[Music] this meeting is called to order in accordance with the open public meeting act notice of this meeting was provided to the home news J room the star leer and the Highland Park planet on January 5th 2024 and was posted on ball website at w www.hpborrow.com and on the bulletin board of borrow Hall 221 South 5th Avenue Island Park New Jersey and has remained continuously posted as required by law fire exit are to my left and right of council chambers Chief can you Le Us in the pl of allegiance alance to the flag of the United States stes of America and to the rep stands one nation God indivisible and justice for all roll call Mayor Foster here councilwoman Cana here councilman George here councilman H here council president H here councilwoman Kim Chan Council mic here Pro attorney sha here administrator H here approval of minutes uh can I have a motion to approve the following minutes as distributed January 16 2024 regular and executive session January 30th 2024 Redevelopment entity and February 6 2024 second roll call Council woman Cana yes councilman [Music] Jordan councilman H yes council president H yes and great job council member yes now it's time for Council report council member Hill uh just a quick one tonight um so the neighborhood preservation program I'm uh first of all for those of you who are not watching I'm Matt ha I chair the economic development uh committee um so if you can't see the video I want everybody to hear who we are so um uh so uh the neighborhood preservation program uh is looking for volunteers to be on the stakeholder committee um if you own a business or a resident uh up and around Woodbridge Avenue um please uh consider volunteering to um provide your input about the various things that we're going to be doing for the mppp in the next year we just got approval um of our third year plan um uh so we're looking forward to implementing that um very very very shortly uh to start that um the farmers market is up and running for a short uh winter Farmers Market the winter Farmers Market to bundle up and come to uh the the farmers market from 11: to 4: on Fridays um and just a little bit further away uh is a reminder that the street fair and the 5K are coming back will'll be around on May so um a ways away um also wanted to point out that uh we've got some new businesses that are uh close opening or about to open um there's a Park Liquor which is an add-on to Park deli uh giddy's Pizza we expect to be up pretty soon where Susana used to be uh there's me too flowers which be up over the summer Highland Pizza also up over the summer and of course Super Fresh up over the summer so um there's a lot of uh of those new businesses that are coming into town so if you see a new business that you haven't um uh seeing before go in toop and say hi and leave money um and uh and for all our businesses yeah but especially for the so um that's my report thank you council member can Health and Human Services Board of Health is working with ch the chief and the police department to do a presentation on proper gun storage safety information will be coming as soon as we get a set date the commission for universal access will be meeting via zoom on March 11th information you found on the website the community food pantry is open on the 2 and 4th Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. and again from 6:00 pm. to 700 p.m and Saturday following the Thursday from 9:30 a. to 10 a.m. the Highland Park gives a ho hoood pantry is every Tuesday at the s 6 center from 11 10 a.m. to 11: a.m. unfortunately both programs have seen a large increase in families needing their services the UN relations commission will be presenting the Gratitude tree March 27th at 6m at the community center it's a chance for the community to come together to Express gratitude for the many reasons why we're grateful to be living in Highland Park and the Mental Health commission is still looking for new members if you're interested you can reach out to me at sorry Tara Cana hbo.com thank you thank you uh council member George thank you mayor councilman Phil George here with the public safety report for the Highland Park Police Department the uh police department is something new in mind for a community activity kite making on Wednesday March 27th from 4:30 to 6:30 officers from the police department are planning to be helping with kite making and decoration at the community center um details to be firmed up but it looks like the 27th at 4:30 to 6:30 there'll be refreshments and gathering together to celebrate spring more details will follow apologies to our residents who um Turned out yesterday I know that there were some connectivity problems with the mo mobile Motor Vehicle Commission uh truck um it's been moved to the reform church but it is very helpful I stop to ask a question about some paperwork problems that I have um and it's an easy way to Ren I think you can make an appointment uh with them and hopefully things will work work much better but the mobile um inst installation is a great help to people who can't get down to some of the regional officers um it's unfortunate that the Highland Park uh fire department couldn't use the MVC office because uh our new fire engine is almost ready to go it needs license plates but license plates for fire engine are a little bit more difficult to get the going down and and U registering your 1968 Volkswagen Beetle unfortunately once the plates are installed the inspections Road inspections will take place final equipment and fit out will be done and and the vehicle will be on the road and servicing with regard to the Highland Park Library I stopped at the library today um the the library was closed for some inspections of some of the mechanical installations uh but the good news is with the snow accumulation and then the rains we've been having uh the leak problem is not gone but confined just to the minor amounts um according to the executive director where we know there are Parts um and and it's just dripping it it's not causing any flooding whatsoever um the good news is that the the work is moving along very well um executive director V advice mean that um Administration has gotten specifications for the roofing contract ready to go out to bid so that project will be moving along um hopefully even a little bit faster uh than the outline uh plan for the RO replacement um and the architectural plans for the cusher upgrades uh on the inside which were handling sort of coordinating but sort of as a separate project are moving along as well so we're looking uh forward to that next improvements and opening very shortly that's my report thank you mayor thank you council member post name thank you mayor I'm Jason bck I chair the re and the art and Rec uh committee which is the fun committee um I have a relatively brief report for tonight um first up just a quick reminder that uh grocery uh store Transportation uh is available through the community center um if you're in need of any please reach out to the staff there at 7 2819 0052 um moving on to some Community centered programming highlights there's free tax preparation assistance at the community center um you can get an appointment there every Tuesday through April between now and April 14 uh you get your taxes prepared by IRS certified volunteers um please note the program is limited to individuals with incomes up to $70,000 and um again appointments are required so to make one please follow that number at the community center again which is 732 819 0052 uh next up we have a St Patrick's Day uh luncheon on Tuesday March 19th which will be noon again at the community center um so there'll be lunch uh and music by the by round the house ban um and then there's a a little later in the month there'll be a community behavoral event help Behavioral Health event on Tuesday March 26 from 12: to 3 at the community center um there'll be resources and presentations visit the community center or their Facebook page for more information um on to a couple of Rec programming highlights uh all summer camp registrations are now open there's already only two spots that they've been open for like five days now there's already only two spots left available for the theater Camp um this town loves theater uh and there are also still um opportunities to apply for the gives a hoop scholarship um the application can be uh down online uh the deadline for that is March 15 and stay tuned because in the coming weeks we'll be announcing some new adult programs there'll be some new yoga and mindfulness adult classes uh coming up later this spring spring when it starts um lastly an Arts commission update there'll be an art together program at the zimmerly Museum of Art in uh at Ruckers and brenwick uh the art commission's gorilla Art Club will be hosting the mar uh art together event uh that will be on March 10th from 1: to 3M families are free to pop in and out work on art projects that'll be based on a few pieces of artwork from the Zim rele collection uh for more information please reach out to Gilla Art Club uh at Highland Park GAC gmail.com that's Highland Park GAC gmail.com mayor that is my report for this evening thank you council president thank you mayor Council pelic I think councilman George would would say the Public Works committee is the fun it is think I think you've said that uh my name mat I get to drive the fire truck right I haven't done that I haven't done that yet my name is Matt H future fire truck driver and chair of the Public Works committee uh and um uh just just just briefly a few a few items mayor um there is uh a waterman break unfortunately to I have that to report uh right now South Fifth Avenue here is being closed from Valentine to Graham Street and access to South Fifth from Donaldson will also be closed signs and Cones are being put up and the link is located at the intersection of South fth Avenue in Donaldson and is believed to be unfortunately one of the six in M police dispatch has been notified Highland Park fire closure as well so please uh the area and just keep keep keep a look at for additional constructions composting MX County division of solid waste management is making available composting BS purchase through middx County yes very cool uh for more information please call the county at 732 745 4170 just a few items T that I wanted to point to on the on the conent agenda there's a few I won't get into the Nitty Gritty here but a series of of resolutions that really tee the burrow up for participation uh in the state's Community solar program uh resolution 32492 allows the Bro to submit an application to the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities uh for participation in the community solo program and form a subscriber group of low and moderate income customers to receive the economic benefit of this project but in order for the buau to submit a viable application to this program the buau also needs to identify a third party developer that will finance own operate and maintain a community solar project so uh uh uh the uing [Music] resolution [Music] 32496 excuse me uh allows for um puts request for proposals together uh that would allow us to move forward with that and what this does is that it allows the buau to automatically opt in LMI customers uh into the community solar program just automatic you can opt out if you'd like you automatically are optim to immediately get that that that savings uh Highland Park has entered into a Consulting agreement with Gable Associates actually entered into that agreement back in 2023 uh and Gable will support the development of the program at no cost to the B and under the Gable Associates Consulting agreement all fees for services will be paid for by the successful developer in connection with this master performance agreement uh so very exciting really happy to finally see this project move forward um and uh uh and then three 2496 uh this is also exciting our spring tree planting initiative we'll we'll plant 72 trees in the ground uh this year which is you know we have a lot of trees a lot of our homes in the bur were built at the same time and thereby those trees that were planted then are also aging out at the same time so I think we've all noticed that you know that that that tree maintenance has become more frequent and that limbs are starting to fall and you know we really have to keep an eye out so getting those trees in the ground keeping up with that and surpassing what we're losing uh is is is critical so under the care careful supervision of our arborist Tom pel for administrator Terry H our amazing shade tree advisory committee uh we have a bid uh for Down Down to Earth Landscaping for tree planting so that should be uh it's always a worthy project and we really are getting a lot of uh trees in the ground uh including this last back in the fall uh Public Works uh bulk waste collection so it's March already uh we're thinking about clearing out our our our available spaces and and and getting rid of some things that we don't need anymore um whole collection is made by appointment pickup pickups are scheduled on Wednesdays uh in April uh also May June September and October uh but get that April one planned for now to make an appointment please call public works at 732 247 9379 and for more information you can go to www.hp and search for bulk waste collection or go to departments Public Works garbage uh acceptable items include Furniture uh fixtures carpets Home Improvement materials but unaccepted unacceptable items are dirt concrete roofing materials hazardous materials and automotive parts or straps again the the information I just I just uh mention at the website uh gets into more detail about what is allowed and what's not the environment commission we'll meet tomorrow March 6 at 800m on Zoom please join us and the link can be found at www.hpb.com and then as lead on to sustainable Jersey I did just want to highlight um you might have seen a an an oped piece attended by Jennifer coffee from the association of New Jersey environmental Commissioners commissions and Ed pnik from the New Jersey League of conservation voters uh this is a kind of a veiled response to uh you might have heard of a was certain plastic bag industry uh uh industry voice that start to discredit New Jersey's plastic pollution reduction act but here's the key point because science doesn't lie a recent comprehensive National study by environment America cited by the world economic Forum recognizes New Jersey's plastic bag band as the most effective of the 10 states in America with such bands a sample of 160 New Jersey grocery stores reporting plastic B consumption data to the New Jersey food Council the grocery store Industry Group before and after the band was in place suggesting sample grocery stores saved 55 million bags per month in total which translates to 343,000 plastic bags saved per store per month and 11,500 plastic bag saved per store per day according to the environment America report so many thanks to sustainable Highland Park to this Council uh highberg was a leader was was was one of the leaders in in elimin plastic bags uh and then New Jersey follow suit so keep up the good work it is working and these are the small things that we can do at home that can that something much more I have one question what is LMI customers sorry low and moderate income apolog LMI if I said if I use the abbreviation LMI in relation to our community solar program is low and moderate income customers administrator report attorney I had a few things but it's a lot of repeats so I'm just going to make it brief that for anyone the the motor vehicles CL or station will be here and at the welit Pavilion in our public parking lot until Friday so anyone want to go down and get their IDE get real ID or get any kind of any kind of stuff they want from Motor Vehicles it will be there at in front of the welit Pavilion until Friday today they did 60 60 residents were served so that's really cool so I'm so happy that they're here we had a hiccup yesterday but I worked with the assembl men Caravan and we were able to work it out and to get our get their system up and running so they can provide the service that was promised by the ass office so again I want to thank assem Manan when I spoke with him yesterday for jumping into action and helping to make this all happen um Highland Park the Highland Park quarterly is ready so you can come to ball and get a copy or Community Center or some of the apartment buildings where we drop them off you can have your quarterly and you can find out what's going on in hland park um Park Partners Grant today is the last day for application for the park Partners gr if you haven't done so already you have until midnight to get that in so please go ahead and get your application in on a on a very sad note um a resident of Highland Park that I met when I when I started here many years ago at at least 20 years I I know of D Donell and she was a constant fixer at the community center and she lived at a senior and she passed away on Sunday and I would just want to take a brief moment moment of silence to remember de and anyone who doesn't know de de was the lady at y say zipping around in her wheelchair around Highland Park and she was pretty fast in that wheelchair okay now it's time for public participation 21 minutes per speaker limit to items on the agenda members attended in in person will be heard first followed by those who are attended on Zoom to participate anyone Zoom I don't see any hands raised on Zoom I do see eight attendees at this time thank you may I have a motion to adopt or reject the following consent agenda items 81 through 21 21 councila yes councilman George yes Council yes council president yes councilman yes reing a separate reading is have a motion to adopt resolution 3-24 d99 resolution to amend the 2024 Municipal temporary budget Council George yes counc houn yes coun yes okay now it's time for a second public comment three minutes per per participant on any topic we will be closing at 9M coms can