please read the open adequate notice of this meeting has been provided by forwarding a copy to The Courier News Star leer and posting on the township website at least 48 hours prior to the meeting all in accordance with the open public meetings act this meeting will not substantially go past 10:30 roll call Madam clerk Mr Kudo here donal's absent Mr Foster's absent Mrs zillis Mr Machado here Mrs POG here mayani I'm here will you please all rise for the black salute I pledge Al to the one nation God indivisible with liy and justice for all all right well we have two very special presentations this evening um the first is the retirement of our beloved children's librarian Laur the come on down come on down I have there here let's stand here hopefully everybody can hear me I'm dealing with my postco voice here but I'll do my best okay best you got the fancy bre too that's Proclamation Township of Berkeley Heights whereas Laura F was hired to work as the children's librarian in Berkeley Heights Public Library on July 1st 1975 yeah and whereas Laura has provided children parents caregivers with a welcoming and friendly space to enjoy and participate in the public libraries many services and programs and whereas during her tenure in the BH Public Library Laura has helped move three times three times Playfield Avenue to Roosevelt Avenue and finally to the current location at the new municipal building on Park Avenue and whereas each location has tested Laura's ability to maintain a consistent level of service while dealing with a hurricane and flooding on Plainfield Avenue an extremely reduced space and collection at Roosevelt Avenue and construction issues at the new municipal building and whereas Laura has helped to successfully navigate the challenges of providing Library services to Children during a global pandemic and whereas Laura Faro has always welcomed the children who come to the library with a smile provided guidance in selecting books and entertain many of them with her story times and whereas Laura holds the distinction of being the longest ever serving Township employee 499 years of service that is miraculous and whereas her Pleasant demeanor and desire to go the extra mile for the children of Berkeley Heights Laura will be sorely missed by generations of residents and her co-workers when she retires effective August 1st 2024 I can't believe it therefore be it resolved that the mayor and the township Council the township of Berkeley Heights on behalf of all citizens do hereby extend the expression of thanks for Laura's 49 years of service and wished her much much health and happiness during her retirement thank you I know my children ab and Ryan really app I always think of them as being about that to now they're like that yeah thank you this is absolutely beautiful and funny and I love it it's not what I expected and I didn't prepare anything to say except thank you all for coming and for being lo I see a lot of faces that have been here for many years loyal Library supporters so just keep that up after I'm gone maybe we can get the library board members our former Library director yes come on Stephanie in the count up for a picture she won't do it don't make her try don't try to make herie maybe we'll do one [Laughter] separate I can go Council on the right Library board on the left can we do that you sure okay I swear I never never one two three deal is that your husband oh no that's Bob that's he belongs to me can I just say one thing yes as the woman who has the most fines I think in the history because I take the books out for my students and if they're not done I don't return them until they're done I want to thank you all your help um in the last 2 years thank you for that wonderful confession there should be a wing yeah thank you for being a big Library supporter been an amazing amazing employee at the township you've been an amazing role model for our children in this community for decades for almost five de decades we can't there there's no expression of gratitude that we can convey to you how much me to us over the years I was Township administrator and then the mayor and we've been sort of together for a long time and I appreciate you very much thank you I don't want to cry all right we're not crying I'm cry and then maybe I can just get Miss Stephanie Miss Laura and may up here okay good you got it done she got it done I just since I missed my commendation one more we have box for you thank you so much just so you can transport it home without back and okay thank you thank you for everything all right and now and you can't leave till after the meeting is over we take back the Miss sopia so this is an incredible honor um there are two young ladies in our community women the first women to become Eagle Scouts and so is I there I had a friend who went to 1100 doors with me and she got me this necklace and everybody asked me if it's broken and it's a piece of broken glass because I broke a ceiling and I want you to keep breaking ceilings every day of your life because this is amazing and I don't know if you know how amazing this is but one day you're going to look back and and realize that you broke a ceiling for another woman that's really important Proclamation Township of brookley heights take a breath whereas Sophia majusi is a Berkeley Heights resident and me and member of the St Mary's Academy class of 2026 whereas as soon as booy Scouts of America allowed girls to form troops in February 2019 Sophia became a member founding of the chadam based troop 280 whereas during her tenure in troop 280 Sophia hyped over 100 miles at the Boy Scouts of America filmont Scout ranch in New Mexico braved River Rapids for a week in West Virginia help helped lead a Marine Science live AB abroad sorry cell Ro trip in the Florida Keys and spent over 100 nights camping around our region and whereas the rank of Eagle Scout is the highest honor in Boy Scouts of America due to the rigorous requirements dedication perseverance and Leadership skills necessary to achieve it and whereas in order to attain the rank of Eagle Scout Boy Scout needs to propose plan lead and execute a project which will benefit the community and whereas Sophia used her strong leadership skills to fundraise for to build a bridge at the Green Village conservation Trail in chadam which help hikers complete a 1.3 mile Loop and whereas in addition to her trailblazing participation in the Boy Scouts of America soop Pia majeski is a swimmer and is pursuing a pilot's license oh my goodness I didn't know that until I read that now therefore be it resolved by the mayor and the township Council of the township of brookley heights that Sophia mjusi be congratulated for her leadership community service and her Eagle Scout award congratulations too Mom and Dad Tom and Maria you guys go on one side I'll go on the other and thank you so oh my gosh you know what when we were remember remember when we had coffee and they were like 5 years old and we were talking about all the places that you'd visit because it takes special parents right to young lady like this too [Music] so and we had one other young lady um Mar pasal who also earned that award as well so congratulations you should be very proud mom and daddy should be very proud we're very proud thank you so much so it's a great honor to give you that thank you so much thanks yeah yeah add to the boring stuff government right always the best part of the meeting all right if you guys want to leave we're not going to be offended time I tell everybody you can Shuffle out it's okay I'm not gonna be have a good night guys thank you for coming there's one person up there who has had a longer overdue than anyone in the history overdue I pay my fines not overdue I before youin episode only years four years yeah I'm not I've always PID my fines I've always return them the problem is I take 50 books out at a time don't we usually do middle or do yeah does that yeah um with that then no conference session I make a motion to open hearing on agenda items only second any discussion roll call Mr Kudo yes Mrs zillis Mr Machado yes Mrs po yes okay comments are welcomed during the public comment hearing during this meeting on any agenda item however if an ordinance is listed for public hearing on the agenda please hold your comments for that particular hearing to make a comment the speaker must come forward to the microphone and state his or her name and address for the record each speaker is limited to three minutes the mayor council president will keep time and with that the items on the agenda hearing are now open and we've just we' pulled two two resolutions for and five we uh just going to work a little bit uh longer on that resolution so if anybody um was going to speak to that I would say wait till the citizens hearing come back now I was gonna speak um we do have um some some people here I'll allow it that's fine I totally get it that way you could go home thank you um Dana Nigro 425 Park Avenue berley Heights um I was last year in March after the terrible crash on Park Avenue to ask that the town do more to protect pedestrians and make the roads safer for everyone using them Sean and his parents uh his mother uh also was involved in that crash have come today to find out more about what progress the town has been making um first I want to commend the town for being so responsive and including Park Avenue and the traffic studies and we look forward to hearing the results of that also the continued efforts to improve sidewalks and create Greenways one of which which is on the agenda tonight is wonderful to see and I also want to thank the police department for all the time they put into monitoring Park Avenue their frequent presence on the street and the electronic speed monitoring sign has helped calm things down somewhat but the police can't be on our street 24/7 there's too much else for them to do in other areas of town that need their attention my house looks out onto an intersection and a well-marked crosswalk one where there's not a crossing guard crosses to Mountain Park School the playground and the sports field there and inevitably once the police are no longer there I see close calls on a regular basis sometimes multiple times a day especially during the school year I've seen kids going through the crosswalk on bicycles on route to Colombia and nearly getting hit by cars that don't seem to have slowed at all I've watched kids waiting patiently at that crosswalk with their bikes trying to cross to get home while a dozen cars blow through there not stopping or slowing even seeming to notice them I've seen groups of kids zp right through the middle of that intersection on electric scoop is not even looking so we need more permanent Solutions not just on Park but across town apply consistently and connected to each other in fact the issu has become even more urgent since I was here in March with the changes in the school districts approach to busing and as more commuters move into the new housing and need access to transit in Route 78 since March I spent lot of what little free time I have as a parent learning more about pedestrian safety and traffic calming and available grants and I've also talked to parents throughout Town people I know from school the why Scouts Sports and found that they have concerns about their own areas not just Mountain planfield Springfield and Snider which we all know about but Emerson Lane Timber Drive Brierwood and Ferndale around Woodruff and many more places that were mentioned the shopping center parking lots and I don't think I even have to mention the issue of whether it's even possible to walk safely to GL from some locations it's been four months since the C since the crash and why I understand that local government requires time to make progress four months is a long time in a child or teens's life it's a semester of school Miss it's an entire spring when your mom me won't let you play with your friends in your own front yard because she's scared of what might happen it's more than 120 times of potentially putting your life at risk just crossing the street to get to school I was very excited that the town was considering in a pedestrian safety task force and that it could include residents like me on it to share our perspectives and help with the hard work I was looking forward to coming here tonight to see a big step forward one time so that some work could be done before the new school year starts and when grants are still available to fund the work I was looking forward to telling the 1,000 people who signed my road safety petition that Berkeley Heights was doing something big about their concerns and instead I'm disappointed to learn that it's not even being voted on tonight and I really hope it doesn't take more than another two weeks to get this approved at the next meeting because when it comes to our children's safety every day matters thank you thank you we're going to do a conference session in August we actually only have one meeting in July and August so the next meeting it'll be on there's a few things that need to be um some concerns that had to be addressed um and we just didn't have enough time to address those concerns and get it on for tonight but we'll get it on along with the conference session explaining it to people because there are some res I had some questions about it as well so we'll get it tied up in August okay when our August 13th 13th August 13th can I ask one question the children that you see um biking across the crosswalker are they getting off their bike to walk it or are they staying on their bike so I think we need to educate the children of this town I mean I know if I want someone to stop for me I get off my bike and I walk at a cross so funny in Massachusetts you put one toe in the crosswalk and everyone just stops yeah yeah and even though it's our law we're not we're not doing that but I think part of it is maybe with the schools an education piece for the children you must get off your bike to cross it this is a kid who is so diligent you know looks Every Which Way gets off his bike Waits patiently is right there visible in the crosswalk and people still don't and I'm going to tell you um we I Cross Park Avenue to the park we put up one of those Tri old boards that reminds people that to stop and maybe we could get a few more of those in those crosswalks because that I've noticed people are stopping now right you know I'm standing there and I I look and they're stopping and they're stopping pretty far away so that visual I think could help yeah um I believe Sean's mother was like to speak to thank you for all you've been doing yeah thank you Dana we appreciate it hi good evening never done this before that's right my name is Barbara WC I live at um 16 Windsor Way um as you know my son and I were involved in an accident we were walking our dog on a Sunday afternoon and we're hit by a a car that came up on the sidewalk we were on the sidewalk when it happened um I really appreciate our neighbors who were there in the town um for coming up and praying for him he's doing really well um sorry uh I do urge you to I'm not sure if I'll be here on August 13th so here's my chance to tell you that I really urge you to have this pedestrian safety um task force and really look across the whole town um we're right by Park Avenue and as Dana has told you so much more in detail than I know but I know that my neighbors walk their dogs and kids are going to school Park Aven Park mom Park is right there and it's just such a scary and I think the thing that rocked most people is this this could happen to anyone this could happen to you um so please like let's do what we can I know education for you know folks but we were on the sidewalk so there's definitely something else going on there um and if you look at the police report that it's already a fast Road it's 40 miles an hour the car was estimated going 46 when he hit us and at any rate I hope that we can get this moving and um uh support the rest of the town and best safety thank you thank you and uh whatever we can do for you and your family I mean we're obviously rooting for Sean since day one we're really proud of the recovery that he's made and you know we we're going to get this done in August but if you need us for anything else I think everybody on this governing body would extend a hand to you and your family so please don't hesitate to reach out to us thank you the other part of the education piece is that you know sorry the texting the driving while distracted is really it's a huge problem it is we'll talk to the PD about some education programs that we can engage in as well evening uh my name is Andrew uh I actually live over on Riverbend Road um in my G your last name sorry oh Neer haard okay perfect thank you n i e d e r h a u s e r n um I am a family of six we have six kids and I just want to come up and talk a little bit about kind of what's going on with Park and Mountain so a lot of the people will probably know me if you have your kids up at Mary Kay I'm the biking Dad I'm the one that loads my kids up in a buggy and I bike them to school I have six kids we're a family of one car car and my wife works we don't always have the luxury of going in a car on these roads right and I can't tell you how many times especially Down Mountain Park where I have no option but to drive in the middle of the road with my kids so two two things that really bother me about this one park we don't get a school zone we get one crossing guard down at the end my kids come out Riverbend Road they have no option because you guys haven't put it in the safeguards for them to be able to walk to school my daughter going up o over to to to Columbia she comes out on top and you guys have a speed limit that changes to 40 miles per hour at the top of that Hill which has no visibility on my bike I've almost been hit five times up there like you guys got to get this under control control right anyways going down Mountain we have one school zone for the kids coming out up there from Mountain Park but we don't have a school zone down there for our little kids and those of us that are actually taking advantage right I don't have a car sometimes I have to go I have to bike right buses aren't provided for us we're just a little bit too far away but yet whenever we talk well maybe my kidss like it's no you can't do that too dangerous right I think you guys just got to get this under control I mean I can't tell you how many times I've been biking especially down mountain right the three foot the three- foot log sometimes nobody listens nobody cares you guys know bikers some people don't don't pay attention Mountain especially is bad because the media disappears about 30% of the time I will be biking trying to get over as much as I can and the median just disappears so I don't have any options I mean this has got to be cleaned up I mean you got to get a school zone up there one for our littlest kids as they're walking we got to get a school zone on park for all the other kids coming out of there or at least provide more crossing guards along park right you got to get something right the mixed signal you send to drivers on Park when you have a a 800 foot stretch or whatever stretch that is where it's 40 mes an hour that's a huge mix signal Park is a nice Road and when you're d driving down and all of a sudden it's 40 right the driver's like oh it's 40 m an hour I'm going and they get over the hill and sometimes they don't see that 35 M hour right or they don't see that kids or they feel too comfortable right so whatever's going on like it's just got to be fixed it's not something we should be waiting this long for right it's unfortunate it took an accident to kind of bring this to to to everybody's you know dire attention but everybody could we could see this I mean those of us that live on it and travel every day we see these things right when we have kids who are walking to school we're super aware of this right anyways that I just got to tell you that it's just you know as I'm out there every day on the bike my kids are walking right and it's you just don't feel comfortable right Berkeley Heights is huge Community huge Community oriented right we watch out for each other and so I just hope you guys will do your part on just making that area a little bit safer thank you so much Steve excuse me Steve Carell 35 Sycamore um related to an agenda item this is the uh the one on the the valve I'm I'm so impressed that you included that whole proposal the uh number seven those valves are I mean exciting stuff I was I was dealing with gas supplies stuff today and and technicians so it real hit home um but I figured I'm also up I'm not going to speak to the p uh ordinance because they or resolution uh but for continuity since people were opened it up to talking about safety um you kind of nail the the right aspect of what people do bicycle should be doing when Crossing crosswalks um and you know it's interesting the nice thing about part and it's being wide you really can't and not a lot of parked cars you can see people at a crosswalk who want to cross so usually when you hear which was reported and reiterated today usually that's an enforcement problem you know it's like anybody almost regardless of what speed they're going at has enough sight distance to see people Crossing and and and we can talk about how to how to help with that aside from the enforcement but you know it's an Enforcement issue I mean that's that's what it is it's not like the necessarily the behavior of the vast majority of our residents happen to be driving that road when we have predominant number of kids crossing now the crossing guards help because they bring Dynamic attention to that that's happening and more likely to you to see it um but the I guess the aside from responding to a couple of things I heard um you know putting my national motorist Association hat on you know when I'm asked or invited to speak on pedestrian issues now I I quote two key statistics that I wanted to share with you tonight um one of the national ones is 75% of pedestrian fatalities happen after dark and I recall mayor you were you were saying a recent meeting you saw some scooter person driving in the dark and and and and those problems sh almost every night yeah yeah and and New New Jersey um statistic is from the latest completed New Jersey State Police fatality report 87.4% of vehicle collisions with pedestrians are the fault of The Pedestrian and more specifically in the uh terminology used in that report uh pedestrian violation violating some aspect of the law resulted in in that Collision so this food for thought you know and and anything that gets done in this area pedestrian safety should keep those two things in mind as as a really high priority and um I want in that note and of of Education I want to commend the town with this Summer's safety campaign and I would say aside from a little mix up on the uh safe passing law the the idea of going after everybody's responsibilities if you're a driver have to being paying as much attention if you're a pedestrian an e-biker a bicycle a cyclist whatever because everybody has to take personal responsibility and you know make a defensive posture even that Anything Can Happen be a mistake or you know medical incidents anything anything can happen um you know and I even talk about well kind of a less severe situation um near had a brush in with um a young lady on a uh e scooter on a sidewalk coming out of the Memorial Park concert um so it's like and we've talked about you know should these wheeled Vehicles be on sidewalks with pedestrians and things like that so there's a real big picture to look at when when this sort of thing and um and I look forward to any anything we do that kind of makes good use of data goes after the real problem is realistic and um and you're not g to please everybody and you can't do everything but biggest bang for the buck s of things thank you thank you Steve appreciate it Hi how are you John Leo 434 staff I'll cut straight to the chase I'm actually president but Union County connects uh Trail development coordinator a nonprofit which was going to help bring a resource to town through this task force so a couple things um we're seeing Rising vulnerable Road users and that's a new term that I discovered through the research I did for the task force and vulnerable Road user is everybody outside the vehicle that is vulnerable that includes everybody U as per report Global sales of electric scooters and bicycles are expected to reach 129 million units by 2028 in 20 2019 the electric scooter sale was near 46 million it grew to 50 in 2020 this gradual growth tells us that the uh the growing demand for E scooter Services is just it's continual and we will see it it's something we do have to embrace but we're also seeing on the other side of that Steve says and I do agree with this holistically is important you have to also look at the fact that there's a cultural driving issue in the state of New Jersey New Jersey emerges as the state with the highest rate of pedestrian F fatalities out of over 3,000 total traffic deaths recorded in State during the study period 916 were pedestrian 30% of all traffic fatalities in New Jersey involveed pedestrians is the highest percentage in the nation that's from nhtsa's motor vehicle crash data quering since we've spoken in March there were two ecrew incidents involving a vehicle that I know of I didn't query of the police as to what else that they know about three contacts in the last week alone I'll say 10 days actually to be safe three contacts alone directly to me requesting help reducing speed limits and their first question was can I start a petition to reduce a speed limit um I held back but I wanted to write LOL we have a bike score of 19 out of 100 from walkscore.com the Walking score is 16 so I will give the benefit of Doubt and say how do we address this how else can we manage speed how will cars actually slow down does aggression change can it be manage the behaviors in cars how do you regulate e rides do you not allow them do you can you regulate it can you give them a license in the county can you give them a license in the township how do you allow for voluntary compliance how do you make people want to follow the law so when we say it's an Enforcement issue it's part of the picture actually there's education as councilwoman poke suggested there is enforcement but you actually want people to voluntarily follow the laws and what are the consequences of some of these changes we're talking about so if we' actually change walking behavior and where people ride their scooters or their bikes is that going to cause another issue somewhere where cars and people are actually starting to emerge upon each other where they didn't before this task force was to address all those things and the way that some of us looked at this the basically just residents who had a stake in it got together and propose to you that hey we can do this for you decide hey we want to do this and also we want to do it transparently and that's kind of the thing I'm a little frustrated with tonight is I would like to keep it transparent and everything out in the open so since I proposed and actually first time when I came here in March and I said I'm here with any questions and I will say four months I'm sorry it's slow I've been working on this part of it ourselves with then and we've been talking to tons of people trying to get the resources from Union County connects and Union County itself is actually starting to wake up too and put this together and I want it out all entirely in the open so our community can be involved there's ways to do this so that everybody can put their two cents in we can educate people on how you can't do that and then when people say no you can't do it we find find out why you can't do it and then find a way to do it so this is what I want to do with the Trask force and that's the tool I gave you guys to increase the amount of subject matter experts before you put a feather in your cap to say we've actually helped improve our town people come from the city to live in Berkeley Heights and they want to walk and they want to scooter and they want to they want to go shopping on foot but we don't do it and I think we can improve it thank you thank you John anything uh any other comments on the agenda items only see no make motion bothos be hearing on agenda items only second any discussion roll call Mr Cudo yes Mrs Ellis um Mr Machado yes Mrs poke yes resolution one resolution approving the bill list dated July 23rd 2024 in the amount of 1,698 4043 second any discussion roll call please Mr Kudo yes Mrs zis yes Mr Machado yes Mrs poke yes uh I move resolution number two authorizing a Professional Services contract to PSNS for construction phase Management Services for the chemical feed system at the waste water treatment plant in an amount not to exceed $9,600 second any a discussion roll call Mr Kudo yes Mrs zis yes Mr Machado yes Mrs Poe yes I move resolution three approving the submission of a Grant application with the New Jersey Department of Transportation for the downtown Greenery Greenway project pedestrian path from New Jersey transit station parking lot to Springfield Avenue any discussion roll call Mr Kudo yes zis Mr Machado yes Mrs POG yes for six six we pull five I move resolution number six resolution authorizing the application of the 2025 NJ Department of Transportation Municipal Aid Grant in the amount of $714,900 app lit I appreciate the administration for finding this and I hope we get it because we have that there quite a lot so good thank you roll call Mr Cudo yes Mrs zillis Mr Machado yes Mrs po yes I'm a resolution number seven resolution authorizing a contract to Sherwood Logan and Associate to supply digest or gas pressure relief valves for the wastewater treatment plant in the amount not to exceed 40,000 $255 second any discussion yes St Steve want to give another yay these are important this is going to help with the smell that should be the last piece yeah okay solve that problem it's just delivery times of all of this equipment still just like crazy long but yes well thank you for um thank you calling up on it yeah sure important uh roll call please is Auda yes M zis yes Machado yes poke yes I move resolution number eight authorizing the clerk to proceed with going out to bid for micro and magnesium hydroxide chemical feed systems for the wastewater treatment plant second any discussion roll call Mr Kudo yes Mrs illis Mr Machado yes Mrs POG yes I move resolution nine authorizing the cler to proceed with going out to bid for recycling services for the township second any discussion roll call Mr Kudo yes Mrs illis Mr Machado Mrs POG yes I move resolution number 10 resolution authorizing the execution of agreement with the county of Union to modify the Cooperative second any discussion roll call Mr Kudo yes Mrs zillis Mr Machado yes po yes I Mo to consent agenda um items a C second roll call Mr Cudo yes Mr zillis Mr Machado yes po yes I just wanted to thank Ryan toich for his service to the volunteer fire department my neigh uh and can you please be so kind an ordinance amending chapter 10.36 uh 10 entitled parking restrictions to include warring place I move to open public hearing and the ordinance is read by the clerk see no I move to close the book intro it's intro intro it's introduction public hearing oh intro no introduction avoidance want by the clerk be on the first reading that the date August 13th okay he says dat for public hearing the clerk be directed to advertise s for your news second any discussion Mr Kudo yes Mrs zis Mr Machado yes Mrs POG yes Anna would you please read the second ordinance bond3 appropriating $227,900 proceeds of obligations not needed for the original purpose in order to provide for various Capital Improvements for the fire department in and by the township of Berkeley High in the county of Union New Jersey I move that the ordinance read by the clerk be offered on first read reading and that August 13th 2024 be set of the day for public hearing and that the C clerk be directed to advertise same in The Courier News second any discussion thank you for the chief of getting St truck all good stuff roll call Mr Kudo yes Mrs zillis Mr Machado yes Mrs Pope yes Anna can you read the next an ordinance amending chapter 13.12 sewer service system and chapter 13 six sewer construction I move that the ordinance read by the clerk be offered on first reading and that August 13 2024 be set as the day for the public hearing and that the clerk be directed to advertise the same in The Courier News any discussion R Mr Kudo yes Mrs illis Mr Machado yes Mrs POG yes Anna can you be so kind as to an ordinance amending the minimum and maximum rate of salary in compensation of elected and appointed Township officials and non-union employees in the various Municipal Departments of the township of Berkeley Heights I move that the ordinance as read by the clerk be offered B the first reading that August 13 2024 be set as the DAT for public hearing and that the clerk be directed to advertise same in The Courier News any discussion roll call Mr Kudo yes Mrs zillis Mr Machado yes Mrs pop yes right Township Council reports Manny first up Township Council reports uh first off I want to say DBC is still we're having the restaurant month it's the eth year and restaurants are gearing up you'll see articles popping up in the newspapers very shortly um a lot of good buzz and we have a lot of really really good restaurants to keep on adding up to the list new restaurants new restaurants so I'm looking for making some more visits um the second thing I want to mention is uh yeah I think one word sums it sums it up is wow it was was an awesome firework display um we had a good amount of people show up I would like to have more people come out um I worked I worked the counters for two days you did so the the rain was weird on the last day I think it it held people back from on and off yeah but we only play the fire was 15 minutes great show there were people in this parking lot with lawn chairs people everywhere yeah and we like to see them at the right pay for the event help support $15 it helps pay for the fireworks and it helps keep the club open for another year they do great stuff they do great stuff and uh one thing I did not notice until this year I'm watching other fireworks the Garden State fireworks is different from other fireworks company everyone has their own style how to create a firework display so it was very interesting to learn um let's see let's see let's and that's about it the other committees are not meeting so thank you very much to everyone all right very good thank you Manny Margaret um I don't really have a council report this week because I've been away good I hope it was relaxing hosting people summer is exactly relaxing but it is fun yes yes true very good bill I don't have a council report myself I've been kind of busy the last couple of weeks with animal rescues in particular the latest one was right here in Mur Hill Farms with a uh Cooper Hawk and that was my second Cooper Hawk in three days um and so I've been keeping the Raptor trust pretty busy wen's Wildlife Refuge up in Clinton very busy but at this very moment I don't actually have a report for the town you even came to my backyard and rescu thank you for that Susan yeah thank you mayor so I want to remind everyone about the 5K run uh from mental health the mayor's Wellness is going to have a um a part in that as well well I wish I could be there but I have an out of town reunion I thought maybe now that I hit 60 I could maybe win my group I don't know next year next year yeah um I shared the webinar about the health communities thriving event with our committee chair uh our committee secretary so there's a there was a webinar I had a slideshow and I had that you can watch the thing at your own Leisure so I sent that to Laura kazinski for her to send to the rest of the committee um for the mayor's book club I did I did the book new happy and we live in a turbulent world so I just want to share a couple things so there's an author Barbara King sver and she was quoted in this book and she summed up the connection between helping and happiness the difference between happy people and unhappy people is that happy people have found a use for themselves like a good tool the secret to happiness is helping and the author suggests find a way to contribute to the world's well-being because when you contribute to the world's well-being you work towards your personal happiness and you create happiness for everyone that said I cleaned all my drains that I adopted and my neor hood on Sunday and it did bring me joy so I want to remind everyone else if you have a drain in front of your house just clear it from debris there's a lot of sticks that fell over the last storms the leaves are actually dropping a little early this year so once a week take a peek um grants I'm working on a small grant for the rescue squad and then Li and I met this morning were you going to talk about that do you want me to talk about it okay so we um met with a gentleman by the name of Glenn saon he's from the historical trust and we went to the property LEL Lord property and he was very impressed with our progress of the New Jersey now he is yeah he just got yeah he just got um the director he's the director yes and so we should know in October if we got this really big Grant so fingers crossed I think that they are very um proud of our passion and what we've done so far and he said because we got the last grant that really looks good for us I came out of the meeting very hopeful I mean he spent a long time with us so I think that but he he's passionate about it too so um fingers crossed and that's all I have thank you you so much excellent Susan thank you uh Administration reports uh all of my committees have uh taken the summer off I just want to um mention that Miss New Jersey uh who is from Berkeley Heights who went to school in Berkeley Heights is competing for Miss America on August 4th I believe it is on the CW um so I had the honor of giving her a proclamation another young woman who's uh shattering glass ceilings she is a pilot she is a journalist for an aviation Magazine on top of competing for Miss America and representing Berkeley Heights so very cool stuff so we want to just give a shout out to um jabali I said it wrong I think I called her jabil ja jabali um so jbali go make brookley Heights proud uh Liza you guys are really too fast I I told Matt we wouldn't be ready before eight so hopefully he's in the hallway somewhere um okay uh road paving has begun it's one of them aside from bulk pickup this is probably the most exciting time of the year um currently we're milling and then Paving to follow Hamilton a from Roosevelt to Snyder Evergreen Drive Timber from Locust to Mountain Old Cannon Road Coachman Orion Hamilton a the dead end near Columbia ardan Court Hill Crest AB Orion Ashner uh Swenson Circle more roads are going to be announced soon um along with the capital Council approved in this year's budget we have literally been scraping together every dollar of old capital going back to 2014 to reuse for Paving money that was left over and just not used for years before um you know using that method uh we came up with like another $750,000 so that's very exciting um so we're going to be adding to that list um that will be announced on our website and social media um as well please if your you can see the scheduled on our website if you need your car to be out of your driveway and you need to go somewhere on the day it's being paved we suggest moving it out of your driveway off the street the night before you can drive on it when it's being milled but when it's just been paved they want you to wait a little bit so you might not be able to get out of your driveway so please plan accordingly uh the rec summer concerts continue on Wednesday nights um please see our website berley heights. goov uh under Township news of recreation for the schedule and the great band lineup uh we are thrilled to announce that the township is the recipient of several more Grant awards for infrastructure Pro projects around town they include $1.27 million from the state of New Jersey for the safe roots to school program um to replace Mountain AV sidewalks by Mountain Park uh 71,000 from the state for Lower Columbia Field improvements and then I think the mayor previously announced $250,000 in state aid also for L Lower Columbia uh Field improvements so we're really continuing to focus on our infrastructure um along with the roads we also have several under under other excuse me large infrastructure projects you might be seeing work um starting on around town um we have Old Farm Old Orchard Mercy our drainage project our engineering team is working on plans and specs for the increased drainage work to be done up here we need to submit to the do for approval that's being paid for mostly with Grant funds Crest Drive Road reconstruction project our engineering team has been hired we need to subcontract a company to First perform Rock perform Rock core sampling work up there Riverbend area pic River and flooding project surveyors from neglia have been in the area the last few weeks and as they design mechanisms to help comat flooding there Martin's Lane drainage and Road reconstruction project is currently in design Deer Path Lane uh for Road reconstruction and drainage the survey is complete the design is due to be submitted next to the dot for approval soon and the Westside drainage product uh our focus our primary focus is The Sawmill portion at the bottom of the hill um at the moment as we chunked it out in phases we're awaiting review an approval from the New Jersey infrastructure Bank on certain required documentation um also in terms of infrastructure the the sewer plant we had a couple items on the agenda here um we are making progress in Leaps and Bounds uh at the sewer plant and honestly at this point are only inhibited by the continued slow delivery time for parts um but the large projects that we've been planning for in some cases two maybe three or four years are finally coming to fruition so it's exciting so that's why it seems like every agenda has some something sewer related on it um and as far as The Pedestrian uh task force and the safety campaign something a couple councilmen me uh Council people mentioned um The Hope is really like we've opened a dialogue with the Board of Ed and the hope is really for the Town police and schools to really work closely together especially leading up to um back to school time because there are going to be some differences now with the busing and more kids might be walking or their roots are going to be different um so that dialogue has started you know anyway because we want to just proactively do do what we can and make sure that the traffic studies um that Council previously authorized our traffic engineer to do uh we take those recommendations and we can Implement those hopefully in the next few months thank you very thorough thank you I was trying to BU some time thank you for getting aser done too oh yeah and and the email campaign on the points all right very good anyone accept the reports okay make a motion to accept and close the count Township Council reports second any discussion call Mr Kudo yes Mrs illis yes Mr Machado yes Mrs po yes I move to open the citizens hearing second any discussion roll call Mr Kudo yes Mrs zillis Mr Machado yes Mrs po yes okay the citizens hearing is now open on any matter with the same rules and effect that I read earlier this evening this is a first Robert Chan Tru 32 Brookside Lane Berkeley Heights um it should be an easy question just a clarification I think at the June 25th meeting there was a question read that was going to be on the ballot it concerned Lower Columbia and a lease presumably between the Board of Ed and Township very simple the word leas is it a TR Le with rights and obligations going each way between two or more parties for real property or is there any aspect of it that transfers or may transfer even contingently any sort of ownership between either of the two parties to each other that's the only draft agreement and it's still being negotiated so it's not fully finished but it it's always been a lease agreement there there it's always been a lease agreement I don't know how far I can go no I I've read it it's it's strictly a lease agreement there is no transfer of property interest even contingently or an option or okay as far as where we are the question on the ballot is just asking residents if they support the creation of a formal agreement between the township and the Board of Ed it isn't you know a specific agreement it's just right our our residents in support of coming to I think initially when we talked about it it was more specific and then when we went back and thought about it it should just be a general question do you agree with the Board of Education and the township getting together and trying to make a park from town I mean that's as simple as I could put it but you're right right so you know it's can we get the the temperature of the population to say do you want this to happen if you do we all need to work harder to make it happen correct I agree yes thank you and it's something that's always just been yes and it's just just memorializing it yes cying it that's just what I'm I'm clarifying I think there was an agreement through 2002 that after one extension and no one can find anything after 2002 with and that was just with respect to the day-to-day in writing a written agreement I'm talking about so I'm trying I was Township administrated 20 3 200 it was it that might be not right um I don't I don't ever remember anything in writing there not to say that it didn't exist but I don't remember I've seen I've seen it there was an original extension okay in 2002 and nothing that might have been right before I became the township administrator yeah right okay that would make but anyway it was in writing and I don't know why I mean it's a great thing if you know the rights and obligations could be documented easier for everyone right yeah I think that's great my issue was really about lease and Lease means ownership yes okay just thank you Robert anybody else two bites at the Apple Steve I don't know different different different subject um yeah Steve Caris 35 syura it was a lies talking about things that reminded me of um notifications that came um and I know in regarding all those grants we talked about also that the town got a safe to school you know silver recognition yes um and and there was and it was mentioned that the U the the individual schools have even even gold status and the uh clarification I want to make um the schools received it in Prior year or prior years and those certifications are good for three years before you have be recertified for um and which means you have to do the things that uh attribute to the level that you want to be certified for whatever the metal color right would be so um and it just the the town must have gone up or for the first I I can't remember but getting a silver status as the township was what was achieved this year was elevated yes thank you foring that I don't was it we bronze before or we never anything you're achieved 2024 which think the silver is new it's a little iall when we first got the first one in 2019 I think silver definitely bronze no we were we were silver one of the New Providence was New Providence was silver and I remember Jean saying we have to we have to work to beat the provin maybe the first year I think we were bronze so we so we so I just could remember you have a better memory of being certified and good for those three years and yes I I think it's three years I I don't recall yes it is and thanks for sending us the email because that's how we first F nobody notified us you notified half the half the time I know when it's like you've got the you get the you get something from the state depending on what it is and and well sometimes it's only a letter and the letters take many weeks to get to us and it's published in some sort of periodical and we find out about it that way instead I if it's if it's redundant information it can't hurt anything no AB don't assume that we received anything don't that sometimes we don't and and and and the other point um on on the uh on the paving actually not not on my street but it's like on nearby roads so it's interesting to be seeing that activity as I'm out and about but when I saw the announcement today um it did talk about what you ReRe um about you know moving your cars yes and what I think you you really explained it better and specifically now about well no problem with Milling it's when they're Paving slightly less craze right now and but the thing is you have to think about is like say move your car it's like depending on where you gotta move into another Street yeah I know we receed some I know we received some phone calls today about people and that's what initiated us to I know I know she can do yeah wait an hour I mean it's the really the heavy trucks that are a problem driving on new pavement like other cars after like an hour it's fine but still you shouldn't be driving on it right when it was done so if you need to leave your house immediately spent a lot of money on those roads when they did my street I'll say relatively recently but time goes on it's not so recent I recall when one of the big asphalt carrying trucks was going over what was' already done you can see like it produce a wave yeah it part of it yeah okay that's like I different subject but kind of B work St thank you Steve anybody else all right let's close it up any no one I close the citizens heing second any discussion rall Mr Kudo yes Mrs Ellis yes Mr Machado yes Mrs POG yes okay we do have an executive session item for this evening okay whereas the provisions of the open public meetings act and njsa 10 colon 4-1 expressly provide that the public body may move into executive session and exclude the public from that portion of the meeting at which the public body discusses any of the nine areas set forth in njsa 10 4-12 B and whereas the township Council of the township of Berkeley Heights has determined it necessary to move into executive session to discuss the following subjects all of which are included in the afores said exemption exemptions one attorney Cent priv contract negotiations Municipal complex now therefore be it resolved that the township Council the township of brookley heights but it does hereby move into executive session pursuant to njsa 10 col 412b to discuss the afores said matters and it is further resolved the fores said discussions shall be made public either at the public meeting following said executive session or at any time as any litigated or Personnel matters are concluded or upon conclusion any negotiations or related discussions or as otherwise specified and it is further resolved that this resolution shall take effect pursuant to law approved this 23rd day of July 2024 yeah my tongue is a little tied it's not second I need a second thank you any discussion call she was going and for a couple more Mr Cudo and Mrs Ellis Mr Machado yes Mrs po yes okay the governing body will now H go into ex of session we will not take any other legislative action other than to adjourn when we return e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e