I call the meeting to order at 7M Anna would you please read the open public meetings act iqu notice of this meeting has been provided by forwarding a copy to The Courier News St leer and posting on the township website at least 48 hours prior to the meeting all in accordance with the open public meetings act this meeting will not substantially go past 10:30 roll call Mad cler Mr kudo Mrs Amal here Mr Foster here Mrs zis here Mr Machado here Mrs po here may de flag United States I guess when we did the promotion for yeah all right so moving into conference session that's a great Segway we have aant May and Captain IES here to do to go over a discussion on a proposed ordinance that we do have on for introduction this evening typically we don't do conference and introduction uh in the same uh council meeting but it's timely um it's related to all the house invasions and carus that have been happening in the area I think they've done an amazing job at really keeping a lot of that that bay I know talk extensively to the mayor Summit and the mayor of New Providence and they really are struggling and we seem to not be struggling as much I'm allowed to say that out loud having an issue so Captain if you would just come forward and explain please could you just get him your mic good evening uh thanks for having us tonight um we've been looking to to bring this ordance to the council for a little bit of time we've had some crime prevention meetings and we discussed it with the residents uh councilman uh president Foster um saw the need and U to expedite here a little bit so the ordinance that we're looking to add here uh provides us with uh couple extra provisions the provisions are different so the ordinance is for no person shall be in or near a private place with intent to steal any Goods not intentionally upon or trespass upon the land um specifically be on any driveway paved surface or location within 20 ft of a stationary motor vehicle knowing that he or she is not licensed or privileged to be to enter will remain in said location um and committing any of the following acts Heering into a window of a motor vehicle of that person that does not own it or have a license or privileges to possess or pulling the handle taking action in an attempt to open an unlock motor vehicle that the person doesn't own um currently some of the questions from the council were why don't we need this why do we need this don't we have these on the books so the 2C statute specifically states that if the if if the person actually has to have communication with the suspect or the actor on your property did you verbalize this is private property get off my property is there posting on the property that's prescribed by law um to come to the attention of The Intruders was there a fence or other enclosed struction uh structure uh designed to exclude Intruders so that that's not always the case in residential neighborhoods with houses um the town ordinance that we currently have is just trespassing or peering that states no person shall trespass on a private property or sneakingly invade on the property of another by peering into the windows of other openings or dwellings so we interpret the Township ordinance that that peering must occur so we want to change it where we have these other factors that I just had read to you somebody's on your somebody's in your driveway you see them on your camera they looked in your car they grabbed the door handle at least we can do something as far as the ordinance goes with that um so presently under state state law or the AG's guidance if someone would were undertaking that specific action there's there's nothing the police department could do really if we can't prove that well they would have to know that they can't be trespassing on your property did you have a sign posted there was no trespassing did you yell out that there was no trespassing um the other factors that I that I um spoke there so if you don't have those factors we can't even ask for their identification for probable cause so we can't even get their identification even to look into the matter any further it's a little H it's we're a little tied there uh other towns chadam Township passed this ordinance that we're looking to pass um Summit was a little bit uh tougher but it had some language as far as public places and um you know we're not looking to you know get involved with somebody that might be just up against a car by accident and somebody said well I think they're breaking my car and and it wasn't the intent of the person so we're focused here on residences that's where the crimes are occurring um what we see what we have seen uh last into the winter of this past you know going into December was these guys are getting onto your property they're uh they have they're armed with crowbars they will seek to gain access into your house to just to find the car keys um many times they do and then they able to take the car um it's just another tool so uh this is a tool I think in the tool box will it be used a lot maybe not but at least there's a tool available for us if we do come up upon these people in a residential neighborhood and we do have video and we have them stopped and we do see them peering into your car on the video or the hand or the door handle or whatever the case may be we can identify them and we can charge them they're going to get a summons but at least this holds somebody accountable eventually the court system will have to take its you know go through its process and um we'll take it from there um so that's what we're looking to do you know it's just another tool in the toolbox of the police department I I think it's great I think anything from a a local law to a state law that can help you guys do your job especially in the spirit of what's going on out there and you deal with it every day as Mayors we're hearing about it other communities have been concerned again I think we've been fairly lucky I mean we've definitely have had some situations with some home invasions and that's really f to the residents and I know you've done a number of crime prevention seminars and you did one for the seniors today so thank you for that um but I think another you know tool in the Arsenal is is really important at the structure yeah it's very difficult to catch a burglar or car thief in the process I equated to a needle in in a Big Field of hay right it's a very difficult task but as long as we have a lot of the residents now have high defition cameras it's amazing technology um 15 years ago we would kill for that right so now we have actual video of these people doing this um is it'll be it would be a big help um yeah right does anybody in the governing body have any questions I have a quick question well so I mean would this only pertain to uh when the homeowner is actually at home or would this also pertain to let's say the homeowner is on vacation cars in the driver to both so so let's say the homeowner's home they they see it visually or they see it on their camera they're calling us hey this person that's on my property right now that you guys did stop we do not know them you know um and police can take it from there so the police can actually say okay you know if we had this ordinance we can we can identify you and if need be we can charge them with the township ordinance now a lot of the times we're going to try to automatically charge them Criminal right if we can do that if they're stealing your car or they're breaking it into your house um we run into some Road box with the prosecutor's office uh but that's just you know the the case has to be 100% to get a charge it's very difficult the other night what's that pick you back on that for a second you said charge with an ordinance so what does that look like th just a THM you're not arrested you'll be given a summons um and then you'll have to go to court you know and we'll take it from there I would say most of the time these people are going to show up for court then a warrant's issued for their arrests and then we will actively go out and find them we don't do that we will go do that because we're involved in a car theft or berbery so I've never had a summon so I don't really know do you ask for ID when yes give us second yeah we would ask right your identification please officer would take all your information down and just like a traffic ticket we have a summon book that's a Township ordinance summon we would write it out and we would issue these summonses and they would have a court date um I would say most likely they won't show up and then at least there's some teeth behind it there has to be some repercussions to trying to steal your car or break into your house if you're home and the president and I the president president and I we're talking and um we were wondering if at the entrance to Berkeley Heights from like the westbound side the eastbound side coming down the hill would there be um signs posted like this is the ordinance in berley Heights no I don't think so that we have tons of ordinances that are in the ordinance book we don't post every ordinance like that um it would just be you know it would it's in in a public forum here we're discussing it and however the procedure uh goes but that wouldn't happen Okay so all due respect um um you know the situation where somebody had uh assaulted and jumped over vents passing no trespassing sign went into a house yet the police didn't charge that person I'm still trying to wrap my hands around that because it's actually worse than teering into a car or and then getting a summons for doing that but not the other way around so you can I don't want to get into your case specifically because it's still in the process um what process is that are you still in mediation process no okay I don't know what to process because nobody's saying anything me know all right I'm not here to to no that's fate your here's what I'm going to say we are not going to have a four-part discussion you can ask question you can answer it is that your answer fine if not we are going to move on look I asked the question all I want is an answer it's all I want nobody's answering that's the problem please refrain from speaking from the audience unless you want to come forward want me to talk about your case the brief knowledge that I have about it just okay um please refrain from comments from the audience if you have something to say it would be for everyone for you to come forward and make your comments in public all I'm asking is if the situation happens you're going to give somebody a summons right but why wouldn't you give a summons if they're assaulting somebody passing an TR entering a home your case is very in depth okay I didn't work on your case but your case is very in depth they're the police department was looking to take statements I believe that you didn't give a statement to the police department when they asked so it's very in depth what are you talking about I'm gonna say this one last time this is not a debate you have a specific question do you have a specific answer that's all I'm gonna say I'm not gonna I respect you s you know that more and and what um I'm not gonna get into your specific case I I don't have 100% knowledge of it you know my Integrity you know that I will do the right thing for the township here in every circumstance so I can't I can't take back time I don't know exactly every single detail of it because I'm trying I'm trying to run the police department here can't just focus on one case every day maybe you and I can be one talk does anybody from the public would like to ask a question of Captain hives or question about the related ordinance for Steve just give your name and address actually we prior to a question yeah Steve Corell 35 sore Avenue you know aside from being a doing the 42e resident I'm also kind of wearing my national Motors Association hat I in that role now going just a little over 35 years I deal with legislation involving motorists and Motor Vehicles State national local level now I was happy that this presentation answer the kind of question between which you started to present mayor's question um what is that we can't do under under current state statutes or our current ordinances and that and that was the answer for me and the issue of a a summons I guess my other question was now knowing there's a potential penalty if someone get the summons does come to court and wants to plead guilty with the penalty this penalty uh I believe it's between $100 and $2,000 and the judge can issue up to 90 days in jail that all takes care that all takes place on the judicial side right and that's kind of yeah it's up to the judge he look at the circumstances regarding every case um and then he'll set the penalties so the person that and so the person has the ability to go to trial and ab and and show that yeah well what's really what's really interesting with um when I read the ordinance was about a week before I was on one of my afternoon walks and on parked on the street so I think uh this gets to ensuring this is only where Bas on private property that's correct okay because I felt like and you know I also realized if someone's doing that doesn't mean they always going to get given the summons you're going to do you're on the spot investigation and oh you're the neighbor you know the the ordinance had originally had in it a public space right so I didn't like that um listen everybody makes a mistake somebody might uh be at the local supermarket bump into your car some elderly woman might actually grab the door somebody might take offense to it you have an ordinance on the books the we're trying to what we're trying to do is combat the crime and I think that this is u a tool for that right public and private property because the in my case I said oh that's a Tesla it's an unusual one had a wing and it turned out to be an X which is their first SUV with the gall wings but was walked over to the window and they actually had the Yoke steering wheel which is shortlived and unique and also noticed I was being recorded so somebody got to if they could watch me peering into the window yeah because of particular interest and I probably think twice if it were on in a driveway but if at the end of the driveway I might have done the same curiosity but I would have gone away and and I was I we try and think through the implementation of how these things work when they're on the books and somebody has to no you did it in order for someone to call the police for them to investigate then they have to be able if it's with video have to find you and all that sort of thing so um obviously here you need you're you're going to need you know an eyewitness either the resident the neighbor who knows it who shouldn't be on the property or actual camera footage where you can identify these people that they weren't supposed to be there yeah and yeah so it's it's if it's the the I want thinking the guilty ones will be obvious if I guess you figure they'll never show up to court that's correct yeah um actually for the sake of um the which is fine too listen you know they don't do that typically for a for a warrant that's issued you know depending on what the judge is going to set bail at they're out there and then until they get stopped in a motor vehicle or they get run um that's when they get picked up but if we actually have somebody that was attempting to burglarize your vehicle or your residence and we find out that U after we gave them the summons that a warrant was issued we're going to go out there and find them you know oh you have a basis you have yeah and we're going to go arrest them and then they'll serve their Justice until they get seen by the next judge there's got to be there's got to be consequences here and for the governing body um in terms of um a comment um the um while the whereases aren't important as the actual ordinance I want to direct your attention to the U final whereas um and by state lawmakers um lawmakers is one word and if you don't use it as one word you need some pythons in there but more importantly there's mention of uh in the words before a change in state laws which led to criminal catch and release remain un addressed um that is not true with legislation that was enacted this past July um for example there was a whole bunch of um State legislation done to deal with uh car and I and I've got about four or five of them listed here but the one that relates to the the uh the believe B protection release is assembly 5189 which is now public law 20 23 c103 which eliminates the presumption of pre-trial release um for Auto with the prior arrest in 90day Period the state has made U some Headway in dealing with the generalized believe that's only for adults I could be wrong but I believe that's only for adults well we have our legal folks who can check those laws to see if you really want to say that in your whereas for competance um and then the other and and I won't look it up now I have um but it's just you know it's not overly important compared to there but it's it's a you know a factual point of point of thing and then this the other thing was the struct the structure of with everything being a b c d and e what looks like um DN U rather c d and e a part of B in terms of an enumerated list so for the sake of the may want to take care of your your p's and q's on the structure CD are included under right b123 or however you guys do enumeration sub subst change no no just so we can like I say it's it's legislation 35 years of the thank you very much and just so just to to add something to your comment of the Catch and Release the Catch and Release technically as not the books still exists here we've had plenty of uh instances where we all arrest somebody they they're arrested they're temporarily here they know they're going to be out here in a second in a second well and this is a general generalized yeah I understand thinking of it in terms of when I think of it you know catch and that's that's a catch and release you know because most of these people are arrested they don't even have bail put on and they're released right um we're on a call every Tuesday and Thursday with the state police uh with uh the majority of of police departments in the state and we hear of what's going on and when you listen to the backgrounds of somebody that may have been arrested uh for a car theft they might have been arrested 10 times before in the last two months and I said any citizen that listens to these they would lose their mind because what's what's the penalty here so if we have this happen in town and and we can't charge them with the old ordinance and we don't have we just don't have enough for the prosecutor's office to charge but we have these factors in this ordinance at least there's some kind of punishment here right there's something if they don't come to the court even better gu what we're gonna come find you yeah y apologize didn't realiz assignments was the same as a ticket so yes I've had a ticket she's such a big please give your name and address and we're still trying to be formal 146 Robins Avenue so the so this new ordinance this is the initial hearing and the final will be on March 5th the introduction is today and the final adoption would be the first meeting of March which I believe is so we can so on the summons what's the penalty it's $100 no it's it's it's a ranged so it's anywhere from $100 to $2,000 and it's anywhere from one day in jail if the judge depending on the circumstances to 90 days Days jail and it's only for adults not for juveniles that's what Lieutenant May beli yeah we're going to check that and um only if we catch them how are we going to issue the summits I I've I read through the resolution how are we issuing the summs because if we see something on a camera how are we catch them if they don't hit if they yeah if they don't hit on the points in the state statute we can't even ask for their identification policing has changed in the last 20 years it's craziness um so at least here if we have if we have them on camera if we have a neighbor and they M they meet the uh the factions in here we can at least identify them in issue of summons there might be some times too where it may be a day later that a different Police Department identifies them and we could see clear as day that it's them and then if they're holding then we'll issue the summons so basically a lot of detective work coordination collaboration to issue the summons yes that's what this all everything is coordination and working with other police departments I have a basic question maybe unrelated to this so we've been seeing these updates that we pursue them and the moment they get on 78 we stop the pursued is there a state law that says we cannot pursue beyond our U Township I I'll so what we do is um we weren't pursuing vehicles in this town um last year I ran a numbers we had zero Pursuits um January 1 I instituted a new policy of how we're going to police in the town since then to date since January 1 we've identified six vehicles that we've chased in this short period of time we so the the other night it we were chasing a stolen car in the snow my goal here is to prevent a crime happening at a residence your car being stolen after the person gets out of Berkeley Heights and it becomes too dangerous yes we want to break it off my goal here is to have the officers go home safe I've lost no state law that says you can we keep going yeah we could keep going but you know there's factors here it's a stolen car in the end of the day that's what you pay insurance for it's not worth somebody's life or an innocent person's life that's operating on the highway because these guys are driving a complete animals thank you yeah I just want make a com I have a question because I'm certainly on the same page you got as far as this goes and 28 years ago I've be sitting at headquarters I've be typing up reports about this High and a guy be walking out of the front door looking at me smiling all the way out cu he knew he was out before I got done with the paperwork so if this can prevent anybody from doing that and being out before we can even get to who they are or even get to know them because they may have a war form to begin with you know because you can't even do a field interview with them because of your limitations um I want to thank you for getting in contact with me I know I I approached you with it and you already had your hands in the fire a little bit there so appr we had that little mental thing going on there so you know we're on the same page thank you very much you guys doing a great job I appreciate it and the other thing too uh man is you know a lot of the times uh years ago the tactics were different now there's certain regulations that the police have to follow in a motor vehicle Pursuit I was just telling a story today at at a staff meeting if that was 20 years ago that car would be boxed in uh the township would probably be without four cars but we would get our guy right but now you know this is this is um the world we live in so we're we're doing the best we can here we're going to continue doing what we have to do and um I'm happy if they can identify them and make sure that they're clearly out of town if we can catch them we're going to catch them but if this gets too dangerous um we'll let them go and we'll fight another day we're still waiting one guy came back twice four hours later and we still caught him so that's amazing having great job Lieutenant thank you so much council president great job on this ordinance appreciate it so thank you for the information and some extra information always good for the public to have so we appreciate that okay on to the regular agenda and the approval of the minutes please and make motion to inove the minutes of public meeting December 5th 2023 I'll second it any discussion roll call Mr Kudo yes Mr Tomy yes Mr Foster yes Mrs illis yes here oh you buil toay you weren't here on December 5th you that's what I was told I was always told it could not if someone did not sit the meeting they couldn't approve the minutes now okay sorry Neal never canel maret sorry we get everybody not me yes Mr Don Mr fer yes Mr zis Mr Machado Mrs is poke yes okay okay very good got excellent all right on the yes Anna would you read the first ordinance please on ordinance uh repealing chapter 2.95 of the code of the township of Berkeley height I move to open the public hearing on the ordinance asri by the clerk second that any discussion R call Mr Kudo yes Mrs annaly Mr poer yes Mrs zillis Mr Machado yes po yes okay comments are welcom during the public comment caring during this meeting or on any agenda item however if an ordinance is listed for its own public hearing which is now on the agenda please hold your comments for that particular public hearing to make your comment the speaker must come forth with the microphone and state H the name and address for the record each speaker is limited to three minutes the mayor council president will keep time please promptly yield on the floor when time is called and return to your seat your cooperation and adherance of the Rules of Order will ensure an orderly and respectable meeting and with that the hearing on ordinance number one is now opened no one I move to close the public hearing the ordinance as read by the I'll second that any discussion roll call Mr Kudo yes Mr Mr fer Mr zillis Mr Machado yes I move that the ordinance is read by the clerk and hearing held here on be adopted on Final passage and that the clerk be directed to advertise same in The Courier News second n any discussion roll call Mr Cuda yeah Mrs an MR Mrs illis Mr Mado yes Mrs pop yes an ordinance amending the code of the township of Berkeley he chapter 2.90 entitled historic preservation committee move to open a public hearing on the ordinance as read by the any discussion roll call Mr Kudo yes Mr Mr poer yes Mrs zillis Mr Machado yes Mrs po yes okay hearing on ordinance number two is now opened no one toose the public hearing on the ordinance that read by the clerk second any discussion roll call Mr Kudo yes Mr Mr fer yes vas Mr Machado yes Mrs po yes I move that the ordinance of everybody Clerk and a hearing held here on be adopted on the final passage the clerk be directed to advertise the same in the CER news any discussion Mr Kudo yes Mr Donnelly Mr buer MRIs Mr Machado yes Mrs poke yes I'll move to open the hearing on the agenda items only second it any discussion roll call Mr Kudo yes Mrs analy Mr Foster Mrs bis Mr Machado yes Mrs Pope yes okay the hearing on agenda items only is now open with the same uh rules in effect that I read earlier this evening agenda item yes yesi 146 Robins um so on this resolution number three for an application to the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs and local Recreation Improvement Grant um I have a statement so I'm here as a resident of Berkley Heights and not as a board member I have couple questions on this resolution did the Town Council inform and work with the board of education for resolution number three uh to apply for this grant with New Jersey Department of Community Affairs local Recreation Improvement grant for $100,000 uh who owns this property uh and can the Town Council vote on a resolution for a property that is not completely owned by the township is this grant only for for the township owned part of the Lower Columbia field thank you um okay is that your question yes okay so number one was the Board of Ed officially informed I don't believe the board members were but I believe the superintendent had to sign some sort of letter or some sort of um something I'm not sure but I think she had to be notified in some format um the property is owned by the board of education but the DCA the The Entity that Awards the grant allow for if there's negotiations or if there's the potential for negotiations for the township to apply the reasoning why we decided to move forward is that we are losing um very significant Recreation dollars by being sort of in this in between stage with the Board of Education um we're hopeful that our Township attorney um is able to contact the board of education's Township attorney and propose um a lease agreement that hopefully is amable to both parties but in the meantime we just really truly felt that we were missing out on on significant dollars if it doesn't go if the lease agreement doesn't go anywhere then and we are awarded the money then obviously we'll have to turn it back and we won't we may be able to recope it I'm not sure how the state works the county often will allow us if we get a grant um to go back they give us 24 months to execute um State typically is the same they give you 24 months to execute a grant uh the county allows us to recope and say hey this do work out because negotiations between the bard of and the township fell apart um and but we want to apply for pepper town and they'll grer you know deny that so I don't know how the state works but the only risk that we have here is that we'll get the Grant and sadly have to turn it away so I have two follow-up questions so this is entirely border of fed property I believe so yes and what's the deadline for application for the grant because March of this month February February 22nd yes 7th 27th as in like seven days Okay the reason I'm asking is I haven't so anything on the public agendas for the board of fed we haven't seen any mention of this Grant and if there was something that was signed by the superintendent as a resident I'm not entirely sure I don't know if there was a verbal but again I know that the state allows us to if there wasn't um some sort of tasset approval on the board side whether it was the administration or the Board of Education members the state does allow us if we're in some kind of meaningful potential negotiations or negotiations to apply and that's what we're doing at this point is applying for the for the grant okay we're hopeful that we can work something out with the board yeah I'm all I'm saying is I haven't seen anything on the I think we have had two board meetings we were supposed to have one which got rescheduled due to the right so but even on that agenda there was no mention of this Grant and I for Grants yeah so applying for Grants this is something for the Fe field it's just that my basic question is can a governing body move and vote on a resolution for a property from what I'm hearing from you you're still in negotiations there's nothing concrete there is nothing signed from a leas perspective and there was nothing publicly on the board of an agenda so so the answer is yes in this instance the answer is yes it depends on the granting entity okay so the county might say no they're pretty rigid about um ownership being solely Municipal um this particular gr Grant from the state they're saying if you're in we have been previously have communications I'll call it I I don't know if you call it negotiations we've had Communications so they're permitting it but another state agency like d this is DCA D May Greenacres may say no so in this instance we did get a clarification that we are able to apply but again the downside is we go through through these hoops and we don't get it or we get it we have to turn it down so the clarification in confirmation was from DCA yes that is my understanding yes that's an email today that said that can I email you and get that clarification can we see that yeah okay okay thank you also like we've been back and forth like on the insurance and indemnification issue but I we just sent our attorney I think today what we hope is like the final to send to I think we're the board of editor actually it's handy that you're here today can you leave us the board of education's attorney's contact information I can direct you to the board of bed website but I can't I'm I cannot speak as a board members I'm here as a resident I so as a taxpaying resident of Berkeley Heights I was concerned that this is on and I'm for it but I just want to know can one governing body vote on a resolution and that's where I'm I'm a little curious assess to the confirmation from BCA I just want to see it thank you got you I actually have a question on I know you you're saying can't answer this as a board member but is it possible that it's not on the board's agenda because we're the ones applying for the grant and it wouldn't be on yours because you're not applying for it so you wouldn't see it until we get it yeah so so I think what you're saying or so again the county for example and I believe maybe this one as well Boards of educations p type of organizations are not eligible grantees only municipalities that's very very typical that state agencies don't want to you know grant money support of Education General perspective we are allowed to apply for a lot of Grants like Rod grants different grants yeah from my limited knowledge I think any Grant that's being applied gets on the agenda like even as an FYI yeah just so it's information so what I did not see anything on the agenda I went back and looked from December November nothing was on it so my key question was can you vote on something and what's the deadline because there is a board meeting happening on Monday okay so maybe by the time Monday we'll make it it'll make it over by Monday so I hear what you're saying I think the important thing to remember is like a win-win for the township so again if we get the Grant and then there's no lease agreement there nothing lost but we would lose by not applying for this grant we could potentially lose a chance for the money yeah and I don't want to make any assumptions I want to see what the DC has said like do you actually need that lease agreement to be in place or not or no you don't don't that was medications negotiations whatever you want to call so essentially our attorney that is going to write a letter saying hey we've been working on this this draft agreement with the Board of Ed you know I'm in discussions with the attorney as long as they see that it's moving forward in some direction whe whether there's an agreement at the end or not they'll consider the application okay and and by the time they get to the award period it's it's possible I've seen this before too where they want an official resolution from the township and the Board of Education I we're in the infancy stages of this great process my only thing is we all want what's best for our town fields are everybody's win it's just that I would like both governing bodies to you know work together collaborate if this was on The Works two weeks ago maybe just hey this is on yeah this is the first time I saw it like once the agenda came out just not not picking on you guys but it's been a little hard cuz you haven't had a board president either like we haven't had we used to have regular meetings and so it's just it's been a little hard to communicate and figure out who to communicate with you know it's so it's a whole bunch of things but we'll get it straightened out right thank you thank you all righta SAR I just I feeling it I don't have to repeat it here but comments related to the ordinance to be introduced apply yes double down on it right thank you Steve to close the hearing on the agenda items only I'll second that in discussion call Mr Kudo yes Mr annal Mr Foster yes Mrs illis Mr Machado yes Mrs yes maret um I'm move resolution one approving the bill list dated February 20th uh 2024 in the amount of 540,000 661 and 79 second n any discussion roll call Mr Kudo Mrs an MR Foster Mrs zillis Mr Mado Mrs pop yes I move resolution number two appointing members to the Veterans Affairs committee second any discussion I just want to again thank whenever we have people donating their time and volunteering themselves to any of our committees it makes our town better so thank you to the the people that are coming on comment um any other comments all right roll call Mr Kudo yes Mr Ann Mr Foster Mrs Mr Machado yes Mrs pop yes I move resolution three authorized in the application of the fiscal year 2024 New Jersey Department of Community Affairs local Recreation Improvement grant for approximately $1,000 to carry out a project to improve the field at Lower Columbia Park second any discussion any additional discussion roll call Mr Kudo yes Mr Donell Mr poer Mrs zillis Mr Machado yes Mrs po yes I move resolution number four authorizing the application for Grant funds for from the Department of Community Affairs for approximately $750,000 to carry out a project to replace the raw influent p and the valve system at the wastewater treatment plan second that any discussion doubly second so this isn't new this is our state appropriation that uh Senate President scari got for us last year but we have to take it in as a grant Revenue so it's not we're applying for $750,000 that's new to our budget this is the same money from last year don't get that excited it's exciting but that area is still not it's still not our money it's so we're one step closer to actually being able to use it that yeah we need it we need it Des really um okay roll call Mr Kudo yes an Mr poer Mr Mr Machado Mrs po yes move on resolution five authorizing the clerk to go out to bid for the 2024 residenti program second that discussion the most popular program in town this is whole pick up day or getting it started I should say vocal Mr Kudo of course Mr Donal yes Mr fer yes Mr zillis yes Mr Machado Mrs poke yes I move number six consent agenda a through G second n any discussion call Mr Kudo yes Mr Donell Mr fer Mr zillis Mr Machado yes po yes would [Music] pleas an ordinance amending the code of the township of Berkeley Heights to create a new chapter 9.1 2.200 prohibiting the trespass upon a private property for the purpose of tampering with or committing the theft or unlawful taking of a motor vehicle and prescribing the penalties therefore I move that the ordinance clerk be opon first reading and at the date of March 5th 2024 be said as the day for the public hearing that the clerk be directed to advertise the same with the cour newes any discussion Mr Kudo yes Mr Ann Mr Foster absolutely Mrs zis yes Mr Machado yes Mrs po yes all right excellent uh okay on to Township Council reports Manning they up first uh not of my committee's met so quiet so uh with that I'll say um no reports next okay PA I have the same situation committee's meeting next week so now report okay John you know guys you leave it all on my shoulders I tell you I'm glad I do my homework I'm kidding day I'm getting there all right first I want to talk about the historic preservation we did not have a meeting but I told you all this two weeks ago working your calendars October 19th 124 out of the festival look that Lord come on out it's going to be a great day already got order for Sun Sunshine so we don't bury any cars in the mud again um I also like to point that last Tuesday we had the swearing of two new officers patrolman Brian mclin and patrolman Julio masero I'm saying that right Diego I can't do that was like I'm gonna do the best I can but um unfortunately we were snowed in uh the mayor made it out and got down here the lieutenant lieutenant and s but in um if you follow the department on Facebook that's where they're at it's a great was a great day um congratulations to them and welcome board um I also want to point out that there was some medals for their access service and life saving efforts it was Sergeant tonado MOSI uh Corporal Patrick Moran patrolman uh detective Corporal Patrick Moran patrolman Michael KCK and Tran Victor P that correct and I'm getting I'm getting an English lesson today just call back um they were all awarded with the prestigious life saving medal and also uh patrolman Julio mazaro I can't do that was presented with the honorable service medal for his uh recognition as outstanding commitment to the department during the month of January 2024 um he also uh grabbed several uh numerous suspected criminals inter of stolen Motor Vehicles see how that keeps goinging around with the stolen Motor Vehicles so congratulations to the guys and and welcome them aboard for from us um I also want to point out that on February these are not in any these are only date order not in any particular order as far as um uh importance but um February 28th is National Pancake Day and National Pancake Day is a moment uh of joy for pancake lovers Nationwide an annual celebration unit pancake enthusiasts to cherish the fluffy golden the lights National Pancake Day happen twice a year you may have heard me talk about it back in September um back in September 26 the concept was introduced by IHOP in 20 2006 and they introduced as a free Pancake Day promotion the idea behind it was to get people to celebrate but also donate back to the community and donate and any monies now you're going to find you may find this funny or not I don't know um but they donated monies any monies raised were donated to help children's hospitals and other health organizations so eat those pancakes and it's going to health organizations how many how many pancakes did you have in your 14 he had a huge sa of so Manny's already contributing started not so much to the health organizations um Friday March 1 is going to be the beginning of women's history month and women's history month is celebrated every year during the month of March in 1987 United States dedicated the month of March to celebrate women's achievements and their contributions to culture society and history women's History Month celebrates all women those who came before us and pay the way sorry those who came yet before us and women also it really didn't sound right when it came out I'm reading it um PVE the way to fight for equality in American women of today and continue fighting for women's rights it's during uh women's history month of March 8th that we observe International women's day now Susan you're going to like this and I know you know about this so Saturday March 2nd is read Across America day okay National read Across America day is celebrated every March 2nd which is the birthday of American author Dr Seuss this is why it is known as Dr Seuss day this day is dedicated to encouraging children and young people to read and motivating parents and teachers to help them do so um I think it's a great idea and just that goes forward with with the women and the mothers that are out there teaching kids to you know just to read and be in school I think the fathers are teaching them to read too these days okay if you say so um so like I said that was uh Dr Seuss's birthday Mark second he was born 1904 Massachusetts and uh last but not least Sunday March 3rd is national anthem day oh say can you see that on March 3rd national anthem day commemorates the moment 1931 when the star spangle Banner was adopted as the official national anthem of the United States a symbol of American patriotism star spangle Banner makes the young and old stand with pride in their country and everything it represents national anthem day is not a public holiday but instead it's time to remember that like the United States American national anthem has a rich and exciting history me think all right good way to end very good Margaret hard to follow up on the um the economic development committee met but unfortunately I didn't make it because there was an except of the email so either Angie or I believe that councilman um Kudo attended that meeting think I I think I gave the update last meeting we're scheduled uh to meet it's weird timing this Friday since the last Friday of the um the grant committee hasn't yet met Friday night um so I know don't ask the chair dedication so just a note on two of the resolutions that we passed as part of the agenda mark your calendars for the Kimberly and Wilson Foundation 5K run for mental health on on September 15th um taking over our Berkeley Heights our beloved Berkeley Heights 5K it's going to be a fabulous event so start training um and the downtown summer block party is scheduled for June 9 um so again it's going to be a fabulous event and I hope everybody marks the calendar um I'll be attending the diversity Council discussion on The Bob Marley film that's coming up on February 29th that should be really interesting as well so I don't have anything from the past but I'm looking forward to the future lots of good stuff in the future thank you marget um basically uh not only is February 28th National Pancake Day but it also happens to be the uh deadline to register your fur babies uh without getting hit with a lake Fe so uh I don't know if everyone is aware of this but we are required to register our dogs and cats here in town uh so February 28th is uh the drop dead late date before you get hit with the late fee so um just a friendly reminder to get your fur babies registered thank you can that be done online Bill yes it can be done online as well convenience and babies has to be good through October it can be done online but you do need to show proof that uh they're up to date on their RAB certificate yeah all right thank you speaking the mother of three for babies yeah so yeah so grants is meeting Friday night we are a very committed group um we do uh you know a little wine and grants s actually there's no one just so mayor mayor's Wellness campaign a few things that were coming up um we're talking about the walk with the mayor on March 19th it'll be at six o'clock before the council meeting so if you want meet with your mayor and tell her what's on your mind in a kind of outdoor healthy way F she walks fast so you got to keep up and then we're also talking about U May we're getting ready for our May event so I was talking with a woman who heard me speak the last meeting and she contacted me she wants to get on board with mayor's wellness and so we have some great ideas and um lies and I are still working on that video also save the date for the flag raising for St Patrick's Day it's going be the 15th of March at 5:30 and start getting your recipes ready for the Bake Off the soda bread bake off and I I'm hoping our police department will again judges for that can we can you guys yeah all right great um and I want to thank the DPW um I know a lot of people get frustrated when there's snow you know I'm one of those neighborhoods that's really off the beaten path and I'm just happy to hear it when it comes and I think we all have to show a little patience um I once ran every street in this town there are 90 miles of streets and Barkley Heights so if the dpd is not getting to you right away we just have to show people it's a big job they work all night they are away from their families and instead of putting it on social media I know our ba had to you know post something because people complain on social media and that's not going to help anybody it just kind of gets people fired up in a bad way and this is the month of kindness although every day you should be kindness and if you could stay off social media and just go right to the source Liza is very proactive and as well as reactive when you um send her an email she'll get back to you and that's all I going to say okay thank you San very good on to Administration reports um my report is fairly short tonight um as promis I wanted to update the residents on noia as information comes to us uh we will be entering into a memorandum of understanding with New Jersey Economic Development Authority over the next month hopefully the next meeting if not then the second meeting in March uh to receive planning funds specifically we are going to hold visioning meetings where the township will ask the community to attend and provide their vision for the property so uh I think we're looking at at least for phase one $50,000 from the state to do that uh Li and I also had the opportunity to tour the 300 conell building which lies on the Eastern side of the property where all the construction has taken place um the lobby amenities include a bakery smoothie Center Cafe a bar a full teaching kitchen with recent classes on souro bread and pasta making golf simulator pool table and an overall great adult social space um Fieldhouse the second gym in the complex is due to open in the next few weeks so after um doing the tour and realizing that we're really taking off on what they're doing there and it just to refresh everyone everyone's memory this is going to be an entertainment zone right so you're going to have a steakhouse you're going to have duck Pin bowling you're going to have a boozy milkshake stand and when I say boozy milkshake yes that means adult liation in your milkshake we're going to have a dog park we're going to have a really wonderful place um for resents to go some small-sized fields for practicing um you know so I really encourage everybody when when we have the conal professional team here in a few months um to really listen to what's going on because it's going to be transformative for Berkeley height so I just I wanted to point that out and internally we have returned to our weekly staff meetings I'm very excited about that because I like it when everybody collaborates and connects and um I think we have a good time it's a good hour where we learn a lot uh want to also welcome our new officers it's always a privilege and an honor to swear anybody in especially new police officers and I hope that we will have a presentation from Union County on the Berkeley Caterers Park hope next meeting um if not then the second meeting of March but that's moving along and we need to uh we need to hear more about those plans so that concludes my report Liza no I don't need it um we're chugging along in the budget process we we're scheduled to have a public budget Workshop meeting ten Monday March 11th before official introduction um particularly with our Sewer Department it's constantly a moving Target so trying to capture all and any potential necessary cost that coming up the next year is pretty challenging um plus we're facing you know increases in pension liabilities New Jersey American Water wants to charge us $30,000 more for fire hydrants there's various uncontrollable expenses that we're trying to um you know balance here um Sherman peppertown Park revitalization project is moving forward our streetscape company arterial submitted their 60% design plans to the dot for initial review by next week um yes for Grants we're working on applications to the New Jersey historic trust for LEL Lord FEMA um American firefighter Grant um for the fire department um and some others and then Bill talked about the registering your pets so um those are the big things thank you all right excellent very good so just oh sorry yeah sing treat intriging I move that all Township official reports be accepted and I'll second then any discussion Mr Kudo yes Mrs an Mr poer zis Mr Machado yes this yes actually thinking L is how you juggle it all I'm just in awe sometimes so you see how I look exhausted thanks he I uh I move to open the citizens hearing so second any discussion vo call Mr Kudo yes mral yes Mr Mrs zis M Machado Mrs po yes okay the citizens hearing is now open with the same rules and effect that I read earlier this evening again 35 s more um I like hearing about National Pancake uh day but it's for us it's um pancake week weekly so we're not gonna wait for one day um we coming up uh aside from that is talking about the snow plowing no complaints about getting the roads clear or a stre but we did notice something um different than usual um after it seems like the job was completely done and you know the the skies were clearing and all that there seemed to be two trucks that uh one was had a landscaping um Mark or addon the side yeah and they were doing the streets it weren't like they were trolling to look for people's driving and there was another one that said shift supervisor but it wasn't a town marked vehicle and um what was odd wasn't that those insignias or those designations but they kept on doing the street and there was nothing there and there was nothing really further to push back along the side in fact they're into someone's grass so it did occur to me with these guys contractors hired by the town um was one of them was kind of an olive green and other one was kind of like a the one that said shift supervisor on it was like red but there was no Insignia from the town we do contract out some because we just can't get the whole town so it's possible I don't know why they would be plowing when there's no snow on the road to plow yeah I mean it was widened it it wasn't like after foot in a half of snow and they have to keep on pushing back and it was just St never seen you know overdone and and like it was like they were like make work like there were try to trying to fill out being able to charge an extra half hour I mean those are the thoughts that ran through my mind so it's just feedback I I don't know if those were the the companies that we contracted out I can two but I can ask the the company we contract out typically is M Cola and it says MCA on the side of the are they Landscaping people yes yeah I think they have a division that PL they do so I'd like to add to that um I believe it said Street supervisor yeah something like yes I don't think it was shift supervisor yes it was it was like an Auburn reddish color we don't have any red trucks in our right it's not one of our vehicles of course but um I I noticed that the driver uh wasn't really paying too much attention I should just probably speak to you li on that and uh he came close to hitting my neighbor um it it was really odd my neighbor is all about protecting his lawn so he was at the very edge of his lawn while this guy was coming down and I don't know if he was really paying too much attention and he came very close to hitting my name so uh it it's Street supervisor it's a red truck I I meant to volum about had something in the back look like it's a tank or something it's and they were both on they're both together on like there were two vehicles doing the street so I wasn't sure about I was gonna what street you on on Burkshire dri oh yeah I already heard about that oh did he reach out to you no okay okay because I never it was another reason yeah fres on my mind and it was and it's it's like I mean aside from what happened from probably doing the normal job with someone's end of the lawn no people invol it was just I we we'll look into it thank you like anything else if you see something say something I called lies on my way to work it was a big chunk of Madam just on the side of PL field insurance I just buzzer P DPW take care of it minutes later they right it was done something just contact me don't put it on Facebook then I got to spend my day on Facebook and I'm like yeah but it's it it did work like residents were contacting me directly this time and then I was able to contact DPW directly and then they go out that's how all gets done smoothly yeah and with kindness yes sternness all right anybody else all right want to close it up before we close I want to say one thing we have one person the audience Dan Gano and I want to say thank you for your will also since you're here we approved you on consent agend were you on the agenda this evening yes thank you for your service that's wonderful thank you so much for stepping forward it's a it's a great organization and you know a needed service greatly needed service thank you for that and for attending the meeting yes sitting through it we appreciate you thank you for pointing that out PNY will I move to close the citizens hearing second any discussion roll call Mr yes Mrs yes Mrs po yes okay we do not have any executive session so motion to all in favor all right good night everybody enjoy