you guys want water thank water anybody wow welcome everybody to the agenda meeting second uh regular monthly agenda meeting for the mayor and Council 18 Donaldson Avenue Police Headquarters being held Monday November 27th 2023 starting at 632 Missy could you please read the role mayor nzi here councilman kley here Council McAn presid counc B Roberson here councilman Gman here Council Del con here C here if you're willing and able could you please stand for to salute the flag I pledge alance to the flag of the United States of America and to the rep it stands one naice thank you everybody Missy could you in compliance with the open public meeting Law chapter 231 public laws of 1975 notice of this meeting was transmitted to The Herald and record news and file with the bur Clark on December 21st 2022 and June 22nd 2023 and is posted on the Bolton board outside of burrow Hall thank you missy uh seeing we have no presentations this evening um Missy could you revisions okay they'll be adding two items to the agenda under on page six under mayoral appointments we'll be adding the appointment of Sandra maag to the provisional title of clerk one and a title change for kimb goian to confidential assistant and that's all I have thank you anybody else from the council have any changes mayor yes can under council president I'd like to add um letter e Workshop discussion and um I'd like to move which is currently on ordinance forgive me one second um my pages are stuck I'm sorry um I'd like to move um I'd like to remove off of my ordinances for first read amending the annual mayor and council salary and I'd like to make it option um agenda item F discussion about mayor and Council um salary under President coun under President and counsel both both of those items thank you I also have a change thank you uh under ordinances second read under police liaison I'd like to table the uh the ordinance to establish a handicap parking space on Park Avenue inma this one y this one second read oh second one under me second VI AC I'd ask for a motion to accept the changes motion motion by council president I have a second second second by councilman Guzman any questions or comments by the council see none I ask for roll call councilman kley yes Council mcowan yes counc B Roberson yes counc Gman yes counc D con yes Council cut yes I'll Now open up the floor for the hearing of citizens please step forward keep your comments at five minutes or lesson please state your name and address if you choose not to say your name and address you may sign the book it's on yes Bonnie corkin 390 mantro Avenue so there's an ordinance I'm glad it was taken off and put on for discussion because I've been up here few times um regarding the crossing guards you know they don't get much of a raise at all this is oh sorry it's my phone um this is the ordinance from 2017 they get a one oh wait I supposed to blanky blank I didn't touch the button Chief anyway um 2017 the only time they get a raise is when they go from step to step and after they re doesn't count on my five minutes so where was I before M mic gate um so fifth steps they get 1% that's it the steps go from $1,897 to step five of 12,600 so on a 12,600 1% raise is $126 that's it the crossing guards there have been crossing guards that have been here for decades they have never been honored on January 1st they are the only ones yeah they're part-time but there are other part-timers that get honored crossing guards have never get honored step in and sit go to a crossing guard spot sit and watch what they go through I've seen crossing guards almost get hit I've seen kids almost get hit because the entitled parents of this town don't care they run those flashing lights that we have at the crosswalks they run them I could take video all day long they don't care these crossing guards put their life on the line and that's what they get as a raise meanwhile you guys want 100% an 125% raise are you kidding me I get it haven't had a raise since 1991 here's an idea put it on the referendum do what councilman kley did with the Cannabis put it on a referendum better yet put it on the referendum question of mar Council deserve a 2% raise annually put that out there but put it to the vote taxpayers should not be hey we're reelected let's give ourselves a raise because that is ridiculous I've never seen anybody get 100% raise owning businesses I never got 100% raise being self-employed it's absolutely out out rage us and the reasoning is you know haven't had a race since 200 I mean 1991 two of you have been here for eight and 10 years and all of a sudden you're moaning and groaning that you want to raise they had eight years could have had 2% those years I'm going to stop before I have to go blanky blank blank and fill in the blanks although I do want to say one thing councilwoman quatron as a veteran that speech you gave was amazing I'm a disabled veter thank you hopefully this makes St on anybody else from the public wishing to speak you know the drill Mrs right uh yes sir mayor I do thank you very much Adam Zur 94 reand Avenue I guess I guess Bonnie said more than more than I was intend to say but I just wonder if the public would have voted differently if they had known that the governing body was planning to give itself a 205% raise which colle which is the collective increase which includes her 100% 125% anyway my concern tonight has to do with the council's Reliance on the questionable expertise one case in point that just came up this week is the false impression on the bough website that the um suggesting that the live spruce tree that was planted in Lincoln Park uh can't be strung with lights or decorated until next year absolutely ridiculous statement live rooted trees like these have been been brought indoors for the holidays and successfully planted Outdoors afterwards for decades now lights and decorations have never been an issue a smarter and more effective cost effective approach would have been to actually plant and decorate the live tree in the much larger fully sunlit area in front of the library that was recently reconfigured to eliminate the previous line of sight issues that were the cause for the decision to take the tree down every year my question is how did we pay for the how much did we pay for the live Lincoln Park tree and how much did we pay for the holy unnecessary cut Tre that's standing in front of the library today thank you thank you Mrs zor anybody for any else uh from the public wishing to speak Pete you know five minutes and address P chero 86 Hobart Avenue I got three questions real quick the handicap parking spot I know you took it off the the agenda for tonight is is that the parking spot that I asked for on the main strep of Park Avenue okay that's one number two I spoke to you guys about three months ago about the the track down the field the the danger of the humps nobody has ever taken care of that it's an easy fix you just cut the roots cut the black top and Patch it I mean it's not a big I know we have money coming but I'm not even saying to wait three years but somebody's going to break a leg there and we're going to have these guys busy you talking about the the the Leisure Lane Leisure Lane yeah the part by the the walk by the river is the one that's real dangerous also the fence that's cor along the river it's got holes in it that kids I'm sure they du made it but that's very dangerous we're going to have an issue like they had in New York with a kid drowning in it and I spoke to councilman Ki a couple months ago the the walkway or the the hill that goes to the tracks is that the responsibility of Rutherford or is that the north side is that or is that ISRO if it's respons responsibility of course if it's ours why don't we have somebody just clean it up get a prison get the prisoners there Vol you know not voluntarily they have to do it but and it won't cost us anything but maybe you buy them lunch I think that because that whole ramp going up is a disgrace there's pipes there's old uh football sleds that are Rusty just sitting there there's old grass just thrown in there it's it's a horror show thank you thank you sir anybody else from the public wishing to speak seeing none now I'm going to close it to the public and open up for any Council comment anyone council president thank you mayor um Bonnie I'm sorry the microphone didn't work I'm glad that we were able to accommodate it um you have been a great advocate for the crossing guards on more than one occasion and I appreciate you sharing that um and we do appreciate the work they do um and it's challenging work because anybody who drives around this town and around schools during drop off and pick up it's there's a lot to be said and they are very gracious and how hard they work um uh your concern and question about not being honored on January 1 I will look into as I'm I saw others taking notes so I imagine that will be uh something that will be followed up and regarding the ordinance that was pulled on it is now a discussion it is now a discussion item um and so I'm going to withhold the information that I would normally share in in response to you because it's going to be something that I'm going to share with the entire coun but you will have the benefit of hearing um that information at that time um Mr Zora great question I will defer to the B administrator if he has in fact anything to add regarding the the tree I believe the question was how much yep I got it the uh the new tree that was was uh planted in lincol park was 5,000 and the uh the temporary tree used for the holiday tree celebration in front of the library $900 thank you Bob um I think we answered the question Pete about the handicap spot um thank you for your comments about Leisure Lane and I know that Bob was taking notes and and I will certainly as well as my colleagues who I know have that as part of their liaison assignments and I think you asked a great question about the north side and about responsibilities um I know there's just from my point of view there's been a lot of discussion and everybody's feeling out how we're moving forward with this project and working closely with the county um but I think you're asking a very reasonable question which is what can we do in the interim while we're waiting for all this to happen so thank you for for presenting the question anybody else seeing none um yes Pete that's a great question and is definitely going to be addressed um and we've already discussed it so it's definitely on our radar um I would like the uh our administrator speak to this now so you know with regards to that question Mr Cher the um you know the south side is obviously on the Barrow side the middle was always the railroad line and then the north side was is East Rutherford now that the rail line is owned by East Rutherford the I'm I'm Sorry by the county you know the long-term plan is when that passive Park is built that at some point there'll be an agreement between the three government entities East Rutherford Bergen County and Rutherford on maintenance of the entire passive Park uh obviously the park hasn't been built yet so the rail line responsibility is still under the County's control and I would say that the north side is East Rutherford's control so I'll reach out to the people that I deal with in East rare and asking if they can send their Crews down there and clean it up the the south side um you said you said the north side okay from the tracks down to the field I would say it's us so I I'll I'll send our crews down there then okay thank sorry uh the only other thing I'll add is uh Miss corkrin um you don't know how we're going to vote so you don't know who's going to vote for what um so I I just think you should probably wait and see how that pans out we'll move on now to president of council thank you um first I'd like to approve the regular meeting minutes for November 13 2023 motion motion by council president may have a second second second by councilman Guzman any questions or comments by the council see n councilman Copley yes Council mcowan yes counc Roberson yes councilman Gman yes counc Del con yesc yes thank you next I like to move uh to approve the closed meeting minutes of November 13 2023 motion motion by council president M second second second by Council quatron any questions or comments by the council seeing none may roll call councilman cley yes Council Goen yes c b Robertson yes C Gman yes C con yes coun yes thank you next I'd like uh authorization to suspend all burrow parking meters from December 11 2023 to December 31st 2023 motion I have a motion by council president I have a second second second by Council Del con any questions or comments by the council seeing none have a roll call counc kley yes counc M Gowan yes counc big Roberson yes counc Gman yes CC D con yes counc clut yes okay next is the authorization of the 2024 mayor and council meeting schedule with adjourned meeting January 5 2024 at 5:00 pm and the 2024 reorganization meeting at 5:30 pm motion I have a motion by the council president may have a second second second by councilman dely con any questions or comments by the council see n m Ro councilman kley yes counc mcowan yes counc B Roberson yes counc Guzman yes Council D con yes counc yes uh next is um an added agenda item uh to discuss um a matter that was brought to my attention about the potential of having an opportunity to workshop and discuss agenda item meetings um prior to the business of voting where people could and council members could talk um with our professionals with our attorney with our um burrow administrator uh to work through some of the matters and to gr opinion suggestions this matter was brought to me um and was sent forward to um our burrow attorney both thank you for your assistance with it um and so the uh advice provided was that um a workshop is an open session it is a public it is a part of the public meeting um since there's no votes taken during a work session your discuss discing the agenda items but you're not um doing the B's business at that time um different towns and municipalities do work sessions differently some have it on off weeks when there's not a council meeting some do it an hour before the council business meeting um where there's an opportunity to discuss um ideas and and to ensure that uh everyone's perspective is reflected um in in the work that's being done um and so I share that tonight as uh discussion item uh because this was brought to me by uh more than one council person um and the potential uh maybe for dis to for something for consideration for the next meeting mayor to either be added to the calendar we just approved um or to amend since it is public session um I'm I'm opening up really to the council members if they want to share their thoughts on this on whether or not this is something they want to investigate further as far as this is a um request to the council Bob how process I would say at this point the uh it's open to discussion if if uh me members of the government body want to consider U you know what the workshop is how it would work the timing of uh we can answer questions now it's something that um we can just kind of chew on tonight and uh you know as the council president mentioned it's something uh if it's something we're supportive of and in favor of we could uh you know vote on amending uh the schedule that was just uh authorized to include a workshop before a meeting um it could be uh done half hour before a meeting where we just kind of where I guess it be my role as the administrator kind of run through the agenda and explain to everyone what the items are the the non- routine items I would say um just so you know what what you know how that's going you know what the purposes what we're purchasing why we're doing something uh you could do it an hour before the meeting uh I know some towns do workshops where it's the first meeting of the month and then the second meeting of the month is is the regularly scheduled business meeting uh that is not something I would recommend uh we are way too busy to only conduct official business one time a month um so this is an opportunity you know it's as the burough attorney you know mentioned to the council president it is an open meeting um the public is welcome to to listen in on the the conversation if that's uh what we you know if we choose to go in that direction it could be held here it could be held in a different room uh but you know that you know those uh those issues could be resolved once we decide if if this is the the direction we want to go as a all thank you my only recommendation would be that um prior to the next meeting not I have no objections to this that you sit with three council members at a time and come up with the best game plan with the bur attorney uh and then we can figure out scheduling and what changes might have to be made May that would be my recommendation anybody else yes ma'am sorry I just I think it would be helpful just for the public to understand why we're considering doing this um I don't know that it it wasn't clear to me before I was elected that more than three Council folks can't be council members can't be together at any given time doing business unless we're in a public meeting um that creates a lot of inefficiencies for us since this is not none of our full-time jobs um so it's it's to Bob's point it is really helpful to have an Avenue to Hash things out not in an adversarial way but just to ask questions in a very streamlined way um because it does happen behind the scenes in these little pockets of time with our professionals and with each other but um I'm happy to say we take very seriously that we're not supposed to do that as a larger group and sometimes that really does create inefficiencies I guess the only question I would have Bo is I know the council president mentioned advice from our professionals I assume we wouldn't be getting advice from you in an open public session because that would be privileged is that right priv that we want it to be right got it okay so I just thought it' be helpful to explain that because I don't think that that rationale was certainly wasn't obvious to me before I joined the Council of why we don't do that no I I was I don't disagree with you I was just talking about making sure that we we're changing the schedule I just don't want to make it so we're interfering with everybody's busy schedule 100% yeah yeah I agree may I would just add one thing that if we're we're going to do it before the regular scheduled meeting that of course would have to be advertised as yeah meeting event so I I I understand anybody else from the council this was just more of a scheduling make sure there were no conflict that was it um let I'm not moving I'm not going to move it for any vote this is really just a discussion item more informational um and and you know and we mentioned professionals and a lot of times those professionals are here for a very specific purpose and I would say a lot of those issues will probably be covered under a closed session environment uh so may not have a lot of Professionals in these Workshop meetings um but I would think more of the the routine dating today stuff is what we talking about in Workshop mayor if I can um make a recommendation that um since this is really a fairly new ongoing discussion like very recent that everybody just get a chance to kind of wrap their heads around it ask come up with some good questions and then potentially make this an agenda item um Bob something for consideration if if in fact the the council feels that they want to move forward with it but um I just thought it was it was a good discussion topic right now since we just approved the calendar and I appreciate my colleagues for bringing it to me today okay I mean as long as nobody else has an issue or chooses to make a motion um I think that's a good for the next meeting um last but not least is the discussion item about the mayor and council salary um ordinance so um mayor per hour and this is really for the benefit of the public and and for my colleagues um during our agenda meeting this has been so I I want to kind of start at the beginning this has been an ongoing conversation probably as long as you've been up here as long as I've been up here it's an annual discussion um as it was previously mentioned the last time Rutherford even uh looked at the salary ordinance um for the stien for the mayor and Council was in 1991 um so uh that's a lot of time 30 32 years is my math good anybody that sound right 32 years um and so our burrow clerk has uh done her due diligence not once not twice I actually don't even know how many times but I can tell you that she was uh this this conversation was had back in uh the late teens 201s again in 2020 and then again now it is something that we have talked about um it is never a comfortable conversation so that's why I'm going to do this right now because no one wants to ever talk about their salary um and so Bonnie you most certainly point out the Achilles heel this is the thing that makes people uncomfortable but it comes with this job and I'm okay doing it so the re the rationale behind this is one we have not had an amendment to salary ordinance since 1991 number two um as readily available uh to all of you by census data and on Municipal pages and thank you to the due diligence of our clerk contacting our um local municipalities close to and around the burough of Rutherford I want to share with my colleagues a few just in general um carlet which has 6,300 residents right Rutherford is just shed 19,000 I think at the moment carlstead has 6,300 residents in uh for the year 2023 the mayor's stien is $933 the council stien is $ 6,840 uh both receive stiens additional stiens of approximately $1,200 for car and phone coverage and they also have health insurance East Rutherford to our other neighbor they have 10,399 residents um in 2023 the mayor received a statement of 7,000 and the council a statement of 5,000 Hasbro Heights um a town that uh most people in the real estate industry appreciate is actually uh what they consider to be um what what's the word I'm looking for comparable to Rutherford um they have 12,000 residents uh their mayor receives a stapen of $1,183 and their Council $ 4,779 Linhurst has uh approximately 22 ,000 residents um and their mayor received 6,700 and their Council 6,200 in North Arlington Which is closest in all of these numbers with the exception of lyos which is uh larger than we are uh they have 16,39 residents uh the mayor receives 11 11,000 and every council member receives 9500 um there is no Rhyme or Reason to how these stiens are set some uh have built in increases annually which is something that we did here um during the citizen uh hearing of citizens um and that is why uh we were looking to consider ourselves on par with our neighbors and not more than what others were receiving um it is a very uncomfortable conversation um I it it saddens me that the statement is you know you waited to get elected to bring this up the reason why this is brought up now and and I'll share this with you Bonnie not just because you ask but I think it's a a fair question our burough administrator and our CFO are currently working on our projections for the budget this is the time we have all of these conversations everything is on the table right now because once we hit January we are in the throws of putting together the municipal budget and its impact or lack thereof and so anything that deals with salary salary ordinances has to be taken into consideration in this very very tiny window and so that was why it was brought forward this was strongly recommended by our burough administrator um uh because we are not on par with our neighbors nor have we addressed this in so long and that was why it was brought up for tonight um for the very reason that we're now considering having a workshop this topic is one of those reasons because it needs to be vetted and discussed people need time to think about it um and so mayor that's why I asked for it to be taken off as an as a consideration for ordinance and for the mayor and councel to just think about it and process this determine whether or not they want to add it as an agenda item to move forward um to ask questions right now of um of our burough administrator and of our attorney if they so choose um but I have no intention of moving this forward uh or requesting a vote in this matter this evening so I open it up to my Council colleagues anyone from the council Council thank you Stephanie when I was speaking with the borrow administrator earlier today he gave a interesting option of incremental increases with Co so that it does not feel like it's this large amount and then a decision is being made for the long term and we're not waiting on Council people to feel brave enough to bring it up you know at random times so I'm wondering Bob if you could talk a little about that sure um what I would that's yeah what I was suggesting ear earlier today is um look I I think the the numbers you're currently at are are significantly too low and I strongly encourage you to consider um you know addressing that amongst yourselves and I understand the the concern and and the Optics of it of it uh but but maybe what we can do is um you know maybe do a an increase maybe a little smaller and within that ordinance build in uh automatic increases uh based on a cola percentage that the state of New Jersey uh issues every October to the municipalities and other uh government entities uh that people use for a variety of purposes um in my in my old job uh we use that as a mechanism for getting you know a group of non uh unionized employees annual raises and and the way it read is uh it be anywhere and we capped it you know if the percentage was exceeded a certain cap well you you wouldn't get that uh normally the raises in the last you know five to six years that the state had issued were anywhere from zero to 3 and a half% so if the cola for that year was Zero the employees got zero the employees were the cola came out at 2% they got 2% so maybe there's something so it's a a softer softer landing spot for everyone and it's not as controversial um that that that is certainly an option to do to consider moving forward anybody else for the council wishing to speak seeing none um the only thing I'll add to that is um I've been here 10 years 10 years um I it just does like um and I understand why the council president brought that forward and I appreciate everybody's um thoughts on this and again nobody knows how this Council would vote but speculation doesn't help anybody except uh create more problems so I'm going to leave it at that otherwise Miss's going to kick me we're going to move on now thank you mayor consent agenda all items authorized to be consent by the council will be enacted by one motion these items are routined by Nature motion motion by council president second second by councilman Guzman any questions or comments by the council see n m councilman kley yes Council mwan yes CC B Roberson yes counc kman yes counc Deen yes counc qu yes thank you we're going to move on now council president thank you mayor first is resolution number 245 chapter 159 bulletproof vest partnership Grant in the amount of 85389 motion I have a motion council president may have a second second second by councilman Guzman any questions or comments by the council see no councilman kley yes counc mwan counc Roberson yes councilman Gman yes councilwoman d k yes counc yes thank you next is resolution number 244 awarding of contract to impressive printing in an aggregate amount not to exceed 25,000 motion I have a motion by the council president I have a second second second by Council Roberson any questions or comments see number got kley yes counc McAn yes B Roberson yes counc Gman yes C Del con yes counc yes resolution number 246 chapter 159 cdbg Darwin Avenue tree planting Grant in the amount of 34,000 motion I have a motion by the council president May a second second second by councilwoman delie con any questions Council see not member coun Copley yes yes B Roberson yes Gman yes yes yes thank you um just a couple things to share um I want to thank uh the scouts on two occasions uh one uh councilman kopley and I had the privilege of of uh meeting with a scout troop um last week is it last week this week last week or oh my gosh um it was fabulous they were in here um asking questions about citizenship and and how to be a a government official and it was awesome and and hopefully we recruited some to want to do this one day and so um that was a bless uh so thank you councilman kley um and uh this week um our Scout Troops yet again Pam Tully uh Jenny Coleman coming through for us big time uh to decorate the Rutherford tree um at the Winter Wonderland that's sponsored by Bergen County at vanon Park um and so I invite Council colleagues their are families anybody wants to come it looks like it's going to be Thursday from 4: to 6:00 pm we have to be done by dusk um the scouts will get uh admission tickets to go watch the tree lighting next weekend and um if we win if our town wins for best tree we get an open skate day for the town so we're coming we're coming with the best Bulldog Spirit ever um or at least that's what they told me today when I confirmed that we were doing this um and um shout out uh to um our Chamber of Commerce for what I think might have been one of the best parades we've ever had in this town uh this weekend um and and to that entire leadership team to the Kip Center for their beautiful open house that happened on Saturday if you haven't been yet it's going on off for the next two weeks please go see the wreaths and trees I saw the mayor uh he and Perry donated a beautiful wreath the mayor and Council uh donated a tree this year uh there's some other stuff that's there please come and support them the work they do is is just extraordinary just not for Rutherford but for everybody in southb um and they do have a fundraiser coming up this Friday so feel free to to jump in and and last shout out um as the leis on to the ambulance Corps uh how awesome that they were they were the pride and joy of the chamber parade um this week they are the unsung heroes in this town um through our darkest days in the last few years they were there uh geared and ready to go we are blessed to have such an incredible um um first aid Squad and so just a shout out to all them thank you for your incredible work and and that's all for me tonight mayor thank you thank you move on to police councilman Guzman thank you very much mayor uh first up I have resolution number 243 Award of contract for the acquisition of a 2023 Dodge dur Wrangle in the amount of $ roll call councilman kley yes Council mcowan yes counc big Roberson yes Gman yes counc Del con yes coun quadon yes thank you anything else councilman yes indeed I'd like to also uh echo my colleague's uh comments regarding the Chamber of com Commerce uh the holiday perade was quite amazing it was probably the largest I've seen in a very very long time if not the largest we've ever seen um the amount of effort that took that parade took to coordinate um I mean a big hand of of Applause for the uh our Master of Ceremonies there the uh ambulance wow I what to say amazing amazing effort and uh the public really came out and in droves and really see the smiles on the kids' faces and the parents it was really enjoyed by far my my favorite event we have annually thank you that's all I have thank you councilman Public Works councilman Delo thank you mayor uh first I have resolution number 247 Award of contract to Clark moan landscaping for Darwin tree planting in the amount of $50,000 motion I have a motion by the council have a second second second by council president any questions or comments by the council see I'm every coun kley yes counc McAn yes counc B Roberson yes counc mman yes coun con yes yes um thank you mayor um the only other thing I'll I'll say is is to Echo my Council colleagues uh particularly about the Kip Center I went over there with my niece um to look at the trees and play some Raffles and um I I can't really stress enough how meaningful it is for our seniors to have especially children come through and visit um my niece was the star of the show and it's not because I mean I think she's extraordinary but um I think it's more that she uh was full of questions and conversations so um the Kip Center has innumerable opportunities for you to go and volunteer and just spend time there so if you're looking for a service project and you're a young person or if you're looking just um to feel good about your community it's a good place to go um also with the holiday parade um I just want to add again um that everyone really did a remarkable job um from DPW to our police to uh Cliffhanger Productions to the chamber um there's such beauty in community at events like that and um it's really from for me is is the best part of this job so um I'm very grateful for that um I also just ask that you keep your eyes out for future events um that need support because there are quite a few coming up in in the next few weeks so thank you thank you Council thank you councilwoman uh we'll move on out of fire thank you sir um first business resolution number 242 authorizing submission of a Grant application to the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs fiscal year 2024 American Rescue plan firefighter grant program motion I have a motion by councilman kley may have a second second second by Council Krone any question questions or comments by the council seeing none roll call councilman kley yes Council McAllen yes c b Roberson yes C Gman yes C de con yes C Clon yes thank you anything else sir just in closing uh again kudos to the Rutherford Chamber of Commerce and all of its members uh everyone who marched from the the tiniest of Tikes all the way up through our EMS members um just a fantastic day and when you roll up on the library for the tree lighting to see the community and and anyone else who's come to visit it really is just a a genuinely brilliant kickoff to the holiday season so thank you one at all who who helped make that a reality thank you sir Bill grounds councilor thanks mayor I have nothing on my agenda items I just also want to Echo my colleagues that the the Holiday Festival parade and also the porch Fest a few weeks ago they were similar events in that they were they transformed this town into something truly magical which was perfect for the season and they allowed everybody involved to be transported for a few hours few moments into this sort of fantasy land and I think that's just a perfect way to start the holiday season so thanks to everyone for your dedication and creativity everyone involved in putting it together thank you Council councilor yeah just echoing my colleagues the parade was amazing I remember years ago when my girl scout troop used to walk in it and it's come such a long way since then oh my goodness so um yes I'm just we live in a Hallmark Town it is picturesque it's beautiful and we are so lucky to be residents and I felt that way on Saturday and that's it for me thank you Council mayor before we move on um I I know that my two Council colleagues sitting to my right um you know that was a beautiful segue councilwoman talking about the Hallmark esque of our burrow because I do believe there was an addition to our Hallmark esque to the beautiful lights and everything we see on Park AV on the west side so I'm going to turn it over to my two colleagues um thank thank you council president for this very important report of business um it is with great joy that we would like to invite you to go to Sunset Park and see the absolutely beautiful candy canes that are now stationed there um before you asked Bonnie we already had the budget to rent them for the holiday season and we were approved by Bob but I just want you to know that this is a huge focus of this current EXC me Council one by Bob by by Miss well the the finances were approved by Bob I learned very quickly that our dearbo Clerk approves all Decor so Missy did approve of our holiday Decor but I mention this because other than them being beautiful and you really they are so big that you should go with your family to Sunset Park and take pictures in front of them um but I mention this because this governing body is very con uh very focused on in the coming years beautifying the West End it is long overdue and so this is um something that Bob is just going to shaking his boots but we're going to do it and this is I feel like the great way to kick it off councilman Guzman and I have had a numerable discussions about it so we are very very excited um to make good trouble over on the west end and get things really beautiful so please enjoy the candy canes and perhaps next year we'll have a few more items over on the West End right Bob yes okay we'll wait for an answer I'm sorry their moment about that's that's okay my knee hurts um we're going to move on now um to my assignments um I have nothing report regarding the uh Sports and Exposition Authority um I do have several appointment ments um I do have um the added agenda items that i' ask for consent uh Sandra masle provisional title clerk one in accordance with the rules and regulations of the state of New Jersey civil service commission effective onor about December 14 2023 I'd ask for Council consent motion motion by council president I have a second second second by councilman quatrone any questions or comments by the counc see none may have roll call councilman kley yes Council mcowan yes Council B Roberson yes counc Gman yes C Del con yes Caton yes thank you um I have another Kim kimoi entitled change to confidential assistance step three salary guide effective November 28 2023 I'd ask for Council consent motion motion by council president have a second second second second by Council Quron or was oh sorry counc Roberson any questions or comments by the council see n may have roll call councilman kley yes Council McAn yes counc big Roberson yes coun Gman yes coun Del conen yes counc quat yes thank you uh my next appointment is Drew Scott provisional appointment to truck driver in accordance with the rules and regulations New Jersey civil service commission effective November 28 2023 motion motion council president M second second second by councilman Guzman any questions or comments by the council see none may call councilman kley yes Council mwan yes councilman beg Roberson yes Council Gman yes councilman D con yes yes next I have Regina Mas teachers a exceptional individuals effective November 28 2023 I'd ask for councel consent motion I have a motion by the council presid president have a second second second by Council Del con any questions or comments see no roll call councilman kley yes Council McAn yes counc big Roberson yes counc Gman yes counc Del con yes counc yes thank you finally I have the seasonal recreation basketball staff see with the list attached I'd ask for Council consent motion motion by council president a second second second by councilwoman quatron any question questions or comments see n mayor roll call councilman kley yes counc McAn yes coun B Roberson yes counc Gman yes C Del yes coun yes Sor a little behind here um as it's our second regular meeting um I now open it up for hearing of citizens on agenda and agenda items only anybody wishing to speak please step forward to the microphone keep your comments a 5 in or less say name an address if you choose not to do that please write your name in the book Bonnie corkin 390 monos about time something happens on the West End Bravo um I would never question the decorations okay but I can't wait to go down and look at them maybe I'll do it tonight um so we appointed a new we changed Kim GOI into a new title who's doing her job as P Web Master I know her husband was helping her with it I prove that many times on that website that I gave you um Bob where James bosan was helping her with the website he still is on GitHub I can look it up and show it so who's doing her job and what are we compensate are we hiring someone else now or is she going to do it all or get continue getting help from her husband doing that website um also just a tiny tidbit um you know on some of the websites Town websites you can search the agenda we used to be able to search our agenda and our minutes can't search the search Factor on our website is lame it searches a couple of things you can't search through the minutes if I want to go find something I literally have to read every minute don't mind doing it but we used to be able to search the minutes and the agendas with the search Factor um I know it can be done because I have two kids in computer science and they say yeah that's an easy thing to write so thank you anybody else from the public wishing to speak on agenda and agenda items only good evening again Adam 94 reand um regardless of the funding sources uh tonight's approval of the $50,000 tree planting contractors actually wasted taxpayers money there's no way to justify the 6 $100 that's being charged by the contracted to plant and mulch each and every one of the 30 small trees that he's contracted to plant and if I'm not mistaken uh those trees were recently purchased by the burrow so that's an head of course there that would be the same weather anyway if the burrow continues to Outsource tree planting which historically takes DPW Crews a fraction of the time and the expense that were faced here with this contract the bar won't have any need to stand up a shade tree crew anymore so I don't understand the sense to doing all of this when we have people on on staff that can actually do it thank you thank you Mrs zor anybody else from the public wishing to speak seeing I'm going to close it to the public and open it up for any Council consent anybody from the council wishing to speak seeing none we'll get to close it to the public ordinance on first re council president thank you mayor first is the dedication of a portion of burrow Street for the purpose of creating a public right of way and thorough Fair between Route 17 North and Veterans Boulevard Missy can you please read the ordinance by title only an an ordinance of the burough of Rutherford County of Bergen sa New Jersey accepting dedication of a portion of burough Street adjoining identified as block 224 lot 3.04 for the purpose of creating a public RightWay and thorough Affair between Route 17 North and Veterans board thank you I'd like to make a motion to move that the ordinance be passed on first reading and advertised according to law I have a motion by the council president may have a second second second by Council Roberson any questions or comments by the council see none americ I can't just let you know just make sure everyone's aware of what this is um this if everyone recalls a year or a couple years ago we vacated Barrow Street uh between Veterans Boulevard and Route 17 um made it made it a little bit difficult for the business on on on burrow Street to conduct business and we uh we attempted to vacate it uh what happened with the northern side which is being uh which was owned and being being redeveloped by the developer of the warehouse down there uh agreed as part of his land use approvals to dedicate it back to us creating a right away to have the one-way Street open in order to allow the businesses to have their flow of traffic uh so this action is just part of the requirements of their land use approval uh to so so they're in compliance uh the and B that's right after that so I'll spe do it real fast uh when they were building the warehouse uh some uh fire requirements some lines uh in terms of the construction required the the the sidewalk to uh jut out a little bit onto Veterans Boulevard um so they just had to make an adjustment on the Fly and that's why they're just seeking an easement to come a couple you know a foot or two onto the right right away it's nothing major but it's just making it all official that's it for me mayor sorry thank you m Council M Copley yes Council mwan yes counc beg Roberson yes counc Gman yes counc Del con yes counc yes thank you next is Grant to the owner of the property adjacent to Veterans Boulevard Missy can you please read the ordinance by title only an ordinance of the burough of Rutherford County of Bergen state of New Jersey granting easement to owner of property adjacent to Veterans Bullard thank you I'd like to move that the passed on first reading and adver according to law I have a motion may have a second second second second by councilman quadrone any questions or comments by the council see M roll call councilman kley yes counc McAn yes counc B Roberson yes counc Gman yes CC Del con yes yes yes thank you please thank you mayor uh ordinance on first read repeal handicap parking space on silven Street Missy can you please read the ordinance by title only and ordinance to amend and revise chapter 126 vehicles and traffic of the bur code of the bur of Rutherford motion to move that the ordinance be passed on first reading and advertised according to all I have a motion by Council Guzman I have a second second second by councilman Roberson any questions or comments seeing them every Council M kley yes coun McAn yes coun big Roberson yes coun Guzman yes counc yes counc quatron yes thank you we're going to move on to ordinances on second read council president thank you mayor first is to repeal chapter 22b contracts pursuant to PL 2023 section 30 Missy can you please read the ordinance by title only an ordinance to repeal chapter 22b contracts of the burough code of the bur of Rutherford thank you I make a motion to move that the ordinance be passed on second reading and advertised according to law I have a motion by the council president I have a second second second by councilman Guzman I'll now open it up to the public for any comments on this subject and this subject matter only see none any councel is he he did sorry councilman kopley yes Council mcowan yes counc B Robertson yes Council Gman yes counc de con yes yes thank you next is to establish the salary for maintenance supervisor Missy can you please read the ordinance by title only in ordinance to amend and suppl an ordinance entitled and ordinance regulated the employment tenure and discharge of certain officers and employees of the burre of Rutherford under the provisions of the Civil Service Act of New Jersey number 3668 d23 adopted on October 10 2023 I'd like to move that the ordinance be passed on second reading and advertised according to law I have a motion by the council president I have a second second second by councilman Guzman I'll Now open up to the public for this subject this subject matter only anyone wishing to speak seeing none I'm going to close it to the public anyone from the council see I'm councilman kley yes counc mwan yes counc big Roberson yes counc Gman yes yes has question yes thank you I'll now take a motion to adjourn motion motion by council president all in favor I have a great night everybody