please have a moment of silence to remember the service and sacrifices of the armed service members who protect our nation and the First Responders who protect our neighborhood cler please take the RO councilman Freelander here councilwoman n here councilman Brooks here councilman sacket here councilwoman Brooks here councilman Quinn here Council vich here Council vice president sber here council president Chris adequate notice of this meeting was provided to the Daily Record and the Star Ledger of the official newspapers for the township of Rockaway notice was posted on the official bulletin boards of Rockway Township Township website and notice was filed in the office of the Township Clerk move on to the approval of the minutes can I have a motion so move second please take the rooll councilman Freelander yes councilwoman noon yes councilman Brooks yes councilman sacket same councilwoman Brooks yes councilman Quinn yes councilmanic yes yes Council vice president Alber yes that's seven yes one abstain motion passes right we're going to go ahead and move to the uh open to the public uh a reminder uh that would count please state your name and your address and if we could be limited to uh three minutes um let's start with uh Jim stac good evening again this is a reoccurring theme the retirees I represent the uh retirees from the fop LGE 301 last meeting um I Rose and the meeting before that I Rose to speak to our concerns I get an email from the business administrator after the 14th May 14th meeting saying the reimbursements would be dispersed the end of that week or the beginning of the next week well here we are 3 weeks later no dispersements according to my account there's $1,000 sitting there I don't know if Rock to has deposited $11,000 there but it's sitting there um a lot of my members are telling me that the copays that are used by B are not correct um I don't understand why they wouldn't be correct uh we were supposed to have the benefits that we had upon our retirement not the benefits that are in place now that's uh precedent that's case law I can cite you the case law because it's fop Lodge 31 versus the township of Rockaway and we lost that case but it did tell us that you are required to give us benefits if you change companies that are substantially equal to for better this is not substantially equal to or better the a i website is an Abomination my members are signing in three four five times before they get in I myself have my password wiped out I requested a uh reset for my password they sent me four blank emails and kept telling me we sent you a a link sent you a link sent you a link four blank emails finally I had to call them and they sent me another one they had this manual we sent me it uh there's just so much to go over um again the the people that have re been reimbursed are reimbursed the incorrect amounts not based upon their contracts the retirees are just asking Rockway Township the administration to honor their the contracts that we had show us the respect that we've shown you I don't understand why this is becoming such a chore and so hard um I I just don't understand it thank you thank you Al capano name is capano I'm 91 Mountain Road Rockaway New Jersey I'm here to ask that the Council would please uh last week I I was in contact with Mr sack concerning the uh Hometown Heroes Banner program I mention that you reconsider the decision and you should establish one I never contact the councilman before you're very uh responsive I appreciate that but what motivated me to do this is that every time my wife and I go to uh New Providence and Berkeley Heights they have the banners All Along The Main Street in the perpendicular streets all the way down into Berkeley Heights I'm never I'm always impressed to see all of these young men and women with their uniforms of various services and the conflicts they fought in and I think this is the reason why this country is so great and I think the town must be very proud to have so many of them and I I I credit the town for doing something like that and you got to know that the wife the parents the they must be real proud to have that so every everybody's a winner in that story and I can't understand why it can't be done it's a big community and I heard one of the things is that we don't have a main street we don't we have we have the Rockway town and we have the mall but you put the right you put those banners on some of the crossroads into that you just made a special place where the the residents the people and anybody walking has the special thing that honors the town and the people here I can't understand the question should be should we do it why not do it and so I just ask that you really would do that and I appreciate that thank you Council vice president if I could speak please so uh to answer your question we are doing it so right here right so so councilman vovi started the process a few months back we got funding actually for our first 20 flags from tillon we already got the check we have it deposited where just finalizing the form that we're going to issue out to the public um my initial thought is uh I'm I'm thinking about the telephone polls on Fleetwood maybe putting Flags there it's a highly traveled Road um I think we'd probably have to talk to the phone companies about doing that but we're hoping to have the form finalized this week and then we'll send it out but it's been a process to go through so we are 100% doing it and it's mostly been driven by councilman Bo toich yeah you're welcome thank you all right again my apologies if I uh mispronounce this but uh um Jim gallagan hi good evening uh my name's Jim Gallagher I wasn't too bad thank you um I live at 23 Mount Prospect Avenue over address but it's in the township and um just here uh to bring up an issue for the council and the administration dealing with parking on Mount Prospect Avenue uh we had met some of the residents in the street had met with uh Council noon before the meeting uh but I just wanted to bring it up here um last year uh we uh many of the uh people on the street had had worked with the administration and uh we uh had a parking issue connected with the Crest View Apartments uh the signs were put up to restrict parking to one side of the street so they could have easy access up and down a small Street and it's not very wide um this past week uh one of the neighbors had called up uh the police because a car was parked illegally there's plenty of signs that say where you can park there's no parking on the east side excuse me west side of the street from top to bottom uh the policeman came to the neighbor's house and said that uh they cannot ticket anyone uh on the street for parking violations uh because the ordinance was not approved moved by the county this is what we were told uh we had gone through an awful lot of uh work and effort last year a lot of consternation uh a lot of confusion on our street with with parking and and things like that so I don't know what the answer is whether T tickets can be issued are the regulations approved or not approved are there additional things that needed to be done uh we did not find out until the the officer stopped over to the person's house on Friday uh I don't know when the isue popped up or who was responsible for resolving it but it's something that's uh compromising you know life on our street and it's a small street it's it a busy section of the town so uh a little pressure goes a long way all right thank you thank you have uh George uh Mula M excuse me y so thanks for your time and attention tonight to the council and the administration I'm just going to read this you just St your address please uh yes I've got you here so uh my name is George Mula I live at 88 Mount Pope Road directly across the street from 79 Mount Hope I've been there for 30 years I represent a family of five I've been an active member of the Rockaway Community coaching soccer softball basketball baseball with my three children I've been a president for a church Council generally promoting goodness in town and we've lived a good life in rock away probably better than we deserve um a company called 79 mhr LLC or 79 Mount Hope realy owned solely by the same owner as maravic landscaping and tree service has made an application to the Rockaway Board of adjustment for D1 variance for the property across the street for me currently owned by suula Excavating um there was a meeting on May 21st uh there's another meeting on June 18th uh my request in application is for this not to be approved and a more suitable usage of the land be provided uh speaking you to you tonight is not uh intended to disrespect the board of adjustments that's not my intent um it's simply to create awareness of the situation and possibly gain some support um the application for D1 variant is a very difficult thing to obtain in a serious matter uh D1 uh Varian is apply for when an applicant seeks to use a place or principal structure uh for use that is prohibited or restricted under local land or ordinance so restricted and prohibited um my understanding is that owner must demonstrate to the board um both positive and possible negative criteria they have to show that the proposed use promote public health and safety uh there are a limited number of those uh uses such as churches schools parks and hospitals on the negative side the applicant must be able to prove that proposed use will not be a detriment to the public good and wellbeing for the quiet enjoyment of the immediate neighbors who have been notified um it must also be proven that owning this property without the variance would be a hardship um this property is currently zoned r13 and it's got a purchase price of about 500k um currently it's being used by owners but under the limitations and restrictions of a letter that I'd like to present to you if you'll accept it uh from 1996 uh from the Rockaway Township um Governor the business manager the zoning people that limit the number of trucks hours of usage and the amount of noise uh finally the municipal land use law contains Provisions where the current owner is protected not trying to take away these rights but the guaranteed transferred to a new owner is not guaranteed uh finally given the three minute restriction today I have a second hand out detailing what I've read in case you have points that you want and then I'm also preparing a bullet point of about 15 to 20 things that are negative about the property that I'd like to either email or present on June 11th is it okay that I present the documents or how should I go about that as the council knows the board of adjustment effectively has independent jurisdiction on land use matters of this nature uh independent from this Council independent from the administration uh you if you haven't done so already you will certainly have the right to address the board of adjustment at its hearing on this matter uh certainly have the right to present uh any materials that you want to Board of adjustment and even through yourself an attorney or any number of other members of the public have the right to cross-examine the applicant as to any evidence which they may present likewise you have the ability to go to the engineering and construction Department see the file that the applicant has been submitted has submitted to the board of adjustment uh and go from there I'm going to ask that the council not accept any information that you may want to present tonight because I don't want to taint the line between the council and the Board of Education Board of Education Board of adjustment at this point uh but I appreciate your comments and I just wanted to tell you that the forum for what your concerns are currently is before the board of adjustment and not before the council understand that Mr Mayor I acknowledge everything you said to be correct got a copy of the application that's attorney [Laughter] may we my apologies I do agree with all that I was at the initial meeting on May 21st um unfortunately the attorney for the applicant asked the board not to listen to my public comments that I was a complainer that I was UN happy that I bought my property 30 years ago even though it's tripled in value and I've had three perect kids that I've raised there he asked that my comments not be entered um the people on the board said that absolutely not I could had a future date but once again he's kind of disrupted things by by setting that tone for all the members that my opinion and my public statements are are useless uh just just to address your concerns I think you'll find that our Board of adjustment the members are very experienced the attorney for the board of adjustment is also experienced and I think if you're just a little bit patient and I understand your concerns but if you're a little bit patient you'll find out that you and any other objectors will have the ability to address the board to present any materials who want to present to the board because uh you know lawyers are strange people okay uh you know they'll try anything I'll be leaving now Council that should all be in the minutes unfortunately I'm not familiar with how these meetings are run so I don't always know when do I speak when can I speak when I can comment Etc but it really felt like I was at a disadvantage right because they had professional Witnesses they had guys in suits had a video conference of a guy that 30 years ago a Cadillac being in the garage it just seemed understood very rehearsed as it would be and once again it really just feels like the letter that I have is a document that's a public document that should be shared even if I don't share the minutes of what I spoke about if you get to the meeting a little early you might want to talk to a guy named Joseph Bell is the board of adjustment attorney so they've got everything already okay talking about the council because I feel like I need suppt yeah there there there has to be I'm sure the members of the council understand your position all I'm saying is I just need to preserve the fine line between the separate functions and independent jurisdictions of the council and the board of adjustment I can respect that so the first meeting I was not able to speak question wites like I said the lawyer blocked my comments at the end you will have the time to come okay once again very generous with your time thank you thank you is there anyone present uh that would like to speak that not put their name on the sheet we'll go ahead and move on to ordinances for public hearing and final adoption we need to close public session close it all right so I make a motion to close second well we did now so all right so we have o- 24-11 ordinance provided for the Improvement of various roads in and by the township of Rockaway in the county of moris New Jersey and appropriating $394,500 for constituting proed proceeds of a grant from the New Jersey Department of Transportation and to the extent of 18639 for monies available in the capital Improvement fund of the township I have a motion so moved second I'd like to open up uh to the gallery for any um comment uh on this item only any Council discussion all right cler please take a ro councilman Freelander yes Council yes councilman Brooks yes councilman tet yes councilwoman Brooks yes councilman Quinn yes councilman vich yes Council vice president zberg yes that's eight yeses motion passes we'll move to the consent agenda r- 24-12 r- 24-13 that's it incredibly short I got a motion so moved second roll call please Council Freelander yes councilwoman n yes councilman Brooks yes councilman zck yes councilwoman Brooks yes Council Quinn yes councilman vich yes Council vice president tber yes let say yeses motion passes we'll go ahead and move along to a new business and open discussion again I asked the reminder to keep it to five minutes I will start on my far right uh with councilman Quinn at this time I have no report but wish everybody good safe holiday thank you councilman second thank you Council vice president a few things uh uh glad to see Mr calano coming down I was going to bring it up so glad and I'm happy to hear from Paul and the mayor all the work hard work I know we talked about it a few years ago so happy to hear that the update and thank you for your service um just was going to send a reest to the clerk's office um had a bunch of residents reaching out to me and I know we had for the uh the parade um the portable mares all over the place and um a lot of the residents were asking if we can have those mares put in place at the old polling places for the primary coming up and in front of the new polling places seems like there could be I know I know the ballots have been sent out and everything a lot are worried about the confusion I know it's kind of late now you know with primary next week but for the general if it's going to be the same if we could put it out 30 days prior to alert the residents cuz a lot of them you know like knows too Michael already knows a lot of them no more at the clubhouse going to be sent down they're not going to know where to go so um if we can have that request um done and then possible looking into some of the old places I know some of them were moved due to some ADA compliance issues if any of them were had ever gone back after the fact to maybe possibly um updating them so that was one request I was asking for um as well um I did attend the uh the Fox Hills Marcel Cemetery Service as well as a wreath Ling at the Marcel Community Club as well as a 6 a.m. sunrise service and um at the White Lake firehouse and our PR D I really enjoyed Marching In It despite a little bit of a rain and also um right before this I was at the eighth grade boys last for lacrosse their last home game and uh to want to wish them well we got The Romp and the swamp this weekend coming up thank you thank you councilman Brooks thank you Council vice president um at this time I just wanted to uh congratulate uh everyone who organized the parade it was great to have it back the second year uh from from the past and other than that I have nothing else thank you Council V toich I have nothing to report councilwoman Brooks nothing to report councilwoman Moon nothing to report councilman fre ler finishing okay just L is doing well with their summer programs Historical Society had a successful uh show uh this past month and this week we voted on the new offices for the coming year uh the uh Environ environmental committee is always meeting and discussing issues in the town as usual and just want remind the council and administration that this Thursday is the last phase of the substance abuse Alliance so mark it down that's celebrity day and we're going to have 20 celebrities at Copeland again in every area that you can imagine from uh breakfast starts at 7 for the invited guest are you invited I am inv okay okay then you can come you need to let them know that you're coming though right well yeah we'll we'll save you a potato okay but yes it starts 6 o' 7 o'clock in the morning at Copeland cafeteria and it moves on and finishes up with uh celebrity teacher basketball game which was unbelievable last year that's it thank you Mr yo thank you Council vice president I'd just like to address uh Mr Gallagher uh who I believe is concerned about the parking situation um my office is going to be instructing the police department very shortly I would like to tell you about what went on but I can't because we're talking about the potentiality of affecting a number of summonses that are pending litigation uh so I can't address it uh but uh the situation should be resolved shortly in terms of enforcement which is I know what you and the other residents are concerned about that's all I have other than I like the signs you've been evicted mayor mayor Jackson please yes thank you Council Place president uh I've had a couple marriages since the last meeting uh we had a planning board meeting um um uh last week I believe or the week before uh went to a road to recovery dinner uh Municipal Alliance uh committe with Brenda Bud we went there uh they they told some incredible stories of some of the programs they're doing um to help people um you know get out of um the situations they're in whether substance abuse or other things uh had some good conversations uh with the Board of Ed regarding some of the things they're work on um unlike Mr sacket I was at the White midle Lake Fire Dawn thing on Satur on Sunday and Monday and and much to my dismay when I showed up on Sunday and there was nobody there and I got up at 5:30 in the morning that was a that was a little disappointing but um did you walk the dog yeah no well no I I had to crawl back in bed but um the uh the ceremonies were were really just uh unbelievable um they're they're very touching I think at Fox Hills and I think uh councilman VY toic and councilman sack had stayed for a little while and they we go in the clubhouse and they they play all the service members all the different brands of service their theme song so it's it's really uh really touching really nice ceremony and the more they prayed I sent out email earlier internally I think you know we had a Jamie brightland from our health department really coordinates it from a Township perspective and he he does a great job when I think he takes a lot of pride in it um you know we had our police there you know directing traffic our Color Guard there for the police um you know we had our our our parks and wck guys set everything up so it was a real team effort and it was kind of cool marching sa's daughter was marching giving out and she was giving out candy you know he was waving a lot of she was doing all the work and I think that's why he brought her and had her March because she was giving out candy doing a great job but and it was kind of fun you go past the Brooks residence and there's like a hundred people the front yard and the amazing thing is half of them are Thug's kids so it was you know it was incredible um and then I just like to touch on a few things Mr Stak uh left but I want to just remind everybody right we're in the situation we are with their retire benefits because we got audited by the state and they told us we couldn't offer two prescription plans right so we had to make a change um we are not a a benefit provider right we're a Township we're a municipality and we're we're doing our best to get through the process of getting um the retirees properly reimbursed and I think the administration under Paula and Lisa are doing a great job to make that happen and and and we tried to convey that it's not going to be perfect but this isn't a decision we made um that that that we wanted to do this um couple two more things I talk about number one is the bear resistant cans we're still going back forth to State I think we're getting the first batch sometime soon right right probably the end of this week the end of this week they still have yet to finalize the proper zip codes and they're using just 07866 as we know Rockway Township is made up of different zip codes they still need to gather that data in addition to who really is a blue diamond customer or not so until that is under control uh any deliveries would be held at DPW until such time we have proper information to disseminate these cans yep but it's you know just been disappointing and that the state came to me months ago and asked me if he wanted to do it and didn't bother to tell me that it was only going to be blue diamond uh customers um and I believe they knew at that time so I was just a little disappointing but Paul is doing a great job working through that too and the last thing I just want to go with uh be posting something about from the uh Department of Consumer Affairs on our Facebook page about um Fireworks safety Fourth of July is coming up um uh you know there's there's a lot of restrictions around fireworks in New Jersey and how you can use them and chief we usually have extra patrols on 4th of July so we'll be out there looking for you but you know more more more importantly right there's a lot of injuries that occur fires can get started so I'll be posting this on Facebook probably later tonight if it hasn't been done already just talking about fireworks safety that's all I have for tonight thank you Miss cly thank you thank you Council vice president salberg I don't have much to say other than and right now the administration is working with all the departments in getting out our capital projects as you know you're starting to see a lot of things come to fruition and that's because this is the time of year where Bond ordinances are in place money's in place bids are awarded or to be awarded very soon so that is why you'll start to see a lot more activity going on in our municipality and that's all I have for tonight thank you thank you Miss pomier uh no report tonight thank you just uh piggy backing off of Paula's Capital Improvements we have completed the improvements from the Township's perspective on Queens Road I want to thank the Queens Road um residents in the neighborhood and the police and uh DPW for their assistance so we've completed the drainage work however we've waiting for New Jersey natural gas to finish the service connections before we Mill and pave Queens Road and all the con called the saxs um and then we'll be out of there for sure um and also Council thank you for your support of the ordinance and resolutions that was related to Reservoir Road improvements so we'll be doing similar activities curving drainage um Ada ramps sidewalks and updating those beautiful guide rails on Reservoir Road right over here entering white meal lake so um we've got to move to design and then we'll see that hopefully in year or two that's it thank you chief M busy weekend need start of summer on Thursday May 23rd our officers responded over to Target on report of a 41y old male walking through the AES of the store closing himself to young ladies responding officers were able to obtain the video and actually Tracked Down the perpetrator to his residence in do where he answered the front door the same clothes he was wearing when he was walking through the store exposing himself so that was a good arrest made by the patrol officers yeah uh over the weekend of course we supported not only the Memorial Day ceremonies but also the habad Shabbat Festival that they had over at thead Center they couldn't get the white metal Lake the beach one where they usually have it because it's already booked so they actually had their street fair over at the uh theage school so we supported that uh also this morning another you know happy outcome in that the officers received a call for a six-year-old autistic child at 4:00 in the morning walking down Sanders Road the officers responded over and were able to find the partially clothed uh child they were able to locate the uh residence that he basically escaped from his grandparents were supposed to watch him they realized that he was able to get into the garage open the doors and walk out the house and down Sanders Road thankfully you know that early in the morning there's not that much traffic but I'm happy to say that the six-year-old was reunited with his grandparents safely that's the end of my report thank you thank you everyone I make a motion to adjourn by consensus all in favor I so move thank you everyone job Adam we got a council is