good evening everyone director Dumont director Duma please keep it down in the back good evening everyone I would like to call the June 18th 2024 Hamilton Township council meeting to order the this meeting is being held with benefit of public notice as required by the open public meetings act Madam clerk will you please call the role Mr Papo here miss Philips here Mr wh here Mr P here Mr Carell here ladies and Gentlemen please rise and join us in the salute to the flag and please remain standing for the invocation i al to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for it stands one nation under God indivisible with liy and justice for all dear Lord we look to you for help and advice renew your grace and your power in our lives so that we may have the light even in the darkest of times help us to be ready to take take anything upon ourselves and serve with all that we have and finally bless our country and Township of Hamilton may we as council members promote honesty and integrity in all that we do we make all these intentions and those in the Silence of our hearts amen amen amen [Music] so we have um before we get into the agenda this evening we have several updates that I just wanted to announce uh just so everyone can note this um these are adding consent agenda resolutions so there's two of them ca24 24-263108 solution consenting to the appointment of John Rainey Jr to the Hamilton Township Zoning Board of adjustments and then there's also CA 254-264 this is a resolution authorizing an Al alternate award full disclosure contract with Hydra pneumatic sales company for service and parts to maintain and repair Smith and Loveless products used at the Hamilton Township and Robins Township pump stations on behalf of the Department of Water Pollution Control this is not to exceed 70,000 there's also an amendment um an amended ordinance title this is ordinance for ordinance number one 24-27 this is an ordinance of the township of Hamilton in the county of Mercer New Jersey providing for various Capital Improvements and related expenses in and for the township appropriating $6,998 therefore and authorizing the issuance of 6,564 357 in general Improvement bonds or notes of the township to finance the [Music] same and can I please have an a motion on the amendments to the agenda someone can I have a second second R call Madam clerk Mr Papo yes M pH yes yes yes yes okay that bring Communications for your consideration we have minutes of April 2nd executive session April 2nd regular council meeting and April 16th regular council meeting does anyone have any questions on the minutes anyone no sir okay we have the table second second it I'm sorry who moved it I oh okay on the motion Mr Papo yes M Phillips yes Mr wh I was absent correct for I I thought okay there's only abent for one meeting I was just making sure yes those Mr Ty yes Mr Carell yes 5 communication C1 is a joint commodation declaring June 2024 is lgbtq pride month in Hamilton Township you have it oh we took it back [Music] sorry Council woman Phils if you could joint Proclamation recognizing June 2024 is lgbtq plus pride month whereas every year cities around the world celebrate the diversity that strengthens our town to commemorate and support SE ual and gender minorities Liberation and whereas the township of Hamilton supports the rights of every resident to experience equality and freedom from discrimination and whereas all people regardless of age gender identity race color religion marital status national origin sexual orientation or disability have the right to be treated on the basis of their value as human beings and whereas the township of Hamilton accepts and welcomes people of all backgrounds and believes a divers population leads to a more Vibrant Community and whereas lesbian gay bisexual transgender and queer communities contribute to the cultural Civic and economic successes of the municipality and whereas Society learns to embrace evolving definitions of sexuality and gender we acknowledge how the need for education and awareness remains vital to end discrimination and Prejudice whereas pride is a time to recall the trials of the lesbian gay bisexual transgender and queer community has endured to rejoice in the triumphs of trailblazing individuals who have bravely fought and continued to fight for full equality and whereas pride is both a jubilant communal celebration of visibility and a personal celebration of selfworth and dignity and now therefore be it resolved by Mayor Jeffrey s Martin and the Hamilton Township Council due hereby name June 2024 as lesbian gay bisexual transgender queer and pride month in Hamilton Township and encourage all hamiltonians to join us in working to eliminate Prejudice wherever it exists and to celebrate our great diversity alongside our lgbtq plus neighbors thank you Nancy joint commodation recognized in June 19 as Jun Freedom Day councilman Ty this is accommodation proclaiming June 19th 2024 as juneth Freedom Day whereas President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1st 1963 declaring the slaves in Confederate territory free Paving the way for the passing of the 13th Amendment which formerly abolished slavery in the United States of America and whereas word about the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation was delayed some 2 and a half years to June 19th 1865 in reaching authorities and African Americans in the South and southwestern United States and whereas emancipation day observations are held on different days in different states in the South and Southwest and in other parts of the nation and whereas June 19th has a special meaning to African-Americans and it's called juneth combining the words June and 19th and has been celebrated by the African-American Community for over 50 years now therefore be it resolved by Mayor Jeffrey s Martin and this Hamilton Township Council that we do hereby Proclaim June 19 2024 as juneth Freedom Day in Hamilton Township and urge all hamiltonians to become more aware of the significance of this celebration of African-American history and in the heritage of our nation and town thank you councilman Ty uh communication C3 is a rece of documentation to update alcohol beverage Li 3 33043 TGI Friday's in trading as TGI Fridays this is amendment to the current application file to update the change in officers council president I move Communications C1 through C3 can have a second I'll second thank you on the motion Mr yes M phips Mr yes yes Mr yes just give you this just wanted to um ex uh personal privilege here for one of the ordinances I forgot to mention at the beginning that was the which was the update to our agenda just so you're everyone's aware in the room we had removed an ordinance that was ordinance number 3 24-29 which was an ordinance authorizing the township of Hamilton to enter into a settlement agreement of litigation and for the agreement for the acquisition of improvements and property commonly known as the White Horse Firehouse so I just wanted to mention that thank I don't know if I'm than you down that we need a motion to accept that change or is that it's not on the it's not on yet okay stop being heard next for your consideration is resolution 24- 233 is a resolution of dedication honoring the late called to scene Council would you like to take the lead on this one appreciate that I'd be honored um this is a resolution of dedication honoring the late coach Paul to whereas Hamilton Township is the hometown of the Lake Paul toine better known as coach toine in the soccer community and whereas the dedication and sportsmanship of Coach toine to the game of soccer has left the legacy of Pride and achievement throughout the state of New Jersey and whereas coach to sc's devoted service to the sport of soccer spans through decades in many coaching capacities such as recreational Le TR Trav Le Reynolds Jr High School Steiner High School coach Olympic development program team and was considered one of the top coaches in New Jersey and whereas coach the scene is inducted into the Mercer County Soccer Hall of Fame in 1997 and also to the Steiner High School soccer uh School Hall of Fame in 2006 and whereas in honor of coach toine for his many accomplishments and the exceptional influence he bestowed onto those he mentored throughout his lifetime we hereby dedicate soccer field number one located at Veterans Park which shall be named the Paul toine soccer field now there be resolved by the mayor by Mayor Jeffrey s Martin and the Council of the township of Hamilton County of merer in the state of New Jersey that the legacy of this great individual live on and be remembered by all who play on this field um that'll be a a celebration of that dedication will happen sometime in September um it's going to be a great honor and many people um um I'm sure will be there that that day for Coach toen I I I had the the privilege of uh of um having um coach toen as a teacher um he advised me against soccer he told me I'd be probably better off wearing a football helmet um but I I do remember coach very well um he guided the 1977 undefeated steinard soccer team which was not only ranked uh number one in the state of New Jersey but it was probably one of the top soccer teams um that year around the country so it's a great honor I know his uh his daughter Paula s paa and her husband uh luren are here tonight um feel free if you'd like to just say word two that be great that be not unlike my father he was here um I haven't done this in a really long time if you could you see your name okay okay Paula uh ttin Shier and again I just want to stand up here to thank the council and the mayor for um bestowing this honor upon my father he loved this town um he loved soccer but he loved Hamilton uh even though he moved away after he retired after 36 years ing um he wouldn't pass a single second to tell someone about his life growing up here so I we really truly appreciate it and just want to say thank you to you thanks and you're welcome you're second one and the second res that the second we going to vote this individual other Council comments yeah I just just want to thank you both for being here this evening um it it seems like uh I'm and I want to thank councilman whan for your help in and and guiding this through um you know tremendous career I looked at some of the some of the uh the numbers here one four state championships five central Jersey crowns six CL CVC titles two Mercer County tournament championship and they were ranked in the top 20 all 15 years of his time as as a head coach pretty impressive um and I'm sure he impacted a lot of young uh individuals here in Hamilton so thank you thank you for being here can I have a motion I'll move it I'll second it roll call on thetion yes M Phils Mr wh Mr Ty yes Mr Carell resolution 224-234 is a resolution of dedication honoring the Robert G Ros okay again as as was stated this is a resolution of dedication honoring the late Robert rosten whereas Hamilton Township is the hometown of the late Robert G rosten better known as coach rosten in the soccer community and whereas the dedication and sportsmanship of Coach rosten to the game of soccer has left a legacy of Pride and achievement throughout the state of New Jersey and whereas coach rosman's devoted ser service to the sport of soccer spans through decades in the capacities where it was playing soccer as a child to playing as an All-Star for Steiner High School to student athlete playing at Ryder college and after graduation played for the Trenton extension Semi-Pro club and the Trent Italians which he he then moved on to assistant coach at Ryder college and whereas coach rosten was inducted into the Steiner High School Hall of Fame the Mercer County soccer Hall of Fame the New Jersey youth soccer Hall of Fame and was also an administrator with the New Jersey youth soccer Olympic Olympic development program and whereas in honor of coach rosan for the many accomplishments and the exceptional influence he bestowed onto those he mentored throughout his lifetime we hereby dedicate soccer field number two located at Veterans Park which shall be named the Robert Roston soccer field now therefore be it resolved by Mayor Jeffrey s Martin and the Council of the township of Hamilton County of Mercer in the state of New Jersey that the legacy of this great individual live on and be remembered by all who will play on this field um also tonight um we have uh coach's family here his wife Mary his uh sister Susan carella and his daughter Amy Coos are all in attendance tonight and um again I know you may feel uncomfortable but if you'd like to say a word or two feel free to come to the mic Susan rostan Carell uh I'm honored to be here my brother would be humble because he's a very humble person and would think this was not necessary but um thank you so much and to the mayor it's um we're lifelong Hamilton residence and this is just a great thing and I'm very honored and for my sister-in-law and my niece I'm happy to be here and it's it's very raw because it just happened recently um but I thank you very much for this honor and we look forward to that celebration of of both dedications Feld that night and look forward to it so they don't know we don't know I don't think they need to be it's up to you guys yeah why not yeah all right it's the resolution it's a resolution resolution do you want to take a quick picture up front maybe is that okay yeah yeah we'll do everybody together yeah everyone together yeah yeah both families sure so why don't you bring both yeah both families up [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Laughter] you're right [Music] yes so um I'm going to open up just for public comment any comments on the resolutions on this resolution for us resolution two um seeing none make a motion yes a second roll call Madam cler motion Mr yes M pH yes Mr yes Mr Ty yes Mr car yes resolution I was just gonna say I was going to say if the families you're you you can stay if you'd like to but you don't feel don't feel obligated you you're not going to hurt our feelings yeah you're not hurting our feelings yes yes in September thank you yes so you guys have opportunity Madam CL go ahead I'm sorry y um so resolution 34235 is resolution of hamt toship County New Jersey supporting Kash 6686 llc's application to the Cannabis Regulatory Commission for a class 2 cannabis manufacturer license and or a class 5 retail license so just for a little bit uh just to summarize a little bit this is for a letter of support uh so that they can bring to the Cannabis Commission um why don't I have uh we have several individuals here uh maybe I'll have have you just speak a little bit on the project if you would like um and uh just give your name and uh that just to give us a summary of the project if you could thank you for having us today is this s yes yeah thank you for having us today we're honored to be heard by Council and the uh the township uh my name is Jerry Feistner I am one of the uh cannabis advisers for Kash and also a member um we would like to propose to have a class 5 dispensary in the town of of Hamilton uh the current project is going to be on 121 Young's Road uh which is currently zoned for cannabis dispensary and or manufacturing and cultivation um we have built out cultivation facilities manufacturing facilities and Retail spaces in multiple other states collectively Kash and the team have about 10 years of cannabis experience um working with municipalities operating in them founding these companies and then some of them had ways with um the other half of our team has about 20 years of specific retail experience um from franchisee ownership all the way up to Executive positions in big box stores such as Best Buy um current lot I believe is acre and a half 1.5 Acres uh it's currently a residential home our intentions are to purchase that home which we're in uh conversations to finalize that purchase um as we speak the lawyers are kind of handling that process for us um but ultimately the goal is either to rehab or renovate the current structure if it speeds up the process or remove the structure come to Planning and Zoning get approval for for a new entity or a new structure to be built that will house retail to start and then phase two would be build and grow into uh potential manufacturing late at a later date okay um we obviously would have parking um security is probably our our highest priority not for our staff but also for the public um highly regulated industry as you guys know so there's a lot of Hoops and um regulations that we have to follow um it's not your typical store where you would think you know in and out you have to show idea to get in it has to be scanned there's certain layers of the dispensary that people can go into and cannot go into uh even from an employee standpoint if you don't need to be in the vault you don't have access to the Vault so it's very very secure in a sense probably more so than a bank um getting through and out um other main priority is just to uh procure and uh distribute safe highquality tested cannabis through the state uh and allow our customers 21 and older to uh you know to come into a safe haven feel comfortable about purchasing cannabis um we're very um strict with our uh training status for our employees when you come in we answer all the questions uh we kind of lean on that as being uh customer service first and product safety and and getting the customers out the door um you want to speak specifically about the property at all sure yeah um good evening my name is Samir Patel I am the retail adviser and a member of Kash LC from the properties perspective it is 1.5 Acres as Jerry had mentioned our intentions are to in the uh first score round uh meet with uh uh our architect present a plan to the Zoning Board in procuring a structure or rehabbing the structure to be able to start off with retail and also outlining where we would like to do manufacturing so the phases will be uh drawn out right in the beginning and present it to the um to the to uh the boards as necessary uh as far as the uh properties concerned we will also uh be making sure that it is a goodlook property we don't want it to look uh industrialized for the most part uh so we'll make sure that it matches the town's master plan and anything that we need to do to make it uh fit to that plan we shall uh do we do have a couple of packets we do have one operating uh in New Jersey currently that's been operating for about four months and we have uh pictures and images of that particular project for you to see and then see the quality of work that we do thank you thank you Samir if you would like to pass that that would be great to councilman thank you thank you thank you any questions from uh Council uh does the location fit our ordinance for the town um you want to speak [Applause] anytime our professionals are here they like to hear from I'd rather pass but that's up to you councilman so uh we issued a zoning uh approval letter to the applicant two days ago okay uh there was some concerns because there was a daycare center I see you looking at your phone on Google Earth so I got an iPad okay um we measur it off we provide all the information to the mayor office either all setbacks okay all right I just want to correct one thing that uh because it is in a proper Zone anything you would do the proper would have to go to planning board thank you director so so or Jerry where is this uh current location in New Jersey is this that I'm looking at right now it's in mville milville okay so oh Belleville okay so just north of Newark yes um as s said we we applied for that permit three years ago um through the state's process it took that long we opened up um end of March and have been operating ever since you know uh infraction free um been growing the business month over month um we're the only entity in Belleville New Jersey so in good standings with you know police leadership the whole nine um one thing that we KN what what we normally do and have done in the past is throughout the buildout process um we like to invite all the First Responders in just so they can see the phases so if there is a if there is a need for First Responders they're not blind walking into the facility they kind of know what room is used for what and where people are okay so you guys will be in lock step with us so uh two quick questions one um how how quickly are is the Cannabis commission seeing these different projects so originally it took about 3 years 3 years uh the timeline has sped up tremendously we're being told that 3 to 4 months from submission that review process you get your your uh your approval we could build out the site 3 to five months um probably try and be on the closer to the three- Monon standpoint um but if we were to submit today figure 3 months review and then another 3 months potentially q1 we'd be rocking rolling for you guys how many employees at the facility um probably between 20 and 25 okay yep that's just for retail um if we when we phase into manufacturing that that number can go up to maybe 40 45 okay all right thank you all all um applicants for the position if you're a resident of Hamilton Township we've taken this approach in other states and other uh municipalities they kind of have like preference to a certain degree um just because we want to keep the business and everything in in the township okay so you're going to try to use local people right for the entire project because I get tired of seeing Arkansas and Alabama license plates when there's people in New Jersey that need yeah all of our contractors Jersey uh Architects Engineers all of our professionals are are New Jersey based well just to follow up What U councilman per said and that's that's good New Jersey okay well we look locally okay locally you know our people that whether they're in the construction industry or people that you may hire people that spend their money here raise their families here we like to see them you know get the opportunities to work on that job from start to finish so all consideration should be taken to play 92,000 people here I'm sure you can find somebody thank you thank you both um I appreciate the introduction to the project so good luck best of luck to you than you good luck for your time thank you thank you for your presentation can I open this up to the public this is resolution 324 d235 any questions comments seeing none Council can I have a motion I'll make a motion on resolution 32 24- 235 have a second I'll second roll call on the motion Mr paparo yes Miss Phillips yes Mr well yes Mr Ty I'm going to abstain Mr Carelli yes this uh resolution 4 24236 is resolution authorizing the issuance of a Hamilton Township pist testing laboratory permit 13- tl- 001001 to Green analytics East LLC for the following years 2021 2022 2023 reedly and for the current year 20124 totaling $7,000 now this project is at uh Ibis Plaza quick Road um I don't think is there anyone here from that Project Director do you want to touch it no okay that's fine well just a quick question this is the testing facility which is complete right so they're looking for their final approval that's all yeah facility was up and running right um we have a special investigator Alysa shreer who found this place on the weekend I don't know what she was doing there I'm not touching there well whatever whatever we we enjoy the due due diligence seriously elista did wander upon it the police we went out investigated a Testing Lab in New Jersey does not uh require local approval just State approval however our ordinance requires any cannabis facility to have U approval by the local body so they went in front of planning board um and uh went back and Char we charged them fees going back to the first year so Allison collected 70 a check of $70,000 last week which is a lot of money coming into our town uh they employ a lot of people they do $3 million worth of business a year um the amount of cannabis they receive is minuscule uh and they test it and it's very valuable for us and and they've already expanded into the adjacent facility so short and sweet thank you thank you director any questions from the public on this 24236 seeing none make the motion to close the public comment portion and move 24-2 36 can have a second I'll second roll call on the motion mrar yes Phillips yes Mr wh yes Mr Ty I'm going to abstain Mr carabell yes1 resolution 5 24- 237 is resolution authorizing the issuance of a one-year Class 2 Manufacturing license to Sun extractions in license number 13- m-002 d001 I mistakenly left off the amount this is $25,000 and this is for 9 South Gold Drive right off for 130 um I think there's a few members here that if you could please come up to the podium state your name and just give us a update you were here before uh yes I remember uh my name is Steve Lis I'm uh the owner of extractions hi Steve good seeing you again um just give us a progress report uh we are 99% done with the buildout just waiting um to get our co uh we've gone through the inspection process we have a few small items we have to U dial in uh and then once we get the CO then we can schedule the final inspection for the CRC excellent and we're hoping probably that's hopefully within 30 days and then we have a 30-day wait after we get inspected okay okay we are any other questions no sir okay thanks I appreciate it sure and sweet um any questions from the public regarding this ordinance ordinance uh resolution uh resolution number 24- 237 seeing done can I have a motion I'll make a motion to um 24237 okay a second thank you a motion yes pH yes Mr yes Mr Todd I'm going to abstain Mr yes moving on to consent agenda items we have items ca1 through ca27 so I just want to give a quick synopsis a quick summary of tonight's consent agenda items um this won't cover everything but it covers most of what's on tonight's agenda there are reappointments to the fund commission uh to the zoning board uh one member and to uh the green initi uh committee there's also anou between the township and the wick that's uh women infant and children um andou between the county of Mercer and the township as it pertains to Community Development block grant monies um and the acquisition through that grant for two vehicles one a passenger van for use by the senior center staff to take seniors to medical appointments within Hamilton and the second a minivan for the Hamilton Health Department nursing staff to do home visits to seniors to provide vaccinations and other other Medical Services the township has a resolution on on tonight's agenda to invest in affordable housing dollars to fund five single family homes along Hunt Avenue uh which is near uh Hamilton little Lads just to give you some uh proximity to where this is located we also have several grants including a clean communities Grant an alcohol education one and cdbg Grant application there is also a resolution for emergency medical services for animal shelter animals with uh prinson animal shelter there's also a contract with two vendors for snow plowing Services I know we're not thinking about snow right now and in 2024 uh through 2025 I think that starts in November of 2024 um through November of 2025 and a special there's also special traffic regulations through our Police Department and finally you will find several refunds and two ABC license renewal resolutions any questions from my Council colleagues on tonight's agenda uh just a comment there are a couple of vehicles on the uh agenda I'm going to continue to encourage the administration to um Electrify our Fleet at every opportunity um it's important that we get away from uh combustion engine vehicles and and convert over to to an electric Fe Fleet as as quickly as possible I understand one of these uh Vehicles is coming to us from the county so we have less control there uh but I'm just going to continue to raise that issue we we do consider it with every vehicle purchase and depending obviously what we're we're using it for so and we're still waiting on some of the vehicles that are electric that are coming to it one of them being that trash truck so we're looking forward to that early stage and slow going with the manufacturing so it is it is but that's with everything so we'll take it that big large truck will be a good test I also just make one comment to Madam clerk I'm going to have to abstain from cdbg uh one for the one for two vehicles uh cuz I was I'm intricately involved in that process through the county that would be 241 yes correct any comments from the public regarding tonight's consent agenda I'm sorry your mic7 your mic I don't ever turn my mic oh you don't I have a big mouth 24 247 the uh $65,000 for the shelter is that going to be that's for the animals for the overcrowding I believe this is for emergency Serv for emergency housing for emergency services not for the housing of them this is for when they come in the intake if they're always evaluated and many of them are not in good shape not always in good shape what's the um what's the status I know we were you know deemed overcrowded it is overcrowded and there been any Improvement there there's been a lot that they've been working on so one of the things that um the shelter has looked into is alternate housing for that so we uh currently have 10 of the dogs sheltered at a kennel and we'll do that for some time um in order to try to alleviate and and that doesn't mean that the the cages that are freed up in the shelter that we're going to fill those then right we've also stopped taking drop offs uh which was causing a lot of um issues because they're not always dropped off and they're not always from Hamilton and so we were experiencing that so we think that'll cut down a little bit on that um then we're also um we've increased the Staffing so we have a part-time um animal attendant that we're uh going to start on full-time hours uh for uh an ex you know at least 3 to six months uh while we work through this and you also eliminated the adoption fees that's good yes we did that and um we also have an intern that's there that's working on things like looking at alternate housing uh opportunities and also going back over all of our applications for fostering to see if there was any that may be still interested that never that fostered before or had didn't get an opportunity to Foster and that might still be interested so um we also uh are bringing in another um animal behavioralist to help with the evaluations of the animals that are coming in and also do some um some training with the animals so that we're hoping to get them you know enough care um especially with an overcrowded situation that's what pulls at right the the Staffing levels that we have so um they're making lots of um changes over there and and opportunities to kind of address this you know we've had situations before where we've had a large census but but never for this extended period of time so we want to you know try to at least um keep on top of it and then hopefully you know find ways to kind of uh get that back down to um a reasonable and manageable level for the current staff so I think you guys can speak more on this than than us because you guys have been here longer right but you saw how bad it was and compared to that where we are now is you know Head and Shoulders above MH just tough when you know you're full you have nowhere yeah I'd say the big difference is in the accountability uh in documenting what's happening in an accurate way um you know sometimes you can't help these they're beyond the control of any staff member how many animals are going to come through the door Y and uh we've tried more for the social media presence and things like that and even uh reaching out for for donations because the costs are are you know going straight up as well we just even need uh more cages and so we don't always have that and so we're looking into additional funding as well um for things like the food costs you know we want to make sure that we're um we're at least trying to address some of the additional costs and we're also going to be visible at the 4th of July uh July 1st fireworks okay is our uh is our grant company is there any possibility they can find anything also maybe some state or federal some type of Grants maybe that would help us out that's a good suggestion we'll reach out to them again I think we did early on but um you know it wasn't it's it's more of a crisis now as well so we'll reach out to them again um but some of the funding for the additional costs that's what we're looking to is even some of the existing grants like arpa funds might be able to be used for some of this is there uh thank you councilman P can we point our finger to any reason why this we're seeing such an up yeah the animals Nationwide if you read the articles I was just reading one earlier a lot of during the pandemic a lot of people were home all times so they bought dogs now they're not home anymore dumping the dog and it's it's not fair you didn't buy the dog for a year you bought the dog that's why some of the grant funding might be available because they do think it's as a result of maybe not all of it but a good portion of it as a result of this is an effect one more effect from from the co pandemic okay any other questions from Council on tonight's uh consent agenda how about from the public Mr Hoy you're standing a while you're were stretching out go ahead ho Country Lane so I just want to thank the township for considering electric vehicles and the Town Council it's very positive um my question would be also do we have a charging station for Township vehicles for for electric vehicles I believe with the new the new vehicle that we're getting it also is coming with a charging station of you know uh so that's the one for uh public works yeah and and again looking forward we don't have the complete plan in place but as we come to a new Municipal complex we're certainly going to make sure that we have plans for that as well great so would there be any possibility for grid batteries at the or a battery storage for the new facility for the new town hall has it been discussed at all so one of the things that uh we're looking at is um the entire property is going to be stubbed out to for Chargers so um so that we can uh eventually have a 100% electric Fleet right of vehicles uh we are also going to stub it out to have solar over uh the parking lot um so those are the measures that are being taken I haven't heard any discussion of the batteries that right you were talking about so they would be Just Energy backup kind of like a generator so with that form of of energy backup the other thing is uh the as an example for a grid battery consider form energy it's a iron air battery uh producing out in West Virginia so it's not a lithium ion it's very stable and the other thing is as far as the animal shelter the they're going to bring in occasionally an animal behaviorist well we have one currently okay but we're we're have we're bringing another one in I don't think it's fulltime it's I think it's part-time to help would that would that include humans Jesus was F okay anyone yes [Laughter] Lisa I'll be Lisa Williams Brer Lane I just have a question am I allowed to ask questions about what Mrs mono brought up about the shelter for clarification yes it's all tied to the consent agenda go ahead um we have 10 dogs we've moved to alternate housing at the kennel so that's good news to hear that we're finding places for them but how will anyone know if they're coming to the shelter to meet a dog that they've chosen to meet one that is not physically located at the shelter like how is that known well it it certainly provides you know I mean or or makes for a little bit different process right so and I think again if somebody shows up they'd have to end up making an arrangement for them to meet whether it's bringing the dog that they are interested in Back to the shelter or even you know I don't know if it's possible to go out to the uh facility and and meet with them out there can can they bios or profiles of those 10 dogs all be modified to start with thank you for considering during this dog due to overcrowding we've had to move it off site please contact us so if you're interested in this dog we can bring it back just so that we don't create a bad customer service experience for someone right now shelter is swamped so we don't want them to come to our shelter and have a bad experience and go to somewhere else it's nice you're adopting but please adopt our dogs good point good point I didn't completely hear uh council president carabell what you were referring to about the July first fireworks on the shelter I I didn't I oh I'm sorry I apologize I said we're also going to be visible at the July 1st at the animal shelter we have a presence there we're going to have dogs there we're have dogs there at the fireworks well I don't know what they're planning on at the fireworks at the beginning at the beginning of the event okay but yeah no no my dog yeah yes yes maybe should yeah you're right Lisa maybe we shouldn't have dogs at the no but at the beginning I think they traditionally do don't they no if I remember correctly at at some community events maybe it's October F firor that's too late for them anyway they go home you're right good point and then we have eliminated drop offs yes do we have animal control coverage sufficient to go pick them up and are the police going to pick up dogs after hours cuz we've heard many times that the police can't put them in their vehicles because that takes the vehicle out of service because they put a dog in it it has to be clean so logistically how is this going to work so that legitimate Hamilton found Strays end up at the shelter and not stuck at somebody's house put back out on the street cuz they can't hold them well it's I don't think it's changing at all right I I don't think this changes anything really other than they're not allowed to come and just come directly to the shelter and drop off an animal if a if a a stray is found it's the same process if they're able to contain the Stray then they do that until an animal control officer can come and and collect the animal um and I don't believe that police currently transport so they do have them again if they can document that they're it's a legitimate stray found in Hamilton and the police have them often transported themselves to the shelter and they meet them there so that's still a public drop off so we're still going to allow that it is but it's a little bit different um than just having them show up and you know you know we've had a lot of different kind of odd drop offs where they're they come to bring it in but they you know it didn't come from Hamilton so when they're denied or turned away we find it you know just tied to the lamp post and other things which is awful um so we're we're trying to kind of get away from that and getting away from people coming to the shelter to just drop off so they're really going to have to communicate with uh with the the animal shelter Andor After Hours the police uh to arrange something thank you Lisa anyone else wishing to comment on the cons J yes good afternoon Council good afternoon even my name is Leroy am from uh ca52 24-24 to mhm yes okay everybody there yes yes we are uh on the lot U I think it said very low very low and low income so could you explain the the the dollar amount that that the home is going to cost the reason being I'm trying to get my daughter out of my [Music] house well these aren't built just yet so you may done a little however well she are these are three bedroom homes um they're going to be built um they're single family they're also um going to be built by Homefront they've done projects before they're doing another project um within the county in I believe Ying so um they have experience uh building these types of projects I really can't I really don't know what that price tag is going to look like right well I'm I'm looking at the 2023 affordable housing Regional income limits by household size so I don't I don't know if 24 is out has been out yet but at least we have a fairly good idea so for uh Mercer County we're in Region 4 uh for a three is a three person three bedroom three bedroom so let's say three person gosh hold on need to expand out um so for a three person very low is 3 5,000 um low is 58,000 for four person it's 39,000 is very low uh for low is 65,000 4 and a half person 4 and a half I don't know if that means it's a baby that's I used to I used to call my baby is half a person um well let's go to Five person um 42,000 is very low 70,000 is low so it's usually a percentage of the median income of of the region and it depends on the number of people depends on the number of don't quote her right there thank you Mr ases um be before we take further comment I just want to recognize um our assembly woman's here in attendance uh tenel McCoy thank you um anyone else wishing to comment on the consent agenda this evening seeing no further comments can I have a motion I'll make the motion no go ahead that's it all right council president um I'll make motion to close public comment and move on consent agenda items ca1 through ca27 I'll second a motion R call Mr yes M Philip yes Mr wh yes Mr Ty yes Mr Carabelli yes the exception of 241 yes thank you madam clerk for remembering that mov on second reading and public hearing ordinance 124 g023 ordinance amending and supplementing the code of the town of panon New Jersey chapter 485 vehicles of traffic Article 2 parking section 45-9 handicap parking this is three appealing spaces established at 18 bmar by ordinance 2156 16 Charlotte by ordinance 24002 184 Main Street by ordinance 20-8 and 434 Schiller Avenue by ordinance 20day 002 any comments from my Council colleagues seeing none any comments from the public [Music] council president seeing no members of the handicap parking yeah see no members of the public wishing to comment I move that we close the public comment portion and move ordinance 1 24- 023 on second reading I'll second it roll call Mr Papo yes M pH Mr Mr carel yes 5 ordinance 2 24-24 amending and supplementing the code of the township P Jersey chapter 485 vehicles and traffic Article 2 parking section 48519 handicap parking establishing spaces for 18 B Mark avenue 179 Main Street and 1126 way street any comments from my Council colleagues I I'm just wondering what we just repealed 18 yes the the the permits are to a person so the previous one was probably for a different person than the new person who's living in the same house I don't know if they're the same family or it's the house changed ownership okay thank you good question councilwoman Phils I usually just gloss over that so I appreciate that um any any comments from the public on this ordinance seeing none council president I'll make a motion to move on ordinance 24-24 okay have a second second loc call Mr yes Philips yes Mr wh yes yes Mr Carelli yes [Music] 54025 is ordinance amending and supplementing the code of the township of pamp New Jersey part three land legislation chapter 577 storm water control and repealing this rce chapter 577 in its entirety Mur and Madame Council people this ordinance is a model ordinance provided by the njde we have been advised that there was not any requirement in the state regulations for storm water control or to go through Municipal review nevertheless we've received uh correspondents for attorneys who've sued the township of the past on behalf of their client therefore in an abundance of caution and to avoid the cost of litigation to the taxpayers of the township of Hamilton I would recommend that the body that this body table the second reading and uh pass a walk-on resolution uh referring the model ordinance to the planning board for their review and then we can we can have the second reading in July do we have that resolution prepared we do the Madam clerk has it okay I'm fine with that uh how my Council colleagues feel about that I don't have an issue with that no okay can we get a copy of the resolution oh of course it's is it on the uh it's on agenda that you the U new agenda yes it's after the ordinance refer Bo it's the same basically it's the standard resolution except with two addition paragraph that said this is a a uh model ordinance from the from njd they want us to pass it um and so therefore but in abundance of caution basically we're referring refer it to the planning board planning board okay table the ordinance and continue it to the next meeting for July 16th I make a motion that we table the ordinance and continue it to the July 16th meeting I'll second roll call Mr yes M Philip yes Mr wh yes yes Mr carabell yes 5 sorry ordinance 4 24026 is an Ord ordinance amending and supplementing the code of the Town ACC New Jersey chapter 550 L development any questions for my Council colleagues on this one 24-26 no sir any questions from the public seeing none to close the public comment motion and move ordinance 4 24026 on second reading I'll second that roll call Mr Papo yes M pH yes Mr yes Mr yes Mr Carell yes next we have ordinance 124 g027 an ordinance of the township of hilon in the county of merch New Jersey providing for various Capital reled expenses in and for the appropriating 6, 99,8 therefore and authorizing issuance of 6,564 357 in general Improvement bonds or notes of the township and finances SC this is first reading and introduction council president I move ordinance 24-27 on first reading have a second second roll call Madam clerk Mr capero yes M Phillips Mr wh yes Mr Ty yes ordinance 2 24028 is an ordinance amending and supplementing the code of the township of Hamilton New Jersey chapter 485 vehicles and traffic Article 2 parking section 48519 handicap parking establishing a space for 27 subtle Avenue first reading an introduction can I have a motion on 24-28 I'll make a motion to introduce on first reading ordinance 2 24-0 28 a second roll call Mr Papo yes M Philip yes Mr wh yes Mr yes Mr Carabelli yes 5 resolution 24265 this is a resolution referring the proposed amendments to the code of of Hamilton New Jersey part three land use legislation chapter 577 storm water control to the Hamilton Township planning board for review to njsa 4455 26 can I have a motion on this resolution public comment I'm sorry he wishing the comment from the public regarding this resolution this is just referring what we just talked about to the planning board okay can have a motion yes council president seeing no comments from the public I'll close the public portion and move ordinance resolution 24- 265 I'll second that roll call Mr Papo yes Miss Phillips yes Mr wh yes Mr Ty yes carel yes yes is [Music] 5 that brings us to comments from the public let me see if have anyone on tonight's list okay he left I don't see him left yeah anyone else wishing to comment from the public sorry assembly no Mr lery oh Leroy I'm sorry I thought it was a toy I apologize Leroy Mr asames you're up first s sorry it happens good even again for God and Country uh I just wanted to say thanks to council for doing a good job I have been here in a while because my post is closed tonight so here I am we're happy to have you we're happy to Happ you down get home I don't know how it's going to be when you get home and your finds you out when youut you be live on YouTube tomorrow watch I hope there not on the recording oh it is go ahead anyway I just like to know the from on bordon Avenue from leita Street to Mary Street that Canal who responsibity is that to keep it clean cuz right now we're not in a flood zone if keep coming up like it like it's going we going to be in a flood zone because the the people across the creek that on the yard over there the fences falling down into the creek and it just creating a mess Mr angel I understand that he he probably fall on some type of Grandfather Claws and stuff that's fine but I just want him to try to clean his s up and put a new fence or something where is itue right between Lita and Mary streets oh it's a canal it's a canal it's it's allegedly a canal but it's very small it's not like on on the scope of run it's it's very small look I'm looking at the map right now we're going to have to see who owns that so who's responsible for maintaining it we have to look into it thank you we'll check it out because because the township was out there today and I asked the young man like all he cut was just just along the rail and I said what about all the bushes over there he like that's where well I guess get no answer from him to you all right we'll check it out it might not be something that the township owns and and has to maintain so the workers really just doing what they were assigned to do that day right and uh but we could check it out and see thank you um who's responsible and if it's somebody else's responsibility and it's in disrepair or offense we can we might be able to do something there as well thank you violation okay thank you Pat thank you thank you Mr ases anyone else wishing to speak from the public yes good evening my name is Tony McCoy I live at 606 Asen pink Boulevard I've been there for over 44 years these are my neighbors and we have a problem in 2018 right before my husband passed away a young boy was told to meet some people there they assassinated him through his body into the creek his mom is there like three or four times a week we're asking for more lighting it's so dark back there all of us have extra lights on our homes I'm a widower my neighbor she's a widower we have another widower down the street I asked her to come tonight and we have a guy further down that's a widower also my neighbor she had a p removed from her was all in the wires there and was attacked in the wires and things were happening the big Ro had come up in the sidewalk was all bumpy if you walk there you're going to fall down so we asking for more lighting across the street it's called Wetland I work for de D and it's supposed to belong to them but we have a lot of animals back there and it's so much so dark there they barely clean up the trees are rottening they're falling they came a couple of times and they cut trees back and stuff some limbs but it need to be done better we got big bug insects that comes up and she's a gardener she's out there a lot gardening and these bugs are flying around you don't want to get bit by one you know what you're getting bit by um I've been like I said 44 years seen quite a few Mayors and people come through been acing and acing ask we asking please do something about this lighting the little children that they walk around now tree limbs are falling we don't want them to get hit on the election day I came home I worked on the PO I came home my neighbor she's getting her husband out of the car he had F his ankle all of a sudden a big tractor trailer comes from over there I guess um Amazon back in the back there knock light Po lighting wir is down my next door neighbor they have two little small children a 2-y old and a foury old they came outside on the porch the wires was on the porch it could have got electrocuted so we asking please more lightings trees cut back because the limbs are rottening and they're all in the wirings Mrs McCoy who came out uh to cut back the trees was it P was it the utility company we asked they we asked for psng they say I got to come from you guys we can't do the township came out okay so it did a little bit last year at some point yeah I remember okay all right um well I I appreciate you bringing this to our attention I know that there's been a few emails that I've received over the last few days on this topic uh so um uh Kathy do you have any update that so I I think we need somebody to go out again right and I want to take a look at the the trees because if you have trees that are overgrown or trees that are blocking the lighting in any way I think we can trim them up again because if I looked at some last correspondents from a couple years ago and they've done it a few times but you know a couple years in between um so maybe we try to do that on a regular basis to keep them clear so that and it had seemed to help with the lighting but as far as adding more lighting and I know that the Public Works director has been out there and I don't know if he spoke to you Mrs McCoy but um I do know that he did uh review the situation and they they seem to think that it's a a a small enough area I think it's about 400 ft along the street and there's three currently three street lights there that are spaced apart one's at either end and one's and more in the the center of the street so I don't think they're looking to put additional Lighting in at this point but I think if we can uh maintain some of the the trees and and look to make sure that they're not in disrepair the lights um that we can maybe make it a little bit better for you uh and we'll see and I wasn't aware of the other areas that are overgrown um that you're talking about but we can have them check all of that out something else when you come from Seventh Avenue turn on to aspect on the right is a light there yes that light is turn the guy on the side that he has at his back gate in the front of his house if that light was turned a little bit and a brighter B in it that would be a lot better because that tree right there a big tree right over top of it out that was taken care of and another thing when that building caught on fire yeah we had so many people coming back they were grocery CS pulling stuff out and with us with the like like there they kind way with taking lot out that building I SW my own really yes I don't know somebody else maybe this is their expertise but is there a a brighter bowl that we can put in because you know some neighorhood they have them bulbs and then you see some are brighter and I know that there's obviously reasons is there maybe something that we can do instead of adding a pole can we um add a brighter type ble we will take a look at that and in other areas of the township we've been actually uh changing out and changing the LED lights which are supposed to be more efficient that way as well um and brighter so we'll we'll check into that as well okay thank you I appreciate is it all right if when they come out there they reach out to you Mrs McCoy okay got my number call me we do okay thank you m McCoy there too yes all right very good thank you for your comments this evening yes I'm sorry if you wouldn't mind no if you wouldn't mind come on up come to the mic yeah come on step right up this is like the is right except you don't win no M no you don't win7 mik Avenue this corner corner of miky and as B I have a question when we start clean mess after fire this old factory because I have a sidewalk block everything this dust this dark wi at my house I I spent a lot of money on house and next year have to be done again this every one month have to be clean sidewalk everything FR CS railings everything I uh I asked for um almost a monthly or weekly weekly check with our I feel bad for director Dumont and and also and another spending water on from to my all my property and this water go to next property water standing sometimes 48 hours is it because uh uh poor drainage houses in no no drain okay and that's on acid pink yes cor okay behind where okay this is big problem I have a driveway I have a water come to drive from Street okay sometime this the property in question is under just to address that the property in question is under um legal it's under so State there's it's several layers um the state and we have told the property owner what needs to be done in order to clean it up he has not done those those requirements in terms of doing a specific cleanup plan for the materials on the product on the property instead what he's done is he sued the township um we are fighting back and we um we we expect to be successful uh the state though is very clear about what he had to do and the and the and the paperwork he had to F fill out and the and and um the processes he had to follow and he has done none of those so uh it is under it is a privately owned property though so at this point it's in litigation as for the investigation about whether it's how the fire started that is almost done and there will be um public announcements about what their findings were once once they finish this ra was tring for 20 years my longer all the time was big and my husband the thank you appreciate your comment yes Jen know this this oh I'm sorry hello I'm sorry I just called are you okay Janice okay thank you yes so you if you could state your name for the record hi my name is ratna parisher I we are neighbors okay and I live in the same area 608 asard I'm not a very good speakers I'll be very short okay that's fine um so um particularly where I live the sidewalk there was a big tree which we got rid of so sidewalk is all slanting it's crooked and it's for for like you know children small children when they ride the bike and they go over it every time I I'm seeing from my window I'm scared like they going do they're going to break their bones today okay because what's the address 608 as so are you on the I see okay yeah we neighbors we are we live next to each other so it's like a three four uh slabs they like you know they're sinking into the um ground and uh that's the spot the children right you know they go over summertime so uh every time like you know they go over and if I'm watching them I'm really scared you know Kathy it's it's unfortunately the property owner's responsibility for sidewalk right it is yes so unfortunately it's this the sidewalk repair and maintenance of the sidewalk is the responsibility of the adjoining property owner so it's unfortunate but that's the case we ask somebody asking 5,000 yeah I I know it's not that's a lot so yeah and also like you know when we I don't know if it is Trenton or Hamilton when we make a right turn on MB from Asen from Enterprise that road is all broken like sometimes I feel I'm going to um my car is going to break I think that's Trenton all the way down there that's not no it's uh that's right where Hamilton Trenton and Lawrence all come together so it's a little that's little confusing but that is Trenton that is in Trenton that's in the municipality of uh Trenton that is the city of Trenton stre it is I knew that intersection fairly well like you know every time you make a right turn you feel like you're to stop here right so that was like but I'm responsible for that the I thought that was my main concern and besides that the lighting in I I appreciate your comments thank you thank you all yes Janice Janice [Music] ganic I still have to introduce myself J GL 32 Avenue Heights okay um we had you had went out and looked at the drain you said they looked at it the orange drain so it's just going to stay the same I swear I'm sorry Janice can you can you help me catch up the orange drain what are we talking about where catch patients in her neighborhood oh talked about the colors the street yeah and all the other ones there from God know the street and I every when I get up to go out and go there it is if I wasn't awake I am now okay and then somebody also had said and do that the problem having so many warehouses do they get a break for building a warehouse a break no no people thought maybe that's why there's so many fighting it no I think I mean just overall the the I think that you know businesses in northern Jersey and in Philadelphia saw Central Jersey has a ripe area for that type of development especially with um every everyone buying product online and things like that there has to be somewhere to actually house that product so and the rates and the um fees that were being charged are less uh honorous on the business owner probably in around central New Jersey now that's shifted a little bit because obviously the market shifted but U we've seen a dampening the market a little bit from my Economic Development perspective that that's what I see but I you the only the only exception was the duck Island uh the former coal Burning uh Power Plant there that was a contaminated property the developer agreed to come in and remediate that property and uh you know create a taxable U entity we we did a pilot there so that's the only exception otherwise we're we we're not doing anything to attract devel they're all going up or it's something but well it's our location it's proximity to the highways Highway access and we're always proud of our Highway access now it's attracting and I hate to bring it up that one's still going up in conium that 40 truck one that one is know that yeah there's litigation there right no the litigation is done but I don't they haven't been acting on it so I don't I yeah I'm you know what number is that is that orange uh piece of metal what what house is thatare it it's across the street from 432 432 and 446 it's between the two of them next uh used to be white Po and Supply okay and the last one is if there's an abandoned property who's in charge of cutting the grass I mean if the people move or or if they move out and because there was one in my neighborhood but then somebody just bought the house but there's one up on East State Street Extension by nor Pro Circle right before you go to 295 and all the houses there are so beautiful and there's this one on the corner with grass all over the place and you're thinking isn't somebody I mean if so take care at least cut the gr so there's there's several lay there's actually several answers and several layers to your question okay um generally a property owner is always responsible for the maintenance of the of their property now if they're abandoned property they should be registered with our with our housing department and then someone who is still responsible for for the property whether it is the mortgage holder the a tax sale certificate holder somebody who has an ownership interest in the property somehow is then responsible and we can if they're registered then we can contact them if the house is in foreclosure um the bank is responsible for for upkeep if we own the property or if I'm going after the property then we're kind of responsible for the for the for the cutting so it depends on the on on where it is who owns it who who whether it's being lived in whether there's mortgages or tax certificates on it so sometimes we we the our first line of defense is we look at our housing inspectors look at it we look up on on property records who owns it we send a notice of violation hopefully they cut it if not then there's a ticket a summons we go to court and then it starts the process that I'm involved and housing involves and Mr Duman is involved and then we we work sometimes yeah sometimes we cut it because it's a danger and then we put a lean on the property so there's as I said that it's it it depends on the situation it certainly is not simple it is to say the least that's that that's that's what keeps our office busy why there's two lawyers you're not bored okay thank thank you Jenice anyone else wishing to uh comment from the public yesil McCoy uh 135 Moffet Avenue so Catherine you made a comment and as far as someone from Public Works came out on AET pink Boulevard I would really recommend that they actually come out at night so roughly around 9:00 after 9:00 p.m. so then you can see when you're coming directly down 7th Avenue and that you're making that right like on AET tank it is completely like pretty much almost pitch black so that would be super helpful if they could actually come out during that time so we really appreciate it and then last thing and this is probably like a count Township Hamilton Avenue Liberty the county they put up the new light on Hamilton Avenue crazy amount of traffic that we have do you guys know what I'm talking about newly configured know what I'm it's it's it's ridiculous it's really the one at new um at the Crossroad that light Johnson it's called Johnson yeah there's there tends to be a backup on Liberty I've noticed School backup on Liberty so we going to have a conversation with the county they need to open that back up cuz it's like it's way too much traffic and then what you end up hitting traffic on like Olden Hamilton Avenue gets traffic and then when you're coming through here so but thank you guys so much and appreciate your hard work thanks for dropping by for coming who owns the uh property across from the houses on ASM pink do we own it which one who owns the property where the the woods the along the creek who owns like so on on as yeah she was works at d i no I think I think it's it's probably just it might be private might be privately owned I know done there are multiple I think there are multiple Parcels along that stretch so if you looked at that map is the water backing up because I I can't get into the creek because all that is so overgrown I don't know so that's what we have to have them check out storm water piece when they go out as well and all the copper heads don't forget all the copper heads that are there is that right oh yeah do they bite the the other problem is they won't bite you but they'll bite us all that contamination is there from the fire and everything that's down in cada at this point what it's down in cada at this point yeah getting that creep it's it's okay anyone else wishing to come in from the public yes Steve Steve play wolf pack Road I want to talk about the the new uh shelters policy of no drop offs and I understand where that's coming from or what's driving that but there is a reason to reconsider that one the the shelter staff um has done a pretty good job when people bringing in animals that they shouldn't be bringing to the shelter for whatever reason of catching those people and documenting it when those people no longer come we can no longer document that we can no longer hold anybody El accountable and the and it becomes the same scenario you have with um you know with owner surrenders do we take them or do we not take them uh and if you don't take them the person drives halfway down the cruiser this is going to be the same scenario those animals that previously came to the shelter with somebody for whatever reason bringing them here and we know um neighboring areas are driving some of this those those people are doing probably what they think is best to a a shelter who's earned a better reputation at this point uh that's the going to be taken care of if we're telling them don't come anymore now they got nowhere those animals are going to and they will more than likely still dump them in Hamilton Township so now somebody has to go catch that dog and it's still coming to the shelter but now we don't know where it came from um so now we're definitely stuck with so it might be worth reconsidering the ramifications of telling people do not bring in we'll have a discussion with them because you make good points but and again and I think you understand why they did that to begin with it was really to stop uh non Hamilton animals from coming into the shelter because they're so overcrowded I also think it's only a temporary thing because while we're trying to get through it's now at crisis level really for the overcrowding there right and over capacity so I think it's temporary I didn't get an idea of when or if that was going to change so I'll have the discussion with Kathy again I said even temporary you're just shifting the problem to now now you have to send an AC out to catch that dog um and that's that's assuming Steve that's assuming somebody from out of town is going to come into Hamilton and drop it off in Hamilton if they're going to drop it off they can just drop it in their own they can just open a door anywhere and let it out we're now you're assuming they it's a what if we don't really know the answer they can yeah right which is part of my point we won't know anything then at least now when they come in like I said the shelter set has caught several people you know that takes them much more time and it takes the attention away from the other animals that are there and so they wanted to cut down on that I mean doing that kind of investigation and have turned people away and they do go out and then just dump the animals somewhere else that we usually if it's in Hamilton we go out and get it you know so let me just understand this if if a dog is dropped off let's say from you because they have their own animal shelter would would um would we just say to them please if you're looking to hand over the dog please do that at in Township go to a different go to your your shelter in your town and and some do and some will go you know and we know for a fact so I'll stay here these dogs you some of these dogs have come from Tren people don't want to take the dogs at train shelter they will come here they told no they will drive down Sil an Avenue and drop the dog and the shelter staff has has been diligent because when you're bringing a dog in stray or Surrender you have to provide some some identification they're still doing an animal the disservice so there's they're doing their job they're getting the the identification of the person sometimes it's even fast enough to get a picture of the dog so when it gets dumped somewhere we know where that dog came from it does take some extra work but we may think that this this is temporary but we have no control over the situation next door and that's what's driving is um but at least if we can start showing that is what the problem is then we can we can start to hold um people responsible in Che for that that's another whole ball of wax so you know but I I get your point so we'll having more discussions with with Kathy and Chris about that just going through unprecedented the real problem I mean look I read an article earlier today that was referencing Rhode Island Illinois Washington DC so this is not a Hamilton problem it's an everywhere problem yes so what's the answer right you want us to keep taking dog and and I'm not I'm I'm you know we have a lot of spirited and friendly conversations and that's why I'm asking you what's what's the answer what's the answer to not having every shelter from Illinois to DC to Rhode Island to New Jersey what's the answer to not having them all overcrowded that that requires more verifiable facts of what what the issues are and I don't think there's a singular issue that created this that's a politician's answer give me I will give you so so I can tell you we've heard for a lot of times that you know the amount of animals being turned in postco is so much greater than pre-co I can tell you that is absolutely false I can tell you for Hamilton it is actually less I can tell you in October of last year we saw a a up Tuck and intake in our shelter that coincided directly with Trenton kicking volunteers out of their shelter and saying not letting anybody in to see any dogs I can tell you that also happened in June 2022 so those are issues now is Trenton affecting the entire easn SE no but what can we do for our shelter um when we get in 30 dogs in a month how long does it take to get them ready for adoption is it taking too long because evaluations or paperwork or getting them online is it taking too long long because they need to be spayed or neuter and has that taken too long because there's a shortage of vet services so it's not a politician's answer there are a lot of things that go into this even though the year-over-year intake is lower are they coming in Huger spikes so sometimes we do we had you like I said June 2022 we went up um we had 40 I think in a month and we went over our capacity and it took us most of a year to get below capacity again and then right after that in October we saw another another huge fight and that's unusual for October so that's and we've been over capacity since October so why is it taking us so long to recover is there less available adopter in the area maybe um we would are are they less because they're adopting from other places are they coming in from transport from out of state is the fact that Trenton hoarded dogs for a year and a half and hits these spikes where they're like okay we're going to try again and they start getting these dogs out in homes and they're stealing adopters not stealing but taking up adopters from from Hamilton we don't know if that was the case we'd see an increase in pet population in Hamilton but we can't see that because the only indicator of that would be dog licenses and we know that dog licensing wasn't effectively um enforced and that actually we know in 2020 when the prices was raised the number of dog license here went down we were slowly getting back up to still less than where we were in say 2016 but we don't know what the hell goes on in Tren they don't enforce anything they licensed 500 dogs last year so we know they' got more than that cuz they take in more than that in their shelter every year um so there's a lot of mechanics and we can't control them all but if we can get some data hey why are they coming in our shelter you know we're doing everything else right in Hamilton why are we in inheriting these dogs now from Trenton and again why are we taking so long to get dogs out I do know that we we are taking too long to get some dogs ready to be adopted for whatever reason and there are probably a multitude of issues that can be there those we can control but we can't identify any of that without actual facts and some of those facts come from people showing up in the shelter with identification for a dog they shouldn't have when they have to now go out and pick up the dog we know nothing about it um and then we just inherit that problem so thanks for the yeah that insightful thanks thanks Steve yes Miss Williams Le Williams Brer Lan I'm going to to also comment on things that Steve has commented on I would really like to see this new animal control blackup drop offs be re-evaluated I understand why they're doing it but it's wrong you know when someone brings in a dog there's no way I mean if you do a lot of research you might be able to find that it crossed into Trenton but I'm just going to give you an example from many years ago of a dog that Steve and I both knew and were part of the effort to coordinate finding him so Boston he was a hound mix brown eye blueee was uh the owner brought it to the shelter to surrender it on the Saturday and was turned away well look at that half hour later they get a call there's a dog running loose in the Kmart Shopping Center so Animal Control goes out brings it back to the shelter the employees like yeah that dog they tried to surrender it this morning I turned it away so they dumped it so Boston eventually got adopted to a home behind Hamilton Marketplace within a couple of days he escaped his his yard ended up in milstone point is in just a couple days and we were coordinated the reason he was recovered or even anybody knew where he was is because the volunteers moved Heaven and Earth to get the word out there we were all over he was an East Windsor he was out the millstone so when someone found him and said I found this dog brown eye blueeye the police dispatch out in milstone like I got a fire for this dog the point is large dogs can travel really far and just because we're next to Trenton doesn't necessarily mean the dog came from from Trenton you know the Husky was that was tied out front apparently the owner was from Trenton but we don't know where that dog was picked up husky travel far probably 5 years ago there was a senior not real big dog who ended up in Hamilton on Olden Avenue he came from Ying eing is a straight walk down Olden Avenue if you don't get hit by a car so we're trying to say that these dogs aren't ours but we don't know and for the safety of the dog we shouldn't turn it away how did we get where we are for several years two three we've been at or above or over capacity most of the year I mean p you're on the email from April where I sent an email of all the dogs and cats missing bios pictures or both some of those dogs are from April of or July of 23 I just looked at the oldest one so if it's July of 23 you come in and it's April of 24 and you have no picture you have no bio we are part of the problem not the jobs you know we need to and I've asked about Staffing for a long time over and over year after year at the shelter so we've tried to run a lean budget and we built up to a point of being full for a long time and now that summer crisis and crises are hitting we have nowhere to put them the free adoptions it may help cats it may have helped the rabbit maybe that's why Tiana got adopted the shepher Mi but all the other dogs that have gotten adopted that I can figure out from the website they would have gotten adopted anyway little dogs golden doodle people will P adopt those I don't think waving the adoption fee has helped us on a dog standpoint like we need to find a way we need better maybe we need to hold events at our shelter I mean I guess it's a shelter it's open every day I used to always say that too but we've never 50 dogs on the website that are not in foster homes one is in foster homes we have 51 dogs on our website like we have to come up with a way and the answer isn't saying no you can't bring that dog in because they're going to dump it there's one running in Hamilton right now that gonna have to be a coordinated trapping because a dog was dumped in our in our town most likely given where it is the way it's find it's warmed up to the employees out at the location it is as of this afternoon still not caught they're going to have to traffic we don't we don't need that much please re-evaluate this you can't bring a dog we have to find a better way thank you Thank you Lisa yes where yous okay J's G2 um you had mentioned that um rber that investigation be coming soon soon and then that will be in the paper about hopefully yeah once once the yeah once once the authorities release it it will be and then the thing is when it goes up for sale do they have to check the ground first that plant old what's any facility like that has to they yes for sale they'd have to check the ground y y they they sell it then we get our s1,000 back from cost of fighting that fire oh anytime they sell the property you'll have to remediate environmental yeah and and it's and the state views it as already having asbestos on it because of what was there and so they have to clean it up with an asbestos protocol so they can't just like bring at a back loader and just you know put it in a in a truck and just dump it somewhere it has to go through containment yeah yeah like course like back in the days in pilgrims when I was a kid they used to talk about how good all rubber used to dump stuff into the cck you know from the plant that was illegal so I'm sure it's the bad old days mhm oh yeah it yeah this will be there's an opportunity here to see this property cleaned up to see it redeveloped so it's going to be interesting to see what types of ideas uh developers come forward with for this property you think about that location adjacent to Route One there you know so think there's from Elsa I'm sorry across the street from Elsa right across the street from Elsa that's most attractive but I mean that is a tremendous intersections where you know something would have to be way off the road right and they couldn't pull out onto whitee Head Road they'd have to pull someplace to under side street so there's no way that you could come out onto that stet with the light there intersection okay thank you for Theo you guys are good thank you thank you and can also use it okay yes no now um anyone else seeing no other further comments uh from the public Council yeah go coun um thank you everybody for coming out thank you for your input always have um outside the box IDE this and you know we appreciate that thank the other members of the public that came that already left uh thank you to the team everybody uh make keeps these right keeps these uh meetings going uh just want to say thank you I know uh we only see each other once this month but I'm sure with the events and Fourth of July coming up and graduation parties and everything else I'm sure we'll be seeing each other uh very soon have a good uh beginning of Summer and see you next month thank you um it was good night tonight um you know it was interesting especially early on when we did the resolution for renaming the soccer field after two two people that U gave so much to the community and and youth soccer so that was nice and to have their family here tonight was probably special for them too um you know as far as the rest of the meeting went it was a good meeting um the input from the public keeping us informed of what's going on certain areas with lighting and ASA pink and and Steve and Lisa keeping us updated on on some of the ideas that um you have too and and words of encouragement call it for our shelter um I think more importantly right now we're going through a real hot heat stretch right so you know dogs different animals more importantly our elderly if you live your elderly folks in your neighborhood keep your eyes out for them if you know persons are in need um there's there's uh there's resources here with the township as far as our senior center I think we've opened it up for people that uh are seeking a cooler location until this heat wve passes so that being said I hope everybody's safe and uh thanks for coming tonight thank you Council okay thank you um I also want to thank all the residents for coming out tonight and bringing up some really um good information that we can follow up on uh Lisa and Steve I think you made some really good points that I think we should definitely consider when we're looking at uh our new policy so I want to say thank you to that and Council well and sto what I was going to talk about the heat wave just to make sure people know that we do have somewhere for people to come this week during the Heatwave hopefully it ends soon um and I just want to congratulate all the graduates and graduation season um Pat I think you have a graduate this year forun so congratulations scholarship winner congratulations councilman peraro so congratulations to you and your family and um I hope everybody has a safe night and we'll see you in July yeah thank you uh uh so just to piggyback the graduates uh I had the uh honor and privilege of participating in U a scholarship ceremony for each of the three high schools um I did that as a member of Kanis because we raise money and then provide scholarships uh to seniors from each of the high schools and uh it I it's it's a great event to go to to see the community come together and support our kids hundreds of organizations come together and provide scholarships for our children and it's just really you know you want to feel good about Hamilton go see all these organization supporting our children helping them get off to a good start in college so uh congratulations to all the scholarship winners and graduates and also to uh The Graduate K9 harf like to offer congratulations to Kanan hard welcome him to our police force uh sent class number 39 so uh going to be a great addition uh I was with uh his his Handler is the right word and uh he was showing off pictures of K9 Harve uh so it's nice to see um we've got the fireworks coming up I don't think we're going to have dogs there so I think we'll be okay um yeah I want to point out in the most recent Township update we're soliciting uh Foster uh folks for our shelter we're soliciting more volunteers um we're looking for ways to clear the shelter so it is being featured it is being put out there uh and finally there's some good programming coming up at the library uh some interesting things there's a summer reading kickoff event with a magician so if you have any little ones uh might be a fun thing and I'll see everybody at the fireworks so thank you all for attending this evening I uh thank you for the animal shelter comments um we're going to definitely look into that uh some of the concerns that were raised um I also wanted to Echo what uh councilman wh mentioned regarding the two fields and the um the renaming of those fields to two uh really uh important figures in Hamilton Tony uh in Hamilton academics and also Athletics um want to also just reiterate the July 4th fireworks are on this Monday uh or on Monday July 1st from 6:00 to 10 with the rain date of July 2nd we also have um as was mentioned we have high school graduations this Thursday for our three high schools we also just wanted to allude to the 2024 uh Hamilton Township Economic Development uh commissions honores we have large business which is Shakti group um which uh is an important new business uh to our community we also have a small business uh being recognized as Caesars bagels and and Delhi which I frequent way too much uh our nonprofit is James Hy foundation of the Arts Joe does a phenomenal job he was here at our last council meeting uh Maurice T ply business volunteer of the of the year is Jeff Hy over at the Trent and thunder um and the impact award is uh with the City of Angels and the work that they do for um for our community uh tremendous job that they do uh headed up by Kevin Mir we also have the mayor's beautification award um That's Where Angels play uh that's Joey's little angels and that's going to be taking place in the artville section of Hamilton uh that new park will be at Apollo Park uh so really excited to uh see that happen uh before I conclude tonight um I just want to just acknowledge the big guy to my right uh on his is uh retirement date of June 30th um lifelong hamiltonian I fear for his wife uh but poor Susan but anyway um but uh just a tremendous career um with the local nine um pip Fitters and uh plumbers and pipe fitters U thank you for all that you've done uh right here in Hamilton a legend on and off the field and um you know you put a lot of good years into um your craft and we thank you for your commitment to uh uh local workers here uh in our community so thank you for all that you've done for the years that you've served thank you very much thank you looking forward to it that closes uh ad jours our meeting this evening thank you of course it wasn't thr have to go out by oh you had a buy that's right that's you're like I had a bigy to my right you're like what did I do yeah said