me New Order councilman samuca here councilman Garrick here Council Sanchez here Council here council president aam here pleas stand for exclusive CL unit States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God indivisible with liy and justice for all adequate notice of this meeting has been sent to All council members and to all laal newspapers in accordance with the provisions of the open public meeting act chapter 231 Public Law 1975 the public is hereby advised that any statements made during the meeting of the township Council the township of S Brook may not be privileged or protected and that persons or entities who take issue with such comments or are offended by saying May having a pass or leg will redress the reports any member of the public who addresses the council speaks for themselves and not for the council than good evening everyone can you hear me okay great uh we're here tonight uh for a very special occasion uh this happens to be one of my favorite jobs as mayor uh to honor women in history um we we've done this for several years now and we try to choose outstanding women that fit into certain categories uh being community service outstanding Citizen and business leader today a fi uh so I'm going to get started our first recip recipient uh is can I my second yes is is Rachel Adams Duff I'm going to read the proclamation whereas Rachel was born in Loi New Jersey to Johanna and her late father Daniel Adams at the age of four Rachel moved to sadd she now lives with her parents Jack and Joanna Duffy and her siblings Alexis Emily and Christopher Rachel attended the disabled preschool program at Washington school then through the Visions program she attended Helen I Smith school and the S Middle School and High School Rachel received her high school diploma in 2018 raciel attended Burton Community College through the Turning Point program and and received her certificate in disability advocacy currently Rachel is employed with the institute for Community inclusion as a disability Advocate advisor so now therefore on this 21st day of March 2024 I Robert E White the mayor of the township of s in celebration of women in history month wish to honor and recognize raciel Adams Duffy for a dedication to our community and for sharing awareness of the importance of understanding people with disabilities uh I just want to say a few words um myself uh I've known Rachel now for several years um what I find most uh exceptional about her if that's the right way to say it is that she's so positive and uplifting um she strives to improve uh and sees the good in people and in situations um I wrote down a quote that I read recently that reminded me of her um it's it simply says negative people focus on the problem whereas positive people like Rachel focus on the solution um she has shown incredible resilience in the face of many challenges and has accomplished remarkable things so it's again it's my honor to to recognize Rachel Duffy Adams or Adams Duffy they say it wrong but God bless you [Applause] you don't have to we don't want to don't worry about it no okay thank thank you you're very [Applause] welcome thank you so much r yeah okay next we have Helena stra back okay whereas Elena was born in NCO Poland Joseph and Maria leesa and Elena is married 32 years to Chris repc and they have four children Agnes Michael Nicole and David Kena has been a real estate broker for 28 years and is also a member of the saddle Women's Club and the Garfield Pasty organiz ation Helena supports salber by participating and donating to Township events Helena is an ad lover she has two dogs and two cats she also enjoys dancing and gardening so now therefore here on this 21st day of March 2024 I Robert D white the mayor of the township of Saddlebrook in celebration of women in history month wish to honor and recognize Elena for her dedication to our community and her success as a woman in business um like I said about Rachel I want to kind have a couple of things I know Helena personally now for several years and uh she's really built a successful business from scratch her and her husband and now ranks as one of the best in in our area as as she says on her all her all her cards and her uh her information that she sends out um advertising I should say no one sells it like Helena so it's a catchy catchy phrase and uh she certainly uh does does a great job for that but as always um you know she's always shared her success by donating time and and money to uh to many causes she's very involved with the Polish Community uh she's very much uh proud of her polish Heritage and also many s causes as well um last year 2023 she was the contingent Marshall Garfield's contingent Marshall for the plasy day parade in New York City um she also uh basically Helena is not afraid to roll up her sleeves and do the hard work and uh and she's been very successful and she's always given back a lot of the community so thank you so much thank you so much I feel very privileged um I appreciate the honor um sarbrook is close to my heart town because this is the first town that I live with my children my children went to St Philip I belong to St Philip church so I always love and support s that's it's very important town for me and now I can I have my business in s broke I can grow and I can give back and that's what I appreciate you know getting business giving back because I believe in giving back because it's always coming back thank you thank you so much also I to ELA is a member I said it in the proclamation but she's now a member of the Women's Club I think that was recent and uh you're lucky to have them and they're certainly lucky to have you it's a it's a great part partnership there so thank you I got congratulations okay next is another Women's Club member is uh Sharon aano Sharon okay Shan I know Sharon a long time as well so whereas Sharon was born to Edward and Geraldine Hiller in bake New Jersey and she has one brother Edward Sharon moved to Saddlebrook when she was just 2 years old and has been a resident ever since since then Sharon is married to Martin of vuk and together they have a daughter Alexander Sharon is a graduate of s High School and buron Community College she is working as the Director of logistics at Martin Bower Incorporated in C caucus Sharon enjoys volunteering and is currently the president of the sburg Women's Club in addition to being an animal lover some of Sharon's special interests include mentoring her team at work and gardening so now therefore I'm this 21st day of March I Robert D white the mayor of the township of Saddlebrook in celebration of women in history month wish to honor Sharon for her dedication to our community and to recognize her for the impact she has made in our community as a volunteer Sharon is a very caring and compassionate person she's always looking to help others they all seem to have every one of the women here tonight have that in common they all want to help uh she's an active member of our Community Partnership committee always coming up with new ideas to improve the committee and as a goal of the committee is to provide residents in need with assistance um she's the president of the St Women's Club and I'd like to just speak to a really big shout out for the Women's Club because um anybody that knows anything no knock on any other Civ organization but by far uh the Women's Club uh does the most for the town and very to giv back so we appreciate that I thank you so much it's an honor to be recognized but more importantly I'd like to recognize the women's CL could you please stand up my members that are here because these of the women small these are women that make 2 but without them I would not have so thank you so much thank [Applause] you have this down right now you know thank God I have okay next we have D B okay a lot she do an awful L for as stor was born and raised in patteron New Jersey after marrying her husband Michael they bought a home in Sor where they have lived ever since D and Michael have been married for 25 years in C they two children n Angel 23 years old Angelina 21 years old D considers herself blessed to have also have her mother Jones Gand still with her D is is well known in the special needs Community she oversaw of the side Challengers baseball team for 10 years she's a past vice president of the Smith School PTA and a CCD teacher for Religious Education for over 10 years B is currently the assistant coach for the penguin swim team out of the East Rutherford YMCA she is also the head of hospitality committee for St Philips the Apostle Church she is a power professional in Garfield High School and a teacher for Applied Behavior Analysis for autistic children in their homes G is also the co-chair of Essex special Skating Club which is ice skating for challenging for challenged children and adults the is currently en enrolled I don't know where you find all the time new but enrolled in College online at Western Governor's University she is working toward her bachelor's degree in elementary education grades K through6 and Special Education certification da and their family have been involved with the cup Scouts Boy Scouts baseball football the Angels program cheer reading and St Philip's Church in choir so now therefore on this 21st day of of March 20124 I Robert D white the mayor of the township sber celebration of women in history month wish to Conor recognize going for a devotion sad work and to the special needs community so definition of dawn is that is a Gog a Gog too she gives 100% and makes everything look easy when she's doing it she has a very positive attitude and is dedicated to serving her family and the community I got a quote for you too okay from Lou Holtz the famous basketball coach ability is what you're capable of doing motivation determines what you do but attitude determines how well you do it so thank [Applause] you so the last recip unfortunately couldn't be here but I'm going to read uh her Proclamation as well um iene Pino whereas Eileen is a resident Assad for 35 years and is married with John Eileen is retired from being the saddle Deputy Court Administrator for 25 years and is currently a volunteer on the sad volunteer score which she has served 36 years along with her husband while on the side of a volunteer amb score eile served as president vice president trustee and she was a delegate for the second district Eileen and her family have built strong relationships in Saddlebrook where she remains in enjoying her retirement so now therefore on this 21st day of March 2024 I Robert E White in celebration of women in history month wish to honor and recognize e for her service as a volunteer and for her dedication to our community um Eileen is a longtime valued member of the volunteer ambulance Court here in Saddlebrook she also as I said worked as our Municipal Court uh as a deputy Court Clerk for our Municipal Court uh she's always volunteering to Aid residents of Saddlebrook she's a a beautiful giving and kind-hearted person so uh thank you at this time I also want to recognize two of my favorite Council people counciler councilwoman sarra Sanchez for all their hard work and [Applause] dedication [Music] let make us look good [Applause] right thank you everybody thank you aou sh ladies with you yeah we'll what we'll do is we'll uh give like two two minutes three minutes for everybody to gather do what they want to do if you want to stay for the meeting if you say if you want to leave you can leave we'll take pictures of what you know congratulations thank you SC Zing all right good [Music] all right great congratulations amaz [Music] friend of course oh hi how are you nice to meet you too I know they are they bringing it up [Music] [Music] oh now have to be sure call Mee back order at this time I'll make a motion to open the uh meeting to the public motion second all in favor [Music] even everybody my name is Daniel basik I live in Le Avenue 499 I've been about couple weeks ago regardless the parking of the factory which is a nightmare for us life continue is still parking I know the last time I heard there was request for mobile parking for the truck but instead to give him TR they should find people I spoke to the people and I said I'm sorry guys the people in the factory not allowed on do parking they're in the own parking because they don't have enough parking they change CH even in Midnight they leave the radio on we cannot wake up in the middle of the night all the garbage in our property no parking any place on the street we are not part of the factory with people who live in a IND the street and we have no right at all it's continue and continue nonstop instead to giveing a more place for the truck s first find out they have 20 parking and 100 people walking here find out what's going on it's nothing change continue thank you for listening and I'd like to know if you do anything about it will you talk to anybody about it to to the chair yeah um you were here two weeks ago in that two weeks a lot happen I know I think the problem wasn't solved but we have come you welcome to come see what the she change what's going on there right I we do we know it's we've been okay I appreciate you got finish okay thank you responding to your your your problem you want to listen to him he's responding to I'm I'm trying to tell you what what took place it I know you think nothing took place but actually a lot did the town spoke to the management over there um you mentioned about the parking and the trucks first off they now since that whole thing happened with the trucks they wanted to get a variance to go in the back they since withdrew that that application and they found the location their trucks all get part now in uh in Elman park somewhere so they rent a location in El Park also that frees up that space back there but I don't know we have to speak to our building department zoning office or whether cars can park AC I don't see why not I know they used years right well that's one thing and then the other thing is they also uh now are renting a space on Kenny place behind the Crown Plaza so part of the operation is going to move over there I don't know how many people are moving over there but that may alleviate some of the congestion there and uh you know I I spoke to him about the litter um you know they they said they would try to do their best to to clean up over there so I came here I've been in the building I spoke with the manager at least six time nicely oh we will do and nothing was done I'm tell you I came before I came we came here we tried to be in I don't mind company grow right it's really nice but right well of course you don't you don't want them to grow they're kind of out growing the place that it seems like than you for you're welcome anyone else want you to [Music] speak hi my name is Mareno I'm a lifelong resident of sat and I'm here on the topic of a Grant application by the county for building a new inclusive playground at the auto P um right at the entrance and first and foremost though I want to stress the fact that no one has opposition to the playground the problem lies with the logistics and the subsequent changes that will her so um please let me add that as someone who worked with Specialties children for 23 years the thought that I would even think that a playground wouldn't be a wonderful idea for the children really is ridiculous and would be I feel totally insulting to me but we all have concerns I've been passing out pamphlets and everything to my neighbors and thankfully some are here and I know we have to go to the the county some have already been to the county but I'm here to address this situation and to ask you for support when we go to the county we would like support of our elected officials to back us up if possible so some of our concerns are the structure is too close to an extremely busy road and directly next to a bus stop as of now only a 4ot fence is proposed and obviously that would be inadequate a large bright colorful structure will definitely be a distraction to drivers passing by no additional parking is proposed with more people from surrounding towns frequenting the playground where will everybody Park they'll park on the local streets and the streets will be so congested even more than usual during the summer time really it's a hazard to the homeowners to pedestrians trying across the street and the streets are so crowded that it's really it impales the EMS Vehicles trying to answer calls when there's so many cars they can't even turn the corner they have to go around another way and I don't know if anybody knows since I've lived here so long Lewis Street was specifically made as a cut through so that fire fire trucks and whatever can go through to get back to downway and tiger and all those streets back there more quickly than going every which way so that's our concern also there are other areas in this park that are much more suitable to having a large playground and I feel and some others do too that the field that pulls the old ice skating rink and the basketball courts that are no longer being used it would be wonderful to have it there and there a parking adjacent to it that would make it easy access for everybody and as far as the flooding goes the flooding situation is less at that area because of the fact that the river banks there are much higher another extremely troubling proposal is the moving of the entrance to the park closer to Lewis Street this would just be an accident waiting to happen having a four corner intersection in that location would be disastrous at least now all the ins and outs of the streets are and the park are staggered which helps somewhat and let us not forget about the flooding problem which is destroying the bark it doesn't have to be a hurricane anymore to flood it could just be a normal Heavy Rain if the flooding situation would be addressed many other problems would be taken care of and also has this soil been remediated again in that area where they plan to put the playground and and has a traffic assessment been done because unless you live there you really don't have a clue of what it's like during the summer and brush out and let us not forget that not everyone is on Facebook everyone might might not know what a QR code is and everyone might not own a a smartphone but all the county did was put up one and now I was P two signs with a QR code to a um I can't do your um someplace where you can fill in the information and express your opinion so the problem is they didn't put it on the pathway near the the playground that's there now they put it in an obscure area of the parking lot so we had to really I went down there several times with my husband my granddaughter we were like all over the place trying to find so we have a time limit I'm trying to give you time want your point I'm Italian I gu okay so as I stated these are a few of our concerns and as I also stated we would like some support when we do meet with the county so thank you for all your time and consideration if anyone's interested I do have pictures of what goes on there thank you thank you the chair just had a question Mr is there have you been advised of a date that they're going to have any kind of hearings on this proposal um no I do have friends that have gone though to the the county for meetings and brought it up so it's not anything that they don't know about it's not anything new to some people we've been there already but sometimes they have you know it's on the agenda to discuss that and you know certainly you know we should know about it hopefully they will advise us but if not and you get word of that and your neighbors and you plan on going just please you know just give us a call so this way we can see if we can attend the war with you okay that would be great thank you very much I did talk to uh commissioner tanell today he was supposed to come here but unfortunately he wasn't able to because he couldn't get any professionals come down with him to speak on the project engineers and so forth but he did advise me that if anybody wanted to speak about it they have a meeting every week they have a work session one week and then they have the open public meeting the following week and they'll be more than happy to uh to help out with it okay I'm sorry for my voice is just uh apologize good evening everyone my name is Gail sorsky and I live on Graham Court I'm not a great public speaker I'm going to read my notes so I can get through everything in 3 minutes but I can read because I went to sadle per high school and graduated in 74 so I'm here to speak on behalf of myself a number of my neighbors who can not make tonight's meeting and a large number of Saddlebrook Park users all would welcome having an inclusive park within the county park but many are concerned about the safety of the proposed location several of us have expressed these concerns as you've asked to the Bergen County Commissioners to the executive director Mr Tesco and several other Park directors including the Land Management director but would like to highlight four major concerns for you tonight one had the county notified us prior to the comment period that ended January 17th those of us living close to the proposed site would have expressed concerns about the safety and danger of putting the playground along a busy count road we are CLE here try again we are clearly aware of the fact that saddle brick is heavily trafficed and rarely are cars traveling within the speed limit after speaking with the county they are willing to put up a fence higher than the 4ft fence originally proposed but I have parked friends who have autistic children and they say that their children are able to climb six and 8ot high fences and we're very very concerned about a child getting hurt or killed by running onto the roadway and while there be may be other things that are negotiable in the grant proposal we have been told that the location is fairly entrenched two residents living near the park entrance already have to deal with an inadequate amount of parking in the county park visitors Park on our streets block our driveways and most importantly they basically do do not leave enough room for emergency vehicle access additional parking was not included in the proposal and any parking that would be constructed would need to be made of materials that would not further add to our current flooding problems three residents believe that the area um that moving the entrance of the park as planned can potentially pose traffic and cause problems on s River Road and Lewis Street yet according to the county no traffic pattern assessment was conducted we would think a formal assessment should be done and lastly four the proposed playground site would be located partly on the site that was remediated for patrol room a number of years ago the county has yet to conduct retesting of that soil but we have told that they do plan on doing that in the future so in conclusion we ask that you please take our concerns under serious consideration share our concerns with the county and respectfully we thank you for your time and attention thank you thank you for someone who's not a good public speaker you're a good public speaker hi Nancy Murray Pine Avenue I actually came here for another reason I walk that Park I don't live close by the park I walk from my house down a little Grand Terrace and down leis Street and go to the park and walk different routes through the park to get about four miles in and I'll tell you I never even heard of that or saw that sign I learned something new today I mean that I read the paper constantly and I have not heard anything that I just heard tonight and I use that Park as well and when you cross at Louis Street let me tell you if you're not old school and look both ways you ain't getting across safe because those cars are not coming down and and having that offset is probably the best thing that they have is because you have time when a car comes out of the park it slows down some of the traffic at least one way so that you can get across the street so I'm thankful that these women came in and the neighbors down there came to talk about this because uh I I had no idea and if the county thinks putting one sign up someplace where I haven't seen it and I walk all different ways through that Park I don't understand it should have been at least advertised with a lot more a lot more um paperwork the only thing I saw was a tree that was that was down because I guess because of the storm that was taken out um I just came to say I'm glad to see that something is being done with the first reading for um on the ordinances here today for the short-term rentals so I was just coming to see that that but I'm glad I did come because I got more information about something that really does affect not just the neighbors oh on Lou Street if everybody parks on both sides it is really tight I would be surprised if a PIR trck could get down there thanks sorry be uh my name is maronda uh 24 Harrison Avenue sou Brook um just a quick announcement that I'm doing an educational presentation about light pollution at the settle public library Saturday April 20th uh from 1: to 2: p.m. I'll just give a quick description and you can get these flyers at the library um I I go to ruer school of Public Health and I'll be discussing light pollution it's negative health safety and environmental impacts in Saddlebrook and the NYC metro area uh learn what light pollution is and how it negatively impacts human health Wild Life ecosystems how it obscures our view of the star main Sky I'll learn about and discuss responsible lighting outdoor lighting practices and policy suggestions to reduce light pollution in Saddlebrook and the area generally thanks thank you uh it's April 20th it's a Saturday uh 1:00 p.m. to 2: p.m. I can leave this slide over there thank you thank you good evening everyone Thomas link 128 Lincoln AV sber um just as usual I'm going to speak about the marriage youth group for this month we just met this past Saturday in the multi-purpose room here in the municipal complex we have a very enthusiastic group of young people who serve our community we're we're going to be helping out with the township Easter celebration next Saturday the 30th um from 12:00 to 2: p.m. in the gym here in the municipal complex um we're going to volunteers helping out with the food drive table the a garden helping with the photo area for the Easter Bunny um and also trying to advertise and get get more members to join our fabulous group and like I said we have a very we had a very good turnout last Saturday we were working on a poster to help um display what we do throughout the year and how we serve our community throughout the year so again as another reminder to all of you up here and everybody watching at home on our TV station um it's spoken to any c youth in grad 4 through 12 and we again we help serve our community our community service um the such as the Easter celebration coming up um also on April the 20th which is the third Saturday in April we're going to be doing our annual will Earth Day planting and cleanup at Tri Centennial Park that will begin at 10: a.m. so we hope to have a good turnout for that so and we're getting the spring months and again just looking to get more members so thank you for your time thanks [Music] [Music] s New Jersey I just want to come out and say thank you to council for the Ramadan function that we had to bring in Ramadan to the Ramadan celebration uh we met a lot of Muslim people I didn't know we had that many Muslim people in this town and the event was awesome I really appreciate everybody Council coming out to attend the event and I look forward for it to be an anual come forward thank you again thank you you [Music] good evening om Rodriguez arook I would like to congratulate all the honor tonight and also all the women in s and the country and all over the world thanks to them we're here um we have a lot to celebrate thanks to them the world is moving now I would like to touch a subject um two weeks ago I saw on the agenda about the scooters we've been discussing or at least entertaining that idea for months but nothing is happening no ordinance yet and I believe that it should be moved the season is around the corner and got for somebody get killed nowadays you can see the scooters with companions or passengers no helmets in the middle of the street at any time no signs no nothing especially the Market Street the weather is coming it's improving you will see all those scooters and and motor electric motorcycles with no helmets and they're risking not just their lives but actually to the drivers of our town please reconsider and try to put something in Motion in order to have an ordinance ready somehow police should get involved but if it's no ordinance nothing can be done now also of life I know the time is brief but I would like some of the council members if not all to go on the record tonight and explain to the residents what why and where it says reassessment District what it means and why are we doing this every year I don't want to hear from the professionals but from the council members because in my case it went up 50 5 $50,000 the assessment I and I know the whole process but the question that all of you sitting over there should be making we hire a company is he helping the homeowners or is he helping the commercial and businesses that's what it have to be the bottom line and the last subject that I would like to bring tonight it is that it's trying to tie our belts I believe that small town like ours 2.7 Square M shouldn't be expending like one of the richest town in M County Cas on point two weeks ago I was here at this Podium and I was talking about the salary of the business administrator I request to find out what is the salary because for many many many many many months I've been questioning why are we paying $300,000 a year for a business administrator for a small town like ours after a year finally after coming here every month they get rid of that company but now they hire a new person I got nothing again might be maybe I don't know where he's coming from but I was told that he was making $160,000 I made my case and I said bras is the busiest commercial SE cod in the United States of America and the business administrator there is making $135,000 and I was Deni here that it's not true so I just want to pass it on to you because when I speak I speak with facts so again that's the resolution I oper I have it $135,000 so I'm going to do real quick this is simple math s is 2.7 square miles 1 square miles equals to 640 acres per house is 10.57 squ Miles which equals to 6,766 acres so you know how much are we paying inside our business administrator you know how much we paying $92 per acre you know how much you get paay for house with all those stores R 17 r four and all those homes the this administrator there get paid $19.95 per acre something is wrong with the picture something's very wrong if I got to go to the r what is paying right now 1995 so in s a business administrator should be making no more than $35,000 and some of you might say what $35,000 already make that money well maybe we don't need a fulltime business administrator maybe we just need a parttime business administrator TR to tr our bills and some of you at home might say well you're going very drastic but hold on we have to pay taxpayers got to pay we have a h administrator $300,000 now we have 160 but let me remind you but for so many years years and years petero has been doing that job on a part-time basis for $6,000 a year why this change why I don't see no benefit that the streets are the same say I don't see improvements I don't want to criticize nobody but then again it's time to tie our belts the economy is not good for everybody and I see that when I go to those stock sales the economy is not good so we cannot be sping as a big town we have to actually act Recon um then in a sales pitch thank you all for listening and I will be right for Council in May in June I'll be running the primary and hopefully in November thank you good a chair good luck in the primary more by the way sure but I just I I feel compelled no you know you can sit down yeah I'm not questioning you I'm just I'm commenting I'm not I'm not going to question back and forth who the chair does that down can I go I don't think you need to go just responding it's all just responding I you was say go there because respond me I should be able to be in the mic otherwise that doesn't work that pleasee you want to go back go back but I don't want you to say okay you say it's your he's responding can I say something to keep respond you're the council president but you spoke he wants to respond to what you said that's fine thank you you can get back up as well what I wanted to say was that um you are correct with the resolution that's a fact okay we did a little research ourselves I think it's improper and very misleading that you're taking one particular jurisdiction well although it is a bigger jurisdiction I know for a fact okay we want to talk about facts the business administrator from Paramus that left the one that this gentleman replaced at 125 that that person was making 225 when he left okay I also know that the individual that was hired for 125 and you know this very well okay there was a contract he just got an enormous raise enormous raise and you know you can say what you want but $160,000 in this day and age is not accessive not not hiring somebody that comes with experience so I just feel that you were a little misleading there actually a lot misleading but you know that's that's that's what what I have to say so I want the public to know anyone else yeah I'll say something if you're if you're really old oring your salary is going to keep increasing you got to come you got come up I've never been to one of these yeah I mean I agree with mayor W here I'll just have to say that I'm in education and from my name isth I'm 798 also here president over 50 years and um you know in education when you first start out a you know you're a younger person coming into a profession you're going to start at a certain salary but if you're someone like Mr L who's been here for so many years of course over the years you're going to keep getting raises that's that's just common you know that's how it works so that's my comment else Clos me to the public second fa I just want to reassure the residents from saddle Riv road that came uh regarding the park and the uh all inclusive uh proposal there for inclusive Park um you know we we hear your concerns and uh and we will definitely bring them forward to the county uh they they usually are receptive to if we have something but I can't guarantee I mean if we go there and say if they have it in their mind that they're going to do it I I don't know it's their property I don't know if we can stop it we certainly could could make us think about it but but um and uh you know some of the things that most of the things you brought up you made a lot of good points um I mean just off you know a little some notes the additional parking I I I agree with I think it needs additional parking right now um I I like your idea about relocating I think the ice skating ring uh and the basketball court it's not really used uh and you're right it doesn't flood that much back there because it's further away from the river uh a traffic assessment is essential I I would think they would do that um I know the D is going to get involved with the soil so anytime they do a project that's that's a requirement um so you know we're we will definitely take your complaints to them so and and just so you know it is in the preliminary stages the way and and when they first came out with this we luckily we we got an email like a day before that they had a hearing and we went down to to listen to them but we they're not I guess they're not required I think they have to put in the paper if you don't see it and we didn't but like I said fortunately so we did go down uh councilman Garrick and I went to the meeting and we listened to them but um it's it's they have to apply for a Green Acres Grant so they got to get the money but there's it's you know there's a lot of time to to make changes and I believe they should uh you heed our our warnings that at least at least look at these these things a traffic assessment for sure um that's that's a um I want council president yeah you came you came here with a G and yeah if you want to speak I'll give you time to speak all I want to say is you mentioned just people from s River Road here about the county there's also residents here that live on D way because the parking from that Park goes all the way down way just so you it's not just sh Road the streets that okay that's that's all I got so um think again it is in the very early stages and I think that there's plenty of time to to make revisions and and and put a stop to it even if it if it works out that uh it's a bad idea so okay uh my comments I have quite a few I wanted to mention the budget um we're working on the budget right now my myself um our business administrator Jimmy hamy our CFO um we've been meeting with department heads and we're moving along with uh with with this budget hopefully we're going to try to keep uh you know keep taxes stable and and not uh have too much of a raise uh the senior tax freeze the freeze act um they recently uh this year they raised the ceiling so now you're if you're if you're a senior um is it 55 or 65 I think it's 65 65 and older um and you make as a as a family you make less than $1 163,50 you can apply and get your tax Frozen so it was $1 150 so they raised it up a little bit um and that's a program many of our seniors do participate in and uh it's it's it's wonderful we have we have some seniors that have been on it for a long time and they're paying what they paid 1985 or 86 some of them I've lived a long time um so I implore you if you are a senior please look into that because it's a significant savings uh Community Development block grant um we've been working with our engineer and grant writer to submit an application we do that every year I am the chairperson of the the central region and we are going to get together soon to uh have project presentations every town and uh and uh nonprofit that puts in for for funding has to do a presentation and then there's an allocation of the funds later on as our second meeting so uh I I got involved with that because it's uh it's very lucrative to the town you know past years we get up to upwards to of $200,000 to fix roads dra Ag and things like that so this year I'm not sure the engineer what's what's our project this year is a Paving Third Street oh okay water water man or Paving well Paving yeah but also some TR okay um I'm also happy to say that we received Federal American Rescue plan grant funding of for 43,000 uh that was announced a couple weeks ago uh for our fire department uh the 2024 Road resurfacing program the council uh our engineer DW superintendent have selected uh roads that need to be paved this year and uh that list will be finalized very very soon uh some recent events uh I failed to mention this uh last meeting I want to congratulate uh two of two town uh residents to Eagle Scouts Jeremy carabello and AJ Stanfield they were awarded that uh Eagle had a ceremony on Saturday January 27th uh we had our ambulance core installation dinner Friday February 23rd at maloos want congratulate all our officers and trustees I also want to Big shout out for Harry Reid for 65 years of service uh to the ambulance Corps and the community and I just want to thank all of our Ambulance Corp members for their volunteerism it's it's difficult today uh especially to get people to volunteer their time uh read Across America was March the 4th I want to thank all those uh some some of the counsil I know um Mr samuca participated in read Across America I believe he went to Long school um I also want to thank all our teachers principls and the staff for doing a great job uh it was mentioned about the ramadon cere uh observance ceremony that was Saturday March the 9th was very well attended and and like the gentleman said uh and I I I was surprised how many Muslim residents that we have and they were very uh very happy to uh that we did it and uh and it was really a nice event um and the organizers who uh who helped us out helped us to uh uh to set it up you know they were very appreciative as well as the residents so it is going to be an annual an annual event uh we had chicken bingo on Sunday March the 10th the senior center it's always a crowd favorite I want to thank our uh our director Joe Ley of the senior center and all those who helped make it a success we also had coffee with a cop on Saturday March 16th at dond dolance it's a nice Community event it's it helps uh the community meet residents meet our police officers um the s High School uh Middle School had their play The Adams Family on more the 15th uh and to the 17th so it was Friday Saturday Sunday it was a great show congratulations to the students and staff in case you missed it the town did videotape it and their last show which will be coming on YouTube shortly I also want to congratulate Satur High School National Honor Society they held their ceremony on Tuesday March the 19th uh this week the High School auditorium and gratulate all the new and D some upcoming events the Ambulance Corp fishing chips the annual fishing chips is on Good Friday March the 29th from 4:30 to 7 here in the back of the building court building uh Township Easter celebration is also here uh the next day Saturday April 30th from 12:00 noon to 2: p.m. just a few things um regarding uh you know speeding and parking complaints and Resident complaints uh that we're working on uh the gentleman mentioned about ler you know we've been in the process of in communication with them on that trying to find a solution we also did a traffic study was done on uh by the police department on Claremont Avenue some residents over there are requesting speed homes um there's a stop sign and no parking uh was put on Congress at the dead end by the high school parking lot um we're looking at Oxford Avenue near s River Road uh there's parking on both sides of the street makes it too narrow for two-way traffic so we've been getting some complaints about that trying to figure out what to do um our police are are doing a study there and then tractor trailers most recently have been driving uh on Rosell Parkway again they go around that that cone that we have in the street but that's uh become a problem again so I think that's more of an an Enforcement issue uh some miscellaneous things I want to congratulate the three new police officers that we swore in on Thursday March the um there's a new round of Veteran banners that are being ordered um the banners that you see um they go up they're going to go up right before uh Memorial day but the deadline to get a banner is March 31st I know there was 30 I heard from uh Mike nah who's the organizer and he said that uh 30 more banners were ordered I want to congratulate Rita trainer uh for celebrating her 100th birthday she was a world wari two veteran uh they had a party her family had a party in her honor at the VFW on Saturday February 17th I want to congratulate Howie Moulder for 60 years of service to the fire department how's also on our library board and he's past president I want to also thank um SBR artist painter Noel paba PAB for allowing us to display his artwork in the lobby uh he's got three paintings that are in the administ ative side um so he's going to rotate the the the paintings uh this is the second set that he's that he's putting there um the town also printed copies of a portrait of our past which was Jack wasik's our our town of story in his book that he wrote so copies are available here at Town Hall $15 if you have have it mailed uh $20 and it'll be mailed to your to your home um there was a big there was a lot of uh residents actually on the Facebook page um s High School alni and uh memories Groll up in Saddlebrook a lot of uh residents that no longer live in town past residents expressed an interest in in the book so we did make more copies I want to uh advise everybody remember to sign up for Township alerts notify me on the town website it's a new uh program that we started uh for Township not ifications uh notify me and if you go to the township website there'll be a button there that you can click on and it'll bring you to the link Township offices in DPW are closed Good Friday Friday March the 29th and finally I hope everyone had a happy St Patrick's Day and happy St Joseph's day happy Easter Passover and Ramadan thank you I do not have as much as the mayor I do have a couple of things uh congratulations to our women in history uh uh honores um Rachel Helena Sharon dor and eileene as well as my Council colleagues L and Sarah thanks for all that you do for Saddlebrook we really appreciate it um our next flood committee meeting is Thursday March 28th here at our Municipal complex at 6:30 uh all are welcome to attend we meet in the conference room back here um so anybody that would like to attend on March 28th um at 6:30 we'll be meeting here uh in regards to the park please let us know when that meeting is we would love to attend and help you voice your concerns uh we want to make sure they're spending I believe somewhere in the area of $3.7 million and it's spent right and it's done right and everybody's as happy as they can be with the project okay so please let us know okay um and finally happy Easter and a happy holiday to all that celebrate thank you very much major I have even less than him I'd like to congratulate all the women that were um celebrated here this evening thank you for your dedication to our Township definitely do appreciate it uh I'd like to also congratulate three um men that we're sworn in be safe and thank you for your service and um I I too would like to reassure you that we're important with for now be watching that closely and um that happy Easter right now do for that oh wait mayor thank you for the beautiful [Music] flowers um I to also want to say that you know like the mayor said the concerns about the park were heard um as a mother of small children I also have similar concerns so you know we support you um I also wanted to take a minute to also recognize the all the outstanding women who were recognized here today um and not only the ones that were recognized here but also all the outstanding women that we have in our town um I feel that it is important for you know women to continue to build each other up you know support each other encourage each other um you know just show a lot of support for one another um I also wanted to take a moment to congratulate the Saddlebrook high school spirit leaders um there was a new league they were first ever champ ions for njic they were the first ever state champions for Saddle Brook High School varsity comp cheer and um most recently they are now national champs and High Point Grand champs for the intermediate division so you know um all the hard work that the girls and their coaches put in really paid off so I just wanted to say congratulations to them too councila unfortunately I might have as much to say as the m I'm I'm not sure yet done um in regard to the comment a couple of responding to comments about the business administrator first of all what was handed to us was a resolution um from March of 2022 it covered the period of March through December of 2022 it started in March so to me that means that uh this appointment was an on an interim basis uh we did not receive the resolution of appointment o for 2023 and the salary for 2023 nor did we receive the resolution of appointment for 2024 so this number although it is less than um what currently paying our business administrator and I don't like to get into the salaries I don't I think that's a you go down a so Prett slope with that but we're talking about something that was done two years ago on an interim basis um but there's no current salary and my understanding is that that salary has uh up quite a bit um and we did do our due diligence in terms of hiring a business administrator finding out what business administrators were being paid uh in the you know in our vicinity mostly buron County but specifically in the uh surrounding towns towns of our uh our size and population and uh we do feel that we made the right choice uh with Mr homy um in terms of the tax assessments um anybody who knows we have a realtor here we have one of the top realtors in in Bergen County sitting here so um when the assessment went up $50,000 is because she knows and my wife has just pretty much in the last couple years gotten into the business uh there are houses that are listed for $450 and they're going for 550 and they're houses that you would ordinarily say that house is $550,000 well yeah people are buying those houses uh so yeah the the tax evaluations that they're based on comps they're based on what's being sold and the prices of houses are going up so your assessment your I'm sorry the assessed value of your house is going to go up now that again depends the rate changes also so it's not like it goes up 50,000 and you're being taxed on that full $50,000 because the rate changes but certainly everyone everyone should have seen an increase in the assessments just because the price of homes have gone up and people are are I heard the other day somebody offered 100 thou household 100,000 over asking so it's it's a crazy Market out there so uh It's Not Unusual to see an assessment go up but that is that's compensated by a tax rate decrease um scooter ordinance we're working on that it's better to get it right than just get it so uh we we are working our attorney is working on it we're working on the glitches I provided a sample ordinance that we have is I work in Hoboken and we have a major major scooter issue an ebike issue in Hoboken I can't walk a block without almost being run over by a scooter they do not listen to I mean I start walking across the street cuz the R's red and they just come right by and they don't care mainly because Hoboken has no parking uh people have a lot of Uber Eats and door Dash and things like that so there's guys all over the place doing that you there's probably more of those scooters than there are cars so um they have an ordinance which is pretty uh pretty comprehensive but we're tweaking it because some of it will not apply to to saog so when we think that we got it right we will be introducing that discussing that and uh and voting on it um the gentleman was talking to me about the his presentation regarding lighting and uh we are in considering a lighting ordinance but we need to have uh our planner involved in that and we will be getting input from the planner because um that that is an issue we want the the lighting to be correct uh I don't believe currently we have uh an ordinance or if we do it's not much of an ordinance with regard to lighting but uh we know that that is a concern and is a valid concern so uh we are going to have our planner look into that and contact us and hopefully that be on the agenda and you who are studying that can come in and maybe uh you know listen in and potentially give your input on that uh the park the first lady who spoke had a great idea about the location of that um uh of the uh the playground you know the special playground um and then the second woman as I was excited about that I said you know what we should just put it over there and then the second woman said that the grant is specifically based on the location being where the location is so that kind of dampered my uh my enthusiasm but we're we're going to try and figure that out because I do agree that a different place seems like it's a better idea further away from the road further away from potential danger um so we we will be involved in trying to get again get that right um uh you're going to see we're going to have a uh uh Bill reading later on you're going to see me leave it's a recusal just so you know um you're wondering why I'm leaving it's not that I'm not interested but there is a bill on the list that I had a conflict with the vendor it's no longer a conflict but it was at the at the time so uh uh I am going to recuse myself and the rest of the council will vote on that so that's why I'm going to be walking out uh events that happened and the mayor talked about it was great to see uh to participate in the read Across America I read to two classes long school and uh I mean I've read I used to be a much bigger reader but I've read Shakespeare and Homer and dski and the book I read from Dr Seuss was harder than any of those if you ever get the opportunity to read Fox and socks do not do it because your tongue will twist in ways that God didn't intend so but but the kids were great they asked question they had question and answers afterwards they were awesome it it was a lot of fun uh the the coffeee with the cop we also attended and it was great to support the men and women in blue um yeah a great bunch of B Gas uh the Ambulance Corp fish fry did you mention it oh okay please uh you know trying to attend it's it's $20 and you're supporting a a great organization um you also attended with with a number of council members and the mayor uh the Eid uh celebration again like f said did not know there that any Muslim uh people in town and I'm sure not all of them were attending that but it was It was supposed to be held outside the weather was crappy so we had to go inside um next year if if it's going to be anything like it is we'll try and move to a larger space maybe the uh the gym cut off because we we have the ability to cut off half a gym but just the sheer number of people there and I learned a lot I got to tell you I I knew very little uh about the Muslim religion um and the speakers were very educational so I learned a lot met a lot of nice people there um can't read my own writing the woman in the woman's the Woman's Club and all the women that received the awards today um made me feel a little bad because they have so much accomplishments compared to me so I kind of like jeez I'm I'm a big nothing up here that there's accolades upon Lees for them so God bless them and thanks for all that they do um and U lastly Sarah had said it our cheer leaders just have uh made the town proud national champions I think in both spear leaders and I think the high school and congratulations to Nicole La who's their coach and was named I believe coach of the year um so congratulations if I don't get to address you later on Happy Easter W all right I'm going to speak on the U the roll and reassessment that we do we started I think in uh 2016 15 when we started that just to do a little backward when we started that when we first got elected it was 23 tax appeals commercial tax appeals from 2007 we got elected in 2014 so the rolling reassessment helps in a way where indirectly you are the values are going up but we have I believe less than a third of tax appeals we had in 2014 so that's less money that we have to pay out as taxpayers to businesses so the role of reassessment in my opinion is has been doing nothing but bettering the uh situation for us as far as our our taxes CU if we had all these tax appeals it would they're not small tax appeals they're like $2 million tax appeal it's not like somebody like the homeowner want oh all my taxes are 15,000 I want to appeal 1,500 that's nothing when you have to appeal $2 million tax appeal guess where it comes from comes from us the home owners so I think indirectly it it is helping and I think he was slightly wrong on that but I think it it came out WR um the SC ordinance should be I think it our attorney does have it it should be ready next for next month's reading um March 30th we have the uh Easter spring Easter celebration um here at Town Hall believe it's 1:00 mayor uh 12 12:00 I'm sorry 12 you think I I would know that um 12:00 so please come out have a great time bring the kids bring your family um congrats to all the women that were recognized tonight not only those women but all women cuz think about it if it wasn't for women we wouldn't be here right now so thank you very much for being you and doing what you do in uh in your everyday lives um the mayor mentioned that we have a large increase of traed trailers on some of our roads I'd like to see if we could arrange for County weights and measures to come in and enforce those trucks cuz once you start enforcing it the the tickets for uh a commercial vehicle super seed tickets for uh a regular vehicle a truck comes by they get ticket based on the tonnage so if one truck is ticketed I don't want to say you could make but you can ticket that truck anywhere from $4,000 to $288,000 for two three tickets so if we could do that and deter them from coming to some side streets especially if they're overcrowded with parking and the that bridge can't handle the amount of trucks that goes over every day so I'd like to see if we can push that issue with the county and and and move that forward um um re as far as the the cheerleaders congratulations to cheerleaders but Rec basketball too believe there was three teams that made it to the playoffs and one so I want to congratulate them as well um happy Easter Happy Passover and happy ramena and uh thank you everybody Engineers report report where just moving forward with uh the road program for this year um surveys been out there and they're nearly complete with the survey so uh I think we're we're doing well with the schedule there um Hobson and Midland should be a uh paved very soon Hopson Hopson was that I was mentioning I forgot to name of it oh okay yeah they're going to do some concrete work there short and probably pave sometime next month um Midland also after the water me work that was done there um that will also get paved uh where where the work was done um Alberta Drive is another one that's going to get paid soon but we're waiting for the gas company to see if they will replace the gasing on that road so that that can be done before any Paving is done and um and that's about for now thank you sure ordinances first reading ordinance 1744 d24 an ordinance of the township of sber in the county of Bergen and the state of New Jersey amending chapter 206 Article 4 General Provisions section [Music] 206-981-5812 of 28 days in any Allon districts for first reading motion motion second all favor now therefore be resolved that the ordinance of the township of Saddlebrook in the county of Bergen state of New Jersey amending chapter 206 Article 4 General Provisions section 206- 9 of the code of Det Township entitle permitted uses to band short-term rental of dwellings for periods of 28 days and ending all zoning districts here to for passed our first reading be further considered for a final passage at a meeting to be held on April 18th 20124 at 7:00 p.m. but soon there after is dematic can be reached at the municipal complex 55 Mayhill Street and at such time and place all person's interested be given an opportunity to be heard concerning said ordinance according to law with the notice of its introduction and passage on first reading and of a time and place when aware said ordinance we further consider the final passage motion approve second roll call councilman samuca yes councilman Garrick yes Council Sanchez yes Council Amer yes council president yes all items listed with an aster are considered routine and non-controversial 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 member shall request it in which case the item or items will be removed from the consent agenda and considered in its normal sequence on the agenda the one motion signifies adoption of all resolutions received file letters correspondence reports and approval of minutes and applications now consent agenda is the November 2nd 2023 uh minutes motion to approve second councilman samuka technically recusing myself that's later on a new business new business okay and my answer is yes Council mcgarrick yes councilman Sanchez yes councilman Mas council president aam yes the minutes of November 2nd [Music] 2023 motion motion councilman s yes is that is that date correct [Music] correct I have to check on the minutes but it might be 20 I think we we might have had only the one meeting that month because of municipalities we met on one day second I'll double check thank you councilman we didn't have a work session we had the public both we did both Pete why so long ago November 2nd catching up because we had so many work sessions that were public meetings Okay catching up on the minutes all right councilman samuka yes councilman Garrick yes Council Sanchez yes Council Maser I'm and council president yes whole business new business yeah I just wanted to reate what Mr somea said about the scooter ordinance and uh and actually um you know in the perfect world we have work sessions and our work session was the first uh Thursday of the month and we spoke about it and then hopefully in an Ideal World We hash everything out and then come up with uh how we want the ordinance to read and um modify it revise it or whatever but um we did speak about it and then in between um there was some with a lot of thought you know some of the council people had some concerns about certain things and and they brought it to uh Mr wo's attention and uh so we tabled it and we tabled it for the first reading so now we're going to go back the next work session will will be um in April the first Thursday in April I don't know what the date is but uh we should be able to get all that cleared up but you you want to make it right you don't want to pass an ordinance and then have to change it in between and repeal it or whatever so it's it's good that that happens because you want to get it right the first time um but we have been working on that for a while so and and it will it will be done um I want to congratulate the spe leaders and the basketball program I I just want to say that we we do Post uh all those uh accolades we try to we try to have it posted on the uh Town Facebook page and and the website um Town recreation has a Facebook page as well so if you uh know check it out check out the page and it'll it'll it'll show all those uh all those things uh track and trailers thought that's a good idea to get counted Mak Mees of all um I will definitely reach out to them thank you anyone else business do we have a date for T why garage yeah we usually do it we usually do it in May yeah so coming up we got get com on that we haven't had much I was checking we had like 24 people in May another 20 people in October so maybe one yeah last couple years I think we did two yeah we've done to we haven't had the interest let's see how may go sure de side you know we need I would like to see us continue to talk about uh possibly installing some cameras around absolutely you know just the conversation with that I know that's going to be an expensive Endeavor hopefully at some point we can find some uh funds within our budget to start incorporating some uh some cameras throughout the town in light of what's been occurring thank you absolutely I just uh forgot to mention before I just want to extend my condolences to uh Joan Ramsey for the loss of her father George Pino and um also to Vinnie Liberty for the L of his father-in Rich Diana sorry this oh sorry have business business we have resolutions um Council has no objection these are added U to the agenda we have for that reason we have the resolution for women in history month we have resolution for emergency temporary Appropriations police access system Award of the emergency contracts for the police department the changing of the name uh Kumo back to Best Buds investigation for local I'm sorry uh preliminary investigation for local Redevelopment for 93 Market Street authorized the payment of bills apply for the Community Development grant for Third Street Road improvements and not we'll do separately as councilman samuka said is the payment of bills pretty offline motion second all in favor I okay we have resolution number six is do authorized the payment of bills offline checks Council Mr luuka will be reusing himself at this point of the meeting motion to Second all favor hi hi leave him out there like to open the meeting to uh the public agenda items meeting to the public second all favor I meeting is now open Agenda items only anyone wishing to speak seeing none motion close second all in favor I [Music] I through through the chair I believe we we do have to go into close I don't I don't think it's on the agenda but can we take do a motion motion I want to close second all in favor hi hi hi we're going to go to the close session now so give us like how long [Music] yeah no action going to be taken no no actionon just State the general reason for closed whether it's litigation it has to be Ed I give you okay um let me just look through the eight exceptions um not really that um let be under one M required by law to be confidential any matter which by express provision of federal law state statute or role Court shall be rendered confidential excluded for the provisions of the open public meeting that that yeah that would be it okay yeah there's normally a like a resolution that gets um get you have it perfect okay excellent thank you all right that's it we have a motion in second motion second all favor [Music] I we can leave or we I IIM me long you think 10 minutes yeah 5 10 minutes i' almost fell my seat all favor motion toour second all in favor mean me