of you all haded this holiday season um so I'm not sure that can be avoided um uh but anyway uh glad to see everyone here tonight um and uh for uh this evening's um discussion it could potentially be on the shorter side um but there were just um two items um that we wanted to touch upon um one being any followup Aon will share if if there's been any followup um from our communication with the mayor's office regarding ouros around events and then we're going to talk a little bit um what we know so far about some emerging information um about Baker Park renovation which is something we've been excited about for a while right um but before we do that um uh I have to ask off the bat um for our newest member first you want to welcome our newest member uh Joshua I'm not sure if we can tell you Joshua to distinguish you from Josh uh but why don't you introduce yourself um and uh just share a little bit about about yourself and uh your interest in what brings you to the commission oh yeah absolutely I think Joshua's a perfect distinction I prefer it anyway but you know we'll figure it out I'm sure between us you know we'll probably just both respond every time just in case I have a strong feeling um but yeah you know I have a I guess a degree from Ruckers in materials engineering um you know which was fun I worked in that for a bit and then I uh you know started an apparel company where we did printing Andy and we set up e-commerce sites which has been super fun and then I guess during the day I also do a little bit of cyber security uh you know Denise put me on I suppose to this uh commission here uh I know we're going to be working a lot with parks and Gardens I think that um you know if you have anything The Works of you know maybe uh adding some you know AI proposals in the such I think that's something maybe I could help you guys out with if you have any interest at all but I'm excited to learn a lot more about uh you know the parks and Gardens in New Brunswick I was already doing a bit of research uh when I was you know spying uh I mean watching your last meeting um so I was looking up to different parks and trying to follow along with uh you know what was going on but you know I'm going to rely on you at least just for the beginning I'm going to try to get catch up speed here and try to be helpful as soon as possible if that's all right with you guys that's all I got good well welcome Joshua um yeah welcome and glad to have your perspective on um on the commission we look forward to having your imprint participation I have to ask do you get excited about the prospect of taking notes do I get excited um I've never been a great notetaker to be honest I have some of the worst handwriting in the world and my typing typ notes type notes my typing speed 10 words per minute which is um uh from what I've heard record Le slow um I guess I was on that border of students that got taught to type didn't I didn't get T to type so I only type with three fingers on each hand well I I because we are we are currently um uh looking for uh a secretary um for the commission our longtime commission secretary uh Nancy stepped down at the end of her term it's it's her um position or as as a commissioner not necessarily of secretary but her slot on the commission that you're taking so so far no one has volunteered um so uh uh just thought maybe I'd throw that out there in case that was something that might be of interest of you um in any case um we'll save that conversation for for for later um if no one else has been moved uh we'll have to figure it out at some point we do need uh a formal secretary um but in any case um and Denise had a good idea to be honest with the AI transcription so yeah I mean otter uh she recommended to me I think last year and I've used it for a lot of meetings and it seems to work really really well at putting together because it transcribes everything my question with otter is well if we would need um and uh I looked into it because for my organization is as well um we would need the Enterprise level account because the free one only transcribes 30 minutes in any given meeting um it looks like the um the business one is only four is four hours per per meeting right yeah business one perhaps um so we would need someone with an account to lend it um to us or ask the city to um if the city could it's not a big cost but it is there is a cost go through with it uh Denise you were raising your hand you're muted mute you're muted sorry about that I I have a a professional plan I think I have 6,000 minutes a month so I'm happy to do it you know I'm happy to record it okay so um good uh so that's that's great so thank you Denise so we can use that um we still need someone even with that that makes the job easier um and I've seen how a Works does a good job transcribing and it attempts in its best AI fashion to provide short summaries of like um portions of the meeting um that you know needs um human finessing to capture context um uh I suppose I suppose um we could I don't know that we want to submit minutes that are actual full translate full transcriptions of meetings I don't know that the city wants that as its official record that might be Overkill um but it does help it means someone doesn't necessarily have to take minutes take notes during the meeting we still would need a designated secretary to at least look at that and you know kind of use it as a reference point to to provide some summarized minutes um Char I suggested this after I I suggested after the last meeting or at the last meeting that I you and I could work I I did the audit um transcription of the last meeting and I meant to work with Nancy and you to just see how well it did um why don't we try that for this meeting and then Circle back with everybody um between us we can finish okay this one if that works hey s hey s hi s hello Happy New Year to you all happy New Year to you happy I if Denise is able to get the transcriptions we could also if that doesn't you don't like the maybe the quality of the minutes it could also work with you guys to maybe put together a more Advanced AI tool that would do perhaps a significantly better job because we could probably feed it all the past minutes so it's privy to the you know the format and the style required uh and that might may we may be able to use that to very quickly and efficiently create um you know better minutes automatically if if you guys don't like the autogenerated ones I'm willing to try um whatever we can do a little trial on there so Denise if you can capture the transcription again this meeting uh and then maybe we'll Circle back youi and and Joshua um to see you know the best way to capture we'll need at the subsequent meeting in February we should you know be prepared to um submit and approve both December well I'm sorry um just January minutes because we do have we do have December's minutes from Nancy um but for this first one okay sounds good all right well thank you everyone for um for your patience as we started off on some some uh logistical business um but uh I just want to remark uh before we get into the meat of things I believe this is the first time we've had a full commission in attendance at least since the start of my tenure as chair so congratulations everyone thank you for being here glad we're all here um starting 2024 off right that's right that's right starting off good foot um so let's then speaking of minutes we do uh need to approve uh December's minutes which Nancy did share um hopefully everyone had a chance to uh look at those were there any uh questions comments or edits on the December minutes no okay if there are no uh comments questions or edits we'll um submit them as um or uh vote as uh submitted by Nancy can I have a motion and a second for the December minutes so moved I'll second okay all the in favor of approving the December minutes say yes uh any um Nays uh there would be a couple extensions I think um for those who weren't there last in December um which I think would be Sal Susan and Joshua yet a part of the commission um okay so with the minutes approved we can get into uh our first item of discussion and this is still uh fresh and we're still developing um that as you all know um for some time a number of years uh in our you know in our prioritization uh and evaluation of parks uh we've been saying for some time that um Baker park would be hopefully one of the next in line for um uh for improvements right um and that was something we um reiterated in our most recent um Communications with the the city and the mayor's office a couple months back and um that now appears to be uh there's some progress on that front um I know that uh s and his team have been doing a little initial work which he'll we'll ask him to share about um in a minute um but uh Susan on behalf of the city has also been working um on um some proposals to help know it's still new and not not finalized yet um Susan but uh if you can share um anything with us about what's in development so a couple weeks ago I was made aware of two opportunities that new Bruns qualifies for one is the park development funding through Green Acres D and one is an urban Parks Grant um together they could essentially bring in $1.9 million if we are chosen to uh upgrade uh and restyle a park that needs it um so of course Baker park has been at the top of the that list for a long time so we're thinking about doing this at Baker park um we have a very short window to application so our application will be done by February the awards will be made in June and if we are awarded then the work would be done this year so um with that said that's all in progress uh there will be a um an online survey at some point and a public hearing and uh we'll discuss how to how to put that together after uh I have another meeting tomorrow about it um so I don't want to go into detail about that so I'm going to turn it over to S and see what s has to tell us about uh the design of the the general design of the park you're muted s uh we um we as you can see we're in the process of removing the old um tennis Court uh we're three4 of the way there now based on the the meeting that we had uh Susan and myself and uh Brandon um one of the stipulations of the grant is that we can't start the work until the grant is approved um so that creates a problem um first of all we can't finish right now the ground's too soft we can't get trucks in there we're just going to run up the place and make a mess I have maybe two dumpsters left to remove the existing um asphall uh then we're going to have to decide whether you know we'll fill the hole in uh the area in with top soil and SE uh coming this spring uh or do we wait until the grant uh to continue with the renovations um I don't know you know with us moving forward uh how it's going to affect you know acquiring uh the grant so as I said that this is in discussions uh it'll if it happens it'll happen quickly um and I have a uh we have a meeting tomorrow about it so I think that's about all I can share right now okay Susan is it is it fair because I know at some point there was like a little bit of Correspondence about um the commission running the public meeting we don't know yet we don't know yet okay I'll have that information tomorrow okay we'll have to decid it though before the February meeting though so this will all be done absolutely because the application has to be in by February 7 yeah I knew it was knew it was tight yeah um as far as design goes um how'll pretty much be dependent on you know how much money we can get um as of right now the only thing that's really um in the works as far as uh any improvements uh would be the the new playground equipment um at that point uh we can you know work from there we can expand that area the playground area uh especially since we're removing the um uh the tennis court uh we're going to be removing the baseball field uh making it into a soccer field we've had more of a demand uh for soccer we have enough baseball field in all our parts uh we haven't used that baseball field in quite some time uh but I know we can get a lot of use um you know a soccer field in that particular part um so that's one of the um things we want to do another thing we discussed with uh Suzanne and um and uh Brandon uh was a possibility of putting a dog park uh in the area where uh the current Stone parking lot is um that area there there's really not much we can do it's it's a low drainage uh area for for water to drain so it's not like we can pave it or do anything uh but we can throw some you know Stone down or level it up a little some grass and and fence it in for a you know for for a dog park um and then uh basically it's just a matter of beautifying the uh the existing uh landscape you know mulching uh doing some uh U some some planting underneath the trees uh with some native planting uh grouping them uh into beds um and uh just making maybe a better picnic area of people to to you know down and enjoy a lunch or weekend or whatever um and then the other thing we discussed uh was to be able to make that Park more visible more attractive which will require a lot more money and that's to bring the entrance what's that is that um Ellen Street uh Susan what street is that what he that's M Street so the M Street entrance to that Park is the main entrance right that what looks like the main entrance at Ellen Street is really not the main entrance but it is the prettier entrance so s had some wonderful ideas well I I I thought about bringing you know uh you know using the same concept we have a void Park you know when you go down um Paul Paul Robinson Boulevard and you hit 18 you see the columns with the arbor up on top it says Boy fart well creating that type of U uh you know something like that over at the rson Avenue entrance uh bringing it out uh closer to the entrance where you people can actually see there's a park there uh with two columns two nice siiz columns on both sides SES of the curbs uh and um you know putting a nice uh Arbor or some type of signage up on top you know like we have over at boy Park uh to kind of uh you know identify the park so to speak um but again it all depends on what type of money uh we can get uh we could be creative well uh I think another question that came to mind was you know something that's been a hit at some of the in some of the other Park Renovations um is a splash pad right and whether that might be something that could be included that was also brought up yes that was yes yeah we we we could have a spot for a spray pad there um and an entrance into the uh Town Homes too I think we were talking about correct and then uh doing something where there's a separation of of vents wouldn't fence uh from the tow houses to the park um considering you know eliminating that fence alog together and putting like uh an estate fence which is the same as um same type of fence we used at War Monument uh a war memorial I should say uh so it kind of opens it up um you know to the community at or what is that c deloa whatever that is the uh the condos Kaza deloa yes that is I'm not sure it's the one that faces remson is it the one that faces remson it's the one Lawrence that kasad deloa I'm not sure that's Kaza deloa on yeah right um so you know kind of open it up and dress it up it'll look nicer it'll look you know won't look as closed in and you know it'll might be much more inviting and it'll provide um lots of Recreation on different levels for different different purposes but I think that the the entrance the idea that s had for the entrance on May Street is spectacular so the columns would actually be like on bringing it right out to the street that's awesome because it's like a weird dead end to that parking lot now yeah it's terrible no I said it's a that's like I never knew that that was the real entrance ever entered it a lot of people don't know par there ever entered it from Ellen Street a lot of people don't know that that's the entr to the park I it looks different now since we take very very cold yeah taking a fence down but you know try to picture you know lellan and Edgeworth place on Livingston Avenue they have the columns at the end of the blocks picture something like that um well those columns aren't there anymore they're down on Joyce Kilmer yeah yeah they did take him down picture those columns you know 10 to 12 foot high with u you know an arch up on top no I pictured I know the one exactly you're talking about that leads from Paul rson to Boyd it's very pretty I've always liked it beautify that section there yeah it's a good idea also like the entrance from the town homes because those are the people that you want to use it the people that live right there who are going to walk to it right well traditionally that that's always been blocked off and the people from the I guess my question is why I'm sorry my question is why oh I don't know I that's a good um you know the fence has has been taken down by the residents of the park that cut through and walked their dogs which is you know I mean why I listen I I'm with you on that I don't know why they were by I haven't put the fence back up section of the fence we actually removed them so nobody you know uh you know Nails them back up again but I think opening up uh a section or two sections along that fence line and again getting rid of the wooden stockade fence and putting a nice estate fence is little more inviting and opens up that whole area yeah there's have you ever seen I know I'm GNA go off topic a little bit have you ever seen like um they're called desire paths it's in vacant Lots where people like cut a path from like one side walks to the other because they want it no yes that's basically what the people there have created is a desire path by taking down the fence because they want to walk their dogs there and I've seen I've been in that Park when I used to live over on that side up town I've been in that Park and seeing kids from the town homes like jumping over it right um it seems like well it's those are the kids you want to feel like they don't have to like you know trespass just walk into their neighborhood park right I think that would be that and the entrances on the remson I side are just that in itself independent of the other improvements that could happen is going to be would be a really positive thing um I had a question regardless of getting this Grant S I know that we talked about purchasing playground equipment for different um parks with the playground equipment is it still has it been purchased would it still be going in regardless of the grant well yeah that the grant is under um uh cdbg that's something different okay so the playground equipment would still come from there yeah that has nothing to do with the the grand money that Susan is trying to get right so we would we wouldn't even put that in part of the plan because already be ordered through G be funded okay once once the cdbg money um once the Dan figures out you know how the labor is going to work and all that then you know and and we're able to get the equipment that's going to go you know we're gonna go through with that okay you know just wondered so we could be looking at potentially sort of a if everything goes is hoped sort of a two-phase um you know set of improvements um if the your playground proceed first well really three you already started some workel right um but then the playground um being kind of the first piece because it sounded like you know last we heard in December from um Dan on that you know everything was hopefully on track to be approved and get started um moving in the spring uh and then if this additional funding was approved then there would be hopefully then second phase later in the year with um you know uh this broader set of improvements um that would be that would be very exciting um I've asked Alex uh to plan um hopefully by uh next month's meeting I'll we'll have a plan you know some ideas of what I plan on doing uh do Park uh the improvements um and uh work from there you we'll do a design of the area park going to be what it's going to look like without the baseball field uh show the the areas of uh picnic areas and in the uh the playground area we'll show that all on the plan of course things change as we go along and also the you know I'll do something with front entrance over by Ellen Street uh Ellen right lorett I always get those two mixed up it's that one side street whichever I think it's Sol Street uh and we'll we'll do something uh some type of design uh a preliminary design so you guys can you know give an idea of what we want to do now in terms of space like size or footprint of the dog park what how would it compare to the void Park dog park uh it it's going to be if we do that whole back section um and we use up some of the side or or or property line that backs up to the cemetery I I don't know if quite follow me it's kind of like an l-shape um I mean it's it's not going to be a big dog park you know um how's it compare it's going to be probably smaller than that U you know it'll be a little you know it's a little place where people just take their dogs to kind of you know do the little trick things and you know the little exercise loops and things like that they're similar to what we have over at boy Park uh but I would have to you know kind of like lay it out and see how much space we can get I mean if it's going to be too small where we can't get too you know at least you know usable type two two sections for large dogs and for small dogs then you know I don't know if it's worth to just do one I don't think we can right I don't think we can just do uh uh one dog par for large and small dogs I think you have to have them for both right I usually you have to do both yeah off leash it it could be dangerous with different sizes even if they're just playing right we I have I have to you know we have to lay it out I mean I know I have some room there you know um but um we have to lay it out get the square footage and see what we have and then I you know we could make a better assessment with that so we'll have a concept plan in place um before February 7th because I have to I I I would have to submit that with the application but the construction plans and drawings they're all part of the construction bid package which we don't need until much later right Susan in terms of the um the tight time FR is there anything can recommend that we start talking about like would this survey be helpful regardless of whether we use it or apply for the grant or you know what it needs to include I'm concerned about how we'll get that done in a efficient way if it's du February SE I mean we're talking about a month yeah I share your concern is there a way that we could do something um we can't do anything information we can't do anything until I have a meeting tomorrow with um with the with the city administrator and the mayor okay gotta okay enough and then I'll I'll know more about how how we're to proceed uh with with a an online survey or how to engage the public about public hearing all of those things will be discussed tomorrow I think one thing I would just say is um I think we should all view ourselves as um part of that regardless of uh any formal role I think you know being um on the kind of ground level right um and having you know having emphasized uh Baker park is a is a priority park for improvements for some years right obviously we want to make sure that um uh you know we get the get the help get the word out and I think get people excited because I think um you know uh people are going to be enthusiastic who who live in the area about possible improvements um and so you know obviously as soon as um Susan has some more um Clarity on the mechanism you know we we will she'll share that with us and we'll help push it out right um and um Charles that input excuse me I was wondering you know if we had an online survey it would be nice to have and I don't know if the I if it's feasible with the weather the way it is but it would be nice to have somebody at the park on a Saturday morning asking questions of the people who use the park now what are the things that you know they would like to see there are the things that they use most often so I think that that would be really valuable absolutely absolutely um is there a school near there or or a another organization I don't know what I I I was at the park when we looked at the the playground equipment I don't remember what's nearby mostly just residential it's the the residential it's yeah it's all residential it's kind of far for a school like the closest schools are on Livingston well the closest school is Livingston School the grammar school and it's about nine blocks away and it faces doesn't face Livingston it faces Sanford Street yeah it's the two I'm sorry Delan street right it's the two condominium um developments over there Renaissance square and Fulton Court and then just all the the homes along you know remson on the other side of remson those adjacent blocks it's really yeah everything that's kind of immediately within a three or four block radius is residential right and lots of children and lots of of um families and lots of uh dogs so you know these people are I mean that's my neighborhood I live here so um what's um is it too far away that Church on the corner of rson and sford St Mary's is that too far for the park that's right that's by um Livington school okay that might be that might be worth um because that's the only one I can think of and that whole name Church yeah that's the only church nearby no but I'm just saying Mary's Apartments are there too so we have a big senior community there as well oh we should think about senior amenities for the yeah we really should yeah we should they're not that far they are St Mary's yeah this is me I was try I was trying to think of a way that we could get to a large group of people in that area if there was like a school and we could ask the school if they would send something home that would have to be coordinated or maybe the church could announce something um if we have to do it quickly um because collecting the information is one thing but anal izing the information and and aggregating it and summarizing it for you if we got a good response would take a little bit time so I think you I think you get a great response yeah I think so too yeah so we can utilize yeah I was just goingon to say I'm assuming Mak an assumption based on the I'm looking at it on the map based on the way the housing is set up with you that at least one of those places would be an HOA that we could reach out to a central figure here and ask for a you know distribution list or at least something that we could get a significant amount of impact in response from at least some of those folks in the whether it's an HOA or if it's yeah I assume it's not like a there not like an office there um there's no office at either one sorry I know both because they're trash and recycling Fon condos is private and they're really hard to get in contact with but Renaissance station or Square I call Renaissance on station um I know the person who's on the the association's uh board he's the treasurer he works at Unity Square okay so I can connect us with him to get there I don't know about Kaz delusa um Charles because you lived in the neighborhood too you might know um if you came out of the St Mary senior apartments and you walked down to the park are there sidewalks all the way down on that side of rson Avenue there is one short stretch if I'm remembering correctly that does not it's like an an awward what's there instead of a sidewalk just grass I think yeah I think um it's it may just be even like one short block um that's like after the after the last exit entrance from Renaissance station there's a short it's not I think it's not long I mean when I walked from Renaissance station we walked along that side right so it doesn't prohibit you know you getting there um yeah I can are we calling Renaissance station the one on the corner of remson and Sanford uh yeah so there's there's Fon yeah there's fton Square that's like the first one that goes to to Ramson it like faces Ramson as well as Paul ropson it empties out on the cemetery then there's Kaza deluso which is the one that like has like fton and Lawrence um that's the one that empties on rson there's like two entrances on remson there's like a weird barrier which I'm always annoyed at but I understand why it exists that separates Renaissance and kazad deloa and then um Renaissance station has an opening on srid street as well as a few other streets in the back that empty out on the Paul ropes and it's like Ward and something else I know all of you Brunswick now ask me anything all the ins and outs I drove about drove around three hours today looking at MIS recycling so I'm fully versed in the nooks and crannies of the Brunswick could I ask a quick question to I know Susan you already mentioned this but what were the names of the grants that you said were either potential or that you're working with I know you said Green Acres Green Acres Park de Development Fund and one is the urban Parks Grant okay Park development funding brings in is known to bring in about 1.4 million and urban Parks is a half million is what's the organization is the urban Parks Grant coming through Green Acres oh it's it's they're both greenes okay they're both and and one one application for both uh funding sources wow got it yeah yeah it's like okay thank you Nob brainer and and we're allowed to um apply for both absolutely they called me um going back to the sidewalk question would that be something that we would like be able to include as the par okay that's just that's just food for thought I doubt it I know just if there's no sidewalk there now in that one little block I'd like I we need to find out why there's no sidewalk there maybe I have a strange feeling that it's literally the entrance to fand square but I could be wrong well I I would say I would say that the park improvements need to be inside the park no no no no no I get that I just um just a question just a question what do you think s yeah I agree um I I I mean I don't um I don't I don't see where that grass area is I I always thought through the sidewalks along both sides of Ron I'll check it out tomorrow if we're you know by car or rowboat whichever do because I I you know it's kind of U now thinking I like where's there where's there just a grass area with no sidewalk we have enough ideas for the park we we're not going to put in a sidewalk somewhere else that that's you know if we really get this kind of money let's uh focus on the park and making it the the best park for the community be make a break deal for for something I mean I'm sure call call U Tom Valente could you know you know putting it into one of his uh added it to one of his projects he's got going on but um I don't know like I said I I'm drawing a blank as to where that section is is that in front of those houses next to the uh that Tech that U that I feel like we're going into the Weeds now guys I'm gonna be that person if I could just say though if I could just say um the park I know you mentioned the senior citizen um complex that's um I will say on the bus the 811 bus that goes from New Brunswick to North Brunswick they pick up at the senior citizen and that's the last stop until you get to North Brunswick the North Brunswick shop um somewhere the laundry mat on on North Brunswick anyway what I would say is there's a fair amount of seniors that get on the bus therefore a sidewalk would be essential for them actually to get to the park should we want them to use it it the bus bypasses that whole area so they can't even take the bus from the senior complex to the park because it stop at the park well call New Jersey Transit Susan and why don't you get a stop there then okay I'm just saying currently New Jersey Transit stops at the complex picks them up right and then the next stop is on uh the the North Brunswick laundry mat where I don't know exact up GE Street or something it does not stop between the complex and any other place so if you wanted the seniors to go they really do not have a good method to get there in terms of walking nor mass transit and they do utilize the 811 quite a bit and it's only a Monday through Friday bus too so they really do not have the option to walk otherwise you're going um you know on on the main on the Main Street that that kind of information could actually um allow the sidewalks to be included in the grant if it has justification for use of the other improvements and safety uh for a special population that's that's actually usually um allowed kind of in the footprint of a project so you'll have to see if they let you do that no I think that's really would probably appeal to the city to to uh put put that in and not use grant money for it I also just want to say I just I just went on the uh Google street view all along and I may have right now too Charles to I may have made that up you may you may have planted the the thought in my head that made me think of something else Susan um I might I think I was thinking of Within Renaissance station but along RAV along remon AV itself there is sidewalk from end of conversation yeah so not not that it wouldn't be great to have a bus stop by the park too but um but let's let's B off what we can sh at the moment first things first let's make a park first yeah um so I think just just I want to Circle back and and tie a little bow on um kind of potential Outreach PL so I'll personally commit when we have um some more information about how you know the community input every public meeting and Survey will proceed um I can commit to um uh I know someone a a resident and very active um senior leader in St Mary's apartment who works with New Brunswick tomorrow already and she'd be very happy I'm sure to help get the word out at the senior apartment I can uh reach out to the family and Community engagement um office at the schools it's a little funny even though there's not like a school physically super close um obviously children from that neighborhood have to go to a designated School the attendance boundaries the actually three um the attendance boundaries both for red shop Livingston and robis in all like parts of it are within sort of the radius of Baker park so I'll reach out uh when we have information ready to share and see if uh you know that that um family and Community engagement Department can help us get information to um the families of those three schools um and then um I think Josh or Aaron through your connection on the Renaissance station HOA um and um we can try I've been meaning to try and find a get a connection for St Mary's Church as well if anyone else doesn't have one I'm happy to look into that um but I think that's that's a good place to start and I like your suggestion to Susan of having someone out there if there's a nice Saturday anytime um and uh we can you know use try and use some of our runuk tomorrow outle mechanisms to help put the word out um locally as well uh but all of us can obviously help help communicate that to our networks okay well good that's exciting stuff um any last questions on on Baker park uh before we move on yeah uh let's see if I can go there yeah hi um with the seniors I think they they really like uh reading matter you know physical paper that they can hold in their hand and read so um Flyers to those um residents would be required I think it's a good point good point absolutely I I've been wanting to like make a connection with that like um that building you know what I mean they have I think they have I don't know what type of trash they have right now I need to ask tomorrow if it's private or saity um I'm not bilingual but like I would love to be able to connect with them like bring physical surveys there you know what I mean uh when we're ready Resource Center can be very helpful to you in that Erin I already I do Workshop that's the new br Senior Center so I could just use their connections sure hey Charles uh I had a quick question about surveys I haven't been part of this process in the past but in terms of doing the survey collection how is that usually done via you know Google like uh Google surveys or like like claraa mentioned the the paper copies how is that typically approached so I know I can just say that when um the I think the last time the the city collected a park related input survey that was for neelon street right that's right and uh I forget the exact platform but it was a pretty you know surve monkey it was Survey Monkey pretty simple um you know online survey short questionnaire um you know pretty user friendly um and uh I think I don't remember the exact number but I know that it generated quite a good amount of responses um so I assume that would be the primary mechanism again I agree that um for the senior population it could be helpful to have paper surveys the difficulty there is then they still have to be physically collected and input into um so have to think about if there's a workaround there or I I mean kind of what I was thinking is you know connecting with a couple of key people within the building you know they can help um uh kind of you know they can walk around to some of their neighbors they know with an iPad right um they a recreation room or some kind of a social room where they gather in that building yep think they have yeah some common common areas Susan when when does this all have to be in by February 7th too soon what I was gonna say maybe you know a signage or Packers or something in front of the park for the park users you know instructing us to you know get a website that they can reply to with u but I don't know if you're going to get the the response that you probably need in that short period of time butage at the park you know with uh with the residents of the area that mostly use the park um they would be the ones that you'd want to hear from you know um some type of again signage on both entrances to the park uh advising uh people of you know what they think the park should be used for and what's what what can we do to improve it I I know but a sign what what will a sign do they where are they going to fill you do with the QR code Susan ah we used to do we did it for the pollinator program we had like the sign up on a QR code on a flyer outside the pollinator Garden V par you could even put it on the telephone polls like on remson on all the how do you get the QR how do you get the QR code does does that cost money if you give me the if you give me Susan I can generate it for you yeah there we can customiz generator on the computer yeah okay I don't remember what website I've done it before for different things okay this isn't aside but Aon I'm very surprised and shocked that someone in public works would suggest posting flyers on Telephone polls the roads guys we'll tag them for City purposes I feel like the mayor is going to let it slide we just don't like the 1 1800 junk cars ones okay no and the fact that they've been putting them up like 12 feet high is just cruel really I don't want to go down the rabbit hole but yeah I never thought about that Charles all right well thank you everyone so um hopefully um Susan um after your meeting tomorrow on conversation we'll have some some uh updates that we can act on and then We're Off to the Races that yep it's an exciting way to start the the year though um it is God bless Baker park yeah so I'm going to um take advantage of your presence uh tonight and obviously we're in winter season so there's not a a lot of active um projects but just curious if outside of Baker park um what we just talked about if there's any other kind of inhouse um improvements that um you already have planned and anticipated for you know when the weather warms a little bit in the spring um I mean not not just like regular maintenance and uh Landscaping stuff but any particular projects already queued [Laughter] up there I could I'm here I don't know just pressed something I was trying to press the you see me I have the camera see we can hear you hear so if you just talk that's fine there I am I was turning you um you know we got a lot of stuff going on Charles uh that that just go under the radar uh I still like to get that section of board park finished um over by uh the DOL Park uh we we got stone delivered and we got mulch we just haven't had the opportunity to finish um that whole stretch there uh from the parking lot uh into um um into the uh the the the dark Park uh path areas um so that's ongoing uh as well as uh we're going to be uh doing some uh plantings um on both sides of the tunnel by Albany Street Bridge um we we i' like to get that uh both walls painted inside uh the um the old police headquarters side and the the Northbound side let you say uh I like to get those walls painted and then um uh get the areas cleaned up along the fence uh get that all that graffiti uh removed along that back area along the tunnels uh and uh just plant things just make that uh both sides of that tunnel uh a little more pleasing um you know there a lot of people that um are interested in in in using it as a bike path from bugle AP par to you know go to boy Park but a lot of them are just intimidated I mean uh I was out camera by yourself I've done it multiple times don't do it yeah it's uh it could be intimidating uh I mean uh there's a lot of homeless people there yes and um a lot of drug use uh so we're coming up with a plan um of how to uh you know we're getting cameras there just so that that's that's a plus we're g to get cameras under the tunnel uh or and on on both ends of it so hopefully that'll um that'll clean up a lot of the uh the mess that's there now uh but that's something that's going to be uh on going um we're going to start with a a clean up in the spring and then uh Aaron we spoke about that about getting the volunteers in there yeah so um as part of that like I we're going to talk about it in the proposal Cy but I'm talking about like a Citywide actually like cleanup um with multiple locations and I'd like to make one of the locations void Park and like do that mural painting is like one of the beautification projects right yeah hey s um I don't necessarily think this is for you but do you recall when we were proposing the dog park some time ago and we were talking about I think I was talking about um the entrance so coming from Nelson Street and going it's um so you're leaving um you're leaving Nelson Street right and you're going over the bridge or the the walkway to get to Boyd Park one of the feedback that I've gotten from Neighbors is you know going from New Brunswick to Highland Park you have that jersey barrier or whatever you want to call it across the bridge right we talked about it I think I maybe the city had some thoughts about it I don't know if it's City Andor state but I do know people do feel a little bit uneasy Crossing that path with their dogs and or children um I don't know if it's something we can revisit I can't recall if you were ever in those conversations um but do know that we did bring it up and there was feedback as to what and why we could or could not put something such as a jersey barrier along that path to actually get to the park to then cross the traffic light do you does anyone yeah I'm sorry I'm not I'm not quite sure follow where um are you talking about the uh the exit ramp from 18 to uh AUB Street heading to Highland Park no section no go down so what is that next street from my house um I don't even know Paul robon Nei no that's neelon so neon Street yeah Robison yeah Paul robon Boulevard so you're gonna go right so you're going to the park now right that's the main that's the main entrance to the park that's correct correct right and so we talked about at one time and I don't know who from the city was involved in those conversations but if we were to promote more activity and pedestrian being not driving pedestrian foot activity that you know people do want a bit more security Crossing that path and one of the things that got brought up were the Jersey barriers the Jersey barriers are those large cement structures that would provide some form of straight some form of of safety versus bards all along the pathway um I do know that people have said to me within my the immediate downtown area that while they utilize the park and utilize the dog park they would like to have a bit more sense of security when Crossing from Nelson Street to Boyd Park on Paul correct you mean Paul Bo Paul robon to boy Park there's no yes okay yes um well there is a crosswalk there with the traffic light so I don't know you know how are you are you trying to I don't know where your jersey barriers would go I mean um right along the street all along the sidewalk I don't know if that's a county or if that's a state road right there well that's where I think the hang up was Aaron I think exactly what you're saying I think it maybe someone said it was a state and I don't know how I think all the entrances and exits to Route 18 or state there's always an argument between the city I if it's the county there's it's an argument between the county and the city about Albany Street on the other end of boy park on the other end of neelen so I don't know if there's a similar I can ask the DPW because we probably know yeah if you wouldn't mind because that's the feedback that I've gotten is you know we like it but you know the cars are moving quite quickly you have a dog or two you know some people have carriages and it is a little bit unsettling are are you talking about the overpass and Paul Robinson um the whole yeah the whole the whole journey from Nelson Street on Paul Robinson to Boyd Park the whole foot journey having like a a jersey barrier I don't know I don't know how just like when you go through Highland Park right and like you're on the bridge right and you have you have barriers on both sides of you right you feel safe crossing the bridge no that's what I'm saying the same concept but you're talking exactly so saying is along along Paul Robison that track of of that that that one block um say from uh what's that U um I'm going to blank but anyway uh from from with the overpass going over Route 18 right walking towards boy Park that section there uh there's fencing where where the overpass is existing correct no where there yeah where there's no fencing it's just a sidewalk and then the fencing is to the right you're right there is fencing but it's to the right hand side if you're walking right there if if you're walking on on the one side of the sidewalk just fencing into the one yes so you would want along the for protection in other words some so you would both Street along the curb sides yes right because you already have fencing there yes no on the one okay I see what you say yeah so that's a feedback that I've gotten from locally and in terms of just commuting by foot okay yeah well that makes sense I mean uh I I I could see where people will feel uh a little more secure with that you know yeah and I I can say for myself too you know it's it's not a um you know people go quite a park issue or is that like something for engineering department to come up with some type of a plan to get that done I'm I'm just purely raising it but that's the question no no yeah and that's what I just offered to do s is that tomorrow when I'm in the office I will ask Victor our superintendent who is aware of all things um and I can ask him if it's a state or I think I think Paul robon might be a county road I don't I think Paul robon is a county road I can't remember I know Albany is I know Easton is I know parts of French Street are um I know parts of Jersey AB are County so I don't know if it's like a conversation with the county a conversation with the state something reminds me that the state exits like the over ramp passes are all the state because they lead onto a state highway is Route 18 but I can get more clarification when I'm back in the office I'm not calling him now appreciate that thank you yeah it's not a to walk down the hall it's not that big of a deal and the other thing do you think we can get um bike racks installed over there just while people are at the park specifically within the dog park area sure we can get uh more bike I think we have bike RS there now but we can get more okay I didn't see them last time sorry okay cool yeah well thank you for that s was there any any other any other uh upcoming projects you wanted to to mention no we just have a like I said there's a lot of ongoing projects that we got going on under the radar that uh you know we're still working on benches and picnic tables and all those kinds of things and that's just going to be ongoing uh graffiti removal uh painting um we're going to be uh working on the grounds uh you know as soon as the spring comes around uh some of these uh uh Park areas of parks where uh uh grass isn't growing uh we're going to be you know taking care of those areas and making sure the grass starts to grow uh you know so these are kinds of things that are just on on all right very good thank you for your you and your team's work uh and glad we have you here to report on that um I think the last uh thing on the agenda is just um to ask aarin if you received any uh response yet from the mayor's office regarding our most recent communication um anything to to share on that front um I did I did send it didn't send it out again just so everyone knows what we're talking about um it's for one two three four it's for three kind of like I mean it's for four quarterly events um the request the budget request for these events is mostly just for like plant material and then party supplies for the Riverside bark Halloween cont costume contest it was for a total of $2,500 um and then there was three conferences that I could think of the Rucker home gardening School the New Jersey sustainability Summit and the league of municipalities for another a th000 so it was a total of $3,500 was our ask um from the city um I did reach out to the mayor's office and I got a response I'm going to read it but it's going to require us to kind of come back with like um a rebuttal of sorts so just be just be warned but it's not it's not bad um the mayor reviewed our proposal he thought it was very reasonable those words exactly which I thought was very good um it's under consideration so it's not been turned down um the mayor specifically has questions for City Administration Michael drulis I he's going to meet with him separately on the matter um and at some point I don't know if like drulis or the mayor is going to have to ask me and you Charles like questions about it they weren't very specific about that um but um drus at some point should give us like should reach out to us when the money is appropriated um the only thing is and this is where like our like feedback is needed um my concern and they thought it was a valid concern was that the budget approval happens in the summer um the March seed swap the May Citywide cleanup and the Rucker home Garden School happens in March the New Jersey sustainability Summit happens in May so there's a significant number of our asss that happen before the budget's going to be approved um the other thing is that like the like for things like the seed Swap and the May event there during those times of year when you want to have those type of events because it's best for gardening like April is Earth Day so like you want to do a Citywide event that time of year um so it was suggested that we could report back to him if you guys agree that there needs to be something done in the interim before the budget's approved um to kind of give that reasoning to them um so that we would actually be able to get the funding so it's not a no it's just we might have to push for it a little bit so thoughts feelings can you clarify um the so just Mak sure I'm interpreting um it correctly the that they could potentially appropriate something for these events that happen prior this year um okay so I think the answer is like yes to the money but I feel like we still need to um kind of like finagle it a little bit to cover the events before the budget is actually appropriated in the summer I don't really know how that works I've never done this before so I feel like it's us it's I feel like it's literally like me emailing them back as a group and being like these are our concerns do you have a way to solve that if you do have specific questions I'm here Charles is here to answer them you know what I mean City Administration can reach out to us at any time these are the events that are going to happen before the budget is approved um and these are the reasons why like the event the conferences don't change dates but these are the EV these are this is why the seed Swap and the city beautification project need to happen in the spring do you know what I mean anyway so I don't so Erin my my suggestion would be that we respond and thank them for the consideration and that it's still on the agenda you know it's still in possibility that um We Now understand the time frame and that we should um request that it be allocated for the next fiscal year because we'd like to do four events a year uh every year and so this could be our submission for 2025 budget and then um just ask justify why the these projects should happen this year and suggest that if there's any way to find funding that we would urge them to do so and we now know for next year and we're putting the request in that that would be my suggestion is can you like write that Denise in the chat and just send it to me no I'll try to paraphrase it it in I have it in otter I'll send it to you verbatim from otter yes I will I'll send it I think that that makes sense right um obviously the understanding that the Appropriations have to map on fiscal year um so syncing with that but then asking you know is there any flexibility in the meantime and I wonder I'm just going to put this out there if they say you know well maybe a little but you know depends um is there a particular one of the events in the spring prior to July that we would want to prioritize if it was limited and I think there was the the seed swap event and the spring beautification event were the main ones correct I mean the conferences are another thing but in terms of events those were the two I'm wondering if there's um any feeling about whether to prioritize one or the other of those if it comes to that um I will say the the one advantage of the Citywide beautification event eron is that you can leverage some of what you would already have at your disposal through clean communities right and so it could be you know asking for some help to sort of um make that a little bigger right um um yeah I don't know if any other thoughts about whether to look at prioritizing one of the others for this spring but still anticipating as Denise said having these in the the formal request for the next fiscal year or so would be also spring 2025 we still might be able to do fall of 2024 do you know what I mean it's just question so I think the I think the hope for the dog park event happening in October is very high but don't count your chickens before they hatch but I'm hopeful um I think the other thing we could say in in the communication is that we will seek in kind contributions of some of the things that we put in for like the seeds or you know we'll we'll look for donations and Alternate uh sources of funding and we hope that the city will help us um with supplemental funding for whatever we can't find and we might be able to do that through like um I know an from the environmental commission has a lot of contacts for things like that I don't know if there's if maybe Pam stefanic has something that she's doing with the farmers Mark you know the farmers market downtown for the seed swap I maybe maybe we could look for like we should just we should just say that we're also in my opinion that we are also looking for other sources so that it's not um viewed as our expectations is that the city uh bear the full cost of this even though we're we're the we're willing to roll up our sleeves and do all of the leg work for the events and the activities and the P publicizing of them um so I just have like a qu is like the SE swap something that we're very interested in in doing still or are we leaning towards more the beautification project I'm still happy to lean on both you know what I mean I'm happy to look for like um donations for um the seed swap there has to be like um seed companies out there that might donate um I just want to know the enthusiasm on everybody's part here before I could speak with Jersey seed and um they'll be able to donate something Arin I don't know but um uh if New Brunswick Public Library has this but other libraries such as Highland Park mchen they have a seeds they have seeds available in like a um a large Locker that you can go in if you want lavender if if you want camomile if you want this so I do know public libraries already work and they have seeds in small manila folders that are readily available for anyone so I don't know if that's an outlet for you maybe to tap into and if New Brunswick Public Library doesn't I think Ken Park does and I know but touin definitely does those are good suggestions and and in terms of prioritization Erin since a lot of this is kind of in your perview in your daytoday work and you probably e interface with is city um I would defer to you on which you think the beautification projects have a better uh more um more opportunity than the seed swap I I just that I pull that one from the the list that we we prepared it's not my first priority or my last priority I just use that as an example um I'm torn you know what I mean I think I'm going to do the beautification project no matter what you know what I mean I think doing it through get better um so like having your support and having more funding from the city to you know buy things would be great um I'm I'm born because I know the SE swap was something that happened for many years you know what I mean with the gardeners I don't know if it's like something we just want to wait to revitalize in 2025 you know what I mean um or if it's something we really want to take on for this year was just a really nice Community event I went through a few of them in like 2012 2013 2014 it's like 10 years [Music] ago um I think I have enough to go back to the mayor's office [Music] um I guess do people want to like vote on one or the other I don't want to head both [Music] it's if you feel the need for a vote I guess could Erin but I think you know basically what are you know our suggestions have been and and how to frame communication um and and again it's pretty much disced your perview so we we'll roll we'll help in any way you think this well I'm gonna say the project for now I think yeah if I had to prioritize I'd probably stay the same I think there's um the the in some ways the seat is an expression of um an infrastructure of Gardens and garden management entities um so I think there's also part of our work this you know you all we've talked about there's not as much managing entities um anymore so I think there might be some primary work in trying to better connect with them this year that could make any um you know eventual Activities center our Gard more successful is as well that's of you know uh funding um that uh I think the beautification um you know there's a lot that can go into that obviously but something that kind of people get excited about um regardless of they're connected to anything previously maybe the goal for 2024 is not doing a teot but just getting the gardeners back Connected other you know what I mean to build a foundation for something [Music] later hey can I mention something real quick this is Josh please regarding the um Community Gardens so the one that we're connected with uh I know that Mark uh the paid uh staff member through Ruckers is no longer on staff uh so I don't know what the future of that but I'm just concerned about it from our perspective uh as real residents who utilize it and then also as a member of this commission to see it going forward without someone who's overseeing it uh I agree with Aaron you know I think that we should reach out but that case I think it's going to be should also reach out expressing concern that you know we want to make sure someone is still in that role to oversee that that the one in Recreation [Music] par who was the person on recer staff that was overseeing it who was the rer staff his name was Mark I know I'm personally but I know he's not going to be there anymore that's why I'm okay like under like the farmers market where was he under Farmers Market yeah I but know okay I'm not sure who else it might be then and this is the community garden Recreation par yes he also managed he also managed the community garden at the farmers market they were sort of managed together oh both of them the same take Market one this so Josh just to clarify from your understanding uh are they not planning to replace that position with someone else or is he they're gonna just hire someone else he whatever reason he won't be there anymore uh I believe there I believe it's going to be someone new but I'm not 100% sure on that so I'll follow up and find out for sure [Music] um well uh it's 8 o'clock so um just in the interest of um respecting people's time um maybe we can U start wrapping up unless there any final thoughts uh regarding you know beautification or or the events right but I think um Aon sounds like you have enough to um respond um to uh mayor's office administration and uh we'll go from there and uh uh sounds like put more emphasis on seeing if we can pull off the beautification Citywide beautification uh event in the spring and um get things lined up for the fiscal year starting in July as well yeah just to like put Charles I would loveon neighborhood [Music] project five different [Music] [Music] loc um so some people have mentioned yeah we're getting a little feedback um from from some account I'm not sure what that where that's coming from but I think um we are ready to wrap up I believe so apologies for any um if anyone had trouble hearing um but um are there any Communications and reports otherwise Denise you're muted [Music] Denise sorry guys um this is kind of peripheral I just wanted to let everyone know I'm G to put a a link in the chat uh ruter is doing a um a free Municipal Community training uh it's I think it's something like 10 weeks um it includes uh a potential certification you have to attend at least five of the classes to uh to get a green infrastructure Champion certification it's more aligned with the environmental commission but there are some things that I think overlap like rain Gardens and other things that we would want to um support and you know talk about green resilience and we've been talking about you know some of the planting and projects so uh it's free and it starts next I think it starts next week so if anybody's in I registered and I'm going to um I'm going to attend and get the certification so just wanted to let everybody know good thank you sure um any public comments believe the only member of the public is um Charlie but if there are any public comments uh before we wrap up okay um if can you hear me okay oh yep go ahead okay yeah there you go um Charlie Caville uh I am here as the editor of New Brunswick today just want to be clear and I uh have a quick question and a brief comment um just wanted to ask the last name of the new member my last name is Tedesco te D thank you Mr Tesco congratulations on your appointment and wish you all the best wish everyone a a very happy new year and I did want to just give one piece of constructive feedback as somebody who attends and uh participates in a fair amount of virtual meetings and video conferences I must say I I really do prer the zoom platform to uh this goto meeting um and I would hope that uh I you know if you agree with me that that we can change that um I I don't know what the reason was to go with this in the first place I know the city used WebEx for a while and then go-to meeting for a while but of course Zoom is by far the most popular one and I do feel like things would go a little more smoothly if uh we were using that platform so just a constructive Sugg suggestion but wanted to uh raise that to you all and thank you for uh for your work um have a good night right thank you um thank you everyone uh for your time tonight iil water out of their basement now we're getting like a new French drain system is costing lots of money but that's our that's our for2 well good luck good luck everyone with with the rain and thanks everyone for your time tonight and uh look out for emails regarding next steps um and otherwise we'll connect again in February great yeah thanks everyone s thanks for the great work that you're doing in City yes thank you thank you all for your support