[CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:09]
A REGULAR MEETING OF THE MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE. CALL TO ORDER AT 702. ROLL CALL PLEASE. HERE. DEPUTY MAYOR TAYLOR TODD. COMMITTEE MEMBER. ANNE. COMMITTEE MEMBER. MARTIN HERE. COMMITTEE MEMBER. HERRING. PRESENT. 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. PLEDGE.
PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. OKAY. CONSENT
[1. Consent Agenda ]
AGENDA. ALL MATTERS LISTED ON THE CONSENT AGENDA ARE CONSIDERED TO BE ROUTINE AND WILL BE ENACTED IN 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? OKAY. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE CONSENT AGENDA RESOLUTIONS 26-8-212 TO RESOLUTIONS 26-82115. SO. SO MOVED. SO MOVED. SECOND. SECOND. ROLL CALL PLEASE. COMMITTEE MEMBER. HERRING. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. MARTIN. YES. MAYOR. SINGH. YES. APPROVAL OF MINUTES. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE[2. Approval of Minutes ]
THE EXECUTIVE SESSION MEETING MINUTES OF JULY 16TH, 2026. SO MOVED. SECOND. SECOND. ALL IN[3. Resolution #26-8-216 – Payment of Bills]
FAVOR? AYE. AYE. RESOLUTION 26-8-216. PAYMENT OF BILLS. POSTED. THREE HIGHEST BILLS THIS MONTH, ALL ON PAGE ONE AND ALL GOING TO SOMERSET COUNTY. WE HAVE OUR COUNTY TAXES AS WE.WE SAY EACH MEETING. THE TOWNSHIP COLLECTS ALL OF THE TAXES AND THEN APPORTION IT OUT TO THE VARIOUS ENTITIES. SO OUR THIRD QUARTER COUNTY TAXES $5,154,596.71. OUR THIRD QUARTER 2026 LIBRARY TAXES $660,233.15. AND OUR THIRD QUARTER 2026 OPEN SPACE TAXES TO THE COUNTY. SO THAT'S TO THE COUNTY. OPEN SPACE TRUST FUND $573,667.80. OKAY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 26-8-216. SO MOVED. SECOND ROLL CALL, PLEASE. COMMITTEE MEMBER. HERRING. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. MARTIN. YES. MAYOR SINGH. YES.
[4. Proclamation – Recognizing Vince Barragan for Dedicated Public Service to the Township of Montgomery ]
OKAY. AND NOW IT'S MY DISTINCT PLEASURE TO READ THIS PROCLAMATION. PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING VINCENT BARRAGAN FOR DEDICATED PUBLIC SERVICE TO THE TOWNSHIP OF MONTGOMERY.WHEREAS, PUBLIC SERVICE REQUIRES DEDICATION, INTEGRITY AND STEADFAST COMMITMENT TO THE WELL-BEING OF THE COMMUNITY. AND WHEREAS, VINCENT VINCE BARRAGAN HAS SERVED THE RESIDENTS OF MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP WITH DISTINCTION, DEMONSTRATING THOUGHTFUL LEADERSHIP, PROFESSIONALISM AND A GENUINE COMMITMENT FOR THE ENHANCEMENT OF QUALITY OF LIFE.
AND WHEREAS VINCE HAS WORKED COLLABORATIVELY WITH FELLOW ELECTED OFFICIALS, TOWNSHIP STAFF, VOLUNTEERS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO PROMOTE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY. AND WHEREAS, DURING HIS YEARS OF SERVICE ON MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE, VINCE SERVED AS A TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE MEMBER. JUNE TO DECEMBER 20TH 22ND, 2023 TO 2025, AND JANUARY 2026 AS DEPUTY MAYOR FOR 2024, 2025 AND JANUARY TO JUNE 2026, AND AS A MEMBER AND LIAISON TO THE BUDGET AND FINANCE OPEN SPACE SHADE TREE SEWER REV 250 TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY AND VETERANS MEMORIAL COMMITTEES, LANDMARKS COMMISSION, AS WELL AS A REPRESENTATIVE TO OTHER LOCAL, COUNTY AND STATE AGENCIES. AND WHEREAS, THE TOWN MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE WISHES TO RECOGNIZE VINCENT BARRAGAN FOR HIS SERVICE, LEADERSHIP AND LASTING CONTRIBUTION TO THIS TOWNSHIP AND ITS RESIDENTS, NOW THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED THAT I, MAYOR SINGH AND THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE OF THE TOWNSHIP OF MONTGOMERY, COUNTY OF SOMERSET, NEW JERSEY HEREBY EXPRESS ITS SINCERE APPRECIATION AND GRATITUDE TO VINCENT BARRAGAN FOR HIS CONTRIBUTION AND UNWAVERING
[00:05:01]
DEDICATION TO THE COMMUNITY AND OFFERS BEST WISHES AND CONTINUED SUCCESS IN ALL FUTURE ENDEAVORS. ON THE SIXTH DAY OF AUGUST 2026. PLEASE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IT REALLY MEANS A LOT. I'LL TRY TO KEEP MY WORD SO SHORT. IT'S AN HONOR TO SERVE THE. THE TOWNSHIP MONTGOMERY FROM THE. WHEN SOMEONE GAVE ME A PHONE CALL ASKING ME IF I WOULD HELP FINISH SOMEONE'S TURN TO BEING ELECTED TWICE, IT JUST MEANS A LOT. AND I THINK THE SUPPORT OF THIS TOWN, OF THIS COMMUNITY, FOR THEIR ELECTED OFFICIALS, FOR OUR WONDERFUL POLICE, FOR OUR WONDERFUL ADMINISTRATION AND STAFF. I THINK IT'S JUST A VERY, VERY WONDERFUL PLACE AND, YOU KNOW, MADE A LOT OF FRIENDS FOR LIFE. COMEDIAN HERRING, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR TAKING THE BIG STEP. I KNOW IT'S IT'S A BIG SACRIFICE FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY, BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. I THINK YOU'LL FIND BE AS REWARDING. I HOPE IT'S AS REWARDING FOR YOU AS IT WAS FOR ME. SO THANK YOU. AND, AND MAYBE OUT OF ALL THE THINGS, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF GREAT THINGS HAVE HAPPENED. BUT I'M REALLY PROUD THAT WE'RE FINALLY ABLE TO HONOR STEPHEN WARNER. YES, YES. YEAH. SO IF I THINK ABOUT THAT, THAT GENERATION OF VETERANS DIDN'T HAVE THE BEST HOMECOMING OR AS GOOD A HOMECOMING AS I DID WHEN I CAME BACK FROM COMBAT. SO IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT HIM, BUT IT'S FOR THAT WHOLE GENERATION. SO THANK YOU. REALLY APPRECIATE IT. LIKE I SAID, I'M JUST DOWN THE ROAD. I'M REALLY CLOSE, SO I DON'T WANT ANYONE TO BE STRANGERS.THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE RECOGNITION. THANK YOU. VINCENT. I'LL COME DOWN AND, YOU KNOW, DO THE PROCLAMATION TOGETHER. BUT I DON'T WANT YOU TO JUST SAY THIS IS A PROCLAMATION, BUT A FEW WORDS FROM YOU. FOR ME TO YOU. EVERY MAYOR, AS YOU KNOW, NEEDS AN ANCHOR. BUT I WAS BLESSED WITH SOMETHING BETTER THAN AN ANCHOR. YOU WERE MY ROCK. WHEN THE DAYS GOT REALLY CHAOTIC AND AND THE CHALLENGES LEADING TO THIS COMMUNITY AND ALL THE OTHER STUFF THAT HAPPENED, YOUR UNSHAKABLE PRESENCE KEPT ME GOING. AND I'M REALLY GOING TO MISS YOU. AND THE WORK THAT WE DID ON THE BUDGET AND FINANCE COMMITTEE, SOME DAYS WERE REALLY, REALLY TOUGH BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THERE IS SO MANY NEEDS A TOWNSHIP HAS FROM WHAT WE NEEDED FOR OUR EMPLOYEES. AND OF COURSE, WE HAD ALL OF THE CONCERNS OF PENSIONS AND SALARIES AND THEN TRYING TO COME UP WITH THE BUDGET. I REMEMBER MANY A TIME YOU AND I SITTING TOGETHER AND SAYING, HOW DO WE HOW DO WE GET THIS ACROSS THE THE FINISH LINE? SO FOR ME PERSONALLY, THANK YOU SO MUCH. I KNOW YOU'RE JUST ACROSS THE BORDER THERE, BUT WE WILL DEFINITELY MISS YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. VINCENT. LET ME ADD JUST THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE BEEN A VERY STRONG SUPPORT FOR ME COMING ON NEW AND BEEN ONLY, YOU KNOW, A YEAR AND A HALF. AND AS WE RAN LAST YEAR, YOU KNOW, YOU WERE ALWAYS THE SOURCE OF KNOWLEDGE AND EVEN INCLUDING THE NIGHT OF THE ELECTION WHEN I DIDN'T KNOW WE WERE SUPPOSED TO COME TO THE MUNICIPAL BUILDING. YOU SAID YOU'RE YOU'RE GOING OVER TO THE BUILDING, AREN'T YOU? SO THAT WAS EXTREMELY HELPFUL. AND, YOU KNOW, WE IT WAS IT'S IT'S ALWAYS BEEN I THINK WE'RE GOING TO MISS YOUR PRESENCE A LOT, ESPECIALLY YOUR VETERANS PERSPECTIVE, YOUR FINANCE PERSPECTIVE. SO WE'RE GOING TO TRY WE WE KNOW, WE KNOW THE GAP AND WE WILL TRY OUR BEST. BUT IT, IT, IT, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE LIKE, LIKE THE WAY YOU WERE ABLE TO FILL THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT ROLE HERE. SO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING. YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE YOUR PUBLIC SERVICE. WE APPRECIATE EVERYTHING. APPRECIATE YOU DOING WHAT YOU WANT TO DO FOR YOUR FAMILY, WHICH IS NUMBER ONE FOR ALL OF US. AND THAT'S REALLY AN IMPORTANT THING FOR ALL OF US TO REMEMBER. WE HAVE A FAMILY, WE HAVE OUR WORK, AND THEN WE HAVE OUR VOLUNTEER WORK AFTER THAT, WHICH INCLUDES THIS WORK HERE, THIS COMMUNITY. SO THANKS FOR KEEPING YOUR PRIORITIES STRAIGHT. DID YOU WANT TO SAY A FEW WORDS OR YOU'RE GOOD? YOU JUST HAPPY TO. GOOD. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. WELL, I'M GOING TO COME DOWN.
MIKE. YEAH, YEAH. I'M NOT SAYING NO.
[00:10:27]
AS A PRIVATE CITIZEN BECAUSE WE HAVE. THAT WAS. THE FOOD PANTRY. YEAH. I ALREADY. SAID, OKAY, WE ARE GOING TO GO A LITTLE OVER DIFFERENT FROM THE AGENDA. THE KIDS WHO WERE GOING TO BE HERE FOR THE NEXT PROCLAMATION ARE RUNNING A LITTLE BEHIND. WE[6. Presentation – Somerset-Franklin Lions Club Donation to Montgomery Township Food Pantry]
WOULD LOVE IT'S OUR HONOR NOW TO DO THE PRESENTATION FOR FROM SOMERSET FRANKLIN LIONS CLUB.IT'S A DONATION TO MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP FOOD PANTRY, AND WE ARE REALLY HAPPY AS A T.C. THIS IS A PARTICULARLY REALLY IMPORTANT. WE'VE HAD SOME ISSUES, AS YOU REMEMBER LAST YEAR WITH SNAP BENEFITS. THAT BECAME A BIG EFFORT ON PART OF THE TOWNSHIP. WE WERE SO HAPPY THAT THE SCHOOLS. A LOT OF THE PTAS HELPED AND THE COMMUNITY CAME TOGETHER. I STILL REMEMBER GOING INTO OUR OFFICES IN THE BACK AND EVERY TABLE, EVERY CHAIR, ALL THE OFFICES WERE FULL OF FOOD BECAUSE MONTGOMERY CAME OUT. SO NOW, HONESTLY, HAVING TWO RESIDENTS, AND I BELIEVE DOCTOR SHAH IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE SOMERSET FRANKLIN LIONS CLUB, DOCTOR NEHA, WHO'S A BOARD MEMBER FOR OUR HEALTH BOARD, AS WELL AS A BOARD MEMBER OF SOMERSET FRANKLIN LIONS CLUB, ROHIT GUPTA, WHO'S HERE, SECRETARY, SOMERSET FRANKLIN, LIONS CLUB, OUR SACHDEVA, ANOTHER RESIDENT WHO I'VE KNOWN AND HAS BEEN DOING GOOD WORK. SHYLA ROBBINS, BOARD MEMBER, SOMERSET FRANKLIN LIONS CLUB KASH DELORY AND HEATHER STALLONE, PLEASE, IF YOU WANT TO COME UP. OH THEY ARE OH DOING IT. OKAY, MAYBE WE WANT TO SAY A FEW WORDS AND THEN WE'LL GO DOWN. OKAY. THANK YOU. SO WE'RE VERY PROUD TO. SO FIRST OF ALL, SOMERSET FRANKLIN LIONS CLUB, WE SERVE SOMERSET COUNTY PRETTY MUCH SO. BUT WE HAD DONE A FUNDRAISER DECEMBER OF 2025 AND WE SPLIT THE FUNDS. SO WE DONATED TO FRANKLIN FOOD BANK. AND $1,200 IS COMING TO MONTGOMERY. SO WE ACTUALLY GAVE THE CHECK IN JUNE. WE MET LISA. SO THIS IS JUST A FORMAL PRESENTATION, BUT HOPING IT COMES TO GOOD USE. AND UNFORTUNATELY WE SEE THERE'S A RISING NEED. SO WELL THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND WE'LL COME DOWN FOR A MINUTE AND TAKE A PICTURE WITH THE. THANK YOU SO MUCH TO EACH AND EVERY MEMBER FOR DOING THIS. WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
AND WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT IF HOW IT'S USED IS ALSO WE COMMUNICATE WITH YOU AND HOPE TO KEEP THIS PARTNERSHIP GOING. ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
ONE MORE FOR WHAT IS YOUR NAME?
[00:15:08]
LET ME GO TO THE KIDS. OKAY. OKAY. SO THE KIDS ARE HERE. AND AGAIN, IT IS MY GREAT[5. Proclamation – Recognizing Dhruv and Veer Srikanth for Outstanding Achievement in the 2026 America’s Field Trip Contest]
HONOR TO RECOGNIZE DHRUV AND SRIKANTH FOR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE 2026 AMERICA'S FIELD TRIP CONTEST. WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION FOR THEM, WHICH I'M GOING TO READ, AND THEN WE'LL ASK THEM TO COME UP. THERE. IS AMERICA'S FIELD TRIP 2026 IS PART OF AMERICA'S TWO 50TH CELEBRATION INITIATIVE, ENCOURAGING STUDENTS IN GRADES THREE THROUGH 12 NATIONWIDE TO SHARE PERSPECTIVES ON AMERICAN HISTORY, CULTURE, AND VALUES. REFLECTING ON THE THEME, WHAT DOES AMERICA MEAN TO YOU? THROUGH THE SUBMISSION OF ORIGINAL ARTWORK OR ESSAYS? AND WHEREAS MORE THAN 10,000 STUDENTS NATIONWIDE SUBMITTED ENTRIES AND WHEREAS, MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP RISING FIFTH GRADER DHRUV SRIKANTH EARNED FIRST PLACE IN ARTWORK CATEGORY AND MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP'S RISING NINTH GRADER VEER SRIKANTH EARNED FIRST PLACE IN THE ESSAY CATEGORY. AND WHEREAS THE MAYOR AND MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE DESIRE TO CELEBRATE THIS OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT AND ACKNOWLEDGE DHRUV AND VEER FOR THEIR HARD WORK, DEDICATION, CREATIVITY, AND COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE. WHEREAS, THIS MILESTONE ACHIEVEMENT REFLECTS THEIR DEDICATION, PERSEVERANCE, AND EXCELLENCE, AND THAT DEFINES MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP AND ALSO SERVES AS A REMINDER TO THE YOUTH OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT HARD WORK AND DETERMINATION CAN ACHIEVE MEANINGFUL SUCCESS AND MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT. NOW THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED THAT I, MAYOR SINGH, AND THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE OF THE TOWNSHIP OF MONTGOMERY, COUNTY OF SOMERSET, NEW JERSEY, AND ITS RESIDENTS HEREBY EXTEND SINCERE CONGRATULATIONS TO DHRUV AND SRIKANTH IN RECOGNITION OF THEIR EXCEPTIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND BEST WISHES FOR CONTINUED SUCCESS. THE SIXTH DAY OF AUGUST 2026. SO BOYS, YOU CAN COME OVER. I, LISA, WE'RE STARTING WITH. YEAH. SO IF YOU'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT YOUR YOUR PHOTO AND THEN YOUR, YOUR BROTHER'S GOING TO READ HIS ESSAY INTO THE RECORD. SO IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT YOUR PHOTO, DO YOU WANT TO, MAYBE YOU CAN USE ONE OF THE MICS THERE IF THAT'S TOO TALL FOR YOU, OR YOU CAN BRING IT DOWN. YOU'RE GOOD. OKAY. PULL THE MIC TOWARDS YOUR MOUTH SO EVERYBODY CAN HEAR. YEAH, PERFECT. OKAY. MY PICTURE. MY, MY PICTURE REPRESENTS THAT THE DIVERSITY OF AMERICA, AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE PICTURE, THE CHILDREN ARE HOLDING HANDS OF ALL COLORS. AND THE SYMBOLS OF MY PICTURES ARE THE STATUE OF LIBERTY, THE BALD EAGLE, AND THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE AND THE WHITE HOUSE. THE STATUE OF LIBERTY MEANS THE FREEDOM OF AMERICA, AND THE BALD EAGLE REPRESENTS THE STRENGTH OF AMERICA. AND THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE WAS A WRITTEN, WRITTEN PAPER THAT WAS WRITTEN BY THE FOUNDING FATHERS. VERY NICE. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I WOULD LIKE TO HAND THE MICROPHONE TO MY BROTHER. OH. THANK YOU. OKAY. GO AHEAD. VEER. HELLO. MY NAME IS VEER SHRIKANT.WHAT DOES AMERICA MEAN TO ME? IT MEANS POSSIBILITY. AMERICA HAS A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE ARE NOT DEFINED BY WHERE THEY COME FROM, WHAT CHALLENGES THEY FACE, OR WHAT LIMITATIONS OTHERS MAY SEE IN THEM. INSTEAD, THEY ARE JUDGED BY THEIR CHARACTER, DETERMINATION AND WILLINGNESS TO WORK HARD. ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES I HAD TO OVERCOME IS A SPEECH IMPEDIMENT THAT I HAD. THERE WERE TIMES WHEN SPEAKING FELT DIFFICULT AND FRUSTRATING. HOWEVER, THANKS TO THE INCREDIBLE TEACHERS AND SPECIALISTS AT MY SCHOOL, I LEARNED TO FIND MY VOICE, THEIR PATIENCE, ENCOURAGEMENT, AND BELIEF IN ME HELPED ME BUILD CONFIDENCE AND IMPROVE MY COMMUNICATION SKILLS. THEY TAUGHT ME THAT OBSTACLES ARE NOT ROADBLOCKS. THEY ARE OPPORTUNITIES TO GROW STRONGER. MY PARENTS CAME TO AMERICA SEEKING OPPORTUNITY, AND THEY
[00:20:03]
HAVE BUILT A SUCCESSFUL LIFE THROUGH DEDICATION AND PERSEVERANCE. THEIR JOURNEY REMINDED ME THAT THIS COUNTRY REWARDS HARD WORK RESILIENCE. TO ME, AMERICA IS A LAND OF DIVERSITY, ACCEPTANCE, AND OPPORTUNITY. IT'S A PLACE WHERE ANYONE, REGARDLESS OF BACKGROUND, CULTURE OR DISABILITY, CAN DREAM BIG, WORK HARD, AND SUCCEED. AMERICA IS WHERE PEOPLE ARE GIVEN THE CHANCE NOT NOT TO JUST SURVIVE, BUT TO TRULY SHINE. THANK YOU.THANK YOU SO MUCH, BILL. SO WE ARE GOING TO BE COMING DOWN WITH. YEAH, TWO PROCLAMATIONS.
THAT'S A VERY INTERESTING. VERY HOT. THANK YOU.
SO I'M JUST GOING TO MOVE THIS.
ONE MORE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND GREAT JOB. YES I LIKE THAT. OKAY. DO YOU KNOW THAT I KNOW BECAUSE SHE'S A. AND WE'RE GOING TO DO GREAT THINGS. LET'S DO IT I SEE.
MY. WOMAN. SO SHE LOOKS A LOT. BUT I THINK I SAW HER THE OTHER. YEAR. AND IN FACT, I THINK IT REMINDS ME THOUGHT IN MY HEART, BECAUSE THIS IS A VOLUNTEER. AND SHE DID A VOLUNTEER POSITION FOR BOTH OF YOU, I THINK. OH YEAH. YEAH. FOR SURE. OKAY, OKAY. AND AT THIS TIME,
[7. Presentation – Flock Safety Automated License Plate Recognition Cameras – Montgomery Township Police Department ]
WE'LL HAVE A PRESENTATION. FLOCKS SAFETY AUTOMATED PLATE RECOGNITION CAMERAS, MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP POLICE DEPARTMENT, LIEUTENANT PERRY. OKAY, SO I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR DENNIS.AND AS A AS A TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE, I REALLY WANT TO APPRECIATE OUR PD. THEY DO A WONDERFUL JOB AS AS WE ALL RESIDENTS KNOW, EVEN BEFORE I WAS ON THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE, I KNOW THAT THE. WE ALL PRIZE OUR SAFETY IN MONTGOMERY. SO I'M SO GLAD THAT THE. OF OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT IS HERE TO EDUCATE US ON THE FLOCK. CAMERAS IN OUR TOWN.
[00:25:37]
ALL RIGHT. SORRY ABOUT THAT. GOOD EVENING. SO IN RESPONSE TO COMMITTEE'S REQUEST TO DO A PRESENTATION ON OUR FLOCK SAFETY ALPR PROGRAM FOR LIEUTENANT PERRY, IF YOU CAN HAVE THE MIC. I'M SORRY. YEAH. PULL IT CLOSER. THANK YOU. IN RESPONSE TO THE COMMITTEE'S REQUEST TO HAVE A PRESENTATION ON OUR ALPR PROGRAM, I PUT TOGETHER A SLIDE PRESENTATION HERE JUST TO GO THROUGH OUR PROGRAM, WHERE IT'S AT AND WHERE IT STARTED. HOPEFULLY IT ANSWERS SOME OF YOUR QUESTIONS. SO CURRENTLY WE STARTED OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH FLOCK SAFETY BACK IN DECEMBER OF 2022, AND THAT WAS STARTED WITH A TOWNSHIP APPROVED MOU WITH THE COMPANY THAT ALLOWED US ACCESS TO ALPR DATA THAT WAS CAPTURED BY OTHER POLICE AGENCIES. AT THAT TIME, IT WAS ONLY A SOFTWARE APPLICATION THAT WE USED. WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY TECHNOLOGY OR ANY HARDWARE. IN SEPTEMBER OF 2023, WE PURCHASED FOUR FLICKS, FIXED FLOCK CAMERAS AND ONE FLEX CAMERA. AND THEN IN NOVEMBER OF 24, WE ADDED AN ADDITIONAL FIXED FLOCK CAMERA. AND THEN FINALLY, IN SEPTEMBER OF 2025, THE MOST RECENT, WE ADDED AN ADDITIONAL FIXED CAMERA. SO IN TOTAL, CURRENTLY WE DEPLOY SIX FIXED FLOCK CAMERAS AND ONE FIXED TEMPORARY CAMERA. AND WHAT THAT TEMPORARY CAMERA IS, IS IT RUNS ON BATTERY INSTEAD OF SOLAR PANEL, AND WE'RE ABLE TO MOVE IT AROUND THE TOWN DEPENDING ON THE INVESTIGATIONS THAT WE NEED IT FOR, THE COST FOR THE CAMERAS AT THIS TIME, THAT FLOCK FLOCK CHARGES IS 3000 A YEAR PER CAMERA. AND ON THE FLEX CAMERA, IT'S ACTUALLY $3,500. THE STATE REQUIRES OUR DATA RETENTION TO BE THREE YEARS. SO FLOCK CHARGES US $500 PER CAMERA. AND THAT'S THE FIRST YEAR, THE TWO WE DON'T OWE EQUIPMENT. IT'S A LEASE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE TOWNSHIP AND FLOCK SAFETY. SO THE YEARLY COST FOR THE CAMERAS, PLUS THE EXTENDED DATA RETENTION IS 25,000. THAT INCLUDES ALL MAINTENANCE. IF THERE'S A SOFTWARE ISSUE, IF THE CAMERA GETS DAMAGED IN ANY WAY, FLOCK DOES COME OUT AND REPLACE THAT CAMERA AND THAT HARDWARE, AS WELL AS ANY SOFTWARE ISSUES UNDER THAT LEASE AGREEMENT. THE MOST RECENT RESOLUTION SUPPORTING AND AUTHORIZING A CONTRACT WITH FLOCK SAFETY WAS BACK IN 2025 UNDER 25, 6-219 AND 258-259, WHICH AUTHORIZED THE PURCHASE OF FLOCK SAFETY SOFTWARE AND HARDWARE UP TO $36,000 FROM 2023 UNTIL THE CURRENT BUDGET YEAR. THE FLOCK SAFETY WAS INTRODUCED AND SUBSEQUENTLY APPROVED THROUGH THE ANNUAL BUDGETARY FINANCE ADVISORY COMMITTEE. SO WHAT DOES FLOCK DO? HOW DOES THE TECHNOLOGY WORK? SO ALPR IS THE AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE READER SYSTEM, AND WHAT IT DOES IS IT USES A CAMERA AND SOFTWARE TO AUTOMATICALLY READ AND RECORD LICENSE PLATES AS IT PASSES BY A CAMERA. AS THE VEHICLES PASS BY, THE SYSTEM CAPTURES THAT IMAGE OF THE PLATE AND THEN CONVERTS IT INTO A SEARCHABLE TEXT. IT ALSO, AT THE SAME TIME, COMPARES THAT LICENSE PLATE TO BE ON THE LOOKOUT LIST. IF IT IS A MATCH FOR A STOLEN VEHICLE, A WANTED PERSON, IT THEN CAN SEND THAT ALERT DIRECTLY TO THE OFFICERS IN THE FIELD SO THEY CAN RESPOND TO THAT AREA AND THEN TAKE WHATEVER APPROPRIATE ACTION IS NEEDED. SO IT'S AN INFRASTRUCTURE FREE, MEANING IT RUNS ON COMPLETE SOLAR POWER. THAT MEANS WE DON'T HAVE TO TIE INTO ANY EXISTING SYSTEMS. THEY'RE POSTED ON A MONOPOLE, AND IT'S A CAMERA AFFIXED WITH A SOLAR PANEL ABOVE IT. IT RUN 24 OVER SEVEN. THEY RUN IN THE MIDDLE OF WINTER OR HOT SUMMER DAYS. LIKE TODAY, THERE IS LITTLE LAG TIME AND LITTLE LATENCY. WE GET REAL TIME ALERTS SENT OUT TO OUR POLICE OFFICERS THAT ARE WORKING. THAT INCLUDES ALL NATIONAL CRIME INFORMATION CENTER VEHICLES OR WANTED PEOPLE, AMBER ALERTS, MISSING PERSONS, AND WE'RE ALSO ABLE TO PUT LICENSE PLATES IN THERE FOR WANTED VEHICLES OR WANTED SUSPECTS ASSOCIATED WITH A VEHICLE. IT DOES NOT TRACK PEOPLE. IT HAS NO FACIAL RECOGNITION BUILT INTO IT. IT'S[00:30:06]
NOT USED FOR TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT. SO IN NEW JERSEY, OF COURSE, WE CAN'T USE CAMERA SYSTEMS TO ENFORCE RED LIGHTS AND WE CAN'T USE CAMERAS FOR SPEEDING ENFORCEMENT EITHER. SO THEY'RE NOT USED FOR FOR THAT ENFORCEMENT. ALL RIGHT. SO WHAT IT IS. SO AGAIN, IT GATHERS OBJECTIVE EVIDENCE ABOUT VEHICLES AND LICENSE PLATES. IT DOESN'T CAPTURE INFORMATION ABOUT PEOPLE. IT IT'S LOOKING FOR STOLEN PROPERTY. IT'S LOOKING FOR STOLEN VEHICLES, LICENSE PLATES, AMBER ALERT SYSTEMS, PEOPLE THAT ARE WANTED FOR CRIMINAL WARRANTS, AND ALSO MISSING PERSONS. IT BASICALLY HELPS US SOLVE THOSE CRIMES AND HELPS THE RETURN OUR PROPERTY TO PEOPLE THAT MAY EITHER STOLEN VEHICLE OR PEOPLE THAT ARE MISSING BE ABLE TO RETURN TO THEIR LOVED ONES. THE SYSTEM ADHERES TO THE CURRENT OFFICE OF ATTORNEY GENERAL POLICY AND STATE LAW, AND WE'LL GO INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT. BUT AGAIN, AS I STATED EARLIER, IT'S NOT A FACIAL RECOGNITION SYSTEM. IT'S NOT TIED TO ANY PERSONAL IDENTIFYING INFORMATION. SO THERE ARE SOME REPORTS OUT THERE THAT THESE CAMERAS USE BLUETOOTH TO CAPTURE CELL PHONE DATA, TO CAPTURE INFOTAINMENT SYSTEMS IN YOUR VEHICLE, TO CAPTURE SMARTWATCH DATA AS A VEHICLE PASSES BY, FLOCK SAFETY HAS COME OUT PUBLICLY AND TOLD OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT AS WELL THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE ANY OF THAT SOFTWARE IN BUILT INTO THEIR SYSTEM. WE AS A POLICE DEPARTMENT, DON'T CAPTURE ANY BLUETOOTH DATA, ANY CELL PHONE DATA. IT'S STRICTLY CAPTURING IMAGES OF LICENSE PLATES AND PART OF THE VEHICLE AS IT PASSES BY AND ALLOWS US TO SEARCH THAT. SO THERE'S NO PII INFORMATION THAT'S CAPTURED BY THESE CAMERAS. AGAIN, IT'S NOT USED FOR TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT. IT DOESN'T IDENTIFY THE DRIVERS INSIDE THOSE VEHICLES OR THE PASSENGERS THAT MIGHT BE INSIDE THEM. IT'S JUST A VEHICLE IN LICENSE PLATE. AND WE DON'T USE IT TO MONITOR EVERYDAY PEOPLE ACTIVITIES AS THEY GO THROUGH ABOUT THEIR BUSINESS. SO POLICY AND TRAINING, ACCESS TO THIS SYSTEM WITHIN OUR AGENCY IS LIMITED TO AUTHORIZED USERS, THOSE AUTHORIZED USERS, USERS OR LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL AND CIVILIAN STAFF ASSIGNED TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT WOULD COME IN CONTACT WITH THOSE IMAGES OR THAT DATA. SO THAT'S YOUR IT DEPARTMENT WITHIN OUR AGENCY AS WELL AS OUR RECORDS DEPARTMENT, AND THE REST WILL BE SWORN PERSONNEL. EVERYBODY HAS TO ADHERE TO THE CURRENT NEW JERSEY GENERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT DIRECTIVE 2212, WHICH WE'LL GO OVER IN A LITTLE BIT, AS WELL AS HOW HOW THAT RELATES TO THIS USE OF THIS EQUIPMENT AND TO THE DATA. WE ALSO HAVE A COMPARISON. MTPD ALPR POLICY THAT EVERYONE HAS TO FOLLOW AND ADHERE TO. ADDITIONALLY, THERE IS A STATEWIDE NETWORK ALPR PROGRAM CURRENTLY REFERRED TO AS SNAP, AND THAT HAS A USER OVERVIEW TRAINING AS WELL, AND A CERTIFICATE THAT EVERYBODY THAT USES THAT SYSTEM HAS TO SIGN OFF ON AND IS DOCUMENTED. WE ALSO BRING EVERYBODY THROUGH FLOCK SAFETY SPECIFIC TRAINING.SO ANYBODY THAT USES FLOCK SAFETY WITHIN OUR AGENCY, THEY GO THROUGH TRAINING ON HOW TO DO A SEARCH, HOW TO USE THAT SYSTEM. AND THAT'S MAINTAINED WITHIN THE AGENCY. FLOCK ALSO HAS THEIR OWN VIDEOS AND TRAINING BUILT INTO THE SYSTEM THAT EACH OFFICER USER CAN GO THROUGH AND LEARN HOW TO USE THE SYSTEM ONCE THEY FIRST STARTED. OF COURSE, THE SYSTEM IS PASSWORD PROTECTED. EVERY USER HAS TO HAVE A PASSWORD TO GET IN, AND IT'S ALSO MULTI-FACTOR AUTHENTICATION AS WELL. FOR ADDED SECURITY, EVERY TWO YEARS, EVERY USER HAS TO GO THROUGH ALL THESE TRAININGS. SO THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH TRAINING. ABOUT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL DIRECTIVE, THE INTERNAL POLICY THAT WE PRODUCE, THE SNAP OVERVIEW AS WELL AS THE FLOCK SAFETY SPECIFIC TRAINING. SO EVERY TWO YEARS IT HAS TO RECYCLE ITSELF IN ORDER TO DO A SEARCH IN OUR SYSTEM, YOU NEED A VALID CASE NUMBER AND AN ASSOCIATED REASON, PURPOSE AND JUSTIFICATION FOR THE SEARCH. WITHOUT THOSE THREE THINGS, YOU CANNOT DO A SEARCH WITHIN OUR SYSTEM. SO EVERYTHING IS TRACKED. YOU HAVE TO HAVE A CASE NUMBER. IT HAS TO HAVE A VALID REASON FOR THAT SEARCH. AND THEN THAT'S ALL RECORDED. EVERY YEAR WE HAVE TO DO AN INTERNAL AUDIT WITH OUR SEARCHES. SO THAT'S REQUIRED. PER THE ATTORNEY GENERAL POLICY.
AND WE HAVE TO SEND THAT TO THE STATE POLICE. THAT AUDIT REQUIRES US TO RANDOMLY CONDUCT A SEARCH ON THE SEARCH THAT ARE CONDUCTED, I'M SORRY, ON THE CASE NUMBER TO MAKE SURE IT'S A VALID CASE NUMBER, TO MAKE SURE THAT CASE NUMBER IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE REASON FOR THE SEARCH, AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PERSON THAT ACCESSED THAT IS AN AUTHORIZED USER AND THEY HAVE TRAINING. SO ONCE THAT'S DONE EVERY YEAR, IT'S DUE BY THE END OF JANUARY AND IT'S SENT TO THE STATE POLICE FOR THEM TO REVIEW. SO IMMIGRATION AND REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS PROHIBITION, AS YOU WELL KNOW, NEW JERSEY PASSED ASSEMBLY BILL A FOUR 0 TO 7 ZERO, THE PRIVACY PROTECTION
[00:35:05]
ACT, AS WELL AS A 4071, THE IMMIGRANT TRUST DIRECTIVE AND THAT DIRECTED AGENCIES OR ANY USER OR VENDOR SHALL NOT USE, TRANSFER, SELL, ALLOW, ACCESS OR SHARE IN ANY WAY ALPR DATA TO ANY FEDERAL, STATE OR LOCAL JURISDICTION OR ANY THIRD PARTY FOR THE PURPOSE OF INVESTIGATING OR ENFORCING ENFORCING ANY LAW THAT DENIES OR INTERFERES WITH A PERSON'S RIGHT TO CHOOSE OR OBTAIN REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE SERVICES, OR ANY LAWFUL HEALTH CARE SERVICES AS DEFINED UNDER JERSEY CURRENT LAW OR RELATED TO CIVIL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT. WE SHARE OUR DATA ONLY WITH NEW JERSEY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES. SO THAT'S LOCAL COUNTY, COUNTY PROSECUTORS AND COUNTY SHERIFFS THAT HAVE ACCESS TO IT, AND THE STATE POLICE. WE DON'T SHARE WITH ANY FEDERAL AGENCIES, AND WE DON'T SHARE OUTSIDE NEW JERSEY AS WELL. TRANSPARENCY. SO IT'S A BIG PART OF THIS PROGRAM FROM THE BEGINNING.WHAT FLOCK SAFETY DOES IS THEY HAVE A PORTAL THAT IS LINKED TO OUR TOWNSHIP PAGE UNDER THE POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT ALLOWS THE PUBLIC TO GO INTO THAT PORTAL AND SEE WHAT OUR POLICIES ARE, WHAT WE ADHERE TO, HOW MANY CAMERAS WE HAVE, AS WELL AS WHAT THE USAGE METRICS ARE AS WELL. SO HOW MANY SEARCHES WE CONDUCT IN THE LAST 30 DAYS, HOW MANY PLATE READS THE SYSTEM DOES, AND THAT'S UPDATE ON UPDATED ON A DAILY BASIS. SO ANYBODY FROM THE PUBLIC CAN GO ON TO OUR LINKS PAGE UNDER THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND ACCESS THAT PORTAL. WHEN WE ORIGINALLY BROUGHT THE SYSTEM INTO THE TOWNSHIP IN AUGUST, BACK IN 23, WE PUT A PRESS RELEASE OUT THAT WE PURCHASED THE CAMERAS, THE USE AND PURPOSE OF THE CAMERAS AND WHY WE PUT THAT IN PLACE. SO THAT GOT PUBLISHED ALMOST THREE YEARS AGO IN SEPTEMBER. I WAS SITTING RIGHT HERE IN THIS SEAT, AND I GAVE A PRESENTATION TO THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE, ACTUALLY INCLUDED SOME OF THE SAME SLIDES THAT I'M SHOWING TONIGHT ABOUT THE FLOCK SAFETY PROGRAM AND WHY WE DECIDED TO BRING IT IN AND USE IT THE FOLLOWING YEAR, IN APRIL OF 24, AFTER SOME PROPERTY CRIMES, WE DID A PRESENTATION FOR THE COUNTRY CLUB ESTATES. DURING THAT PRESENTATION, WE DISCUSSED OUR USE OF THE ALPR PROGRAM. IT WENT OVER WELL. THEY ACTUALLY REQUESTED THAT THE SYSTEM BE USED WITHIN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD TO HELP DETER AND DETECT CRIME.
AND THEN AGAIN IN MARCH OF 25, DURING OUR SAFE STREETS STRONG COMMUNITY PRESENTATION THAT WAS DONE BY DETECTIVE SACCARDO, THAT ALPR PROGRAM AGAIN WAS ADDRESSED, AND IT WAS SHOWN HOW WE USED THAT IN ORDER TO PREVENT CRIME, DETECT CRIME AND KEEP OUR COMMUNITY SAFE. THE NEW JERSEY DIRECTIVE THAT I MENTIONED BEFORE IS PUBLISHED ON OUR POLICE PAGE AND IS ALSO PUBLISHED ON THE STATE AGS WEBSITE AS WELL. SOME QUICK RESOLVED CASES THAT WE ARE ABLE TO USE OUR SYSTEM FOR IN 2026. IN THE FIRST HALF. ANYWAY, I'D LIKE TO GO THROUGH THEM REAL QUICK JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT WE USE THE SYSTEM FOR AND HOW IT IS SUCCESSFUL FOR US AS A POLICE AGENCY. IN SEPTEMBER 9TH, THE 26TH, WE HAD AN ONGOING ISSUE PRIOR TO THAT WITH MAILBOX FISHING AT THE SKILLMAN POST OFFICE. WE HAD A LOT OF REPORTS OF MAIL BEING STOLEN AND THOSE MAIL SOMETIMES CONTAINING PERSONAL CHECKS AND BUSINESS CHECKS. THEY WERE WASHED AND REISSUED. SO WITH OUR HELP FROM THE POST OFFICE SERVICE, WE WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY A SUSPECT VEHICLE AND PLATE. WE PUT THAT INTO THE SYSTEM. ONE OF OUR OFFICERS WORKING THE OVERNIGHT SHIFT, OFFICER DUBOVIK, WAS ALERTED TO THAT VEHICLE ENTERING OUR TOWN.
HE SET UP SURVEILLANCE ON A SKILLMAN POST OFFICE AND ACTUALLY CAME IN CONTACT WITH THOSE OCCUPANTS IN THAT VEHICLE. UNFORTUNATELY, IT DIDN'T RISE TO THE LEVEL OF CHARGES DURING THAT STOP AND THAT SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION. HOWEVER, THOSE FISHING THEFTS HAVE SINCE STOPPED AT THAT POST OFFICE. IN MAY 5TH, WE IDENTIFIED A PERSON WHO MISTAKENLY TOOK BICYCLES OFF OF PROPERTY. IT WAS ORIGINALLY REPORTED TO US BY A RESIDENT THAT TWO OF THEIR KIDS BICYCLES WERE STOLEN OFF THEIR PROPERTY. WE WERE ABLE TO OBTAIN A VEHICLE DESCRIPTION OF A NEIGHBOR'S CAMERA SYSTEM, BUT NO LICENSE PLATE. SO WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO WITH OUR SYSTEM IS USE THE IDENTIFICATION OF THAT VEHICLE BASED ON A CAMERA, AND THEN PUT THAT INTO OUR SYSTEM AND OBTAIN A LICENSE PLATE. WE WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THAT VEHICLE AND THAT DRIVER, AND IT TURNED OUT THAT THEY JUST THOUGHT IT WAS TWO BIKES BEING LEFT OUT FOR FREE ON THE EDGE OF THE STREET. HE SUBSEQUENTLY RETURNED THAT, AND THE TWO YOUNG RESIDENTS WERE ABLE TO GET THEIR BIKES BACK, AND THERE WAS NO CHARGES RELATED TO THAT. IN MAY 10TH, THE 26TH, WE HAD A SUSPICIOUS VEHICLE REPORT. AGAIN, WE WERE GIVEN A VEHICLE DESCRIPTION. IT WAS THOUGHT TO BE CRIMINAL ACTIVITY. WE USED THAT VEHICLE DESCRIPTION TO OBTAIN A PLATE, MAKE CONTACT WITH THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE, AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS NO CRIME COMMITTED AT THE TIME, AND THERE WAS NO FURTHER INVESTIGATION NEEDED. BUT WITHOUT THAT, THAT WOULD HAVE POSSIBLY GONE UNSOLVED OR POSSIBLY USED MORE RESOURCE HOURS TRYING TO FIND THAT
[00:40:03]
VEHICLE. IN MAY 19TH OF 26, A LOCAL GOLF COURSE REPORTED A TRESPASSING AND A THEFT OF COOKING OIL FROM THEIR PROPERTY. AGAIN, THEIR CAMERAS HAD A SUSPECT VEHICLE DESCRIPTION, BUT NO PLATE. WE WERE ABLE TO USE OUR SYSTEM TO OBTAIN THAT PLATE AND THAT SUSPECT VEHICLE AND IDENTIFY THE SUSPECT LATER ON. THEY DID NOT WANT TO PURSUE CHARGES, SO THAT CASE WAS SUBSEQUENTLY CLOSED. BUT WE WERE ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY, SUCCESSFULLY IDENTIFY THAT PERSON IN JUNE 2ND 26, A SEARCH WAS ABLE TO IDENTIFY A SPEEDING, RECKLESS DRIVER WHO FLED FROM ONE OF OUR PATROL OFFICERS INTO HILLSBOROUGH TOWNSHIP. THEY WERE UNABLE TO GET THAT LICENSE PLATE DUE TO THE VEHICLE FLEEING THEM, BUT OUR CAMERAS WERE ABLE TO PICK IT UP AND WE WERE ABLE TO FOLLOW UP WITH THAT DRIVER IN THAT VEHICLE AGAIN ON THE NEXT DAY, ON JUNE 3RD OF 26, WE WERE ABLE TO LOCATE A WANTED FUGITIVE OUT OF STATE BY USING THE FOX SYSTEM, AND IT AIDED IN OUR ARREST OF THAT FUGITIVE, THE FOURTH. WE WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY WITNESSES OF A SERIOUS MOTOR VEHICLE COLLISION WITH INJURIES. THAT CERTAINLY AIDED OUR INVESTIGATION INTO THAT CRASH BY USING THE FLOCK SYSTEM. AND THEN FINALLY, ON SEPTEMBER 5TH, JUST AFTER 4TH OF JULY, SERGEANT BEDUSCHI WAS ON PATROL. HE GOT ALERTED BY THE FLOCK SYSTEM ABOUT A STOLEN VEHICLE. HE WAS ABLE TO MAKE CONTACT WITH THAT VEHICLE AND MAKE AN ARREST, AND THEN RETURN THAT STOLEN U-HAUL TO THE COMPANY. SO AGAIN, THE FIRST HALF OF THE YEAR, IT'S JUST HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE MORE SUCCESSFUL INVESTIGATIONS AND CRIMES THAT WE'RE ABLE TO USE THE SYSTEM FOR. AND THEN FINALLY, JUST SOME SURROUNDING AGENCIES THAT DO DEPLOY THE FLOCK ALPR PROGRAM. THIS IS JUST WITHIN SOMERSET COUNTY. OF COURSE, LOCK IS NATIONWIDE AS WELL AS STATEWIDE, BUT THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE OTHER AGENCIES WITHIN THE TOWNSHIP THAT DO DEPLOY FLOCK SAFETY BEYOND MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP. OKAY. WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION. I'M GOING TO ASK OUR TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS. SO I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FROM COMMITTEE MEMBER ON WHO COULDN'T BE HERE TONIGHT. SO THANK THANK YOU, GENTLEMEN, FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU FOR GOING THROUGH THIS. IT'S BEEN A TOPIC THAT'S OF RISING INTEREST IN THE NEWS. AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO ADDRESS AND AND SO LET ME ASK GOOD COMMITTEE QUESTIONS AND I'LL GET TO MINE. BACK HERE.DENNIS. DENNIS. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO YOU MAY HAVE ADDRESSED AND YOU PROBABLY DID, BUT IF YOU COULD JUST ADDRESS ANSWER THE QUESTION, THAT'D BE GREAT. SO THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER POLICE DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE SEEMINGLY MISUSED BY TRACKING A, A WIFE, A GIRLFRIEND STALKING AN EX AND THE, THE IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S, IT'S A, IT'S A WAY TO INTIMIDATE. IS THAT IS THAT IN LINE? HOW DO YOU HOW DO YOU ADDRESS THOSE THOSE QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS THAT THAT MAY MAY EXIST WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT SPECIFIC COMPLAINTS OR POLICE DEPARTMENTS OR AGENCIES HE'S REFERRING TO? I DO KNOW THROUGH OUR AUDIT SYSTEM, WE HAVE TO REPORT ANY MAJOR OR MINOR VIOLATIONS OF OUR POLICY. THERE ARE NO MAJOR VIOLATIONS WITHIN MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP. I DON'T THINK IT'S RIGHT FOR ME TO SPEAK TO ANY OTHER AGENCY WITHIN THE STATE OR ACROSS THE NATION ABOUT THEIR USE OR MISUSE OF THE SYSTEM. THE STATE POLICE DO RELEASE THOSE MAJOR VIOLATIONS THROUGH THE AG'S WEBSITE. SO I WOULD REFER ANYBODY TO LOOK THROUGH INTO THAT WEBSITE TO SEE IF THERE IS ANY MAJOR VIOLATIONS ACROSS THE STATE. BUT AS FAR AS MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP GOES, OR WHAT A POLICY IS, BE ABLE TO COVER WHAT IS USED, HOW IT'S USED AND BY WHAT AUTHORIZED USERS. AND I, I JUST TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT, I SAW YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU MENTIONED THAT IT'S PRIMARILY IT'S FOR PROPERTY, STOLEN VEHICLES AND PROPERTY. IS THAT IS THAT THE THE IS THERE IS THE USE LIMITED TO THAT? OR IS THAT JUST AN EXAMPLE OF HOW IT CAN BE USED? IT'S JUST AN EXAMPLE. SO IF A VEHICLE WAS ENTERED IN AS ASSOCIATED WITH POSSIBLY AN AMBER ALERT, AMBER KIDNAPED CHILDREN. YEAH. A MISSING PERSON SAY A A LOVED ONE WITH DEMENTIA GOT INTO A CAR AND LEFT. WE'RE ABLE TO PUT THAT INTO THE SYSTEM AS WELL AND BE ABLE TO TRACK THAT PERSON AND RETURN THAT PERSON TO THE TO THEIR LOVED ONES. BUT ANOTHER LAW, ANY OTHER, ANY OTHER POTENTIAL CRIME IN NEW JERSEY WOULD BE FAIR GAME IN TERMS OF INVESTIGATING. IT COULD BE OUTSIDE OF EITHER AMBER ALERTS AND PROPERTY. YEAH, WE CAN USE A SYSTEM FOR ANY CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION. ABSOLUTELY. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SECOND QUESTION FROM
[00:45:06]
DENNIS IS, YOU KNOW, NEW JERSEY LAW ALLOWS DATA TO BE STORED FOR THREE YEARS. I HEARD, CAN WE ACTUALLY JUST HOLD IT ONLY FOR A MORE LIMITED PERIOD, LIKE SIX MONTHS? SO NO, THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION IS PER THE CURRENT AG POLICY, IT HAS TO BE THREE YEARS. AND THAT CHANGE WOULD HAVE TO COME FROM THE STATE. IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE CAN DO INTERNALLY HERE WITHIN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. SO WE'RE BOUND BY THAT POLICY TO RETAIN THAT INFORMATION FOR THREE YEARS. OKAY. AND THAT'S THE LATEST FROM THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE. THE THREE YEARS IS CORRECT. OKAY. JUST DOUBLE CHECKING WHERE WHERE ARE THE DATA STORED? LIKE IS IT IN OUR SERVERS HERE THROUGH OUR IT DEPARTMENT OR IN THE CLOUD? YEAH. IN THE CLOUD. OKAY. ARE YOU IS IT R? IS RIT ASSISTING WITH CLOUD STORAGE? NO, THAT'S WHY WE GET CHARGED THE EXTRA $500 THAT IS BORNE BY, YOU KNOW, FLOCK SAFETY ONTO US FOR THAT STORY. SO WE. OKAY, IT'S ALL THEIR THEIR IT SYSTEMS, THEIR STORAGE AND HAVE THEY HAVE THEY PRESENTED TO YOU LIKE BREACH PROTECTION, THE WAY THAT THEY CAN PROTECT AGAINST HACKING OF THEIR, THEIR SYSTEMS? YEAH. I CAN'T SPEAK DIRECTLY TO, YOU KNOW, WHAT CLOUD SECURITY THEY IN HAVE IN THEIR SYSTEM. WHAT THEY SAY IS IT'S OUR DATA, THEY JUST MAINTAIN IT. SO WE HAVE ACCESS TO IT. I KNOW LIKE WITH MY VENDORS THAT I, WHEN IN MY CORPORATE, YOU KNOW, JOB, I, WE, WE REQUIRE EXPLANATIONS OF, OF WHAT KIND OF BREACH PROTECTION THEY, THEY HAVE. AND WE ASK ABOUT BREACHES IN THE PAST. SO, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THAT THAT MIGHT BE, THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING TO FOLLOW UP ON WITH.WELL, WITH FLOC, AGAIN, I DON'T WANT TO MISSPEAK. I KNOW THAT IN ORDER TO BE A VENDOR WITHIN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY, THERE ARE SPECIFIC CLOUD BASED PROTECTIONS AND ENCRYPTIONS THAT THEY HAVE TO BE ABLE TO PRODUCE AND SHOW AND SHOW THAT IT CAN'T BE ACCESSED IN ANY WAY BEFORE THEY CAN EVEN BE A VENDOR WITHIN THE STATE. THAT'S USUALLY DONE BY THE STATE POLICE AT THEIR LEVEL. AND THEN ONCE THEY'RE APPROVED AT THE STATE LEVEL, THEN IN MUNICIPALITIES AND COUNTY AGENCIES CAN USE THEM AS A VENDOR. BUT BEFORE THEY EVEN GET TO OUR LEVEL, THEY HAVE TO PAY PASS. WHAT THE STATE POLICE WANT TO DO. SOUNDS GOOD. AND LAST QUESTION FROM COMMITTEE MEMBER ON IS HOW CAN WE LIMIT OR PROHIBIT THE OUTSIDE ENTITIES FROM ACCESSING OUR STORED DATA LIKE IS? I GUESS I THINK I THINK THE QUESTION MIGHT BE BASED ON WHAT YOU SAID IS, WHAT IS THE PROCESS FOR AUTHORIZING SHARING OF THE DATA? SO WE'RE ONLY ALLOWED, PER THE POLICY IN THE STATE, TO SHARE OTHER AGENCIES IN NEW JERSEY, BECAUSE WE CAN CONFIRM THAT THEY CAN THEY HAVE TO APPLY WITH THE SAME POLICY THAT WE DO ABOUT THE CERTAIN PRIVACY PROTECTIONS AS WELL AS ITS USE AND ITS ACCESS. OKAY. SO WE DON'T SHARE OUR DATA OUTSIDE OF THE STATE LIMITS. SO, SO GOING OVER TO MY, MY QUESTIONS, I WAS INTERESTED IN, IN THAT IN, IN THE SENSE THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU MENTIONED HOW YOU SHARE WITH OTHER MUNICIPALITIES, COUNTY, STATE COULD, COULD A COUNTY OR STATE OR ANOTHER MUNICIPALITY EVEN SHARE OUR DATA, SHARE THIS DATA OUTSIDE OF THE STATE IF IT'S AUTHORIZED BY THE STATE POLICE. SO THE STATE POLICE MAY AUTHORIZE AND THAT'S FOR THEM TO ANSWER WHAT THAT AUTHORIZATION WOULD INVOLVE. LIKE FOR THIS CASE WITH THE VIRGINIA INDIVIDUAL, LIKE I, I ASSUME THAT MUST HAVE BEEN AUTHORIZED. THEY SHARED SOMETHING WITH WITH VIRGINIA.
NO. SO IF SOMEBODY HAS A WARRANT WITHIN THE NATIONAL SYSTEM THAT WOULD BE PICKED UP EVEN IF THEY'RE IN STATE. SO THAT'S A DIFFERENT CRIMINAL SYSTEM THAT THEY'RE PUT INTO, JUST LIKE A STOLEN VEHICLE IS. SO EVEN IF THAT PERSON IS OUT OF STATE ON A CRIMINAL WARRANT, BUT THEY'RE WANTED BY ANOTHER STATE JUST BECAUSE THEY FLEE THAT STATE AND GO INTO NEW JERSEY, WE'RE ABLE STILL TO PULL UP THAT WARRANT ON THE NATIONAL SYSTEM. OKAY. VERY GOOD. I'M THINKING ABOUT THE THE ROI HERE, 25000 A YEAR OR MAYBE A LITTLE HIGHER, WHATEVER.
AND THEN LOOKING AT THE EXAMPLES OF WHAT YOU KNOW SEEMS TO YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO WITH THIS IN 26 SO FAR. LIKE JUST YOUR JUST YOUR HONEST ASSESSMENT, LIKE CHIEF LIEUTENANTS. I MEAN, IS, IS IT, IS IT YIELDING, IS IT YIELDING THE IS IT WORTH, IS IT WORTH THE INVESTMENT YOU THINK? YES. I SHOWED YOU APPROXIMATELY 6 OR 7 DIFFERENT EXAMPLES SO FAR THIS YEAR THAT WE WERE ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY INVESTIGATE A CRIMINAL MATTER OR A SERIOUS
[00:50:06]
MATTER INVOLVING THE PUBLIC BEING ABLE, LIKE AN EXAMPLE I GAVE BEFORE BEING ABLE TO LOCATE A MISSING PERSON, SOMEBODY THAT HAS DEMENTIA AND IS NOW OUT DRIVING AROUND WHERE THEY SHOULDN'T BE AND BE ABLE TO PUT THEIR PLATE INTO THE SYSTEM AND THEN GET AN ALERT THAT THEY'RE IN ANOTHER TOWN AND LET THAT TOWN KNOW WHERE THEY ARE AND RETURN THEM TO A LOVED ONE. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU COULD PUT A PRICE ON THAT. BEING ABLE TO RETURN SOMEBODY'S STOLEN VEHICLE THAT GOT TAKEN AND BE ABLE TO RETURN THAT WITHIN A DAY OR SO AND SUCCESSFULLY, HOPEFULLY MAYBE BRING THAT TO A RESOLUTION WHERE YOU CAN MAKE AN ARREST, A STOLEN PROPERTY, ANY NUMBER OF USES THAT WE CAN QUICKLY OBTAIN A LEAD ON A SUSPECT OR SUSPECT VEHICLE THAT MIGHT TAKE US HOURS, DAYS, OR NEVER IF WE DON'T HAVE THAT SYSTEM. YOU KNOW, IT'S HARD TO PUT THAT INTO A MONETARY VALUE. THANK YOU. OKAY. ANY QUESTIONS? COMMITTEEMAN, HAVING JUST BRIEFLY. I UNDERSTAND THE MONETARY VALUE OF BEING ABLE TO DO A SEARCH, I, I LOOKED AT THE TRANSPARENCY WEBSITE. YOU SAID IN THE LAST 30 DAYS, THE FLOCK SYSTEM IN NEW JERSEY HAS READ THE LICENSE PLATES OF 252,000 CARS. IS THAT RIGHT? IN FOR OUR TRANSPARENCY PORTAL FOR YOUR TRANSPARENCY? YES, THAT'S MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP, RIGHT.OKAY. SO MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP, THE FLOCK SYSTEM HAS READ AND RETAINED THE INFORMATION ABOUT 252 000 PEOPLE PLATES, PLATES, NOT PEOPLE, PLATES, PLATES, WHERE THEY WERE, WHERE THEY WERE GOING, WHERE THEY WERE COMING FROM. NOPE. JUST PLATES AND THE LOCATION WHERE THEY ARE AT THE TIME IT WAS CAPTURED. RIGHT. SO I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE THOSE VEHICLES ARE GOING TO, WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM, OR WHO'S INSIDE THEM. BUT THE SYSTEM HAS MORE THAN ONE CAMERA, RIGHT? WELL, WE HAVE SIX FIXED CAMERAS. AND THEN AT ONE CAMERA THAT WE WERE ABLE TO MOVE AROUND. IF WE HAVE A PARTICULAR INVESTIGATION THAT WE NEED TO PUT IN A CERTAIN AREA. SO IF I DRIVE THROUGH MONTGOMERY, I PASS THROUGH PROBABLY MORE THAN ONE CAMERA, RIGHT? YEAH. IF YOU USE THE MAJOR HIGHWAYS. SURE. SO THIS INFORMATION IS BEING RETAINED IF WHERE SOMEONE'S DRIVING, RIGHT, IS CAPTURING THE VEHICLE AND THE LICENSE PLATE AS YOU PASS BY THE CAMERA AND IT'S TIME STAMPING THAT. AND I THINK I'M JUST GOING TO JUMP IN FOR ONE SECOND. I THINK WHAT THE QUESTION IS THAT YOU'RE PROBABLY GETTING TO IS, AND MAYBE IT'S NOT THE QUESTION YOU'RE GETTING TO, BUT IT'S THE ULTIMATE ANSWER THAT I THINK THE PUBLIC WOULD WANT TO KNOW IS, IS THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ACTUALLY TRACKING RANDOMLY, OR DO YOU JUST LOOK WHEN THERE'S A NEED TO LOOK TO SEE IF SOMETHING LINES UP CAMERA TO CAMERA? AGAIN, I WOULD NEED A VALID CASE NUMBER BASED ON A REASONABLE OR A REASON AND A JUSTIFICATION TO, TO LOOK INTO THAT. I CAN'T JUST ARBITRARILY GO INTO THAT AND SAY, I WANT TO SEE WHERE THIS CAR IS PASSING BY, THIS CAMERA AND WHAT TIME IT WAS. I'D HAVE TO NEED A REASON TO DO THAT. SO FOR BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC, I JUST WANTED EVERYONE TO UNDERSTAND, I UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM, BUT IT'S THERE ARE CHECKS AND BALANCES. THIS IS NOT JUST A WE'RE, YOU KNOW, BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU. THAT'S NOT THAT KIND OF A SYSTEM. ABSOLUTELY NOT. AND AGAIN, THAT'S WHAT THE AUDIT SYSTEM IS FOR TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE USING THIS SYSTEM APPROPRIATELY, LEGALLY WITHIN THE POLICY AND THE FRAMEWORK THAT WAS DEVELOPED BY THE STATE. SO IT'S A JUSTIFIABLE REASON. IT'S A POLICE REASON. AND WE'RE NOT JUST USING AN ARBITRARILY. OKAY.
AND THESE ARE JUST SNAPSHOTS IN TIME, RIGHT? SAY IT AGAIN THAT THE THE DATA THAT'S PRODUCED ARE JUST SNAPSHOTS IN TIME. IT'S NOT REAL TRACKING. IT'S IT'S AN IMAGE OF THAT VEHICLE WITH THAT LICENSE PLATE THAT TIMESTAMPS IT WHEN IT PASSED BY AND THE LOCATION WHERE THAT CAMERA WAS. SO IN ORDER FOR US TO GET ANY PERSONAL INFORMATION ON THAT VEHICLE AT ALL, LIKE THE LICENSE PLATE INFORMATION ON THE VEHICLE INFORMATION OR WHO OWNS IT, WE THEN HAVE TO PUT A CASE NUMBER IN THERE, A JUSTIFIABLE REASON, AND THEN LOOK THAT UP IN A SEPARATE SYSTEM. I THINK THAT THAT MAY ALSO ADDRESS QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER IT CAN BE USED FOR ILL GOTTEN GAINS TO TRY TO STALK SOMEBODY OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. YOU WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO, BECAUSE THE WAY THAT THE SYSTEM IS SET UP IN MONTGOMERY REQUIRES THOSE NUMERICAL DATA POINTS TO BE ENTERED, SUCH AS THE CASE NUMBER, BEFORE YOU CAN EVEN GET INTO THE SYSTEM. OKAY.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION FROM OUR TOWNSHIP ATTORNEY. OKAY. SO WE THAT IS
[00:55:02]
IT FOR THE QUESTIONS. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. PUBLIC COMMENT WILL BE IN THE END, SIR.LIEUTENANT. LIEUTENANT PERRY, DID YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING ELSE OR. YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO OH, SORRY NOT TO INTERRUPT. WAS THAT. NO, I, I MEAN, I THINK COMING TO HERRING SAW THAT YOU WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING, WHEREAS I DIDN'T NOTICE. SO I JUST WANT TO COME BACK TO SAY AND PLEASE CONTINUE. SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY TO FOLLOW UP IF, IF THERE WAS A MISUSE TO, TO A COMMITTEE MEMBER ONS QUESTION ORIGINALLY ABOUT THE MISUSE OF IT, AS WELL AS COMMITTEE HEARINGS ISSUE WHETHER IT IS MISUSED IN ANY WAY, IF THAT VIOLATION WAS DONE, IT WOULD BE HANDLED UNDER INTERNAL AFFAIRS INVESTIGATION AT OUR LEVEL. AND THEN I ALSO WOULD HAVE TO REPORT IT TO THE STATE POLICE AS WELL, AND COULD BE HANDLED AT A STATE LEVEL. I KNOW THERE WAS SOME OUT OF STATE VIOLATIONS THAT MAYBE COMMITTEE MEMBER AND WAS TALKING ABOUT SOUTH CAROLINA, NORTH CAROLINA AREA OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THAT RELATES TO NEW JERSEY OR NOT. OKAY. WELL, WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH. APPRECIATE IT, GENTLEMEN.
AND I'M GOING TO JUST CHANGE THE ORDER A LITTLE BIT. OH, DID YOU HAVE TO SPEAK, CHIEF? I JUST WANTED TO ADDRESS WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THE COST OF THE SYSTEM. AND I THINK IT'S A VERY SMALL PRICE TO PAY FOR THE SAFETY OF THIS COMMUNITY. THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS A VERY BIG RESPONSIBILITY IN BEING EXTREMELY INTENTIONAL WITH OUR PUBLIC SERVICE PROTECTION NEEDS FOR REDUCING AND SOLVING CRIMES. AND THIS IS A VERY GREAT TOOL THAT WE HAVE THAT A LOT OF OTHER MUNICIPALITIES HAVE THAT WORKS IN CONJUNCTION WITH OUR SYSTEM. SO IN TERMS OF BEING INNOVATIVE AND PROGRESSIVE, I THINK IT'S GREAT. YOU KNOW, WE WE SHOWED SOME OF THE THE CASES FOR 26, 25, 24. WE HAD OTHERS, I MEAN, AND, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY, KNOCK ON WOOD, WE DON'T HAVE TO USE THIS FOR MORE SERIOUS CRIMES LIKE A HOME INVASION ROBBERY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, WHICH, WHICH WE'VE HAD HERE. I MEAN, WE'VE HAD VIOLENT CRIMES LIKE THAT IN MY 34 YEAR CAREER THAT WE'VE SEEN PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, ENTERING HOMES AND, AND, YOU KNOW, ENDING UP REALLY BAD. WE DIDN'T HAVE THIS TECHNOLOGY BACK THEN. HAD WE HAD THE TECHNOLOGY, WE'D BE ABLE TO SOLVE THOSE CRIMES, LIKE LIEUTENANT PERRY SAID, IN A MUCH FASTER MANNER, MORE EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY, AND APPREHENDING THE INDIVIDUAL. SO JUST TO ADDRESS THE COST THING, I THINK IT'S A VERY SMALL PRICE TO PAY WHEN IT COMES TO THE PUBLIC. THE COMMUNITY'S PUBLIC SAFETY. AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE WOULD BE REMISS IN OUR DUTIES AS COMMUNITY LEADERS HERE NOT TO EXPAND UPON THIS SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE. THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHIEF.
I, I THINK ANYTHING TECHNOLOGY, THE GUARDRAILS ARE REALLY IMPORTANT AND SEEMS LIKE WHAT WE ARE READING IN THE NEWS. AND I THINK COMMITTEEMAN ANN HAD SHARED SOME STUFF WITH ME AS WELL, WHICH WAS, I BELIEVE FROM TEXAS. I THINK THERE IS CONCERN IN THE PUBLIC BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY TECHNOLOGY, AS WE KNOW, IN DIFFERENT SPHERES, IS GETTING MISUSED. SO I THINK THIS THIS IS AN IMPORTANT PRESENTATION FOR OUR COMMUNITY. AND THEY MAY HAVE QUESTIONS, BUT AS YOU'VE ALREADY SAID, AND YOU ALWAYS HAVE SAID THAT PD RUNS A VERY TRANSPARENT DEPARTMENT. AND IF PEOPLE HAVE QUESTIONS, THEY CAN REACH OUT TO YOU. YOUR INFORMATION IS ON OUR WEBSITE AND WE WILL HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT AFTER A COUPLE OF THE OTHER HOUSEKEEPING WE ARE DOING. AND PEOPLE HAVE A RIGHT TO SPEAK. AND, YOU KNOW, AND WE ALL HAVE A RIGHT TO LISTEN. BUT THANK
[13. Resolution #26-8-217 – Authorizing the Appointment of Cookie Franco-Herman, Chair, Montgomery Municipal Alliance ]
YOU SO MUCH, CHIEF. THANK YOU. OKAY. SO AT THIS POINT, I'M GOING TO JUST MOVE THE ORDER A LITTLE BIT. AND WHAT WE'LL DO IS RESOLUTION 26-8-217, WHICH IS AUTHORIZING THE APPOINTMENT OF COOKIE FRANCO HERMAN, CHAIR OF MUNICIPAL ALLIANCE. WHEREAS THERE IS NOW A VACANCY IN THE CHAIR, MUNICIPAL ALLIANCE FOR THE TOWNSHIP. AND WE AT THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE HAVE ASKED COOKIE FRANCO HERMAN, WHICH A LOT OF RESIDENTS DO KNOW HER VERY WELL, BECAUSE SHE HAS HISTORY OF PUBLIC SERVICE WITHIN WITHIN THE TOWNSHIP. SO WE ARE GOING TO FIRST HAVE A MOTION ON RESOLUTION 26-8-217. SO MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 26-8-217. SO MOVED.SECOND. ROLL CALL PLEASE. COMMITTEE MEMBER. HERRING. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. MARTIN. YES.
MAYOR SINGH. YES. AND AT THIS POINT, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE COOKIE FRANCO HERMAN TO THE PODIUM TO ADMINISTER OATH OF OFFICE AS THE CHAIR, THE NEW CHAIR OF MUNICIPAL ALLIANCE.
[01:00:01]
OKAY. YEAH. VARIOUS OTHER HEALTH FACILITIES IN THE TOWNS. I. WILL BE TRANSFERRING THE FOLLOWING YEAR TO CONSTITUTION THAT I WAS. ONE OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE CONSTITUTION AND THE CONSTITUTION OF. TURKEY. AND I ONLY HAVE TWO THINGS, BUT I. AND WITHOUT ESTABLISHING THE GOVERNMENT ESTABLISHMENT AND. I UNDER THE PEOPLE, AND I AND I THINK. AND JUSTICE AND JUSTICE FOR ALL, ALL OF YOU. AND ALL OF THE OFFICE OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE ALLIANCE. AND SO. SO WHY BOTHER? 41 YEAR SERVING AS THE FIRST POINT OF.ONE MORE. GOT IT. YES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE.
I AM WINDING DOWN MY TERM ON THE BOARD OF EDUCATION AND WASN'T SURE WHAT I WANTED TO DO, BUT DEFINITELY WANTED TO CONTINUE VOLUNTEERING IN THE COMMUNITY. I HAVE BEEN DOING SO FOR A DECADE NOW, SINCE 2016, AND THIS OPPORTUNITY, PEOPLE HAD CALLED ME AND ASKED IF I WAS INTERESTED AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS A PERFECT FIT. AND I'M THANKFUL TO LAURIE HUFF FOR THE WORK THAT SHE HAS DONE WITH THE MUNICIPAL ALLIANCE AND WOULD I WOULD GO GLADLY CONTINUE THE WORK THAT SHE HAS BEEN DOING AND ALSO DO MORE, HOPEFULLY, AND LOOKING FORWARD TO DOING THAT IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS AND HOPEFULLY NEXT YEAR TOO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. I WANT TO CONGRATULATE COOKIE, AND I JUST WANTED TO SHARE HOW WE BOTH MET WAS IN 2016 ON A BUS TO DC ON THE WOMEN'S MARCH. THAT'S HOW WE MET THE FIRST TIME. AND IT'S LIKE A FULL CIRCLE FROM 2016 TO 2026, WHERE YOU ARE NOW GOING TO BE SERVING WITHIN THE TOWNSHIP AS WELL. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, COOKIE, FOR ALL THE YEARS AND REALLY APPRECIATE YOU HELPING US OUT. THANK YOU. OKAY. AND NOW WE'LL GO BACK TO THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED PROGRAM. AT
[8. Township Committee Reports ]
THIS POINT, TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE REPORTS. AND WE WILL START WITH COMMITTEEMAN HERRING. NO REPORTS YET. NO REPORTS YET. OKAY. AND THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO COMMITTEEMAN MARTIN. ALRIGHT, SO I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THE AUGUST 1ST PROPERTY TAX BILL. YOU MAY HAVE SEEN IT AT THE E-BULLETIN. AND I DON'T KNOW IF LAURIE WAS GOING TO GO INTO THIS, BUT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE COUNTY IS ALWAYS A LITTLE A LITTLE SLOW IN GETTING US THE EXACT AMOUNT. AND BECAUSE OF FOR VARIOUS REASONS, IT'S NOT KNOWN WHAT THAT EXACT AMOUNT IS. SO FOR, YOU KNOW, RESIDENTS WHO ARE LOOKING TO PAY THEIR PROPERTY TAX BILL BY AUGUST 1ST, IT WAS DELAYED THAT IT. THAT IS NOW DUE ON SEPTEMBER 2ND. AND I BELIEVE IT'S BEEN 2 OR 3 DAYS NOW SINCE THE. THAT AMOUNT HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, AND ENTERED AND, AND I THINK I PAID MINE TODAY OR YESTERDAY. SO JUST WANTED TO, TO, TO BRING THAT UP BECAUSE IF YOU ARE AUTO ENROLLED AND YOU PULL UP YOUR ACCOUNT, YOU MAY SEE A NOTE THAT SAYS YOUR BILL IS PAST DUE BECAUSE IT'S PAST AUGUST 1ST. THAT'S THE WAY THE SYSTEM WORKS. BUT IN FACT, IT'S NOT DUE UNTIL SEPTEMBER 2ND.YOU WON'T BE CHARGED. YOU KNOW, A LATE FEE LIKE LIKE I USUALLY AM, BECAUSE I USUALLY WAIT UNTIL I RECEIVE SOMETHING IN THE MAIL TWO WEEKS LATER AND I PAY $100 LATE FEE. SO ANYWAY, MAYBE THAT'S WHY I'M SO FOCUSED ON THIS. THE PERMIT SURVEY, THE PERMIT SURVEY IS NOW LIVE. IT'S I JUST SAW THE LINK AT THE BULLETIN. THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT WAY TO GATHER
[01:05:02]
INFORMATION ABOUT ANY KIND OF, YOU KNOW, NEED RELATED TO REQUIRING ELECTRICAL PERMIT, A BUILDING PERMIT, WHATEVER IT MAY BE. AND INVITATIONS WILL BE GOING OUT TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE SOUGHT THOSE PERMITS IN THE PAST. IF FOR SOME REASON YOU HAVE SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT TO SHARE AND YOU DO NOT RECEIVE AN INVITATION, JUST REACH OUT TO ONE OF US. REACH OUT TO MYSELF, CAN GO TO THE THE COMMITTEE TOWNSHIP WEBSITE AND SEND ME AN EMAIL. EXPLAIN YOUR SITUATION AND WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT THE THE SURVEY IS LINK IS IS PASSED OVER TO YOU AND YOU'RE ELIGIBLE TO TO PARTICIPATE. EV VEHICLE SHOW AND TELL SATURDAY FROM 10 TO 1 AUGUST 29TH. SO COMING UP IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS, THERE WILL BE IN OUR, OUR ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION IS SPONSORING A SHOW AND TELL. FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN, IN ELECTRICAL VEHICLES. AND THERE WILL BE. WE HAVE KATHY LYNCH HERE FROM OUR ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, WHO I KNOW KNOWS A LOT ABOUT THIS. I SAW THAT THERE ARE SOME SPECIFIC ELECTRICAL VEHICLE MODELS THAT ARE PLANNED TO BE THERE, LIKE THE RIVIAN R ONE. I MIGHT COME JUST FOR TO CHECK THAT OUT. JUST SO THOSE ARE THOSE SEEM TO BE REALLY INTERESTING. AND FIAT 500 E TESLA MODEL THREE. SO AS WELL, THERE'LL BE INDIVIDUALS WHO CAN ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT IT'S LIKE TO HAVE AN ELECTRICAL VEHICLE AND, YOU KNOW, QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE ABOUT CHARGING OR WHATEVER. UNITY TREE MURAL PROJECT I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT COMING UP HERE JUST IN A FEW DAYS, AUGUST 12TH IN THE EVENING, 530 TO 7. THIS IS THE LAST OF FOUR SCHEDULED TILE PAINTING EVENTS FOR THE UNITY TREE. IT'S NOT HAPPENING, BUT WE'RE HAVING UNITY TREE. WE'LL LET THE ADMINISTRATOR. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. WELL, LET'S LET LORI LORI ADDRESS THAT. I GUESS THAT THAT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN DOWN FROM THE YES WEBSITE AND. OKAY. THANK YOU. JUST THAT IT'S IT'S AT CAPACITY. SO WE'RE, WE, I WAS GOING TO ANNOUNCE THE ADDITIONAL DATES. OKAY. SO WE'LL WAIT FOR THE. ALL RIGHT. VERY GOOD, VERY GOOD. AND THEN FINALLY, I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE PROPERTY TAX RELIEF EVENT HAPPENING ON AUGUST 19TH RIGHT HERE IN THIS BUILDING FROM 2 TO 5. AND YOU'RE IN YOUR IN NINA WILL GET TO IT AND SEE, USUALLY I DON'T GIVE MUCH OF THIS KIND OF THING. AND THEN NINA ALWAYS TAKES CARE OF IT. SO ANYWAY, I'LL LET, I'LL LET HER GO INTO IT FURTHER. BUT YOU KNOW, THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS FOR PEOPLE FOR TAX RELIEF ARE REALLY IMPORTANT. IT'S GREAT TO THESE ARE HUGE EVENTS. THESE BASICALLY, THERE'LL BE SOMEBODY TO WALK YOU THROUGH HOW TO FILL OUT THE FORM, YOU KNOW, THEIR, THEIR INCOME, PEOPLE WHO CAN QUALIFY BASED ON INCOME. PEOPLE CAN QUALIFY ON THE BASIS OF BEING A SENIOR, SO OR, OR BEING DISABLED. SO CHECK THAT OUT. IF YOU THINK YOU MIGHT, YOU MIGHT WANT TO GET SOME TAX RELIEF FROM STATE OFFICIALS. THANK YOU, MISS MARTIN. I FIRST OF ALL WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT AUGUST 7TH IS NATIONAL PURPLE HEART DAY. AND AS WE JUST HAD, COMMITTEEMAN BERRIGAN. WELL, DEPUTY MAYOR BERRIGAN RATHER LEAVE THE TOWNSHIP. THIS IS USUALLY SOMETHING THAT HE WOULD BRING UP. SO NATIONAL PURPLE HEART DAY, AUGUST 7TH, IS A DAY OF REMEMBRANCE TO HONOR THE BRAVE SERVICE MEMBERS WHO WERE WOUNDED OR MADE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE IN DEFENSE OF OUR NATION. REMEMBER THE EXTRAORDINARY COURAGE AND EXPRESS OUR DEEPEST GRATITUDE FOR THEIR SERVICES. THE RECENT EVENTS THAT WE HAD IN TOWN WAS A NEW BUSINESS OPENING RIBBON CUTTING JULY 28TH FOR HERE AGAIN AMERICA IN BELLE MEADE. AND I ENCOURAGE OUR RESIDENTS TO SUPPORT OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES. WE JUST HAD A FREE YOGA PARK EVENT ON AUGUST 2ND, AND THIS WAS IN COLLABORATION WITH FREE LIVING YOGA AND THE MAYOR'S WELLNESS. I BELIEVE WE HAD OVER 40 PEOPLE THERE, WHICH WAS REALLY GOOD FOR AN 8 A.M. YOGA CLASS. AND WE HAVE A NEXT MONTH COMING WITH ANOTHER BUSINESS COLLABORATION. I THINK IT'S PILATES WITH WHAT'S THE NAME OF THE CLUB? PILATES. I'M SORRY. THANK YOU. LISA. IT'S CLUB PILATES. IT'S ANOTHER BUSINESS IN TOWN AND WE'LL HAVE FREE PILATES ON SUNDAY, AUGUST 9TH AT VETERANS PARK, AGAIN AT 8 A.M. TO 9 A.M. THIS IS PART OF OUR MAYOR'S WELLNESS CAMPAIGN, BUT ALSO AN EFFORT TO SUPPORT OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES SO THEY GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A SESSION AND HAVE RESIDENTS COME AND REALIZE, WELL, THIS IS A GREAT THING. MAYBE I WANT TO JOIN THE CLUB OR THE CLASS. AS COMMITTEEMAN MARTIN MENTIONED, THE MOSAIC TILE PAINTING EVENT ARE ALL HAPPENING, AND AT THIS POINT THE AUGUST 12TH IS FULLY BOOKED AND LORI WILL GO INTO SOME FURTHER DATES FOR THAT. WE.THE BIG THING THAT'S HAPPENING FOR IS THE NEVIUS BOULEVARD AND VILLAGE DRIVE LOOP ROAD OPENING, WHICH WILL HAPPEN ON MONDAY THE 10TH. AND AT THIS POINT WE ARE THINKING AT 11 A.M. ARE WE STICKING WITH THE 11 VILLAGE DRIVE WILL OFFICIALLY OPEN ON MONDAY. OKAY. AND NEVIUS IS
[01:10:05]
OPENING ON FRIDAY ON THIS FRIDAY. OKAY, SO NEVIUS ON FRIDAY AND VILLAGE WOULD BE ON THE 10TH AND WHICH IS MONDAY. AND THEN AS COMMITTEEMAN MARTIN STARTED GETTING INTO THE PROPERTY TAX RELIEF FILING ASSISTANCE EVENT. THIS IS RUN BY OUR CFO AND THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT. THIS IS ON WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19TH, 2 TO 5 P.M. AT THE MUNICIPAL BUILDING.AND THIS IS IN COLLABORATION WITH THE NEW JERSEY DIVISION OF TAXATION AND THE SOMERSET COUNTY OFFICE ON AGING AND DISABILITY, THE STATE ASSEMBLY OFFICE AND MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP HEALTH DEPARTMENT WILL BE PRESENT TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ON RESOURCES AND SUPPORT FOR OUR SENIORS. MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT WILL ALSO BE ON ON SITE PROVIDING INFORMATION ON PROTECTION FROM CYBER ATTACKS. BECAUSE THERE IS AN EVENT, WE ARE PLANNING, THE. THE IT DEPARTMENT AND THE PD ARE PLANNING AN EVENT ON CYBER SECURITY, WHICH HAS ACTUALLY BECOME REALLY SOMETHING DIFFICULT FOR THE TOWNSHIP SENIORS. THERE IS, AS WE ALL KNOW, THERE'S SCAMS ALL OVER AND. AND WE HAVE HEARD, UNFORTUNATELY, THAT PEOPLE HAVE LOST THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS WITH THESE SCAMS. SO THIS IS AN INFORMATION. AND HELPING SENIORS WALK THEM THROUGH SOME OF SOME OF THE SCAMS. SO TO PROTECT OUR SENIOR RESIDENTS AND THEN OF COURSE, RECORD DEPARTMENT, MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP MOVIE NIGHT IS THURSDAY, AUGUST 20TH, MILLPOND. AND THE MOVIE WILL BEGIN AT 815. THEN THE LAST THING WE WILL BE DOING IN AUGUST WOULD BE FREE YOGA IN THE PARK AGAIN WITH FREE LIVING, YOGA COLLABORATION. AND THAT'S AUGUST 23RD AGAIN AT THE VETERANS PARK, AGAIN AT AN 8 A.M. AND I ENCOURAGE ALL OUR RESIDENTS TO TRY AND DO A MORNING YOGA OR A MORNING PILATES. IT'S ALL GOOD. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND AT THIS POINT, WE WILL MOVE TO THE
[9. Administrator’s Report]
ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT SO SHE CAN ACTUALLY TELL US THE NEW DATES FOR THE UNITY TREE. SURE.SO TO DATE, WE HAVE ABOUT 200 OF THE 600 TILES PAINTED. WONDERFUL. BEEN HAVING A GREAT TURNOUT. I WE MENTIONED OOPS, STUDIO PAINTING STUDIO HAD VOLUNTEERED TO HOST THE PAINTING EVENT. SO THAT 812 IS AT CAPACITY, BUT THEY HAVE AGREED TO HOST ANOTHER EVENT ON SEPTEMBER 10TH, WHICH WE WILL ADVERTISE. THAT'S 530 TO 7 P.M. AND WE PUT OUT A CALL TO THE COMMUNITY TO REALLY SEE IF ANYBODY ELSE IS INTERESTED IN HOSTING. AND WE HAD THE LOCAL NONPROFIT, HEALTHY MIND HEALTHY BODY, AND THEY WILL BE HOSTING ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 5TH FROM 11 TO 1 HERE IN THE LIBRARY PROGRAM ROOM, RIGHT WHEN THE THE FARMERS MARKET IS HAPPENING AS WELL. AND THAT WILL BE OPEN TO EVERYONE. AND ACTUALLY, WE HAD A GROUP OF RECENT HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES REACH OUT AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE GATHERING HERE TOMORROW TO PAINT TILES TO SORT OF LEAVE A LITTLE BIT OF THEMSELVES IN TOWN BEFORE THEY ALL HEAD OUT. SO THAT'S GREAT IDEA. SO PEOPLE ARE GATHERING. IT REALLY IS KIND OF A COMMUNITY EXPERIENCE IN THE PAINTING. SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. AND WE ARE LOOKING INTO ADDING A THIRD DATE OPEN TO THE COMMUNITY AND MORE TO COME ON THAT. SO WE'RE JUST WORKING ON THAT. I SHOULD PROBABLY HAVE THAT DATE TOMORROW. THANK YOU. SO STAY TUNED FOR THAT. WE HAVE SOME GOOD NEWS. WE RECEIVED AN AWARD FROM THE SUPPORTIVE HOUSING ASSOCIATION OF NEW JERSEY. YES, FOR ONE OF OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS. THE PROJECT IS A SIX BED GROUP HOME FOR MEDICAL ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES, BUT EXTREME MEDICAL NEEDS THAT THEY HAVE.
WE'VE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT IN THE PAST. IT'S PART OF OUR THIRD ROUND PLAN, ACTUALLY. ALLIES INC IS THE DEVELOPER. THEY'RE A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION. AND THEY, THEY SERVICE AN INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES. AND THEN THEY SPECIALIZE ALSO IN, IN THESE MEDICAL NEED HOMES. AND SO IT'S ACTUALLY A PROJECT THAT DATES BACK TO 2010. SO THESE PROJECTS DO TAKE SOME TIME. ACTIONS HAVE BEEN TAKEN BACK IN 2010. AND THEN OVER THE YEARS, SOME THINGS THAT HAPPENED, WE HAD SUBDIVIDED THE PROPERTY ALLIES INC, THE NONPROFIT, HAD THE LAND AND THE HOUSE. THE HOUSE WASN'T ABLE TO BE REUSED, BUT THEY GOT APPROVAL TO PUT UP A NEW HOUSE. IT MEETS THE NEEDS THAT THEY HAVE. THEY WERE HAVING AS AN ORGANIZATION. YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE PROJECTS GET VERY DIFFICULT AND TRICKY WITH PIECING TOGETHER THE FINANCING. TYPICALLY, THERE ARE FOUR BEDROOMS, AND WE WERE ADVOCATING TO HAVE AS MANY BEDROOMS AS POSSIBLE. WE GET ONE BEDROOM PER WE GET ONE CREDIT PER BEDROOM. SO THERE WAS SOME TIME WITH THE STATE AGENCIES TO GET THAT APPROVED. AND THEN THEY BROUGHT IN A GROUP CALLED MONARCH HOUSING ASSOCIATES. AND THAT REALLY WHEN WHEN THEY BROUGHT THEM ON
[01:15:03]
TO KIND OF HELP THEM BUILD THE CAPACITY THEY NEEDED TO KIND OF GO THROUGH SOME OF THE CHALLENGES AND HURDLES WITH THE FINANCING AND ALL OF THE PERMITTING, AND NOT SO MUCH PERMITTING, PERMITTING. IT'S I EXTENSIONS WITH THE OTHER AGENCY APPROVALS THAT REALLY KIND OF TURNED THINGS AROUND. AND SO THE AWARD IS RECOGNIZING, I THINK THEY PICK ONE MUNICIPALITY A YEAR, AND IT'S GRANTED TO A MUNICIPALITY THAT HAS DEMONSTRATED LEADERSHIP AND COMMITMENT IN PRIORITIZING AND DEVELOPING AFFORDABLE AND SUPPORTIVE HOUSING WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITY. SO WE'LL RECEIVE THAT IN NOVEMBER. WE'RE VERY EXCITED. I THINK SOME OF THE STAFF WERE WERE VERY EXCITED. YOU KNOW, IT IS ABSOLUTELY. WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THE PROJECT FOR A LONG TIME. GOOD CELEBRATION. YES. AND SO WE'RE WE'RE I LET SHERRY KNOW SHE'LL BE RETIRED BY THEN THAT SHE DEFINITELY SHE HAS TO COME BACK, HAS TO COME BACK AND HELP AND TO BE RECOGNIZED FOR THAT WORK, A PROJECT THAT WE WERE WORKING ON THIS WEEK. I'M SORRY. THIS PAST MONTH ON COUNTY 601, JUST AT THE CSX RAIL CROSSING UP BY GIBRALTAR. THERE'S PERIODICALLY A VERY DEEP POTHOLE THAT EXISTS THERE. AND WE WERE, YOU KNOW, WORKING WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS ON TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, YOU KNOW, WHY IS THIS A PERENNIAL ISSUE? OBVIOUSLY, IT'S DUE TO THE TRUCK TRAFFIC THAT COMES IN AND OUT THERE. WE WORKING WITH SOMERSET COUNTY, IT'S THEIR ROADWAY. THEY COME OUT AND DO AN EMERGENCY PATCH. OBVIOUSLY WE NEED A MORE PERMANENT FIX THERE. THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF, YOU KNOW, WHO'S WHOSE ISSUE IS IT GIBRALTAR, CSX, THE COUNTY.SO WE'VE REQUESTED A MEETING WITH THE COUNTY FOR THEM TO GIVE US A FULL UPDATE ON HOW TO GET THIS PERMANENTLY RESOLVED, BECAUSE THE EMERGENCY PATCHES ARE, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY'RE NOT DONE IN EXACTLY THE RIGHT TIME, THEN IT'S REALLY A SAFETY HAZARD OUT THERE. AND I DO WANT TO THANK DIRECTOR COMMISSIONER CHANEL ROBINSON AND DIRECTOR DEPUTY DIRECTOR PAUL DRAKE.
THEY REACHED OUT TO US AS SOON AS WE REACHED OUT TO THEM. AND OF COURSE, THE SOMERSET COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR. RIGHT. AND WE DID RECEIVE AN UPDATE FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ABOUT THE TRUCK WEIGHT CHECKPOINT THAT WILL BE COMING SOON. WE DO NOT, YOU KNOW, MUNICIPAL AUTHORITIES DO NOT HAVE THE ENFORCEMENT FOR THE THE THE TRUCK WEIGHTS, BUT THE STATE POLICE, STATE POLICE.
SO THROUGH OUR PD, THEY SCHEDULE THAT TO HAVE THE STATE POLICE COME OUT. AND THAT WILL BE COMING UP SOON. SO REALLY, IT'S IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE WE STAY FOCUSED ON THE ENFORCEMENT WITH GIBRALTAR, THOSE TRUCKS THAT ARE COMING OUT, ESPECIALLY THE OVERWEIGHT ONES THAT ARE REALLY NOT HELPING WITH PLAN FOR HEALTH TEAM. THAT'S A MADE UP OF VOLUNTEERS IN THE COMMUNITY. I WAS GOING TO SAY TO CARRIE ANNE, ONE OF HER BOARD OF HEALTH MEMBERS. YEAH, SHE JUST LEFT OUT. IT ALWAYS HAPPENS WHEN I LOOK UP, HAS MET THE MAP IS BEEN PROMOTED. IT IS OPEN UNTIL THE END OF THE MONTH. AND IT IS A MAP BASED SURVEY WHERE YOU CAN IDENTIFY IN THE MUNICIPALITY ANY ISSUES THAT YOU HAVE WITH ROADS OR PARKS, SIDEWALKS, MISSING SIDEWALKS, THINGS LIKE THAT. IT WILL ALL FEED INTO THE UPDATE OF THE MASTER PLAN. AND THE GROUP IS ALSO WORKING ON ROLLING OUT A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PLAN FOR LEADING UP TO THE REEXAMINATION OF THE MASTER PLAN, AND THERE'LL BE AN ADDITIONAL SURVEY OF QUESTIONS THAT THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING ON. THEY JUST MET THE OTHER NIGHT, AND I THINK IT'LL BE FINALIZED THIS THIS FRIDAY. SO WE'LL BE RELEASING THAT. AND THEY'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO BE GOING OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND DOING THAT AND, AND ENGAGING ONE ON ONE AND, AND, AND DOING IT. SO THAT'S, THAT'S FANTASTIC. DO WE HAVE THE NAMES OF EVERYBODY ON PLAN FOR HEALTH ON OUR WEBSITE JUST SO I'LL HAVE TO CHECK. YEAH, I, IT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE CAN JUST HAVE. YEAH. PLAN FOR HEALTH BECAUSE IT WOULD BE GREAT. THESE ARE ALL MEMBERS IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO ARE GIVING UP THEIR TIME. THEY'RE LOOKING AT EVEN OUR TRANSPORTATION SURVEY BECAUSE AGAIN, AS WE WERE CALLED, THE TRANSPORTATION DESERT OF OF NEW JERSEY. SO THEY'RE ALSO LOOKING RELOOKING AT THE TRANSPORTATION SURVEY. SO WE'LL HAVE A BETTER IDEA COMING IN FROM THEM. AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE A COUPLE OF PHYSICIANS AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ON THAT WHO ARE REALLY AND AN ARCHITECT, I BELIEVE, AS WELL, THE PERMIT SATISFACTION SURVEY THAT IS NOW LIVE. IT WENT TO 1023 EMAIL ADDRESSES THROUGH THE GOV PILOT PROGRAM. AND THEN WE ALSO INCLUDED THE LINK ON THE E-BULLETIN, AND WE'LL BE PROMOTING THAT THROUGH OUR OTHER OFFICIAL COMMUNICATION CHANNELS. RESTAURANT WEEK IS COMING UP IN SEPTEMBER. I DON'T HAVE THE DATES IN FRONT OF ME. I THINK IT'S MID SEPTEMBER, MID TOWARD THE END OF SEPTEMBER FEELS REALLY FAST, BUT 14 THROUGH 20, WHAT IS IT? THERE WE GO. 14 THROUGH THE 2014
[01:20:04]
THROUGH THE 20TH. AND WE HAVE WE DON'T HAVE DENNIS. WE DON'T HAVE COMMITTEE ON. OTHERWISE HE'D BE LIKE, DO MY BEST. LET ME GIVE YOU THE EDC UPDATE. AND SO WE HAVE SIX, SIX RESTAURANTS CONFIRMED. AND SO THEY'LL BE WORKING. AND OUR NEW COHORT OF YOUTH LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE, SOME OF THEM HAVE ALREADY STARTED AHEAD OF TIME. AND THEY'RE WORKING ON RESTAURANT WEEK WITH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION AND STAFF. THAT'S WONDERFUL. WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT. ANOTHER EXCITING PROJECT, OUR DETENTION BASIN RETROFIT PROJECT. WE HAVE TWO THAT WILL BE DOING. THE FIRST ONE HAS STARTED. IT'S FUNDED BY A GRANT FROM DEP.IT'S A CAP, BRIER AND BOYSENBERRY. BOYSENBERRY IS A STREET OFF OF RIVER ROAD, CLOSER TO BELLE MEAD GRIGGSTOWN ROAD, WHERE THAT INTERSECTION IS. AND SO WE IDENTIFIED MUNICIPAL BASINS THAT WERE AGING, OUTDATED, WEREN'T WEREN'T FUNCTIONING TO THE THE CAPACITY OF WATER QUALITY AND WATER QUANTITY THAT WE WOULD LIKE, ESPECIALLY IN TERMS OF OUR NEW WASTEWATER IMPROVEMENT PLAN THAT WE'RE WORKING ON. AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO GET THIS DEP GRANT, WHICH IS, IS FANTASTIC BECAUSE THESE ARE NOT CHEAP, CHEAP, EASY. YEAH. BUT WE IT IS ONE OF OUR, ONE OF OUR APPROACHES TO ADDRESSING THE FLOODING ISSUE IN MONTGOMERY. I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S A MANY, MANY DIFFERENT APPROACHES WE WILL NEED TO TAKE. IT'S ONE OF MANY.
BUT THAT PEOPLE MAY BE DRIVING BY AND WONDER WHAT IS GOING ON, WHY ARE THEY MOVING ALL OF THAT DIRT? WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN? EVERYONE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THERE HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. THERE WAS A COMMUNITY MEETING ABOUT IT WITH THE STAFF AND THINGS LIKE THAT. BUT IN CASE PEOPLE ARE DRIVING BY, IT'S ON RIVER ROAD, AND ONE OF THE REASONS WE PICKED THAT BASIN WAS BECAUSE IT IS SO VISIBLE, BECAUSE WE WANT PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO SEE THIS WORK IN PROGRESS. AND FOR OTHER MUNICIPALITIES, I KNEW NEW JERSEY AMERICAN WATER HAD FUNDED SEVERAL IN ACROSS THE RIVER IN FRANKLIN, WHERE THEY WERE HAVING SOME SEDIMENT ISSUES INTO THE THE CANAL WHERE THEY PULL WATER FROM FOR DRINKING WATER FOR NORTH BRUNSWICK. THAT THIS HAS REALLY HELPED, HELPED THEM. AND SO WE WERE WE LOOK FORWARD TO THAT, RIGHT? YES. AND WE HAD OUR SECOND MEETING WITH RESIDENTS FROM HARLINGEN VILLAGE ON JULY 15TH TO DISCUSS HOW WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A PLAN TO HAVE THEM CONNECT TO SEWER. YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE SMALLER LOTS WITH WITH SEPTIC SYSTEMS. TOWNSHIP DOES SUPPORT TRYING TO GET THEM HOOKED UP TO SEWER. AND SO WE MEET, WE'RE TRYING TO MEET EVERY MONTH WITH THEM JUST TO SEE. WE'RE LOOKING FOR A GRANT TO HELP FUND THE STUDY THAT WOULD BE DONE TO HELP CONNECT THEM. I THINK COMING TO ME ON, AND I MET THEM AT ONE POINT, AND I THINK YOU WERE THE FIRST MEETING, RIGHT.
AND THE GRANT IS A GREAT IDEA TO HELP THEM OUT, BECAUSE THESE ARE RESIDENTS WHO HAVE LIVED IN THOSE HOMES FOR A VERY LONG TIME. AND FINANCIALLY, IT'S REALLY TOUGH. AND AS PART OF THE PEDESTRIAN SAFETY INITIATIVE, WE ARE STARTING A PILOT PROGRAM TO LOOK AT HOW TO ADDRESS OBSTRUCTIONS IN THE SIDEWALK. WE'RE ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO WALK. WE HAVE A LOT OF SIDEWALKS THROUGHOUT TOWN, AND NOW WE HAVE LOW HANGING BRANCHES OVER THE SIDEWALKS, AND PEOPLE ARE HAVING TO MANEUVER AROUND THEM. OH, ACTUALLY, THEY END UP WALKING ON THE ON THE STREET, WHICH IS, YEAH, WORSE, WHICH DOESN'T HELP. SO WE HAVE SOME INTERNS THIS SUMMER AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE WORKING ON IT. WE HAVE YOUTH LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
THEY'RE GOING TO BE WORKING ON IT IN THE FALL, AND WE'RE GOING TO TIE THAT IN WITH PROMOTING AN APP THAT WE HAVE THROUGH OUR GOV PILOT, WHICH IS CALLED GOV ALERT. AND IT'S A MOBILE APP WHERE YOU CAN BE ANYWHERE IN TOWN, AND IT'S GEOCODING WHERE YOU ARE TO REPORT A CONCERN.
AND IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE TREE RELATED OR SIDEWALK RELATED. IT COULD BE POTHOLE, IT COULD BE SOMETHING THAT YOU SEE IN A PARK. AND SO IT'S A HIDDEN GEM THAT WE HAVE. AND ACTUALLY, COMMITTEEMAN MARTIN AND I WERE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO MORE WIDELY ADVERTISE THIS GREAT SERVICE THAT WE, WE OFFER. WE'LL, WE'LL DEFINITELY BRING THAT UP IN COMMUNICATIONS. YEP.
AND THAT IS IT FOR ME TONIGHT. OKAY. WELL THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE LEGAL UPDATE? I AM GOING TO PASS FOR TONIGHT. OKAY. WELL THAT'S SO AT THIS POINT WE WILL OPEN UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
[11. 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 TO ADDRESS THE TOWNSHIP? PLEASE COME ON DOWN. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY. BUREN TOWNSHIP COUNCIL MEMBER. SO I[01:25:06]
WANT TO THANK THE POLICE OFFICERS FOR PROVIDING THE INSIGHT ON THE FOX SYSTEM. DID NOT KNOW THAT WE HAD THAT. SO GOOD TO JUST KNOW. SO THANKS FOR SHARING. THE QUESTION I HAVE IS ONE ON AUDITS. WHAT'S THE. I SORT OF MAY HAVE MISSED IT. WHAT'S THE PERCENTAGE? THEY'RE AUDITED. THE QUERIES THAT ARE AUDITED. AND IS IT DONE INTERNALLY VERSUS BY THE STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL VERSUS THE POLICE? CAN YOU JUST PROVIDE THAT INSIGHT TO ME, PLEASE? WHAT WE USUALLY DO FOR PUBLIC COMMENT IS YOUR QUESTION. YES. YOUR QUESTION WILL BE TAKEN. AND THEN WE WILL HAVE THE OKAY, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT REACH BACK OUT AND GIVE GIVE YOU AN ANSWER. GREAT. THANK YOU. SO THAT WAS MY QUESTION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ANYONE ELSE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? ELISA, YOU WILL WRITE THAT DOWN AND WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT THE PD GETS BACK TO. MR. YEAH, DOCTOR. SO YEAH. 8238 SKILLMAN ROAD. HELLO, MEMBERS OF THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE. AND FOR THE FIRST TIME, HELLO, DOUGLAS HERRING, CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR APPOINTMENT. I WASN'T ABLE TO MAKE THE LAST COMMITTEE MEETING. I AM A VOLUNTEER WITH VOTER CHOICE NEW JERSEY. WE ARE A NONPARTISAN GROUP ADVOCATING FOR THE ADOPTION OF RANKED CHOICE VOTING AT THE MUNICIPAL LEVEL AND SCHOOL BOARD LEVEL. I'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW, MAKING A NUMBER OF APPEARANCES AT TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE MEETINGS. A FEW WEEKS AGO, WE HAD A PUBLIC PRESENTATION TO THE TOWN ON THE SUBJECT OF GETTING RANKED CHOICE VOTING ADOPTED IN THE TOWNSHIP, SEPARATE TO ME. I RECENTLY LEARNED THAT THERE'S A GROUP OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WORKING UNDER THE BANNER OF BETTER BALLOT INITIATIVE THAT WILL BE ADVOCATING TO THE MONTGOMERY SCHOOL BOARD IN THE COMING WEEKS. I HEARD THAT YOU SPENT SOME TIME IN LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA. IS THAT CORRECT? ACTUALLY, WE DON'T USE THE TOWNSHIP, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC COMMENT FOR A BACK AND FORTH. BUT IF IF YOU WANTED TO, WE COULD, YOU KNOW, HAVE YOU REACH OUT TO COMMITTEEMAN HERRING IF AND YOU CAN DEFINITELY HAVE A CONVERSATION, HIS EMAIL SHOULD BE ON THE WEBSITE. I THINK HE'S JUST GOING TO TALK ABOUT LOS ANGELES ADOPTING RANKED CHOICE VOTING. OH, I MEAN, YOU CAN CONTINUE. YEAH. BUT JUST FAMILIAR. YEAH. NO, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE VERY CLEAR THAT WHEN WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT, IT'S A COMMENT. AND THEN AT THAT POINT, IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING, SOME FOLLOW THROUGH, WE JUST WILL HAVE OUR TOWNSHIP CLERK. YOU CAN LEAVE YOUR NAME WITH HER AND YOUR QUESTION AND SHE WILL CIRCLE BACK TO YOU.YES, SIR. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. WELL, THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. APPRECIATE IT. OKAY. AND OH, ANY MORE COMMENTS? YES, WE HAVE ONE MORE. YEAH. IT'S THE BEST FOR THE LAST. FOR LAST.
YEAH. OKAY. KATHY WITH A K LYNCH. LYNCH. A MEMBER OF THE MONTGOMERY ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION. AND IN LIGHT OF THE TOWNSHIP'S NEED FOR REVENUE AND OR COST SAVINGS, I'M HERE TONIGHT TO SPEAK ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION'S SUPPORT FOR A SOLAR INITIATIVE IN OUR TOWNSHIP. IT'S BEEN ONE OF THE AGENDA ITEMS FOR THE ENTIRE TIME I'VE SERVED, WHICH IS ABOUT FIVE YEARS NOW. IT'S DISAPPOINTING THAT THE EFFORTS THAT WENT INTO MAKING SURE THE ROOF OF THIS BUILDING WAS SOLAR READY CANNOT BE CAPITALIZED ON. AND WE'RE AWARE OF THE VARIOUS REASONS THERE'S SOME LEAK LEAKING ISSUES. AND ALSO WE LEARN FROM THE PRESENTATION. I LEARNED IN MARCH THAT THE PSENG CIRCUIT RESTRICTIONS CAN LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF ELECTRICITY THAT COULD BE EXPORTED FROM THE ZONE. SO WE ENCOURAGE THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE TO PROCEED WITH AN ALTERNATIVE PLAN SUGGESTED BY THE CONSULTANT, ONE THAT OUR LIAISON, MIKE MARTIN, DISCUSSED WITH US. IT WOULD INCLUDE A CARPORT ARRAY IN THE BACK OF THE BUILDING. WOULD WOULD PROVIDE SUN AND SNOW PROTECTION FOR OUR POLICE VEHICLES, AS WELL AS INSTALLATIONS AT THREE OF THE SEWAGE TREATMENT SITES. TOGETHER, THEY WOULD GENERATE CONSIDERABLY LESS ELECTRICITY THAN WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY ENVISIONED, BUT AT LEAST IT WOULD BE A START. IT'S OUR OPINION THAT MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP CAN SERVE AS A ROLE MODEL IN USING AS MUCH CLEAN ENERGY AS POSSIBLE, WITH FOSSIL FUEL BURNING ENERGY SOURCES INCREASING IN COST. WHILE THE COST OF SOLAR IS DRAMATICALLY DECREASING. IT'S A SMART ECONOMIC DECISION, BUT IT'S ALSO A WAY TO SLOW THE ACCELERATION OF CLIMATE CHANGE, WHICH COMES WITH MATERIAL AND HUMAN COSTS AND WILL ONLY CONTINUE TO DO SO. SO LET'S TAKE THIS STEP SOONER RATHER THAN LATER. AND FOR RESIDENTS WHO WANT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF COST SAVINGS AND HELP WITH OUR TRANSITION TO CLEAN ENERGY BUT DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES, FOR EXAMPLE, ACCESS, ROOF ACCESS OR FUNDS TO COVER UPFRONT COSTS FOR A FULL SOLAR ARRAY. THERE'S SOMETHING CALLED BALCONY SOLAR.
[01:30:06]
IT'S A RELATIVELY SIMPLE PLUG IN SOLUTION, VERY RELATIVELY INEXPENSIVE, CAN BE USED IN CREATIVE PLACES AND WAYS, AND COVER 10 TO 30% OF ELECTRICITY NEEDS, DEPENDING ON THE LOCATION. SO IF AN ORDINANCE IS REQUIRED TO ALLOW IT, WE ASK THE TC TO TAKE THAT UNDER CONSIDERATION. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR THANK YOU AND ATTENTION. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING IN. WE APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. SO NOW, OKAY, I'M KATHY LYNCH, AND I'M HERE TONIGHT SPEAKING AS A RESIDENT. I THINK YOUR THREE MINUTES. OKAY. GO AHEAD. I WAITED ALL THIS TIME BECAUSE I HAD I DIDN'T KNOW THAT I JUST CAME TO MAKE THAT COMMENT. I DIDN'T KNOW THAT THE FLOCK PRESENTATION WAS HAPPENING AND I WAS VERY GLAD I WAS HERE. I'D HEARD SIMILAR SOUNDS LIKE SOME OF THE SAME RUMORS THAT OTHERS HAVE HEARD, OR CONCERNS THAT LED ME TO BE CONCERNED. HEARING FROM OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, I AM 0% CONCERNED ABOUT THEM AND THEIR USE OF IT, AND I UNDERSTAND THE BENEFITS. I THINK THE PRICE IS MINIMAL COMPARED TO OTHER COSTS FOR TECHNOLOGY. IT'S NOT THEM. IT'S NOT OUR TOWNSHIP THAT I'M WORRIED ABOUT. I JUST WITH THE TIME I HAD TONIGHT, YOU KNOW, STARTED TO LOOK AROUND A LITTLE BIT. AND I'M JUST GOING TO READ THIS TWO BRIEF PARAGRAPHS. IT ALPR SYSTEMS CREATE DURABLE LOCATION RECORDS ABOUT PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT SUSPECTED OF ANYTHING. EVERY SCAN CAN BECOME PART OF A SEARCHABLE TRAIL. AND ONCE THAT DATA IS COLLECTED, THE RISKS EXPAND THROUGH MISUSE, UNAUTHORIZED SHARING, VENDOR PRACTICES, AND SIMPLE ERRORS. AGAIN, NOTHING TO DO WITH OUR WONDERFUL TOWNSHIP AND OUR EVEN OUR STATE. JUST THIS ONE QUICK REFERENCE AND THEN, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WILL BE MORE FOLLOW UP. THE MISUSE PROBLEM IS AMPLIFIED BY HOW WIDELY THE DATA CAN SPREAD ONCE IT ENTERS THE SYSTEM. ALTON, CALIFORNIA MOUNTAIN VIEW THEY DISABLED THEIR FLOCK CAMERAS AFTER DISCOVERING THAT FLOCK HAD SHARED LICENSE PLATE DATA WITH HUNDREDS OF AGENCIES, INCLUDING FEDERAL ENTITIES, WITHOUT PERMISSION, AND THAT SOME LOOKUP FEATURES HAD BEEN ACTIVATED WITHOUT THE CITY'S INTENT OR KNOWLEDGE. THAT KIND OF UNAUTHORIZED SHARING TURNS A LOCAL SURVEILLANCE TOOL INTO A MUCH BROADER DATA EXCHANGE NETWORK, WITH FAR WEAKER PUBLIC VISIBILITY THAN MOST RESIDENTS WOULD EXPECT. SO AGAIN, IT'S NOT A LOCAL ISSUE. I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE THINGS WITH AI. YOU KNOW, WE JUST DON'T HAVE CONTROL OVER IT. SO I THINK BEING VERY CAREFUL ABOUT HOW IT'S USED. AND ONE OF MY QUESTIONS YOU CAN GET BACK TO ME ABOUT IS WE HAVE SIX CAMERAS NOW AND THE ONE FLEX. ARE THERE PLANS TO GET MORE THAT WOULD OKAY. AND WE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW. SO WE WILL DEFINITELY GET BACK.AND THANK YOU, MISS LYNCH. REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS. AND AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING IN. APPRECIATE IT. OKAY. AND AT THIS POINT, WE WILL BE OH, ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE
[12. Ordinance #26-1780 – An Ordinance of the Township of Montgomery Authorizing the Acquisition by Gift of Property Identified as Block 6001, Lot 33.03 Located off of Proposed Dayflower Drive in the Township of Montgomery – Introduction/First Reading]
PUBLIC? OKAY. ORDINANCES INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING ORDINANCE 26-1780. AN ORDINANCE OF THE TOWNSHIP OF MONTGOMERY AUTHORIZING THE ACQUISITION AND BY GIFT OF PROPERTY IDENTIFIED AS BLOCK 6001, LOT 33.0.03, LOCATED OFF A PROPOSED DAY FLOWER DRIVE IN THE TOWNSHIP OF MONTGOMERY. SO BEFORE I GET INTO THAT, I JUST WANTED TO BRING UP TO THE RESIDENTS THAT OPEN SPACE. WHENEVER WE ARE GETTING A GIFT OR ACQUIRING OPEN SPACE, THAT HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE IS COMMITTED TO. OPEN SPACE IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT PROTECTS OUR FOREST, OUR TREES, CLEAN OUR AIR AND PROVIDE HABITAT FOR LIFE WILDLIFE. THE FORESTS AROUND US SOAK UP THE RAIN WATER. SO TO HELP US WITH FLOODING, AS WE HAVE SEEN, ALL OF THESE, YOU KNOW, OUT OF THE BLUE, STORMS HAVE BEEN BRINGING A LOT OF RAIN. AND FLOODING IS AN ISSUE IN A LOT OF NEW JERSEY. AND OF COURSE, PRESERVING OUR FARMLAND PRESERVES OUR AGRICULTURAL HERITAGE. AND AS WE ALL KNOW, MONTGOMERY DOES HAVE THAT AND PROTECTS OUR LOCAL FOOD SYSTEMS. IT PROTECTS OUR STREAMS, IMPROVES OUR WATER QUALITY, PROTECTS DRINKING WATER SUPPLIES, KEEPS DEVELOPMENT AWAY FROM THE FLOODWAY, PROVIDES RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, PARKS AND PATHWAYS AND BIRD WATCHING, FISHING, ETC. AND IMPROVES PHYSICAL HEALTH AND MENTAL WELL-BEING OF THE COMMUNITY. THIS IS FROM LAUREN MASLOWSKI, WHO IS OUR OPEN SPACE DIRECTOR, BECAUSE EVERY TIME WE HAVE AN ACQUISITION, SOMETIMES WE DO[01:35:04]
GET QUESTIONS FROM OUR RESIDENTS AS TO, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE BUYING ALL OF THIS. AND AGAIN, FINANCIAL AND BUDGET QUESTIONS. SO THIS RESIDENTS NEED TO KNOW THIS IS SOMETHING WE ARE ALL PASSIONATE ABOUT ON THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE. AND IT REALLY DOES HELP OUR CLIMATE AND OUR ENVIRONMENT EVERY TIME WE BUY AND ACQUIRE LAND, EITHER AS A GIFT OR BUY IT. SO AT THIS POINT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A MOTION, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE OF THE TOWNSHIP OF MONTGOMERY, THAT THE FOREGOING ORDINANCE BE HEREBY PASSED ON FIRST READING, AND THE SAME BE PUBLISHED ON THE TOWNSHIP'S WEBSITE IN ACCORDANCE WITH PL 25 C 72, WITH A PUBLIC HEARING AND A VOTE SCHEDULED FOR THE MEETING OF AUGUST 20TH, 2026. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO INTRODUCE ORDINANCE 26-1780. SO MOVED. SECOND. ROLL CALL PLEASE.COMMITTEE MEMBER. HERRING. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. MARTIN. YES. MAYOR. SAYING YES. ORDINANCES.
PUBLIC HEARING. FINAL ADOPTION. THERE ARE NO ORDINANCES FOR FINAL ADOPTION AND RESOLUTION
[14. Resolution #26-8-218 – Extending the Grace Period for the Third Quarter 2026 Property Tax Installment Through September 2, 2026 ]
26-8-218. EXTENDING THE GRACE PERIOD FOR THE THIRD QUARTER 2026 PROPERTY TAX INSTALLMENT THROUGH SEPTEMBER 2ND, 2026. AS WAS DISCUSSED, THIS IS NOW GOING TO BE SEPTEMBER 2ND FOR THE TAXES. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 26-8-218. SO MOVED. SECOND. ROLL CALL PLEASE. COMMITTEE MEMBER. HERRING. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. MARTIN. YES. MAYOR. SAYING. YES.CORRESPONDENCE. THERE IS NO CORRESPONDENCE. NEW AND UNFINISHED BUSINESS. THERE ARE NO MATTERS FOR THE MEETING AGENDA. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. THERE ARE NO ITEMS FOR THE
[18. Resolution #26-8-219 Executive Session]
MEETING AGENDA. RESOLUTION 26-8-218. EXECUTIVE SESSION BE 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 S0A CONTRACT LITIGATION DOCKET NUMBER S0ML15325 AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND THEN MUNICIPAL ACTIONS. 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. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 26-8-219. SO MOVED. SECOND. ROLL CALL PLEASE.
COMMITTEE MEMBER. HERRING. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. M
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.