Philipsburg Town council meeting May 88th 2024 meeting the order under the open public meeting act statement councilwoman PA would you please read that this meeting is called pursuant to the provisions of the open public meetings law this meeting of May 8th 2024 was included in the list of meeting notices sent to newspapers of record and posted on the bulletin board in the municipal building and has remained continuously posted as the required notice under the statute in addition a copy of this notice has been available to the public and is in is on file in the office of the municipal cler would everyone please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all [Music] invocation Lord look over this meeting make sure we make the right decisions we do what is best for our community and for our fellow citizens of this town amen amen roll call please councilman Clark here councilman Kennedy here councilman scuro Council vice president paus here council president Marino here bills L please total regular bills list as of May 8th 2024 is 645 , 53323 prepaid Bill list is zero grand total of6 45,5 3323 motion some move second second any discussion on the bills list uh Matt I do have a question it's not my questions from a couple citizens we see a lot of utility reimbursement monies being uh sent out what fund does that come from uh I believe that's from section 8 section but I can confirm that okay if you do it please Section 8 that's not you any questions on the bill see n no call please councilman Clark yes councilman Kennedy yes Council vice president paus yes council president Marino yes minutes of April 10th 2024 April 24th 2024 and April 24th 2024 the first one on 204th of April is regular the second executive everyone had an opportunity to read them any discussions any corrections additions seeing none roll call please need a motion oh need a motion so moved second okay roll call please councilman Clark yes councilman Kennedy yes Council vice president paulus yes council president Marino yes okay hability 220 Stockton Street is dismissed you yes need a motion authorizing the discharge council president upon the recommendation of the administration this is uh not going to proceed so we need to discharge of record the habitability complaint from that okay need a motion sub move second V call please councilman Clark yes councilman Kennedy yes Council vice president paus yes council president Marino yes 475 South Main Street coun thank you council president this is a continuation hearing I don't see Pat not so okay uh I spoke with the construction official regarding this he also he recommends this missile uh on this one as well just so um the council may recall this was uh for 475 South Main Street Mr ganam uh he had been in number of times before the council and had uh effectuated all the repairs that were requested of them including uh the roof repair exterior uh doors um fire alarm systems Etc so this was really just a a schedule to see you put a put a period on the end of the sentence but seemingly that's been done so uh counselor not to be the thorn in the side of anyone but I am ping today I was down there yesterday I took pictures of that building on the uh Celler basement door as you can see in pictures there's a red X mhm on the front door there's an X and blocked off so well I'm not a construction official but in my eyes that would say something's wrong with that building yeah I can't I can't I don't know what the prose of the you're the the Red X posted on the door yes that that essentially is a um signifies to the fire department that there it's it's it's not a it's not a habited structure um so that you know there shouldn't be any should the structure uh um Catch Fire uh it's basically a signal to fire Personnel not to enter the building but to you know fight the fire from the outside thank you mat for that that's all I have okay so if the council is inclined to do so it's in the motion authorizing the discharge of the complaint so move second Mo call please councilman Clark yes councilman Kennedy yes Council vice president paulus yes council president Marino yes see you're learning something every day of your life okay public discussions on agenda items only everyone will get three minutes only one at a time thank you st um 20249 the salaries that are being what is the increase the total dollar increase not salary not not ranges not percentage dollar we're going to pull that resolution tonight till next meeting so we can get back to you now M you want for all all positions I want to know what the total is of all the increased salaries for the C increase or for each position I got the incase so okay if I may um if I may per position would be very helpful for the count just to give us a better understanding I know I had that question y anyone else see you none before we go to the consent agenda I'd like to read two of them just walked in resolution 20249 3 a resolution the Town Council of the town of billsburg War County New Jersey authorizing the execution of the collective negotiation agreement with PDA 56a Superior Officers Association whereas the town of filbur previously signed a collective negotiation agreement CNA with PBA 56a Superior Officers Association for the term of January 1 2020 through December 31 2023 and where at by resolution bar 2024 d64 the town of filbur Town Council of filbur authorize the execution of a memorandum of agreement M MOA outlining the terms of a new CNA between the town and PBA 56a and whereas legal council for the town PBA 56a have drafted a CNA for the turn January 1 2024 through December 31 2028 that accurately repres s the bargain for provisions of the previously executed Mo MOA and whereas the Town Council deems it in the best interest to enter into said agreement now therefore be it resolved by the Town Council of the town of filbur County of Warren state of New Jersey that the mayor municipal clerk are authorized to enter into Collective negotiations agreement with PBA 56a for the term January 1 2024 through December 31 2028 be it further resolved that all Town employees and representatives are authorized to take all necessary actions to effectuate this resolution signed by Matthew Hall AC the municipal clerk second resolution will read into the record resolution 20249 a resolution providing for the insertion of special item of Revenue in the budget of any County or municipality puru to njs 48 call for- 87 chapter 15 59 Public Law 1948 whereas NJ sa 48 colum 487 provides that the director of the division of local government services May approve the insertion of any special item of Revenue in the budget of any County or municipality when such items shall have been made available by law and the amount thereof was not determined at the time of the adoption of the budget and whereas said director may also approve the insertion of an item of appropriation for equal amount section one now therefore be it resolved that the town of filisur thereby request the director of the division of local government services to approve the insertion of an item of Revenue in the budget of year 2024 in the sum of 10 $10,500 under the Category 3 miscellaneous section F special item of Revenue anticipated requir consent of the director of local government services public and private revenues offset with Appropriations clicket or ticket Grant $10,500 award section two be a further resolved that the sum of $10,500 be in is hereby appropriated under the caption of eight General Appropriations a operations excluded from caps 2024 clicket or ticket Grant $10,500 Matthew SE Hall AC the municipal cler so Council I added them into your resolutions on the consent agenda is there any going to pull that one yeah i' uh make a motion to pull resolution 20249 and the second on that I'll second that so that's going be are you just you pulling for discussion or you're tabling we're table table so motion motion table motion table we have a second any discussion that call please councilman Clark no councilman Kennedy no council vice president paace yes council president Marina yes does not pass so it's still on it's not full council president if I may may we pull um 2024 90 for separate vote not to table but for as a separate vote like motion a second second any discussion roll call please councilman Clark no well is this to vote on it or to vote to take it off if you're just if you're just pulling it you don't need a motion you just ask for it to be pulled for sear discussion that's you're asking yes vote on it separately so that's what this is you just yeah you don't need if you want to pull you can pull for separate discussion that's fine so the vote is to pull it for separate disc needed got so that's that's pull that's not part of the consent agenda not part of the consent need a motion on the consent so move second so just for clarity say because I would be resolution 2024 85 through 94 excluding 90 got it call please councilman Clark yes councilman Kennedy yes Council vice president PA yes council president Marino yes councilman thank you so as yall may remember with ordinance 20242 I voted against that with salary ranges only because we didn't know the effect or we assumed the effect on the tax budget would be not good as we saw it wasn't so with these new range is being settled this is far too much money being spent I personally cannot in good conscience support this given that tax uh budget of 11% increase T pass we're facing the threat of rent control which will put a 3% cap on investment um so I cannot in good conscience support the physical or sorry the financials behind this with the raises going into them so I will intend to be voting know on this any other councilman uh yeah I agree with councilman Clark uh somewhere along line we have to start pumping the brakes on the spending here um with the 11% tax increase I think it placed a severe burden on our taxpayers can not be in favor of these salary increases thank you any other okay motion to approve resolution 2024 D90 no motion there no motion no motion okay was good for try again next next meeting next meeting okay any old business from councilman councilman Kennedy I have nothing just um do we have an update on The Pedestrian walk um near Joe State shop I know it takes time but just so I can um let folks know where we are with that Tim what what at this point do we need to do with that if if we are I mean we are going to need a um uh 88 curve cup which on both sides which we don't currently have correct you have there's no I've reviewed the location there's adequate sideline to make a crossing a mid block Crossing there you need ordinances to adopt it the last time you did one of these projects your expense for construction was $40,000 um this one I would anticipate to be higher and then you would have survey and Design and your ordinances to implement the mid block crossing my answer yes thank you any else no council vice president no new business councilman Kennedy I don't have anything councilman CL I do not thank you Council should I make this meeting go on I say I do have new business I really good it's old business but it's not Matt you have to tell the guy in charge of those fees for inspection that I need an answer by next council meeting CU I don't want to take a trip to train but if I have to I will because it doesn't take long to get them we cannot operate a town I'm hearing people say about money what about rates that we're back from 2011 this is I think we're in the year of 2024 right 13 years of mismanagement by these fees so I hate like he to nasty but they better be on the agenda by the next public meeting the fees for inspections thank you okay Joe for my understanding and I stand to be corrected they haven't been changed since 20111 that's 13 years ago I didn't know what no no I would to explain it okay so that's all I what sorry I do have something um the mayor had asked that uh we announced that the townwide yard sale is going to be held June 29th June 29th uh council president I'm sorry I haveed something alsoe okay uh I'll let you guys use my time go ahead I'm sorry no one can accuse me of not being fair and even perhaps Mr Hall can speak on this um I wanted to know where we stood also with the uh the truck route that uh was recently passed as far as signage um enforcement uh of trucks on South Main Street uh letter the next steps and how soon can we get all this finished well um the first part of that is as we spoke about earlier today acquiring the signage uh Tim what do we got 400 some odd signs uh we need to purchase correct we also need the commissioner to sign off on the ordinance that was passed do for them to sign off yeah but I mean you know it doesn't mean that we can't start I mean presumably um you know we're not going to have any issues with the um but once we pass our Capital ordinance um we can begin uh looking at I mean you know we're going to have to do a careful evaluation of um you know how we're going to do the purchasing of the signs obviously there's quite a bit uh we also have um you know bridge is going to provide what signage on 22 East so yes correct some of the route truck route signage coming from bridge into New Jersey through billsburg so their s they will be posting the signs or paying for the signs okay thank you Matt thank you council president okay everyone good okay under motions okay Jackson welcome home parade and block party uh I had a discussion with uh the chief uh regarding this uh this is for uh child um in um the area of Filmore Street um who's uh who's going to be uh coming home from the hospital so it's been decided that we going do a welcome home parade with a short block party uh following thereafter uh the police department's aware of the route uh the timing uh and you know adequate notifications to be made to the residents on the street and uh you know the police are going to provide obviously traffic control for that event thank you we so we we just need a motion of counc authorizing do we have a motion on that go move second okay V councilman CLK yes councilman Kennedy yes Council vice president yes council president Marino yes good luck to that young kid Road moratorium hardship waiver 957 Steel Street 10 yes the uh resident contacted the town um they're looking to convert to Natural Gas the residents indicated they're approximately uh lived there for 7 and A2 years and they're 73 years old so they're trying to make their house a little more efficient so they can continue to live in their home and afford to live there um that email was passed over to the the town um and then Elizabeth Town also reached out about Rel from the moror it require excavation on steel um it's been recently paid in The Last 5 Years there's off chance that depending on where the main location is they may have to dig up to the next major intersection is there a far that's pretty close Steel Street right this property is located at the corner of Steel and Griffin right any questions of council I'm good since Council in the past has approved these because it is energy saving and it needs to an elderly couple to help them out I have no problem with now is a motion we have a motion so moved second okay discussion seeing none hearing none roll call please councilman Clark yes councilman Kennedy yes Council vice president PA yes council president Marino yes okay we're going to open it up to public petitions only one person at a time will be in line up there you'll have three minutes just state your name we don't need your phone number or your address one at a time you come up more than one you're going to be counting as one sorry be counted as one no no I'll be short still we got a good B of rules I'm with you this isn't the NBA with 211 right what I wanted no I like I can honestly say if I were still working I would not accept these because I would be accused of delivering mail yep that's a federal law I just wanted to update the council I met this morning with Kathy Bozman from the UC EDC program out of New Jersey I gave her a walking tour of town we stopped and visited several of the merchants today and she gave us a couple of different programs that were very specific that were not need that were not uh uh rank based but actually qualified you get the money one of them that I'd like to talk to you about today is one that's a business Improvement Grant that's really a business reimbursement Grant with a two-year look back for any business that's done any Capital Improvements on a building that they do not own so the example I'll share with you is the work that would have been done for sa so for Salvage sip any of those Investments that were done for leasehold improvements can come to them as a reimbursement at 50% as long as you can prove you paid the invoice you're in good standing with New Jersey and you could be a you don't have to have employees you don't have to have any kind of look back because again these businesses some of them are new but it's an opportunity so if you're aware of these businesses that have made those expenditures or are planning to this is a phenomenal program Without Limits for the 2024 season they expect it to be extended to 2025 but as we know Government funding is always guaranteed so I just want to let the council know because you speak with businesses all the time and this is one of those great programs there are others that are less important or less interesting but I just wanted to highlight that one tonight also the PDA is meeting on U May 15 that's up last meeting at 5:30 at the Union Train Station and you're all invited uh we're actually going to be having a conversation with um uh the lead program for law enforcement diversion to talk about some of their status so far and the number of people they've helped and uh will continue to help so uh following in June we're also going to have Kathy come back for UC EDC to talk about the details of the programs so anybody you have any questions just let me know thanks thank you Bill good evening Sandra um you just received 30 more letters from residents of Philipsburg these letters as you see are to each of you letting you know that the residents that sign those letters feel that their trust has been violated by town government in all its 180 letters from the different residents Philipsburg residents based on our convers stations in the community overwhelmingly do not want a warehouse on the Peron Howard Street property and they believe a warehouse on that property in downtown Phillipsburg along the Delaware River will severely and negatively impact the quality of life in the area of the flats when Philipsburg residents heard that in 2013 there was a document prepared by van and approved by the town government which said the best thing for the future of Philipsburg bounded by South Main Street mcken Street and the Delaware River was to move all the zoning to Riverside residential Riverside commercial and Riverside Heritage they feel the town has done an about face on the positive direction of these plans by resoning the Peron Howard Street property to Industrial I can't remember if I gave you my name s moris set thank you David Moret by Fairview Heights phis New dosberg New Jersey the 2013 master plan reexamination report the most recent master plan document was mentioned as a passing reference in the February 25th 2021 consistency consistency review report written by Angela nolles of Van CLE which was used to provide information and guidance to the land use Force board when voting on a recommendation for changing the zoning of the Peron how Street property although the 20133 master plan reexamination report specifically discusses in detail the aforementioned area this is completely left out of the consistency report likewise Tim O'Brien does not even mention the 2013 master plan reexamination report in his September 22nd 2022 consistency letter which was used as go guidance for moving forward with ordinance 20223 the ordinance for the 360,000 ft warehouse and for some unknown reason no official elected or appointed followed up and questioned why the specific details of the 2013 master plan reexamination report which pertain to this specific area of town were not a part of the discussion maybe the information was neglected to be mentioned because it did not fit the narrative for the warehouse that was being pushed through so the town just decided to ignore it I think it is pretty clear that the residents see this issue of not bringing up the detail specific to this area of the flats from the 2013 master plan reexamination report as a serious matter and By ignoring this information they believe the town's elected and appointed officials have violated their trust thank you for your time anyone else see no one Council open time Council Kennedy yeah I just want to uh urge everyone again to uh try to attend the uh phsb Farmers Market which is every Sunday from 10: to 2 at Chapelle Park had a lot of vendors um it's rain or shine so don't let rain discourage you it's going to go on regardless and um it's been going very well so far so I urge everyone to if you get a chance to attend thank you thank you Council M CL thank you council president um just a couple of announcements first off Norwest cap is hosting resident meetings the first of every Tuesday every month at 5:30 p.m. until about 700 p.m. at rocos um on South Main Street I encourage residents to come out share their ideas of how they want to see the town improve and learn how Norwest cap can be a resource to help drive that forward they're trying to create a resident-led coalition to help improve the town not just downtown but everywhere so we want to try and encourage as many residents as possible to come out because the more residents that come out I know Mr Miner but at least you show up more than show up I participate yes you do um but we need to get other people out too so thank you but I encourage as many residents to come out um so it's the first Tuesday of every month 5:30 at rocos um second announcement juneth is coming up next week and we have an entire weekend of fun packed events coming up three events that I know of next month next month yeah what did I say week next week I'm so sorry I'm full of caffeine right now next month cuz you know June but thank you next disrespect I'm sorry no no thank you I don't want the incorrect information on the record um so we have three events next month coming up the first one will be a flag raising um on Wednesday the 19th we're still working on the time but it's looking at like 10:00 a.m. is we have Chappelle Park reserved um but it'll be a flag raising between 10:00 a.m. to about 12: uh we'll have speakers there to kind of kick off the festivities uh Miss Vicki thank you for taking lead organizing on that event but we also have on the same day at 6:00 p.m. to 900 p.m. Freedom Day at Chappelle Park uh Miss Leslie no sorry um Al Mr Alex and Miss Gail are taking lead on your this one M okay yes so these two organizers are taking lead on this event uh happening at Chapelle Park same day at 6:00 p.m. and then June 23rd from 12: to 5:00 p.m. Miss Leslie is one of the organizers of the celebration at Walters park for juneth we're planning to then lower the flag the evening of that day to um kind of symbol sorry um it's been a long day symbolize the ending of this weekend so as you can see A lot's going on and we have a lot of the organizers In This Very Room so if you have any questions feel free to talk to any of us um but A lot's going on for the celebration of juneth for reflection and educ ation so I just wanted to get that out there so if y'all just share the information that would be great um we have the parents educating awareness Community effort event coming up on June 2nd 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Walters Park this will be the second annual one um this is to bring awareness around drug and alcohol abuse and addiction uh many families have experienced this in some way or another another have been touched by this addiction and we want to bring awareness to this to help you know educate people on what addiction really means how it affects people and how we can possibly raise more money around to help with the Cure and treatment um again it's not so much an addiction but an illness and we want to help those who are suffering through it because it is a struggle each and every day so if you can attend please uh do so and then finally Walter's Park Pool um it has just been announced the 2024 season passes uh prices have just gone um been placed on social media and I leave the website or in the newsletter but they are out there now so just wanted to let you yall know that um as the Walters Park Pool will be opening for the summer so that's all I got again sorry it was a lot going on in the head okay thank you Council vice president I just want to point out that Sunday is Mother's Day so happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there that it that's it again happy Mother's Day to everyone out there and you're going to see a lot of construction in the town of fburg like every other community the improvements are really needed they're doing a good job and know there's a lot of complaints and close the street down they open it up but you have to bear and friend with it because we you want a town with old piping or something new i' rather have something new and put up with the the road blocks in that but we can get around that outside of that so I have we have no executive session motion to adjourn second everyone have a safe