I can see let's call this meeting to order at 7:04 PM we're going to start with s to the play I pledge allegiance of the United States of America and to the for it stands one nation God indivisible please join me in a moment of Silent reflection thank you sunshine law notice in accordance with the provisions of the open public meetings ACT public meetings may be held in person or by means of communication equipment to include streaming service and other online meeting platforms this meeting is being held in person and through the zoom meeting platform being broadcast from Burl Hall 748 River Road Fair Haven New Jersey public participation for this regular council meeting of March 25th 2024 is available by pollin phone number or through Web Conference Zoom members of the public will be on mute until it is time for questions or comments which will be announced at that time the public has the opportunity to question or comment by phone or through Zoom by the raised hand button and will be called on at the appropriate time notice of this meeting was included in a schedule of meetings which was adopted by resolution number 202 24-13 and sent to the Aur Park Press and the two River times on January 4th 2024 posted on the burough website the bulletin board and municipal building and has remained continuously posted as required under the statute with adequate adequate notice having been given the bur clerk is direct to include the statement in the minutes of this meeting Alison M please have a roll call council members PA here here here here here here great rolling right into it we have Sean Cranston Darren Gro here from rfh high school and happy to have you thank you good evening everybody I'm Sean Cranston I'm the business administrator for ran high school thank you mayor and thank you Council for having us here tonight um we reached out just so we could this is my second year and Darren second year together and reached out realizing that last year uh the history of it was I guess the the business administrator has reached out to the town and asked if they wanted to us to share presentation on the budget um got back to me and and we're we're here tonight just to do a brief presentation just so you guys can um see what's going on in rfh and hopefully answer some of your questions if you may have them um so a little bit of about the process yeah [Music] there's a little bit about the budget process we we started the budget process in in November um and we work all the way through to on March 12th we actually had an attentative budget presentation with the board and that's exactly what it is it's a tenative budget um the board approved the tenant a budget and now it's in the County's hands and what the county does is they review it the County VA tying superintendent review the budget uh get back to us on any possible changes they may uh feel that we may need and then we have our um budget presentation for the public or you open Public Presentation on April 24th this year so just going to go through the second slide which is on the top right our 20124 2025 budgeted Revenue the expectation uh you can see that the local tax levy and this is for the total budget so it's Rumson and Fair Haven went up 2% which is the the max cap that we can go up our state 8 number um you might have saw in the paper our state number went up about 1.83% we include extraordinary Aid in that which we kept flat so our state a numbers went up 1.5% our tuition numbers went up 47% was what we're projecting we actually we've taken tuition for two two types of students we we take in non-residents that um are general education students that would like to come rfh they go through an application process and then we also have um a very good MD or multiply disabled program so we actually take students in from other districts um that might not be able to get house at their home District that we're able to house there um and we get tuition rate for them as well um miscellaneous you can see went up 64% that's mostly interest interest rates are pretty high right now so I budget a little bit higher than we did last year um budget fund balance is what the state says we have the budget for that that's like um what's kind of like give you a really brief explanation kind of what's left over from two years prior and that we're C that we have to we have to budget that um withdraw for capital reserve capital reserve is like is like a savings account and we have close to6 million in that to do on capital projects so we're withdrawing a little over a million dollars as you can see from that we are doing a a big roof renovation over two giant sections of our school uh the Main's withdrawal um we're withdrawing $400,000 from our main Reserve um that number is capped actually state has a whole formula and we're pretty much at the cap the cap for us is about 1.1 million there's a whole for that goes into that so we're at the cap anyway with interest we're going to be over that cap so we have to withdrawal so what we're going to do is withdraw and do maintenance work and that is going to be over our 400 Wing the 400 Wing you drive uh down Ridge Road is the first one you see next to softball fields we did the roof on that last year that Wing now is going to get new windows uh we're going to repoint the siding we're do new gutters so a lot of Maintenance work on that to to freshen that up um propose so obviously that was the revenues those are coming in you know they're considered revenue from the state but really they're picking pulling out of a savings account those last two uh proposed budget or expenditures is the third Slide the bottom left uh you can kind of see I broke this down into uh hopefully pretty easy categories to see our general education numbers went up about 5% so did our special education numbers then Tails everything from our salaries of our teachers to our supplies that we buy in those departments uh to some tuition costs possibly co-curricular and Athletics are pretty self-explanatory our tuition numbers you can see that actually went way down 2% tuition is what we pay for out of state or out of District tuition um so maybe some specialized students that we can't house that may have have needs that think you need to go somewhere else um some of them are aging out some of the students so we're saving uh a lot of money in that category uh Support Services we're about equal Support Services everything that's not a teacher guidance rcst our power professionals our our maintenance workers Administration price uh cost went about 2.83% operations maintenance is the big jump but that's what I just explained to you previously it went up 400,000 just for doing uh the siding of the the 400 Transportation costs went down mostly that's because of about a district tuition we're not transferring people all over the state couple number of students went down so that tuition cost Transportation went down as well our benefits are about 7.8% that's pretty good you guys probably know when you do your budget that getting under 8% is a really good uh benefits so we did a good job there and then the Capital Improvements obviously it looks like it went up three well it did go up 377 per but 1 million of that is pulling out of that cap Reserve number we spoke about some of our highlights are just some things that you can know about our budget salary benefits are make up about 65.6% of our budget this year usually it's around 70% this year it's a little lower because pulling a million dollars out for a one-time expenditure our co-c and Athletics is is a is a good portion of our budget um and it's going up a little bit because we possibly we might have a new sport next year we might have girl Spike football so that might be yeah so it looks like if it's a if it's we have it right now as a club um but if it becomes a full Sport and we'll probably move in that direction as well um curriculum writing in PD we have a curriculum director that we usually redo curriculum every five years so it's on a rotating bis so this summer um something that was done five years ago is going to get done this summer and we're looking at different PD uh to bring in um to kind of support that curriculum and support the teachers needs as well a big update is we're going to upgrade our wireless internet which is probably like 15 years old in our building so that that needed done um we did part of it this year putting some of the infrastructure in uh this spring break we're doing it and then this summer they're going to put everything else I'm not an expert with that but they're going the hot spots and and all that stuff that's going in that and we're actually getting 40% of that money back too with our e rate so the requirement Maks of 400,000 we previously discussed some of the equipment we're buying we're buying a Kil for the art room we're buying a salt spreader so for the back of our truck uh and then our big capit Improvement is our roof replacement that we just previously discussed and the H back accountable upgrades um some of our well most of our HVAC is at end of life they put up most of it in all together in 2004 it's end of life around 2024 so we're now in a process of trying to do it in pieces over the next couple years and seeing what the best options are for that so we did budget for mechanical upgrades as well you go to the back top left slide is what the board approved it's just breaking down by via by general fund special Revenue fund and Deb service fund um if you look at the bottom right number it's 22 million is our total taxes to be levied out of that 22 million be Haven is on the slide right next to 6.6 million of that I gave you a little equation just so you can see how tax rate equation works if we do the total tax levy which is a 6.6 million we divide it by the assess value the assess value I got off the M County website it's 2.5 billion is the total assess value Fair Haven property that's commercial and residential it's a it's about a $200 million increase from last year last year I think it was in the 2.3 billion uh range um so that comes out to 02636 really what that means in layman terms is it's it's basically 26 Cents for every $100 of assess value um so the bottom left kind of says the now the average home value was last year's average home value I don't have that number this year it usually comes out around April I could not find yet um what that means for an average home of $1.1 million the rfh tax will be$ 2,900 2925 does anybody have any questions question sure what's the 183,000 revenue Debt Service fund is that from the state sure yeah so good question so Debt Service is for a referendum that was passed like five or six years ago um the anticipated Revenue 182 comes from the state correct and then the rest Le leverage between the two towns What's the total percent increase to the tax payer right so if you went off of last year's phone I think the new one's 1.25 million right now but if you went off of last year's value well sure so actually last year's value is 28 cents and now it's 26 so it's actually down a little bit and I think it's down a little bit because the I don't know if you guys got reassessed recently but it the fact that it went up $200 million in total valuation puts the makes the obviously makes the denominator bigger so it makes the tax rate actually went down a little bit so la last year was like 28 cents per $100 assess now it's 26 cents per right but the assessed value's gone up over 100 100 Grand right so it's not as one to right so I I can't so last year if it's a million dollar home last year and a million dollar home this year let's say say your house is sucessive same exact thing you'd actually pay less tax I'm assuming that some houses are assessed a little higher this year based on the fact that bar went up 200 million got it but but per the 100,000 it actually went down two cents per 100,000 and do you have a 100 thank you and do you have a like an Excel file that includes both Fair Haven and rums and side by side um folding up into the total expenditures and everything like do you have a where there's like two line two rows here correct for so when I when I hand the budget into the the State Fair Haven rson are both in that equation correct no no no do you have one where it breaks it down yes awesome would you be able to pass that to Teresa absolutely awesome thank you and again the the tenant thing I just submitted I can definitely submit that yeah and it'll be part of my budget presentation in April aome thank you so much welcome what is the tuition for non-resident okay so this year it's like 18,600 uh next year it's like 19,000 change 800 so we go by we go by the state um average per pupil which we think is the fairest way to do so the state sends us that number and we that's what we so we can tell our residents that per household in an average household they're paying $3,000 for $19,000 education corre I like it if you have one child if you have one child then it's even less yeah if you two children 15 yeah that would be the taxes that would go to us it's good Valu thank you so much than you very much app thank Youk you okay moving along uh we have the faan shade tree commission is here with their 2023 annual report Chris mayor mayor Halper my my name is Chris lson I'm the chairman of the shet tree commission and I'm pleased to present our 2023 annual report um first and foremost after a number of years of work a lot of work a lot of late work um by commissioner Jill Sullivan the Fair Haven was awarded a $115,000 grant which will be used towards our tree inventory and that is a requirement um for our community forestry forestry management plan which is due at the end of this year um I just want to point out it was a tremendous amount of work I think Jill deserves a tremendous amount of credit uh she became a commissioner and within one meeting she took over this she was I don't know I can't remember you volunteered you volunteered um goinging forward uh staying with our motto we want to be a tree planting commission so we did create a resident tree buying program through fernor Nursery last year 56 new trees were planted through this program um it is ongoing this year I think the order Gates uh were closed for the spring planting but last I looked I think we were looking a number of low 20s for three order uh for this planting coming up in the spring we will be doing it again um in the fall as well uh we again sponsored a tree giveaway this is where the shade tree members voted on a property to Don um from the shade tree trust fund uh we planted a tree on Lake Avenue in September uh we also created the quanon cherry tree program to continue that iconic look down Fair Haven Road continue that we're trying to encourage the residents on that road to keep up the keep up the appearance it's a beautiful beautiful Street um two quanan cherry trees were planted on fairh Road in September uh last year we were engaged in various Community engagement activities we distributed door hangers uh regarding you know various tree facts and Care information we're going to be doing that again this year I think our focus is really going to be on uh invasive Ivy that is can IL legal to the trees uh we participated again in love where you live day again where we handed out educational materials uh we are engaged again uh Arbor Day I'm sorry engaged with the sing of Milwood students uh for ARB Day activities and a poster contest this is something we've been doing year after year for I don't know how many um we have a online social media following of 173 people we're hoping that number goes up um and we did begin evaluating our options for the Christmas tree which I think we're on course to plant and replace looking forward that uh this year we did maintain our accreditation that entails going to various ceu classes uh two new members of our commission were Poe trained by the NJ NJ UCF uh Fair Haven earned 16 cus this year versus the eight required going forward once again we are here with no tree ordinates so we do are going to be pushing that and we look forward to a nice discussion with our new liaison councilman Olen um we are going to be looking forward and this is going to kind of I don't want to dive too much into an ordinance requirement but we do want to kind of get the message out that if even if the town does take a tree down there should be some mechanism in place to replace it not necessarily in that specific area but somewhere amongst the TR uh in the town uh this year we um attended multiple trainings um this year and we would really like to see more engagement with the DPW uh to attend some of these trainings I know some of them already do go just as a requirement for their cdus uh but I think it would be great if um the shade tree commission and some members of the uh DPW were able to attend these classes together and collaborate a little bit on planning trees going forward throughout the time as we already did submit our budget request as you know our budget was $1,660 last year 65% of that was allocated towards the tree our Tree Experts um we do expect a uh Consulting line increase this year as everything else goes up so are the cost of these Consultants as well as the cost of the education the classes the cost of the classes seem to be creeping up and um going forward as we do want to engage with more uh Community uh programs we are going to need um uh simp should causes to create handouts and other door hangers Etc that's all we have thank you Chris I have some quick questions if you could um you said you gave a free giveaway from the shade three trust fund how much is in the fund you know uh I don't I don't know is it it hundreds is it thousands is a couple thousand I it was roughly we did get a um check this year about 2600 so I think it's about 4,45 so they voted on a property donated tree is that something you do once a year year is it's something it is once a year for one tree or yes okay yeah um and then you mentioned the two cherry trees that you put in I think I recall that hearing that they were close to end of life just from the age of that type of tree and how long they usually live The Originals Down The Originals so is there a plan has there been anything discussed as far as like if one goes are we planning another one so not in recent history uh a couple years ago we did have quite a discussion about those cherry trees we even met with the then our tree expert Bill Brooks on site uh he spoke to the condition of them pointed out some rot um it is something that will need to be discussed soon I it's uh just to bring you it's not just a matter of you know taking out a tree and planting a tree um the nature area if you will that really needs to be cut back that was B Brooks's recommendation to let sunlight coming in from the other side because if you notice the trees are they all grow towards the road that's the only where they get only place they get sunlight no sunlights coming in from the West so it's deeper deeper convers deis yeah okay I'm I'm just highlighting that because um on bwood drive we just you know I live there so there's a little um but you know I think they're both iconic streets with trees and on Bonwood we had to cut a bunch of trees down which made sense I I think for a good reason safety reasons that these trees were no longer um you know going to last beyond the years that that uh we wanted them to but what happened is we took them away and we didn't really replant new trees so I would hate for that to happen on Fair Road that we start losing trees and we lose that you know when when those flowers bloom and spring it's pretty spectacular so I think that's something we want to have um for future Generations so I don't know how to have that conversation but I think it's one that maybe should be discussed potentially in a future meeting even if it means um uh getting with Carolyn and her team with the Natural Area and figure out a way to push them back and maybe having a game plan to replace the trees whether it's from the fund it's from donations whatever it might be I think we should have something um tree buying program is it possible you said you were going to put the door hangers on again is it is it possible to put some did you say that's not the tree B I know I'm thinking is it possible to put something about the tree buying program on the door hanger on one side maybe to highlight it I'm I'm wondering the only the only place I've seen anything about the tree buing program personally is on the um on the buzz I I think I see it on the buzz every time but I'm not sure everyone gets the buzz so if we I was I was gonna say I mentioned to somebody today in the committee I think Communications can probably tag some of the shade tree commission posts on page because I think everyone follows the Fair Haven Facebook page I was thinking I just spoke myself okay all right at least we can help there but maybe go ahead and that was my last question who runs the shade three commission page is that a collective between multiple people it's so do you designate one person from the commission does the social media Post Yeah leani is our Communications expert oral media expert okay and is that I'm I promise I'm not on you uh is it a discussion between everyone like post or you just go out it um so we usually discuss things that we'd like to be put in get suggestions um you know tree like tree maintenance things that are happening in in the district or um you know talk talk a lot about spotted spotted Lantern F and identify them and the nests and get rid of them um you know I do make the graphic so unless you know we had the we had some graphs that were sent us our day sometimes they they have they provide graphics for that um and then we post to you know the group and on hom pages but you know more engagement Community would be great it's just thank you I I was more trying to educate myself there's a few different um committees that do social media and it seems like everyone does a little bit differently and I don't know whether um we need consistency maybe we don't but and also interested to see how that information filters into the communications team so that you know in situations like you just said that they put something up and we can highlight it and and make it more uh marketable to our residents so that's all I have I don't know if anyone else has any questions for Chris thank you Chris and entire sh tree commission for all the work that you do oh yeah you guys are phenomenal really appreciate all your hard work and it was a pleasure to be here Leon for a couple years um one question which has to do with um a policy consideration about removal of trees on public lands I mean when you're a resident when you're ask have you remove a tree or ask to replace a tree or some more than one and I wanted to know Teresa what do we have in the budget for tree removal um this year's budget I look I think it was 25 I'm not so sure if we reduced it for last year for removal budget so I would assume planting a tree costs less than removing a tree depends on what you're replacing with with but it's the size of a tree I assume it's going to be I what I'm getting at how much would we actually need to consider allocating it for a one to one if if we were going to get serious about planting a tree for every time we remove a tree um we be be looking at you know half of that for replanting we're taking them back down really big trees and it cost 25 year 12,000 to replant trees is a number big consider you have to keep in mind that not all three removals are done on bural property um we have uh liability considerations when it comes to trees in the RightWay and basically fundamentally uh we go by what's called The Common Man standard we keep an inventory or trees in the right away that could be hazardous trees uh and um a lot of that is uh dedicated to so we could separate yes we have to take the same as taking a tree out of Fair Haven field would be taking a tree out right away on Lake Avenue that happened to be uh a hat trade yeah okay so that's a fair point and also the number might be less than 12,000 but I maybe the finance committee can track that for consideration and the budget as we moved forward obviously this budget not as much but yeah this wasn't the budget to do that but no certainly can keep notes I'm sure but I think think in principle it's hard to argue with a sensible approach which is fair when please remove from public lands uh perhaps right away as an exception um that we should also plan to plant in the public to replace the tree that in after all let go keep the canopy thank you thank you thank you right moving along we have the faen fields Natural Area advisory committee 2023 annual report Carolyn just before we start uh our committee has been very interested in the cherry trees on Fair room Road uh we've talked to other committees for a couple years now and we are eager to collaborate to preserve that feature uh including you know we've talked about planting a second row of cherry trees so that as one Falls there's something ready to go we've also talked about pushing the fence back and clearing some of the trees on the edge which happen to be junk trees anyway uh some invas of trees uh so we would be happy to collaborate on that we'd be happy to make some of that happen um we're very eager to preserve that future okay so my name is Carolyn Ferguson I'm the chair of the fair field zal area advisory committee I'm here today to talk to you about uh to present our 2023 annual report I'll talk to you a bit about about what we did last year and where we're heading next year uh just a little overview and Al number page two I knew I forgot to put page numbers on so just telling you a little bit about our committee our committee members last year were me Jen Spitz who was the vice chair Paul Ferguson the secretary dve bordon Ali Countryman Mark Olen Steve shean M Christner Keith and Bonnie TR IA many of our committee members are here and I thank them for attending a person uh speaking a little bit to what us does pretty much we have a committee structure and almost every one of our committee members uh runs a committee or two um we also have some lifetime members Audrey Engel Dick Fuller and dar moraler um we also have some very dedicated volunteers who are dedicated enough that two of them are here tonight to um so that some of them join us in our meetings and then we have a bigger crew that joins us for our uh volunteer day uh volunteer weekend events um and during 2023 lini was our B Council lead John U moving to 20 uh page 30 uh just a little bit about the history of the Natural Area it was set aside in 1974 that's when the land was originally procured for Fair Haven uh it's 45 Acres um at that time no action was taken in the Natural Area so that land was just left alone uh in 1987 was when the Fair Haven Fields Natural Area advisory committee was formed um and following that they established the nature trails the parking lot and Ridge Road and that really was the beginnings of the the Natural Area the way we know it now um we feel like the B uh Natural Area offers many benefits to the residents including passive Recreation uh home to insects animals and trees that serve vital roles in our environment a place for us to learn about nature and it provides a natural source of coolness and we do include a heat map at the end we'll talk a little bit about them that U moving to page four um in the Natural Area the primary activities are really natural processes um however as an ecosystem the Natural Area is small which presents some unique challenges um so the area is too small to buffer itself from the developed area around it so if you think about Birds going in and out ringing things in a very large Natural Area the area can actually buffer itself uh small areas have unique challenges uh so this area is too small to buffer itself um and also if you think about in any year conditions in a natural area can cause a reduction in the plant and animal species in a large area the amount of the species dips down but some remain and then the next year they uh they pick up and uh expand the again um and that's what happens in a large area in a small area in a tough year the amount of plant and animal species can dip down low enough that they're just gone and once they're gone they're gone forever so that's part of what's unique about a small Natural Area um and a a natural area that's small like this can't really remain healthy without assistance um and it's really the job of the Natural Area committee to advise on what kinds of assistance might help this um we do have a philosophy that we use as we work uh since the Inception of the Natural Area the goal has been to allow the space to be a truly natural environment um as our committee Works to provide assistance uh anything we do is always balanced with a desire to keep that space natural so you'll even notice like we're very particular about signs and benches you know we try to resist that as much as we can um but we do want the area to be comfortable and useful for people um but you know we inherited this guidance we respect it we work to see it carried out and carried forward so we're always looking uh to keep that space natural um then uh we do have a partnership with the DW page five um they collaborate closely with our committee they do a ton of things including they cover the uh trails with wood chips they have a three-year schedule so every three years every Trail gets new wood chips uh they work during our volunteer weekends with us uh our maintenance committee is Dave bordelon he meets monthly with them in the Natural Area to look at the overall state of it and talk about any maintenance that needs to be done um they also sometimes participate in our meetings either in person or by submitting a report ahead of time um uh something that we've highlighted before and we always want to highlight is that uh we really feel that the Fair Haven DPW really is exceptional with the uh care uh their knowledge and expertise on the Ecology of that area uh the M the representatives from bom County Parks have repeatedly complemented their DPW level of knowledge about the Ecology of the Natural Area and the trees and plants that grow there um many I know Dave Carl's gone out his way to get herbicide licenses um it they really are a remarkable resource for taking care of that space and we really do appreciate it uh moving to page six uh we'll talk a little bit about what we accomplished in 2023 at the beginning of 2023 we set six goals uh the first was to begin restoration of the Northwest section of the Natural Area which we accomplished uh the second was to spend down the community appeal money that was set aside from the Natural Area which was also accomplished uh number three was to honor distinguished committee members that was not accomplished but we're carrying that forward into 2024 number four is community engagement which was accomplished number five is to continue the partnership with M County Parks which we accomplished and number five is to improve Natural Area committee connection to the bura which we feel was not accomplished but we are hopeful that there's some minor changes that have occurred to make things better and to can be claimed for um and then just going a little deeper into some of the 2023 accomplishments um probably the thing that's most significant for us is the restoration of the natural area's Northwest section um in 2021 our annual report really identified that this area was in dire need illustration it was completely filled with invasives uh there's a tree called Devil's walking stick which is just has big thick thorns on it there was down trees the area could not it was impassible and if you tried to crawl in there it was really dangerous um so the area was not useful uh people the resident couldn't enjoy it and additionally it was just a a place where invasives were growing where they would spread throughout the Natural Area and the rest of the Town um we uh the first work took place in that area in 2022 where we uh asked for a border Trail to be cut so we could Define uh the border between the church property and the Natural Area committee uh the Natural Area Property um as people are working in there we feel it's very important for for them to know when they're on the Bor property versus the church property and honestly every time we go in there there's confusion about it I think other people have been there we sit there waving our arms and it goes on over and over uh so this border Trail is very uh significant de also it will create a break between the vines on the church property and the Natural Area uh 2023 we were able to take a major step forward we used $20,000 of the community appeal donations to have that area professionally cleared and if you've been back there now you see that it's empty um they took out just an unbelievable amount of Fallen wood Vines they got Vines out of the tops of trees so we had some big trees that were actually lovely trees cottonwoods they were filled with vines and they were able to clear them out so now these trees will be able to thrive um we've also consulted with Mammoth County parks on this they're doing a similar restoration project in archor woods um and they're little bit ahead of us and they've been able to give us really tremendous guidance about what are the right steps to take what are the order of things to be done you know that's something we don't know we're just people but they're professionals and they've really just given us you know a list of things to do and we listen to them so they've been extraordinarily helpful with that restoration area uh then uh the other thing that was uh significant for us in 2023 was to spend down the community fueld money at the beginning of 2023 the balance we had was $27,000 we get about $5,000 a year from the community appeel um everybody was in wide agreement that that was not a good situation like we don't want people donating money and then just holding it in an account people donate because they want to make a difference and do good work in that area um so we really challenged ourselves that we wanted to spend it down um and sometimes you get this feeling like we should hold on to some but we're like no we need to spend it all the way down um so we started out with $27,000 we spent $20,000 to clear the restoration area we spent $2,500 to buy wildflower seeds that were planted in the meadow we spent $2,300 and purchased 51 native species bushes that we planted with wire fencing to protect them from Deer um so that got us you know pretty much down to you know under $5,000 um and we will continue to try spending that money each year um additionally our accomplishments included Community engagement we hosted two volunteer weekends one nature walk we post educational information in the kiosk and on our social media channels uh we continued our partnership with MTH County Parks um and then also a few smaller things we participated in love where you live day we repaired a wooden bench in moraler Meadow and we've tried to develop a friendly relationship with the church that shares a border with the Cal area as I mentioned their property is full of vines and we're uh trying to educate them a little about their property and encourage them to manage their Vines a little bit um and that's turned into a very friendly relationship which is nice uh then on page nine turning to goals for 2024 uh We've set five goals for ourselves uh the first is to continue the project to restore the Northwest section of the Natural Area uh the second is uh Dick Fuller made a great observation that this year is 50 years of Fair Haven Fields um I guess it was named uh 50 years ago it was procured 51 years ago um but we're going to try to engage with some of the other committees and tie into some of the events that happen every year in town and hope that we can get a little townwide celebration of 50 years of fairen fields going um we feel like you know if we think about that space and how much we all use it and what it means to our community we really feel worth celebrating uh number three is the uh goal we brought forward to honor distinguished committee members uh Jim mle was the first chair of the Natural Area committee he served on it from 1987 until he died in 2022 uh we hope to honor him in the Natural Area perhaps like a rustic bench with a small plaque we will of course come here and ask for permission before we put anything permanent there um but that's what we're thinking about um number four is to improve committee collaboration with the borrow um which is a item we brought forward and number five is to develop a plan to begin tackling invasives in the north section of the Natural Area so that's actually an area that really hasn't gotten much maintenance or attention in recent history so we want to develop a plan to get in there and start working on some of the invasives in that area too um moving to page 10 we as usual have a few requests for the burrow Council um the first one is uh Ed curbs on Fair Haven Road along the cherry tree area uh this is something that's been in our annual reports since 2021 and I believe you guys actually have a plan to work on this soon which is great um the goal of that is to prevent water flowing down Buttonwood right into the Natural Area which causes erosion in the pine tree area of the Natural Area uh the second is the deer overpopulation which I know you've heard a ton about um this is also something that's been in our annual reports for the last few years um you know uh the destruction of the under story in the Natural Area has been observed by our committee members it's also been observed by the representatives from Mammoth County Parks and we provide a little diagram on the right and it really kind of shows how a healthy Forest is supposed to behave so you have big mature trees the under story is like the lower layer um that should consist of younger versions of the Big Trees so uh you know know every Windstorm we lose at least a tree or two a big tree in the Natural Area but the idea is when a mature tree comes down there should be a young tree ready to shoot up and take its place um unfortunately at this point the deer have eaten our young trees so what we're left with is when the mature trees fall there's really nothing to replace it um I think we see that in a really uh even more significant way in the Harding bird sanctuary but we're seeing the same thing in the Natural Area and you know we talked about how much we value this Forest you know we really want to preserve it and have it sustained and move forward uh then number three is just uh the item for improving committee collaboration with um you know our members are eager to contribute they want to feel like their time is well spent uh we're very eager to serve the community and serve the taxpayers um we feel collaborating closely with the borrow is the best way for both sides to get a lot of value um we think there's a few things that we could possibly improve uh the first thing is just clarifying how the committee will report our status to the burrow Council and get direction back like we work for you um recently we began providing monthly reports to the burough Council and we think maybe that will be a good uh step forward on this um then Item B is we've kind of become aware that sometimes the borrow is information about the Natural Area that we don't get um and that we were not you know like we're not saying we're just saying if you have information could you just shoot us a copy so an example of that is like the D came out uh to do the Green Acres inspection and they give a report but like a report like that could that be shared with our committee so we could get their expertise also um also we've learned that um there are individuals or groups that uh pay a license to Fair Haven to hold an activity in the Natural Area and that actually happens with some volume but like we didn't know that was happening and it's fine that it's happening but it would be the kind of thing we'd like to be aware of as we consider can you give me an example of that because I'm not aware of that yeah I guess there's like uh the uh it's a small business that operates at the church sticks and Sprouts um it's a young woman uh a business taking kids into the ne they have yet to be approved officially by um our boards or planing board and they have not paid a license to the burrow we don't have a Mercantile license or anything we're reflecting money from them yeah I understand that they pay I think she showed me they pay like $60 or something per event to take kids into the Natural Area and I could easily be wrong but this is what was explained to me we're waiting to see when they finally come before the board you know some of that stuff was done informally uh just like like a temporary usage but the permanent usage is a different story have we charged or use of the Natural Area um to the best of my knowledge um I think that they originally had asked you know to to where use facilities form on a couple occasions that's before they you know before they became it became known that they were going to be in regular business so DJ would hand like an a facilities form you know so but I I don't believe that's still ongoing um they are scheduled I believe to go before the plan board very soon right so I guess anyone could pay to use our bars facilities right and that's what this falls under yeah so um just yeah know we're saying when things like that happen if we could just kind of be made aware of it somehow um you know we're trying to advise on this area we'd like to have all the information we could um item C is just a request maybe we could establish a single point of contact with the burrow um you know we've mentioned sometimes our interactions with the bar become confusing and we've asked for the two hours of time which we understand you know that hasn't happened yet um but even beyond that if it could just be some sort of single point of contact um you know what happens is each time we have some sort of interaction it's a different person um the interactions take both sides much longer than they should um you know we think somebody who could just take our emails and drop them into a folder and then have some context the next time a interaction occurs um that we both sides would be able to work much more effectively um and then just the last request is uh to continue the DPW participation in our meetings and at our volunteer weekends and just in conclusion um I want to say thank you personally and on behalf of the Fair Haven to the Natural Area committee um they not only plan and execute projects but on any given day you can find one or more of them doing physical labor in the Natural Area uh their level of concern and care for the Natural Area and Fair Haven in general is really very high um we estimate that our committee members donate 800 hours a year of work and we believe that we coordinate an additional 500 hours of time uh donated by the public at our volunteer weekends when you add that together it's 6 of a person or full-time employee um so we think that's significant we encourage you to harness it and put it to good use um as I said we're eager to do good work and to uh help you guys accomplish your goals and then I want to uh say thank you to the Bur Council for your consideration of our report our committee looks forward to Growing our partnership with the burrow uh so that we can work effectively to protect preserve the Natural Area so that it remains in e ological and recreational asset for Fair Haven and that generations to come continue to enjoy it and then the last thing is just I'm sharing in an appendix a heat map of Fair Haven um and this is a something was shared with us last year I honestly don't know the source of it I will try to find that out and share it with you um but if uh there's just really two things I'll point out the big blue dot is the Natural Area and you know it just reminds us of the importance of far and trees in uh keeping an area cool and if you look on the left you'll see the orange dot which is really the Westside business district and especially the Acme shopping center um so you really do see the effect of trees we know the Acme shopping center there aren't trees in it um so we just want to emphasize that uh the Natural Area really is uh providing an important ecological role in our town where'd you get that yeah that's I don't know I remember someone somebody gave it to I think it's pretty cool um environmental commission I think we had that didn't we yeah it came up there too yeah maybe that's where we got it I will try to find out that and let you know exactly where it came from thank you Carol that was fantastic I have I only two things um the first one maybe I shouldn't bring up but I can't help myself because there been any discussion I know I know what originally the committee was uh established for being the faing Fields Natural Area has there been any discussion about the Harding sanctuary and the Third Street Trail becoming part of that committee overseeing it um more formally I I understand it's the same people that sort of move back and forth um but has there ever been any discussion about that just because I I understand that how it was set up years ago but it just seems like common sense to me if the mission is the same to get rid of the invasives and upkeep and you know make sure that the young trees are growing and as the old trees uh fall to me it would make sense at a certain point to maybe um put those together yeah what has come up is could the Third Street Trail uh be joined into the committee we've discussed that it it never came up about the Harding bird sanctuary um and we've had interesting conversation about it um I think we were always concerned about like we kind of have our hands full the piece we have and we were very cautious about taking on something extra but we do understand that there is a common Mission and I think I personally I could Envision a world where that might make sense you know it would certainly take some planning on our parts you know okay um and then the other one maybe we don't want to go there but you know Northwest area yeah is such a boring name have we have we thought about like renaming it Englewood like and that's a way to potentially honor someone that something like that instead of the instead of the bench and then we keep the area more natural an idea yeah we have not talked about a different name for that area just so you know a little bit of history there was a little spot called the Engle Nook which had a sign uh for Jim and Audrey Engle on it and it's the tree that's Fallen it's in the middle of the Natural Area and people put the little balls and fairies in it so that's what used to be the Engle Nook yes i dur during Co that was the coolest thing ever when it fell yeah that was that was pretty Co but it fell down um one Qui question is the national Fields um committee are you coordinating with the environmental Commission on the deer management program because I know both both groups have talked about it let me just throw in also before she answers we have uh Alison what's the date May 13th May 13 May 13th we have um okay D awesome amazing thank you so one thing great job um the there's a sample of the report in your packet uh the monthly report um and that's you know that was U I think the mayor's idea of um trying to get the information out to people and do it in an efficient way so these meetings over I have one question for some reason I remember someone telling me that part of the reason that the natural Fields weren't connected to third F Trail was that because of the funding or something with open space is there any well I one thing I could think of is that well I don't know about the uh official Green Acres designations of the different parts uh the Natural Area does get funding from the community appeal um so like if there was ever going to be a change like that I think we would want to go to that like we always try to be very clear that the money we're given is worth the Natural Area so like we don't take one of our trees and sick it on the Third Street Trail because we're like people gave us this month area so that's one little Financial issue that we would but I think it has something do with the Green Acres too where that's designated to Green Acres and maybe natur field is or the Third Street Trail it's all Green Acres it's all Green Acres so that wouldn't be an issue okay yeah and and my intention is certainly not to take more resources away from the Natural Area and water you know water out the resources um I think I think it was more to make a uh a deeper impact in all of those areas uh something maybe we can discuss I don't really have an answer for you right now I was just curious whether it's been discussed yeah if you ever want to come talk to our committee about it we' be more nice we love to talk about it and like I said we really are eager to collaborate and great uh you know meet your goals too thank you thank you thank you to the entire committee and all the volunteers much appreciate uh moving along Workshop we have a request for lawn signs from the Jersey Shore youth rugby Association from April 1 1st to the 22nd anyone have any questions on that then we going to have a motion to approve motion second all in favor I anyone opposed thank you uh we are now moving on to the public comment on agenda items this is for agenda items only please stand identify Yourself by clearly your name and address to the record please do observe a time limit of 3 minutes is there anyone in the public with a agenda item comment only no Alison anyone on Mrs good evening as you know I go to all the meetings I've been to a number of meetings at Boston tennial Hall and and I'd like to make a suggestion since you're going for a grant at this point um I think it really needs automatic lights at the entrances because what happens when you're leaving is somebody has to stay inside and turn off the lights by by Centennial Hall yes yes sorry I didn't hear you it's my mistake okay so we know that lights so that would be true for all the entrances because it you know if you get there before somebody comes to open up it's dark at least if there were automatic lights you wouldn't be standing there in the dark yeah lighting and the the um from a facility stand point that has been identified and added to a PCH list of work items and I also know that for the Ada scope of work U low-level Balance style lightings lights will be implemented as part of those improvements too because you're right it's it needs to be lit but lit sensitively because it's in a residential area or partially residential it's it's a fair observation motion people are moving it could the only thing with mro lights is you know they could be distracting to the to their neighbors so you got to be a little bit careful with those but it's good feedback I think it's something we we'll definitely get on top of as as we look at uh the restoration yeah right thank you s else anyone else yes all right we're good U moving along to approval of minutes uh we're talking about the February 26 2024 for regular meeting the March 11th 2024 executive session as well oh let's start with February 26 I'm sorry do I have a motion to approve motion second Alison please have a roll call yes yes yes yes yes okay March 11 2024 executive session motion second Alison may please have a roll call Council memb Paul yes Miss yes P yes yes a yes thank you March 15 2024 special meeting motion second Alon may I please have a roll call council members Cole yes yes Bara yes hon yes thank you uh moving long all business hearing and Adoption of ordinances ordinance number 202 24-3 amend description for Bond ordinance number 2023 d17 do I have a motion to open so second all in favor I anyone oppos anyone up here that has anything on this is there anyone the public there's a comment on ordinance number 2024 d03 no uh do I have a motion to close second all in favor I anyone opposed do I have a motion to approve motion second Alison I please have a roll call call yes yes yes yes yes also yes thank you ordinance number 20244 index rate ordinance Cola uh do I have a motion to open I'll move second all in favor I anyone opposed anyone up here have anything on this no anyone in the Public Public comment on this Alison nothing no motion to close motion second all in favor I anyone opposed no thank you do I have a motion to approve motion second Alon I please have a roll call yes yes yes yes yes yes thank you uh moving along Historic Site management Grant application for Bicentennial Hall uh this was carried from the March 11th meeting um which I heard you all did a fantastic job and I had I told you I I had just people glowing about burough council president cach a job I just have to say Yes um Tracy yes councilwoman Cole okay um I'll try to keep this brief this is a reminder this this is a report coming out of the grants committee so Michael Council one time in where you feel appropriate um this was a Grant application that was summarized and submitted to council um at for our last meeting um we did kind of run out of time touched on it and what it is it's called the the state historic office of preservation has a fund called The Historic Site management fund and the the you can apply for up to5 to $75,000 and the purpose of this fund is to create a Community Driven strategic plan that outlines the usage in the RO management of a historic property in this case Bend Hall very only public historic property which also happens to be on the national register of historic places in the state Register of historic PES we also um this turns out we're on a black a each Trail County and the state and we apply for the sign for the count that that application is in you approved it at the last meeting so when we touched on this Grant and and I should point out that the bicentennial H stakeholders meeting is just at this moment in time asking the question of what is the purpose of this particular property and what is its highest that's used in the community and how can it fulfill its true value as a a public H pres historic structure um this particular fund would would facilitate would allow us the funds to hire the professionals to pursue that question with the community and generate the plan and even at a more granular level the programmatic elements whether it's events or curriculum or other sort of archived thing we don't know we have to get to that point but a more granular level of programming that would help Express this BenTen role in history and in VAR so uh um where do we leave off at our last meeting Council had questions most most particularly what would it cost to apply for this grant so um thanks to Teresa arranged a meeting today we met with Colliers um who has the capacity the in-house professional capacity to prepare Grant and actually to do the work and I'll just pass this around there's one for everyone this is is simply um an authorization form which is the method they chose based on the meeting today for a not to exceed amount of $5,200 to prepare the Grant application everybody get thank you um yeah the application itself has produced St forward the tile will take to assemble the parts and upload them and properly combine them and format them um was assessed by the committee one of whom our members is a grant person to be too much for a volunteer and that's why we have a proposal for the council to consider um I don't know if I'm leaving anything out at this point um we we don't know the total cost of scope of the work there'll be a 25% commitment on the part of the burrow um we do have a funding partner in the form of our historic Association feir Haven who's very committed to this work they feel like it would be the next right step and does tell very well with where we're at with the stakeholder group so um they're prepared to support the um the match in order to make work happen so I think I could stop there maybe councilwoman do you want to add anything no you said it really well again we're on the stakeholders meeting uh go to stakeholders meeting as well and this is very much in line with the next steps so I think that it's funding that we will ultimately putting or some money that would have come out of our pockets anyway so if we could get some help with this I think it would it would line up I'll add the if I may sure I thought we're not a 7 you could apply for up to from 5 to 75 we're we're we're not a $5,000 um piece of work and we're not a 75,000 so $775,000 might be for a multi building art cultural art center that's considering you know it's the next 10e plan and they might have traffic and transportation considerations and things of a higher magnitude but we're not a 5,000 we be we would probably be somewhere in the middle or to the lower end of the middle um which might put us somewhere around 25 it's unknown at this time but we can also estimate it and even curate the work to fit a budget that we feel like we're comfortable with and also probably worth noting that this not to exceed I also spoke with another um grant writing company and they came back with about 3400 4500 so this number is probably not where we're going to hit but this is just gives us a sort of high level an outside number an outside number questions are we were asking for the 5200 or so to for the grant writing yeah yeah that's for the application and is that is that do you think is that capital or operating I'm sorry you have to matter your current fund budget current fund budget the 2024 budget and that the professionals or that would be it's not currently budgeted if if it the governing body decides to move forward tonight I would go back into the document and add to the engineering Consulting line which we already cutt by 2500 bucks and would have to add money to that and then take it from someplace else I did have a chance to consult with um Big Board knowing I sld your email about having to move money around um which I realize is probably challenging with this budget even if it is only a few thousand um the the the board of of the historic Association is open to fronting the application fee that if awarded they would get reimbursed in 2025 that way we would know what the number is because this wouldn't be awarded until 2025 it' be awarded in the fall of 202 for to hit our budget emplo part which is when the work would take place so I don't think we can reimburse an an outside entity for a 2024 expenditure of the 2025 well you would if they were you were looking to that same partner for a 25% match you would just reduce the amount of the match to reflect the so what you're saying is that the 25% match would be let's just say you went for the Max and and and that would be which we wouldn't we've already stated it it wouldn't be here for the purposes of calculating if if it was a $75,000 Grant uh 56250 would come from the Grant and 18750 would come from the um from the historic uh fundraising arm of this you'd say that that would be deducted by the $5,200 for argument say whatever and the burrow would have to put $5,200 in the 2025 budget towards this right I I I really have to speak the CFO I think you need some agreement on that I don't know how it actually work we just know what the number is not sure problem that part of me I think we could probably figure out NY you don't have any feedback on that b so as far as pay as Teresa said as far as paying them back um we cannot do that if they are agreeing if the agreement is that they will partner with us and fund the match then they're funding the match if not the B was funding part of the match and they will fund the other but we cannot term it as we are repaying them for the Grant application that that we cannot do so we either take it on as a burrow expense or they pay it with no no with the understanding that they're not going to get um that money back or they they would just reduce rce their M but they we can't I follow you yeah so if they choose reduce their math then it's up to you guys if you choose to move forward with that but that would be what it is there would be no payment understood if they reduce their match then we have to cover the difference right which that application fee yes it would be equal to the amount of the application fee no higher than I think it's going to be less than this because this is not to exceed number so that first question for me is they have checked off per DM or hourly yeah but do we know what their rate is yes um I think we pay them I'm GNA say a buck 50 on who's doing the work at between 130 and 160 yeah 130 and 160 okay and it's not to exceed 5200 that's that's out of pocket correct that's out of the Burrow's pocket we're not reimbursed by anyone for that that's on us always got a purchase order for them for that amount that's for them to apply for this grant correct okay I was not here last minute I know sorry I'm apologizing to everyone the grant is for the planning not for actual improvements it's well it's for all to it's for um to foster sound planning and stewardship of historic properties broaden public awareness and enjoyment of historic sites eligible activities include perent documents reports uh planning for preservation restoration and Rehabilitation programming of historic properties um engineering plans and maintenance plans development of education and showcase programs which I want to emphasize because that's a key component program elements are not as planning this for example we talked about having a curriculum component to work with the schools so Feld trips can happen at that location this could be how we achieve that in collaboration with schools of course but this will give us the funds to do that work so we can use that money for that parall right here so my only my only thing here is it sounds like if we were to go for the max we're investing unless we're able to do what you said we're investing $24,000 for the benefit of $57,000 is that accurate yeah well I really think you're using the wrong numbers Teresa you 75,000 because it's the max it's I don't believe that's realistic that would be the highest right yeah and it doesn't apply to one building in on one lot in one small town much larger facilities that have large scale Regional Landing ises right now we don't know what that is correct we we that's true we don't have an estimate we have some things that were talked about today can we get the estimate before we actually contract for the grant we will know because they need that number to apply so the due date is April 14th so we we they will have the estimate prior to that date and our next council meeting is the 8th so well we could hope to have it by then guarante in the grant so no but we have all of the characteristics of avoing Grant application of all our produced the the ratio kind of stays the same though so like if if we ask for $50,000 then we're investing 177 for about $38,000 the ratio of what we invest for is what we get back percent because it's a fixed 5200 the higher amount that we go for the 75 is and you shrink it and it gets less favorable it's not bad but it gets less favorable so I I guess that's my I mean I I love the idea of restoration of bent Bicentennial Hall I'm just wondering if the juice is worth the squeeze I'm putting $5,200 into cers um and maybe not 50 to 100 maybe it's less obviously um and then it sounds like we don't really have a definitive idea of what we're doing here that's reading that wrong the that's what this what planning is you say essentially yes but once once we have a plan we still have to pay for it that Grant's not going to pay for the entire plan so there's going to be an additional amount of cash that's going to be required to to execute the plan yes well keep in mind that the there are deliverables associated with this they not just a plan right like the school component you said that like not the arit the engineer like we could could this funding go towards ultimately the hiring of professionals it's it's what it is for right so then those are deliverables because that's money right but then that engineer is going to have to spend money to bring the building up to the plan but isn't that our plan ultimately anyway well with the building exactly and this is funding the next step we already have a commitment to do the building we already have a a punch list that sets forth what those action items are this is coming at the exact same time when we're asking the big question about the purpose and role and function of the building within the community which you know should be facilitated uh professionally um to include the whole Community or anybody who cares to participate but it doesn't necessarily obligate us to any expend if anything you could look at it as we would be spending a little a very little bit of money to hire to get up document and some plans that are of value for a very very very long time that would then provide the basis for people who do raise money like the historic Association to build a case for what we're raising money for next whether it's for an education program or for some archival stuff or you know I these are things I can think of but the process might yield all sorts of other interesting programmatic elements that I I haven't thought of there was a story map idea that came up in the meeting today that sounded quite fascinating using GIS and it's a digital system that allows you to to tour and get all sorts of information through your phone something we've talked about in the past but um this doesn't obligate us to any additional expenditures um it's a consensus plan also that provides us a a way to make to take next steps is this an annual has this been going annually and this is just our cut off for this year I'm not aware one I'm looking at right now to out the reason I'm asking when don't we thees we have an idea when we're scheduled to do the work on the uh I out to bid yet but we have a hour window coming up because we only got a six month extension from cdbg but ideally we've talked about it sorry started was um doing every year sorry was doing the Ada work this year as well as tless items um and then putting us in a position to do this next level of work which I all I can tell you is the stakeholder do you want to talk about this then I will and I just I just want to parse it out though right because the step that we're talking about is is what is the long-term use of B sentonio hall and then what management require from a historical perspective right that's what we talked at the stakeholder group this is three pieces so this is the preservation needs for bison on the hul it's long-term planning for the operations and programs of the site right so and then it's the broaden public awareness and enjoyment at the historic sites so those are the three main pieces that that I'm reading the first paragraph here does that get at what we want Bicentennial H to be like are we because the the four components of the plan is Ada punch list design phase in order to see if we want to do any enhancements to it and then the long-term maintenance plan right right so those are the four components that we're currently working on by sateno Hall the one that we've been discussing is how do we prepare the long-term historic maintenance plan right the 10-year plan that was done 10 years ago maybe yeah 12 12 so is that is is this going to do that end more I think this gets us two and three of those four things that you just descried so the design considerations for the building what and then the historical M the 10e historical maintenance plan yeah is the idea did forgive me but did did something happen specifically at by Centennial Hall related to Black Heritage or are you thinking this would be like the focal point for what's happened in our community with black Heritage it was there specific it was historic it was the original it's one of the oldest black churches I think in New Jersey was physically moved from where it was to where it is now yes this says sorry nonprofit organizations are not elig eligible to apply for projects that benefit churches and houses worship but we're not that's government we're government and it's not benefiting a house of worship because it was it's not a current house of worship okay right right wait did we just switch from one Grant to the other in this conversation no there's two in there from that was the one you weren't oh this is the this is the last can I step back though so in your I'm just going to ask this what was how were we doing the next step how is it being executed were we going to hire professionals and would we have put the money out for it and what would that have been so two separate things right so the design considerations we want to have that discussion at the stakeholder meeting right the maintenance plan we were looking to get quotes for how much it would cost for professional come in we have a we have a suggested range or waiting on one final CA professional to see what it would do to do the 10-year historical maintenance from the research that's been done there's there's there are a few key items that are historical significance um one on the punch that's being paint painting the building there's actually a storic significance associated with painting right um so two separate things one what is the professional cost to produce a updated maintenance plan Bicentennial Hall that takes into consideration the historical components number one separate is what do we want B Centennial fall as a facility to be in Fair Haven because then that will potentially inform other design and considerations that we make to the building so for example if we wanted to host um governing body meetings there right it probably is not suited right now for governing body meetings so that would require design work and planning to figure out how to convert that not saying that's what we're going to do I'm picking a very extreme example want to be on the record for that so two separate things so this this grant could cover those two things if you're already saying that you've gotten some cost estimates pricing for the long-term a professional comeing the long-term maintenance plan that would give us that and then also what we'd want to do it could cover us seeking counsel from the community it would cover those costs as well so two things that are already on our list to do that we will ultimately pay for anyway yes this could fund are you talking about you were saying maintenance you mean maintenance costs no an actual plan so the plan that we discussed here was do the ad upgrades do the punch list get buy Sall to a maintainable state so we can actually maintain it and all of the monies for that right we have the 400 Grand I can't remember my whatever is 374 right right then it was okay there was a plan 12 years ago created to say how do you maintain Bicentennial as a historical building and we wanted to go back and have that updated we have an estimate and a range of what that is right so that would be step three and then step four is what type of building do we want Bicentennial Hall to be and then based on that input from the community then we go about designing those changes okay so I want Community input on on what we're trying to achieve right yes so we would have some sort of open house or some sort of conversation with the community on what they would like to do with bis and sure that's part of that and probably possibly a professional who has worked with historic buildings that could help us come up with this plan as well and it's worth noting and you said it but this is the only um public historic building in Fair Haven and it has gotten to a point because of lack of Maintenance that we're sort of in the position we're in so this long-term maintenance plan would help us avoid that and up future cost the long-term maintenance plan though right is one small piece though of this right I I would actually byrate the two because the C you know we don't have the second cost I don't want to speculate on what the rate I'm not going to say it here but we we know what the cost is to do roughly the 10e maintenance plan I think we need to bifurcate the two because then this would mean that we won't even be able to start the long-term maintenance planning until spring of next year which is another year where the building isn't going to be maintained question mark question mark no but but that's my this is the year where we do the work so that I think the timing is actually perfect and you and I were on different ends of this discussion I don't know three months ago but I've come to view it the same way you originally did which is to get it to a maintainable state and then have that conversation I wanted to have the conversation about you know what sort of role does it play in facilities conversation comprehensively now but the truth is it's you can't do it all at the same time I agree I'm in agreement with you what I'm saying is is I don't think we should TI tie the long-term maintenance plan to this right I understand that the time works and I agree but preservation needs for B got it enhanced long-term planning for the Ops and programs and then broaden public awareness and enjoyment of historic sites 2third of this grant is focused on the programming of the facility right so I'm saying if we if we look at them separate right the the heart of this grant is to focus on the programming and the purpose of Bicentennial Hall not the long-term maintenance plan I agree with that but that information will more in the longterm maintenance plan yeah 100% agree but I just I don't want this to be to anyone to think that this is meant to support the longterm maintenance plan okay because the cost of that and again I don't want to I don't have the second professional cost is a fraction right okay okay that's what I was trying to so are you concerned that if we put both of them together in the grant that it will somehow prohibit us from being able to what I'm saying is let's say hypothetically the long-term maintenance plan the updated 10year Plan cost 1,500 bucks hypothetically okay is it worth to spend 5,200 bucks on a $1,500 plan if we're going to invest 25 Grand to do the planning and figuring out what type of building we want the bentendo hall to be and outline the stages and help with the open houses and the public engagement yeah that's where I think the money is worth justifying it not on you know you're spending 5200 on something that yeah so what are you suggesting I love the idea of the grant the one thing that gives me the pause and why I'm saying what I'm saying is because they're $5,200 so I think the focus of the grant needs to be on the programming of Bicentennial Hall and what we want that facility to be and represent in our town I think it's focused there and decoupled from the long-term maintenance plan I think it then would be easily justifiable because if hypothetically the long-term maintenance plan was 1,500 bucks why are we going to spend $5,200 a grant to pay towards a $1,500 10 year meetings point but to me economics just don't make sense but if it's part of this and it's just funding that we're getting then there's no downside to it there's no downside unless we clearly know what we're buying I can see how the timing is going to lend itself to decoupling because the way the work would time out we would get the results of this process assuming we get awarded and we retain the services and we get the results of that process in time to incorporate it into the longterm maintenance report that is going to be a useful Road mapap for work whether DPW does it or we have to hire a professional for certain to Artisan or something from certain kind of work but I get that because I think the planning of this is is a lot bigger yeah than folks you are going to need to define a scope of work to apply for the brand so they know how much you apply for I think they talked about doing a kickoff meeting if the council approves it to do just that it's also pretty well spoked in in the U wording of the gr there's also the possibility of spending $5,000 on a grant Rider and not getting the grant yeah that's a possibility we risk meet all of the we meet all we we are safe has I mean we check all the boxes that's all I can tell you you know if if you went for $40,000 like you said it's not going to be 755 30 maybe yeah that's a guess okay use the easy numbers 40 sure so ,000 for $25,000 of yeah of year I don't know if financially you're the math wizard you're a math teacher a risk for little reward that's my problem it's not the it's not the purpose and the function of the Grant and the benefit it's the it's just the financial investment it doesn't seem like the juice is worth the squeeze so what Financial investment is the council considering in that given that point are you talking about spending because I didn't hear in any of these this discussion that those funds would be provided by through tax laws heard that it's coming from the historic Association but if you like if let's say you only went for $220,000 yeah right we'd be paying $10,200 basically because we have to pay 25% of the 20,000 for every Grant cost something you need to $10,200 for for $115,000 I'm what I'm saying is a lot of the grants that we get we get $75,000 for $75,000 and that's the beauty of the gr and you know and those are those are spends that we absolutely 100% have to have and we know that we have to have them I'm not saying we don't have to have this but right now on what's today March 25th I don't I don't know what we're using this money on spending specifically and that's what's good do we have time to go another meeting and still do this and have kers one more meeting Grant is due April 18th at 4M next meeting is April 8th that will all be to approve the writer at that next meeting well I will say that you know how much money is in the budget for planning zero exactly zero and that was the case last year and the year before and we play our professionals I'm not saying we don't pay our professionals but you know for for us to be able to find a planning Grant which would cost a little bit of money mind you mayor they're not tax dollars they're resident contributions towards a clause that they believe in how they not I don't understand why they're not tax the Association is is a private not offit right and they're going to they're going to subsidize with $5,200 that's what was just said here no no I think it was two different things you were there there was a part of it that they would subsidize the 25% is what you originally said right and now we're talking about whether or not they they can put the money up front for the grant writer and get that back so said we can't we can't right so that's the question you could ask a question is is the potential for a $30,000 planning Grant when we don't have any planning worth $5,000 knowing it's going to be L that's the risk the risk is for it we have a we're coming up we're trying to come up with a plan at the historic commission right or the historic stakeholders meetings but we we don't have any money in the budget even if we want to move forward with that right right is that what I understand and so this work regardless of whether we want to do it isn't going to happen till 2025 regardless if we don't have it in the budget now so this is a solution or a way of possibly being able to fund planning so that we can execute the next steps yeah but if we don't have money in the budget currently it's not happening anyway but the risk is the $5,000 because we don't know there's no guarantee for getting right the grant do you have $5,000 well that's so spending spending money in the middle of the budget has not been account for is really hard right yes it's got it's easier when you do it at the beginning right really hard it's not saying it can't be done but it's really hard do we have a line item for grant writing no no we don't have a line item for grant writing and we don't have a line line item for planning so how do we solve that we have a line for planning but right now for Planning and Zoning Consulting it all goes to the attorney for both boards yeah you did say at the beginning of tresa if I recall correctly you went at to each one of us and said what what do your what were your committies like this year I'm budget we did this is also a very unusual year for the budget as you know we we've had quite a few challenges no no but what I'm saying is that everybody had the opportunity to put in did the grants committee I don't know that the grants committee you email all of us no yes I I I know why you're laughing show you the email for my clarification you're saying the historic Association is going to and I probably got this wrong is going to reimburse the 25% or no well what was proposed is that the historic commission pay the application fee because it's difficult to make the changes councilman Olsson said and then once the grant is awarded Ved it is of course because it may not meaning the historic Association is the only entity that would be taking any sort of Financial Risk yeah but assuming that it's awarded then that 25% match which again historic Association has committed to they're in favor of this and they know that this is well timed and could be excellent for the long-term um viability of by Centennial Hall The Proposal is that that whatever the application fee turns out to be and not to all we know right now is not to exceed so it's going to be less than 5200 um we will actually know what that expenditure because it will have been made in 2024 but it wed and the work will be done in 2025 so we would be able to put in the budget the cost of whatever that that portion of the match that is St Association wouldn't pay but we don't know what that is well we know it's going to be less than $5,200 but then when you're talking about the 25% we don't know what that's going to be we know that we know we can apply for a certain range but we won't know it until they start to put together the work it'll be known before they submit the application and I can see if we can get it before April 8 so the historic entity fronts let's will pay the application fee gone 5200 okay yeah right so that's assume we pay nothing 5200 is to get a grant writer to Y just give me a second yep got it right so that's to apply let's say we get the grant right we're going to have to pay a quarter of whatever we get correct correct well the historic Association prepared St minus the right whatever the cost of the application 25% minus 5200 so if it's 175 they give us well I think but we're going to have to I like to hear what you guys are saying but we're going to have to pay the money we're not allowed to do that is what they're saying right very careful as to how we speak about this yeah we can't have we're not in business with The Fair Haven historic committee to go into partnership with who's fronting money and who's getting reimbursed so it's either they are paying the application fee and we are paying a percentage of the match so not we got that we got that we just said that they'll pay they'll pay for that and then we pay we just have to confirm that they're that would be okay with them to pay that up front with the with the risk which I did that we don't get the grant right and they don't yeah we can't pay them back we're not paying them back in this scenario is is the in this and what we're talking about no matter how much money we get on the in the grant is our Max exposure $5,200 yes well no because it's not because if they're paying no I can't use the word anymore but the end of the day is our Max exposure of 502 no our Max is 25% of 75 grand less 5200 no plus 52 plus2 correct no not plus 500 because we're not paying that back so theirs would be well less 50 yeah out yes we can I ask you a question so just an alternative scenario not saying I'm advocating for this but if we were if this grants every year are the wheels in motion that we could set you know now in the next few weeks for next year and maybe separate the um the plan the maintenance plan from the programming I don't think you do it the next few weeks you'd probably put it in queue to take a look at that in Fall I would think I don't I don't know that it will be available next year and we're ready to do the work in the spring of 2025 which is when the grant will a I don't I I think we've exhausted the discussion here unless people want to continue discussing I'd either say table it or someone moved for a boat I'm I'm equally as confused as I was when we started I I love I love no I just the I'm hung up on this for me this is a financial decision I'm I'm committed to the restoration of bisen all the problem is we're saying we're committed to it but we're not actually putting any money behind it I'm saying that this is the way we have to do it exact that's that's my but in this budget as we have it that's not in this moment $350,000 authorized a prior Mar restore bentum Hall so to say that you're not putting any money well this is different than restation bentum Hall this is this is a planning Grant which is different from the correct yeah I have to go back and and the bond ordinance but I I believe the the contemplated piece of that wasn't for a planning Grand don't think could go towards the planning Grant no okay or not the planning gr even if there was it be related to the actual Capital Improvement not to a planning Grant which is unrelated to the main so who wants to summarize this because I might not have done a good job I think we get it so basically this thing is we have if we want to get money to for the planning portion of Bicentennial Hall even though we have $350,000 in a bond for the actual Improvement improvements we have no plan to make those improvements so nothing's going to happen until we have funding or but is does the planning take money if you think that this is not going to take the money then take does does figuring out what the longterm use of Bicentennial that take Plan yes yes which takes funding which we can which we can apply for for 5 a number not to exceed $52,000 $5,200 which you think we should do you guys and it's on someone else's dime why wouldn't we it's the right thing it's well timed it's a planning for things we don't have money for like planning W happen from the buet risk it is it's a risk that we have somebody's willing to take on our behalf right because it's for that 5200 okay because well there's a Board of Trustees that's entrusted with those dollars and I also want to clarify something so I just want to protect us again and and I did this at the last meeting with the the farmers market who is the chair of the historic committee president yes is Elise Casey okay so I see Elise is here are they willing on the record are they going to state that they are going to pay and reimburse I I don't even know what the terminology is at this point the 25% that's a good question we can ask her wait let me just clarify it's the historic Association not the historic committee correct it's the historic Association not the historic corre separate 501c3 funding one it's not our historic hi 263 okay so we were under the impression that if we fronted the 5200 that there was a potential to get reimbursed so that's not an option correct well not yes no there's not using that terminology okay so what if the historic Association to pay the application fee with the with no reimbursement attached twist my arm that's yes then have to discuss no I'm saying they wer looking for if they W looking for reimbursement and they were just going to pay for it 5c3 um I have a text the CFO she hasn't answer me yet but at the end of the day could we accept a donation from that uh organization earmarked to pay for a grant writer um we' have to have a mechanism to bring in out that's acceptable that I don't think that's any different than fireworks the same thing um there's certain trust funds that are that that that can take money and can't and this one I'd have to have historic trust fund with a balance in it I I at the yeah's a small balance on yeah probably doable I just my head right now I want to make sure that if we could get the historic Association to agree to front the application fee with no reimbursement attached is that something that you guys would then be willing to but then the backend one and then is historic going to also pay for 25% match if if it's awarded at least we know well I can say this Teresa by April 88 do you have do you think that we'll know is our next counil meeting do you think what the team will have a rough estimate on the total scope of work knowing that I don't know how I don't I don't know what col's plans for ascertaining that are quite frankly oh I I do can I ask the question if they printed the 5200 and we apply for the grant and we earn the grant at that point we don't necessarily have to take the grant at that point we can have a discussion as to whether you're willing to pull the 25% if we don't if we're not willing to do it at that point there's no risk there's no risk to us I'm not comfortable I agree with that but it see you you're defending an organization that seems to be feel pretty strongly about wanting to do do this correctly yes is it but what so mayor one of the problems I'm having though and this is just timing has nothing to do with um Miss Casey's statement is that I would have to you know a resolution would have to be prepared to accept it as a gift and that wouldn't be ready obviously until April 8th and then we come into a timing issue and we need a resolution to support the application also we could do that by April 8 I don't think there's what's the issue I April 8th and then they have to the turnaround time is nine days for them to apply callers You' have to find out if they're able you know it's going to take them some time to pull the SCP together especially the meeting with your committee and you're doing narratives and working together I wouldn't start that on April 9th I can tell you that much right now I think if if may I just want to reframe slightly okay if the historic Association pays for submission of the application right not reimburse nothing they pay for it grant writing grant writing and it's a $4,000 Grant is the council willing to agree to $10,000 I'm I'm not I'm not willing to agree to that right now but what I'm saying is when that comes before us I might be at that point we can have the discussion to make the decision let me bear with me because before we walked in here I was under the impression they were going to cover 25% of4 40,000 which is $10,000 so now now they taking 5200 and you're asking me to take 10 that just flipped so what I'm saying is if there's no risk to the burough Council and they're going to take the 5200 then we're going to get the Grant and have a discussion at that point about what that 25% is is maybe it's a negotiation maybe they take the whole thing maybe we take the whole thing but at that point we can look at what we actually got there no risk whatsoever a couple we can they feel very strongly about this Grant and they want to go after it and there's no risk to us I mean I'm I'm going to be reasonable when it comes back in front of me you know if they if they've spent $5,200 and they earn 40 Grand you know from my standpoint if if they they've put a lot of work into this um I think we've heard from a few people that have basically called this a crown jewel of sorts of our municipality it's the only historic building that we have um do do I do I want to spend I don't want to spend a dollar but I never want to spend a dollar that's kind of myo so you know will we have that discussion at that time I'd be willing to have that discussion and at the end of the day worst case scenario um they can make a decision at that point if they want the entire so Teresa if we did that scenario and we had to come up with 10,000 would say how would that be a bond ordinance would that be part of the the existing bond ordinance would it be in a planning R I think it's current fund budget current fund budget I mean it's not it's not it's a capital improval project where I can charge to soft cost through the ordinance that we've already passed this is strictly telling you it's laying out a plan for how you're going to make this building you know and and if match to that Grant I don't see where I charge the capital so what I'm probing is is if we if we if they agree to pay the 5200 we win the grant we have to come up with the 10,000 but we can't for whatever reason it's doesn't fit the budget it breaks the rule then then then what um well then we have the conversation I I find that hard like I I think where I'm stuck is I just don't want to put them out with us not guaranteeing that if we get the award if we get awarded we're not going to automatically take it but if we get awarded and we don't have the $10,000 anywhere Happ it right but we're just going to keep we're going to keep running into this with every Grant so I'm kind of going back to my statement at the last meeting if if where there's no funding in our budgets for Grants why are we even seeking grants if there's you know but we're seeking grants because we have projects that we want to get done that don't have the funding Capital project can I answer that they saying because it's a planning so if we go after grants for Capital project for every M County open space Grant we've ever gotten the money to fund the project has come out of capital but then how do we plan anything now well you could hopefully in a better budget year put some money in for GR writing or planning or we've never used the gr writing class every saying we can't essentially there's there's never going to be any room this year for any planning so there's no planning at the Rivers to any of our open space like any of our access water that's kind of where where our needs are like we have a lot of Capital Improvements going on but it's the projects that are like sort of behind now that we so we're saying let's wait till 2025 well in this case though you're talking about planning for another Capital yes well no I was I was going to another thing yes because our next one we want to come to is with more planning but but again what's the point of the grant committee if for planning I guess for Capital Improvement and you feel like you absolutely need professional to that's what I was getting from the grant done you actually it's they're saying like 24 hours like that's or that was sort of the estimate that they gave me okay that's a lot of hours to ask of a volunteer to do a grant right I listen I'm I'm I'm perfectly comfortable inching this down the road if we want to do it in increments we'll learn we learn more as we go and that's not a bad thing so um I appreciate the commitment of the historic Association um above and beyond really um we are we are not a delinquent partner we we we do care about the same things and we're committed to the work and much of it is already in work so there's a lot of good faith work coming um from local government in terms of improvements and upgrades to the building so we just wanted to emphasize how much we appreciate the offer and I personally would like to accept the offer and I would motion that we um I would like to make a motion that we approve the call of your proposal and have a kickoff meeting in begin the grant writing are are you are you proposing that you're accepting the historic Association to pay for the $5,200 I don't know how to do that else Mr guid ultimately am we have to create a resolution for the next meeting for the next meeting that we can't do we can't do that tonight accepting a gift underst and then that leaves them nine days for for at the most 40 hours of work at the most that's the number though take their fee and they take the do not exceed well they can't begin the work is there a way that they could must do the work graus until their resolutions approved I can't do that I can't have a professional doing work with the burrow without issue I have issue you know the gymnastics that I went through this week don't you what say when you're away I just I just work with us a little bit here we want to give these people how many days nine days for backwards to get them on a call today so that this could be brought here has to take my advice saying that that's not what we should I would advise against that um is there any is there any other way um and I'm getting creative and tell me to shut up if if someone a private citizen want to issue a holding PO with a poers got it okay so so it sounds like our only option is to wait for the next meeting if we're going to do it that way put together a resolution they would have nine days I think we're going to have to ask colle whether they can turn it around in those nine days if they can't what I would suggest and I think that this is a bigger conversation for the budget going into next year as well that we have to get a hold of what we want to do from a planning perspective especially with some water from properties coming down the pike that we need to plan for yes um and and additionally it might not be the worst thing in the world too just because we've talked about the pause this year and getting some of these other projects done and then we can we can go after this grant uh sounds like it's a year annual Grant hope confir that so but but it might not be there you never know you never know but that that would be the plan to go after it um but I I would like to say like thank you so much for your hard work it sounds like was a crazy week as well and trying to put this forth but let's not give up hope let's see contact cers okay tomorrow let's find out how long will it actually take you to do the grant if if they think they can turn around in nine days do we need to vote now to know whether how do how do we handle that I'll I'll draft the resolution we can just draft it for the next meeting does everyone okay with that plan sure you need the hand I think we have else you right with that as far as I understand we confused tomorrow tomorrow morning we're reach out the col see if we give them a approval at our next council meeting can they turn around the Grant application in NES correct that's about hours and in that scenario the vote would be for the historic Association to pay the $5,200 fee to colge everyone understand that then we would if we were successful in the grant at that time we'll have a conversation as to whether we want to accept the grant okay does everyone understand that yes I the best but I I wouldn't vote to move forward if we're not guaranteeing that we're going to accept the grant once we get it so I I understand that for me it's a financial conversation it's not a um whether we should plan for bonting h no I know but I'm just thinking that might be the conversation to have before we get to the meeting sure so I would like to be on the call with callers because I understand the scope of work and I understand what documents we have on hand for them to actually build the application I'm is tomorrow and there's no reason why anyone else who's assembling documents for the Grant application should have to wait for this body to adopt resolution I can talk to the B attorney I don't I'm not we didn't really talk about this ahead of time we accept gifts from 5013c c3s in the past without resolutions I'm not positive need a resolution I think Andrew's good intend here is to make sure that we actually have the money in hand the burrow actually has the money in hand provided I have a place to bring in out in and out of the of the a trust fund as for the CFO I don't have a problem cutting the PE up I I also have a problem I could certainly see if if if you could put the money in the budget and then you know expend the funds and and reimburse the line if you get the donation I mean there might be a way to do it that's not going to take us to April 8th but I just can't pull that out of a rabbit's hat right now at this minute the only reason I have some reservation is because we're dealing with government assistance we're doing grant writing application and you know I mean I I but the only you know when we talk about fair day that's it's just an event I'd rather not I'd rather air on the side of caution here and do this the appropriate way with the guidance from our attorney we have a plan we need to talk offline in preparation for the next meeting we need to start the call yours and take that pant forward can I just ask one question is it possible to pass right now something that says if we're able to do it this way without getting resolution that we can move forward with the grant is there any way to no I I don't want to you Andrew has a good point you're applying for a Federal grant here there may be other requirements that would want to make it more for resolution and I want to say something else too for the benefit of the public and for the goverment body burough fairh has received Millions upon millions of dollars on Brands and and like I said they've been appli myself for Rich Gardella if anything right now the reason I'm not writing this grant myself or Rich gell is not helping me write this grant is because we're too busy doing all the projects for Grant that we've we've already gotten you know you know our problem hasn't been getting grants it's it's at this juncture having way too many projects who that are currently in queue many of them paid for by grants that we have to you know oversee in forward I see so much potential with this grant if awarded and thank you m Cole for all your hard work um but if we can somehow get together and meet and see if we can all approve the uh application Fe then next step would be when would you need the check I would need it the day after the meeting resolution is approved on the 8th on the 9th so I got a PO to callers two weeks okay in two weeks okay thank you thank you thank you Alise can I ask a question of Teresa before the next meeting could you think about if we do win the grant how would we with the the 10,000 what what Avenue would that take um ask plan gred be curent fund but I will double check what's that I didn't know who you were asking that question um speaking of millions of dollars in Grants you have a facilities update so um confirm today with our contact down in DC uh our grant for um the community Center was written into law yes and hang on and and and uh and we didn't get a million dollars though we got 1.25 million so $250,000 extra it's signed into law um and that Grant took two overnights with pretty much everybody up here that's what I'm saying yeah um but you did it it's hard work I want and I want to specifically um take note I'm not sure if Michael didn't bring up that grant that we would have had it and I and and Drew did the absolute heavy lifting uh on that as well um you know along with obviously our local Congressman representation we're very appreciative of everyone that worked on this and uh um it's fantastic for the burough Fair Haven so so I I led with some good news I'll start with something benign and then I'll gu you change potential um so um councilwoman cotch um when we um asked for the grout color so if you if the governing body recalls right that was the DPW side and stone um so up here um could I get the physical samples are three pages you'll see the asterisk where the color is what the professionals um stated would be a good color with the contrast cuz there's white trim there's the I'm bad Mist I don't know what you call it the stone um The Raven um grout color um that is what the professionals articulated um however from my understanding we also looked at natural gray 24 um so what I would like to do is to get the actual physical ones and bring them in and give you guys something we better look at what are these ones just other yeah like terracotta Brown These are the only so the the reason there's only eight is because those are the only ones that are available so it wasn't like those asterisks were picked so out of all of these colors with the grout that'ss going there there's only eight colors available none of them would if I were oh I have here like natural gr better but I don't like the name as much I mean that's the best one darker well it's the one above it the arrow up that one kind of you listen that's my wife this is not my for so you know what the actual groud col they say did they say why they wanted like a dark black groud behind the gr because of the dirty because of how dirty graph can get over time and given that it's going to be an industrial sight and it just it's going to end up dirty so they wanted to pick it it doesn't end up not black just ends up dirty and you also wanted the contrast but again I'd like to bring in the real samples the contrast is a look I don't I think this is the closest that's the limit of my contribution here contr so I think it has to be natural we don't want contrast so we like 24 yeah I it seems like that's the closest so I'll get some physical copies bring them in I don't really feel qualified to make that deis don't I'm sort of that was my first oh yeah Pi you actal gray what a lame name white name they was too to light it does right can we just pick natural G and call it Raven we should go Raven like don't mess with us we're Raven air um my last um update so um we have we do have unfortunately a change order with DPW um underneath the current sighting which I believe is called t111 um based on the original assessments of the current conditions it was assumed that plywood was behind the t111 so what originally occurred was the professional went there to different parts they opened up the walls and they looked and they saw plywood as they thought um behind the t111 after the walls were demolished the plywood stopped at a certain height and didn't go all the way to the ceiling you need to have plywood then you need to have the siding there's 3800 square feet of plywood missing and the cost estimated is around $60,000 D yes um but these are the things we knew might happen correct it's an unforeseen we're renovating the building um the roof if you guys drive by and check out the roof you'll smell the pine the roof is being laid so we didn't have any issues there um there was a potential um concern on one other aspects with the footings but the entire team went out work through everything no change order there so so far relatively with a building that's 50 years old actually as of this year because it's built in 74 um the plywood unfortunately is something that um is required yeah so I don't think there's anything I just wanted to be extremely transparent do you do you the 60,000 it'll be on the agenda estimate my question was is it a material expense or is there additional labor associated with that um the good majority of it is is uh if we don't know yet answer no it's material there's a small amount of well there's 5% GC cost okay 20% unit cost per square plus 5% total GC cost to manage it m we looked at at removing it reutilizing some of the places but the labor involved in some of that stuff was just ridiculous just to say you know there's been some termite damage there there's a couple extra posts that have to be replaced but based on want you know 50-year-old you know sheathing up that you know had been water damaged or God knows we can do this fild you know the difference differ corre see there was an allowance in the bid and and it only assumed that you know we would need a certain percentage and at the end we need a larger percentage in that and per our approved process since this is over five right this that we're going to cut based on the guidance here we'll come back to here um once we have it so thank you everybody thank you councilman uh moving along new business consent agenda we're talking about 2024 76 through 2024 84 just pointing out we've struck 85 and 86 from this consent agenda um before I ask for a motion uh does anyone want anything separated from 76 through 84 no does anyone have any comments on anything from 7684 that being said do I have a motion to approve motion second Alison may I please have a roll call call yes Miss Bell yes yes yes yes yes thank you Department reports February 2024 uh do I have a motion to accept the reports uh as submitted with a thank you motion with a thank you second all in favor I anyone opposed thank you we're now at the good of the burrow report from the meeting please stand identify Yourself by clearly stating your name address for the record please do observe a time limit of 3 minutes anyone the public they good to the burrow comment no Alison is there anyone online good evening again hi uh I have noticed um several times when I've gone to the acne after dark that the lights aren't on in the front who do I address that with because I'm sure it was a planning board requirement when um it was when the uh whole acne area was redesigned you talking about like the um the overhead lights in the parking lot or like in no in the parking lot the lights are not on after dark I think we could probably send a uh a uh email to the property management there okay Chief's going to take care of it sometimes that happens when the timer when the timing changes us it's the other way yeah Al anyone else um having just been at BNI Hall and it's not opening again but um at BNI hall for the sports swap um it was the little light in the front there's like a crack in it this light is coming through and I'm so concerned with any delay to this whole restoration I don't know is there any way that we could just Shore that up you to do something hope it's going to fall right out of the building sorry I'm not clear of what you're talking about the little light you know the beautiful little lights like right about the front door inside or outside well so from inside you can see the light coming through the crack in the wood okay but from the outside the paint's all peeling off it looks like it's about to fall out and it's a very historic piece of that building I'm just wondering if we could do something in the meantime um you take a picture and send see we have our meeting Thursday up at a Thursday St meeting I mean the the Ada is starting right in April right the whole that whole project is it not you Haven put up we did is there any way we can get that going just to get is is certainly on our radar we have Matt Cronin and Rich Gardella working on it what is the remain piece of work to be done I would have to pin the two of them down to find out where they are at this juncture I know they've been in touch with each other but I would have to follow on that okay yeah I just would it's rotting by the de stain glass yeah a little stained glass window in front if you if you walk by Big R yeah yeah so it's not just it's way yes yes okay but mean from need yeah you don't want so two SE two separate things right Ada punch list we have our stakeholder meeting this Thursday we'll bring up the status of the punch list items and see where that stands if that has nothing to do with the Ada correct the Ada and the Ada is the first step right that's first that's getting fixed and then it's happening together it's happening together yes okay so our stakeholder meeting until Thursday we meet once a month that there was an extension and I thought that's for the that's for the Ada that doesn't that's not going to impact the punch list items and maybe if it is in Jeopardy there's some sort of immediate repairs yeah I just it sounds like you're concerned about it sh shoot us an email and we'll address it Thursday night okay I wrote down there he's got it looks like ask no has right handon so let me finish everything I want to say before you cut me off I um I wanted to meet with the mayor after the uh planning board meeting but um he disappeared before I could snag him does Mayor do you have office hours you can call me anytime you want Susan I spend probably a quarter of my day on the phone and talking to uh our awesome constituents so I don't have office hours per se but I'm always available so just email me if you want to have a conversation if you want to meet for a coffee whatever okay next thing I I got dropped before when I was talking about bison tenni all and I wanted to bring up the fact that the landing in the front doesn't seem to be right you have to step down to get out of the building and everybody's worried about me killing myself stepping out of the building I don't think it's up to code if you think about your front door when you walk out your Landing is basically level you're not stepping down I you Ste down out of your house I don't I do into my garage why don't we check we we'll we'll take a look at it on the punch list as well I just I don't think it's up to co well it's dangerous and everybody's worried about me killing myself when I leave the building oh we don't want that Susan that might be on the Ada we'll look into that I'm not sure but I'm bringing it up just to at least cover it take a look the the last thing that I wanted to say was um that I was on the brush and leaf committee and and um as far as I remember um the only thing that was discussed as far as this new can was the size that DPW needed we I don't believe we ever discussed round gray anything along those lines yes I just wanted that on the record it was very specific though from the governing body standpoint that we don't want all different looking cans and containers and colors and sizes is all over the burrow so but it can up to 32 gallons doesn't have to2 32 Gall and round and gray brown and gray brown and gray or wheels or Wheels hold the bottom of the rain that's something you have to do yourself you good Susan so it can't have wheels Can it can if it's round and gray and it's 32 gallons okay that's all I needed to know I'll be in touch thank you we are not too I just want to give uh kudos to outreach Communications on the brush and leaf uh like phenomenal work like with the letters with all that badges upstairs crushing it like it's just to the residents know they haven't gone out yet no not yet but yeah they're going to be great they're going to be great in the bus yeah like yeah it's a machine up there so good job there job yeah thank you betan um I do have one I know from the gr committee there we I just wanted to like plan to see the for some reason chronologically and we review these phonologically for Council we've had these preservation grants we're moving towards open space Parks planning um there's a transportation one I don't know that that's going to be relevant but we'll continue to bring them to you um there is and I feel an obligation to mention this oh let me get this little one out of the way there's a deer the fish and wildlife has put together a small Grant they call it Grant Loan program we'll look into it and bring that here since we're going to be taking up that whole discussion about um deer management but um there's one more that you know we we want to we want to do the best job that we can and I'm I'm looking at um councilwoman deel because we're both on the grants committee there is a new discretionary fund that's was announced and the deadline is April 8th um like we have discovered with the experience that um um book Michael and Drew made possible for fair healing with this other discretionary fund you know I mean it's possible uh it's a very simple initial letter that would be required a 250 word um set a short it's not even half a page really and then um some cost estimates I as I understand it I think there is followup request for additional information um they require a 20% match which can be expressed in a lot of different ways including a lot of the work that we have done so far I forgot to talk about I'm not even proposing this at this time I just wanted to say it's we don't want to keep that information from the governing body it's just it's here it's simple and yet it's right around the corner um it was so much work to talk about the last one I don't know if you guys want to talk about this one Michael maybe you want to think I mean it is a long process so this wouldn't be for immediate needs it would be for longer term plans but one of the ideas that we were thinking that as a committee is we could use it for our projects on the river so any of our um access to the river since that is in one of the unfinished parts of our Master not unfinished but one of the goals of our master plan is this could be used for for those kind of projects it a small there I mean there's always a chance you don't get it after all this work um but the initial piece that we'd be asking for approval would only to be a letter to be considered by Senator Booker Senator yes Senator Booker um and then they decide if I think they we're even qualified or should even reach out so the only thing we'd be asking for in the next by the next council meeting is for approval to move forward with this one pager yeah so and and the idea would be if we got the grant to use it on the waterfront possibly I mean that could be something we decide Public Access public access to the Waterfront so we talked about living shorelines and you know yeah and maybe finish off hands that got taken out of the micro projects plan okay I I I'm just wondering if is this a conversation for the community if we were able to get discretionary funding there's some of the things that we wanted to put off for example taking a look at phase two of the community center police station you know a desire to do some of the park upgrades too so I'm I guess I asked a question is this something we should be asking good conversation how we know that doing that because sure the open space fund is I it's it's hard it's hard to hear about a grant right here that's not already on the agenda to discuss without me having additional information and having a a um educated discussion about whether we might be interested in moving forward so what I would recommend is if the grant committee thinks it's something that we should strongly consider um you know send send out a message to the governing body with the information obviously on blind copy um so so there's ISS I can information no issu you can't discuss it you can at least we can and if if um you know if we feel as if there's a reason to Workshop it at a future meeting I think that's that's a better uh venue than right now during but this gives us a Direction so yeah and I did send out the information on the M County open space BR body members so that that's fair I'm a drain from all of it anyway but um it's it's not a place to with hold it and it's due April 8 so this was the only meeting that we could communicate that um consider it communicated is the historic Association interested in matching not funny justbe Tom um so the although first pointed a good one which is okay how do we arrive at a set of priorities and where is it useful to attach Grant dollars which initiatives are useful to attach Grant dollars because we are going to be your grants committee is going to give you um the review of M County open space fund which will be up to $500,000 um and we're going to attend a workshop and get some more information we're going to do a lot of due diligence so by the time you guys get a template hours have gone into it I just want to flag that because it's not like we threw it together we're doing the due diligence and bringing it here um with a lot of effort so anyway um if I just Double C come to understanding what would be helpful is can I double click new one it's the count of level set hey hey level I don't know but it was I liked it thanks on the record dou click it may or approv um I think the reason I like Christ what you said is because if we can provide guidance on the priorities that the governing body setting and then that's where the Grant I know how much is invol grant writing right I mean it's it's intense um but I love the idea of an open house I love getting that feedback understanding what a list of priorities were and then we can set that directive for the grand Community to hunt after these specific priorities right because we' talked about like playgrounds we've talked about the parks we talked about stormw upgrades right we talked about open space planning right we talked about all these different things so and remember we don't want the grants to drive the decision correct the decision to drive the grants so how how do we get how do we get to that to me and you guys maybe don't want to hear this this is when you bring in your planner to facilitate a comprehensive discussion about what are your priorities and why you know somebody needs to do that work to with us um that's what I've done in hasive and part of it from both sides It's very effective I I also think you can't lose of the fact that you know I'm going to be here but you know you've got to look out a fiveyear capital plan or or a strategic plan and it has to it has to coess with your with your budget you have begin applying for you know $2 million the grants that require a $2 million Grant match and not say how is this fitting into our Capital authorization program and how it's going to impact the taxes in the long run they have to fit together because you know you know you you take roads and the roads is the perfect example you two options you can authorize road projects every single year based on get getting an NJ doot Grant and say we're GNA authorize whatever or you can say we're going to authorize $3 million in in in in roads and then you'll pick away at that and and build that balance down and it's been done both ways but either way you have to look at how it's going to impact your your your budget so it take Natural Resources an open space instead of Roads you you know as far as natural resources in open space generally speaking we usually look at them on an annual basis that's why we do our bond authorizations after the budget's been adopted historically so I'm S I think we should look at a a plan over a period of time that lets us strategic plan yeah but you have to keep in mind that you can't find the future goverment body regardless they don't I don't I don't think this I I don't think this is the right discussion it's not on the agenda I think you know we got to figure out what committee to run this through and uh and and then I think it's a great conversation to have I just don't think it's appropriate right now because it's not on the agenda it's a bigger conversation so you have something else that was it well good I have a happy birthday to the F and mayor this birthday with my daughter my wife is one day before me can't tell you that giving you my birthday I got you we'll just send you a happy birthday every day right and see if I react bir happy birthday years when's yours oh okay close exw are you 37 also 64 um the test with that being said uh we're going to move towards executive session the time is 9:29 PM all in favor I anyone all right uh do I have a motion to adjourn at 11:20 p.m. motion to all in favor I anyone oppose good night Fair [Music] Haven