##VIDEO ID:brbUzaKxRt4## I [Music] last [Music] [Music] [Music] ask [Music] brother [Music] he still [Music] was it's [Music] still work [Music] mic [Music] all right so I think so this is muted for the mic for the computer and then Zoom is on micro volume mute yeah that's on the computer and this Zoom is on on YouTube live stream right now yes yes YouTube live stream there can you hear yes okay [Music] [Music] okay meeting [Music] meeting thank you this means being held in compliance with the New Jersey open public meetings act been advertised in retrospect B board downstairs and to all official B social media channels I ask for those of you who are present with us in the room please put your phone on Sil and if you need to speak with somebody while we're conducting business please do so outside of council chambers pres Mr M M Morales Mr K Mr sza Mr Woods here you have on thank you very much first item on the agenda this evening is the public portion of the meeting anyone from the public who wishes speak on any topic please come forward state your name and address for the record just making sure perfect absolutely yeah walk us through a little bit so I have here uh we're going to be digging this path out and we're going to put qu chips in along withum to keep everything contained and potentially we're inst great and this is a good this was previously approved correct um and Council any questions on what's being proposed here what was the timeline start middle of November 16th is anything else all right forward to thank you very much for coming in J Inferno 3 Avenue also the owner of physical therapy at West lab um I just wanted to come tonight to uh let F and Council know that we have a new board for the Merchantville Business and Professional Association um that was elected um in August uh so I'm now elected as president um and Dr Hunter Nicholas is the VP um Michael from love is secretary Johan Hickman from Brotherly Love was elected as treasur and um n who also here tonight was elected as the events coordinator um so one of the main things that we're trying to do with the uh Business Association is actually um make it go from somewhat of a I would say a club to a group that's meeting um quarterly we have board meetings down monthly we also actually filed for our um our nonprofit status um um with the and have a TA ID number and I think one of our biggest things we would like to see happen um had multiple discussions about this is a business registration so I did send to um uh Denise a draft of a potential business registration ordinance I don't know if you got that email last week but I can send it again from merville our email um but it's something that we've talked about in conjunction with we've done a lot of research on doing the business of bid looking at a bid looking at business registration looking at a club registration for the Business Association and I just kind of wanted to throw it out there now that it you know we've had multiple businesses have talked about and are in favor of doing a ordinance for an actual business registration for bricking Mor businesses in the town to actually have a registry um with a fee that could used for business beautification things to help the downtown become more thriving within within the business community so it's just something I think that we would like to have more discussion with May Council over the next several months and see kind of where we land on that and see your thoughts and our thoughts on that so one of great any questions Council anything we'll take a look at it and we'll see what we can do have some conversations yeah I think it's definitely just a partnership and conversation at this point and to see your thoughts what would the fee I we take a de look at what with the you suggested like a $60 yearly fee that potentially could go out with um the fire registration yearly fee at the same time for Brick and Order businesses you know located within the bar so and that's something that the members are supportive of members who currently attend our meetings and I'm not going to say we get you know all 80 businesses to attend our meetings we generally have about 20 businesses that do attend um are in favor of of of that um I think the biggest thing is that they want to make sure that a fee and a fund like this is kind of held in trust that that money is dedicated to the use of the downtown and or the West End businesses whether it be in you know beautification of the streets whether it be in you know updating sidewalks whether it be in marketing that's a big one for us marketing shop Merchantville and and you know right now we do it on our own actually the co does all of that we don't we're not able to boost post we don't really have that budget to be able to do that but we do think that would be helpful to either have someone take that over that maybe a contractor that does that or we have someone internally do it but we're able to use money to boost those posts it just brings more attention and awareness to the Barrow brings more attention to the to both the professional um you know Services we have in bar as well as the retail services so um that's probably one of the biggest things that we need is just that awareness and you know most of the time things are social media could also be print ads you know where where instead of businesses you know getting together to try and funnel their money this come out as like this so than very any other members of the public all right see close public portion of meeting we'll move to the public hearing on ordinance 249 reping chapter 94 zoning signs section 9458 political signs anyone wishing to speak on that ordinance please come forward state your name and address the record hearing and seeing none we'll close the public hearing on ordinance 249 chapter 94 zoning science section 9458 political science and we will move into the adoption of ordinance 249 repealing chapter 94 Zing science section 9458 political science do I have a motion so move second I have a motion Mr Fitzgerald second Mr Woods any discussion on the ordinance adoption none call please Mr Morales yes mood yes thank you very much okay we have uh approval minutes first the September 9th 2024 meeting of council M Woods are able to vote on that motion motion second all in favor [Music] iions uh and then the September 23rd 2024 uh Caucus meeting of B councel um Mr Fitzgerald Mr Woods can V on that I have a motion second any discussion in favor thanks very able to be with us here this evening he did not get a report out but he did tell me that the only thing that he has on his list is that we're going to start the somerset project on Wednesday notification is going out has gone out today and that project will begin um Wednesday and there will be no interruption on the use of the community center and they they assume it will take about two weeks any questions about that nice be aenue to do that anyes okay we'll move into Council reps wood start thank you your honor just aoup updates uh from the Green Team want to thank for her hard work uh we were for $500 Grant to uh continue to pursue and some that we had talked about a while ago from sh uh potentially developing a tiny Forest Area along the bik proposed originally so this $2500 Grant will allow us to take next steps and potentially figure out where out the space other thing I mention and also from the Green Team I want to thank them for all their hard work merville was once again as bronze status for the SLE Jersey program and that any questions for Mr Woods on that the only question I have not able to answer this um how far are we from Silver so it was actually again because some of the things can't the second time around um so I think silver there would be a lot of effort that need to take place not just take from others to to get us to that Mark annual certification or it's every three years I I think they can go from a different accredited level to another not within that span but you have to recertify so reapply for Bron in years just have a status but in the inter put a Sil I wonder if we can sort of try and set a path Sil figure out that [Music] means I think what may be helpful I a lot under their Bel maybe create a joint maybe amongst like the Shad tree the Green Team other enemies that may play a role in this to figure out so we can everybody coordinate and figure out what we need to do um way all [Music] [Music] right be allight start off Council report the money over to the B for the month of October was 51,2 15871 the cases that were added P month were1 149 and 365 cases were exposed um for the month of September we had five virtual sessions sessions tomorrow um Tuesday October [Applause] 15 committee meeting schedule um we are going to be doing hybrid here at the Town Council um B office right here [Music] um Talk little about mission statement and that we would like to happen for an update is that down great questions questions the only I will ad um this I think you would have got a copy of this um it's morale since the retirement letter of our administrator um can't even say that that's the problem um Moren has been working with the buau for uh quite a few years you can tell because she addressed with dear Teddy that she knew me before my current position here yes so um we wish Mar well she'll be retiring at the end of January 2025 so if you have an opportunity to see morine hopefully not because you're at court uh but please wish her well she's done a lot for our her for a very long time as and is always on call as she let know many times thank you to okay uh Mr thank you honor um bed met on October 7 report there some early good signs of improvement over the last couple of years Co kind of did a number on they do a a annual report showing status updates in terms of of math reading science and they are shown um also want to mention that upcoming weekend the 18th and the 19th this ha house is done at the school please if you get the chance stop by all proceeds go to eth grade graduating class events um Board of Health we met on the 10 continuing to do work on the wellness campaign um the county Cy County's also put out notice about their vaccine drives that'll be taking place all across the county for RSV meeting up with uh the director sometime this week to go over what we're going to be looking at for the next three months to when is added to the amount of leaves coming down lger as on proceed want to make sure they're keeping up with that with also the parks um want to thank them for uh working around the construction that was taking place on M ground also a speed recovery to Chris who was injured we have been able to um bring in someone to to fill in the space in the time period that he's going to be out merville business professionals Association met on the 21st um J kind of pilled everything in there so there's really not too much that I there besides saying that um also Emergency Management I'm hoping to be meeting up with with him sometime in the next week to discuss all the upcoming events some of those public events we have a zombie run on the 26th Halloween obviously is on the 31st um thank you Scouts for bringing out the uh the house again to the center of town to um all the events that have taken place over the past coup months the market R's Treasures um Scott toy music best and when I missed I apologize we also have um upcoming the pumpkin decorating contest on merch obviously and hopefully upcoming walking tour and finally from Communications the website still being worked out but um all uh C news is being put out through Facebook so please if you haven't like And subscribe for um updates through there and thank you very much Mr P the only thing I will add is that we' also made some um we're able to make some initial improvements to the website we still do business with the B while websites on construction you can still access um all calendar records minutes meeting minutes and agendas and things of that nature on the website now we will be more active on social media while the website is undergoing reconstruction do we know a timeline long we don't know not right now that one of the things I think updates that we needed to put on the webs should you send them over you send them over to Rebecca and they'll be updated either through social media at this point or um there is some calar function some events function is available on construction y questions support Mr Fitzgerald said most of the things but I just wanted to point out that the um the word for the house of merchand will be on Halloween evening at The Witch's House at 8:30 the market is November 16th the last one but it's a holiday market and that we will be having a grant award announcement on October 22nd at 11:00 11 a.m. at the Merchantville mile if anyone's interested and that's for the award of the $850,000 grant we received um and tomorrow if anyone is interested on Council and the audience Fox News will be at West Walnut Avenue at 7:30 a.m. and then at the buy B and the station area at 8:30 a.m. to do a story on Monster Bill questions from M none Comm devel report we get a specific report from Rebeca but I just want to discuss what Mrs announced uh October 22nd 11:00 a.m. uh that we're having a funding announcement that's Congressional funding for the proove this of the multiuse path uh that our friends in government and the federal government were able to work nice enough to award F grant funding is going to fund lighting and other improvements resurfacing etc for the multi-use path so if you can be there Congress nor Ross's office is going to be there don't they will be there as well um so come on out it's a great event to announce uh such great news um additionally uh as I'm sure many of you know at the at the land use meeting last week uh on the 8th the land use board approved the site claim and VAR for the PNC PNC back building for the L Restaurant uh so it's a great uh development and step forward for redevelopment of that site which has been 15 plus years in the making um and it sounded like based upon testimony that they're looking at a late summer early fall opening 2025 so looking forward to that that'll be a nice nice That's all forel question right CFO report I business I don't have any list here we move into new business we have the approved use facility for the haunted walking tour and Sip and Shop event [Music] [Music] do so we have two applications from the Merchantville Business and Professional Association the one is for the ha walking tour for monsterville the EV date is 1025 yes starting at 6:00 p.m. running to 9:45 p.m. uh will start at the Gazebo and'll be walking toward to downtown businesses as approvals from Public Works Community Development fire police still waiting Public Safety and for council's approval so I'll make a motion uh to approve the application give provide has all necessarity motion second on Walk application any questions all in favor the second uh also from professional association is for a sit and Shop event on November 30th uh starting at 11 a.m. and R till 3 p.m. they anticipate a size of approximately 100 uh the plan is to have beer and wine and liquor vendors throughout the town to set up samplings areas for people to try their Beverages and then also for other vendors who may not have licenses for non for alcohol beverages they offer non-alcoholic items um it'll be used can be used a Zeebo triangle Mory Park and other Street and sidewalk locations near Brotherly Love Creations uh it does not have uh any approvals at the moment and it looks like from the fire sheet they are looking for a map of vendor locations so I I would make a motion to approve provide that that we receive a map locations that's approved by um fire and Public Safety and all necessary that are needed have motion second discussion thank very okay uh we have four five six resolutions to be read by consern this evening uh does anyone have any objection to reading those as a consent agenda all right hearing none I'm going to read through the resolutions to be read by consent agenda resolution 2492 NJ 2023 Road Project change order one and final resolution 2493 Cy County cooperative carcus removal resolution 2494 chap 159 special items of Revenue resolution 2495 auth contributor to the disability insurance with the Department of Labor resolution 2497 to disabled veteran allowance and resolution [Music] 24er motion Fitzgerald second is Mr Woods Mr fitgerald M Mor Mr wood yes um we have one ordinance uh that is being introduced this evening uh this is an introduction for first reading considered for adoption public hearing on during the November 4th counc meeting ordinance 24-10 chapter 2 fees adding article for commercial I motion a motion Mr Woods second is Mr Fitzgerald any discussion on the introduction of this ordinance Please Mr fitgerald M Morales yes Mr wood yes um next we have the payment of the bills [Music] it I'd like to make a motion for resolution 24.99 for payment of the bills in total of 453,000 $664 I have a first Mr second by m Morales any discussion Please Mr Morales Mr yes any other announcements other than we else announcements uh the only question I have is um for the next meeting we do have couple Ved on is everybody available [Music] private session this evening I'll motion motion Mr second Mr Woods 7 fav [Music] well I was like until