[Music] all right everyone let's stand pled the flag congratulations to the flag of the United States of America and to the for stands one nation God indivisible lice for have a moment of Reflections for parts of the world that are uh going through difficult times and for the folks that are out there protecting our freedoms especially as we approach Thanksgiving just a moment please thank you notice requirements of thew have been satisfied concerning this meeting in the home Min room The Star Ledger published a notice on 25th 2022 a copy of the schedule is posted on the municipal bulletin board and it should be so known in the minutes of this meeting councilman Bower oh here sorry councilwoman Deus here councilwoman Mulla here councilwoman mean here councilman Patel here councilman small councilman Spiller here vice president Anderson and president fatara here and I got a motion to approve the minutes from October 31st 2021 October 10th and September 19th motion second all in favor I I opposed eyes have it beginning with second reading ordinance this evening we're going to start with letter A on your agenda I'm going to start with taking a and b by consent these are both ordinances with amendments to chapter 7even were the revised ordinances uh with regards to traffic and they were to add for handicap parking a uh second a Clyde a and uh Brook Street restrictions as well can I get a motion that these two ordinance to be taken up on the second and third reading he be open motion second all favor I I opposed eyes have it the public hearing is now open on letters A and B letters A and D only hearing no comment from the public can I get a motion that the public hearing be closed the ordinances be adopted and submitted to the mayor for approval as required by law motion second any questions or comments from councel all in favor I I oppos eyes have it letter C is emergence amending chapter t 10 I'm sorry tax cabs and limousines and this is with regards to displaying the taxi symbol I get a motion that this ordinance be taken up on second and third meeting and the public hearing be open motion second any questions or comments from councel all in favor I I oppos eyes have the public hearing is now open on letter c letter C only hear no comment from the public can I get a motion at the public comment motion be closed the ORD be adopted and submitted to the mayor for approval as required F motion second any questions or comments from Council all in favor I I oppos eyes have it letter D in to vacating distinguish the public right way for a portion of mouin Avenue in Woodbridge property I again a motion that this order to be taken up on second and third reading and the public hearing the open motion second any questions or comments from councel all in favor I I opposed eyes have the public hearing is now open on letter d letter d only what is to be what uh if I'm I memory serves me correct this is over at Sharon Gard right and it's a it's a road it's a dead end road the road for some reason when Sharon Gardens was built mouin Avenue stopped and made was made a dead end but the land that the road was on was never conveyed to Sharon Gardens so we still own the road the road needs to be paved we agreed to pave it but we want them them to take responsibility for it including all the land around it and it involves woodb Center because they're right behind them so this is just allowing us to vacate it so then we can enter into agreement to trade the road for the um for the paving gotcha thank you well any other questions on letter D comments hear none can I get a motion at the public hearing be closed the ordinance be adopted and submitted to the mayor for approval as required by law motion that any questions or comments from councel all in favor I I opposed I have it letter A an ordinance accepting a temporary construct construction easement for 115 South CLI Road in Colonia through trage improvements and I get a motion that this ordance be taken up on second or third reading the public hearing be open motion second any questions or comments from councel all in favor I I opposed eyes have it the ordinance is now open for public comment letter e no comment from the public can I get a motion that the public here and be closed the ordinance be adopted and submitted to the mayor for approval as required by law motion second any questions or comments from councel all in favor I I opposed eyes hav't I'm going to take FG and H all by consent there ordinances authorizing the acceptance of a deed the first is for drainage improvements on taen Street drainage improvements is the second one on St George's Avenue and brage improvements on Jordan Road and colon and I get a motion that all three ordin will be taken off on second and third reading and the public hearing be open motion second any questions or comments from Council all in favor I I opposed I have it the public hearing is now open on letters FG and H FG and H entry that High School 35 yeah did you I thought you said high school it's uh the the medical building when you cross underneath route one and n on the right hand side in that General vicinity there not by the high school yeah it's on the north side of Route One any other questions or comments on FG or H there no other comment can I get a motion that the public hearing be closed the ordinances be adopted and submitted to the mayor for approval as required by law motion second any questions or comments from Council all in favor I I oppos eyes have it I'm also going to take i j k and l by consent these are all applications for a long-term tax exemption the first is with SEI casby urban renewal the second is with Clover Leaf Center urban renewal the third is with Woodmont Metropark Senor living urban renewal and the fourth is with d Woodridge urban renewal that said can I get a motion that the ordinance will be taken up on second and third reading and the public hear and be open motion any questions or comments from Council Mr Mitch I just ask my fellow councilman for their support and consideration on this ordinance with the proposed development it will bring businesses back into this much needed Redevelopment area the pro proposed development will bring in 150 construction jobs as well as over 120 five permanent jobs the property generated for the Township in 20221 165,000 in property taxes upon completion the project is estimated to generate initial annual service charge approximately $523,000 as well as a total annual service charge of more than $25 million over a 30 30-year period as you can see in the figures this is a win-win for all involved especially the residents of the township and specifically avanel continues our vision of redeveloping Route One Corridor thank you thank you councilman any other comments from Council uh yes um I would like to abstain from letter J please any other comments from Council all in favor I I opposed eyes have it the public hearing is now open on all four ordinances might be attorney good evening my name isna Lombard I'm here today on behalf alfy 70 Wood Avenue Associates alfy owns Office Buildings located in the existing Woodbridge Township SL Edison Township Transit Village known as Metro Park it's not necessarily designated by New Jersey Department of Transit as such that it Leets to Department's criteria of the transit Village currently located in the transit Village are numerous mid and high rise Office Buildings containing retail and recreational amenities and hotels the amount of existing office space in a Transit Village greatly exceeds 1 million ft alfy owns a 995,000 ft office building with located in Woodbridge at 70 Wood Avenue that is 100% vacant and fre buildings in the Metro Park Transit Village all of the office buildings in the transit Village and in particular 7 Wood Avenue are located an easy walking distance to the Metro Park train station each is served by parking either surface or in garage spaces as is the case for all existing Office Buildings located in the Metro Park Transit Village the postco vacancy bre is approaching for exceeds 50,000 sorry 50% and 70 Wood Avenue is 100% based the remaining tenants in the office buildings in the transit Village have reduced in-person Staffing and only utilize a portion of their lease space it's anticipated that many of these tenants will not renew their leases this will increase the already alarming and unprecedented vacancy rate that will further Arad the fair market value of the existing Office Buildings reduce the assessed values of these buildings and reduce the taxes paid to Woodbridge and Edis because of the already high vacancy rates from the transit Village which are only projected to increase the office component of the proposed Transit oriented development is unnecessary the office component already exists it is the existing Metro Park Transit Village a pilot and the Gap financing that do needs from njeda to proceed with the proposed Transit oriented development will significantly impede and damage the ability of existing offices such as 70 Wood Avenue to compete on an equitable basis with the unneeded office component of the to it further creates an unle playing field favoring D moreover a state subsidized relocation of the tenants of approximately 250,000 ft of existing office SP space from within the transit Village to a 250,000 ft office building in the to is indisputably bad public policy it's true that the exempt property to the ground leased to do by New Jersey Transit will now pay 95% of the pilot payments to Woodridge however the loss in tax revenue from buildings that for many years help stabilize wood bridges and Edison's tax rates will more than offset the pilot payments Woodridge receives which were traditionally voluntarily shared with school boards who benefits from the pilot in the below market rate Gap financing to do only do and New Jersey Transit the big Losers of Woodbridge and Edison and the existing owners of Office Buildings and hotels in the transit Village that will be analized to artificially create a market for unneeded offices on the train station site the idea for the metrop Park Station Redevelopment plan originated in 2008 when the station was declared to be an area of Redevelopment the economic health of the metrop park Transit Village is much different today than it was pre Co for this and for the other reasons stated above Al Fury respectfully requests that the council deny approval of the pilot or in the alternative limit the benefit of a pilot to the retail and market rate and and affordable housing components of the proposed Transit oriented development and also direct the Redevelopment agency and planning board to consider permitting the construction of market rate and affordable housing on 70 Wood Avenue instead thank you thank you are there any other comments on i j k or l longterm Tak what property give me a second um the case the property is over by the firehouse where the existing Firehouse is that area right over there okay I know question is the it's being relocated no no no no not as of right now there's no deal for the firehouse right now oh I'm sorry Mr yeah there's there there was talk about that being part of the project right now it is not they're building it without the firehouse so far there's no agreement the the developer has purchased about 15 homes around the site as well as a large vacant area behind the home hes as well as an old landfill and that is the subject of um the project right now the firehouse is not included in it currently it could be I know people the against all yes there lot believe why do we want R Ral the development Ian people bu houses in the houses some build warehouses in a residential area so you Town kind all of the people that live there accepted offers to sell their homes so they may be against it but they took the money and they made a deal with the developer not Ware Ware are there any other comments under J JK or L you know the comments can I get a motion that the public hearing be closed the ordinances be adopted and submitted to the mayor for approval as required by law motion second any questions or comments from councel all favor I I oppos eyes have it we'll take first reading ordinances listed before you letters m n o p QR s t and u i get a motion that these ordance be pass on first reading publishing the H New Tribune on December 1st 2023 with notice of public hearing on December 12 2023 at 6: p.m. excuse me I'm sorry motion second any questions or comments I'm going to abstain from letter s please any other comments all in favor I I oppos eyes have Mr President listed on the resolutions 1 through 33 can I get a motion by consent to approve all motion second any questions or comments from councel all favor I I opposed eyes have all righty we're going to move into the public session uh just a couple of ground rules uh When approaching the microphone please state your name in the section of the township or state that you live you'll have a one-time opportunity to speak for 5 minutes I will give you a one minute warning at a courtesy in case you want to have a closing statement uh if you're going to videotape there's an area in the back and again you have five minutes just be kind to each other and thank you very much so we're open to the public now for comments anybody from the public here to [Music] comment I guess this week the people from r engineering company to the there we Only We Know to over there why we do those things okay you got to do it TR the answer is not just let stre it's kind of a know we are we doing that's what I think uh mayor if you could take that the only thing that I can say is is that I think we've identified problems and we're trying to address them and I didn't realize uh Mr vatar that you had a degree in engineering but I'll allow uh our folks to uh respond to that thank you council president this project has been in the works for many years long before the apartments were even thought of it has nothing to do with the apartments I agree with you Mr varar a barber I'm an accountant you're an athletic director none of us are Engineers but we have engineering experts looking at the issue it's got nothing to do with the apartments it's not even that close it's across Route 35 and up closer to Route N9 has absolutely nothing to do with the apartments so when Mr vitar says we know I don't know who we is but he does not know we have experts looking at it we don't know how much it will cost yet it's still in the study and design phase and when we know that we'll obviously come to the council probably with a bond ordinance and deal with the problem just like tonight we're dealing with many smaller problems several drainage improvements where there's water coming out on the streets causing icing and P pining problems that makes uh travel unsafe and walking unsafe we're slowly dealing with these problems one at a time like we are with roads we take the worst ones and we fix them this is a project that we know about and we're studying and we're doing again absolutely nothing to do with the Madera or any other apartments thank you question would be you got approval May par you get an appr before you build it we had permission to build it we have not permission have do not have permission to use it yet as I explained at prior meetings when you were here and listening uh it's not approved yet because all the paperwork has been filed but not yet released so we can't physically open the park yet but of course we had D approval to start the project and build it of course we did you're just under a minute Mr vitar if you need it thank you are there any other comments from the public this evening hearing no other comment can I get a motion to close the public Comon portion of the meeting motion second all favor I all all right we are going to move into our agendas I'll kick things off this is a part of the meeting where we talk about things that are going on around town and items that are um affecting the citizens of Woodbridge I'm going to start off with some light stuff this Saturday at 10:00 a.m. over at Alvin P Williams Park is our annual 5K Turkey Trot um it starts at 10:00 a.m. registration opens at 8:30 compus score.com is where you can go to register um I'd like to give a shout out today it was just a coincidence I was doing some work at the um one of our our partners the social Center at the YMCA uh we were organizing turkeys and food and a pickup truck pulled up in front loaded with food and and and diapers and all kinds of things and it was a company from Woodbridge named extensus HR Claudia uh Luna was the team leader and I just wanted to give them a shout out for them organizing it was a small company they organized this drive and brought it over and this will positively affect a lot of people in need so again uh a shout out and a thank you just by coincidence I bumped into Claudia Luna and extensive HR here in Woodbridge uh looking after Thanksgiving the uh mayor's Wellness campaign and the county health department is sponsoring a walk with the doc this month of November is diabetes awareness month we have uh two doctors and nutritionists and nurses that will be at our community center next Tuesday the 28th at 11:00 a.m. you'll have an opportunity to walk and chat with the doc about um diabetes prevention and things that you can do uh there and then finally I just like to wish everyone they especially the council and all of our community members a very happy and safe Thanksgiving there's a lot of great things going on Saturday uh I'm sure Council will speak a little bit about that so it's a good Community Day for all of us so I would like to uh turn it over to councilman Bower you're up thank you council president my agenda is in order let's have a few announcements uh the Ford's business Community 7th annual Holiday Stroll and tree Ling will be Saturday December 2nd from 2:00 p.m. to 6: p.m. at our public parking lot located next to the BFW at 411 new brck Avenue in fors visit um the fbc's Facebook page for the for that day's hour hourly itinerary uh we're in that season I'm keep going uh hope La far Department Santa ride is December 10th uh 12:00 p.m. until the last present is delivered residents can drop off gifts and suggested donations of $20 starting November 27th Monday through Friday from the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 400 p.m. at their fire station located at 1:27 Letta Street in hopon I like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and happy holidays uh the Fords Fire Company in conjunction with the Boy Scouts of America that are chartered by the Ford's Fire Company are holding their annual toys for top Drive running now through Friday December 15th please donate new and unwrapped toys in our donation box by our front door that's located at the forts fire station 667 667 sorry King George Road of Fords keep it going I have three fire districts in my ward uh Santa Claus comy town for casby on Saturday December 16th um starting at 1: p.m. you could drop off your gifts at 420 Smith Street in K on November 22nd December 2nd 4th 7th 8th and 5th go to their Facebook page to see there are reading one you could actually drop off a pres if you like get delivered in the eth fire district and last but not least my fire district the fors fire company will be spreading the Christmas chair on Sunday December 17th starting at 11:30 a.m. if you wish to drop off a gift it's uh free of charge uh to deliver to your children in the seventh fire district and and all gifts must be dropped off by December 15th and if you're leaving it there with uh you can leave your name address and a phone number and for more information for fors fire company contact 732 73811 03 I like just to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving thank you council president thank you councilman councilwoman de Zeus thank you council president um item number five police community relations I just want to thank our Police Department the men and women who this past week packed up turkey dinners um for members of our community again um that's one of the things that makes us really proud of our police department and is that they really do care about our community and Go Far and Beyond to be there when needed um item number nine the baron Art Center just remember that the Holiday trade show is now on view uh at Baron Arts you can call them for more information item number 10 the free public library of Woodbridge will be hosting a virtual program PR on scholarships grants and Loans on December 7th at 700 p.m. visit the library website Woodbridge library.org for a link to attend they're also hosting SE Warren Library is hosting English as a second language or ESL classes um they will also be held in Fords Island and Main libraries beginning in January call 98 486177 extension 403 for more information item number 14 the youth Leadership Council um along with Fort Middle School student council Woodbridge Middle Woodbridge High School the three youth center and the youth Leadership Council donated made over 130 cards and donated it to the division of Aging again we want to thank fors middle school wbd high school the youth centers and the youth Leadership Council for teaching our young people about servicing other members in their community item number 16 donation of winter codes for school students we just want to give um a heartful thanks to Amazon for donating um winter coats for some of our students in our school district and I also want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving um and safe Thanksgiving that's it thank you thank you councilwoman councilman Spiller thank you C council president for car just one item for councilman small um this Saturday as we said we all got a lot of events going on this uh weekend this Saturday Township FL parade kicks off at 600 p.m. if you go on to our Township website excuse me you can see the list of roads and an estimated anticipated time of arrival for your area of the neighborhood I want to thank Mr Mitch and councilman small for uh spearheading that again uh light Township light parade is this Saturday at 6 p.m. kicks off in downtown willbridge uh my item number number one ael's very merry holiday lighting is this Sunday November 26th 4 to6 avanel Firehouse um plenty of events photos of Santa horse and carriage ride uh train rides bounce house a lot of local vendors holiday theme vendors Christmas vendors um some of our Township groups dvrt C uh community policing parking is available at the first First Presbyterian Church we do ask that you please consider bringing a new unopened toy to donate to the Bristol M scri Children's Hospital the program will kick off at 5:30 with uh Carol sung by Woodbridge High School and avanel Middle School uh the rest of my agenda is in order council president I'd like to congratulate all my fellow Council mates and they're rousing the victory l two weeks ago uh it's a pleasure to work with you get pleasure to work with you for several more years um there's a reason why we're such a good team uh you deserve it the mayor and the council so congratulations thank you I just like to I'm sorry C like to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving uh and please remember why we're so thank thankful when some people are less fortunate uh God Bless America thank you council president thank you councilman councilwoman Mian thank you council president I'd like to thank Pastor Leslie and John Paul from the Evangel Church in island and all the volunteers that help pack up over for 400 meals this past Monday through a program called boxes of hope it was an amazing morning of community Spirit as people came together to Hope th help those families here in Woodbridge Township community so they can have a warm meal for Thanksgiving I'd also like to give a shout out to wridge Police Department um since 2020 wrid PBA Local 38 the Woodridge Police Department have collaborated to feed families within our Township last week Wegman's of Woodbridge gave the ultimate donation and finance the entire event the Woodridge Police Department would like to thank all the wonderful people who contribute to this tradition to make this tradition successful and of course we'd like to thank our W police officers for taking the time to pack up those meals there always out there helping our community and taking care of them um the Colonial tree lighting will be this Saturday it will begin at 6:45 we have carollers and hot chocolate and um some fun things for the kids and we will be waiting for the parade to come by we think it's going to come by about 7:15 but we will sing and wait for Santa at that time and lastly December 8th is our annual cookie and cans event at the Colonia VFW between 6:00 and 9: we will be collecting non able food items for holiday dinner baskets for local families and toys for our food Extravaganza that will benefit Woodbridge Township children also that evening we will be making up boxes of donate donated homemade cookies to send over to our troops along with homemade cards for the holidays also in the boxes we would like to add board games books DVDs baby wipes and personal hygiene products many of our troops who reside in Woodbridge Township have now been deployed overseas and we want to enens they sure they have a box from home for the holidays to remind them they're not forgotten um that's all I have I just like to wish everybody happy and healthy Thanksgiving thank you councilwoman councilwoman Calla thank you council president my agenda's order I just have uh um two announcements on number eight the animal shelter this Saturday November the 25th uh your $10 donation will give you the opportunity to have a pet friendly photo with Santa from 2 to 5 at Parker press located at 400 Way Avenue and then for councilman small he would like to remind everybody uh that the wber guru will have three big autograph signing events coming up first on December 2nd Giants Super Bowl champs Otis Anderson and Steven Baker will be there from 2 to four uh tickets for this event are $49 then on Sunday December 3rd Yankees four time World Series champion Tino Martinez will be there from 5: to 7:00 the tickets for this event are 99 and on December the 16th four-time Super Bowl champion Bernie Williams will be there from 2 to 4 and these tickets range from anywhere from $129 to $179 call 732 634-2929 for more details about these signing events and I just like to wish everybody all the residents of wge Township a very happy and blessed Thanksgiving and enjoy all the many holiday festivities that are happening throughout the town this weekend thank you thank you counc woman I'm just going to jump in with two items I didn't see that was buried under here uh from our from our youth services uh holiday parties and toy drives at our youth centers Acacia which is on Port Reading Avenue in Woodbridge Highland Grove which is Highland Terrace in Fords an evergreen Youth Center on IM Avenue in Colonia December 5th and 6th on December 5th it's the middle school students and on Wednesday December 6th it's Elementary School students the time times are all the same 3: to 6:00 p.m. uh if you bring a unwrapped toy to donate or a gift card it will go to the annual toy drive Extravaganza and this is open to all Township Youth and residents they'll have um music food and fun as they celebrate the season and then one other nice event is Santa is coming to ice skate free hot chocolate with every admission this is over at our community center Saturday December 16 2 to 4 Mr Mitch I'll kick it over to you council president can I have one more announcement have you been a good boy yes okay I didn't want to step on my Council mate Debbie Mi hands but we work together with this toy drive so um for 2023 at the 15th annual toy drive extraa um is hold on sponsored by the whop Township senior billers Club in conjunction with Township police fire EMT Personnel senior centers and the American Iris Association our R is to provide holiday Joy by delivering toys and gifts to families and children need from ages 2 to 12 years old in our community please drop off an unwrapped toy or gift into the specially designated bin in the front lobby of the Woodridge Community Center located at 600 Main Street Woodridge New Jersey from November 4th to December 8th for more information you can call my Council mate de Mian at 732 382 0273 or myself at 732 887 9796 thank you thank you Mr Mitch thank you Mr President my agenda is in order just uh make note that I added a letter C this time for a new restaurant coming to Main Street foral license that's all I have thank you Mr Mitch um Mr sea thank you council president I have one item I have tax insur overpayments thank you excellent director hubner president I have two TR thank you very much director Darden thank you council president director Brew we're on a street here thank you council president I have one res resolution authorizing the execution of Ro with have you uh preemption thank you thank youor anything from our our legal Team all right can I have a motion to adjourn motion second all those in favor thank you