meeting is called pursuing to the provisions of the open public meetings law this meeting of June 24 2024 we included in a list of meetings notice sent to the hunter County Democrat in career news on Janu 3 2024 posted on the bulletin board for a hall on that date and has remained continuously posted as required in addition a copy of the notice is and has been available to the public on file the please councilwoman engart here councilwoman here councilman L here council president long here councilman Parker here Council vice president Rosetti you're here and mayor Tera here are we did hear her okay very okay as okay oh she's muted that's why can you hear me I was unmuted yeah we can hear you good okay thank you um I just have a couple of things uh uh number one is um there is going to be a special meeting on July 8th uh with the environmental commission and U members of the shade treat commission we're going to notice it as a joint meeting in case the shade tree commission has uh enough members coming they're going to be discussing the shade tree the ordinance that the state um has come out with the draft uh on shade trees and tree cutting uh as well as uh the plan board's draft proposed um uh checklist um for completion and also uh work with them to create a new list of trees um um to be uh required for plantings from the planting board our tree list is the very very old Beth MCM has offer upon that front um so it will be noticed and it will be open to the public and I think it's going to be offered by Zoom as well um to accommodate Council Rosetti and anybody else who wants to call in to hear those discussions uh I also um was asked by a benel street resident in caly to express um his um I'm not sure what the word is uh he was questioning whether or not there was a resolution passed to fly the pride flag at B Hall and his concern that it is a social policy um statement or social position statement uh it's not grounded in federal or state law to to fly such a flag and that he would in the future like to see public discussion on this through either posting a resolution on the agenda uh or a valid question so I am iterating that to all of you um I want to just say to council art you did a great job on the Grant I do have a couple comments we get to that for the energy Grant and um I think there was something else I'm blanking on that but I'll remember and at some point uh council member reports councilwoman anglehart uh yeah I only have um one thing tonight um and that is on July 13th B houses having their anual iceam thank you Cass foror only thing is tomorrow evening the Penning board should be introducing a finalized um completion checklist which I think is going to enable our developers to come to the table ready to be reviewed and discussed so please dial in I did take a look at and to thank all of you who who have been backing me up the past few weeks that's much shame Council counc sure uh for the HBC there will be a joint planning board HPC meeting to finalize the details of the Historic District boundaries um now that I reading it I realized I did not write down what date that's going to be but I don't think that's finalized yet anyway next meeting for them is July 17 uh over the weekend I got to participate in the fingon bio Blitz where 16 citizen scientists participated and made over 450 observations and identified over 250 species um I did take a lot of pictures of things that I have absolutely no idea what they are so if there's anybody out there that's a taxonomic expert or knows why how to identify bugs plants is funy check out the F and bio project page on I naturalist to help confirm some data and of course I just want to shout out the um hard work of the volunteers like bar resident Jesse Smith who was here a few times I think um who spearheaded this event you know it's uh people like him who you know use their expertise to give back to the community and organize events like this bring our community together um I did also want to thank the B Le for uh listen l in to some feedback from the community and putting up the signs reminding people to watch for cyclist I really did appreciate the seeing that and lastly fireworks will be on July 3rd with a rain date of July 5th at the reading flyington Intermediate School field the fields open at 6m and firewall Works will launch around 9:15 p.m. is that correct yeah it is post on that's everything thank you so much is is Mr Smith resident I believe so that's great I do not know that all right council president La y only a couple things tonight uh fire department next meeting is July 9th as far as office of emergency management the uh Community Emergency Response Team also known as C assisted with the summer Fiesta uh four members were with deployed uh also sir was at a community outreach helping residents with disaster preparedness and registering them for burrow emergency alerts and that is my great thank you uh councilwoman Parker yeah just a couple things first of all I really had planned intended on going to the fiesta something Sidetrack being C health problem um I do want to bring this up because I know the signs are an issue that everybody just wonder when the signs are going up and this is the Wasteland finding yes but what is what FCP has done is they acquired both a marketing company and an architectual company and what the purpose of it is is to develop the unifying message and seiously integrate all the characteristics of the business district I think this I mean I love the idea of I've been on I've been a part of this for a bit but it finally came to last week um and they're going to be designing they're going to be um working with the colors and each district kind of trying to integrate them and saying that this is the business district for the highway this so they're going to try to integrate all of it what I um asked Robin to do is to invite both parties in to council meeting um to a work session so that they can introduce themselves they can tell everyone what they're doing and why they're doing and bring some of the the things that they they're looking at doing into the P week so that we would be the first people that would have a view with this as opposed to going through all these other steps um because what the whole idea is to eliminate all these steps go to people who would have the direct knowledge and have the expertise on doing this um and they've been very successful in other municipali so they will be here Robin's on vacation this week so we're planning that uh probably either in the next one or the one in August that session it's a brilliant idea I mean I love everything about the other thing is that they're planning um I'll let Robin talk a little bit more about this but in August theun County we're teaming with hun County and it's going to be done in Sangle they're going to have an event for families and kids and the whole bit and it's it's sponsored by both the Giants and the Eagles so both Giants and the Eagles it's going to be very cool so again I will let Robin I don't want to sell actually ask me to mention it I I going to help her champion this um is we looking at August 17th is it a tayor versus Port party no gonna stick to the home and and finally um you know I just want to do a shout out to the Hun Medical Center I hope they're listening I told them that I was going to do a shout out it I have to say my my mother-in-law was Rush the hospital and she that medical St is SP on that the service the the people are so attentive the nursing staff I mean just like everybody is so attentive it's just amazing um so I do want to shout out to them I think we're lucky to have them in our backyard as I saw ambulances from uh lamberville and New Hope and other places coming in I was thinking wow we are lucky to have R so that's it for me thank you thank you uh Council vice president Moretti thank you mayor I don't have anything uh official business wise but I do want to just give a shout out to to the library um summer reading started today so my daughter's really excited and I just wanted to point that out anyone listening with kids get them over there they've run a really great program for the summer so that's it Liz thank you for for mentioning that because I've been pushing it out there that's wonderful we we enjoy it every summer so I just want to make sure everybody knows about it great thank you all right we're at public comment session number one uh if you have any public comments please come to the microphone state your name your address for the record spell your last name for our Clerk and it's limited to three minutes we have a second one at the end of this meeting I'm G to PR this still coming up but what I heard is that people from want to come they're afraid to come but I told them that that no one should ever be afraid to come to a council meeting because this is a safe place and so we want we want that Community to come here and talk about what they need to talk about there's no judgment here we de hear so thank you for coming so okay so I need your name your last and your Hunter house so um honestly I thought there was a water shortage problem there I didn't understand I didn't understand I can set in comprehend so I've been at Hunter Hills I think 16 years this year and um the water was always included in the rent and I always pay my bills I'm never in default I have a go record I've never been in um what's it called when you don't pay your rent landord Court dely yeah don't I've never and that's pretty scary to me but um also there are some people like me on disability that have um well I'll speak for myself I have my sister do my bills with my money online paperless and um with this lease I went and spoke to the landlord which is the manager not the landlord I've never met the owner I've been there that long and I've never met him so I don't know however when I read um I what prompted me to read the lease to be honest with you I got a threatening letter from the landlord's lawyer I don't know who else got I didn't ask but um I didn't ask but I I've heard from no less than 10 people in the complex better really scared and I didn't ask them if they got a letter but I certainly did and and at the bottom line I should have put my glasses on at the bottom line um says that it's going to take me to 10 cord if I don't p and the thing is I'm on to fixing that you're paying water be specific you don't your SE water yeah now water but the ker is there's one meter per building and it's myself and my daughter but downstairs is six Boys on one side and four on the other and three on the other and as I much love it like Don watching all the kids play I we equivalently that she said that with the lady on the phone um explained to me because it's Clear Water Florida they outsourced to Clear Water Florida we're now having my bill is from this company and Clearwater Florida and when I called them it wasn't even a water company it was a third party company and when they broke it down for me I said to him how did you get like all 12 doors how did you know how to quantify and goes well it's not fa and that was Thursday so then I spent Friday crying and now I'm here did they did you go into a new lease recently well that's the thing too um I am on um disabilities so my lease gets electronically signed every year when I go to um the Veterans Memorial Somerville section um for housing so that was I don't recall ever signing walking into the office Sig least May or never so when I and I really I really like our management um that are on that premisis they're so nice so I think that um yeah don't one to start no problem so so here's but the thing is before I lose my about really sure my calculation over the weekend I will be in that court that I just mentioned um rental Court what it's not a name what's it called thank you thank you sir got it that I'll be in in November and by November the my cred we sent out we got aware of this from another Resident um last I think it was last month of the month before last and um our DPW committee which is councilwoman's Parker and councilwoman alur myself and our DPW staff um had a letter sent out to every resident over there saying please no this has nothing to do with us like we're not we're not doing this to you we send one bill um to you know quarterly for every three months we said one bill to the owner of Hunter Hills so this is being done privately by him and you know I'm going to ask our attorney to weigh in but I you know I talked to our DPW superintendent who runs the water and sewer departments and he he believes that there's nothing we can do about this because it's being done internally through your leases so um so here's what I have to say though this is some of it is low-income housing and the only thing I can think of is somebody's trying to squeeze are you scared me I was Hear Voices she said hi you know I know that the anticipation of the Flemington Barrow UPG growing with the Liberty Village and Main Street nobody I mean I feel like we're trying to get squeezed up but were you going to squeeze me to have you has anybody spoken before we go on because I know you're gonna end up saying something so why don't you give us your name and address for the record okay just so that when you want to say something I don't have to stop last name too last name okay n a yes and you're H Hills yes okay that's enough um so has anybody gone over and talked to the hundon county uh Social Services Department that handles the low-income housing at all to see if you Google um utility help at Flemington it says there is not on Google so I just looked at all that on Thursday when the lady on the phone told me that she she agreed when she finally told me it wasn't even a water company or storage company that it was a third party company well my eyes crossed because that's over my head now you're really like to pingpong our water sewer company sends out bills every three months to your owner your management company we send out one bill they send us a check and then always they had been collecting it through your rent and then suddenly we know a month or two ago this started because we started getting complaints why are you billing us and we were like we're not billing you so we sent out letters to everybody at 100 Hill saying this isn't us patience I'm not but are you saying that you're being charged for your water your lease they are in addition you're getting another bill yes and it used to be included clear Florida why would raise your rent on top of this I was told that my rent was not touched that the rent that went up now I just have a storage water bill what they pulled out the water charge you separately for that did the rent the same or did it go down the same right still the same for me but I can't speak for everybody else still the same so the month before this happened and the month after this happened you PID the same amount right yes and then at but the month that this happened right you had your rent Bill always the same now you receive the utility bill from this third party in faar water Florida it says now you owe this Munch in red you got a super Bill have we never got right and all the other bills but by the time I get the disability check all of that goes to bills and you you said that you don't recall signing a lease well I know I sign least when I go there um on at at December I go to Somerville the section housing think yeah and every year I have to sign you know then electronically I don't go to the office here in Sil but I don't know if that's here there I'm confused as why there's 600 water companies in New Jersey and my landlord is out sourcing to Florida because when I that's a building that's a building yeah that's what we were told there so many rumors yeah that's a so what they probably did was they said all right I don't know for sure never heard of this before today but probably they said all right well we're gonna Outsource the collection of this and they pass the charge the one bill they meter mayor they have one meter per Bill once a year building what they have is they just passed the their rent right they pulled it out and then they charging so what the r is getting raised I mean it's been raised mine specifically because of on for um disability it it's a different thing but my one neighbor works three jobs re this woman works and she's got four little kids and she pays her rent in her bills but now she's crying because of this bill and they're going to move like everybody is scared of Ming there's County Social Services that that that can manage that well they this is like a lot of their rents I'm and the rest are you're you being build now as a flat Fe orat no no flat Fe it's different every month and that's what I said to the lady what's the Magic in in the map meter in your unit there's one meter I know I know that but how could they possibly be buing that's what I my suggestion here is um I don't think there's because we just give them the bill right I think that your your best bet would be Adrian kind of said this about social services I want to say social services but housing housing is fine we also want to go to Legal Services of uh Northwest New Jersey you guys are a tailor made case for them um they handle L all the time and I think that you guys are potentially class action Class A bunch of you and I think that that group would be more inclined to bite on a case like this they're discretionary in the cases that they take but I think they'd be more inclined to bite with a big group of plaintiffs right so my suggestion is um I think they have a satellite office they definitely have one in summer it's my bu um I would take your case to Legal Services um I think that they try to help the most amount of people that thinking right so get a list of all your neighbors that have been affected new ladies and maybe a couple others go schedule 20 names so far I would bring the names in but like nobody want is Northwest New Jersey does this Pro proon yes but they don't take every case right so but I think I think they're more inclined to take is it legal to have like one water leader for say 12 Apartments it is because really yes yes yeah okay all right fine but what if it's overcrowded with people I don't think it's fair how do they break this down you know I live alone so and then recently I've been build twice in one month they're trying to say oh one was for uh April blah blah blah and there's two amounts on there if you're late if you don't pay the first one in time then the second one is going to cost more 25 of each time so so when you say this overcrowding but more than usage is what is the occupancy for unit that's a there Supreme Court ruling on this says who was going to tell nine justices of the Supreme Court they can't go in the same in the same house together you don't want to go there so yeah but I can tell you I used to live over in the condominiums in Flemington South behind McDonald's and they have one meter per building and they were just divided was eight eight units and they would divide the and I Would by myself so is that soua states because my best friend lives there and she said $30 a month for her and her boyfriend they been there 10 I'm just saying the way they used to do it they got the bill there were there were that's how they eight units they took the bill they divided it by eight and we all paid 1 18 even though I lived alone right but that's how they did it so but that was American Water you know big company this is you know I mean for us we we run our own water company but we have you know however they've done this to you we have nothing nothing to do with this that's free legal if you get taken by them it's free legal bring as many names down as possible four or five people you ladies are articulate go down there make your case and see I think they would I'm not gonna guarantee no I mean a lot of people's complaining but nobody wants to do anything you know like there's not enough people you know nothing's GNA really get done well you know what I think it is so here's here's this is how people because everybody's afraid there's going to be that so they don't want they don't want to take off the landmar they do they're going to get done but you have to understand there is strength in numbers there's there's always strength and numbers and that's what they need to understand the community needs to understand if we as a community joined together and went forward then then you you've got a case and you've got he can't come after everybody he or she or whoever they are can't come after everybody so I would you know I think um um Chris Christin actually gave you some great ideas he actually has found a location for you guys so you know the old egg auction yeah Legal Services you might want to just start with that and tell them what you're telling us tell them what you're telling us and let them let them help it you know um there's a lot of stuff going around that it's not a water and sewer company that it was a collection agency yeah so and I'm like a collection agency what are we paying for here I I need to know what I'm paying for you know I'm on a fixed income I can't be chilling out money and don't know what it's really for you know I don't know if this is a scam or what it is I don't know no I feel your I think we all feel your pain so I think let's let's start with what um so you know where it is why do you start with that see thank you for bringing this if they need any if they need any information tell them to contact me okay work and there's nothing that can be done about the overcrowding no there's always we do we do have a we do have a zoning officer and a building maintenance a property maintenance officer and we um just recently hired um a housing officer who can do summonses for overcrowding we did not have one of those on staff so we could not issue summonses so now we do so we can so you know all you have to do is like make the police aware of addresses and we can send an inspector out and we can issue SES and must name I will say this that that we understand I understand that just safety issue alone please do that please follow go the police and Building have that they are above those limits you should report oh yeah way you should report it and mayor Adrian said Emery one year me and someone else came here and uh I think I don't know lady you're the mayor May woman and um yes he went into I think I don't know how many the apartments and she said it was like a fire hazard and all the clubs and oh my God and the mattresses and the problem is that we didn't have anybody who legally could follow up under state law so we just recently hired two gentlemen who can so now so now we can now we have we have the the legal status to issue summonses for things like that so you just have to just let the police know tell them you know give them tell them what you want tell them I don't mind speaking out on things just I don't want to get in trouble myself you know what I mean it's like don't worry about things I just don't want to you know is a very powerful tool when used correctly yeah believe me I stay in trouble so don't worry about that's that's how progress I think that's what everybody nobody else here we really appreciate you letting us you know like I said we knew about this a couple months ago we did send out those letter but our hands are really tight because this is you know they're paying us you know we build them they pay us and we have very little control of how they build you thank you anybody else from the public have any I want talk her as a sore and water operator go talk to her it's 125 gallons per person per day they should break it up to how many people are in they should they don't so I'll just anybody El public okay seeing none moving on uh approval of minutes we don't have any uh consent agenda we have one resolution on resolution2 resolution the B to licenses for the 2024 license term did we ever hear um so the council needs to decide what we all want to do with the what's it called the circle one it's it's the it's the it's the TGF license yeah wait it's here um [Music] Emeral Diamond not stes yeah Associates yep right so um I know the council council president you're I think you're the last man standing sent out a letter to them or took some action in 2021 or 2022 uh telling them they needed to get that license active and um I actually remember this and here we are a couple years later um that site they uh they haven't used the license since TGI have closed it's now in Pocket um and that it may actually be seized uh by the state and return to the bureau on August 1st remains to be seen how that law that the new law be a question of Chris do we are we um in Jeopardy of losing that license completely we don't approve this we are not because the law says that if told you the law they do nothing and it goes in pocket on August 1 the understanding of the law is that it is going to taken from them by the state of New Jersey and given to this body to put back out for sale that was my question was do we lose it forever or we get we get to award it as I understand and the owners of that the current users of that license or holders of that license have the right to sue state of Jersey and for doing such so it's going to be a big mess because the law silent and all of that there's a property that's interest right arguably so did invite them in to tell us what's going on and they did not respond at all what Tuesday before I left never heard thing um so we have until we can wait until the July meeting now I have to renew it RS are July 1 I have to renew it like tomorrow then we have to um wait to see how the because my understanding is they have nothing year that's how I they paid and did everything that's we get them an add in room and try to get them in and that would like they have to go to tr and pay yeah that's for the for the as a thats weird some some are high so what is that so that gives us that gives us time to talk about this again in July and ask them to come in in July yeah do we have a pipeline someone there that would be me um I mean I could I could you know it's it's a messy family it's a messy family business like that's all I can say publicly I mean I know that there a lot of family members and I try to get along with everybody which is what I always try to do get along with everybody and uh I don't even know we managing Partners over there soos oros yeah oros or something that's who I email because that was the email on when they paid the so what are we looking at as far as the uh resolution at this moment proving everybody but doing what with this like is that a motion to do like what is typically I mean have to get the consent of the applicant um I mean they typically give it rather than Shadow Cloud on license um done one where they haven't shown up before mayor so um we can approve it and then hope that they pay the fee and back in 30 days if we don't do what it's consider appr any but is it in our best interest to to not approve them because then it triggers I am I as I asked my question before no I'm not I I asked Chris directly the question before but you had answered it so I'm kind of directing it to both of you uh isn't our best interest not to approve this group because then it would trigger uh a review by the state in some shape or form left as well to talk to my council member yeah I've only ever done Ed by consent typically done by consent when there's issues with the license condition for dispute um have a license that's a pocket license I mean honestly don't know to car but putting up with this for years and losing money on it yeah but why we lose money because the license isn't being used still paying the $2500 we're getting we're getting the whole licy that anybody else okay but we're not generating we're not generating taxes based on based on sales that they make though all types of losses yeah but we have other places in town that would love to have the license absolutely but meanwhile we've beening all this money so here's my question so I just want to make sure I understand St so if we didn't approve this so what I thought I heard if if they don't do the right thing the state kicks the license back to us if we don't approve it will they kick the license back to us anyway that I don't that's what we really need to find Li the licenses are owned by the buau and they are basically leased to these licensed holders who then treat them like their Family Assets okay or that they get hereditarily passed down or whatever but they are all legally owned by municipalities Okay so so so if we say no if we say no um we have to have a really good reason to say no Ian it's really opening up the burrow um well other than it's not being used and yeah I don't know what was in that letter that was sent out a couple of years ago by by that Council back in 2022 or 2021 um but you know we're here tonight like we have to make a decision on what we're doing I I don't think we should not do anything but I we yes please um why don't you um move on to the instuction ordinances I will look at the specific facts here as I said these before never got so give me a second to just take a the great idea I would suggest do yeah but but it doesn't cover that issue you should it typically you would yeah you want the issue is it hasn't been used in years and it wasn't used in the last restaurant they opened so it went in pocket so this is I mean this is a yeah I think Carla's right she's right um I think the sole question here is is there any ability to get this group in here to discuss it with them and what the exposure would be before they to renew so Carl was undoubtedly right about I think the the underline interpretation here and I would say that well there are some things I would say that be like ex probably discuss um exception number nine n your favorite um never so I would say that to evaluate the exposure of the bur I want ex okay um can we table this while he's later into the meeting while he's and more important and and also in addition to him looking this this fact up maybe he can actually find that resolution from 2022 on our website it wasn't a resolution jerem's looking okay all right so we're gonna keep mov through the while you're going through this table no going to move on okay all right introduction of ordinance ordinance 20247 and ordinance amending chapter 7A traffic schedules to create a four-way stop interception at Broad Street and Williams street and to add two compact car parking spots on Broad Street approximate to so these two compact uh spots just for everybody's um memory is they both north of William Street um which is downhill so that people can see around them can I have a motion to introduce please introduce is there a second the second all call please councilwoman engart yes councilwoman faar yes councilman Le yes counc president La yes and councilman Parker yes Council Vice President we heard um thank you public hearing to be held July 15th Cara thank you okay public hearing orance 20244 an ordinance amending chapter 4 licensing of the municipal code of the buau of Flemington to amend the licensing fee applicable to medical cannabis facilities uh can I have a motion to open to the public move is there a second second all in favor this ordinance is now open to the public anybody wishing to speak on ordinance 20244 please come to microphone state your name and address record St n have a motion to close the public hearing is there a second all in favor I have a motion to adopt ordin I'm sorry all favor uh I have a motion to adopt 20244 second second any discussion roll call councilwoman engard yes councilwoman faar yes councilman L yes council president long yes councilman Parker yes and Council vice president thank you uh ordinance 20245 in ordinance amending section 121 of the code entitled words and terms ofine public art new public art ordinance uh giving um some uh guidance tee uh legal to the new public Arts committee uh can I have a motion to open to the public second second all favor public hearing is now open on ordinance 224-1 anybody wishing to speak on it pleas come up and see your name and access for the record minutes have a question to the microphone please I need your name add I don't live in the bur though I just had a question did you move on the last one marijuana yes yes there was a question in the and over yeah that it went so quick she was like what's it about I don't know anything about it she's a bur resin oh I'm happy to explain that but you have nothing okay let me let me get through this one okay all right public hearing Mo to close the public hearing is there a second second uh all in favor please thank you can I have a motion to to adopt or 20245 any discussion roll call please councilwoman Englehart yes councilwoman faar yes councilwoman Le yes council president long yes councilman Parker yes and Council vice president yes um motion has passed adopted um we're in 20244 the medical marijuana when um our last we had our administrator wrote the ordinance on the facilities here medical and uh and Retail licenses and he neglected to put a licensing fee in for medical so we've been losing money so we' just added in a licensing fee to the medical license to be equal to the retail license which is $10,000 a year because we lost all that money so that's what that did um okay regular agenda number 12 uh number five resolutions 2024 d103 resolution I watch those tyes car I know of the mayor and Council of the Bure of Flemington consenting to ass signment of the contract with LMR disposable for solid race collection disposal and Recycling services FYI LMR sold their business to another carrier um the people with whom we have have been running it for us are staying on um which is the good news so um our DPW superintendent will be monitoring these services to make sure they remain uh the same quality that we've been enjoying here in the burough this just allows everybody to know that it's been sold and makes it all legal it'll be got carrier which is the same same guys but under a new name uh can I have a motion please for resolution 20223 long move is there a second sorry any discussion call please councle yes counc yesc Le yes council president long yes councilman Parker yes and Council vice president par City yes thank you resolution 2024 104 resolution authorizing Frenchman Associated to F an application for treatment works approval permit for the construction of adjusted waste water collection treatment and Disposal system to serve the proposed addition to the property known as the spice Factory um this is state law tww are required by the DP for buildings over a certain size um they have to have concurrence from the governing body that they've got the sewer water reserved I have a motion to approve move there second any discussion roll call please councilwoman Nar yes councilwoman faar yes Council Le yes council president yes councilman Parker yes and Council vice president yes Susan is this your Grant this is mine Okay resolution 2024 105 resolution of the B of lington adopting the community energy plan C is part of the New Jersey Board a public utility C Grant Program um I uh would ask for two changes minor changes on this um one is that the um category for training ENT first responder on uh ebikes and uh ecars their batteries that go from medium to high because of the explosive nature and danger of those batteries and what what's been happening especially with the ebikes right now you have immediately yeah I can you're talking about section 1.2 yeah um I'll leave the 1.3 as medium because that's uh from what the fire um explain to me that's a you know above and beyond yes but the train yeah the training one I think and then they're also I'll I'll I'll make a suggestion as well because there was similar training for that actually the fire inspector was even more interested in doing was for the solar I saw that you have that as a high already that's why I I put that as a high because he was so excited about it okay as opposed to uh medium for others the sustainable Jersey um um person basically told me don't put anything as low so so everything that is is is medium or high in are so dangerous it really should be high the other one that I ask is that the solar the um solar the U electric car one for charging stations and all that you currently a high I would move that down to a medium well the reason why I put that as a high is because um there we were awarded a grant for equipment and and my concern is I want to make sure we at least figure out number one if we want it number two if we're if we're at a deadline to lose that money in order and and number three if we do want it we need to find Gap funding to to put it toward so the the the priority isn't to necessarily execute it but it's to follow up on hey we receiv received this Grant and I want to make sure that we take some sort of action if we do need to a problem with those are these charging stations are all car brand specific so if you go to Wawa where they have Tesla ones that's pretty much only the case of Tesla yeah accurate yeah like I said the only reason I did as a high was because one of the one of the action items or possible action items was there's this grant hanging out there from October 20 22 that I want to make sure we follow up on um you had expressed um you had asked about an email that you had gotten about an old um Grant application that Chris rean had applied for and um you had gotten some sort of email about it and ask me about it and I said you know there's another grant that was awarded and sometime in the spring of 2023 just want to make sure that if we are eligible for something and we want it we get it if we don't we follow up and say thanks BPU or but no thanks but either way that's why I put it as a high not necessarily that there was some pending action that really could affect us does anybody else have any other reforming we once we make the motion and everything then we're kind of lock so anybody else have any comments that they want to make or suggestions on the grant is there any cost for bur you know something to fun it's no just received a $25,000 Grant to put this in so we can get money later this this is this is actually not a grant that I'm applying for this is the execution of a grant that was received not by me but in 2022 by this Council so first of all this is not applying for Grant we already got the money the grant money was to make this report so we now have to file the support with with dpu the we are eligible for more money if this report's on file with with BPU so I just want to make this clear I'm not applying for a grant this is what we have to do because they gave us the money there's nothing in this that and she made that very clear to me as well we're not obligated to do any of this this is actually a fluid document so in theory we um we can can is we can update it anytime we want um uh one of the things that the councilwoman also put in after you I talked about this last week was um this whole idea of idling because of the traffic that's going to be created from the hotel and all these other sites and uh that you know we could might be able to get traffic studies paid for out of this and you know that was directly as a result of our conversation at our traffic um traff so I literally picked that out of the traffic committee meeting and I went oh we can put that in there after I asked you know Mara suggested it and I asked the sustainable Jersey lady yeah so there I actually created two custom sections just for that issue so yeah I think some of the goals that we have in mind like the um like the windows and doors that we desperately need here those are in here too and again they don't that we're not obligated to buy Windows and Doors sorry Problem by doing this but we may be eligible for money to pay for those windows and doors by so that's the difference gives us access to money I have a motion to approve this resolution we're all anxious okay call please councilwoman yes councilwoman yes Council yes council president long yes uh councilman Parker yes and Council vice president Rosetti okay thank you can session if you want very much you all right under uh work session temp discussion of temporary signs and Main Street bner so um I asked to put this on because I got a phone call from councilman Parker who got a phone call from United Way uh because of um High charges for temporary signs and these are the signs that are on Stakes uh that say you know Fiesta this weekend or they could say garage sale or they could say this house is being R gred by Joe's Roofing or they can say my kid is proud graduate of hun Central best of 1997 um so right now there is an ordinance on the books that was written in 2012 and it was amended in 2019 but I can't tell what the amendment was so I don't know if this goes back to 2012 if this is more recent but the bottom line is every single one of those little temporary signs comes with a $50 fee permit fee which is untenable it's like silly so I had a almost two hour conversation with our zoning officer pat raldi regarding WR these signs and they fall into all kinds of categories and he really wants to see this ordinance amended so that it becomes more tenable so I've had at least one conversation one point one and a quarter conversations with our attorney about this um so one and a quarter like one and third at least okay um so so we're looking at category so I will give you like certain ideas I have um after talking to Pat we already for large events uh we already have a permitting process with a permitting City one is a offer profit fee one is a for profit fee um I'm suggesting that we move a number of signs into that permit when you pay your permit you get X number of these temporary signs that comes with the event um signs have to have a date certain um they could go up like Pat suggested 14 days before the event and coming down not more than seven days after he would prefer three I don't care um so that would be that would take out a whole big chunk of these where right now the fiesta United Way supposed to be charged $50 a sign Pat couldn't stomach doing that to them because they're a good cause so he charged them 50 for 10 signs but even that you know it's like if they're already paying a permit for an event we can just build it in the second one is garage Sal already charged permitting fee for garage sales I hope everybody in this room knows that garage sales in this town are not free I think it's a $5 permit and um again it could come since you're already p a permit fee and it's a date certain or weekend certain again um we could put a limit of 10 signs not fate property around town they must come off in a certain time after your garage sale and get rid of those signs and worry about those right so anybody have any objection so far no okay the next group of signs are the four profit signs like the can I I'm like I don't know if you do this in your business Trend house being painted by Le painting everybody tells me it's true good don't do that um so so uh Pat CLS very strongly that the for propit signs should have a $50 fee to go on somebody's laand for 30 days so whether it's a real estate sign whether it's a Joe's Roofing sign whether it's a um you know Paving sign whatever it is that already has the $50 fee and that we should stick with that but not but there's no time limit and it should be stuck with for 30 days that's his next suggestion the next one are the um temporary signs that we see for businesses like if Sage is having a trunk show or somebody's having a grand opening again dates specific small business $25 or $50 for up to 10 signs around town not on their property would have to go upward not more than two weeks before the date specific event coming down 3 to seven days after the specific event uh but small business $25 was U pass did you say not on their property so if it's in front of their store the sign is in front of their store so show this store why wouldn't we want them to do that why wouldn't they want why wouldn't we want when you said not in front of their store no I mean including like they're gonna put a sign out Sor you around town I'm sorry I was not clear so signs around town um you know wherever they're going to put them more public in public easements and public rights of way then it would be limited to 10 signs it would be their small business $25 um if it's a business that just wants to say um here I'm here right stage is here uh Pat wants to stick to the $50 ass sign um because it's not generating anything and it's just a mess okay so that's all of them the next group of signs are the my he graduated from or I'm going to this college private property your lawn Pat wants to see them limited to 30 days uh from the time they're noticed by the property maintenance official no charge whatsoever on your own property free for 30 days that would include basically any sign you want to put on that would be like Immaculate conceptions annual Carnival you can have that on your lawn for 30 days that would include it includes and I'm going to to say this it includes anything but campaign signs with a candidate that is protected under First Amendment there's there's a lot of case law on this but it would include everything else green lives matter green Lawns matter I don't uh Maga forever um so it's a way that Pat suggested controlling those 30 days and after 30 days we could charge $10 a month to let people keep those signs up so he just wants to see that there's just a lot of signs in this town and I didn't I don't think I realized how many signs there were until Pat brought this to my attention I right now it's graduation season there is a huge number of signs in this town for fourth graders eighth graders and high schoolers and college kids I mean I like it I like it right right but what say but this goes on forever and ever some typ up until recently there was like he graduated from H Central High School in 20202 sign or something laun so people get lazy really proud so that would be a 30day would be a 30-day no fee your PR private property own but that includes all those other well what do you do with the others what do you do the others feel like some signs though are like just part of people Decor if you will so how are we going to um charge them if they're just you know that's like their it makes their home their home you know what I'm trying to say councilman this is why it's in this conversation for the work session because Pat is trying to get a handle on it because the current the current ordinance every one of those signs should be charging should be charged $50 every see I I would disagree with that you know I understand if if a sign is looking ratty there's got to be something you know of course you know we need to fix it and you guys need to come up with the policy right that's so Pat has weighed in pretty heavily about like eaten Town's ordinance because he works in eent toown as well and he told me like even the political signs in eat Town you're not allowed to put them up until two weeks before an election and they have to be down within two days after an election personally I love that makes me crazier than political um but that's eat town and that and that's okay I mean the law as long as you you know treat everybody the same and there's limits you can do that but you can't but the bottom line is is that the way because we've got to fix it because $50 per sign no matter what property got get rid of that and make it so that it's reasonable that and there's it sounds to me just listening here it's there's a line there's tears that now you're charge let me go back to the beginning everybody was okay with the permit including 10 signs 15 for major events what's the number I actually had an issue not so much that I againsted it but I I do want to I do need to I think we need to think about how much does it cost for you to print 10 signs versus 25 so I think we need to make sure that um that fee is like I think I think when you make up a those signs there's like a minimum amount you you have to order to begin with so if there if there's a minimum of 20 signs for $10 then we should allow the 20 signs to the like I think I think the fees need to kind of from a big house online there is a minimum but go down they're they're going to print out they're going to be charged x amount of dollars but they only get 10 signs but they're going to be charged like the minimum amount of signs they're allowed to even print up this I think our need to if you order from a b campaign house there is a minimum but if you go to or anybody local don't we might have been known to have free state signs on our house right it's a few dollars and we put them up for Jun that's our thing um and I this year I could find them so they didn't go up but you know that's that's what we do and and you know what I'm going to say this I am obviously Democratic party member and we do see like Trump flags and things but you know what I'm not going to tell my neighbors that they can't have that and if it's that much of an eyesore to you or that much of an issue then then issue I don't is I think rest the point the point of it is is that we're not saying you're not it's not that you're not allowed to have signs is that the cost of the sign so if you have that sign up it's going to cost you $50 every time you have and if you put it in more than one place it's going to cost you $50 for each time that's what it says so the point of it is is that that it's if you put that sign out and it's more than 30 days then you're going to pay the next 30 days you're going to pay so that's the point you're going to continuously pay so let me let me go through these categories and see if we can get a concurrence here so that Chris can write fix this word so the big events where there's for-profit and off for profit and they're already paying a fee you guys want to do 10 signs you want to do 20 you want to do 15 how many you cover with the permit I think that more than 10 less than 15 no I didn't say 50 I think square mile we small he said 10 I mean we could go to 15 it's a tiny town and Township that's on R Township when I'm in the buau it's X number so go out the circles that are Township and they don't count they only count number guys okay so 15 signs for the big events that are already right now what the ordinance says is every single sign you want to put up we don't care how many it is it's 50 bucks we're gonna cap it I'm writing it down we're gonna cap it to 15 and it comes with your permit and how much is that the permit F through perit applications for that the big event they do now the police department for the big events they okay okay all right so that's I have a question yes um someone a while ago had given um my husband some information about that you're allowed to have a sign on your lawn like what we're talking about like on little Stakes for up to two weeks without any uh you know author like uh I don't know permit or anything like that is that accurate or were we misinformed because maybe this that may be in the current ordinance because then my question is maybe this might be the next one you're going to but like businesses say like a roofer right if they put it up for two weeks or less while they're actively working on your roof that would be okay right they wouldn't have to pay but if they want to leave it up for 30 days or more then then that's where the the money comes in like to get rid of those professional signs I'm just telling you this is just that's I'm just a messenger from Pat I understand all right garage sale $5 fee for gar G sale permit allow them 10 garage sale signs around town comes with the permit for free because they're are residents and they're trying to get rid of stuff is that okay yeah okay they get 10 with five 10 with 10 for garage sale permit then youve got the small businesses with a date certain event Pat suggested a $25 fee for 10 sides make it the same I guess asit 15 signs for small business event date certain and he also um for $25 permit 15 signs right because it's it's a a little tiny event right it's going to be up for a little bit and he also like getting back to these he'd like them all to go up two weeks before to date certain events whether it's the salsa festival or whether it's a trunk show and coming down is that everybody okay with that going up two week two weeks before the date certain event and then he said not more than seven days he would prefer three to take them down what's your choice he he thought yeah they've got to be able to say okay it's the 20th so it's down the 24th seven days okay seven days May uh how would you distinguish time in the getting some good great guidance on but I would want extinguish from of s for the mass event already in the ordinance with a small businesses that may involve congregation you talk about the salsa does that involve no because the trunk show doesn't need a police permit the salsa event had to have a police both is an example of the last one you said it's also inter only regarding taking signs down and putting them up when they have to do that okay I thought you also included that in the okay that will now span multiple Parts yes it looks like temporal boundary right for everybody looks like it's going to be two weeks before the date certain event and not longer than seven days track that veryy okay okay then the I'm here signs uh come to Joe's you know or I don't know just the on here sign like is that how you pH the time um so where somebody just takes signs and throws them all over town advertising their business bookstore or a restaurant right just small business with no certain date with no certain date just advertising itself um Pat wants to stve at $50 a sign because it is advertising their business without an event I don't right now times you get $50 man well no it's $50 first you don't see like I can tell you right now you don't see any more of them anymore because our our property maintenance officer went after all the businesses that were doing it and they're all gone okay okay all the commercial is so um so you okay with keeping it a 50 sign okay that's not Mar for discuss uh yes and if they do want to do that and pay then again um what's the time period for that sign 30 days 50 bucks for a sign for 30 days I think that's great okay seems really yeah I don't know if it's I it the to it does a very small town and so you have all these sign and think about just driving down the street seeing all these signs on aesthetically it's not great really wants to discourage so Dave Giuliani they really want to discourage all these signs that aren't advertising come to town for this event it's very different yeah I've seen a few recently that are that are you know that have been up for weeks and not cool Tony can I can I inter for a minute Tony I'm assuming you got some feedback from FCP on this no of course yeah I mean like so I'm wondering if you could give us some insight on what their thoughts were because honestly it affects small businesses most no the bottom line is paying $50 per sign it's just to Ste for it's for a small business we're all have agreement of that small business they don't put signs out must there is an event thoughts on what would what what were their thoughts on some of these the the the fees that talk you gotta get a draft of something and I have no problem sending I have no problem sending this over to the FCP but we got to have a draft to do that absolutely I just want to make sure that's what our next step was is that we're not just this meanwhile we got an ordinance on the books that we have a zoning officer having a lot of trouble dealing with it's putting a lot of pressure on our technical assistance in the zoning officer and it's making our property maintenance guy insane so we've got to get this I want to make sure I get this right $50 ass sign to be small business dat certain for the days just was thought here that that was too expensive exactly that's exactly okay so there's that all right I think think that's all the for profit categories okay now we get to what's on people's private lawn and how long they get to keep them there if you guys um Council Council mentioned what about if you got a u a contractor do they are they allowed to have their sign on your property while they're working as a small business because I see I see them similar to the small businesses like on Main Street so I want to but they're not necessarily our small businesses they're not bur they not bur small businesses so can I don't know I I I okay I I I had a plumber at my house this morning and this mother lives on Main Street and he needs to live on on Bloomfield and and and uh and he doesn't live in the town anymore but he's definitely a local guy and my landscaper too I just want to make sure so people are painting houses the right now that not quick so I mean where do you draw theine and that plumber's getting $160 an hour andit business as well so I just want to recognize that they they are small businesses but they are now getting free advertising while charging right a resident for a job it's not like they're saying put up my sign and I'll give you a $50 deduction of your job the small situation trans pain fin makes the big decision to throw sign up um he's got to pay similar someone Sim similarly situated $50 for 30 dayss if they're there for one day right now the ordinance says they have to pay $50 to put that sign even for two weeks or less I swear someone told me that that if it's up to two weeks there's no fee really don't remember what was in there don't remember I would want to check on that you know before I I would say like what the fees should be because I mean if they can put it up for two weeks or less and pay nothing versus we're going to charge them $50 for 30 days it doesn't seem you know there I guess I to draft this for to have Chris draft it and then you guys can I mean we have a we have several weeks before the next meeting so we can you know talk about it again but I just want to get something on paper that you guys can react to and FCP can react to so where are we on the for-profit jobber sign on private property check what Liz said okay if is as she says with a 14 I'll leave it though 14 days free if it's not I'll change it to this you guys can change it again free and then it would go to $50 is that what you're thinking Council woman and then we would also have to determine though like who are we who are we finding if if they're not getting the proper permit is it the property owner who forgot to take it down or is it the the business who should have taken it when they were done with the work you know how does yeah that's what Dave does it's not okay so we're gonna check on 14 days free question mark for U for the roofer okay and then 50 50 long okay okay all right and then there's the the question of what about everybody else all those other signs around people's lawn whether it's graduation or a social statement or a political statement or whatever I I don't I just don't yes I guess maybe I'm not seeing it I absolutely love at this time of the year I mean my child's graduating they're going here still have that 30 days for free yeah but then then we get into like my one neighbor down the street she she has strong opinions and her signs are always clean and neat and she's come of her house for a long time um I'm with Adrian but but no if she truly is she's very active in the climate community and that's always going to be there so can she can she leave it up to 30 days free take it down and put back up 30 days later oh I talked to Pat about that he said there needs to be like a like a 60-day down or 90 90day down or something like that do that up I think if it's not promoting a business and as long as it's not promoting hate or something like that I don't see the problem with you know you know supporting your causes and and things like that well that's okay no no that's all I was just saying I I don't really see the problem with that if people have like hate has no home here you know it's part of our community our our culture you know things that people stand for and if it's on your own property and maintained well you know I don't I don't see the issue but to regulate time speech time spe right so um mostly we've seen like you must have your campaign signs up for you know first 60 days down on two weeks after right have been mostly been upheld they haven't they've been lightly challenged over the years um they have a regulation other so T man I think you because you color your discussion I think messaging I mean I got right I can't get down because it's a nasty message but it's not time the man it's you seen cross from Park yeah I can't say but because we don't have an ordinance in place even if we did have an ordinance in place um you cannot regulate comp yeah neighbors again I would say and you guys know how I can be this more I don't like maning you are GNA have opinions and thoughts that you don't agree with mying business okay like but what about the number of SES I don't think it's the content anybody's talking about you're going cont it's not about content it's about sign the number of signs and how long I don't care about the content I don't think anybody's stressing that number of signs and time is on it because just think again we are 1.7 mil right that's it and so that's so you have all of these signs going on all the time I get it with high school I get it with college I get it with all of that but if it is November and you still have to sign my graduated from high school I mean is it still relevant I think you're you're you're regulating aesthetic and I think we're getting into like a um we're getting into a a neighborhood of like if you put um a flag up for a certain holiday or a certain college or something there two different has nothing to do with the flag it is a sign stick to the problem STI to the situ sounds P saying is what Pat is saying is you know just just just do it for 30 days on private property doesn't care what it is um 30 days on private property that was his suggestion and um you know he also wanted to limit the number down to three per house three signs per house for for those 30 days at the same time one person's clutter is another person I think we're going to be bumping into some residents we G to say well speech trying to may time I know where he's going I know where pet I know hear what pet say yeah so I don't know that the 30day is is the issue um you know maybe it is three months maybe it's whatever um May maybe that's part of the problem is what he's recommending is the time frame I'm just saying um but I hear what he's actually saying and I hear what he's saying because he's doing it excuse me can I make it like why don't we why does everybody think about this maybe have a conversation with P if you want with Dave um and uh what think bringing examples just bring an example so that people can actually see what examples see p Mia black sign white that's on some's yard for a long time that had I'm never going to tell them to take that sign step they can keep that out there as long as they want good point but but then I have to keep someone who says you know anti-war all the time now we have to allow them to keep their sign up enforcement is a vexing issue yeah I've seen it it's not impossible to square the circle but why why don't we start with this have Chris draft something so he can culate to the& you guys think about the long stuff mayor may I also suggest why circulate other that would be great ask one are we liting for the like business signs and everything are we limiting that to certain districts or anything or we like um like if we have like an event going on you know like the cesco we're putting signs out are we limiting those just TOS no oh no no no this is on nonresidential lawns okay so this would be this would be in public eement in Flemington burough so somebody can get a 100 signs and Pokemon private property as well you know you might you know if you're a friend of the fiesta you could have that on your front lawn and then they can go down to R Township and put it all the way around the circle and no it's not limited to anywhere it's just not on their it's on public AGS okay all right so we'll start with this we'll see where we get and at least it can start to fix an ordinance that is what's the word you just use vexing it's a this like when you put there yeah it's a really problematic ordinance way right now and we' got really got to fix it so that's I just make one last comment on this before we I'm more concerned with people who have furniture in the historic district on their outdoor living room furniture as garden furniture that you can see from the street yeah you a neighbor yes there I think I think we already have that okay the other part of this conversation I want get we have a lengthy exec session so I want to get into this other part is We enjoyed a banner here for a long time on Main Street and when we did the beautification program the banner equipment came down off of Main Street and is now gone lost or broken so um councilman Parker and I had a conversation about bringing it back but creating new rules and Rags about the use of that Banner because that is a real Comm we have a real Main Street and it used that the old policy was first come first serve so anybody like from Delaware Township or Readington Township could ask to put a banner across Main Street and if it was approved and then a Flemington event was happening they couldn't put it out so I would um Tony and I talked about uh a priority system in an ordinance that would um create a better sense of fairness for our Flemington business and non for-profits that want have big events as well as some government to government you know if if the free owners are going to have an event on Main Street they would have a their the fee would be waved for this the sign if you're going to have an event a Deer Path and they want to put it on our Banner they would be charged so um I would like to just let you know that I think that the councilman and I are going to work on parameters on this and get it into also into an ordinance form for a discussion on the 15th of July um but we would really like to get that Banner back up uh and find out like what that's going to of course we don't pay for the b or whoever's creating the V does but we have to buy the equipment so champion champion um the reason it was taken down is because it was oh really yeah so we can't go unless we can't go the same place you can go further down by the post office the other thing is is the man to put that up that's yes which would get covered in the sea to hang it because likeed a little others verys do and also it well we talk we but the bottom line is unless we get an easement from yes but we should also have a conversation with the fire department about doing it for donation doesn't have to be our DPW it could be the fire department could do it for a nice yes yes all right so we so no but the B for that bck you know I mean like that like we enjoy Main Street and we should be using that Banner space because it is a real commodity so so um we'll bring we'll bring back um we'll bring back a draft ordinance on the 15th of July with some terms you guys discuss in it and um and that's uh so try to get that going again as well so that's that's it on the work session we're up to public comment session number two anybody has any comments I need your name and address to the record I consider myself a very small business and uh regarding the signs my opinion would be that getting customers is one of the hardest the it's the hardest thing to do um so if I was going to put up a sign for event you mentioned two weeks if I wanted to buy a sign for an event I want it four weeks I need to be 30 days yeah it's the certain that you so 30 days four weeks before two week four week cons we're going to consult with our Z officer and we're going to consult with FCP and that's my that's my opinion uh and myut um and you mentioned the days after you going to talk about that as another whether it's three or seven and it has to come down seven would be better yeah um yeah just don't know what happens in three days um um let's see this one other thing um oh if I were to have a sign if I was working at somebody's house and wanted to put a sign in that person's yard um I also think 30 days is a better um time frame I don't personally do that but two weeks is that's nothing um and as somebody who lives here and works here um you know I would think that I would think that I just think that's reasonable um was the other thing I don't remember I guess right now but um that's that's my input all right uh anybody else from the public seeing none um we don't have those to pay executive session we have one addition uh so I need a motion to go into executive session like topics are negotiations Cardinal CA and Courthouse Square and the number nine exception on years to do this I have I can't remember but it is yeah it's got the most nebulous terminology you've ever heard and Li license except the LI license exception government 35 years never used it so what ordinance for the L License it no it's the executive session exemption exception to go into an executive session it's the number it's the ninth it's the ninth out of nine exceptions and nobody ever invokes it and we're about to invoke it it's it's it's to talk about something without anybody know you're talking about it because it end up in that's that's the translation of it it's the big secret it's a secret it's the secret it's the secret one I just I just disos what it's about so very okay right um okay all right so we're going to go into executive we're going to take a 10minute break 5 minute break depending five to 10 minutes session favor all right we are back in Open Session and I'm going to go back to the agenda to item uh nine consent resolution 2024 102 resolution to renew the buau of Flemington with their licenses plural for the 20242 Li turn I have a motion to approve move a second any discussion roll call please Council angelart yes Council yesc yes council president long yes councilman Parker yes and Council vice president okay can I have a motion to adjourn move is there a second favor right