of the United States of America stands one nation God Indy and justice for all right call please okay mayor mlack here council president Conan councilman corns here councilman dinino here councilman Dodie here coun Quinn coun ref here administrator place here attorney Corin I got to say this is one of my favorite nights of the Year all right the police department Awards I can never be any prouder than the group that we have in this town and at this time I'd like to turn over the meeting to uh Chief [Music] guys good evening everyone welcome to the H and welcome to the midle police department Awards presentation it's been an annual tradition that we recognize our police officers for their outstanding achievements I'd like to thank mayor Jack michek our council president Michael conahan Council Kevin doie our police leaon and the entire govern body and our administrator for their support of the police department throughout the year I'd also like to thank our residents and our business partners for the tremendous support they provide to the department for grateful every day for your support National Police Week is recognized in the United States this week from May 12th to May 18th it first became observed in 1962 when President John Kennedy declared May 15th national peace officers day and the calendar week in which May 15th Falls is National Police Week the national law enforcement memorial and Museum supports ceremon to honor remember respect and pay tribute to those who gave their lives in the line of duty the police department purposely planned our award ceremony to coincide with the police week because we felt this week would be the most appropriate time to recognize our officers to their accomplishes the awards tonight recognize our officers for their actions from 2023 to 2024 each year before beginning the ceremony I ask that we join together in a moment of silence to recognize our police officers firefighters emergency service members and military personnel who dedicated their time or lost their lives protecting our safety and our freedom I'd also like to recognize retired members of the middle sex Police Department who have served our community and to those who served since passed away please join me in a moment thank you as we start the ceremony I'd like to introduce my Command Staff Captain C thomasy lieutenant Thomas Paul Lieutenant James delinsky lieutenant Thomas Carol for not meeting with us tonight he's currently attending the FBI Academy in Quant I want to recognize mayor Jason fento from Dell Chief Daniel Smith Lieutenant Chris beers and Sergeant Jeffrey from the denell police department the denell police department the middle SE Police Department have a rich history of supporting one another mutually I want to than Chief Smith support throughout the years I say this every year but I also want to take a moment to thank our police officers the police profession is physically mentally and emotionally demanding you're called to work nights weekends and holidays and your work is often complicated and very dangerous in the middle sex Police Department we have a culture that cares our ranks are filled with true Community caretakers ladies and gentlemen that are willing to go above Beyond to protect and serve the public please know that you are all appreciated by this community for the important work that you do each every day to start our Awards presentation i' invite the following officers to join me at the lecture Sergeant Daniel M officer Brian Rodriguez officer Christian Duan and Sergeant Jeffrey Delo for the den Police Department so I'm just going to read a brief narrative and go over Awards this is a little bit lengthy but I'll I'll make it quick on Wednesday March 30th March 20th 2024 3:15 in the morning officer Christian Duan and officer Brian Rodriguez were dispatched to a Union Avenue convenience story of investigating report of activated Burger alarm upon their arrival they discovered the front door was shattered the officer secured the scene until Sergeant D arrived the interior of the business was then clear and the owner of the business was contacted he arrived on scene and notified the investigating officers that the unknown suspect stole approximately $10,000 merchandise from the store while the store owner accessed while the store owner accessed the video surveillance footage Sergeant with and also Rodriguez started the C the suspect offer D watched a video surveillance footage obtain a description of the suspect that was transmitted who were looking for the suspect of Sergeant Del buo from the den Police Department also responded to the area to assist locating the suspect moments later Al Rodriguez located The Suspect with the description ding a bicycle on maror Welling stre Rodriguez attempted to stop the suspect on the bicycle but he eluded the off as the suspect fled he crashed into a wooden fence fell off his bicycle and started to run on foot he also exited his vehicle and pursued the the suspect on foot for approximately 10 minutes around the area of the middlex village department complex during his Pursuit he witnessed the suspect throwing his backpacking some proceeds from a burglary the suspect was finally caught in the area in the middle sex village town homes from still actively resisting arrest officer Rodriguez was able to safely bring the suspect to the ground and controlled him until Sergeant Delo located in assist Rodriguez that was when the suspect was finally handu Sergeant arrived on scene and transported the suspect to Police Headquarters while Sergeant ELO officer Rodriguez recovered backpack Sher the quick actions of all the officers involved that led to the arrest of the actor and ensured the victim was able to recover stolen property the exceptional service award was awarded for a highly credible accomplishment bringing public claim to the officer his department or the law enforcement profession as a result of training and Devotion to Duty or service to the public it is with great pride that I present officer Brian Rodriguez with the exceptional service award officer Rodriguez remain diligent in his Pursuit and apprehension of suspect great determination and physical res congratulations the unit citation award is awarded for distinguished team effort by all participating staff members showing initiative and accomplishment in the protection of life and property I'm proud to present Sergeant Dam and offic Christian D from citation congratulations last but not least the certificate of accomodations awarded for the intelligent performance of an act that materially contributes to the accomplishment of the Department's Mission under adverse or unusual circumstances born with special faithfulness and perseverance it is critical to thank and recognize this officer who responded Mutual Aid into our burrow to help with successful Detention of a one subject Cooperative working relationships with the police department and officers surrounding the middle six of Paramount to conduct successful investigations and apprehensions of wanted persons within our town it is a great pride and appreciation that I present Sergeant Jeffrey delbo of the D Police Department with a certificate ofation job the next I invite Scott M to come forward I be ly to you if I told you that wears suit to work every day beginning on December 8th 2022 and continuing into 2023 residents of middlex were repeatedly victimized by thieves in the overnight hours removing and stealing catalytic vers from their parked Vehicles the suspects primarily targeted Hond of vehicles located in residential areas on the west side of middle sex although the Surge and catalytic conver St was still was still a state and Nationwide epidemic not be the middle sex the crime spre created significant frustration to our residents who depend upon the police department of the Fai detective muler immediately began conding a comprehensive followup investig into the which continued in the summer of 2023 while following up on leads he developed Partnerships with County and local agencies to develop a group of suspects through cell phone records video surveillance footage and other investigated meetings detective M typ significant quantity of evidence together and presented his case to a middx County prosecutor detective mord received approval on charge charging two adult M males from New York City with combined 154 counts of death criminal mischief and conspiracy to commit both crimes because of his efforts and investigated diligence detective Mulford was able to bring closure to 20 victims who had suffered a combined loss of over $33,000 the R's investigation protect M displayed persistence and resourcefulness upholding the highest value and standards of the mid's police department for his efforts he should be recognized and commended The Honorable service award is awarded to a credible act in the line of duty that meets some but not all requirements fundamentals and is unusual in nature showing initiative and accomplishment it is with great pride that I present to te Scott mford The Honorable service award for his tireless efforts and stative tenacity during investigation congratulations I have one more for the final award presentation I'd like to have Captain Craig tomsky please join me up here this this this one's unbelievable in in December of 20203 Captain thomy completed his 29th year of dedicated service to the bill six burough Police Department with an unmatched Readiness for Duty having never utilized six island we recognized Captain thomasy certificate foundtion for having perfect attendance that's 29 years we have one sick day it's just amazing it's fantastic the certificate accommodation supported with the intelligent performance of an act that materially contributes to the accomplishment of the police department's Mission under ERS and unusual circumstances performed with special faithfulness and perseverance I think it's my dear world I can bow that you will not find a harder working in a more dedicated employ honor to present Captain Thom with certific accomodations for his unwavering faithfulness to service in mission of the middx police department almost six and congratulations I promise I'll keep giving the HS if you keep doing this 30 31 32 this week we honor more than 24,000 thousand law enforcement officers from around the country who made adate sacrifice in service to their Community right now at this award ceremony we recognize and appreciate all of our officers here in middlex for their service we hold to the higher standards and traditions of Excellence of our police department and our officers has always answered the call middle sex is safer because of you thank you for being true Community caretakers the state I want to thank the mayor and Council for giving me the opportunity to hold our ceremony during this council meeting special thanks to our Awards committee and Faulk for reviewing and providing recommendations for this ceremony congratulations to everyone who received an award tonight I thank you all for your time and attention the room clear no we're going to give a couple of minutes right now to give the room a chance to clear but before they go I just want to say you know brings people to a town is not everyone Jason it's it's just for the fact that some people you know we let the the police officers go that's they put in enough time around the town um you know people come to a town for Public Safety and schools and Public Safety is number one and we're honored that we have like what I consider to be one of the best you know we're in the top 20 we know that right the the best police uh departments in the area for sure if not not in my opinion the state and we owee it all to you guys you guys do a tremendous job and Craig feel free to call in sick tomorrow don't worry about thank you we're a couple minutes we're going to get going oh you want to do the police thing well no well I don't I'll tell you what we'll do the proclamation while they're still here he to man good evening everybody this is National Police me Proclamation National Police Week whereas Congress and the president of the United States have designated May 15th 2024 as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week in which it falls as National police week and whereas there are approximately 900,000 Law Enforcement Officers serving in communities across the United States including the dedicated members of the middle SE Boro police department and whereas the members of our lur enforcement agency of MX Boro play an essential role in safeguarding the rights and freedoms of our citizens merchants and visitors and whereas it is important for all citizens to know and understand the Dy responsibilities hazards and sacrifices of their law enforcement agency and that members of our law enforcement agency recognized their duty to Serve the People by safeguarding life and property by protecting against violence and disorder and by protecting the innocent against deception and the weak against oppression and exploitation and where whereas the service and sacrifice of all officers killed in the line of duty will be honored during the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial funds 36th annual Candlelight VI on the evening of May 13th 2024 now therefore I jack mcky check mayor of burrow middlex call upon our citizens and all patriotic Civic and educational organizations to observe the week of May 12th to 18 2024 as National Police we recognizing all law enforcement officers past and present who by their faithful and loyal Devotion to their responsibilities have rendered a dedicated service to their communities I further call upon all citizens to observe May 15 as Peace Officers Memorial Day to honor our law enforcement officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice and service to their Community or have been disabled in the performance of their duties and let us recognize pay and pay respect to the survivors of our fallen heroes I just want to say thanks to our neighbors also because I know they come over and help us a lot and I know we reciprocate with you guys we have a very good working relationship hopefully it continues as long as you know as long as I'm here at least um our police forces are doing a phenomenal job behind the scenes people don't realize what our detective Bureau is doing you know almost two years you know year and a half of Investigations and there's a lot more going on that people don't know about and they are putting the time in to protect this community for all of you to be safe and I thank them for that thank you all right thanks couple quick minutes guys we'll be right back at it we were going to take a picture um but uh they had a call they had to leave so I appreciate your kind gesture it means a lot the support that provided proc of our police department and things you guys do for us every day so thank you I'll be you got to cheat thank you [Music] to see no you know all right take care when uh soon as Chris comes back we'll kick this and get yeah 8:00 you Nick I don't watch at all still is I got what the computer all right ready to rock Mr Corine may all right take advantage of the break all right guys uh we're GNA we're going to get back to this we do have another Proclamation uh older Americans month uh Jeremiah if you would please older Americans month 2024 whereas May is the older Americans month it's time for us to recognize and honor middle sex Bar's older adults and their immense influence on every facet of the American society and where whereas their wealth of life experience and wisdom older adults guide our younger generation to carry forward abundant cultural and historical knowledge and whereas the older Americans improve our communities through intergenerational relationships and community service Civic engagement and many other activities and as where as communities benefit with people of all AES all ages abilities and backgrounds have the opportunity to participate and live independently and whereas M Burl must ensur that older Americans have resources and support needed to stay involved in their communities reflecting our commitment to inclusivity and connectedness and there and now therefore I jack M Jack wow Jack mishek mayor of burl middlex do hereby Proclaim May 20 2024 old Americans month this year's theme Power by con powered by connection emphasizes the profound impact of meaningful interactions and social connections on the well-being and health of the older adults in our community now therefore be it for the resulted I call upon all residents to join me in recognizing the contributions of our order citizens and promoting programs and activities father connection inclusive and support for older adults all right thank you thank you very much okay moving down the line we're up to uh the budget hearing all right I'd like a motion to open the budget hearing motion second all in favor okay anyone wishing to comment or talk about the budget feel free to come on up state your name and address excuse me40 hawood I just had a few questions about budget um when you started the budget process this year um I know you talked about it previously that Mr place and CFO talked to the department heads about the individual budgets at the outset um was any direction or what goal was given place and and CFO when they began these discussions with the Department what goals I mean I mean specifically obviously you would like to keep it as low as possible but you have to be within reason there are certain things that we have to do that we've done in the past that you know um to me in my opinion having two years at zero was not the best way to go but it was appropriate at the time um basically make sure that we review all the line items which they did make sure that anything that's that's waste gets looked at or trimmed uh some items that the that they thought uh the department heads would want or needed they actually had to go through a justification process with the CFO and uh and Michael lipl they basically had the first cut they went through everything to basically get us to a workable budget and at that point you know we were going to take a look at it but you know I've done these even when I was on the school board you don't you don't have to get too much in the weeds we knew what we wanted to that we had some struggles going in we knew that we were going to have the the the police officers hitting this year we also knew that some of the revenues were were a little bit little bit behind so we knew that we had a basically pull back on everything that we could but yet at the same time you know it's a mistake to go forward and do nothing you know so you had to pick your battles find out the things that you want to get done we decided that we're certain projects that we have to you know kind of put on the back burner like uh uh for instance Victor Crow Park you know we're not going wild I mean it's nice to have a building but then all of a sudden you can say hey I need $5 million to to to to fix this we knew that once we had it we're going to have to pull back just wait and see and you know we knew that Revenue wise it was going to be a tough year and you know it was a pullback year to to build on this year and we have a lot of stuff going on this year there's still a lot in that budget that we're doing you know we're doing for the residents all at the same time you know we haven't cut any Services you know and we're still providing the police protection that we need you know as a matter of fact it's going to improve because even though we invested in it you know we really haven't seen even the full benefit of yet because we still have people that are on active deployment or are actually in the academy you know um the there there's other things that are going on you know through throughout the budget you know different little capital projects that we worked on and and different ways of allocating labor I mean know I know we did that with the DPW between the roads and everything to to get things lined up a little bit a little bit better but you know in terms of what we're doing we're trying to it it's you know from where I come from David management 101 you take a step back you look at all the expenses you figure out what you need to do and you try and keep it as reasonable as possible without cutting your own throat and that's what we did so no at no point were at the outset were they given a Target say you know last year went s and a half maybe this year we want to keep four and a half five a tax increase it was never a target from the the target's zero Dave I mean all the time but you know but I mean you you would you would prefer at all times to keep it no more than 2% but some some years that's just not practical okay well you know a lot has been said in the last couple of months um well let's let's backtrack a second um a couple of months ago when we started the process I remember I believe was you who said at one meeting boy this is going to be a linear budget wise I think I don't know if this place and dispense begun their discussions yet with the forment but you you made a comment it's going to be a lean budget L and you know so I'm sitting in the a I'm listening to this and I'm thinking okay lean year budget wise for these department heads they got to put the budgets together I didn't didn't see it 75% was a lean year budget wi and and A lot's been said in the last couple of meetings even before that that you know I police officers come yeah I mean who in town could be against LA water but you know again about two meetings ago handed me the sheet with working numbers and then I said I looked at and I said take the police out of it you know administrated up the over I mean double digits down the line I mean so I don't see that the police are really driving this whole 7 a half% I see that you know it's the other departments that maybe instead of raising their budgets 10% maybe if they would have RIS them 7% collectively you know maybe that would have brought down the tax increase a little bit you know that that was the point I tried to make a couple meetings ago when I said you know you know if you're roof leaking maybe you're going to take a less extravagant vacation this year so I think the fact that the police got squeezed for some of these years where they had retire and they weren't being replaced and you knew they were coming on board that maybe it was the time to go to the other department heads and say well you know guys you're going to you know all those years you were getting what you wanted and they weren't they were getting Short Change maybe this is the year for you to compensate you know that's that's the thing that disturbs me really about the budget I you know from all the discussions about police and Public Safety I was expecting that number to go up but then when I when you guys handed me that paper I brought long 10 12 11 I mean it's like it doesn't seem like anybody's telling line it's not just the police everyone's saying police police Law and Order yeah we I mean we got an example about that that a couple of weeks ago but um I just think some of these other departments could have towed the line a little better well and and you're and you're certainly welcome to feel that way Dave but to be quite honest the the Departments did tow the line you have you have Labor that's contracted I mean if you're looking at expenses to say what they were in the past I mean go to the grocery store that's when you get to these other departments that's what you're looking at you're not looking at just just cost for labor you're looking at our insurance went up over a 100 um there was there was I think we identified and I'm not going to remember older ones off the top of my head but we had about $550,000 worth of expenses that went up across the board that we were 100% out of our control there's nothing we could do it was utilities it was uh insurances it was health insurance it was um and in some cases the percentage may not be a clear picture because for example our Printing and advertising budget went up 28% but that 28% was only $4,000 right and and I didn't even consider those the amount was like I think the prosecut went from 20 to 28 so it was some astronomical percentage I didn't even consider that $8,000 that's I mean I I don't the one that you had marked because I'm looking at the sheet now and there's none of them that are standing out to me that if you look at the percentage and look at the dollar amount me I mean the biggest one is the fire department went up $24,000 I these are the percentages I job these nice enough to give me a couple days ago but Ma sheine administrator 17.3 Roads Department 11.8 Sewer Department 20.15 direct Department 11.5 I mean why is the direct Department going up over 10% I thought I thought you know people PID for these programs on their kids participate on buildings and grounds 11.1 so again take the police out of this we knew that was coming we knew that they had been short change for mayor I got to jump in here that's the second time you said or third time you said please make short Change the police are at full compliment right now the police are at full compliment so I think the council has shown strong support through the last few years budgeting for that second of all you're comparing departments like the Pisa 32 people and and very quite expensive operation to run as you know said departments that have four people in them or three people in them our departments are are I mean when you look at the the pie chart of the different departments and what makes up the municipal government they're all the same size so you're comparing apples and oranges I mean I'm a department of one basically I mean you know I guess Administration involves the clerk department and we have a lot of administrative expenses costs for everything across the board have gone up but I can tell you we took the line that it was going to be a lean year very seriously and we did several different points where first we did cut Carolin and I sat down and made Cuts now we sat with the Department end and made more cuts um I'm just getting a little concern that you're given that we didn't take that seriously was a Fed charge the council it's not that I don't think he took it seriously and you know believe me this place you know I ft with plenty Municipal staff I know you guys only can do the direction you're given so if I have any complaint here it's not with you guys it's with maybe the elected officials should giv you guys a little bit more what I'm trying to clarify is the mayor and Council made it quite clear that this is going to be a very difficult and challenging Year and that we were to look for cuts wherever we could find qu really CLE about that okay but that the direction we were again when I go online and I didn't do an exhaustive um you know search but I've see warrant 3.7% of taxes are going up uh warrant of Education 3.8% uh Ben your board of education I think your taxes are G to 1% and I know that you know I know that she doesn't have a Sterly reputation here right now but I happened to look at Flemington but their taxes are going up 2% so Mar line there again however those other towns you're raising did they hold the tax rate zero years well I I you know because budgeting is an ongoing rolling process we look at five and six years at a time we don't just look at the year in front of us I think Mr comment about plon we did a big increase last year what that we did a big increase she got ahead of the ball she promised them black okay but last year was her first year as mayor right yes okay so she came on with something that you're probably not happy with and the next year they told to ran okay but but again you know if you go online I I really okay here's an example I don't know what the increasing F was last year but Mr take his she'll kill me by the way between me and you it's okay but you're saying it was big last year so this year she came back and compensated by trying to make a cut last year we have 72% this year we have 72% Dave two years before that you had zero and zero over to four years it's it's under 4% increase yeah and I got I got a comment about the zero and zero you know if that was such a bad thing well a couple comments if that was such a bad thing you know at the time nobody was saying this is a bad thing everyone was like boy zero you ran for mayor last year Jack on your campaign literature it said 0% ta incre 0% AB you were boasting about it and you're saying it was a bad thing I mean listen is it well it's a bad thing when you got when when everything starts catching up but the bottom line is Dave over four years 4% is not unreasonable I can't control the economy I can't control biomics and all the rest of that stuff my gas is up 100 almost 100% all right everything else is going up way more than 4% way more than 7% you know and and these departments if you you know you can sit there and you can cut them out to zero but then we're going to have 30 guys pushing around push mowers instead of having the equipment they need to get things done since I've been standing here have I once said you you said something the goal is zero and I shook my head that's unrealistic of course I'm not I'm not saying that saying I think zero is unrealistic and I think 7 a half% is excessive I think there's a window in between there you know last meeting we had some discussions here about it was a peripheral um issue regarding the budget you know some discussion about was everybody was anybody like informed about the meetings and stuff you know I I don't and I don't know I don't want to revisit that but you know we had everybody here we have some department heads here we were around for 45 minutes on that why didn't we talk to these some the staff members say is it for 45 minutes is there any you know way we could cut a little bit out of this budget you could bring it down to 5% we had everybody here you know it's like it's it's like just this non it's like it's unreasonable to think that way I don't think it's unreasonable think that way if you want your budget like Mr cor is saying Mar obviously was not happy about what happened last year and came back this year and tow the line okay I don't see you know seven and a half and going down to 7 point I gu you're 7.4 this year I don't can see that to the line and I'm not trying to be you know accusatory or anything but I think sometimes you guys act in a vacuum at times I think you know you you've talked at times about you see this Stu that comes across your your desk you know about people having hard times and stuff like that you know and and I've heard the comment here a couple times oh on the average home this is only going to be $200 rly okay my home's a little bit more average I think I figured out it's about 235 for me but if you guys don't think 235 is a big deal and you want to kick in my 235 for me this year my extra 235 feel free if you don't think it's a big deal it is a big deal you know and and the zero % thing you know I and again this is something that's come up with the meetings about Surplus we' got to keep bu build up the Surplus I agree it got completed not good but we were able to build it up at least a certain extent during those two years that we had a 0% tax increase right we were able to still build the Surplus so why do we need a 75% in increase to build up the Surplus it seems like we were able to build it with a 0% tax incre any you you can't at everything in a vacuum Dave because at the same time we we lost a million eight worth of ratables yeah but I've heard you mention that and that that's been the topic of conversation here for a lot of reasons outside the budget um but I think Mr play said about two or three meetings ago that that all didn't happen like in one year two years that that's over a period of you know decades sure so it's not like it just grabbed us all Dave another part of the picture that have talked about yet evening is the kind of things that we have to buy things like street sweepers and vehicles we have some vehicles that are 25 almost 30 years old it's very difficult to make decisions and I can tell you and carollyn will point to the if you need specifics where we were asked to replace two vehicles that let's say are 25 years old without ready to fall apart and we asked the department heads can it get along with one and maybe in the future we can get another one and you know we still have to provide services to the community so a lot of this expenses are things they're not normal things they're things that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars or they're you know you have to have demission return point of do we keep maintaining old equipment or do we replace it what's more cost effective those are the kind of questions we're wrestling with it's really difficult no I know I'm not I'm not saying that this is like if you just go into a racer and boom you're done I I I know it's it's difficult but I I one last thing I wanted to make a point and I know the mayor had mentioned this is the last me too I don't know if you're going to make your report on this later but you would talked about possibly going to talk to the school superintendent that you wanted to have some discussion with f about whatever um you know we've got 230 me personally 235 here I'm looking at a similar increase from the school this year even though their percentage is lower lower than yours I'm still puzzled as why their percentage is lower but the dollar increase is about the same so 235 235 I don't know what the Count's going on but that's almost $500 this year and and then on top of that you all know they're making Rumblings about oh we need more space I don't know what that's going to mean if it's going to mean you know it's probably going to be an addition onto the school because o OMP is not 88 CLI so that's not going to be useful without any real money something into that place so you know I'm already thinking okay 500 this year plus whatever the county throws on you know what are we looking at next year and then two years down the road we might have um you know a building referendum from an at us again you know it's getting to the point you know again I'm not trying to be a wise guy but you know you you passed this resolution as Proclamation for older Americans mon but it's not it's getting less and less affordable for older Americans to live in this community you know that I know that Dave okay well that's all my comments I know you're not going to change the budget I wish you would I think it's warranted um but you know I don't have a vote you guys to thank you for your time Dave but rest assured we looked at everything this is this you might not think so it's a lean budget and you know the bottom line is you could what don't you want you know what do you want to give away I mean sometimes what we've been here in this town is Pennywise and pound foolish and you you push things past the point of of useful where there you know you're getting a a very marginal return on what you're doing it's costing you more to keep an old dog running than to just bite the bullet and just do it and the and the thing is you can't just do that for everything all at once you got to pick your battles and this and this year we did pick our battles on some of the things that we that we wanted to get you know the the zero yeah it was tough thing to swallow but it was in the middle of Co no one knew what was going on you know we didn't know what else was going to be need they shut the whole government down you know that there were a lot of people that were were not working working at all much less there were people that had to go to work every day so there's you know it's it's a little bit of give and take I mean listen I'm as Frugal as they come I I'm up there in in terms of uh Mr mer mayor ameritus Madden in terms of being Frugal and cheap because that's just the way we have to be but but you know the the bottom line is you had to go through this budget we had to go through all the things that we had we we received a budget we all looked at it we had a chance to come back some of us had questions some of us didn't have questions some of us went through the things that were in the budget did we really need to do that I mean it honestly it's a good plan it's a good plan yeah it's it's it's a lousy Year we're we're we're hoping that we have things that are going to come along this year that are hopefully going to for sto it but that doesn't mean that we can't have some sort of cataclysm event happened that puts us behind the eightball again you know where we've invested in in certain things that you know maybe we shouldn't be spending money on like you know fixing trying to take care of things for other people like Heather Lane and stuff but you had to do what you have to do because it's not just about a house or two it's about a neighborhood and it's about the and it's about doing what's right for the town you know um that's that's basically where it comes down to I mean if if I wasn't satisfied or I thought it was it was uh excessive I'd be the first one to vote now but unfortunately I don't even have a vote this year so that's as simple as that gets does anyone else have any other comments on the budget all right seeing no one uh I'd like a motion to close the public hearing motion second second second all right uh Linda if you would I have resolution 139 d224 adoption of the 2024 budget motion motion second second any discussion no okay call the rooll please council president kinan yes councilman KS no councilman dinino yes councilman Dodie yes councilman Quinn yes and councilman Rex Doug coun Rex councilman Rex it's adoption of the councelor Rex we're adopting the budget Doug are you a yes or a no I'm a yes okay thank you sorry that's all right all right moving on ordinances for introduction okay well we have I can read the first one if you want I'll go to that yeah we're actually Ju Just so you guys know we are removing um the uh the second ordinance the one titled trees we're going to actually disc discuss that a little bit in the workshop section good night good night thanks Caroline very good job okay first I have ordinance number 21924 and an ordinance vacating a portion of factory Lane okay I have a motion motion second second second okay roll call council president Conan yes councilman corn coun din yes cman Dodie cman Quinn yes and counsman Rex yes okay okay uh skipping number two uh ordinance 21212 24 please okay I'm hearing will be the 28th right and the hearing on that one will be the 28th okay we have ordinance number 21 21-24 and ordinance amending chapter 367 swimming pool Municipal of the municipal code of the Bure of middle sex to clarify certain Provisions thereof motion motion second second all right okay discuss um not discussion roll call please council president Conan yes counsilman corns counsilman KS yes okay counsilman Dino yes cman Dodie coun Quinn and coun Rex yes okay all right ordinance 2122 we have orance 21 22-24 at nordans to amend the code of the bur of midle section chapter 332 sewers section 33243 c sewer use charge rates motion yep second second well council president conahan yes councilman KS yes councilman dinino yes councilman doie yes counsman Quinn yes counsilman Rex yes okay all right and the biggie here ordinance 21232 24 okay we have ordinance number 21232 24 in ordinance amending chapter 320 of the municipal code titled registration landlord motion second second okay roll call it is amended actually oh it's as all right is actually go back and reread it then as amended okay ordinance number 21 23-24 in ordinance amending chapter 320 of the municipal code titled registration landlord and it is as amended we um got a section you want to say that yes let me find it say it hold on one minute okay okay section 322 320 to the periodic inspections will remain the same in the original ordinance that's removed from the amendment okay okay very good uh motion motion second all right roll call please counc pres conahan yes councilman cor councilman Dino yes councilman Dodie yes councilman Quinn yes and Council Rex yes okay thank you okay adoption of minutes none done okay all right uh mayor's report right mine's going to be uh pretty brief uh right now cuz I don't want to take away from the other guys because we have a lot of things going on it is Police Week uh they had the ceremony uh this morning I appreciate the fact that the mayor emerus showed up to uh to cover me I I do appreciate that it's um it they deserve everything that they get when it comes to to to accolades and stuff like that especially that where you're where you're dealing with fallen officers and stuff and people have given their lives on the line to keep us safe um moving down the list um I we I know we're going to have some favorable news on the streetscape tonight um we are we are uh we we have some favorable news on Heather Lane and we're actually going to have a presentation on that at the the next meeting on that um also I'd like to recognize that in the back uh we have a tree farm that our environmental commission has put up and uh I believe we have 300 trees yeah it it looks great we're uh we were discussing it before and Lenny's going to be putting together a sign up there uh to to state that it is a you know a burrow Tree Farm it's being uh cultivated and handled by the environmental commission we'll do it right and uh you never know something that says Claire's Corral might actually show up all right uh we are still gonna have a uh a debrief within the next couple weeks on the Carnival uh and the the activities that happened that night you know we have to really look at what we're going to be doing going forward with that uh obviously it got out of hand and we just have to if we're going to continue we're going to have to make some changes to make sure that we can keep all our residents safe and lastly um you know we had the approval of the budget as I stated before I think it's a proper budget I think it's the right way to go I mean Everyone's entitled to their opinion I'm sure um but at the same time it's going to serve the needs of the Town very the burrow very well and there's a lot of things in there to to to make our quality of life better and that's all I have all right uh moving on we have councilman reports uh council president conahan thank you mayor um I want to congratulate all the police officers and the Command Staff that were recognized uh thank you very much um a very big thank you to Captain Craig kisy I wish he was still here but uh his persistence and tenacity was responsible for the con for for Conrail and the do finally fixing and repaving the Cedar Avenue railroad crossing that was that was all Craig uh thank you Craig at our next meeting uh it's May 28 we will be presenting our next pillar of middle sex to Ed Johnson uh congratulations to our OEM they added four new volunteer members um a big thank you to our Burl clerk Linda for coordinating with uh all the department heads and the pr firm uh to produce the spring newsletter there's some color copies outside it came out came out really really well thank you Linda um another big thank you to a long time resident and Parker fireman Rob POA he uh he donated two c box storage containers to the middle sex High School athletics department and they replace two very old and rusted containers that sit next to the uh football field bleachers uh I attended the monthly Library Board of Trustees meeting last night um and some highlights include uh painting the history room soon um waiting on display cases they're going to be delivered soon um then they need to be assembled uh a big initiative is underway right now which the 25y old approximately Library catalog is being upgraded from the Cersei program to the Polaris program the Polaris system benefits include its cloud and Wi-Fi based um it's more secure it's more powerful and more integrative with many of the existing library apps so long overdue Chrissy and her team have been finalizing the summer reading programming and uh one night one last statistic total circulation is up 35% from this April compared to last April uh for recreation we're less than two weeks away from our annual Memorial Day Parade um just a a quick reminder it's Monday the 27 the ceremony starts at 10: a.m. in Victor Crow and the parade kicks off at 10:45 it's rain or shine um hot dogs and Birch Beer will be served at our American Legion Post following the parade Community Day will be Saturday June 8 from 2: to 7:00 p.m. in Mountain View Park that's also rain or shine um just like last year we'll have local bands we'll have entertainment throughout the day we have local vendors uh Community groups food vendors uh plenty of fun activities for the kids uh it's free and open to the public lastly I want to thank the committee who worked uh seamlessly together to revise the rental registration ordinance uh which was just introduced uh this committee included councilman dinino councilman Dodie and was led by councilman Quinn job well done thank you gentlemen uh that's it mayor okay councilman Carn nothing today mayor okay thank you uh councilman dinino just a couple things uh DPW like we talked about H Lane they did a really good job I me we're on our way I think we're 75 80% done but like you said 28th we will present it on the screen we'll have some some good things going on also I'd like to get a consensus from the council um about the Little League field they requested if we can paint the lines I mean they're there's there's there's five teams there there's no money in the in the system um I talk to Lenny it's it's just the amount of money huh the parking lot line the parking lot lines yeah so once he starts painting it's I'd say it's $20 Li of paint in the labor but consent us from the account so if we can paint the lines there in the parking lot can we own the property we own the property own it's Le do and I know in the past being the past president there we would come to the town and they would help us because you know we we raised all our own money fixed the field we did everything on our ownc where exactly the parking lot parking lines are like in the parking lot they just want to define the the um spaces again we were over there for over it's it's similar in scope to what they did at Victor Crown it's about that like about eight or 10 lines just go over what's there Lenny's fine when I talk to Lenny just you get approval from the council and we're fine okay thank you good good okay good jeremi good good good good all right okay that's all DPW um the environmental committee that a meeting next May 21st like we talked about the tree farm Claire I showed up for a couple hours and some other members showed up occasionally here and there but she was there the whole day she spent probably eight or nine hours there playing she's she's a a Workhorse in a machine we need hung um also May 19th MV Park there's a greenbook stream cleanup also and this CLA I got your email I just want to read this this is um Greenbrook little trap uh litter trap May 19th 1030 ribbon cutting please join us at Jefferson AV greenook okay this says uh partners for a healthy Green Brook and R River watered invite you to attend the installation celebration of a new pollution reduction device called the litter trap Sunday May 19 we will be gathering at Jefferson AB Greenbrook to showcase the innov Innovative device which is the first of its kind in New Jersey greenber is a waterway that originates from the wung Mountains and flows into the r River East of B Brook the area is home of variety variety of wildlife such as erps eels horens fish unfortunately the region is susceptable to severe flooding particularly for Heavy R cor which watches drad into so this new little trap device developed by storm water system it's a floating cage anchored by two Booms that direct float floating trash into a cage where it's captured and removed at regular intervals by Municipal staff it won't be our staff it's in GRE so this is sort of like an all water separat yeah it's just it's pretty cool so it's you know did they have some other device there before or this is this the one they've been is this the one they've been talking about for like a couple of years and they finally got suay ribbon cutting for oh okay that's be yeah that's interesting so that's 10:30 um May 19th and Jefferson a g okay anything else that's all I have all right councilman doie yeah we'll start off with the police uh couple of things coming up for them is they have a coffee with a cop May 18th from 10 to 12 with the Elks they also have pops with cops May 23rd 2 to 4 pm come on out and get a ice pop and a snack with the kids that's going to be at headquarters um they had uh a few things items that they had done here in the past uh they had a successful another successful drug turn in I don't know the exact amount but it was every time they do it you can bring in old prescription drugs they get mountains of it they also did a sock drive at one point they got over 4,000 total items for vets so that was very successful they finally got account and I believe from what the chief said they want to do that again this year so when you see it Le bring socks or undergarments it's it it benefits veterans um they also did set up on volunteer day I know uh Jolene was there all day man in the the ship so they did have an appearance at volunteer day okay now we can get into the report um for April 2039 calls to service they had 19 adult arrests 562 MV summonses and the chief was explaining to me they do more I think it was like 300 or 580 something pullovers they do for few so everybody doesn't always get a ticket but it leads to the tickets when they pull them over so everybody understands it's not just they're not just pulling them over because you know they're just pulling them over because they're doing something wrong some people get it a warning because they don't give them a hard time and way they go okay had a good had a good conversation about that and um the radar summonses were 69 and they uh motor vehicle crashes were up a little bit 31 that they responded for April for the for the year there have been 7,916 total calls for service so far which you don't realize how many until you start looking at the total the uh detective bureau there's a couple simple assaults nine harassments uh five theft and one criminal mischief plus the stuff they've been working on like we just found out about that sometimes it takes 18 months two years to clear this stuff so they're always working and you know you got to appreciate it because all this stuff isn't made public until it's over with um I have the fire department Department even though we didn't have a meeting he sent it over early for me 36 total calls there was one building fire uh there was one passenger vehicle fire I believe that was up at the the uh shopping center um 14 alarm system activation no fire unintentional this is something I'm kind of keeping an eye on how many unintentional and then they had carbon monoxide activation and there was no detected three of those for the month the chief sends over a little synopsis on April 6 they went to Mutual aid for structure fire in southbound Brook and assisted them April 12th um Edgeworth Street there was a possible electrical fire they found it using their thermal imaging camera and shut it down and it was called the building uh inspector he said they could stay there cuz the circuit was off okay that Avenue they um there was a fire apparently outside of the home the homeowner was keeping under control so they got there they put it out and then turned it over to the County Fire Marshals offic for investigation the one the car fire was April 18th at the rout Route 28 Farmers Market um when they got there um Chief young and assistant chief uh chman they tried to not they kept it under control with their extinguishers who they were first on scene and then um 8821 showed up and then they had it totally under control and they uh County Fire Marshals officer was looking into what was going on with that also um okay they also participated in National volunteer day on April 20th I believe they got a couple of applications four total they got I know I know they said two definitely and there was a couple so it's up to four uh also which is good because without doing this they probably would have had nothing and he just did mention that the carnival was a good year it was going to be a really Stellar year something we haven't had in a long time because the weather cooperated even the last couple days it was it was packed so they were doing very well and it's a shame they couldn't stay open and I know there's going to be a discussion about this with the fire department and police and everybody involved to figure out what we can do to make this a better uh event um I just wanted to add to that it'll also do public work department Recreation and myself because there's also some concerns about the impact on the market yeah yeah so there's going to be a lot of people involved in it you know um J Tree was Thursday I'll give a report next time once I get the final minutes because there's a lot going around on that and the trees just so everybody knows that was mandated by D some wording some things that have to be in the the ordinance so that's what this is about talk about yeah we're going talk about it later on but just so everybody knows it was something was mandated and we were kind of under the gun to do it you know has to be done in May and when when did it actually come in uh we had this a couple months ago yeah but it was just being pushed back so yeah um and also the uh Court came late I'll give that next time also send it over I believe that it far as I know unless I forgot something again yelled by the again that's okay counc Quin okay so we had a uh Board of Health meeting um the county did show up there's no movement yet on the contract information that there's an issue happened and uh in somebody's personal life and the contract wasn't sent out in time so I'm waiting for them to send it this week um so the gentleman from the county who came out basically just gave me a list of everything that the county is in some way through the bo through their Board of Health sponsoring there's a May 15th there's a walk with a doctor in Piscataway at the YMCA at 12 it's all about stroke awareness May 30th there stroke awareness happening at robwood Johnson Hospital Courtyard from 10 to 2 June 8th is our community day from 2 to 7 at Mount of View Park there'll be literature from the count there June 15th there's a women's health event at the plan feed High School from 1: to 10 there'll be free appointments for first come first serve um July 13th bcat away Bike Rodeo from 9 to 11 just for activity of Fitness July 20th the middle sex Bo pool skin cancer screening and water safety from 11: to 1 p.m. and then one other thing the county as a whole is put down they they've made grants available for up to 16,000 to provide swim lessons at any municipally owned pools for kids 7 to nine so that's something our swim commission should excuse me look into that's everything that's everything okay councilman Rex I this Tom I don't have anything to report thank you mayor all right thank you administrator report thank you Mr Mayor good evening everyone um I have to I have to start with this item just run right up to the top of my list um uh the council president was very kind to come to me first and inform me that the street lights as part of the streetcape project on Route 28 are being installed as we start so exced A Mir I actually went up and touched one so um so they also told me to crew out there public service grp told me that they are now going to be working starting tomorrow morning until the projects complete so they're here so wave to them be kind to them smile at them anyway so that's good news um following the successful recent sale of the old fire headquarters property on Grove Avenue the burough will be moving ahead with another sale of surplus property uh we'll be discussing this matter in executive session this evening uh this week the the burough is celebrating National Police Week as you know and honor of the middle fire department there was a beautiful Ceremony this morning uh which I believe the council president mentioned at the monument in front Police Headquarters and of course we had the awards presentation this evening um also on the agenda this evening uh as we know we had the um the municipal budget which I want to thank um our CFO again for all our hard work EV all the department heads uh the Department of Public Works has been working really hard uh last week and this week to complete the Stream Bank wall and soil retention system that the buau agreed to do for the Heather Lane area properties that are impacted by the erosion I look forward to the presentation that's going to be made um I guess at our next meeting correct they um I have to give my sincere thanks to superintendent Vidal and his team and to our Municipal Engineers on turned out to be a really impressive project uh the request for proposal the RFP to select the professional planning landscape and engineering firm to work with our community on a master plan for Victor Crow Park in the antic site has been made public it's being advertised we hope to select the firm by July so that's underway um Council resolutions on the agenda this evening include authorization for the burrow to apply to the New Jersey clean energy program for Community energy planning Grant authorization to make payments on excavation and labor costs associated with the temporary measure is taken by the buau to address the stream erosion at hether Lane and authorization for the mayor and bur clerk to execute an agreement for right of Entry by the department of army US Army Corps of Engineers to the middlex super front site that's some work that needs to be done on site um topics for discussion during the agenda Workshop shop session this evening are heatherlane again um which is pretty much covered for the evening already but also ordinance 220-24 which is a proposed pre ordinance Amendment and in an executive session as I mentioned we'll be talking about um Surplus Municipal land sale next steps as well as uh the matter of the Presbyterian Church 1199 evidence we'll be discussing briefly create Lake and also potential litigation involving the middle six County Municipal joint Insurance Fund and that's it all right thank you um just one final note we you know uh Mr po kevich mentioned that before we did have a meeting with the with the Board of Ed it was attended by uh the council president um the administrator myself and the chief of police um it was more of an introductory meeting but one of the the main things we did talk about is we did talk about the budget um we did talk about communication which you know not everything went over as as well as we would have would have liked but uh one of the things that we did talk about which was important was class three specials and an SRO for the schools so what we're trying to attempt is that by September we're going to have an officer back in the High School uh for as as an SRO officer we are also looking at a program to basically have class three special police officers in every school that is you know uh although they would like to flip a switch and have it immediately um we are going to work towards that cuz you basically have to find them train them background check them and get them going but we're and we're hopeful that by the end of the school year next year probably before I'm I'm on the conservative side that we'll have an officer in every school ready to go um basically I think it's something that the town needs it's being on the Progressive side it's um this was something that's been being kicked around probably for three or four years at this point and it's good to see that you know the light is starting to light and we're going to have a plan to get this in place I think it's going to be a benefit for our children for sure especially the SRO and I know the chief has plans to do something in um Woodland School eventually develop into that so you know our police department and part of their community policing is looking out for our for our children okay um um right now let's move to privilege of the floor uh motion to open uh motion second second all in favor I all right anyone wishing to say something uh please step up to the mic state your name and address John Madden 39 Ramsey Road and mayor I think the last meeting you said um I was gone and this today you said I'm a CH it's all out of love John it's all out of love for you I appreciate that because just like running my business you know when you're doing a fa job you always got to look at cost as slow as possible um a couple things um first of all um with the DPW and um councilman Cino oh my gosh he was out there in the heat with the shovel and breake and everything I was there at least twice in the last week and a half each day they were doing such an amazing job and I got to tell you if you if you look at this from the macro perspective you know we're we have our uh uh Municipal Employees on private land which is a big risk in my opinion they did a fabulous job it looks like that they been doing masonry work uh since we were back in Italy don't don't don't spoil any Thunder there John beautiful job um I was a little disappointed that I didn't see each one of my businesss I probably was there I don't know 12 15 times I didn't see one resident come out to to thank them or offer them some ice tea or whatever so anyway um another rant of mine um I was a little appalled that the uh uh the carnival equipment was left out at least two weeks I don't understand why was out there that's a public part I I talked to our administrator about that briefly this morning and uh I don't know who's in charge of making sure that once the carnival is done um the equipment should be removed it's all going to be part of the debrief John I'm know sure uh the other thing is it was such a beautiful solemn ceremony uh today in front of PD I spoke to Chief gist about having um more residents come out um I know some you guys on the council are very busy you can't come out and thank you for letting me stand in um it it was a beautiful ceremony especially in these very difficult times I think it it's uh more of a meeting of of people who are caring about our respective police departments all right the other thing I want to say um ordinance 2122 I hope unless I'm reading this wrong I hope that this is TBL and I'll tell you why um you look at if you look at the old rates the biochemical oxygen demand $194 43 per T the new rate is for B is 200 milligrams per liter milligram per liter is the same as parts per million so before they were charging us per ton now they're charging us a part per million in a new rate it's a higher amount unless I'm reading this wrong this is unacceptable subsequently uh the suspended solid $277 57 per ton now the new rate is be 28 parts per yeah yeah I I I see it but this I mean this is actually that's the exist the existing ordinance that's not what's changing well it is changing because the N clature is changing I see the way that they put per ton to put the parts per million because hang on one second John I don't think they've changed that at all I mean I think this is currently in the ORD that's what's currently in the ordinance none of that's changed the only thing that was Chang gold rates are a per ton I can only read from from on what I'm looking at this old rates are per T the new rates we got John we'll have to take a look at it because something doesn't make sense because my understanding was with this ordinance the only thing that was changing is that we had the rate going from 120,000 G gallons down to 100 which is already in place they just didn't have the verbiage correct in the orance about the volume I understand that what I'm saying is that this is not a change that you're saying it's changed I got to find out because it is if you you're say the charges John follow me with the charges John what section you in again this is p page 19 uh subsection 32-43 C race yeah please follow me on this because it's kind of important so when the old BS the old SS and old chlorine levels were per ton per ton and per 100 weights the new race it says the quantities to be used for the billing shall be as follows B 200 Mig per liter online is thisa the supended Sal is 280 milligram per liter and the chlorine is 4 Mig per liter per the same as one part per million and we were being built by per now it's a part per million yeah okay just hang on second John I mean obviously you're catching us a little on the fly right here because we're gonna have to go back and check this because to be quite honest my understanding was there was one number that changed in this whole thing it was the not fine I understand that this is this is old R and new R right on this page is it look the same right well it's be that's what I'm concerned about so if if in other words the old R were a whole bunch of material it's going to be charged for one rate the new rate is going to be a tiny amount I understand that but the what I'm what I'm saying is that it's not a new rate this is the ex the same rate that's in there that's been in there the only thing we were changing was the one line but if you're telling me that these rates are incorrect we got to look at it can you just look at this page it's introduced says rate correct we just the point I just want to make sure that we have full understanding of that and the other thing I don't know if it's time for another I and I report um inflowing infiltration because I know there's been an issue with II in the past the II problem it will dilute the biochemical oxygen demand that's a big problem because that's if you if the BS go up that means the dissolved oxygen goes down and that's how the that's how wildlife and and fish that's what they they they don't breathe just like we had during item if the suspended solids is high that means that's clay material getting and that'll clog the gills of the fish so it goes on and on all right well we're going to have to take a good good look at this because we're saying two different things here and I just want to make sure and I got to look at it because now I'm not even sure now I don't it's just it's clear from the old rate to the new rate on one oh I know but what I'm saying is that this ordinance that's in there is the same ordinance that's in there already the only thing that the top part wasn't changed the bottom part was changed so we got to I got to make sure that what you're talking about is right if we got a problem we got to fix it I just want to know why they're changing the nomeclature in my experience no one's changing the no one's changing the L clature no the only number that was being changed was the number on the bottom because that was changed but there was a typo in this code that didn't pick up on it the way I'm reading is the rates are changing and very significant no no we got to check it okay which we will good thank you I'm glad you pointed it out for all we know it's wrong would it be the first time the original huh original mic we don't know sorry go ahead Dave sorry no go ahead couple quick questions I just want to follow up you were saying about uh the SRO you expect that there will be an SRO at the high school by September class officers all the other schools that's where we're trying to get to I believe the SRO is just about that the SRO should be good for September that's just somebody from the yeah right but you know as far as the the the class 3es you know they're going through the gyration now they have the money so we're they're starting to process to to look higher detail what's going to be done you know get all the the the the nuts of vaults together but the goal is to have at least some of it done by the end of the year and then shortly thereafter because part of it part of it is not this school year next school year like September you might have an SRO hopefully sometime in the fall you'll have a couple guys because you can't do you need six so you can't do six at once so it's going to be you know they're going to start maybe they'll get lucky and they'll find three or four in one shot but they you know it's going to take a bit we may get lucky and they all come at once but I don't know I I don't I doubt that that's going to happen the C GRE understand they tend to be like reti police officers towns May here from what I understand there's at least one or two that I can think of in town that did his job in other districts so maybe if you look around put theer out they're definitely going to put the feeder out middle SE sure you know once it you know they got to advertise it figure out what they're doing and then and you know the way we left it at that point for because we're going to wind up having follow-up meetings but at this point the the way we left it is that the chap is going to be interacting with the superintendent to try and get some of the details locked in so we can get this underway okay I just want to clarify just one one other question it it sounded like what you guys were saying a little while this the temporary wall is completed by heav it's not complete that's not complete it's not complete it's well underway but it's not complete okay uh just one question I had and maybe Mr is the one this if he wants to sure that you know I remember hearing this at other in other towns in other uh in relation to other projects and things but they I've heard Municipal attorneys just voice the opinion that if the town goes in and Tinkers with something you know potentially you've broken it if something happens like let's say somebody two doors down from Mr Beck 10 years from now starts having an erosion problem that he could come in and blaming the Army for could he potentially start blaming the burrow for we lawyers could potentially blame anyone for any time right John the reality is that for liability there are certain notice requirements um that have to be provided by the claimant to the municipality 10 years is well beyond that if it if you know L his guys were to have an issue in a couple days which I I know they won't then I just pick 10 years would be it would have to manifest itself much quicker than even that so you know Dave just because we're doing this work doesn't mean that we're we're trying to let anyone else off the hook this is just this is just to stable off the erosion to keep from H some houses from falling into the water and and we're still going to pursue you know the having the Army Corp of engineer because that's where we really think the root of the problem is and have them fix their problem but could they come back now and say okay well we did X and now we're at X Plus um and you guys did the plus and whatever Pro I'm not saying they're right believe this of course he said attorneys can argue anything and do and they you know you know they one of the things that really comes out of it is we were really we had our back against the wall and it was either do nothing and let these things fall in or do or do something within reason and and I think you're going to be fairly impressed when you see what we managed to pull off for relatively very few dollars that should be a fairly let's put it this way it should be something that's I'm not saying it's a permanent fix but it sure should Stave off the the problem for a good while well don't don't be mistaken question oh no no no I'm not da I'm just saying I'm just I always try to think one or two steps ahead and like Mr cority says attorneys can argue anything and you get some guy a couple doors down from Mr Beck who starts having a problem and it may have nothing to do with what the f did absolutely nothing to do with it but if he gets to the attorney the attorney starts arguing that there are no Perfect Solutions to any of this it's been a bad problem from day one but I I don't have any concern with long-term liability no okay all right thanks Bruce Sanders 10 minutes Avenue um I'm very glad that you guys got together to talk to the school for um that's 58 to 60% of our budget that comes out for our taxes from what I understand and uh I know that there's rumbling about putting in an addition to a school and or putting in another school and I also know that we have a resource officer in terms of TR insy and they from what I understand they ask the school to take a sensus of who's actually in Middle sex attending middle sex and who there are people that come from other schools you could just I I can tell you you can go and watch the New Jersey Transit and watch see if any kids go up on New Jersey Transit come out of town so I hopefully hopefully we are getting money from other towns to pay for if that is happen just just so you know I I don't think I think it's it's a a nomenclature thing I think they're doing a uh census with respect to who's attending the school not where they're coming from but what's the demographics of the school they're doing like a demographic study but they to the best of my knowledge they are not doing a a a a a census and that could be done I mean you got B bills you have sewer bills you have whatever bill phone bills to an address to a name and truthfully if there are kids that are coming over from other towns and we're paying for it and not other they can North planfield or jellan or bound Brooks could be paying for those students here that could save you from having to put it in school if it it could well be and the and the reason I said said that is because one of the topics of conversation were when I was this when I was on the board of ed the the attendance was about 2030 I believe you know and some of the kids were from from out now they're saying it's 20 50 right but it it's like what's making up these schools what are these classes doing I mean you depending on who you talk to you find out some classes have three kids in it do you really need that I mean that that's a question that really needs needs to be asked I mean if you're asking my own opinion it's it's not a matter of the ability to do it it's a matter of the wanting to do it because when I was there we did do a a a re thank you that was the word I was looking for a re-registration and I think we found 60 kids you know that were they were coming in from wherever that did not belong and that's going back back then because you know it it depends on you know the superintendent we had a superintendent at the time prior to the one that I was with that was a big one that everyone she is entitled to an education no matter where they come from and I had I heard rumor so I don't know this where this part for time I actually worked in school for 10 years in in as a substitute teacher so I was from the high school I'm from this town I was from the high school I was in bger school so I know what you're saying about there's three people in the classroom usually a special end which that needs to happen Okay but I think there are things that can be done uh I look at it this way I we just had that reevaluation my taxes went up $6 $700 I can tell you exactly if you want to know but the point is now we're going to have an increase 7 and a half% from you guys and I think you guys have done a great job get me wrong and especially after two zeros you know two two years that were zero but I look at okay I just got 700 I'm going to get hit again probably 400 500 and you know you start to question an elderly person in this town I know they can free in a certain amount but you start to question I can go down to South Carol and it's 1,800 now school systems are not as good that kind of thing but you know you're going to start to question that kind of thing and you know the point is about the school that I want to make is I'm I'm glad to hear this there Lea on because it's 60 58 to 60% of our budget here for my tax what I would like to see I don't know who's assigned but maybe when they're doing their budget because you don't really want to get into the day-to-day discussion there but they're doing their budget since it does affect us as a whole that somebody does go to those meetings and see what's going on so that's you know but my advice to to everyone that has a problem with the school budget go to a meeting and start lodging a complaint because we tried that people did do people did go and say why don't you do a sensus and they they PR it okay I understand but all right thank you all right anybody else you talk about water John we're gonna have to we're gonna have to kick you out that's no big deal and I'll look more into it uh Heather Lane um soon the bank will be stabilized now this is probably a rhetorical question but um what would this potentially do the Future Property rates and number two can there be a reversal I don't know if our ordinance calls for a a condemned proper uh property or an uninhabitable property I think it's uninhabitable right I think that's it's going to have to be evaluated by the inspector to see if it's structurally sound and if it's good it'll be put back on the tax rle that's what I'm saying so what happens if everything is stabilized so people I know there's one or two residents have got tax breaks because of the the uh lowering of the valuation of the property so if the property is stabilized then again you know what it it is a rhetorical question because we'd obviously have to look at it because you know you got to be fair I understand that but it would seem to me that you you you verify that it's stabilized for a period of time and then you you go back to where it was but I would I mean to me I I'm not I would my for my own two cents I wouldn't go after that right away until I was sure that it kind of worked and you know to be quite honest these people even if everyone says well they're getting a little bit of a break you know what for what they had to put up with maybe they could have used a little bit of a break but I think it would if if it's stabilized and they have a yard back and they have a usable house then they should go back to the to the normal uh tax and then um I'm glad you guys are doing more the bur of sale of properties Lind I'm sorry about the workload is going increase but the cult but um I think that's low hanging fruit that's a smart thing to get a little bit of Revenue we have a lot of B own property so keep keep that thing going I like that well you know it's a good thing to do but you know you can't base your future success on that because sooner or later you run out of them yeah we'll get them off the rolls thank you but but to get them off the rolls and not having to maintain them is always a good thing okay all right hang on one second let me get up to where I need to be we're going to have I'm going to need a mo motion to remove one of the items from the consent agenda I'd like a motion to remove resolution 153 2024 uh basically this was for a refund for a duplicate payment it seems that the bank managed to pay it off so it's something that does not need to be addressed Mo second uh council president Conan yes councilman cor counc councilman corn yes councilman din yes councilman Dodie yes councilman Quinn yes counc Rex yes all right good okay take a deep breath all right resolution 140 2024 acceptance of standing reports resolution 141 2029 what's that goes through everything what you say 149 do you want to pull it off the agenda we're pulling oh yeah that's fine we'll do it yeah okay we'll get there are we pulling something before their I've heard it both way that's all right okay I'm going to read them and then we'll we'll pull it off no we're good okay where was I resolution 141 2024 approval of the 2023 recycling tonnage Grant application resolution 142 2024 authorizing the tax collector to issue tax title loan redemptions for Block 167.000 3 lot 3 resolution 143 2024 authorizing the application to New Jersey clean energy program Community energy planning Grant program resolution 144 2024 approval of the corrective action plan on the 2023 audit resolution 145 2024 appointing additional local office of emergency management members effective May 14 2024 to December 31st 2024 resolution 146 2024 authorizing the payment of excavation and labor cost associated with the completion of the temporary measures to address the stream bank erosion at six Heather Lane resolution 147 2024 authorizing the tax collector to cancel the balance of 2 quarter 2024 taxes on block 207 lot 33 resolution 148 2024 authorizing the mayor and B par to execute the department of the army rate of entry for the F Raff middle sex super fund site project resolution 149 2024 this is the one wanted pulled well I'll read it and then we take it out Okay resolution 149 2024 authorizing the mayor to execute the sidebar agreement between the bur middle sex and uswu local 24255 resolution 150 2024 accepting resignation of Jenna constantina from the office of seniors and disabled services effective May 27th 2024 resolution 151 2024 approving the sav C 9120 copier as Sur less and authorizing disposal effective immediately resolution 152 2024 approval of the 60-month lease option for the Shar mxc 304w copier for the middlex bir Department of senior and disabled services in the amount of $775 effective immediately okay okay now does anyone have anyone they want pulled 149 149 anyone else okay okay want do we have a motion for all the other ones motion second second any discussion okay roll call please council president conahan yes Council K coun Dino yes counil doie counc Quinn and Council Rex yes okay okay um a motion for 149 motion second okay discussion no so separately oh I got you I understand now he's completely recused on this matter and the minute should reflect yeah he'll yep that's fine okay okay okay do roll call Y roll call council president Conan councilman corn councilman Doo yes doie I'm refusing myself okay cman Quinn yes cman Rex yes okay good it took a minute for that one to sink in sorry I was like I was like why is he doing this all right I got you why I had talk to Mr real quick no that's fine okay uh non-consent agenda resolution we have resolution 154 2024 pay all things motion second second all right any discussion well the rooll please counc president conahan yes councilman corn councilman Dino yes councilman Dodie counil Quinn and councilman Rex yes okay okay guys we have uh two items on the agenda Workshop tonight um Heather Lane property erosion uh we I mean unless you guys feel the need to talk about it anymore I think uh Lenny's going to give us a nice update at the next meeting it's underway things are happening it's going you know knock on wood it's going well so far and uh I and he still has some work to do and then hope I I'm hopeful that by the next meeting it's going to be done done all right for with our work there the second item is is the uh is what we're talking about before which is the tree ordinance now the DP has come up that and this is regarding trees that are not just shade trees these are trees in your yard very pardon me rear yard rear rear yard yeah so it's it's any tree really basically it's on your property um that they have they're they're they're trying to put forward this that you have to have permit there's a bunch of different things there's replacement there's a there's a lot to it that's going on with this and you know we we need to go through this and talk about it uh Michael you're up on it yeah I was just going to these are for Marin mat trees ands about size four in enough diameter so these are sort of the specimen trees that usually catch people's attention when one's being taken down and that sort of thing um it is to bring it within the update to update our ordinance have be more compliance with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection regulations um the questions that are really outstanding that you need to consider are um part of our regulation for regulation of this amended ordinance there has to be or towns usually have feed so that people you know take out of fee um actually want to turn to the um in the amended ordinance um break there basically what you want to decide is what kind of feed you want to associate with this amending okay well the one fee was um in the original ordinance in 3 395 for fee it states there is no fee for the issuance of a shry per permit but then further into the ordinance it basically states that there is no fee but if you well it actually does sayate 39513 there is an app for for the tree removal project permit application there's an application fee of $100 and I think I think that if I'm not M sure you might be Council me council president you may be familiar with that through the joint Lanes board is I'm thinking that that was put in for the tree replacement fund When contractors clear the land so they have a fee of 100 yes and the beginning of the there is no fee so they have the council has to determine if you want them to have a fee to get this permit because all residents that take a tree down are going to be required to get a permit um for any tree to remove any Tree on their property they're going to need a permit um a survey was done in all the surrounding towns Bridge order denell and Greenbrook andway they all have this we're we're being required to do this through the D we're not choosing that we have you know GP the GP yeah yes and um to bridgew D Greenbrook and Pato does already have a fee um to do this so it's council's decision what they want to do as far as a fee for this permit I don't think there should be a fee yeah the only concern we had about not having a fee is that people tend to not take a permit very seriously kind of also cover some of the expense has minimal $10 it kind of Mak more formal cover some of the people work other towns go up to $100 sorry was $100 is 100 Bridge was $10 that was more reasonable and 75 for the inspection and um and inspection we were going to recommend Bridge Water definitely had the lowest Fe which was $10 $75 for an inspection and then generally the cost of a tree of about two two and a half caliber that went to replacement is about $300 so um Green Brook for instance requires a tree replacing one to one ratio so if you take down a large tree you replace it with the young tree and covered by $300 which basically you know tree of that size cost that's basically based on our experience um well we haven't done this with anything but through the joint Lan with contractors that come in and and clear land basically we've been doing this but now we're being required to do it for residents um and I think in the ordinance it's based on the the trunk size the trunk size yes and actually in the template that we receive that we have to follow it is based on the size also but they're saying with a dbh of 2.5 or six or six Ines you have to replant one tree you know if you don't pay you would replant one tree you could do that instead as a resident um with a dbh of 13 to 22.99 you have to replant two trees with a minimum caliber of 1.5 Ines for each tree removed so we have actually the what we have to follow they're telling us we were we were in their template looking yeah no they we have the template um but it's really also if they don't we can tell them they can give us money for a trade you know and that's what I think other towns are doing also see I'm all in favor sh if you want to take down a shake Tree on your property I'm all for that but if you want to take down the tree that's your tree like how can the state get involved private property it's not have a choice does trying to try follow what they're saying a lot of voices at once guys just one just let's do one at a time you guys I think it's it's crazy get involved yeah like if if this was about taking down a borrow tree with a permit and pay in a replacement be I'd be all for that but if I've got a tree in my backyard and I want to take an a to it who's the state now this has been percolating for some time um I mean this is these new regul and not the state has been involved in this for some time and they're increasing their involvement I guess drainage is you know administrator who the planter is shaking his head you know particularly pling in the town that that's qu face of his nose foring with a tree in somebody's backyard not making much of a difference if it's one of these mat trees cut down development that's a the state is the St M playing more a role in this because but yeah so I mean Michelle matak cudas was here a couple weeks back she's the one really because and it's not new I mean this is the regulations have changed but the trajectory of this and we very fortunate to have a planner as administrator has you know been in existence for some time now so uh you know I've dealt with a couple situations of where residents complain just as you as you've talked to about Martin uh it's my property right so how do you how do you enforce well I me it's like any other perer you think about a tree on an adjoining property can affect your property so just so I understand this it it it seems to me like the intent was all right I'm a guy I got trees in my backyard I want to put up a shed or put in a pool I got to take some trees out to do this right now obviously if I'm taking trees out and I had a big tree in the backyard and it wasn't quite dead yet you know and it was a decent sized tree they'd want me to put five more trees back in my yard or am I allowed to put or am I or do I have to pay like a fee to put to to the town and then they'll put five trees somewhere is that what we're talking about to hear you say it Jack it sounds ridiculous but that is what talking that's what I'm saying it sounds ridic this what you're talking when this was first explained to me years ago I had the same reaction honestly from what from what we read so many of I'm wrong if you're clearing your yard for like what you're saying you would pay into the tree replenishment fund to have them planted somewhere El well the way to repl if you don't want to put yeah yeah you Fe rather than replacing the tree I mean and and it's they have the chart of basically how it works but this was given to us by the engineer that it has to be adopted for our storm water management yeah this is pure storm water so you see like the real gutting here right this This only affects trees that are in diameters of say 4 in to 15 in anything smaller you're good so I theoretically could just plant five two and a half inch trees and then as soon as the inspectors leave whack them what do you notice councilman Quinn about I pay the they don't whack them I think yeah I think the bigger issue is well I think the bigger issue is in terms of storm you know management which is a big issue in this town and in this Valley quite frankly is that it's those larger trees of the four in caliper or larger that do if you take them down it does have a tremendous effect on on drainage and that sort of thing you know if there's a large tree adjoining your house on an adjoining property and somebody takes it down that's going to impact your basement in your J so that's the idea that's thinking I get it but let me ask I don't know if you want to hear from our our president our chair of our environmental commission but she might have some well let me just ask in and and yeah I'm always willing to listen to declare but just just so I understand if we're talking about permits typically if you were like in this town you need a permit to put in a shed right or a fence or a pool or any other structure so part of that would automatically you're paying a fee for that which would automatically say Hey listen if I'm putting in a pool whatever it was there before got to come out so that would be part of what you're paying for what you're permit I would imagine do they do they as a part of the JB do they address what's there no it's just for contracts it's for Builders that come in and cut down a whole they're going to whack a hole that's all we addressed this is for this is for res this is for Residential Properties everybody all trees in the town right now the other thing is is that on this there's no fee and no replacement if it's dead correct that's the way I yes but it's got to be certified de the you know whoever is the enforcement typically your your does say that the got to come and say ever enforcing Hazard trees May determination this is this is the template Hazard trees may be removed with no F or replacement requirements so if it's falling on its side somebody has to come from the town and declare itard yeah you yeah which be J the state here is just reaching a bit deeper enforc it would be the code enforc right that be codee the code whoever's enforcing this code makes that determination who's not an arest corre that's it doesn't say it has to be an harest it just it says the way it's written enforcement officer enforcement officer and that came from the state all right can we do a permit at at 10 bucks and that's it well no because you still have to have a I mean as it states in our ordinance right now we'd have to change the replacement to match what the template says that the state gave us because ours was more stringent that I think Alex had put in and we could make it a little easier on on a resident by doing what the state has but we also have to determine if he doesn't want to do one for one the the tree what are they going to pay like that's your decision how much you would in other words I'm not going to put tree up or you're telling me I have to put two trees up how much do I have to pay I'm taking a tree down what's the you're paying $10 for a per the replenishment fee yes that we're going to CH now what it currently says in our ordinance is for the smallest tree and this is what we've done with the tree replacement fund is $400 per tree that's diameter less than 25 inches 400 yeah which is more excessive than the state which is more excessive but the state leaves I think that leaves it up to you because that's what's in our replacement fund so what do you want to charge a resident if they don't want to plant a tree like that's information we need to do in what do you guys think 100 bucks I think 400 per tree it's just per tree yeah that's pry yeah some of the comparisons just so you can um Bridgewater they State dellan it's a range of 300 to 600 Green Brook is um 300 Bridge did not stay do we have to stay well I think that you have to have some sort of guidelines I mean you can't just pull number honestly we haven't Revisited this time we we put that in there to be done you cut down a tree but it doesn't say currently so should we just table now go back to be done it's got to be done but what we gota I don't you think we're gonna be able to resolve this right for guidance rather right yeah I'm looking for guidance to go back and revise what we have all right hang on guys hang on come back with something to look at I am not worried about the deadline here by the way I mean yeah the state is not no so you don't have to rush tonight they would have been here already yeah the the arborous the militant arborist would be down here with the shackles what are they all right but well the question is at this point we have to do something what are we gonna do that's we're looking we I guess I guess the Linda and everyone else needs some guidance what are we where are we heading with this see because it doesn't decipher a burrow La tree right now with the fees from no it doesn't or it doesn't comply that's why they're they're we haven't Chang should we have a separate residential ordinance section well remember when we talked to Alex he said you can't sear he doesn't talking private yeah and and and the code is about the private side yeah what's in the yeah but it doesn't specify that in the Fe schedule right now it doesn't say burrow trees specifically no not at all talking about trees on private property no no you're missing the point in the ordinance right now if you read the talking about the no the fees okay currently it doesn't say if a burrow tree is taken down it says the replenishment will be 400 you read it three or four times in the me got to make sure she was right it doesn't for the fees it's not separate right now if we pass it right now you took a tree down in your backyard you got to give us 400 bucks you don't want to put another one up if it's one if it's and if it's a certain size depending on certain size under the current ordinance because we're not amending that section fees is not being amended it's the wording in front of it everything in front of it is if you look at the ordinance we we they're scratching our heads on on Thursday it has to be changed so if you if you look at the ordinance everything that the state mandated is prior the wording has changed then the next paragraph is spe and we've never broken it down one to the other because earlier in the ordinance we said residents didn't have to do anything unless it was a contract bill and they were clear and all that was lined out so that's gone so we not protecting homeowners whatsoever Curr right now still pertains to like tree replacement fund clears out L it doesn't we're not following the residential portion that the DP telling to and we still got we have to figure out a way we're going to comply we want to kick around some feed now is not new per into the kind of yeah we didn't know what we want to do for or I rather just table there table a workshop ISS so you're going to get some comment I see a couple guys are itching to get up here and give some comments so which is great um just it's made it a nightmare I think that we just need to you know I would think that July would be when we' want to have this done by before the militant arborist come and start putting us putting us in shackles um but I other towns are dealing with this right now no no one done so I mean cuz I mean you start you can't do $400 a tree that's ridiculous especially according to this if you take one four 4 in tree down you got to put in four back that's 1,600 bucks this is what this is the template that we could use we were more stringent with what yeah we can't do that this is you don't have to this the 33 repl minimum we're 30 33 this is saying 4 in well this is this is up here this is 4 to 16 this is 2.5 to six yeah but how many you got to put in okay well with a minimum caliber of one yeah but that's what I'm saying that's one tree so it's one for one this is saying we got to put in four I know that's why I said if you want that's crazy all we'll review let's let's take the time do it right and then let's all right so obviously we got to look at it yeah read it go through it send your send your thoughts over to Linda and let's just can also have the municipal engineer as well as the the um shap commission maybe the we on this little bit more too and the environmental commission I think Lenny actually went to a class on this too so he'll be we're gonna get feedback from these individuals from my office to make the changes correct just so you know I think the CH they were a little and you know lost about what direction to go with and that's why yeah it's all right well we weren't dealing with private citiz it's fre outside of their scope yes yeah you're right all right so well it's going to be but as far as um getting back to Linda you know within the next week you want suggest suggestions within the next week okay get them to her and let's go from there then we're have to revisit it we're probably going to have to talk about it again at another workshop and and and just beat this one home because the way it's written right now if I took out the the the one big tree in the backyard forget it I'd have no yard left because I'd have nothing but trees I'd have a forest back and probably be in debt forever because that 400 bucks a tree putting in 15 of them that's crazy all right so we're going to take care of that it's amazing the way they throw these little things in here to you know to your to your comment it's almost an overreach you know St to give okay so let's move down here we're going to the privilege of the floor on the agenda Workshop items only uh let's uh open it motion open second all in favor i r up state your name and address all right couple things um from what I see it was great discussion Bing back and forth with an idea that was surprise but um you have you're calling yourself treaty usn right you're part of that so it would be great to maybe send check and I'm afraid to see what they would say but maybe reach out to them and say what do you guys do about trees going down I can tell you for one as a resident why would you take down a tree number one you take down dying or dead number two the last Windstorm showed that it can fall in your house you're going to want to take that down number three the pool so as a resident why kill us for I understand the environment and all that St oxygen carbon monoxide and all that carbon Dio also storm water like oh okay I was wondering where was coming yes I mean that's why you put a tree in to protect that but it sounds to me like it's more of a commercial problem so you're going to have um apartment buildings come in you have trees all over the place you're taking on each one of those trees they're the ones that should be putting the money in yes a resident would like to put in I have a tree that I took had to take down from the storm took it down took down a big Branch put it on my cars so I had to take it down I want to put in a new tree on it I know exactly the tree I want I'm waiting to to I'm actually going to try and grow from seed to get it to going I I have the ability to do that but the point is another tax on us would be you take down trees $400 that's crazy and I know you're not proposing that I'm saying the the bridgew things sound pretty good here's your permit I mean most residents are going to realize oh I took down a tree I'm going to get fin for $400 I didn't even know there was a thing I could check it's my own property as you said Mr Quin absolutely I should be able johnnyy take it down you know but the point is um I would do some more sense checking what are other Burrows doing I make it more commercial rather than residential and if the state maybe we need to push some things back at the state you want to pay us for that tree Mr State you're requiring this is really no appreciate it I mean we do have to look at it I mean we have a hard enough time with the shade trees much less going after the guys in their backyards and all the rest of it and so it has to be crafted right because you know as well as I do if you make it unreasonable things will just disappear and which is what you don't want to have happen because you want to try and do the environmentally right thing well right here I mean you have a resource absolutely the resource CLA have you dealt with this before I I heard that coming um concerns me as far as generating the fees I would consider who's going to be out checking all how much you going to have to pay that person to go check and see oh how much was it at PR height how much you know what are they taking out where they putting I think you should go fee there's a fee to pay and then there's a if you don't put a tree in then you pay more money for the tree you could do either or that's how it works in in these towns and that's how it works research they've been doing this for years it's new to us that's why we're all panicking yeah it's not St doing this it's not oh yeah we well yeah we're aware that and you know part of it is how do we make it work so we got to we have to do our research here and we got to figure it all out because you knowes in the town because ofal places you know much and in my neighborhood just cut down and they don't so maybe yeah we're we're we're going back to the drawing B on this one that's for sure all right thanks anybody else all right uh motion to close Mo second all right oops and the workshop items all right uh we're getting ready for executive session at this point uh do the resolution do the resolu resolution 155 2024 ex executive session s all right motion Mike motion mot second uh roll call C presid counc cor right Council din yes counc doie counc Quinn yes C all right couple minutes to clear the room there will be no action taken our next regular meeting will be made