##VIDEO ID:Kn3fxk88q7Y## I get sick like that on purpose sometimes I can't see mys good evening everybody I'd like to happy New Year I'd like to welcome everybody to the January 7th 2025 reorganization of the Hamilton Township Council this meeting is being held with the benefit of public notice as required by the open public meetings act Mr Carabelli here Mr PaPeRo here miss Phillips here Mr Tai here Mr whan here please stand oh please stand for the flag pledge allegiance to the flag the United States of America and to the repblic for it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice all please remain standing for the invocation dear God as you stand at the beginning of this new year we confess our need of your presence and your guidance as we Face the future help us L put our faith in you and seek your will for our for our lives during this coming year let us commit ourselves to resolutions that help us grow more towards you and us stay committed to them throughout the year as always may this Council always serve compassionately and humbly the residents of our Township we make all of these intentions in your name amen amen amen God he's good so he is I will now call for the nomination of council president president for a one-year term Madame clerk it uh brings me great pleasure and honor to nominate um the man to my right Rick Tai to the position of president of our Hamilton Township Council since running with Rick in 2017 I've come to know him very well and uh we've had many conversations along that uh during that time period throughout his tenure as a council member he has demonstrated time and again a deep commitment to the Hamilton Township residents whether it was through fire consolidation or the animal shelter issues or or just any concern or issue that may come up uh by a by a resident of our uh great town Rick has uh been a reliable Advocate uh for our community I look forward to this next year as he navigates our legislative body and I'm confident that we he will do a great job in leading us all can I have a second Madam Clerk I would like to Second the nomination for councilman Rick Tai as my honor and pleasure to nominate my friend and great colleague thank you on the motion Mr Carabelli yes Mr PaPeRo yes M Phillips yes Mr whan yes Mr Tai yes passes 5 Z congratulations congratulations thank you next I will call for the nomination for the council vice president for a one-year term I'd like to nominate my friend councilman and paparo second and I'd be honored to nominate my my friend and colleague pat paparo on the motion Mr Carabelli yes Mr paparo yes Miss Phillips yes Mr whan yes Mr Ty yes passes 5 Z congratulations all right you guys play musical chairs now where we going get going we to stay put huh just stay put I can I stay here yeah thanks Pat oh get Pat thing where there it is you're out thank Kelly that is wow you're professional like tomorrow to be S who's the counil Okay so I I would just like to say a quick word of thanks to my colleagues um for the confidence uh that you've shown to me today um it's an honor to serve you as your president not necessary we don't I understand it's not necessary I'm sorry well no right no we haven't done it in the past you already sworn in is officials when elected off in a general election you take an O yes yeah thank you thank you uh counselor as always and I I look forward to working with everybody on this dis uh in the coming year our clerk's office uh you know when when we first Anthony talked about how long we've been working together and when we first came into office uh we were focused on preserving open space in Hamilton we were focused on uh opportunities for redevelopment in Hamilton uh and we were focused on on public safety and we have made progress on every single one of those in partnership with mayor Martin um and with this extraordinary group of public servants uh that I have the privilege to work with on this Das uh we have made great progress on every one of those points um when you look at our health department uh and how we have reformed our health department how we have improved the services through covid uh through a period of of great challenge for that department um and we were able to reform and reorganize uh and and create create greater accountability uh greater access access to Services uh and and greater transparency uh for the public through the work that we've done uh and that work continues uh we continue to work uh collectively to um improve uh the same is true for redevelopment our uh director of economic development is here today uh he's been a crucial part Fred Dumont of of our effort to redevelop in Hamilton to focus on opportunity ities uh for example in our brownley neighborhood uh there was a fire property that sat vacant for many years uh this mayor this economic development director our our Township attorney and their teams uh did the work that needed to be done uh in order for us to be able to redevelop this property it was was a very difficult puzzle uh to put together and the scope of that continues to expand uh and that going to be uh when when that reaches fruition is going to help to revitalize the Bramley neighborhood uh there's been work done to bring new jobs to Bramley uh as a part of the Martin Administration and with these these council members um and that work continues in 2025 and I look forward to partnering with my fellow council members I look forward to partnering with our mayor and with his team uh to continue to make progress on these issues as we work together in 2025 so thank you again and with that Madam clerk uh we will move on with Communications yeah do we need to read oh I'm sorry yeah sorry can we back up in reference to the amendments to the agenda yeah so uh there are a few changes uh to the agenda tonight uh We've removed a couple of items so so there was a resolution to adopt an amended cash management plan uh the administration the CFO asked for a little more time to do a little more work on that uh and we do have time so that'll be on the next agenda uh and there's a resolution uh for appointments and reappointments to the hon Township environmental advisory commission we are also postponing that vote uh there are several uh title several uh resolutions where we are just amending the title uh we are appointing individuals to various boards and commissions we have added the names of those individuals to the titles of uh ca12 ca1 14 and ca5 um and then there is uh CA 16 um what was the change on that that was adding the names of Mr vendis I believe and one other individual Mark Mir thank you Mark Mir okay so adding the names again of the appoes uh with ca36 we are removing uh The Firm onewater Consulting uh from the uh list of uh vendors that we'll be using in that and then we're adding a resolution approving uh a second one-year contract extension uh with aisher which is uh the Risk Management Consultant for Hamilton Township and there's also uh we're adding on a resolution authorizing transfers uh for calendar year 2025 proforma stuff uh and additionally authorizing transfers between departments uh for this uh for the sewer uh for the sewer budget or transfers inar year for the for the sewer budget so can I please have a motion on the amendments to the agenda I'll make that motion I'll second on the motion Mr Carabelli yes Miss Phillips yes Mr whing yes Mr Papo yes Mr Ty yes is 5 Z so I I do need to say uh this meeting is being held with the benefit of public notice as required by the open public meeting if you hadn't already said it we're good well done we're good if you already said it we said it twice all right okay for your consideration we have communication items C1 through C3 any comment from Council no um Proclamation commemorating Martin Luther King day uh Commendation recognizing January's raid on action month and uh then the um receipt of documentation to amend the alcoholic leverage license for razza Hospitality Group uh adding the trade name razes at Hamilton any members of the public wish to comment on any of these communications seeing none do I have a motion I move for communications C1 through C3 second a motion on the motion Mr caravelli yes M Phillips Mr whan yes M Mr vapo yes Mr Ty yes passes 5 next resolution 125-1 is a resolution of Hamilton Township County IM Mercer state of New Jersey supporting Vision cannabis llc's application to the Cannabis Regulatory Commission for a class 5 cannabis retail and dispensary license do we have um any members of council wishing to come and I know there are members of the public I believe who would like to comment on this all right so we'll go right to members of the public who wish to comment uh good evening Mr TI member of council my name is Rich forar F forar Franc LLC we represent Vision cannabis LLC who's uh seeking the uh support of council here tonight I do have a principal of vision cannabis here uh to answer any kind of questions you may have regarding uh what the proposal are is and you know the background of the operators and and and such if uh if you do want to hear some of that any questions we're good I think they kind of laid out this time it's it was well laid out in the supporting material we appreciate uh the information okay so you got supporting the package from from okay it was uh um Rich it was extremely thorough I I I love the fact that you know that there will be an appeal to Hamilton residents uh you know for employment purposes there there's also you know it breaks down also the the positions that are listed so I you know I thought it was extremely uh thorough and it and and uh I don't have any other question so okay well done yeah so do I have a motion on this resolution motion to close the public comment portion I'll make the motion to close the public comment portion and move resolution 1251 I'll second the motion M clerk on the motion Mr Carabelli yes Miss Phillips yes Mr whan yes Mr paparo yes Mr Tai yes Cas is 5 Z thank you so so next we have the uh consent agenda items um so all matters listed under the consent agenda are considered to be routine and non-controversial by Council and will be approved by one motion there will be no separate discussion uh we will have public discussion if there's any anyone who wishes to comment on any of the res Solutions um so that said uh does council have any questions or comments looked it over ahead of time I didn't see anything that jumped out at me Mr President straight forward it's it's mostly reorg uh transfer standard reorganization uh items that we do newspapers and so forth so if no members of the public wish to comment then I'll ask for a motion I think Janice Janice did you yes yes rck don't mess around Rick here okay Jen got from 30 Trinity Avenue Cornell Heights okay I have two questions uh ca31 is that in Cornell Heights the Evelyn avenue and and the gr court and what is it or there two EVN Avenue States oh that was Christopher States right Christopher States matter it's it's finally where is Christopher Estates do we that's not in Cornell Heights but oh okay elsewhere somewhere in Hamilton okay okay I thought we had the only upin Avenue okay I guess not then okay and then the other one is ca37 uh with's the Asen pink what what is that about the Ruckers the re Rehabilitation of the uh damate the waterers shed agreement bar and it's re rehabilitating the structure of uh Dam dam number eight oh they're just fixing the dam yes okay and where's the dam at the dam there we have a picture for you I believe it's in the park in Veterans Park V Park okay well that's a ways from us then all righty just curious okay thank you did they give us a picture on that one no any other members of the public wishing comment seeing none um seeing no further comment from the public I move to close the public comment and move on consent agenda items ca1 through ca41 I'll second that it's a lot on the motion Mr caravelli yes M Phillips yes Mr whan yes Mr PaPeRo yes Mr Tai yes pass is 5 z pass next we have ordinance 125-1 this is an ordinance amending and supplementing the code of the township of Hamilton New Jersey part three land use legislation chapter 550 Land Development Article 4 General regulations and design standards section 550-4385 I move on uh ordinance number 1251 first reading and introduction second motion on the motion Mr Carabelli yes M Phillips yes Mr whan yes Mr PaPeRo yes Mr Ty yes passes 5 Z next we have resolution 12540 this is a resolution referring the proposed amendments to the code of the township panel to New Jersey part three land use legislation chapter 550 Land Development Article 4 General ulations design standards section 550-4385 d-26 so we'll open this up to discussion are there uh any questions or comments on councel and just so uh the public knows this is to put the uh minimum distance requirement in place uh we're going to we're going to be uh enacting in an ordinance to or It's Our intention I should say to enact an ordinance to put a minimum amount of space between cannabis retailers uh similar to what we have in place for um alcohol for bars and liquor stores and just to add to that council president if you wouldn't mind um it's still under the under our ordinance retail dispensaries there's three that we have allotted for in CET 3 just so they're not clustered together that's the goal of this legislation okay any other comment from councel seeing none any members of the public wishing to comment on this uh resolution seeing none make the motion to close the public comment portion on resolution 12504 I have a second I'll second the motion on the motion Mr harell yes Miss Phillips yes Mr whan yes Mr paparo yes Mr Ty yes pass is 5 Z okay now it's time to open the meeting to comments from members of the public no one signed up would anyone like to approach uh and discuss anything anything anything you're good come on up Janice happy New Year Janice happy New Year and Miss Janice Janice 432 Trinity Avenue Cornell he SP this is a fast meeting here Jan I just wanted to amend my comment the Christopher States is just North of Cornell Heights so it's it's it's not in cornells but it's just north of it if you're looking where 295 and and US1 come to a so it's north of of where you are oh okay all righty thank you sorry about that look at the map again problem all right um number one and what happened to our calendars usually we always have our calendars for recycling and stuff like that what's status of the Calenders they're at the printer all ready to go um we're we're shooting for you should have it at your home uh before the end of the month but we're hoping for Mid Monon all right so we're getting there maybe another week or a little longer I try to get date because then people get you know you'll come back to the next meeting and tell me you didn't get yours yet and why didn't I get it so our official answer is by the end of this month you should have it we're hopeful that it'll come sooner than that all right thank you much because I for the recycling I like it for the recycling and then the other thing is I did go to Veterans Park not Veterans Park crer Park crer farm and um they always do a great job but this year they were absolutely outstanding I don't know who you pass this on to but I mean the trees I mean they had extra lights on and they were gorgeous the house looked nice and the gazabo that was out of sight that was absolutely phenomenal I mean I rode through and I go to the the end where you I don't know where they exit you behind St Anthony someplace or other but I came back and I looked at it again and then I went to a second time and did this same thing and stopped and look it was gorgeous and then I went back another day and I looked at it again they did an absolutely outstanding job so p on the word say all to do is duplicate this forever for all I care it was gorgeous absolutely gorgeous especially that Gaz Bo outstanding thank you for those comments council president that's all done by our public works department and in conjunction with the recreation department but they're the ones out there and they take weeks and sometimes mon months to get it just right and we have a a great crew out there they're all a good crew but we have certain members of the crew that really this is their baby they they love to make it beautiful like that so we will definitely pass on your comments we did get a lot of comments from other residents as well so it was it was particularly beautiful this year so hopefully that'll it'll get better and better each year right go ahead I was going to bring it up to my Council comments also so but I spoke to uh one of the employees uh she advised me that she worked weekends for uh 7 weeks straight uh in order to get that ready and get that going so it's a testament to the work that they did and you know everybody being involved Friday yeah yeah Winter Wonderland is a great event for our community um and I think the community really it it pays off the community comes together on the night that they do the Christmas tree lighting uh when the weather cooperates we get thousands of residents Who come out and join us for that it's great night and then it's just a great um great place to go visit it's a nice showcase for Cruiser Park too uh which I consider one of our hidden gems in in Hamilton great place to visit take the tour of the Museum of the uh Mansion yes and the Train Museum and the train so uh any other members of the public wishing to comment happy New Year director Dumont go pack go okay uh limiting his comment to football uh all right well with that uh we'll move on to comments from Council starting with my colleague on my left no mixing it up president um I just like to say congratulations again president and I look forward to the upcoming year working with you and also to my friend and colleague vice president P perro um we had a wonderful 2024 we made a lot of progress as you mentioned and I look forward to another successful year working with my colleagues in the administration clerk's office um and hopefully it gets warmer soon that's my comment especially in this room I hope everyone has a good night and gets home safely thank you councilman wh um first off uh Happy New Year to everybody and contrary to Mr dumont's statement about the pack I say go Birds um by bye Mr Dumont um um as far as uh president Tha and uh vice president um Pap paparo I I wish you both um much success uh this coming year um as in the past um it's been a pleasure working under both of you guys um Anthony again thank you for everything you do and what you've done as the president for the past year and the best part about it is you still give our invocation um therez Nobody Does it Better right Janice right so um anyway everybody um drive safe out there there could be some black ice and just uh be safe and we'll see you see you soon at the end of the month councilman car belly I'll be really brief I just want to Echo the comments have a good night congratulations oh thank you oh thank thank you thank you thank you good seeing you guys um there's a little bit less stress in this in this seat and and um I I know it's left in good hands so I appreciate was this and I want to congratulate um our vice president papao I'm sure you guys are going to do a great job and I'm excited about this year together with you I listen every every team sometimes we have our hiccups here and there but we for the most part we we work really well together and I I I truly am uh am blessed by the fact that you know I have good colleagues here and also on in the clerk's office and the administration so it makes life a lot easier um I also just want to make one announcement and I don't know if uh anyone else was going to mention this but there's an MLK event Martin Luther King event um that's on uh the 13th at 7:00 p.m. at Faith Christian uh Baptist Church always a good event at 700 p.m. so uh well turn good turnout frequently um and then also and I've been working with the administration here and other municipalities but in my County role I just want to mention um there's a business grant program for businesses so if you know a business out there that is seeking uh Grant dollars we have a variety of different uh programs out there so I just want to allude to that um and uh you know spread the word so feel free to reach out to me and I can get you more information on that um but thankful to be here and uh this uh New Year and looking forward to working with you guys so thank you thank you Council vice president just want to say thank you to my team right for uh putting me where I am uh for allowing me to be part of the team for always having our back looking out for us uh for always having us prepared and um don't get too comfortable in that I'm coming back uh to our residents Who come out uh we appreciate you coming out um haven't missed the meeting we appreciate you being here here as always as part of our team and uh I look forward to an exciting year it's going to be a good year uh it's going to be a lot of good things happening and uh I look forward to it thank you um we we have hardworking council members on this Das I'm not sure that anybody can say they work harder than uh our Council vice president Pat paparo Uh it makes me extremely comfortable that I know um Pat will have my back this year uh that we'll be working closely together uh to ensure smooth delivery uh of of everything uh our responsibilities to the public uh this year so I am looking forward to it uh there's a lot to look forward to in Hamilton uh this this coming year there are always going to be challenges that we may or may not foresee some that we know some that we do not I know we're already hard at work on uh a plan to meet our affordable housing requirement um we are uh I'm looking forward to seeing continued progress on our new Municipal complex uh which by the way we're going to be sharing with our Board of Ed which is going to save Hamilton taxpayers money for decades to come uh the fact that we were able to achieve that level of cooperation that uh previously was unseen in the town ship so um I'm looking forward to more open space space initiatives I'm looking forward to uh moving forward with the solar field uh on the uh location of the old mccrany landfill uh the estimates that I've seen uh this is a municipal it's going to be Municipal solar energy uh and the estimates that I've seen are that it's going to provide for uh 80% of the electrical electricity need for uh the township so I'm very much looking forward to seeing that work um move forward uh and there there are more to come in 2025 so uh thank you all for being here you know when we first start during Anthony's first term as council president this room tended to be a lot Fuller you know I used to joke that we were going to try to make Council meetings boring again and and I think we've succeeded there's less drama right no drama uh which is knock on wood that's that's where we want to be just delivering good government uh and continuing that effort every day uh to provide good government to the the residents of our community uh I'm grateful uh and I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year and unless anyone has anything else then this meeting is adjourned that was people that were sitting there I don't know my