[CALL TO ORDER]
          [1. Resolution #26-9-227 – Authorizing the Appointment of David Minchello, Esq., Township Attorney ]
          [2. Consent Agenda]
          [00:01:42]
          ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE? MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE CONSENT AGENDA RESOLUTIONS 26-9-228 TO RESOLUTIONS 26-9-234. SO MOVED. SECOND. 
          ROLL CALL PLEASE. COMMITTEE MEMBER. HERRING. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. MARTIN. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. ANN. YES. DEPUTY. MAYOR. TAYLOR. TODD. YES. MAYOR. SINGH. YES. APPROVAL OF MINUTES. MAY I 
          [3. Approval of Minutes ]
HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE REGULAR MEETING MINUTES OF JULY 16TH, 2026. SO MOVED. SECOND. 
          ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE REGULAR MEETING MINUTES OF AUGUST 6TH, 2026? SO MOVED. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE EXECUTIVE SESSION? MEETING MINUTES OF AUGUST 6TH, 2026. SO MOVED. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE REGULAR MEETING MINUTES OF AUGUST 20TH, 2026? SO MOVED. 
          SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ALL. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE EXECUTIVE SESSION? MEETING MINUTES OF AUGUST 20TH, 2026. SO MOVED. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE. RESOLUTION 26-9-235. 
          [4. Resolution #26-9-235 – Payment of Bills ]
PAYMENT OF BILLS. POSTED. YES. MAYOR. ON THIS MEETINGS BILL LIST THE THREE LARGEST BILLS. 
          THE FIRST ONE WILL BE ON PAGE ONE TOWARDS THE BOTTOM. SOMERSET COUNTY TREASURER. THIS IS FOR OUR THIRD QUARTER BILLING FOR RECYCLING. THAT'S $59,649.92. ON THE SECOND PAGE. 
          AGAIN TOWARDS THE BOTTOM, IT IS OUR HEALTH BENEFIT PAYMENT TO CENTRAL JERSEY HEALTH INSURANCE FUND. THIS IS FOR SEPTEMBER $255,192. AND THEN ON PAGE SEVEN. THIS IS FOR $76,298.40. 
          THIS IS ACTUALLY TO THE MONTGOMERY SWIM ACADEMY. IT'S FOR THE FALL SWIM REGISTRATION. 
          BUT AGAIN, THIS IS COMING OUT OF THE RECREATION DEDICATED FUND. SO YOU KNOW, WE RECEIVED THE REGISTRATIONS AND THEN WE PAY THE INSTRUCTORS AND THE ACADEMY FOR THE SERVICES. OKAY. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH. I JUST HAVE A QUICK QUESTION ON I GUESS I'M SEEING THE AMOUNT ON RECYCLING. 
          ACTUALLY, IT'S FOR THE ADMINISTRATOR. WE'VE HAD A LOT OF RESIDENTS COMPLAIN ABOUT THE RECYCLING BINS. HAVE WE HEARD ANYTHING FROM THEM RECENTLY? LORI. NO, I DON'T HAVE AN UPDATE ON THE WHEN THE RECYCLING BINS OR THE ADDITIONAL FOR THE NEW BUCKETS OR THE THE TRUCKS, THE ADDITIONAL TRUCKS THAT THEY NEED. BUT I'LL FOLLOW UP WITH THE COUNTY ON THAT. THANK YOU. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 26-9-235? SO MOVED. 
          SECOND. ROLL CALL PLEASE. COMMITTEE MEMBER. HERRING. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. MARTIN. YES. 
          COMMITTEE MEMBER. ANNE. YES. DEPUTY. MAYOR. TAYLOR. TODD. YES. MAYOR. SINGH. YES. NOW WE 
          [5. Presentation – Financial Update – Chief Financial Officer, Michael Pitts ]
HAVE PRESENTATION. FINANCIAL UPDATE. CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER MICHAEL PITTS. 
          [00:05:32]
OH, THERE WE GO. SHOULD BE FULL SCREEN. OKAY. RIGHT. THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COMMITTEE FOR HAVING ME HERE FOR THE FINANCE UPDATE. AND WE WILL BEGIN TALKING ABOUT OUR OUR REVENUE FOR THE CURRENT FUND. AS OF AUGUST 31ST, 2026, OUR LARGEST REVENUE, AS EVERYONE KNOWS, OUR PROPERTY TAX COLLECTION AS OF THE END OF LAST MONTH, AUGUST 31ST, WE COLLECTED $14,156,382. OF THE 20,270,000 THAT WE HAD BUDGETED FOR OUR MUNICIPAL TAX LEVY. 
          AGAIN, WE COLLECT EVERYONE'S TAXES LIKE WE ALWAYS WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT WHETHER IT'S THE BUDGET PRESENTATION OR WHATNOT. WE COLLECT EVERYBODY'S TAXES, THE, THE SCHOOL, THE COUNTY, THE FIRE DISTRICTS, BUT WE ONLY KEEP OUR PORTION. SO THIS IS OUR PORTION, WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, OUR TAXES. ANOTHER ONE OF OUR REVENUES, LARGER REVENUES IS INTEREST ON INVESTMENTS. AGAIN, WE BUDGETED 1.1 MILLION. WE'RE ALREADY THERE WITH FOUR MONTHS LEFT. SO AGAIN, WE KNEW THAT WE WOULD HAVE A STRONG YEAR JUST LIKE LAST YEAR. AT THE SAME TIME, WE DID NOT WANT TO INCREASE THAT INTEREST ON INVESTMENT BUDGET NUMBER TOO HIGH THIS YEAR BECAUSE WE KNOW EVENTUALLY RATES ARE GOING TO START GOING DOWN. SO LET'S SAY WE RECEIVE 1.5 MILLION THIS YEAR. AND WE HAD AND WE INCREASED THE BUDGET BY TO 1.5 MILLION. EVENTUALLY, WHEN THE RATES GO DOWN AND IT GOES DOWN BACK TO A MILLION OR EVEN LESS, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO REPLACE THAT WITH SOME OTHER REVENUE. WE JUST DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF REVENUE LYING AROUND. SO WE'RE VERY CONSERVATIVE WHEN IT COMES TO INTEREST ON INVESTMENT. WHEN IT COMES TO BUDGETING SURPLUS, JUST ABOUT JUST OVER 5 MILLION. THAT'S DOWN FROM 5.3 MILLION. 
          WE STRATEGICALLY LOWERED IT BECAUSE OF THE DECREASE IN OUR OUR SURPLUS BALANCE. AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT WHEN WE GO INTO THE AUDIT SECTION. SOME OF OUR OTHER LARGER REVENUES, INNER FUNDS. AGAIN, THAT THAT'S RELATED TO THE DEBT COMING OUT OF CAPITAL DEBT, COMING OUT OF OPEN SPACE FEES AND PERMITS. WE'RE 420,000 OUT OF THE 717,000 CONSTRUCTION CODE. I'M GOING TO GET DOWN TO CONSTRUCTION CODE FEES AND PERMITS. AGAIN, THAT'S FROM OUR CONSTRUCTION CODE, RIGHT? VERY BUSY, A LOT GOING ON. WE BUDGETED $1 MILLION. WE'RE ALREADY AT 945,000. AGAIN, WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO GO OVER THAT MILLION DOLLARS. 
          AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANTED. THAT'S WHAT WE EXPECTED. CELL TOWER LEASES. AGAIN, WE BUDGETED 260,000. WE'RE GOING TO GET THAT 260,000 BY THE END OF THE YEAR. SAME WITH STATE AID. THAT 1.5 MILLION WILL RECEIVE IT BY THE END OF THE YEAR. GRANTS. WHATEVER WE BUDGET, WE RECEIVE SHARED SERVICES. SAME THING. WE'LL RECEIVE THAT BY THE END OF THE YEAR. PILOTS. THIS IS FOR MONTGOMERY CROSSINGS. THE 52,000 BUDGETED. WE'VE RECEIVED 27000. THE FIRST TWO QUARTERS DELINQUENT TAXES WERE ON PACE AND THEN MISCELLANEOUS REVENUE. 
          WE CALL THAT MIRNA MISCELLANEOUS REVENUE NOT ANTICIPATED. WE DON'T BUDGET FOR IT, BUT ANYTHING WE RECEIVE AT THE END OF THE DAY LAPSES INTO SURPLUS. SO OUT OF THIS SLIDE, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS WE'VE COLLECTED 79% OF OUR REVENUES THROUGH AUGUST 31ST. 
          SO AGAIN, VERY HEALTHY. I'M HAPPY WHERE WE'RE AT WITH WITH REVENUES. TAX COLLECTION RATE. 
          AGAIN, THIS IS WHEN WE SPOKE, WE SPOKE ABOUT TAXES. AGAIN, OUR LARGEST REVENUE. ONE OF THE INDICATORS OF FINANCIAL HEALTH IS WHAT IS OUR PERCENTAGE OF COLLECTION. RIGHT. WHAT ARE WE BILL AND WHAT DO WE COLLECT? AS OF TODAY, AS OF AUGUST 31ST, WE WERE AT 69.84% COMPARED TO 73.99% LAST YEAR. AGAIN, DON'T HOLD TOO MUCH WEIGHT FOR THAT BECAUSE THERE IS THE BIGGEST DECIDING FACTOR ON THAT IS THAT EVERY YEAR, OUR THIRD QUARTER PROPERTY TAX BILLS, AS EVERYBODY KNOWS, GETS DELAYED. LAST YEAR THEY HAD TO BE PAID BY, I THINK, AUGUST 26TH, AUGUST 27TH. THIS YEAR THEY HAD TO GET PAID BY SEPTEMBER 2ND YESTERDAY. SO AGAIN, THAT THAT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 73, ALMOST 74 TO 69 THIS YEAR, WE'RE GOING TO BE RIGHT ABOUT THERE. IF I PROBABLY I SHOULD PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE LOOKED AT IT BEFORE I CAME TO THE MEETING, BUT WE'RE GOING TO BE RIGHT AROUND WHERE WE WERE LAST YEAR. IF YOU GO BACK TO THE PRIOR YEAR, SAME 
          [00:10:04]
THING. A LOT OF IT HAS TO DO WITH TIMING GOING BACK TO 2021. SOME OF THAT HAD TO DO WITH COVID AND WHATNOT. LET'S FORGET THOSE YEARS. BUT AGAIN, IN TERMS OF OUR TAX COLLECTION RATE, I'M VERY HAPPY WITH WHERE WE'RE AT. LET'S TALK ABOUT OUR APPROPRIATIONS, RIGHT? OUR EXPENSES. WE BUDGETED 34.9 MILLION, ALMOST 35 MILLION. JUST AGAIN, EXACT AMOUNT AS OUR REVENUES. AND WE'VE WE ONLY HAVE 8.7 MILLION REMAINING, JUST UNDER 25% REMAINING. AGAIN, NO RED FLAGS WHEN IT COMES TO OUR EXPENSES, NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY. THERE IS ONE EXPENSE THAT I'LL TALK ABOUT. NEXT SLIDE. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT BUDGET TRANSFERS THAT WE'LL HAVE TO DO A BUDGET TRANSFER FOR SMALL AMOUNT. BUT AGAIN, WHEN IT COMES TO THE APPROPRIATIONS, THE DEPARTMENT HAS TO DO A GREAT JOB OF KEEPING TRACK OF THEIR BUDGETS. 
          RIGHT ON, ON OUR ACCOUNTING SYSTEM, LOOKING AT THEM WEEKLY TO MAKE SURE HOPEFULLY THEY LAST TILL THE END OF THE YEAR, UNLESS, OF COURSE, AN EMERGENCY OR WHATNOT COMES ABOUT. SO BUDGET TRANSFERS, SO NEW JERSEY MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT BUDGET TRANSFERS, YOU CAN ONLY CONDUCT BUDGET TRANSFERS IN THE MONTHS OF NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER. AND THE BUDGET TRANSFERS ARE LIMITATIONS. IT'S LITERALLY MOVING FROM ONE LINE ITEM TO THE OTHER. SOME YOU CAN'T EVEN MOVE LIKE THERE'S OUTSIDE THE CAP. IF YOU GUYS DON'T REMEMBER. FOR THE BUDGET PRESENTATION YOU HAVE INSIDE THE CAP APPROPRIATIONS, OUTSIDE THE CAP APPROPRIATION. SO YOU CAN'T EVEN MAKE SOME MOVES LIKE YOU CAN'T MOVE FROM INSIDE, YOU CAN'T MOVE FROM, PLAY AROUND WITH IT AND TRY TO FINAGLE YOUR BUDGET TO, TO WITH THE INSIDE THE CAP APPROPRIATION. I'M NOT GOING TO GET INTO THAT CAN GET CONFUSING, BUT JUST KNOW THAT WHEN WE DO BUDGET TRANSFERS, THE BUDGET TRANSFERS ARE FROM ONE LINE ITEM TO ANOTHER LINE ITEM. IT DOESN'T INCREASE THE BUDGET. IT'S BASICALLY A WASH. AND THAT CAN ONLY BE DONE IN NOVEMBER OR DECEMBER. EVERY YEAR WE DO AT LEAST 1 OR 2 RESOLUTIONS FOR BUDGET TRANSFERS. WE TRY TO CONSOLIDATE AND DO ONE AGAIN, POSSIBLY TWO. THE ONE LINE ITEM THAT WE WILL HAVE A BUDGET TRANSFER FOR PROBABLY $7,000 IS OUR PENSION, OUR PERS PUBLIC EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT SYSTEM. I THINK WE HAD. WHAT'S CALLED A RETRO BILL. SO WE DIDN'T BUDGET FOR THAT. SO WE'RE GONNA PROBABLY HAVE A BUDGET TRANSFER OF ABOUT $7,000. BECAUSE REMEMBER WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE STATE AND PENSIONS, THEY'RE ABOUT TWO AND A HALF YEARS BEHIND ON WHEN THEY LOOK AT YOUR SALARY. BUT KEEP IN MIND THAT'LL BE COMING UP IN NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER. OUR ANNUAL TAX SALE WILL BE HELD ON OCTOBER 14TH, 2026. AGAIN, WE HOLD THIS EVERY YEAR ON REAL AUCTION.COM. AND WHAT THE TAX SALE IS, IS A PUBLIC AUCTION AUCTION OF PROPERTIES WITH UNPAID PROPERTY TAXES OR SEWER BILLS. AND IF THE PROPERTY IS SOLD, THE PROCEEDS GO TOWARDS PAYING THE PAST DUE TAXES. SO ON THAT REAL AUCTION SITE, IF SOMEBODY PURCHASES A TAX LIEN WILL PURCHASE THE TAX. ONE OF THE ON ONE OF THE LINE ITEMS ON THE TAX SALE. YOU KNOW, WE GET TO RECEIVE THAT BACK TAXES. SO IT DOES HELP THE MUNICIPALITY BECAUSE THE TAXES ARE ARE PAID. 
          SO AGAIN, THAT'S OCTOBER 14TH, 2026. AGAIN, PROPERTY TAX BILLS. THE THIRD QUARTER PROPERTY TAXES WERE DUE YESTERDAY. SO IF YOU HAVEN'T DONE THAT, MAKE SURE YOU MAKE THE PAYMENT. AND THE SECOND HALF SEWER BILLS ARE DUE NOVEMBER 10TH. SO THAT IS COMING UP AS WELL. STICKING TO PROPERTY TAXES. AGAIN, I SPOKE ABOUT THIS A LITTLE IN THE BEGINNING. WE LIKE TO TOUCH UPON IT WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR PROPERTY TAX BILL. THE MUNICIPALITY ONLY COLLECTS 13.69%, JUST UNDER 14%. I'VE GOTTEN A DECENT AMOUNT A HANDFUL OF QUESTIONS FROM RESIDENTS, HOW WE CALCULATED THESE PERCENTAGES. IT USUALLY. I USUALLY DON'T GET THAT MANY QUESTIONS, MAYBE 1 OR 2. BUT BASICALLY WHAT WE DO IS WE GET THE CERTIFIED TAX LEVY FROM THE COUNTY, AND THEN WE DIVIDE EACH PORTION OF OF THAT LEVY TO THE TOTAL TAX LEVY. SO I WOULD I WOULD DIVIDE THE MUNICIPAL PORTION BY THE TOTAL TAX LEVY. AND IT GIVES YOU THAT 13.69% AND SO ON AND SO ON. IT'S VERY EASY CALCULATION. SO THAT'S HOW WE CALCULATE THE PERCENT OF THE PROPERTY TAX BILL TO ALLOCATE IT TO EACH ENTITY. AGAIN STICKING WITH TAXES, WE DID HAVE A FILING EVENT AGAIN THE SECOND YEAR, THE MAYOR AND COMMITTEE THAT REALLY WANTED TO GO OUT AND, AND CONTINUE THE SUCCESSFUL EVENT WE HAD LAST YEAR. SO THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COMMITTEE FOR THAT. GETTING THE STATE TO COME DOWN HERE. WE HAD 62 RESIDENTS ATTEND. THANK YOU TO THE DEPARTMENT HEADS. LISA HEALTH WAS DOWN HERE AS WELL. FINANCE. AND AGAIN, THE FEEDBACK WE'RE GETTING IS GREAT. AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE THESE EVENTS, YOU KNOW, FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE. AGAIN, THESE EVENTS HELP RESIDENTS FILE THEIR ANCHOR BENEFITS FOR THE APPLY FOR THE ANCHOR BENEFITS. THE STATE NEW JERSEY SENIOR FREEZE. SO AGAIN, VERY VALUABLE RESOURCE TO THE RESIDENTS. NEXT RESOLUTION AFTER THIS PRESENTATION WILL BE THE AUDIT. SO LET'S TOUCH UPON THE AUDIT A LITTLE. AGAIN A MUNICIPAL ORDERS AN INDEPENDENT 
          [00:15:05]
REVIEW OF OUR OPERATIONS, OUR INTERNAL CONTROLS, OUR FINANCIAL RECORDS, OUR COMPLIANCE WITH STATE AND FEDERAL LAWS. AND AGAIN, BEFORE I GO ON, THERE'S IT'S CONFUSING BECAUSE NEW JERSEY AND IT'S IT'S ACTUALLY PRETTY INTERESTING. NEW JERSEY IS THE ONLY STATE THAT DOESN'T COMPLY WITH GENERALLY ACCEPTED ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES, GAAP, GAAP ACCOUNTING, THE STATE REGULATES OR BASICALLY SAYS YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE STATE STANDARDS, OTHER COMPREHENSIVE BASIS OF OF ACCOUNTING OGBO AGAIN, A MODIFIED ACCRUAL BASIS OF ACCOUNTING. SO WHEN IT COMES TO THIS AUDIT, WHEN AUDITORS DO A REVIEW BASED ON GAAP PRINCIPLES, AGAIN, WE'RE NOT COMPLIANT. NO NEW JERSEY MUNICIPALITIES COMPLIANT WHEN IT COMES TO GAAP. BUT WHEN IT COMES TO OUR ACCOUNTING THIS THAT THAT STATE REQUIRES, YOU'LL SEE THAT WE HAD A VERY STRONG ONCE AGAIN, A VERY STRONG OUTCOME. AND WE WILL GO OVER THEM RIGHT NOW, OUR AUDITORS JUST A REVIEW. AUDITORS ARE SUPPLEMENT CLOONEY AND IT'S FOR THE PRIOR YEAR WHEN YOU AN AUDIT IS CONDUCTED IT'S DONE ON YOUR PRIOR YEAR FISCAL YEAR. YOU KNOW WE ARE A CALENDAR YEAR. SO IT WAS DONE FOR FOR THE JANUARY 1ST THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST, 2025 YEAR. LOOK AT OUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, OUR INTERNAL CONTROLS, AND HOW WE APPLY TO, TO STATE AND FEDERAL LAWS LIKE OUR PROCUREMENT LAWS AND SO ON. 
          AUDIT RESULTS, AGAIN, UNMODIFIED OPINION, WHICH IS BASICALLY STATING THAT THERE WAS NO MATERIAL MISSTATEMENTS AND WE WERE IN COMPLIANCE, RIGHT? NO MATERIAL MISSTATEMENT, WEAKNESSES, NO SIGNIFICANT DEFICIENCIES, NO MATERIAL COMPLIANCE ISSUES AND NO AUDIT RECOMMENDATIONS. AGAIN, THIS YEAR, AUDITORS STATED. IN OUR OPINION, THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS REFERRED TO ABOVE PRESENT FAIRLY IN ALL MATERIAL RESPECTS THE FINANCIAL POSITION OF THE TOWNSHIP IN ACCORDANCE WITH ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES GENERALLY ACCEPTED IN THE UNITED STATES AND REALLY SHOULD BE IN NEW JERSEY, BECAUSE, AGAIN, IT'S WE'RE NOT WE'RE NOT GAAP, WE'RE GOING TO AUDIT COMMENTS. YES. WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY AUDIT RECOMMENDATIONS THIS YEAR. HAVING AUDIT RECOMMENDATIONS ISN'T BAD, RIGHT? IF YOU HAVE THE SAME AUDIT RECOMMENDATION YEAR OVER YEAR, THAT'S AN ISSUE BECAUSE IT MEANS YOU'RE NOT YOU'RE NOT MAKING THE CORRECT ADJUSTMENTS. PER THE AUDITOR'S RECOMMENDATION. THERE'S SOME RECOMMENDATIONS THAT SOME MUNICIPALITIES HAVE BECAUSE THEY'RE SO SMALL THAT THEY CAN'T GET RID OF. FOR EXAMPLE, I SEE THIS ALL THE TIME SEGREGATION OF DUTIES. SOME SMALL MUNICIPALITIES HAVE ONE PERSON DOING THE BANK RECS, ONE PERSON, SAME PERSON CUTTING THE CHECKS, SAME PERSON RECEIVING THE CHECKS. SO THERE'S A LOT OF ROOM FOR MIS AGAIN, EITHER ERRORS OR AGAIN, FRAUD. BUT WHEN YOU'RE A SMALL MUNICIPALITY, YOU ONLY HAVE ONE PERSON, YOUR FINANCE OFFICE, THAT'S AN INTERNAL CONTROL THAT YOU CAN'T GET RID OF. SO SOME MUNICIPALITIES HAVE THAT YEAR OVER YEAR. AGAIN, THAT'S JUST ONE EXAMPLE. IN THE PAST, WE'VE GOTTEN AUDIT RECOMMENDATIONS, I THINK MANY YEARS AGO FOR OUR ESCROWS, AND WE TOOK CARE OF THAT. I THINK ONE YEAR, MAYBE 48, OUR RULES IN NEW JERSEY, IF ANY RECEIPT YOU COLLECT, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A DEPOSITED WITHIN 48 HOURS. AND WE CORRECTED THAT. SO AGAIN, NO AUDIT RECOMMENDATIONS THIS YEAR, BUT THEY DO MEET WITH US AND THEY DO HAVE COMMENTS, YOU KNOW, NOT RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT STUFF THAT WE CAN IMPROVE ON. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'LL PROBABLY BE SEEING IN THE NEXT FEW MEETINGS IS LOOKING AT SOME OF OUR OLD GRANTS. IF THE PROJECTS BEEN DONE, DO A RESOLUTION CANCELING THE GRANT. SAME WITH SOME OF OUR RESERVES. SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY, THEY, THEY SAID FOR US TO TAKE A LOOK AT THIS YEAR. SOME KEY FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS. CURRENT FUND BALANCE 8.8 MILLION. THAT'S AGAIN, THAT'S A HEALTHY NUMBER, $8.8 MILLION IN OUR FUND BALANCE. OUR SURPLUS IN EIGHT IS A HEALTHY NUMBER. 
          WE'VE BEEN FLUCTUATING BETWEEN 8.5 TO 9.3. THE ISSUE WE HAD, WHICH AGAIN WE SPOKE ABOUT IN THE BUDGET PRESENTATION, IS THAT WE'RE DOWN FROM JUST ABOUT 9.2 TO 8.8. SO WE NEED TO STOP THAT BLEEDING. AND ONE OF THE WAYS WE DID THAT IS BY DECREASING THE USE OF SURPLUS IN OUR BUDGET THIS YEAR FROM 5.3 MILLION TO 5.1 MILLION. SO AGAIN, WE'LL SEE WHERE WE END UP THIS YEAR. BUT AS OF RIGHT NOW, AT THE END OF 2025, WE'RE AT 8.8 MILLION WHEN IT COMES TO OUR FUND BALANCE TAX COLLECTION. LAST YEAR, WE ENDED UP AT 99.04%. THAT'S ABOUT WHERE WE END UP EVERY YEAR. LOW 99%, HIGH 98%. SO WE'RE ON PACE FOR THAT AGAIN THIS YEAR. OUR CURRENT FUND OPERATIONS REVENUES OVER EXPENDITURES. LAST YEAR, WE HAD AN EXCESS IN REVENUE OF $4.8 MILLION. BUT AGAIN, IF YOU'RE USING 5.1 MILLION IN SURPLUS EVERY YEAR AND YOU'RE ONLY REGENERATING 4.8 MILLION, THAT'S WHERE YOU KIND OF SEE THAT THAT HOLE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO TAKE CARE OF, LOW TAX DELINQUENCY REFLECTS CONTINUED STRONG COLLECTION PERFORMANCE, AND OUR TOTAL ASSESSED VALUATION INCREASED TO $4.8 BILLION, WHICH AGAIN, IT'S STRONG AND STABLE TAX BASE, SUPPORTING LONG TERM FINANCIAL STRENGTH AND COMMUNITY INVESTMENT. AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT WAS A CLEAN AUDIT. ONCE AGAIN, THE DEPARTMENT HEADS 
          [00:20:04]
REALLY THAT THAT'S A LOT OF IT FALLS ON THEM. THE DEPARTMENT HEADS, HOW THEY HANDLE THE RECEIPTS, THEIR PURCHASES, COMPLYING TO THE THE CONTROLS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE. SO THANK YOU TO ALL DEPARTMENT HEADS FOR ALL YOU DO WHEN IT COMES TO THE AUDIT. AND AND AGAIN, ALLOWING US TO HAVE ANOTHER CLEAN AUDIT. AND DO WE. I'LL OPEN IT UP TO QUESTIONS. THAT WAS VERY CUTE. 
          THIS PICTURE THAT WAS REALLY NICELY DONE. IT WAS THE FLYING BUGS. BETWEEN YOU TWO GUYS. 
          YEAH. OKAY. ANY QUESTIONS? TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE. NO, THAT'S THE QUESTION. WELL THANK YOU MICHAEL, AS ALWAYS REALLY IN DEPTH. AND WE DEFINITELY AS A TOWNSHIP ARE LUCKY TO HAVE YOU AS OUR CFO. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. VERY DETAILED. THANK YOU. OKAY. RESOLUTION 26-9-236. 
          [6. Resolution #26-9-236 – Township Committee Certification of Annual Audit Report for 2025]
TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE CERTIFICATION OF ANNUAL AUDIT REPORT FOR 2025. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 26? DASH 9-236. SO MOVED. SECOND ROLL CALL, PLEASE. COMMITTEE MEMBER. HERRING. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. MARTIN. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. ANNE. YES. DEPUTY MAYOR. 
          [7. Mayor’s Report ]
TAYLOR. TODD. YES. MAYOR SINGH YES. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE MAYOR'S REPORT AT THIS TIME. AS EVERYBODY KNOWS IN TOWN, TODAY IS THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL. WE WOULD LIKE TO WISH ALL OUR STUDENTS A GREAT YEAR AND REMIND RESIDENTS TO BE ALERT FOR INCREASED TRAFFIC NEAR THE SCHOOLS. BUS STOPS DURING EARLY MORNING AND LATE AFTERNOON HOURS. PRACTICE SAFE DRIVING. 
          TAKE YOUR TIME. WATCH FOR PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLISTS AS OUR CHILDREN RETURN TO SCHOOL FOR A NEW YEAR OF LEARNING RECENT EVENTS. I DON'T THINK ANYBODY DOESN'T KNOW THAT WE HAD THE BREAD BREAKING GRAND OPENING OF WHOLE FOODS ON AUGUST 21ST. THIS IS A LONG TIME COMING. THIS IS NOT JUST A GREAT, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER AMENITY FOR THE TOWN, BUT IT'S ALSO A GOOD READABLE FOR US IN MONTGOMERY, I ATTENDED THE FELLOWSHIP HALL DEDICATION CEREMONY AT MOTHER OF GOD ORTHODOX ORTHODOX CHURCH AUGUST 23RD. THE TOWNSHIP WAS PRESENTED A PROCLAMATION FOR ITS PARTNERSHIP. WHILE THEY FINISHED THEIR FELLOWSHIP HALL. 
          THEY WANTED TO. FATHER PETER WANTED TO TALK TO ME ABOUT THE AMAZING WORK THAT WAS DONE BY OUR STAFF, FROM PERMITTING TO OUR CODE AND. AND THE PARTNERSHIP WITH EVERYBODY IN MONTGOMERY STAFF TO GET THAT DONE. SO THAT WAS REALLY GOOD TO HEAR. THEN WE DID HAVE A WALK THROUGH AT THE LANDING AT SKILLMAN, WHICH IS JUST THE BUILDING NEXT TO US, WHICH IS OUR 55 PLUS COMMUNITY AT 200 COMMUNITY DRIVE. AND THIS IS OUR 100% AFFORDABLE BUILDING. 
          THAT WAS A COMMITMENT FROM US FOR ROUND THREE. AND NOW THE UPCOMING EVENTS WE HAVE. 
          SEPTEMBER 11TH CEREMONY. THE TOWNSHIP WILL HOLD A REMEMBRANCE CEREMONY FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11TH AT 846 AT VETERANS PARK AT THE VETERANS MEMORIAL UPPER PARKING LOT. IN RECOGNITION OF THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF SEPTEMBER 11TH. TOGETHER, WE WILL PAUSE TO REMEMBER THE LIVES LOST, HONOR THE COURAGE AND SACRIFICE OF FIRST RESPONDERS AND SERVICE MEMBERS, AND RECOGNIZE THE STRENGTH AND UNITY OF THE COMMUNITIES THAT CAME TOGETHER IN THE AFTERMATH. WE HAD THREE RESIDENTS FROM MONTGOMERY AND ONE FROM ROCKY HILL, WHO PASSED IN THAT HORRIFIC INCIDENT. MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP FIRE COMPANY NUMBER TWO WILL ALSO BE HOLDING A REMEMBRANCE CEREMONY AT 529 ROUTE 518 AT 6 P.M. TO HONOR THE MEMORY OF THOSE WHO LOST THEIR LIVES AND REMIND OUR COUNTRY OF THE SACRIFICES MADE ON THAT TRAGIC DAY 25 YEARS AGO. 
          ALL ARE WELCOME. THE MONTGOMERY HIGH SCHOOL MARCHING BAND WILL PERFORM. FIREFIGHTERS FROM OUR NEIGHBORING FIRE COMPANIES WILL JOIN US IN PAYING TRIBUTE. LIGHT REFRESHMENTS WILL BE SERVED ON SEPTEMBER 18TH. THE LIBERTY TREE MOSAIC MURAL RECOGNITION CEREMONY WILL BE AT VETERANS PARK AT THE MAIN PARKING LOT. THIS IS THE COLLABORATION THAT MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP DID WITH THE SCHOOLS LOWER MIDDLE SCHOOL IN PARTICULAR, WHERE THERE WERE THESE TILES THAT WERE MADE SO THAT RESIDENTS GOT TOGETHER TO MAKE THESE TILES. AND FOR THE SCHOOLS, OF COURSE, THE KIDS GOT TOGETHER AND WE ARE DOING ANOTHER ONE FOR THE BUILDING. 
          THIS IS JUST FOR THE TWO 50TH CELEBRATION, AND PEOPLE IN TOWN GET A CHANCE TO PAINT THIS TILE TO WHAT AMERICA MEANS FOR THEM. AND THEN THIS WILL BE DISPLAYED. THE LIBERTY TREE MOSAIC MURAL WILL BE AT THE VETERANS PARK ON THE BARN, AND I ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO JOIN US AT THAT DAY. 
          AND THEN WE HAVE SOME NEW BUSINESSES COMING. WE HAVE RIBBON CUTTINGS COMING UP FOR 
          [00:25:04]
NAIL BOUTIQUE SEPTEMBER 10TH, PJ'S PANCAKE HOUSE, SEPTEMBER 15TH AND DELUXE DENTISTRY SEPTEMBER 19TH. WE ARE ALWAYS VERY GRATEFUL WHEN WE SEE NEW BUSINESSES COMING IN TOWN, BECAUSE EVERY BUSINESS IS HELPING US AS AS A TOWN, AND OF COURSE WE ARE THERE FOR THEM AS WELL. RECREATION HAS A RIBBON CUTTING AT WOODS EDGE TENNIS COURT SEPTEMBER 10TH, AND WANTS US TO KNOW THAT FALL PROGRAM REGISTRATION IS OPEN. I WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT MUNICIPAL OFFICES WILL BE CLOSED MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 7TH IN OBSERVANCE OF LABOR DAY. AND THEN I WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK OUR FIRST RESPONDERS. SOME OF YOU MAY KNOW THAT THERE WAS A LIGHTNING STRIKE IN MONTGOMERY, AND ONE OF OUR BUILDINGS CALLED MONTGOMERY MEADOWS AT MONTGOMERY, WITH 96 RESIDENTS, WAS THE ONE THAT ACTUALLY CAUGHT, WELL, MORE OF A FIRE SMOKE INCIDENT. AND OUR FIRST RESPONDERS GOT THERE IMMEDIATELY. IN FACT, I WAS THERE, AND THE RESIDENTS WERE REALLY REMARKING ON HOW AMAZING OUR FIRST RESPONDERS ARE. WE HAD OUR EMS, WE HAD OUR FIRE COMPANIES AND EVEN THE NEIGHBORING FIRE COMPANIES, AND THEY STAYED TILL THEY COULD MAKE SURE THAT THERE WAS NOTHING LEFT THAT COULD, YOU KNOW, BE A DANGER. WE HAD THREE RESIDENTS, THREE FAMILIES THAT GOT DISPLACED, AND THOSE THEY HAVE ALL BEEN MOVED TO HOMES. SO THAT'S ALL FOR MY REPORT. AND I GUESS AT THIS POINT WE 
          [8. Administrator’s Report ]
HAVE THE ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE MAYOR JUST FOLLOWING UP ON THE THE FIRE, THE LIGHTNING STRIKE AT THE APARTMENT COMPLEX. WE ALSO HAD OUR FIRE OFFICIAL AND THE FIRE INSPECTOR, OUR CONSTRUCTION OFFICIAL AND OUR ELECTRIC INSPECTOR OUT WORKING. AND ALSO THE RESIDENTS HAVE ALL BEEN ABLE TO BE REHOMED WITHIN THE BUILDING ITSELF. THEY HAD VACANT APARTMENTS. SO THAT WAS THAT WAS VERY HELPFUL FOR THEM. 
          AND THE THE PROPERTY OWNER WAS ENGAGED IN THAT AS WELL. THE LOOP ROADS THAT ARE OPEN AFTER A LONG WAIT, WE ARE RECEIVING FEEDBACK ON THINGS AS PEOPLE USE THE LOOP ROADS. ANY ISSUES ON SIGNAGE OR ANYTHING THAT THEY THAT THEY ARE EXPERIENCING? WE ACTUALLY HAD A TRAFFIC ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING THIS MORNING, AND THE, THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS WERE ENGAGED WITH OUR TOWNSHIP ENGINEER AND OUR TRAFFIC ENGINEER, JOE FISSINGER. I HAVE SPOKEN TO SOME RESIDENTS AND PROVIDED THAT FEEDBACK. SO WE'RE. WE'RE GATHERING THAT. AND THEN THROUGH THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, WORKING DIRECTLY ON THINGS THAT MIGHT BE IMPROVED IMMEDIATELY THROUGH THE DEVELOPER OR OTHER THINGS THAT WE NEED TO HAVE THE COUNTY OR THE STATE INVOLVED. SO WE'RE WE'LL BE ADDRESSING THAT, AND WE'RE ACTIVELY RECEIVING ANY FEEDBACK THAT ANY OF THE RESIDENTS HAVE. WE JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT MEETINGS COMING UP. REGARDING THE UPDATE OF THE MASTER PLAN. WE WILL BE HAVING ONE VIRTUALLY AND ONE IN PERSON. THE VIRTUAL MEETING IS ON SEPTEMBER TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22ND AT 7 P.M. AND IT WILL BE VIA ZOOM. AND WE'RE ADVERTISING THAT LINK. AND ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8TH AT 7 P.M. HERE IN COUNCIL AND THE COMMITTEE CHAMBERS, IT WILL BE THE IN PERSON MEETING AND PEOPLE CAN COME. AND IT'S MORE OF A LISTENING SESSION STYLE WITH DIALOG AMONGST ANY OF THE RESIDENTS THAT COME. AND THERE'S A CORRESPONDING SURVEY GOING OUT WITH THAT ON FEEDBACK TO GATHER FOR THE UPDATE OF THE MASTER PLAN. AND WE HAVE A THE PERMIT PROCESS SURVEY THAT'S OUT RIGHT NOW. SO WE HAVE ABOUT 22. RESPONSES SO FAR. AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO PROMOTE. WE WERE SENT SOME REMINDERS TO THE PERMITS THAT WE HAVE FOR THE EMAILS THROUGH THE GOV PILOT SYSTEM, AND IT'S BEEN IN OUR THURSDAY E-BULLETIN AS WELL. AND THE COMMUNITY GARDEN THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE AN UPCOMING PRESENTATION. I'VE HEARD FROM ABOUT SEVEN RESIDENTS WHO ARE VERY INTERESTED IN THAT DIFFERENT LEVELS OF I'M INTERESTED IN A PLOT OR I'M INTERESTED IN HELPING ORGANIZE IT. AND SO WE'LL BE ENGAGING WITH THEM AND YOU'LL HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT AT THE, AT THE THE MEETING COMING UP. AND THAT'S IT FOR ME. OKAY. THANK YOU. AND AT THIS POINT, 
          [9. Township Committee Reports]
WE'LL GO TO THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE REPORT, STARTING WITH DEPUTY MAYOR PAT TODD. THANK YOU MAYOR. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. I DO HAVE A FEW UPDATES. FIRST, FOR THE BOARD OF HEALTH, AS YOU MAY KNOW THAT THE BOARD OF HEALTH RECENTLY WAS AWARDED REACCREDITATION. WE CONGRATULATE THEM FOR THEIR HARD WORK ON THAT. AND A OTHER NEWS WITH THE BOARD OF HEALTH. 
          THEY'RE WORKING ON THEIR PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT AND QUALITY IMPROVEMENT SUBCOMMITTEE IS WORKING ON WEBSITE UPDATES AND IMPROVING REPORTING TO THE FULL BOARD OF HEALTH. IN SEPTEMBER, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT WILL BE PRIORITIZING MENTAL HEALTH AND SUICIDE PREVENTION, EDUCATION, NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS MONTH, AND BACK TO SCHOOL HEALTH INFORMATION RESOURCES FOR PARENTS AND FAMILIES. AND THAT'S APPROPRIATE SINCE TODAY 
          [00:30:02]
WAS THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL SINCE I DON'T HAVE KIDS IN SCHOOL ANYMORE, YOU KNOW THAT THAT DOESN'T I BLANK ON THAT. SO THANKS FOR REMINDING ME OF THAT. YOU CAN ALSO EXPECT TO SEE A FULL SLATE OF YOUTH AND PREVENTION PROGRAMING THROUGH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT'S YOUTH SERVICES AND THE MUNICIPAL ALLIANCE'S WORK. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, FLU CLINICS ARE COMING UP. SO CHECK THE TOWNSHIP LOBBY AND THE WEBSITE FOR THE CLINIC DATES AND INFORMATION, AND THE NEXT BOARD OF HEALTH MEETING WILL BE ON WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9TH FOR THE OPEN SPACE COMMITTEE. THERE WAS NO MEETING, HOWEVER. THE TOWNSHIP CLOSED ON A 1.8 ACRE DONATION OF FORESTED PROPERTY ON DUTCHTOWN, HARLINGEN ROAD FROM TWO FAMILIES WHO DONATED IT, AND THE OPEN SPACE COMMITTEE IS ALSO DRAFTING COMMENTS REGARDING THE MASTER PLAN UPDATE FOR DNR CANAL STATE PARK. AND, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT PEDESTRIAN CONNECTIONS AND YOU KNOW THAT THERE'S NO ACCESS POINT CURRENTLY IN MONTGOMERY. SO WE WILL SEE HOW THAT COMES OUT. AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST, THE PLANNING BOARD ON AUGUST 11TH, YOU MAY HAVE READ APPROVED A NEW CLASS H ELECTRIC SUBSTATION THAT WILL BEGIN CONSTRUCTION IN 2027 AND WILL PROVIDE CRITICAL ELECTRICAL INFRASTRUCTURE FOR BUSINESSES AND RESIDENCES HERE IN TOWN. SO THAT IS EXCELLENT NEWS. AND ALSO, THIS IS CERTAINLY NOT LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST. BUT I WANT TO RECOGNIZE SHERRY CREWS ON HER RETIREMENT FROM THE PLANNING BOARD. I HAVE WORKED WITH HER SINCE I FIRST JOINED THE PLANNING BOARD IN 2021, AND I ALWAYS ENJOYED WORKING WITH HER. SHE'S ALWAYS CALM. SHE'S VERY CALM. THAT'S TRUE. RIGHT. AND SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THE PLANNING BOARD GETS A LITTLE SPICY. SO SHE WAS ALWAYS CALM AND VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE. SO IT IS A LIKE A KNOWLEDGE LOSS, YOU KNOW, TO THE TOWN. AND CERTAINLY HER PRESENCE IS A LOSS. BUT WE WISH HER THE BEST ON HER RETIREMENT, THAT IT'S A LONG, HEALTHY AND ENJOYABLE RETIREMENT. SO EVERYONE ENJOY YOUR LABOR DAY WEEKEND AND THE LAST DAYS OF SUMMER. AND THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT. OKAY. 
          COMMITTEE MEMBER DENNIS, ON A HUGE LOSS FOR OUR TOWN WITH SHERRY LEE RETIRING. SO YES, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT BUS STOPS. AND WHEN THE BUS STOPS ON THE ROAD, I MEAN, I, I KNOW IT'S JUST FIRST DAY AND DRIVERS STILL NEED TO GET USED TO IT AGAIN, BUT THEY CAN'T JUST DRIVE RIGHT BY THE BUSSES. I'VE ALREADY SEEN IT ONCE TODAY. AND YOU KNOW, RESIDENTS REALLY NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT IT KEEPS OUR CHILDREN SAFE. YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF TIMES WHERE THERE'S NOT A DESIGNATED AREA WHERE CHILDREN CAN CROSS. AND, YOU KNOW, ON THE NO SIDEWALK STREET AND PARENTS ARE PARKED ON THE SIDE CORNERS. YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S SCARY. SO PLEASE, PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE ALWAYS WATCHING WHERE THE BUSSES ARE AND, AND STOPPING WELL BEFORE THE BUS. OKAY. MUNICIPAL ALLIANCE. SO WE HAVE A GREAT LINEUP OF YOUTH PREVENTION AND ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS. SEPTEMBER IS SUICIDE PREVENTION MONTH. SO, YOU KNOW, JUST START THE CONVERSATION. KNOWING IS HALF THE BATTLE. MENTAL HEALTH AND MENTAL HEALTH AND SUICIDE PREVENTION RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT. HOPE SQUAD IS BACK. AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ALSO PART OF THE SUICIDE PREVENTION HOPE SQUAD IS IF YOU GUYS DON'T KNOW, IT'S A STUDENT SUPPORT. SO STUDENTS IDENTIFIED SPECIFIC PEER LEADERS AND THEY WOULD GO TO THEM FOR PEER TO PEER SUPPORT. I THINK IT'S IT'S IMPORTANT. THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT SOMETIMES THE CHILDREN AREN'T OR AFRAID TO GO TOWARDS THE PARENTS OR, OR ON CERTAIN THINGS. PARENTS SHOULD ALWAYS BE NUMBER ONE. BUT, YOU KNOW, IF A CHILD FEELS A LITTLE BIT MORE COMFORTABLE TALKING WITH A PEER, I THINK THIS IS A GREAT PROGRAM. THE EDC HAS RESTAURANT WEEK. IT'S FINALLY HERE. IT STARTS AT ON SEPTEMBER 14TH AND IT GOES THROUGH SEPTEMBER 20TH. SO IF YOU CAN COME TO OUR WEBSITE AND LOOK AT LOOK FOR PARTICIPATING RESTAURANTS AND SUPPORT EACH OTHER, I THINK WOULD BE GREAT. I LIKE TO WISH A HAPPY ROSH HASHANA TO PEOPLE WHO ARE WHO CELEBRATE. AND FINALLY, WE HAVE OUR SEPTEMBER 11TH REMEMBRANCE AT FIRE STATION NUMBER 2:06 P.M. PLEASE COME REMEMBER THE THE THE LIVES THAT WE ARE THAT HAVE BEEN LOST, THE FAMILIES WHO HAVE SUPPORT EACH OTHER, THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS, POLICE, ALL THE SERVICES THAT THAT HAVE LOST AND HELP EACH OTHER. SO PLEASE, YOU KNOW, IT'S A DAY OF, 
          [00:35:02]
OF HELPING EACH OTHER. WE DO HAVE THE 846 AT THE TOWNSHIP REMEMBRANCE, AND THEN WE HAVE THE FIRE STATION. OKAY. AND THAT'S IT. OH, HAPPY LABOR DAY. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE ON SHADE TREE CONVERSATIONS REALLY AROUND FALL PLANTINGS AND THE GAPS IN THE TREE, WHICH THERE ARE STILL SOME. THE REPORT OF CONCERN APP, THE GOV ALERT APP THAT WE HAVE THAT LORI HAS SPOKEN TO A COUPLE TIMES. THAT IS THE PLACE TO RECORD ANY KIND OF CONCERN ABOUT ANYTHING, INCLUDING TREES. SO JUST WANTED TO TO REMIND OF THAT THE. THE WILDLIFE WE'RE HEARING, AT LEAST ANECDOTALLY, SOME REPORTS OF, OF AN INCREASING DEER POPULATION. BUT REALLY THAT HASN'T BEEN VERIFIED THROUGH ANY KIND OF STUDY. BUT IT IS, YOU KNOW, IT ALWAYS IS AN ISSUE WHEN IT COMES TO, YOU KNOW, TICKS AND WHO LIVE ON DEER AND, AND TICKS CAUSING, YOU KNOW, ALL KINDS OF PROBLEMS FROM LYME DISEASE TO SOME RARE NEW INFECTION THAT JUST POPPED UP AS WELL. SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE STARTING TO LOOK AT IT. WE ARE NOT WE DON'T HAVE FUNDING GRANT FUNDING THIS YEAR LIKE WE HAVE IN PREVIOUS YEARS TO CONDUCT A, A DEER POPULATION STUDY. BUT THE THAT MAY HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL NEXT YEAR. SO WE'LL WE'LL SEE ABOUT THAT. THE AS FAR AS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, I DID WANT TO HIGHLIGHT, AS YOU. IF YOU'VE DRIVEN THROUGH SKILLMAN PARK RECENTLY, YOU PROBABLY SAW THE BIG SIGN, WOODEN SIGN THAT THE COUNTY PUT UP THAT IS ESSENTIALLY SAYING THAT THEY. A PUBLIC HEARING IS SCHEDULED FOR OCTOBER 13TH ON THE COUNTY'S PROPOSAL TO PUT A NEW MAINTENANCE FACILITY IN SKILLMAN PARK, WHICH THE COUNTY OWNS, OF COURSE, AND THE PROPOSAL IS FOR A FACILITY THAT IS JUST OFF BURNT HILL ROAD. IT'S KIND OF TUCKED AWAY AT THE IN THE SOUTHERNMOST PART OF THE PARK. SO, YOU KNOW, THE COUNTY IS OUT THERE DOING MAINTENANCE, YOU KNOW, ON OCCASION. AND THEY THEY WANT A FACILITY THAT WILL ALLOW THEM TO HOLD THEIR EQUIPMENT. SO. THAT'S IT FOR ME. 
          THANK YOU. SO THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE USING THE FACILITY THAT'S ON STATE LAND. OR ARE THEY GOING TO BE USING BOTH. NO, THAT IS THAT THAT'S A QUESTION THAT CAME UP. AND THE PROPOSAL IS, I THINK TO NOT USE THE STATE LAND. GO AHEAD LORI, IF YOU KNOW MORE. YEAH, YEAH. 
          ABOUT WHAT LAND THEY'RE USING FOR BUILDING THE THE RESTROOM AND THE BAYS THAT THE COUNTY'S BUILDING AT SKILLMAN. SO IT IS IF YOU KNOW WHERE THE MAPLEWOOD HOUSE WAS, IT'S IN THAT VICINITY. SO IT IS AT THE SOUTHERN BOUNDARY OF THE PROPERTY TO THE EAST OF. IF YOU DRAW A DIRECT LINE ACROSS FROM WHERE THE VILLAGE SCHOOL IS AND AND HEAD DOWN TOWARDS THE STREAM, IT'S IN THAT LOCATION. OKAY, SO IT'S NOT VISIBLE FROM THE ROAD, RIGHT. AND THEN THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE USING THE STATE LAND ANYMORE. OR ARE THEY GOING TO ALREADY USE BOTH? I THINK THE THE PURPOSE OF THE BUILDING IS THAT THEY, THEY WILL CENTRALIZE EVERYTHING IN THAT LOCATION AND NOT USE THE OLD DAIRY FARM BUILDINGS. OKAY. WELL, THANK YOU. AND I GUESS DOUG IS WAITING TO GET HIS ASSIGNMENTS. AND I WAS GOING TO SAY, I DON'T HAVE ANY REPORTS FURTHER IN THE AGENDA. IT SAYS IT. IF YOU WANTED TO TALK SOMETHING ABOUT. I MEAN, YOU WOULD YOU ALL WERE THERE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WITH THE EMF ON ON THE DAY WE HAD THE LIGHTNING 
          [10. Legal Updates]
STRIKE. SO THANK YOU. OKAY. LEGAL UPDATES AND WE'LL GO TO OUR TOWNSHIP ATTORNEY. OKAY. 
          THANK YOU. MAYOR. WELL, HELLO, MONTGOMERY, I JUST WANT TO START BY THANKING THE MAYOR AND THE COMMITTEE FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO REPRESENT YOU. THIS IS VERY EXCITING. I WANT TO JUST THANK ALSO THE ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM, LISA, LORI, MICHAEL AND WENDY AS WELL FOR THEIR HELP IN BRINGING ME UP TO SPEED ON ALL THE MATTERS SORT OF, OF CONCERN FOR THE TOWNSHIP. 
          A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MYSELF, I'VE BEEN REPRESENTING PUBLIC ENTITIES, SPECIFICALLY MUNICIPALITIES, FOR MY ENTIRE 20 PLUS YEAR CAREER. AND I, I HAVE TO SAY THAT FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN SO FAR, I, I, I AM JUST BLOWN AWAY BY THE TEAM THAT YOU HAVE AND THAT YOU'VE ASSEMBLED AND THE WAY IN WHICH YOU ALL WORK TOGETHER. IT'S REALLY EXCITING. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU IN THE COMING MONTHS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AS A 
          [00:40:01]
SUBSTANTIVE UPDATE, I JUST WANTED TO LET EVERYONE KNOW THERE WERE SOME NEWS REPORTS REGARDING A LAWSUIT THAT WAS FILED BY CON DEVELOPMENT. YOU MAY HAVE HEARD THAT. I JUST WANT TO ADVISE THAT AS OF THIS EVENING, WE HAVE NOT YET BEEN SERVED WITH ANY LAWSUIT. SO THERE'S NOTHING BEFORE US AT THIS POINT. AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE. SUBSTANTIVELY THIS EVENING. I HOPE TO HAVE MORE IN THE IN THE COMING MEETINGS. THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR. MAYOR. YEAH. YES. MAY I JUST COMMENT ON SOME ELECTION UPDATES? I'M SORRY. 
          MAY I JUST COMMENT ON SOME ELECTION UPDATES, PLEASE? GO AHEAD. OKAY. SO I JUST WANTED TO REMIND THE PUBLIC THAT THE GENERAL ELECTION IS COMING NOVEMBER 3RD, AND THAT THE COMMENCEMENT COMMENCEMENT OF THE VOTE BY MAIL BALLOTS WILL BEGIN SEPTEMBER 19TH. OUR FLAG BOX IN THE LOBBY WILL THEN BE CLOSED. EARLY VOTING WILL BEGIN OCTOBER 24TH THROUGH NOVEMBER 1ST. THEN THERE WAS IN SOMERSET COUNTY. THERE'S A NEW KIND OF REQUIREMENT THAT HAS BEEN UPDATED. THE ELECTIONEERING LAW PRIOR WAS NO ELECTIONEERING WITHIN A 100 FOOT FEET OF A ENTRANCE TO A POLLING LOCATION. SOMERSET COUNTY HAS NOW ADOPTED THE 200 FOOT RULE, SO THAT HAS BEEN CHANGED, SO THERE WILL BE NO ELECTIONEERING ALLOWED WITHIN 200FT OF THE ENTRANCE TO A POLLING LOCATION. FOR THIS LOCATION HERE, THAT MEANS THE ENTRANCE TO THE BUILDING. 
          THAT'S IT. OKAY, WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND JUST TO CLARIFY, THE REASON THAT THE FLAG BOX IS CLOSED IS BECAUSE IT DOES. IT LOOKS SIMILAR TO THE VOTE BY MAIL BOX. AND SO WE WE DON'T WANT ANYONE PUTTING THEIR BALLOTS, BALLOTS IN THERE. SO THAT'S WHY WE CLOSE IT 
          [11. Public Comment]
TEMPORARILY. OKAY. THAT MAKES SENSE. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANKS, LISA. 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 OPPOSITION GROUPS ARE ASKED TO SELECT A SPOKESPERSON. ARE THERE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO ADDRESS THE COMMITTEE? THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING FOR HARVARD CIRCLE. THIS IS AN INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT TIME FOR AMERICAN MUSLIMS, AS MANY OF OUR POLITICAL LEADERS ARE PEDDLING ANTI-MUSLIM HATE. THIS HAS BEEN ESPECIALLY APPARENT IN THE PUBLIC DISCOURSE SINCE ABDUL SAYEED WON THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY FOR U.S. SENATE. IN MICHIGAN, FOR EXAMPLE, CONGRESSWOMAN NANCY MACE POSTED ON X ON AUGUST 7TH, 2026, QUOTE, EVERY SINGLE MUSLIM HOLDING PUBLIC OFFICE IN AMERICA IS A TROJAN HORSE AND A THREAT TO BOTH NATIONAL SECURITY AND OUR REPUBLIC, END QUOTE. AND LET ME REMIND YOU, THIS IS ONE OF OUR CONGRESSPEOPLE AS FORMER MAYOR OF THIS TOWN, FORMER ASSEMBLYWOMAN FOR THIS DISTRICT AND FORMER CHAIR OF THIS COMMUNITY'S DEMOCRATIC PARTY. 
          THESE ABUSES HIT CLOSE TO HOME. I NOTE THAT SINCE I LAST ATTENDED A TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE MEETING, VINCE BERRIGAN HAS RESIGNED, WHICH IS A VERY GOOD THING FOR THE PEOPLE OF THIS TOWN. I ATTEND THIS MEETING TONIGHT TO REQUEST THAT MAYOR NINA SINGH SIMILARLY RESIGNED FROM HER POSITION, AS SHE HAS A LONG HISTORY OF ANTI-MUSLIM BIGOTRY AND IS NOT AN APPROPRIATE LEADER FOR THIS COMMUNITY, AS EVIDENCED. FOR THE RECORD, I WILL READ NOTES FROM A JANUARY 18TH, 2025, MEETING AT CHERRY VALLEY COUNTRY CLUB THAT WAS CALLED BY MAYOR SINGH AND FORMER MAYOR DEPUTY MAYOR BERRIGAN, WHICH CAN BE CORROBORATED BY 20 PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE THAT AFTERNOON. MR. BERRIGAN, QUOTE, WE'VE GOTTEN APPROVAL FROM OUR TOWNSHIP ATTORNEY TO HOLD THIS MEETING. I WANT TO TALK ABOUT SADAF. SHE MADE CRITICAL SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS ABOUT THE BIDEN-HARRIS ADMINISTRATION ON GAZA. BECAUSE OF SADAF, WE ARE NOT GETTING MONEY FROM THE COUNTY, END QUOTE. MY RESPONSE IN TERMS OF MY POSTS ABOUT THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, YES, I'M VERY CRITICAL OF THEIR POLICY TOWARD GAZA. MISS SINGH, QUOTE. 
          WELL, I'VE BEEN TOLD FROM THE PEOPLE AT THE STATE THAT WE'RE NOT GETTING MONEY BECAUSE OF SADAF, END QUOTE. MY RESPONSE DO YOU AGREE WITH THAT TYPE OF POLITICS THAT BECAUSE OF A VENDETTA AGAINST ONE PERSON, THE STATE WOULD DEPRIVE OUR COMMUNITY OF FUNDS? END QUOTE. 
          I'VE SPOKEN ABOUT THIS HARASSMENT BEFORE, AND I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY APOLOGY OR ATTEMPT TO RECTIFY THE HARM DONE BY MAYOR SINGH ABOUT THIS SORDID ATTEMPT TO SQUASH MY RIGHTS. IT APPEARS THAT MY RIGHTS MATTER LESS THAN THOSE OF MY NEIGHBORS. THE PUBLIC DESERVES TO KNOW WHO. AT THE COUNTY AND STATE GOVERNMENT WAS THREATENING MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP'S FUNDING OVER MY SPEECH OPPOSING GENOCIDE. AND WHY DID OFFICIALS, INCLUDING MAYOR SINGH WILLINGLY ACQUIESCE TO THEIR DEMANDS? MONTGOMERY DESERVES BETTER THAN LEADERS WHO ENGAGE IN ANTI-MUSLIM HARASSMENT AND BIGOTRY. DEPUTY MAYOR VINCE BERRIGAN ALREADY RESIGNED. MAYOR NINA SINGH SHOULD, TOO. THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? THANK YOU. HI, I'M CANDY WILLIS, BELLE MEAD, NEW JERSEY. I'M HERE AS A PRIVATE CITIZEN. HOW MANY OF YOU KNOW THAT SEVERAL HISTORIC SITES IN THE TOWNSHIP ARE PRIVATE OR NOT PRIVATE RESIDENCES, BUT ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC? HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE VISITED THE MONTGOMERY 
          [00:45:01]
FARM MUSEUM? A TESTAMENT TO OUR AGRICULTURAL HERITAGE. HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE VISITED THE 18531 ROOM SCHOOLHOUSE, A TESTAMENT TO THE TOWN'S 19TH CENTURY EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE? HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE VISITED THE 1752 DIRK GULICK HOUSE, A TESTAMENT TO COLONIAL TIMES? MANY OF THE SOMERSET COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND MANY PAST TOWNSHIP OFFICIALS HAVE MADE IT A POINT TO VISIT THESE SITES. HAVE YOU? ME? I LOVE MONTGOMERY HISTORY. I WAS EXCITED ABOUT THE TWO 50TH CELEBRATION BECAUSE I THOUGHT FINALLY, FINALLY, THE TOWNSHIP WOULD GET DOWN TO LEARNING A LITTLE LOCAL HISTORY. NOPE. INSTEAD, THE TOWNSHIP IS CELEBRATING A 680 MILE MARCH FROM RHODE ISLAND TO VIRGINIA IN 1781 BY A FRENCH GENERAL WHO WAS HERE FOR ONLY TWO YEARS AND RETURNED TO FRANCE. WHY NOT SAVE THAT GENERAL FOR 2031? AND WHY IS THE SIGN COMMEMORATING THE EVENT PLACED NEAR THE MUNICIPAL BUILDING INSTEAD OF WHERE IT HAPPENED? AND THE BLACK FIFER? WILLIAM STEEVES IS WELL DOCUMENTED AS BEING FROM HUNTERDON COUNTY, WHO MAYBE, POSSIBLY, PERHAPS COULD HAVE, WHO KNOWS, PASSED THROUGH HERE DURING HIS SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY. I APPLAUD BOTH THESE MEN'S CONTRIBUTIONS, BUT LET'S NOT GO ALL HYPERBOLIC ON THE CONTRIBUTIONS. IN TERMS OF MONTGOMERY, THEY HAD ZERO TO DO WITH MONTGOMERY, CONTRARY TO WHAT ONE OF YOU ANNOUNCED AT A RECENT TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE, THE FIFER IS NOT A LOCAL MONTGOMERY RESIDENT, AND HE IS NOT GEORGE WASHINGTON'S RIGHT HAND MAN. 
          AND WHY ARE YOU SAYING THESE THINGS AT TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE MEETINGS FROM THE VERY DAIS ON WHICH YOU NOW SIT, IT'S MISLEADING THE PUBLIC. ON THE BRIGHT SIDE, MONTGOMERY'S HISTORY IS LOADED WITH UNSUNG BOYS AND MEN WHO HAVE MADE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR EFFORT. WHY NOT SHOW THEM A LITTLE LOVE? WHY NOT GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE? MONTGOMERY IS A SPECIAL PLACE. I'VE LIVED HERE 40 YEARS. PLEASE DON'T DESTROY ITS PAST WITH MISINFORMATION AND THEN ITS FUTURE WITH UNCONTROLLED DEVELOPMENT IN THE NAME OF PROGRESS. DON'T BE CONTROLLED BY PEOPLE WHO HAVE CHOSEN NOT TO LIVE HERE. 
          EVERYTHING IS IN BUSINESS AND POLITICS. YOU GOTTA LOVE YOUR RESIDENTS TOO. FOR STARTERS, WHY NOT MOVE PUBLIC? COMMENT CLOSER TO THE BEGINNING OF THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE AGENDA? AND WHY NOT COMMUNICATE WITH THE RESIDENTS BY EMAILING US, PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD AGENDAS AND CHANGES LIKE YOU USED TO? AND WHY NOT DO A BETTER JOB OF ANNOUNCING PUBLIC HEARINGS AND THE NEWSLETTER? I REALLY THINK YOU SHOULD SHARE SOME REAL INFORMATION, NOT JUST SOME FLUFF. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? YEAH, PLEASE. THANK YOU ALL. EXCUSE ME. MY NAME IS LYNN BLYDENBURGH. MA'AM, ARE YOU ABLE TO MOVE THE THE MIC A LITTLE CLOSER TO YOUR MOUTH? THANK YOU SO MUCH. THERE'S SUCH A STRONG ECHO. THERE IS AN ECHO. 
          SORRY ABOUT THAT. MY NAME IS LYNN BLYDENBURGH. I LIVE ON PRINCETON AVENUE IN MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP, AND I WROTE A LETTER TO THE EDITOR OF THE MONTGOMERY NEWS ABOUT A YEAR OR SO AGO. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL HAVE COPIES OF IT OR NOT. A NEIGHBOR WROTE TO THE MONTGOMERY NEWS COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SPEEDING, SPEEDING OF PEOPLE COMING OFF OF 206 DOWN PRINCETON AVENUE, TOWARD GOING TOWARD ROCKY HILL. AND I AGREED WITH HER ON. THE TRAFFIC IS GETTING HEAVIER ALL THE TIME. PEOPLE SEEM TO TAKE IT AS A SHORTCUT TO GET OFF OF 206 AND USE PRINCETON AVENUE TO GET OUT OF THE WAY. OF ALL OF THAT, I LIVE ON PRINCETON AVENUE AND I'M A WALKER, AND I WAS WALKING MILES. MY HUSBAND AND I DID OVER TWO MILES A YEAR AGO BECAUSE OF WEATHER. WE'RE NOT DOING THAT RIGHT NOW, BUT. TO MY HOUSE, THERE'S NO SIDEWALK. I HAVE TO CROSS PRINCETON AVENUE TO GET OVER TO BLUE SPRING, WHERE THEIR SIDEWALKS. AND IT'S DANGEROUS. 
          I'VE HAD A COUPLE OF CLOSE CALLS, VERY, VERY AWARE PEOPLE THAT HAVE GIVEN ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO CROSS WITHOUT ANY DANGER. I'M LOOKING FOR A WAY TO HAVE SOMETHING, MAYBE A 
          [00:50:12]
CROSSWALK PAINTED ON THE ROAD. I TALKED TO THE ENGINEER HERE AND HE TOLD ME NOTHING COULD BE DONE FOR ONE PERSON. SO, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT LOOKING FOR ANYTHING ELABORATE. MAYBE, AS I SAID, CROSSWALK FROM MY SIDE OF THE STREET TO THE BLUE SPRING SIDE, AND I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO WALK AND I, I LIKE BEING ABLE TO WALK OVER ON BLUE SPRING. IT'S IT'S IT'S SMOOTH. 
          IT'S DANGEROUS. SIDEWALKS ARE GOOD. AND I THINK THAT'S ALL I REALLY WANTED TO MAKE EVERYONE AWARE OF HOW I FEEL. AND HOPEFULLY YOU CAN COME UP WITH A SIMPLE SOLUTION TO THE SITUATION. THANK YOU FOR COMING. WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT WE LOOK INTO IT AND SOMEONE WILL WILL MAKE SURE THAT SOMEONE CIRCLED BACK TO YOU, ESPECIALLY THE ADMINISTRATOR. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING IN. YES. THANK YOU. 
          GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS JESSE HAVENS. SOME OF YOU DO KNOW THAT ANYWAY, BUT THE POINT OF THE ACTION IS THAT I'M COME TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT LOCAL HISTORY, WHICH IS VERY NICE THAT WE HAVE SOME EFFORTS BEING MADE TO KEEP PEOPLE AWARE OF LOCAL HISTORY. BUT IF WE'RE GOING TO DO IT, WE SHOULD DO IT AND TRY TO BE TRUE TO HISTORY. WE NOW PUT UP A SIGN ALONG THIS ROAD, RIGHT JUST OUT HERE HAS NO RELEVANCE TO WHAT ANYTHING THAT HAPPENED ON THIS ROAD. 
          THIS ROAD WASN'T EVEN HERE WHEN THAT EVENT TOOK PLACE. I DON'T KNOW WHO DECIDES WHAT TO PUT THEM THERE OR WHAT PROCEDURE THEY GO TO AUTHORIZE IT, BUT I DO THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO PUT UP MARKERS, BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO PUT THEM WHERE THEY HAVE NO RELEVANCE. SO I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU WANT TO GO ABOUT IT, BUT I SHOULD THINK ON A TOWNSHIP ROAD, YOU DO HAVE SOME KIND OF MEASURE THAT YOU CONTROL IT. AND IF THAT SIGN IS GOING TO CONTINUE THERE, I THINK IT'S UNFORTUNATE. IT WOULD BE. WELL, IT COULD BE SUCH A SIGN ABOUT SOMETHING THAT REALLY DID HAPPEN IN MONTGOMERY SHOULD BE RELEVANT TO WHERE WE PUT THE SIGN. IF IT'S GOING TO DO THAT. AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT PROCEDURE YOU WANT TO FOLLOW, BUT YOU CAN DO THAT. BUT I SURE HOPE YOU'LL TRY. THANK THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING IN. SO I, YOU KNOW, JUST WANTED TO QUICKLY ADDRESS THAT QUESTION. WE HAVE A, WE HAD A 250TH OR WE STILL HAVE A 250TH COMMITTEE. AND THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT THEY WENT THROUGH TO PUT TOGETHER FOR THE TWO 50TH CELEBRATION, I BELIEVE, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THE REASON THIS WAS NOT PUT WHERE THE HISTORICAL RIVER ROAD AREA IS, BECAUSE NOBODY GETS TO LOOK AT IT. PEOPLE ARE JUST DRIVING PAST, AND THIS IS WHERE PEOPLE COME SO THEY CAN STAND WITH THEIR KIDS ON THE SIDEWALK, READ IT AND UNDERSTAND. SO I THINK THAT WAS THE THINKING BEHIND IT. BUT I HEAR YOU AND I'LL MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS COMMUNICATED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WANTED TO ADD, LORI. NO. AND THEN OF COURSE, AND MISS PHYLLIS, YOUR POINT HAS BEEN MADE, AND WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE TRY AND HAVE A MEETING WITH YOU, UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU SAID. AND ALSO ABOUT THE HOUSE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING. I JUST WANT TO QUICKLY ADDRESS. WELL, I'M SURPRISED FORMER ASSEMBLYWOMAN HAS LEFT, BUT I JUST WANT TO, YOU KNOW, LET HER KNOW THAT EVERYTHING SHE SAID WAS A LIE. AND I'M JUST DONE WITH LISTENING TO LIES. SO IF SHE WANTS TO TALK ABOUT ANY OF THIS, SHE SHOULD COME AND ASK FOR A MEETING AND WE CAN HAVE A MEETING. BUT I DON'T WANT A PUBLIC MEETING TO BE ABOUT THINGS WHICH ARE NOT TRUE. AND THAT'S IT FOR ME FOR THIS. AND LET'S MOVE ON. AND JUST QUICKLY, VINCE BARRAGAN, WHO WAS A DEPUTY MAYOR, DID GIVE HIS A LOT OF TIME TO BEING A DEPUTY MAYOR IN THIS TOWN AND DID A WONDERFUL JOB. AND THAT SHOULD DEFINITELY BE. WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THAT. OKAY. ORDINANCES, INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING. THERE ARE NO ORDINANCES FOR INTRODUCTION ORDINANCES, PUBLIC HEARING, FINAL ADOPTION. THERE ARE NO ORDINANCES FOR FINAL 
          [12. Resolution #26-9-237 – Authorizing Professional Services Agreement for 2026 Legal Services – Township Attorney – David Minchello, Esq. of Rainone, Coughlin, Minchello ]
ADOPTION. RESOLUTION RESOLUTION 26-9-237. AUTHORIZING PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AGREEMENT 
          [00:55:05]
FOR 2026. LEGAL SERVICES TOWNSHIP ATTORNEY DAVID MINCHILLO, ESQUIRE OF RAIN. 
          WAYNE COUGHLIN, MINCHILLO. OKAY, MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 26-9-237. SO MOVED. 
          SECOND. ROLL CALL PLEASE. COMMITTEE MEMBER. HERRING. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. MARTIN. YES. 
          COMMITTEE MEMBER. AN. YES. DEPUTY MAYOR. TAYLOR. TODD. YES. MAYOR SINGH. YES. RESOLUTION 
          [13. Resolution #26-9-238 – Authorizing Award of Contract to Oliver Fire Protection & Security for Replacement and  Upgrade of the Fire Alarm System at Otto Kaufman Community Center ]
26-9-238. AUTHORIZING AWARD OF CONTRACT TO OLIVER. FIRE PROTECTION AND SECURITY FOR REPLACEMENT AND UPGRADE OF THE FIRE ALARM SYSTEM AT OTTO KAUFMAN COMMUNITY CENTER. YES, MAYOR. THE FIRE ALARM SYSTEM IS OLDER AND HAS BEEN GOING OFF CONSTANTLY. WE NEED TO HAVE STAFF RESPOND TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S JUST MALFUNCTIONING. AND SO THIS THIS REPAIR IS NEEDED TO BE MADE. OKAY. ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE? OKAY. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 26-9-238. SO MOVED. SECOND. ROLL CALL PLEASE. COMMITTEE MEMBER. HERRING. YES. 
          COMMITTEE MEMBER. MARTIN. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. ANNE. YES. DEPUTY. MAYOR. TAYLOR. TODD. 
          [14. Resolution #26-9-239 – Amending Resolution #26-1-04 Township Committee Liaisons to Boards and Committees ]
YES. MAYOR. SINGH. YES. RESOLUTION 26-9-239. AMENDING RESOLUTION 26-11-04. TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE LIAISONS TO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS. OKAY, SO THIS IS I GUESS WE WILL HAVE A COMMITTEE REPORT AT THE NEXT MEETING. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 26-9-239? SO MOVED. SECOND. ROLL CALL PLEASE. COMMITTEE MEMBER. HERRING. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. MARTIN. YES. 
          COMMITTEE MEMBER. ANNE. YES. DEPUTY MAYOR. TAYLOR. TODD. YES. AND MAYOR SINGH. YES. I DID 
          [15. Resolution #26-9-240 – Amending Resolution #26-4-141 Designating Specific Tracts of Municipally-Owned Parks  and Open Spaces Included in the Township’s Deer Management Program Designating Additional Tracts of  Municipally-Owned Property for 2026-2027]
LIKE THE ENTHUSIASM FOR. FROM COMMITTEEMAN HERRING RESOLUTION 26-9-240. AMENDING RESOLUTION 26-4-141. DESIGNATING SPECIFIC TRACTS OF MUNICIPALLY OWNED PARKS AND OPEN SPACES INCLUDED IN THE TOWNSHIP'S DEER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, DESIGNATING ADDITIONAL TRACTS OF MUNICIPALLY OWNED PROPERTY FOR 2026 TO 2027. LORI, ARE YOU GOING TO IS THERE ANYTHING OR IS IT LISA, IS THERE ANYTHING WE NEED TO KNOW? OR IT LOOKS LIKE THERE WAS JUST A CLERICAL ERROR FOR ONE OF THE PROPERTIES. SO THEY'RE JUST MAKING A SOME HOUSEKEEPING, RIGHT. AND WE'RE ADDING WE HAD THE DONATION OF THE DUTCHTOWN PROPERTY. SO THAT'S AN ADDITIONAL PROPERTY IN THE PROGRAM. OKAY. SO ARE WE ADDING MORE PROPERTIES. IT'S IT'S IT'S IT'S THE DUTCHTOWN PROPERTY I BELIEVE IS ADDED. AND THEN IT EXTENDS A LITTLE BIT MORE OF THAT OF THAT DUTCHTOWN AREA, THAT AREA. ARE THERE ANY OTHER PROPERTIES THAT WE CAN SEE TO ADD ON TO OUR HUNTING AREA? I'M SORRY, IS THERE ARE THERE CAN WE LOOK INTO ADDITIONAL PROPERTIES? THE OPEN SPACE COMMITTEE IS ALWAYS LOOKING AT WHEN THEY'RE PRESERVING. RIGHT. LORI CAN COMMENT, BUT THEY'RE ALWAYS LOOKING AT PROPERTIES TO ADD AND PRESERVE AND EXTEND ADD TO THE PROPERTIES THAT ARE ALREADY IN EVERY EVERY YEAR. THERE'S A PROCESS THAT THEY FOLLOW. SO EVERY YEAR, THE OPEN SPACE COMMITTEE, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE WILDLIFE COMMITTEE, OKAY, ADD NEW PROPERTIES, THEY EVALUATE THINGS, SEE HOW THINGS ARE GOING. ANY NEW PROPERTIES THAT WE, WE'VE, WE'VE PURCHASED FOR OPEN SPACE OR DONATED FOR OPEN SPACE. SO YES, THAT'S DONE EVERY YEAR. OKAY. BECAUSE A COMMITTEE WHEN MARTIN WAS BRINGING UP THAT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THIS IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO LOOK AT IF THERE IS A GRANT. SO MAYBE WE CAN HAVE MAYBE AFTER THIS HUNTING SEASON, THERE CAN BE SOME UPDATE, OKAY, OKAY, OKAY. THE COMMITTEE USUALLY MEETS IN MARCH. THEY MEET IN MARCH BECAUSE THE SEASON ENDS IN FEBRUARY, FEBRUARY 20TH. SO THEY'LL MEET IN EARLY MARCH. SO COMMITTEE MEMBER MARTIN WILL BE THERE. 
          OKAY, SO COMMITTEE MARTIN COMMITTEE CAN PROVIDE US AND THEN WE CAN LOOK INTO IT. I'LL MAKE SURE TO INVITE YOU. OKAY. SOUNDS LIKE A PLAN. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 26-9-240. SO MOVED. SECOND. ROLL CALL PLEASE. COMMITTEE MEMBER. HERRING. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. MARTIN. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. ANNE. YES. DEPUTY MAYOR. TAYLOR. TODD. YES. MAYOR SINGH. 
          [16. Resolution #26-9-241 – Authorizing Award of BID #07-2026 – 2026 Road Improvements  ]
YES. RESOLUTION 26-9-241. AUTHORIZING AWARD OF BID OH SEVEN 2026 TO 2026. ROAD IMPROVEMENTS. YES, MAYOR. THIS IS PART OF OUR 2026 CAPITAL BUDGET. THIS IS FOR THE ROAD IMPROVEMENTS. WE WENT OUT TO BID, AND THE LOWEST RESPONSIBLE BIDDER CAME OUT TO BE TOP LINE CONSTRUCTION CORP AT TWO 2 MILLION. THE BASE BID, WE WENT BY $2,169,811.47. SO WE'RE 
          [01:00:02]
RECOMMENDING THAT WE AWARD IT TO TOP LINE CONSTRUCTION CORP. OKAY. ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE? MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 26-9-241. SO MOVED. SECOND ROLL CALL PLEASE. MEMBER. HERRING. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. MARTIN. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. ANNE. YES. 
          [17. Resolution #26-9-242 – Authorizing the First Amendment to the Construction Sequence Agreement for The Haven  at Princeton, LLC (Block 37003, Lot 7 Proposed Subdivision, Case PB-07-20) ]
DEPUTY MAYOR. TAYLOR. TODD. YES. MAYOR SINGH. YES. RESOLUTION 26-9-242. AUTHORIZING THE FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTRUCTION SEQUENCE AGREEMENT FOR THE HAVEN AT PRINCETON, LLC, BLOCK 37003, LOT SEVEN. PROPOSED SUBDIVISION CASE PB 07-20. SO, MAYOR, THE HAVEN IS AN INCLUSIONARY DEVELOPMENT THAT WAS IS LOCATED WITHIN THE APARTMENT TOWNHOUSE ZONE. AND AS PART OF OUR ROUND THREE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PLAN, THEY HAVE NOT YET STARTED CONSTRUCTION BECAUSE THEY ARE WAITING THEIR DEP PERMITS. OKAY. AND SO THE AS YOU KNOW, THE CONSTRUCTION SEQUENCE AGREEMENT TAKES THE PLANNING BOARD RESOLUTION AND SPELLS OUT THE TIMING AND SEQUENCING OF HOW A DEVELOPMENT WILL BUILD OUT FROM THE SITE WORK TILL THE END, AND DIFFERENT OBLIGATIONS THAT THE DEVELOPER HAS. AND THAT'S DRAFTED BY THE TOWNSHIP ATTORNEY AND THE TOWNSHIP ENGINEER AND APPROVED BY THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE. SO THIS IS JUST AUTHORIZING AN AMENDMENT TO THAT. OKAY. AND SO DO WE KNOW WHEN THEY'RE STARTING? I SEE IT'S 154 UNIT AND I GUESS 32 AFFORDABLE FROM ROUND THREE. OKAY. YES. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 26-9-242. SO MOVED. SECOND ROLL CALL PLEASE. COMMITTEE MEMBER. 
          HERRING. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. MARTIN. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. ANNE. YES. DEPUTY MAYOR. TAYLOR. 
          [18. Resolution #26-9-243 – Authorizing the Purchase of a New 24-Foot by 60-Foot Modular Office Complex from  Mobilease Modular Space, Inc. Through Keystone Purchasing Network, Contract No. KPN-202501-02]
TODD. YES. MAYOR SINGH. YES. RESOLUTION 26-9-243. AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASE OF NEW 24 FOOT BY 60 FOOT MODULAR OFFICE COMPLEX FROM MOBIL MOBILE'S MODULAR SPACE, INC. 
          THROUGH KEYSTONE PURCHASING NETWORK CONTRACT NUMBER KPN22501-02. YES, MAYOR. THIS WAS ALSO PART OF THE THIS WAS DPW CAPITAL 2026. CAPITAL BUDGET IS FOR REPLACING THOSE TRAILERS THAT. AS YOU REMEMBER IN THE. THE. THE BUDGET PRESENTATION BY THOSE PHOTOS IS WELL NEEDED AND LONG OVERDUE. OKAY. ONE OF THE TWO, ONE OF THE TWO IS REPLACING ONE OF THE TWO, ONE OF THE TWO. GOTCHA. OKAY. ANY QUESTIONS? MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 26-9-243. SO MOVED. SECOND. ROLL CALL PLEASE. COMMITTEE MEMBER. HERRING. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. MARTIN. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. ANNE. YES. DEPUTY. MAYOR. TAYLOR. TODD. YES. MAYOR. 
          [19. Correspondence]
SINGH. YES. CORRESPONDENCE. AUGUST 17TH. EMAIL FROM N CASTELLINO REC CONCERNING THE CANVEY PROPERTY. THEN WE HAD AN ANONYMOUS RESIDENT LETTER REQUESTING MORE SHADE AT PLAYGROUND AT MUNICIPAL CENTER. RESIDENT EMAIL COMMENDING MY COUNCILMAN. HOW DO YOU SAY HIS LAST NAME? I'M SORRY. MAGNO, COUNCILMAN AND THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT. MIKE IS ACTUALLY WELL LIKED BY A LOT OF RESIDENTS. HE. HE'S REALLY VERY PLEASANT. ANYTIME WE'VE DONE AN EVENT IN THE PARK, I ALWAYS HEAR COMPLIMENTS. SO GOOD JOB TO MIKE. NEW AND UNFINISHED 
          [21. Future Agenda Items]
BUSINESS. THERE ARE NO MATTERS FOR THE MEETING AGENDA. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. THERE IS COMMUNITY GARDENS, HOMETOWN HEROES, BANNERS, FOOD SECURITY, YMCA TRANSPORTATION, SURVEY RESULTS, PRESENTATION ORDER, KAUFMAN COMMUNITY CENTER AND SENIOR CENTER IMPROVEMENTS, 
          [22. Resolution #26-9-244 Executive Session  ]
PROJECT MUNICIPAL SOLAR PROJECT RESOLUTION 26-9-244. 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 MEETING 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, MUNICIPAL ACTIONS, ATTORNEY CLIENT PRIVILEGE, HEALTH BENEFITS INCENTIVE PROGRAM 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 26-9-244? SO MOVED. SECOND. ROLL CALL PLEASE. COMMITTEE MEMBER. HERRING. YES. 
          [01:05:01]
COMMITTEE MEMBER. MARTIN. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. ANNE. YES. DEPUTY. MAYOR. TAYLOR. OKAY. 
          BACK ON. OKAY. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO CLOSE EXECUTIVE SESSION AND OPEN REGULAR SESSION. SO MOVED. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ADJOURNMENT. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? SO MOVED. SECOND. ALL
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.