e e [Music] mind it was delightful I got home at about 20 to 20 to 5 start at start it's the uh sorry rich [Music] just go she lives she lives inyl so so she get out there and I'm like get on the road after vacation holiday okay and Fridays in the summer although you have to work nobody else I got call you get a call frombody Friday afteron big big we got H somebody's going to be in the office at 5:00 on Friday go who's babysit at 5:00 on Frid try to get out e e e e e e [Applause] discuss discuss I mean this the first time I'm just go thumbs up Z yeah Z good evening I'd like to call the June 10th 2024 bur council meeting to order will the deputy clerk please read the open public meeting statement adequate notice of this meeting has been provided as required under chapter 231 pl1 1975 specifying the date time and location by posting a copy of the notice on the municipal building Municipal website and providing a copy of the annual notice schedule to the official newspapers of the burough and is on file at the clerk's office will the deputy clerk please call the role council president rabinsky here councilman Collins here councilman mango here councilman pansy here councilman Potter here councilman Zam Brana here mayor Murray here B bur Attorney Peter Veno presid B engineer Michael M celand presid B administrator Fred Carr presid B clerk Monica Orlando present Deputy bur clerk Mary G present will everyone please stand for a moment of silence which will be followed by the SL flag to the flag the United States of America and to the rep for it stands one nation under God indivisible with liy and justice for all at this time I'd like to invite miltown fire department to come up and give their presentation good evening the miltown fire department is proud to once again be able to off our annual scholarship designed to support the educational aspirations of our community's youth the miltown fire department scholarship program each year gives out two scholarships to a graduating senior from miltown this year the committee received 11 applications and the scholarship committee took in great consideration the applicants grade point average extracurricular activities and essays this year the first year for the foreman Elwood Boyce scholarship 3 years after the for of the miltown fire department Elwood Boyce became Foreman the rank of Chief today in August 1914 the members of the miltown fire department responded to a fire at the Parson snuff mill near the current farington Dam in North Brunswick after fighting the fire Foreman Boyce drank contaminated water from the brook and 3 weeks later died from typhoid fever Foreman Boyce was 31 years old and left behind a wife and a son he was the first line of duty death in the miltown fire department history the winner of this year Foreman Elwood Boyce Memorial Scholarship is Mason batala Mason come on up all right Mason will be receiving a scholarship in the amount of $1,250 to help him with his future College Endeavors congratulations all right the second scholarship is the lieutenant Charles Char garbarini Memorial Scholarship Lieutenant Charles garbarini was a firefighter who Faithfully served the department of New York City until his tragic death on September 11th 2001 Lieutenant garbarini died at the World Trade Center in a valiant attempt to save both lives and property Lieutenant Garber left behind a wife and two sons the miltown fire department donates to various Charities including the scholarship of money raised through the multiple fundraisers including a golf outing held in the memory of Lieutenant garbarini which is Monday next uh next Monday June 17th this year's winner of the lieutenant Charles Garber Memorial Scholarship is Kaden Thomas Kaden come on up Kaden will be receiving a scholarship of $1,000 to help him with his future College endeavors congratulations thank [Applause] you at this time I'd like to invite Kathy Beardsley to accept the proclamation Kathy Kath okay whereas Kathy Beardsley known to all as Kathy has made miltown burrow her home for moving with her family and young child marrying her husband Bob and raising their family here and whereas in 2005 Kathy began her career miltown as a miltown bur employee working for the clerk's office as a vital statistics register notary public Board of Health secretary Ford Avenue revelop agency secretary and whereas dedication to her professionalism and residence to the B of miltown has made Kathy a highly valued employee colleague and mentor and whereas Kathy will be missed both professionally and a friend to many as displayed at the highest example of character ethics morals unselfish service and whereas retirement is a a milestone that sign significant the peak of rewarding career and the beginning of a new chapter of life and now therefore I mayor George Murray on behalf of burrow counsel want to express my sincerest appreciation to Kathy Beardsley for her dedication to the burrow of miltown and wish her much happiness as she begins this ex exciting new chapter of her life thanks all the best thanks go now is it time for the public comment limited to the resolutions on the agenda if you wish to speak please step up to the microphone and state your name and address for the record again this is the public portion is limited to the comments on the resolutions listed on the agenda at this time if somebody would like to raise their hands please come up to the microphone and state your name and address for the record Henry merens 156 Rea Avenue uh it ISS regarding the water rate increase um we're looking at a 90% rate increase and I understand that rates haven't been increasing since 2018 just as some background middlex water company just finished arguing their rate case and it was just said it was just settled it's looking at between 16 and 25% rate increase to the homeowner nowhere near 90% if the Board of Public Utilities actually regulated midtown's water utility we'd be left out of the room at 90% um a couple questions there are some other small utilities like South River um how many Civ how many police employees and non-utility municiple employee payroll and benefits are paid out of funds raised by the Water Utility Billing we need to remember that legislations was passed by the state in the last 10 years that mandates that utility funds stay within the utility until all its liabilities are paid for instance South River takes three police officer salary out of electric and three out of water based off New Jersey water watch which I encourage every resident to be familiar with in the period between 2017 and 2024 miltown water has been cited with five Action level exceedances for lead contamination of the drink and water seven for the lead and copper rule violations two weol ey violations and one CCR report violation granted the control uh corrosion control plan and orthop phosphate treatment system that the burrow paid roughly $600,000 for is working considerably more effort needs to be made to make sure that we stay in compliance with all applicable drink and water regulations there are a myriad of other programs on positive miltown is not in compliance with such as the valve exercising program enhanced water quality parameters the 50-year plan for watermain replacement this is no reflection on the borrow employees within the utility it's just a simple fact that there's too much work for three employees between utility markouts water main brakes water meter exchanges Pump Station maintenance and repairs on top of all the attention that the sewer department needs I don't see anything in the budget for 2024 addressing the fact that to properly run the utility of the Staffing levels would be need to increase to roughly eight persons one of the conditions of miltown Action level incredi Action level exceedence is that lead service lines need to be replaced new the New Jersey D clarified their positions on lead service Lin lines and Saddles the utility with the responsibility of removing all galvanized and Lead service lines from service regardless of ownership that Parts crucial regardless of ownership miltown has long held that the homeowner is responsible for the water service line from the water main into their home excusing utility for repairs or replacement this no longer flies as of 2021 using a rough estimate from service line composition and building age utility be responsible for 900 plus service lines from the main of the house cost of each would be between $7,000 and $112,000 depending on road composition length of the pipe run with an estimated cost of $8.5 million when legislation was P while legislation was passed to allow utilities to recover the costs miltown has done nothing either residents will have to pay almost $10,000 on average for their service line replacement through cost recovery back to the borrow or the utility is going to need to account for this massive project cost moving forward there are funds available through the ibank but the likelihood of miltown receiving full forgiveness is Slim because the average per capita income in town is higher than the I bank's usual threshold none of this is accounted for in the rate increase um pfoas pfas and other regulated forever chemicals are going to be severely increasing our treatment costs a large water utility in North Jersey just had a presentation in the safe drink and Water Act update they've issued $100 pfoa removal fee line item per service connection per quarter and this utility is able to spread the costs out over tens of thousands of connections the future costs will make a huge impact on our treatment rates for New Brunswick this also doesn't seem to be accounted for and budgeted in the future forecast for the for the uh for the rate forecast I'm not naive I understand that infrastructure upgrades are only becoming more expensive as is the rest of life for everyone here in miltown but the utility needs a better plan nearly 100% increase now and insufficient B insufficient funding being set aside for current future statutory obligations well only cause more near 100% rate increases in the future where does it end without proper guidance and advocacy rate payers could very easily end up paying $400 a quarter for their base rate the borrow Council owes it to the residents to form a civilian oversight board for the utilities like many other municipalities in order to continue to monitor the fiscal viability compliance regulations budgeting and capital Improvement plans as well as rate analysis and recommendations for the utility the easiest way to make sure that we don't end up in this position again is to make sure that the Burrow's rate pay ERS actively monitoring elected officials and borrow employees charged with day-to-day utility operation this shouldn't be a political item utility is going to cost a boatload of money and unless you start allocating those funds correctly we're screwed I mean it's millions and millions and millions of dollars and the maximum that you can do for cost recovery is four years if you you put a you saddle a homeowner even if to borrow passes cost recovery on these lead service lines if you saddle a homeowner with an additional $2,000 a year on top of the property tax hits that everybody just took we're at a point where the utility needs to seriously figure out what it's doing and it needs a civilian oversight board because and it's no dig on a coun any council members no council member or any member of any governing body is going to want to pass a utility rate increase on an election year it's just not going to it's just not going to work but without a civilian oversight board who's going to force that smaller incremental increase instead of 100% increases or 90% increases we're in the weeds that's it sir what's your name and address Henry Mertens 156 Reva Avenue okay yeah hang on with come on okay hi I'm Dorian Kerber 24 Reva Avenue uh yes he is correct we had uh in the past a survey about lead lines what your faets look like and such we have about and a half more years or seven and a half more years to really come up with the plan and Implement that the whole premise of the state always passing and updating these plans is to include your nonprofits your churches your businesses your residents and of course the administration uh it's not just a one size fits-all situation but you also have to have an outside company a planning company to encourage this it shouldn't be just the planner either that's why the state keeps mandating these processes that's why I'm part of the process um and so is Ruckers University so is Jersey Waterworks which is your state committee that's been talking about this for years more stuff is coming down the pipeline especially for your hroes to be more green infrastructure Focus we're flooding and flooding and flooding and not only that our infrastructure is the oldest one of the oldest I think within the nation lining is one process but replacing things are more important because the more you just Reign and not replace it's got to be a plan it's got to be a financial plan I mean the previous administration what was your plan I'd like to know did you have a plan that started any discussion about at this point where we are with the rates um councilman Z bro you were the finance chair did you ever discuss a plan with yeah we always had a plan in place but I noticed that we also took the Surplus and I heard that I guess it's covid money that we had balanced the budget we did but now we don't have and I think if you were in my position last year you would have done the same thing instead of instead of passing on an increase like that to the residents we had the opportunity to use that money and so that's what we did um and I do believe all the members of the of the of the of the council were on here and I didn't see anybody body vote against that budget everyone kind of knew what was happening so it's not anything that was hidden it's not anything that was done in secret and that was done in the presentation as well of course okay but like I said you need an outside company or or nonprofit to steer this overall within the town that's the whole premise of the updates um and that's very important um because now we're here again at the same situation planning is really important and then implementation is the next step there's a lot to do in this town I realize that but there's also got to be a real plan a discussion amongst whoever you are doesn't matter when you're all up there you represent all of us not your party not not just your friends and your neighbors you represent the whole town and that's what my focus was usually always and still is I've done a lot of work outside of council work uh since I was on Council in other towns because I just go and and get it done there's a lot of things that need to be accomplished in other towns as well uh fortunately middle six County uh middle sex uh water company and New Jersey American Water they're replacing the lead lines they're fortunate of course they have a bigger salary bigger profit margin and that it's their customers already so they're doing at no cost to the clients um the plan is also to make sure you hire someone that's local so that there is a good price overall whatever it may be so that we get the whole count whatever it is 300 whatever 250 then we get a company that comes in to give us the price for everyone as we rip up the L you know the roadways you replace the pipe and it's a fairer price than everyone getting their own company that's not what the law is about it's to go with the company that's going to come in take care of everyone cuz we have to do it and we have about seven and a half more years but the has to be there in place first I'd like to ask when people come up here to please limit yourself to five minutes that's the standard in town and we have a lot of people here tonight so please abide by that Joe Panza 15 Bruce Court thanks for letting me speak to you guys 90% 90% you're chasing seniors and single single payers out of town I'm going to be a senior in a couple of years I still work I can afford it but if I had no job and a fixed income I'd be looking to sell my house and I don't want to do that you guys have got to get your heads together please and find a way find a way to lower what's being proposed I get it I I get we haven't had an increase in six years I get it the the costs have gone up infrastructure is failing we all understand that but 90% yeah first thing I did when I saw it I I I thought I thought to senior citizens how can you be doing that to seniors they want to stay here they they can sell their house and make a nice profit but where are they going to go please think about the seniors think about the single payers think about doing the right thing and 90% is not the right thing thank you [Applause] art Simons 308 Northbrook Drive uh continuing on with Joe's uh thought about senior citizens uh why was the minimum raised from 6,000 to 7,500 gallons number one uh as a single family home just my wife and myself last year January's bill was 45 febru uh April was 30 May uh July was 71 summer water October was 48 January this year was 40 April was 21 it's been on the burden of not only me I can afford it but all the senior citizens in this town that are single people to take and have us this uh group of people subsidize the heavy users which is totally unfair years ago I believe when I first came to this town in 78 they had an adjusted sewer rate for the summer that doesn't happen anymore sewer rates are you know I hear stories of people paying two2 and $3,000 for a water bill in July and August when their usage doesn't go up it's in their pool or on their lawns it doesn't go to the Sewer Authority where's that money going we didn't pay bill sewer SE Sewer Authority did we it's just ridiculous is our water sewage or is our water coming from New Brunswick pure when it comes here or are we paying exorbitant amounts to clean it up what standard do we hold New Brunswick to or water source it can't go on gentlemen because you're killing the seniors in this town thank you Mr M quick question for you roughly how many lead services do we have Intown remaining the uh water utility has counted them I think the last cter was about 100 100 okay thank you H burdens 156 re Mike is that that's lead lead or G including galvanized the barass lead yeah what about galvanized included galv is going to be a little more because uh um my entire neighborhood the entire north side of town is going to be galvanized that's right there could be an awful lot of galvaniz in town so it's it but and I'm I'm not trying to nail you down about lead like lead lead but the D regulates galvaniz the same way that they're the removal now so we're talking we could conceivably be looking at 900 or a thousand galvanized service line between galvanized and Lead Le across the town up through the Main Street Corridor all the old section up by elen Lane I'm not sure for Avenue we'd have to check that out for example we did some work on Ren not too long ago which is all con yeah yeah it's all yeah it's but it's still galvanized on the on the curb stop side they didn't go they didn't go copper all the way in the but the point is that from the main to the curb show was copper yeah which you know they don't normally change from one to the other there some may have so you don't really it's hard to draw a conclusion without looking at when the utility department went out they looked for lead the galvanized lines was something added when Le yeah now I mean that stuff was due in 2021 that's correct to be regulatory compliant may I for a second Mike when we sent the surveys out a few years ago we asked everyone to identify this is when we first had a lot of those High Le readings put in theion inhibitor when we sent those surveys out I remember there was an indicator like rub something on the on your service pipe in your basement bike your meter determine what it was do we have the numbers from those to show how many were galvanized did it have a spot to indicate galvanized or was it just time giz was added when the legislation got passed yeah fairly recent and when was and that was 2021 20 yeah 2021 was the G was the galvaniz and that's the big concern for me is when the state changes this all ties into the rate case because if this if by you have to remove all this stuff by 2031 state says I don't care who owns it you're pulling it out you can do cost recover you can figure it out your own way but are we looking at three or four more 100% increases over the next 5 years to get end up because the longer we wait on these galvanized on these lead and galvanized Replacements the more it's going to cost per house and you have to do more per year to remain in compliance so that's it that was my only other question about the galvaniz versus lead mik councilman Potter do you know have we gone out and done more of those I know you were on utilities last year did did have we done more of the surveys not that I know they had it and I know um the water water SE Department collected it and I believe they have all the information there when Janette was um the ba she said she had all that information would you be able to follow up with no I think the John John should do it he's the head of utilities oh John Colin should do for councilman col councilman Colin can you follow up with the the head of sure no problem water department can everybody just move their mics a little bit closer not coming over the report thank you other questions I want to say one more thing we all live here and none of us like what we see here either and we don't no please you don't speak when someone's speaking up here none of us want to hurt any of you okay seeing seeing no other comments I will close the public comment portion of the meeting the minutes for the April 29th 2024 special executive uh meeting executive session are on the agenda for approval are there any comments or Corrections seeing none can I have a motion to accept them minutes as typed so moved second I have a motion by councilman Potter seconded by council president rinsky uh all in favor I any opposed okay the meeting the minutes for May 28 2024 meeting are on the agenda for approval are there any comments or Corrections can you please silence your phones thank you uh can I have a motion to accept the meetings uh to the minutes as typed so moved second I have a motion by councilman Collins uh seconded by council president rinsky all in favor I any opposed okay ordinance introductions this is an introduction to ordinance 24-15 39 there will be no public input on this ordinance tonight the introduction summary will be published as required by law a second reading public hearing and the final ad option will be considered on June 24th 2024 full copies of the ordinance will be posted on the bar website on the bulletin board at the municipal building and available at no cost in the office of the municipal clerk between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. on Fridays will the deputy clerk please read ordinance 24-1 1539 by title only ordinance 24-1 1539 ordinance to add chapter 15 building and housing article 11 residential lead paint testing of revised General ordinances of the burrow of mtown County of middlex state of New Jersey to include a policy requiring lead based paint testing for residential rental properties within the burrow of miltown may I have a motion and a second to adopt ordinance 24539 so moved second I have a motion by council president rinsky seconded by councilman Potter does any Council uh does council have any questions or comments yes M Mr Mayor uh this is mandated by the state is that correct so we really don't have a lot of wiggle room on this okay will the deputy clerk please call the roll council president rinsky Hi councilman Collins hi councilman moo hi councilman posnanski hi councilman Potter I councilman zamb BR I a second reading and public hearing on this ordinance will take place on June 24th 2024 at 7 p.m. in council chambers this is the introduction of ordinance 24-1 1540 there will be no public input on this ordinance tonight the introduction summary will be published as required by law and second reading public hearing on a final adoption will be considered on June 24th 2024 full copies of this ordinance will be posted on the our website on the bulletin board and the municipal building and available at no cost in the office of the municipal clerk between the hours of 8:00 a.m. 4:30 p.m. Monday through th Thursday and 8:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. on Fridays will the clerk Deputy clerk please read ordinance 24540 by title only ordinance 24-1 15440 ordinance to amend chapter 25 water section 25-41 water rates for the revised General ordinances of the bough of miltown may I have a motion in a second to adopt ordinance 24540 so moved seriously you guys know the deal I believe we should have a discussion first open discussion yeah I believe we should have a discussion before we go into an adoption it's introduction it's introduction it's council member it's introduction so we still can't discuss it it's traditional if I may that you have a second and then you can chat all you want no because then we have a motion to adopt adoption okay this is for introduction only if the motion fails the motion fail everyone here realizes that if you do not adopt the water sewer rate so I will I will second this I will second this thank you okay in order to move this along thank you okay now we can have a discussion as to how we arve at these rates on this document which I just received this weekend and I do not understand so allow me to uh Enlighten everyone and thank you everyone for coming down this even evening um the rates are not pretty as councilman pansy said earlier we're residents we have absolutely no desire to do this other than the fact that we have to as a gentleman who stood up earlier and said you know no elected official would want to do this well you're looking at them the last thing we want to do is charge our residents more money for anything unfortunately the fact of the matter is that right now we are halfway through our fiscal year right we go January to December and right now is a budget shortfall in the water sewer fund of about $340,000 so how do we make that up and guarantee we make up the money if I add it to the dollars per gallon and everyone decides not to water their loans we don't make up the money so what you have in front of you tonight and why I think most of you have come down is we added that money to the minimum now it should be about $132 what you see is $150 increase the reason for that 88% collection rate so if you assume only 88% of the money is paid by folks maybe like yourselves or unlike yourselves who are not paying their water bills we have to balance the budget on that so we need 350,000 based on 88% what that comes out to is a $150 increase the reason that it's on the agenda this way or the the ordinance this way is because our billing systems don't allow us as they are set up now to send out a one-time fee of $150 so what we had to do is put it into the rates so the rates increase $150 that is also because of the fact that right now we only have 6 months to make the money up so over the next three months onethird of the town will get built each month okay so what that means is by September everyone will have gotten their bill and hopefully everyone will have paid the $150 that gets us the 350 to balance the budget why we arrived here is not from last Administration or the one before that or the one before that it's a culmination of years of trying to appease the residents and keep rates down and ignoring many of the issues just like the gentleman stood up and and said earlier we are staring at a massive amount of money that will need to be spent to maintain our system we've done some great things already we've gotten many gr from the state that have helped improve the water quality through cleaning and lining we've gotten a lot of folks that have already replaced their lead Services of course now we have to look at galvanized right we've done water main work we have repairs coming in we discussed at the utility meeting the other night $2 million in grant money that will go to replace most likely a water line underneath the New Jersey Turnpike that's been broken for two years we are a small town we've got aging infrastructure that is extremely old and the cost cost of construction is very high and unfortunately without ratables and big businesses to push it off to it's born by all of us the residents one thing we've noticed when we're looking at these numbers is we have 2,604 water meters in town and as one gentleman pointed out earlier it's not fair to the senior citizens and I agree with you wholeheartedly because if there's an apartment building or a two family or a three family home with one meter the residents in each one of those units are not paying their fair share right you can have a one-bedroom apartment building with two people in it and they don't have a meter but yet you can have a senior citizen in his home with him and his wife paying for the meter paying the minimum fee that's not right we need to look at how to get everybody in town paying as if they were their own unit which means the apartments when Acme is built we're looking at 200 units when for revenue is built we're looking at 350 that's a 20% increase in the number of people paying the minimum but that's not on the books yet we're getting there over the next 3 months we plan to fully work through these numbers so that not only are we not staring at a massive increase next year but we're planning and we're getting everyone equally because that's what's fair I want to do away with the tier system because I don't think it's fair that the people who get buildt for the three hottest months of the summer get build in one cycle because surely you're going to get more people going over that 7,500 gallon minimum right right now that's not the case we are working towards getting these rates where they need to be to be financially stable one other issue we're seeing a three and a half% increase from the city of New Brunswick on our purchase of water costs purchase of water that's 3 and a half% every year for the next 5 years that was the rates they mandated to us last year and were adopted right now our ordinance does not require this Council or this body to increase the rates when our costs increase which is insane how can we not routinely increase 3 and 1 12% when our water provider is increasing the cost of the burrow miltown 32% it's this type of foolish approach that has led us to where we are today keep the rates down let's all look good up here and try and say we're saving the residents money but you know what in the end it's costing you more if you think compare water to a gallon of milk five or six years ago maybe a gallon of milk was three bucks right if it was three bucks up until today and suddenly it was $5 at the grocery store it'd be outraged but what did it go to 313 325 360 little by little right an increase you can accept you can come to accept and live with we haven't done that and that's why while it's not 90% per se right the goal here is to make up $350,000 that's where we are today and it doesn't include all the increased costs in the future not not by a long shot we don't even fund a lot of improvements in this town with our own money we hope to get grant money from the state why because we're hoping that we can try to avoid the increase to the residents but you know what that logic doesn't work and for at least two times I've proposed that we look into privatizing the water and the reason for that you look at New Jersey American with a few million customers they can afford that that increase with a nominal increase to us they can afford the cost to do improvements to the burrow system right middle sex water company just went up 25% they've probably got close to a million customers to spread those costs of improvements amongst we've got 2,604 metered customers to say I'm sorry but you got to Pony up and until we fix that problem we're going to be here every couple years doing the same thing and the goal of this Administration I believe and everyone up here is to do the right thing not just for today and not just by November 6th or 7th or whatever the voting day is but for the future so we're not up here constantly so while this ordinance introduction right now does have a high increase understand it is to generate the necessary Revenue this year that needs to be collected by December and over the next 3 months I proposed we work on an ordinance for the water sewer rate that is not only fair to the rest of the residents in town and includes certain costs but also anticipates what our operations are going to be next year now last year we were lucky enough to get 30 something, $320,000 in covid relief funds we balance the water sewer budget right we don't want to pass it on to the residents we had the opportunity we used it I get it makes sense the problem is where's that money today now I got to make it up with a drastic increase right last year we've hired uh new new employees in the water sewer department who are helping fix brakes water main brakes internally so we don't have to go out to contract great move well guess what those employees cost money the materials they use cost money a break is still a break it still costs money we might be paying less for it these are these are all great things that we've done along the way to try to curtail the increased cost but the fact of the matter is the costs are coming and they continue to come so we're going to do everything we can here to make sure number one the budget or that the borrow has the money it needs to operate and still provide services to the residents and number two to do our best to plan for the future so with that being said and I i' welcome any other comments from the rest of the council councilman rinsky can you tell us the past five years what the the rate increase has been from New Brunswick zero New Brunswick has not our last contract with New Brunswick I don't believe had any rate increase in water and sewer costs and actually the gentleman asked earlier he commented about um sewer rates why we can't do like an estimated rate in the summer our agreement with the city of New Brunswick is every gallon of water we buy we pay for pumping them a gallon of sewage that's why we can't water our Lawns without charging for sewer there's no way to do it in fact the city of New Brunswick has often brought to this council's attention that we flush more down the drain whether it's through gutters or sump pumps or however it may be leaking pipes more goes down the drain than we buy from them and they've said you owe us money and you know what we told them sorry read the agreement because we're not about to Fork over money to the city of New Brunswick that a we don't have and B will come at a cost to our residents but you know what it's coming we've got hundredy old pipes in this town we've got manholes made of brick that are haven't been lined and cleaned all that leads to increased cost of operation increased cost of treatment at middle sex County where all the sewer flows we're a small town and we've got a lot of work to do and unfortunately the only thing to pay for it is us the residents so I'm sorry if it hurts I'm sorry if you know you're upset about this you should be but unfortunately there's really no way around it at this time unless we start putting our thinking caps on and looks for Creative Solutions and I'm all ear please call come down bring your ideas to us often give us your thoughts because other than raising rates I don't know where we're going to get the money well this isn't political because last year how they had they balanced the budget and they use the co funds I think if it was us last year we would would have done done the same thing because we try to watch out for the people in town we' live here and there's nobody that that's trying to sneak something over on anyone so even though we run a sides when we're up here we try to think alike to the betterment of the people in town no one is trying to take advantage here it's it's a lot of things aren't Fair uh you started at Washington on down this is different here come to meetings please watch meetings from home come to meetings here please get involved please be involved we all appreciate you coming here tonight stay involved I do have a question I'm looking at these two ordinances you you you were saying the whole time council president re rinsky that we need the shortfall for the money but the rates are going up but are they going to come down after we get the money or they're going to stay at the same rate because if they do I'm not going to approve this what we what we have to do is we have to sit as finance committee which you're on councilman Potter and councilman Collins and utilities which councilman Potter and councilman Collins are on we need to sit over the next three months and come up with a rate structure that works we needed 320,000 last year we got it in Co we need 350 this year we're getting it with this rate increase next year what we're looking at what I predict is probably over 400,000 so for it all to come off how are we going to fund that we need to think about how to address the issue long term and not for nothing this is the first year of the new 5year rates from New Brunswick in which we're going up 35% compared to last year so these are all things we need to consider and we need to work to a plan that is a fair to the residents and B ensures the financial viability of the burrow or C finally truly entertain Outsourcing our water system and privatizing it because it only falls on one group and that is the residents of this town those are the decisions we have in front of us and and look I've been up here six years a little Gap in between we faced the same thing five years ago or six years ago caught hell for it 10% one year new next year was going to be a lot halfway through the year 40% as they say right again $300,000 we had to make up we didn't create the problem folks we're inheriting it for the most part all of us up here and we're doing our best so if you've got an idea and you've got a solution bring it on down but otherwise I'm sorry we don't don't really have an alternate solution we don't have any more developments we don't have any more buildings going up and the ones that do well heck if we don't put a meter in each one of them and build those as individuals the cost is going right back to us the same 2,604 units in town generally the can gets kicked down the road each Administration does not want to burden the the the people in the town until we get to a point like where we're at right now and it's it's not pretty but but this needs to be addressed right now I was under the impression though um based on a conversation you and I had Council M rinsky that there would be a search charge yes for the period of July through December m 150 bucks and I think that was something that I think the residents would not bulk at temporary to make up the short this to make up the shortfall so so so this but we're saying that we can't do that because our Billing System can't so so this essentially good question so this essentially is that search charge but it's it's $150 right now but it's not inre but it doesn't say temporary 0% doesn't say temporary it doesn't say SE because because that should force all of us to work towards revising this ordinance and doing it right by September I say we $150 sear charge we put that in there and then we're then well number one number one hold on number one if we do $150 search charge that does not get out of the same situation we're going to face next year but then like you said we have time to figure it out you're looking at these rates people are going to start not using their water and we're not going to you said there's an we didn't touch the dollars per gallon the dollars per gallon have not Chang so stop flushing the toilet peeing a bucket doesn't matter you still got to get it and the reason we did that is we need cuz we need $350,000 what I what I I'm sorry the it seems because I'm with you and I do get this stop Gap and I do see historically uh this seems to happen repeatedly I understand your concern about it being temporary my concern becomes then or the thought process I have is that if the new year starts and we don't sign something in right away anything we do sign reaches that same point where you have less of a year to acrew that money and the rate becomes that much more painful intolerable other words that we've repeatedly the miltown miltown synonymous with it's it is an ongoing problem a long time and uh it was a poor practice that started many years before before this uh I don't like it I do see where as a means to an end and maybe you maybe this forces action by the end of the year that we can try and enact that we have a smooth transition into a new policy and we need to be we need to present something you know we're doing this we put a Band-Aid on it but I do think we need to treat we need to treat the real cause and and I think that's been said said before and you know again you know something something that mandates every time you every time I get the math on it that every time we get that 3 and a half% raise and we don't immediately raise the rate it becomes less of a year to recover that so that if I wait on giving you going up 3% now I got 6 months congratulations it's 5 and a half% and that happens in a really quick time and in the span of three meetings where nothing gets passed you're almost into a court so we got to get ahead of it as a council as as a Utility Authority we got to we have to and if it's just the beginning of a lot of long-term problems but again as uh ter with names you saying before I mean the lead part all of these things if we don't come up with a plan that addresses our year toe probably mandates that 32% happens without us doing anything it's got to be it's really not a choice we have MH and it to arrow on that is a poor choice in itself but I do think we owe the town we we're doing this but we do have to come up with something so I was also under the impression at the youth and government meeting when you said that there would be some sort of presentation but there's no presentation this is it we we've worked over the last several weeks to come up with a plan the plan was initially to get rid of the tier system in order to make it fair dollars per gallon Fair across the board regardless of how much you use because if you're caught in that period of the three hottest months there's no reason you should pay more dollars per gallon than someone else right we talked about creating a base cost that covers all of our operational cost costs we talked about including language and an ordinance to make sure that every unit in an apartment building was built as if it was his own meter whether or not that person installed its own meter or the landlord decided to install meters in each one there was so much going into that ordinance that it wouldn't pass in time it was too it was too complex too much overhaul to get done in time and right now the reason it's being introduced tonight is because it we need to adopt this in order to introduce the budget we're at a cap right now of $34 left in the draft budget $34 and that comes as a result of staying cheap for years not funding the Necessary Things We we've got these employees but we didn't budget for you know some of the things that were promised to them we we need trucks you know how can you fix a watermain break if you don't have the pickup truck and the tools to do it well we got to buy it you know what a truck cost these days $76,000 $90,000 now pre-co that might have been 50 but we keep kicking that can down the road get another year out of the truck right try and hold off don't put it on the residence but you're not talking about the two trucks that are coming down later on on the agenda no we've got two trucks these when these ones were bought last year right or we agreed to buy them last year and now in the capital plan right and that was a plan and Ford said you can buy one exactly and now we're finally able to buy it what happened the truck's more money than it was last year but again but that was a plan that's really there and I hope I hope somebody can tell me the difference between what was the number last year and what it is now obviously it's going to be a little bit higher but um one question uh with the water and sewer rates was there ever any discussion about um decreasing costs all things that we have to look at right now we're we're looking at what was spent last year and what was was spent last year were $350,000 short and that's because as as you know we we filled that hole with Co money so Personnel is not on the I don't know where we're going to cut $350,000 in Personnel when we only have three people in the department I that I have four people in the department okay well again what are we going to go down to one person and try I mean it's impossible it's like it's like it's like my job right so you know last week 25% of my company was laid off and what what does my boss tell me what does my CEO tell me work harder you'll figure it out yeah you know so I have to come back to ask this question again we we we have to do the we have to raise the minimum because our software yep can't yeah so so Edmond Edmonds as you know this the software that we utilize for billing would have to write a special program in order to send out a one-time Bill to everyone for for the SE charge we could not do that well it has to be tied into the Edmund software because since the burrow owns its water and sewer utility it's tied to taxes so if you don't pay your water bills many of you might know if you ever got a threatening letter that it's going to tax sale that's tax sale for not paying your utility bill it seems very illogical but it's because it's burrow owned so all of that data all of that information has to be tied into there and then the interest right so what we wanted to do is get this out here as soon as possible make everyone aware that we're expecting another $150 out of these 264 metered customers right and give you the time to to budget for that you you got six months I mean that's 25 bucks a month to come up with to say Hey by the end of the year I'm going to I'm going to pay that money I'm going to do what's right and the town's going to have the 350 it needs to balance the budget and in the meantime it's on us all of us up here to work on developing a plan a financial plan for next year's anticipated cost did our part-time CFO come up with these rates yes he has reviewed those y he came up with the rates yep they were presented to me uh with both of our our auditor as well as the CFO and they verified this is what why the auditor because the auditor looks at the numbers in fact last year in October when we had the audit of the 20122 budget M I asked the auditor I was I was called in I said given the fact that we've decreased our Surplus over the last four years and not raised rates are we looking at a rate increase you refused to answer the question your current udit or the last order last year's auditor okay would not answer that question didn't want to put his money where his mouth is because I think we all knew we did and we weren't trying to make it make anyone look bad it's just no we did yeah they're going to have to go up and if I remember correctly it was going to be somewhere in the range of like 3 to 5% but not well right not not this number well right right right now again if we ignore the percentage and focus on the actual dollars needed it's $350,000 right so what it equates to in regards to percent is is irrelevant it could be 2,000% could be 5% we've got 6 months to make it up so that's why it had to be done in 6 months to make up 350,000 which isn't much more than the the amount of money that was used last year from a government handout to balance a budget if we did it last year for example if we raised it 5% last year maybe we could get away with the 5% this year since we'd have 24 months to start generating that Revenue but right now we got six it's just unfortunately what we inherited and you know if we were deceived by by previous folks or you know we didn't know what questions to ask whatever the case may be this is where we are today and I don't blame anyone else up here I don't I don't blame any of us up here right we're all doing our best but it's where we are today I want to say people that that are blaming us for hurting senior citizens I'm Le out to the senior Club to the to the senior center and I will be meeting with those people and they'll want to know all about this but also at the same time I'll say any of those people that think that way put your name on the line run for office get elected like everyone up here and do better than us M Mr B do you think we can hear from our auditor about this is there anything you have to add is there anything you would have to Mike just I I've listened to everybody here I was involved in verifying the calculations in conjunction with the CFO who I have worked closely with for a long time okay in either working for me or working in another Community where I'm also the auditor couple things need to be clarified though it is about $344,000 okay and it's going to be build on October 1 for that particular cycle and then November 1 and December one so there's a 90-day lag between potential adoption and when the cash flow is going to be required but in the bottom line is in the end when all the Smoke Clears we need $344,000 more the draft budget that the CFO prepared that we varified has maximized every Revenue item possible okay it translate it could have been more okay and um I think yes the the rates need to be addressed probably in September okay adopted or introduced in sep uh introduced and adopted for consumption beginning October 1 so you know going back to 2018 when it was 300,000 30% had it been done on January 1st it would have been only 15% if the percent doesn't matter we need 350 approximate ,000 more and yeah Phil I do verify numbers in these rate increases for all the clients that I work on so I have a little more intimate knowledge than most people do and you know that's just just part of what I what I do so really I mean we're we're we're close to we have we have to move on this because time is of the essence okay because of adopting our budget and like you said we need to generate x amount of dollars with by December 31st doesn't how matter how we do it and you the speaking to the uh tax collector we felt uh you know last week it was cumbersome to cut a separate search charge Bill the the the computerization charges the text the uh postage the software the paper all that stuff would have been Godly knows it could have been 105,000 I know Fred believe had some conversations with her as well and then we came down to a final decision I think sometime on Thursday we did have legal review okay and in the end this was the best solution to get to where we want to get to and it's only temporary okay and for the if it's not it's not temporary cuz it doesn't say it's temporary that's my problem well no it's temporary well it's temporary for it's temporary the reality is that's designed to get us through this fiscal year and you're you're right it is designed to get us through this fiscal year put it in okay it's too early in the process to to do a 25 a 2025 budget so yeah in in in effect Phil it is temporary because we need to get through this year we need to get it aded so we could get our budget I don't want to I don't want to continue to argue this point I I get it I got I get it um but was this did this hav't did the the uh uh the delay in finding our CFO contribute to this issue no we needed the money anyway whether whether we had a CFO in January or CFO in March or April but if you had a if you had a CFO in January have 12 months right now you only got six well if still has to do the introduction adoption and run through the numbers yeah we making up $350,000 or 344 in 6 months based on being short last year with a short fall that we filled a gap with covid money we started out this year owing the $350,000 right so I mean and in the to get in front of this in the draft budget that was utilized there is some leftover Co money being used that will not be here next year about 130 Grand or there about so we're using every possible Revenue source that we can there was 13 something, and so that's thank you for saying that because that's that's what I want to hear and I expected to see that in a presentation so that I could see hey this kind of makes sense and then I'm then I find out oh yeah it's going to be a search Char then I get this over the weekend there's no search charge no we we went there we evaluated it I know but the minimum went up it's not temporary it is temporary if weact a new the most legal appropriate way we could get to get to where we needed to get to bottom line okay that that's really what I so if the wording and I understand what you're saying there's no guarantee that it's temporary other than the fact that we need to address this problem with a new plan that's what will make it temporary y but you know the Pres presentation of a lasting solution is what makes this temporary we have to stop the old habit start the new app you can pay off a credit card that doesn't mean it stays paid off you have to do the next step and I think uh I think it's clear that the council needs to we need to do our best to address it and it may not be it may not be the mo it was expressed to me that a service call for a water made whatever dollar amount when you want to put on fixing that whenever it happens depending if it happens on a Wednesday on a quiet street the cost of fixing that on a Saturday in cold weather where they mostly happen is a dramatic difference in that cost and the cost of that service if that cost 8,000 bucks you didn't have specifically laid out in the budget well if you divide that by the 2,604 M when you think about that that's what people are paying for that the idea of adding better meters more meters in rental places in rental facilities in perhaps businesses that a building may have one meter for three businesses that spreads out that cost $80,000 so that if everybody's paying 40 bucks for that or $400 for that if you add to the 2604 number that incidental cost for each of those actions becomes less for each person and I can imagine my head trying to get around all of the numbers and all the things that fall into that that's uh not my job that's an actuary an auditor CFO a bunch of people and I can see how we haven't been able to come up with that in this shorter window and this stop Gap is unappetizing clearly but it is um if you've ever been you know like in a war movie or something where you're cut and there's nothing you can do about it they heat up a blade they stick it on your arm and it stops the infection from setting in and you go on to live the fight another day and that's what I find I feel this is it's it's not good it simply is what it is dis point it saddens me that it's here I I'll add just one more quick comment because before the meeting started um I ran some numbers assuming 200 units over at a me and 350 units in uh Ford Avenue our increase this time around if we divide it amongst all of them would be $125 instead of 150 so it's still there we're we're still looking at the increase right now we're sitting on $100,000 worth of brand new digital water meters where when they're all installed we can press a button and we're not paying for a meter reader to go around right great investment digital meters decrease your billing costs decrease your meter reading costs we don't have the labor to install they're sitting right now we bought them last year $100,000 worth of meters don't have the labor to install I don't think you're ever going to have the labor to install them that's why you get a third party to install them and that third part is going to cost us money I my point being is like look folks we if we want to improve our services we we got to pay for it and unfortunately right now we're just trying to break even let alone improve so that's unfortunately the harsh reality for record the CFO have personal commitment this evening okay thank you for for coming Jer but the CFO is going to have a personal commitment every Monday right no only when it has a council meeting the same time we do that's what I'm saying he'll never be here on a on a Monday unless we move the meeting to a Tuesday we can always change a council meeting date and have it where be and I had recommended that especially when you have this conversation to have that CFO here to make a presentation because knowing that his meeting is the same night as our meeting he indicated he would be here on the 24th that Monday he'll be here okay he he's already submitted his budget right we we have it in draft form the finance committee is digesting it his budget yeah yeah yeah yeah will the deputy clerk please call the role council president rinsky I councilman Collins no councilman moo I councilman pansi I councilman Potter no not as it's written councilman zamb Brana no not as it's written seeing as we have a tie mayor the mayor would vote so mayor Murray I I I just want to say something now if I may three yeses three NOS clearly a hard decision but if we can't vote to raise the rates now and we need the damn money what are we going to do in the future when we really need to make improvements answer me that please help me because I spend countless hours up here whether it's my kid's birthday or an anniversary I give so much of my time to be here to do right by the residents to plan for the future of this town not just for today not for a campaign I ain't wunning this year I could care less about being up here other than the fact that we need people up here we can trust to do the job Rich council president yes because we're all up here doing the same thing I doubt if you did you would have voted yes no no sir if you listen to what we said we're not in agreement the way it's currently written and like you said we need to put a plan in place so it did pass to move to the next step But be sure this will be looked at with a fine tooth comb and it's not going to pass unless we're all in agreement this is a struggle for each of us I I'll I'll have I'll have trouble when I see my wife tonight but this is this is this is this is a huge struggle and and you don't want us all to think the same if even if you think you do you don't I tell you I wish there was something I could do I'd rather give my salary back than to raise this you know up but it's not going to make a dent in it that's the real fault of this and it I I really wish we would have known earlier about this this is the introduction of ordinance 24 1541 there's no public input on this ordinance tonight the introduction summary will be published as required by law and a second reading public hearing final adoption will be considered on June 24th 2024 full copies of the ordinance will be posted on the bar website on the B board at the municipal building and available at no cost in the office of the municipal clerk between hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Fridays will the deputy clerk please read ordinance 24541 by title only ordinance 24-1 1541 an ordinance to amend chapter 26 sewer section 26- 7.9 sewer usage sewer use charges of the revised General ordinances of the bur of miltown may I have a motion in a second to adopt the ordinance motion to adopt second I have a motion by council president revolinsky seconded by uh councilman Zam Brana uh does council have any questions or comments will the deputy clerk please call the role council president rinsky I councilman Collins no councilman moo I councilman pansy I councilman Potter no not as it's written councilman Z Brandon no not as it's currently written again seeing as a tie mayor I the following ordinance was introduced on May 28 2024 and published accordance with law mayor the second reading oh I'm sorry second reading and public hearing on this ordinance will take place on June 24th 2024 at 7 p.m. council chambers the following ordinance was introduced on May 28 2024 and published in accordance with law if any member of the public wishes to comment on this ordinance they may do so after the reading will the deputy clerk please read ordinance 24537 by title ordinance 24-1 1537 ordinance authorizing the installation of two additional stop signs at the intersection of Clay Street and Oaks Avenue to convert the intersection to a four-way stop controlled intersection may I have a motion in a second to adopt this ordinance 24-1 1537 so moved we have money for it yes we do second have a motion by councilman Potter second by Council pres president revolinsky now open up the public hearing on ordinance 24537 please state your name and address for the record these comments are limited uh to comments to this ordinance only okay seeing none I will close the public comment portion of this meeting will the deputy clerk please call the role council president rinsky Hi councilman Collins hi councilman moo hi councilman psky councilman Potter I councilman Z Brana I the following ordinance with introduced on May 28th 2024 and published accordance with the law if any member of the public wishes to comment on this ordinance they may do so after the reading will the deputy clerk please read ordinance 24-1 1538 by title ordinance 24-1 1538 Bond ordinance providing for various Road improvements appropriating $1,750,000 therefore in authorizing the issuance of $601,500 bonds and notes to finance a portion of the costs thereof authorized in and by the burrow of mtown in the county of middlex New Jersey may I have a motion in a second to adopt this ordinance so move second I have a motion by council president revolinsky seconded by councilman Potter um I will open up the ORD uh the public hearing on ordinance 24538 please state your name and address the record these comments are limited to comments on this ordinance only seeing none I will close the public comment portion of this meeting will the deputy clerk please call the rooll council president rinsky Hi councilman Collins hi councilman moo I councilman pansi I councilman Potter I councilman Zam Brana I authorizing payments of Municipal obligations next on the agenda we will have authorizing pay ments of Municipal obligation will the deputy clerk please read resolution by title resolution 2024 182 authorizing the payment of bills claims and statements against the bur of miltown in the total amount $283,950 you have heard the reading of this resolution or there any questions yes Mr Mayor I had a couple questions on uh page 10 and it was on the first I guess it's Bill set I got two Bill sets out here right Monica yeah I it was in the first page 10 is a [Applause] question is on this uh Rosine Mendel stom you know what that is Fred it's a labor attorney oh we we got that much in lab labor attorney $6,000 yes sir that's the Andrea Wyatt the labor attorney for the town see and I had a question on number uh page eight on the list the second one is that the first one see which what page sir and I'm I'm sure a lot Fred of those bills were the result of trying to get the folks in the utility department to the appropriate pay no sir no we hav now not the now not now is not the time to have that conversation where my other one at I'll just let that one go I just now what was what was the other question yeah I had one on page eight on the on the second one but have somewhere misplaced it I can't find the page second one I'm sorry p on the second on here yeah there's two of them on here instead of one of them so I don't know where I circled it sorry I'll just have to skip that one I'm sorry so just send me an email and we'll answer the question I'll send me an email thanks FR may I have a motion in a second please second I have a uh motion by council president rinsky seconded by councilman Collins uh will the deputy Clair please call the RO Council president rinsky Hi councilman Collins hi councilman moo hi councilman pansy hi councilman Potter hi councilman Z bran hi a consent resolution has been prepared for the resolutions listed on the agenda all matters listed under the consent agenda are considered to be routine in nature and having been reviewed by the burrow Council will be enacted in one motion any items may be removed from the consent agenda at the request of any council members and if so removed will be treated as a separate matter any items requiring expenditures are supported by certification of funds if any member of the council wants any resolution acted on individually please give me the resolution number and I will quot it from the consent resolution Mr Mayor uh 2024 184 and 2024 185 I'd like I'd like uh 2024 uh 186 uh 2024 2024 189 okay will the deputy clerk please read the consent resolution excluding 2024 184 185 186 189 please whereas pursuant to the rules of council the council May establish a consent agenda for any regular or special meetings upon certain conditions and whereas each of the following resolutions to be presented before the plal council at its June 10th 2024 regular meeting appear to have unanimous approval of all members of the burrow Council resolutions 2024 187 and 188 now therefore be it resolved by the burough Council of the burough of miltown that each of the above listed resolutions be approved and adopted by the burrow council with the same legal effect as though each was read in its entirety the June 10th 2024 regular meeting and adopted by separate vote uh you have heard the reading of this consent resolution with your pleasure move that this resolution be adopted second I have a motion by council president rinsky seconded by councilman Potter will the deputy cler please call the rooll council president rebin councilman Collins hi councilman moo hi Council pansy hi councilman Potter I councilman Zam Brana I will the deputy clerk please read resolution 20 24-14 by title resolution 2024 184 authorizing Award of contract under New Jersey state contract number a 8872 6 2024 Ford F250 pickup truck winter Ford nte amount $4,688 what is pleasure Council you pulled it um Mr ba can you tell me if this $75,000 pickup truck is for the utility department or the DPW Department yes sir would you tell me is it split 50/50 or is it 6040 or is it you go for so I can't tell you which one goes through the water department to your CL or whether it goes through the electric department or public works department to me they're all the same on the top of the hill when you know when you're buying a vehicle that from 20122 capital budget I hear you anybody else $75,000 trck no need to raise the rates could we ask uh make motion we ask could we ask the Chief Financial Officer can he tell I mean why don't we just why don't we just pull the resolution we'll find out who it belongs to put it back on the 24th it's easy sure easy peasy is there certification fund there is a certification that's I mean the money's on there I'm not I'm not questioning the money I just wanted to know the Delta between the capital plan budget in this that's all I just need two minutes I can tell you which is going which and it doesn't have to be right now once I see that in that c account I'm okay I see there's a western 8ot Pro plow plus so I'm thinking it's probably for DPW but I know we have overlap a lot of times the F450 is for DPW and the 250 is for utilities 450 utilities 250 is D so 75,000 for utilities and 94,000 roughly for DPW switched okay no backwards switch backwards she you said the 250 is for utilities right mhm no DPW fer I'm I closed it I thought the 450 is for DPW got it 185 and 185 93,000 and the 250 is utilities utilities okay 75,000 ERS okay answers my question but that was that was budgeted in the was already budgeted pre previous previous so oh so is planned ahead well planned ahead and addressed early so it doesn't become a burden this year two vehicles that are like leaving two Vehicles being retired they're replacing two vehicles again don't you don't I don't need to know that right now what is the pleasure of councel make a motion that the resolution be adopted second I have a motion made by councilman Collins seconded by councilman Zam Brana um Willer clerk please call the role council president rolinski why not councilman cins hi Council moo uh hi councilman pansi I councilman Potter I councilman Z Brana I will the deputy clerk please read resolution 24 20241 186 by title um 1855 right 185 185 by title resolution 20241 185 authorizing Award of contract under NJ State contract a 88215 2024 Ford F450 cab and Chassis crew cab 4x4 winter Ford not to exceed $3,728 what is your pleasure Council I make a motion that this resolution be adopted second I have a motion made by council president rev Linsky seconded by councilman Collins um is there any discussion for DPW so go ahead we look cler please call the RO council president rinsky Hi councilman Collins hi councilman moo hi councilman posnanski hi councilman ptter hi councilman s Brana I will the deputy clerk please read resolution 2024 d186 by title resolution 2024 186 establishing a mount Bal subcommittee and appointing members to assist to assist to assist the burrow not appointing oh I'm sorry subcommittee uh to assist the burrow in complying with its affordable housing obligations what is pleasure Council I have a question about the subcommittee is this in perpetuity I I believe um I believe this only really goes to the end of the year well it's by by its terms the resolution indicates it'll it'll remain in existence until dissolved or terminated by the B Council so technically it is Perpetual but it's going to have a finite purpose as to working with working as a group to try to uh assist the Council with meeting its affordable housing obligations than thank you I I have a question why why has it been changed to two council members who currently serve on finance Administration and planning subcommittee this wasn't on the original that we uh that we looked at that was changed this is the first time we had the resolution no no I think the last time we had we had a draft sayange no we we had the burrow clerk who made a recommendation and when we sat down at the agenda meeting we decided that it should be this way so who made the ultimate decision who made the ultimate decision why can't it just be two council members well we thought because this has to this pertains to planning that it should be members of the finance Administration and why why can't we all work together could I just say two coun you can certainly chime in whenever you want I am I'm actually suggesting that we it to just say two council members not have one committee on it make a motion I don't know if we can oh thank you I make a motion that we amend it to we amend the subcommittee membership motion already on the floor we just had a discussion he just said make a motion okay sorry there's no much motion that's why y so that's why I'm making a motion that we we amend it to change it just to two council members one from each party just no just two council members so it's a motion so we need a second to the motion to the amendment second second so there's a motion made by councilman Potter second by councilman zbr um is there any discussion no will the clerk please call the role council president revolinsky no because of the change I don't like the way that's written councilman Collins no I'm fine with what he on here I'm sorry I didn't hear your answer no no I'm fine with what's on here Council moo no council panski I see it I see it um I'll V yes councilman Potter I councilman Zaman I the tiebreak mayor Murray and this is for updating as per the updated correct this is for the amendment for the amendment um no is for the amendment yes is for no is per the amendment no the motion made was an affirmative motion to remove certain language from the resolution so a vote in favor of the motion is to remove the language a vote against the motion is to leave the the resolution the way it is then yes we can amend it for the two council members will the deputy clerk please read resolution number 24 202 24-1 189 by title so just for the record that was just a motion to amend the resolution you've never adopted it so you need another it was amend and adopt your motion was just to amend no then I'll make a motion to adopt the amendment sorry just thank okay we have motion by councilman Potter second it by councilman zbr is there any discussion I think the planning subcommittee uh the planning committee it just makes sense that a council member probably should likely be involved in the planning subcomittee unless there's I don't see why that wouldn't be a boon to that to you know to the subit to have a dedicated or liaison or somebody who has continuous and constant access to the information and things in front of the planning subcommittee because as a if General I may not understand the concept all that well but if we're having we're going to try to be compliant knowing what's coming down the pipe in being built in town would make sense to me so councilman make I can let you know that somebody who wants want to be on this committee is currently not on that board who's a council member so that's why I voted to amend it so we can allow for more options and not just one who would that be that would be uh councilman Zam Brown who does have experience in planning and on the um you know he was on Fort Avenue so that was I believe he emailed I've been on Fort Avenue too no I don't council president rinsky you can absolutely be on you like Deputy clerk please call the rooll council president rinsky W yes we had a motion by councilman Potter a second by councilman s councilman Collins I councilman moo sorry just to make sure the to the wording was amended or has wording was amended this is now a motion to adopt I councilman panski I councilman Potter I councilman Zam Brana I will the deputy CL please read resolution number 2024-25 189 authorizing amending of Professional Services contract architectural Professional Services public meeting space design schwendeman cabin project not to exceed $756 what is pleasure of council I just like a question why did this take so long this was approved last summer by I wanted to pull this also um i' I'd like to open this for discussion first of all there's there's an increase from what this originally came out as but uh I'd like to discuss if we all are on the same page as far as going through this I mean we're we're strapped for cash and uh I did Home Improvement and I have my own feelings about that site which may not be popular here so the um this proposal was put out last year because we have about $113,000 give or take in grant money from the county so it's not taxpayer money it's coming from the county to do improvements to that property and there's been varying opinions on whether or not it can be salvaged should be salvaged and what should be done so we figured let's get an architect in there to give us a site assessment and uh his original proposal was around 5600 or so uh he asked the town for copies of plans architectural plans or layout drawings uh having found none he said you know what I think for another th000 bucks or five or 10 hours will work I'll draft the plans up too and indicate you know what Outlets are shot what a you know he needs some sort of layout plan in order to present a report and so since the money's coming from the county it kind of makes sense throw the extra Grand in there and get them on his way yeah this should have been done like 5 years ago and then it was supposed to be done last summer and now it's finally getting done this it's like so it pro this has probably just happened because of changing qpa right no part of the problem no no no okay change in CFO no I'm trying to figure out like how come there's no work that's been done because he was waiting to this it just said there's no architectural plans he said get me the architectural plans and we said how much and he said probably about 10 more hours so approved me up to 7500 bucks and I'll draw the architectural plans and I'll do the report and it went back and forth between uh our DPW director and then our our burrow offices and going out and figuring out how to do this and then we wanted to make sure through the qpa that this was okay to do and that we wouldn't have to go out for a new RFP so clean legal straightforward we're spending the County's money to look at a building that they gave us back because they didn't want that we paid for in the beginning to trade so this comes from the the grant yre but at the same time if if we don't all think alike as far as keeping the structure there this comes away from that grant money correct yeah his report is to give us the information to make our determination on what to do with that structure okay and the funds I understand that so we get money that we could spend it's not it's County money so what is the pleasure of council please make a motion that the resolution be adopted second I have a motion made by council president rinsky seconded by councilman Collins May will the deputy clerk please call the role council president rinsky Hi councilman Collins hi councilman moo hi councilman pansi no councilman Potter hi councilman Z Brana I all right we have uh reports from elected officials council president revolinsky um Finance planning Administration as well as uh Ford Avenue update on Ford Avenue the uh court date was delayed the next tentatively scheduled court date is for September we'll see what happens with that for finance uh we had our draft review of the 2024 budget um looks like there's about $34 left in our spending capacity uh in that budget the finance committee met last Monday and is digesting the information within that budget and we should be meeting again hopefully by the end of the week if not next week so that we can introduce it at the June 24th council meeting um tax bills estimated tax bills did go out um we went we increased everything 4% as an estimate that's a headed your bet kind of uh tax bill that went out so don't be shocked it includes 4% on the on the schools 4% on the burrow and 4% on the County taxes uh right now we're looking at a 2% increase so if you average uh back down to 2% over two quarters you're looking at up four back to zero and then quarters one and two in 2025 would be the 2% and the tax bills are because we didn't have the CFO is that correct well we have to adopt this uh this ordinance for the water sewer bills which I would think people on the finance committee knew and utilities I mean it just baffles me but you've heard enough from me tonight that's all I got thank you councilman Collins thank you Mr Mayor uh I just have two short reports the electric utility responded to two motor vehicle accidents with broken poles repaired a broken cross arm with a hanging primary wire responded to an outage on West fo shev made the necessary repairs for restoral a water utility manhole repaired on North Main Street sewer was cleaned on North Main and hydr was replaced on on Bird Street and that concludes my report Mr B thank you councilman moo uh so a few things uh in the we'll mention that uh at the Board of Education meeting it was mentioned uh was a gentleman John paricio who has been a custodian there for good 20 years he's retiring and uh just as an honorable mention to him he uh he's done very good work when they're actually looking for his replacement they uh ended up modifying the description because he just had taken over so many roles uh and he will be missed so uh I mentioned that as the board Lea on uh beyond that in the rec department uh a few good things uh in a late last minute session the mayor himself I believe uh applied for Grant was sponsored by middle sex County which has resulted in uh us getting the Grant and free swimming lessons for all second graders in Middle sex County uh that will be done through the burough uh Rec Department uh the address of course 61 Violet Terrace miltown I didn't even know that because for the most part uh it's always been the burrow pools right over there but you can register through Community paths uh and you must register for that but that is free and sponsored uh by a grant uh the registration opens Friday June 14th there will be free swim lessons will be offered for children in second grade during the current 2023 2024 school year to register you must create a community pass account limited spots are available three sessions will be available please note uh the rec department kindly asks you only to register for one session to give other people the opportunity to take part in this program the recreation department will be monitoring registration uh beyond that the burrow pool will open for the season on Saturday June 15th the pool staff is working very hard to make it an unforgettable summer the pool P pool hours will be from 12:00 noon to 8:00 p.m. and if you're looking to purchase a membership please visit Community pass uh the they are excited to say miltown Splash squad has over 50 kids registered uh if you want to be part of the summer fund a few spots are still available the Albert ad summer camp will start Monday July 1st only a few spots remain open so please register quickly if you'd like that summer tennis class registration is now open classes for that begin on July 9th thank you for supporting the miltown rec department and they look forward to making many fun summer memories uh additional to that the library committee uh would like to mention the library board meeting is tomorrow night at 6:30 p.m. uh they are going to have a drop in play for a 0 to 24 month keep kids on Wednesday June 12th at 10:30 on Thursday June 13th there'll be an after school craft a flower pot seed paper kit Saturday June 15th we'll have crocheting with Sam at 11:00 a.m. Monday June 17th at 6 p.m. there's a program on New Jersey courts and civil rights Wednesday Jun 19th droing crafts at 11:00 a.m. registration for summer reading begins on Thursday June 20th uh Saturday June 22nd summer reading ises the kickoff party at 10:30 a.m. to 2: p.m. featuring Mr Zoom giant bubbles face painting Pizza raffle and an ice cream truck to purchase ice cream from Monday June 24th at 9:15 a.m. there will be adult yoga and in the evening on Monday June 24th the G fly kite bingo at 6:30 p.m. the library will be closed on Friday June 21st in observance of June 13th juneth I'm sorry Jun juneth uh and they go live with their new catalog system on Thursday June 14th so thank you for your patience while that system is being upgraded uh they do have some challenges but they're working through thank you thank you councilman panski sure I'm going to start off with the senior center activities senior swim with Carol will begin on Wednesday July 10th at 9:00 a.m. classes will be held every Wednesday and Friday mornings from 99: to 10: throughout the summer there are still openings for weekly participation in the social club at Parker from 10:30 a.m. 1:30 on Fridays cost for participants is $3 transportation to and from miltown Senior Center is provided by Parker there will be a bus trip to Walmart Superstore in Woodbridge on Tuesday June 18th the bus will leave the senior center at 9:30 a.m. there will be a lunch and learn from AFC Urgent Care on Wednesday June 26th at 1:30 p.m. sign up on the bulletin board in advance as required as we will be serving lunch and uh monthly reports from the uh DPW they prepared pools for opening day which is coming prepared small sink holes and potholes installed no parking signs on JFK and they dismantled the old Sal shed at the DPW and work there is ongoing and but I will say it's not it it is not a park yet although that is the aim so please be careful and and don't go back there there's glass and and it's a mess so please please don't go back there um I also want to bring up that um road work on Main Street will uh will will start it could be uh June 21st the day after the kid get out of school but uh at least by the 24th and should be a 4-day uh a 4-day um finish on that and um so uh let's see let's see the culdesac at fos will be finished by next year also because there was an inquiry on that and uh we got grants for a Highland Drive it's in um it's an interlocal which is uh between the town and the county and so Highland Drive will be milled and paved starting hopefully mid July and uh and adjoining streets will also be done and uh see that's all I have for tonight thank you councilman Potter thank you Mr Mayor uh from Chief Johnson from the miltown police department between May 1st 2024 and May 31st 2024 police responded to 1,37 calls for service during this period the police conducted 115 radar details in numerous locations police made 452 motor vehicle stops during this period and investigated 16 motor vehicle accidents there were eight arrests uh which included domestic violence three DWI arrests harassment contempt of court shoplifting and theft receiving stolen property and hindering apprehension regarding solicitor permits as of June 4th 2024 there have currently been no individuals who have been issued a solicitor permit by the burrow of miltown through the police department when in doubt call us out do not become a victim of a scam regarding summer safety with our crossing guards off for the summer we remind pedestrians of the following please use crosswalks do not enter the roadway unless it's safe Vehicles see you and have time to stop vehicles must stop when you're in the crosswalk and not before heads up phones down always keep your eye on traffic community involvement is crucial in maintaining a more secure environment we strongly encourage you to assist us by reporting any suspicious persons vehicles or incidents that you may come across our non-emergency line is 732 828 11100 in case of emergencies always dial 911 we would like to congratulate all of our 8th grade and 12th grade graduating students best wishes in high school and college from Chief Jolly for the miltown fire department the miltown fire department has gained three new Cadet members and on Monday May 27th uh we had our annual Memorial Day services to honor all of our deceased members and members are needed any cand any candidates interested in joining the miltown fire department are encouraged to stop by the firehouse on Monday nights at 6:30 or email join miltown fire gmail.com from Captain Will Kaplan from the miltown rescue squad thank you to everyone who particip ated in our annual fund Drive last month we had a record support and we are truly grateful if you still have not donated you can still do so online at the miltown Rescue Squad at miltown rescue squad. org or mail your donation to PO Box 308 miltown New Jersey 08850 and we look forward to seeing everyone on the 4th of July seg waiting to the 4th of July we are just 24 days away from our big day we'll be having our final D to donate at Maria's on Thursday June 20th and Friday June 21st our 50/50 raffle still available tickets are available in our local stores or contact a Committee Member just a friendly reminder if any business organization is interested in being in the parade please please contact us at miltown 4@gmail.com or go to our website and fill out the parade form and finally please keep an eye out for the Flyers of events for the day which should be coming to your do soon and and that concludes my thank you councilman Zen BR thank you mayor Murray um from the environmental commission uh the next meeting will be Wednesday June 26th and that will be via Zoom it's usually at 7:30 uh next Board of Health meeting will be Tuesday uh June 25th at 7:30 that's usually in person 6:30 sorry 6:30 p.m um uh revitalization uh advisory committee will be uh having their meeting tomorrow via Zoom uh right now it's either between 7:30 p.m. or 8:00 due to some scheduling issues uh and then from our human Relations Committee uh just want to mention two things uh that are in the hopper our borrow attorney uh Mr bolo is is helping draft a resolution to continue continue on the path to change pain Avenue to HA Avenue uh that'll either be ready at the next meeting on the 24th or on the first meeting in July whichever is more available um and then uh the human Relations Committee uh in collaboration with the burough of miltown uh want to uh just remind everyone of the importance of juneth and that June is pride month uh the uh committee uh the commission would like to encourage all residents and families to join in celebrating uh any events related to pride month or juneth uh throughout middle sex County you can Google anything you want there there's lots of different places that uh actually you can uh attend one of these um uh these events there's actually one uh I believe later on in June that will be held um as a celebration of juneth um at the rivilla grooves um vinyl record store uh again if you go to rilla grooves they'll tell you for sure on what date and what time that will be um just a little history about juneth which will be celebrated on Wednesday June 19th juneth is short for June 19th which was the uh day uh that federal troops arrived in Galveston Texas in 1865 to take control of the state and to ensure that all enslaved people were freed uh those troops arrival uh came a full 2 and a half years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation juneth honors the end of the end to slavery in the United States and is considered the longest running African-American holiday on June 17th of 2021 it officially became a Federal holiday and as I said uh juneth 2024 will occur on Wednesday June 19th uh and that concludes my report thank you reports from bur professionals bur Attorney Peter venol uh no report tonight Mr Mayor B engineer Mr M yes Mr Mayor one uh quick report as you know last meeting we discussed the angelot transportation grants uh and they are for municipal Aid projects road projects typically bike way and Safe Streets to Transit we did meet with the uh Public Works committee last week and various suggestions were made these are NE necessary to uh package and get in deadline for the grant is July 1st the um first item would be for mpal roads the suggestion for committee was the North Brook Drive project phase two which would continue the work which was including your ordinance tonight on northb Drive the second recommendation and we concur by the way with these recommendations is a Bikeway Grant which will be phed to Albert Avenue Park you have a grant that's basically being planned being prepared for phase one this would continue the white bike path through the Albert EV Park and may I add that the njd prefers extensions and phases and that's so uh should be something that they will uh basically rule favorably on the third section was Safe Streets of Transit suggestion there was the K Avenue Crossing and bicycle pedestrian Crossing at K Avenue near Albert Avenue uh those three uh recommendations would be uh in our opinion very good selections we're not sure how much of the grant money is is allotted typic you do get a grant for each road project that you put in bike ways and Safe Streets of changes is a little bit more of a a competitive program but that'd be our recommendation if we can get Council approval we will prepare the application have them ready by July 1st thank you Deputy bur clerk Mary um so we wanted to extend our congratulations again to Kathy on her retirement and thank her for her many years of service to this town um Tuesday June 4th was primary election day we wanted to thank all of our poll workers came out and made that possible and work the polls that day um wanted to thank everybody for their patience with the clerk's office cuz we're currently still working under staff during our busiest time of year uh with all the marriages and various burrow events that we issue all the licenses for and as such we've uh switched to appointments which are needed for marriage license applications and our notary services so for all of our happy couples that are getting married and getting a marriage license you must have a ceremony date and someone to marry you the fee for a marriage license application is $28 and there is a 72-hour waiting period once you've completed the application uh notary services are still offered free of charge by the clerk's office and you can call 732 828 2100 extension 181 to schedule an appointment for either of those Services uh burrow Hall summer hours are in effect they started on June 3rd so we will be open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8:00 a.m. to 12 p.m. noon on Fridays and borrow Hall is closed on Wednesday June 19th and observance of juneth old business does any member Council have any old business to bring before Council I do um I have some questions some are going to be rhetorical it's about the court reporter uh we voted to hire her at the last meeting and may I assume she started after that or was she already working did she start working before the council voted who hired her and this could be for Peter who who does the hiring in town according to our laws does the judge understand the law uh a couple other questions but if anyone wants to answer me they they may if not so be it I don't have the answer to those questions so perhaps our our ba does I think he's R down so the uh court reporter was a it's a full-timer in another town uh the judge just asked her to come in uh we found out when she brought us her time sheet at which time we then had to bring a council resolution to pay her traditionally uh as as you know we have a Personnel committee they're supposed to decide all these things decide who gets hired posting of notes I believe the mayor wrote everybody a email on that over the weekend uh that would be way you would have but you know this is miltown and things do we do things differently so we were that resolution councilman was on the agenda last time uh to correct a to correct an issue that it you know that should have showed up at our desk when the time sheet showed up so she's above the law then I would never tell a judge that she's above the law well I am well that's your choice sir but I'm not crazy okay who who does the hiring town we we do know don't we the council does to hire that she must be hired by resolution to be paid yes sir right was that done no sir until after the fact thank you okay does any member of council have any new business to bring before Council actually I I've got one I've got one I've heard for several meetings now that the clerk's office is underst staffed and I know we've kicked this issue around a couple of times and Mr Mayor I know you did some digging in regards to what our staffing was on there um in our draft budget the CFO had plugged in some numbers and pointed out that you know we uh brought on our Deputy clerk uh in December and assumed that since uh there was only two people in that office last year that there was only intended to be two people this year so um while we celebrated Kathy Beardsley's retirement uh this evening the budget does not include the monies for replacing Kathy because that would be a third full-time person in that office so uh Mr Mayor I know you did some research on this if you wouldn't mind uh telling us what you found out about the the employment records in that office about how many full-time and part-time and when we go back because if that money wasn't properly budgeted for last year there's not a lot of room in the budget this year to to to do it so okay um but I also would like to still request again is to have Personnel committee meeting so we could discuss things as a Personnel committee meeting I would recommend that since we haven't meant to discuss this to not bring it out in public we can discuss it we're talking about a position not a person it's perfectly legal to discuss it in public the mayor just said we're talking about a Personnel committee issue and I believe we should talk about that and a committee before we come and bring it out to the general public so that's just my recommendation however you can do whatever you please to do ises the public uh the public portion of our meeting is to allow public to bring to the council's attention their comments or cons their concerns or comments the council will respect the Public's Time by refraining from any comment until the speaker is finished it's it should be noted that the public comment portion of our meeting is not structured as a question and answer session please state your name and address for the record when you come to the podium go ahead rich thank you Richard Ryan 60 South Main Street miltown mayor council members professionals ladies and gentlemen I'll be brief two things um we don't get to pick and choose more times than not uh when we're called upon in a crisis situation which is where you are now with regard to your budget and how you balance that budget my personal feeling is having been through some of these things that we should collectively leave the political discourse to campaigns and as a governing body here demonstrate the courage it takes to address these crisis we come come upon I for one would offer if it's time get out of the business of water and sewer be done with it sell it um there are companies out there you've probably explored some of this um maybe the numbers don't look good to you now um but I'm certain that a if we were to sell that utility to a private contractor that some of these issues uh would not be ours to bear be entirely um and things are always changing we understand that so um maybe now is absolutely the time to really chase that I don't know what a typical taxpayer is I just know that I'm not a typical taxpayer and um I will often offer raise my taxes if you can show me the real reason for real cuse and the benefit in it right if you can't see benefit in owning a war SE utility any longer sell it I'll thank you that's one issue the other issue I just want to bring up briefly is um with regard to my ongoing issues at 60 South Main Street um with St Paul's Church that I would like to record to reflect that going back to May 4th right through this past weekend excluding one Saturday and I want to look at my calendar to see if I can properly identify which one it was I think it was Saturday May 11th each Saturday since May 4th there's been activity both in the church and in the school um it appears to to be the same group it appears to be a spiritual group that comes in and rents the church and I was under the belief that because the church was in a commercial Zone that they were allowed to do that I'm not so certain about that any longer um even if that is accurate that they can do that I don't see how renting the church conveys automatically into the ability to use the school for any part of what their events are um I would appreciate it if uh mayor and Council would look further into that um I will share that as has been the case for a long time you're all aware of I have called on numerous occasions uh and spoke to dispatch to let the police department know that in my estimation the legal activities continue to happen every weekend um I know that nobody's going to comment on it I understand I appreciate it um but I'm asking once again internally please have some discussion and um forward whatever information you can to me thank you for your time line binder 152a North Main Street Mr may you single me you said you're hearing feedback in the room sir I must be the fite we had to change the wire on it tonight maybe it's too loud we'll check it after again okay volume uh just is just a little reminder our wonderful president of the Fourth of July organization says some great things thank you counsman Potter um you know Dave I don't that formal tonight Dave but just want to remind people some other things because I've been doing most of the emails and things like that along with Dave and Facebook questions on our you know page and stuff like that I just want to answer a couple of things too that we've been asked a lot make it really simple publicly and you gentlemen lady up here folks you'll understand tonight I can tell you it's one of the busiest nights I've seen on YouTube for us in a long time just so you know there's a lot of people watching tonight for whatever the reason I think we know what it is but that's good people are getting involved and paying attention we like that so um two things first of all the latest information that people want ask me about the Patriotic House contest yes we're doing it again and yes the form is there on the um website now miltown 4th of july. org also the same thing with the Patriotic bike contest and Mr Chef Houser who is running that this year is telling me that we want to get more kids actually in the parade this year so as many kids the weekend before is when you can take the pictures if you want or your own but the week the day of we want a lot of those cute little bikes and the kids right in the parade if they're not doing anything else we love to have them there take a big picture of them all it's a really cool picture at the end of the parade that's number two number three uh well actually you did talk about uh thank you about the next uh kind to donate but want to remind people too that the raffle tickets for a big raffle are now out there okay and that and a lot of other things will be on sale our mugs are coming in literally tomorrow the t-shirts will be in by this weekend all that kind of stuff will'll be ready available okay we're not um doing things online with that stuff this year because I think that Co crisis stuff that we did it with doesn't really necess necessitate that so I know I'm loud no matter what with feedback so um basically if you have a chance sometime in the next few weeks if you want to avoid the lnes on the fourth just stop by uh let's see there's Maria miltown convenience uh Mike's Country Market Bagel Express Kelly's Hair Garden State Bar and rescued by Lacy all those places going to have most of all of our merchandise including you know the things I said we're and also the wristbands for the kids which are by the way still staying down to $5 all your great fundraising you've done with us helps us keep that down this year all right and there's some other things that we're going to see this year we've never seen before there so get ready for another great day thank you and uh see you in uh 24 days 24 days thank you R thank you Jennifer Panella uh 193 South Main Street I live in a 100-year-old Victorian style farmhouse on Main Street I usually receive compliments on my beautiful little miltown house we added lovely brick pavers to the curb to bring that historical warmth to the community to me my house represents the flavor of miltown what is beautiful property to me I prefer to see trees not mcmansions in my backyard enabling the development of a row of mcmansions and black top in place of inviting trees is a direction I did not see miltown taking supporting the preservation of the Charming small town style is the direction I thought we were pursuing together point of view development is good point of view development is destructive it can be hasn't miltown been pummeled enough from development company boxing matches just look at the black eye on Fort Avenue the split lip on South Main Street not to mention the broken nose across from Cal replacing an historical home with Valley Bank on North M another black and blue Mark the contusion of the beautiful structure with a wraparound porch now looks like a hole in the ground and it is bad development decisions after bad development decision I have an idea let's approve a broken collar bone in the form of removing the beautiful wooded area only to be replaced with a wide two-lane Street and oversized unattractive homes enough stop is this our vision for mtown I thought we wanted to move in a Charming historical Direction once this development is approved and begins on Christopher Street it will be impossible to stop we're not talking one house and 50 trees anymore we're talking a row of oversized homes and hundreds of trees by the time this is done spiraling do we think that lofty trees are easily replacable it took a hundred years for those trees to grow and I know that because when my boys were little and played in those woods they would often bring home milk bottles from forestgate Farm when people used to throw their rubbish behind their homes before garbage pickup even existed these companies already have those beloved trees marked for felling that entire wooded strip will in the very near future be ripped out and in their place will be mcmansions and black top thanks resist the idea that progress is getting something for nothing getting something for nothing getting something for nothing in my experience if I'm getting something for nothing I'm usually sorry that I accepted what seemed like a win-win deal if someone is offering you something for nothing beware resist this seemingly good deal choose to back miltown residents whose vision for this town is for a Charming old Victorian style that is not the vision of these contractors listen to what your residents are telling you and we will together move miltown ahead for a better historical landmark that one day middle sex County will be proud to site on their list of must visit towns thank you hang on one second D come on Charles redneck 322 South Main Street um I just want to you know support Miss Pella because she's absolutely right I mean that that's what people want with miltown they love the Charming old Victorian houses and old little farmh houses the Treeline streets that are being destroyed for the repaving and res sidewalking and recurving not recurving South Main Street we don't do that but all the other streets and everything and that that's the kind of stuff that brings people in is the that that little charm that piece of History um that also brings me to my next question uh any word on the firehouses the what what we what's going to happen moving [Music] forward nothing yet okay okay thank you how you doing uh at Abram 7 Henry Street um I wanted to say Jennifer spoke very eloquently and beautifully uh and we're here to support um you know the not building of Christopher Street and the completion of that paper Street we're very concerned about the um the land elevation and the slope issues that were brought up several meetings ago that were a major concern we're very concerned about water runoff uh and the effects on the neighboring uh houses we're also uh concerned about the on Wildlife uh we've seen owls there's a family of seven or eight foxes that live back in that area um we also feel like we're not hearing the entire picture that the partial completion of Christopher Street will lead to more and more development in that area which has us very concerned so we know that I believe this is going to be brought up in the July meeting but we wanted to make it our Point known you know in advance that we are against this project project and we're here to support uh the not completion of Christopher Street thank you hello my name's Esther O'Brien I'm at five Henry Street and I just want to support what Jennifer Panella said um my property butts up right on to uh other Lots not the lots that are being developed uh right now but that's my concern too that um it seems almost impossible that somehow you'll connect uh that uh what's on Main Street to the to a street that is so far below um in elevation that just boggles my mind um and I my other neighbor Ed uh I just I agree I would rather not see that area developed and uh thank you good evening my name is Arlene uh my husband and I live at 11 East Lincoln we're fairly new to the town um' been here about 2 years now um the main attraction of moving to miltown was the aesthetic that it has the neighborhood we looked for for housing I don't know how many months before we actually finally decided on miltown um aside from that Jennifer has mentioned our backdrop of our entire backyard is that of the Trees of the animals they come up on our cameras all the time um but overall it creates privacy for us because we do have a ranch style home so it's one floor one level um the housing uh the project that was was mentioned a few meetings ago is two stories 5,000 ft the architect wasn't really sure where exactly on the lot it would be placed um sorry I'm getting nervous um so I'm not really sure how and where it will land for I view for us just because they are about 8 to 10 ft lower than our house but that means that their second floor would be I view um to our backyard which we don't have trees lining anything those trees would be removed um so we would basically be looking into let's say a bedroom and we don't really have the space we have about 11 in off of the drop off to put something there to kind of block that off if not they are our backyard because we don't have a backyard extending that way towards that lot we have four Lots they have after some research they have four lots that they're proposing right now four or five that same family owns in addition four to five Lots next to that so it's no longer just going to be those four lots that are being reposed right now it's an additional let's say total 10 um so what's to stop the construction once it starts on those four lots for it to keep going to connect to I'm I'm pretty sure Jennifer was mentioning that there's going to be like a small like mini mall so that would be all one piece and that basically destroys any trees that right now create a lot of privacy for all the Neighbors in that area whether they're here or not I know and I can see because once it's winter you can see all of our neighbors um but right now it's creating privacy with The Greenery of the trees um I know that we don't have a lot of say over what happens in the town because we are fairly new and there are a lot of people that outrank us here um but respectfully everyone is entitled because they do own that lot we're not for into the idea that somebody bought that property with the intention of building something there so we do understand that while they do have every right to build something there the last time we came to the meeting and the architect spoke about it he didn't really have a clear answer first the elevation was 7% the elevation was 7% then it was 24% so if we can get a clear answer on how things will look for us on our end um the paperwork wasn't submitted with the clerk's office before that meeting as well um so as long as we can have a clear view that would be respected up to that point um I wouldn't like to see it personally of course um but I feel like there are a lot of unanswered questions when it comes to that thank you Mr Mayor if I could just jump in I serve as the planning board secretary as well um burrow Council doesn't vote on this it's going to be the planning board that application they submitted revised plans July 10th is is the planning board meeting so that would be the place you would want to go to voice your concerns uh but there are revised plans from the architecture they speak to the elevation they speak to all the other things that were discussed at that initial meeting so and those plans are available in my office because I'm the clerk too uh so you can call my office or email me and schedule a time to come in and you can take a look at the plans that's well within your right i' I'd also like to add um I contest one thing that you said that you haven't been here long so other people outrank you you are a resident just the same as anybody else all the same rights all the same Authority and I thank you for coming up tonight because while the planning board hasn't heard this case yet this is news to me at least now I'm aware of some of those concerns before the planning board meeting so thank you Mike Mike what constitutes uh the angle of a steep slope what's the percentage you you have an ordinance mov which basically speaks to steep slopes that you've adopted to about 3 years ago I can't remember exact percentage but I think it's something over 30% which is a 3on one I was going to say I thought it was 20% or 12 yeah um because I think some of this development came up last year when we had the South Main Street Rehabilitation plan and it included the allowance for for Christopher Street and some other areas and one of the things that we are reviewing is the grading proposed complies uh it's an early issue we had with the application so that certainly they'll be uh required to go through and comply the only thing I might answer to the folks is that with control in these slopes we'll unfortunately remove trees so there's a double-edged short with this so um we we expect uh when we see the revised plans hopefully how they've addressed it allowing steeper slopes or walls may be able to save some trees that the resent are concerned about but I think the applicant is best to place his case on the record at the time and the residents can make their comments accordly thanks subat lar 18 Jan court so I came here tonight about the water but I've been inspired by my neighbors talking about what is happening as far as building and what you had just said that you were moved to miltown by the Aesthetics I'm here almost 30 years and I will tell you 30 years ago I had the same feeling miltown had that charm it was a beautiful small town left East Brunswick we've raised our family here the current state of what miltown looks like is nothing like it was I'm glad you found it two years ago but it's been in a steady decline as um a council I would hope you're using your power I don't know whether it's zoning I don't know things like that but I implore you to start taking a look at what Main Street looks like when when you drive down maybe fresh eyes on it the vacant properties the overgrown properties Ford Avenue is a whole another mess which has been a mess since I moved to Town the trucks that are going in and out um I know I'm missing something but there was another part but those of you have been here understand what I'm saying I would ask that we try to restore miltown back to the way it once was now to the water um and I understand you had said it's not a Q&A I do have questions but I'm not expecting answers I'm just raising it and some of the things that came through I was here in 2018 when we had the 60 or 70% I didn't speak then but uh increase in what or so I think it was 2018 it was uh 10% and Then followed by 30% the following okay and I think electric went up at the same time I think it was double or maybe right around then okay it was it was then but anyway I didn't speak then but you've been saying and it seems pretty consistently we're short about 350 325 300 so what is causing that and I know obviously that is the question but it makes me wonder these vacant buildings these vacant businesses that have been either torn down I mean obviously that's lost revenue for you is there anything that can be done there and then the next side as far as zoning the 2600 MERS shocks Mees we have more than 2600 families that live in this town I would guess we have like 9,000 residents absolutely correct um 7,000 yeah okay so more more than what I was even thinking is zoning or is anything being done about the number of single family homes that have become multif family and I don't even know whether it's multif family by you I mean I don't know much I walk around a lot I have a lot of family I notice things I notice houses in my neighborhood and you talk about mcmansions I can only imagine what happen there but four bedroom houses with like couple little kids but a ton of adults seven cars in front of a four-bedroom house when your children are little doesn't make sense to me so obviously it's not just two adults and two children anymore and I don't know what can be done about that but we do see that and we are working on that we know we do know about this Wonder wonderful it hasn't escaped us wonderful cuz it just seems very odd to me like I said walking around I'm like wow why are there now mind you I've had six cars in front of my house but I'm a family of six and they're all adults and I pay a fortune for that so we get that but when you're looking at just well a two and four-year-old but why are there six cars in front of your house so so I I will will say one thing that um was an eyeopener for me if you I want to say last year we had a new zoning officer that joined us and within the first month he uh generated $122,000 give or take in revenue from people who were not registering their rental units or just had decided we're not going to do it uh I met with the zoning officer uh our current zoning officer this week and I said we really need to do something and start cracking down we' SE more and more single family homes being converted to a two family home um I'm sure the schools are getting inundated in fact uh the mayor myself and councilman moo had a a phone conference with the uh some board members and the superintendent back in March and said wonderful hey be aware it looks like there's more and more kids that may be popping into the schools that we don't know where they're living we don't know and it's not to go after a person in particular or not it's just a matter of we have regulations you have to register your rental unit you have to have an inspect it's not just a money maker you have to pay for your water you're say we're paying for everybody's water and it's not just a money maker it's also to protect those residents in fact the one ordinance that was introduced tonight was about lead paint inspection in rental units specifically passed by the state so you know I encourage residents to come forth and say wait a second I see two mailboxes over here now or there's a lot more cars here than there ever used to be well as a taxpayer I appreciate that and I down on that and that's I think that's part of the solution I think right now we have close to 3,000 electric met okay so if you consider that versus the 2,600 water meters so little bit they should be rela the same course if not more and then one last comment on the water and I know I don't have to tell tell any of you this I spent a fortune on my water sew sewer I have less people in my family now thanks to colleges and adults moving out yet my water sewer was still high can't figure that out but with that said I'm also spending between 100 and 200 a month on my bottled water so we can drink cuz we do not drink miltown water and that is a disgrace that is really a problem you you can stay there if you'd like the first time that I I ran was two years ago and the first time I spoke here was because the person who I was running against wanted to thank Council for the beautiful Main Street and I thought next time I came up here that I have to challenge that I I think miltown is beautiful especially if you go up north on Maine but uh South I would agree with North it's South I live right in center so but the thing is and I feel for you and everyone else also that has the same situation that there's not a lot we can do and I said when I spoke that night that everyone up here does care about what you see they care about what you see on Ford Avenue because it's the elephant in the room yes and generations of of people have lived to have to keep an eye closed when they go past there which is a disgrace but then you have AC cross from kful also but but but we're challenged because there are things that we can't do that the the state uh sets for for the owners so maybe you can go after them if they if they have an unruly lawn in certain areas but you can't make them do anything you can't make them build when they when they have a an area that they've made vacant but there was a house that imploded and it's base is still there like it almost looks like it's sure fall space is still there how can that be safe but we we can't make them build a house you can't make them build it you can make them keep keep it clean yes mow and make it look presentable plant some flowers I mean well that's why we have the code enforcement person and he's doing very good job but he's only one person I'm sure it takes time if he just started sure and even though it's a small town like you you noticed with the uh single family homes a large homes that are now subdivided and so he's got a big job ahead of him so um please trust us that that we'll get to these things well I appreciate that and that's that's what I want to say thank you just so we we live here I know you do I know you do many of you are my neighbors I understand that would we spend $30,000 on the the planner South Main Street Redevelopment plan last year what did we get for it I didn't know you had that so yeah we had it over at the senior center last okay year and he spent like $30,000 on a planner and it's still haven't changed yet right right I've got a question you don't have to keep standing don't don't worry you're free go thank you so much um for our burough attorney um something to look into cuz I I thought this a few times I wrote it down again so it's a good memory jog super uh if you tear down a building are we allowed to do pass an ordinance in which if you tear down a building you have say three months to either level it and make it grass or start new construction is there cuz we've had houses in the past where a house caught fire on I want to say it was F and for months and months it's sat with the basement collecting rainwater and all the neighbors had to live with it until they came down here and started yelling and finally I guess the property owner decided to do something but I mean it maybe more construction code but I can I'll look into that for yeah because if we need ordinances that have more teeth to them in order to make sure this town stays pretty or make it better then uh then I'm all for that so Mr venol can't that be a planning board requirement like the two eyesores on Main Street Forth Avenue to where when they get knocked down that's part of the requirement of the the owner of knocking it down they have to cart off the I I think Ford Avenue is a bit of an anomaly uh so I I don't know that's that's a new one you know yeah no I understand um and like I said I I can check into the regulations regarding that and then see if there's anything we can do about it to to strengthen those okay thank you you guys John jgit A Center Street um Revisited uh an issue from uh last meeting um uh speaking about the the property uh uh between a center and 4 Center Street uh that they're proposing a uh to put a house there they subdivided it it was approved uh back in 2012 20 up uh and um with that they were supposed to put a drainage system in which got knocked down and just recently a for sale sign went up that the property was approved subdivided and uh the the revised uh information I just received I had requested it uh about almost a week ago I guess I just re received it this afternoon um and it says that this issue was uh this change uh was accepted uh April 5th of this year um does it do I understand that uh we have 45 days to appeal a revised uh issue sir I can't give you legal counsel regarding okay I'm just wondering because it's ironic that it was approved at that time and then 45 days or more later a sign goes up on the ground that the the property for uh is for sale none of none of the neighbors received any type of uh letter that it was approved and uh this is what was going to go through I the the uh the list I received here uh in any case what my problem is uh is my water issue um I have six pilers I explained last meeting that are holding up my basement walls okay because of the water pressure okay now now if they want to put a house up uh is that is that pressure going to be increased now with the uh um with this change and understand they said they're going to put a retaining wall up how deep do you know how deep that wall is going to go into the ground that would stop hydraulic pressure against my house okay the retaining wall generally the foundation is about 30 in down below the frost line okay well my basement is lower than that okay and they're also proposing a dryw in the back of the property which does me no good because I'm on the the beginning end of that slope um so I I don't see where that would help me um so what um was I supposed to receive a letter though you my understand the revision this is this is a subdivision application that was approved I think in September of 2020 yeah but it was revised no but the subdivision had a condition that made the storm water obligation to the satisfaction of the board engineer so the planning board at the time of the approval decided that I I my understanding is a number of residents were out I I know where you live cuz I live on the corner of Wilson and and and Washington so um um so the the the board decided that it would delegate the storm water uh issue to its engineer there was a design that design uh I believe Incorporated a pipe that would have run from this property on down to Janet um into the storm water management system that's in the street there um but the property owner couldn't get the easement necessary to do that so came back with a revised plan those plans weren't something that additional notice needed to be provided for those plans were something that the applicant was required to work out with the board engineer to their satisfaction to make sure the board engineer determined that this adequately addressed the storm water issues associated with this development yeah but I don't think it does a drywell in the back of their property I'm not an engineer so much does not help me if I may add the uh the Burrow's law their ordinances do not require that it be piped there's no requirement your ordinance it says that the property had to pipe that drainage however we suggested strongly to him that he put the pipe in he was very willing he has a approved plan we were comfortable with but unfortunately he can't get the eastment from the property owner down street so he then elected to comply with your ordinance which allows these type systems this is not CME or the engineer approving your ordinances allow these type of installations encourage them actually that's what happened so when we had no choice but to sign off his plan complies with your laws your ordinances nothing to do with engineering decisions this is a review that we did that says it allows it to be done I think he would still probably put the pipe in if someone get the homeowner Downstream to agree to it but unfortunately that's where the problem is there was no nothing compelling in that resolution forced him to put a drainage pipe in but we did convince him to do it but can't get the Eastman otherwise that that dra will be piped we believe that would be the best thing to pipe it but you can't force him to get an Eastman has no way to grab an Eastman from a homeowner Downstream yeah but this this new fix is not going to help me I understand okay nor is a retaining wall 30 in down um the the answer I can't tell you whether or not there's any impact to your property from this application or this this construction that's something that a full analysis by your own engineer have to be done I I I have concern for you I wish that we could have got the PIP in but I can't find a way to go I even went to the homeowner's house Downstream to try and convince them to allow us to get the Eastman they won't even answer the door right as you know yeah mik is it worth him to go to the planning board meeting certainly I I don't see a problem with that but there's there's not much anything we can do the planning board approved an application to put drainage in cours your ordinance and that's what he did it though the only way you see the problem is that there's no easement Downstream to punch the pipe out to the road so somewhere you'd have to go through and get some the homeowner Downstream to agree to put the these in and then they said I even went to the guy's house I don't normally do that but just because of frustration because this is the right thing to do what about just running into the street in the front down Center that's a pretty steep slope Street you're bucking grade you'd be very deep at the point you go through the to the street and down if you look at that property that's for sale now the curbing in front of it is undermined that it's buckling in each side there's not one catch Basin in our street on either side we have to all the way down to Janet that's right yeah but the fact that the curbing is buckling down at that point where the the uh properties for sale is also an issue bringing more water in understand I can't disagree with you sir I wish I could find a way I went I went to John's house and I'd like to help him if I can is there anything that I can do to help him it's a it's a complex problem because the developer the homeowner existing homeowner has no condemnation rights to condemn an easily sure it's just one of those things I I might add that the drainage coming from one residential house is not you know you're going to get you know inundated with a major storm and a flooding but there is some increase in purpose here we had them all all purpose increase that we get pipe to the street we have leader drains we've done everything we can short of getting the pipe and as I said the the property owner who existing resident Milton is willing to put the pipe in the problem is you just can't get the EAS yeah and and the the plan that was approved complies with your laws in town not what CME or what I said it was your laws in town you you're your elected officials have approved those and that they're mandated by the state of New Jersey actually so it's not really Ro down I understand that the pilers that are holding my wolves back only fixed my house problem the water problem the pressure problem is still out there throwing a house up is only going to increase the pressure of water coming around me I I I can't argue with sir sympathetic to your problem I wish I wish I could find a way well I mean uh if there's damage to my house what's going to happen then I can't give you legal advice how many Engineers I give you some engineering information I on another uh on a side note though um this issue was uh was approved you know back in 2020 um the according to the the minutes the ordinance or whatever there each lot was required uh 10,000 square all right by subdividing this it's now 7500 okay um these people all spoke about how they want the old miltown looked and uh um you know the historic every every uh beautiful way miltown looks now um there's putting it squeezing a house that basically squeezing house in between us are they going to start doing this all over town where they where they see a lot that they're going to dis disagree with the disregard the 10,000 square and uh approve a smaller section and squeeze another house and uh my my neighborhood all the houses Center Street Howard Janet they're all 100 by 100 Lots this this approval back in 2020 was based B on them talking about all the houses on Wilson Avenue which are stacked side by side close together my neighborhood is not like that and I think it aside from the water issue it should stay like that and uh that's what I got thank you okay seeing no more comments so I close the public comment portion of the meeting Council comments is there anything further that anyone on Council would like to bring up at this timee you guys gone whoever whoever wants to go first do go ahead Frank uh so I'd like to ask the help of the town uh because I'm a little upset that uh as a person who lives here if I wasn't on this side of the table tonight I would probably be on that side and uh I would have had some things to say and I think that this is not a planned speech so forgive me if I wander a little bit uh but I kind of agree that I think uh we need to fix the water issue for our water utility so talk about that first and uh we all have email addresses listed on the website and as a town I think you guys have a responsibility to hold us responsible as we're saying we're going to change some changes and I like the idea of temporary temporary like this is a stop Gap but we're going to fix it you should try reminding us perhaps if you don't hear a plan coming up in a month or two maybe you should send a reminder I do think that I notic a lot of meetings in town uh and a lot of things that we all complain about uh they don't have a lot of people at those meetings they have it when something big is going through but on the dayto day we need more people going to a planning board meeting expressing an interest overall a board of ed meeting any of these meetings even these we get a lot of them and uh you know a little infuriating action brings out a lot of people but a little uh I just there's a lot of things in this town that need to be done and if if no one's there to press upon them it's hard to take action the council can't control a planning board but I do think from where I sat at home over the last 12 years I do think that it seem to me that a disproportionate amount of things got approved and I just don't know how we deal with that I don't know that yet I don't have answers for that yet but these points are valid but I do think that as a town um I think the ey and anger of a town is very useful if it is purposely directed if people go to these meetings if people you know emails are a little lazy nothing works like a letter but it's start uh and some of those things I think uh we can do as a town and you have to kind of mandate it from from your house from where you go with that and you can drive what your Council does and you can even Empower them to be able to apply pressure by whoever is at that meeting and if there's enough discourse it travels up the pipe um we always will try that's why we're here but you know we do need uh we do need some help and also I think uh making sure that people hold us to what their goal is and force changes if this you know if there was I at every meeting I do think that uh if that had started two years ago 10 years ago we would be in a different position today so I thank everyone who spoke and I do think uh we hear everything you say a lot of eloquent things were said don't forget about tonight because I remember those same 10% 30% and I remember hearing that there was going to be a solution and there wasn't and there still hasn't been and that's some of the things that it's why there are a few new people here cuz someone said what are we doing so please do your best to hold us accountable and if we can't do it if I can't do it make sure you hold the next guy accountable make sure you hold a guy beyond that please I live here too so I could use I could use a solution beyond that uh thank you Jo car okay I have a couple things to say the one is um it's about the estimated tax bill with a 4% rise as it appears right now um a lot of people were discussing this especially on a site called miltown for all and uh I expected to see a lot of those people here tonight considering what they had to say about us and one person who uh runs the site I won't name his name but he's already left I was wishing he would be here so I could have a discussion with what I'm going to say though is the real tax increase may be 2% the estimate is higher to be on the safe side what is added this quarter will be subtracted for the next you're not going to be overcharged a disclaimer could have gone out with this maybe it should have gone out with this would have calmed a lot of taxpayers everything has gone up in town the salaries fuel vehicles attorney's fees materials but especially your school taxes they've gone up they've gone up 2% despite getting a huge jump in St tax state taxpayer help of 31 37.1% over what they got last year schools received $18 million of your taxpayer dollars last year over 66% of your taxpayer dollars go to the schools they also receive from you $2 million for transportation costs considering the huge increase in taxpayer funding this year you may want to ask your school board members why they voted to increase the 2% ask of you miltown homeowners the increase they are getting from you is $360,000 start going to board of education meetings I appreciate that people come here and speak tonight I really do but please go to the Board of Education meetings 66% of your tax dollars go there we get approximately 20% and we do as as as much as we can with that 20% but 66% goes over there and they're not accountable to anyone I've spoken there they have no respect when I speak so that's all I'll say about that um and I'm going to bring up about um we had an election well primary last week and uh what I'm going to bring up it's I'm very disappointed that the Poli the political party that I ran with last year the Republicans did not have candidate and this isn't about about rich this is that people don't decide to run for office I ran two years ago for the first time last year I ran again I never wanted to do this I'm still not sure if I made the right decision but I proudly ran last year and I'm thankful to the voters who selected me to represent them their families and their interest I'm here to represent them and all the people in miltown young and old I too am disappointed that another person with similar principles will not be joining me on the de each side in town has constituents and although each individual wants their say they elect the person who they believe shares their values thank you Dave you want to go go ahead John I you always' been a happy new I just like to say there's you know talk about selling the water utility the problem is there's no buyers I mean people say you know sell the electric we went they spent $33,000 or something in advertisements they couldn't get one buyer it's like we're we're in a jam here with this and there's no there's no buyers nobody's going to come up to miltown and say yeah I'll buy your electric no your water company nobody's knocking on the door if we advertise it they'll look at our system and say you know the cost of capital to put in compared to the long-term payout it's just not there so there's it's an idea that we could sell it but we don't have a buyer you if you're selling something in a garage sale and nobody's buying it it goes back in your garage so but I just want to say you know the best part of this job is helping people and the worst part is having to ask for more money from them and this is a it's not a good thing but not much we can do thank you but I also want to repeat what John said it it wasn't enjoyable to to talk about increasing the rates tonight for the water and I can tell you I can assure you that I will not sleep well tonight no no I'm good all well I'll bring up a little congratulatory three hours ago to um Kathy Beardsley uh welld deserved Proclamation and also to our miltown fire department award recipients and also to would like to thank everybody who's come down here and voice their concerns um your voices are being heard and at home as well so we really appreciate it and um we will do what we can um to do what's right for the town thank you uh two quick comments from me um number one about a couple years ago we decided to discuss with New Jersey American water and middlex water company both of whom seemed interested in purchasing the Burrow's water system um the problem we run into and this is a legitimate problem is that our sewage flow goes through New Brunswick and as I stated earlier they bill us based on how much water we buy and if we're not buying water from them they're just going to put a meter on our sewer system so unless we build a $20 million Force main out directly to Middle sex County or middle sex water company or New Jersey American want to buy both our water and sewer infrastructure um that's the only other solution my second comment um I know councilman Mano is an avid kayaker and I had the opportunity to spend a rainy Sunday morning rowing all the way down to Route 18 with him enjoying a little bit of miltown so if you got a boat and you want to get out there wear a life vest have some fun the weather's terrific out there so that's it at this time I entertain a motion to adjourn motion to adjourn second motion made by Council and Collins uh second by councilman Potter all in favor any oppose next thank you I always wa for John John loves doing that all right for