good evening I'd like to call the burrow council meeting to order adequate notice of this meeting has been provided under under chapter 231 Public Law 1975 specifying the time date and location and to the extent known the agenda by posting a copy of the notice in M excuse me Municipal Building providing a copy to the home News Tribune and by filing a copy in the office of the burre clerk will the clerk please call the role council president Zam Brana here councilman Collins I here councilwoman odonnell here councilman petti here councilman Potter here councilman revolinski mayor Trina May here thank you uh please rise and join me in a moment of silence followed by a salute to the flag I pledge aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the for it stands na [Music] indivisible all right so now it is time for a public comment which is limited to public comment on the resolutions listed on the agenda if you wish to speak please step up to the microphone and say your name and address for the record we have we have the presentation first oh I'm sorry not on my oh Randy sorrys and then big introduction sorry uh yeah is that white thing next to I will introduce the head of the historic preservation committee uh Randy Ruth who has uh his is a by annual presentation Randy yes I apologize for the overlooking what what is that you that you gave to him that white anyway there's only just uh over should be one so anyway um thank you for allowing me to be here and I should preface this that I did uh go through this so it should be close to the uh 14 15 minutes without going over and also to talk a little bit slower than I have in the past so good evening I am randy Ruth chairman of the miltown preservation committee and I'm here tonight to present to the council the council commit no less than b anual obligation outlined by ordinance number 06243 subsection 3 here's an outline of what what is to come what is the Middletown historic preservation advisory committee we're going to skip criteria tonight for the sake of time a lot of historic sites within the bu of General recommendations outline of promotional activities including our advisory education contributions to the community grants and funding opportunities and how to obain them and then some final thoughts so jumping around I didn't have this added but this is a general promotion of what we've uh really put together over the past couple years there's really not anything all that new new except for the last part you can see an image of it which is the r River Railroad Station report that put together by the committee uh and it's a detailed report outlining uh everything that has uh really if you have a question about the r railroad break station where where is it going how how's it going to happen budgeting plan it's a 505 report including um all of the uh architectural drawings engineering drawings some of the reports that were put together or plans that were done by CN many years ago so it's a it's interesting I think it's it's a public record I know I've given U an older draft to council president Bill BR but it is in its final form at this point and does include the contacts uh for this Council as well as oncoming Council Personnel so I'll get into what is the miltown historic preservation advisory committee miltown HBC is not the miltown Historical Society we are not focused on the history of the people and their activities however we are focused on supporting the miltown Historical Society by working with them to achieve similar goals as both groups are connected with the history of the birth the miltown HBC was established in December 2006 as an advisory committee to the council and planning board however it is not recognized by new jity Municipal land use law and therefore has no legal grounds to function as intended in any formal advisory manner to the planning zoning board since the miltown HPC is not legally recognized by the state it is not eligible for State funding or other Government funding programs so miltown boasts numerous buildings of historical significance of these there are four structures of particular importance which are the primary focus of tonight's discussion there railroad Freight station currently under threat this station holds a special place in midtown's history miltown historical society buildings including the Annex Building these buildings serve as a testament to our local history and culture South Main Street Firehouse a landmark that has been part of the community for generations and the golden line a building which a building rich and buied history adding to the character ever town all these structures are situated on the south side of miltown and possess histories that are integral to the community's Heritage and deserve preservation the historical preservation committee was established in 2005 largely in response to the need to protect the rton River Railroad Freight station this year marks nearly 15 years since the committee's formation highlighting the ongoing challenge of preserving the freight station one of the main hurdles in the preservation effort is the lack of organizing principles which are influenced and governed by Municipal laws for the from the committee's Inception to the present day we have navigated these challenges guid by the municipal land use saw within reason while the existing committee has made significant contributions it's important to note that it lacks the authority and power of the historic preservation commission such a commission which requires profession professional involvement is empowered by the mun Municipal land use laws it sets forth the rules for Hisar preservation ensures Equitable practices the absence of such a commission in miltown doe the mun due to the municipality not pursuing the necessary legislation has hindered our efforts in securing grants and funding the municipal land use law enables municipalities to establish a historic preservation commission however miltown has not taken advantage of this provision the first step towards establishing a commission invols incorporating a historic preservation element into the master plan these planning elements are crucial and can have significant significant impacts regardless of their uncertainty of of the outcomes the recent success of the South Main Street Rehabilitation plan which involved extensive review by the Planning and Zoning Board and consider considerable community outreach serves as an as a wellth thought out example model it demonstrates the effectiveness of wellth thought out planning and the positive outcomes that can result a Sur preservation element in the master plan plays a Sim similar role it establishes guidelines sets standards and helps in planning for the future contrary to misconceptions it's not about dictating minor aesthetic choices like house colors the focus is on promoting property value growth protecting properties and preserving cultural heritage through architectural details it's about celebrating mtown past shaping the future and respects our history and enhancing the town's appeal to both businesses and residents a critical current issue is the relocation of the r River Rail Station the historic structure is presently in danger of demolition with a deadline of looming in while fundraising is essential for this endeavor the focus must shift to the logistical challenges involved these challenges are compounded by the need for coordination with the county especially since the proposed relocation site a preserved open space has pre has previously received country County support the predicament surrounding Railroad Station underscores the need for hisor preservation commission such a body staffed with planning professionals could have a preemptive could have pre ly advised these challenges their expertise would provide essential advocacy for the burough preserving its historical assets unfortunately we can we currently lack such a commission in light of these challenges I heard the presid May Administration Council and the incoming officials to seriously consider the establishment of a historic preservation commission this initiative should be aligned with the historic preservation element of the master plan although it may seem like a small step it is crucial it is a crucial one safeguarding Our Heritage and assuring that similar issues and proactively managed or will be proactively managed in the future the current situation with the railroad station serves as a pointing reminder of the consequences of delayed actions we must strive to avoid finding ourselves in a Sim in similar predicaments where critical decisions and actions are required at the last moment the reactive approach not only jeopardizes our heritage but also limits our our opinions for preservation or options for preservation it's important to recognize that for the past 18 years this committee has endeavored in varied capacities to advocate for and protect our Town's historical assets despite these efforts we find ourselves at a critical juncture it is in many ways the end of the road for certain initiatives this moment should serve as a catalyst for a more proactive and structured approach to Historic preservation within the burough the future of our historical sites including a railroad station ultimately lies in the hands of the Town Council and mayor current and future their decisions will significantly influence the preservation of her Town's history the miltown Historical Society buildings present a different set of challenges traditionally these buildings have been maintained by the Historical Society itself through funds raised specifically for their upkeep however recent difficulties for the society have led to a shift an opinion many now believe that since these buildings are a bur of properties it should be the responsibility of the Bur to maintain them this makes sense especially from a liability perspective without a historic preservation committee though there is a risk of making alterations to these buildings that are inappropriate or out of character for example the use of unsuitable roofing materials structural changes that do not represent the historical context the lack of oversight not only affects the Integrity of the buildings but also the impacts impact our eligibility for funding regardless of who Bears the financial responsibility whether it is the citizen through the Historical Society or citizens as taxpayers securing local funding is crucial for preservation without a commission our ability to manage these structur structures effectively and attract the necessary funding is severely limited this highlights the importance of having a structured approach to Historic preservation within the community I urge the advancement of the historic preservation element of the master plan this is not just a matter of preserving buildings but leveraging our limited assets effectively by doing so can ensure that her Town's history is not only preserved but also appreciated by Future Generations the sou Main Street Firehouse currently encompassed within the South Main Street Rehabilitation overlay Zone it's actually own separate Zone represents another significant aspect of midd Town's history the future of the I of this iconic building rests squarely with the Town Council and mayor the responsibility of deciding its Fe is substantial and requires careful consideration especially in the context of Redevelopment proposals it's crucial to understand the weight of the decision surrounding such Cal structures the council's choices both current and future will not only shape the town's fiscal landscape but also its historical Integrity these should should these structures fail to be preserved or invested in the responsibility will lie with the council as they have assumed ownership of these decisions integrating a historical preservation element into the master plan would facilitate prop development of these sites it would also create a more predictable and Level Playing Field enabling clear guidelines on how the building should be preserved this structured approach is vital to balancing development needs with historic preservation additionally having such a preservation framework in place would increase the eligibility for grant funding for these for those interested in Saving structures this approach not only makes Financial sins but also aligns with the broader goal of preserving the to's cultural and cultural and architect Ural Heritage the Golden Lion a landmark with over A Century Of History as a gathering place for the community is is facing structural challenges this building formerly known as the hotel margarit has undergone numerous alterations over the years despite its current condition it remains a significant piece of architectural of architecture and a vital part of mil Town's history the property owner of the golden line could become eligible for preservation funding if the historic preservation element were included in the master plan such financial support would facilitate necessary investments into the property benefiting both the owner and the community this approach would also enhance access to the public funds from our County and other government sources for for the property owners and other citizens the South Main Street Rehabilitation plan encompasses the golden line raising concerns about its future if the property were to be sold or redeveloped the current zoning allows for significant changes without much restriction while the council has the final say in Redevelopment within this Zone there are limitations a proposal that conform that conforms to the legal requirements could potentially lead to Legal complications if rejected by the council for some reason the council must be mindful of the legal implications of rejecting development proposals that meet zoning requirements this situation highlights the delicate balance between the development rights of property owner and preserving historical structures the golden Line's architectural Beauty currently hidden behind siding is a testament to its past Glory as Hotel margarit once described as the most beautiful building in miltown on November 14th 1907 it was described as probably one of the finest and most upto-date hotels in this vicinity and quote however without a historic preservation element in the master plan options for proactive preservation are limited the Assumption the assumption that the property fate will fate lie solely with the owner is a misconception the council equipped with the right tools and plans can play a crucial role in shaping bu's future ensuring it remains a cherished public space and a symbol of miltown Rich history the burough has the capacity and responsibility to enable its citizens and Property Owners to achieve more with less this empowerment comes through the establishment of clear and effective rules these rules proven to work in various communities within New Jersey are designated are designated or designed to facilitate growth and prosperity within the community thoughtful growth is essential without proper zoning and planning a community risks losing control over its development the absence of proactive measures can lead to situations where external decisions such as judicial rulings dictate development particularly in matters of affordable housing there is a common misconception that historic preservation infringes upon property rights of the property owner rights while preservation does in introduce certain complexities it doesn't necessarily prevent Property Owners from making changes instead it sets community-driven standards for those changes the strength of local regulations is parano even if a building is designated as a National Historic Landmark it can still be demolished if not protected at the local level this underscores the principles that the underscore this underscores the principle that the best interest of the community are determined by its members not by state or federal authorities interestingly the federal government's approach aligns with the concept of local autonomy contrary to perception of federal overreach there is a significant degree of self-government allowed in matters of local Heritage this approach emphasizes the importance of local decisions in shaping the community's future respecting the unique unique needs and values of each locality jump in the head a little bit but uh a memo titled what is the difference between strong and weak uh commission uh with examples was prepared for this Council in February earlier this year and should address any questions that you might have with regard to a commission and lastly thank you for your attention I'd like to extend a thank you to the mayor my pleasure and council president Phil Z BR and anybody else who has assisted with with the fire alarm upds at the historic miltown hisorical Society your support for seeing this promise come to fruition is highly appreciated any questions yes so C we'll take Council questions so Randy thank you so much for that that uh pretty detailed um explanation of the biannual address um just so uh you're aware I did get a confirmation from John Carol at the county that he did receive the um um the document that you had sent and uh apologize for not getting getting back sooner look to uh get an answer from him by the end of this week that is excellent news we'll see what happens cross my fingers I don't want to say anything until I see it but a response is is is a step in the right direction yes yes anyone else yes yes you said the South Main Street plan is a success how do that a success it's a plan well you know what they say about the best lead plans I think it's a very good plan I think it's an example of asking the community and getting them involved and you have to weigh the community's uh support for certain parts of it so whether that be development you know how T building should be what they'd like to see but from a from a planning perspective it really helped address and offer some protections to the to the Firehouse because it it involved if it was the first time on record because anecdotally I think we could all say oh we want to save the firehouse who wants to save the firehouse this is the first time where members of the community came out and said I want this save and you get you got to see that and I don't have the raw data that was given to us I don't know if anybody actually got the raw data from John B but the numbers were significant so I think that says something that when I will I would say at least the majority of the people there wanted to see something done with that Firehouse that is really good that is a success for Star preservation within the community as far as the golden Lion's concerned something I didn't mention which I think is kind of interesting is that there has been discussion prior to uh these pocket liquor licenses and currently within the state of New Jersey uh some of the legislation that's going on is that there needs to be reform for both breweries and the pocket licenses so that recently got kicked back to the legislature by Governor Murphy in part because it wasn't strong enough in the pocket licenses so the basically the legislation was only going to help breweries not the not address the pocket license issu now if that were to be revised and presented and let's say we could get a pocket let's say miltown could take a pocket license and sell it to somebody the way it's currently written or proposed is that you would only be able to use that pocket license in a Redevelopment area now I don't think anybody thought about the S South Main Street Rehabilitation plan if thought huh we should make this a rehabilitation Zone because we might want to see a pocket nobody saw that I me this is all pretty but the fact that you're proactive with the planning and you move that forward and now you add more tools to the community toolkit that enables you as the and really the community that enables them to do more because you've done you've been proactive in the planning process that's why oh because I thought the Redevelopment was only on the left side of Main Street not the right side of Main Street I think you need to Rie better understand that it's Washington the both sides both sides both sides and if I'm not mistaken there's already been the property where the old Spirits um property used to be has been sold and that owner of that property is the owner of the golden line so I'm not going to sit here and say the proceeds from that is going to help rehabilitate the golden line but you never know I'm not really sure any other comments for ryy I had I had a question for you question I you promis to talk slower but you get very enthusiastic so I'm not sure if I caught this um did you say that the town was responsible for the preservation of the railroad building no they're not they're not responsible uh not directly I think that there is a certain element uh or a certain burden that does fall on their shoulders because as the building as it's proposed would move to County property that's managed by the Bur they definitely need to be a part of the conversation is it their responsibility to see that it's mov I don't believe so I don't think so at all um but they you know I think anybody with local political power I think you can use that power and and and leverage that uh if there's a comprehensive plan and as it stands right now I think there's that plan that's came honestly before me is in one nice little package and now I it's easier to better understand it so I think the burden is now greater because the vision is clearer well thank you for clarifying that anyone else well thank you as always for the excellent presentation and for all your hard work for the miltown historical uh commission committee sorry and for the railroad station as well we've done a lot of work on that and it's appreciated thank you thank you thank you Randy did you grab your dve okay okay sorry now we can move on to um the approval of oh no comments sorry comments on resolution um hold on a second where am I Monica so sorry now public comment limited to resolutions on the agenda if you wish to speak please step up to the microphone and say your name and address for the record sorry seeing none I will close audience comments and move on to approval of minutes we're approving the minutes for the November 27th 2023 meeting any comments or Corrections then can I have a motion to accept the minutes so moved second have motion by councilman Potter second by councilwoman O'Donnell all in favor I I any opposed okay so moved now will the clerk please read resolution 306 6 2023 authorizing bill payment by title only authorizing the payment of bills claims and statements against the burrow of miltown in a total amount of 4,596 12070 you've heard the reading of this resolution what is your pleasure move that the B be approved as I have a motion by councilwoman O'Donnell second by council president samam Brana any discussion yes madame mayor on page nine it says Optima for the senior CI cens and apparently that doesn't work from what I was told so we paying $293 for something it's not working is that the TV I mean optimal it should be TV right it's Wifi right could it be Wi-Fi could be could be could be a combination of cable and and internet John yeah but they're saying the cable doesn't work down there who who said that bobinski did he reach out to anyone in the burrow no that's what he that's what he's you're the Y on Phil Bob Bob hasn't reached out to me and told me that optim isn't working John can you look into that sure he told me it's not working so well that's good to hear now better late than never I'm sorry TV or the internet's not working what's that what's not working I didn't catch TV at the senior center say not working we're paying $300 a month I mean 293 actually no we're paying for internet yeah so we Phill look into it I'm sure it's I I wouldn't imagine it's been months and months it's been out but to your point we don't want to pay for something that doesn't work but it should be there anything else on the uh bills will the clerk please call the role council president Zam Brana hi councilman Collins hi councilwoman O'Donnell hi councilman Paretti hi councilman Potter hi councilman rinsky so move the resolution is adopted next we we have the consent agenda uh consent resolution has been prepared for the resolutions listed on the agenda all matters listed under the consent agenda are considered to be routine in nature and having been reviewed by the buau council will be enacted by one motion any item may be removed from the consent agenda at the request of any council member and if so removed will be treated as a separate matter any items requiring expenditure are supported by a certification of funds if any member of the council wants any resolution acted upon indiv visually please give me the resolution number and it will be pulled from the consent agenda yes Madam mayor I to pull uh 31320 23 and 31620 23 313 and 316 that's correct okay anyone else uh 308 309 and 310 please 308 309 and 310 any others okay will the clerk please read the consent resolution on I'm just trying to figure out we didn't Paul 11 12 11 12 14 11 12 14 15 17 we 16 okay whereas pursuant to the rules of council the council May establish a consent agenda for any regular or special meetings upon certain conditions and whereas each of the following resolutions to be presented before burough council at its December 11th 2023 regular meeting appear to have the unanimous approval of all members of the burrow Council 313 312 314 315 317 now therefore be it resolved by the burrow Council of the burrow of miltown that each of the above listed resolutions be approved and adopted by the burrow council with the same legal effect as though each was read in its entirety at the December 11th 2023 regular meeting and adopted by separate votes you've heard the reading of this resolution uh what is your pleasure Madam mayor make a motion that these resolutions be adopted second I have a motion by councilman Potter second by councilman revolinski any further discussion will the clerk please call the role council president Zam Brana hi councilman Collins hi councilwoman odonnell hi councilman Paretti hi councilman Potter hi councilman revolinsky hi so moved will the clerk please read resolution 308 2023 by title 308 2023 authorizing winter termination program you've heard the reading of this resolution what is your pleasure Madam mayor make a motion this resolution be adopted second I have a motion by councilman Potter second by councilwoman odonnell any discussion yes I uh asked for this one to be pulled I have a couple questions about it I understand there's a New Jersey state statute uh associated with this and what it is is that uh we can't shut off someone's uh water service or uh or utilities for that matter between November 15th and March 15th for lack of payment um and I don't see anything in here but I'm wondering does this require payment to be made in full or then to be current prior to November 15th and what is the recourse or um when when does our current ordinances permit us to shut off service because if someone's not in full by November 15th and then we allow them to go through the winter months tax sale is the method of collection and how long in advance is that the tax sale um we just had a tax sale and that would have collected prior year delinquencies that's how it works um with the standard sale that we have here so it could be you know 18 months do you know what the interest rate we get from that is Janette uh it's 8% on the first 1500 18% on the amounts over thank you anything else will the clerk please call the rooll council president Zam Brana hi councilman Collins hi councilwoman odonnell I councilman paret I councilman Potter I councilman revolinski I uh next will the clerk please read resolution 309 2023 by title authorizing the borrow engineer to request an extension of time to award project for municipal aid program Grant through the transportation trust fund act heard the reading of this resolution what is your pleasure Madame mayor I make the motion that this resolution be adopted second motion by councilman Potter second by councilman Paretti any discussion yes I asked for this one to be pulled because I see on here that the one month extension of time is from October 21st to November 21st so I'm wondering how we are now asking for an extension of time for a period that had already passed us and why we hadn't done it sooner I the DFT originally didn't believe that resolution was necessary this is just a formality was one of the things they required as you know the uh projects been awarded to the contractor just formality in their processes anyone else will the cour please call the role council president Zam Brana hi councilman Collins hi councilwoman odonnell I councilman Paretti I councilman Potter I councilman revolinski I will the courts please read resolution 310 2023 by title authorizing submission of Grant application American Rescue plan miltown fire department you've heard the reading of this resolution what is your pleasure Madame mayor I make a motion this resolution be adopted second second have a motion by councilman Potter second by councilwoman O'Donnell any discussion um just curious about this one and in my discussions uh with the fire department I was informed that this was due by the 8th so did we already submit this into the it was extended till the 21st so it'll be that was an extension by the state yes yes it'll be submitted tomorrow if it's adopted any other discussion will the clerk please call the rooll council president Zam Brana I counc councilman Collins councilwoman odonnell I councilman Paretti I councilman Potter I councilman rinsky I so moved uh next will the clerk read resolution 313 2023 by title authorizing Personnel action Deputy minicipal clerk heard the reading of this resolution what is your pleasure Madame mayor make the motion this resolution be adopted second have a motion by councilman Potter second by council president Zam Brana any discussion yes Madam mayor I had a question on this uh why didn't this one go to the Personnel committee it's not a department head yeah but I mean the code enforcer isn't a department head is it yes John are you saying that this wasn't discussed within the personel committee right no this was discussed well it was discussed but it wasn't approved this was discussed within a Personnel committee meeting at the same time that we were looking for our M for our bur clerk right but we didn't get any resumes or anything we don't get all we department head not a department head it's been budgeted since the beginning of the year the plan has been the entire year to appoint someone by the end of the year did you have a question about any of the other people that we hired did you see the resume for the crossing guard or the electric utility department person or the police depart I mean we had discussed this but that was the end of it I mean we never came up with that I should have asked my fault but we don't get every single resume we leave it to the the department head to do some of the hiring department head we used to interview the police too so it's not they're not department heads you interview we inter I don't recall ever interviewing a police the police the chief and they do uh bring in candidates yeah but but not Personnel committee no NOP I'm just I'm curious about this one in regards to the salary range and does that fall within the limits of our uh our salary ordinance for that position yes and this is a uh a union position non non non was it traditionally a non-un position we haven't had a a deputy clerk before the purpose that the reason that we this actually got discussed in the beginning of the year and the position was budgeted for we went out for um we listed the posted the ad earlier in the year we got a handful of applications nobody had experience and the clerk at that time um didn't want to bring somebody in that didn't have experience because they didn't want to train uh that person the the reason that we want a deputy is because uh only the clerk can conduct a meeting only the clerk can do certain things so a deputy clerk can step in in that instance so it's really important when we have such a um uh Staffing uh limitations that if you're going to have two people in that office then that's the role roles that you should have so that there is an overlap so that if Miss Orlando decided to take a little Hiatus to Italy she could exactly okay um I'm just curious though about the Civil Service standard and then U civil service it's it's still under civil service it's just not a union position that's all okay because it's confidential do you know when this person supposed to start y January 2nd January 2nd m i just figured wait till next year to do this I don't know well we do have a a pending retirement also so it's time is of the essence if we wait until next year to then it's just that much longer that's the reason why any other comments we look like please call the role council president Zam Brana hi councilman Collins hi councilwoman odonnell I councilman Paretti I councilman Potter I councilman rinsky hi and will the clerk please read resolution 316 2023 by title authorizing disclosure of Award of contract tree trimming and removal services richest Tree Service not suceed $25,000 you've heard the reading of this resolution what is your pleasure mad mayor resolution be aded my goodness nice who's going to in stereophonic sound we were in sync on that one I'll take take the second okay so I have a motion by Council revolinski second by councilman Potter any discussion yes Madam mayor I was wondering why why do we didn't go out to bid because I mean we bid the sidewalk in the front it's a state contract once once the expenditures go over the $17,500 threshold they have to do payto payer paperwork which is what this is oh so that's all this is it mhm which is attached to the the backup detail exactly to to their expenditures yeah right I read anything anyone else will the clerk please call question oh sure goad is this for a set number of trees no this is just yeah is okay thank you will cler please call the role council president zamb BR I councilman Collins I councilman odonnell I councilman paret I councilman Potter I councilman rinsky all right so move next we will move on to the reports from the officials and we'll begin with councilwoman Margaret oon just want to remind everyone that last time I gave back some time because I knew I'd have long reports this time um I've concluded each year of my service as uh councilman with a a brief uh year in review um but since I also have the actual reports from those uh departments might be a little longer I'll promise I'll send you something from we have another meting we have one more the 26th we will be meeting um okay this is from um lieutenant and acting Chief Christopher Johnson between November 8th and December 1st um police responded to 845 calls for service during this period police conducted 7 71 radar details in numerous locations police made 208 motor vehicle stops during this period and police investigated 12 motor vehicle accidents seven arrests were made which included shoplifting endangering the welfare of children burglary receiving stolen property um driving well intoxicated and active arrest warrants there is good news though we have a commodation um I made a brief reference to this because it was hot off the press's news um at the last meeting but we'd like to this will provide some more detail for you we'd like to commend the actions of patrolman Michael mccab for his recent arrest of a serial car burglar on November 22nd 2023 patrolman mcab volunteered to go on a late night multi-hour foot patrol throughout miltown in an effort to catch a suspect who had been breaking into unlocked parked cars over the past few weeks his hard work paid off when he found the suspect walking out of miltown near the north brunso border the suspect later identified as a 23-year-old male from North Brunswick was arrested and charged with 10 counts of burglary and receiving stolen property at the time of his arrest the suspect was in possession of items he had stolen the same night the suspect was later turned over to the middlex County Adult Correctional Center residents are always are reminded to always lock their vehicle doors hide vehicle hide valuables from View and to remove key fobs it's also encouraged to not leave garage door door openers inside the vehicles that would allow criminals access to your home I actually saw um patrolman mccab this evening and thanked him and he very humbly said just just my job just what we do around here um we have some retirements to announce as well the officers and staff of the miltown police department would like to congratulate Chief Brian canelli and Lieutenant Daniel kenon on their upcoming retirements at the end of December 2023 Chief canelli served our community as a police officer with the miltown police department for 26 years his hard work dedication and Leadership will be missed by all of us Lieutenant kenon served our community as a police officer with the miltown police department for 25 years and he too will have his hard work dedication and Leadership equally missed by all of us we wish them both long happy and healthy retirements um from the office of emergency management we completed an emergency protective measures Grant and were awarded $3 31,6 120 through FEMA the Grant and project involved the use of our solar powered sign boards displaying covid-19 information during the pandemic we thank everyone for their patience and understanding during the psng utility uh the long PSG utility road project um road repaving is planned for the spring of 2024 a note about winter storm parking and snow removal as we approach the winter season residents are reminded to follow the burrow ordinances regarding parking and snow removal after 1 hour of continuous accumulating snow no person shall Park stop or leave an abandoned vehicle on any burrow Street please help our Public Works Crews by moving your vehicles as required so they can effectively and safely plow our streets vehicles that are left on the roadways may be ticketed and towed within 24 hours of a snowstorm residents must shovel the sidewalks in front of their homes many children walk to school and are adversely affected when residents fail to shovel the sidewalks reminder it is prohibited to throw ice or snow on any burrow Street the miltown Police Department is hiring there's a need for part-time school crossing guards the position is part-time with very flexible hours be a role model for the children and come join our team applications can be found at the burrow website and for more information about about the position please contact acting Lieutenant Carmen D Lorenzo at C dorenzo miltown pd.org and in conclusion please continue to report suspicious activity traffic concerns and non-emergent type calls 2732 828 1100 emergency and life-threatening calls use 911 any concerns Andor complaints can be submitted by using the official burrow website or by calling miltown police directly and the police department would like to wish everyone a happy and safe holiday season all right you sure we're definitely having the next meeting yes and I will I will spare you all the year in review until that time all right it'll be worth waiting for um from the miltown fire department uh Chief Ray Jolly this month there were um three drills one meeting 11 fire calls two special assignments um four work details for a total of 21 incidents 293 incidents year to date and 41781 M man hours to date the nature of the fire calls included four that involved oven stove or kitchens anything from uh odor of gas to an actual structure fire there were two car fires an activated fire alarm um there was a mutual Aid call to Edison and those types of mutual Aid usually involved standing by at that um Town's uh house while that town is fighting their own fire but in this case they um uh were on standby and then they went in as a relief crew um on the scene as well um and there was also a brush fire and a flower pot um the work details included uh four equipment checks the drills included um engine 63's Cascade system operation some saw operations and some treat packing for the tree lighting um the special assignments included um engine 72 and Ladder 73 detailing and um I don't know what this means but um the mezzanine gy assembly I'll get more detail on that um we just heard about the American Rescue plan firefighter uh Grant and that money um if we got it would be used for the purchase of turnout gear training is ongoing vehicle maintenance is up to date on the uh in terms of building and grounds grave blankets were placed at the memorial site um and uh as I often conclude announcement for the council meeting members are needed candidates interested in joining the miltown fire department are encouraged to stop by the firehouse on Monday nights at 6:30 or email join miltown fire gmail.com and from the Rescue Squad from Captain Will Kaplan in November um there were 89 total calls 54 here in town 14 on the turnpike and 21 in the form of mutual Aid two members became EMTs this month um another four members are expected to graduate in the coming weeks and this brings the total number of new EMTs in the organization to 7 for 2023 the rescue squad will be helping the fire department escort Santa around town on December 23rd starting at 6:00 p.m. listen up for the sirens as we make our way to your neighborhood if anyone has any billing questions they should call Cornerstone our billing company with any questions or concerns their number is 877 21468 you can also get to their website by visiting the miltown rescue squad website which is miltown Rescue Squad .org please do not call the miltown police department with questions about billing or recruiting recruitment um the miltown rescue squad will begin accepting applications for the spring onboarding process in January anyone who's interested in learning about joining the rescue squad or becoming an EMT should email recruitment Milltown rescue squad. org to learn more and the squad is always happy to answer any questions about that and this I'm going to read as a quote from Captain Will Kaplan finally we want to thank the outgoing council members and mayor mayor for their continued support of the miltown rescue squad while they were in office this one's hard to say but we especially want to recognize councilwoman odonnell who served as liazon for this past year for supporting us and the rest of the miltown public safety Community it was a pleasure working with you all and that concludes those reports um every else I think I'll wait when we definitely have that next meeting so that's but it's on Tuesday the 26 Tuesday the next okay thank you uh next we will move on to councilman Dave Potter thank you Madame mayor um for the Midtown electric Department submitted by John eert six very large trees that were diseased and threatening power lines were removed line clearance was also performed on five streets to keep limbs away from the power line L linemen responded to eight calls for broken street lights six lights were repaired and two were replaced with energy efficient LED fixtures a pole transfer was performed on Harrison Avenue at a location where a broken pole was recently set one broken electric meter was replaced holiday decorative lighting was refurbished and installed on utility poles and in the municipal building parking lot American flags were removed from utility PLS and returned to the American Legion the boy scout Christmas tree trailer was provided with electric service abandoned Telco and cable wires were removed from several poles department members responded to several calls of down wires bucket truck number nine has been sent out again for warranty repair an LED flood light was replaced and one was repaired at glory Bradford Park in preparation for the winter festival the Burrow's four diesel generators were inspected and tested by the utility department members various power problems were evaluated throughout the Bur the utility department worked with the building department to troubleshoot building disputes throughout the month and the house service was relocated on the dwelling that was being altered and Madame mayor I'd like to also welcome a new member to the department with the approval of resolution 311 2023 we have a new labor in the electric department so we're up one more excellent to hear from the water sewer department submitted by Don Herman uh PNG has completed the work throughout the town which required markouts monitoring of pump stations occurs on a regular schedule Church Street Pump Station pump 2A is being repaired the water main reigning and replacement program on Highland dry is complete the road restoration will be done in the spring water main brake repairs were done on Desmond and burnhard and other repairs were made on Miller's Lane and Harkens hydrant flushing has been completed dates and times were posted on channel 15 the electronic board out front the home news and through nixel if anyone isn't signed up to receive notices through nixel email and text messages please go to nixle.com to register and a reminder when doing your holiday cooking please do not dump any cooking grease down your sink even if you run hot water because it can clog your pipes as well as your neighbors pipes all griefs should be put in the garbage Madame mayor regarding utilities committee on November 30th the utilities committee had an internal endof year wrap-up meeting with CME to go through completed ongoing and Future projects and outstanding items this information will be shared with the new administration's utilities Committee in the upcoming year planning board the last meeting of the year was on December 6th the next scheduled meeting will be the reorg meeting which is scheduled for January 3rd and for Fourth of July the committee is in the midst of planning next year's event and will be coming to council early next year to present the plans for the day and receive council's approval and that concludes my report great thank you next we will move on to councilman rich rinsky thank you uh I'm going to start off with uh pretending to be um our library director Charlie leckenby uh unfortunately he couldn't be here tonight but he did want me to read this so I won't do an impersonation but these words are from him um dear miltown burrow councel I would like to thank all of you for the support you have given the miltown public library since I started here in February of 2022 I especially want to thank you for approving the funds to to pay for the library's new roof without that approval there is no way we could have managed to fund it we are set for many years now without worrying about leaks your support both financial and in person you made great pie judges shows how valuable the library is to this community My Hope Is that we continue to grow in ways that give miltown a place that it can be proud of and somewhere everyone feels welcome and safe happy holidays and good luck to those of you moving on to new adventures kind regards Charlie leckenby uh Mr leckenby would also like me to announce a couple of upcoming events the first one everyone should probably mark their calendar for is Wednesday December 13th holiday Stress Management doesn't that sound good holiday Stress Management Wednesday December 13th winter Bingo it is snow much fun Saturday December 16th and tween craft and movie Monday December 18th and please uh council members and burrow uh happy holidays enjoy safe and healthy uh report from the DPW for this evening the DPW Crews continue to keep low hanging and dead branches trimmed Christmas tree pickup will begin on Monday January 8th please be sure to remove all lights decorations and tinsel if you can please do not put the tree in plastic bags street sweeping has taken place and is ongoing to meet D regulations catch Basin and outfall pipe cleaning has taken place to meet D storm water regulations the Department of Public Works hung the holiday decorations on Main Street and Cru decorated burrow Hall in an advancement of the Christmas tree lighting for the annual uh festivities Leaf cleanup has begun to take place at Burrow Park and the senior center as well as burrow Hall the staff continue to stay on top of any potholes that need to be repaired and if you have one please don't hesitate to uh report a con concern on the B website Leaf Bags remain available at the DPW building at uh Washington Avenue they can be picked up Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. uh trees were removed on stard du courland bear Desmet Chestnut and Janet tree removal and trimming is ongoing and follows the shade tree application list the DPW supplied a crew to help with the water main brakes and repairs and two public parking signs were installed at the library next Rec cing dates are December 14th that's this week and the Thursday after Christmas December 28th and that concludes my reports thank you do you know how long they keep the um giving out the leaf bag until everything's yeah they they they're always there yeah they they've stopped with the uh the weekend pickup the extra time on the weekends to pick them up so it there just no no I mean when how long do they have them for pickup over at the DPW like you can go any time of the year and pick them up yeah I mean until they're gone typically there's always a few still straggling around okay I just spent 3 hours raking may need more all right thank you um next we have councilman John Collins thank you madam mayor uh was just reporting on the environmental committee on the November 29th um 200 23 the uh schwindaman cabin the uh cabin logs were cleaned and uh they pulled out the cracked motar and repaired it the chimney was cleaned and washed uh they were asking questions about the Christ Street maybe Peter do you know how long they have to for submit a plan to the planning board Dave don't know anything about the planning Day Street there is a um six months well right now there is there's an application in front of the planning board right now so I I really would not want to discuss anything on this board I would recommend that too if there is a pending application thank you now I just was wondering it's been U postponed for a couple times I was wondering is there a is there a certain I I don't know the circumstances surrounding the postponement because I don't I don't handle your planning board so um I can look into it and try to get you an answer but really there is no set amount of time that you you know it's it's more of the board has to hear it within a certain amount of time if ex the applicant's ready U if the applicant is asking for the adjournment for some reason typically they would would get that from the board I can tell you this it was brought up at the last planning board meeting and it'll be in the February's planning board meeting the applicant was fine with the extension so it was carried to the February meeting so it's not being done during reorg thanks yep and uh they were asking for bids for a roof repair for the log cabin is that possible we can get that because they do have a grant um I think we had the architectural plan submitted to this Council right or the architect or bids for Arch yeah for to do the architectural analysis before have you ever heard back from that architect we did um I made a recommendation to council several months ago and councilman Zam bro wanted to hold another meeting I've heard nothing further on that I think so John you have we have theid the council has to accept an an architecture first you mean you mean the bid the bid that you that you accepted from the architect yeah the bid you accepted right what's the report I'm I'm not the leaone you're the liaz zone for Environmental so wait a second would you like me to step in and try to get you some information hold on hold on we I made the recommendation that we move forward with an award and councilman Zam bro you wanted to pull back and say I think we need more time I I agreed I I had no I did not say you can't you can't stop you can't go I'm fine these people are waiting to work you know I'm trying to get can we put it on for the December 26 meeting then to make the award to that that I just need to know who and then certainly we can do thank you we had a choice of four right yeah they were given all the proposals so just let me know who you had a choice of four you had you picked one that's all you have to do forward it to the to our ba CFO you'll move forward okay good we'll just need all the paperwork that they submitted yeah yeah you have it all yeah or you you it's in there okay so now we're still in your comments great no problem and then uh they're talking about a location for the dog park and I I don't know I don't know where they were going to put that but they were had that idea a lot of people are kicking that idea around town and they're looking for a a bigger and better Earth Day celebration April 2024 and where's my other notes Here I got the Board of Health meeting I'll go over the vital statistics statistics are always good this is for the month of September birth six deaths four marriages six remarriages zero civil union zero for the month of October 2023 births 8 deaths four marriage is three remarriage is zero civil union zero and that concludes my report Madam mayor thank you I have I have a question for uh councilman Collins um are you able to since you Le's with the county health person are you able to ask them for some baggies for loose pills that are put in the um medication drop um by the police um someone noticed that there were some loose pills on the like on the ground so they thought the person probably tried to like dump them in and maybe we could have something there if you could see if that's like a thing that the county um Health Department does thank you no problem it's a good idea uh next we have councilman James Paretti thank you madam mayor so from the recreation department adult yoga men's basketball and women's viall winter registrations are all all still available and open youth basketball registration has been opened and the registration deadline is approaching it is December 29th the program will begin in January on January 20th and we always welcome our volunteer coaches who make the programs very special for our children we're excited to hold our first family holiday movie night at Parkview school on Friday December 15th you must be registered on community pass to attend there is no cost also you're encouraged to wear your pajamas that we ran our first holiday Hershey Kiss contest thank you to all our participants and congratulations to our six winners enjoy your prize on Friday December 1st the department had their annual tree lighting and even though the weather weather wasn't in our favor it was a huge success we would like to thank everyone that came out to support our kickoff to this holiday season a special thank you to the following individuals mayor Trina mayor for lighting our tree with our special guest the Remax team for the wonderful display with hot chocolate cookies and the TV raffle Mr Gary Ritman with Toys for Tots Miss Angi and the Joyce Kilmer band Ralph jasnowski and his amazing DPW crew Russ einbinder for supplying our sound system and loaning us tents for all to stay dry and last but not least miltown fire department for delivering Santa safe and sound to help light up miltown and the wonderful treat bags for all the kids to enjoy 2024 IS F approaching and the department has partnered with the Mad Science to offer half and full day programs when the school is closed so a parents looking to try to figure out what to do with their children on the days that the schools are closed in the month of January and February the following days January 15th February 16th and February 19th there will be again half day and full day mad science programs please visit Community pass to register and you can find more detailed information about those offerings on the website the Midtown Recreation Department would like to thank everyone for your support this past year and we can't wait to kick off 2024 hope you and your families have a safe and happy holiday please be sure to visit our Recreation web page at miltown nj.org Recreation to familiarize yourself with upcoming programs and new activities along with our beautiful park locations to register for any of our programs you can follow a link from the miltown website to the rure capturepoint website which is our community P website please help us continue to make miltown Recreation a community motion um and again at nauseum a plug for the end of the year we're about to enter into the 2024 County year and rorg as mentioned a few times make sure you submit your citizen leadership application if you're interested in joining any of our committees and commissions that's what we're reporting on um we had a great presentation from one of our committee members today so if you're interested in getting involved more of miltown best way to do it submit the application online it's a fillable PDF um and hopefully you can get more involved with our again our great committees that are offered throughout Town um and then again just a reminder people forget a lot of stuff going into the Hol season so get it in as early as possible even if you think yes that's something I'm interested in go home do it tonight um and that concludes my reports okay thank you uh next we go to council president Phil Zam brand thank you Madame mayor uh I do not have any sort of Finance uh report tonight uh the next Ford Avenue Redevelopment agency meeting will be uh Tuesday next Tuesday the the 19th at 7:00 p.m. uh the last forward having R developed agency meeting was the uh the re I guess the resumption of um uh actually taping the meeting and putting it on uh channel 15 and on uh YouTube so folks can't make it to the meeting they could always look at it online um the miltown historical preservation committee meeting next one will be uh Thursday uh December 28th thanks again to Randy Ruth uh for giving that presentation tonight and also would like to give a shout out to um the miltown historical society which this past Saturday had their holiday concert at the St Paul's lower Annex uh myself and Council Mt were there uh they wanted to um thank the council for um putting in new uh alarm systems so that the uh so the the society houses could be uh opened and also with uh making sure that the back stairs were prepared preped so that uh you know additional egress and degress was was uh available and um my last report is about the miltown senior center uh quick update on December uh many activities go on the Office of Aging uh that run through the Office of Aging for those 60 or older among those are line dancing chair yoga Billiards walk aerobics men's club chorus Spanish arts and crafts Bingo sweating with the oldies and a monthly visit from the VNA nurse and as always there is no no cost to any miltown Resident to see the VNA nurse senior sener also offers the opportunity to join the miltown senior citizens Club you can contact Bob skarzinski at 732 29611 159 you do not have to join the senior the senior citizens Club to participate in the Office of Aging programs or activities list of upcoming activities just today Monday uh there was a movie time at uh 12:30 p.m. at the senior center uh next Monday there will be a social services bingo at 12:30 p.m. and the VNA nurse will be uh at the senior center next Tuesday the 19th from 12:00 to 3:00 p.m. again free service for miltown seniors uh just a reminder that the senior center will be closed on Monday December 25th for Christmas uh they will also be closing on Friday uh December 22nd and and uh Friday the 29th at 12:00 P p.m. for Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve respectively and there's a short list of bus trips still available in December uh this coming Wednesday there will be a bus trip to Mammoth kitchen the bus will leave the senior center at 11:15 a.m. on the Tuesday the 19th uh there will be a bus trip to Delicious Orchards the bus will leave the senior center at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday the 21st there will be a bus trip to the Amish Market the bus will leave the senior center at 9:30 and finally on Thursday the 29th uh Thursday the 29th there will be a bus trip to Nassau Diner in Princeton the bus will leave the senior center at 11:15 a.m. just a reminder that the bus is always available for anyone for rides to and from medical appointments for seniors anyone can contact Debbie Cy at 732 296 0681 in advance to schedule any appointments and as with all trips and presentations there's a signup sheet on the bulletin board at the senior center if you're interested in participating you can always call Debbie at the 732 29668 number and register also via email at Duty mtown bor.com any additional Senior Center activities can always be viewed by accessing the Bro website at miltown nj.org and navigating to the senior center pages that concludes my report mad thank you and Miss Cy is in charge of the senior center cor she is so she may be the one you somebody should talk to about the Wi-Fi yes right she's the employee okay uh next we'll move on to the B administrator Miss Janette larrison any report no report tonight um then our burough attorney m Mr venola nothing for me tonight okay and our burrow engineer Mr mclen or or Lou was G um just one one item tonight Madame mayor the um West fch Avenue project the contractor has returned contracts bonds and insurance to our office they're under review Once they are in order we'll be scheduling a preconstruction meeting for the project great thank you all right any questions no okay on to me um so I'd like to congratulate we have some new hires it's good to see a cross-section of all the different departments uh getting coverage and getting up to speed and we welcome all of those folks to the B of miltown um as we've heard through all these reports we've had a busy couple of weeks um I would like to thank that for the tree lighting the DPW who did a great job putting all the lights up around town and especially here at Burrow Hall the wreck department did a fantastic job organizing the miltown fire department as always for escorting Santa in and the PBA also because they do the letters for Santa and I especially want to uh thank my special guest Lauren who was a tremendous help with Santa helping Santa and I light the tree and she was a true Delight so I wish uh all of the children of miltown and all of the families a very Merry Christmas and happy holiday season so thanks for that the winter wonderland the next night uh sponsored by the uh MEF was a fantastic addition to miltown it looked like a lot of people were having fun over there so that that's great to see and I really appreciate councilman rinsky reading the um uh letter from the library um you know I can look over at the uh council president and the chair of the finance committee and say thank you for uh visualizing and implementing our Capital plan I know I've been on the council for 6 years now and it's nice to see something that has been needed for all that time finally get done because of the planning of the can't take any credit for that that was uh councilwoman oono who pushed for that um and made sure that it got into the the budget oh that's right it started last year yeah yes so thank you all and to the bacfo for implementing that so we appreciate it um anything else for me well I have one more one more chance at the end so and one more meeting right one more December 26th I'm sure that's all what you all wanted do is come back the day after Christmas but anyway now we will move on to Old business does any member of the council have any old business to bring before us this evening yes uh Madame mayor I we received an email last Friday which was pretty unsettling and then a call U from councilman Zam BR that I received this week on Wednesday with regard to to moving forward with the joint Insurance funds um as a result of that call I did a little additional digging I reached out to the Garden State GIF of Mr Jonathan Hall I also reached out to the central Jersey GIF which seemed like the two most likely candidates um because there there appears to be some confusion and uh I'd like to say that Miss Amy Peron is here tonight from the Central Jersey GIF to answer any questions we may have uh in short the email that I received last week on Friday basically said that because we didn't appoint a risk management chair for next year we would have no insurance coverage for January 1st that's not what it said okay what did it say what did it say it said that we would have to go with our you'll have to go back with middle sex County JF which we all know because of its Financial insolvency is not an option that's on the table so again when Mr Zam BR called me your council president Zam BR called me he said so obviously then you're in favor of not having insurance for the town in January and I said no that is not the case please don't twist my words around so so Council that we can all educate ourselves and get the full scope here together instead of one meeting and playing a game of phone tag if anyone has any questions about the process of appointing a riskmanagement professional or the GIF and how we have to move forward Miss Peron is here to answer any questions we may have so um I would like to start start off with a few Miss Peron if you wouldn't mind coming up for me um and if you could state your name and address for the record so that we have excuse me I I think the council would like to speak first and then miss Peron if you would come up if if any of the council have any questions so if you wouldn't mind taking a seat and then we will let the council discuss first because I believe this is more of an internal Council thing than a uh outside so so so councilman rinsky uh we're we're going to be the finance committee is going to be scheduling a meeting uh early next week could be could be Thursday of this week but probably early next week uh to kind of look at our options to see what we're doing moving forward you will be totally kept in the loop as to what's going on um I I appreciate Miss Peroni being here I really don't have any questions to ask of her yet well I mean last week it seemed pretty clear that you you were under the impression that if we didn't have a risk management chair that we would have no insurance January 1st so I also knew that there's two meetings in December so I really wasn't worried my my concern was that you were you were out of out of the uh out of New Jersey you were on on site that's why I reached out to you uh we did have a conversation we did say we would talk before before we we got back we didn't have that opportunity um but we will have that opportunity before the next council meeting well so the next council meeting is is what we've got uh somewhat unusual for December 26th which again I'll be uh I'll be out of town for visiting family for the holiday that's good to know I'll be make myself available phone but obviously whatever is going to be on that agenda I think we should start discussing now so that we're prepared it's good to know that you won't you won't be around so they'll make sure that we we get that information to you you know sooner rather than later so what what are we going to be discussing then on the 26th what is what is on the agenda for the once the finance committee once the finance committee meets I will let you know so it's it's do shut until the finance committee meets and can report back to everyone else that's what the committee an issue that's been going on for several months that's that's we' an email basically thre that we're going to go with middle sex County jeff which no not at all not at all so I'll so I know for the finance committee we have currently the current bids as is obviously yes one we at the last meeting when we didn't appoint the qpa that qpa is now no longer soliciting bids on behalf of the burrow because they are not appointed for next year the risk RIS manager sorry not qba sorry thank you for correcting me um so as of now we the finance committee between now and the December 26 meeting we had we're reviewing what the committee is going to say we recommend similar to kind of like what we're talking about the architecture um architect sorry the finance commit is going to review the biz that we have and then recommend this is one we should on the resolution vote for that vote for the most cost effective one so just review the cost for it and then ahead of that meeting inform all of council these are the bid values and this is what the committee is recommending on resolution XYZ based on that discussion so that that was in the interm between now and then was to review the outstand the current bids that we have because now there's a we don't expect to get more bids and then share that with Council and say hey this is the recommendation of the finance committee the larger Council can say yay or nay to that um but that's that's where it was I I think that's where we're at right now in between in a few days hopefully meeting to review what they are get the initial questions out of the way then provide that to larger Council saying hey three the three person committee vetted it this is our recommendation but then you guys all have the rest to then decide and look at as well that that's kind of where I believe everything's at right now in terms of where it is with the finance committee so how many bids have we received or how many quotes have we Reed four and do all of those require a risk management profession no and so the email that that I got stating that we would have to go prior that was prior to me getting the other two quotes I already had the Garden State and of course I had the current our current uh insurance carrier um after the meeting I contacted the risk manager that did not get appointed and he graciously provided me with the two quotes one of which that you obtained um on your own and then another one that he had uh that because I completed the applications with him that he was able to get those amounts and he shared them with me and all those proposals were forwarded to the finance committee for review and with the opportunity to set up meetings with any of those gifs um for further discussion considering that this is such a a large issue can you forward those to all members of council as well so we have a chance to review in advance and then also for the December 26th meeting is the intent to take action to sign up with a new GIF at that time yes so when does our insurance expire with the middle sex County December 31st December 31st so if even if we were to renew with them would we be renewing prior to December 31st or would we ring at the reorganization no you would be um authorizing the um the membership as of January 1 it have to be done at the 26 yeah you can't wait until so there's there's no carryover whatsoever no and do we have a grace period if someone does require to have a riskmanagement chairperson to appoint that riskmanagement chairperson so once so so this is it so um you have the opportunity to if if you are looking to go with the central jip then we would need approval from them because they require a risk manager so we would need approval from from them to uh become a member and then have a risk manager appointed shortly thereafter so if they said it was okay then you could do that but they they do require one and and I'm sure miss Peroni could answer that question for you well and that's why I thought it would be beneficial since there are so many questions I think surrounding this issue that I asked you come tonight and then the other question I have is uh I've been told repeatedly and when I spoke to a gentleman over at the Garden State GIF he told me this was correct but that the GIF pays for the risk management professional no no no we it was said repeatedly we don't pay for that that was said it was a 6% fee nobody I never I never said that the GIF pays for it the GIF we pay the GIF so it's 6% of the it's 6% of the um premium is is what we would p is what the risk management chare cost correct and that's a negotiated fee and then the J adds the GIF the GIF sets the fee and it's most often 6% anyone else I'd like to hear from Mrs Peron out there because he's the expert and but here's the here's the problem with that right so there are several options on the table yes right so I mean and there's plenty of uh information available um just so that you people in the public understand what's going on the reason that we have to have a meeting on December 26th um you know unfortunately councilman revolinsky won't be here because he'll be traveling to visit families I'm sure we'd all like to be home with our families as well however um at several meetings you know nothing has been um kept from anyone this has been discussed in the finance committee since the summer in September or October I forget which it was there was a resolution on that had a small mistake and it was pulled from the uh consent resolution and was asked to be tabled because it had a mistake which said that a risk manager that had been doing some work for the Bureau of miltown would be appointed never was it at any intent to usurp the authority of any incoming Council or anything it was to get the job done so that the buau of miltown could have insurance we weren't happy with our current carrier we were looking to go somewhere else and some of the companies require a risk manager so this person was doing the job then we brought it to the last council meeting and it was became quite an issue that the incoming uh Administration should appoint it on January 1st which in theory is totally fine nobody's trying to um not let them do what they want want however it's because of the timing of the insurance needing to start on January 1st and the old one stopping on December 31st that we couldn't wait and we have to put this meeting on and try and get all of our ducks in a row at the December 26 meeting so that the bureau is not without insurance for any time or that we don't wind up going back to the insurance company that we didn't really want to go to so that that's the reason for the finance committee has been well aware of it as have all of the council members because they voted on it since September so we can't we don't need to come here and say that this is a surprise or people are being kept in the dark or go off on our own and call up a bunch of insurance companies everyone is doing their due diligence to make sure that we get the best insurance coverage for the Bureau of miltown starting January 1st 2024 regardless of who you pick for the risk manager we just want to make sure that if God forbid there's some catastrophe we are covered well well that's what that's what I said maybe we should hear from an expert because we not more information meeting more information that we have maybe we could save the the residents some money on this I understand there's a significant difference we are not shopping for c for um I think Council M the problem is that you have multiple proposals to take under consideration and allowing a member of one of the entities from one of those proposals to come up and be your Arbiter and your expert would be unfair to the other people who submitted proposals well what in the other guys you know comp I don't know who called because they wer invite didn't maybe we should have invited him I did I didn't actually the one gentleman said he' got called away and unfortunately he couldn't be there tonight but he was more than willing to come and answer any questions and the questions were not specific to their proposals individually but rather the process which we all face ahead of us and again you know if it was not for the error in that resolution back in I believe September in which it indicated we were going with a specific GIF and which we raised at that time I mean again tonight I sit here and I hear that the finance committee has no report but yet obviously we have a big issue that we're uh up against and it would have been nice to hear something that look my report is the fact that we have four proposals now to review and that Council got an email saying that we we don't necessarily have to go with the middlex county Jeff so that would have been something to kind of calm the nerves but when I get a phone call last week saying that we're going to be stuck with middle sex County GIF because we don't have something I started doing my due diligence to find out the true story because I wasn't getting straight answers okay so we'll have that all by December the next meeting y week over to Christmas before Christmas I'll be reading that I guess any other old business well Madam mayor I I don't know I I I feel like the more educ you have the better off you are but I guess we're not going to go with that that's right any anyone else have any other old business hearing none I will close Old business and move on to sorry let my spot here move on to new business does any member of the council have any new business to bring before us this evening hearing none I will close new business and open the meeting to the public the public comment portion of our meeting is to allow the public to bring to the council's attention their concerns or comments the council will respect the Public's Time by refraining from any comment until the speaker has finished it should be further noted that the public comment portion of our meeting is not structured as a question and answer session please state your name and address for the record when you come to the podium yes good evening Al for third place speaking on behalf of the lb warship partnership and we are having a second meeting since the end of the pmic um and we're fortunate to have gentleman who spoken a couple times before but not for five years and for I don't know probably 30 years he's been all over this country and many other countries of the world as well he has so much knowledge about birds I'm almost scared to hear it all but he's very well informed and it's if you have the time to come to the meeting and please do this is uh a week tomorrow 2 to the 19th at senior center uh starting at 7 p.m. we used to start at 7 thir we de make so we starting at 7 p.m. but please come and join us be re questions well Prov I think you enjoy hearing Mr really special great thank you you want to leave a copy to put outside yeah great thank you thank anyone else yes D thank you def um the commission had a letter that we like to be your permission because it wasn't enough time from the last planning board to discuss this we thought important I don't know if I want to give if the clerk wants a copy I'll just read the copy thanks is it okay to read something for the planning board here you say what what's the topic is it regarding a pending application yeah it's a pending application yes they can she's she can read whatever she'd like regarding a pending application I would just uh advise the mayor and Council not to comment on gotcha okay okay go ahead okay um dear mayor and councel the environmental commission has had several discussions regarding the paper Street Christopher Street and environment as you know Christopher Street runs parallel to South Main Street on the east side several members of the commission have visited the area north of Lincoln Avenue which have a good understanding of its natural features and condition as a commission we would like to express our concerns regarding development of this area which has been recently proposed and regret its current natural status below are the reasons for our apprehensions one the area contains deep slopes which are prone to erosion as a consequence of any disturbance of trees and another vegetation and any Resident can read that think it's 2424 ordinances number two removal of trees in order to develop the area would lead to water runoff issues for surrounding homes additional pollutants in our water system and noise pollution for the neighboring area number three as you know mature trees enh hands air and water quality they absorb large amounts of water which they distributed to the air via transpiration and act as carbon sinks number four the wooded area is a thriving natural habitat for a variety of wild animal species some of special concern like the pooper Haw and is a stop over for various Mig Birds such as Cedar Waxman many small animals make their home there number five as the Barrow is nearly completely developed and has one of the highest levels of impervious surface in the county Christopher Street represents an important B on Natural Area we strongly recommend that Christopher Street be preserved as Green Space permanently free from De development our town has very limited natural wooded areas First Street should be PRI prioritized for preservation in this way this area can continue to provide critical environmental benefits such as plant animal habitat store Water Management improve air and water quality and noise abatement for thank you for taking our concerns and recommendations regarding this important and time sensitive issue into consideration sincerely will have oural comms understand that um I I understand the next time that um the applicant will meet the cting Z will be the first I believe Wednesday in February if I'm not mistaken right that is correct which gives plenty of time for residents that are listening tonight and might have concerns if you live if you are resident living specifically on Henry Street or you live on South Main Street or you live um you know uh off JFK in particular these areas are going to be um majorly affected and I don't know if any of you have ever walked Christopher Street I honestly was not familiar with it until a couple of years ago when we had a great American bird town uh and some of us went to the walk and if you were to look at that wooded area on a map or GPS it is a very substantial piece of wooded area it goes somewhere around the shman property it goes all the way behind Mr Whitman's Heritage um you know where the development place it cuts across all the way to Lincoln Avenue and then it goes and jumps the street and goes on to William Street it's very Steep and if you read your um you know read all our rules and codes for sleep so we we we take these steep slopes very seriously um this applicant wants to build a house on um on Christopher Street for people who don't know what paper street is it is a street an actual street that you'll find in a map that's never been developed and this is a very very densely wooded steep area the person the applicant would like to build a house at the end of the Henry Street dead end in order for him to build a house on on his property he needs some roage so the applicant has to do with building a a substantially large house and actually cutting into you know building a road from Henry Street and just building a portion of Christopher Street what I kept hearing at the planning War meeting were a lot of questions were like how you setting press it you remember you might think of it as one house but this one house is setting precedent for that Christopher Street to be opened up at a much larger extent we're concerned about that and in order for them to do that they have to they have to divert they have to you know change the the slope as it is so we're very very concerned we would like you to seriously consider um the idea of making this open space Maybe in the future we might have some kind of path that we can walk through to protect it I'm glad to see our our new mayor mayor elect is here and our new councilman I know they're very environmentally conscious so you thought it was important to bring this to you as the existing Council and to hear for the future counsil we're hoping that we will really think about this carefully thank you thank you Don anyone else seeing none I will close audience comments and move on to council comments are there any further uh think anything further any member of the council wishes to bring yes M may I was going to um Echo with the library report there was I was mentioning to our great um member of community Deb Miller earlier before the meeting um I attended one of the Library events this past weekend with my family and it is amazing the events they have a library that square footage AG is not large by any such an imagination but um the events they hold and been holding and obviously you can hear from C linsky's reports the ton that are still upcoming this year um they're really really special and really cool and there's really fun for all ages so as now a consumer of that event um I would say I recommend that was baby painting 0 to 18 months it was great job my art was the best if anyone's wondering I um but no it was but but seriously um something it's a it's another thing that makes our small town really really special the involvement at the library so to the library director um all the staff of the library um it's it's very very cool and I hope all of our uh residents have a chance to partake Y and we have a few uh Library board members in the audience tonight and as your was your white libr so we thank them it has been really reinvigorated and they have a lot of great programs and it's just another another good resource for our town anyone else have any Council comments just something really oh sorry no um just something really quick sometimes things that get lost in our consent resolution um I just wanted to highlight that we have um with the passage of that welcomed a new officer and a new crossing guard um to the town and hope that they have um safe and uh Happy career here thank you CH yes I just uh I wanted to echo on to councilman pret's report since you're going to piggy back I'll do the same um my daughter had signed up for the Mad Science last year through the recreation program thoroughly enjoyed it um so if you do have a child who's interested in those uh days in February where you don't want them sitting there playing video games I highly recommend it it's fun they do earn a little bit of science they do a little experiments um they really had a good time with that so uh the recreation program I think we're seeing a lot of a lot of good things coming along so please take advantage of that is true yep thanks to them too that'll be fun anyone else yes ma'am I just want to ask councilman molinsky what what was that holiday stress day the 13th it's uh Wednesday it is Wednesday December 13th so two days from now you know what time uh God I'm stressed out thinking about yeah let me let me check let's go to the video tape 3 p.m. it is uh 300 p.m. 3 p.m. oh noon it is at no that'll be stressful if you miss it it's at noon on Wednesday December 13th did you say noon p.m. i.m. just ignore me thanks Rich and I just like to say uh Merry Christmas happy Hanukkah happy quanon and happy holidays to all the residents Madame mayor I'd like to uh echoing uh councilwoman O'Donald's report i' like to congratulate Chief canelli and Lieutenant canoni on their years of service to our community and on their well-deserved retirements thank you you so much for your years of service and I would also like to wish our residents a merry Christmas and a happy holiday season and see everybody on the 26 yes rest assured the year review report has a fun story about each of them Excell stay tuned you have to tune in on the 26 the room will be full now looking forward to it no we'll we'll congratulate everybody on on their way out next time for sure sounds good anyone else all right so now my comments I wish you all a a joyous and healthy holiday season enjoy time with your your family and friends I've said it once I'll say it again we have a lot to be thankful here for here in miltown and seeing everyone come together to enjoy this holiday season in a peaceful and joyous way uh will be a wonderful thing so thank you all for being here this evening and with that I will take a motion to adjourn motion to adjourn second a motion by councilman Collins second by councilwoman odonnell all in favor all right good night everyone I don't even try it