[Music] good evening everybody and welcome to the bedm T committee this is our regularly scheduled Township committee meeting of May 6 recognize that we have full attendance by Bedminster Township committee here tonight in person committee men Stevenson committee hicky committee woman moresi and attending remote via Zoom is committee woman Fernandez M Ray may we please have the open public meetings act statement yes mayor adequate no of this meeting of the township committee was sented The Courier News Somerville Bernville news whiy and to all subscribers and posted the Township Municipal Building 2024 great thank you please join me standing for the Pledge of Allegiance my pledge of Al to the of the United States of America and to the repic for which it stands one nation under God indivisible Li Justice for All okay we are in May it's crazy this is the uh time of the meeting that we open up the microphone for public comment we have a whole host of people out here tonight good to see you all um we understand that there's a bit of a presentation and from resident on Southfield so why don't we start with um whoever put this PowerPoint together come on up when you sit down we're going to ask for your name and Street sure name is Alex agnoletto uh street is Southfield Drive okay okay Alex thank you for your time this evening I'm joined today by many of our fellow residents on Southfield Drive behind me as well as my wife and young daughter um the reason for and as well a resident from black um we're here tonight to discuss some safety concerns we have on our street uh due to excess speeding and uh increased traffic volumes so on slide one you'll see we have a brief history of Southfield drive we are a a street of just about 16 homes that was built in 1970 um and we are zoned as a residential street that connects both Black River and Potterville Road over the last 50 years um the populations of nearby towns that connect through Pottersville have nearly doubled we'll go through that in a slide or two um but the the next slide we simply highlight that there is over 50% we estimate of the cars on our road do not belong to Residents they are people passing through and this creates safety concerns for those who walk on the road which are many elderly residents as well as young families who have young kids one of which is my own as well as many other homes on the next slide you'll see that there is a map of some common Transit patterns one from Oldwick to Gladstone and if you'll notice the number of miles on each of the three routes presented uh to go through Pottersville and particularly to go on Southfield Drive is the shortest which means that it will be directed There by ways in Google maps on the next slide you'll see another common Transit uh path which is from White House station to Chester at 5:00 pm with traffic shown it also shows that the most uh direct route and the fastest route is on Southfield drive and it is many minutes shorter than any other path and we believe that this causes a drastic increase in the number of cars on our road which is which was not designed to handle them on the next slide you will see that populations in neighboring towns have doubled since our road was built in 1970 um this is a you know a natural fact of our community growing and the neighboring towns growing which we understand however our road was not designed to handle large volumes of cars although by comparison to major highways we do not carry large volumes of cars but even so our road is not very wide and it it is carrying currently far more cars than the natural uh course of Simply residents or deliveries on the next slide you'll see a few few uh incidents that have occurred over the past number of years some of them dating back to the 1980s and some of them dating back simply to the last few months uh in the 1980s there was one young woman or a young girl and her father who were both struck by a car as well as two two dogs who were killed uh by cars going too fast on our small road that has a pretty sharp turn at one end uh and connects both Black River Road to Potter Road uh and then in the last six months we have had many incidents of cars traveling too fast and nearly hitting both myself my young baby and uh other residents on the Block so one proposed solution that we have is to close off one of the two entrances it would make it effectively a dead end or cold the saac or what whatever word you'd like to describe a road that cannot be you know exited through another side um I think there's a number of ways that this can be accomplished that are economical to to both the town and residents uh and where definitely open to any suggestions or or Alternatives that could be in place but the road that we think would be making the most sense to cut off would be Black River Road um as that is the one with the widest Inlet turn and Potter Road seems to be the one that has the most number of cars that that naturally travel to and from Route 206 it's more of a direct route for for commuters um the town I will note did this on Hillside Avenue where they put in a split rail fence and it was an economical option to uh prevent unnecessary through traffic so the next several slides highlight some uh academic journals as well as Bloomberg articles which cite the benefits of cue saacs and dead ends I won't read them necessarily to you but they they've been cited to increase safety by reducing traffic Foster Community amongst residents and raise property values by as much as 20% although that last Point has no bearing on why we are here it's a it's a side benefit um and so that concludes our our uh our request of of the committee weage you thank you Mr agto yes agto agto okay thank you um Lieutenant pedo you're on mute you're still on mute gotcha there you go soone tonight Lieutenant PLO good evening um understand Bedminster PD has put uh some speed signs up on Southfield and you've got some reports I do we had it signed put up about 10 days ago it was put up on um April 25th and we ran the report this morning and of the report for 10 days 855 cars traveled on Southfield Drive of those those 855 cars only nine cars clocked a speed of above 40 above 35 M hour they were in the 36 mph to 40 mph range majority 90% of the cars or more were between 26 and 30 miles an hour and then you had 78 cars between 31 and 35 miles per hour we also broke it down by hour so sorry I got to put my glasses on so between 5:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. there were 14 cars traveling on Southfield drive with an average speed of 27 miles per hour the 85 percentile of all speeds was 32 miles per hour and in the evening between the hours of 5:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. there were 20 cars traveling Southfield Drive with the average speed of 24 miles per hour so the data is showing that for the most part cars are within the acceptable range of speed on the road and it's 10 days I mean we'll continue to to gather the data we also have officers down there regarding radar patrols um I have a bunch of the cads here most of the people indicate that they had one car pass them that wasn't speeding between 5:30 and 4:10 in the afternoon that was one individual another individual was there between 6:00 and 6:30 indicated nobody was feeding so we're we're down there we're we're working on taking care of the issues that the residents have right now the data is kind of in our favor it's really not showing that people are going that egregiously fast on the road may I one other thing I would like to point out when you talked about Hillside that was redesigned so cars couldn't make a left on the hillside off of 206 going St so they weren't CR crossing the Northbound traffic cars going north can still turn right and go down Hillside Road or Hillside Avenue so it didn't stop cars from traveling down there it just stopped cars from making elect that we're going south oh yeah and and as uh Hillside resident there's still plenty of cars that uh use Hillside as a cut through especially coming out of um Quick Check um some fair amount of commercial vehicles use Hillside and also my recollection maybe John and Robin can provide more detail I don't believe Hillside believe that was done by Bedminster I thought that was done by do it was the D that was D before my time I don't oh but that was before I don't remember anything about it um yeah I remember when it was done um but I don't remember the township being involved in that uh lieuten question for you sure speed sign you put up was that displaying the current speed of the cars or just taking the measurements no it's just we we turn that off so people sometimes you leave that on people start to see how fast they can go that's what I was wondering yeah it that's turned off all doing is collecting the data of how fast the cars were going by it yeah I did drive down Southport a couple times over last um couple of weeks because we were advised that there was uh concerns there um and I one time I did see it with the speed sign with the speed Flash and then the other without right got it um heo thank you lieutenant would we be able to request that the uh commission would reverse the direction of the sign I noticed that the sign was facing the bend which is normally where where cars begin their Ascent into higher speeds whereas the straightaway is generally where the speed is accumulated over time unfortunately we were down there this morning for that sole purpose to turn the sign around there aren't any good sign posts for us to do that right now so we got to try to maybe work with the with Kevin from the dot to maybe straighten out one of the signs for us because the way they angle the sign's going to be angling to the people's yards is not going to collect any any data for us okay and does it actually I mean my recol is there I know it probably may not be enforceable what it said 15 miles an hour at the I believe on the crotch of the uh it does on the turn it does say 15 yeah I don't know if that's uh that's speed limit is 25 suggested going around that curve right yeah I I do think if I may it is interesting that there was 900 cars in 10 days I don't know how that compares to other residential streets but that does strike me as a higher than normal uh car volume and part of our presentation is about speed but I I don't want to make it the primary item it does create increased safety concerns but I think the higher volume of cars is is a lot of what leads to uh resident safety issues so I believe um so your issue your uh your package was also provided to uh Paul ferero who is head of our engineering department and he looked at it we looked at the number and 855 over the course of what was it 10 days yes 10 days um you know with 16 residents on there I mean you know you might be getting two three or four trips per residents um you may not be far off you're still you're obviously getting some nonresidential or nonresident drive-thru sure but it's a public Street so of course so that's we can't we prevent anyone uh from from doing that um but we do appreciate the concern um Paul also once again our engineer looked at some of the um options um we've been approached many times about possibility of installing speed bumps or speed humps um and when we've had that discussion uh our Public Works doesn't like it because it impedes the ability snow clowing um and road maintenance uh the fire departments do not like it the fire departments heat speed bumps speed yeah that's part of why I left it out yeah so it's um you know because we've looked at traffic hming um efforts in other areas um there's no uh no bog Turtles out there are there any tur mayor if I may make one more uh question or comment given the direction of the speed U meter many residents who live on the other side of the street from frankly my house down which would be I would say 75% of the residents if you're traveling towards 206 you would never be captured by that um meter okay and so I I don't know how to measure that but I think in relation to the number of cars it I don't think it fully captures the number of Travelers because a lot of the residents would never be captured by that Tom can you uh can you address that again um the sign we have right now we don't have a viable sign post to put the speed sign on to capture what he's saying cars go in the other direction we'll try to work with uh DPW director Murray to maybe straighten out one of the signs so we can put a sign on on a post on the other side of the road no so those signs they they do they do spread a bit so it depending on where it is it it is probably cap capturing both uh both sides in the direction that it's facing for sure but in in the opposite direction where most of the residents live if they were to make a right to go to the other side of the Southfield entrance it would I mean the radar is only facing to the left whereas if they exit to the right where 75% of the residents live they can make 10 trips a day they would never be captured by that radar um I guess one question I I if if I may or if the data was inconclusive which it seems as though uh the committee feels it it could be uh would there be any measure where residents alone regardless of the data uh being conclusive could request that the town either take action via a measure that could residents could voluntarily uh choose to pay for or some sort of measure where the data did was not the primary driver and it was simply the residents election absolutely and and committee woman in moresi um I believe I designated you traffic liaison on a black on the issue associated with Black River and you see the signs up on Black River so what I'd suggest is um Renee if you could reach out to uh Paul perero and Kevin yep and lieutenant Pluto and maybe schedule an opportunity to meet with an MR an Leto that' be great and talk some of these options through um CES act might be a little tough because that's going to involve taking someone's land and that's why I use the word dead end interchangeably yeah yeah and our engineer said that we are not currently allowed to do dead ends because you need to turn around so the sacks are really the only option that come up with okay um but that's not to say just as you're suggesting that there may not that there may be other traffic caling mechanisms sure that can be implemented right and I'd rather defer that to the um experts uh with Paul and Kevin and with uh certainly consult from uh bedm pic okay I appreciate the committee's time someone raised their hand in the back was it the young gentleman no no no you gotta come on up also and you can bring the young gentleman with you as well if you like that's great got dressed up bring him front and center okay name and Street please okay you first name and Street um pville Southfield Drive Southfield Drive Southfield Drive name name Philly Philly pesh and Philip pesh okay we have the same name same name okay Southfield drive and we like to play football out front and we've had a lot of uh you know we kick and we throw and the ball goes into the street a lot and I am concerned another concern is that right now the school bus doesn't come on off Street and that's one thing we have to actually cross Black River Road or we have to cross p he's seven and you know if we can't get to the bus we both work his his mom and I we both work full-time this school bus you know they don't come on a street have you talked to the school about U to school about it and they said in the past it's certainly I've seen them change their their patterns Lou is L on the street right front of our house yeah any any what uh sort of response did you get from the school or the bus company uh they've already have a route and they're not they're not changing it so that's that's a concern but I think my my question was um more of the police offic it was just a an understanding when they checked they said 855 cars in 10 days is that in the One Direction that it's calculating yes so it potentially 1800 you know 1,00 cars I mean you know it's almost 900 cars is it potentially double that because we have traffic pretty much equally both ways could it potentially be 1,800 cars in 10 days it it could potentially be it could potentially be 900 cars in 10 days right if it was a one way well even if it was 855 going north it could be a 100 coming south I I don't know that number yeah Okay and like I said we Tred to get the sign to turn around so we can start calculating that data we just need a sign post that we got to get streamed so we can actually put the sign up and you'll be talking Kevin so can looking probably this week I will talk to him hopefully we can get it done okay this week please feel free to use my front lawn if you'd like for the Post well there's plenty of posts there they just they're angled they we gotta get get it straightened sure understood I just wanted to offer these Conta yeah if um Mr Anto if you could give your contact information to Robin and then this way Renee can coordinate um a meeting a zoom conf friends come here go or go to Southfield and um that's way you get you get eyes on the ground and see what it's all about it's a lovely place we just want and we want to keep it that way three years ago excellent also if I could Street Great neighborhood your initial email said during rush hour if you can pinpoint times down I can get cars down there during times that you think it's the worst Rush Hour like I said could be 5 to eight could be uh Toyota TJ that likes to fly at around 60 miles an hour at 6 a.m and you know what often times often times it's one or two vehicles that are causing the main problem for the speeding yes yeah right so that's that's an interesting OB observation certainly something that uh Lieutenant PLO would be interested what what else I think is observed is that you know the police you know we're very grateful them putting a car on the street but the Bedminster police are not undercover cars so when somebody's pulling around Southfield there's no other cars on the street it's very clear that there's a police officer on the street 100 feet up and people do see that and slow down it's it's it sticks out like a sore thumb so I want you guys to know that you are welcome to sit in my driveway and you are welcome to hide behind the big tree and I'm sure you'll get a lot more business get a lot more tax revenue understood he also understand that by the time people see us it's generally too late you may think we stick out like a sore thumb with The Radars already captured them so you see people on the highway we like throw out the anchor when they go buy a troop car or a Cop Car by then it's too late they're already they're already locked in on the radar thank you thank you for thank you and thank you for your presentation there's another hand a hand you my name's up there at the microphone temp my name's Barbara Miller Stacy I've been a resident of poterville since 1986 my husband and my daughter were both victims on Southfield Drive in 86 nothing has changed since then and we petitioned Bob Lloyd who was then our acting mayor and we did have success in having two signs put on Southfield Drive sadly no one can read English so we are back to square one 19 excuse me 1987 my daughter my husband was hit so severely on the bend coming Northbound from egressing on on Black River Road that the passenger side mirror came off the car my daughter was slightly in front of my husband she was hit a six-year-old child she she was thrown in the air and proceeded to go over the hood of the car the car went into a tree and each time when I come back from Black River Road I'm reminded of that day in my life that changed our lives forever because of carelessness and Reckless Behavior something needs to be done on Southfield drive I'm happy to report my daughter survived she had Road burn all from her upper toil so down her legs was taken to Memorial Hospital in Morristown where they had a shrub her legs which was very painful for a child my husband had superficial bruising and cuts the tree remains on Southfield as a reminder to everyone you can see the one foot gash in the front of the tree where his car came to rest so I'm beseeching all of you to please act accordingly thank you than thank you Miss sty M Mr Brown come on up Doug Brown 1851 Black River Road um actually so I've been fighting this fight for six years and I got a lot of you guys signatures back four or five years ago uh for the speed bumps actually when I called three weeks ago to find out when the next meeting was I was again livid because I had been calling every weekend and several days during the week for police presence on Black River I had put the invitation out numerous times which had been taken up in the past to park in my bar and parking lot I think of body knows where I am I'm right in the middle of the S curve coming into the village southbound and going out of the village and the motorcycles and the porsa club and the Mini Cooper Club use the S turn as a slingshot to get going um the uh the solar signs for those that are conscientious it has helped for those that don't give a crap it all it does is let them know how fast they're going so that they can rip it more now getting back three weeks ago I called finally got one of the officers and I gotta apologize to that officer whoever it was because I I really lost my temper with it and I have to say in the last week and a half there has been fairly regular and and actually the reason I was coming here tonight I I had no idea this was going on none total total coincidence I was coming to actually say thank you to the PD for having some presence in the last week or so because every time that they're there um I'm seeing two to three stops I I was lit literally tonight feeding my grandson front window I see him nail too and what is not uh present in the in the data and in the speeding reports are the sorry Lieutenant but there is the effect of they see you and they slow down because I I'll sit and watch them they do the nose dive punching the break as they're coming around the um the curve between me and 19 1840 diagonal across the way so point is police presence works now granted they can't be out there all the time but I've seen it literally just in the last week or so that when you're there you have an effect and look we're a fairly affluent town I think we can afford to staff our Police Department accordingly to be able to protect the residents of of this town and you know I know that the hills gets a lot of attention but Potterville pays a lot of taxes and you know it's it's a quaint area uh I'm telling you black Black River Road on a Saturday and Sunday when it's good weather it is it's the Lamont it's a Speedway uh and and and I know exactly what they're saying about Southfield too because I walked my grandson through Southfield almost got hit a month ago and the guy had the nerve to yell at me and flip me the bird and I invited him to pull over he he didn't take it up if I see him again Lieutenant this is me I'm going on mute um but there is a problem there there's a big problem and also Lieutenant what I would ask is how often is the data from the two speed signs pulled and analyzed well I don't know about the one you're talking about on Black River we didn't pull that one today I'm just talking about the one we put on Southfield that was up for 10 days right right now we just we just pulled it um Friday we pulled it then we pulled it again this morning right I'm just what what I'm asking is how often is the data from the permanent speed signs pulled and analyzed I you know I I don't know my notebook out like okay 250 there was somebody easily doing 50 and and you know I don't know what the what the solution is but there's got to be a solution because there is a major problem but again actually the reason I came was just to say thank you for the increas increased presence uh it's it's helping at least during that half hour 45 minutes that that they are able to be out there one thing though please tell them don't park up at the church it does no good no get whatsoever s sitting there at the stop sign that does you there's not many good places to park if you want to get the traffic going North really the only place we can go is at the church so if you have a suggest you you can sit my parking sit in my barn parking lot and you can catch you can first off does your radar go front back or is it just is it it goes front and back but you got to stand by your house you coming out of that curve you're not going to get a car with the way the radar is out of that curve with with a radar but they do it I just saw them do it tonight sitting at your church facing them coming out of that curve the Zone I don't know how they were sitting is generally not going to Capt a car that easily coming through a curve because the radar but it's a it's a curve before my house and then it's a by the time it hits my house it's a straight shot and then when they get around my house then then oh crap I'm dead you know they got me because you know the they're they're sitting there and staring at I'm just I'm just saying right there at my barn you can get them coming north we have several officers now who are laser certified I don't know if one of them was down there with the laser gun today that's much easier to use in the radar for that type of situation um I'll get more of those guys that are certified with the laser radar down with the laser instead of just the regular radar because that way you pick and choose what car too you can just doesn't matter what direction what angle it's at you pick what you want to shoot the laser radar at and that's what you pick up yep all right so once again we uh Mr Brown we already have your contact information so Renee when you're out there with on Southfield and you're talking to Lieutenant PLO or the chief you can also try to get that um as to pull the same information regarding black R okay cool and there's another hand in the back thank you thank you Mr Brown and which one of you is uh presenting tonight oh okay she was gonna say I'm um Sherry pesh 14 Southfield Drive in Pottersville and to um I'm s PES hi s PES and I just wanted to share a little bit more just about the buses or so um our children as my husband had spoken previously our kids do have to walk to the bus stop and um we we do work full-time but I have to kind of um work all meetings around when the must May bus may be there because they don't come on to poville anymore I stood there recording um excessive speeds of cars whipping past because it was either on Pottersville and Southfield where they initially had to meet the boss and then they did move it upon my request um to where it's Black River and Pottersville um Black River and Southfield Drive um nonetheless though if um if a car is coming off of Black River and they speed past right where you share they whip around um I know that even escorting my children back and forth the cars have come close to clipping you um and you do Yeller exchange go ahead then they go quite fast so it is it's it's it's um scary enough where we my husband and I just won't let the kids walk by themselves we'll still somehow move mountains to get there before after and it's not that far that we live we're right at the bend right at 14 and but it's still and so without sidewalks so the kids would have to be up on someone's yard walking um there's really nothing else right so if you're thinking sidewalks or if you're thinking a colder sack obviously that would be a dream something that would help and I want to thank you to um it seems even more quiet it seems like since you put up the sign and had the police presence it's it's amazing we love playing outside and it has it's seemingly just calmed down it seems like there's not as much traffic I it felt like and the cars seemed to be noticing and going much slower and it's um it's just been really great having you there so thank you great thank you for your comments Miss PES and for the younger as well the school bus major speeder just just saying I've called I've called the company at least five times they this school bus flies major major offender thanks Lou hello Lou D jine Southfield Drive um there's just a couple things I wanted to mention that we uh haven't mentioned yet and that is that we do get a lot of commercial vehicles on that street um whether they're landscapers or painters they also use it as a cut through and most of the time they're coming off of I would say in my own feeling is it they're coming off of Potterville Road um and so part of the traffic issue is commercial vehicles I just wanted to kind of throw that out there and then I'd also like to ask Lieutenant Palo um you said there were was could you just review the statistics quickly 855 trips in 10 days and I want to I would like to know uh you went through different speed limits uh and I'd like to know how many of those trips were over 25 miles hour which is the actual speed limit so yes 855 cars it read in 10 days that was this morning we ran the report and cars over 25 miles an hour or let's see 250 around 340 okay so almost 50% or 40% or something like that was over the speed Li knowing that the speed limit is only 25 and some people are only going 26 or 27 it's it's Target right but 252 of those cards were in that 26 to 30 range right um so if you're really looking at the excessive driving it's not there it's not there right so it's like 87 cars were above 31 miles an hour right okay and the top speed it again it brackets at 36 to 40 I don't know if it was at 40 if it was at 39 if it was at 36 but there were nine cars in that 36 to 40 R and so once again it it may be the aberant uh 3 four five whether it's the the Porsche Club or the Mini Cooper club or the vehicle uh that Alex had mentioned earlier right you know it could be those you know frequent flyers that are yeah and usually pushing those numbers usually um there's there was one car that used to come through every morning at 10 minutes to 8 for about five years in a row so it can be a lot of times as the same people over and over again and and that's the information and that's the uh type of detail that we want to get into the hands of Bedminster PD so that um they can it really helps if get narrow the times down of course it is a big Township we do have limited resources we have unfortunately anymore a lot of stuff going on in the town so if we can really narrow down the times that we can get our assets that if you know it's between 6 pm and 6:30 p.m. we can have someone there at that time whole volume notwithstanding cuz right now they're just picking and choosing when they go down there and it helps like you said to slow stuff down but it might not be the time frame where these cars are coming through correct so my my final point is that I think um you know traffic curbing um methods whether they be signage or the this the speed radar signs I I just think that it we need to look at it carefully and and then Implement something that will help uh on that street and of course on Black River this is my neighbor Phil he wants to say something you think may he just wanted better view thank you I bill PES South Drive I did have one more question um or just clarification um there is um an an empty lot at the top of Southfield by um poville Road and if this person was amenable to give up a little bit of their property maybe they get a little break on their taxes or something like this and they were willing to give some of that property would that be um more chance of getting a kvasac at that top I'd have to you know what we're not in position to go through that that's really where we need to hear from our engineer in DPW but certainly anything that um eliminates some of those obstacles that's probably a good thing okay but once again I think the the proper form is committee women resy with our engineer our Engineers keeps his hours on Thursdays Thursday afternoons so uh maybe that would be a good time and uh Tom if you could be available at the same time and Robin reach out to Kevin as well and guys if you could you know call me with more specific times or better at times like I said I'm more than happy to get guys down there to help out with this but it really helps you can now the time frame down thank you okay thank you thank you thank you that data you again to to answer that specific the data is there it's it's it's in the SS especially for Black River you know pull the data and it's going to show you when that volume is yes it's going to show you the volume it and it's going to show you the speed gerain to Southfield may be less relevant but both issues are obviously a concern for us thank you Mr Brown still public comment your hand is up Mr Roden good evening good evening my name is Michael rhen I live on Spencer Lane in plugman uh yeah very interesting evening with all the the speed concerns and all that and I now I understand why I haven't seen uh a police car on uh Washington Valley Road recently because they've been elsewhere but I have definitely noticed a a much more increased presence for speed control on burnt Mills Road and Washington Valley Road uh 202 206 going through pluck in you know it's it's kind of of a joy to go through there and uh and see the speed control because you know uh there there's a lot of people that just you know have no regard for uh stop signs or stop lines that stop you know the line on the road for the Stop uh stop light you know it's like a it's a you know maybe if you stop uh two two tires over it it's okay or whatever but uh you know it's rather interesting listening to all this uh but I'm here basically because of Mount Prospect Road last time I brought it up I brought it up like two three times uh one time I brought it up and the only comment that was in the meeting minutes was that I was concerned about speed whereas in that presentation that I made that night I had specifically suggested making it a on Lane Road not a oneway road or anything like that just a on lane road if uh there there was a question that went out by the mayor uh that you know he probably got a response to as to what is the maintenance agreement on Mount Prospect Road between Bridgewater Bedminster and possibly even Burns Township because you know when I start looking at the uh the maps Burns Township is probably the last uh 100 200 yards of the road potentially and is Burns Township paying anything for that uh burn Township is Stage Coach Burns Township was the the town that decided to close off Mount Prospect Road and make it part of and absorb it into the Hills uh Bridgewater has two homes on Mount Prospect right now actually there's only one that's being occupied the other one is very very interesting it was owned by an elder lady who passed away her Mr Ren is your request to turn M Prospect into one lane yes I just want to I just want to get definitely my my request is to turn Mount Prospect into a Lane make it basically a Somerset County Park Road is really where we want to go with it because Somerset County owns a tremendous amount of land on the east side whereas East South Side South Side uh whereas Bedminster has a big hun of land there that they own that's part of the uh Ridge that uh you know there was somewhere in the uh Park plan a potential uh path that went from Chay Mountain Road over to I don't know where I would assume you know it had to end up either in the Hills or either at uh on Mount Prospect Road but the issue is again you know it it's kind of used by a cut through there's probably 20 homes on the top of stage cach I don't know how they get in and out they're they're not using Mount Prospect there they are not that volume of cars going up and down the road it's just the cars that do go up the road take 25 miles an hour as a suggested speed and if it was and and if the town has to maintain that road it's their responsibility then you know the the consideration is why we maintain a road that's two lanes wide why don't we make it one lane ride one one lane wide and and that will slow traffic down dramatically uh not like I said not that there's a tremendous amount of cars that use it um okay so that that's your request well that that's my request and my request is also to maintain your section of Mount Prospect grow there's a 100 yard section of Mount Prospect Road that AB buts uh Stone Edge past the entrance to the Stone Edge neighborhood and that part of the roadway is not curbed because it wasn't required of them to put curbing in it was required of them to put the roadway in and you know bring it up to standards as far as the stone AG neighborhood was built back in Floyd there had to be half a ton of rock that washed out from the side of the road in to the front of the entrance to Stone Edge that stayed there for four days before the Stone Edge management had their landscaper come in pick up the stone haul it away paid for that hopefully they save the St I don't know but along that little stretch of road there when you go up the road and you look on the uh North side or the North side you'll notice that there's a gully there where the rock came out of and that the road is eventually caving away and it it to me it's a simple solution of throwing some Stone back in there running a truck tire over so it compacts it I mean I'm I'm not looking for you to go out and you know do the bid 112 things I'm just looking I'm just looking will relay that to Kevin Murray DPW he'll take a look at the erosion he'll take a look at the Gully The Rock work on the side we leave it to Kevin to uh make recommendations regarding the erosion over there on the road and the stone and could I ask you is there an answer as to what the agreement uh between Bridgewater and Bedminster is for the maintenance of the road you you can ask I don't know that you don't you never got an answer to that you asked that one in one meeting you never got an answer to that I did not okay well when you get one I appreciate knowing and we will get you an answer thank you very much don't know if there isn't a a main and screaming it's it's our road it's our road okay so you you really need to look at the new house going up on the road there I was talking about the lady who passed away uh they have stripped the land you couldn't see the house before with all the trees that were in and growing around it they have basically stripped the land cut down all the dead wood uh I mean it it's a beautiful view you you one of the things uh it we're losing the the time that it's best to walk up Mount Prospect because of the bugs it's very buggy over the winter the spring the summer the fall the over the winter the spring and the fall it's a fantastic walk going up that road the sights you see the sounds you hear this past spring with all this rain we had you know it it it just roared down the the brook there and it's a it's a Nature's Valley that needs to be developed Mr Roden do you have a comment yeah we hear you you you you've gone on a little bit so we're gonna look Kevin's going to look at the road he'll take he'll take your advice and he'll look at that house that's going up anything else no that's pretty much but as long as we can get some action on it i' really appreciate it uh I guess the only other thing is is there a cleaning schedule for the new uh bathrooms at River Road a cleaning schedule yeah because they're no longer are they going to be maintained by a ported poy John company they be maintained by DPW DPW there is a cleaning schedule um they'll be cleaned on Fridays um before the farmers market and they'll be locked and then opened up Saturday morning and then the rest of the week they'll be open they'll be open yes okay they'll be maintained weekly so Friday morning is a cleaning schedule for you're talking about specifically about the one by the dog park both of them the one at River Road the new ones the new ones yes the nice ones the're they're really nice they're dirty already Yes and they'll be um monitored by camera I think outside so okay thank you thank you Mr Roden still in public comment any further public comment coming up Miss pesh are you bring both of them um Sherry PES again 14 Southfield do you want to say your name okay so it was um we covered it before but I I don't know if it was something asked if if there was no change um if sidewalks are ever something that you can consider as well only because again that's where when the cars are whipping around if there is not going to be a colde saac or a dead end or speed bumps and the police presence isn't there or the speed signs go down and folks kind of go back to how they have been since we've moved there um about 10 years ago now um if there were even the option of sidewalks just for another option I don't think I it was part of the options I don't know if it when you meet with uh Paul you want to make that make that topic okay yep absolutely great remember Ry has it she'll stay with him okay and then did you want to say something go ahead what um when sometimes he forgot what he was gonna say it happens to me time I think that when like we're going for walks like right around the corner where our house is um a lot of cars like like they kind of like do when they're going fast they do like Sharp turns and well yeah they that's itk well thank you that's a great observation and I think that's something that uh Lieutenant pedo is very interested in hearing about and both you and your brother are very well-dressed better than most of you know the people that show up at our meetings better than most of us so well done that's very serious they really appreciate how much Focus they so again we can't thank you enough having the presence um on the street has been amazing so thank you we were're full of gratitude for that and um sometimes when I was walking um we saw like the cars whipping by yeah a lot of cars whipped by before and we didn't even see them how did you see until it's too late all right thank you that's what big sisters are for thanks thank you thank you thank you so public comment seeing none we will move on with the rest of the meeting and thank you everyone who showed up and may made their public com thank you we'll be in touch we have one set of meeting minutes to approve oh I wait before uh Robin anyone on Zoom for public comment no mayam okay we once set meeting minuts to approve that's the township committee meeting of April 15 the com questions regarding those minutes two sets there oh there are should be the Clos April 15th Clos Session 8 this one not on yeah it's not on there no I just have the one sorry so we'll just we can table we'll just we table the executive session one which oh you know you did send that um yeah you did send that email but it's not on it's fine it was on it's on my version Ed from Friday but you that's in your book there you go all right so one set of meeting minutes Comer questions saying none second motion to approve so moved second all in favor I thank you one two three four five six seven eight nine permits and Raffles and we're going to start with number well letter a fireworks permit for a fireworks display scheduled for May 26 6 2024 at approximately 9:15 p.m. at Trump National Golf Club and Chief and the fire department's gone through the uh fireworks permit everything is fine yes and Rob Totton is here Rob tot from Trump National is here if there's any questions regarding the fireworks display for May 26 and is I'm just going to is is that for Memorial Day from the memorial memorial day we can that for a special event okay got it any questions or comments regarding the fireworks display it might be in here but how long will it beely to 10 okay if there's no further questions comments they'll take uh fireworks permit for May 26 individually I'll take a motion to approve so moved second all in favor I thank you thank you thank you Mr Totten thank you next is the annual seasonal Farm Market permit for reckless Town Farm Distillery at the Bedminster Farmers Market beginning May 25 going through December 7th um this is actually a new and additional uh distiller that's coming to the farmers market next social Fair permit to benefit the Essex horse trials on June 1 2024 from 5: to 8:00 pm at the US Equestrian Team Foundation One School House Lane Bedminster that's up at Hamilton for golf club uh a next is an on premise merchandise raffle to benefit hun in Healthcare Foundation on June 18 from 8 to 5 8 a.m. to 5:00 P pm at Fiddler's Elbow Country Club next is an off- premise merchandise raffle to benefit hunon healthc Care Foundation on June 18 2024 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 pm. located at fidler's elel Country Club and then an off premise 50/50 raffle to benefit preschool advantage on June 25 2024 at 7M located at Hilton fors Golf Club an on premise merchandise raffle to benefit juvenile diabetes research foundation on June 25 2024 at 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Fiers elow Country Club and on premise 5050 raffle to benefit juvenile diabetes Research Foundation on June 25 2024 at 8: a.m. to 800m at fillers elow Country Club and last is a golf poll in one contest to benefit juvenile diabetes Research Foundation on June 25 2024 8: am to 8:00 pm at Fiddler's elow Country Club questions or comments regarding any of those permits Raffles or contests seeing none take a motion to approve so moved second second all in favor thank you monthly report discussion by subcommittee chair ity committee men Stevenson thank you mayor good evening everybody forgive my appearance I got a little case of poison iety here but we're working through it um DPW what' you say he just exactly it's not comp I know uh DPW we're a bit under staff we got a couple folks out with this some medical issues but we continue to work through our roads the grading of the roads um we're starting to mow now uh moving away from the ball fields which we continue to line and maintain for the fields and for the seasons I should say in the sports uh we we're now moving off to the the RADS get those out side RADS cut uh we continue to work on some of the bids for our upcoming projects on the paving and I understand that we're going to hopefully later tonight approve the bid for the roof so we're moving forward and hopefully get conclusion on that to you an update on um on some of the bid openings for the paving do you know if um I have no updates on those no know um I do know um Paul Ferrero uh told me last THS reported to me last Thursday that the um they are preparing the two bid documents one for Tuttle um and the other one for the um whis Hill Neighborhood and the list will be will be ready first there's some additional engineering that's required over at um on toling Riverwood and are we still waiting on Old Stonehouse there's been nothing on old ston house there I spose to Kevin I guess they were still waiting on uh we're still waiting on p p yeah okay so we definitely have those two of the work it looks like I said like I said lill will be the first Dr to bed should be ready the next couple weeks two or three weeks so do does does sound like there's it's going to be a busy uh Paving season for for our guys that's so Kevin's been communicating yes um so he's got his his hands full that's that's the DPW update um historic PR um I got uh feedback I wasn't able to go to last meeting there was a concert with the folks kids up with in the school um but there's we got the situation I don't know uh logistically going with the former Carl posy property going back and forth between land use and historic press so you got to get that worked out um I think the resident just misguided so I think we've got that squared away got my eye on that um obviously we want to follow that and um uh everything else seem to be just fine um but that's the issue that we've got um just in general there's back and forth on that property um so hopefully have you know more substantive update after the next meeting on that um Mr Bardo and I talked about briefly on the we that business yeah we can talk about that at Old business y That's y great thank you committee man hickey thank mayor good evening everybody uh Board of Health uh we had a meeting on Thursday April 18th we heard two riveting septic applications one of which was for our former mayor Bob holway and yes that did receive approval just reminded that the Board of Health will have a table at the Farmers Market on Saturday June 29th they're going to talk about radon rabies emergency resources and well and septic maintenance and mayor that's all I got right now excellent two riveting uh all right committee women mesue um thank you so much mayor um uh jacoba vanir I think the biggest thing that's going on right now is the uh lease is going through a renewal so we have the opportunity to um work with uh with that group and the barn raising and the gardens and all sorts of neat things that they have plans for and U make sure that the town and the uh and the house are working together and we're going to March forward and have a really good good lease going forward and we do have Robin we're introduced the lease extension [Music] um tonight yes that's sorry right so we extended their lease for for like six months so that we have some time to talk through all the the things that are going on and um so we can do it right to include all the the bits and pieces now that have developed in the last 20 years or whatever we've had the lease for so that that should work out good um EC had a very exciting night a couple weeks ago so one of our residents Mr angeleri I think his name is came in to give us a talk on the calorie pair um apparently it's a beautiful tree that a lot of our landscapers have used um it's a beautiful white flower the tree grows nice it's Hardy problem is it's an invasive species um it was brought in and it was believed at the at the time that it would not propagate on its own um it has in fact merged with one of our regular Pairs and now is everywhere um so it is taking over from some of our natural trees our um our regular our regular species but nothing eats it there big spines on it the deer hate it so it's a pro yeah it's a it's a big problem apparently it's all over the place um apparently there's um a big growth of it outside the um the working field at the Presbyterian Church on um lamington Road and while the field is falling out outside where he's not mowing the pear is just growing like crazy and it's going to take over and uh Mr Angela is just concerned that it's going to overgrow all of our our natural species so he says although there really isn't a way to get rid of it because apparently if you cut it off like if you try to kill a normal tree this thing grows from the roots and just starts sprouting up new new trees and their D that he he sort of works with um they have not figured fured out any kind of mechanism to um to kill this thing so while he didn't have a solution if anybody in Bedminster has an idea of how to kill this puppy um he's all ears he was at that meeting was yes and wh did not did not know how to kill this tree either he asked a couple questions but this tree just does not seem to want to die other than with using like Roundup which we do not want to use that has just too many issues anything that works really well to kill the tree is going to cause problems like DET so we got to be a lot more work done but uh we will keep everybody a breast of that um and just a quick reminder June 8th at the farmers market is the um EC sponsoring uh the well testing Ron headers will be there um EC members will be there so if anybody wants their well tested come on out and and uh and get a package and that's all I have for now okay thank you committee woman Fernandez uh thank you mayor I just have a few wreck updates um so as you know the 20 by2 Pavilion was installed at River Road Park and two clis composting restrooms were delivered and um both the Pavilion and the composting restrooms were purchased after receiving the 2023 local Recreation Improvement Grant so 50% of the project was paid for by that and the bathrooms will be cleaned on Fridays and um they'll be ready to go um for the farmers market and there'll be security cameras installed um installed facing the bathroom doors not in the bathroom not in the bathroom yeah not in the bathro clear I was yeah I need to clarify that just for security reasons no vandalism or anything else for any security reasons um uh summer camp registration began April 1st and uh they're doing really well this year a lot lot of the camps are already full the afternoon camps are at Max and every one of the afternoon camps has the minimum number of participants needed to run the program so every program will run which is exciting um Neil is starting uh Camp employment um interviews this week I think he had nine applications so that's good and hopefully we'll be all staffed and ready to go and um I think that's all yeah that was all um that was my updates thank oh and the dog park is on the agenda for the next Rec committee meeting they'll discuss some options the best options for the dog park moving forward so I just want to make that great thank you Gina thank you um from my perspective uh lanus board there was a meeting last week uh committee M hicky and I were not eligible for it since it involved a u Board of adjustment matter uh that matter did not proceed uh because there was an open issue on the um escrow and that matter is scheduled to be heard this week so again commit hickey and I will be ineligible to uh hear that application something uh tomorrow we have a farmers market meeting as uh my wife reminded me we are just um yay three weeks away weeks so um you know book your Saturdays from uh then until uh December 28 weekends who's counting 28 weekends so yeah we'll um yeah we'll be there m Ray may we please have the administrators report yes may a lot has happened in the past three weeks um I'll be brief uh last week last Wednesday I more a for I submitted a formal Grant request through Congressman ke's Community Project funding Grant portal for automatic license plate recognition readers on behalf of Bedminster Township Ridgewater Township Far Hills and Pac Gladstone in the amount of 657 th000 uh this is an initiative as you know of the somerson Hills Public Safety Committee mayor that you're heading up and um if awarded the grant the funds will be used to purchase uh the license plate readers in five years of monitoring and create a network of licensed plate readers placed at strategic locations throughout the Somerset Hills it gives the police off officer thees technology um to help Safeguard our residents um last week I also had the uh pleasure of completing the American Rescue plan annual report which is the federal funding while the municipalities received during covid um as you know Bedminster has expended 50 56% of the funds received with 100% of our funds are already obligated uh the repeater shed which is up in um off of Stage Coach Road uh last Thursday May um the B's office of emergency management headed by Zach Rubin with assistance from Kevin Murray they actually coordinated the installation of the new Emergency Services repeaters used by Far Hills B fire poterville fire and also Pac labstone um that was done um well there's a few punch list items that remain but overall the project completion uh was completed successfully with about five minutes of uh Interruption to um emergency service calls and uh last also two weeks ago our shared Municipal security Court plan was updated and we submitted to the Visage 13 assignment judge happy to receive that last Friday our plan was approved so we're good for another year and um the county is looking for pole workers to work the upcoming elections I have Flyers at the back of the room they pay $300 a day and they're desperate need of volunteers and will train all you have to do is scan the code for more information election day primary elections right around the corner on June 4th Tuesday June 4th and the election drop boxes were opened back on February April 19th uh for those folks who have requested um mail and ballots and every day around 8:30 in the morning the somerset County's ballot retrieval team comes to open up the box and remove all ballots and replace it with a new bin and last but not least in preparation for the county um the county OEM well I should say admin Township we actually started working on our own last fall but that now it's a directive from the county OEM that they are requiring a um continu continuity of operation plan for elections um we did want to base on homeland security had a Clerk's conference that I went to just seemed like there's practical sense but now it's a director from the county and uh we need to use their template for any emergencies that may occur during elections and that's due next week so been a busy couple weeks that concludes my report and another earthquake and another earthquake what was that that was Saturday morning 2.6 yeah Saturday morning everyone heard the rumble yep I heard heard I should also point out to you well I'm sure you know I'll wait till I'm sure Lieutenant PLO will get to it if not I'll I'll jump in okay back to Lieutenant PLO for update on community policing sorry I was on phone with the chief sure it's it's got to be his bedtime right about now just got done with his 87 softball game or baseball game you said oh gosh so you were looking for what mayor sorry a community up update on community policing update on community policing we've got the youth police week we're working on um we got the F not F sorry National Night Out that's going to be a collaboration between with us Pac and Far Hills those are all in the works and we've got the Operation Blue Angel Operation Blue Angel is up and we're working on a program I believe it's called Owl which deals with you know senior citizens and getting them on a list if they need someone to talk to we just stop by say hi see how they're doing and then the lock boxes for I believe that one's Blue Angel um for again generally disabled elderly who can't get to the door for medical emergencies they put a key in the lock box we have a code that way we can get into the house if we need be my mother-in-law had one she's in Granton Pennsylvania and it makes us feel good that we know that we can't get there for a couple hours that the local police can get to her in a heartbeat and it makes us feel good because we don't have to break a door or break a window oh yes that's great so Tom just want to add there's a whole packet in your bers of all the programs that the police department has put together and they posted all these on their website this is just a synopsis of you know all the different programs that they've put together and actually articulated for the itself right and U Tom has there been any uh takers on the well maybe guys can tell or not if anyone's hitting the link on the home security self assessment I don't know if anybody the chief actually has would have that Access Link I'm not sure if anybody once again and Robin if there's anything that we can do certainly uh we've got uh the bedminister police department social media but also using the town uh social media as well to promote these programs absolutely okay thank you Tom let's head to uh ordinances we have two ordinances to introduced tonight first one is ordinance 20244 which would amend chapter 3-19 Property Maintenance of the township of Bedminster General ordinances if introduced tonight the public hearing would be scheduled for May 27 p.m um and so let me quickly turn to John Boro just to give a description of what we're doing with um this ordinance 20244 yes mayor as you're aware we previously introduced a property maintenance ordinance for the village VN Zone and that's proven uh quite successful in uh remediating a problem property in that zone as you are aware and in particular last week judge house found that the Ralph recalcitrant property owner had refused to maintain his vacant lot was in fact guilty um and was fined in order to uh cut the lot and clear the lot and make it presentable and as the mayor is aware from having observed a lot and actually taken a few photographs that you so kindly passed along the the lot is now in a much better and presentable uh State uh unfortunately in the senior Zone um there are certain uh property or properties that have uh not uh lived up to the township standards and introduction and Adoption of this ordinance would apply the same uh maintenance standards in the VN Zone to the senior Zone and allow the township more flexibility in the future in bringing certain uh properties into compliance with with the standards that should exist there and for the residents that live there right so in in essence what we're doing with um or we would be doing with this ordinance is extending um the property maintenance to include both the VN Zone but also the senior um I foret the acronym is it the C yeah citizen Senor C so that would um Encompass really all of plck so plaman Village would be incorporated into that property maintenance um and just as John mentioned um not only uh did Judge how find in favor of the town but one the um defense thrown out by the um I guess violator uh was declaring that the statute I'm sorry our ordinance was invalid and unconstitutional and judge has said no the ordinance is perfectly fine and enforceable so uh thank you I I I did work with our zoning officer and our municipal prosecutor in making sure that the requisite uh defense of the ordinance was was put forward along with much of the evidence and and and factual basis and the reasoning that the township committee enacted that ordinance and to indicate that uh that particular Zone was the only ordinance at at that time that that the property Mains applied to and therefore uh the judge should not consider the state of properties in more rural areas that that may be overgrown um in in in considering her her decision and you know one of the things that we often find is that that certain properties may not necessarily violate the state uniform Construction code in terms of violations but but nonetheless fall far short of the maintenance standards that that should exist for our residents that that live in these properties and that that have to exist in the surrounding property so this is going to give us an added Tool uh to to work with that was previously lacking in the senior Zone great thank you John once again and thank you for coordinating with Zana our zoning um official and with the municipal prosecutor both both of whom did an excellent job in court right there's no further questions I'll take a motion to introduce ordinance number 2024 004 so moves second roll call vote Please Mr Stevenson hi Mr hickey hi Miss moresi hi Miss Fernandez hi and mayor Jacobs hi thank you and with the introduction of that ordinance the public hearing will be scheduled for May 20 2024 7:00 next is ordinance number 202 24005 this is once again an introduction and this would authorize the temporary extension of release with the friends of the Jacobus Vander house through October 21 2024 so uh just as we mentioned we've started uh discussions um with the jbh uh the friends of the jbh uh to extend least there's a couple issues that um we want to consider certainly from the Township's perspective of our expectations for the lease and certain elements that we know that the jva trends are going to want to have um for their expectations and working with beder Township as well so it it it just seems to me we're not going to get a lease done in a couple weeks so U what I'm proposing is that we do a temporary extension of the lease uh through October this gives us uh time to work through the issues that we want to see uh in a lease gives um certainly some time for us to meet with the friends of the jbh and uh incorporate everyone's comments and put the jbh lease back in good shape for once again what we have today and what we want to see become of the jbh and its operation there's no further questions or comments I'll take a motion to introduce ordinance 2024 005 so moved second roll call vote Please Mr Stevenson hi Mr hickey hi M moresi hi Miss Fernandez hi and mayor Jacobs hi thank you okay we have public hearing for two ordinances the first is ordinance 2024 002 to amends chapter 13 um and and this creates actually um revises section 13502 storm water management under Land Management Bedminster take motion to open the public hearing for ordinance 20242 so moved second all in favor I okay so this um ordinance is like to say that you know we've got some um discretion or consideration but we really don't so this is an ordinance that's uh being imposed on uh all municipalities under uh the storm water permit that we have with New Jersey D and there are certain obligations that D is imposing on the municipalities this ordinance is one of the one of those and it reflects uh certain requirements that we have to do um regarding our um regulation of projects within town and also our management of our own storm water system Robin you have anything to add to that description um other than this just replaces that entire section in its entirety yeah so it's not just revising it's completely replacing 13-5 by2 and you can go through the det details if you want to see the elevation view for a basin safety ledge configuration very exciting stuff here um does it have anything to do with our pond no it does not any further questions or comments Paul forar really would be the expert on this um he's already gone through it and uh said it is consistent with the state requirements no further questions from the tenal committee we'll open up this ordinance for public hmet so moved it's okay you can move for public comment oh I'm sorry we already did that I'm still in Pennsylvania if there's no uh if there's no comments from the public I'll take a motion to close the public hearing on ordinance 2024 Z2 so move that's where I thought we were all in favor I I and now take a motion to approve ordinance number 2024 002 so moved second roll call vote Please Mr Stevenson hi Mr hickey hi Miss moresi hi Miss Fernandez hi and mayor Jacob hi thank you our next ordinance is ordinance number 202 24003 this is an ordinance to exceed the municipal budget appropriation limits and to establish B take a motion to open the public hearing for ordinance number 2024 00 Z3 some second well I'm sorry all in favor I thank you okay Robin take us through sure mayor this is a a ordinance that we pass every year in summary uh the cola ordinance allows local governments to um adjust their budget uh calculations to account for changes in the cost of living as well as ensuring that our budgetary limits remain um relevant over time um it does provide some flexibility but allows us to stay within the statutory requirements okay so specifically what's prompting us from enacting it this year uh we do it every year uh we did have to use our budget cap this year as we did last year um our cap Bank you're allowed to bank for up to two years um any overages that you are that you have not used um so this year we do need to use a portion of our budget um Bank cap Bank in order to be able to um keep the budget reasonable for and tax rate reasonable okay further questions or comments for Miss Ray from the township committee seeing none um open it up for public comment on on ordinance number 20243 are we withdrawing from the c bank or withdrawing and also and also re and taking some and applying it for so it's will be yes it's both yes to both taking and replenishing at the same time any further comments say none take motion to close public hearing for ordinance 202 24003 so moved second and oh all fa I slow and I'll take a motion to approve ordinance 224 Z3 move second roll call vote Please Mr Stevenson hi Mr hickey hi Missy hi Miss Fernandez hi and mayor Jacobs I thank you thank you two ordinances introduced two ordinances approved we have one two three four five six items on the consent agenda any member of the township committee want to pull any of those resolutions off for individual considerations uh no mayor I just had a question on 202462 if Robin just give us a little bit more of an explanation of what that is all about sure so a place- toop Place transfer is also known as an expansion of premises we've actually done this before with the plucking in when they decided to move their establishment outside W permanent for outside dining um this is for the um Old Colonial Liquors which is now plaman Liquors Corp there was a ancillary building that was is still part of their structure um they are going to be um the tenant is no longer there it was a nail place and it was a dog groming and so they're moving their big freezers and big coolers into that room to provide more space for the actual main retail area so they're actually moving alcohol into that area for storage they need to get permission from the the governing body that issues the license and then a full packet goes on with the resolution to the ABC for final approval so everything's been it's been received by the ABC the last part is the resolution and they need to notice it in the newspaper have um you know they have to for two different um periods they need to notice in the newspaper so the time is just aligned for today for your approval great right thank you you're welcome that was pretty much individual consideration just curious what I saw we still with the rest of the consent agenda there's no questions or comments take a motion to approve the items on the consent agenda so second roll call vote Please Mr Stevenson hi Mr hickey hi M moresi hi Miss Fernandez hi and mayor Jacobs I thank you I will note after approved resolution resolution um 202 24068 uh appoint stepen first so Steven first is moving from alternate seat to a um class five position on the I'm sorry class four position on the land use board but we're also pointing Brian Wilds to the laners board um Brian Wilds is a lifelong Bedminster resident um grew up in the hills and uh now lives on Old Stone House and he's been a volunteer with uh Far Hills beder fire department for years and in his day job is Deputy Chief of the Montclair Fire Department Brian knows this town as well probably better than on most and I think he's going to be a terrific addition to my SP so just making note of his appointment resolutions for individual consideration resolution number 2024 058 authorizes the environmental commission to submit a Grant application to the association of New Jersey and environmental commissions for the fiscal year 2024 open space stewardship Grant Miss Ray what are they applying for I'm sorry they're applying actually for um a to install a part of a solar pond irration system which is uh to improve the oxygen at um the Bedminster pond it's one of four uh irration systems that they're applying for it's money towards that project it's certainly not going to cover the whole thing but a step in the right direction and there's availability with an Jack so so the storm water management ordinance did not necessarily affect the storm uh the pond this resolution these guys are taking care of it all on their own all right questions or comments regarding uh resolution 202 24058 seeing none take a motion to approve and moved second r call vote Please Mr Stevenson hi Mr hickey hi M moresi hi Miss Fernandez hi mayor Jacobs hi thank you next is resolution 202 24059 this authorizes support of Senate bill number 725 concerning unlawful occupancy of dwellings and supplementing title 2C the state of New Jersey statutes in the state of New Jersey this is um this request came to us from Senator steinhardt um who's seeking support uh for a bill that's been introduced to the Senate New Jersey state senate um regarding uh squatting and the current lack of statutory support for criminal prosecutions of squatting um as I mentioned in one of our previous meetings you know squatting is not something that is uh you just hear on the news and it's AFF some Far Away Place uh we've had incidences of squatting in Bedminster in all types of neighborhoods um I put this to uh Chief Bernardo and John Bardo before we when this request I'm sorry when this request first came in and uh they both gave their own um impressions of how the state legislation right now is lacking and often times the local police find their hands tied U because they don't have appropriate um criminal mechanisms to enforce and um I don't want to you know I don't want to speak for chief Bernardo and and for John Bardo but they both um expressed their support for this legis right Tom I'm not sure if you um had a chance to um discuss this with the chief um or without going to details your recollection of some of the squatting incidents in Bedminster um if if you care to do so you certainly have the microphone mayor I did speak with the chief about it and the one I think incident you are speaking of we really can't discuss but yes we have had some squatting in town it's been thankfully few and far between okay any further questions or comments regarding this resolution seeing none I will take a motion to approve so moved second roll call vote Please Mr Stevenson hi Mr hickey hi M moresi hi M Fernandez hi and mayor Jacobs hi thank next resolution 2024 060 this resolution authorizes the Far Hills beder first aid Squad as a participating member of the Suburban Municipal joint Insurance Fund and Municipal excess liability joint Insurance Fund so as the township committee uh will remember during budget during our budget meetings we did hear from Far Hills Bedminster first aid Squad and they requested participation um in the both the GIF and the EXs the Mel gif as well uh for several years as far as I can remember um the squad has been paying for their own insurance and not going through the municipal um insurance program going through the municipal insurance program um is certainly cheaper provides equivalent if not better insurance for the squad and um as we'll get into in the uh budget session Bedminster has agreed to pick up the expense for the squad for the cost of adding them to our insurance policy Robin anything else to add on um onto that resolution uh other than the resolution is required by the GIF that shows the governing body support and it would be a half Year's worth of of payment as opposed to a full year any further questions or comments seeing none take a motion to approve resolution 20246 Z so moved second roll call vote Please Mr Stevenson hi Mr hicky hi M moresi hi Miss Fernandez hi and mayor Jacobs hi thank you resolution 2024 061 this resolution reappoints Robin Ray as municipal clerk and recognizes her tenur status Miss Ray what is time fly wasn't it just a few months ago we we we appointed you to this position on a temporary basis so yeah I followed Judy Sullivan she retired May of of 2021 um I was appointed uh acting clerk until the time I passed my exam which I did in June of 2021 and here we are and so after three years um the term is only three years I need to be reappointed but that also then designates my time is tenure so hard to believe wow any further questions or comments what did you get on your exam Robin 103 I did very well you're like one of those people that killed the curb and she didn't she did I have a comment just briefly I think that the you know picking up something from someone else who's has such institutional knowledge and carrying the ball flower and trying to you know change roles I mean Robin you came up from the ground level and Rose to a point of administrator and to be able to juggle the relationships that you have with folks um the way you've tackled the job I I I could not be more impressed with how you've operated and how you can Dr juf with how you poured everything you have Into Your Role I know we're talking about P here but in general um we're better having you here so you know I'll Pat all of us on the back for putting you there aside you Tak the ball and you've run with it so you know incredible job thank you I really really appreciate that and I really appreciate all your support the viewers thank you forther questions or comments see none take a motion to approve so second roll call vote Please Mr Stevenson no no I'm come on now hi you get nowain Mr hicke just tough vote enthusiastically I thank you Miss moresi absolutely Miss Fernandez I and mayor Jacob hi thank you thank you conratulations thank youer Robin actually saves you legal fees because many of the ordinances and resolutions Robin will actually do some of them I'll review but a lot of Clerks administrators can't do that but Robin is so intelligent that that she does so she's not only a great Clerk and administrator but she's saving the residents tax dollars in terms of less I don't know if that's good or bad as far as your concern that's called an admission in maybe we'll maybe we'll give her a JD degree become Town attorney one day oh no then will loser his clerk get it n well thank you next is resolution 2024 067 this resolution authorizes participation of vord townships and state development and Redevelopment plan cross acceptance process so um this resolution um the state is going through uh every few years that go through F acceptance plan um with the state master plan uh we've already been endorsed uh through the state Planning Commission or our state plan has been sorry our master plan has been endorsed by the state Planning Commission Miss um you've all heard me talked about this process before what this resolution does uh it says that we be working with uh Somerset County in promoting uh the cross acceptance plan with the state process uh we had some opportunities to um have the highlands commission um act as act as our consultant or working with uh Bedminster but our relationship with uh the Somerset County Planning Department they've taken us through this process before and certainly were with us um or arm hand in hand uh through the state master I'm sorry through the municipal master plan endorsement uh that just seems a natural to go with um the county for the cross acceptance plan so that's all this resolution does any further questions or comments one quick one mayor I just noticed on the draft uh reso there's a blank in paragraph too were we planning on filling that in or so on on the final sign version I'll explain that um so there was a date that was supposed to be submitted as to when the County's plan was due back to the state and um the state hasn't come out with their draft plan yet so I spoke to Walter lane today and we opted to take the date out and just leave it as a period And when it's ready it's ready okay perfect good question D thank you y better answer R I repeat my prior com take motion to approve reso 2024 067 second I'm miss the second I'm so sorry Doug me second okay thank you um all I'm sorry roll call vote Mr Stevenson hi Mr hickey hi M moresi hi Miss Fernandez hi and mayor Jacobs hi thank you and take a motion to approve the bill list pending review of individual invoices so Mo second full call vote again please Mr Stevenson I Mr hickey I miss moresi I miss Fernandez I and mayor Jacobs I thank you any items that Township committee members want to put up for new business discussion seeing none good old business do improvements I'm still waiting to hear from do on adjustments to The Pedestrian um timing to cross rout 206 up by the library um I'm not sure why it's taking dot so long to not just Implement those improvements but be respond to us and saying yes we're proceeding with it so I'll continue to follow up with them and um I Know Chief Bernardo is as well utilities mayor just quick update uh Marilyn Davis the senior director of government Affairs for Alti recently announced that Friday May 3rd would be her last day as you may recall she appeared before several years ago and heard our residents loud and clear and she's been a very good advocate for bedminister and was a key proponent behind the fiber to the Home Project in a large company like Alti need those internal allies to succeed and to get money into your community and she has done just that we wish her the best on her future endeavors and her future successor has some pretty big shoes to fill that's all I have mayor um just real quick on Altis we know certainly know that um some neighborhoods have already been connected or certain I'm sorry they've been installed correct and F fiber has been installed correct has the switch been turned on so if you are a new customer in four of the five neighborhoods there's still a fifth one being constructed right now which is Nest the four that are completed and released from construction if you are a new customer you can go on the website right now and Order service the hitch is you can't do it if you're an existing customer which doesn't help anybody it's a database issue that they claim they've been having what I've asked them and what they've responded to do is they will put a coner line in that will be special for Bedminster so if you're not comfortable calling the call center which is typically overseas supported you will go right to a special Bedminster line they will know what Bedminster is they will know the communities in which the fiber has been installed and is ready to go and they will provide the correct pricing so that's what they' committed to do over the next several weeks and they're also going to have an Alti day which hopefully will be at the Hills Village North Master Rec Center still trying to nail date down on that one I actually put a call into them today to just figure out when that date will be so those two things need to happen but like I said if they can resolve the database issue existing customers can order on the line right now otherwise I have to call the 800 number so the four so four neighborhoods are completely up and wired and done are wired yes n Crest is being ongoing is ongoing a Target date to be completed will be probably the end of this month and have there been mailers or flyers or do you know if there I I don't know if they've sent it yeah I don't know if there's been buildin Sears yet okay haven't got that answer okay all right thank you for that up uh we mentioned psng earlier on old ston house so PSG um just real quick and I know this from Talking Wild on this issue so um PSG in working with the residents on Old Stonehouse which was a neighborhood um where they did opt to connect to gas um and PSC and G said okay we're ready to to bring gas down down your street um we were ready to pave old Stonehouse um I believe it was last year and we deferred uh the paving until such time as the gas line was insult so we didn't have to rip up um the street a second time after it was newly paved we don't have an answer from PS andg on when they're actually installing the gas line so there's a commitment to proceed they just haven't scheduled was that no thought there was might be gen um so I know Kevin is following up with PNG I have some contacts at PSL fa with them as well um and so hopefully that work proceeds quickly so we'll update that may hopefully at the next meeting pluck Park housing John and Doug I believe you guys had some discussions internally yeah um we did and we developed the response back to the owner this just basically going to invite more data more information um we just don't have um anything from which to work from quite frankly um it's a bit of a hamster on the wheel but we'll try to be more not more direct a direct again in what we say what we're looking for right certainly once again the expectations of the residents expectations of the municipality from uh the owner of that complex okay thank you guys sumerset Hills Public Safety Committee as um Robin mentioned earlier uh we're applying for a uh Grant um from a Federal Grant from uh Congressman Kane's office um this application um stems from a conversation I had with the congressman a couple um months ago as well as follow up with members of the staff regarding what we're doing with our surrounding towns on coordinating public safety especially with regard to the break-ins the car thefts that you've uh seen um in Bernards in Bedminster uh and there other surrounding communities um when the May I'm sorry the April application with the May deadline for submitting uh you know this used to go by the name of ear marks now is called Community Robin you're a Project funding Grant Community Project funding Grant so it no longer earmarks Community Project funding grants so when the notice came out I reached out again to um liaison at Congressman Kane's office both locally and in Washington and I threw the idea about the Sumer Hills Public Safety Committee um applying for the automatic license plate leaders and traffic cameras um together asking would that elevate um the consideration of the Grant and the Robin and I reached out immediately to um the members of this the other towns on this Public Safety Committee Bernard's Township has already um applied for a grant and Bernardsville has also applied for Grant and it's already committed however Far Hills pack Gladstone and Bridgewater said they would gladly participate in our Grant application so our grand application that's going in right so Bridgewater is a big town we're the next biggest town where Hills in PAC Gladstone um once again in talking to um Congressman Kane's office they said going in with other towns would would certainly Elevate um Congressional consideration of our application so we're wood crossing your fingers you know whatever we can um hopefully our application is received favorably um down in DC and hopefully we get news and hopefully we get news soon uh the next meeting of the somerson Hills Public Safety Committee is later in May it's actually coinciding with meeting of the conference of Mayors but I think four of the six Mayors are going to be SP at that conference I will not be so more participate by uh remote and um something that was interesting I'm not sure if we've discussed this at a previous meeting is driving to work one day and I hear um a reference by the special agent in charge of the FBI newerk office and he was talking about the cars that are being stolen and break-ins to get to new cars um from all New Jersey municipalities BMWs the Range Rovers what whatever they are right I mean that's really some of the targets those fars go to um gangs enlist kids from the cities to steal the vehicles vehicles get um delivered to the port in newor and from there they go on to um ships heading out uh to West Africa what this special agent was saying and I didn't know of this um is that the illegal cars that are being de well the stolen cars are being delivered to West Africa that trade is being controlled by I and is actually funding some of the terrorism in Africa so um the FBI is now trying to put together some sort of task force um focused at the Port itself to see if they if the FBI and the say police and maybe Customs can do a better job of uh gating the trafficking of those in vehicles so it's it's just interesting to see you know how our concern about Public Safety uh the break-ins that you know we see on you know whether it's Facebook or Rave or what whatever yeah yeah I mean you know John you sent me one just last week right right in my town with two individuals 4 a.m. in the morning just one actually went cover up the camera yeah looking not too far from my house so it's always frightening thing um looking to steal cars break into a house yeah right breaking and breaking into a house to get to the keypod to take the so um whatever we can do from our end whether it's license plate readers and certainly um enhanced policing just a reminder that you we did we're at the um we're at 18 um so we've increased our police staff um Police Department um with two additional officers and I believe at our Tom at our next meeting we'll be swearing in the uh the new officer the next meeting the resolution will be on oh the resolution will be on right and then it'll be we'll swear them in in June okay got it he's starting May 28th okay great fantastic so then we'll be full complement of u b rep so that's why I from the public Safety Committee um we do not have an executive committee I have One Piece One Piece I forgot to mention during my Administration report um so on Saturday May 11th is L pickles 20th anniversary and um Yours Truly the mayor will be there and uh kicking off the celebration there's buy one breakfast sandwich get one free and of the day is meet the mayor and give away all day huge B's A big one what time is 00 I've been told to be there at 9:00 there at 8:30 if you want the bone takes you a half hour to get that then that enormous ra and and congratulations to little pickles 20 years um seen some uh bedm PD hanging out there get getting their bagels and their coffee so uh certainly a something that Township um proud to have these guys here and Colin you guys are big supporters of little pickles yes we've given them a considerable amount of money over the years that could just be one one time going there yeah thank you Robin um we'll go through committee comments and then we'll adjourn for the evening commit Stevenson um yeah no mly common Rel is with the Southfield folks you know I was good to see them coming out they obviously want to see something done over there um I we were remiss to not to remind them that we had the 18 police officers and that that's why we can get them some folks down there and and have a bit more presence so hopefully the Comas that we're seeing back from Mr Brown and some of the other folks that have noticed it that that's one of the weapons if you will that we can deploy to try to you know raise awareness so I think thought that was good um and I want to thank Lieutenant PLO for feeling those questions I know that can get hot uh and hard when when residents want to sort of get into your lane and tell you what your business is and how to police so I thought you handled it very well tonight and look I mean this is where these folks live it's it's it means everything to them so we have to be um empathetic and you have to listen to what they have to say but the data is the data um so all around I thought you did a really nice job and and thanks for everybody for getting the data out there commit hickey thank you mayor just a quick PSA which kind of dovetails with my le is unrolled to the it committee there's another scam going around now the latest one is you get a text that appears to come from New Jersey easy pass it says you have an account balance you owe $4 if you look closely the website they including the text is not associated with New Jersey easy passest I got mine yesterday my wife got hers today the scammers are just coming up with new ways to you know con people out of money we all have to remain Vigilant so just a good good rule of thumb always be skeptical of anything you get unsolicited and if there's a link in there regardless if it's in email phone call a text message don't click on it go right to the website of the entity that you have a question on as opposed to ever clicking on anything of those links so it's just amazing they're just they're obviously now they take everybody with a 908 area code and just send out a mass text and guess what some people will click on that link now absolutely it's crazy so just FYI thank you for that thank you committee woman meski thank you just to dub tail into um what doug was saying about the um the residents that came this afternoon of this evening um I'm going to be proud to lead a group to see what kind of things we can come up with with Paul Kev Lieutenant PLO and uh I'm sure there'll be something that we can do I don't know if it'll be as big as creative culdesac or put in sidewalks but um I'm sure there'll be something we can come up with and I think with those people in the room we'll we'll find something great mitt woman Hernandez thank you mayor um I just wanted to um say congratulations to Robin on her tenure very much deserved and um and that's all I hope everybody has a great night thank you Gina and same with me congratulations to Robin on reaching tenure and that's all I have at 8:58 I'll take a motion to adjourn so move second all in favor I thank you and good night good night night bam