US, YOU KNOW, WE, WE RAN ON, YOU KNOW, LAST YEAR WHEN, WHEN I GOT ELECTED, I RAN ON, YOU KNOW, SUPPORTING, CELEBRATING AND DEFENDING INCLUSION AND DIVERSITY. VERY SIMPLE, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN EASILY BE FORGOTTEN. AND I KNOW FROM MY EIGHTH GRADER THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S A TOUGH SCHOOL DISTRICT AND IT'S, AND IT REALLY CAN, CAN, CAN BRING YOU DOWN. AND THERE'S A LOT OF DRAMA, YOU KNOW, BUT JUST SEEING THE SIGNS WHEN YOU'RE DRIVING IN SAYING, YOU KNOW, DON'T GIVE UP, YOU KNOW, THAT'S AGAIN, PART OF THE WHOLE EFFORT HERE. AND SO, SO YEAH, JUST, JUST KEEP, KEEP GOING. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. YEAH. THANK YOU SO MUCH, GUYS. WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
AND WE ARE SO GLAD THAT WE WERE ABLE TO SUPPORT YOUR THE HOPE SQUAD WITH THE $10,000 FROM THE MAYOR'S WELLNESS AND STAY THERE. WE'RE GOING TO COME DOWN AND TAKE A PICTURE TOGETHER BECAUSE WE WANT TO SEND IT TO THE THE LEAGUE OF NEW JERSEY LEAGUE OF MUNICIPALITIES, BECAUSE MAYOR'S WELLNESS IS A BIG EFFORT BY THEM. WE DON'T HAVE OUR BIG SIGN, BUT WE'LL TRY AND FIND A TIME THAT WE CAN DO THAT. WITH THE HOPE SQUAD, WE GOT A BIG BANNER WHICH SAYS, YOU KNOW THAT MONTGOMERY IS DESIGNATED AS A HEALTHY TOWN, SO WE SHOULD TRY AND DO THAT PICTURE SO LISA CAN SEND THAT OUT TO THE LEAGUE. SO WE'RE GOING TO COME DOWN AND DO A PICTURE WITH YOU. ALRIGHT, COOL. THANK YOU. YEAH. YAY. YES, YES. ON THE SIDE. AND I'LL LET YOU DO YOUR THING. SO.
YES. OKAY. ALL. IT IS. YEAH. AND I HOPE YOU CAN JOIN. ARE YOU GETTING ANY. OH I'LL JUST. OKAY. THERE'S SOMETHING. THREE TWO. ONE TWO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
[00:30:05]
AGAIN. THANKS.THANK YOU EVERYBODY. THANK YOU. IF YOU COULD JUST HAVE MORE MEETINGS LIKE THIS OR LIKE. I KNOW, I KNOW, I KNOW, TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE REPORTS. WE WILL
[5. Township Committee Reports ]
START WITH COMMITTEE MAN. MARTIN. OH YEAH. AND I, WE DID HAVE AN ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION MEETING LAST WEEK. I DID NOT UNFORTUNATELY COULD NOT MAKE IT. BUT AND THAT WAS REALLY THE ONLY COMMITTEE MEETING THAT THAT I THAT I CAN SPEAK TO. THANK YOU. OKAY.COMMITTEEWOMAN TODD, YOU KNOW, YOU MIGHT THINK I'M NOT DOING ANY WORK BECAUSE I NEVER HAVE ANY UPDATES, BUT I ACTUALLY WAS AWAY. SO WHILE I DON'T UPDATE ON YOUR VACATION. NO, I'M JUST.
IT WAS A BUSINESS TRIP. BUT WHAT? I DON'T HAVE ANY SPECIFIC UPDATES. I WILL SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS EVENT SEASON IN MONTGOMERY. YOU KNOW, WHEN THE SPRING WEATHER COMES, ALL THE EVENTS COME. SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO GO TO THE EVENTS THAT ARE COMING UP.
THIS TRAIL DATE IS COMING UP. THERE'S A WHOLE EVERYTHING THAT'S COMING UP. THIS IS. DID YOU WANT TO SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT YOU WENT TO THE TRAIL MARKER FOR SAM MUSEUM. DID YOU WANT TO SAY. ABSOLUTELY. OKAY, SO JUST TO FINISH THE THOUGHT. SO THIS IS, YOU KNOW, EVENT SEASON. SO ONE OF THE FIRST EVENTS THAT A LOT OF US WERE, SOME OF US WERE ABLE TO ATTEND IS AT SAM. LAST SATURDAY, THEY UNVEILED THE STATE'S BLACK HISTORY TRAIL MARKER THAT COMMEMORATES THE MOUNT ZION CHURCH AS A HISTORICAL SITE. SO I ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO OVER AND SEE THAT MARKER. IT'S BEAUTIFUL. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL CELEBRATION AND WE WERE VERY EXCITED.
EVERYONE WAS VERY EXCITED. WE HAD THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR THERE, AS WELL AS MANY MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE AND COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND JUST THE WHOLE COMMUNITY, AND IT WAS FANTASTIC. SO IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEE THAT, YOU COULD ALSO GO TO SAM'S JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION.
THAT'S COMING UP ON JUNE 20TH, AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE IT THERE. AND THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT. THANK YOU, DEPUTY MAYOR. WELL, FIRST, I'D LIKE TO CONGRATULATE COMMITTEEWOMAN PATRICIA TAYLOR TODD FOR. I WILL BE CERTIFIED IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS. WON HER HER PRIMARY TO FOR REELECTION. SO YEAH. WON HER PRIMARY. YES. AND YEAH, I'VE SEEN BIG A EXCITING PRIMARY SEASON. AND SO BE LOOKING FORWARD TO SEE, YOU KNOW GENERAL ELECTION WHO WHO WILL END UP SUCCEEDING OUR OUR ESTEEMED CONGRESSWOMAN BONNIE WATSON COLEMAN. SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK BIG SHOES TO FILL FOR WHOEVER ENDS UP WINNING THAT RACE, THE MONTGOMERY VETERANS MEMORIAL COMMITTEE MET, YOU KNOW, THIS WEEK, I REALLY DO LIKE AN AFTER ACTION REPORT ON THE MEMORIAL DAY CEREMONY, WHICH BECAUSE OF THE OF THE WEATHER WAS HELD AT THE AUTO CENTER, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS REALLY NICE, VERY, VERY WELL ATTENDED. GREAT TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF DIFFERENT VISITORS, BOTH, YOU KNOW, FROM RESIDENTS AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, OTHER DISTINGUISHED INDIVIDUALS COMING TO VISIT THE TOWN. I THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT EVENT.
IT WAS GREAT TO SEE LUCAS CLARK, YOU KNOW, MIDSHIPMAN FROM THE NAVAL ACADEMY. YES. BACK HERE.
AND I THINK HE WAS AN EAGLE SCOUT AND NOW HE'S AN EAGLE SCOUT. SO FOR THOSE WHO THE THE BOX THAT WE HAVE FOR PROPER AMERICAN FLAG DISPOSAL, THAT WAS HIS EAGLE SCOUT PROJECT.
OKAY. AND I THINK THAT'S ABOUT IT. NO, SINCE WE APPROVED THE BUDGET, THERE WERE NO BUDGET FINANCE MEETINGS. THANK YOU. AND I GUESS AS COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN TODD SAID, A LOT OF EVENTS IN MONTGOMERY ON MAY 16TH, WE HAD SPRING FLING. THIS IS AN EVENT THAT WE STARTED AFTER COVID, AND THE WHOLE POINT OF THIS EVENT WAS TO BRING THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER.
SO IT'S HELD OUTDOORS, YOU KNOW, AND THERE IS A THERE'S PERFORMANCES, MUSIC. WE HAD ALLEGRA BAND, ALLEGRA MUSIC SCHOOL BAND THERE. AND OF COURSE, WE END UP WITH THROWING SOME COLOR POWDER ON EACH OTHER AND WELCOMING SPRING. SO THAT WAS VERY WELL ATTENDED. AND THANK YOU TO THE RECREATION COMMITTEE AND THE RECREATION DEPARTMENT FOR HOSTING THAT.
AND THEN ON MAY 20TH 21ST, I WAS HERE IN THE LIBRARY WITH FOR THE VAN HARLINGEN HISTORICAL SOCIETY. THEY DID STORIES OF THE BICENTENNIAL QUILT, AND I GOT TO MEET A COUPLE OF THE WOMEN WHO WERE PART OF PUTTING THAT BICENTENNIAL QUILT TOGETHER. IF I CAN SAY THAT WORD, I'LL BE AHEAD OF THE GAME. AND IT WAS A GREAT MEETING. THEY TALKED ABOUT HOW THEY ENDED UP BEING ASKED TO BE PART OF THE QUILT PROJECT AND HOW, YOU KNOW,
[00:35:07]
DIFFERENT HISTORICAL BUILDINGS IN MONTGOMERY WERE PART OF THE QUILT. AND THEN AGAIN, AS DEPUTY MAYOR, BARRAGAN SAID, IT WAS GREAT TO BE AT THE MEMORIAL DAY CEREMONY, AND I REALLY WANT TO THANK THE VETERANS MEMORIAL COMMITTEE FOR PUTTING TOGETHER A WONDERFUL EVENT. AND WE GOT TO SEE MANY OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS COME OUT AND OUR VETERANS. THANK YOU TO ALL OF THEM. MAY 30TH, WE DID HAVE A RIBBON CUTTING EVENT IN IN TOWN THAT WAS THE ALLEGRA SCHOOL OF MUSIC AND ARTS. THE BUILDING DATES BACK TO ITS ORIGINAL USE AS A HARLINGEN SCHOOL, AND WAS MOVED TO ITS CURRENT LOCATION IN 1978 AND BECAME HOME TO THE GASWORKS FURNITURE. AND NOW IT'S BACK TO A MUSIC SCHOOL, AND THE UPCOMING EVENTS WE HAVE IS JUNE 6TH. AS WAS MENTIONED BY COMMITTEEWOMAN TODD TRAILS DAY. THAT'S AT VAN HORN PARK AT 11 A.M. AND WE WILL ALSO HAVE SOME TWO 50TH, 250 CELEBRATION THERE AS WELL. AND JUNE 7TH, BOY SCOUT TROOP 46 IS THE BIG STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL, WHICH IS WELL ATTENDED IN OUR TOWN. IT'S A BIG COMMUNITY EVENT. I'M GOING TO BE THERE AT 3:00, AND I'M HOPING SOME PEOPLE FROM FROM OUR COMMUNITY WILL BE THERE AS WELL. AND JUNE 12TH, 7 P.M. IS A NIGHT OF MUSIC. THIS IS BEING HOSTED BY OUR ROTARY CLUB ATLANTIC BRASS BAND FEATURE ACCLAIMED BROADWAY VOCALIST CIARAN SHEEHAN, AND THE ROTARY HAS REQUESTED THAT WE LET THIS MESSAGE GO OUT TO ALL OUR RESIDENTS TO COME OUT AND SUPPORT THEM, AND THERE'S TICKETS FOR IT. AND PLEASE, WE WOULD LOVE FOR TO SEE MORE OF OUR COMMUNITY OUT THERE AT THE NIGHT OF MUSIC. JUNE 14TH IS THE MAYOR'S WELLNESS TEAM RUN WITH ROTARY. AND AT THIS POINT, WE HAVE 35 MEMBERS SIGNED UP. AND WE'RE LOOKING FOR MORE MEMBERS BECAUSE IF WE WIN A PRIZE, THEN THAT GOES DIRECTLY. ALL THE MONETARY PRIZE GOES TO OUR FOOD PANTRY TO SUPPORT OUR RESIDENTS. SO HOPING PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO JOIN THE MAYOR'S WELLNESS. LET'S DO IT, EVERYONE. AND JUNE 21ST, WE HAVE OUR BLOOD DRIVE RIGHT HERE IN THIS CHAMBERS. AND I'M HOPING OUR COMMUNITY COMES OUT AND SUPPORTS. AND JUNE 25TH IS OUR BIG EVENT. THAT'S OUR TOWNSHIP FIREWORKS AND REV 250 EVENT WE SHOULD HAVE. MAYBE WE'LL HAVE THE FLIER AT THE NEXT NO AT THE NEXT MEETING. RIGHT. WE SHOULD HAVE THAT. AND WE'LL HAVE ONE FLIER OUT IN THE LOBBY SO PEOPLE CAN SEE WHAT ALL IS. AND LOTS OF GAMES AND VENDORS AND A BAND. REENACTORS. LET'S NOT FORGET THE RE-ENACTORS. YES. THANK YOU.[6. Administrator’s Report ]
AND THAT'S IT. AND I THINK AT THIS POINT I WILL ASK THE ADMINISTRATOR TO SHARE HER REPORT. THANK YOU MAYOR. I JUST HAVE A FEW UPDATES ON SOME ONGOING PROJECTS. THE PERMIT EFFICIENCY STUDY THAT WE DISCUSSED. WE HAVE A MEETING WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS NEXT WEEK. THEY WILL BE UNDERTAKING THIS STUDY WITH US AT NO COST TO THE TOWNSHIP. SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT. WE WILL BE SOLICITING FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY REGARDING OUR PERMIT PROCESS, AND THAT WILL BE COME PART OF THE STUDY. SO MORE TO COME ON THAT AND SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT OUR CURRENT PROGRAM THAT WE USE TO MANAGE PERMITS AND LICENSING THE PILOT PROGRAM THAT WE USE. WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT HOW IN COME JULY, WE'RE LAUNCHING AN ONLINE PERMIT PORTAL SIMILAR TO SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE HAVE SEEN IN HILLSBOROUGH THROUGH THEIR PROGRAM, WHICH IS SDL AND PRINCETON. THEY USE OPEN GOV, GOV PILOT. WE WE'VE BEEN A LONG TIME CLIENT. THEY WERE ONE OF THE THE FIRST COMPANIES TO VENTURE INTO THIS SPACE. BUT OVER TIME, OTHER COMPANIES THAT HAVE JOINED IN THEIR TECHNOLOGY HAS KIND OF EXCEEDED GOV PILOT'S CAPACITY, BUT THEY RECENTLY MERGED WITH THE COMPANY SDL. AND SO WE'LL BE GETTING THE BENEFIT OF OUR LONG TIME LOW RATE. BUT COMING ALONG WITH THOSE ONLINE PERMITTING ENHANCEMENTS THAT OUR COMMUNITY HAS REQUESTED. SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT. THAT'S ON TRACK FOR THE JULY LAUNCH. THE TRANSPORTATION SURVEY HAS NOW CLOSED. WE ARE BEGINNING THE ANALYSIS AND REVIEW OF THE RESPONSES NEXT WEEK. SO MORE TO COME ON THAT THE YMCA HAS GOTTEN BACK TO US THAT THEY'VE COMPLETED THEIR MARKET STUDY.SO I THINK IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS, THEY'LL BE MEETING WITH TOWNSHIP OFFICIALS TO DISCUSS THE RESULTS. AND THE PROPERTY THAT THEY ARE LOOKING AT, AS WE MENTIONED, IS THE OLD MUNICIPAL BUILDING IN BELLEMEADE. WE HAVE A COMMUNICATIONS PLAN UNDERWAY FOR THE NEW LOOP ROADS THAT ARE OPENING THIS SUMMER, SO YOU'LL START TO SEE IT IN SOCIAL MEDIA, IN THE MONTGOMERY NEWS HEADLINE NEWS IN MONTGOMERY NEWS, BOTH PUBLISHED OUR PRESS RELEASE AND THEIR ONLINE SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES.
THERE'LL BE OBVIOUSLY BE INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITE, IN OUR WEEKLY E-BULLETIN, IF
[00:40:04]
PEOPLE SHOULD SIGN UP FOR THAT. AND SO AS WE'VE DISCUSSED WITH PEOPLE, BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE HAVE BEEN WONDERING WHAT THE GENESIS WAS OF WHERE, WHY, WHY THIS WAS SELECTED VERSUS ANOTHER OPTION, LET'S SAY, OF WIDENING THE ROAD. SO THESE ROADS WERE PART OF OUR 2002 MASTER PLAN TO ADDRESS TRAFFIC CONGESTION. SO AT THAT TIME, THE GOVERNING BODY AND THE PLANNING BOARD, ALONG WITH BOB KRESS, WHO IS A LONG TIME RESIDENT, HE WAS A MAYOR HERE IN MONTGOMERY, AND HE WAS THE FIRST CHAIR OF OUR TRAFFIC ADVISORY TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE DETERMINED THAT THE KIND OF THE FULL BLOWOUT OF ROUTE 206 TO DUALIZING THE LANES IN EACH DIRECTION, OR THE BLOWOUT OF THE INTERSECTION AT 518 AND 206 TO ADD ADDITIONAL TURNING LANES WAS NOT THE SOLUTION TO TRAFFIC CONGESTION THAT THE TOWNSHIP ELECTED OFFICIALS WANTED TO TO PURSUE. SO THIS PLAN WAS DESIGNED BY THOSE ELECTED OFFICIALS BACK AT THAT POINT, AND THE APPOINTED OFFICIALS, AND WITH ADVICE OF THE TRAFFIC ENGINEERS. AND SO THE ROADS ARE FULLY PAID FOR BY THE DEVELOPERS. BUT THAT IS THAT WAS THE YOU KNOW, WHEN WE MAKE THESE DECISIONS THAT HAPPEN, YOU KNOW, 20 PLUS YEARS AGO, WE'RE SEEING THE FRUITION OF THAT. BUT I KNOW THERE WERE SOME COMMENTS. PEOPLE HAD WONDERED, YOU KNOW, WHEN DID THIS COME ABOUT? HOW DID THIS COME ABOUT? WHO WAS INVOLVED IN THOSE DECISION MAKINGS? YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ASK THOSE QUESTIONS. SO I THOUGHT I WOULD SHARE THAT INFORMATION. IT'S GOOD TO KNOW BECAUSE PEOPLE DO GET THE IMPRESSION THAT THIS TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE RIGHT HERE ON THE DAIS WENT OUT AND PUT THOSE LOOP ROADS IN. SO 2002 IS A LONG TIME AGO. AND I GUESS BOB KRESS, THE THE MAYOR AT THE TIME, CAME UP WITH THE IDEA. SO HERE WE ARE. YEAH. THE PLAN FOR HEALTH NEW JERSEY, WE AS WE MENTIONED, WE RECEIVED A $50,000 PLANNING GRANT TO UPDATE THE MASTER PLAN AND LAND USE ELEMENT AND TO INCORPORATE HEALTH POLICIES INTO LAND USE DECISIONS THAT THE TOWNSHIP MAKES. WE RELEASED AN RFP AND WE. THREE PLANNING FIRMS RESPONDED. SO THE PLAN FOR HEALTH. MONTGOMERY COMMITTEE IS GETTING UP TO SPEED ON THE MASTER PLAN BECAUSE SOME OF THEM HAVE NOT BEEN, YOU KNOW, INVOLVED IN THAT PROCESS, BUT THEY HAVE A VERY KEEN INTEREST IN THAT PROCESS. AND THEY'LL REVIEW ALL THE PROPOSALS AND MEET IN MID JUNE TO SELECT A PLANNING FIRM. AND THEN THE MASTER PLAN WILL BE UPDATED, YOU KNOW, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE PLANNING BOARD. THAT'S THE NORMAL PROCESS. WE'LL ALSO INVOLVE THE BOARD OF HEALTH AND CERTAINLY HAVE COMMUNITY MEETINGS TO RECEIVE INPUT. SO WE'RE GETTING READY FOR THAT. GEARING THAT UP. THE TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE MET THIS MORNING. WE DISCUSSED SOME CONCERNS THAT RESIDENTS ON SUNSET ROAD HAD ABOUT SPEEDING. AND SO LIEUTENANT PERRY DISCUSSED WHAT THE PROCESS WOULD BE. WE HAVE FEED FEEDBACK BASED SIGNS THAT WE PUT OUT. I THINK IT'S CURRENTLY ON PRINCETON AVE. WE USE SOMETHING CALLED STAT TRACK THAT ALSO CAPTURES SPEED DATA AND THAT CAN BE ANALYZED AND DISCUSSED. SO THAT WILL BE MOVING OVER TO SUNSET ROAD. AND WE'LL SEE WHAT WE CAN DO THERE. BUT THE IT WAS VERY NICE. A RESIDENT HAD ATTENDED THE MEETING AND, YOU KNOW, THE TRAFFIC ADVISORY COMMITTEE IS MADE UP OF RESIDENTS IN THE COMMUNITY. AND THEN THERE'S MEMBERS OF THE POLICE FORCE THERE THAT ARE IN TRAFFIC SAFETY BUREAU AND AND OUR TOWNSHIP ENGINEER, THERE IS A STATE HOTLINE THAT HAS EXPANDED FROM BEYOND REPORTING POTHOLES TO REPORTING OTHER THINGS, BECAUSE THERE WAS A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE LIGHTS AT HARLINGEN ON 206 AND THE LIGHT AT SCARBOROUGH ROAD IN 206, AND THE TIMING, AND WE HAD REPORTED THE HARLINGEN LIGHT TO DOT AND SOME. SOMETHING HAD CHANGED AND TRIGGERED IT AND MADE IT BETTER. AND THEN WE THINK IT DEFAULTED BACK TO SOME SETTING WHERE YOU KNOW IT, IT'S NOT GIVING ENOUGH LEAD TIME. THERE'S THERE'S SOMETHING GOING ON WITH THE TIMING AND TRAFFIC IS BACKING UP. SO, MAYOR, WE MAY ALSO HAVE WORK FROM BOTH ENDS TO ENCOURAGE THE COMMUNITY TO START REPORTING THIS TO THE HOTLINE AND HAVE YOU DRAFT A LETTER TO THE DOT COMMISSIONER, YOU KNOW, HIGHLIGHTING THESE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE WITH DOT.AND SO THAT'LL BE COMING TO ACROSS YOUR DESK. I LOOK FORWARD TO HELPING THERE. YEAH.
AND I THINK THAT WAS THE UPDATE, THE SPEED STUDY IS YOU READ MY MIND ALMOST FINISHED. WE THE UPDATE READ MY MIND. THE THEY HAVE THEY MET FOR ALMOST TWO HOURS THIS MORNING. THE TRAFFIC ADVISORY COMMITTEE. THERE WAS A. THERE'S A LOT TO FOR THEM TO DISCUSS. ONCE IT'S DONE, THERE WILL BE A LOCAL OFFICIALS BRIEFING. THERE'S A FEW MORE TWEAKS. THE COUNTY AND THEIR TRAFFIC CONSULTANT HAVE BEEN GOING BACK AND FORTH, SO THEY LIKELY WILL HAVE THE OFFICIALS BRIEFING WANT THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE'S SUPPORT OF WHATEVER RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THEY MAKE, AND WE COULD EITHER BRING IT BACK TO THE TRAFFIC ADVISORY COMMITTEE. WE COULD BRING IT TO
[00:45:02]
THE RESIDENTS IN BLOOMBERG WHO HAD REQUESTED IT BEFORE. YOU GUYS MAKE A DECISION ON WHETHER YOU WOULD ENDORSE THE RECOMMENDATIONS, DID YOU WANT TO JUST GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY HERE AS TO. I KNOW, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF I HAVE TOO MUCH OF THE HISTORY, BUT BASICALLY THAT THE RESIDENTS HAD ISSUES WITH PEOPLE SPEEDING THERE AND THEY HAD REACHED OUT. RIGHT.AND THE TRUCK TRAFFIC THAT WE GET FROM, FROM, FROM THE QUARRY COMING DOWN THAT IN THAT DIRECTION. AND YES. TRUE. SO YEAH, SO HOW THAT HAPPENS IS THERE'S A COLLABORATION IF, IF RESIDENTS RAISE A CONCERN, WE LOOK TO SEE, IS IT A MUNICIPAL ISSUE, A STATE ISSUE, A COUNTY ISSUE. SO THEN WE KIND OF BECOME THE INTERMEDIARY TO RAISE THAT CONCERN ON THE RESIDENTS BEHALF. AND SO IN THIS CASE, IT WAS SOMERSET COUNTY CONTROLS, THE 601 ROUTE 601. AND SO THERE WAS A PROCESS. AND, YOU KNOW, THE LENGTH OF TIME WE TALKED ABOUT 2002 FOR THE MASTER PLAN LOOP ROAD. YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE TO AGREE TO DO THE STUDY BUDGET FOR IT. SO IT'S BEEN MULTIPLE YEARS WHERE WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THE RESULTS. YEAH. I THINK, YOU KNOW, THIS IS, YOU KNOW, IMPORTANT PART OF US HOLDING OUR COUNTY ELECTED OFFICIALS ACCOUNTABLE TO HELP US OUT TOO. RIGHT? MAYBE, MAYBE SWITCHING TOPICS, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF THE ELECTED OFFICIALS HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO SOME OF OUR COUNTY OFFICIALS ABOUT LIKE RECYCLING SERVICES. YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN MANY INSTANCES WHERE LIKE THE RECYCLING DOESN'T COME TO LIKE SATURDAY. I KNOW THAT'S A HOT TOPIC FOR A LOT OF RESIDENTS BECAUSE YOU'RE, YOU'RE RECYCLING, START FLYING AROUND. SOME OF THE FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVED IS THAT SOMETIMES WE, THE COUNTY DOES CONTACT THE, THE, OUR TOWNSHIP. AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO EITHER UPDATE THROUGH NIXLE OR, ETC. IS THAT HAPPENING? LIKE, DO YOU GET. I DON'T COUNTY, BUT I CAN LOOK IN TO SEE WHO WHAT DEPARTMENT MIGHT GET THOSE. AND THEN WE CAN, WE CAN PASS THAT ALONG TO THE RESIDENTS OF THAT. WE HEARD IT'S GOING TO BE DELAYED.
ABSOLUTELY. THAT'S A GOOD SUGGESTION. MAYBE MAYBE JEFF BERKLAND IS GETTING A MESSAGE OR, YOU KNOW, THE DPW, HE'S OUR RECYCLING COORDINATOR. SO LIKE, MAYBE HE'S MAYBE HE'S GETTING IT. OKAY. YEAH. AND I JUST HAD ONE QUESTION I WANTED TO BRING UP AS DEPUTY MAYOR SAID THE OTHER THING RESIDENTS KEEP BRINGING UP TO US AT DIFFERENT VENUES THAT WE ARE IS THE, THE BRIDGE. AND THAT IS SOME GRIGGSTOWN BRIDGE WHICH FALLS UNDER THE COUNTY. AND THAT'S A BIG CONCERN. AND WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE HOW WE ON THIS DAIS CAN, YOU KNOW, GET THE COUNTY TO WORK WITH US BECAUSE APPARENTLY A LOT OF ACCIDENTS THERE. AND PEOPLE ARE LIKE 40 CARS IN.
PEOPLE ARE WAITING TO GO ACROSS. AND ON THE OTHER SIDE FROM FRANKLIN, THERE'S 40 CARS. SO DURING RUSH HOUR, THAT'S NOT A PLACE TO BE. BUT PEOPLE USE THAT BECAUSE THAT'S HOW THEY'RE GETTING TO WORK. SO EVERY TIME I'M SOMEWHERE, PEOPLE ARE LIKE, WHAT ARE YOU GUYS DOING ABOUT THE BRIDGE AND US SAYING THAT THE BRIDGE IS A COUNTY BRIDGE IS NOT AN ANSWER. A RESIDENT IN THIS TOWN WANTS TO HEAR. THEY WANT TO HEAR. WHAT CAN YOU DO FOR ME? NOT RIGHT. RIGHT. SO THE COUNTY ACTUALLY STARTED A STUDY SEVERAL YEARS AGO. LAST YEAR. THEY CONDUCTED THE LOCAL OFFICIALS BRIEFING THAT WAS UP AT SOMERVILLE, AND THEY DISCUSSED THE PREFERRED ALIGNMENT OF WHAT THEY WOULD DO TO IMPROVE THE BRIDGE. THEY HAD PROBABLY SEVEN SCENARIOS. I'M NOT MYSELF. WAS THERE, I THINK OUR TOWNSHIP ENGINEER, I'M NOT SURE WHO ELSE WAS WAS THERE ON REPRESENTING THE TOWNSHIP, AND RESIDENTS WERE THERE AS WELL. AND SO THAT WILL BECOME A LIGHTED INTERSECTION. THE BRIDGE ON THE MONTGOMERY SIDE, THERE WILL BE A TRAFFIC LIGHT THERE INSTALLED ON THE FRANKLIN SIDE AT CANAL AND THE CAUSEWAY. THERE WILL BE A LIGHT THERE AS WELL. THERE'LL BE CONTROLLED ACCESS AT BOTH ENDS OF THE CAUSEWAY. THE BRIDGE WILL REMAIN ONE LANE BRIDGE. THAT'S A BIG CONCERN PEOPLE HAVE. BUT THAT'S A HISTORIC BRIDGE, AM I RIGHT? SO THEY WILL NOT MAKE IT BIGGER ANYWAY, IT'S A HISTORIC DISTRICT. THE BRIDGE ITSELF WAS REPLACED, I DON'T KNOW, 20 YEARS AGO OR SO, 25 YEARS AGO. BUT THE THE COUNTY HAD A SCENARIO TO REPLACE THE BRIDGE. IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE. AND IT'S ALSO VERY TIME CONSUMING BECAUSE YOU NEED PERMISSION FROM THE STATE. AND THEY ALSO HAVE TO GO THROUGH AN ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS. SO IF THERE'S NO OTHER ALTERNATIVE, THEY MAY GRANT THE RELEASE OF STATE PROTECTED LANDS TO HAVE THIS. BUT THERE TECHNICALLY IS THIS ALTERNATIVE OF THE TRAFFIC LIGHT. SO RIGHT NOW THERE'S THERE'S THAT. AND THERE IS A PROPOSED ALWAYS STOP AT ON THE FRANKLIN SIDE CANAL AND BUNKER HILL ROAD. OKAY. SO ACTUALLY ON THIS AGENDA UNDER OLD NEW BUSINESS. YEAH. OKAY. I DON'T KNOW IF WE COULD TALK ABOUT IT RIGHT NOW. THE COUNTY RESIDENTS AT THAT MEETING, AND RIGHTLY SO, SAID THIS IS HELPFUL, BUT WE HAVE A VERY DANGEROUS INTERSECTION JUST OUTSIDE OF YOUR STUDY AREA, WHICH IS THE BELLE MEAD GRIGGSTOWN RIVER
[00:50:02]
ROAD INTERSECTION. THAT'S TRUE. AND IT IS ONE OF THE HIGHEST RATE OF ACCIDENTS HERE IN MONTGOMERY, IN MONTGOMERY. AND SO WE FULLY SUPPORTED AND IF YOU RECALL, WHEN WE DID A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE ALIGNMENT. OH, THAT'S RIGHT THAT THEY WERE PROPOSING, WE ADDED INTO OUR RESOLUTION THAT WE WANTED THEM TO EXPAND THE STUDY AREA TO INCLUDE THAT. SO THAT CONCEPT STUDY HAS BEEN COMPLETED BY THEIR THEIR CONSULTANT. THEY MET WITH THE TOWN TOWNSHIP STAFF THIS WEEK TO GO THROUGH THROUGH THAT. WE DISCUSSED IT AT TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE THIS MORNING. AND SO WHAT WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR IS THE TOWNSHIP TO SUPPORT THEIR, THEIR, THEIR EXPANDED SCOPE. AND WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING IS AN ALL WAY STOP AT BELLE MEAD, GRIGGSTOWN AND RIVER ROAD. AND THEY'RE ALSO PROPOSING ACQUIRING SOME OF THE SITE TRIANGLE AT EITHER SIDE, BECAUSE THERE'S A STEEP EMBANKMENT AND VEGETATION. SO THAT HINDERS SOME VISIBILITY THERE. SO VISIBILITY IS BAD. YES, YES. SO THAT WOULD BE CONTROLLED. THEY LOOKED AT TRAFFIC LIGHT. THEY LOOKED AT A FLASHING BEACON. THEY DO HAVE SOME ISSUES AGAIN WITH THE STATE LAND THAT'S PROTECTED. AND AND THEY WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE DIVERSION PROCESS TO PUT ANY ELECTRICAL BOXES FOR A TRAFFIC LIGHT THERE. AND BECAUSE THERE'S THIS ALTERNATIVE, THEY LIKELY MIGHT NOT GET THAT DIVERSION. SO THEY WANT TO START WITH THE ALL WAY STOP. WE DISCUSSED THE THE FACT THAT IT'S A LITTLE DARKER IN THAT AREA. SO THERE SHOULD BE SOME FLASHING SOURCE OF THE STOP SIGN. THE TRAFFIC ENGINEER SAID THEY ACTUALLY MAKE SOME FLASHING STOP SIGNS THAT ONLY FLASH WHEN IT RECOGNIZES A CAR IS APPROACHING, SO THAT IT'S NOT FLASHING 24 OVER SEVEN. THE TRAFFIC ADVISORY COMMITTEE ALSO RECOMMENDED HAVING SOME WARNING STOP SIGN AHEAD WITHIN THE PAVEMENT. THAT WOULD BE A GREAT ADDITION THAT THEY HAD NOT INCLUDED IN THEIR SCOPE OF WORK. AND SO THE COUNTY IS LOOKING FOR US TO HAVE THE TOWNSHIP ENDORSE THIS PROPOSAL. IF IT DOES FIND THAT IT DOESN'T WORK, THEN THEY THEN THEY'LL GO TO THE NEXT STEP. NEXT LEVEL. OKAY. GOT IT. THE TRAFFIC LIGHT IN THAT LOCATION ISN'T WARRANTED THROUGH THE STUDIES THAT THEY DID. I DON'T ASK ME TO GO TOO FAR. NO, NO, NO, I WASN'T THERE. I WAS HEARING FROM RESIDENTS THAT SOMETIMES PEOPLE WHO ARE NEW IN TOWN, AND I GUESS SOMEONE WHO TOOK AN UBER FROM THE AIRPORT AND THE PERSON JUST ZOOMED ON THE BRIDGE, NOT REALIZING THAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO WAIT AND CHECK IF SOMEONE ELSE IS COMING. AND YOU KNOW, WHEN SHE ASKED HIM, HE BASICALLY SAID, WELL, I DON'T SEE ANY STOP SIGN OR ANY FLASHING LIGHTS, SO I'M JUST ZOOMING. SO SHE WAS LIKE SO SCARED. AND SHE SAID, PEOPLE WHO DON'T LIVE IN THE AREA DON'T KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION. SO THAT'S GOOD TO HEAR. THANK YOU. LORI. THAT'S REALLY COMPREHENSIVE. REALLY APPRECIATE IT. AND I JUST WANTED TO ADD ONE MORE THING ON THE AGENDA. IT WAS ON CONSENT AGENDA, BUT I JUST WANTED TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO WE ARE APPLYING FOR A COUNTY GRANT, HISTORIC GRANT FOR THE ORIGINAL MUNICIPAL BUILDING THAT'S IN HARLINGEN. DPW USES IT NOW FOR BATHROOMS AND THEIR LUNCHROOM. BUT WITH THE PURCHASE OF THE NEW TRAILER THAT WE'RE DOING FOR THEM, THEY WILL NO LONGER NEED IT. AND THE BUILDING IS NOT IN GOOD SHAPE. SO WE APPLIED FOR THE GRANTS LAST YEAR. WE DIDN'T GET IT BECAUSE THEY SAID WE NEEDED A HISTORIC STRUCTURES REPORT FIRST BEFORE WE COULD GO FOR THE CAPITAL GRANT. SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING THIS YEAR. WE'RE APPLYING FOR THE HISTORIC STRUCTURES REPORT. IT'S LIKE 60 SOMETHING THOUSAND DOLLARS. IT SHOULD BE FULLY. IF WE. HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET IT FULLY COVERED BY THE GRANT. ONCE THAT'S DONE, THEN WE CAN APPLY NEXT YEAR FOR THE CAPITAL. AND SO IT'LL BE KIND OF A MULTI-YEAR PHASE. BUT WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT. AND THAT'S, THAT'S ONE OF THE COMPONENTS IS IT HAS TO BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AT SOME POINT IN TIME. LIKE IT WON'T BE A DEDICATED MUSEUM, BUT WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT DIFFERENT OPTIONS.WE MIGHT HAVE DIFFERENT DISPLAYS WE CAN HAVE THERE, YOU KNOW, SHARING LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY HERE. AND IT WOULD BE A NICE COMPLEMENT TO WHAT SAM IS DOING, WHAT VAN HARLINGEN IS DOING. THEY HAVE THE LAKE HOUSE, THE BARN MUSEUM, THE BENTONVILLE SCHOOL. SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT. I THINK THAT'S REALLY EXCITING. YEAH.
OKAY. AND NOW WE HAVE LEGAL UPDATE. WE HAD A CASE MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE ON JUNE
[7. Legal Updates ]
1ST FOR YOUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING. I BELIEVE WE HAVE THAT ON FOR FURTHER UPDATES CLOSED. BUT THE NEXT CASE MANAGEMENT IS JULY 1ST. OKAY. OKAY. SO AT THIS POINT, IF THAT'S THAT'S IT,[8. Public Comment]
THEN WE ARE GOING TO PUBLIC COMMENT. MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO ADDRESS THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE ON MATTERS PERTAINING TO THE TOWNSHIP WILL BE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON. IF COMMENTS ARE SIMILAR TO THOSE ALREADY STATED, PLEASE INDICATE YOUR SUPPORT OR YOUR OPPOSITION GROUPS ARE ASKED TO SELECT A SPOKESPERSON. ARE THERE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING[00:55:03]
TO ADDRESS THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE? YES, PLEASE COME UP. HELLO, MY NAME IS CHRISTINE WITH A K MINEO MINE0. I LIVE AT 23 HARLINGEN ROAD IN BELLE MEADE, MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP. AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO, ON BEHALF OF THE RESIDENTS OF HARLINGEN, HARLINGEN VILLAGE EXPRESS, OUR THANKS TO MAYOR SINGH AND COMMITTEE MEMBER. AN ADMINISTRATOR SAVRAN AND THE TOWNSHIP ENGINEER FOR MARK HARMON FOR MEETING WITH US EARLY THIS AFTERNOON TO DISCUSS THE POSSIBILITY AND THE NEXT STEPS FOR ACCESS TO PUBLIC SEWER FOR THE RESIDENTS IN HARLINGEN VILLAGE, WHICH HAS BEEN WITHIN THE WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR 20 YEARS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. AND SO WE WE APPRECIATE YOUR MEETING WITH US TODAY. WE LOOK FORWARD TO OUR PLANNED MEETING NEXT MONTH TO DISCUSS ANY WAYS THAT THE TOWNSHIP IS ABLE TO FIND SOME GRANTS OR SOURCES FOR US, GOING INTO A FEASIBILITY STUDY TO SEE WHAT IT WOULD COST TO EXTEND THE GRAVITY LINE FURTHER UP FOR RESIDENTS TO CONNECT TO PUBLIC SEWER, WHICH WE'VE BEEN HEARING ABOUT WAITING FOR, FOR, FOR A LONG TIME, 20 SOME YEARS. AND IT'S IN A IN THE INTEREST OF PUBLIC HEALTH AS WELL AS THE ECONOMIC VIABILITY OF THIS HISTORIC COMMUNITY. SO AGAIN, WE JUST WISH TO THANK YOU FOR MEETING WITH US TODAY. WE LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING WITH YOU AGAIN NEXT MONTH. AND BEYOND THAT. AND PLEASE REACH OUT TO ANY OF US AS YOU HAVE OUR CONTACT INFORMATION, IF THERE'S SOMETHING WE CAN DO TO FACILITATE THIS, BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING WE REALLY NEED AND APPRECIATE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING. ANYONE ELSE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? OKAY. ORDINANCES, INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING. THERE ARE NO ORDINANCES FOR INTRODUCTION ORDINANCES, PUBLIC HEARING, FINAL ADOPTION. THERE ARE NO[9. Resolution #26-6-168 – Authorizing Professional Services Agreement – 2026 Legal Services ]
ORDINANCES FOR FINAL ADOPTION RESOLUTION RESOLUTION 26-6-168. AUTHORIZING PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT 2026 LEGAL SERVICES. SO BY WAY OF UPDATE MYSELF, MARK TO BEGIN AND JOE RANIERI, WHO WERE ALL APPOINTED TO SEVERAL DIFFERENT ROLES AS LEGAL COUNSEL TO THE TOWNSHIP ON JANUARY 1ST, WE'VE ALL MOVED TOGETHER TO A NEW LAW FIRM. SO THIS RESOLUTION WOULD AUTHORIZE ENTERING THAT CONTRACT AND MOVING IT FROM THE WIENER LAW GROUP OVER TO SCARINCI HOLLENBECK. OKAY. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 26-6-168? SO MOVED. SECOND.ROLL CALL PLEASE. I JUST WANT TO NOTE FOR THE RECORD THAT COMMITTEE MEMBER AN JUST JOINED THE MEETING. SO COMMITTEE MEMBER MARTIN. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER AN. DIDN'T HEAR, SO I'LL ABSTAIN. COMMITTEE MEMBER TAYLOR. TODD. YES. DEPUTY MAYOR BARRAGAN YES. MAYOR SINGH YES.
[10. Resolution #26-6-169 – Authorizing Outdoor Assembly Permit – Steel Sports, Inc. Summer Trophy Event (Soccer Tournament) ]
RESOLUTION 26-6-169. AUTHORIZING OUTDOOR ASSEMBLY PERMIT. STEEL SPORTS INC.SUMMER TROPHY EVENT. SOCCER TOURNAMENT. SO STEEL SPORTS HAS SUBMITTED AN OUTDOOR APPLICATION FOR AN OUTDOOR ASSEMBLY PERMIT JULY THE WEEKEND OF JULY 11TH THROUGH 12TH, 8 A.M. TO 8 P.M. AT MILL POND PARK. ALL DEPARTMENTS HAVE HAVE NO OBJECTIONS AND THEY'VE OBTAINED THE NECESSARY PERMITS. SO IT'S BEFORE YOU FOR APPROVAL. OKAY, SO THIS IS JUST A SOCCER TOURNAMENT THAT THEY ARE HAVE A TROPHY CEREMONY AFTER OR IS THIS I GUESS THIS IS NOT IN ALIGNMENT WITH FIFA? NO. RIGHT. IT'S JUST THIS IS JUST A IT'S AFTER FIFA. IT DOES OVERLAP WITH FIFA. OH IT DOES IF IT OVERLAPS. CAN WE HAVE A LITTLE CELEBRATION THERE? I MEAN COME ON. IT'S BEFORE THE FINALS. LISA. WE'LL HAVE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION. OKAY. WE'LL TRY AND SEE IF WE CAN GET A BIG. I MEAN, I SAW EDISON MAYOR JOSHI HAD THE THE TROPHY THERE. HOW DID IT GET TO EDISON? IT NEEDS TO COME TO MONTGOMERY. LORI. I DON'T KNOW OR A REPLICA OF THAT.
OKAY, SO I GUESS MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 26-6-169. SO MOVED. SECOND.
ROLL CALL PLEASE. COMMITTEE MEMBER. MARTIN. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER ON. YES. COMMITTEE
[01:00:04]
MEMBER. TAYLOR. TODD. YES. DEPUTY. MAYOR. BARRAGAN. YES. MAYOR SINGH. YES. RESOLUTION[11. Resolution #26-6-170 – Authorizing the Renewal of a Memorandum of Understanding to Participate in the ARRIVE Together Program with Bridgeway Behavioral Health Services ]
26-6-170. AUTHORIZING THE RENEWAL OF A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ARRIVE TOGETHER PROGRAM WITH BRIDGEWAY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES. CHIEF, DID YOU WANT TO SAY A FEW WORDS? GOOD EVENING. CHIEF. SO THIS MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING RENEWS OUR AGREEMENT WITH DERIVED PROGRAM, WHICH HAS BEEN VERY BENEFICIAL TO THE COMMUNITY, SUPPORTING AND ENHANCING OUR RESPONSE TO MENTAL HEALTH AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ISSUES. HAS ALSO MADE THAT RESPONSE MORE EFFECTIVE AND. AS FAR AS THE TIME THAT WE ARE SPENDING ON THOSE TYPE OF CALLS, BECAUSE WE HAVE CLINICIAN EXPERT ON SCENE WITH US. SO IT HAS BEEN VERY BENEFICIAL AS FAR AS SERVING OUR COMMUNITY. I'M LOOKING TO EXPAND THE PROGRAM FOR ANOTHER COMPONENT OF THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AT A LATER DATE. OKAY. WHERE WE'RE ABLE TO INFUSE THE ARRIVE PROGRAM BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY DO, WE SAW WITH THE BRANCHBURG FIRE A FEW MONTHS AGO OR A MONTH AND A HALF AGO IS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A FIRE LIKE THAT. WE HAVE A LOT OF SERVICES OUT THERE OR ACTIVE EVENTS, STORMS AND SOCIAL SERVICES GOES OUT THERE. BUT THE ONE THING THAT WE'RE NOT ADDRESSING, WHICH ARRIVE DOES IS GRIEF COUNSELING. SO I HAVE A PRELIMINARY MEETING WITH ADAM VERDUCCI AND WITH BRIDGEWAY IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS TO DISCUSS, INCLUDING ARRIVE IN ONE OF THE OEM ANNEXES. SO WE WILL HAVE THAT GRIEF COUNSELING AVAILABLE TO THE TOWNSHIP. SO THANK YOU.THAT'S VERY PROACTIVE. REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. AND YOU JUST WANT TO APPRECIATE YOUR YOUR LEADERSHIP HERE. I KNOW THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, GETTING THIS EXTENSION DIDN'T JUST HAPPEN, YOU KNOW, ON ITS OWN. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH ON BEHALF OF THE TOWNSHIP. APPRECIATE IT.
APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 26-6-170.
SO MOVED. SECOND. ROLL CALL PLEASE. COMMITTEE MEMBER. MARTIN. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER.
AN YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. TAYLOR. TODD. YES. DEPUTY. MAYOR. BARRAGAN. YES. MAYOR.
[12. Resolution #26-6-171 – Authorizing a Use Agreement Between Montgomery Township and Montgomery Friends of Open Space for the Montgomery Farmers Market ]
SINGH. YES. RESOLUTION 26-6-171. AUTHORIZING A USE AGREEMENT BETWEEN MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP AND MONTGOMERY FRIENDS OF OPEN SPACE FOR THE MONTGOMERY FARMERS MARKET. MAY. WE HAVE BEEN HOSTING ON SITE THE MONTGOMERY FRIENDS OF OPEN SPACE FARMERS MARKET. THEY DO AN INDOOR MARKET AND THE WINTER AND AN OUTDOOR MARKET THROUGH THE SPRING, THROUGH THE FALL.AND SO WE ARE PROPOSING TO EXTEND THAT CONTRACT FOR THIS YEAR. AND THERE'S NO CHANGES PROPOSED TO THE AGREEMENT. OKAY. THAT'S WONDERFUL. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 26-6-171. SO MOVED. SECOND. ROLL CALL PLEASE. COMMITTEE MEMBER. MARTIN. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. ANNE. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. TAYLOR. TODD. YES. DEPUTY. MAYOR. BARRAGAN. YES.
MAYOR SINGH. YES. AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A QUICK NOTE THAT COMMITTEE ON HAD WORKED REALLY HARD TO GET THE FARMER'S MARKET TO THE TOWNSHIP BUILDING, AND IT'S BEEN SUCH A SUCCESS.
SO KUDOS. OUR COMMUNITY. WHO WHO ASKED FOR IT? I JUST WE ALL WE ALL AGREED. SO I THINK ALL
[13. Resolution #26-6-172 – Approving 2026 Salaries for Non-union Employees ]
OF US DESERVE THE CREDIT. THANK YOU. RESOLUTION 26-6-172. APPROVING 2026 SALARIES FOR THE NONUNION EMPLOYEES. SO, MAYOR, THIS IS THE RESOLUTION WE DO EVERY YEAR AFTER WE ADOPT THE BUDGET FOR THE NONUNION POSITIONS. I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS ON IT. AND THEN ALSO ONE CHANGE THAT WE NEED TO MAKE THAT WAS AN ERROR ON ON THE INFORMATION. BUT WHAT THE FIRST IS THAT THIS REFLECTS A HEADCOUNT REDUCTION WHERE WE HAVE STAFF PERFORMING MULTIPLE ROLES. SO MYSELF, I AM THE TOWNSHIP ADMINISTRATOR AND THE PLANNING DIRECTOR. OUR CFO IS ALSO THE TAX COLLECTOR AND OUR QUALIFIED PURCHASING AGENT. WE HAVE OUR CONSTRUCTION OFFICIAL WHO IS ALSO OUR FIRE SUB CODE OFFICIAL AND OUR PLUMBING SUB CODE OFFICIAL. SO THAT IS OF GREAT BENEFIT TO THE TOWNSHIP. THE. FOR THOSE THAT HAVE STIPENDS, THEY REFLECT THE ADDITIONAL HOURS AND RESPONSIBILITIES AND THE PROFESSIONAL LICENSING THAT COME ALONG WITH THOSE POSITIONS. BUT IT'S A GREAT THING TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THOSE MULTIPLE ROLES BECAUSE IT DOES SAVE US ON, ON HEADCOUNT. THE SECOND, AS THE THE ASTERISKS REFLECT[01:05:08]
SHARED SERVICES AND THEN THE WHEREAS CLAUSE ALSO TALKS ABOUT THIS YEAR, OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT PICKED UP ANOTHER BIG SHARED SERVICE. AND SO THE SHARED SERVICE CONTRACTS BRING IN ADDITIONAL REVENUE STREAMS TO THE TOWNSHIP. WE HAVE DISCUSSED HOW THE TOWNSHIP DOESN'T HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS FOR REVENUE STREAMS THAT RECUR ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.WE'VE DONE TWO CELL TOWER LEASES NOW, SO THAT IS PROVIDING US WITH AN ANNUAL REOCCURRING REVENUE STREAM. SHARED SERVICES IS ANOTHER. WE ARE A TOWN THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN PROACTIVE WITH SHARED SERVICES. THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE HAS BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THAT AND THEY IF YOU SEE THE VALUE IN THAT. AND SO WHAT WE WHAT WE HAVE HERE TONIGHT ARE ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION FOR CERTAIN POSITIONS THAT ARE WORKING IN THOSE SHARED SERVICE ROLES. THEY'RE WORKING TYPICALLY OUTSIDE OF THEIR NORMAL WORKING HOURS. I DID WANT TO DRAW ATTENTION THAT BETWEEN THE TWO TOWNS THAT WE PROVIDE THE FINANCIAL, FINANCIAL, SHARED SERVICES. SO OUTSIDE OF THE ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION FOR THE EMPLOYEES, WE'RE BRINGING IN $125,591 IN EXTRA REVENUE. SO AS WE'VE DISCUSSED THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS, THE SHARED SERVICES ARE AN IMPORTANT FINANCIAL TOOL. THE CHANGE THAT WE DO NEED TO MAKE TONIGHT, BECAUSE IT THE THE QPA STIPEND, WHICH IS UNRELATED TO A SHARED SERVICE FOR OUR CFO, MICHAEL PITTS OF $16,813 IS COUNTED AND SHOULD NOT BE REPORTED IN THE CFO TAX COLLECTOR SHARED SERVICES LINE ITEM AT THE TOP, SO THAT NUMBER SHOULD REFLECT 230,776. GOT IT.
SO SUBTRACT THE STIPEND. SO THIS REPORTING IS REQUIRED BY PENSIONS. IT'S ALSO A GREAT WAY TO KEEP TRACK OF EVERYTHING. BE VERY VERY TRANSPARENT FOR EVERYTHING. AND THE AND ALSO SO IN TOTAL FOR THAT CFO POSITION AS AN EXAMPLE, THE SALARY IS 172,000. AND THEN THE TAX COLLECTOR POSITION IS 11,120. AND THEN THOSE SHARED SERVICES BRING ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION AS WE'VE DISCUSSED. AND THEN THEY'RE ALSO BRINGING IN IN ADDITION TO THAT, THE REVENUE TO THE TOWNSHIP. SO IT ALLOWS US MANY, MANY TOWNS TO DO THIS LIMITED WORKFORCE FOR MUNICIPAL ROLES. CFOS ARE A HARD POSITION TO FILL. AND SO BY DOING THIS, IT'S A BENEFIT TO THE TOWNSHIP WHERE WE GET THE ADDITIONAL REVENUE, REVENUE, AND WE CAN KEEP AND ATTRACT HIGH QUALITY EMPLOYEES. SO I WANTED TO JUST ADD A LITTLE CONTEXT TO, YOU KNOW, A SHEET FULL OF NUMBERS.
OKAY, THANKS. THAT'S HELPFUL. THANK YOU. INSTEAD OF HAVING ONE LUMP SUM AT THE END, AND CAN WE SPLIT THAT IN TWO AND JUST SHOW TWO SEPARATE LINE ITEMS? THAT WAY WE CAN PHYSICALLY SEE IT WAS COMBINED PUT TOGETHER. AS FAR AS FOR THE INDIVIDUAL ROLES, AGAIN, THE THE STIPEND WAS ERRONEOUSLY ADDED. A STIPEND IS NOT PENSIONABLE, BUT THE PENSIONABLE INCOME HAD TO BE LISTED TOGETHER IN ORDER TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR THE STATE TO UNDERSTAND. SO FOR THE PUBLIC, CAN WE MAKE ANOTHER ONE FOR THE PUBLIC WHERE WE CAN SEE IT SEPARATE? WE COULD CERTAINLY HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT. I'M I WOULD BE OPEN TO I WOULD BE OPEN TO THAT AS LONG AS WE HAVE WHATEVER THE STATE REQUIRES. AND THEN WHATEVER IS, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, I JUST WENT THROUGH AND KIND OF TALKED ABOUT A WHOLE BUNCH OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT ARE NOT TO THE NAKED EYE, BEING ABLE TO BE, YOU KNOW, CLEARLY UNDERSTOOD IN THIS. SO I, I AGREE THAT THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL. YEAH. OKAY. SO A SEPARATE ONE FOR THE PUBLIC. OKAY, OKAY. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 26-6-172. SO MOVED AS AMENDED. OH, WITH THE SORRY, MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 26-6-172 WITH THE AMENDMENT SO MOVED. SECOND ROLL CALL PLEASE.
COMMITTEE MEMBER. MARTIN. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. ANN. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. TAYLOR. TODD.
[14. Resolution #26-6-173 – Approving Stipends for 2026 Township Employees Serving Emergency Management Roles ]
YES. DEPUTY. MAYOR. BARRAGAN. YES. MAYOR SINGH. YES. RESOLUTION 26-6-173. APPROVING STIPENDS FOR 2026 FOR TOWNSHIP EMPLOYEES SERVING EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ROLES. SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE STARTED SEVERAL YEARS AGO. THE STIPENDS FOR THESE POSITIONS, IT'S WE DID A SURVEY OF NEIGHBORING TOWNS AND SAW HOW THEY WERE HANDLING IT. AND THEY DO IT SOMETHING SIMILAR. SO THESE ALSO ARE OF A GREAT COST SAVINGS TO THE TOWNSHIP BECAUSE WE DO NOT HAVE ANY FULL TIME DEDICATED OEM ROLES HERE IN THE MUNICIPALITY. ALL OF THREE THAT ARE REPORTED ON HERE ARE FULL TIME IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. SO THIS IS ADDITIONAL DUTIES[01:10:05]
THAT THEY DO AND THEY DO EXTRAORDINARILY WELL. AND WE APPRECIATE THAT. WE REALLY DO APPRECIATE THEM. THEY DO A REALLY GOOD JOB. OKAY. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 26-6-173. SO MOVED. SECOND. ROLL CALL PLEASE. COMMITTEE MEMBER. MARTIN. YES.COMMITTEE MEMBER. ANN. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. TAYLOR. TODD. YES. DEPUTY. MAYOR. BARRAGAN.
[15. Resolution #26-6-174 Authorizing the Appointment of Himanshu Bhatia and Jim Mion to the Plan4HealthMontgomery Committee ]
YES. MAYOR. SINGH. YES. RESOLUTION 26-6-174. AUTHORIZING THE APPOINTMENT OF HIMANSHU BHATIA AND JIM MEEHAN TO THE PLAN FOR HEALTH MONTGOMERY COMMITTEE. SO THESE ARE JUST TWO ADDITIONAL RESIDENTS THAT WILL BECOME PART OF THAT COMMITTEE THAT WE TALKED ABOUT A LITTLE BIT EARLIER. RIGHT NOW WE HAVE THREE RESIDENTS, SO WE'LL BE AT A TOTAL OF FIVE RESIDENTS THAT WILL BE A PART OF THAT COMMITTEE. OKAY. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 26-6-174. SO MOVED. SECOND. ROLL CALL PLEASE. COMMITTEE MEMBER. MARTIN. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. ANN. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. TAYLOR. TODD. YES.[16. Resolution #26-6-175 – Authorizing Grant Application for Community Forest Management Plan ]
DEPUTY. MAYOR. BARRAGAN. YES. MAYOR SINGH. YES. RESOLUTION 26-6-175. AUTHORIZING GRANT APPLICATION FOR COMMUNITY FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN. SO THIS IS HOUSEKEEPING BECAUSE WE ALREADY RECEIVED THE GRANT, WE ALREADY DID THE PROJECT. AND WHEN WE WENT TO GET OUR REIMBURSEMENT, THE STATE SAID, OH, BY THE WAY, WE FORGOT TO SEND YOU THIS RESOLUTION THAT YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO DO. OKAY. SO IT'S, IT'S A REQUIREMENT TO CLOSE OUT THE GRANT. AGAIN, THE STATE REALIZED THAT THEY NEVER ASKED US TO DO THIS, NEVER PROVIDED THE FORM. AND SO IT'S, IT'S PAPERWORK, BUT THE THE PROJECT HAS BEEN COMPLETED. AND THIS IS JUST A CLOSEOUT SO WE CAN GET OUR MONEY. THAT'S YEAH. I LIKE HOW THE STATE IS LIKE, BY THE WAY, WE FORGOT. OKAY, MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 26-6-175. SO MOVED. SECOND. ROLL CALL PLEASE.COMMITTEE MEMBER. MARTIN. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. ALLEN. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. TAYLOR. TODD.
YES. DEPUTY. MAYOR. BARRAGAN. YES. MAYOR. SINGH. YES. CORRESPONDENCE. THERE'S NO
[18. New and Unfinished Business ]
CORRESPONDENCE. NEW AND UNFINISHED BUSINESS REQUEST FROM BLOOMBERG. 100 BUSINESS PARK DRIVE, SKILLMAN TO RELAX. CONSTRUCTION HOUR RESTRICTION IF YOU CAN. WHO'S GOING TO SPEAK TO THAT, PLEASE? LAURIE. SO BLOOMBERG, LOCATED ON 518, HAS TWO OFFICE BUILDINGS. AND OVER THE SUMMER, BEGINNING IN JULY, RUNNING THROUGH OCTOBER, THEY'RE GOING TO BE DOING REROOFING AND DOING OTHER IMPROVEMENTS UP ON THE ROOF. SO THEY WOULD LIKE TO AND THEY'VE REQUESTED TO HAVE PERMISSION FROM THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE TO WORK OUTSIDE OF OUR NORMAL CONSTRUCTION HOURS, WHICH END AT 7 P.M. SO THEY WERE PROPOSING THEIR WORK WOULD BE FROM 2 P.M. UNTIL 10 P.M. AND THE REASON BEING THAT THEY WANTED TO CAUSE AT LEAST DISRUPTION TO THE WORKERS INSIDE WORKING IN THE OFFICE BUILDINGS, SO THAT WE WANTED TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION, IF YOU HAD ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU WANTED US TO FOLLOW UP WITH BLOOMBERG ON ANY CONCERNS THAT YOU HAD. AND IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN APPROVE ADMINISTRATIVELY. IT'S A DECISION THAT THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE WOULD MAKE ABOUT 10 P.M. SOUNDS REALLY LATE. SO YEAH. SO OKAY, SO FOR THEM TO GET THEIR STAFF TO WORK IN QUIET AND PEACE, THEY WANT OUR RESIDENTS TO DEAL WITH THE NOISE. THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR. AND I'D HOPED THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'D BE MORE COMMUNICATIVE AND A LITTLE BIT MORE COMMUNITY ORIENTATED AND HELPING US OUT WITH DIFFERENT THINGS IN OUR, IN OUR TOWN. IT'S IT'S BEEN HARD FOR US TO REACH THEM, I BELIEVE. SO MAYBE THIS IS A DISCUSSION THAT WE CAN HAVE. BUT, YOU KNOW, THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE. MAYBE THEY DID. MAYBE THEY COULD COME, COME HERE AND, AND EXPLAIN IT TO US, YOU KNOW. SO THAT'S, THAT'S ONE THOUGHT, LAURIE, TO ASK THEM TO COME AND EXPLAIN. BUT DEFINITELY 10 P.M. IS NOT GOING TO FLY. AND IT WAS 7 P.M. YOU SAID, AND THEY'RE ASKING FOR TEN. SO, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE COULD MAYBE IF THEY COME AND EXPLAIN, WE COULD TRY AND MOVE IT TO 8 OR 9. WE'LL SEE. LET'S LET'S COME THEM COME TO THE TOWNSHIP. YEAH. JUST REMEMBER THAT'S ONE OF OUR GREAT ONE OF OUR TRAFFIC AREAS AROUND 518 GETTING CLOSE TO 206. SO I WOULDN'T WANT TO IMPACT THAT EVEN FURTHER FOR. YEAH.OKAY. SO MAYBE THAT'S WHAT WE'LL REQUEST THEM TO COME BY AND EXPLAIN. YES. AND ASK COMMITTEE ON. AND I GUESS COMMITTEEMAN MARTIN WANT THEM TO BE GOOD NEIGHBORS. SO I HAD REACHED OUT TO BLOOMBERG FOR SOME CLARIFICATION ON THE ON THEIR REQUEST AND HIS THE MANAGER'S RESPONSE WAS, THE DISRUPTION IS. I ASKED WHAT THE DISRUPTION WOULD BE AND WHAT
[01:15:05]
THE SCOPE OF THE PROJECT. AND HE SAID THE DISRUPTION IS FROM THE RENEWAL, REMOVAL, NOISE AND VIBRATIONS THAT WILL RESONATE IN THE BUILDING STRUCTURE, DISRUPTIVE TO THE THE EMPLOYEES INSIDE AND WOULD NOT HAVE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF NOISE OUTSIDE OF THE BUILDING. I ALSO I DON'T HAVE IT WITH ME, BUT I FORWARDED TO EVERYONE WITH THE PACKET AND AERIAL VIEW SO YOU COULD SEE THE LOCATION. WHAT IS THE WAS THE RESIDENCE WHERE THE RESIDENTS OR THE SURROUNDING RESIDENTS. JUST TO GIVE YOU A, AN IDEA OF WHERE THOSE RESIDENTS ARE OR WHAT WAS IN THE PROXIMITY TO THE BUILDINGS. BUT SO I CAN FURTHER ASK, REACH OUT TO THIS INDIVIDUAL FOR MORE INFORMATION AND CARRY THIS TO THE JUNE 18TH MEETING. YES. AS COMMITTEEMAN MARTIN SAID, IT WOULD BE GOOD IF THEY COULD COME AND, YOU KNOW. OKAY, TALK TO US AND I WE'LL GET A CHANCE TO SEE THEM, OBVIOUSLY. OKAY. THEY'VE NOT BEEN AS NEIGHBORLY BECAUSE THIS PROJECT WILL GO FROM MID-JULY TO OCTOBER. OKAY, OKAY. SOUNDS GOOD. THANK YOU. WHEN? WHEN THEY COME TO EXPLAIN, THEY CAN ALSO THEY TELL US HOW MANY RESIDENTS YOU KNOW, THEY BELIEVE WOULD BE HEARING, YOU KNOW, THE NOISE. OKAY, I, I KNOW, I KNOW WHAT THEY'RE SAYING. YOU KNOW, IF YOU EVER HAD YOUR ROOF FOR PLACE, IF YOU'RE WHEN YOU'RE INSIDE THE HOUSE, IT'S LOUD. YES, IT'S LOUD, YOU KNOW, BUT AND IT'S NOT AS LOUD WHEN YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, A NEIGHBOR, BUT, BUT STILL, LET'S JUST LET'S JUST GET THEM TO COME BEFORE US, OKAY? THEY CAN ALWAYS USE CAN VIEW, PLEASE. WHAT FOR WHAT? DENNIS. RENT CAN BE FOR THREE MONTHS. OKAY. I'M NOT TOUCHING THAT. OKAY. BELLE MEAD, GRIGGSTOWN ROAD, CANAL ROAD, BRIDGE PROJECT. AND THAT I THINK LAURIE, YOU ALREADY TOUCHED ON. SO I JUST WANTED TO KNOW IF YOU SUPPORT THE COUNTY'S PREFERRED ALIGNMENT WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE TAC, WHICH IS TO REQUEST THE STOP AHEAD MARKINGS ON THE ROAD AND THE STOP SIGNS THAT ONLY FLASH WHEN A CAR IS APPROACHING.I THINK WE I PERSONALLY, BECAUSE I USE THAT BRIDGE ALL THE TIME, AND SINCE I LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THAT THAT MAKES SENSE BECAUSE THERE ARE RESIDENTS AROUND. AND IF THE LIGHT IS ALWAYS FLASHING, IF IT'S ONLY GOING TO FLASH WHEN THE CARS ARE COMING, THAT MAKES IT EASIER ON THE THE NEIGHBORS. AND THERE WAS A THIRD ACTUAL SUGGESTION, UPGRADING THE STREET LIGHTS TO, I THINK STREET LIGHTS, DEFINITELY ADDING ADDING AN ADDITIONAL.
BECAUSE THERE IS A BLIND SPOT THERE BECAUSE YOU CAN'T SEE PEOPLE COMING FROM THE RIGHT HAND SIDE, BUT I'LL LET THE OTHERS. I JUST USE THAT BRIDGE SO OFTEN BECAUSE THAT'S MY WAY INTO GOING INTO FRANKLIN AND ROUTE 27. GET SOME FOOD. I USE IT TOO, BUT I NEVER EVEN THOUGHT ABOUT IT. MAYOR. PERHAPS ON THIS ONE IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO JUST ASK EACH TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE MEMBER IF THEY HAVE CONSENSUS ON IT. SO. OH, OKAY. SO SO HOW DO WE DO THAT? DO WE? YOU CAN OR YOU CAN ASK LISA, DO YOU WANT TO ASK EVERYBODY'S WHAT'S YOUR. OKAY, EVERYONE CAN SPEAK. RURAL COMMITTEE MEMBER. MARTIN. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. ANNE. YES.
COMMITTEE MEMBER. TAYLOR. TODD. YES. DEPUTY. MAYOR. BARRAGAN. YES. MAYOR. SINGH YES. I THINK THAT'S THE MOST FORMAL WE'VE EVER DONE. IT'S ALWAYS BEEN LIKE, RAISE YOUR HANDS. YEAH.
WE'RE GOOD. I THINK WE JUST I JUST WAS WAITING FOR LIKE EACH PERSON TO SAY SOMETHING, BUT IT A ROLL CALL FOR IT IS JUST AS GOOD, I GUESS. BUT YES, WENDY JUST WANTS TO MAKE IT FORMAL SO
[19. Future Agenda Items ]
THAT NOBODY SAYS, WELL, DID EVERYBODY SPEAK FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS? SORRY, THIS IS TOO LOUD.2026 TO 2027 LIQUOR LICENSE RENEWALS. SO RESOLUTIONS FOR THE RENEWALS OF THE LIQUOR LICENSES WILL BE ON THE JUNE 18TH MEETING FOR CONSIDERATION. WOULD YOU JUST SPEAK A LITTLE BIT TO IT? BUT I'VE HEARD YOU, BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THE REST OF THE COMMITTEE HEARS ABOUT THE FACT THAT THERE IS POTENTIAL OF ONE OF THE LICENSES TO EXPIRE OR. WELL, SO WE HAVE THREE INACTIVE POCKET LICENSES. AND ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO, THE LAW CHANGED. THE STATE CHANGED THE LAW THAT YOU CERTAIN LICENSES THAT BECAME INACTIVE FOR A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME WOULD WOULD NO LONGER BE ABLE TO BE RENEWED BY THE AS AN ACTIVE LICENSE AND HELD IN POCKET. SO WE HAVE THREE LICENSES THAT HAVE BEEN INACTIVE SINCE 2007. THEY ARE IN THE QUARTILE THAT EXPIRE THIS JUNE. JUNE 30TH, 2026. MY CONVERSATIONS WITH THE THE DC, THE DEPARTMENT DIVISION OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE BEVERAGE CONTROL, THEY HAVE SINCE AMENDED THAT LAW AND CHANGED THE DEFINITION TO WHAT CONSTITUTES AN ACTIVE LICENSE.
SO AS LONG AS THIS THE HOLDER OF THE LICENSE AT THIS POINT IS SHOWING GOOD FAITH TO PLACE THE LICENSE AND WHETHER THAT BE A LEASE AGREEMENT OR CONSENT TO SELL DIFFERENT. THERE'S
[01:20:02]
DIFFERENT A FEW DIFFERENT REQUIREMENTS. THE GOVERNING BODY CAN RENEW THOSE LICENSES AND IT TWO ACTIVE STATUS. SO RIGHT NOW THOSE THREE LICENSES, I'M WAITING TO HEAR BACK FROM THE DEVELOPER AS TO WHAT THE STATUS OF THOSE LICENSES ARE AND WHAT THEIR DIRECTION IS. I DID CALL THE ATTORNEY YESTERDAY, BUT SHE HAS NOT GOTTEN BACK TO ME. SO YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT BECAUSE JUNE 30TH IS HERE BACK BECAUSE THEY ARE IN POCKET.THEY'RE NOT BEING SOLD. THEY'RE NOT SELLING LIQUOR. SO IF THAT KIND OF CONVERSATION HAS TO CARRY AFTER THE JUNE 18TH MEETING, SO BE IT BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT PLACED. BUT SO BUT TWO OF THEM ARE WITH MONTGOMERY PROMENADE. AND WHERE IS THE OTHER ONE? THERE'S TWO WITH MONTGOMERY PROMENADE. THREE. ALL THREE ARE WITH MONTGOMERY PROMENADE. RIGHT. SO THE ISSUE THE ISSUE IS WITH THE CONSUMPTION LICENSES THAT THAT HAVE BEEN THIS LAW IMPACTS ONLY THE POCKET AND CONSUMPTION LICENSES. DISTRIBUTION LICENSES ARE NOT AFFECTED. SO BUT THIS THE STATE BASICALLY SAID THEY HAVE TO PROVE GOOD FAITH TO THE TOWNSHIP AND TO THE STATE THAT THEY ARE MAKING THESE LICENSES. WELL, AT THIS POINT, THE ATTORNEY IS NOT EVEN RETURNING YOUR CALL. I DON'T KNOW WHAT SHE SHE I'VE BEEN IN CONVERSATION WITH HER. SO SHE WAS TOLD TO FOLLOW UP WITH THE DEVELOPER. THEIR ATTORNEY IS VERY I WORK WELL WITH HER BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN RENEWING SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE. THOSE LICENSES HAVE BEEN RENEWED. BUT.
AND AS. AND FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THERE ARE ESTABLISHMENTS THERE THAT REQUIRE A LIQUOR LICENSE IN THAT DEVELOPMENT AND USE THE LICENSE FOR. THESE LICENSES HAVE BEEN INACTIVE SINCE 2007. RIGHT. SO A LIQUOR LICENSE, USUALLY WHEN SOMEONE IS BUYING NEW IS HOW MUCH DOES THE TOWN MAKE ON THAT TOWN SETS THAT. OKAY, SO THE LAST ESTABLISHES THAT PRICE. I DON'T WORRY, I WASN'T HERE WHEN VILLAGE WALK SOLD. THAT WAS 400. DO YOU REMEMBER I WASN'T HERE? I DON'T REMEMBER THE EXACT NUMBER. I BELIEVE JUST OVER 400. YEAH, I REMEMBER, I REMEMBER THOSE KIND OF AMOUNTS. BELIEVE ME, I FORGET EVERYTHING ELSE. BUT IT WAS 450 000 SOMETHING THAT THE TOWNSHIP RIGHT AT 425. IT VARIES BY MUNICIPALITY.
FLEMINGTON FLEMINGTON BOROUGH HAD ONE THAT WENT FOR ONE POINT SOMETHING MILLION A FEW YEARS AGO. IT'S THE ONLY ONE LICENSED ONE SOLD IN RARITAN TOWNSHIP FOR 500 000 ABOUT 2 OR 3 YEARS AGO. SO IT DEPENDS. IT'S LIKE A LITTLE MONEY MAKER. OKAY, DENNIS. SO IF THE LICENSE ISN'T RENEWED BY THE TOWN, THEN IT BECOMES OUR LICENSE AGAIN TO PUT OUT PUT BACK OUT. WELL, YES AND NO. YEAH WE DON'T AS THE TOWNSHIP, YOU DON'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO JUST SAY NO.
IT'S ONLY IF IT EXPIRES BASED ON NOT BEING SITED AT A LOCATION. ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO, THE STATE CHANGED THE LAW BEFORE YOU COULD KEEP A LICENSE POCKETED ALMOST FOREVER. AND IN AN EFFORT TO MAKE SURE THAT LICENSES WERE BEING USED AND NOT JUST BEING HELD ON TO FOR HOPES OF HIGHER RESALE VALUE. PART OF THE AMENDMENTS TO THE A, B, C RULES INCLUDED A TIME LIMIT FOR HOW LONG A LICENSE CAN BE WITHOUT A LOCATION CITED TO IT. I POCKETED AND THEN IT ROLLED OUT WITH CERTAIN 25% OF. OF EACH OF THESE, DEPENDING ON YEARS, WOULD EXPIRE IN THE COMING YEARS. SO THIS BATCH HAPPENS TO BE UP THIS YEAR, BUT THERE ARE CERTAIN ABILITIES, IF THEY HAVE THE LEASE IN PLACE FOR THEM TO APPLY, TO HAVE THAT CONSIDERED AS BEING IN ROUTE.
THE STATE HAS RECOGNIZED THAT WITH NEW CONSTRUCTION, ETC. THESE THINGS TAKE A LITTLE BIT LONGER THAN PERHAPS THE TIME PERIOD THAT HAD ORIGINALLY BEEN PUT INTO THE STATUTE. SO THERE IS SOME ABILITIES, BUT THEY'LL HAVE TO PROVE THEIR CASE TO THE STATE. RIGHT. AND THE LICENSE AND THE RESOLUTION APPROVING THE THE ACTIVE LICENSE CAN CONTAIN CONDITIONS. YOU CAN SPECIFY CONDITIONS. THIS WOULD BE AN ANNUAL APPROVAL. SINCE IT'S BEEN PASSED THE. AT THAT TIME IT WOULD. IT WOULD RENEW EVERY YEAR AS AN ACTIVE LICENSE, EVEN AS AN INACTIVE. IT WAS RENEWED EVERY. YEAH, YEAH. AND THERE THERE ARE FEES ASSOCIATED WITH RENEWALS. SO THAT MEANS THAT THE TOWNSHIP NEVER SEES ANYTHING. OKAY. WELL, THEY'LL HAVE TO DO THIS BEFORE JUNE 30TH, WHICH IS RIGHT HERE. NOW THEY, THEY NEED TO IT THAT CAN IT, IT CAN GO. IT, IT CAN GO.
BUT THERE WILL BE ANOTHER APPROVAL PROCESS THAT THE STATE I CAN WELL, THEY DON'T LOSE THEIR LICENSE IF WE DON'T APPROVE IT BY JUNE 30TH, WE CAN. SO THEY HAVE LIKE A. BECAUSE IT'S A POCKET LICENSE, BUT WE WE HAVE TO THEY HAVE TO APPROVE THE ACTIVE GOOD, THE GOOD FAITH OR DUE DILIGENCE THAT THEY'RE PLACING THIS LICENSE SOMEWHERE TO BE ACTIVE. GOTCHA. AND WHAT'S THAT TIME FRAME? SO I PERSONALLY PREFER TO BE ON NEXT WEEK ON THE JUNE 18TH MEETING
[01:25:04]
TO APPROVE IT, BUT IT CAN BE CARRIED, I DON'T KNOW THE I DON'T KNOW IF THERE IS A TIME LIMIT, IF THEY'RE IF THEY'RE ACTING IN GOOD FAITH, IF THEY HAVE A LEASE AGREEMENT OR THEY'RE SIGNING A CONSENT TO SELL, IF THEY HAVE A BUYER FOR THE LICENSE, IF THAT'S IN PROCESS. SO. THEY CAN GIVE US A TIME FRAME. WHEN WE COME TO I CAN TALK, I CAN HAVE FURTHER CONVERSATION WITH THE A, B, C, BECAUSE MY LAST CONVERSATION WITH THE ATTORNEY FROM THE A, B, C WAS WE CAN RESTORE AND APPROVE IT AS AN ACTIVE LICENSE, AS LONG AS THEY PROVE THAT THEY ARE OR SHOW US THAT THEY ARE PLACING IT OR HAVE INTENT TO MAKE THAT LICENSE ACTIVE, AND IT DIDN'T HAVE A DEADLINE LIKE THAT. THAT STORE DOESN'T OR THAT LOCATION DOES NOT HAVE TO OPEN BY NOVEMBER OR DECEMBER. THERE'S NO OPENING REQUIREMENT, BUT IT, IT, IT'S JUST THAT THE LEASE NEEDS TO BE SOME ACTION BEING TAKEN FOR THAT LICENSE TO BE MAYBE A LEASE SIGNED OR SOMETHING. YES. OKAY. SOUNDS GOOD. SO WE CAN HAVE A FURTHER DISCUSSION ONCE I FOLLOW UP WITH THEM THIS WEEK OR NEXT WEEK. AND WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT. OKAY.ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? NO, THANK YOU FOR THAT DETAILED EXPLANATION. RESOLUTION
[20. Resolution #26-6-176 Executive Session ]
26-6-176 EXECUTIVE SESSION, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE 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. THE GENERAL NATURE OF THE SUBJECTS TO BE DISCUSSED IN THIS SESSION ARE AS FOLLOWS. CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS SO A CONTRACT LITIGATION DOCKET NUMBER SOML15325. AFFORDABLE HOUSING POTENTIAL LITIGATION MUNICIPAL ACTION ATTORNEY CLIENT PRIVILEGE FLAG POLICY. THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE WILL RETURN TO REGULAR SESSION AND MAY TAKE FURTHER ACTION. 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. OKAY. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 26-6-176? SO MOVED.SECOND ROLL CALL, PLEASE. COMMITTEE MEMBER. MARTIN. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. ANNE. YES.
COMMITTEE MEMBER. TAYLOR. TODD. YES. DEPUTY. MAYOR.
TO CLOSE EXECUTIVE SESSION AND OPEN REGULAR SESSION. SO MOVED. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE.
AYE. ADJOURNMENT. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? SO MOVED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.