##VIDEO ID:i7RaZHL8ZNk## thank you everybody and welcome to the regular monthly meeting of the mayor and council Tuesday October 15 2024 being held in the police department council chambers at 6:30 p.m. Missy could you please call the role mayor nunziato here council president McAn present councilman big Roberson councilman Guzman here councilman Del con here Council Krone here councilman kley here if you're willing and able could you please stand for the salute to the flag Missy could you please read the provisions in compliance with the open public meetings Law chapter 231 public laws of 1975 notice of this meeting was transmitted to the record in Herold news and filed with the bur clerk on December 26 20223 and is posted on the bulletin board outside of bur Hall thank you missy um we have no presentations but at this time actually I'm going to read a uh letter from Senator Charlo dear mayor and councel I am pleased to inform you that the bur of Rutherford has received the Memorial Field Parks renovation grant in the amount of $3 million from the division of local government services this grant will provide Rec recreational improvements in Rutherford I am pleased to have been able to help secure These funds for this town in District 36 if you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact my office I just want to thank him um and and the state for this amazing Grant in addition to the one we received from last year and if anybody from the council would like to comment on this right now please feel free council president thank you mayor um I too would like to extend my uh gratitude to Senator sarlo to our assembly colleagues uh calibri and Sher um and to all of the state legislature that supported this opportunity for the borrow to secure $3 million in a grant that will enable us to continue this Amazing Project Down Memorial Field um and the fact that Rutherford is recognized as a as a hub that provides these amazing recreational Services is something we should all be very proud of um so again thank you Senator starlo and to our colleagues in Trenton thank you anybody else councilman thank you very much mayor um I too would like to thank uh Senator sarlo assemblyman cell and Sher as well for for their continued support of Rutherford um they you know this is how important these relationships are and these guys they they believe in their communities they really go to work and and this is the proof and the pudding that here we are now sitting at 8 million for our Fields as uh they go to work hard for us so uh again I'm so gratifi gratified and so humbled that they're able to do this for us it's it's it's really great work that's it thank you C thank you mayor um I do want to Echo my colleague's comments but I also just want to note that um while this is of course a huge literal investment in our community there's there's a figurative investment in in Green Space and in Recreation programming and I I don't want it to be lost on the community that the improvements that this will allow will not only benefit those of us or that are in families where sports are played but it also um our our bur admin rator is working really closely with our buo engineer to make sure that we increase accessibility which I know is um important to our council president and others um the the plans currently allow for Pathways that will travel between fields to let those that are in wheelchairs and otherwise um have mobility issues to to move around um we're also looking as I see Mr Sher here looking at a Leisure Leisure Lane to make sure that um we can take care of those that don't play sports necessarily but want to move their bodies so I think that the overall investment I just don't want it to be lost on us that the the generosity that we're receiving benefits of course are recreational and other programming but also um the community as as a whole thank you anyone else thanks mayor I just want to Echo the thanks of all my colleagues to Senator sarlo and to the assemblymen um this and I just want to also thanks thank the the burough engineer and the burough administrator for the incredible work that they're doing to expedite the process of the upgrades in Memorial Field it's happening quickly and is just it's really being done the right way and it's being done with efficiency and the incredible care to that that needs to happen here in order to um comply with the requirements of the NJ Department of educ of Environmental Protection is really difficult and challenging and they're doing a wonderful job so thanks to them also thank you councilman thank you uh again I'll keep it short and sweet just echoing the same Sentiments of gratitude to Senator sarlo assemblyman share in Cali um it's been an honor and a privilege to work alongside you and the burough administrator and the burough CFO and everyone else buau engineer uh to kind of see these projects the uh subcommittee for the parks plan as well thank you all for your diligent efforts thank you now we're going to move on to the review of to the agenda Missy yes under the resolutions under consent agenda we'll be removing resolution number 2115 and we will be adding also under consent agenda adding resolution Number 220 the renewal of a club Lial license for the American Legion post 253 and adding resolution number 221 the renewal of Mason sellers distribution liquor license thank you anybody else one more thing and then under mayor appointments we'll have provisional appointment of martiza Gonzalez as technical assistant to the construction official and the provisional appointment of Gina fretz the payroll Clerk and that's all I have thank you anyone else Bob yes mayor um I'm asking to remove uh the ordinance on the first read uh under the Green Team Council delber cone uh the storm waterer management Control Ordinance the green I'm sorry the shade tree commission uh has some comments they would like us to consider so we will give them an opportunity to be heard and then consider this for next meeting thank you thank you anyone else seeing none I'd ask for Council consent motion motion by council president may have a second second second by Council Del Co any questions or comments hearing none i' ask for a roll call council president mcowan yes Council McMan yes Council Del con yes Council quatron yes councilman kley yes thank you Brian thank you mayor Pro or ready to had a hard win come online Feld will conne was a missing went on Veterans and they Co-op to do the work West inst it's on this it's on this agenda Brian thank you Brian anybody have any questions for Brian Council thank you mayor uh thank you Brian on the wallfield rain Gardens that are listed here um I I looked to see what rain Gardens were before I asked this question to make sure I was asking it correctly but I understand it does actually involve a garden so is it are we going to be putting native plantings in the rain Gardens is that possible because I know that's important to the Green Team it has to be native plantings great and then my second question is is one of these cursed topics so forgive me in advance but can you provide any status on the traffic light at Jackson and eie yes and so there's no timing yet because we're just waiting for them I can add something to that councilman I spoke to their in uh traffic gentleman the other day uh they're not going to get to us until sometime in the spring they're working on a few other projects right now anybody else wish should to ask a question um the only thing I would like to add is um if there's going to be any an opportunity for you to keep me updated on Beach Street you know we've been trying to get that done for years so if if we do get the opportunity to get that done this year that would be greatly appreciate it to go it all right thank you all right thank you for that Brian we're going to move on to hearing of citizens anybody from the public wishing to speak please step up the microphone keep your comments at 5 minutes or less and please state your name and address good evening mayor and Council my name is Eddie Roland I live at 7 Clark AB yeahor Jackson and brother from New Jersey I don't live in Court Clark half it's all good never visited it's okay sorry all right um yeah a couple things um I'd like to uh hopefully get the mayor and Council to uh weigh in today on the Civil Rights Commission uh moderating organizing or being in some play some way involved with even the location of uh debates for this year and future um local elections it's something other towns in the area are able to do they did it over zoom in Montclair in uh mon in uh the pandemic so uh I think we can do it in person uh instead of having it uh you know just uh an there's an uncomfortable lack of uh exchange of ideas I think so um if uh the liais on for the uh Civil Rights Commission could a weigh in at some point in I mean I'd really appreciate it uh tentatively uh I'm going to uh go to the meeting that's scheduled for tomorrow um but unfortunately looking through the um the previous uh month September was there there was no meeting I didn't see minutes or an agenda for it uh I know July and August are traditionally uh months off but the last minutes I see are from uh June I see an agenda I think for July but no meeting uh minutes so it' be great to address that uh yeah it seems like the uh the right thing for democracy to do to have a spirited debate on uh any number of uh subjects that are local um the uh town of Lindhurst has nonpartisan elections that is something I'd look forward to in Rutherford the uh tie in with national politics for our local issues doesn't seem U the right way to go about things we you know mayor and Council will not be uh voting on abortion or going to war or climate change but the uh the local issues whether it be a skate park or overdevelopment issues that's uh something that I think that needs to be uh documented so I love that uh YouTube uh will have this and it's something that uh needs to have the local uh Community you have an opportunity to be involved in whether it uh virtually or in person so I hope any of the uh members of the mayor and C Council will weigh in and uh let us know how you feel about debates and uh it was done in the past um I believe the last one that was scheduled was uh B Goldberg uh when she was a chairperson um but it did not come to fruition so I hope uh to hear something from all you guys and that's been my time 302 thank you anybody else from the public wish you to speak Frank Wilson 171 Ma J brfd these are just a couple of um possible requests first one is the ebikes um don't know if any of you noticed but these things really aren't bikes when they can go like over 25 miles per hour um I've seen them zipping around not just the delivery folks but normal people don't know if they're citizens or not but they're going up oneway streets they're going at night without lights no helmets 25 milph um not stopping for Citizens not stopping at crosswalks don't know if we can get anything on the books to be able to give the cops some kind of juice to take these people and pull them over because they're not bicycles they're mini motorcycles so I don't know if there's a anything an ordinance for it but if there's not can you look at getting one uh next question I have is um I noticed that we have a three-way stop sign Going Under The Trestle um just curious as to what preempted that is it for the stop light that's going to be in East Rutherford that they want to cool that down um just kind of curious because what it's doing is if you see it now that they don't go straight through anymore they back all the way up to the circle the circle's bad enough as it is so I don't know if anybody did a traffic study on what a three-way stop sign is causing that circle area um if it's a state that stuck it in they didn't do his traffic study um speaking of the circle pet peeve of mine I see that we have a sign on Park that tells people how fast they're going and that's great if we could put one by the circle and instruct these people yield means stop because people don't know that yield means yield and they just come out of that turn and fly sooner or later somebody in here or myself was going to get hit um almost got whacked the other day but it's an ongoing problem and I don't have a solution B engineer do you have a solution I don't have a solution except maybe an overpass I I don't know what to do with this circle but it's it's somebody's going to get whacked down there someday um finally last thing is and I don't know if you could point me in the right direction it seems the flight patterns over Rutherford have changed for the norc airport and Toro if you notice that there's a whole lot more traffic going over Rutherford than there used to be as far as the airplanes go so somewhere somebody trained a traffic pattern I've Got Friends that tell me that they sit in their yard now and gets real loud and I kind of noticed it because my cell phone dies out whenever there's a plane overhead so somewhere the traffic patterns changed that affected us and I don't know which way to go um when uh councilman Pasquel was here he would take up the charge but I don't know if you can find out who it is I don't mind leading the pack to say hey what happened here so again thank you thank you sir anybody else from the public wishing to speak seeing none I'm going to close it to the public and now open up for the council comment council president thank you mayor um Mr Roland good to see you this evening we did have this conversation probably about a I don't know a little more than a week to go about uh discussion about debate and as discussed I did reach out to Felician University as there liaison unfortunately under short notice this happens to land right around the same time as midterms and so um they were unable to get their honors program on board to do it but have asked to be uh considered as an opportunity possibly for next year moving on so I did want you to know that I did reach out to them and I thank uh president milon for following up with me and that request um you are asking for us to weigh in I I'll say publicly what I said to you um when we had this conversation I think any opportunity for people to share their thoughts process policy uh considerations it's just good business it's good neighborly business um to your point about National politics and local politics I the way I see the world everything is local and so I think it's a great opportunity for residents who've been here a long time and of course all those who've just got here um to get to know everybody involved and so um I I would welcome that um at any opportunity I certainly can't speak for the candidates but from my position uh everyone that I've ever been invited to I participated in so I can say that with a a clear conscience I also want to thank this is Rutherford um they have been since the uh the end of the um the bergenite uh covering local politics not necessarily their end but their covering of local politics I know this is ruford has been kind enough to uh spearhead this effort to at least make sure residents are introduced to everyone who is running um and to have a better understanding about who we are and what we believe so uh to the folks behind that thank you very much for for doing that um Mr Wilson um great question about ebikes uh see our deputy chief here this evening I'm just looking at him and I saw him already making notes so I have no doubt that he probably will follow up on this if he uh I'm not going to put you on the I'm not going to put you on um yep thank you thank you um and so just uh because he's not miked for those who are listening um there are State statutes that are on the books and I I trust councilman Guzman will follow up with um as the police liaison and and with you and chief Russo uh to better inform all of us about uh what we can do regarding enforcement so thank you for bringing that to our attention um I'm going to defer about the three-way stop sign the circle is probably the one of the like it's a Hallmark of Rutherford um everybody talks about that Circle right um I just want to be on record as someone who learned how to drive in this town we have more than one Circle and you are to be yielding and knowing when it's appropriate to go and it's neighborly and I'm not going to say that everyone follows those rules but I hope that they do um you bring up a great uh point and I will defer to uh councilwoman Del re con regarding flight patterns because she's been doing such good work with all of that and with um the former congressman's team and um and hopefully uh his the next person who serves in that seat their advocacy on our behalf um I just wanted to say one other thing mayor um uh regarding I know that uh Mr denda left already but I just wanted to thank Brian and and our burough administrator Bob um Council W quatron spoke about the amount of work that's gone into the evolution of all these projects we're working on right now particularly the field um and there has been many many many stakeholders in this discussion and it has evolved the way we want it to it's very organic and it's very responsive to what people have asked for and I just want to be on record of thanking them both for their good work thank you thank you anybody else from the council councilwoman thank you mayor um hi Mr Roland um I am the liaison for the Civil Rights Commission and I do understand that you asked about this already and um I I'm going to be honest I'm not sure what um and I have tremendous respect and admiration for B Goldberg I'm not sure how that came to be that she as a chairwoman of of the Civil Rights Commission planned the the um debate at that time which I know ultimately I don't think came to fruition but um I myself have been going through the bylaws to try to understand whether it would be an appropriate ask of the Civil Rights Commission as the bylaws exist today um I am very Pro debate I know this will somehow haunt me in a future election but I mean it so I'm happy I think an exchange of ideas is a very important thing and I think the platform that is currently used which is generally Facebook is is not the platform for it so um I I'll tell you my opinion and again I'm I would have to talk to our burough attorneys about the bylaws because I'm analyzing it as a non-municipal lawyer lawyer um that I'm not sure that that is an appropriate ask of the commission and I'll tell you my other concern about this with them is that inevitably someone will not be happy with that debate and I'm not even talking about the candidates someone will inevitably watch that debate and feel that it was perhaps handled inappropriately we see that with moderators at all levels of of the government I'm sure when uh Senator Po and um and pree debate tomorrow someone will be unhappy with how those moderators handle things from the globe I want to make sure the commission stays a space that is feels approachable for everyone and I'm worried that through no one's intention somehow if we use a moderator a commissioner as a moderator we're going to be divesting some re resident of that comfort with that said I'll give you my opinion is that nothing prevents the candidates from organizing themselves and soliciting some sort of moderator that they F agree is appropriate for the purposes of receiving questions in the same way it was done for the Board of Ed and someone just asked them questions that were submitted by the public um I recognize and I I I understood that the council president had tried to to get a space of felan or get the candidate space of felici and that didn't work but for me the uh commission is not necessarily the be all end all of this event happening right like I think that you can organize yourselves in a way that you agree is appropriate and then take it from there with regards to a moderator especially if the moderator is just reading questions from the community and not actually doing what moderators do in presidentials where they push back and ask follow-up questions um just to get your positions on things right I think that would be entirely appropriate so you have my word that I will look at the bylaws with our burough attorney um and give you my view on that um I think the commission and they'll probably relay it themselves has has that same question about appropriateness for them to do it again I can't speak to why be um thought it appropriate and I'm not saying she was wrong I just I personally can find it in what I've reviewed um and if you want to talk to me after and tell me why you do think it's appropriate um I I'm happy to consider that and adjust my view if if we agree um Mr Wilson Oh the flight patterns how many emails I have exchanged about the uh flight patterns overhead I don't think it's new that there's feels like there's more planes um I think you probably know at prior meetings we have a champion uh resident who is very focused on this effort named Lois D Tomaso uh Lois and I have spent a lot of time talking with um the county with the airport um with the congressman uh former congressman's office about this I don't know that the flight patterns have necessarily changed my understanding is that the flight patterns actually change all the time depending on what air traffic control where they were directed I think what we're feeling is an increased frequency in flights and planes going over Rutherford as well as um the notion that the flight pattern is as you describe right over Rutherford um there are some changes that are supposed to take place early next year with regards to um where the flights will be coming into Teterboro that we are told could potentially change our opportunity to not feel the effect as strongly but the other thing that we are looking into is having a noise monitor permanently put into raford because some of our residents feel very strongly that we are that the noise levels in Rutherford exceed the allowable decb um under the law and the only thing we have had here are temporary monitors which only capture a moment in time and if you I I I I live directly under the flight path on Mountain way so I can tell you Sunday evenings I am quite sure that we are exceeding the noise decb when all of those private planes are coming back home from wherever those folks uh have the opportunity to go so it is something we are working on it is a very heavy lift because the FAA points at teer Burrow uh the Port Authority runs teer burrow and then the Port Authority turns around and points back at the FAA the Bey beauty of bureaucracy so um you are not wrong it is an issue and it's one that we have been steadily working on I'm hopeful that next year this change next year would actually bring meaningful change I'm cautiously hopeful because I'm not sure that will be but it is something we're looking at and I'm happy to talk to you about like what our efforts have been to date separate from this meeting counil thank you very much mayor um Mr Wilson uh regarding the ebikes uh I hear you loud and clear I mean I live off Erie Avenue and I go 25 miles an hour and I see an ebug ebike passing me I see it quite often I certainly do intend to uh sit with our police chief and our Barrel administrator to find out what uh how we're policing that and what can we do to make it a a little bit better um and try to make sure that everybody understands that it's a motor on there you know it's technically on the street you know do do they have license plates what what what is required so um I definitely intend to speak to uh uh to sit with our Bal administrator and our police chief to uh figure this out um I'm sure knowing our police chief um that he is more than aware and I'm sure that he's he has his team out there policing it um I just want to see at what level we are and what what other things we can do so once again thank you for bringing something very very important uh regarding safety in the Barrow uh to our attention much appreciated regarding the three-way stop that was done by the county to my knowledge um and I think we were a little caught off guard when it happened um and uh I I don't know if our barel administrator has any information on this but I will definitely defer so yes so thank you councilman as I referenced earlier I was speaking with the County Traffic engineer just last week and the reason why I was speaking with him was the three-way stop uh when this occurred back in August uh we were taken AB back we were not told this was happening uh you nor you we didn't support it nor did we endorse it and we expressed that frustration with the county at the time we agreed that let's get through the summer let's see how it react act after people go back to their normal routines after Labor Day uh now we are trying to get that schedule uh schedule a meeting to discuss the impact we believe is having on Rutherford uh myself the police department will be meeting with the engineers from the county to discuss um maybe a different plan for that area uh I believe it was installed in reaction to the Future traffic signal that's going right near rigin field um so yeah I think that was phase one for the county but we will kind of you know give them the impact that we're sh we're feeling the hardship that we're feeling in that area and see if there's a better way of handling that area moving forward but we are getting a meeting on the calendar very soon thank you Bob councilman um as far as the ebikes go I can assure you that the U the state is going to come out with some stronger um licensing and requirements regarding those bikes are going to be Vehicles like motorcycles and will be required to be registered as well as be outfitted with the proper lighting so they will no longer be a wise skateboard just flying around town with nobody no no oversight so uh um that's that's pretty much all I have um the councilwoman and and the bur administrator will get together and discuss the uh issues regarding the um Civil Rights Commission and their functions so I'm not sure where that'll leave us with with the um debate but I'm sure there's a whole host of things that they can discuss um and then we're going to move on to the um consent items council president thank you mayor all items authorized to be consent by the council will be enacted by one motion these items are routine in nature motion I have a motion by the council president may have a second second second by councilwoman quat any questions or comments by the council seeing n May roll call council president mcowan yes councilman Gman yes counc Del con yes councilman quone yes councilman kley yes thank you we have uh resolutions separate for the consent council president thank you mayor first is resolution number 217 Award of Bergen County Co-op contract for West paic Avenue drainage improvements in the amount of $198,800 motion I have a motion by the council president May a second second second by councilman Guzman any questions or comments by the council seeing n Roll Call council president Macwan yes councilman Guzman yes councilman Del con yes councilman clone yes councilman kley yes and next up we have the new business we have a discussion to authorize the uh burough planner negler engineering to prepare a Redevelopment plan based on the planning board's recommendations for 56 to 64 Kip Avenue anyone Stephanie you want to speak to it Bob thank you mayor this is uh to refresh everyone's memory this is the site across the street from the Kip Center this is the uh area where we have we plan to have a Supportive Housing affordable housing project that is part of the agreement with the uh Eminem Development Group who are going to be developing agnu area a at some point uh this is the site uh that was a a study was done by the planning board over the summer they determined it to be an area need and Redevelopment this action is then asking our bar planner to prepare that Redevelopment plan uh so that part of the project could move forward in the future thank you thank you this is a project that's been uh coming along for quite a while I would actually like to thank the council president for um getting involved with the uh State and COA to to uh help us as we've been very Cooperative with them and this time we we wanted some some changes and the councilman has fought very hard for them for um you the unique abled housing the veterans housing um you know we've given and she fought very hard to get so I commend you for that we're going to move on now to um mayor mayor at this time um I would like to authorize the burough planner neglia neglia engineering to prepare the Redevelopment plan based on the planning board recommendations for 56 to 64 Kip Avenue a motion by the council president may have a second second second by councilman Guzman questions or comments by the council mayor I just wanted to um just say thank you for acknowledging that sentiment it's very important for this community to understand that this is something we have not done in this burrow it is I hope the first of many opportunities as we talk about affordable housing and really creating avenues for people to learn about Rutherford and experience Rutherford and have the upward mobility of Rutherford in affordable housing but that we do not forget our community and our moral and ethical responsibility to individuals with uh disabilities and particularly in championing Supportive Housing and I am very very proud of this Council and prior councils for really echoing the sentiment and sticking with this this is many years in the making and we hope that this will serve as a um a reminder to our colleagues and other communities and municipalities to do the same thank you mayor thank you I have a roll call please council president mcowan yes Council McMan yes councilwoman Del con yes councilwoman couron yes councilman kley yes thank you um I did move the letters of Correspondence I did move the Senator's letter to a presentation and we've also received a letter from Valley water sewage commission um October 4th which is going to be on file and on our uh social platforms thank you uh council member comments council president thank you mayor um this evening I would like to yet again remind our community the importance of 55 Kip the importance of providing opportunities to our seniors uh one of their largest fundraisers that helped this nonprofit is casino night on October 25th it's at the fiesta it's a great time uh councilman Guzman and I last year uh we literally moved our chairs from each side trying to Buddy up with whatever the winning table was sadly it did not help our chances of winning um but we did get good exercise um all joking aside an amazing organization if you cannot come to casino night please consider buying a ticket and donating it to a member of Kip that can't afford to go it's a a just a a lit literally a wonderful night so please make that consideration and again with great pride uh as the Le is on to um our ambulance Corps we are uh eagerly looking forward to celebrating their 75 th uh anniversary um the night after on the 26th so very busy weekend uh but that shouldn't be a surprise to anybody in Rutherford um finally I I just want to um take a moment um October is um an opportunity for us to Champion members of the disabilities Community particularly those with Down syndrome and um this is personal uh so I'm going to speak as both the council president but also as jeffy's Mom and I want to thank this community um it has embraced the idea of inclusion and finding ways to champion each other and lift each other and I I thought it was very poignant to point that out tonight because I feel like as we get closer to elections sometimes the rhetoric gets so loud and so divisive that we forget the very essence of what unites us and that is the spirit the championing spirit of of our neighbor of another person and my family has been the beneficiary of that and so um we started Jeffrey's Crusaders 17 years ago uh it's hard for me to even say that out loud because I can't believe they've been around that long we will continue that Crusade uh probably to my last breath and hopefully Beyond um but I would like to remind everyone in this community um that awareness is not good enough it is time for Action it is time for inclusion and I say this on on on behalf of every member of the disabled community so uh please as we remember all of the many many organizations that make October uh their poignant moment to bring awareness that awareness just isn't good enough it's time to come to action thank you thank you council president councilman M thank you very much mayor um as far as uh the aison assignments uh you know did we talk about the 26 uh it uh certainly is going to be a very very busy day here in the burrow um I'm going to add under my with my liais on assignments the PBA will also be hosting the uh trunker treats here in the burrow parking lot um between the hours of 4: to 8 um I don't have many much more details than that but I just wanted to add to that I know my Council colleague uh uh quadron will be uh adding more things on for the 26th um but uh I'm going to steer away a little bit from my liaison assignments here and I just wanted to call out this evening we passed resolution number 217 uh regarding the West Pake Avenue drainage improvements um I know that the the residents of Insley and carer are have been waiting for this um our barel administrator I want to thank you for really FASTT tracking this and making sure that this got done so quickly this is so important to the quality of life for those residents in that area and uh I know my our our bur engineer is not here I right now Brian but uh again you're because of the efforts of the two of you and getting this out to bit and getting it underway um really really was fast-tracked and you stayed on top of it for the on behalf of these residents and I cannot thank you enough for doing this this is step one phase one and uh it's so important thank you so much thank you um councilman Del Co thank you mayor um I can't believe I'm saying this but I need to inform you all of something happening on October 26th um which is also the PA Cafe for the Green Team um that is um a a rolling event so you can just stop in and bring your wares um for anyone that hasn't attended the repair Cafe it's held at the library from 11:30 to 3:30 in the uh late morning afternoon they are magicians I almost think of it as like Santa's elves because you bring pretty much anything there and they find someone to fix it so I have been the beneficiary of having jewelry toasters anything you can can think of uh fixed by the green team so it's obviously in support of sustainability uh it's also saves your pocketbook a little bit so in your travels on the 26th um if you'd like to get some of your favorite things fixed please go to the library um I just wanted to thank the uh fire department for the beautiful Memorial that they had last week I believe it was on Wednesday um I I really can stress enough to our community that our our firefighters are volunteers I I can't believe it myself um I say the same thing about our EMS that they are really exhausting themselves putting themselves in danger choosing time away from their families simply because they want to um and because this community is important to them so it was very special to share with the uh firefighters that were able to attend that ceremony um as well as Thomas Dunn's family um who uh died in a fire I want to say in 1994 I believe councilman kley told me so um you know those events um don't get all that much uh attendance but they are very important for us to remember um how our community members sacrifice themselves for our well-being um and then speaking of sacrifice for our well-being I just wanted to acknowledge that um this Friday our council president is going to be honored by the heightened Independence and Progress Center for Independent Living which is an organization that um serves disabled individuals in Bergen and Hudson counties and uh Stephanie is going to be receiving um the Legacy award I'm sorry no the 2024 hip Hill making a difference award onor and I mention that because um Stephanie doesn't just walk the walk I mean doesn't just talk the talk she walks the walk she does both she walks and she talks about taking care of our uniquely abled um individuals um so it is worth noting that um she is getting this ackn ement but more worth noting that amongst her Council obligations her job her children who have special needs her family uh extended family she is still out there broader in the community um fighting towards um increased rights for our most vulnerable community so I just wanted to take a public moment to congratulate Stephanie and I look forward to sharing in celebrating her on Friday that's it thank you thank you uh councilwoman Clon thanks mayor I have nothing on my assignments but I want to in uh Council woman beg Roberson cannot be with us today and in herstead I want to continue with the theme and the trend of talking about more events on October 26th to celebrate Halloween coming up that week um two of my favorite events in Rutherford the whole year how could you not love them rag them mu and parade in the morning uh kids parade dressed dressed in their Halloween costume best and Then followed by the doggy Paul raid after that um I have a new doggy a I think I've mentioned this a five-month-old uh Cavapoo who is almost as difficult as having a newborn I'm sure he he I really hope we're in town that week I'm not sure we are going to be in town that weekend but I'm hoping that we are because I really would like the opportunity to dress him up I don't think he's going to appreciate it but I think my 10-year-old will absolutely love it so please uh join us for those events they'll be fantastic that's all I have thank you councilman councilman K thank you mayor um first I want to acknowledge councilwoman dely con's comments on the firemen's Memorial ceremony again it was another lovely evening paying tribute to the men and women of our department and those who have given the ultimate sacrifice I do want to extend an extra uh layer of thank you to our Police Department our chief and deputy chief who closed off the streets so that we could have uh quiet you moment of silence and several really lovely prayers and speeches so again thank you to all who serve for us as volunteers and um with that I want to regrettably acknowledge um one specific resignation that we accepted earlier this evening uh Justin dwire will be stepping down from uh engine Company 2 Justin and I have worked together for several years now on on minutia of several things uh Justin thank you for your service uh thank you for your support and your friendship um well that is a bit of bad news uh but good luck in the rest in where you were moving on to Justin tip my hat to you uh we do want to accept we did earlier this evening uh several new members moving out of their probationary periods uh Nicholas Valente who is now a um member in Union truck and bucket company number one as his probationary period uh is beginning and then I would also like to say thank you for your service to Christopher locarno uh moving from probationary status to an accepted member of Rutherford engine company 4 uh thank you gentlemen for your service thank you all I'm going to move on now to the mayor's reports and appointments first I'd like to uh ask for Council consent for Nicholas Jameson provisional Appo labor want effective October 28 2024 in accordance with the rules and regulations of the New Jersey civil service commission I'd ask for Council consent motion motion by council president may have a second second second by councilman quatron any questions or comments by the council hearing none mayor roll call council president mcowan yes councilman Gman yes Council Del con yes councilman quet yes councilman kopley yes thank you next I have my ATT 10 youth track of field assistant at the rate of $12 an hour as for Council consent motion motion by Council Del con may have a second second second by councilman Guzman any questions or comments by the council hearing none may have a roll call council president mcowan yes councilman kley yes oops councilman Guzman yes I threw you off right councilman de con yes and councilman quatron yes next I have Vito denino full soccer referee $10 per game um I ask for Council consent motion motion by council president may have a second second second by Council woman Del con any questions or comments by the council see none Mo roll call council president McAn yes councilman Gman yes councilman de con yes councilman Kone yes C cley yes thank you next I have provisional appointment of Marita gonzale is technical assistant to the construction official at step four effective November 4th 2024 in accordance with the rules and regulations of the New Jersey civil service commission I'd ask for Council consent motion motion by council president may have a second second second by councilman Del re con any any questions or comments hearing none roll call please council president mcowan yes councilman Gman yes Council Del con yes councilman Quron yes councilman kley yes thank you next I have provisional appointment of Gina Fredy payroll clerk uh at payroll clerk at step 8 effective November 4th 2024 in accordance with the rules and regulations of the New Jersey civil service commission I'd ask for Council consent motion motion by council president may have a second second second by councilman Del re con any questions are coms by the council hearing none I'd ask for a roll call council president mwan yes councilman Guzman yes councilman de con yes councilman KRON yes councilman kley yes thank you now I have ordinances on read uh first oh I'm sorry next I have danille uh to the Rutherford Arts committee that is a committee appointment um we don't need any Council consent thank you now we're going to move on to ordinance on first read um Council woman beg Robertson is not here so Council clone sorry um I sorry I'll say it again my mic wasn't on I have an ordinance to increase the rate of pay for youth recreation assistance Missy can you read the ordinance by title only an ordinance to amend and subl an ordinance entitled an ordinance regulating the employment tenure and discharge of certain officers and employees of The Bu of Rutherford under the provisions of of the Civil Service Act of New Jersey number 3543 D21 adopted on January 25th 2021 thank you I move that the ordinance be passed on first reading and advertised according to law I have a motion buy councilwoman may have a second second second by council president any questions or comments hearing none may a roll call council president mcowan yes Council mcgan yes councilman Del con yes councilman quatron yes councilman kley yes thank you council president thank you mayor uh next we have a capital ordinance for the fire rescue truck in the amount of $550,000 Missy can you please uh explain the ordinance Missy can you please read the ordinance by title only an ordinance providing funding for a fire rescue truck for the burrow of Rutherford and appropriating $550,000 for such purpose thank you I'd like to make a motion move that the ordinance be passed on first reading and advertised according to law I have a motion by the council president may have a second second second by councilman kley any questions or comments by the council mayor I'm going to [Music] defer you are fire president thank you um I just wanted to acknowledge the financial part of this I'm going to defer the fire uh Department part to the councilman um but with regard to the funding uh for this rescue truck I think it's important for the community to understand where this money is is been identified um we had an agreement with link equities um and there was a transfer to UBS uh Bob I believe that's correct right a few years back uh prior to Amazon uh building over there and we were very fortunate to have great negotiations that took place and we were able to procure um and secure about 1 Point $1 million in that transfer of which was to be um earmarked for projects that would benefit the residents of Rutherford and I am happy uh mayor and to my colleagues to share that this was an identified critical need for this community um I thank councilman kley for his consistent um and constant uh attention to this matter and to rectifying the challenge of having a 25-year-old piece of apparatus um and I want to thank the burough administrator for helping us identify a good use for this money that will really impact every resident mford thank you councilman thank you sir um I just want to Echo those sentiments um but a bit more from the ground up uh I do want to specifically thank uh council president uh Macwan for her efforts from the finance side the bureau administrator of course and specifically the members of rescue 5 uh Brian sori and and others who have been in those meetings uh who do their dut diligence right understanding that there is a budget that we need to work within and going out and finding a tool to use that term lightly that will suit their needs so that they can operate swiftly and safely while they take care of us and look out for our community um that came within a a really great budget so again a lot of work a lot of Minds working on this thank you to one and all for your continued efforts and your diligence on that side thank you thank you bur administrator thank you Mary just want to add the uh the total cost of this vehicle is going to be about $911,000 so this is just a portion of the funding the the balance of the funding is coming from our capital budget so that will satisfy the total funding for this but it is a need and I do want to thank uh the members of the rescue company who have worked hard to find a vehicle that meets their needs that also was financially responsible for the buau so thank you thank you missy council president mcowan yes councilman Guzman yes councilman delber con yes councilman quatron yes councilman kley yes thank you ordinances on second read council president thank you mayor uh the first ordinance is a salary ordinance regarding confidential assistant confidential secretary Missy can you please read the ordinance by title only an ordance to amend and supplement an ordance entitled an ordinance regulating the employment tenure and discharge of certain officers and employees of the burough raford under the provisions of a Civil Service Act of New Jersey number 3594 D21 adopted on December 28th 2021 thank you I'd like to make a motion to move that the ordinance be passed on second reading and advertised according to law I have a motion by the council president may have a second second second second by Council Del con uh this ordinance is on second read so we're going to open it up to the public for any comment on it anyone wishing to speak please step up the microphone seeing none I'm going to close it to the public now and open up for any Council comment anyone Missy can I please have a role council president mwan yes councilman Gman yes councilman Del con yes councilman Kon yes councilman kley yes thank you councilman thank you um bringing forth the uh amendments to the firefighter uniform allowance these are some uh budget adjustments uh which we had been working on for several months um Missy can you please read the ordinance by title only an ordinance to amend and Revis chapter 33 section 24 of Fire Department uniform and other allowances of the burough code of the B Rutherford thank you uh I make a motion to move that the ordinance be passed on second read and advertised according to law I have a motion by councilman C I have a second second I have a second by councilman Del con at this time we're going to open it up to the public for any Council comment anyone from the public wishing to speak seeing none I'm going to close it to the public and open up for any Council comment hearing none may a roll call council president mowan yes councilman Guzman yes councilman debor con yes councilman quone yes councilman kley yes thank you councilman thank you all um second um second read for an amendment to the junior firefighter acceptance process Missy can you read the ordinance by title only please an ordinance to amend and revise chapter 33a entitled firefighter auxiliary program junr of the burough code of the bur of wetherford thank you I make a motion that this ordinance be passed on second read and advertised according to law I have a motion by councilman C have a second second I think Susan had it Susan had it second by councilman quatron um at this time I'll open to the public for any comment seeing none I'm going to close it to the public anybody from the council hear none Mo a roll call council president mcowan yes Council McMan yes Council Del con yes Council Krone yes Council M Copley yes thank you I'll now accept the motion to adjourn motion motion by Council pres all in favor I have a great night everybody