good evening everyone this is this is the city of pville city council work meeting today is April the 1st 2024 the time is 6:30 and this isn't an April Fool's joke this meeting has been duly advertised in a City newspaper in conformance with the open public meeting otherwise known as La roll call Madam cler DAV pres here pres career pres o start yes I think you pres all attendance may I have approval of previous minutes motion second all in favor Madam clerenda I um can't close in the last minute so there's a few that don't have a updated agenda second sheet some of you already do I just need you change second sheet there's a add on and that's resolution 60 we can proceed okay agenda riew okay first on the agenda is ordinance number four second reading public hearing will be held through a regular session amending and supplemen in chapter 187 of the city C entitled parks and playgrounds any questions C resolution 50 Grant the approval of a corn dve to the Pleasantville Junior Jerica football organization on May the 25th and July the 5th at Thea Road at Main Street any questions CN Ru 51 Grant approval of a 5K walk run for Community Wellness to more love restoration Community Center at the max Manning field on April the 27th any questions s resolution 52 support facil ability of a candidate business bring Wellness Haven LFC any questions C resolution 53 proclaiming the month of April as Autism Awareness Month any questions Council CN resolution 54 authorizing the tax collector to cancel and refund property charges any questions stand resolution 55 endorsing Urban and cide Zone urz fiscal year 2025 administrative budget and the amount of $228,450 any questions CNN resolution 56 awarding the contract to CN Associates for the creation of the Urban Enterprise Zone assistance fund project entitled Pleasantville urz 5year plan and the amount of 94,5 510 any questions say9 resolution 57 proclaimed in April 21st the 27 as National Crime Victims rights we any questions see n resolution 58 direct labor Council to conduct investigations into potential labor labor employment and more Personnel issues on an as needed basis any questions yes can you explain that yes so so uh was speaking with labor Council on U to make sure that they're available to be able to handle matters as it relates to any employment labor or Personnel matters um because of the city former government they wanted to make sure that they had a resolution that allows for them to do that in the future is this with the full approval of the um city council like with 50 years from now and not just one person as the president that is correct it's the full Council it's the full councel yes but the the council president will be the one that will directed to them that is corre any other questions say n resolution 59 endorsing the proposed Urban inprise Zone assistance fund project entitled the main and Washington Avenue demolition project any questions Madam I mean I'm sorry madam baor as you um all may know that that specific area the um Main Street area in Washington Avenue where there's vacant and abandon building some um privately owned and some owned by the city our one of our developers have brought almost a block of those buildings um but while we're going through the Redevelopment process has become a safety issue um within the community where we're having a lot of squatters uh fires um etc etc and in addition to the blight um that it creates in that in that space so under our U program we have the ability to put in for a project and in this particular project we're calling it the uh Main and Washington Avenue demolition project so that the city would be able to to uh demolish all those buildings to create the space and the beginning of our Phase 2 uh City Center downtown Redevelopment project thank you resolution 60 is a add-on approving to submit a Grant application execute a grant agreement with the Federal Emergency Management Agency for staff and for adequate firey and emergency responsible any questions I have goad Cel um this grant is for three years yes and at the end of three years in the fourth year what is the salary that the city is now has to pay um so the firef fire would potentially be at step three don't know have the exact amount um Chief would you know step I believe it's uh under the new contracts it's going to be like in the 70s that's the four that's for that's for set three together recruit and then the uh the two steps and then the fourth year after the uh uh sorry after the uh the grand you know sunsets then you set four and do you know what the salary is at the fifth year is that the same step is it's a little bit higher um it's Progressive uh and all that but but you know so I mean it's not it once when the higher ends start dying out then you have more step people so it's not as high the disparaging from the the salary is going to be greater as opposed to have high salaries you'll have the lower salaries that they don't have a reverse safer Grant do they no but you can always apply for uh an additional one in middle of that too but to bring people in the first three years I mean well part of it is uh um it's for uh hiring and also retention okay that's part of it right now we're I believe uh uh M pton we're applying for the the hiring phase of this but you can also apply for safer grant for retention as well so that's part of that but this one exp that yeah go so and chief is absolutely right not to cut you off but this specific r there's different um uh criterias so the city Only qualifies for the hiring um not the retention and also we are not at the desired number that the department wishes so we're going to use this opportunity to get to those numbers and to your point um as they move up through the steps we're hoping that through attrition that it kind of alleviates the budget a little bit um and the city's not fully being drained with taking on about you know whatever that number is for those three bodies in the fourth year we're hoping that your there's going to be retirements within those 3 years that will alleviate some of that financial burden and that is why you can apply for whatever your number is that you desire but one of the reasons that we only did three is because that's what we can support right now without killing the budget that we can support in the 20th right so we projected out when we looked at the number of of personnel that we could that we we would be stuck with once the grant is over I just I mean my issue is not I believe that we should be fully staffed unfortunately that comes at an expense to the the city and and the taxpayers um because I mean my the grant is for the the cheapest years you know that that's unfortunately what the issue is and it it's you know year 16 that we really have the issues with and everything and I understand the thing with attrition but also with attrition is promotions it kind of cancels out the attrition factor in there um but I mean I I know that we need it and everything go I'm just the grant TR were here and we had money for everything um p is this a yearly Grant I mean can we apply for this grant every year or is it a certain amount of years it every three years or yeah so it's a three it's every three years well if they we don't know what they're going to do in the next three years this particular one and and based on uh the past grants it has been 3 years many years ago like 5 years or two years so it all depends on the funding ability at the state level okay you something no okay she explain okay all I understand all Mr good evening um we'll look at a bill L from Bill last council meeting this one um on page one you'll see couple things on top one of the academy um of healthcare e as part of a training program we have for the pathway 2 uh recovery uh Grant and then right below that a br co-actor we were also um involved with buying some people boots to go to work so this L part of of the uh Pathway to recovery grant that we were given at the very bottom you'll see uh payroll um excuse me um medical deduction for the employees active and retire and a Deb service payment of $28,000 in interest we go over to fills that we're looking to be approved this time there not a lot of them that are unusual I'll go over some of the ones that are um to look at on the first page you'll see down very Cherry Valley Tractor Sales this was a part of an insurance claim where uh one of our boom mowers was uh had an accident last year and we got money from the insurance company so this $61,000 that's coming up from the insurance Recovery Fund that we had um this is not unusual I don't think it's going to probably cost $1,000 for $61,000 machine because of the deductible the insurance comp pay for B Mr L has this machine been replaced already or is it you're still waiting to get it it is right there is on in the shop I'm sorry it's at 8 801 okay been been paid um brought in for us so can you explain that again so the 61,000 is for what there a boom mower you know you see big right so it's what but the $61,000 insurance claims the insurance claim we' reimbursed we've already we've already received the money from the insurance for this it only cost us $1,000 for the are normal deductible so the money is coming from insurance proceeds that we received already yeah thank you um on page two um third one down is our normal monthly trash collection of 128,000 um if you're down below that you'll see 10,155 going back to you e this was from the the fiscal year 2022 where all the money that we were granted was not spent so they want the money back and this was they did an audit based on uh that fiscal year and they saw it $110,000 not spent Jackie and I already worked out a plan that wouldn't happen again say something yeah it's going be money um and three or four below that tww sales we had buy a submersible pump for the wind Rue Pump Station other than that's about the only one that is UN only ones that are unusual most everything is your normal operating uh cost for the city anywhere from $96 couple hundred bucks our water utility bill on top of page seven you'll see Rich fire protection for $5,000 not to exceed $5,000 there is a a fire suppression system in the police station that is corroded and rusted out they have to replace that and they may may have already done that uh but I know they've been work they've been U given the authority to work on it and then U course bottom p7 that everything else noral op I see it I don't want to make sure everybody saw that left one on page any questions any questions for that number mam president can we bring that to back to committee um sure new I like to know uh the detail of my okay you let me know yeah can we pull that no no no not P all right we'll bring it to Comm all no problem anything else Mr L yes sir can you just give us I know uh thank you for coming to uh the public service committee can you just give us the a quick briak on 's roof problem with the rfps when that's going out I know you's g a copy but for the public um for my Engineers who ran engineering mentioned last week in an email that they expect to have the specification from the environmental engineer by the middle by probably Wednesday this week or Thursday it'll be advertised and then we'll go the bid with expectation that the bid will be received by the end of April we'll be have to give 20 20 to do it and then hopefully construction will start immediately after that sometime in May thank you sir and uh one more question for the uh HVAC system uh are we going out for the an estimate estimate on that we I've already reached out a couple companies to give new quotes on on that I expect I expect also this week can you send us an email and reference absolutely thank you sir okay thanks thank you sir Council any discussion may I have a motion to close work session motion second all in favor this is the city of Pleasantville city council meeting today's today is April the 1st 2024 the time is 6:49 this meeting has been duly advertised in the City newspaper in conformance with the open public meetings act otherwise known as the Sunshine Law please stand for implication and salute please to the flag of the United States of America and to the for IT stand one nation under God indivisible liy and justice for all Thomas may I have a motion to dis motion reading of previous minutes first by seconda all in favor I mayor have anything at to sign yeah good evening everyone thank you for coming out I wanted to say that um there's many residents have been complaining about uh parking on the streets and in the yards and everything like that we now have a parking attendant and um she's doing a very very good job people have now gotten tickets and now that's the calls I'm getting so we can't you know we just have to let everyone know that we honor the request and we're taking care of the parking problem and it was a problem for us also it's being done the job was being done and this is the repercussions so just park the right way that's really all that we can say at this point Park the right way because that she's doing what she's getting paid to do and the other thing I just wanted to say to everyone this is uh sexual awareness month and you should be seeing teal uh ribbons on some of the trees up and down Main Street maybe in the bus terminal area have a good evening thank you then we have public portion have Mr har AUST on 300 sou the great city of f New Jersey it's a great pleasure to see all of my legislators in place we have 100% attendants tonight and uh I Rise to speak to some very pleasant OB obervations I have made uh in our uh de City uh the first one is that uh I come into the police department once in a while and uh I go over to the I guess that's there whatever and nobody's there so I just assume that someone went get to drink or water bathroom so then I got a telephone call and uh Mr Harmon I go to the police station I got to go to a window and push a button and do something but uh I really didn't realize that my city did not have a policeman sitting at the desk to greet those of the 22,000 people you mean a City without someone at desk so one time I did come and I go through the window and I talk to a chief Williams but again we get up and go but my point is that uh I would ask uh that we look into that uh I think I learned that that's your department yes correctly yes and uh that we look into it but what is a city serving the number of people we have with somewhere 22 23,000 people and I running here with an emergency and I got to go over to a window or a desk so I just raise that for the good and uh the service to our dear uh citizens and taxpayers in C of fville uh last week the wind was very heavy and uh I saw one L employees at the uh public work department stopped his truck went out in the street and brought back the trash can for taxpayer and I got I got in my car I drove down to Public Works to commend uh that employee that that's a big thing it's a great thing and I was extremely proud and you may see counselor say why are you telling me that I am saying that uh we are we are Pleasant and all of you to be commended if fire departments quiet past month and now I come to my favor guys the police department this morning at 10 minutes after 9: our policeman had May sto a car and they stayed there while and I'm certain somebody got a ticket but I I share with you that they have been super visible had end of anley Boulevard by the park all you know where the park is because Summers Point uh Northfield that in curs and a Boulevard and DP the light at the blackor Pike so that's a busy busy uh throughway no question about it but our officers are there and I hope V we making some money from those uh tickets uh that they are writing now my time is up right yes sir I just want to say that um I was looking for chief Williams and tell me he's retired so because he is I'm going to talk quick I think that now we're ready to look into a public safety director who I think can handle both departments think you think about it thank you Mr you have Miss Williams good evening everyone so a couple years back had a tree of fell on my house we have I have a a piece of pie that's on the side of my house that belongs to the city I was told that something was going to be done nothing has been done I mean they cut down the branches to the back and the stuff to back but nothing has been done since then theyve told me I could not purchase it and the city had plans so what I'm seeing now is I don't know what the city has plans to do but but this is the tree this is my bedroom window the kids are walking across my grass past my bedroom window and going down the street so my plan was to put a fence up but I can't do anything because it's not my property so I have kids walking past my bedroom window and going down West Floral Avenue what's the plan I was told there was a plan there's nothing being done now some of you are aware some of you are not aware but it's frustrating when this situation and the and where they cut down the um the the stuff in the back it looks a hot mess okay the seasons get ready question sure is this now I know where they cut the stump at they left the stump we talked about that so this is on the other side of the property this is on the front side of the property so when you come up to the property I'm facing this way was right here the tree is right here the one tree is here so in between that tree and my house they're cutting and they're going down West Flor so like I said I inquired about the property the city told me they couldn't sell me the property but it for me my bedroom window is right there I got two of them on both sides and then the other bedroom has a window on that side that West Floor they're walking across the front of my Lo and going down West Flor and I want to know what y'all doing with West Floor y'all said y'all were going to widen widen the street but if you widen the street that makes it even worse for people walking past my bedroom window so what's the the point yes yeah so so I'm fully uh familiar with the situation if I can I would recommend that it goes back to council for reconsideration because she was told at the time that there was going to be future planning for that and we need to like really sit down with the engineers to see how soon that is or will it be more practical and realistic to reconsider her purchasing the property so that she could um so we can address the issue that she's having with piece of property so I think it needs to be um reconsidered if we can there's a quick question even if she does purchase the property what's going to stop the kids from going down mean going I was going to put a fence up and do the fence from the like halfway up the walkway and prayerfully they don't walk halfway up the walkway and then walk across the grass to go down to West Flor okay so uh fence down round the tree cross the bag down just to the back of the house and I don't know even like if I could put a fence because of how close it is to the street you know what I'm saying so I'm I'm battling you know so but at least you'll have control over it and right now she has limited control over it because we own it so I think we need to just look at that again because I think what we were planning to do is probably so far down the line is not going to address her existing issues so we need to re just redis this we can and we'll keep you post M thank you thank you m may I have a motion to close public motion motion second all in favor Madam clerk okay first is ordinance number four second reading public hearing required amending and supp amending chapter 187 of the city parts and may I have a motion motion second second roll pleas sorry public hearing anyone from the public would like to speak on ordinance number four see no one public portion closed May I have a motion second please moot oh motion for roll call I'm sorry okay roll call Davenport yes emo yes kimona yes Korea yes clay yes oasby yes Thomas yes ordinance adopted ordinance number 50 Grant the approval of a corn drop to the pleas J Joker's football organization on May the 25th and July the 5th May I have second roll please report yes yes kimona yes Korea yes marlay yes over yes Thomas yes resolution approved resolution 51 granting approval of a 5K walk run for Community awareness to more love restoration Community Center at the max Manning field on April 27th have a motion motion second d report yes yes kimona yes Korea yes CL yes Obby yes Thomas yes resolution approved resolution 52 support for suitability of the canidate business Green Wellness Haven LMC may I have a motion motion M second call please D yes P yes pona yes K yes barlay yes o Thomas yes resolution resolution 53 proclaiming the month of April as Autism Awareness Month may I have a motion motion DAV yes yes kimona yes Korea yes Clan yes o yes thas yes resolution approved resolution 54 authorizing a tax collected to cancel and refund property taxes have a motion motion second call please dport yes Feer yes kimona yes Korea yes or clay yes Obby yes Thomas yes resolution approved resolution 55 endorsing the Urban Enterprise Zone fiscal year 2025 administrative budget in the amount of 128,129 0 may I have a motion motion may I have a second second roll call please dport yes Fe yes kimona yes Korea yes baray yes obis yes Thomas yes resolution approved resolution 56 ating the contract to CM Associates for the creation of the in urbit Enterprise Zone assistance fund project entitled pleasantville's urz 5ye plan and the amount of 94,5 510 may I have a motion motion we have a second second call please davp yes yes kimona yes Kore yesl yes Obby yes Thomas yes resolution approved resolution 57 proclaimed in April the 21st to the 27 as National Crime Victims rights week motion second second roll call please dport yes yes kimona yes Korea yes bar clay yes Obby yes Thomas yes resolution approved resolution 58 directing labor Council to conduct investigations into potential labor employment and other Personnel issues on an as needed basis motion have a motion second d yes yes Kona yes Korea yes yes ausby yes Thomas yes resolution approved resolution 59 indors in the proposed Ur Urban In the priz Zone assistance fund project entitled the main Washington Avenue demolition project may have a motion motion second roll call please dport yes P yes pona yes Korea yesan yes o yes Thomas yes resolution approved resolution 60 add on approving to submit a Grant application and execute a grant agreement with the Federal Emergency Management Agency for a staffing for adequate fire and emergency response Grant have a motion second yes yes kimona yes Bia yes marang yes OB speak yes Thomas yes resolution approve next I need approv I need a motion for the bill L motion second D yes yes but no to 66666 so not Kona yes Korea yes yes a yes set 4 666 so noted Thomas yes to everything but 66666 so motion carries next is comment for mayor and coun said it all anything Council yes I hope everybody had a Happy Thanksgiving and a safe one I mean Easter I'm sorry I'm ahead of time happy Easter and and a safe one thank you for coming up bless I did want to mention to everyone that this is also Autism Awareness Month and uh in the past it was just on our agenda but there's and we it was not a lot done about it but there's a lot of programs going on you know that the autistics putting on so if you can just find support that this month not just this month but this month I'm going to keep going about with the parks and everything be on the lookout because our parks are being refurbished uh new equipment is being bought new swings that kind of thing we're probably going to have another field of something soon and also looking into and and going to have better um signage to make traffic aware of where the bicycle path crosses onto streets so that you know you go through Northfield or lywood or something and it's it's much bigger and you can actually see where the bicycle path is slow down and give them the right away and that's what we're hoping to do here with new signage and road crossing so that it's very visible so everything is moving along anyone else uh yes that's um I just want to talk about something that happened last week um I had a a very nice meeting with um Dr Chapman and our superintendent last week I got a video on my phone someone sent uh with some of the disturbance that's been going on at the high school with that being said I reached out to the superintendent I reached out to Dr Chapman and went down there and met with them because something has to be done our kids should not be going to school when there's a lot of violence going on uh we sat down we had a conversation Dr Chatman and us along with um Dr Martinez we came up with an idea so that hopefully I'm going to um get a group of men and that's why I'm saying this now because I want to get some solid men Hispanic black whatever we need as many of y'all as possible so that we can go down to the schools meet these kids in the morning and just try to deter some of this violence that's going on you know we have some good kids down there that want to learn and with this type of thing going on it's hard for those kids to be comfortable in a learning environment so with that being said you have Dr Chapman over there um we're going to meet again on Monday so if anybody's interested please get in touch with one of us so that we go down there and do something to help our children out thank you anyone else may I have a motion toj meeting moot second all in fav w