pursuant to the Sunshine Law adequate notice in accordance with the open public meeting Act was provided on January 5th 2024 of this meeting's date time place and the agenda was mailed to the news media posted on the township bulletin board mail to those requesting personal notice and file with the municipal clerk do Mr well I should say our new chair Miss Harman present Mr McConnell present Mr btic present Mr copis present Mr moin Udin present Miss czor present Miss Abad and Mr Rama Krishna present thank you all right you have the agenda oh yes oh yes minutes we so everyone received the minutes no we we email we don't have the email the um minutes just yet for this so since we're down a recording secretary we will'll try to get them and minutes from this meeting for our next meeting but everyone was um had a chance to everyone received the email earlier in the week and had a chance to go over it no no we don't we don't have we don't have any minutes there are no minutes right now it's just the agenda that came out just the agenda yeah so we have to table the the minutes until the next meeting all right moving on uh Parks update no uh hello I'm Sally O'Grady um from the parks department and I um congratulate you all for being here tonight it's nice to see you I apologize profusely for not being at your last meeting I totally spaced it out and that's the first time that's happened so I apologize but I do have um what we talked about at that meeting and unfortunately for the first time that I can recall ever our February meeting was canceled because we didn't have a quorum not good news but um the new chairperson who was elected at our January meeting is Brendan Hansen and he had covid so I would have run it but it was there weren't enough people and the co-chairs um I volunteered to be a co-chair and then Christina fatias is also our new co-chair so that was from our January meeting um there wasn't really much new discussed at our January meeting but what I do have to report on is our budget um which was um presented to the TC and we were award Ed $500 for beautification SL upkeep of parks which is just a we don't know what yet but if something happens and we need to plan or do something so that's a $500 little thing we are also awarded an additional $5,000 for the chest tables in Heritage Park we have money from last year I forget whether it's five or 7,000 but it wasn't enough to cover the two tables that we wanted so instead of getting one table we asked TC if they could give us extra money so that we can get to and that includes like the paving stones underneath it and the two benches four benches for two tables or I'm not sure how many benches um anyway what the budget um told us no to was we asked for $44,000 for kayak racks in Village Park and um Kelly lavry had it all worked out of how much we charge how much the town would charge for these and that you know within so many years we'd be making a profit and still said no um we were also denied $4,800 we asked for 12 trees at $400 a tree to go around the walking trail in Village Park and they denied us that I think they said something about sh Tre had problems with trees around the Heritage Park Trail and then I was surprised and I would like our leison to bring this back to the TC because in the mayor's meeting it was stated that one of their goals for this year is to plant trees around Village Park so if if you remember seeing that in the mayor's um newsletter so Mr Mr TC person if you could ask um again we do want trees around Village Park we did speak to Shay tree Shay tree told us that they were very willing to look at places to plant and tell us types of trees and so I was not at the budget meeting but I don't know why that was um not approved maybe it's coming out of another budget I don't know but we still would like to get some more trees around that walking trail and then we also asked for $122,000 to connect the new walking trail in Village Park with the already um already existing sidewalk and we would do that at the northwest corner right near the um gravel parking lot because the people that use it from the communities that come over the trail just stops and it doesn't connect them into town and so we are we asked we looked into the cost of an additional little sidewalk and a painted crosswalk possibly a crosswalk not raised but with a different surface so that people are aware of that there and the township denied us that but they put it in their budget so the town budget is supposed to cover that so hopefully that will come for next year um and then the other things we're working on is we have a subcommittee that's going to be working on the circle in the new in the new walking trail we we want to do something special in there and we don't know what but that's why we have a subcommittee to work on it um and I was really sorry that I missed your pickle ball discussion last month but um I I watched your meeting because I was you know drinking wine and I couldn't come and and um and it looks like it was covered just how you know just what we thought that you guys are hopefully going to refinish the tennis courts and then make a decision on two pickle ball and net and stuff like that so so I was happy with that um and I'd also like to con congratulate Katie on being chairperson so does anybody have any questions for Parks although I am stepping down as chairperson I'm still going to be co-chair and if you'll have me I'll still be your lays on between the two so to come to your meetings anything else the the circle um that you mentioned are there any ideas that are being floated in terms of what it may be um several ideas have come up shade tree would like to see us plant a big one big tree in the middle of it uh I'm not sure if that's what we want um one of our members mentioned they have like um Zen mazes where you put stones in and grass around and it's kind of a maze thing I we have a lot to talk about I would like to see a lot of benches around it or stones or something similar to the one in Heritage I don't think we can put a fountain in I mean that's fine there's not I don't believe there's a water source there but something maybe in the middle and then some a lot of benches around so it's kind of like a gathering space that one in Heritage so that's my vision but those were just things that we mentioned so far we have a we have a lot to go on that we don't expect it to happen this year we hopefully figure out what we want find the cost and put it in next year's budget how about a space need just it a space needle um okay I'll just write that down here space you could have something for telescope I think it's too too close to trees if we didn't even if we didn't plant a big tree there are still trees around it that that might block the Obscure the vision up to space but we're we're willing to take ideas um it's just parks at this point that has our meeting and we will come up with different ideas and present them to each other and TC and whatever has has the idea for dog park come up it's come up in some conversations have been residents have uh have brought it up saying it's much needed in the town um folks struggle to take their dog for a walk outside and and you know if there's something in Village Park that may be well we would I don't think we would ever put a dog park in Village Park um my vision of a dog park would be back on the um cranberry Brook Preserve at the West Property the West property and I and I've mentioned it before I've seen in other towns they have walking trails they have trails and at the beginning of a trail or area there's a sign that said this is an offleash dog area and the dogs can go off leash that whole way and the dog owners are obviously still responsible for picking up and stuff but anybody who walks there knows that this is an off leash area and I suggested that for that property back there most people don't keep their dogs on leashes when they're back there anyway um and I don't think they liked that idea but that would be that's that's one of the only areas where we have big open space for a dog park we don't really want if you've visited dog parks before they're they're just there's no grass in them because the dogs dig it all up and there's garbage cans full of dog stuff and it's just I mean if you if you have a dog maybe it's great but we did discuss it previously and we just said we I know some dog owners think there's a need but we feel that there's enough open space in Cranberry to walk their dog that we really didn't want to dedicate anything towards it but a dog park really isn't for walking it's more for just the doging yeah it is think there's a liability issue that comes with the dog park too I don't we didn't even get that far but I I thought a compromise would be an off leash area with signs so that people know this is off leash if you don't want to be here with dogs off leash don't come here but um they didn't like that idea so anything else thank you thank you all right old business see it looks different yeah kind of weird first one is the Village Park sign I'm still working on it I talked to them I actually talked to them today and they were going to get me a price to to do it and I haven't heard back so I will keep working on getting that it'll get done it's just taking longer than anticipated all right um trying to yeah next one's Town cross reference the two because I can't read it on this one townwide event oh yes our townwide event that was Irene was checking on I think I sent those to you a while back I think you asked the numbers right sorry about that um yeah we talked I think about that the couple back at the end of 2023 so if you want I could forward those again to you yes so yep so we Circle back on that then I don't have anything yeah in front of me I think you wanted the oh no those are the numbers but what are we looking at doing or when oh I didn't know is that so is that a I didn't I missed the last meeting so is that something for me to uh you want ma or do you want all of us to discuss what we want to do you consider combining with our Paras so that was actually something that I was going to bring up um more I guess a new business but um the tour to Cranberry is looking for ownership now that Tyler's moving on and I was wondering if that was something that maybe wreck would be interested if that would something that kind of naturally would fall under Recreation or Parks or parks and wreck especially if you know I heard word on the street that potentially might possibly be a marriage at some point down the road maybe um so I I don't know if that's something we wanted to consider being at one of our potential townwide events is that's the bike thing yeah I'm sorry so for anyone who I mean it's only happened one time but it was a Boy Scout uh prod Eagle Award project I mean you're probably a little more familiar with it but it was a project that he had done last year um was a bike event in town like a race but it also tied in with like some local businesses and then it ended at Millstone and then tied in with an event that was kind of co-sponsored with the Chamber of Commerce and the historic preservation society that tied in with the dedication with their the historic house they had moved across the street and so it was like a colonial Fair it was just like a big town event that kind of had like multiple aspects to it um but the bike event itself I mean I think that the entire day actually was huge success I think was uh wonderful but specifically the bike event I know is looking for a new owner because Tyler is a minor and going I gu to college now or or at least not planning on running it again so it would be um um I guess maybe similar to the Helen Cody 5K doing similar like a bike race would it be like would there be a charge for it and would it be benefiting some charity or I guess that's we could kind of speak with him of what his initial vision is but then you know it once taking ownership then you kind of like tweak to see what makesense requ uh Tyler Sensei yeah Tyler was requesting to just be carried forward yeah I think it was something he was hoping that would be um and I do think um I guess the the Chamber of Commerce was involved because it's on their website I think it he the Chamber of Commerce was involved with the colonial Fair aspect which is where the race ended in milstone like it started in village and then ended in milstone um so the B portion and I think the Chamber of Commerce it's my husband Eric erab um helped Tyler with some of the organizing aspect of you know getting a toz that part um but the race really was was Tyler's baby and I I wasn't really involved in any I just know that it was everyone I know that participated in it enjoyed it and I think it was a nice just again like a nice um activity for the town that you know there was I guess three different levels for like the really serious bikers that was more elaborate and involved but then also like the the little kid version that was just the loop around uh park it just started in Millstone and then just did that little loop around the neighborhood and ended right back in the park so it was very accessible I think it was a it was a nice family event right no matter what your skill level was whether you were an expert or beginner just wanted to stroll along on a bike or even you know that was um it was a nice family event yes and so that's why I was thinking especially if we're looking at doing more townwide events and this is an event that's looking for someone to run it it seemed like a good bit I think it's a nice idea um I would be happy to help if we wanted to take onip of it it would be nice as well to hear from Tyler maybe he could come and talk to us about the nitty-gritty of what it entails so we know what we're getting into but I think the the event was very successful and I think many people look forward to it being a regular event in primary this is something I personally just thought about this morning so I can ping him and see about having him maybe come to our next month's meeting I don't have minutes this month so this but this happened in early May right uh yes the last one had happened in May but again that was when it was tying in with the colonial Fair specifically so I don't know it necessarily has to happen in May or if it even was May because of the the eagle schedle where I don't know how that process so maybe it can tie into the townwide event that we maybe do you know in the fall or whenever we do it yeah okay we've done one we did the country one in the summertime didn't we do it in July or August we did it in August in August I remember it was really hot in August so yeah right so we have flexibility with sure the timing y y all right um all right then inclusive playground inclusive playground okay well I think everything is in place now um in fact we're trying to figure out how to sign the um contract with the state um through the online um uh Grant uh uh website that we have and once that I once that's all taken care of I believe the money should be um spendable so we're getting very close to getting to being ready to go ahead and finalize the design and and um you know order the pick the pick whatever vendor we're going to use and and and get with them to order the equipment so we're it's moving along it's getting closer right and it and it this is something for sure that you know should happen this year it should be completed you know at some point this year and who is choosing the equipment there's the subcommittee that we we've we've met I've I've been part of it and we've met several times and kind of you know we have to fit what we can into the footprint of what's there right so um I think we have a really good design that gives a lot of different options for the for the kids um so we're we're really close we probably should meet again and just say all right this is what we're going to do but we're constrained with also our the funding that we have you know that we we have 300 from the state and we have 100 from the township we can't go over 400 so um so some pieces may need to be tweaked a little bit to be able to fit within that budget the big the biggest ticket is the is the U surface that that's probably a third or a quarter of the budget at least um and maybe even more depending on what we end up doing with that but that that surfacing is very expensive it poured in place uh rubber so but that's what you you need to have that for this for this type of playground so we're getting closer all right all right and and we had a a member of uh TC on there as well awesome all right pickle ball okay well we had our our budget meeting uh with the township committee um we discussed um the different options and I think it was it was made pretty evident to us that uh a standalone pickle ball court was not going to be something that um they were going to look to do right now so we agreed to put in uh we put the money in for the redoing of the um tennis court and we will include two lining of the two pickle two pickle ball courts and we'll get better Nets and all that kind of good stuff so and the sound barrier as well so that was that was put in in and I believe I really don't know I guess it was approved Mike yeah okay so and we're also I'm in the process of putting in money for a a grant too to help uh subsidize that so we should we should hear fairly quickly with that Grant but I'm putting in a grant for $100,000 for that to to help uh offset the cost yeah I'm I'm curious I a question for Mike uh Mike why didn't you allow k to uh present the proposal that this board came up with regarding the Standalone pickle ball courts why didn't you allow Ken to present the proposal only interested nobody interested in pursuing so then what what are we here for what are we making these discussion what are we having these discussions what are we coming up with these proposals if you guys don't even want to hear the Ken has been advised a couple times that W property was not consideration and I guess she's advised several times but the committee took your proposals and and said yes we want to move forward all in on the refinishing of the tennis courts making dual use for pickle but not considerer so they wouldn't even hear a proposal there wasn't much of a proposal Ken had a proposal we came up with a proposal in there was rough costs there wasn't enough for the TC but the the guys that this committee this committe made to Ken in the j meeting was go with an Allin number for The Village Park that would refinish retrofit sound proof and so K came with the number and Township was comfortable with that number being enough as an upper Bound for that project for the pickle ball uh moving forward with the tennis court pickle ball dual project what is the time frame for having that finished again we're going to need to have that that grant money yeah so the timing of the grant it I'm I'm not 100% sure how quickly they will approve that last year um we we put in for actually uh the well that wasn't the same Grant uh I I put in money for a previous project in in another in West Windsor and we heard uh by August or September so most likely this project will not happen this year it'll probably happen early you know first thing in in 2025 okay um and that includes um upgrading the uh net so nothing new for pickle ball right now oh well I I think for the for this year we could we could probably we're gonna probably have to get new Nets right I mean those Nets are you think they're okay Sally so if we can if we can limp limp along before we spend the money on on like really nice portable okay so by point being we don't need to have anybody look into anything for for pickle ball right now not right now Move Along take it off the list and wait till the grant comes in y all right so put it pain in it for now all right um cranberry mom's group I uh reached out to the library um right now so we have a placeholder for um second um Saturdays 10: a.m. that I was going to speak to the mayor about um she confirmed that I can get in just under the wire before she sends the final um email blast for the month um for a monthly get together um Val and I were going to get together briefly in touch base to kind of work out Kinks on wording um yeah so that's kind of really it there um any other questions no all right that one's done um field and park use signage so we I haven't had a chance to get out there yet I'm trying to get summer plans all set up um but we will have to put some new signs up on the ball fields especially um Sally do you got guys do you think Parks will care what we put on the fields for signage as far as you know um field use by permit only or I'm sure they'll care because they always do but I think what we suggested was those yard signs those temporary yard signs um they're cheaper and if you order you know maybe you order 50 you you put them up you keep them for a couple weeks they disappear they get wrecked and then maybe a couple weeks later you put some more up and and um I if you had permanent signs they should be comparable to what is already there which I believe are small ones that are on the back stops or something um but as far as the soccer fields there aren't any permanent signs right so and that's what we've done in the past we put the we had some yard signs that we put out there saying you know field use is game for games only and stuff like that okay yeah so those said for games only but if it's for everybody the sign needs to be worded a little differently It's You Know Field use by permit only and then we all we thought it would be wonderful if there could be an immediate way to QR code to get your permit right then but the town doesn't take any money virtually so right um that's something the TC has to get changed to take money virtually and make it easier for everybody but Che out here put Che well it'll be one on every field and it also would have to be picked up and somebody somebody's gonna have to go out there you know and someone would have to and it has to be approved yeah I know I gotta go and how am I gonna know yeah I guess once we know that they filled out the QR code and filled out the form I can go out there but well you can have a little camera on it so you can see when someone puts it in yeah I don't even know how to do that that would have to do that so we'll have to take that was our suggestion to to to keep rotating them and you know new new ones every couple of weeks or something you I think if we ordered enough I believe you probably get quantity discounts anyway yeah oh yeah um then they could be placed in different places at different times that was our suggestion okay would Parks be adverse to a permanent sign um not if it was a small one on the backdrop as currently we have they're just illegible I believe but I don't think that solves the problem of the soccer nets especially at Millstone the Nets are moved those Nets are moved around and and even behind the school those sometimes the I mean the two courts that the the town owns I guess are pretty permanent um the two in how about if you place it at the entrance to the parking lot where people come in it's first thing they see nobody reads signs people are gone out when it's nice out right it's not it's like spur the moment pick up I'm going we socer I mean if you're years ago I don't know Kevin if you were even on the board yet we we did a we Millstone was a problem like it has been and we we actually put signs out there in Spanish and in English on those lawn signs and it really didn't it didn't make any difference but at least you have something to you know to say you know we put this here for a reason and you know please there signs along the the gravel driveway to the soccer fields here that say no parking on grass and cars Park right next to the sign so it's so and the police are not getting get involved with the uh permits right with the with the people playing soccer and baseball and stuff I believe they would if there's a confrontation if they are called they they would they apparently get copies of every permit excuse me y so if there is a confrontation the permitted group would have preference and if they wanted to call the police on them to get the field they could but they're not going to just go around and randomly Patrol right okay so what is our solution here both in what we're going to do and what the signs will say well I think I think we should replace the signs that are on the ball fields with with legible Signs Now I mean we had that discussion about you know why do it have to say field use by by permit only but that's what our that's what our um ordinance says and and you can get a a permit just to come in and say I want to go over there and and um you know kick a ball around with my with my kids you could get a permit for that unless it's designated as a game field only then you have to only those are only for games so there's all sorts of ordinance things that we got to make sure we're yeah covering in this um there was that confusion with the baseball field uh somebody just going out and playing with their with their child you don't have to get a permit for that that that's just a casual use of the facility but if you want to do anything organized on the field like a game or or a practice for your for a team you have to get a permit for that but just anybody walking out there wants to kick a ball around or throw a ball around we don't require fromit but we have to yeah but that's they don't enforce it it's not right it's not enfor it's really unenforceable because we don't have anybody out there to constantly ask who's who's using it but you know technically but with the state if it's if it's on our Recreation open space inventory uh with the state of New Jersey and Green Acres we can't limit the Casual use of our Parks so your right right I what I'll do is I'll try I'll come up with something and we can take a look at it at our next meeting and see if that's what we want to do and then we can proceed with the I can make those lawn science up in like I can have them in a couple days so um the the metal ones those take a little bit of time so um but maybe we'll do it that way and take and I'll take a look at the ordinance and see how it's written and uh make sure we're not in the non compliance with that a bunch of kids in jail refering to Millstone how many uh teams are currently practicing at Millstone do we want to offer up our fields to other Rec recreational teams to practice there and generate Revenue you know you do the opposite thing which is act if we want our Fields used and nobody's using them except for pickup why don't we actively recruit teams to use the fields then if you want to generate Revenue versus yeah well I don't know if there's really any teams out there so the point is that nobody's really using the team so there's not a huge need for a permit because there's like what are we kicking you know people are just going out there on a nice day and kicking around so yeah it's tough yeah it's tough to you know the the issue becomes when it's there's a lot of people wanting that field then the permits become necessary so and Ken who's responsible for putting up and uh replacing the lawn signs would that be Jerry's Kids Jerry's people um yeah yeah I mean they would they would have to kind of monitor it they're out in the park you know all the time when during our our use the the high Seasons anyway so I would give them to them and say you know put them up all right so we'll Circle back then next month um that is the end of old business unless I'm missing something no one sees anything else right that's it no no okay new [Music] business I was going to bring up the T to CR everybody already did so I just have a question is and the woman and I apologize whose Name Escapes me because I haven't seen her in like six months is she still on the commission Desiree Desiree yeah no she's not no okay so she's so we have what two vacancies we have so yeah desire it was the first alternate and um yeah we have a full member then you can say yes and we got a an application right didn't we get an application did you get something didn't we did only I would I get it myself it goes to you yeah we go to you did I have to send it to everyone no no but what we typically do is invite them to come to a meeting and do I do that yeah I'm sorry to that's all right I didn't know you wouldn't know it's okay I should have told you I apologize I didn't know you're watching I didn't know so that but that's what we've done in the past we've had potential new members come to a meeting kind of give us a little bit of their background and and yes they can stay and kind of see what we're you know what we're up to and then I will send a send an invite what's the name Michael who is it yes all right any other new business can I think last time we'd spoken about someone approaching about a cricket field yes we've I haven't had much any more contact with them I I did answer them and say you know that's going to be very tough for us to put a cricket pitch in the middle of our you know Playing Fields um so I will reach out to the gentleman again and see if he would uh like to come and discuss yeah what his thoughts were uh on that because I mean I know I've tried to do that in other places and you know you you really need a dedicated area for Cricket right I mean yeah I mean welcome ideas I thought it was a great if you guys play you know it's a large area right and um it's it's not really a easy thing to share space with uh other sports um unless you dedicate this that whole area for specific times for for each of those Sports so you know especially he he was looking at Millstone which you know between it doesn't get as much use as we just just determined but you know between the baseball and soccer if we do get some use of that it's going to be very difficult to even locate a pitch somewhere within there that's not an active playing area so is there is there not a an area to the if you're just if you're standing on um old Trent road to the far left of the soccer fields would that be enough that's really small is it too small okay see yeah so crickets played like 360 uh so the pitch is in the middle and everything else is around it ah what about if there's like a dedicated season is there is are the fields being used only part of the year and maybe we could dedicate a certain part of the year just for Cricket I mean if it was just like two mon months or two and a half months where we're going to dedicate this space to Cricket I mean that's one solution where there wouldn't um be we don't in West Windsor they play they play cricket at our pitches from March to November okay so if you dedicate a couple months they may not like that too mucher I'm just seeing who currently uses the space when it's reserved and maybe there's part of the year that it isn't and then we could have somewhat of a compromise to say well this is the time and yeah and from year to year Millstone it could be hit or miss we could they could have a bunch of small sided teams in the Cranberry soccer club and this year you know this year they could have only one or two I don't know so it it's it's hit or missing we haven't heard from from them yet so and it's getting close to soccer season very close yeah cuz I mean it sounds like we have a group that would be willing to get a permit for the field and use the field so you know how about during the summer because I mean I think baseball is usually goes soccer squirts soccer goes until um goes from March until say may right early June you have those two months in the summer yeah I it looks like there's two pieces to this right there's there's the scheduling right and then there is the location right which also needs to be so scheduling perhaps there is you know there are ideas that we can bring to the table but the location perhaps if the you know if the gentleman comes and kind of speaks to us makes a case then you know there's there's at least you know U that being considered as well scheduling I think I think you're absolutely right I think there's that's the reality we can accommodate both at the same time but maybe there's a period where we could exclusively dedicate the space to that and maybe that'll work you know and if if it's a group that's consistently going then you know they're getting permits for the space so does travel base still use the field compromise the the baseball U use is minimal I mean they they hardly used you know Village Park um last year because it's now cranberry West Windsor cranberry Plainsboro l leag so um they did they did ask for a permit for for Village they didn't even ask for a permit forstone for milstone yeah so then July and August would be viable time if it's not too hot or yeah I mean it sounds like I mean the the season does run six months anyways and we're offering up two months in that window I wouldn't see why folks wouldn't be interested yet no didn't we we have a soccer camp run out of millstone the past few we did in fact and that's that's right and they asked for three weeks this summer for Millstone so there is that um and we're we're going to give them a permit for that so I don't remember when in the summer though they they were um they're July two weeks in July and maybe the one week in August but they're not consecutive weeks so yeah would the baseball field be enough of room or is that too small yeah no to to Ken's point the baseball field is at one end of the the the space right the active playing area for Cricket would be in the center of a circular space um which automatically kind of rolls out where although to your point there there are times when folks do I've seen f folks play in that baseball space because SE it too somewhat harder space than the grass right um but that's you know I think that's them Mak a compromise and they're probably just practicing right it's not a game per se I'm sure it's not a league or anything that so we need to figure out when this particular person that was asking is looking and how many people are we talking about just 10 people and they want to do it is it multiple groups is it a league you know like what kind of right and so so they would I don't know what they would want probably a mat right but you have to kind of kill the grass and and flat put a real flat hard surface down and then put a mat on top of it and then when it's not being used they a lot of times will roll up the mat and and uh but those mats are huge and they're heavy so um yeah we TR we tried the temporary pitch thing in West Windsor and it didn't really work so we ended up putting permanent ones in with the astr turf and concrete underneath so um oh do you need a hard surface to bowl yeah okay yeah so it's really a harder to better almost so Sally are you saying really then this person should be coming to parks to figure out and that this isn't really a wck thing to begin with all right I you know what we can end this conversation and yeah I was gonna say punt it over but what's the cricket term but I think there's a team here right so the team here is that people aren't doing as much organized activities in our apartment there and you know the baseball's going to Westwinds or the soccer maybe one or two teams are using it so you know we want our parks to be used by people so we have to kind of rethink about how we're using our Parks we have the walking trails which is really nice we're redoing the pickle ball that's the new thing we got the beach volleyball we're kind of you know really updating our parks to what people want and maybe figuring out why people aren't you know reserving the millstone part I don't know I don't know why but yeah so I mean deo's like you know the Aaron judge of you know of cricket he's hitting balls like 460 feet so he needs a lot of space so it does sound like this is kind of a big I don't know a lot about the sport I've seen it when my daughter's playing in another Park but they in Plainsboro Park they're out there on that if you ever seen that Park in Plainsboro they're using that that whole area and it's pretty cool everybody's um hanging out and it's pretty good scene so you know we want people to use our parks and maybe we start we thinking about what activities we can help accommodate you know the you know the Ada playground again we're we're constantly updating our parts to try to help people so absolutely something we should definitely try to look into all right well Sally we will send this gentleman your direction well sorry sorry that's are you co-chair or vice chair what you and I I believe we're two Vice chairs oh you're Vice chairs the term they use is co-chairs Brendan is the chair and we are the two co-chairs all right basically were BR is going to leave the beans and do all the behind the scenes stuff and the term they used was co-chair I don't know what it is works for me so when are your Mee your meetings are during the day right 915 wednes month wow we have two open before got to work but thank you that's going to say who can make that all right any other new business all right then public comment oh yes sorry yes is the mic on thanks hi is that better so a couple things from the budget meeting um the the township committee did uh deny the the idea of putting up kayak rentals a kayak rental station the concern was as a Township of our size we're not in the business of being able to support a rental business and sort of doing that concerned about sort of putting up putting permanent kayaks up along our lak shore um sort of the Vista and they Hada that would benefit very few rest very few residents and then the township would then be in charge of making sure they were locked that at the end of the season they were taken off and for eight kayaks it seemed like a lot of overhead for a Township of our time size without you know a full-time recreational or Parks director so that was one of that was one of the things the funding for the trees um for the park it was just moved over to the shade tree commission shade tree has funding for covering all the trees so that was put in their budget um the connecting path um there someone Brennan brought up that the like you said the walking path in Village Park there's no Ada connection to the road which is true um luckily we had we had worked on a project to actually connect the Ingram and development to the Bennett Place property with a connector path that all the high school students now use so there is now an ADA path from the Ingram and development to town through Bennett place so we also recognize though that it's important that we don't have an island of of a loop that you can't get to so the idea was that that's going to be as they put out the 2024 road paving projects they're just going to include that stretch in that project so and the project this year is a lot of odds and ends streets it's Barkley drive it's a bunch of small little streets so they're just going to put that 15 foot strip strap strip in that in that budget so no no words there um and we thought it was important and kind of a shame that it didn't get done with the parks project but it's all good um the like I said the pickleball courts were approved at 375,000 so the township was very impressed with the the focus of that and the the full comprehensive project for that and it was not a no on on West but it was a no for this year they said let's focus on one big project let's do the tennis courts make them pick make exactly what you guys recommended make one side of it dual pickle ball soundproofing the right space everything um and so and then they approved up to the Limit that Mr Jacobs had mentioned they also then said let's look for GR so he he's doing that so on that um on February 1st we were awarded the inclusive playground project so we are working on trying to get into the state system to accept that Grant which wouldn't be isn't is harder than you'd think um and then the last thing was um mayor Al beway brought up on February 12th at the township committee meeting um the the idea of merging parks and racks for examply kind of the reason that you were just talking about and so a small group was ched to look at that they've been looking at sort of the legality of it what it would mean from a logistic standpoint sort of how the ordinance structures within the township would need to be you know revised and what that would look like and it it it's it's most towns have a parks and wck and we're one of the rare towns that actually has kind of combined and you guys see firsthand some of the some of the jurisdictional issues sort of who who owns the thing and the stuff and the activities and stuff like that so it do you have a ballpark time on that mik um I think it's very straightforward I think it's very straightforward um it looks like there's not much of a legal impediment and it looks like it's pretty straightforward what ordinance would need to be repealed and and replaced and there's a lot of standard ordinances out there of how what what a park and R department look like in cranber we have a Parks ordinance and we have a wck ordinance and they're each about a page and a half and there's not much to them they're mostly about naming the how how the how the members are appointed there's very little in there about what the commission does or or the responsibilities there is a parks and Rex ordinance that is about 15 pages that combine that says how the combined Parks how the the facilities in town shall be managed and the rules around them so that wouldn't have to be changed at all so it seems like it's actually very straightforward could be very straightforward and it was never combined as one nobody maybe someone listening knows the background but nobody on our committee or in our Township St has any idea why this was this way or what you know what led us to this point um so um typically towns that are really big and have a Parks director and a recreational director and have a Rec staff and a park staff tend to be separated but most small medium towns tend to have a single unit so so I think we're just logistically looking at what that would look like and um you know if the township agrees or proposes it it would be a an ordinance exercise of making sure that um you know it's in there so let us know if you need anything from anybody here I mean I I love Mrs Haron if you wouldn't mind looking at the ordinances and sort of reading them through and seeing if anything um jumps out at you of of sort of roles and responsibilities and maybe Mr Jacobs as well just because it's all online it's all on our Township page um if there's anything that jumps out but happy to yeah Mike is there a view of what the brast tax is does it mean both committees just become one and then you you meet on the same Cadence like what what is the brass tax what is the what what what does it mean like in Practical terms what does it in Practical terms it would probably the new committee would have to pick whether they meet in the evening or during the day um that there'd be a discussion about sort of how membership um you know what what would be the path to sort of getting the combined committee members um you know is that you know is it a just like is it is it each committee gets to pick three and a half of the seven I don't I don't know what that would look like um you know but I think so it be a matter of putting the members together it' be getting a calendar it'd be doing the public notice process um it it' be and the ordinance the way the ordinance process works is it goes through um it gets proposed at one meeting um and then it gets put up on the township website as a as a draft ordinance and that opens like a 14-day period where people are invited to comment on it and then at the next Township committee meeting um the there's an open public meeting on that ordinance and there's a chance to comment on it or say hey you forgot about this or you know include that and then if it gets adopted within a few days it gets written into the into the ordinance so it's a pretty straightforward process no ask do you have a time frame on when this may I think that I mean I think I think the goal would be to try to do it as soon as possible as it if it made sense um without being disruptive or without um you know um I mean barring any current events that were going on or current activities or I think I think the goal they tried to do it this year so yeah I think it's helpful I feel like we always end up wasting so much time trying to figure out who's going to pay for what and whose job is we go like 10 Rounds trying to figure out whose job it is yeah any other questions for me about Township stuff let me just make sure I got my list um yeah I think that's everything I had on my list so the inclusive playground we're we a go that's exciting yes $300,000 from the from the governor as long as we can get into the state system and hit accept sounds good thank you guys thank all right no other public comment no one else is running down the hall no then I make a motion to adjourn do do it say all in favor yep yes yes [Music] good job K good job tonight very stressful I feel really bad that that poor applicant's been sitting there waiting for his invitation probably thinks he got rejected not sleeping tonight