I call to order the meeting of the mayor and Council of B of redge special meeting February 29 2024 7 p.m. this is a virtual meeting I ask for a moment of Silent prayer for all those throughout the world that are living in all those civilians and parts of the world that are living in the midst of social and political conflict ready salute I pledge allegiance FL the United States of America States America to The Republic rep which it stands one nation one nation under God under God indivisible with liberty and Jus justice for all all right uh statement of compliance with the open public meeting act this meeting complies with the open public meeting act by notification on February 16 2024 via resolution 24 -88 containing the date time and location and access information to the town news and the record and by posting of the same on a mpal bulletin board and burough website filing notice of the same with the municipal clerk Madame clerk roll call councilwoman cman yes council president Montano Cohen yes councilwoman canella here councilwoman Mal Larry yes councilman Benson councilman Benson he's trying to unmute himself give him a moment sure also I noticed his name changed okay Barry you still are not unmuted okay sorry about that I'm on my cell phone I'm here sorry that's okay uh councilman glass here mayor Papo here okay um we are uh willing to open to comments from the public all those uh in FA could I have a motion to open to the public for any comment so moved second all in favor please say I I I is there anyone from uh the virtual audience who would like to speak please raise your hand again if you have a question just raise your hand or comment okay doesn't look like it but I have a motion and second to close to the public so moved second all in favor please say I I okay we are now closing to the public and we are now on to uh business second reading and hearing yeah sorry second reading and hearing on ordinance the following ordinance published here within was first read by title only on February 15 2024 and posted on a bulletin board outside the clerk's office ordinance 24-3 an ordinance to authorize a special Appropriations njs 4A colon 4-2 5 but I have a motion from Council president Lan Cohen and a second from councilwoman Kaufman to open to the public on this ordinance only so moved second all in favor please say I I I okay if any member of the public would like to raise their hand and ask a question or make a comment about this ordinance only please feel free to do so okay could I have a motion and second to close to the public on uh ordinance 24-3 so moved second all those in favor please say I I I um Miss uh aera APPA uh Liz uh could you please for the Public's benefit explain the purpose of this ordinance before the council enters into debate and uh a vote is called absolutely this ordinance authorizes a special emergency financing for the purchase of in um GIS system that's a mapping system that we are required to have in place um by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection that would map all our outfalls catch Basin sewer lines and um we have to have this in place and completed by a deadline set by the state so and it's a very long process it involves a lot of mapping and computerization and setting up the database so um what this financing does authorizes the payment to meet this required compliance and we are able to pay it off over the course of 5 years and in the prior meeting we had liquidated several old capital balances which will help offset these um fiveyear payments okay um this is open to debate is there debate okay uh Madame clerk uh could we have a uh oh could I have a motion in second for adoption they moved second it's been moved in secutive now I should properly say it is open for debate is there debate hearing none roll call councilwoman cman here yes council president Montano Cohen yes councilwoman canella yes councilwoman Mal Larry yes councilman Benson yes councilman glass uh indir uh I'm just wondering are you capable of turning on your um camera I'm gonna try uh mayor just give me one sec yeah because for Council we do need the camera to be on uh unless uh that is technically not possible for you at this moment all right could I have a u motion and second for Resolutions by consent uh 24- 99 and 24-100 so moved second okay um so is there debate hearing none could I Mr Mayor um may I suggest you do separate votes because there's a there's a minimum number of votes required for the first resolution a two-thirds vote do we have enough uh present to have that that that number to achieve that number Mr um 2third of a counil of six is four okay so we we are at that number okay great um then could I have a motion in second from any member of council to move 24- 99 the move second all right uh because it is a two-thirds vote and because it is for uh financing is there debate hearing none roll call councilwoman calman yes council president Montano Cohen yes councilwoman canella yes councilwoman Larry yes councilman Benson yes councilman glass yes very good um could I have a motion and second from any member of council for resolution 24-100 some move second been moved and seconded it is open for debate is there debate hearing none uh roll call please oh no this one can be by acclamation all in favor please say I I I are there any opposed or any extensions hearing none it is so approved uh is there any new business someone from the public has their hand raised right now we've already opened and closed to the public but uh um I I think Council mon council president monsan Cohen do you have a motion uh I make a motion to uh uh recess and go into a close session to uh discuss a potential litigation matter okay is there a second second all right all in favor please say I I I are there any oppos any exstension okay for the Public's benefit we will be going into close session but but we will return to uh this uh website um not website this Zoom meeting uh in approximately 10 to 25 minutes all right uh Miss Dodd have uh can you send or H have you send a uh a zoom link I'll I'll have to do that right now very good okay may mayor yes sorry to interrupt you um just for the for the Public's purposes uh when are you planning to take any potential action when you come back I don't know what this you know the the subject I don't know that we will be taking any potential action so I'm leaving that open okay I just want to make sure the Public's aware that there's a potential for for Action to be taken when we come back yeah all right um very good so uh what we're going to do uh for the Public's benefit is this okay uh may just one other point um yes this was called as a special meeting is that correct it was um special meetings require that the notice contains a statement as to the items that are going to be discussed okay and that if you're going to discuss an item that is not on the agenda um it has to be of an emergent nature right um because you haven't provided yeah appropriate notice L that are we within that boundaries in your opinion yes because of the potential um outcome it is emerging okay um um okay um under the open public meetings act um when you on going to discuss something that was not at a special meeting that was not noticed um um you should have a resolution specifying the reasons for that and why adequate notice could not have been given um and the motion to go on close session may not be adequate alone to do that well so what it sounds like we're we're not able to do that is that correct well you on an emerging manner you can but you have to adopt a resolution to explain essentially right do we do that at in future meeting um no that should be done now um you you have you have a you have a meeting you want to discuss something wasn't on the agenda um um and again it could be simply know move that we discuss a matter that was not on the agenda uh that adequate notice could not be given because of um a time sensitive nature of potential litigation uh council president monsan Cohen do you wish to make that motion I make that move I make that motion all right Mr Rupert uh R rather are we um are we now compliant with the open public yeah we move seconded and then you should you should you should have it that's all all right it's been moved and seconded all in favor please say I I I are there any opposed or hearing none we will now move into Clos session and then we will return to the open public meeting um Miss uh DOD did you also send a copy to Mr rup and Mr shanian I did I just sent it excellent all right so this will remain open the council will now leave this but the uh the zoom will remain open and Miss do if you can make sure that audio and video are um got I have a motion second to return to the special meeting of um February 29th 2024 um motion and second so move second all in favor please say I I hi madam clerk roll call Council Wan calman here council president Montano Cohen here councilwoman canella here councilwoman Mal Larry here councilman Benson here councilman glass here mayor Papo here uh we have exhausted the agenda we did open to the public and close but I believe that there are members of our audience uh our our virtual audience uh who would like to speak uh specifically about uh a uh recognition of Ramadan so what I would ask is of those who would like to speak I'd like one person and only one person to raise their hand and instead of having only the option to make a statement of two minutes and then we call call someone else they would represent the group so uh I see two hands are up if one hand could be up only and therefore and I would I would uh upon legal advice I would as uh as manager of the meeting as chair I would allow for uh one person to enter into not just a statement of comment and or question but enter into a dialogue with myself um about this issue issue because I think this is an important issue for some of our residents so I'm going to give that group I'm going to give everyone a moment to consider who that's going to be I think it's going to be Omar but uh could I ask the Indulgence of the council could I have a motion in second from the council to open to the public again outside of the agenda parameters so moved second could I all those in favor please say I I I any opposed or any abstentions hearing none it is unanimous uh Omar could you turn on your camera if possible and could you state your full name and your address hi good evening uh my name is Omar Hassan um I'm at 727 7th Avenue River New Jersey um I'm trying to turn my camera on I don't see a camera icon to turn yeah just it's okay okay oh in that case you're not capable of it and please continue Omar um thank you so much for um allowing me to speak again and and thank you for uh considering uh my emails and uh I know you guys had a discussion about it on the last week I was on calling the hospital uh I work in Hackensack hospital um so I couldn't make it uh but I would really like to reemphasize on the fact that you know Ramadan CH lighting and and and and and the event of welcoming Ramadan is is just a cultural phenomena uh it's not chrisan is not a religious symbol that we we we we wear or we we pray to or anything like that so we don't consider uh Christen as a religious symbol so I would really appreciate that you guys I'm sorry mayor and the council member uh would kindly reconsider and U you know uh approve the event so uh we with families can U you know get together and and and you know welcome Ramadan which carries immense importance in our social religious life in in in in Muslim families okay Omar um we uh we have had legal advice on this but I think there's a way where we could not violate our legal advice and respect and celebrate uh the the um the period of Ramadan and our Muslim brothers and sisters in the town as well as uh uh outside the town what we could do is what you could do is you could get a permit from uh the recck department from the burrow and run a private celebration which I know I would attend if I'm capable of it uh my my brother-in-law did die um yesterday and I do have to go to Virginia but if not but if I can attend it I will and you can have a an event in our Memorial Park where uh a um a uh crescent moon and star can be brought in uh there can be speakers there uh and I'm sure other members of the council would wish to be a part of it um and we can celebrate and recognize the cultural nature of Ramadan uh without um without um violating um bill is it the is the establishment cause as inter interpreted by our attorneys so we could have it just like we have other events in the town we had dwali we have had other events um and we would be glad and and honored to to celebrate that um so but we couldn't under under um attorney advice have it up for the entire month because then we would be celebrating a really holiday much like lent or other religious holidays I say lent because I'm Catholic um and uh and and and so we we absolutely could and would be you know that would be a good thing Omar do you think that that's something that you would or other members of uh the Muslim Community of River Edge would like to organize by getting a permit through um through uh Recreation and cultural Affairs and having that uh one day event um in uh our Memorial Park where we've had other events like this I mean this is I think mayor this is a great suggestion and uh uh we we would love to do that and uh at the beginning of the Ramadan but you know I do want to also um uh let you and the rest of the member of the councils know that uh about 40 towns in Bergen County are doing it and they are uh you know it's not like a one and only idea about it uh and and we've actually surveyed them uh and asked them what they did and what that but the thing of it is Omar is that at least it has been our consistent practice under myself as mayor that we would only act in a way according to legal advice and that occurred there was a very big controversy in town over reconfiguration we had been given legal advice and we followed that legal advice and as mayor um I I would not uh recommend to the council that they make a motion that would put us in any form of legal Jeopardy or liability or open us up to a lawsuit or to create a practice in our town that would then say to other religious groups who wanted to say hey have have a as I said uh a a monthlong uh display for Advent because not Advent lent because Ramadan from my understanding is similar to lent in many ways and just as we would say no to uh father aent J of St Peters we would or not say you know we would not say yes because that's really what we're doing is we're saying we're saying we would not permit that um and then of violating The Establishment Clause as interpreted by a memo and by our our attorney so other towns can do what they want but we are going to follow they may never have even asked for a legal opinion we always do um but we're when we ask for legal opinion we follow a legal opinion I get your point uh mayor and I appreciate you uh you know giving um it a lot of thought and and and reconsideration and we would we would love to take this opportunity to thank uh you and the rest of the council members for coming up with this uh plan and and we would love to um arrange with the rec department uh something of that nature great so we're gonna stop right here Lizette what telephone number is that I want to H I want orar to get the number right now okay let me get that four and that would be through Joe ra right yes okay so Omar you're gonna contact tomorrow morning Joe ra and he is our rec director in cultural Affairs and Lizette uh who's our liaison that would be you and dar right uh Le yes yes yes mayor you're going to uh you're gonna if you can call or text uh Joe either tonight or early tomorrow morning and pave the way for this okay and i' asked the council for a special consideration I'd ask the councel uh to wave the fee um could I have a motion and a second to wave the fee the permit fee so moved second all all in favor please say I I okay Omar so mayor yeah I I just wanna um say that um also Dan jablonsky is um is also do uh uh does cultural Affairs in conjunction with Joe is a wreck and Dan does cultural Affairs as well but they need to get a permit they have through Joe and I just wanted to give him another name good and if you could make sure that you call Dan and explain the process uh that we've done um and that and so that he understands that Lizette do we have a number yes the number is 20 1 M 599 got it 6295 all right I'll get in touch with them tomorrow yes and while the permit fee is waved we cannot wave our insurance requirements a hold harmless agreement must be signed and um whatever the required insurance document has to be provided okay we'll we'll we'll get that done Omar what day will this be uh mayor I was just going to ask you what day will you be here I know you had a family uh tragedy and and so my my um brother-in-law died of cancer um we going down to Virginia I will not be back until Friday the eth I mean we can do it Friday the 8th uh with your presence that'll be great uh could we do it say uh I I'm going to clear my schedule for that could could we do it on Saturday the 9th is that possible that would also work all right let me just make sure that my calendar is clear for that uh if not I have to cancel something for the E no the ninth is great could we do it maybe um in the morning or early afternoon um that should be fine yeah all right that would be really really wonderful so I can be here um uh I do need to uh leave or we do have my wife and I do have um a prior commitment uh and I think I need to leave River Edge no later than 4:30 so if it can conclude somewhere around 3:30 that would that would be gracious all right but if we could do it in the morning even better okay and the rest of the council has heard that we're going to shoot for for that if if Saturday is not going to work for you and we're going to have to do it on Friday I should get back from Virginia around noon um so I could do it on Friday starting 2 o'clock if that's if that would be better okay um we can we can we can do Friday late Friday afternoon also so um uh to and afterwards okay uh again I do have I have a a appointment at 6 p.m. but if I need to cancel that one I I don't like canceling things but I could do that uh Omar but if we could do it say between 2: and 4: on Friday or between anytime in the morning till about 3:30 on Saturday I would be honored to attend that'd be great we'll we'll work something out excellent thank you Omar this is uh we really appreciate your understanding we appreciate your uh thoughts and and and and Arrangements thank you yeah no no no that's okay um I should tell you that I taught in tenek for uh the last 23 years um uh that we we uh and so I have learned a lot about Islam and about Ramadan from my students as well as uh from my uh uh um co-workers and so I I know that this is a wonderful event and we're glad that we can do something R Edge thank you so all right all right um so uh Omar we're going to uh remove you from the list and uh since we have open to the public if someone else wishes to make a comment you would have only two minutes and the council will not be responding uh and and you are welcome to do so seeing none could I have a motion and second to close to the public so move second second all those in favor please say hi hi hi hi okay could I have a uh is there uh no because this is a special session uh we need to close so uh but are there any comments uh are there any comments from member of council usually we don't but I'm just going to give a quick opportunity for that seeing none could I have a motion in second to adjourn the special meeting of the mayor B mayor and Council the bur River Edge February 29th REM moved second all those in favor please say I I I all right good night all well done good night good night good night all good night everyone