this is a meeting of the township committee March 4th 2024 the notice requirements provided for in the open public meetings act have been satisfied notice of this meeting was properly given by transmission to the asro park press the tour over times and by posting at the Middletown Township Municipal Building and filing with the Township Clerk all on January 11 2024 committeeman Clark here committee woman Katz here committeeman SBO here Deputy Mayor hell here mayor Perry here please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all at this time I'd like to ask for a moment of silence to honor the troop serving worldwide defending our constitutions freedoms and way of life thank you Heidi real quick I'm just gonna ask everyone to just stand for for a brief second please um a as many of you may know uh former Middletown mayor and KY Freeholder Frank self passed away um last week so if we could all just pause for a moment Frank was um a man with a big personality and a big heart and we appreciate the service that he gave to Middletown um as a mayor and and to mam County as as a Freeholder so if we could all just pause for a brief moment thank you first on tonight's agenda we have a presentation recognizing March 2024 as women's History Month in the township of Middletown at this time I'd like to invite judge sud Susan Susan Schroeder Clark to please come forward join mayor Perry at the front of the room all right and I also want to ask Kim to come down um and I know that uh Mr Kylie s Jo me down there oh so first of all good evening everybody uh it's great to see so many folks and we're celebrating a lot of I I feel pretty powerful up here because I got a lot of powerful women stand um but uh but today it's a it's a very uh special day and uh honored that obviously we have our sunw our commissioner um and our Board of Ed leaders um director Arn is here um because today's a special day um for for midd toown um as we Mark women's history month because today we will be swearing in our first female municipal judge in Middletown's 360e history and I think that deserves a big round so uh you know I I get I get the great Fortune of being the mayor and standing up here so often and talking about those different distinguished months that we have throughout the year but I I couldn't be more grateful for the leadership that the the women up here play I was on the phone with Christine hlin our County Clerk about I don't know four times today um talking about the different things that that we need to to do to keep our County going but all all of you as women all of you as Leaders um support me help me help the township Committee in so many different ways whether Kim as as a member the judge uh enforcing our law and and I want to who's here today as well um but all of us whether it's on the board of ed the county leadership in the state house wherever they are uh we have great leaders great women who set a great example for the for the young men for the young women that are here in the audience um today so I'm so grateful to all of you I'm going to be after I swear you in judge I'm going to be giving you this um but uh you know it's not official until we swear it right um but uh but I just want to thank all of you for your leadership for your dedication to our our municipality our state our County and and to our court system which which honestly is a big part of everything that we do here in Middletown because we are a land of of laws we are a land of of Law and Order and we need to I think get back to that a little bit because I think we've lost sight of it but I know judge Clark will do an excellent job she embarks on this new Journey here in Middletown and takes her over the B so let's give all these these ladies a big round no no no no I'm not give this to you so you're in the middle you get to hold it right one two three thank you all right good all right all right we'll text thank you so much for all thank you so much fun all right let's give these ladies another round of applause judge Clark's family to please come to the front of the room is swearing in all right so I'm change spots all right you good yeah okay I didn't I didn't know if I was swearing him in or all right um judge we got the meet and uh after so many people reached out and said what an unbelievable job you've done in uh in how in tit Falls um I'm honored today that you'll be taking this oath and more honored that you're our first female judge to to take this oath here in this Township in a 360 year history so um so very honored to to issue you this Left Hand by raise your right hand I'm not used to do it this way usually it's a first right yes repeat after me I Susan Clark I Susan Clark do solemnly swear do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States that I'll support the Constitution of the United States and the constitution of the state of New Jersey and the constitution of the state of New Jersey and that I will bear true Faith bear true faith and Allegiance and allegiance to the Saint to the Saint and to the governments established in the United States and to the governments established in the United States and in this state and in this state under the authority of the people under the authority of the people and I do swear and I do swear to Faithfully to Faithfully imp partially and impartially and justly perform and justly perform all the duties of all the duties of Municipal Court Judge municipal court judge according to the best of my ability according to the best of my ability so help you God so help me I just want to I just want to thank the mayor I also want to thank Deputy Mayor and councel for this opportunity I greatly appreciate it my daughter's here she's planning to go to law school at some point um so I appreciate your knowledge and I also want to tell you the fact that the leaders are here the women leaders are here I can't thank enough it really is you're setting the tones we are doing things and I want to thank you a lot um and I also want to thank the missal court that we have here you know she could be home and she should be home because she's working really hard but we have the uh Court Administrator here she is fabulous and I'm so lucky to be working with her who truly am and presiding judge he is um a really fabulous judge human being as well so I am I'm looking forward to this and everyone has been so welcoming in Middletown so I truly cannot thank you enough for the opportunity well this is the this is the first time I've had the opportunity of interviewing judges I've known judge buuy a long time uh and judge Monahan obviously served our our community very well and we're honored to have the service for him for seven years as as one of our judges um but today uh it was it was a it was a new experience for me uh as a mayor and and as a member of the governing body to appoint a new judge um but we have found the right judge to join judge perui on the bench um and continue to enforce the laws we have here in this town but also provide that fair and impartial ear that every person who stands before you deserves um and and applying that law fairly to them so uh we're we're very happy to have you here and congratulations and we look forward to many years of of you serving on the bench here I'm looking forward to it thank you so much thank you conratulations did you uh next we have a ing Middletown High School South female wrestling state champion the Roland if you please come forward the Middletown High School South wrestling coaches Eric cook Brian wz and Matthew Rosner and members of the Middletown County Board of Education could join May think where's we already discussed she said you can easily I told everyone what's gonna happen quick real quick let's give a big round of applause for this stage so yes just yesterday this this literally all came together yesterday right I I mean on Saturday I I I'm the is down in Atlantic City throwing hiel around I think at the wrestling match cuz you know he's down there doing whatever he's doing boat shows and stuff but the more important thing was happening and that was the state wrestling championship was occurring and so Sunday there's a big spread photos in in the Asbury Park Press I guess there was and of theat and when you when you see this picture like I wish I could get that excited this picture like she could easily thrown me right over that railing right there in this picture that's how excited she was and it's welld deserved because For the First Time I think since 1994 right 1994 Middletown is sitting here with the female state champion for wrestling not just m County not just level one NJ SI all this stuff groups one two and three and four this is our state champion right here so let's give I know that this dream started a long time ago sixth grade right is that we told sixth grade and right before the meeting she said not only did I beat the state champion for last year but I beat a person that I lost to earlier in the season I beat and won and if that doesn't make you as excited and ready to run through a brick wall I don't know what does because the the determination the the love the spirit everything that you have going for you is what defines a state champion it's what defines a winner and you Middletown is so proud of you not just as an athlete but as a person with Thrive that seen defeat and use that to fuel them to to put them at the top of that Podium and when I saw that picture yesterday I said this is the definition of a winner it's the definition of a state champion but it's the definition of somebody who does not let the feet get in their way it's somebody who feeds off that and who gets their Victory and I feel I feel chinned up and ready to go I can't imagine how you you feel right now so U before I let the coach uh say a few words this is a a a certificate in your honor congratulating you on behalf of the Middletown Township committee on becoming the 2024 NJ SI AA wrestling female individual state champion congratulations on reaching your goal of becoming the 2024 NJ SII AA wrestling female individual state champion in your weight class you've been chasing this dream since the sixth grade and your dedication perseverance and strength have empowered you to achieve this historic Milestone you're a role model for women and as we celebrate women's History Month even at a young age you've defined and made your mark on history and we want we want you to serve as a role model for other women pursue this Sport and a Trailblazer for Middletown High School South you're the first female from the state to cture this title a title that hasn't been won since 1994 where incred proud to honor you especially during women's History Month stay focused enjoy the moment and keep making that history congratulations I don't know if there's anything else to say so we started coaching in sixth grade you uh one of the teachers actually reminded me today that you didn't even think about wrestling in sixth grade you were gonna go do lacrosse which thankfully he got you to do wrestling so he took some of the you know the F cake for you still get to hit people in the cross yeah you know still physical sport um and then in eighth grade when you were going into High School you said you weren't even going to wrestle and I was like you have to do this so thankfully you listen to me and uh again you know this is our first year taking over the Middletown South wrestling program again you know sometimes the wrestler needs the program more than the program needs the wrestler sometimes the coaches need the program more than the program needs the coach like thank you okay because it just was the it was the perfect ending to a very welld deserved first season coaching for all of us and it was it was great okay so I don't know what else to say and again the offseason starts next week so but again thank you it it was great we cannot ask for anything more for it and you're also a true inspiration for any younger girl who was looking to start into wrestling you have set the bar for them and they're EXC excited to be where you are now thank you so proud of you thank you hey you want to say anything um I want to say thanks to you guys because you've been coached me since middle school since I started I didn't really start wrestling until my mom asked me to just randomly join the team like the night before and I was like sure why not um so yeah thank you guys and thank you for coming back because condition me my gas is better so thank you and thank you to my parents for being for and yeah thank for all your support with this you know what a fighter looks like when you walk up to her and she's got bandages holding her fingers together said so what's the what's the diagnosis here she goes I don't know we got to find out I haven't checked out yet and I was like man this is we're going to win here we're going to keep winning for years to come so let's give it up for the mom and dad you want to get in here all right all one two three congratulations EX be you read one of her letter that she wres she cries who who's who's crying who else all right well Ty collects herself let's go next on the agenda we have public hearing on proposed ordinances our first ordinance is 202 24- 3406 an ordinance amending 2023 3384 2023 2024 salary ordinance any member of the public wishing to speak on public ordinance number 2024 4- 3406 seeing no member of the public stepping forward move to close the public portion and approved second committee man Clark yes committee women Katz yes committee man s brino Deputy Mayor hell yes mayor Perry yes motion carries to adopt this ordinance on second and final reading okay at this time we have ordinance 2024 3407 an ordinance Amendment in chap 12-15 of the code of the township of Middletown creating two additional seats on the Veterans Affairs committee any member of the public wishing to speak on public ordinance number 20243 407 seeing no me no member of the public stepping forward move the close the public portion and approve second it Comm Clark yes committee women Katz yes committee men SBO yes Deputy Mayor hell yes mayor Perry yes motion carries to pass this ordinance on second and final reading at this time we have a uh our known known action items uh would the township committee like to adopt consent agenda which would include resolutions 24-11 through 24-19 motion to approve uh approve the consent agenda second it committee man Clark yes yes committee woman CRZ yes committee sen brino yes Deputy Mayor hell yes mayor Perry yes motion carries to adopt consent agenda at this time we have the township committee acting as the ABC issuing authority we have resolution 24-10 a resolution authorizing the renewal of liquor licenses with liquor license with chapter 12.39 special ruling for the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 licensing terms license number 1331 330264 motion to approve I commean Clark yes committee women Katz yes committee sanino yes Deputy Mayor hell yes mayor Perry yes motion carries to adopt resolution 24-10 this time we have a discussion item the fiscal year uh 2024 annual action plan for the Community Development block grant cdbg program I I know any member of the public wishing to make a public comment on the annual action plan for the cdbg program okay Don come on down I missed you birthday how to go it's your it's your birthday grandkid they all have their birthday within one week you're kidding me in a week of February you really Define like no like my kids think that the whole month of August is their birthday you know you know he's he's got birthday weeks I mean I'd rather have that no there's three three kids all have the same birthday in the same week no within a week of each other within the week um one year apart oh wow two different mothers yeah two different mothers oh crazier go figure have them on the same day Don yeah I'm not having any I had mine already I'm done with it I'll go play with the kids and give them back when I'm done anyway um in order for me to comment on this I need to know what the Community Development block grant is for this coming year does anybody know I know what it is but I don't know what it encompasses what the cdbg encompasses yeah for this year coming up well the a few things obviously number one we use a lot of cdbg funding when it comes to people applying to utilize cdbg to um make their house more um accessible um well you know the I know what it's used for but what is contained in this how we're going how we're going to utilize that money so like one big thing that I wanted to do was start as as actually commissioner Arnon does at the county um they utilize cdbg funding to allow for storefront renovations to occur um that was one of the things that we wanted to implement in this year's plan that we haven't in years past um so that's one of the the action items but the biggest thing that that cdbg for as you know is is assisting those with u certain needs the ability to rehabilitate or renovate their home because they fit the criteria for cdbg in the past we've used cdbg funds for um for uh the assistant the Middletown economic relief program um thing things of that nature so um but that I really think that that's the biggest change in terms of the cdbg okay I was just curious because when you're presenting this plan we do every year I know okay I was just wondering what was in the plan just basically to rehabilitate housing income eligible people have to apply if they're eligible we it's usually about $25,000 we spend on rehabing a house okay nothing special same old stuff if something else were to come up like if we if we were going to do a storefront uh program we would just we would do an amendment to this plan have a public hearing saying we're amending the plan right to put you know $50,000 aside to do storefront Rehabilitation so we we've done that in the past that's special project we we fixed up some parks um using cdbg money things like that the Tanya Keller Center would spent money there CG all right cool thank you you're welcome all right any other member of the public seeing no other member of the public stepping forward move the close the public portion and approve second committee man Clark yes committee woman Katz yes committee man s brino yes Deputy Mayor hell yes mayor Perry yes motion carries to approve at this time we have Township committee comments right committee Clark right thank you mayor um first I just want to congratulate um judge Clark on her appointment um you know all the great things that we've heard about her and the things that she's already done can't wait to see what she can do for Middletown um and for Thea becoming the first female state champion in town um and the first Champion since 1994 when Glenn pritz off won um people thought that nobody would be able to repeat What Glenn did you know he was kind of a wrestling Legend in this town still still is and Thea should be awfully proud that she can hang her name right next to him and uh I knowing Glenn and I coach Cook just told me that Glenn reached out to her um he's super super excited about it so um that's awesome it really is and uh it's it's one of the coolest things we get to do Mary you always get you always say it you know but we get to see these kids Excel whether it's you know the young young groups or all the way up to a high school age um this is what we're here for every one of us as adults is to enable these kids to grow and be awesome so just proud to be a part of it that's all I got thank you thank you commitment Cino thank you mayor I want to Echo commit and Clark's comments this evening uh and I congratulate all this evening that's all I have mayor thank you all right lady woman Katz thank you so also the same I'm it was a super fun evening tonight and not just because it was it was honoring some some important ladies so blessed and fortunate to serve with so many wonderful women in community and also thrill to see Thea be so successful she's a lovely young lady and and mayor spoke to her dedication and her drive which is clearly evident given her results and her success so absolutely thrilled for her and also very excited for judge Clark so all good stuff tonight so thanks mayor thank you Deputy Mayor just real quick uh to uh judge Clark I wish her the best uh excited to see what she's going to uh do here for us thank you um and to Thea was really hoping for a Throwdown with the mayor but that didn't happen said in the park a lot after Don if you could bring the camera out all right that's all I have all right um I I do want to thank judge Clark I I know that this was uh going to be a little bit bigger of a of a ceremony for her in terms of those that were attending with her but um I know that our mom and dad were especially trying to be here but um but a family emergency um is the reason that she had to leave quickly um so unfortunately um a momentous occasion for I know her and her family was cut short by by something uh something sad um that that they're dealing with now so um but I do again judge Clark and Jud judge perui uh number one deserves a lot of credit the he's one of the most patient individuals I I give him so much credit and um especially with an everchanging court and AOC and and just unfortunately the customer service business that it seems like they've had to become rather than a Law and Order business um but I I I want to thank judge perui for his uh recommendation I want to thank all the people that called me again want to thank judge Monahan for his years of service um it was an honor for me to swear her in and I look forward to a lot of years of success with her so I want to thank her for that um uh and then and then Thea what what what a true winner um and just glad we were able to coordinate with her so so quickly so thank you to Tara and team and Raven for for really getting that together as quickly as we did um all right we'll go to public comment uh any member of the public wish to make a public comment may do so we ask that you state your name and address for the record and we ask that you keep your comments to five minutes at four minutes I'll let you know that you have one minute remaining with that being said any member of the public wishing to make a public comment seeing no member of the public stepping forward move the close the public portion and adjourn second yes committee woman Katz yes committee man s brino yes Deputy Mayor hell yes mayor Perry yes motion carries to adjourn have a great night everybody thank you all very much