##VIDEO ID:jsodGVUBFAs## items at the regular council meeting on Tuesday January 28th 2025 in council chambers Sparta Township Municipal Building 65 Main Street Sparta New Jersey the time is 7:29 the Town Council closed executive session uh was opened at 5:30 and closed uh the regular meeting is now open all meetings are now live streamed and can be viewed at the following link www.youtube.com at Sparta tww dstream adequate notice of this meeting was provided to the public and the Press on January 10th 2025 by delivering to the press and posting on the township website a copy of the notice uh Madam Kirk may we have a roll call councilman Scott here councilman blumetti here councilman chello I'm here Deputy Mayor Murphy here mayor Clark here all right maybe we stand and salute the flag pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God indivisible liberty and justice okay we have uh three minutes that we need to approve uh before we get to the manager's report uh may I have a motion to approve the October 8th 2024 regular meeting minutes as presented I make a motion to approve the minutes may I have a second please second all those in favor say I I I actually I think um the people that were not present for the meeting should recuse oh that's good point Thank you for catching that so um we'll do that again because you actually probably shouldn't make the motion I'll make a motion that we approve the regular meeting minutes from October 8 okay I'll second it okay all those in favor say I I I and abstentions abstain so three eyes and two abstentions for the council members who are not uh yet on Council as of October 8th 2024 uh may I have a motion to approve the October 22nd 2024 regular meeting minutes as presented I move that we approve the regular meeting minutes for October 22nd 2024 as presented may I have a second please I will second all those in favor say I I I abstain so three eyes and two abstentions for the October 22nd 2024 regular meeting minutes I move that we approve the regular meeting minutes for November 26 2024 as presented I will second all those in favor say I I I exstension I abstain and two extensions okay the meeting minutes for October 8th October 22nd and November 26 2024 have been approved manager Zep may we have your manager's report absolutely good evening mayor council Sparta residents both present and on the YouTube stream I'm pleased to announce the addition of two new employees who start in 2025 Emily King has joined the planning zoning and engineering department and also serves as an environmental commission secretary June wolf has joined the finance department as our payroll clerk we warmly welcome them to the sparta team the sparta Township Fire Department has received its long- awaited new fire truck which will be placed into service at the end of this week the fire department extends its sincere gratitude to the residents of Sparta and the township for their continued support in providing this vital piece of equipment to enhance their services to the sparta community in 2024 the sparta fire department responded to 585 calls for service the recreation department is currently accepting registration for late winter early spring programs including track and field Additionally the circle of friends preschool registration for the 25 26 school year opens on February 15th the preschool is located on the lower floor of the sparta Library as a reminder the winter carnival is scheduled for this Saturday February 1st at the Sparta Middle School starting at 1: p.m. Sparta police local businesses and volunteers were all be on hand to bring fun to this family event the sparta bunny breakfast is scheduled for Saturday April 12th both time slots 9:30 to 10:30 and 11 to 12 are full as planning is already underway this past Saturday the 20 2025 rabies clinic ran smoothly there was a lower than usual turnout possibly due to the postponement and cold weather thank you to our Animal control officer Don crito and the public works department for assisting in this service congratulations to former councilwoman Christine Quinn was won the New Jersey Recreation and Parks Association public service award she will be presented with her award at the 50 annual conference on February 25th in Atlantic City chief mccarrick will now read his portion of the manager report this concludes my report actually before we get to that F May when did we um when did we order that truck like four years ago it was just about four years ago uh uh you guys bonded it back in 21 yeah wow and um through various delays uh that too many to enumerate uh but we did cross the finish line wow I just want to say um that is it might just see like oh we got a truck that's that's great but um that is a seven figure truck that is a source of Pride for this town um and for the department and um that is a big deal so um thank the department as well for me yeah keep your eyes out for it I'm sure we'll see it soon that is a big deal Mr Z will there be a uh any kind of uh open opening ceremony or I forget what they call it when they initiated they us do a wet down or something uh I have to speak to the chief in a little cold right now but yeah it is okay that's that'd be great than glad to mention that yeah right thank you manager up thank you mayor thank you Council um tonight uh I want to speak about some uh concerns um you know involving the immigration community and um Customs Enforcement and uh I'm going to speak in reference to uh attorney General law enforcement directive 2018-6 known as The Immigrant trust directive and uh it really talks about how law enforcement is involved with uh with ice and um immigration enforcement uh so this directive was issued in November 2018 by New Jersey attorney general at the time uh greywall the directive aims to strengthen the trust between New Jersey's law enforcement officers and the state's diverse immigrant communities and we want to ensure that the victims a Witnesses feel safe reporting crimes without fear of deportation so under this directive uh New Jersey police officers cannot participate in federal raids they cannot stop question arrest detain or search an individual based solely on actual or suspected immigration status and they cannot ask an individual's immigration uh statute except in rare cases when it's relevant to specific criminal investigations also no County or or local no County state or local law enforcement officer shall provide the following types of assistance to Federal immigration authorities so these are things that we cannot do with them participating in civil immigration enforcement operations providing any non-public personal identifying information regarding an individual providing access to any state county or local law enforcement equipment office space database or property not available to the general public you cannot provide access to a detained individual for an interview unless there are certain um uh unless the detain he signs a written consent form that explains the purpose of the interview that the interview is voluntary and that the individual May decline to be interviewed and the the individ individual may obviously choose to be interviewed only with his or her legal council present we also cannot provide or a detained individual of upcoming release from custody unless the detainee is currently charged chared or has been charged with uh a violent or serious offense or in the past 5 years has been convicted of an indictable crime of than a nonviolent crime or if the subject is uh subject to a final order or removal that has been signed by a federal judge and lodged within the county jail or state prison where the detainee is being held so they have to be lodged already and we uh cannot continue the Detention of an individual past the time he or she would be eligible for release from custody based solely on civil immigration detainers so um with that there's also things that we we can do with uh ice and it doesn't restrict us or prohibit us in any way to prevent a state county or local law enforcement officer from enforcing criminal laws in the state obvious thing you break a law we enforce it we investigate it complying with all the uh local and state laws complying with a additional warrant if it's signed warrant by a judge uh for an arrest we we sometimes we would get involved and we could participate with Federal authorities in a joint law enforcement task force for the primary purpose of which is unrelated to Federal symbol immigration enforcement so oftentimes there are State local uh and County officers that are uh lent out to a uh a task force with Federal uh officers and so the bottom line is you know I want to stress that it's important to remember that our officers uh engage with the individuals who are victim of a crime and sometimes they are not here legally that's not the purpose of what we're looking at if you're a victim of a crime we want to get you the assistance the help that you need and uh you know we want to make that point uh that that's our sole purpose you need help we're going to get you that help we're not going to worry about your uh your immigration status so additionally our office and our department must file annual reports with the Attorney General's office and the County prosecutor's office to reference to our involvement with specific areas noted in the Immigrant trust directive and in 2024 the sparta police annual report immigrant trust directive the sparta police department has not participated in any civil immigration enforcement operation with ice the police department has not provided nonpublic personal identifying information to ice the police department has not provided access to law enforcement assets to ice for civil immigration enforcement purposes the police department has not provided access for ice to uh a detained individual for an interview the police department has not provided notice to ice of a detained individual's upcoming release and the police department has not con has not um provided or continued detention for o of a detained indivi individual past the time otherwise eligible for release and so that has been filed and reported with our attorney General's office I did also have a conversation with uh Sparta superintendent Matt Beck today in reference to uh you know the issues that you're hearing with immigration uh being able to come to schools he has some guidance from the Department of Education already and made his staff aware of of if something would come up and what they are to do so um we're there if anybody has any questions for me you can reach out I hope that helped excellent thank you very much for looking into that and and probably providing guidance and our community was concerned about that thank you Chief you're welcome there other parts of your report that you okay that's it okay I want to I want to thank you um chief for addressing a concern uh expressed by many Sparta residents about local law enforcement uh being enlisted to assist in the federal government's IM immigration efforts um I will take this time to address it and just because I've been put in this position um and so I will address those but again these are positions that only are attributable to me they're not attribut to spart of Township they none of my fellow council members and I'll explain why I'm doing that now every week in Mass uh the congregation is Led in What's called the prayer of the faithful it's a prayer that for the concerns and needs of the congregation in our community the prayer specifically pleads for government and elected officials to to act with truth and Justice and so I will do so now now folks know I do not like weighing in on National matters I'm focused on the local issues that directly affect the lives Sparta residents but this past week I've heard from some Sparta community members expressing concern about the constitutionally questionable raids that are occurring in our schools in our churches in our communities against our immigrant population now my fears and reluctance to address this matter went away when I remembered the oath that I took less than a month ago which was to support the Constitution of the United States and the constitution of the state of New Jersey and to Bear truth faith and allegiance to the same we still have a fourth amendment to the Constitution and it still applies to Citizens and non-citizens alike a consisting and enforcing searches that run a foul with the fourth amendment protection against unreasonable searches and seizures are not only unlawful but subject its Township and its officials to liability for a federal civil rights lawsuit and indeed I find it somewhat hypocritical and contradictory that some of the folks that are cheering on these questionably constitutional rage are the same people who worry about a litigation risk involved in mundane Municipal matters like planning board and professional appointments and there's one particular area I do want to address which is the call to end Birthright citizenship a right enshrined in our Constitution under the 14th Amendment this affects me directly my wife is a first generation American who was a US citizen because she was born in the United States her father left his family in Hungary after the Communist overthrow as a teenager in the 1950s he went on to not only become a US citizen but to represent the United States in four Olympics her mother at the time of my wife's birth was not yet a US citizen but had her green card and was working at the United Nations now had Birthright citizenship been revoked at the before my wife's birth this community would have lost a woman that have saved families marriages and lives as a family psychologist how many many other community healers do we risk losing now finally I will close where I began which was in church and share with you a reading that we had this week from 1 Corinthians veres 14 20-22 and it reads and indeed the body consists not of one member but of many as it is the parts are many but the body is one the eye cannot say to the hand I have no need of you and nor can the head say to the feet I have no need of you what is more it is precisely the parts of the body that seem to be the weakest which are the indispensable ones thank you and I appreciate the Indulgence all right with that out of the way we are now up to our first public comment period um these are matters that are items not excuse me we need a motion to accept the oh I I always want to jump right that thank you for reminding me may I have a motion to approve the manager's report I make a motion to accept the manager's report may I have a second please a second all those in favor say I I I the manager's report is approved uh we are now at our first public comment period um this is for items that are not on the agenda so take a look at the agenda if you see something there that you want to talk about now is not the time and so please uh proceed uh to the front and state your name and address for the record Michael Sylvester resident of Sparta New Jersey good evening and I wanted to start by congratulating Deputy Mayor Murphy and her husband Mark Scott and all of you representing Sparta 2025 town mayor and Town Council I'm here tonight to go on public record that the recent decision removed me from the planning board was in my opinion unjust with no respect to Mr Dash your legal interpretations do not truly represent the facts and sites inaccuracies my Planning and Zoning Board terms did not run concurrently and I was not designated to my knowledge as a zoning board liaison to the planning board in fact I have a letter from the township stating my term is to end 1231 2025 the end of this year and here's the letter equally and more importantly despite the decision made earlier this January it's personally and professionally disheartening that I was not formally notified by you mayor or any other Township officials on such decision to have me operate over the past three years as a planning board representative and only now have this issue conveniently raised to makes this timing a bit concerning to say of very least I appreciated serving on both the planning and zoning boards and took that privilege and responsibility very seriously a true honor to serve the residents of Sparta Township in closing I'd like to remind all of us our positions as public servants are a privilege by the people and under an oath which should not be compromised or abused the perception or reality of stacking boards to potentially control an outcome despite individual political or personal agendas is not in the best interest of our community so I thank you for the opportunity to speak tonight thank you very much thank you thank you thank you Mike thank you Gerard j e r a r d Murphy m r py 161 Alpine Trail I'm going to piggy back on Mr Sylvester's statement I know who the appointing authority was for his appointment to either board it was me and my other former council members so I'm really disheartened to see how rudely this man has been treated he is probably one of the most knowledgeable people I've ever met or served with on a planning board and to summarily dismiss him with no formal notification is egregious and uncalled for and I don't know who did it but I'd like to know who made the motion to do that which one of the council people here did that we would have to go back to to the record but I if without um you know I could Pro what I would say it might have been me and if it was it was to address what was explained to me was a statutory violation uh that was occurring and I think we we as a council have a obligation to remedy um statutory violations as we see them and as they occur see them or as your attorney sees them who advised you this is what I the public needs to know if you don't have an answer tonight just say so all come back explained it on the record the basis upon which we made uh the appointment um if you go back and listen to that you'll what was the justification for the removal of this man one year prior to the expiration of his term that's a legal issue and I I I'm happy to have Mr Dash if he wants to explain you the the legal basis on that if you feel it's appropriate I'm happy to address it it was previously addressed at the meeting in which this vote was taken the municipal land use law provides that the term of a zoning Board member will terminate concurrent the planning board will terminate concurrently with the zoning board termination which was at the end of uh 2022 um that at the time it terminated by law that he remained on the planning board for additional two years I understand Mr Sylvester disagrees with it uh but we base our um decision on section 23b of the municipal land use law and and respect your disagreement but I don't think well you can respect my disagreement but the question is Mr Sylvester said your facts were wrong are you going to correct them I I I disagree our facts are wrong and I don't believe well you know what we'll come back and address it another time but I'd like to know also and I'll poll each one of the council members do you know what a rice notice is Mr cherel yes I do Mr bman Mayor M deputy mayor I'm learning do you know yes or no I am learning yes or no no Mr Scott yes you do was any rights notice issued to this man I think that's self-evident well well you're embedded in your question is the assumption that it would apply and I don't think you're you're not getting an agreement from Council that a rice notice would apply to an at will Design of the planning board so I think you have a couple of legal steps you need to go through before youon ass you're right you're right it does normally apply to uh employees of the town but can be extended to volunteers and I think at a courtesy to a very qualified man who you bounced off you owed him at least an explanation or an opportunity to justify why you're letting him go and let him defend himself I think that's you're you've missed the mark So what I've done I've left a letter for with the municipal clerk uh there's a letter in an envelope one letter for each one of the members on the council you each pick one put your heads together and I think you'll find out where I stand on this issue thank you thank you thank you Caitlyn gagnan Summit Road um first I'd like to um congratulate the the New Town Council Members and attorney Dash uh I'd also like to preface this by saying uh what I have to say tonight is strictly in my personal capacity not in any way reflective of my capacity as board president of Sparta Board of Education its members the board as a whole um I'm here to talk about the opioid settlement um and was hoping for any possible update that we might be able to hear but I'd like to start with a small personal anecdote and I'm sorry I'm not sure that it's an agenda item for this evening I don't believe it is for my review last night um so if it is I'm happy to speak during Second public comment um so personal anecdote I turned 36 in August and my father celebrates 39 years of sobriety in July and uh recovery is a very near and dear tenant uh of my life I think that my father's sobriety is the best thing that ever happened to me um it's made me the person the mother and the wife that I am today and um I bring that up to say a large part of my childhood involved AA meetings allanon meetings um as a single parent my father found a lot of support in the uh community and the program that we learn to love um at a very young age uh to the point where some of those program members were the people we named in our prayers each night so I can honestly say that recovery um again plays a very very large role in my life and my family and I bring that up there's a point to the anecdote um I bring that up to say I understand that there's an opioid settlement there's opioid settlement funding available to Sparta has been um and according to the recent uh resolution or regulation on the county level this January uh those funds will continue which is great news for us however I was a little bit disappointed granted these were uh more rumors than anything but I did hear um a former uh Town council member was explaining that they intended to use those opioid settlement funds to start an Roc initiative here in our Township and while I am absolutely of the mindset that youth and youth prevention are really important targeted areas for these uh initiatives ultimately I do think that recovery plays a very very large role in that process and unfortunately I believe that recovery is generally stigmatized um on a grand scale so what I would like to ask and again while if this is something that's already in the works and we're already moving towards that for and those uh funds have already been allocated that's fine but I would certainly urge the new town ccil to consider really putting the emphasis on recovery efforts rather than solely on prevention um and especially prevention that could be contested in terms of whether or not we're directly applying these funds uh to methodology that could arguably cause or or help Foster a cure um so yeah if there's an update and again if this is something that's already taken place I thank you um but there are absolutely members of our public that are in recovery that do need Services expanded Services those programs need funding and depend on funding and are often underfunded so if there's an opportunity for you as a Town Council and in partnership with our chief to offer that to our community I can say um I do have personal friend friends and even friends with spouses who have to travel many counties away to get the Fortified program opportunities that they need um some of the Sussex County programs aren't the strongest particularly the ones available in Sparta um so even fostering those efforts helping the local programs so we can ensure that they're getting what they need on a local scale uh would mean a lot to me so again just in my personal capacity I want to make sure we're advocating for members of our community who deserve the support um that you might be able to provide so thank you app you thank you from and thank you for coming out and I agree that um substance abuse is is deadly serious and um I I believe that um U emphasizing acute care is much more effective because it's literally a matter of life and death and and I think going forward um and I've shared these these concerns with um the manager and the and the chief that um I think we're we're going to be on a good path going forward that these funds will be directed toward um providing the most good we can do we know are have funds been used to start an Roc program not that I'm aware of okay B would you like me to touch on that yeah that'd be great say the public you know the the chief is well versed in because this topic has come up a few times in a few sessions and all and we we are doing our best to be as transparent as possible to to eliminate those rumors so one is I appreciate you coming to public session and bringing that to uh but I I've been with the chief on several occasions where he's done an excellent job explaining that he's actually got even more involved with the program and the distribution and I don't want to steal a thunder but I we are aware of this so uh Chief take take it away yeah so we have uh I'm trying to talk with the microphone but um I did have I have a extensive report that I uh put out to the public um I don't know probably a few months ago on this and uh kind of the history of the funds and what's going on and where we are at now and our our focus is on uh treatment recovery prevention and harm reduction um so uh I know tomorrow there the mayor and I also sit on the committee for the uh County to discuss um the opio settlement funds um so you know right now in uh Sparta some of the things that we have done towards uh all these different areas Community engagement uh police police youth programs such as our Junior Police Academy lead um Municipal Alliance we give a certain amount and what they do um is mostly speakers and programs to the Center for prevention and counseling in the schools um and we had brought together uh not just the public schools but also the private schools within our community um money has gone to the uh sport of food pantry and you know in big discussion with our local Center for prevention about that um really touches on recovery on some of the hardships that individuals have um during their their recovery portion and uh trying to make ends meet and so to support that food pantry it gives them a little help there um I have spoken to the center Center for preventions M go to just just so you know they really help me out a lot and uh and provide me some guidance on where to go with this um we have talked about other areas of recovery and and also uh train um for us as officers on deescalation first aid CPR Al Lock sand deployment um purchasing those items uh that we need and um I'm also in the process um and it's it's it's quite a in-depth process of purchasing uh through the funds a uh harm reduction um vending machine um that we're looking to put at our library um and what that is it's a vending machine free dispensed of uh test strips and Naran and with that information that comes with it on on local um places to assist with uh treatment recovery and so on and so forth um our department also has a very extensive uh history and uh participation with uh susus County clear which is a Community Law Enforcement addiction and Recovery we support that we're also in the process of working with them to provide um um information say if we go to um a medical call for somebody that may have overdosed we now we always provide them information we provide them the clear information and they could follow up sometimes people don't want to go to the hospital we can't force them um and if they don't want to go we're going to try to get them in touch with a a clear recovery uh specialist to try to talk to them directly and possibly make a house visit we're in the process of working you you know and coming up with an Mo MOA on that right now um so those are some of the things that we're doing I mentioned in the last quarterly meeting uh at the county level that um I would really like to do a um uh a survey to put out a questioner to our Township to see some of the ideas that the public may think would assist with or could use and benefit from these These funds so I am looking maybe for some help on some of the questions to put out if you to be a part of that or anybody in the public uh please contact me my uh email is on the website that's where we're at right now I hope I answer some of your questions in in a nutshell above and beyond so thank you so much um and I apologize for not coming sooner I intended to come to the last two meetings to speak on this uh but timing didn't work and the the county initiative was released and that kind of prompted me to get back here so I appreciate it this all sounds wonderful I'd be more than elated to help in any capacity that I can um but yeah thank you for for putting that rumor to rest and more importantly focusing on the future initiatives and and plans for what we can do with these funds so thank you I appreciate it very much no problem thank yeah just say as someone who's attended the opioid settlement fund meeting um and there's one in fact for tomorrow um I have put the emphasis as Chief mccarrick has on on treatment um we have to remember what the Genesis of these funds were and they were a lawsuit based upon um the unlawful acts of the manufacturer of opioids and to um that caused municipalities to have to spend tons and tons of money on treatment on Etc and so the idea was to put this money in the hands of the people who are affected by the misconduct of of the pharmaceutical manufacturers and I know that's that's a point that's been emphasized over and over again and while prevention is is is very important um we have to remember that where this money came from from and its Genesis was to put money in the hands of people who were affected by the unlawful acts of the pharmaceutical companies so um I appreciate you bringing it to but I don't think you could have um a better advocate for our our treatment uh and folks in recovery uh than Chief mccarrick you also have me um we have other people who are involved uh in our recovery community and positions um and so I can tell you um you know we're going to be focused on that that getting in the money in the people in the hands of the people who need it so thank you thank you very much for bringing that this to our attention um I too owe my life to Alcoholics Anonymous thank you right anyone else from the public wishing to be heard on an item that's not on the agenda see no one we will move to the expenditures Deputy Mayor Murphy would you please read the expenditures for Jan uary 28th 2025 yes the expenditures um that we I had previously stated were the total of 6,748 35296 and the now the total is Grant total is 7,898 25622 C right may I have a motion to approve the expenditures for January 28 8 2025 so moved may I have a second please a second all those in favor say I I I the expenditures for January 28th 2025 have been approved uh we have a few uh ordinances that need to be introduced uh tonight again to remind folks it's the introduction of the ordinance um this is not the public comment period for the ordinance it's simply to introduce It 2 weeks afterwards there will be a hearing at which the public can uh opine upon and and offer their comments um so Madam clerk could you please read the title of ordinance 254 an ordinance of the mayor and Council of the township of Sparta amending chapter 18 entitled comprehensive Land Management code to amend portions of section 18- 4.36 entitled pdm-2 planned development and resource management area I make a motion that we approve and we introduce ordinance 2504 and I will second the motion to introduce ordinance 2504 and before we take a vote um for I think this is a vestage from uh last term uh that we had intended to do this but just sort of ran out of time and I think councilman blue medy you have probably the most experience on council with respect to this particular ordinance so we just educate the rest of us about what this ordinance is about yeah just a brief update so the planning board looked into this last year the intention was to uh make this Zone The pdm2 Zone more consistent with the surrounding zones that were already addressed at that point um so really what this minor adjustment to this zoning will do is it adjust down the maximum building size and certain other parameters um around around intensity of use and it also adds uh the requirement of three different impact statements that have to come in with any application uh an environmental impact statement a traffic study and a community impact statement so and that's the gist of it doesn't do a lot more than that but it makes it more consistent with the surrounding areas and the pdm2 zone is a it's a quite unique and specific Zone that has a lot of Protections in place already just due to the Dynamics of it and number of lots uh so going through this in multiple iterations this is what the planning board um got to and recommended as a uh a needed Improvement to the zoning here uh mind you as the master plan work is underway and that comes around later this year a land use element of the master plan is going to be looked at so every zone is going to be evaluated and recommendations might come later on this year as well for other zones and this Zone um is there currently a Zone uh that has the same strictures as pdrm that we're proposing in pdrm to is there one that has my understanding was there's already a zone that has to meet these criteria and we're simply adding a Zone that's I think close to it or near adjacent to it yeah it's it's not exact to any Zone but some of the elements that are being added are already reflected in the Ed Zone and the pdm1 Zone which is right next to it um The pdm2 Zone by the way if you're going north on 15 you get the House's Corner Road to make a right heading east I guess um pdm1 zone is the immediate Zone you'll run into further down is pdm2 Zone and it has a lot of restrictions already in place and there only I I believe two or three lots there okay any other Council uh discussion on ordinance 2504 okay see none uh may I um we've done the first and a second M Madam clerk may have a roll call vote councilman Scott yes councilman blumetti yes councilman cherell yes Deputy Mayor Murphy yes mayor clerk yes so ordinance 2504 is introduced Madame clerk could you please read the title of ordinance 25 06 o 05 oh 05 sorry yes 05 an ordinance of the mayor and Council of the township of Sparta amending chapter 18 entitled comprehensive l management code to amend the definitions under Section 18.2 and to amend portions of the section 18-4 31a entitled plan commercial Economic Development Zone pced I make a motion that we introduce ordinance 25-5 I will second it okay and we'll um take it back to council for uh discussion uh was this an ordinance that was uh introduced in uh the previous term prior prior term prior to that yeah it was in introduced in 23 2023 August of 23 okay and it was tabled is that right yes tabled at that time due to unique circumstances that arose to allow more time to possibly um look at whether any changes were needed to it okay all right so we have a first and a second um I can give a little summary of it sure sure okay so this is I I feel strongly about this uh the planning board spent a lot of time and effort looking at this Zone um like many of you I and and they wish to preserve the character of our town you know overdevelopment and ever increasing traffic are major concerns um this ordinance this ordinance would update that zone it does not approve development in a place where it cannot exist already today and so this is not an ordinance or a change or a vote to propose any additional development um this ordinance and this vote would activate stricter requirements and protections for that zone so development can occur today at a larger scale than what this proposes um so the the planning board and looking at the exposure and the zones and the activity that was happening chose this one to focus in on to tighten the control and better protect Sparta's quality of life and our natural resources this ordinance 255 would do the following it lowers the intensity of use it reduces the allowable building size it lowers the allowable impervious surface which is obviously areas that are covered by pavement and buildings it creates a larger buffer area around the existing Township well head in one area of this Zone it adds a significantly larger buffer zone of unbuildable area from the rear boundary of the property line which would better protect the wetlands that sit back there it also adds more restrictions around what is permitted versus what's conditional and prohibited the prohibited list has increased so it gives the planning board more latitude and more tools and more teeth to dig into an application to make sure it's appropriate uh just for a couple examples of the details the max building size um gets reduced uh from 40,000 square feet down to 25 which is similar to the other small buildings in that zone and in that area there uh ovia surface goes from 40% down to 30 the setback as I mentioned for the um certain size Lots goes from 50 feet to 300 ft in the rear to protect the wetlands that are back there it also puts different uses into prohibited use uh it makes uh four categories conditional it adds new objectives around the Environmental Protection standards um also while it was being modified there was enhancements and consistency made to some of the architectural standards so how the anything that goes there would look and feel U so there's a lot of changes that were made there that are improvements to what exists today um again this is one that like the last one we just disc disced would add the requirement of environmental impact statement traffic studies Community impact statements um it would believe it or not today there's still the allowance for underground or underbuilding parking this removes that and it changes the um size and look and feels of any signage that would go up there for something that might go in there so again this is not the be all end all the master plan work is underway the was envisioned U August of 23 so now you know almost a year and a half ago and still exists today is the fact that this would um dramatically um improve the quality of life and the protection of resources there by reducing the intensity of of use and it was designed so that it would be consistent with our existing master plan um again the master plan will change later on this year hopefully um but this would be consistent with that plan so it it would get a uh an approval back in terms of being consistent with the ml L that was just some highlights of what this ordinance would do okay thank you for that um explanation I I think um just speaking for myself the the concern I have um frankly are the amount of uses that are in this particular ordinance um intensity of use is a function of the actual use that's allowable in the zone and and by my count uh this ordinance has 16 separate permitted uses and seven conditional uses um some of them and and and part of intensity of use is also a function of the traffic generated by that use uh I think we've heard over time and time again uh this zone is located on the most trafficked uh section of Sparta uh it's also the section of Sparta uh that has if my account is correct uh the most accidents um I think it's up to like 315 last year um and we now have a phase 2 study uh that attributes a lot of those accidents to following too closely and folks know you tend to follow too closely when there's traffic and so I think there is a real concern at least for me about the safety Health and Welfare of adding um you know having these uses that do generate a substantial amount of traffic for example I think micro breweries here is uh a permitted use uh which would generate according to the uh Institute of Traffic Engineers about 11.36 uh trips uh whereas like an agricultural use um is is far less than that and so I think to C you know characterize this as lowering the intensity of use um I'm just not seeing it um and so I think uh that's the problem that I have with this particular ordinance is I think that you know we've heard kind of loud and clear about the concerns on this this Corridor and continuing to have uses that generate a substantial amount of traffic that caus a substantial amount of accidents I think would not be in the best interest safety Health and Welfare of our community I would I would just answer that to say that you're talking about a master plan redo which is what's happening um this factually reduces the intensity use so you might have the opinion it might not but factually based on the parameters of this would reduce the intensity of use not to Z again this is consistent with the master plan so this would be something that is uh meets the ML and is legal to do um so I don't disagree the be all end all is to redo the master plan and reduce the intensity a lot more um this is meant to be a consistent update to the ordinance that is uh legal with mlul the municipal land use law and will reduce the intensity of use not to zero but more than it is today okay thank you all right Madame clerk may we have a a roll call vote councilman Scott no councilman blti yes councilman Shero yes Deputy Mayor Murphy no mayor Clark no the ordinance 255 is not introduced uh Madam clerk could you please read ordinance 256 an ordinance of the mayor and Council the township of Sparta amending chapter 18 entitled comprehensive Land Management code to amend portions of section 18-43 1A entitled plan commercial Economic Development Zone pced okay may I have a motion uh to adopt uh and sorry not to adopt a motion to introduce ordinance 256 I make a motion to introduce 20 ordinance 256 uh may I have a second please I second it okay I'll take it back uh to council now this has a version has a in the par it has a V2 um PCD do uh attorney Dash do you can you explain why there's a V2 I I put that there because there's this is uh pced but there was one version so they would know of the other okay it's just and how is this version different from the prior version so this version uh speaks to the request of the majority of the people of Sparta to limit the intensity of uses in what can be cloaky referred to as the route 15 Corridor uh as as you indicated earlier intensity of use is tied to uh various detrimental factors such as traffic congestion and sprawl uh which in turn uh diminish a rural rural character of an area so the the essence of this ordinance limits the uses in this area eced it seeks to amend the current ordinance to allow for uh Agriculture and recreational uses as is set forth in the ordinance um this ordinance will also be lawful in the sense that it will be complying with the municipal land use law specifically section 62 in which the courts and the legislature created a mechanism for governing bodies to pass what might be a Prima fascia inconsistency But ultimately an inconsistency that reflects the overall will of the majority of of the town and the governing body and there is a very specific procedure that needs to be followed uh after this if if the int the ordinance is introduced and um the council uh will be and my office will be prepared to follow that procedure uh to conform with the statute and accompanying case law and does that that um my understanding there has to be reasons for why we articulate why we're passing this ordinance does that come now or does it come later at the hearing so the so the statute expressly provides that the reasons accompanying the inconsistency are set forth in a reasoned resolution that will accompany the time of the adoption of the uh of the ordinance at the time of the hearing and those reasons uh as will be um provided in the resolution will rely upon not just um General generalized opinions but it'll rely upon expert and other reports that substantiate the basis for the inconsistency thank you okay and that that that factual data the requirements for this are extremely stringent in terms of it being factual data that has to justify going against the intention of the master plan is that data and factual evidence ready for us now or not yet um not yet but you're confident without seeing it all yet that that will be enough justification to protect us with corre correct even without it being ready and available for us to see it's it's in in substantially completed form just not in final form and who's producing that it's a collection of reports produced by the township engineer Township Police Department and uh various other expert reports that um have studied that area yeah thank you thank you no other comment then Madam Clerk and we have a roll call vote councilman Scott yes councilman blumetti no councilman cherell no Deputy Mayor Murphy yes mayor Clark yes ordinance 256 is introduced uh there will be a hearing on that ordinance in two weeks all right next up we have hearings on certain ordinances Madame clerk could you please read ordinance 251 Township of sarta ordinance to exceed the municipal budget appropriation limits and to establish a cap Bank thank you uh now is there any member of the public that wishes to be heard just on this ordinance um which is 251 so it only your comments would be limited to to ordinance 251 which is the township of Sparta ordinance to exceed the municipal budget appropriation limits and to establish a c bank okay we'll take it back to council for discussion and comments I believe we discussed this ordinance at the last meeting meeting and so we can you know refer back to the comments that were made for the purpose of this ordinance why it was being introduced uh I think equally apply here to the hearing so I don't have any for myself any further discussion or comments does any of my fellow council members have any comments okay seeing none may I have a motion to adopt ordinance 2501 mo may I have a second please I'll second Madame clerk may I have a roll call vote councilman Scott yes councilman vedi yes councilman Cher Alo yes mayor Murphy yes um I apologize Deputy Mayor Murphy and mayor Clark yes so ordinance 254 has been adopted 2 251 sorry it's it's okay okay Madam clerk could you please please read ordinance the title of ordinance 252 an ordinance of the township of Sparta amending chapter 8 of the Township Code entitled filming to establish a film committee okay um I will now open it up for public comment anyone from the public wishing to be heard on ordinance 252 okay seeing none I'll take it back to council for discussion and comments any member of council wishing to be heard on ordinance 252 I think it first needs to be um motion put to the oh you're right good point uh sorry may I have a motion um to okay that's out of we adopting ordinance okay may I have a motion to adopt ordinance 252 I make a motion to adopt ordinance 252 may I have a second please I will second and before we go to roll call is there any member of of council wishing to be heard on uh adopting ordinance 2502 yes okay so this is uh this is something we talked about last time in in detail about this film committee um I have I have some questions and then a comment I I go back to the purpose is listed here but of why it's needed it seems like it's a marketing function but how is it accomplished right so it should be advisory what will it do so not a purpose or the goals but what are its activities what what it what process what framework what does it what does it do that that's still not answered um around the role titles I believe it should be consistent with every other Township border committee um I don't understand why there's unique titles without descriptions right so there's a chief administrator but of what there's a Communications coordinator for what what kind of communications with in the township do that so there's still all these open questions and you know there's voting members on here it's doesn't explain what they're voting on what Authority they actually have so there's still these open questions that just weren't addressed and you know I can we drill down into those individually but finish your thought first okay the rest is have some very pointed questions on that okay the rest is just a statement and I'm just going to share this everybody in the council already received this as it our attorney they're aware of my views on the level of quality we need and thinking around things like this was two weeks ago I shared this I'm not against the fil bringing film activity to Sparta at all and I'm not not against the committee but this ordinance is significantly lacking you I think I and we should have higher expectations for the what we're producing up here what product this council is producing I think we can do better um it's a very thin version of an ordinance it lacks basic elements in my opinion that any reasonable person including you out there would expect in an ordinance uh the fact that I heard two weeks ago that two other towns have adopted this version is really IR relevant for Sparta I think we should have a higher standard for completeness for being specific and I don't think it's hard I'm confident we can do this this not this is not rocket science and I think we can do it without saddling the community with the committee with bureaucracy I think it could be simple and straightforward this is not a social club this is not a book club a photography club right we're we're establishing an ordinance here that it contains almost no content besides a high arching purpose and rooll titles not even Ro definitions Ro titles and to me that's not really a valid option I I I'm not against this again I think this ordinance though is is extremely thin and it's insufficient the ordinance and the committee and the ordinance overall I think will be a value add for Sparta I've watched for the last year this being put together I think it's a good idea but this ordinance to credit committee is not time critical and two weeks ago I said in my email to everyone up here we can take another week or two to make the ordinance right this is not urgent and I think we should make it respectable and impactful and have more clarity around it I just think we need a higher bar in what we collectively produce up here I'm not against the committee or definitely not against bringing films in here but this a one page which really doesn't have much detail in there is just insufficient in my mind just a question can can you identify another non-statutory advisory committee that has the specifications that you're now applying to another advisory committee I'm sure I could not right on spot but if they if they have voting members I could find one if they have role titles that are unique like these I think I could find that so the answer about what they do like what their purposes is what their activities are I I can think of that I could find one for you but the answer is no you you can't identify yes no the right now can you identify and you're on a committee or you're on the business development committee can you identify in an adopting ordinance or an adopting resolution where the the requirements that you are applying to this film committee are also applied to these other advisory committees yeah if you asked me two weeks ago when I sent this email out to every I could have found it and listed it for you but yeah BDC I think we worked on that last year for quite a while very very detailed uh because we wanted to make sure that the business development committee was focused on being a an ombudsman for and advocate for the current brick and mortar businesses that are here in Sparta um and um we made sure that when we tightened up that that uh the ordinance that created that committee that it was very focused on that so I would I don't have the language in front of me now but I remember distinctly we and we actually had working sessions to come up with that before we actually Neil the ones that we at least were involved in creating yeah I I can't speak for ones that were created eight years ago but I imagine they do have some of this basic things so I've got some more pointed question finish your thought please okay but are am I right that there are non-advisory I me there are advisory non-statutory committees that don't have every role spelled out am I right about that no I don't think so because most of them have a chair and a vice chair know what role means actually right most of them just have a very chair and vice chair no that specifies what the vice chair is supposed to do and what the the chair is supposed to do is there an ordinance or a resolution that you can point to that specifies what that person does what they're entitled to do which seems to be the requirements that you were putting on this film committee I am I am because I can't point to it right now but I'm sure they're there but we're crafting this new so we we can do what we want here we can make this quality these aren't unreasonable questions I'm not criticizing the committee what do they do right what's their activity what's their process these fancy role titles they should be defined so if somebody wants to volunteer someday as a chief administrator it'll say okay what do I need to do as an administrator of what right a coordinator of what like what am I voting on if there's a voting member what are they voting on and what Authority do they have if I'm voting to approve this ordinance I want to know what Authority I'm giving anybody out there to vote on so I don't think that's unreasonable and I know you're questioning me like on the stand can I find one this moment no but the ones that we created at least in the last two years I think probably are more specific and are clean so can I build on that and start off with 8 8-1 13.2 the voting members um what are they voting on they are voting on how to advise the uh Town manager about an application for film that has come in and so whether to say Mr manager we think you should approve this or Mr manager we think you should not approve it and here are the reasons again they have no authority to um to authorize a film they're simply voting on whether to when they have to advise Mr Zep which is required under the pre-existing ordinance 2513 um what they intend to recommend and and why so that's that's what they're they're voting on um what this what this does is it takes off the administrative burden uh from the township um so otherwise what would happen is a Township official would have to run down a bunch of information about uh the applicant that may not be may or may not be included in the application or need some explanation and so the role of this committee is to Simply uh vet that with people who have experience in the industry uh as opposed to no disrespect to our fine staff that we have in Sparta Township um I'm not familiar with anyone on our staff uh who has uh worked in the entertainment industry and can actually um you know speak to some of the requirements that you know entertainment production provides so that's that's what they're doing but again just to reiterate they don't have any authority to approve or disapprove an application that that Authority remains vested and our Township manager in consultation with Chief mccarrick our fire department and others so they're voting to approve a recommendation and I'm back to the purpose to attract and encourage Film Production um I don't see those two things as being consistent but you do mention that that was that that function was included in ordinance 2413 um so um that answers that question about what business they'll conduct um one of said it goes on to say that these people have an term for three years or until the appointment of a qualification of their successors um where's the qualification here what do how does one qualify to be a chairman or a first assistant chair or second chair so I don't know how I would apply that standard to this ordinance if I want to apply to be the chair based on what qualifications would I be a chair person I don't I don't understand why there's a qualification why that's even mentioned in here that people have to be qualified to be the chair or the vice chair or the third assistant chair mayor if I could answer that sure this this ordinance um simply establishing a film committee if you compare this ordinance uh to the other some of the other recreational nonstatutory boards in fact you'll find very similar language with respect to the appointment and qualification of their successors the the what's what other boards have chairs and assistant first assistant chair and second assistant chair I've never heard those terms on any board yeah I'll I'll refer you councilman to the to our uh ecode book that will provide for similar reference but um let me just add that there is no requirement in this ordinance or in any ordinance that every single um aspect of a term or definition be articulated a committee can subsequently create a policy or its bylaws to spell out what each of the terms and the titles are going to to their duties will be for example the P the last ordinance that the council U passed introduced uses the term conditional use that's not defined in the ordinance in fact what you have is Administrative codes and subsequent policies that will explain this is this this ordinance actually could have been introduced as part of the initial film ordinance and would have been merely a paragraph as it is in as we've indicated in two other townships there the specificity that you are seeking is not required um by law and it will and can be uh as as the committee seems appropriate um explained by either a bylaw uh or a policy of the film committee but as far as this provides a framework for the committee's Existence uh subject to how the committee wishes to operate going forward I think I'm exact I'm arguing exactly the opposite I think I'm arguing for Less specificity I don't understand what the purpose is of having first chairs and second chairs and then it goes on to say that has a term of three years until the appointment and qualification of a successor so that seems to imply that somebody stays in a term Beyond 3 years until a qualified successor comes along again I'm arguing the opposite there's just way too much specificity in here for what I see what this committee could do in terms of attracting and encouraging film um but we don't have to delor belabor that too much more um those are my concerns with that part um 8.3.2 B identifies positions on the boards with these Al I'm arguing the opposite too much specificity about these skill sets I don't understand why these skill sets would be needed why would a what would a chief creative Ambassador do um or why is it why is one even necessary why is a Communications coordinator Chief administrator and I don't know why these things are necessary and again it goes on to say that these people will serve for three years and until somebody meets the qualification I don't know what a qualification of a u Chief creative Ambassador would be again just the opposite of specificity I think this is almost silly in how that's laid out I so I don't understand what the specificity is for these non- voting members explain that respectfully Danny you done I asked a question if you can answer it'd be great well it wasn't necessary for purposes of of to specify exactly the the the the bets and Bounds and parameters ERS of what um the you know these these titles have I think that this was what the committee uh having met uh decided should be the titles um I think that they've they've met for you know close to nine months and they they came up on on you know those criteria um I don't think it's you know necessary either to to go beyond the specifications nor to explain within the the body of the ordinance exactly what all this um involves and and I think I would ask the question from you is what is the evil or the concern or the risk that you are raising with why you know either lack of specification what are you trying to prevent or what are you trying to accomplish I I think it's just so poorly worded this thing that it ties itself in knots and I it's some almost seems unad un administrable uh un administrable I don't know how you pronoun where the accent is um because again with those with those titles it says you serve for 3 years until a qualification of a successor what if what if the chief Communications coordinator leaves do I have to wait until somebody who has that qualification of a chief communication coordinator comes along my point is it's it's it's again echoing what council M said it's almost silly in the way that it's gets into this detail I and becomes unworkable again tying itself in knots uh but we don't we don't need to delay delor that anymore if you don't like um what I'm I had a couple other questions will this committee meet in public and publish minutes uh yes we do meet in public um as councilman chello knows um we are still awaiting a uh I think we were last term we had uh worked on a you know code of conduct and requirement for our nonstatutory boards uh as of yet we don't have one uh and so uh I think once we do whatever that is that will equally apply to this this film committee and thank you and the reason I bring that up is is um again as you alluded to earlier that this uh ordinance 24-13 that passed last year re uh specifies um that the uh that this committee needs to review and respond within five days of any application that comes in and I don't see how the committee can can assemble itself and and and meet in public announce the public meeting and then hold a review and then write a report and then you know vote on the three people vote on it within a 5-day period um and and I I spoke about so I I I don't understand how those two things can be reconciled that you can meet in have a regularly scheduled public meeting and then be constrained to uh provide an opinion or report within 5 days of receip by the man manager so how would that work well I think the issue would be whether you would have to convene a public notice of of of the meeting or you could just you know you have 48 hours so you would simply you know from the date of the application uh you have um you know five days and so you would simply do a 48 hour notice which still gives you three days um and again uh it's it's not like these applications are are going to be coming in um maybe they will but more than we're one of 562 municipalities um and there has been uh Film Production in Sparta long before this ordinance came along uh we're simply trying to bring some type of measure of process to it some degree of uh encouragement in light of what the state is doing so I I do think we can still comply you know assuming that a notice would be required um within within the 5-day period so Monday the notice comes in you and sometime during the day the the first chair receives the the notice and calls a meeting and the clerk on Tuesday advertises the meeting with 48 hours so Wednesday Thursday there's a meeting on Friday as the public is invited perhaps the applicant is there because the applicant has a vested interest in this and by the end of the business day on Friday that person has to um write a report or recommendation and approve it that's that's how this small well one I don't think that every non-statutory committee um they they they've had meetings where I don't think they've even published am I right rockan that there's we can list the we have the agenda of meetings that we have at reorg and then we list that with the newspapers and it gives dates and that's what the dates are and they're on the website under the calendar so these will be ad hoc meetings because we don't know if the application's going to line up with a previously um scheduled meeting well are am I right though there are meetings that occur by our non-statutory boards that are that haven't been published in in the paper and you know there's a need arises and so the committee meets and they don't publish a notice of that am I right right they would coordinate with you know the committee but we do list any meetings like specific uh you know Rec Department uh you know the um senior advisory you know those meetings are listed on a website if there's another meeting that needs to be called they would coordinate that with their with their committee members but but this is unique in that this is is providing input into a decision whether or not a business can operate in Sparta I would think if I'm an applicant and I have some some um body uh some organization has some influence over whether or not I can I can work in Sparta I think that applicant uh would be interested in visiting and making the case and I laid out in the last meeting that um all the other the two statutory boards that deal with this stuff have very very strict objective standards and how to um how to um evaluate applications uh and there you know people are often represented by attorneys we have our own attorney there's a very very strict code of of uh conduct that comes through here and um before a board can approve a a business operating in here um this just Falls was I don't see the controls here I don't see the u i I think if I were a business and I I found out that this board said no I don't want I don't recommend that this uh that this business be allowed to operate here in film in this town think I would um have a problem with the way this is structured um we don't have to belabor it that's my concern whether or not it's addressed or not is is I guess relevant you have something to say Yes um mayor I'd like to address some of the comments by councilman plti and cherell uh in reviewing the environmental commission ordinance that set forth in our ecode book um it in fact does not have qualifications for its members yeah but those members are typical volunteers right they don't need are specifically named titles but the qualification is is that these there are no qualifications number one and number two it has the identical language until the appointment and qualification of their successors now if if we are to to compare that and that's the environmental commission that has arguably a more significant role perhaps in the township and so the the criticism respectfully um when you compare it to the environmental commission statute which has been on the books for a number of years I think is unwarranted number one number two the review of the Township Code um if I'm looking at the current code does not even have an ordinance for the business development committee uh that I'm able to see uh presently updated and it gets to my point environmental commission doesn't have a chief um Native Plant coordinator and a chief Communications officer it just has Vol citizen volunteers uh there is no need for for qualifications um it it's helpful we we've operated without one but it is helpful for the commission to have a uh an environmental engineer but it's not required uh again that's exactly my point there are no specific roles to fill there therefore there is no need for specific qualifications and language for them this this uh board is different for some reason I don't still don't understand why with all due respect councilman shella this board has been operating for nine months they've been making tremendous progress in bringing bringing and making film film ready awareness here in Sparta and it was you that said that they are operating without an ordinance and it was you that wanted the ordinance and here's the ordinance and now you're saying there's too many restrictions because it's a bad ORD I just don't know you know let's just get on with it I I make a motion that we uh we're we already did we already make that motion um so maybe U if if a lot of my concerns are about the the way it operates within the five days review and operating in public um and having having input into the uh the approval of somebody operating a business in town so um I think a lot of my uh uh concerns almost all would be layed if we made one simple change to um uh remove that condition that any application be sent to the board uh for approval um so I would make a motion to amend this so that uh we would amend a section 8.3 D that would um that would remove reference to the film ready committee uh as a party that has to provide input into whether or not the uh the application is approved so I'll make that motion then you're just to clarify you're you're suggesting we amend not this ordinance that's up for tonight your the the original ordinance we passed last year the original passed last year but that ordinance identified specifically in section 8.3 this thing amends 8.13 and 8. you know I think mostly 8.13 um a different ordinance I know we're using ordinance for two different things but uh the ordinance 24.13 modifies our code section 83d I'm I'm making I made a motion that we remove just to make a couple of remove a couple of words from that section 83d to remove reference to the sparta film ready committee as as a party that would provide input into the approval of of um applications for a business here I mean can we that but that provision was based upon an adopted already adopted ordinance am I right right and we'll change it with uh if we make if we make an amendment to this ordinance we would change that just like we we made a bunch of changes to other ordinance today so your your motion is to right just take them out of the process of being a part of the approval process uh even if it's advisory to the approval process of new business operating here and I think that allays almost all of my concerns because then the film could to do what it wants to do is attract and encourage film and get rid of voting members then and get it wouldn't need voting members I mean you can leave that language in there as attorney Dash said doesn't really I mean can can establish its own rules and if they want to have titles for things sure um but um I I think if we get them out of the approval process that would uh that would eliminate a lot of risk that we might have if an applicant gets rejected and uh feels that the spart of film ready committee had a hand in that and might expose us to problems so I've made that motion I'll stop here yeah I think with these free-spirited creative gentlemen that have been working on this for so long they should have some more rules on them I'm not making any qualification about the members of the committee I think they're all wonderful people let's let's vote on this so I first I made the motion if it's if it's not second it then we can move on I'll second it okay there's a motion of second s to amend an ordinance so we need a roll call vote U Can I just ask for clarification on what exactly you're amending from 25-2 and and and uh it's section 83d was referenced in the film ready Committee in the ordinance 24-13 it modified section 83d and there was language and if I had if I were smart I would have had the language exactly in front of me and I can provide it later that says that um it lists a number of people that would uh receive an application when it comes in and uh one of the uh the manager the um the the police chief there might be others and one of the parties that re receives an application is the sparta film ready committee now just remove that one piece of language if you give me like 48 seconds I can probably call it up it sounds like you're amending that's not part of this ordinance though we would have to insert a statement in here that changes that amends that we would have to amend that ordinance yeah introduced to amend an ordinance for him to be able to put that in there that's the way do it so um I'll modify my request to uh make a motion to to place on the agenda for the next meeting an ordinance change to 24.13 that would remove the reference to the film ready committee as a party for approving applications but that will affect this ordinance correct it would have a downward effect on this ordinance how that is structured legally I'll leave that to attorney Dash I think we can take a vote on it let's on this amendment on no it's not the or the introduction you mean on the adoption of this ordinance he wants to introduce an amendment to the current ordinance of for fil Comm his last statement was though he wants to move to allow for uh an introduction for the amending 2413 for the the Reas so I think the motion is to Simply put on the agenda for introduction introduction to the next meeting February the 11th and we would have that um so then this one you're going to we'll come back we come back to it we'll come back to this after yeah depending on how the vote shakes out okay and I have the language in front of me but we we can proceed with the vote okay okay so this what you're what you're about to vote on is an amendment to bring that um to introduce an amendment at the next meeting correct okay and the introduction the amendment would remove the stipulation that this committee has voting authority to dictate what comes to the town manager right I'll read the language if it it's helpful so 8 do uh ordinance 24.13 section 8D reads in the uh uh first two sentences the township manager or the municipal clerk shall send a copy of the application in either written or electronic form to the chief of the sparta Police Department the chief of the sparta fire department each Township council member the sparta Township council member that sits on the town Sparta Township film ready committee SF r c uh shall be responsible for sending the application to members of the S sfrc the above parties shall provide any questions or concerns uh with the issuance of the permit within 5 days and blah blah blah so um this would just modify that first sentence to remove reference to uh sending the application on to this SP of film ready committee okay and and as we said that we will adjudicate this through a separate ordinance that we would introduce at the next meeting councilman Scott no councilman vedi yes councilman shirell yes Deputy Mayor Murphy no mayor Clark no motion to amend or to put on the agenda has failed uh we're now at uh a roll call for ordinance 252 I just have a comment last comment we all respect attorney Dash I'm not really concerned about precedent with thec statute or how it's written we if that's wrong let's change it let's make it better I go back to my opening comment that what we produce here needs to be high quality and at least understandable enough and specific enough I think this is still severely lacking and if we need to change every other Noni Advisory Group out there let's go through that and make it right justify this just to respond I'm not suggesting that the environmental commission ordinance is not adequate I I believe it is I believe it is adequately drawn yeah the nature of that those duties are understood correct how is it understood if you're reading this language if you're environmental commission no no even I'm referring to the environment how would the duties of the environmental commission be understood by virtue of reading the ordinance alone because the environmental commission ordinance um list all the duties and responsibilities of the environmental commission there's like 10 of them no but the qualifications of the members are not set forth yeah but the me Members need to do those and processes right they don't have it's by Statute because there's a statute that speaks to it yeah and that's statutory committee correct we're dealing with a very different umor that does well maybe that's not a good comparison then but so if we need to fix the advisory ones are nonset story let's let's fix them let's just put some activities so people know what they do it's not that we don't need this it's just okay I think we're up to a roll call vote yeah councilman Scott be crystal clear we're voting on The ordinance uned as introduced yes uh Council blumetti no councilman cherell no Deputy Mayor Murphy yes mayor Clark yes uh ordinance 252 has been passed next up uh Madam clerk could you please read ordinance the title of ordinance 2503 ordinance authorizing the lease between the township of Sparta and Sparta ecumenical council on senior citizen housing in accordance with the New Jersey local lands and buildings law okay we are now up to the public comment period with respect to ordinance 253 is any member of the public wishing to be heard on ordinance 253 right seeing none I'll take it back to council for discussion and comments and I will refer Council to a discussion that we had uh two weeks ago with respect to the introduction uh I think those equally apply so unless anyone else has has any comments or discussion I will then uh ask for a motion to adopt ordinance 253 I move that we adopt ordinance 25-3 uh may I have a second please a second uh may I have a roll call vote Madam clerk councilman Scott yes councilman blumetti yes councilman chello yes Deputy Mayor Murphy yes mayor Clark yes ordinance 2503 uh has been adopted we are now at our second open to the public comment period uh this period is as with respect to resolutions so if you look at the resolutions um and you have a comment on them uh you you may speak if you have a comment on something other than resolutions uh I i' respectfully ask that you wait uh until our final uh open public comment period um uh near the end thank you uh is there any chance I guess I missed my shot for the public because I actually now that you guys have talked about zones and clarification I had something to add there's a a spot at the end of the agenda We're Not Gonna that should be at the hearing in two weeks right if it's about ordinances I don't think it was it was just about you guys are clearing things up I just I got if kid at home i' love if there's going to be more belaboring I'd just love to make a quick comment I think just um I don't mean to stand on ceremony or protocol but I think comment you want to make is is is one that you're entitled to make I think the best time to do it uh is at the final public comment period because it because it doesn't fall within resolution so so any member of the public wishing to be heard with respect to uh resolutions okay seeing none we will move on to resolutions um we will do some uh uh together and others separate um so I would like to make a motion uh that we approve resolution 91 resolution 92 and resolution 96 may I have a motion to approve resolutions 91 92 and 96 I make a motion to approve resolutions 91 92 and 96 all right may I have a second please second all those in favor say I I uh resolutions 91 92 96 have been approved I'd next like to make a motion to a would like someone to make a motion to approve resolution 93 which is a resolution of the township of Sparta establishing a procedure for public comment before the sparta Township Council what does that mean so do we have a motion for uh resolution 93 I will make a motion do we approve resolution 9-3 uh may I have a second please I will second that okay and I'll take it back uh to council before we go to a vote this uh am I right uh attorney Dash this is to Simply U establish a time limit for the public comment similar to what we had last year a five minutes that's correct okay and so I will um just speaking for myself I was initially one who was uh not in favor of such a time limit um but I think the five minutes would gave adequate time for people um we have a lot of business uh this Township has to do I think that it didn't seem to constrain people's ability to speak on matters so I think that you know I I wanted to signal that um I have changed my position with respect to this I think it it has functioned I think five minutes and this is similar to what um most of the town uh most other towns do put some type of time limit involved and I know we all have important business that we want to do with respect to um you know this Council and so I think the 5 minutes is adequate time so with that um I'll shut up and we can move to a vote unless someone else wants to say something okay so may all those in favor of resolution 93 say I I I all those in oppos say no no so we have four uh yeses and one no for resolution 93 um may I have a motion to approve resolution 94 I move that we approve resolution 9-4 authorizing the display of the pan-african flag during the first week of February to recognize Black History Month uh may I have a second please I will second and I'll take it and this is a flag that we did fly last year am I right correct okay got you so all flag that we already have on hand I I purchased it all right to the T okay all those in favor of of resolution 94 say I I I all those opposed resolution 94 has passed um may I have a motion to approve resolution 95 which is a resolution for Sparta Township pursuant to the amended Fair Housing Act Comm committing the township to round four present and perspective need affordable housing obligations I move that we approve resolution 9 -5 uh may I have a second please second okay I'll take it back to council any council person wishing to be heard on resolution 95 okay I will you know this is is for the public again we have a deadline of Friday to uh submit uh the Township's um president's perspective need affordable housing obligations uh we have enlisted uh separate Council on to advise us on both uh the legal requirements and then also we have enlisted our planner Katherine sarmad um we've had a number of um discussions executive about the legal requirements and the legal obligations and U I want to commend our um special councel for the fair housing Steve Warner and also Katherine Shad who've done very diligent work here and they were able to have a justifiable r u basis for reducing uh Sparta townships uh present need that the uh DCA had of uh initially said 427 units um through using a you know generally acceptable methodology and sources um spelled out in statutes and otherwise they have reduced that down to 311 um units and so I I there's a lot more to do on this there's a whole bunch of other uh deadlines and other things that I will not belabor here so they'll come up at the appropriate time but I just wanted to take the the you know the opportunity to say that all Council here has been very very engaged on this um and have asked a lot of pointed questions um and done the best that we could to um meet Our obligation and then have a legally defensible basis upon which to justify our reduction and so um we will meet the deadline um and then we'll see what happens from there so with that um I will then um ask for all those in favor of passing uh resolution uh 95 say I I I all right resolution 95 has passed and I think that does it for the resolutions okay uh next up um are the council liaison updates and so I will start to my far left um councilman Scott do you have any updates to uh the council um for the council any of the Committees for which you serve as a liaison honestly none of my committees have met yet okay well once they do you can Enlighten us about what's going on there super thank you councilwoman our Deputy Mayor Murphy I um the environmental meeting I went to um they had a great suggestion of the development out on White Lake Road the new um the new building that's going up that was just put through I don't remember the name of it on white uh that you suggest using pavers to put down in their parking lot um they were asking for Less parking spaces and um but they wanted to build a higher building and they suggested using pavers out there which was one which is a great idea um and there is a I believe you the trails there's a trail walk on February 17th we are um I didn't know that dat that's news to me um so um I think we were discussing it I don't think we picked a date yet but um you know I I'll have to Circle back uh to our Trails committee which I updated the uh Council on uh last time cuz we had already had a meeting we haven't had a meeting since our last meeting so I didn't really have much okay they're impervious pavers and um also to to make 2025 the year to build out chapter 25 which um has to deal with buffer zones native plants tree ordinances uh artificial turf dark skies and green infrastructure storm water man management so um if we look at at chapter 2 5 and get more specific on that and we they are getting some speakers coming in that will talk on different plantings that are much better for our environment for up here and I will let you know those dates and who is coming fantastic okay Margie I would just add to that uh part of that work probably could be blended into the master plan work so I know Neil sour wine is on the master plan subcommittee so some of those implications some of those uh that Vision could be built into the master plan too for sure perfect okay so yes and with the pavers out on the building um out on White Lake Road and I I don't remember the the building that's going out there the it's St but it's not for it's strictly for contractors um but they are over on impervious coverage so if they did payers to it would lessen the impervious coverage if it's not too we can discuss that with them okay any other updates besides environmental commission no I haven't had another okay meeting with any other okay um before I uh one request that I got from our Recreation um head of recreation Jee Monero is about we do need people to fill some positions on our rec committee um and so we are looking to fill some open position so we would encourage folks to go on the Sparta website and fill out the volunteer application form and use the drop- down menu and find Recreation committee and sign up for that and they're specific with what we're looking for we're looking for individuals with an interest in helping to enhance our meaning Recreation uh Recreational department special events investigate new programs and offer support to Recreation offerings of the township the recreation advisory committee meets approximately every other month the department offers many special events during the year where Recreation committee members are needed if you are interested in a position on the recreation advisory committee please fill out the volunteer form on the township website interested individuals will be interviewed the town count the township Council appoints the members of the recreation advisory committee so I will encourage folks um to apply to this committee this really is a committee that you know dictates a lot of what we enjoy uh in Sparta uh for example uh many of you may have attended um the celebration that the tree lighting that we have well that's the recreation committee that puts that on and they need folks to help that out there's a lot of logistics involved and you know it it ends up falling on the staff of the recreation department and they only have so many much time in the day in so many hands and so they could really use some additional help also isn't the uh winter celebration this weekend that's another event that they put on um that we enjoy again they could use help with volunteers who are willing to help out with that that that's something that the public really enjoys and so you will have an opportunity to improve uh and enhance the quality of life for your neighbors and I can't think of a a better um you know opportunity so again I encourage people to apply and um we haven't had our meeting yet we're looking to you know and they needed to get through uh this winter carnival celebration um and then we hope that we will be able to meet soon with additional members uh who will be appointed so that's the wreck department update um for the trails committee I I alluded to this uh last uh time uh that we there was some leftover grant money um for I think Sustainable New Jersey that our environmental commission made us aware of um we now have to perfect the execution of where we can take those funds and then apply it um so you'll probably you will see a resolution in about two weeks enabling us to do that and that is going to go to I believe signage um improve signage at um at pardon Yonkers at Yonkers um and so we gotten quotes and so there's um we'll be able to use that again I thank Neil sourwine of the environmental commission to bring that to our attention um the uh we have not yet met the Le I'm also lays on to Lake Mohawk we are in the process of setting up that we just have to get mutually uh convenient dates um and then our film committee has has not met um yet because we're awaiting you know we had to get through the the ordinance uh passage but we will be setting up a meeting uh the revolutionary 250 committee is meeting next Monday um and we'll also be reaching out to certain stakeholders in Sparta um and I thank Lynn Lightner from that committee for for helping spearhead that and uh again our Trails committee will meet uh next month and you know we'll have um I think but the main thing we've been trying to figure out how we can use this gift of of re of money that was provided to us for improved signage and then we're still working on uh coming up with um some trail recommendations um for improvement in Sparta and with that I that concludes my Council liaison updates just a quick note on the business development committee uh Mark and I uh are working with roxan to identify a conference room space for the monthly meetings for the rest of the year um once we secure that and we have a place and we have times in mind but we'll be contacting the BDC members with the the schedule and getting that going uh from my updates um I I have only one the sister city committee met uh yesterday and um uh and I also share that our Greek counterparts have formed their own um sister committee to work with us and we will soon get these two committees linked up and and working together um part of what we're doing for our 2026 conference here is inviting all the uh municipalities named Sparta around the world to come join us in Sparta New Jersey and to that end uh I want to send greetings to the people of Sparta Georgia I had a nice discussion with mayor Alan Haywood today um seem like a great guy and I look forward to meeting him in person and uh mayor Haywood is looking forward to um coming out to Sparta New Jersey and and being part of our celebration and that's I have right thank you hey under um councilman Chella do you have any unfinished or new business uh just one thing I want to uh recognize and congratulate former councilwoman Christine Quinn on her appointment to the board of the Sussex County Community College Board of Trustees and that's all I have I had the uh pleasure of attending the ambulance Squad banquet the annual banquet uh recently and just wanted to say it was honored to attend and I wanted to thank our ambulance squad for their professionalism and their commitment and dedication to keeping our community safe and secure so had a nice night many of you were there thank you um yeah was did attend the the sparta ambulance Squad um again those are Frontline workers and their volunteers years and they save lives every day and we're very I mean the professionalism of them the camaraderie that they have um it it's it's really something to behold and we are very very fortunate in Sparta uh to have the sparta ad sad and they uh do accept donations um and so I encourage folks to U you know realize the important role that they play um and they do need uh resources and and so I encourage folks to donate to them um uh also on Saturday I attended the ribbon cutting for a um well it's a business that's been in town but it's expanded um appay uh wellness and beauty salon which is located right near across from the sparta Diner um this is a unbelievable um business they have all kinds of um you know spa treatment um you know like laser treatment all kinds of things it's really something that you would see in probably Los Angeles uh we have right here in in Sparta and so I was very happy to see that that business uh and do the ribon cutting there and so that that was a really neat to see we love having businesses open in Sparta um small business really is the lifeblood of this Township and so when one comes along um I encourage people to check them out um and to um and and to patronize it U another unfinished business now that we've adopted the ordinance for the film committee um I need to make um a motion to appoint certain members uh to the film committee and so I will make a motion to appoint the following individuals and these are individuals who we were able to verify have submitted uh an application um if we were unable to if you're if you're here and don't hear your name listed that might be because we couldn't find your actual uh application for to be as a part of this committee so they are uh Kevin oi Robert Bole Angela DeLucia Frank DOL Joseph Garcetti Justin carpa Scott Landy sha Landy Roy McDonald Kevin salir George Seagal sagali and uh Daniel Wilkinson so the motion is to um appoint the following individuals I just listed to the sparta film committee are you identifying their roles because it looks like the ordinance we just passed says that those rules need to be identified by the council the appointments made by the council the three voting members the four non- voting members oh I can so the um Frank Dolce will be the um trying to find it in here the uh the chairperson the first assistant chair uh will be uh Justin carpa and the second assistant uh will be uh Roy McDonald and also the four non- voting members are also appointed by the council at to specific everyone else is a non-voting member right but but those are appointments are made by the council for those specific um positions right so are those filled by specific people here tonight the creative Ambassador the chief administrator the communications coordinator and the the chief creative Ambassador will be Kevin Ali and the communications coordinator is Shan Landy I see Chief administrator and he's also the chief administrator right thank you and everyone else is a general non- voting Committee Member correct okay so I just need a a motion to appoint the following individuals uh and the the specific roles that I outlined I make a motion to appoint the follow the the individuals you just named and I may I have a second I will second it all those in favor say I I congratulations oh you've been [Applause] appointed do I have any other unfinished business um no I do not so any unfinished or new business okay and Scott okay okay uh we are now up to the final um public comment period this is uh doesn't have to be a resolution doesn't have to be an ordinance it's whatever you want to address to the council so it's your time to shine Mr Otto um I'm just as a private citizen here um so I had since see you guys were doing sorry I'm just trying to find it now um since you guys were going through all that zoning stuff uh I had noticed something because suddenly I'm interested in all that stuff um and so I just wanted to direct your attention I don't know how it happened but seems like there's a mistake um if you look at the zoning map uh White Deer Plaza a lot of Winona a lot of westore the low numbers is uh Town Center commercial Zone and I just want to read from Sparta's Z code uh comprehensive land code 18-4 21 c-1 Community commercial historic Zone the purpose this zone is designed to provide for Community commercial use with preservation of the historic value of the commercial Zone the go that historic preservation of the district is intended to accomplish the following accomplish the protection enhancement and perpetuation of the Lake Mohawk Plaza area which has been designated as Historic Landmark and other structures and resources within the central business district which reflect the elements of the architectural history of the township so I'm not going to read 2 3 4 5 b 1 2 3 but you guys can look again it's 18-4 21 C- 1H Community commercial historic Zone it if you compare that to the zoning map it just seems like there's a mistake here but basically there's there's a whole area uh that's in this green area that impinges includes the boardwalk the country club um the sunken garden uh Lakeside and Hillside lots that are clearly meant to be protected for the historic preservation of Lake Mohawk and surrounds so I think it's just an easy fix but I just I don't know if Mr Zep maybe could take a look at it yeah our Our Town engineer Cory Stoner he's the one who put the latest zoning Maps together we can look into it for accuracy and uh check uh your call out no problem okay cool thanks thank you thank you very much thank you for drawing that to our attention any other m of the public wishing to be heard um don't Ste my 8 seconds and uh you may want to Beth not to you know bring down the mic I'm not making fun of you I'm just saying that we want to hear you I don't need a mic Beth bradick Northshore I just have two really easy questions kind of sort of with Rob there's a gas station SL repair guy on West Shore is there something on the record somewhere that addresses the number of cars without license plates on his parking lot and also the number of cars in general that are there because I've noticed and I've documented a car with a TR on a trailer attached to an SUV for several days parked on West Shore and also moved over to his parking lot after hours there's a green pict upup with New York plates that's in and out of his parking lot and he has there's been a lot of cars on W short I'm just not sure if there's gu lines for the number of cars and where the cars are and there's also Vehicles without license plates like a white beat up pickup right at the edge of the lot it's becoming a little dangerous when there's a lot of cars there and people are driving down West Shore and tow trucks are dropping cars off and you can't see out of the parking lot so it's just wondering if there's something on file with guidelines for line of sight and cars and stuff like that before so if you're asking me that I'm just asking in general like I don't know issue on that and I know uh I'll follow up with our zon officer I don't know the specific you know uh amount of cars that are allowed in that business um so I'll follow up with Amy Cacho okay because you know my thing with getting run over and de by trucks and stuff like that and since it's going to start to get busy when the warmer weather comes in that air is already busy especially with ski Hawks and stuff like that and my other question is for you with the traffic report in phase two I noticed with Northshore it said there was one accident sorry there was like one accident for Northshore in that timeline but I have documentation of cars going through fences cars landing on F property like personal property and fences and taking a telephone pose but it said one accident in that time frame and I have documentation of three on the report it said something with property so would like a car going through a fence on the S curve go under property it depend it depends it depends about the amount of damage whether it would be a motor vehicle crash or a motor vehicle incident I believe uh officer Morris touched B you on it a little bit but I could talk to you I have in front of me right now and I could talk to you and kind of see which you're saying whatever documentation you have I could cross reference it with our CAD um but it was gone through uh I don't know all the definitions detail with um sorry uring that the the correct information is out there I have a big mouth but I don't want to shoot off if I don't have the right definitions and stuff like that so yeah there's a the difference between a motor vehicle incident a vehicle could run off the road if you can use the mic too sorry I have watched on TV and it's really a motor vehicle incident a vehicle could run off the road and there's no reportable damage there could be certain damage to to property but it's going to be under a certain threshold motor vehicle uh crash it's going to be a certain amount of damage that's gets reported in a motor vehicle crash report okay perfect we could figure something out or just the the definitions for that stuff before I get all mad about North Shore again thanks just give me a share all right perfect thank you Beth for your comment I I notice the same thing on West Shore Trail those 10 spaces that are right up against the club have been utilized for that garage cycling in and out cars and so he's I mean I don't know what needs to be done there maybe the club is going to have to put in hours on that on that those there's actually a sign that says um toour time limit okay um right on the sidewalk right by the minihaha house that's just two hours but I've driven by on Thursdays and Fridays before 6 I've driven by on Saturdays and Sundays during the whatever the specified hours are and it's been the trailer with the car on it attached to the SUV it's been the green pickup with the New York plates that was also there last night after the board meeting and a couple of other times like I'm not after the guy I don't care I hope that he does well because I like when small businesses do well but when it just seems like the the spots across from his place are becoming an extension of his parking lot and then he already has I'd say over 10 vehicles on any given day some with the hoods up some with them down some of them with no plates I'm not sure what's going on and I just want to make sure he's in compliance and that the green Su the green CRV that pulls out in front of the tow truck coming through it doesn't get run over because you can't see there are also spaces being utilized in the country club parking lot with vehicles that have no license plates or stickers or registrations yeah I think the thing to do is to we need um one to look at the the zoning ordinance that applies to that area right what what zone is it in what's the what are the requirements of that zone um and then other requirements and to determine whether he's you know the the owner is abiding by uh the zoning ordinance for which he is uh reside so I think that's and I think you know as Chief mccar pointed out this um is a zoning matter and so I I think that you know you've raised it and I think that you've given some work for our zoning folks to do um but it it's it's it's important work um we want folks um to are conducting business in Sparta Township to Simply abide by um our ordinances uh with respect to how they conduct their business so I appreciate it so I'm not out for blood and I won't bring it up again I just want to make sure that you know you know how I am with cars and stuff thank you thank you hi Jenny Derek's taen to Sparta um as I wreck the microphone sorry that's all right sorry um I received as part of an noal request the lots and blocks of the doc of the land that's proposing to be swapped for um to help get the Landfill closed and great thank you for that um is there will there be does it once these lots are given over to the state does the town There's and I don't off the top of my head have it but there seems to be one that is adjacent to other Parkland and will the township have will the say the residents be able to use it for Trails or or is once it goes to the state that said it's in a lock box Haven been given the exact scenario of how it plays out because they're they're changing how they want to accept it um the state would not be accepting the property what the state would be doing is requesting that the township donated to a Land Conservancy like the Land Conservancy or another uh land serving trust where the property will maint be maintained as is open space and perpetuity okay um they would just need evidence of that transfer is what the state would require uh allowing us that's what we're hoping for um just a quick correction that I got from the email from uh U our environmental consultant she said the hearing is February 20th at 9:30 in person this is uh the Water mitigation Council well they'll hear The Proposal with those properties okay all right and um that's how I understand those Parcels would be handled so you know it's all good because I I always considered it a win-win is the township required to determine or come up with which entity will ultimately receive this land or is that something the state does that's a very good question if well I I'm not going to guess at it but I think the requirement was as long as it was a a land trust agency um that that is is recognized by the by the D the township has to come up with that right so the township has to reach out and find somebody interested in this well our environmental consultant is is uh tied into a bunch and she actually has already reached out to of some of these and um I don't think there's a problem um finding a a land trust the environmental consultant you're referring to is this person paid for by the township not by the town by the uh leasing company for the landfill okay great thank you um does Sparta have a trust a land trust no can we have our own TR we have our own open space properties that we own but we don't have a land trust per se can we put the land trust inside the open space Anthony I'd have to consult with my professionals on that okay thanks um couple other quick things do we have any update has the council been apprised by the township engineer about activities at the County planning board with Bill cop all the engineer regarding the application of diamond ship and the issues that they've been dealing with for the intersection of Demis drive and lime Crest I haven't since the last update I know we had Mr Stoner here on yeah I've seen an email from uh our engineer reaching out to uh Mr copol I haven't seen a response yet so the council hasn't been given information about what's going on up there either we haven't been updated other than what we know currently thank you um and then one of my favorite topics um minutes meeting minutes zoning board 2023 still missing significant numbers of minutes planning board 2024 missing 16 meetings for 24 and in 23 they're missing 11 and the environmental commission for 2023 and 2024 are also missing significant numbers of meeting minutes I appreciate the work that's been done um but there's still a lot missing there um I I know a lot of minutes have been um um put in front of the committies for approval waiting to be posted uh i' I've seen a lot of activity on that so you should be seeing more uh um as soon as those uh committees meet and approve okay and then they get posted as soon as the approval is done all right thank you if I can build on that um we had an idea that came out last year that I thought was a really good one was um using AI technology to have we been applying that we're doing that wow the minutes are a combination of of all of it it's a hybrid but um it has helped uh and um our it group has has helped facilitate that also that's great are we using deep seek for that I'm joking please sorry this point I didn't bring that up I'm sorry co-pilot yeah thank you are we do we have any Town Representatives that are attending this demerest road Li lime crust meeting yes um Corey Stoner has reached out to the county and and asked that we be included in any any future meetings uh dealing with the application and as far as I know there hasn't been any for us to be invited to well I don't think they're inviting us that's what the issue well no it's with the county we've asked for the county to include us and they didn't have any issue with that so there have not been any meetings not lately uh Cory Stone and I had a meeting uh about a month month ago here with the the county engineers and we went over the current status of the intersection and it was updated here uh in front of Council on the the the whereabouts of that meeting and Jenny was uh sort of helped instigate that meeting and we we got off on the Good Foot with that and uh we're just waiting for uh the next meeting with the county on on what they're going to do I just have one quick other thing the business development committee I can't find an ordin for that I look back specifically through the each year for the last three years and then I looked in our e code and I can't find it so if you have it I we we had at least one maybe even two uh open discussions uh about ideas and and get out in the open getting the council people to uh solicit ideas for that and then I want to say it was probably around May June maybe July of 2023 I I might I just turn my computer off but if you look for the ordan I looked through the ordinances I'll look again but I didn't see any ordinance passed by this body in 23 or 24 or 22 that established the BDC we did a lot of work on that up to dat I know I think Council may be confusing a resolution from an ordinance so you have something can be embodied in a resolution um get that but I looked at the or the the list of ordinances if you look by the year it's pretty comprehensive yeah yeah this might have been a resolution because it's an Advisory Board okay maybe that's I can look myself I'm curious myself now I couldn't find it on one other suggestion to build on the U Land Conservancy idea about who to pick we could also look to the environmental commission just for for expand the pool of ideas they they have some good experience and some good connections my fingers are crossed Ste that that will happen yeah yeah because I would love to get to that point where I could just say hey where where what do we do with the approval because it's been a long slug to get to do this so I see no other uh public comment may could I add something real quick yeah um something I just wanted to bring up um I should have brought up earlier is uh I spoke about our accreditation process in this past uh past uh Monday we had um yesterday it seems like so long ago but we had our uh Team of assessors come from the uh State Chiefs Association so so what they do is they sit with us they meet um the day before on Sunday on their own time they actually go over all of our policies procedures and look at all the proofs and everything so what we say we're doing is actually what we're doing um gentleman a captain from Elizabeth uh police department and a lieutenant from fairon Police Department are were the were our Assessors for the State Association so they came up yesterday met with us um they they speak with us again about our policies our procedures we give them a tour of our building um they do a ride along go around our town with our officers and uh they they were in awe by our Township by our facilities um and everything in general um you know our policies uh I owe a lot to Captain Snider back there for getting this this done and and it's a it's a really heavy lift there's a lot that goes into it and we'll speak about that more in the future but just hearing everything tonight and um I want to reflect that you know when you have individuals who come to your town and they take a ride around and they are simply in awe on how beautiful our Township is um how clean our department is I I got to give props to to uh Jean Donnelly and the guys from uh you know Public Works and Candace are are janer I I let them know like we have some guests coming can you help me out they're down there early in the morning scrubbing cleaning and stuff like that and you know it really shows uh who we are as as a Township here with our employees and and and our community um and it's uh it's a great thing for people on the outside to come in and and let you know that and it takes a team from from everybody from you up there from our community from our employees to get things done and it's about working together and it just kind of reflected tonight and listening a lot about what's going on so I just wanted to make that comment and uh and put that out there for you thank you congratulations I can build on that because we and you were at the meeting on Monday when we the sister city committee met and one of we talked about how we're going sorry to keep you hanging there that's right I need s yeah me me I get I can't sit still very well I just my back bothers me but um you know we talked about how we would advertise for the our 2026 conference and what we want to achieve by that and um I I was very clear when I want to achieve I want people to come to sport from all over the world and say this is a great place um that's if if I think if we get one thing out of that we know with our uh with our Festival that we're planning and the conference and the world attention um that's that's what I want to accomplish and that the world see what a great place this is so I I'm glad you brought that up yeah just thank you uh Chief and detective C for all the work that you've done and um doesn't surprise me that folks would come in and and remark about uh how fantastic one your organization is but also how beautiful Sparta is and that that doesn't come um by accident it comes by people focused on the mission um and trying to improve their Community you know one volunteer hour uh one shift you know one um task at a time and so it's it's really appreciate it thank you manager Zep for you know you know inculcating those type type of values uh in our staff that they would put such effort that when people come um they're in awe and so I I I my hat goes off to all our employees uh in particular who who make that happen so thank you okay we're um public comment uh Mr Dolce hi Frank Dolce uh just on behalf of everybody who's here tonight with the film commission I want to thank everybody on the council chief for your time uh this has been probably about a year in the making to get to this point um a lot of meetings a lot of research a lot of phone calls um so here we are we're now working directly with the state uh and taking advice from them we met with John Crowley from The Head of the State film commission uh we already have interest in the town um to no surprise it's a great town we all love the town just like uh councilman Dan is said and and chief you've said the facilities we have here are outstanding uh it's gorgeous it's beautiful um so other than that just thank you for your time we've got a pretty robust agenda for the year um definitely hope to set out and accomplish all those goals and have more updates for you in the future so that's it yeah thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you all all right um unless there's any other public comment I will make a motion to ad adjourn so I move that we adjourn may I have a second second all those in favor say I I the motion is adjourned