come to order councilman simuka councilman Garrick councilman Garrick's unable to be here this evening councilwoman Sanchez here councilwoman Maser here council president aam here please SCH the flag remain standing in memory of s fire de Julia retired police detective Sergeant Glen veros and retired police officer George i al to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God indivisible with liy and justice for [Music] all [Music] adequate notice of the meeting has been sent to All council members and to all legal newspapers in accordance with the provisions of the over open Public meanss Act chapter 231 Public Law 1975 the public is hereby advised that any statements made during the meeting of the township Council of the township of sadb may not be privileged or protected and that persons or entities who take issue with such comments or are offended by saying May in have the password will redress through the courts any member of the public who addresses the council speaks for themselves and not for the council may you have the proclamations yes I have two proclamations that I would like to read one is uh the February's heart health month and the other is recognition of black history month so I'll start with the hard hard health month whereas February is designated as hard health month the nation unites beginning the first brial by wearing red and with the common goal to eradicate heart disease and it is important not to ignore early warning signs like chest pain palpitation shorten sub breath and sudden dizziness heart attack symptoms can be different for men and women everyone should consult with their primary physicians for life-saving information to raise awareness I encourage everyone to check their cholesterol blood pressure and make healthy food choices as well as stay active and know your risk now therefore on this 15th day of February 2024 I do hereby Proclaim February as heart health month encourage all residents to make the commitment to help fight cardiovascular disease Proclamation and recognition of Black History Month whereas Black History Month is an annual celebration which recognizes the significant contributions of African-Americans throughout our nation's history through their contribution in arts entertainment law politics Sciences Sports and so much more black history must afford special opportunity to become more knowledgeable about black Heritage and to honor the many black leaders who have contributed to the progress of our nation such knowledge can strengthen the Insight of all our citizens regarding the issues of Human Rights the great strides that have been made in the Crusade to eliminate the barriers of equality for minority groups and the continuing struggle against racial discrimination and poverty now therefore on this 15th day of February 2024 we urge our residents to join in making this period of rededication to the principles of justice and equality for all people thank you thank you motion to open meeting to the public second all favor I hi meetings now open to the public I wish to [Music] speak good evening everyone Thom ble 128 SLE um I'm here tonight to give you my usual marriage youth group update we met this past Saturday in the in the multi-purpose room in in the rec side of the municipal complex um we installed our new secretary Elanor so I I do want to congratulate her on being named and voted secretary we're going to be getting involved in the Easter celebration coming up in March we're also going to have our next meeting on March the 16th which is Saturday at 10:30 in in the complex in the multi-purpose room um to discuss and to to prepare for Easter and also to prepare also us you know advertising our group getting know getting the word out there getting recruiting more members to join our group and we really have a great group group of people we have great officers who are committed to really um being successful with our youth group and uh rallying everybody to help out at all the events and volunteer and make our town a better place as always we do um so anybody who's in great Ford 12 lives in SBR is welcome to join the mar grth group at any time and I do want to thank the youth group for all they do and I believe that's it for now oh we're going to also be involved in earthday more information to follow on that the future thank you thanks th anyone else wishing you speak H you good motion to close motion to [Music] close all in favor all than okay thank you T um going to start out with um the Bergen County Saddle River Park Isle Paley section the um all inclusive um playground that they are proposing I don't know if I think the council knows about it but residents some may not know um this is a Green Acres Grant that the county is applying for um they are planning on or they are proposing moving the front entrance of the park where it is now just to the left which would be to the north and have it go straight in rather than bend um part of that area where the driveway was is going to be used um for this uh this completely inclusive uh playground uh and it's going to start there and then work its way down to the path that goes around the lake uh it's uh again altering the driveway it's going to be moving move further north um they're also moving this play The Playground now now is at is all the way down by the bathroom so it's at the end of the parking lot and uh to the I guess it would be the east of the lake behind the behind the the bathrooms and it's right smacking the floods on every time it floods that that area gets uh pretty flooded and and uh the playground has to be disinfected it can't be used so that this is some of the reasons why they're they're they're doing this they want to move it up to that area which I mean it it for all the years I've been around I me I think maybe one time it came up a little bit higher I don't think it came up all the way to the street cuz it's the streets up a lot higher there uh but uh so that's the the reasoning is they want to they want to get it out of that flood area um where it generally is bad but anytime there's there's you know that River Crest there's there's a problem back there cuz it's so close to the river where it is now uh this The Proposal you can go on the town website um also the town Facebook page or the county uh website and they have the whole proposal uh this they're talking about spending $3.7 million it's a it's a huge playground it's uh it it looks very nice I mean from what I can see uh this is step one though this is the first step I mean they haven't been approve for the for the funds yet um they think that they probably will because it's a it's a good project and the fact that it's handicapped accessible they believe that they're going to get the funding for it but this is just step one they have they did have a hearing uh they've been all for this whole month they're uh they're getting input um they've asked residents on on their website um the the parks the Park section of the buron County website uh you know they're asking people to mail in or email uh any kind of concerns I know I know there were some residents in Saddlebrook that did they saw what we posted on on Facebook and they did go to the commissioner's meeting and they express some concerns some of the concerns that I I've been hearing are uh the park is too close to the street um I haven't like that idea only because well there's a couple of reasons but to me I like the fact that it being closer to the street it's more of a community park I think our residents may use it more uh also too it's got from a security standpoint it's good because the police officers could drive by and Shine the Light it's right there rather than being way inside the park and uh you usually a playground doesn't get damaged but there there's been a lot of damage to the bathrooms uh which are right next right next door there and it's more difficult because it's not well lit so I think from those two reasons is good but some of the residents feel I think that uh you know a runaway call but to me it's going to be protected it's going to be Ballers or'll be buffers trees something there to protect it plus the fence they think it should be a higher fence it's going to be surrounded by a four foot fence I guess they think that maybe the kids can jump over the fence but you know most of the time they're going to be these are young children they're going to be there's going to be parents there supervising them so I I I don't know uh but I I don't that's said their concern the one one of the things they did mention that it's going to there's going to be more public use so there's going to be more cars they need additional parking these are things that are you know I think that's that those are valid you know valid concerns but uh they you know you do they do have uh time to at least say what they have to say and and and uh and give their input uh but it is only step one so you once they approved there's going to be more meetings and more hearings and and public comment so and they know about it now so people in that area and we and we will when it gets closer I I think it's important for us to notify the residents in that general area um the ones on saddle on uh Grand court and close to the an s ofer road I think it's important that we let them know that uh this is happening and that they they can go to the they go to the Bergen County Commissioners meeting or or email or send letters you know to them also uh we were approved this was we did verbally we received uh commitment for $750,000 grant funding from the state uh that verbal but now we got written notice that we did we had to file our grant writer had to file paperwork and an application and we did receive notice from the governor's office that we were approved to that and uh there's like three Parks Mayhill Street Park K Street Park Fifth Street Park and also uh Senior Center generator and the biggest allotment of money is for Splash Park which is the location to be determined at a later date um you we have some ideas we're going to discuss that at our work sessions uh I want to remind residents of the new notify me uh to remind them it's a new Township notification system you can register on the township website satr nj. us uh there's a registration form on there it's it's simple to do it's a lot like Mixel but uh as far as how to sign up but uh I urge we already have about 750 and we just we just started it so hopefully we'll get more U as we go along I also want to extend my best wishes and prayers for father Bruce janiga of St Philips the pastor there uh he last uh at the end of uh January he had back surgery he's rehabing now at Kesler Institute so uh he was our prayers go out to him and his family and the whole Parish but uh he's doing much better from what I understand uh also I want to thank our DPW and police department the DPW did a fabulous job plowing our streets on uh Tuesday with the storm uh also the police department uh I guess I'm happy to say I'm not happy if you got a ticket but if you got a ticket you probably deserved it but they wrote 222 tickets so um they were out there and uh you got I I can't say enough when it snows you got to move the cars off the street and you know if if you live somewhere and and you're and you're tenant and landlord doesn't let you park you know you have to you have to find some other place there there's many other places if you uh look around that you could park I'm sure and or get permission from somebody else to park it doesn't happen that frequently um but it's important that you move your vehicles um municipal offices are closed Monday February 19th for President's Day uh section one the north part of the town uh yard waist is going to be picked up on Friday it's usually picked up there on Monday but Friday the 23rd we got some events coming up next month is women in history month and women will be recognized in different categories such as business leader community service government service outstanding C citizen Etc that that'll be at next month's uh regular meeting uh chicken Bingo is Saturday March 10th from 11: to 3: at the senior center see see call Joe Ley our senior director sideb volunteer ambulance core efficient ships uh is Friday March the 29th from 5: to 9: here at the core building for tickets you have to email uh it's secretary at Saddlebrook vac.com that's secretary at Saddlebrook vac.com or call Tracy at 20179 375 uh our spring celebration is Saturday March 30th from 12: to 2 right here at the rec center is an a garden games for kids p face painter DJ Etc that's always a fun time uh also too the town will be printing 300 copies of s portrait of our past written by Jack wasike we received uh uh Pete Miko our clerk received about 200 right he already got two 200 requests uh it started on Facebook there's a there's a page called u u there's actually two pages memories growing up in Saddlebrook and the other one is uh Saddlebrook High School alumni association there those those two pages that uh it's a lot a lot of people from saddle expressed interest and they wanted the book and we ran out of copy so um we will be having them printed and uh and selling them Pete I don't know if you know how much it's going to be but not yeah but they can email me peteo SBR and j.gov and we'll let you know when the books are available and also to we'll uh you know make sure that we put it on social media and and blast it out there so everybody knows uh lastly my sincere condolences to the dulia family the veros and schals families um they we gave a moment of silence for the three of them and also the flags were at half staff um also their friends and brother officers and uh brother and sister police officers and firefighters I personally worked uh with the two police officers and schs on side of the police department and both were excellent men uh they were dedicated public servants and they were devoted to the the SAT community so they'll be sorely missed and uh God bless them thank you uh at this time I would just like to extend my prayers and sympathies also to the Julia veros and most families um my heartfelt prayers to you guys to everyone and I shout out to our DPW and uh our Police Department yes they did an amazing job and uh thank you thank you for your servic thank you you're welcome Sanchez yeah I would also like to um extend my condolences to R to Julia and the rose family um I'm very sorry for their loss um and again like the mayor INF flow said you know the DPW did a wonderful job um and I just want to make a correction really quick on the fish and chips the fish and chips is from 4:30 to 700 p.m. on March 29th I think you said 5: to 9 but it's it's 4:30 to7 okay okay um and um that's all Yesa thank you I just had a question for the mayor I'm trying to figure out the the new driveway I guess into the park is is that going to affect the current parking is it that far north or is it in between the current parking and like where people are parking now well I'm sorry in between the current entrance and where the People Park now I think it it's uh it's just a a little La about trying to not that go with with uh distance but now if you when you go in you kind of go in straight and then you turn to the left so it's going to be that straight ahead straight with you know so I don't know maybe 30 ft oh okay so it's not going to yeah it won't affect the current part yeah there is there is some trees there they're probably going to have to take down and that's another complaint that we see I I think you mentioned it after I wrote some notes about uh so it's just going to be one big playground area it's not the the existing playground area is going to be gone something else they're going to take that down I I think that they're going to reuse it somewhere okay cuz it's it's not I mean the playground it's the equipment still pretty good it looks good okay um uh again like everyone we we lost uh a few good people uh in this month and also you know obviously the W family Julie family and uh Rose family who gentem past his son is is currently an officer with this a sergeant yes Sergeant with with our police force staff so condolences also um uh the the father of Marilyn Nel who was a former president of our Board of Education passed away a few years after his wife did so condolences to the the CI family um as the mayor said I totally agree with him in terms of I'm happy but not happy about the tickets I'm happy that um you know people were cited uh for doing something they shouldn't have done I'm not happy that people continue to do that so 200 tickets probably they could have issued 400 if uh you know if they got everybody uh and it's just amazing that year after year um people continue to do the same thing you know you can't do it but you continue to do it sometimes it's an emergent situation you're out of town I understand that but uh I just drove to from my house to Midland Avenue and there are three or four cars that are just totally plowed in and why didn't you just move it I don't understand and some of them 5 days later were still plowed in so I don't know maybe they were just gone I I have no idea but if that's the case uh and you know of an snowstorm do something about it um in terms of the uh the resolution uh especially U heart health month uh I say this every year I've been up here for 15 years uh my dad died when he was 39 years old of when I thought was a heart attack later on I found out it was heart disease um unfortunately I was telling my doctors that it was just a sudden heart attack nothing to worry about and then finally uh found out that it was a long-term heart disease uh and that killed him at the age of 39 uh 30% we just did some research here we're setting up here 30% of all deaths in America are due to heart disease and one in five women uh die from heart disease it's often thought as a man disease but one in five women that's that's just a frightening statistic so please do all you can to take care of yourself I think that's all I have um thank you thank you I too would like to thank the DPW for the quick response I had to uh clean up that snow was uh it came down pretty quick um I would also like to wish condolences to to Julie family Rose family and schs family and uh thank you for your service to the township who uh will definitely not be forgotten as far as the spring celebration that mayy talked about as uh I believe it was March 30th that's a it's a great event every year and he just gets better and better so if you do have a time where you don't have time try and make time because it's it's great for kids it's great for the family and uh try and get out meet some of your neighbors hopefully by that time the weather will break and uh it'll be another good time and please support you know the local ambulance cor with fish and chips on the 29th and I think that's it for now thank you ordinances no we have no ordinances this evening so we go right to the agenda all it all items listed with an aster are considered routine and noncontroversial by the township Council and will be approved by one motion there will be no separate discussion on these items unless a council member or memb so request it in which case the item or items will be removed from the consent agenda and considered in its normal sequence points on the agenda the one motion signifies adoption of all resolutions receiving final letters correspondence reports and approval of minutes and applications not part of the consent agenda would be the October 19th uh council meeting minutes and resolution number seven motion motion second roll call councilman Sima yes councilman councilwoman Sanchez yes counciler council president a yes okay we have the minutes of the October 19th 2023 council meeting councilman samuka sorry councilwoman Sanchez yes Council ner say and council president aant yes and we have resolution number seven which councilman sua will be reusing himself want to take com back unfor resolution number seven councilman samuk has left the meeting is approving payment of the bill for the Choy La group Mo second second call Council Sanchez yes Council maer yes council president or Commando [Music] yes completes the agenda that completes the agenda all business new business mayor all business new [Music] business Andre one one of the things mayor had gone over a whole bunch of things that are going on I don't believe he mentioned uh something that came over it's the cornhole tournament this I believe it's this Friday here at the rec center I think the younger kids are in the afternoon 3:00 to 5 or something like that and I think it's 18 and older or so uh I think it's from 7 7 to 9 so uh I'm not 100% sure of the time so you can check with the uh our rec director uh but that's a first for us that's the first first time we've had a Rec Center so um that should be fun it's it's tomorrow so hopefully uh you can get here and enjoy what's going on thank you how do you know about that I just wanted to mention um at our work session um unfortunately I think it was like a day or two before our work session there was a uh someone's car was stolen out at a driveway uh right in town um and it's not just our town it's just about every town in in berging bake Hudson County there's just a big ring right now going around and stealing cars um but with that being said I I just think that it was mentioned years ago from former councilman Joe seta case and I just like to mention that I I I feel like we should consider strategically placing cameras throughout the township for for that purpose one purpose is that but the other reason is God forbid they do steal a car and there there's a child in the car that would be just uh horrific but to know where they're they're coming from where they're going through cameras would be uh I think help the township um of course it's a cost but someone's life there's no there's no uh there's no price for that that that's all that's on half through through chair the the cornhole tomorrow night is grade 7 and 8 is 300 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and 18 and older 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. the rec center and TOD Point yes that's uh we're seeing that more and more in Burton County Burton County was one of the last ones to go to start going with Town one cameras they are very expensive I mean perhaps maybe with some of the Cannabis money we can yeah we hopefully we'll get in uh we can use that but it's they are expensive but they're they are they they work they they're detent and uh a lot of crimes are solved because of it and and stopped some of the know some of the uh especially in Hudson County they actually have in the North Bergen they have people monitoring the cameras that they that's what that's their job they sit there and they just look at all the cameras they got 20 different cameras throughout the town maybe more but they just watch and if they see something that looks suspicious they'll call a police car there so it uh they work they they work they're expensive that's the the only downside like you said you know what and today you never can be too safe and uh and Joe Joe was ahead of his time when he brought that up I know everybody laughed at him you know really I remember that people laughed at that was probably 20 years ago we've come a long way in 20 years majority of towns Doo have them and now Bergen about half the towns out Garfield does I know they they they also have the license plate readers these cameras are so sophisticated they can zo them in on a quarter that's on that's on a curb they're that good um and then you know they read the license play and know come up you know the the car stolen or want it for something so it's uh it's here and it's something that uh we really are going to have to think about soon brother chair just had one comment um a lot of these thefts uh could be avoided please do not leave your key fob in your car it might make it easier for you but it also makes it easier for a thief uh for the same reason make sure it sounds silly but please lock your doors because most of us have those of us who have garages have a garage door opener and most of those garage door openers are easily accessible if your door is open so you know maybe your car gets stolen it is what it is but they press that button now they're in your house and that's a lot scarier than having a know four wheels taken from your driveway so just be careful now I got to piggy back off that because what they're doing is they're using readers your keys could be in your kitchen 20 feet from the front of your house and they have these readers outside your house they get the frequency and they're getting a frequency not just for one car but for every car in your driveway or your neighbor's driveway and all they're doing is pressing the button and they're starting so they do sell these I don't know if it's a satchel or boxes that you can put your keys in it blocks the frequency but that's what they're doing they're they're going around and they're using this reader getting the frequency through your car pressing a button that they have your car could be in the garage it's going to start and they're they're going to get that car regardless the problem is these individuals get caught I've seen it now being in the courts they get caught they see the judge they get released with no bail PTI no slap on the wrist no nothing no fines unless they do it again and get caught and then they go to jail but if your car gets stolen listen let them take your car if your kids in there then absolutely you know do what you have to do but if your car gets stolen let them take it it's just a car don't get yourself injured for uh for an object but just uh be mindful and if if you if you need to you go on the Google um Amazon I believe sells those boxes you can put your keys in to block the frequency from being r that's it thank you open a meeting to the public on agenda items motion s all in favor I anyone no motion to close motion CL all in favor [Music] Council mayor any comments I'm good thank you attorne you have anything okay motion to adour motion all in favor all right have a good day