Nov 12, 2026 Township Committee

[1. MEETING CALLED TO ORDER ]

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A REGULAR MEETING OF THE MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE CALLED TO ORDER AT 7 P.M. ROLL CALL PLEASE. MAYOR SINGH HERE, DEPUTY MAYOR TAYLOR TODD HERE. COMMITTEE MEMBER ON. COMMITTEE MEMBER. MARTIN HERE. COMMITTEE MEMBER. HERRING HERE. NOTICE OF MEETING AND COMPLIANCE WITH THE PUBLIC 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 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. SECOND. OKAY,

[5. PRESENTATION – Transportation Survey – Assistant Planner, Bryce Forys ]

I'M JUST HERE TODAY TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF AN UPDATE RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION HERE IN THE TOWNSHIP AND SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO THE TRANSPORTATION NEEDS ASSESSMENT THAT WAS ADMINISTERED EARLIER THIS YEAR. SO JUST TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF BACKDROP, THE TRANSPORTATION NEEDS ASSESSMENT WAS ADMINISTERED AS A COLLABORATION BETWEEN OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT IN JANUARY 2026. THE OVERALL GOAL OF THE SURVEY WAS TO COLLECT GENERAL DATA ON HOW RESIDENTS, WORKERS AND VISITORS CURRENTLY TRAVEL IN AND AROUND MONTGOMERY, ASSESS BROADER TRANSPORTATION NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY, AND HELP GUIDE FUTURE DECISIONS RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION IN MONTGOMERY. AND BEFORE I GET INTO, YOU KNOW, THE RESULTS OF THE SURVEY, I THINK IT'S JUST IMPORTANT TO THINK ABOUT WHY WE SHOULD CARE ABOUT TRANSPORTATION IN GENERAL, RIGHT? YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A LOT OF ECONOMIC IMPACTS FOR THE COMMUNITY THAT TRANSPORTATION PROVIDES SPECIFICALLY WITH CONNECTING PEOPLE TO DIFFERENT BUSINESSES WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO LOWERING THE COST OF TRANSPORTATION AS A WHOLE.

HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELL-BEING IS ANOTHER IMPORTANT FACTOR TO CONSIDER WHEN THINKING ABOUT TRANSPORTATION CONGESTION REDUCTION AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY, ESPECIALLY AS WE'RE LOOKING TO REDUCE EMISSIONS ON THE ROAD AND ALSO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF CARS THAT ARE TRAVELING IN AND AROUND MONTGOMERY. AND ON TOP OF THAT, INCREASED SOCIAL CONNECTIVITY, THINKING ABOUT HOW WE CAN CONNECT THE RESIDENTS OF MONTGOMERY TO EACH OTHER AND ALSO TO OTHER REGIONAL HUBS NEARBY. SO YEAH, WITH THAT IN MIND, I'LL GET INTO THE SURVEY AND THE BACKDROP OF IT. SO OVERALL, OUR METHODOLOGY REPRESENTATIVES FROM NJ TRANSIT WERE CONSULTED TO HELP HELP CRAFT QUESTIONS ASKED ON THE SURVEY. THE GOAL WAS TO CREATE BROAD QUESTIONS THAT WERE COMPREHENSIVE AND EASY TO ANSWER. THE AVERAGE RESPONSE TIME CAME OUT TO AROUND A LITTLE OVER EIGHT MINUTES. SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK PEOPLE WERE ABLE TO PUT THOUGHT INTO IT, BUT IT WASN'T SOMETHING THAT WAS TOO ARDUOUS. ALL ANSWERS REMAINED ANONYMOUS AND WILL REMAIN ANONYMOUS GOING FORWARD. AND ON TOP OF THAT, THE SURVEY WAS DIVIDED INTO SIX SECTIONS. SECTION ONE WAS ABOUT YOU. SECTION TWO WAS ABOUT YOUR TRAVEL. GENERAL QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW PEOPLE GET AROUND. SECTION THREE WAS SPECIFICALLY ABOUT PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, AND HOW ABOUT HOW OUR RESIDENTS FEEL ABOUT IT. AND YOU KNOW, HOW THEY USE IT NOW AND WOULD LIKE TO USE IT IN THE FUTURE. SECTION FOUR FOCUSED SPECIFICALLY ON PARATRANSIT AND MEDICAL TRANSPORTATION NEEDS. SECTION FIVE ASKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF OUR RESPONDENTS, AND SECTION SIX PROVIDED SOME CLOSING QUESTIONS AND ALSO OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO PROVIDE QUALITATIVE COMMENTS JUST FOR, YOU KNOW, ADDITIONAL THINGS THEY WOULD LIKE TO SAY ABOUT TRANSPORTATION. THE RESPONSE COLLECTION THE ONLINE SURVEY WAS LAUNCHED IN EARLY JANUARY 2026 AND REMAINED OPEN THROUGH EARLY MAY 2026. IT WAS PROMOTED THROUGH E-BULLETINS TOWNSHIP. NEWSLETTERS, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EVENTS, THE TOWNSHIP WEBSITE, FLIERS AT BUS STOPS IN TOWN, SOCIAL MEDIA AND OTHER WAYS OF ADDITIONAL ENGAGEMENT. OVERALL. THROUGH THESE EFFORTS, 500 TOTAL RESPONSES TO THE SURVEY WERE COLLECTED ACROSS FIVE MONTHS. SO JUST LOOKING SPECIFICALLY AT THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF WHO RESPONDED TO THE SURVEY, 38% OF RESPONDENTS WERE 60 YEARS OR

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YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT VERY FEW PEOPLE FOUND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION TOO CONFUSING. SO, YOU KNOW, MOST PEOPLE SEEM TO BE WILLING AND WANTING TO USE IT. IT'S JUST EITHER NOT AVAILABLE IN THEIR AREA OR NOT AVAILABLE WITHOUT HAVING TO USE A CAR TO GET THERE. AND OVERALL, YOU KNOW, THIS TO KIND OF CAP OFF THE IMPORTANCE OF INCREASING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION WITHIN MONTGOMERY. THIS QUESTION SPECIFICALLY ASKED, WOULD EXPANDING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS IN MONTGOMERY HELP YOU IN ANY WAY? 61% OF RESPONDENTS STATED THAT EXPANDING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION WOULD HELP THEM.

AN ADDITIONAL 23% STATED THAT IT COULD MAYBE HELP THEM. WE HAD A SMALL 16% THAT SAID NO,

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I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THERE ARE A LOT OF COMMUTERS THAT WANT TO CONNECT TO NYC.

THIS QUESTION SPECIFICALLY ASKS, DO YOU CURRENTLY TRAVEL TO NEW YORK CITY? 70% OF ALL RESPONDENTS TRAVELED TO NEW YORK CITY AT LEAST OCCASIONALLY. 17% TRAVELED TO NEW YORK CITY AT LEAST A FEW TIMES PER WEEK. SO I THINK THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT TRAVEL MAYBE OCCASIONALLY ON THE WEEKENDS. BUT I THINK FOR THE PEOPLE THAT TRAVEL A FEW TIMES PER WEEK, THAT'S MORE REPRESENTATIVE OF OUR COMMUTER POPULATION WHO HAVE TO GO INTO NEW YORK CITY. ON TOP OF THAT, RIGHT? IF YOU TRAVEL TO NEW YORK CITY, HOW DO YOU GET THERE? YOU KNOW, 51% OF RESPONDENTS USE THE TRAIN TO TRAVEL TO NEW YORK CITY. YOU KNOW, WHILE 18% OF RESPONDENTS CARPOOL OR DRIVE ALONE. SO A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE FINDING ALTERNATIVE WAYS TO CONNECT TO NEW YORK CITY AND LOOKING TO, TO GET THERE THROUGH, YOU KNOW, OUR NEIGHBORING REGIONAL HUBS OR OTHER SERVICES THAT ARE PROVIDED NEARBY. ON TOP OF THAT, YOU KNOW, WITHIN THE QUALITATIVE RESPONSE SECTION, THERE WAS A LOT OF RESPONSES THAT SUPPORTED, YOU KNOW, MORE REGIONAL CONNECTION, RIGHT? OUR FIRST ONE SAID, NEED STRONG TRANSPORTATION LINKS TO PRINCETON JUNCTION STATION, TRENTON, EWR, AND JFK. I DON'T HAVE TO READ ALL OF THEM, BUT A DIRECT BUS TO NEW YORK CITY WOULD OPEN JOB OPTIONS FOR MY FAMILY MEMBERS, CONNECTING TO MAJOR TRAIN STATIONS LIKE PRINCETON, RARITAN OR BRIDGEWATER WILL HELP. SO I THINK PEOPLE ARE REALLY THINKING ABOUT NOT JUST CONNECTING TO NEW YORK CITY, BUT ALSO CONNECTING TO AREAS THAT CAN GET THEM TO NEW YORK CITY, YOU KNOW, KIND OF HELPING THEM WITH THAT FIRST STEP OF THE COMMUTE. ON TOP OF THAT, I THINK THERE'S A STRONG THERE'S A STRONG SUPPORT WITHIN THIS SURVEY FOR MORE LOCAL CONNECTIVITY RIGHT BEHIND NEW YORK CITY AND PRINCETON, THE THIRD AREA WHERE RESPONDENTS WANT TO TRAVEL THE MOST VIA PUBLIC TRANSIT IS WITHIN MONTGOMERY. AND THINKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE REASONS PEOPLE TRAVEL, RIGHT. YOU KNOW, WHILE MOST ALL THE SECOND RANKED, YOU KNOW, OPTION FOR OUR PRIMARY REASONS FOR TRAVEL IS WORK AND DAILY COMMUTE, THERE IS A STRONG NEED FOR PEOPLE TO GO SHOPPING AND DO THEIR ERRANDS. A LOT OF PEOPLE ALSO NEED TO GET AROUND FOR THEIR MEDICAL, DENTAL AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES OR APPOINTMENTS. SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO THINK BEYOND JUST OUR COMMUTERS AND ALSO HOW WE CAN LINK PEOPLE WITHIN THE TOWNSHIP TO, YOU KNOW, SERVICES VIA PUBLIC TRANSIT. RIGHT. THIS QUESTION SPECIFICALLY ASKED, WHAT LOCATIONS IN MONTGOMERY DO YOU VISIT AT LEAST WEEKLY? I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THE PROMENADE WAS NOT OPEN AT THE TIME OF THE SURVEY. BUT, YOU KNOW, THE MONTGOMERY SHOPPING CENTER, YOU KNOW, WAS CLEARLY, YOU KNOW, THE HIGHEST OF WHERE PEOPLE GO, AT LEAST ON A WEEKLY BASIS. BUT A LOT OF THE OTHER MAJOR AREAS WITHIN MONTGOMERY ARE ALSO VISITED, LIKE PIKE CROWN PLAZA, PRINCETON NORTH SHOPPING CENTER, MONTGOMERY MUNICIPAL COMPLEX, VILLAGE SHOPPES AT MONTGOMERY AND THE GROVE, MONTGOMERY. THIS MAP HERE, IF YOU CAN SEE IT ALONG OUR. OUR LARGER GREEN KIND OF ON THE MAP SHOW SPECIFICALLY, YOU KNOW, THE DARKER GREEN SHOWS WHERE MOST PEOPLE RESPONDED AND THE BIGGER THEY ARE INDICATES A LARGER AMOUNT OF WEEKLY VISITS. AND THESE REALLY JUST INDICATE, YOU KNOW, WHERE PEOPLE ARE GOING ON A WEEKLY BASIS HERE IN MONTGOMERY. AND IF WE OVERLAY THAT, ESPECIALLY WITH, YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE THAT RESPONDED AND WHERE THEY'RE LIVING, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THERE IS A TREND OF, YOU KNOW, MONTGOMERY IS, YOU KNOW, SPRAWLING IN CERTAIN ASPECTS. THERE IS CERTAIN AREAS OF DENSITY AND WHERE PEOPLE NEED

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HAVE YOU HAD DIFFICULTY FINDING A RIDE TO A MEDICAL APPOINTMENT IN THE PAST SIX MONTHS, 44% OF RESPONDENTS INDICATED DIFFICULTY FINDING A RIDE TO A MEDICAL APPOINTMENT IN THE PAST SIX MONTHS. SO, AND ON TOP OF THAT, THERE WERE A LOT OF DIFFERENT REASONS UNDERNEATH WHY, YOU KNOW, THAT THEY SELECTED, RIGHT? I DON'T KNOW WHO TO CALL TO REQUEST A RIDE.

FRIENDS AND FAMILY ARE NOT AVAILABLE. THE COST OF THE TRANSPORTATION. SO THESE ARE ALL THINGS TO THINK ABOUT, ESPECIALLY FOR, YOU KNOW, FILLING THESE IMPORTANT NEEDS FOR MEDICAL TRANSPORTATION FOR THE PEOPLE THAT NEED IT THE MOST. ON TOP OF THAT, THERE WAS A QUESTION THAT SPECIFICALLY ASKED ABOUT THE SOMERSET COUNTY PARATRANSIT SYSTEM. DOES THE SOMERSET COUNTY PARATRANSIT SYSTEM MEET YOUR NEEDS? WELL, 87% OF THEIR RESPONDENTS IN THE SURVEY DO NOT USE SOMERSET COUNTY PARATRANSIT SYSTEM. OF THOSE THAT DID, 65% INDICATED THAT THE SERVICE DOES NOT MEET THEIR NEEDS. RIGHT. AND I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING IMPORTANT TO NOTE, RIGHT? FOR THOSE THAT NEED IT, A LOT OF THEM ARE IDENTIFYING THAT IT'S NOT AS RELIABLE AS IT SHOULD BE. ON TOP OF THIS, I THINK THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF QUALITATIVE FEEDBACK WITHIN THE SURVEY THAT, YOU KNOW, PUT TALK SPECIFICALLY ABOUT SUPPORT FOR ASSISTIVE TRANSIT. YOU KNOW, OUR FIRST ONE, EXPANDING ACCESSIBLE MICROTRANSIT FOR SENIORS AND DISABLED ADULTS. OUR SECOND QUOTE SPECIFICALLY MENTIONS, WHILE I'M CURRENTLY ABLE TO DRIVE MY AGE, MEANS THAT I WON'T BE ABLE TO MUCH LONGER. THERE IS NO REALISTIC PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IN MONTGOMERY AND I FEAR BEING ISOLATED. THAT TIES SPECIFICALLY BEFORE. RIGHT? YOU KNOW, THAT SENSE OF INDEPENDENCE, BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, HOW WE CAN ADDRESS THINGS LIKE LACK OF ISOLATION AND ALLOWING PEOPLE TO AGE IN PLACE HERE IN MONTGOMERY. I HAD A HIP REPLACEMENT SIX MONTHS AGO AND WAS UNABLE TO DRIVE FOR A PERIOD OF TIME. PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION WAS NON-EXISTENT. EVEN CALLING TO SEE ABOUT A RIDE TO A DOCTOR. SO THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO NEED, YOU KNOW, MEDICAL SUPPORT AND RIDES TO THEIR MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS THAT AND THAT'S IDENTIFIED AS A MAJOR ISSUE WITH THROUGH THE SURVEY. SO OUR CONTINUED PROGRESS BEYOND THIS SURVEY. SPECIFICALLY THINKING ABOUT HOW WE CAN WORK WITH A LOT OF OUR KEY PARTNERS. ON SEPTEMBER 21ST, WE HELD A MEETING HERE IN THE TOWNSHIP MUNICIPAL BUILDING WITH NJ TRANSIT PRESIDENT CHRIS KOLLURI, AMONGST OTHER REGIONAL STAKEHOLDERS. YOU KNOW, WITHIN OUR CONVERSATION, PRESIDENT CURRY IDENTIFIED MONTGOMERY AS A DIFFERENT KIND OF TRANSPORTATION DESERT, YOU KNOW, AND THAT WE SHOULD FOCUS ON PROVIDING THE MOST WE CAN WITH THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE HERE IN THE TOWNSHIP. WITHIN THOSE CONVERSATIONS, HE ENCOURAGED US TO PURSUE A LOT OF THE AVAILABLE GRANT FUNDING FOR A

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AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM. I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, BRYCE.

THIS IS ILLUMINATING. I'VE BEEN PART OF THE PROCESS FOR A WHILE, BUT THIS IS VERY WELL PUT TOGETHER. SO THANK YOU. AND I'LL LET THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE ASK THEIR QUESTIONS. OKAY. SO YOUR CONVERSATION WITH THE COUNTY, WHAT HOW DID THAT GO? YEAH, I, YOU KNOW, IT WAS BASICALLY PRELIMINARY RIGHT NOW I WAS JUST ASKING THEM ABOUT WHAT EXISTS, YOU KNOW, WHAT PROGRAMS THEY CURRENTLY RUN. YOU KNOW WHAT, THEY DON'T RUN DOWN TO MONTGOMERY. YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF ASKS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE COULD THINK ABOUT IN THE FUTURE TO MAKE TO THEM TO BE, YOU KNOW, HOW WE COULD WORK TOGETHER TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE NEEDS OF OUR TOWNSHIP. YOU KNOW, THEY OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTAND A LOT OF THE NEEDS OF MONTGOMERY RESIDENTS AND I THINK WOULD BE WILLING TO, YOU KNOW, WORK TOGETHER AND HAVE CONVERSATIONS IN THE FUTURE TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE NEEDS HERE IN THE SURVEY. SO YEAH, SO THANK YOU, BRYCE. THIS IS REALLY EXCELLENT. I'VE BEEN LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS FOR, FOR SOME TIME. I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST THING WE HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE HERE IS THAT AND THIS IS NOT THE ONLY, YOU KNOW, EVIDENCE THAT WE HAVE THAT TRANSPORTATION IS AN ISSUE AND THAT SOMETHING THAT WE PROBABLY HAVE TO THINK ABOUT DEALING WITH. BUT THE EVIDENCE HERE IS, IS COMPELLING. I MEAN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BASICALLY PEOPLE BEING TRAPPED IN THEIR HOMES. I MEAN, 31%, 32% SAY BARRIERS EXIST WHEN THEY WANT TO GET TO SOMEWHERE WHERE THEY WANT TO GO, YOU KNOW, 44% DIFFICULTY GETTING TO MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS, YOU KNOW, AND WE ARE A COMMUNITY THAT IS GETTING OLDER AND OLDER. AND I MEAN, I THINK, I THINK ALL OF US PROBABLY UNDERSTAND OR HEAR AND KNOW WHEN OUR EXTENDED RELATIVES OR THE GRANDPARENTS OF OUR CHILDREN COME TO TOWN AND WANT TO STAY FOR EXTENDED PERIODS, THEY CAN'T THEY BASICALLY CAN'T GET ANYWHERE THEY WANT TO GO UNLESS SOMEBODY SHUTTLES THEM SOMEWHERE. SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S JUST ONE ONE EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, CONGESTION. IS THAT AN ISSUE? YES. IT CAME UP HERE IN THE

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THE THERE WAS A, A RUTGERS GRADUATE STUDENT THAT PUT OUT A, AN ASSESSMENT, MONTGOMERY BEING CHOSEN AS ONE OF THREE TOWNS ACROSS THIS WAS RELEASED EARLIER THIS YEAR. THERE WAS ONE URBAN, ONE SUBURBAN AND ONE RURAL COMMUNITY IN NEW JERSEY. SELECTED FOR THAT. MONTGOMERY WAS THE SUBURBAN. AND THAT STUDY SHOWED THAT MONTGOMERY WAS A TRANSPORTATION DESERT, AS YOU REFERRED TO. I THINK THAT'S A GOOD DESCRIPTION THAT WE WE HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, REMEMBER AND THINK ABOUT THE CAR DEPENDENCY HERE IS, IS HUGE. AND I'M REALLY INTRIGUED BY WHAT YOU TALKED ABOUT RELATED TO WESTFIELD, THAT THERE'S A THE ONE THAT I HAD SEEN AND A MICRO TRANSIT SOLUTION THAT I WAS ALSO INTRIGUED ABOUT WAS IN TRENTON, WHICH IS, WHICH IS NOW THE COMPANY THAT THE NONPROFIT THAT THAT DOES THIS, IT'S CALLED GO TRENTON. BUT THEY'VE ACTUALLY EXTENDED THAT TO EWING AND HAMILTON. SO THERE ARE EXAMPLES, AND I'D LIKE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THE WESTFIELD EXAMPLE, BECAUSE YOU MENTIONED THAT IT'S IT'S A IT'S A COLLABORATION BETWEEN A MICRO TRANSIT COMPANY VIA TRANSPORTATION, THE COUNTY OF THE COUNTY THAT WESTFIELD SITS IN, WHICH IS UNION AND THE STATE. AND SO, YOU KNOW, THE, THE THERE WAS A LAW THAT THAT GOVERNOR CHERYL RECENTLY PASSED THAT PROVIDED FUNDING. I THINK IT'S LIKE ON THE ORDER OF 50 TO 60 MILLION A YEAR FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING FROM THE STATE FOR TRANSPORTATION RELATED TO SENIOR CITIZENS AND, AND DISABLED FOLKS. SO THE, THE, THE ONLY CONDITION IS THAT THE MICRO TRANSIT PARTNER YOU CHOOSE CANNOT HAVE A CONTRACTED, YOU KNOW, BUSINESS MODEL, WHICH OF COURSE, UBER AND LYFT DO HAVE. BUT SOME OF THESE OTHERS LIKE, LIKE V, I MAYBE, MAYBE THEY DON'T. SO THAT WE, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT ALL THESE OPTIONS BECAUSE LIKE YOU SAID, THIS, THIS SURVEY IS CONCLUSIVE EVIDENCE FOR ME AT LEAST THAT THERE'S A HUGE NEED, THE DESIRE TO GO TO NEW YORK CITY. WE HAVE TO REMEMBER IT'S NOT JUST GOING TO PRINCETON JUNCTION TO GET TO TRAIN. IT COULD BE THAT COULD BE GOING TO NEW BRUNSWICK KIT TRAIN, WHICH IS WHY SOMERSET COUNTY IS AN IMPORTANT PARTNER FOR US TO THINK ABOUT IN THIS, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE ONLY HAVE THE ONE BUS THAT MERCER. WE. MERCER COUNTY HELPS US WITH THE 605 THAT GETS GETS PEOPLE FROM THE SOUTHERN, YOU KNOW, TIP OF THE TOWN INTO PRINCETON, MERCER COUNTY. WE HAVE NOTHING, YOU KNOW, FROM FROM SOMERSET. OF COURSE, THEY DO PROVIDE THAT PARATRANSIT. BUT WE SEE HERE THAT THE PARATRANSIT SOLUTION IS NOT OFFERING FLEXIBILITY AND THE NEEDS THAT NOT MANY PEOPLE WANT, EVEN THE ONES WHO USE IT ARE SAYING 65% OF THEM SAY THAT IT DOES NOT MEET THEIR NEEDS. SO I THINK THAT'S A VERY GOOD POINT, CONGRESSMAN MARTIN, BECAUSE WHAT I SAW IN THE EMAIL FROM THE SOMERSET COUNTY, THE COMMITTEEMAN ON POINT WAS THE COUNTY SAID, IF WE ARE TALKING TO NJ A, THEY WANT TO BE PARTNERS WITH US. SO IT SEEMS LIKE THE COUNTY WANTS TO BE PARTNER WITH US, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE HAVEN'T HEARD A SOLUTION FROM THEM. BUT THEY WANT TO KNOW WHAT WE ARE THINKING AND SAYING. CAN WE ALL COLLABORATE? SO I KNOW WE HAVE TO, AS A TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE HAVE. WHAT DO WE NEED FROM THE FROM SOMERSET COUNTY? YEAH. SO THAT IS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT. YEAH. SO I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT ALL OPTIONS, RIGHT? THE, THE MICRO TRANSIT. I, I PERSONALLY THINK THAT MICRO TRANSIT SUITS OUR SITUATION IN MONTGOMERY VERY WELL. BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, BUSSES TO MAJOR TRANSPORTATION HUBS LIKE NEW BRUNSWICK AND OF COURSE, PRINCETON JUNCTION ALSO NEED TO BE IN THE IN THE CONVERSATION. AND SO, SO I LOOK FORWARD TO, YOU KNOW, HEARING MORE AND, AND ALL OF US CONTRIBUTING TO A SOLUTION TO A NEED THAT, YOU KNOW, CLEARLY EXISTS. SO THANK YOU. DID YOU THANK YOU. DID YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING? DEPUTY MAYOR TAYLOR TODD THANK YOU.

MAYOR, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, BUT I AM REALLY GRATEFUL THAT WE ARE CONSIDERING THIS. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION BECAUSE AS SOMEONE WHO HASN'T LIVED IN MONTGOMERY THAT LONG OUTSIDE OF MONTGOMERY, ALL THE TALK ABOUT MOVING INTO MONTGOMERY, AS ATTRACTIVE AS IT IS, IS THAT YOU CANNOT GET IN AND OUT. YOU CAN'T GET AROUND, YOU KNOW, AND THAT IS WHAT PEOPLE OUTSIDE MONTGOMERY ARE SAYING, AS WELL AS PEOPLE INSIDE MONTGOMERY AND

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YEAH. THANK YOU ALL. APPRECIATE IT. OKAY. AND NOW WE HAVE OUR PRESENTATION FOR THE MUNICIPAL

[6. PRESENTATION – Municipal Solar Presentation ]

BUT WE WERE HERE ON MARCH 5TH. WE WERE HERE ON MARCH 5TH INITIALLY. BUT THIS PROCESS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR OVER A YEAR NOW, GOING BACK AND FORTH, LOOKING AT DIFFERENT OPTIONS AND TRYING TO COME UP WITH ONE THAT IS BENEFICIAL TO THE RESIDENTS AS WELL AS OUR OPERATIONS AND OF COURSE, OUR BUDGET AS WELL. SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S TWO STEPS TO SHAPING THIS PROJECT. NUMBER ONE WAS WHERE COULD SOLAR GO WHEN WE CAME HERE ON MARCH 5TH, YOU KNOW, THE PRESENTATION WE HAD, IT WAS ON THE ROOF. WE HAD CANOPIES IN THE FRONT. AND, YOU KNOW, WE STARTED BACKTRACKING FROM THERE. SOME OF THE THINGS WE DIDN'T WANT, WE DIDN'T WANT ANYTHING ON THE ROOF DUE TO SOME OF THE STRUCTURAL ISSUES IT CAN CAUSE AND ISSUES WE'VE BEEN ALREADY HAVING. WE DIDN'T WANT IT UP FRONT DUE TO, AGAIN, WE HAVE SUCH A BEAUTIFUL BUILDING. WE DON'T WANT ANYTHING OBSTRUCTING THAT VIEW. SO AGAIN, WE'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH MANY OPTIONS AND I'LL SHOW YOU A BUNCH OF THEM THAT THAT WE HAVE COME UP WITH. AND THE SECOND THING IS WHO WOULD OWN THE SYSTEM? WHAT PROCESS WOULD WE GO? WOULD WE EITHER PAY FOR IT AND OWN IT, OR WOULD WE GO THROUGH THE POWER PURCHASE AGREEMENT WHERE WE'RE BASICALLY LEASING IT? AND I'LL TALK ABOUT THAT THE NEXT SLIDE. SO THE PPA, THE POWER PURCHASE AGREEMENT, AGAIN, UPFRONT INVESTMENT, THERE'S NO OUT OF POCKET COSTS. THIS IS. AGAIN MOST IMPORTANT THING TO KNOW OUT OF OUT OF POCKET COSTS. THAT'S IF WE WENT THROUGH THE PPA, THE LEASE LEASING OPTION. IF WE DECIDED TO PURCHASE THE SYSTEM, AS YOU'LL SEE, WE WOULD NEED TO BOND FOR IT. AND I KNOW THERE'S NOT MUCH OF AN APPETITE FOR BONDING, BUT AGAIN, THE REALISTIC SITUATION THAT WE'RE IN, WE WOULD WE DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF FUNDS SET ASIDE TO, TO FUND SUCH A BIG PROJECT. SO WE'D HAVE TO BOND FOR IT IF WE DECIDED TO PURCHASE THE PROJECT, AS OPPOSED TO GOING THROUGH IT THROUGH THE PPA. WHEN IT COMES TO SYSTEM OWNERSHIP FOR THE PPA, THE, THE, THE WE WOULD NOT OWN IT. WHOEVER THE BIDDER, THE WINNING BIDDER WAS, THEY WOULD

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AGAIN, OUR HANDS ARE CLEAN SO THAT THAT'S WHAT THE PPA. WHEN IT COMES TO THE PURCHASE. IF WE DECIDED TO PURCHASE WITH IT AGAIN, IT'S. IT'S OUR PROPERTY. IT WOULD BE OUR SOLAR. WE WOULD HAVE TO MAINTAIN IT, WE WOULD HAVE TO UPGRADE IT. WE WOULD HAVE TO DO ALL OF THAT. SO THAT'S AGAIN, THAT'S ONE OF THE DOWNSIDES FOR PURCHASING WHEN IT COMES TO THE ENERGY CREDITS.

AGAIN, FOR THE PPA SINCE RELEASING IT, THEY WOULD GET THOSE CREDITS. IF WE PURCHASED IT, WE WOULD GET THOSE CREDITS. FINANCIAL BENEFITS, AS YOU'LL SEE AGAIN, IF WE PURCHASE IT, THERE IS A LARGER FINANCIAL BENEFIT AT THE END, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IT DOES COME WITH SOME CONTINGENCIES, SOME HEADACHES THAT I THINK WE ARE LOOKING TO AVOID WHEN IT COMES WITH THE PPA. AGAIN, NOTHING OUT OF POCKET. WE STILL SEE SAVINGS AND YOU'RE STILL SEEING A FINANCIAL BENEFIT. SO THOSE ARE THE TWO OPTIONS THAT WE HAVE BEEN WEIGHING THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS. SO WHEN IT COMES TO THE MUNICIPAL COMPLEX, AGAIN THIS WAS THE LARGEST ONE OF THE LARGER OPTIONS, NOT WITH THE THE ROOF AND THE FRONT CARPORTS, BUT THIS IS ONE THAT WE WEIGHED.

AND AGAIN, WE THOUGHT AT LEAST I THOUGHT WE CAME TO A CONCLUSION THAT WE'RE THINKING THIS IS A LITTLE TOO MUCH FOR TO START OFF WITH. BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS IS IF WE DECIDE TO PURCHASE THIS OPTION, IT WOULD BE 6.7 MILLION. THE 30 YEAR PURCHASE CASH FLOW WOULD BE ABOUT 19 MILLION, ALMOST $20 MILLION. BUT THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE, OF COURSE, THE UPFRONT COSTS THAT WE'D HAVE TO BOND FOR AND WHATNOT. IF WE DO A 15 YEAR PPA, AGAIN, NO OUT OF POCKET COSTS, AND WE'D BE SAVING APPROXIMATELY 4 MILLION, ALMOST $4.9 MILLION OVER THE 15 YEAR PERIOD. AND THEN AFTER THE 15 YEAR PERIOD, WE HAVE AN OPTION TO RENEW, GET THEM REMOVED. BUT AGAIN, WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT IN A FEW MORE SLIDES. SO AGAIN, THIS WAS THE LARGEST OPTION THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT. OPTION TWO WAS THE SMALLEST OPTION JUST CARPORTS ONLY ON THE BACK END BY THE POLICE STATION. AGAIN WE'RE VERY BIG ON THE CARPORTS ONLY FOR MANY REASONS, NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF THE SOLAR, BUT AT THE SAME TIME PROTECTS THE VEHICLES FROM THE WEAR AND TEAR FROM FROM THE SUN, THE UV, ALL OF THAT, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO THE POLICE VEHICLES WHO ARE ARE RUNNING 24 OVER SEVEN. SO FOR THE CARPORT, ONLY IF WE DECIDED TO GO THAT ROUTE, THE PURCHASE PRICE WOULD BE JUST UNDER $2 MILLION, $1.8 MILLION. OVER THE 30 YEAR PERIOD, WE SEE A SAVINGS AND CASH FLOW OF 3.5, ALMOST 3.6 MILLION. IF WE DECIDED TO GO THAT PPA ROUTE, IT WOULD BE SAVINGS OF $850,000 APPROXIMATELY. AND AGAIN, AFTER THAT 15 YEAR PERIOD, WE'D HAVE OPTIONS. SO AGAIN, THAT WAS A LITTLE YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE SMALLER SIDE OF THINGS. NOW HERE'S THE MEDIUM GROUND, ONE OF THE MEDIUM GROUNDS. OPTION THREE. THIS IS, YOU KNOW, CARPORTS AND THEN A SMALL PORTION ON THE NORTHWEST SIDE OF OUR BUILDING. PURCHASE PRICE FOR THAT WOULD BE $3.3 MILLION, 30 YEAR CASH FLOW SAVINGS WE'D SEE WOULD BE ABOUT OVER $7 MILLION WITH THE 15 YEAR PPA AGAIN, JUST UNDER 2 MILLION, ABOUT $1,000,700. THEN WE LOOKED AT POSSIBLY EXPANDING IT A LITTLE FURTHER. AGAIN, THIS WAS A PURCHASE PRICE OF $3.8 MILLION, 30 YEAR CASH FLOW OF JUST UNDER $10 MILLION, $9.4 MILLION. THE 15 YEAR PPA SAVINGS WOULD BE JUST OVER $2 MILLION. NEXT OPTION WE LOOKED AT IS THE NORTHEAST SIDE OF THE BUILDING. ADDING A LITTLE MORE. AND AGAIN, THIS IS STARTING TO GET A LITTLE LARGE AGAIN. SO NOW WE HAVE THIS IS THE DUAL GROUNDS, $4 MILLION TO PURCHASE IT AND OWN ON OUR ON OUR OWN. CASH FLOW AFTER 30 YEARS WOULD BE ABOUT $11.7 MILLION. BUT IF WE WENT THE PPA ROUTE, WE WOULD STILL BE SAVING 2.5, ALMOST $2.6 MILLION. SO AGAIN, THOSE ARE THE OPTIONS THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT. IN ADDITION TO THAT INITIAL OPTION WHERE WE HAD IT ON THE ROOF UP FRONT, WHICH AGAIN, WE KIND OF BACKED OFF THAT PRETTY QUICKLY. HERE'S A SUMMARY OF THE, THE FIVE OPTIONS THAT WE LOOKED AT SHOWING YOU THE CASH FLOW FOR THE 30 YEAR, THE, THE SAVINGS FOR THE 15 YEAR PPA AS WELL AS THE PURCHASE PRICE THAT'S WITH, AGAIN, IF WE DECIDED TO GO THE PURCHASE ROUTE VERSUS IF WE DECIDED TO GO THE, THE 15 YEAR PPA. OKAY, MOVING ON TO SEWER SEWER, THERE WASN'T A LOT OF ROOM. SO WE DIDN'T REALLY HAVE MANY OPTIONS. SEWER IS PRETTY A PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD PIPE BROKE. WE'RE LOOKING AT AGAIN THAT'S FACILITY THAT WE ARE WILLING TO TO PUT ROOF MOUNTED SOLAR ON. AND AGAIN GOING THE PPA ROUTE, YOU'RE SAVING ABOUT $165,000. IF YOU GO THE PURCHASING ROUTE, YOU'D HAVE TO PURCHASE $341,000 WORTH. AND YOU SEE A CASH FLOW OF JUST OVER $700,000. SKILLMAN VILLAGE,

[00:40:07]

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS WHAT ARE THE OPTIONS? IF WE DO GO WITH THE PPA, WHAT HAPPENS AFTER 15 YEARS? AND AS YOU CAN SEE, WE CAN EITHER PURCHASE, WE'D BE ABLE TO NEGOTIATE AND PURCHASE THE SYSTEM AT THE FAIR MARKET VALUE. WE COULD EXTEND THE PPA MUTUALLY AGREED TERMS OR REQUEST REMOVAL AND SITE RESTORATION AT THE COST OF THE WINNING BIDDER. AGAIN, THE FINAL AGREEMENT WOULD ESTABLISH THE BUYOUT PROVISIONS. WHAT IF WE WANTED TO TERMINATE EARLY? RIGHT. THE FINAL AGREEMENT WILL DEFINE EARLY TERMINATION RIGHTS. SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO PUT IN THE FINAL TERMINATION. I MEAN THE FINAL AGREEMENT. BUT AGAIN, IF WE DECIDE TO DO THAT, I'M SURE THERE WOULD BE SOME KIND OF PENALTY OR WE WOULD RECEIVE A LOWER BID AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF WE MADE IT MANDATORY, ARE THE PROJECTED SAVINGS GUARANTEED THERE? YOU KNOW, THE SAVINGS ARE ESTIMATED BASED ON UTILITY RATES, PROJECTED ESCALATION AND EXPECTED SOLAR PRODUCTION. ACTUAL SAVINGS WILL VARY WITH FUTURE RATES AND FACILITY ENERGY CONSUMPTION. THE FINAL PPA, THOUGH, MAY INCLUDE A PRODUCTION GUARANTEE.

WHAT HAPPENS IF PRODUCTION IS LOWER THAN PROJECTED? MANY PPAS INCLUDE A PRODUCTION GUARANTEE, AS MENTIONED ABOVE. SO IF EQUIPMENT PERFORMANCE CAUSES OUTPUT BELOW THE GUARANTEED LEVEL, THE PROJECT OWNER TYPICALLY COMPENSATES THE TOWNSHIP FOR THE SHORTFALL SUBJECT AGAIN TO THE AGREEMENT INSURANCE. WHO IS RESPONSIBLE UNDER THE PPA, THE PROJECT OWNER MAINTAINS INSURANCE. SO AGAIN, PPA ALL THE EQUIPMENT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE OWNER.

WE MENTIONED THIS BEFORE. IF UNDER THE PPA, THE THE OWNER WOULD RECEIVE THE. THE CREDITS AND INCENTIVES. UTILITY ESCALATION. WHAT IS THE, YOU KNOW, THE MODEL THAT WE USE TO GET THESE RATES TO GET THESE FIGURES ASSUMED AT 3% UTILITY RATE. AND THAT'S BASED ON HISTORICAL LONG TERM UTILITY TRENDS. SO THAT'S HOW WE RECEIVED THE 3% UTILITY RATE.

WILL THE PPA RATE REMAIN FIXED. THE STARTING RATE IS 0.06 WITH A PREDETERMINED 1.5% ANNUAL INCREASE OVER THE 15 YEAR TERM. THE RATE THEREFORE RISES EACH YEAR. NO ADDITIONAL MAINTENANCE OR OPERATING FEES ARE ANTICIPATED. AND AGAIN, THIS IS JUST A LITTLE SCHEDULE. IF WE DECIDED TO GO FORWARD STARTING JANUARY, REALISTICALLY, YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE END OF THE YEAR, YOU KNOW, FALL OF OF 2027 WHEN THE UTILITY COMMISSIONING AND PERMISSION TO OPERATE. SO AGAIN, WE'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH THIS FOR, AND I KNOW YOU ALL HAVE AS WELL, IT'S BEEN A RELATIVELY LONG PROCESS OVER A YEAR. AND WE'RE FINALLY AT WE FEEL WE'RE AT THE PHASE WHERE TO MOVE FORWARD, MAKE A DECISION AND MOVE FORWARD ON THE, THE, THE, YOU KNOW, THE OPTION THAT BEST FITS, FITS OUR NEEDS. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MICHAEL. THIS IS VERY HELPFUL. AND I THINK THE MORE I'VE LOOKED AT IT, THE PPA, THE PRODUCTION GUARANTEE, THE MAINTENANCE, AND WE'VE HEARD, YOU KNOW, AT THE SCHOOLS NOW, THEY'VE HAD A SYSTEM FOR A WHILE AND THEY'RE LOOKING INTO WHAT THE COST WILL BE TO REMOVE THOSE PANELS. SO NONE OF THAT HEADACHE COMES TO US. AND I, I KNOW IT'S A LOWER BENEFIT TO THE TOWN, BUT I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS, YOU KNOW, DOABLE AND SOMETHING THAT WE COULD GET INTO. AND TO ME, THAT THAT'S REALLY SOUNDS GOOD. AND I THINK ALL THE, THE ONE THING I WANT TO BRING UP, AND I'VE HEARD FROM PEOPLE SAYING THAT THE TOWNSHIP HAS ALREADY SOMEONE WHO'S GOING TO BE DOING THE SOLAR, WHICH IS NOT TRUE RIGHT NOW. WE, WE JUST HAVE THE A CONSULTANT WHO'S TELLING US WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, WHO'S SITTING RIGHT THERE. AND AFTER THIS, THERE WILL BE A PROCESS TO IDENTIFY WHO THAT PERSON IS GOING TO BE OR WHICH WHICH BID GETS ACCEPTED. SO THERE IS NOTHING DECIDED RIGHT NOW. I JUST WANTED YOU TO TOUCH THAT. YES THAT'S CORRECT. AND THAT WOULD BE THE NEXT STEP REALLY IS TO PUT AN RFP OUT FOR THIS PROPOSAL FOR THIS PROJECT. AND THEN WE'D SELECT IT THROUGH

[00:45:05]

EVEN THOUGH WE MAY SEE THE BENEFITS. SO I AM REALLY INTERESTED TO SEE HOW THIS COMES TOGETHER AND THAT WE CAN IDENTIFY SOMEONE TO INSTALL IT SO THAT WE CAN HAVE IT BY THIS TIME NEXT YEAR. THANK YOU. OKAY. YEAH. I MEAN, WITH THE ENERGY RISE GOING UP, I DO THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, HAVING ADDITIONAL ENERGY INCOME IS BENEFICIAL TO OUR TOWN AS LONG AS SORRY DEPUTY MAYOR TODD HAS SAID IS, YOU KNOW, AS LONG AS IT'S NOT FINANCIALLY DIRECTLY IMPACTING US RIGHT NOW, IT'S A IT'S A FREE SERVICE. TECHNICALLY, WE'RE JUST LEASING OUT THE PROPERTY. SO YEAH, I THINK THAT THIS COULD BE A GOOD THING FOR US. TOTALLY AGREE. AND, YOU KNOW, VERY, VERY EXCITED TO AFTER PUSHING THROUGH ALL MY WORK WITH OUR ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION TO FINALLY GET US LOOKING AT SOLUTIONS THAT ALLOW US TO MOVE TOWARDS RENEWABLES, AWAY FROM FOSSIL FUELS. I MEAN, BUT LET'S LET'S BE CLEAR, THIS IS A COST SAVINGS BENEFIT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO SPEND ON SOLAR, WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS ACTUALLY HOW MUCH WE'RE GOING TO SAVE. AND SO THE OPTIONS THAT WE LOOKED AT, YOU KNOW, THEY ALL SHOWED COST SAVINGS. AND WE KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THE SAVINGS IF WE BOUGHT THE THE THING AND WE THEN DEALT WITH ALL OF THE, THE HEADACHES ON THE EQUIPMENT, IT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, IN THE ORDER OF 15 TO $20 MILLION OVER OVER 30 YEARS, THAT WOULD REALLY HELP BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS I CHALLENGED ALL OF US HERE SITTING ON THIS STAGE WITH IS COMING UP WITH REVENUE FOR OUR RESIDENTS. BECAUSE WHAT BECAME CLEAR LAST YEAR'S BUDGET, YOU'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH THE SAME LIST AGAIN THIS YEAR IN FEBRUARY, MARCH. YOU'RE GOING TO SAY EVERY YEAR WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, 4 TO $500,000 MORE IN COSTS THAN WE HAD THE YEAR BEFORE BECAUSE OF HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUMS, BECAUSE OF UTILITY COSTS, BECAUSE OF, YOU KNOW, PENSIONS, ETCETERA, NORMAL, NORMAL, YOU KNOW, SALARY, INFLATIONARY SALARY INCREASES. SO WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE IS ONE OF THE FEW OPPORTUNITIES TO ACTUALLY SAVE OUR RESIDENTS MONEY AND TO OFFSET THE INCREASING COSTS THAT ARE EXPERIENCED EVERY YEAR. AND SO AS A WIN WIN, I'M EXCITED THAT WE FINALLY REACH THIS POINT. I MEAN, IT'S KIND OF IT'S KIND OF ASTONISHING TO ME, HAVING BEEN IN THIS TOWN FOR TEN YEARS, HAVING SEEN THE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR MANY YEARS, HAVING ALREADY GONE DOWN THIS ROUTE, THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT HAS NOT YET. BUT BUT THIS THIS IS NOW, I THINK, GIVES US A PATH FORWARD. AND I APPRECIATE YOUR WORK ON THIS, MICHAEL, APPRECIATE REALLY GIVING US AND BEING PATIENT WITH US AS WE HAD TO WORK THROUGH AND DISCUSS AND MAKE SURE EVERYTHING WAS CLEAR. SO THANK YOU TO ALL INVOLVED. COMMITTEE HEARING. MICHAEL. THANK YOU. THAT'S THE PRESENTATION IS GREAT. AND IT DOES MAKE VERY CLEAR THAT, AS COMMITTEE MEMBER MARTIN POINTED OUT, IT'S A COST SAVINGS AT NO COST TO US, WHICH IS GREAT. AND THANK YOU FOR MAKING IT CLEAR.

YOU'RE WELCOME. THANK YOU AGAIN, MICHAEL. AND YES, WE WILL BE LOOKING AT THIS AS A COST SAVING AS WE'VE COME THROUGH THE BUDGET SEASON AND START SEEING ALL THE OTHER EXPENSES.

SO IT'S IT'S GOOD. AND, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM OUR RESIDENTS. SO THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT AS A COST SAVING. AND ALSO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE NOT TAKING ON THE MAINTENANCE AND ALL OF THE PRODUCTION.

THAT'S ALL GOING TO BE ON TALBA BRINGING BRINGING US A BIDDING PERSON ON THAT. SO JUST TO CLARIFY THIS, IF IF YOU KNOW, IF WE DID START IN JANUARY, LOOKING AT THE PROCESS, WE WOULDN'T SEE THE IMPACTS UNTIL REALLY PROBABLY THE 2029 BUDGET. RIGHT? RIGHT. BECAUSE 2028 GET INTO EFFECT, WHICH WOULD REDUCE OUR COSTS. AND THEN 2029, WE'D BE ABLE TO REDUCE THOSE ACTUAL EXPENDITURES. I, I HEAR YOU. YES. YEAH. JUST SO THAT PEOPLE DON'T EXPECT US IN 2028 BUDGET TO SHOW SOME, SOME, YES, I, I GOT YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MICHAEL. REALLY HELPFUL.

WELCOME. YES. ARE WE PICKING ONE OF THE OPTIONS TONIGHT OR DO WE NEED THAT DIRECTION FROM THEM AS THE NEXT STEP? YOU WENT THROUGH THE YES. I THINK WE'RE GOOD ON THE SEWER FACILITY SEWER. THERE'S REALLY NO OPTIONS. IT'S JUST. DO YOU WANT TO DO SEWER? YES OR NO? YOU SAW THE LOCATIONS AND THEN. I MEAN, IT WOULD BE GREAT. SO THE NEXT MEETING, I MEAN, THEN WE CAN START DOING THE RFP. I THINK THE SEWER IS DEFINITELY A YES. AND MAYBE, LAURIE, IF WE COULD JUST HAVE THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE TAKE A LOOK AT THE OTHER ONES. I THINK WE WERE

[00:50:02]

DEFINITELY THE PARKING LOT, BUT THERE WAS A PORTION THAT WE WERE DECIDING ON. OKAY. THANK

[7. CONSENT AGENDA ]

MADAM MAYOR, THERE IS NO COMMENT WITH REGARD TO A PRESENTATION, BUT THERE WILL BE A PUBLIC COMMENT LATER IN THE MEETING LATER? YEAH, JUST IN ABOUT MAYBE TEN MINUTES. 15. SO THANK YOU. SORRY. YEAH. ALL MATTERS LISTED ON CONSENT AGENDA ARE CONSIDERED TO BE ROUTINE AND WILL BE ENACTED BY ONE MOTION. THERE WILL BE NO SEPARATE DISCUSSION OF THESE ITEMS. IF DISCUSSION IS DESIRED, THAT ITEM WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA AND CONSIDERED SEPARATELY. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE? MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE CONSENT AGENDA RESOLUTIONS 26-11-284 TO RESOLUTION 26-11-305. 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.

[8. APPROVAL OF MINUTES ]

[9. RESOLUTION #26-11-306 – Payment of Bills – Posted ]

[13. PUBLIC COMMENT]

[00:55:06]

WE'VE SUPPORTED THIS IDEA FOR YEARS, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE'S VOTE TO INSTALL SOLAR ON THE GROUNDS OF THIS COMPLEX IN THE NEAR FUTURE. BUT CIRCUMSTANCES HAVE CHANGED AND THE ROOF IS NO LONGER THE RIGHT PLACE FOR PANELS, AS YOU POINTED OUT. AND ACTUALLY RECENTLY AT A DINNER WITH MR. TODD, HE WAS SAYING ABOUT THE THE PANELS ON THE HIGH SCHOOL, HIGH SCHOOL AND HOW EXPENSIVE. YES, THEY NEED TO BE REMOVED BECAUSE OF THE DAMAGE THAT THEY'RE DOING TO THE ROOF. SO THAT JUST SUPPORTED THAT CONCEPT. OUR GOAL IS NOT CHANGE THOUGH. A SOLAR CANOPIES OVER OUR PARKING AREAS OR GROUND MOUNTAIN MOUNTED PANELS ON THE MUNICIPAL GROUNDS CAN DELIVER THE SAME BENEFITS. CANOPIES ALSO SHADE CARS. AS YOU KNOW, IN THE SUMMER SHELTER VISITORS FROM RAIN AND SNOW AND CAN BE PAIRED WITH ADDITIONAL ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING STATIONS. SO WHY DO WE, AS A COMMISSION, CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR SOLAR ENERGY? SO THE MONEY EACH MONTH THE TOWNSHIP PAYS TO POWER THIS BUILDING AND OUR WATER TREATMENT FACILITIES. SOLAR TURNS SUNLIGHT INTO FREE FUEL.

ITS COSTS ARE FIXED AND PREDICTABLE WITH. ANNA PROTECTS OUR BUDGET FROM RISING UTILITY RATES. DEPENDING UPON YOUR FINANCIAL AGREEMENT, WHETHER IT'S THE POWER PURCHASE AGREEMENT OR LEASE, OR EVEN THROUGH NEW JERSEY'S ENERGY SAVINGS IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, SOLAR CAN BE INSTALLED WITH LITTLE OR NO MONEY UPFRONT AND PAID FOR BY THE SAVINGS IT CREATES. AS YOU POINTED OUT, I'M SURE OUR MUNICIPAL STAFF AND OUR CONSULTANTS HAVE EXPLORED ALL THESE OPTIONS, AND I THANK YOU FOR THEM. AND YEAH, I'M JUST GOING TO YEAH, I'M JUST WITH THE THREE MINUTES I HAVE, IF YOU CAN JUST. YEAH, THANK YOU SO MUCH. MANY OF US REMEMBER THE LONG, DARK DAYS AFTER HURRICANE SANDY WHEN THE STORM KNOCKED OUT THE GRID. IF SOLAR HAD BEEN AROUND, WE COULD HAVE PAIRED IT WITH BATTERY STORAGE TO KEEP OUR CRITICAL SERVICES RUNNING. EMS, FIRE STATIONS AND THIS MUNICIPAL CENTER WITH SOLAR CAN PROVIDE A PLACE FOR RESIDENTS. IF WE EVER HAVE AN EXPERIENCE LIKE THAT AGAIN TO FIND HELP, WARMTH AND INFORMATION. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO ME, AND I'M THANKING VERY THANKFUL THAT THIS IS UP ON THE AGENDA. AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO NEXT STEPS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND I, I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS FIRST GOT TO THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE, FRANK DARBY AND I HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS AND A LOT OF MEETINGS, IF YOU REMEMBER TRYING TO. AND HE'S HE'S A BIG PROPONENT OF. AND I THINK OLIVER WAS FIRST BROUGHT IN BY FRANK DARBY. AND DEFINITELY THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION HAS BEEN A GREAT PARTNER FOR THAT. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, ALL OF YOU. THANK YOU. MAYOR. ANYONE ELSE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, PLEASE? COME ON. MY NAME IS GREG KAGANOVICH AND I AM A MEMBER OF ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION. AND I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A SMALL COMMENT FIRST ABOUT THE TRANSPORTATION PRESENTATION. I, I NOTICED THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE IN MONTGOMERY TRY TO GO TO NEW YORK CITY. AND IN YOUR PRESENTATION, YOU MENTIONED ONLY THE TRAIN AS AN OPTION. THERE IS ANOTHER OPTION. IT'S. IT'S A BUS. AND AS FAR AS I KNOW, AT LEAST SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, EVERY HOUR THERE IS A BUS GOING FROM KENDALL PARK OR FROM NEW YORK TO KENDALL PARK TO NEW YORK CITY. AND THAT'S MUCH MORE CONVENIENT OPTION FOR MONTGOMERY RESIDENTS. THERE IS A BUS FROM HILLSBOROUGH AS WELL, BUT I GUESS THE THE SURVEY, WHEN IT'S ASKING PEOPLE, PEOPLE WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE TRAIN, THEY. PLEASE TAKE IT INTO CONSIDERATION. AS FAR AS SOLAR PANEL, I AM AND HAVE BEEN FOR A VERY LONG TIME, A STRONG PROPONENT OF SOLAR POWER AND POWER AND SOLAR PANELS. AS A MATTER OF FACT, I HAVE BEEN AT THE CENTER. WHEN THEY WERE CREATED 30 YEARS AGO OR 40 YEARS AGO. HOWEVER, IT'S ALSO A QUESTION OF LOCATION, AND I WAS SURPRISED. AND IN THIS PRESENTATION, THERE IS AN

[01:00:07]

THEY LOOK UGLY AND YOU GET ENORMOUS. BAD COMMENTS FROM THE MONTGOMERY RESIDENT IF YOU CHOOSE THIS ROUTE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? OH YES. WE'LL DO IT AFTER. WHEN? JUST. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS GREG BROWN. I LIVE IN 1952, ROUTE 206, NEXT DOOR TO CONSERVED PROPERTY AT 1932 ROUTE 206. IN 1993, CONSERVATIONIST REVEREND DAVID MCALPIN WORKED WITH THE NEW JERSEY CONSERVATION FOUNDATION TO SEE THIS LAND PERMANENTLY PROTECTED. HE EVEN LATER DONATED TWO OF THE FIVE ORIGINAL HOME SITES BACK INTO THE CONSERVATION AREA, AND THE TOWNSHIP THANKED HIM IN WRITING FOR BEING A SUPERIOR LAND STEWARD AND AN ADVOCATE OF PRESERVED LAND. THE STATE'S GREEN ACRES PROGRAM PUT UP $2 MILLION TO PRESERVE THIS PROPERTY AND THE ONE NEXT TO IT.

IT'S ABOUT $4.5 MILLION IN TODAY'S MONEY. IN. IN 2022, THE TOWNSHIP RECORDED A DECLARATION WITH THE COUNTY CLERK LISTING THIS PROPERTY AS GREEN ACRES PARK LAND THAT CANNOT BE DIVERTED TO OTHER USES WITHOUT STATE APPROVAL. I HAVE COPIES OF BOTH THE EASEMENT AND THE DECLARATION. FOR THE RECORD, THE EASEMENT SAYS THE LAND TO REMAIN, QUOTE, FOREVER AND IT'S NATURAL, SCENIC, OPEN, WOODED, AGRICULTURAL AND EXISTING STATE AND PROHIBITS BUILDINGS, ROADS, STRUCTURES OR IMPROVEMENTS OF ANY KIND, INCLUDING PARKING AREAS. THE CONSERVATION EASEMENT GIVES THE OWNER THE RIGHT TO FARM, BUT ONLY, AND I'M QUOTING, SUBJECT TO THE PROHIBITIONS SET FORTH IN THIS EASEMENT. FARMING IS WELCOME. FESTIVALS, TICKETED RIDES, VISITOR PARKING ARE NOT FARMING, AND THIS DEED DOES NOT ALLOW FOR THEM. ON OCTOBER 1ST, THIS COMMITTEE APPROVED A ONE DAY PERMIT FOR THE FAMILY FARM DAY WITHOUT MENTIONING THE EASEMENT ON OCTOBER 20TH. ON OCTOBER 17TH, ABOUT 4000 PEOPLE CAME TO THIS FARM. ENTRY WAS HALTED.

ROUTE 206 BACKED UP FOR MILES AND THERE WERE MULTIPLE 911 CALLS. SINCE THEN, THE FARM HAS CONTINUED TO ADVERTISE TICKETED HAY RIDES, BOUNCE HOUSES AND VISITOR PARKING FIVE DAYS A WEEK. I'M HERE TO ASK THE TOWNSHIP TO ENFORCE THE EASEMENT IT BOUGHT WITH PUBLIC MONEY, AND I RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR FOUR THINGS. FIRST, ENFORCE THE EASEMENT IN WRITING WITH DEADLINES, USING THE REMEDIES IT ALREADY GIVES THE TOWNSHIP. SECOND, PROHIBIT FURTHER OUTDOOR ASSEMBLY. THIRD, TELL RESIDENTS PUBLICLY WHAT HAS BEEN DONE AND ON WHAT TIMELINE.

AND FOURTH, AND PERHAPS MOST IMPORTANTLY, PROTECT OUR GREEN ACRES. STANDING UNDER NEW JERSEY ADMINISTRATIVE CODE, A TOWN THAT, QUOTE FAILS TO CORRECT AN INSTANCE OF NONCOMPLIANCE CAN BE MADE INELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE A DISBURSEMENT OF GREEN ACRES FUNDING. THIS NONCOMPLIANCE COULD JEOPARDIZE FUNDING FOR THE 400 ACRES NEAR THE HIGH

[01:05:03]

[Additional Item]

UNFORTUNATELY, I, I CAN'T DIRECTLY ADDRESS THE COMMENTS MADE, SIR, BECAUSE THERE ARE ONGOING LEGAL MATTERS WITH REGARD TO THAT FARM. HOWEVER, MAYOR, AT YOUR REQUEST, I DID HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW OUR OUTDOOR ASSEMBLY PERMIT PROCESS, WHICH I CAN SPEAK ABOUT GENERALLY, AND I WANT TO THANK OUR CLERK, BECAUSE THE CLERK GAVE ME QUITE A GOOD AMOUNT OF INFORMATION ON THIS PROCESS. AND JUST AS A GENERAL OVERVIEW, HOW WE HANDLE OUTDOOR ASSEMBLY PERMITS, INFORMATION IS ORIGINALLY GIVEN BY AN APPLICANT FOR AN OUTDOOR ASSEMBLY PERMIT. WE RELY UPON THE INFORMATION THAT IS GIVEN US THAT INFORMATION IS IS GIVEN UNDER A CERTIFICATION THAT IT IS TRUTHFUL, RIGHT? ONCE THAT OUTDOOR OUTDOOR ASSEMBLY ASSEMBLY PERMIT IS GIVEN TO OUR CLERK, OUR CLERK DOES AN EXCELLENT JOB OF GIVING THAT OF OF SEEKING INPUT FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THERE WILL BE A RECOMMENDATION MADE TO THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE. AND AFTER REVIEWING THE PROCESS, IT IS MY OPINION, AS YOUR LEGAL COUNSEL, THAT OUR PROCESS HAS BEEN FOLLOWED TO THE LETTER OF THE LAW AS IT IS CURRENTLY WRITTEN.

I HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THE CLERK ABOUT. ARE THERE POSSIBILITIES FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR EXISTING ORDINANCE? ALTHOUGH I BELIEVE THAT OUR ORDINANCE IS IS FINE AS WRITTEN, THERE'S OF COURSE ALWAYS THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS. WE WILL BE LOOKING AT THAT IN THE FUTURE VERY SOON TO SEE IF THERE ARE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS TO THIS BODY ON WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN IMPROVE OUR PROCESS. BUT AS TO THE PROCESS THAT WE HAVE ON THE BOOKS, WE FOLLOWED IT COMPLETELY. MAYOR. OKAY. FOR THIS PARTICULAR YES FOR YES, FOR ANY ANY PERMITS THAT I'VE REVIEWED THAT HAVE BEEN GIVEN IN THE RECENTLY OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS, I CAN SAY UNEQUIVOCALLY WE HAVE FOLLOWED OUR PROCESS. OKAY. WELL, THAT'S GOOD TO KNOW. AND I AND I THINK AS AS A TOWN, WE DO LOOK AT WHOEVER IS COMING IN FOR THE PERMIT TO PROVIDE THE INFORMATION. AND IF THEY'RE PROVIDING INFORMATION. AND THAT'S NOT FACTUAL, IT IS WHERE WE ARE AT THIS POINT. SO WE HEAR YOU AND YOUR HONOR, I'M SORRY IF I, I MEAN, I'M SORRY IF I COULD JUST ADD ONE LAST THING. IF YOU PROVIDE INFORMATION THAT IS UNTRUTHFUL, YOU ARE YOU COULD BE SUBJECT TO PENALTIES AND VIOLATIONS FOR PROVIDING UNTRUTHFUL INFORMATION. AND IF THAT IS THE CASE, WE WILL PURSUE THAT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. CAN CAN I JUST ASK A QUICK QUESTION? SO I APPRECIATE THE GENERAL COMMENT AND NOT TO COMMENT ON THE CASE SPECIFICALLY, BUT ON THE THE, THE THE GENERAL COMMENT ON THE ASSEMBLY IN APPLYING FOR AN ASSEMBLY PERMIT. BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE MY UNDERSTANDING IS AT LEAST THAT THIS IS A THIS IS A SITUATION OF WHERE AN EASEMENT WAS, WAS, WAS, WAS DETERMINED.

AND FOR A PROPERTY THAT WAS BASED ON GREEN ACRES FUNDING. AND SO AND THAT THERE'S THERE ARE ONGOING ISSUES IN TERMS OF COMPLIANCE WITH WHAT THAT EASEMENT ALLOWS. AND SO DO WE KNOW YOU WANT TO SPEAK GENERALLY TO THAT THAT ISSUE. I CAN ADVISE THE COMMITTEE THAT WE HAVE SPECIAL LEGAL COUNSEL WHO IS WELL VERSED IN MATTERS INVOLVING NEW JERSEY FARMS, AND WE ARE CURRENTLY SEEKING CLARIFICATION AS TO WHAT IS PERMISSIBLE WITH REGARD TO CERTAIN PROPERTIES. AND I CAN'T BE MORE SPECIFIC, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR CLARIFICATION FROM THE COUNTY WITH REGARD TO WHAT IS PERMISSIBLE. ALL RIGHT. THANK

[01:10:05]

[11. ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT (Part 1 of 2)]

THANK YOU SO MUCH, COMMITTEEMAN. AND AT THIS POINT, WE'LL GO BACK TO OUR REGULARLY PLANNED

[10. MAYOR’S REPORT ]

OKAY. SO FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO EXTEND OUR CONGRATULATIONS TO DEPUTY MAYOR TAYLOR TODD AND COMMITTEEMAN DOUG HERRING FOR THEIR REELECTION TO TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE FOR 2027. I JUST WANT TO ALSO ADD A BIG HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO COMMITTEEMAN DOUG HERRING. HAPPY BIRTHDAY. OKAY.

AND AND NOW WE'LL GET TO THE REPORT. YES. OCTOBER 17TH, I ATTENDED THE CAREER CLINIC ANNUAL WALK OF HOPE. CAREER CLINIC'S WALK OF HOPE EFFORT REALLY ALIGNS CLOSELY WITH OUR MISSION IN MONTGOMERY OF BUILDING HEALTHIER COMMUNITIES. THEY ALSO WORK WITH US, WITH THE MAYOR'S WELLNESS AND IN OUR SHARED MISSION TO GIVE PEOPLE HOPE, CREATE OPPORTUNITIES, AND HELP ENSURE THAT CARE AND COMPASSION REACHES BEYOND THE WALLS OF OUR INSTITUTION AND INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. OCTOBER 20TH OFFICES OF ASSEMBLYMAN ROY FREIMAN AND ASSEMBLYWOMAN MICHELLE DREW HOSTED A VETERANS RESOURCE FAIR AT THE KAUFMAN COMMUNITY CENTER, PROVIDING OUR PROVIDING LOCAL RESOURCES TO OUR VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES. THAT INCLUDED IN-PERSON ASSISTANCE FROM SOMERSET COUNTY VETERANS SERVICES, MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP HEALTH DEPARTMENT EMPLOYING VETERANS AND MILITARY SPOUSES, LLC, THE AMERICAN RED CROSS, THE AMERICAN FOUNDATION FOR SUICIDE PREVENTION, AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. OCTOBER 20TH, THE SAME DAY, WE HAD AN HOA LISTENING SESSION AT MONTGOMERY HILLS, WE ON THE TC BELIEVE THAT LISTENING DIRECTLY TO OUR RESIDENTS GIVES US REAL TIME FEEDBACK ON NEIGHBORHOOD LEVEL PRIORITIES SUCH AS TRAFFIC, STREET MAINTENANCE, ZONING, AND SAFETY. THE ADMINISTRATOR, LAURIE SAVRAN, AND I ATTENDED THAT, AS WE ALL KNOW THAT MANY RESIDENTS CANNOT ATTEND FORMAL WEEKNIGHT TC MEETINGS AND BRINGING THEM US TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS LOWERS THAT BARRIER FOR PARTICIPATION. OCTOBER 24TH WAS THE TRUNK OR TREAT, WHICH IS AN AMAZING EVENT. THE RECREATION DEPARTMENT TAKES ON AND IT WAS A GREAT SUCCESS. IT BROUGHT OUT OUR COMMUNITY TO A A SAFE FESTIVE ENVIRONMENT WITH LOCAL PARTICIPATION. AND THERE WERE HUNDREDS OF FAMILIES, CHILDREN IN CREATIVE COSTUMES. AND WE HAD THIS WITH OUR. AND OF COURSE, THIS WAS CELEBRATED WITH OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, EMS, FIRE COMPANIES, NONPROFITS AND LOCAL BUSINESSES WHO WERE OUT THERE GIVING CANDY TO KIDS AND BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS. NOVEMBER 1ST WAS OUR EMS DONOR APPRECIATION OPEN HOUSE, WHERE I THINK WE ALL PRETTY MUCH WERE ABLE TO ATTEND. IT WAS A GREAT EVENT AND AGAIN, OUR THANKS TO OUR ALL VOLUNTEER EMS AND PLEASE GO TO THEIR WEBSITE.

THERE IS INFORMATION ON DONATION AND I THINK WE SHOULD ALL MAKE AN EFFORT. NOVEMBER 8TH, THE VETERANS DAY CEREMONY AS COMMITTEEMAN ON BROUGHT UP WAS REALLY POIGNANT, AND IT WAS GREAT TO SEE SO MANY PEOPLE THERE TO APPRECIATE, ESPECIALLY THE THE SCHOOL CHILDREN. AND THIS IS AN EFFORT THAT MONTGOMERY DOES WITH OUR LOWER MIDDLE SCHOOL. AND YOU GET TO HEAR KIDS AND WHAT THEY AND THEIR THANK YOUS TO THE VETERANS. WE ALSO HAD RIBBON

[01:15:04]

THE BUDDHA FARM IN DISCUSSION WHERE I AND ADMINISTRATOR LORI WERE THERE FOR THE RIBBON CUTTING. THEN WE HAD A RIBBON CUTTING AT WONDER AND THEN LEARNING CENTER. I JUST WANT TO MENTION THAT THESE RIBBON CUTTINGS THAT WE ALL PARTICIPATE AS A TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE ARE ACTUALLY A POWERFUL CIVIC TWO TOOL FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY VISIBILITY. BEYOND THE CEREMONIAL SNIP OF THE GIANT SCISSORS, THE PRESENCE OF ELECTED LEADERSHIP TURNS A STANDARD BUSINESS OPENING INTO AN OFFICIAL TOWN MILESTONE, HIGHLIGHTING NEW STOREFRONTS AND SERVICES ENCOURAGES RESIDENTS TO SHOP LOCALLY, WHICH HELPS CREATE JOBS, DIVERSIFY TOWN OFFERINGS, AND BUILD THE MUNICIPAL TAX BASE.

SO WHEN WE GOT THERE FOR THE RIBBON CUTTINGS, WE KNOW THAT WE ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE TO THE TO THAT PARTICULAR BUSINESS AND HIGHLIGHTING THEM. AND THIS IS ALWAYS SUPPORTED BY OUR MBA TO MONTGOMERY BUSINESS ASSOCIATION AND OUR EDITOR, WHICH IS THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION. WE ALSO HAD A CHECK PRESENTATION TO THE TOWNSHIP FROM SOMERSET COUNTY HISTORIC GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF 72,633. THIS IS THE ONE CHECK PRESENTATION. I DIDN'T MAKE IT BECAUSE I. I DECIDED I WAS RUNNING TO GET IT AND HURT MYSELF, BUT THAT'S ANOTHER STORY. PLANNING BOARD UPDATE WILL BE BY DEPUTY MAYOR PAT TODD. A RECREATION COMMITTEE UPDATES. WE DO NOT MEET IN NOVEMBER OR DECEMBER, SO WE WILL HAVE AN UPDATE IN JANUARY.

I JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS PAST WEEK, PEOPLE WHO CELEBRATED DIWALI, WE JUST WANT TO ALL WISH THEM HAPPY DIWALI TO ALL THAT CELEBRATED. WE ALSO HAVE OUR HOLIDAY TREE LIGHTING ON TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1ST AT THE MUNICIPAL CENTER AND WE INVITE ALL OUR RESIDENTS, ESPECIALLY THE LITTLE KIDS, BECAUSE WE'LL HAVE ALL OF THESE, YOU KNOW, EVENTS GOING ON WITH HOT COCOA AND SOME OF THESE CHARACTERS RUNNING AROUND. AND SANTA WILL BE HERE AND ALL WISHES FOR A HAPPY THANKSGIVING. OUR MUNICIPAL OFFICES WILL BE CLOSED THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26TH AND FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27TH, AND THE NEXT TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE MEETING WOULD BE DECEMBER 3RD.

AND THAT IS ALL FROM ME. AND I NOW DEFER TO DEPUTY MAYOR PAT TODD. THANK YOU MAYOR. SO GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE CONGRATULATIONS. JUST BRIEFLY, I'M HONORED TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO SERVE MONTGOMERY. AND JUST TO KIND OF PIGGYBACK OFF WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT ALL THE GREAT EVENTS THAT HAPPENED DURING OCTOBER WHEN THE WEATHER WAS SO BEAUTIFUL. WE ALL WENT TO THE EMS OPEN HOUSE, WHICH WAS QUITE EDUCATIONAL AND ACTUALLY QUITE A LOT OF FUN. AND THE TRUNK OR TREAT. USUALLY I'M OUT OF TOWN FOR THE TRUNK OR TREAT. I REALLY ENJOY THE TRUNK OR TREAT. THERE WAS SOMEONE DRESSED UP AS JASON FROM FRIDAY THE 13TH. YES, I'M STILL HAVING NIGHTMARES ABOUT IT TO THIS DAY. SO IN TERMS OF AN UPDATE ON THE PLANNING BOARD, ACTUALLY NOTHING REMARKABLE TO REPORT. THE LAST MEETING WAS THIS PAST MONDAY. THERE WAS JUST A SMALL ROUTINE APPLICATION RELATED TO MONTGOMERY PROMENADE. NOTHING THAT IS RELATED TO ANY OF THE, YOU KNOW, SIGNIFICANT ISSUES THAT WE HAVE CURRENTLY. AND THE OPEN SPACE COMMITTEE ACTUALLY HAD ITS MEETING A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO. TONIGHT'S MEETING WAS ACTUALLY CANCELED, I GUESS BECAUSE WE'RE HERE TONIGHT. BUT NOTHING NON-ROUTINE IS HAPPENING THERE EITHER. SO THEY'RE JUST CONTINUING THEIR ONGOING WORK OF ACQUIRING PROPERTIES AND NEGOTIATING FOR PROPERTIES TO PRESERVE OPEN SPACE IN THE TOWNSHIP. AND THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND THEN WE HAVE

[12. TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE REPORTS ]

[01:20:01]

[11. ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT (Part 2 of 2)]

OKAY. THANK YOU. MAYOR. ONE OF THE THINGS I DID WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, IF YOU'VE BEEN WATCHING THE NEWS, ONE OF OUR NEIGHBORING TOWNS HAD A LITTLE BIT OF AN ISSUE WITH A WIRE TRANSFER. YOU KNOW, BIG ISSUE FOR THEM, $26 MILLION ISSUE. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE DETAILS ARE THERE, BUT I DID WANT TO SPEND SOME TIME LETTING YOU KNOW THE CONTROLS THAT WE HAVE HERE IN PUT IN PLACE. WE HAVE VERY TIGHT INTERNAL CONTROLS. WHEN WE DO WIRE TRANSFERS, WE HAVE A SEPARATION OF DUTIES. WE HAVE A SEPARATION OF DEPARTMENTS THAT APPROVE AT DIFFERENT STAGES OF A WIRE TRANSFER. IN TERMS OF CYBERSECURITY, WE DO CYBERSECURITY TRAINING TWICE A YEAR. WE ACTUALLY EVERY YEAR EXCEED THE PERCENT OF EMPLOYEES THAT THAT TAKE THE TRAINING SO THAT WE RECEIVE A REDUCED, YOU KNOW, REDUCTION ON OUR INSURANCE FOR DOING THAT. SO WE'RE TRAINED TO CATCH ANY KINDS OF SPAM THAT YOU MIGHT GET. AND WE ALSO FOLLOW OUR JOINT INSURANCE FUND, THE GIF, AND ALL OF THEIR GUIDANCE AND GUARDRAILS THAT THEY, THEY PUT IN PLACE AND REQUIRE FOR MUNICIPALITIES. SO I THINK THAT WE'RE IN WE'RE IN A GOOD, GOOD PLACE RIGHT NOW. I, I THINK, REASSURING TO OUR RESIDENTS BECAUSE I THINK IT'S BEEN A CONVERSATION ALL OVER NEW JERSEY BECAUSE THAT WAS REALLY HARD TO SEE. AND OF COURSE. YES. YEAH. AND I JUST WANTED TO ALSO JUST MENTION THE PASSING OF FORMER MAYOR DON MATTHEWS, WHO PASSED AWAY SINCE THE LAST TIME THAT WE MET. CERTAINLY MANY WONDERFUL THINGS HAVE BEEN SAID ABOUT DON AND THAT WE FLEW THE THE FLAGS ON ALL MUNICIPAL PROPERTIES, HALF STAFF FOR THE WEEK OF DURING HIS PASSING, AND ALSO SOMETHING THAT WE RECENTLY OUR PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT RECENTLY DID WAS PUT A NEW REROOFED, THE HARLINGEN GAZEBO.

IF YOU HAVE NOT BEEN TO THE GAZEBO, I HIGHLY. I HAVE BEEN SUGGEST PEOPLE TO GO. IT'S A LOVELY LITTLE SPOT IN MONTGOMERY. QUIET RIGHT. JUST RIGHT OFF 206. BUT IT'S. IT'S LIKE YOU'RE IN ANOTHER ANOTHER PLACE BEING SO CLOSE TO 206, BUT VERY QUIET AND CONTEMPLATIVE KIND OF PLACE. AND DON BUILT THAT. DON MATTHEWS BUILT THAT BY HAND HIMSELF WITH SOME NEIGHBORS. I'M GLAD THAT'S NOT A REQUIREMENT TO BECOME A MAYOR, THAT YOU HAVE TO BY HAND BUILT. BUT YEAH, WE HAVE PROJECTS FOR YOU. I THINK BEFORE WE AGAIN, AS DEPUTY MAYOR TAYLOR JUST SAID, WE WILL BEFORE WE TURN, YOU KNOW, ARE DONE WITH THE MEETING WITH DAPHNE SHOULD HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR THAT WOULD BE FANTASTIC. AND THEN COMING UP ON WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16TH WILL BE THE UNVEILING OF THE SECOND AND FINAL COMMUNITY MURAL, 600 PAINTED TILES FROM 600 COMMUNITY MEMBERS ALL THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER. IT WAS ONE OF THE THE CELEBRATION EVENTS THAT WE DID FOR THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE COUNTRY. AND IT'LL BE. IT SHOULD BE A FUN EVENING. WE'RE LOOKING TO HAVE SOME RE-ENACTORS. WE HAVE SOME INTERPRETIVE PANELS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, INCLUDING SOME OF THE HISTORY, REVOLUTIONARY WAR HISTORY. IT WAS VERY COLLABORATIVE WITH LOCAL ARTISTS AND DIFFERENT GROUPS. THE OOPS PAINTING STUDIO WAS VERY INVOLVED. THE LIBRARY WAS VERY INVOLVED. THANK YOU TO ALL OUR REV 250 COMMITTEE MEMBERS WHO, YOU KNOW, WORKED THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER ON DIFFERENT COMMUNITY EVENTS. AND SO WE'RE WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING THAT GRACE OUR LOBBY WALL, RIGHT. VERY SOON FOR DECADES. RIGHT? YEAH. AND ONCE IT'S UP, I DON'T THINK IT'S COMING DOWN. RIGHT. THANK THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. OKAY. AND AT THIS POINT, WE'LL. ORDINANCE'S INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING ORDINANCE 26-1781, AN ORDINANCE OF THE TOWNSHIP OF MONTGOMERY IN SOMERSET COUNTY, NEW JERSEY, PROVIDING FOR THE ACQUISITION OF BLOCK 8001, LOT EIGHT. LOCATED ON RIVER ROAD IN THE TOWNSHIP OF MONTGOMERY. STATS. BE IT RESOLVED BY THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE OF THE TOWNSHIP OF MONTGOMERY THAT THE FOREGOING ORDINANCE BE HEREBY PASSED ON FIRST READING, AND

[01:25:03]

WELL, THIS IS GREAT. THANKS TO THEM FOR DOING THIS FOR THE TOWN. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO INTRODUCE ORDINANCE 26-1781. SO MOVED. SECOND. ROLL CALL PLEASE. COMMITTEE MEMBER. HERRING. YES.

COMMITTEE MEMBER. MARTIN. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. AN ABSENT DEPUTY MAYOR. TAYLOR. TODD. YES.

MAYOR SINGH. YES. ORDINANCE 26-1782. AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER SEVEN A TRAFFIC SCHEDULES SCHEDULE ONE NO PARKING SCHEDULE SEVEN THROUGH STREETS. SCHEDULE EIGHT STOP INTERSECTION. INTERSECTION. SCHEDULE 17 SPEED LIMITS. SCHEDULE 21 TRAFFIC REGULATIONS OF ON PRIVATE PROPERTY AND CHAPTER THREE POLICE REGULATIONS. SECTION 10.2 AND 11.3 OF THE CODE OF THE TOWNSHIP OF MONTGOMERY, 1984 TO ESTABLISH TRAFFIC REGULATIONS FOR VILLAGE DRIVE, TAMWORTH DRIVE. THE PRIVATE ROADWAYS WITHIN MONTGOMERY CROSSINGS CROSSING DEVELOPMENT, THE PRIVATE PROPERTY OF THE MALVERN SCHOOL AND THE PRIVATE PROPERTY OF THE LANDING AT SKILLMAN. BE IT RESOLVED BY THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE OF THE TOWNSHIP OF MONTGOMERY, THAT THE FOREGOING ORDINANCE BE HEREBY PASSED ON FIRST READING, AND THAT THE SAME BE PUBLISHED ACCORDING TO LAW, WITH THE PUBLIC HEARING, AND A VOTE SCHEDULED FOR THE MEETING OF DECEMBER 3RD, 2026. AND SO LORI IS ACTUALLY GOING TO TALK ABOUT ORDINANCE 1782 AND 1783 AT THE SAME TIME, BECAUSE THEY GO HAND IN HAND. SO 1783 IS ACCEPTING THE RIGHT OF WAY DEDICATION OF A PORTION OF VILLAGE DRIVE IN TAMWORTH. SO AS WE KNOW, DEVELOPERS BUILD ROADS WHEN THEY'RE DESIGNATED AS PUBLIC ROADS TO BECOME PUBLIC ROADS. AND AT CERTAIN POINTS IN A IN A PROJECT COMPLETION OF A OF A DEVELOPMENT, THEY DEDICATE THOSE ROADS TO THE TOWNSHIP AGAIN, THOSE THAT WOULD BE PUBLIC, SOME REMAIN PRIVATE.

AND SO ONCE THAT HAPPENS, THE TRAFFIC LAWS OF THE TOWNSHIP CODE CAN THEN BE ENFORCED BY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. SO WHAT 1782 IS DOING IS ESTABLISHING THAT THESE CODES OF THE TOWNSHIP FOR SPEED LIMITS AND NO PARKING AND ETCETERA WILL BECOME ENFORCED ON THOSE SECTIONS. OKAY. ANY QUESTIONS? ROLL CALL PLEASE. OH, SORRY. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO INTRODUCE ORDINANCE 26-1782. SO MOVED. SECOND ROLL CALL PLEASE. COMMITTEE MEMBER. HERRING. YES.

COMMITTEE MEMBER. MARTIN. YES. DEPUTY MAYOR. TAYLOR. TODD. YES. MAYOR SINGH. YES. ORDINANCE 26-1783. AN ORDINANCE OF THE TOWNSHIP OF MONTGOMERY IN SOMERSET COUNTY, PROVIDING FOR THE ACCEPTANCE OF RIGHT OF WAY, DEDICATION OF A PORTION OF VILLAGE DRIVE AND TAMWORTH DRIVE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE OF THE TOWNSHIP OF MONTGOMERY, THAT THE FOREGOING ORDINANCE BE HEREBY PASSED ON FIRST READING, AND THAT THE SAME BE PUBLISHED ACCORDING TO LAW, WITH A PUBLIC HEARING AND A VOTE SCHEDULED FOR THE MEETING OF DECEMBER 3RD, 2026. OKAY. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO INTRODUCE ORDINANCE 26-1783. SO MOVED. SECOND. ROLL CALL PLEASE. COMMITTEE MEMBER. HERRING. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. MARTIN. DEPUTY MAYOR. TAYLOR.

TODD. YES. MAYOR. SINGH. YES. ORDINANCES. PUBLIC HEARING. FINAL ADOPTION. THERE ARE NO

[16. RESOLUTIONS ]

MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 26-11-307. SO MOVED. SECOND ROLL CALL, PLEASE.

COMMITTEE MEMBER. HERRING. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. MARTIN. YES. DEPUTY MAYOR. TAYLOR. TODD. YES.

MAYOR SINGH. YES. RESOLUTION 26-11-308. AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASE OF 2027 FORD F-350 PICKUP TRUCK AND A 2027 FORD T 250 CARGO VAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS. I DO HAVE SOME PHOTOS THAT I'LL PASS ALONG. SO THE ORANGE TRUCK IS THE BUILDING FOREMAN'S TRUCK, AND THE SILVER IS THE ASSISTANT SUPER'S TRUCK. OKAY, SO AS YOU KNOW, WE FROM FROM THE

[01:30:01]

SECOND. ROLL CALL PLEASE. COMMITTEE MEMBER. HERRING. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. MARTIN. YES.

COMMITTEE MEMBER. EXCUSE ME. DEPUTY MAYOR. TAYLOR. TODD. YES. MAYOR SINGH. YES. RESOLUTION 26-11-309. AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASE OF A WATCHGUARD M 500 INTERVIEW RECORDING SYSTEM AND A FIVE YEAR COMMAND. CENTRAL DIGITAL EVIDENCE MANAGEMENT SERVICES AGREEMENT THROUGH NEW JERSEY STATE CONTRACT. SO WE ARE A FRUGAL BUNCH. AND SO WHEN WE CAME OVER FROM THE OLD BUILDING, WE BROUGHT THE SYSTEM THAT WE HAD OUR OLD SYSTEM WITH US FOR THE INTERVIEW ROOM. IT IS AT ITS END OF LIFE. IT CAN NO LONGER BE SUPPORTED FROM A MAINTENANCE PERSPECTIVE. WE CAN NO LONGER UPGRADE IT. SO WITHIN OUR BUDGET FOR THIS YEAR, WE DID PUT IN TO REPLACE IT WITH THIS WATCHGUARD SYSTEM. SO NOW IT WILL TIE INTO OUR BODY CAMERA SYSTEM. IT WILL. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THIS COMMAND CENTRAL. REALLY A WHOLE COORDINATED SYSTEM FOR, FOR RECORDING AND CAMERAS ASSOCIATED WITH THE POLICE WORK THAT THEY DO. AND AGAIN, IT'S BEEN INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET AND THE, THE PRIOR EQUIPMENT THAT WE BROUGHT OVER FROM THE OLD BUILDING IS AT THE END OF ITS LIFE. OKAY. ANY QUESTIONS? MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 26-11-309? SO MOVED. SECOND. ROLL CALL PLEASE.

COMMITTEE MEMBER. HERRING. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER. MARTIN. YES. DEPUTY MAYOR. TAYLOR. TODD. YES.

[18. NEW AND UNFINISHED BUSINESS ]

[19. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ]

[20. RESOLUTION #26-11-310 - Executive Session ]

BE IT RESOLVED. IF YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE A MOMENT OF SILENCE, DO WE DO IT BEFORE THIS OR. YEAH.

OKAY. SO AT THIS MOMENT, WE'LL TAKE A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR OUR MAYOR, DON MATTHEWS. THANK YOU.

AND WE ALL AT THE DAIS ARE VERY GRATEFUL TO ALL THAT THE MAYOR, DON MATTHEWS, DID FOR

[01:35:01]

RESOLUTION 26-11-3 TEN. EXECUTIVE SESSION, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE OF THE TOWNSHIP OF MONTGOMERY, COUNTY OF SOMERSET, NEW JERSEY, AS FOLLOWS. THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE WILL NOW CONVENE IN A CLOSED SESSION THAT WILL BE LIMITED ONLY TO CONSIDERATION OF ITEMS WITH RESPECT TO WHICH THE PUBLIC MAY BE EXCLUDED. PURSUANT TO SECTION SEVEN B OF THE OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS ACT, THE GENERAL NATURE OF THE SUBJECTS TO BE DISCUSSED IN THIS SESSION ARE AS FOLLOWS. CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS PROPERTY AGREEMENT LITIGATION DOCKET NUMBER S0ML1593-24. THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE WILL RETURN TO A 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 26-11-3 TEN? SO MOVED. SECOND. ROLL CALL PLEASE. COMMITTEE MEMBER. HERRING. YES.

COMMITTEE MEMBER. MARTIN. YES. DEPUTY MAYOR. TAYLOR.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.