##VIDEO ID:qoYecrNcUL0## call order meeting of the mayor and Council of of River Edge August 12 2024 regular meeting River Edge Library 685 Elm Avenue 7 p.m. I ask for a moment of Silent prayer and reflection for all those um who have participated in the Olympic Games as well as for all those who are suffering throughout the world uh because they know no peace Council canel would you lead us in the flag pledge 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 statement of compliance with the open public meeting act this meeting complies with the open public meeting act by notification on January 11 20 24 this location date and time uh to the town news and the record and by posting of the same in the municip municipal bulletin board and the bough website fing notice of the same with the m Miss clerk Madam clerk roll call please [Music] here here may here uh approval of the minutes could I have a motion and second to approve the minutes of the mayor and Council regular meeting July 8th so move second all in favor please say I I I have a motion and second to open to any item on the agenda to the public so move second all in favor please say I I any oppose any extension hearing none it is so moved does any member of the public wish to make a comment or ask a question regarding the agenda and only the agenda and if you're remote just raise your hand doesn't look like it could I have a motion and second to close the public on any item of the agenda so move second all in favor please say I I uh could I have a motion from uh councilman glass and a second from councilman malari to the appointments and Personnel change after I've read them into the record approve the resignation of Pedro Perez probation laborer in the Department of Public Works effective August 9 20204 approv the salary change of Shan Mastro Pio SLE eo2 in the police department from 1,400 per pay period to 2,000 per pay period effective August 12 2024 prove the salary change of Salvador CH uh SLE eo2 two in the police department from 1,400 to a pay period to 2,000 a pay period effective August 12 2024 so second all in favor please add I okay uh monthly reports are available from the clerk especially uh the luse board of June 26 Environmental Protection commission and green team July 16th and tax collector report July 20 31st upon demand could I have a motion from councilwoman caufman a second from counc canella once I read in the first ordinance into the record motion that the following ordinances be introduced and pass on first reading and setting September 9th 2024 at 7M or sooner thereafter as a matter that can be heard as the date and time in the riverge public library as the place and zoom as the virtual platform for hearing on set ordinance uh 24-9 an ordinance amending the Revis revised General ordinance of the burrow River Edge chapter 435 Administration ordinance 24-20 and ordinance amending ordinance 24-10 intitled an ordinance um amending the revised General ordinance of the burough River Edge chapter 384 entitled trees ordinance uh 24-21 and ordinance to amend chapter 360 of the advised General ordinance of the buau of River Edge entitled stormw control so move it has been moved and seconded uh Miss aella as our business administrator would you please summarize uh for the public what we're trying to achieve through these three ordinances absolutely 249 amends um not the administration department but the Board of Health their meeting schedule they're going from five meetings per year to four and the date of the reorganization meeting 2420 um involves the tree uh code and after re after the DPW superintendent reviewed with the shade tree advisory committee and um various uh um ni and Tree Experts that um putting the the ordinance into practice does require some amendments and the Amendments include the advisory committee to meeting quarterly updating the tree planting process um creating a uniform tree removal permit fee rather than prise at the Timeline um for planting replacement trees reducing the cost of a replacement tree to reflect actual cost updating um the bond come out based on tree size updating the review of bond applications to the DPW superintendent designate and it updates the tree protection um fee and lastly 24-21 it is required for all municipalities for their storm water permits U by the Department of Environmental Protection to completely um replace their storm water Control Ordinance to reflect the storm the Statewide storm water management rules that were adopted last summer so I turn to the council it is now appropriate for the council if they wish to ask a question make a comment or enter into debate if they choose to do so does any member of Council wish to exercise any of those options hearing none we will do by unanimous consent all in favor please say I any opposed any exstension hearing none is unanimous we are going to uh resolutions next we will be dropping resolution 24- 239 again we'll be dropping resolution 24-2 39 under Robert's Rules if we do not move it it falls uh at the side at the Wayside uh it is because the uh individual who the uh resolution applies to accepted a position elsewhere so qu I have in a moment a motion from uh councilman uh malari and a second from councilman glass to to move 24- 235 through 24- 238 24-240 through um hold on then I just want to make sure I get the number right 24- 265 uh could I have a motion a second so Mo can I ask a question yes as soon as it's moved have to second it Robert rules it has to be moved and seconded and then up for discuss okay thank you uh second it has been moved in second it is now open for debate discussion or commentary councilman glass thank you mayor um could perhaps um we get some information about 24 to 56 sure um just curious so there was an initial contract for I might not be reading this right for 200,000 and it's being increased by about 75,000 yes it was an emergency and the anticipated repair was to be not to exceed ,000 but as the project moved along based on the deterioration of the structure additional work um had to take place to stabilize the sally port is that that's basically a doorway or multiple doorways or that is the garage entrance in Police Department where um people who have been arrested are are brought into the department to be processed okay I think I saw so it's essentially a garage yeah and the floor um was failing so they had to they had to they had for the Public's benefit too they had to Jackhammer away the the the failed concrete and underneath that was a failing iron um ibeam of sorts and then once that was repaired other things uh there had been water damage and uh so and just for the public benefit it is a standard procedure protocol that all funding requests have a do not exceeds um so we there is never a funding request that uh is open-ended right actually you're uh shaking up my memory Jason walked me through this so he show the work that was done so thank you for reminding me you're welcome but since you brought it up it's also beneficial for the public to understand why we have it do not exceeds and that it was and since it was an emergency the public should know that that was the best estimate before before the floor was jackhammered before the ibeam was identified before the water damage was identified um so um we tried to be prudent and Frugal but uh you know um emergency repairs are an unknown as you go into them yeah I saw it was a significant amount of work yes it was okay is there any other member of council who wishes to exercise or their option for debate or commentary I just want to make a comment sorry go ahead okay on 24262 um I'm very happy that uh the bid was rejected the they pretty much doubled in price for the esus removal and you got it down a little bit less than it originally was so thanks thank you Council mofin yes uh nothing on that e all right very good all right um so it's been moved in seconded there does not seem to be debate commentary inquiry is over all in favor please say I I are there any opposed are there any extensions to the resolution as a bulk or any individual resolution hearing none it is so moved councilwoman Kaufman as the finance chair and budget chair would you please move 24 resolution 24- 266 yes payment of bills at a regular meeting of the mayor and Council of the B of Riveredge County of fergen state of New Jersey held on August 12th 2024 be it resolved that the mayor and Council of the burrow of Riveredge approve the following expenditures current fund 5,447 526 General Capital fund $662,000 Grant fund $3,614 199 trust other $ 29,40 191 payroll 20,9 $624 unemployment trust $2,591 15 developers es gr $ 7,317 Self Insurance trust $2,668 Recreation trust $1,720 74 so moved uh someone from okay it's moving second all in favor please say I I okay we move to new business we have temporary pickle B bll Court I believe we have someone who's speaking to that no I I can speak councilwoman can um unfortunately um direct director could not be here tonight to uh request this but um there was a resident who requested an additional pickle Court pickle ball court lines to be on um on one of the tennis courts currently have two and he requested an extra one because the demand for um for the pick aable court is large and um the he discussed it with the um Recreation Commission and they all agreed that it would be a good idea so he's coming to the councils for approval Michael rosof wants to make a comment could we uh we'll make an exception because this is a new business item um if council is inclined to make an exception to open to the public on this item is the council inclined to open it silence would be no and that would be fine you to make that motion oh still move second it's been moved in second to open to the public on this issue all in favor please say I I any opposed any extension all right then Michael here we go Michael please State your full name and your address uh Michael rosof 163 doorchester Road in Riveredge yes Michael go ahead you have the floor yes so um I'd like to make a slight um amendment to that application that I had submitted before the wreck uh committee and that is that currently there are the use of two pickle ball ports which can also be used as a tennis court um during the pickle ball tournament in June a third Court was used but it was not lined with it was not painted with yellow lines it was only only uh Yellow Tape was put down that tape had been removed it is not fully operational as a third pickle Bow Court so we would like to have that Court have the uh lines painted in yellow permanently so that it could be used not only for current members but also in case there is approval of the kbg courts uh next summer as a practical matter it would make sense not only to have painted yellow uh lines on that third court but to have it placed on the co-joined uh Court opposite it so that so that in in effect there will be use of four pickle bow courts which also can be used as tennis courts which they currently are um the membership has grown considerably uh and oftentimes there's a lot of weight time in order to have access to the courts and with the weather getting cooler uh it would make much sense to accommodate um our residents uh who are Aid pickle B players okay Michael no we're no we're not gonna enter into debate uh Michael thank you for that is there any me other the member of the public who would like to offer a comment seeing none I ask for a motion and second to close to the public on this issue so moved second all right great Council M coffin do you wish to enter into I was just going to say if if we're using three out of the tennis court slots we might as well use four because no one's going to use that one slot for anything else if they're people play pick a ball so how does the council feel on that you explain that again I'm sorry so the way it's happening now they have two which is half of a tennis court set up for pickle ball and if we're going to do three might as well do four because no one's going to use a quar the other half exactly exactly are are courts one and two painted or taped taped they're taped that's what I thought none of them are painted right no it's only supposed we're yeah we've never had an intention to paint them Michael's second request was that we paint them I would I would caution the council against that but it is the council's decision does the council is there a consensus that the council would find Four Courts to be taped reasonable and appropriate yes yes yes does the council wish to um have these courts to be permanently painted no it was always supposed to be temporary okay because we are going to do the PIV okay so um Lizette the council has has uh there is a consense amongst the council to make Four Courts but not to permanently paint them but to tape them mayor I would just say excuse me in the past I know there was some issues with the taping on one of the courts I think it was an anomaly but I maybe we can just uh commit to upkeep of the tape Jason is uh when it rains a lot uh the tape begins to not no longer and then what he does is he comes back in and retes that those areas thank you welcome we do have three people who want to comment this I'm afraid we're close to the public right now okay uh we will be opening to the public again uh in a few moments uh Buster stock banner and flyer request that's you guys right come on up State your full name and address and you can bring your petition before the council hello everybody hi um full name and address Samantha Mari 174 Wales Avenue River Edge New Jersey and Morgan Kennedy 67 Spring Valley Avenue River Edge welcome you have the floor thank you so um my name is Samantha as you know um last year we did a concert in Memorial Park called Buster stock I think some of you attended and this year we are bringing it to pamis um because we got some major uh just backing from the pamis police department wanting it to come to pamis which is really cool and so we're doing it at the pamis uh Library Band Shell which is located right back there I I hope you all come just for the Public's benefit could you please describe bumper stock so public understands what you're suggesting yeah absolutely so Buster stock is a concert that is was created in memory of my younger brother Buster who passed away from a fentanyl overdose on November 2nd 2021 at the age of 24 years old attended riverdell um grew up with you know everybody around the area and um our idea behind it was because I come from a musical family we're all musicians to put on a concert to raise awareness for drug addiction and we partnered with the center for drug and alcohol resources which is the Bergen County Recovery Support Services to put on the show um to bring the community together to have you know to listen to some awesome music and to learn more about the resources that are right in our area of where you can get help because this is an epidemic going around us so that's what the show is and um the reason we're here today is because we'd like to have a banner hung for the show in River Edge because River Edge is my hometown and um yeah we want to get your approval on that would you say it again for the Public's benefit the location and uh date and time of the show yes so the location is 116 East Century a in pamis New Jersey 07652 which is the pamis library Bandshell um and it is on September 13th uh 2024 at 6m yes any member of council wish to ask a question or make a statement uh in in regards to this request and you wanted it in Memorial Park was that right yes so tell them so so I have actually a copy for each of you um with what the banner would potentially look like and there's actually just enough copies um but the proposal is for it to be six feet by tari um located in front of Veterans Memorial Park which is where we held it last year um there was like close to 500 people so we almost needed a bigger venue as well um a lot of riverdell people came out um in support and so we are proposing to have it up from uh August 23rd to the concert date 9:13 September 13th um and it would look just like this uh 6 feet by 3 feet again what would it be made of uh a vinyl banner my mother makes things for all of river so and how would it be um how would it be erected uh my mom can do the uh post ground yeah yes and then zip ties to the post yes she can make sure that it's secure with wind slots as well um any questions from the council what dates would you like get up from uh the 23rd of August until the 13th of September so a little bit over two weeks yeah the two weeks right before seems reasonable to me is that a motion I have a motion to allow them to have a banner uh August 23rd through September 13 at Memorial Park for Buster stock second so we moved in seconded is there a debate hearing none all in favor please say I I I any any oppos any hearing none so approved thank you for coming thank you so much I really appreciate it and I and I I do hope you guys come because it's going to be a fun show trucks and everything yes nice thank you so much this is very cool is my first time experiencing this so this is awesome yeah you're always welcome you can watch it on I see that very cool thank you guys so much yes thank you actually do you have one we're gonna keep one for good thank you have a good night okay uh old business Memorial Memorial um Park Park bathrooms uh who asked for this to be brought back I guess I don't know is there anything new to say today about this well the chief sent an email okay uh that was recent and and if it and I don't want to summarize it incorrectly for the chief but the chief was concerned about uh who would be responsible for um uh keeping it open and closed especially since the front desk is currently under construction and so the cameras are not U available well the cameras are are are not they're they're in minimal use because we don't have as many monitors okay well we don't have we're still waiting for a proposal um for for the cost which is at the last meeting the governing body wanted the police chief's input okay so I guess there's nothing further to say right now right you're council person so if you wish to make a motion or enter into a discussion you're free to do so but it would appear to me that there's not enough information at this time okay we do have a couple of people who would like to make that we'd have to wait until we open to the public is there any other old business hearing none could I have a motion in second to open the public on any item second all in favor please say I I I all right uh Michael has already spoken but he's up and with the way you know Zoom works it's easier to let Michael but it's two minutes Mr um I got okay two minutes and only two minutes Michael two minutes okay Michael you have to state your name again and your address again I'm sorry but that's what's required okay uh Michael rosof 163 Dorchester Road in riverid so you had indicated that you did not want the lines painted so my question is if the tennis court lines are painted then why distinguish or discriminate with respect to the pickle Bow Court lines okay we'll get to that question and uh what happened during the tour after the tournament when the temporary tape was put on the third the second uh tennis court um one of the uh members of the community ended up ripping up the tape and rendering that Court unusable for pickle bow and my final comment is that um we would also need a fourth net since both uh the both the second tennis court would be converted uh to be used as well for pickle ball ball so we would need uh there's already a net uh temp I can tell you if if we put down lines we're gonna get a net so um but it's it's an excellent point but um yeah we wouldn't put down the lines and then not have it net so we're definitely going to do that Mike you still there yes yes so the good point to bring up but yeah we're definitely going to do that yes um so I think there are other members uh who would like to speak um who could further elaborate uh I think it's important that we have painted lines so that there is no um issue in terms of vandalism or weather concerns where the uh tape can come up okay time thank you Michael uh let's move to Lauren 23 Lauren please State your full name and your address and once you finish stting that two minutes begins Lauren you seem to be unmuted but we don't hear you Lauren 23 any let's let's leave her up hello are you there Lauren uh yeah it's Tracy LaVine oh Tracy Tracy State your full name name and address Tracy LaVine 535 bogert Road Riveredge go ahead Tracy you have two minutes um I just wanted to clarify that the two courts that are existing there already uh the two pickle ball courts they are painted they are no longer taped they are painted um so I don't I don't know why we couldn't get the third and fourth courts painted as well to our knowledge they're not painted but I I believe it Tracy um what I can say to you I shouldn't be entering into dialogue Tracy I we'll come back to that okay painted okay go ahead and Tracy anything else before we move on to somebody else um no that was it thanks okay uh let's go to Tony Tony Tony Pas Tony if you could unmute State your full name and address and you'll have two minutes sure can you hear me okay absolutely Tony all right great Tony pasio 92 Siri Lane um first thanks for listening to all this um and the feedback from the team there's there's roughly 80 plus pickle ball players in town um that have joined a group and I can tell you we get anywhere from 15 to 20 people uh um on occasion uh during the week and on the weekends to play so the third and fourth cour court is totally appreciated it's gonna it's going to open it up a lot more for everyone um but I do want to say one thing the one and two are pained um and the pain is better permanent I was there uh short tournament and there were two gentlemen that were just ripping ripping the tape and kind of kicking over the net and just causing all sorts of um you know kind of Havoc uh while we were trying to play and I just I think we can avoid that kind of behavior if if it's painted um in the future because that was that was quite uncomfortable it was an uncomfortable afternoon um so I think the tape just raises a lot of you know concern um where whereby they think because it's coming up a little bit they could just pull it all off right I just wanted to provide you with that feedback because um I think that's truly what's happening with the tape and it's the tennis you know the tennis players that are doing it so um I'm not quite sure why okay uh anything else you have 10 seconds no no no not at all thanks again uh for listening to us good any other member of the public like to address this issue or any other issue um this would be now Lucy doesn't hand up oh she does she does Lucy uh please unmute State your full name and your uh address actually my name is Kathleen milk I'm at 376 Lee Avenue I am questioning why do the pick courts have to be temporary why can't be permanent why can't we share that space okay uh anything else I also question the quality of the place that would be at DPW as far as air quality as far as parking as far as having access to a bathroom which we do at the library these are legitimate concerns I believe anything else no please thank you you're welcome is there any other member of the public who would like uh that's it that's it could I have a motion in second to close we do oh we do have one more I think they changed their mind okay can you um remove all I can but I think it's going to kick them out of the meeting oh okay that's so it's okay it won't be on the video okay um okay so could I have a motion second to close to the public so move second all in favor please say I by okay let's deal with the questions first if I get anything wrong with any member of council or Administration please correct me first uh why not paint the lines in tenac courts uh if the lines have been painted I would recommend to the council that uh the next two courts also be painted but if they are taped I would recommend the council that they remain taped the re reason why is um they're they are temporary because it is Our intention and uh Miss Abella if you can chime in on this uh we we hope to get a grant and um designated pickable courts so that the picka uh players would have their own courts and the Tenant players could have their courts back right now they're sharing with pickle ball that is correct we submitted the Grant application this spring we will not know until the very end of this year or January February of next year um what the award would be but it is our It's Our intention to do that um Tracy I'm sorry we're close to the public uh we wouldn't uh we're not going to reopen uh in Lauren 23 okay um so if the council is uh am meable I think that we if if courts one and two are painted we should probably do the same thing with three and four correct okay all in favor I okay great as for the vandalism I would please ask I would ask any member of uh any member of any citizen any Resident River Edge who sees anyone vandalizing public property to please notify uh the Riveredge Police Department it is absolutely unacceptable that someone vandalized the pickle bll courts that they were Behavior aggressive behaviors please call the River Edge Police Department so that it can be dealt with and if you know the names of the individuals who perpetrated this uh we would also ask you to call the reverge police department and let the BL dep Police Department know that these individuals did that even if they uh choose that if they feel that it they cannot move forward due to the length of time since it occurred they will at least have uh individuals who they uh are aware of who may or may not have done this and they would investigate in an appropriate fashion vandalism is not acceptable in re brige yeah um I was going to ask you know would that almost be a criminal act it is a criminal act sounds but our attorney should address I was nodding by head in in concurrence with Council May that that it's absolutely a criminal act code someone has evidence you know and I was going to ask apologize for not knowing this do we have cameras no okay so if anyone has any evidence like you were I suggesting if you wanted to pursue it you could ask the burough administrator to reach out to the police chief tomorrow and uh the police can on their own initiative inves initiated investigation now that this has been brought to the cil's attention would you please do that okay uh excellent suggestion thank you Mr shidan um okay so uh and why temporary as I said uh those courts were built as tennis courts uh for the public benefit uh pickle ball has become popular so we have uh we have multi-use them but eventually we would uh that's why I thought the tape was there it was tape instead of pain because it is our Our Hope and desire to have um pickle bable courts uh either being completed by this time next year or being built this next time next year so that's why um we can't build pickable courts in the current location and there are still many people who like to play I know that um that you do have the accessibility of the library for the bathrooms uh but we aren't we renovating the bathrooms down there um but they wouldn't be open down at kbg yeah that was in um an approved category under the open space Grant so we couldn't include it in the application we did in our letter of intent but then we were told that since the concession stand is enclosed we can't apply for County funding but if if the council chose to do so they we could fund it directly on our own our capital and if there is funding we will seriously give that a consideration um and I hope the council will remind me if we don't mention that during uh budget time all right um vandalism painted for Nets yeah the Nets uh um why is it important permit good I think we addressed all of the Public's concerns feel free to email us if we haven't and we will certainly get back to you once we have an answer uh to whatever your question might be uh is Council comments is any member of council wish to make a comment have something they wish to bring up Summer I guess we don't have a lot of data like on how many people are playing tennis and what the demand is and how often people get locked out of not being able to play pickle ball when they want to just like we could we could task Mr Rico is it Rico doing his best to turn that and and send us a memo you would you like for us to do that yes all right all in favor there we go okay and um I guess stupid question but once we put paint on a court for use for pickle ball obviously can be used for tennis no it can be used for tennis but there's two Nets so no it's a temporary net right tempor really it can't be used for tennis is what I mean well it's being occupied if there were tennis players it would be occupied so residents are occupying public um recreational areas what they're occupying it for is two different things but that's the purpose that we spent the money on thank you yeah you're welcome and I I I I I just wanted to emphasize that because there would be those who on one side of the argument whether it's the pickable side or the tennis side who would say well this is our space well it's it's really yes it is your space but it is the entire town space for recreational use and until we build pickable courts it would have to be a mixed use also I sorry last I imagine putting the pain down is very nomal yes but the problem is how do we take the paint back we're done so I you know we're we're going to check to see you know was it a is it a is it a permanent form of painting or what but what whatever we did for one and two we should do it for three four what everybody is yes all right anything else I just want to add Mr ra has it in his um plan once we are done um with the drainage and the walkways of Memorial Park the next two to three four years the next open space base application will be to be surfaced the tenis courts excellent also um just for the Public's notification and and um we have a Rec commission the reason we we considered this topic I think the reason maybe that doesn't apply to all of you re reason we considered is because the commission had already U discussed it if the commission hadn't discussed it I would have recommended the council that they had sto uh put off the any decision making but uh so that the public knows the the first step if you're um if if you wish for a change as you did uh is the rec commission um via the uh Recreation director so um and um and and so we want to we want to thank the recommission for making this recommendation and and we we were an agreement with it anything else okay um could I have a good job everyone thank you for the hard work but I have a motion in second to injour the meeting for today second all in favor please say I I I well done everyone