##VIDEO ID:QW0a2mcFls8## e e one comma that's it only one comma everybody got your phone okay I'm not meeting call to order this is the burough of Oakland council meeting November 12th 2024 would the clerk please read statement of compliance this meeting is being held in accordance with the open public meetings law duly announced advertis and posted in the municipal building the meeting will adjourn no later than 10 p.m. unless a majority of the council members that are present vote to extend the time all rise for pledge of allegiance would the chief please lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance Pledge aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God indivisible with liy and justice for all please remain standing for a moment of silence okay with the clerk please call call the rooll council L Delo here councilman M councilman patelli here councilman Sally Annie councilman lissen here councilman talamini here I move to excuse councilman salani and councilman mccan second all in favor I okay at this time we are going to swear at a new firefighter Zachary facet at this time we'd like to invite Zachary to come forward and his family there get the Bible's holding it yeah sure you ready all right before we get started I guess uh we Brian why don't you introduce your son to everybody so this is Zach fcet I've been on the fire department for 15 plus years and uh it's great to have him join so now we got a so now we've got uh one of many Father and Sons joining the fire department all right ready raise your right hand you going to repeat after me I Zachary facet I Zachary hands on the Bible on the Bible do solemnly swear do solemnly swear that I will support that I will support the Constitution of the United States the Constitution of the United States and the constitution of the state of New Jersey and the constittution of the state of New Jersey and that I will and that I will bear true Faith bear true faith and Allegiance and allegiance to the same to the same and the governments and the governments is established in the United States established in the United States and in this state and in this state Under The Authority Under the authority of the people of the people and that I will and that I will Faithfully faithfully impartially impartially and justly and justly perform all the duties of the office of firefighter you say one more time that I will perform that I will perform all the duties all the duties of the office of the office of firefighter of firefighter to the best of my ability to the best of my ability so help me God so help me God [Applause] congratulations thank you congatulations congratul thank you congratulations congratulations thank you thank you good luck thank you thank you thank you all right so it looks like the fire department wants to stay for the rest of the meeting yes no no all right we'll take uh quick two-minute break and if you guys you can certainly let yourselves out I have uh several updates uh number one is the Patriots way Bridge um happy to report that the gas line new gas line was installed this past Friday so the new gas service is now hooked up across the bridge uh they're still working on the water line and and the real big announcement for the people in the Reserve I know you've already been notified is the fact that Verizon is coming in to install FiOS to all the residents of the reserve so uh more information will be going out to the residents but now you will have competition up there and you will have some good internet going forward into the future on the bush Plaza uh the last electrical inspection was taking place last Friday we're just waiting for Rockland to energize the park and all our lights and our clock and everything should be ready to go hopefully this week if all goes well does the engineer have any insight on that how long you think that would take uh I can't speak for Rockland but we'll do our best to push them okay thank you also as you know there's a lot of smoke in the area and you know the the wildfires are a bit of a problem here uh including uh Pompton Lakes I know there was a lot of concern in the neighborhood over the weekend with the smoke condition and the not knowing what was going on with the fire uh myself OEM and our fire chief did go out and meet with the Command Staff Saturday morning and we did Issue press release and updates on social media to keep people informed of of the progress of the fire and I was happy to to uh let everybody know that it was contained at 2 o'clock on that Saturday and also the buau of Oakland has been working with not only the Rockway fire but the West Milford Fire that's currently taking place right now and we have sent apparat and our firefighters have been up there for a couple tours of Duty to help out with those fires so this is a pretty serious situation that's taking place so remember we're still under a Red Flag Warning so no burning of anything outside uh V day ceremony was uh yesterday uh very well attended by by the veterans it was a nice ceremony uh it's really important to remember those that have served and just to remind everybody it's the 11th month the 11th day at 11 o'clock takes place takes place every year down to Veterans Park I just want to congratulate uh uh councilman Steve Sani and our new councilman elect Caroline Rose we had a election this past this past week and you know we it's pretty amazing that uh I was talking to the clerk the burough of o had a 74 almost 75% voter turnout this year that's extraordinary you know for a presidential election and and you know the people of Oakland really we our voices were heard both here locally county level and nationally so I think we should all be proud of the fact that we have such a tremendous turnout here in Oakland here here and my last piece of uh news is the this is this Saturday is going to be the last Oakland Market that's taking place this Saturday down here by the library between the school and going to be having live music so that's really the end of my report okay do we have a motion to open to the public so moved do you have a second second all favor hi anybody wish to speak uh I wasn't quite sure I was going to say anything okay you don't have to okay I did have wondered what you have to you have to come up if you're if you're going to say your name and address my name is Ni Carlson I live in six Dona way here in Oakland uh my concern was the election of President Trump whether that'll have an effect or whether there's been any contact with Oakland or anything like that no n off nope no okay but then there's uh the ongoing conspiracy uh I live in a house that's been wired for the neighborhood live in the kuga neighborhood in six ger away and the houses around there have electronic uh rooms and the house I'm living in was renovated uh 10 15 years ago where the wirings also been tampered with so I'm living I'm living in hell with Communications and I don't know how to describe it thank you Mr crwon so I was just wondering whether the could take into consideration the town judge and the police since they live in the neighborhood and operate and I've been told the judge is involved with electronic surveillance and to make a type of Gauntlet so if that could be inquired into I'd appreciate thank you Mr Carlson no knowledge of that Mr Carlson if if you would like to set up another meeting I'll be glad to sit down with you okay okay see the thing is I'm give given certain information at different times yeah but we can talk yeah okay all right then I'll arrange I'll come by tomorrow at the municipal building and make an appointment sure okay than you thank you you have a motion to close don't move all second have a second second all favor I I okay we're up to approval of minutes uh we've got October 22nd 2024 have a motion to approve do have a motion to approve so moved do have a second second any discussion not seeing any roll call councilwoman go down yes councilman McAn abstain councilman patelli yes councilman slinsky yes councilman talamini yes uh would the clerk just um make not let just let the record reflect and Miss councilman can walked in yes I did five minutes ago okay 708 708 very good I was still on your phone by the way the whole time you didn't hang up on me so I was in the meeting okay okay all right so special announcements we've got uh raffle license rl1 1523 for the PTA of uh midlum Park Elementary School they're holding 5050 to support the PTA programs at hollyood Holiday Bowl at Spruce Street in Okland New Jersey we've got Raffa license RL 1524 for Bergen Catholic atic athletic Organization for 5050 on December 10th to support the Crusader soccer club at PTO Bellos at 155 rample Valley Road we got raffle license RL 1525 for the valley middle school PTO for a 5050 on December 7th to support the Valley Middle School VMS it's going to be held at VMS at 71 Oak Street motion to approve all three second all in favor I I I okay got a couple appointments here I've got uh appointment for Access for all these are two maral appointments is going to be for is it Christina Morel yeah I'm sorry for Christina Mel for the access for all and the other one is sustainable New Jersey we're going to appoint Christina Morel Cindy quis and Theodore opek motion to approve both appointments those are May appointments and I require I still could uh we have also got uh two two items here Eagle Scout project signs along a rampo Valley Road by Steven Mia and an Eagle Scout project bat box is at the library by Daniel Petes I know it's all in our packet I don't know if anybody has any issues or problems with that if you're okay are those mayoral appointments those are for you guys you have a motion to approve the uh two weal Scout project so move do have a second second all in favor I all right very good all right we have the following resolutions 24 310 authorized Recreation refunds 34311 authorized tax refund for a met for a veteran we have 24312 authorized water refund 24313 authorized tax refund 24314 authorized tax refund 24315 chapter 159 spotted Lantern fly grant program 24316 chapter 159 cdbg Jerome Avenue Phase 2 Grant 24317 chapter 159 bwg grantc BWC Grant 24318 authorized budget transfer 24319 authorized purchase for a new bucket truck for the DPW 24320 authorized shared services agreement with woff Oakland and Franken Lakes dpws 24 321 amend bosel engineering Water and Sewer General engineering contract 24 322 authorized contract to Boswell engineering for Environmental Services on flood property buyouts phases 2 and three and 24 323 authorized Grant submitt Community Forest management plan does anybody wish any to be pulled out yes mayor yes 24- 315 315 319 also 319 anybody else all right n we're going to pull out 24315 and 24319 the rest will be consent agenda we have a motion to approve so move we have a second second roll call Council woman goo yes councilman mccan yes councilman pelli yes councilman cinski yes councilman talamini yes okay 24315 uh Council patelli sp sp flies yes uh Mr co uh what are we going to do with that money yes that's program is being run through the shade tree commission uh and it is to control the spotted Lantern fly population uh through uh you know chemical treatment uh removal of tree of Heaven which is you know part of their habitat uh so a final plan is being worked up I know um so it was a 2-year cycle you two years to to utilize the funding uh and know this year they said it just did not seem as bad as it was in Prior years uh so they're going to hold off and uh you know utilize and implement the program next year thank you okay 24 319 councilman talamini are we going to do a motion you want to do you want to okay have a motion to approve 24315 so moov go have a second second roll call councilwoman goo yes councilman mccan yes coun Pignatelli yes councilman slazinski yes councilman talamini yes 24319 councilman talamini purchased new bucket truck just the truck just mostly because I like talking about trucks but you want the old one is it I mean like is uh what's what's what's going on is it the the other one is 20 years old yeah it's it's 20 probably 20 plus I wasn't sure if the exact age when I was writing the report I believe we even may have purchased it secondhand when we acquired it um and it it just reached that age where it's starting to need more repairs uh and you know needed to be replaced so it was on the replacement schedule you funded it earlier this year in the capital program uh and this is just authorizing the contract for the purchase and this and we use this truck for for like putting up the decorations and stuff like that decorations tree work and the like yeah um if you're interested in buying the old one that I just sold M that was it then so uh I moved to to move uh 319 second roll call councilwoman goo yes councilman M yes councilman patelli yes councilman slinsky yes and councilman talamini yes all right we have no ordinance today on the work session we have amend Road opening ordinance I see we have our engineer here we have Mr Coons who would like to take this Mr Coons uh I can I can start sure uh so as you know PNG has been doing a lot of work in town over the last couple of years uh sort of going through the road opening process for them when they needed to pull permits uh caused us to sort of take a look at what our current procedures and requirements are and start having some conversations with other entities about how they do things and the language in the code is very is very old uh the amount of attention given to road openings in particular is very scant uh so we got a couple of model ordinances from other jurisdictions really like what we saw with Franklin Lakes uh we also looked at Bergen counties uh and we put together a draft that would update the current code uh to specifically include a section on road openings uh goes into more detail regarding the procedures uh the payments uh that are required uh the length of time for compaction uh before final Paving uh and you know various it items like that so we think that this is a much stronger uh Stronger provision uh that you know probably better protects us going forward uh John I don't know if you want to have you want to add anything to that uh you only that um we sat down with Oakland DPW so it was a collaborative effort yes uh they um came to the table with things that they had complaints on over the years so we made sure that we captured it in uh this ordinance I really have nothing else to add uh other than uh the model ordinances uh were the county of Bergen and um Franklin Lakes which I consider to be pretty strict ordinances yeah this this really came to light when we were dealing with the lar property when they were opening up uh McCoy Road and we had several questions even I had several questions to the engineer Franken Lakes about uh Paving and Road opening permits and that was really the driver working with Mr yukim to really revisit this because of the amount of work that was being being done up there so so I guess you it needed it yeah anybody else any members of the council have any questions on this no okay we'll bring it forth for introduction at the next meeting okay very good uh Mr Coons amend code for HomeTown heris Banner program uh yeah very simply you you previously authorized that program and sort of on the day it's authorized the fee like we do with all fees it should be contained in the uh in the burough code so this would just be an ordinance to establish a fee uh pursuing to ordinance for the hometown hero F program very straightforward okay good last one amend code for Bush Plaza signs Mr Cruz right this is also a a cleanup item uh with the development of bush Plaza Park uh the desire was to no longer uh utilize that site for um banners to be used by nonprofits to advertise their events as we've done in the past um given the of the park and sort of space issues uh so this ordinance simply delet section 59634 uh which was the provision that allowed the signs to be there upon governing body approval anybody else have any questions comments nope all right moving on to committee liaison reports uh let's start with may I think we have an item for new business oh it's right new new business new business uh yes new business um so in uh Recreation um we're we're looking to start a new program for high school age lacrosse players and um so we we need to just get U uh the ball rolling because they want to start the registration and um uh uh it's going to be in the spring so we have to do it now uh so uh we need some kind of uh motion to do something uh yeah again just so that there's uh some sort of official action there so that we can charge the appropriate fee uh when the registrations start maybe as soon as tomorrow they want to stand up the program by the beginning of December uh the fee would be $108 uh plus a $12 uh Capital fee for a total of $120 um we'll include this and you're going to be shortly seeing a uh W fee ordinance come before you uh in December uh it'll be included in in that uh really just need sort of a motion here uh so that Recreation can start the registration process my hearing I'm I make a motion we get the ball rolling for uh uh lacrosse for the lacrosse program this summer I second it do we need a is this a roll call or all in favor all in favor I I I well done Mr tal thank you mayor I have a just a quick item on it's kind of old business new business um we um last meeting I was at talked about doing a study uh in the town on our traffic patterns particularly as it relates to trucks and John have you done have you what have you dealt with that at all or mic on sorry uh yes um rich and I have um had a meeting with there there's a firm that does provide that data uh and what they do is they basically take the U the pink data from cell phones and they which is granular and they're able to um present it um very uh amazingly uh to show over a period of time uh what trucks travel on what roads where and they could bring it down to local roads our interstate highway our County Roads Etc however of course there's a fee associated with it and so we're doing further discussions on it uh we're trying to um you know have a package that fits Oakland correctly and Rich maybe you want to chime in on this that um uh anything else that comes to mind but we're in discussions with this uh with this service I got to tell you the presentation that the company gave uh through street trying to remember the name street light street light thank you I know like Street wide Street something uh was really very impressive about the sort of harvesting big data and being able to use that instead of sort of the old method of having having an intern out there with a you know clipboard and doing that sort of a thing uh and some of the uh graphical interfaces and Report uh customization was really very sort of exciting if if if you're into that sort of a thing uh but I think then we have to get into our what's the cost of that for us uh what the you know that's where we are right now and trying to figure that out okay um one other matter for discussion uh new business um we've Oakland has received our numbers as it relates to our uh affordable housing obligations for moderate and low-income housing uh in the past I have found um that the public generally doesn't understand these issues uh as a whole not every member of the public of course and it um one of the things that we have the opportunity to do uh as a mayor in Council is to um start to um to publicize and educate the public on what affordable housing means in New Jersey under under the new ruling what Oakland's obligations are under under under our new under our new mandate and uh educate the public as to these points and I think that just for discussion purposes we should be including some sort of uh um uh monthly newsletter uh that we do we have a newsletter but we should start including these art uh discussion articles uh as it relates to uh explaining to the to the public what it is you know not just Oakland but the region is up against but you know obviously uh it involves um you know um potential development in in in in a community like ours um as it relates to some of even we even have you know the streets gate project going on and I think it's vital that rather than wait until we get hit with a project proposal or a lawsuit in a year or two or less that we explain to the public repeatedly in our newsletter every month what this is about because I think the more you educate the public about this uh and I think you'll find even some council members need to be educated on this it it will be it would be it would help uh the community understand what it is some of the decision- making that we have to go through as our neighbors will be asking us this as we visit shoppr right or any other stores going to become a big issue in every Community especially in Bergen so I just want to throw that off of discussion purposes if anyone wants to chime in please feel free I mean councilman I know that Mr C are we doing the the the vacant land adjustment right now with the process and getting our numbers together Carolyn has been engaged to undertake that review process of the numbers and the vacant land adjustment and all that she's working on that now just as a reminder uh and I think to John's point about that education you have a decision to make coming up in Fairly short order uh because whether we decide to accept the state's number or provide an alternative analysis with a different number you need to certify as to an amount that you're going to accept no later than January 31st of next year right right and I believe the next deadline is uh what is it uh December 15th what's the next deadline we're up against Rich that may be at the end of January end of January okay well so that's the type of discussion point I want include into our newsletter and that means we have to increase the newsletter's frequency I don't know what it is right now but if we increase it to once a month even if it's just on one one of these points That's a classic example that we need to repeatedly explain and we should probably consider adding uh a page on our on our website uh to explain uh this as well and just talk about it to our neighbors in the street and just explain what's going on because these types of decisions are not you know um you know easy decisions to make it's not they're not obvious choices this is a good decision this is a bad decision these types of decisions tend to be for Mayors and councils the lesser of evils that you have to choose from and um and we may even want to talk about mayor uh putting together a committee uh of people uh Not Elected um that um could you know could help us in that educ in this endeavor in terms of of bringing the public along in the process yeah counc M I agree I might be one of those Council persons that doesn't understand this completely but the thing that that um came to my mind you know we talk about sewering the downtown area that yeah it's it's a good idea and I'm and I'm in favor of it but just to let the public know that by sewering our downtown area the property behind the hardware store now could be multif family dwellings right the property uh uh on West Oak on West Oak could become the property down behind the tire place could be become so it's a kind of a I mean correct me if I'm wrong no no you're you're you're right okay so yes we would do on sewers and will be an improvement uh but then right now we have a defense right that we can't do it because we don't have sewers Pat this is the type of discussion that we need to have openly what in my exper erien in communities where they get in trouble is when there's private meetings uh you know that are held that are sometimes misinterpreted as not being transparent and so forth you know we we would have an obligation as a council may as a governing body to meet with any potential development of any of any property in Oakland uh but particularly I think that that type of talking point should be made in the public and again these are not easy decisions so uh that's why I say it's a double-edged sword well yeah exactly so uh and you know there's different ways we could after we engage the public with an education campaign about it we could even um gauge their their uh their level of concern and interest as we could send out postcards you know in the spring or something to that effect to see what the public is on that but we need to address this I think as a community as a whole as opposed to just you know um us elected officials and and planning board and Zoning Board Etc you know we need to we need to be open and transparent about yes Absolut problem coun can you just expand a little bit about your thoughts behind creating a a committee of members of the public what just explain your vision a little bit on that how how do you see that playing out well I just throw that out as a possible thing nothing that we need to do um but my recommendation would be to uh take people again getting volunteers quality volunteers is very difficult for governments these days uh but again this is the type of problem where every homeowner has a stake in these in these decisions so I would look to any you know homeowners associations that may exist or homeowner groups uh that currently exist in town uh I would talk to um certainly uh other Civic leaders in the community uh and ask them to participate and and and work these decisions and work these problems through and working with our planner cuz our planner would be very important here um she we she's already been before us she gave an excellent presentation our assumption is that everyone saw that and everyone understands it we need to rebroadcast that presentation we need to redress we we need to constantly reinforce these points and I think by having a committee of citizens how many of that could be could be five could be 20 um that goes through the same process that we're going through as a governing body uh adds adds to the community's level participation into these decisions okay thank you councilman you're welcome anybody else have anything to comment on that no all right is anybody else have any new business that's it does anybody have any old business okay moving on to Liaison reports councilwoman me sorry uh so the shade tree met this month um nothing to report other than they really need volunteers and this is a great group that's really doing a lot of work and they really need more help so I encourage anybody to fill out that citizen leadership form and give it a try um OCC met this month um is another great group who needs uh volunteers and um you know they have a lot of different programs within um and access for all did not meet they canceled their meeting uh and so that's all I have to report but I just want to take this take a second to say thank you to Pat for his service to our country um I hope you had a nice Veteran Day thank you and that's it councilman liny uh thank you mayor just a quick update uh for tonight from the library uh the weekly regularly scheduled events continue uh which include jiggly Wiggly this Friday at 11:00 a.m. registration is required as well as children's yoga on Saturday uh November 16th and 23rd uh they will also have an art reception on Saturday at 1 p.m. uh for their artist Francis deart DeBartolo uh exhibiting upstairs at the library stage all are welcome on Tuesday no nber 19th at 6:30 uh p.m. the Bergen County uh ship Medicare counseling program will be at the opl to help unravel some of the confusion surrounding Medicare open enrollment reg uh register online or by calling the library on Thursday November 21st they will host a small business resource Forum hosted by the US small business administration and just an early reminder the library will be closed on on November 28th and the 29th for Thanksgiving uh but are open again on Saturday November 30th and Sunday December 1st and that's all I have for tonight councilman um uh mayor we've begun negotiations with the PBA and I think we have another meeting scheduled uh this Friday this Friday um and um we'll see how that goes I know that we're negotiations with the with the white call Union as well now and and um so that's what's going on from that perspective I want to congratulate uh the two candidates uh Steve salani and Caroline uh for their victory in in the campaign and I want to congratulate uh Linda schwager and I'm sorry I'm blanking on um Le uh Miss Levy uh for again uh running uh to represent the community on behalf of their party I also want to throw out my condolences to John yimi John lost the parent uh if you don't know uh I'll let him speak to that if he wishes but uh my sincere condolences John it's not easy thank you as we get to the age where Life Starts taking things from us as opposed to giving so my sincere condolences thank you welcome Council Pig tell um no report this evening um I plan to get back into my uh liaison meetings um I would was absent from some of them due to my medical problem uh which is being extended thank thank goodness to the insurance bu peld canceling my uh procedure but anyway uh I hope to get back to the next meetings of the Board of Health I did attend the uh environmental commission meeting um last week and um we again spoke about invasive species and getting that ordinance to uh uh um Mr Coons um I don't know if they finished that yet I don't think they did uh but they did speak about the invasive species uh ordinance uh they also spoke about the open space uh purchase that the recommendation that they're making to us and I'll be making a report back to them at their next meeting and uh that's it mayor thank you thank you Council tell uh yes uh so just once again I I I want to say uh to all the veterans out there thank you for your service uh without you guys we wouldn't be here doing this um thank you thank you so much uh and then also I'd like to say congratulations to councilman Sal saliani and the councilwoman elect uh carolan Rose um thank you for putting your names forward and doing this and and also thank you to uh everyone that participated in the in the election process including uh former mayor Swagger and and Andrea ly um it's tough putting your name out there and and and having people uh point fingers at you and and accuse you of things and and and and just getting out there and doing the work um uh this is something that's very near and dear to my heart and my family and um I've always been involved in this process and and anyone that takes a takes a the time to be a part of it I I uh truly appreciate um and then uh the recreation uh as we said earlier um there's new um uh lacrosse program for high school age students um it'll be on the website you just check uh check the Oakland website and uh you can you can join that um it's for high school age students and uh it's just a another addition to the Oakland Recreation um baseball and softball signups are beginning on December 1st doing it a little earlier so we could uh make sure that everyone has U the right uniforms and equipment that that is necessary so so we're starting a little earlier with the with the signups for uh softball and baseball the the junior football team will be playing in the Super Bowl this Sunday 4:00 at at Indian Hills High School that's that's always very exciting to to watch the the junior football games and then also just a shout out to the Indian Hills High School girls soccer team who play for for the state championship this Thursday um I believe it's in um K atini it's it's kind of far but um and then tonight the the boys are playing in the sectional uh finals I think it is um SE oh semi-finals and um that's why councilman saliani is not here he's he's a coach on the team and uh so it's kind of exciting that the the local high school has uh two two very good socc teams on on their way to becoming state champs hopefully so uh let's let's uh give a big shout out to them and um uh that's about it thank you thank you mayor U thank you for recognizing me and I just wanted to thank the Oakland fire department for providing the U vehicle uh during my dad's funeral my dad was a 67-year veteran at the Garfield fire department and it was very special to see the Burrow's uh special firefighting a apparat carry my dad's casket um through the streets of Garfield and to his final resting place at George Washington Park so again thank you to the Oakland fire department thank you okay moving on to bills to be paid councilwoman total bills to be paid $220,100 C so moved second roll call Council goo yes councilman McAn yes Council Pali yes councilman slinsky yes councilman talamini yes do I have a motion to adjourn no move do I have a second second all in favor I uh the next bro council meeting will be held Tuesday November 20 26 2024 here at 7 p.m. at the council chambers meeting adjourned have a good night everybody 67 years7