e e e e is 605 this is a regular meeting of the township of Washington in accordance with the requirements of the Jersey statutes regarding open public meetings notice this meeting was legally advertised in the carrier Post in South Jersey Times and posted on the bulletin board in the misso building fire exits are located through the double doors to your left and your right please silence all mobile devices this meeting has being videotaped anyone who does not wish to be seen on television may be excused this will be shown on Comcast channel 9 every week Sunday at 9:00 p.m Wednesday at 7 p.m. Friday at 10 p.m. Saturday at 10 p.m. and will continue until the next meeting this meeting being live streamed on YouTube it can be find at WT Productions under the live stream agenda please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance I pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America to The Republic which it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all roll call please Mr Bennett here Mr Brown here Mr Delia here Mr yurz Mr Del deell here mayor Burns here Mr Russo here Mr Wright okay so we're all here we're going move on our presentation so unfortunately Dr cavalero couldn't be here for Men's Health but mayor did you want to read the proclamation anyway sure recognizing Men's Health Awareness Month whereas Men's Health Awareness Month is observe observed each year to raise awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of diseases among men men and boys and whereas men in the United States live on average of 5 years less than women and suffer higher mortality rates from heart disease cancer diabetes and suicide among other health issues and whereas healthy lifestyle choices regular medical checkups and early intervention and critical are critical to reducing the risk of serious health problems and improving men's overall health and well-being and whereas increased awareness and education about men's health issues can lead to a healthier lifestyle better prevention strategies and more timely diagnosis and treatment of diseases and whereas Men's Health Awareness Month provides an opportunity for healthc care providers public policy makers and individuals to promote preventative health behaviors improve health education and support men and boys in leading healthier lives and whereas we recognize the importance of me mental health mental health as a key component of men's overall health and encourage open conversations about mental health issues and access to mental Healthcare and now therefore I Lori J Burns as mayor of Washington Township on behalf of the 2024 Washington Township council do hereby proclaim the month of June as Men's Health Awareness Month in Washington Township and encourage all residents to increase awareness of men's health issues undergo regular medical checkups and practice Healthy Living thank you mayor so yeah I think Dr Cavo will be at another meeting in the future to give us some updates and some information as well now we have recognition for a HomeTown hero so would everyone please step forward for that down got [Music] Today We Gather to honor a true hero Among Us someone whose actions embody the very essence of Brave bravery and selflessness it is with immense pride and gratitude that I present this proclamation to Javier known as Danny kabalo a man whose courage courageous Deeds have touched our community [Applause] sir on June 20th on June 20th our community faced a potentially catastrophic event with a f when a fire erupted at the Hunt Club as the maintenance manager for the Hunt Club Danny's primary responsibility is to ensure the upkeep and safety of the premises yet when confronted with an emergency of such magnitude Dany went far beyond the Call of Duty without a second thought for his own safety he entered the burning building driven by a singular purpose to save lives his Swift and decis de decisive actions resulted in the rescue of an elderly resident and her beloved pet actions that prevented what could have been a heart-wrenching tragedy Danny's courage quick thinking and compassion are a testament to his character and to his commitment to the well-being of others Danny's heroism is not not just an individual act it is a powerful reminder of the potential for greatness within us all his selfless bravery exemplifies the highest standards of community service and dedication his actions on that night have earned him the admiration and gratitude of his entire community of our entire Community we are privileged to have Dany Among Us and his story will undoubtedly Inspire others to act with similar courage and kindness in times of need it is Heroes like Dany who strengthened the fabric of our community and remind us of the extraordinary impact one person can have Danny on behalf of the Washington Township and its residents I extend our deepest thanks and appreciation your heroism has not only she [Music] thank you [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] let's give Danny another round of applause because that really [Applause] is all right moving on to the bill list can I get a motion to approve the bill list for June 26 motion second roll call Mr [Applause] [Music] J um I understand we had a email from a constituent he been concerned about the school board budget and the recent actions of the school board and the superintendent uh they're laying off teachers which our students desperately need and the superintendent's getting a $40,000 bonus I have a problem with that I think anyone can go in there and L people off and CLA the bonus um I think it needs discussion and I'd like to know the input of my fellow councilmen as to what they thought about the email and what uh we've seen happen the past couple weeks with the school board and their opinion so i' like a separate V on that after we discuss it yeah I mean this is definitely something we can discuss we're just talking right now about the the bill L for for June 26th did you have anything okay I thought I saw that at the top no I have no other questions except the biller he said no other questions regarding okay okay okay thank you um Mr YZ yeah Mr Bennett yes Mr Brown yes Mr Delia yes Mr deell yes all right moving on to the minutes can I get a motion to approve the minutes for June 12th motion second the 12th of the 26th oh it [Music] wasn't yeah 12th or 26 oh today's 26 okay sorry okay can I get a motion to approve the minutes for June 12th motion roll call Mr jorz yes Mr Bennett yes Mr Brown yes Mr delpia yes Mr deell yes now we're going to move on to the 2024 budget and we have a budget addressed by mayor Burns I yeah you can do it what what you feel most comfortable [Music] [Music] it is an honor to stand before you today to present the 2024 Municipal budget this budget represents the C communication of extensive deliberations careful planning and a commitment to addressing the needs of our community while ensuring fiscal responsibility this was not an easy task and before I get into it I just like to thank Colette Joe and Jim for the time and energy they put into this budget I truly appreciate each and every one of you and I know it was not an easy task as most of you know I was appointed by the governing body on December 20th of last year when I assumed this role I was immediately confronted with a significant challenge a budget already burdened with a substantial deficit this was a deficit a direct result of several years during which Municipal Services were managed without increasing tax taxes the township relied on a combination of prudent financial management strategic use of surplus funds and more recently American Recovery funds to bridge the gap and some support the community Through unprecedented times however this year we find ourselves at a crossroad the American recovery funds that were a Lifeline during the pandemic and the years following are no longer available additionally our Surplus which has been utilized over the years to mitigate tax increases is not an exhaustible Resource as stewards of our Township's future we must now take a difficult but necessary step to ensure that we can continue to provide the highquality services and infrastructure our residents expect and deserve this budget proposes the highest increase we've seen in recent years this decision was not made LLY it reflects the reality that without new Revenue we would be forced to make deep cuts that would affect every aspect of our Township's operations from Public Safety and Public Works to our Parks Community Pro Community programs in addition to these challenges we must recognize the broader economic context the cost of everything has increased from essential Goods to critical services our residents deserve to maintain the level of services we offer but balancing the budget grants to offset expenditures and through attrition our commitment to transparency and accountability means we must be candidate about these Financial pressures by making these adjustments now we aim to position Washington Township for a more sustainable and resilient future it allows us to main maintain essential services in invest in critical infrastructure projects and support initiatives that enhance the quality of life for all of our residents we are also committed to ensuring that this increase is managed with the utmost care and responsibility every dollar will be scrutinized to guarantee it is spent efficiently and effectively delivering maximum value to our community as we move forward we will continue to seek initiative Sol initiative Solutions preserve GR and Partnerships and engage with our community to find ways to balance our budgetary needs with the least possible burden on our taxpayers I want to thank each I want to thank each of you for your understanding and support as we navigate these challenging times together your input and engagement are vital as we strive to build a stronger more vibrant Washington Township together we can face these challenges head on and emerge with a re renewed commitment to our shared goals and values thank you thank you mayor please read resolution 192 2024 authorization to cancel unexpended appropriation reserves to fund balance can I get a motion to approve resolution 19224 so move second roll call please Mr jorz yeah Mr Bennett yes Mr Mr Brown yes Mr Delia yes Mr deell yes next resolution please resolution 193 resolution authorizing the 2024 Municipal budget to be read by title only can I get a motion to approve resolution 193 d24 move second roll call please Mr jurz yes Mr Bennett yes Mr Brown yes Mr delpia yes Mr debella yes next resolution [Music] please resolution 194 resolution to introduce the 2024 Municipal budget can I get a motion to approve resolution 19424 motion second roll call please second Mr YZ yes Mr Bennett yes Mr Brown yes Mr Delia yes Mr derella yes moving on ordinances Madam clerk please read ordinance 6 2024 Bond ordinance providing for various 2024 Capital Improvements by and in the township of Washington in the county of Gloucester state of New Jersey appropriating 4, 310,000 therefore and authorizing the issuance of 4, 94,500 bonds or notes of the township to finance parts of the cost there of this ordinance for introduction only public hearing and adoption will occur on July 24th 2024 can I get a motion to introduce ordinance 624 motion 6-24 motion second roll call Mr Jus yeah Mr Bennett yes Mr Brown yes Mr delpia yes Mr debella yes ordinance s ordinance fixing the salaries of certain officers and employees of the township of Washington motion this ordinance is for introduction only public hearing and adoption will occur on on July 24th 2024 can I get a motion to introduce ordinance 7-24 motion second roll call please Mr yurus yeah Mr Bennett yes Mr Brown yes Mr delpia yes Mr debella yes ordinance ordinance of the township of Washington amending Washington Township Code chapter 213 entitled storm water control to add article 8 private privately owned salt storage this ordinance is also up for uh introduction only public hearing adoption will occur on July 24 2024 can I get a motion to introduce ordinance 8-24 motion second roll call please Mr HZ yes Mr Bennett yes Mr Brown yes Mr delpia yes Mr deell yes ordinance 9 ordinance of the tangible Washington repealing and replacing Washington Township Code chapter 214 entitled storm water management this ordinance up for introduction only public hearing and adoption will occur on July 24th 2024 can I get a motion to introduce ordinance 9-24 motion second roll call please Mr yurz yes Mr Bennett yes Mr Brown yes Mr delpia yes Mr deell yes ordinance 10 ordinance of the tant of Washington County of glester state of New Jersey reping and replacing chapter 212 Solid Waste and Recycling management this ordan of introduction only public hearing and adoption will occur on July 24th 2024 can I get a motion to introduce ordinance 10-24 second roll call please Mr YZ yeah Mr Bennett yes Mr Brown yes Mr Delia yes Mr debella yes moving on resolutions the following resolutions are by get set agenda only and only require a vote for all listed each one must be read by title if any member of the council wishes to have one removed or heard separately they need to indicate prior to the reading of the titles does anyone need anything removed or read separately no resolution Madam clerk could you please read them resolution 195 resolution amending a contract for solid waste and recycling for the township Washington and Suburban Disposal Inc 196 resolution awarding a contract for the purchase of a sand star e for the Washington Township Municipal Golf Course through escnj Cooperative contract number 22 23-12 197 resolution cancelling taxes for a totally disabled veteran block 260 Lot 10 915 Whitman Drive effective May 1st 2024 198 resolution cancelling taxes for a totally disabled veteran block 10.08 lot 20 effective May 21st 2024 19 199 resolution cancelling taxes for totally disabled veteran block 8522 Lot 10 effective May 8 2024 resolution 200 resolution cancel taxes for a totally disabled veteran block 253 lot 7 effective May 21st 2024 resolution 2011 resolution approving the submission of a Grant application and execute a grant contract with the county of Gloucester and New Jersey Department of Transportation for the proposed alter Drive improvements 202 resolution for the governing body certification of the annual audit resolution 20 three resolution amending resolution 9 2024 consenting to the appointment of Joseph Russo as business administrator and the Director of Finance and administration for the township last but not least resolution 204 resolution amending a contract for solid waste and recycling for the township of Washington and Suburban Disposal Inc can I get a motion to approve resolutions r195 d242 r204 d24 motion roll call please he I yeah I think it's Jack yeah Mr JZ yes Mr Bennett yes Mr Brown yes Mr Delia yes Mr debella yes now we're going to move on any any old business new business and reports we'll start with you councilman yuris uh at this point I just want toind everyone about the Fourth of July break coming up and I'm sure uh Rich Bennett will uh expound upon all right thank thank you councilman jurkus Council Bennett okay um yeah so the Fourth of July parade will be on uh next Thursday uh starting at 6:30 we do like uh people from the community to come out and have a fun time I think we have a very active uh community that will enjoy this PR parade and I think we we're going to put together a great uh uh parade and also at 9:00 we do also have uh fireworks all right so couple other things coming up in September we have um restaurant week uh we'll talk more about that in the next two months uh but we're doing restaurant week to help restaurants bring in new customers and try something new they'll have new a certain type of menu in price for for that whole week and more to come on that also do remember that we have concerts in the park they're usually on Sunday nights uh please come out to them uh they have a lot of great bands uh the one that was very good was the soul Cruisers uh it's important you know hey we're giving entertainment to you the the community and we' like you to come out and enjoy it also um keep an eye out for elderly residents especially during these hot spells uh make sure you keep an eye on people that need assistance uh from that standpoint because again it's important uh that we take care of our residents thank you all right thank Council Brown just a reminder that route 42 construction is underway um most of the construction seems to be happening at night but there are definitely Road pattern changes um they have reduced turn lane or what used to be turn Lanes down to no turn lane so make sure you're following the new traffic patterns that are existing uh plan your time accordingly and if you can seek an alternate route and avoid the pike uh your best bet is to do so um from the library just a reminder July 19th at 10:30 the walking read walking book group um walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson local author um and then just watch the website for uh other current activities they may be uh going on at the library that's it thank you coun mayor Burns I think you heard enough from me today I have no reports never hear enough from you but thank you oh yeah I have no reports Mr Wright I just have a quick report that a lawsuit was filed regarding the 9008 Whitman Drive it was filed in uh New Jersey Federal Court it's a Rising Sun recovery versus Washington Township zoning Board of adjustment the um complaint was sent to the Township's carrier for to assign Council and um make a determination on on uh coverage uh once we've had an opportunity to review the complaint and council's been assigned we'll brief Council and executive session on the merits of the case thank you Mr R Mr delpia um first I just like to thank CL Jim and Joe for all your hard work I know it was tireless nights and early mornings um always appreciate job you guys do so and also on Fourth of July if you can't make it to the parade and um you you're going to celebrate at home or at somebody else's house uh you know just be safe and be courteous of your local animals you're going to be setting on fireworks it kind of sets the the animals a craze um that's all I have all right anything no all right I have just just a couple of things first of all in our audience we have Mr Davis first of all Mr Davis proudly served our country so let's give him a round of applause for that [Applause] Mr Davis was generous enough to to give to the giving train he had a TV he was getting rid of and he actually had the manual which is amazing because I can't find him 3 seconds after open the box I can't find the manual so the pure fact you still had the manual in good shape so Mr Davis had a TV that he donated we found a family today that needed that TV so Mr Davis thank you very much for that uh Mr Davis also comes to all our meetings and always has really good ideas that that he pres he brings forward so we appreciate that support and appreciate always having good ideas on on helping our town really move forward so we appreciate that people are asking about sprouts and canes so they have all their approvals from Washington Township I believe they're just waiting for some County approvals I think that's where it kind of stands from what I heard I think so but again I don't think there's any any reasons why just just waiting from County approvals nothing nothing going on that's too crazy and again we do have the giving train that's going on so if you have something you want to get rid of and we we know somebody we are posting those items and we're trying to find good homes for it keeps us green right and and also helps people get things like I think the people that are getting the television was a woman who's actually uh can't leave her home and she's watching TV on her phone right so this is actually something she was this is really going to a good family and it's right here in Washington Township so that's that's really nice as far as what's going on with our businesses we're open for business you know we say it all the time we mean it we're open for business we've had and and mayor's been there and and Council vice president in the last couple of Tuesday meetings we've had businesses that have issues that they've come forward and I really believe that we solved them I really think that we took the time to try to solve those those those issues some weren't to 100% but we got closer to resolutions and we're getting closer to to fixing that so if you have a problem within your business you have a problem within your your neighborhood please bring that forward we will try to to try to get you those answers and try to get you what's needed same thing I want to Echo everybody else thank you clette Jim Joe thank you so much for your hard work I really really did a great job truly do appreciate you you inherited a just just a mess and you really worked really hard and we truly do appreciate you and uh that's all I have all right now we're going to move on to public participation please follow the public theorum posted which has been attached to the public agenda and limit your comments to 5 minutes once you've completed your comments or questions please take a seat I'll ask if any member of the governing body or the design wishes to address your comments or questions asked by the person who just spoke can I get a motion open to the public please motion second all in favor I we're now open to the public just state your name your address for the record 27 reest um I currently have been at my residence about almost n years and I have recently Reed a letter from the I haveck you know in for probably the majority of the time I lived here and never had any issues and now that put on my house days in jail you know in these times um uh glass Bown WIS Blackwood all surround us um you can have chicken some even if you look a twin which I think is a little crazy GL chap 4966 is chapter 28-18 winds 6 chickens sville and wa go out three to six chickens um with the ti being so bad and all the Chicken Plants just mysteriously catching on fire over the past two years and all this bir going on I can personally test that I rather consume the eggs that are more nutrient than anything I'm able to buy at the store and if you do get past your raise in the store it's $10 AZ sure I don't know about other people but right now it's a little bit tough to live and you know that's not an extra expense that I can add to my budget right um there's multiple benefits uh in my opinion um in other people's um the thck and mosquitoes is one of them obviously there's 22 nutrient dense vitamins and minerals in eggs um and the longer that something sits on a truck or in a store whether it's eggs broccoli bananas you're losing nutrients literally day by day um it's a big thing to reduce waste I know you guys just had a big thing with the old pickups and all this trash stuff going on I literally have one bag of trash a couple recycl bot every week for a family of three I host parties for dinners for my family week um they take care of everything else then I have compost for my flowers my garden beds my garden Etc I I would like to personally you know maybe make some recommendations on amending the ordinance um you know I guess that's up to you guys to decide I know there's a lot of people in my neighborhood specifically offir Drive do have chickens and throughout Washington Township that do have chickens whether they're in and out of the ordinance put the zoning I'm not 100% sure but some of them are definitely in neighborhoods just like mine and I don't even have anybody that's behind my house so I don't really see I got this like I said from the and just resolution to you know help out the community my neighbors on out there dve app can you just leave your contact information maybe with GL we can be in touch with you how many chickens do you have currently and what's the most you that you usually what's the most you usually have no okay okay all right okay all right we'll definitely be in touch with you oh yeah you can bre up well yeah yeah you give it to the mayor way we can back in touch with you as well anyone else looking to speak seeing none can I get a motion to close to the public motion second all favor I next council meeting is scheduled for July 24th 2024 at 6 PM can I get a motion to adjourn motion all in favor e