##VIDEO ID:TExpXm3aVKg## good evening everyone this is a meeting of the township committee September 23rd 2024 the notice requirements provided for in the open public meetings act have been satisfied notice of this meeting was properly given by transmission to the Asbury Park Press the two of your times and by posting at the Middletown Township Municipal Building and filing with the Township Clerk all on January 11 20124 committee man Clark here committee women Katz here committee said bro here Deputy Mayor hell here mayor Perry here please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance you know what Heidi let's hey Lin little Lee come up here and lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance real quick double time double time yeah that's it line line up right there is all right coach yeah sure all right go ahead turn and face the crowd right there okay before we begin with the um the link PR Little League we have one special presentation uh Peter Engelman is here tonight who is the chairman of the USS New Jersey submarine commissioning ceremony and we'd like to invite you to please come forward for presentation to the mayor why don't we head back and then we'll let Pete do his presentation yeah because I'm not I don't know commission FX sub for the US Jersey here let's get your microphone real quick let me show our group first let me start again good evening and thank you for allowing me to cut in your meeting uh as you all know I hope you all know we could ago week and a half ago the Navy commissioned it's um newest fast attack subm in the USS New Jersey at Naval weapons station Earl it's a one in once in a-lifetime event U very special event in the life of the ship and a very special event for the state of New Jersey and also for This Town Township of Middletown um and um I guess I have to go I just mentioned this upstairs in the executive room and thank the township how Township committee all of you all of the people residents of the town for their wonderful support of the sub the sailors were here they had a great time the ceremony went off without hitch everything was wonderful and quite frankly it was a testament to the work that everybody done did and the receptiveness of the Town towards the sailers of the Navy so we had uh commissioned an artist to do a a uh painting of the submarine which you see in front of us we actually did a very big one it was so big it couldn't fit on the submarine and it's actually going to go to the state house because it's called the USS New Jersey so they get the big one but we had some others made up and we said oh my gosh who should we give them to and number one on the list was the township of Middletown so here's a picture thank God over here made it all work for us we really appreciate it you know this is the new USS New Jersey driving into Sandy Hook with some do I think it's doing 12 knots which is why it has all the wake in front of it uh it's got some dolphins in front of it and line with the Legacy which is very important to the Navy are the two previous ships called the USS New Jersey bb16 for world World War I and bb62 which is down now down in can World War I and others so this is now your your painting to put wherever you would like thank um I think uh uh yeah uh let me just say this um Memorial Day of last year I got an invitation as the mayor to head over to naal Weapon Station Earl and basically a guinea pig um a day on on the USS Oregon which is the sistership of the USS New Jersey and I got to go down inside the sub I got to tour the sub I got to walk across the USS Cole which obviously many of you know was the the ship that got bombed in Yemen or Omen I believe um in 2000 um which was uh directly prior to September 11th and I boarded this historic ship and walked across and stood on top of a nuclear submarine uh if you put that on your bingo card it was not on there for me as the mayor to hop on board a nuclear submarine but I did and I go down inside and had lunch with uh several Navy high ranking Navy officers and the idea was to talk about whether or not Middletown and Naval Weapon Station Earl could be the home to the commissioning ceremony of the USS New Jersey well I immediately started doing a couple things petitioning to get that and also petitioning to change it to the USS Middletown and not USS we got one we didn't get the other but we're working on it um but in that process I got to meet this gentleman right here in Peter Angelman who lived and breathed the commissioning ceremony from that day to today and is still doing it the special moment that occurred was when I got off of this bus with with the members of congress with the secretary of the Navy with others and got up onto that de and realized that it was here after a year and a half's worth of time and that the moment that this ship and the Legacy that this ship will carry on um from its sisterships to what it will do in making us proud but securing the Peace of our nation and the world into the future was surreal at that moment in time and I couldn't be more proud more grateful for the work the effort that you've done that Julie did the entire commissioning team captain Holly everyone that was involved the crew from the moment they got here until the moment they left it was an unbelievable moment for me and I know for the township committee and for every Middletown resident that was a part of it it's not often that we get to Commission nuclear submarines in town ribbon cuting yes nuclear submarines no but it was a moment that I will never forget and I don't think any of us will ever forget the pride the patriotism the love for your country and knowing that deep down while it was a loud and unbelievable experience to be on that on that base that day to be at that at that Pier this ship will go quiet into the tonight defending the freedoms that we enjoy today and the 137 crew are on that ship not able to speak to their loved ones for months on end going out to seea in some of the most dangerous not only parts of this world but dangerous areas meaning thousands of feet underwater sound no that's not what Captain said he and by the way the speed he classified but he told me in the end after a couple drinks uh at bord Brewery um but let me just say that um it was hands down one of the most unbelievable moments in in this town's history and we are so grateful to be the home for every single one of those Sailors that will that climb AB boarded that day and that climb will climb aboard it in the future so this will have a special home here in Middletown so Peter thanks for everything you did and um and I I need to give a special shout out U Laura Mattis isn't here the rest of the team is here Cara Shannon Raven Giana Amy Rose the entire team was Stellar it would not have gone off as well as it did without their efforts without their commitment to delivering a great program and they deserve just as much credit as everybody else because because they did an unbelievable job so Peter I want to congratulate you on an unbelievable ceremony on unbelievable commissioning and thank you for everything that you did to bring it here to Middletown so thank you thank you two thank you Peter thanks again can we leave this here for the full meeting or no yeah did you know first I want to uh finish with the Pledge of Allegiance we just missed one important yes I wasn't G to say anything I know I can't resist you all join me in a moment of silence for serving worldwideing our constitutions freedoms and way of life thank you certainly appropriate to do that after the USS uh so our presentation tonight is for recognizing Little League link Little League Allstars 12u I'd like to invite coaches Todd Ellis Matt McDougall and Antonio Sone the thir and the players to join mayor mayor Perry at the front of the room right your biggest trophy we ever seen all right we we we don't I know you don't want to hit the P but we can yes spread out spread out spread out enjoy the moment um once again uh I I I keep saying it every time we have Champions come through here um but I'll tell you there's nothing better than the sight of a baseball diamond with nothing sweeter than the smell of that of that thirt on that diamond and and seeing it hearing that ball come off that bat and every time uh I would I would come in town hall coach would be standing right there ready to talk about the effort of of you boys um we have not only great kids here and great students but we got District 19 and section 3 Little League champions in the house tonight let's give so I'm I'm I'm I'm sitting there ready ready to go and and Coach zom comes to me the day before and he goes hey you could you could stream it you can watch it you can do whatever you and and in the end it was like 18 people spamming me to death on my social media for all these these fake ways to watch it but let me tell you something your your boys your effort your ability to overcome challenges to to show up in games that you may not have been thought of as the favorite to go out there and grind every single day to come out with that trophy right there sitting on that de that that's a testament not just to you but it's a testament to your coaches and it's a testament to your parents you boys deserve so much credit in bringing home that trophy you deserve Credit in going out there each and every day even when that when that line drive goes by it at Short Stop even though when maybe you didn't get that throw off over to the first basement as quickly as you could have maybe your glove wasn't in the dirt as deep as it could have been but you were there and prepared you were prepared to respond you prepared to act you were prepared to be ready for that next pitch that's what defines a champion is being prepared for that next pitch to know that when that splitter is coming in as to whether or not you should be moving to the left or to the right it defines you as an individual and as a player to understand what exactly that next moment is going to be you boys have all Define that next moment because now you get to call yourselves Champions and that deserves a big round of applause and a lot of not only are you Champions one time you're Champions two times right all right you can you can like get here it's all right yeah no problem in the all of a sudden we're quiet coacher conone coaches I don't know if you want to add anything here before we uh read all the certificates we have for for the boys here thanks mayor everybody else mayor Mur he was texting me at like 10:30 at night what's the deal with the game so he he was following you guys the whole town was behind you guys and he's made us proud and thank you to the families as well and you boys we had a great summer we really did thank you yeah um so I want to do me a favor keep grinding keep thanking your coaches keep thanking your parents and keep wanting to win it's okay in a time when it feels like it's it's not okay to say you want to go out there and win I'm telling you it's okay go out there and want to win go out there and want to prove that you're the best go out there every single day every single atat every single opportunity that you have with the desire to win because that's what defines a champion that's what all of you have defined yourselves as your parents are proud your coaches are proud Middletown's proud of you so on behalf of the township committee we have certificates for each of you on winning the 2024 New Jersey district 19 and section 3 Little League championships with your hard work and positive attitude you and your teammates were able to win two different championships compete in the state tournament and place 44th in the entire en country you're able to learn the importance of teamwork make friends and have fun and we're so grateful that you have represented Middletown like true Champions congratulations boys gra trophy right there grab that trophy bring that in here break it all right let's it boys let's line up good so everyone here and say l count okay two all right let's give round for their champions job we're going to continue on with tonight's agenda we have approved proclamations for the record a proclamation recognizing September 28th 2024 Middletown day in the township of Middletown we have a proclamation recognizing September 29th 2024 as Gold Star Mothers and families day in the township of Middletown and a proclamation recognizing September 2024's prostate cancer awareness month in the township of Middletown at this time we have approval of minutes August 19th 2024 regular meeting September 3rd 2024 Workshop meeting the February 5th 2024 executive session the February 20th 2024 and the March 2020 uh 4th 2024 executive sessions motion to approve second committee mclark yes committee woman Katz yes committee man sen brino yes Deputy Mayor hell yes mayor Perry yes motion carries to approve uh minutes our next item on tonight's agenda we have public hearing on proposed ordinances our first ordinance 2024 3426 an ordinance authorizing lease agreement with the township of Middletown or Middletown Township historical society for the historic Railroad Station any member of the public wishing to speak on public ordinance number 2024-25 Don come on down ready yeah thanks hi my name's Don Watson living at one Collinson Drive in new Mammoth um I know or I understand that the 180 group used to use that train station as their um meeting location I was wondering if you know where they're going to be relocated to 180 turning lives around that's correct um well yeah yeah maybe Brian knows well Brian's on the board I know they they use uh Brian's uh conference room so they've moved out of the train station they have yes okay I think it um the Historical Society did you want to say something Brian in eight years he's never had a meeting there eight years on the board he never had a meeting at the train station they used to before he was on on the board okay anyway um I think the use of the train station is a um appropo facility for the Historical Society but I was just wondering I know I know people I used to work or volunteer for 180 and um I know they met there so I was just curious as to where they were relocated to appar they have a larger facility now yeah okay all right gy okay thank you very much thanks Don any other member of the public wishing to speak on public ordinance number uh 202 24- 3426 Pete good uh on behalf of the um Middletown of St Society I just want to thank everyone uh we plan on um shortly um getting a um what uh 2020 for 2026 we're going to have a display for America 250 Middletown in the revolution and we are also working with um uh Middletown 250 as well so again I just wanted to thank everybody uh for approving it and uh look forward to working with everyone so thank you thank Pete thanks for your leadership Tom's leadership and uh the the boards and certainly getting this done I think it's a great location hight trffic location that'll certainly be able to put on display a lot of the materials that you have preserved and protected for so many decades as as an organization so I want to thank you for that leadership thank you any other member of the public wishing to speak on public ordinance number 2024 3426 seeing no other member of the public stepping forward move the close the public portion and approve second committee M Clark yes committee woman cratz yes commit man set brino yes Deputy Mayor hbel yes mayor Perry yes motion carries to um adopt this resolution uh ordinance on second and final reading at this time we have ordinance 2024-25 and ordinance amending chapter 84-1 of the code of the township of Middletown governing special Duty rates for police officers any member of the public wishing to speak on public ordinance number 2024 3427 see no member of the public stepping forward move the close the public portion and approve second committee Clark yes committee woman Katz yes committee sen bro yes Deputy Mayor hell yes mayor Perry yes motion carries to pass this ordinance on second and final reading for any member of the public that doesn't have an a copy of the agenda they're sitting right up here if you'd like one okay no problem right right here at the corner right there appreciate yep okay Heidi okay our next ordinance for public hearing we have 202 24- 3428 a salary ordinance repealing and replacing introduced ordinance number 20243 425 any member of the public wishing to speak on public ordinance number 202 24-34 28 seeing no member of the public stepping forward move to close the public portion and approve second committee man Clark yes committee woman Katz yes committee man SBO yes deputy mayor hell yes mayor Perry yes motion carries to pass this ordinance on second and final reading at this time we have 2024 3429 an ordinance providing funding for various Capital purposes for the township of Middletown and appropriating 2,200,000 for such purpose any member of the public wishing to speak on public ordinance number 2024-25 seeing no member of the public stepping forward move the close the public portion and approve second committee man Clark yes committee woman Katz yes committee man sanino yes Deputy Mayor hell yes mayor Perry yes motion carries to pass this ordinance on second and final reading our final ordinance for uh public hearing we have 202 24- 3430 a bond ordinance providing an appropriation of $1,930 th000 for various Capital Improvements by and for the township of Middletown in the county of Mammoth New Jersey and authorizing the issuance of one ,8 33,500 in bonds or notes of the township for financing part of the appropriation any member of the public wishing to speak on public ordinance number 202 24- 3430 seeing no member of the public stepping forward move to close the public portion and approve second committee man Clark yes committee woman Katz yes committee man sen brino yes Deputy Mayor hell yes mayor Perry yes motion carries to pass this ordinance on second final reading tonight we have introduction of uh proposed ordinances 2024-25 1 and ordinance repealing and replacing ordinance number 2024-25 adopting the 325 Highway 36 Redevelopment plan consisting of block 238 Lots 5 and six and a portion of the Central Avenue RightWay motion to introduce second committee man Clark yes committee women Catz yes Katz excuse me committee men s brino yes Deputy Mayor hbal yes mayor Perry yes motion carries to pass this ordinance on first reading with a public hearing to be held October 21st uh 2024 next we have 202 24-34 32 an ordinance authorizing the granting of a deed of dedication and Perpetual mitigation area easement on portions of Township owned property described as block 121 lot one and block 276 lot 48 pursuant to the Ron Bay and Sandy Hook Bay hurricane and storm damage reduction project Port Mammoth New Jersey Phase 2 contract one motion to introduce second committee Clark yes committee woman Katz yes committee Senate bro yes Deputy Mayor hell yes mayor Perry yes motion carries to pass this ordinance on first reading with a public hearing to be held October 7th 2024 next we have 2024 D 3433 an ordinance authorizing and accepting deed of open space easement from County of Mammoth for Normandy Park block 901 lot 3 motion to introduce committee man Clark yes committee woman Katz Yes committe Men srino yes Deputy Mayor hell yes mayor Perry yes motion carries to pass this ordinance on first reading with a public hearing to be held October 7th 2024 next we have a consent agenda Township committee would like to adopt resolutions 24- 243 through 24-240 uh 24- 264 and holding 24- 262 for a separate vote motion to approve the consent agenda second committee man Clark yes committee woman Katz yes committee sen brino yes Deputy Mayor hell yes mayor Perry yes motion carries to adopt consent agenda at this time we have resolution 24262 a resolution releasing the performance guarantee and safety and stabilization bond for jlv Holdings LLC motion to approve second committee man Clark yes committee women craats yes committee man sen brino yes Deputy Mayor hell recuse mayor Perry yes motion carries pass resolution 24- 262 at this time we have one discussion item pickle courts all right discussion item on on tonight's agenda uh regarding the pickle ball Courts at Tindle obviously that project is ongoing the second phase of it um has already begun the asphalt removal obviously PS 1 through 8 um are paved um and ready to go that consisted of eight tennis courts as everybody is aware um the second set if you haven't uh driven through Tindle I drove through today actually the fencing is down on the second set of eight courts um with the asphalt and the foundation set to be um removed uh beginning on Wednesday I believe I think we're going to do the T the uh basketball courts at the same time right so the uh question um through this process was at at the time we approved this um the uh the plan presented to the township committee was of six pickle ball courts um but after discussions amongst um uh pickle ball leagues uh our engineering firms um others we discussed the uh possibility of placing eight pickleball courts there um there was uh points raised um by our administrator Tony MK tante regarding um uh potential issues that could result uh with uh parking um but the the reason and rationale of bringing it up tonight is the township committee did approve it with six um Janet is here uh and she can provide additional information but it would be my recommendation um that with given the fact that you can you can fit the eight courts um on the what was the four front tennis courts um that eight pickle ball courts um it is appropriate with the understanding that we may have to at sometime in the future take a look at parking and if that becomes an issue but we also shouldn't limit the courts and the painting of those courts um to not reflect those eight um pickle ball courts so the reason that this is on for discussion tonight is so that the township committee can understand that um there is a an idea to change and up the six originally approved by the TC to eight pickle ball courts Janet I don't know if you want to add anything that I might have missed you didn't miss anything and you said everything I was going to so thank you yes um I guess the the biggest concern too and we we're going to have to play this a little bit by year is the parking issue um when you do the math and the number of people that could play potentially that Court's going to get fill the parking area is going to get filled up um talking with uh Ted Maloney the township engineer we talked about some other possible solutions for that placing signs hopefully working with the Board of Ed and pushing people to park at North when school's not in session providing a potential Beacon uh pedestrian beacon beacon on um Tindle road but unfortunately we're we're going to play this one a little bit by ear to monitor the situation um but we think going with eight is the right course yeah I I agree um and uh I hope that the township committee um has no issue um I'm not sure if we need a to vote on that Brian Heidi we need to vote on this or okay is there any comments questions concerns about move hang on one second sir about moving from six pickle ball courts that were originally discussed and and agreed to here at a meeting to the eight pickle ball courts I I thought you could stripe two pickle ball courts per tennis court right one on each side well on existing tennis courts yeah yeah okay I have no ISS I'm sorry Janet do how many parking spaces are at the dog park in addition uh I don't have that in front of me but it's 102 total for Tindle so I didn't parcel it out between what's in front of tennis what's in front of dog the dog park and what's in front of uh basketball cours 102 two for the park for the whole park of yeah any other questions from the township committee I just think it's going to be important for the pickle ball Community to communicate with either you mayor or and her team uh to the ongoing I think it's going to be important for the pickle ball Community to either communicate with the mayor's office Andor Janet and her team uh to keep us up to speed as to what the parking situation is and that the pickle ball Community take a proactive approach to doing to helping to solve that problem knowing that that's the problem coming into this yeah um okay and other questions from the TC so TC has no issues going from six pickle ball Courts at Tindle to the eight pickle ball courts correct okay all right so Janet you have your instructions a pickle ball courts ATT Tindle all right there's there's a public portion at the end a after Township committee comments any member of the public can speak yes the discussion is amongst the the governing body sir sir you're gonna have to wait until we're in the Public Public discussion yet oh question no okay uh committee mclark I'd like to congratulate the linro Little League um I got I got the privilege of seeing a few of their games and uh the caliber of play that they delivered on the field and uh the teams that they played against was exceptional um we also had the opportunity to participate in USS New Jersey and I'm not going to talk too much about it other than what a special opportunity it was for myself um my family and and the rest of this community to be a part of it was uh truly remarkable um and one of the one of the reasons that um Middletown is so special I got I got the opportunity to speak to a bunch of the people on the ship and uh they had never seen a reception in a community quite like they got from us um and they've been to parts of the country uh all different parts on the East Coast the west coast and they had never ever felt so welcome anywhere and it was the overwhelming uh conversation it was just it was really awesome other than that I'm good right thank you thank you mayor so I want to take this time to to thank you for personally for your leadership in getting the USS New Jersey uh commissioned here at Naval weapons station Earl in Middletown make no mistake um without your involvement and uh leadership with regard to that it wouldn't have happened here so thank you very much I appreciate it um and it's certainly a great effort a great effort in representing Middletown and the state of New Jersey um secondly with regard to the uh the uh 12-year-old uh boys that won the championship um my my son just turned 13 and I can't get him to listen to me for two or three minutes minutes straight to get uh to get a to get a group of 12-year-old boys to play on a team and win a championship is just an amazing feat for those boys and for the and for the coaches and it's a great representation of Middletown so um so congratulations again the Middletown you put us on the map once again that's all I have for tonight mayor thank you thank you community Seno Community woman CRZ thank you mayor so echoing the sentiments also of my fellow committee members just wanted to also thank you mayor for for your leadership in bringing the USS New Jersey here it was quite an experience to be able to share with my family and my two young sons and it was it was really something that happens once in a lifetime and I surely will never forget being able to take the tour of the sub and and spending time and meeting the crew so it was really quite lovely and and and certainly um really felt so wonderful and proud that it happened here in Middletown and and it was it was fabulous and also thank you also and congratulations to our young men who are up here this evening it's quite an accomplishment and and always really special to have our young athletes here in town hall so really sweet um also wanted to just give a quick shout um to members of our honor guard for PBA 124 our police officers who completed a weeks long program and graduated um so it it provides them with um even more training to honor our fallen um so really congrat congratulations to all of them it's it's really quite an accomplishment they they did this course with other members in the state and it was it was really something to see so congratulations to all of their hard work thank you committee woman CRZ Deputy Mayor mayor this guy has two planks here the mayor did an amazing job I just want to tell everyone our team the best I mean look at the flags look at the patriotism the last week in the town was just just amazing uh Peter I know he left is he over here still or no um an amazing job um trying to uh the day the day I did a tour on the sub I was uh a little nervous going down and uh he grabbed me and said we're going to be fine and I was able to complete it but uh just just amazing I'm very appreciative for him for that and for what he did um little league team hats off we truly have the best sports players in town in the state so uh um great job guys and uh we got a big event this weekend right mayor yeah one o'clock Middletown day hope all of our tennis players and pick ball players are going to be there all right I'd love to see that I did at Normandy when we opened the parks I did I think it was pretty good too Janet we're definitely doing that pickle ball competition absolutely all right all right that's all I have mayor all right thank you Deputy Mayor um the the as I mentioned the USS New Jersey uh commissioning was was just a a highlight the highlight of a lifetime the the the opportunity of a lifetime for our town uh and uh so grateful to have had an opportunity to come together with people from across the country this from the secretary of the Navy to the governor um to everyone involved um it was truly one of those moments that you sit back and you are just so grateful to be an American grateful to be uh a resident of the greatest country in the world and to have free men and women willing to put their lives on the line and and do what they do on a daily basis and that to me is the the greatest feeling you can have is seeing uh those individuals run aboard that ship um in an opportunity to okay and oper I didn't realize that doing that while we're talking about men and women serving a board of ship that have to be quiet for months on the end and we can't get two seconds to thank them for their service but um the uh the men and women aboard that that boat are heroes and they are Middletown residents because they commissioned from this port because they commissioned from this pier and uh I I'll for ever be grateful for that opportunity um Middletown day starts at 1 o' a little different this year Middletown day begins at 1 o'clock croon Hall uh we have fireworks that are kicking off just after 7 o'clock uh the state police have their helicopter flying in they we have uh just so many great activities Janet and the team do an amazing job each year and the fact that we've been able to transform this into uh now more a little bit of an evening program that incorporates those fireworks has you know a concert at the last hour before those fireworks kick off uh it's it's great um great to see happening mayor's 5K it's uh don thank you for bringing up 180 turning lives around because the mayor's 5K this year um which is not just a 5k it is walking and um even for me going backwards I feel like sometimes uh but it is a benefiting an unbelievable cause we are so fortunate in Middletown to have a great organization in Mammoth County a great organization and uh from Liz Graham uh and everybody at 180 the board um not just because Nelson's sitting here next to me but they they do an unbelievable job I wish organizations like 180 didn't have to exist in taking care of women and children who find themselves in horrible situations at home um but I'm certainly grateful that they do so uh 180 turning lives around is the beneficiary of this year's uh mayor's 5K um yesterday I was at a different 5K and just want to give Andre verone um infinite love for kids and the love for Luca 5K uh a big shout out for all the money that they raised um in once again raising awareness for Pediatric cancer Luc aono died um six years ago um to Pediatric cancer and year after year they come back and his his mom and dad and his grandmother Claire they they come back each and every year to understanding that there is certainly an tremendous amount of pain under the surface for all of them for everyone that got to meet Luca aono he was a special little boy that no child should ever have to deal with what he dealt with but he has inspired thousands of people to keep the fight going to keep the fight alive regardless of whether his body still sits among us whether he still walks Among Us his spirit is still alive I feel it every day I I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to meet Luca several times and I couldn't be more proud that the Middletown Community year after year comes out to support him his family and the the cause to raise money for Luca aono so I want to thank all of them for everything that they did it was a a very moving 5K once again um with that I'll open it up for public comments any member of the public wishing to make a public comment may do so we ask that you state your name and address for the record and keep your comments to five minutes at four minutes I'll let you know that you have one minute remaining Jim come on down you're already here good evening folks uh Jim Morant 26 to your circle Middletown um I came here for the sole purpose of discussing the six to8 pickle ball courts so having that in the rearview mirror I would just be remiss if I left without thanking first of all Miss Janet delette for putting up with me for the last four and a half five years um thanks Janet uh this wouldn't have been possible it would not have happened without her understanding and her patience with me and to the mayor um it's just refreshing I spoke to the mayor a couple weeks ago about this concern and he not only listened to me he went over to tendle to see the problem and then got back to me uh and I would be remissed Mr Mary if I didn't thank you personally for uh not only listening to me but going over and getting back to me with that I am on record now I am not the voice of pickle in voice of pickle bow in Middletown anymore I'm up the clock thanks very much good guys um I I I want I I do want to I'd be remiss not to thank you Jim um there are um individuals that certainly uh come to these meetings and they are you know they are adamant in their positions and I love that uh I love the the fight that people have for the things that they believe in the most and when you called me and I went out there and called up our engineers and ask them to meet me out there with a tape measure and start looking at uh how many feet will be in between these six pickle ball courts and and it's it's easy on a piece of paper to look at a plan and say Yep this is good this is this is great uh it's another to go out there and say okay yeah we can we can fit another two pickle ball courts in here and we can make take that next step and we can work to try and and meet the needs of our residents and yes there there will be things that we have to do and and things that we'll have to deal with in the future that's certainly true Tony outline Tony merante outlined those um but it would also be a shame not to take advantage of the space that we do have so as long as we can do it safely as long as we can do it uh in the in the best way possible um we are always going to as a Township committee strive to meet that expectation so Jim I want to thank you I want to thank you for your calls your text messages and your your advocacy for pickle ball in Middletown even though you're off the clock now I heard there's a meeting my name is John Maro I'm a uh I've been living in Middletown for uh is it okay for me to come up can you if not this is an appropriate tell me you just state your name and address for the record yours John Maro Ma Ur yep 209 uland Road Red Bank better Middletown yeah you understand um the only reason I'm here is I I play pickle ball every weekend at Normandy Park with all my friends and I and it's uh just wanted to say that uh it's it's almost a walking distance from my house and there's a at least 40 people all people I'm 79 and I could beat a lot of these younger folks here you know that too uh all on here to say is that it's sort of like a Ken and Terry Grassroots started the pickle ball activities that take place there uh every weekend and all I want to say is that I heard that you might be closing that down and there are certainly other places we could play pickle ball I understand you're actually developing other facilities but all I have to say this is a special place uh we're all older I'm I'm one of the oldest there and we all get along and you don't find a Grassroots startup of a bunch of old folks showing up getting together every weekend and having a ball and all I have to say is I'd hate to see you close that place because I love it every weekend thank you thank you very much any other member of the yes sir hi Tom Zer H Chanel which court so uh mayor Perry I was just wondering um if you I had sent an email about a week ago to uh to you I had sent a an online form submission earlier in the month I had called um the number listed on the website I think uh Shannon Miller had uh taken a voicemail I spoke with her last week I haven't heard anything back I was just wondering if if you had received any of those Communications well I I actually just did get back from a trip overseas as part of a transatlantic mayor's conference over in Germany um but uh I'm I'm happy to I I'll certainly take a look and give you a buzz back um Shannon will certainly sure sure are are you aware of the ethics complaint that's currently pending oh okay I won un face the council no discussion about this matter okay um I I'll I'll discuss with with uh Mr Nelson but on advice of council unfortunately I'm not going to be able to speak about it in public okay I was just hoping that that you and the the committee would help advocate for transparency and accountability well let me let me speak to Mr Nelson because as as he stated on the advis council I'm not going to be able to speak understand understandable understandable all right you will you will at least follow up in some capacity thank you and whatever capacity Brian says I'm allowed to follow up in I will follow up in I appreciate that thank you you got it good evening mayor and Town Council my name is Rich tore I live at 34 I Road we'll get it for you don't worry B 34 ivill Road in Middle Town Red Bank um first off I want to thank the towns for their support in the 911 memorial 5K Joe cotti was a good friend and uh the annual event is pretty cool so thank you um also thank you for fixing the lights at the courts at Normandy it is a huge Improvement we can actually see what we're doing now that's that's awesome um I don't I couldn't see the documentation in the packet what the change order for tnd is for than unforeseen circumstances could somebody explain what the change order I didn't I didn't hear what you the change order in tonight's packet doesn't describe what the money is being spent on at Tindle other than unforeseen circumstances yeah is there any more specificity to that Janet Yeah we actually include uh increased the drainage that went around the second courts U we had we went from a smaller pipe to a bigger pipe cool and that's really simplistic terms yeah I understand I just I couldn't unforeseen circumstances didn't help me understand it so that that was pretty good thank you um more drainage always good especially after the dog park Saga um is there a way the Town Council can enforce the park and wreck rules at the parks so for us we get a permit to play pickle ball yet we have uh confrontations with people that are giving private instructions at the court without permits where we had a uh my my daughters both played soccer at middle at middle town so this is not a swipe at Middletown soccer but we've had an issue where twoo with tournaments and we're told we can't play because of parking constraints and to get the police involved in that y so is there some way we can kind of Janet and I have have had extensive discussions about this certainly it's it's not the first time it's come up um because we we tend to get trainers that are claiming that they're training their nieces and nephews instead of really you know being forthright when it comes to what what's actually happening the really good news is we have our permits and we show them our permits yeah to tell us between the legs and off they go the one of the ordinances that we passed tonight actually makes uh one of our field coordinators uh a full-time position because we needed the extra enforcement to ensure that uh that that is being invited by she was she was a part-timer um but it was necessary to move her up to that full-time position to ensure that not just in the hours that that fit but all the time that permits are being ADI are being captured permits are being uh gotten and utilized by the individuals that are requesting those permits uh and certainly ensuring also that safety issues that may come up a net comes loose the wheel on a on a goalpost comes off and can potentially rip the car on the on the uh on the turf field all those things are necessary for somebody to be consistant monitoring and we felt like it was the right time to move forward with having somebody go out there on a on a daily basis especially on the weekends when you have individuals that you know at peak hours are coming in and off teams are coming uh on and off that that those fields over at Normandy and other places so it also happens on the soccer courts we actually soccer fields we actually see coaches there on a pretty regular basis M but um we're there about 15 hours a week at Normandy we average between 24 and 50 of us at a time our groups are between a thousand and 100 depending upon which group we're talking to um we've got a pretty good thing going right now and getting it tuned a little better is never a bad thing so again the lights are awesome getting more pickle bll cards at Tindle was awesome I think we're doing really well moving forward thank you all thank you very much sir any other member of the public wish to make a public comment hi my name is John mcab 799 port mouth Road I probably don't need a microphone but I grew up in a family of eight boys so I'm used to yelling a little bit uh Mr Mayor Town Council we appreciate the U executive decisions you made on you know the eight courts you know that's exciting uh right now we are playing in Normandy we have heard a little bit about Normandy um not being allowed to use pickle ball in the oncoming years that maybe it would be shut down to pickle ball and only be a tennis only venue any thoughts by anybody or those just malicious you know conversations no decisions have been made about that we're we're working to get pickle ball at Tindle do the pickleball courts at McMahon um and and it it really has to be a decision that's made at the proper time to ensure that we're not hurting ourselves in terms of jamming up Parks or or doing anything like that um th those are decisions that are going to have to be made in the future when we can identify where there's a need and where there's not a need it's it has to be a constant fluid conversation to ensure that we're making the right decisions at the different because between now and next year every tennis court and basketball court in town will be repaved um so you're you're talking about every single we've already awarded the basketball courts um that's why we are talking about the um we've already I should rephrase that we have already set forth the plan to repave the basketball courts and next year the idea is to repave all of our tennis courts throughout town every single one of them um not including the ones we've already redone um so it it has to be a fluid conversation I think great so let me add a little bit more to that if you don't mind you know and and we appreciate it uh just being there today you've heard from John Morrow a little bit earlier you know him being 79 being able to walk over to the cours there are other local members in that area you know that are capable of doing that or riding a bicycle you know who may not be able to get over to Tindle or other parks that being said there's also lights there um you may not believe it but uh most of us or some of us seniors do stay up past 7 p.m um and we don't mind playing this got to be one of my favorite Township committee meetings and we don't mind playing Under The Lights you know it's a little bit cooler in the evening you know so you know playing from that 5 to 8:00 8:30 time frame you know is a good thing for us uh we haven't heard anything about lights being you know brought into Tindle you know we know that's an extra expense things like that maybe it's down the road or in the future but putting our best foot forward even thinking about Normandy still being able to play there a couple nights a week you know that's a good thing for us so we appreciate that uh something else with regards to Normandy um I'll put it to you simply this way um U my girlfriend who also plays pickle ball not here tonight um sometimes she'll go down to the ladies room let's call it the ouse down the end of the park uh that that being said sometimes she doesn't return for 45 minutes and I ask her what took so long she says I've this is a children's show sir let's keep here she simply says but I appreciate that mayor uh and I enjoy a sense of humor as you know but she stands down there handing out toilet paper to this to the kids the soccer no not selling it no no commodity but bottom line is you know it's not a good scene down there okay it's it's it's filthy dirty we we we we've been exploring possibilities of how to upgrade I'll I'll say the uh and and one incredibly expensive uh way of dealing with this but there's um the the we've always explored and had a great idea of let's build a bathroom facility over there um as all of you know Normandy sits way at the bottom of of a hill obviously well I don't need to tell you which way it flows it's not uphill now I'll remind you it's not a children it's not [Laughter] them uh but the so we we have been trying to find uh cost effective alternatives to potentially look at for Normandy Park certainly this is not the first time that someone has told me this um and and it's certainly something that uh of course I'm willing to uh take a look at with alongside the township committee thank you and we appreciate that and I'm sure everybody appreciate that which only now brings us to Tindle any restrooms what's the thought process for restrooms in Tindle Janet I'm going to ask Colleen lap just kidding um for for more money yeah 100% absolutely yes um so one of the other things too one of the other gentlemen uh asked me about the change order and I'm sorry because I forgot one part of the change order um at Tindle is that we actually put conduit we ran the conduit for electricity around the the perimeters of the second set of eight so lights are not coming tomorrow or next year but we ran the conduit now so in the future we can add lights to that area um if you've been through Tindle recently you hopefully have seen that we cleared out um the trees and grass that are in front of what I'm trying to push for the name of the the Tindle Park Fieldhouse there's an old building there that has bathrooms in it they need a full renovation so we're not there yet but we're we're getting much closer um so the hope is to have that there's a snack stand in there um it was a pavilion area that we closed up so we want to kind of put a a little love and attention into that and bring back those bathrooms like I said we T we talked about the drainage from the change order we're actually adding water there's water there right now we have to increase the line so they're doing that now too so they're bringing the water from the corner of where the road turns up to the building so it's it's coming I know Christmas is too but it's coming no I appreciate that you know that's why you just want to make mention of it and and hear your that you hear our concerns and thoughts when if you I don't know if you stopped by today or yesterday but if you go by it is the most uh visible the building has ever been now at this point I mean it is like where did this building come from um it was kind of like in the woods it felt like a little bit um but but it is uh as Janet has mentioned certainly a discussion that we think uh you know possibly next year we can take a look at um doing the amenities that would be required that would allow for your girlfriend to not have to sell toilet paper uh um uh allegedly but Karen will you does she have a permit for that by the way will appreciate that no I appreciate that thank you very much thank you very let me just make sure one thing anybody else any from the comments I made a couple of things Brenda you want to say something no um I did want to thank you J Jim Moran comes up and says I'm no longer the the face of pickle ball anymore uh I found the new president of the Middletown pickle ball league I have more notes but you've taken care everything we really appreciate but I will tell you this though from uh you you've done a lot you mentioned veterans tonight and and you know how committed the township is to it uh please join us sometime for pickle bable Memorial Day veterans day we do a raising of the flags singing of the national anthem God Bless America um you're welcome you know all to join us for that at some point in time I'd love to all right thank you very much thank you very much sir how are you today just say what I have written down here so my name is Diane Lindy I'm 152 Jumping Brook and Loft uh we wrote this letter and I think that you all received it so I guess you might as well see the face behind the letter I wrote this letter we are writing this letter on behalf of the people do you mind if I read it I'll I'll go quick minutes is yours most of than most of the residents are over 60 that play pick a ball at Normandy on weekend mornings we've been playing pick a ball at Normandy Park on weekend mornings for the past three years it's never been a problem um I have several friends that live in that area that pass by there almost every day that park has always been empty and they always commented on how sad it was that that Park was always empty never used until pck pickle ball started now it's packed on weekend mornings and I think one night during the week um the tennis courts are always empty on the rare occasion when someone comes to play tennis we move over and give them the court in fact a few times on weekends we wanted to video that because people would come with their tennis rackets and you know maybe whoever they're playing with and we gladly give them the court you know they said is that available and we move our Nets and give them the court it's only one court and it rarely happens that's one of the points so now that Park is being used I mean it's amazing how it's being used now between all the soccer which is unbelievable as you said that there's no bathrooms there I mean there's a zillion kids playing soccer and then we're all there I would love for some of you to come on the weekend mornings and just see what's going on there's like at least 40 people there playing every weekend morning um let's see I'm not going to get into this this was you know I said why is the the fast and growest growing sport in America as you know there have been many people in Mammoth County and Middletown that have embraced the sport it's a great exercise a great way to meet new people most of the people play pickle ball at other parks and facilities in Mammoth County but a group of people come to Normandy on weekend Mornings in a short time great relationships have been formed it's a supportive group that is welcoming to new people and brings the community together most of the PE people are seniors that live in the surrounding area and never would have met if it was not for this sport just trying to say like what a community thing this has become and brought so many people in Middletown together the people that play at Normandy are very oh you don't need to know that let's say uh no I I don't want to waste your time with um uh let's see there is always group just how we play how we it's open play that type of thing you don't need to know that just come on the weekend morning and see but there's always a group of people sitting outside the fence socializing at Christmas we had a party with 76 people that play regularly at Normandy in the summer we had a party at the Red Banks Els we had 90 people that Reg play at Normandy so it really has become quite the community we just don't want you to take Normandy away as far as pickle ball you you see where I'm going with that um oh the big the biggest point I mean there's all over the country as you know everybody's fighting about pickle ball because of the noise Normandy it doesn't disturb anyone there's no houses near there you know it's it's down as you said it's not disturbing anyone so that we and we're not even asking like so many towns have Haslet has it titin Falls has it the list goes on we're not even asking for designated pickle ball courts all we want is for the lines to remain on those tennis courts well you are you you are getting designated pickle ball courts not talking about at Normandy and so at Normandy we're not even asking for designated pickle ball courts all we want is for the lines to remain on those tennis courts tonight's discussion was simply to increase the pickle ball courts from 6 to8 on on the plane that was it that was all we discussed tonight was to increase the number of pickle ball courts from six to eight we're worried because we've heard rumors that they plan on resurfacing the courts at Normandy for tennis only and and as I previously stated to I don't know who this is this is a fluid conversation that has to happen so I guess we just want to let you know but understood understood that's that's basically it in a nutshell that's it thanks thank you very much thank you and thank you for the a for ofo any other member of the public wishing to make a public comment seeing no other member of the public stepping forward move the close the public portion and adjourn second committee man Clark yes committee woman Katz yes committee men sen bro yes Deputy Mayor hell yes mayor Perry yes motion carries to adjourn have a great night everybody thank you all