on July 5th 2024 the notice of this meeting of the Upper Township committee was posted in the official Township bullet board and the Upper Township website emailed to the Atlantic C press the ocean C sent letterer the hural times and filed by the Township Clerk tonight's meeting is being video recorded up until the Clos session portion of this meeting and will be available on the Upper Township website I here by direct that this announcement be made part the minutes of this meeting please rise for the five i al to the flag of the United States of America and to the stands Nation God indivisible andice for all call the RO Please Mr Corson Mrs Hayes here Mr nain is absent Mr Panos here mayor Newman here uh Comm nappin uh is um has a family medical situation going on so he will not be here this evening okay can I have your on the minutes i' like to make a motion we approve the minutes from June 24th 2024 meeting and close session second call R Please Mr Corson yes Mrs hates Mr Panos yes may Newman yes motion carried uh let's go with the governing body members and thank you very much um so we had a very successful Fourth of July event this past Thursday W um I just wanted to say a couple thank yous for that uh especially to our Department of Public Works um particularly Larry Cole who's our special events coordinator for all his efforts leading up to it um our buildings and groundcrew for the efforts they put into preparing the area and also the clean up afterwards um all of the employees I gave up their fourth of July holiday with their families so that the community can have a great celebration i' also like to thank our division of Ems for all their support um tahola mamora and cille fire also there and supporting the state police and also the Kate M County Sheriff's Department um I would also like to very very happily announce that the senior center air conditioning has been fully replaced and it will be open for business tomorrow which is great news um everyone knows that we've been struggling with this system for a number of years um our diligence and you know trying to prolong installing the new system is paid off we were able to get a grant for 61,000 to pay for 61 of the 68,000 to replace that system um so I'd like to thank particularly Mr Jones for his efforts on that our administrator and also our CFO um there work to be able to do that under an emergency status to get it done as quick as possible once we got word that the grant was going to be approved that is all thank you Kim um thank you Mr Mayor I just want to Echo the sentiments from uh Deputy Mayor a congratulating our public works department our OEM for having the successful event at Fourth of July um and I would also like to thank the deputy mayor as well for uh spearheading that that event so um I think from what I've heard everybody had a great time there I was stuck over in the city dealing with that but uh again thanks for successful I don't have too much I just want to report that 4th of July parade went almost Flawless about 20 minutes before the parade there was a alarm and all the fire trucks had it out turned out to be basically almost a fil arm and they got turned around and came back and made it back forade so that was quite interesting and I believe it's been quite a few years since that's happened yes um it was probably one of the larger parades I remember it was a huge crowd of people and the traffic was Far W weekend as most of the snow and I don't think could another person you know P incredible it was a good weekend I think we have minimal calls which is a good thing so that's all I have to report this time when our lifeguard races actually start tonight the first race and I think that's in North Wild tonight the crest Wild Crest okay and tomorrow night is the women's race I V very good I talked to Chief he guaranteed several wins this year Vegas is running a line on that or not but that's the way it is uh also the a couple Fourth of July things and some things that happened before fourth July um first of all um the kids we had our uh kids camp this is I think the third year for that Chief kogre third year for that highly successful ation I think we had 30 30 kids there 29 kids uh which is um it's just a it's a challenging camp and it's it's more for uh we try to get as many kids as we can we reach out to some kids that um might be under privilege I don't even know what the word is for today uh to par them off with some kids we work with the schools par them off with some kids that have uh the at risk there you go and might be not be as at risk can see what happens and they do a lot of neat and cool things and they play by ear and they get to do a lot of uh um of items that are very very uh uh beneficial to them not only now but also in the future it's done for free through donations through uh donations of services uh there's no charge for the kids and uh through uh Cape assist is that who we have keep assist uh who helps us out with counselors as well as the Upper Township division of EMS the um the fire uh all the volunteer fire companies in the township do the same thing and once again we're in the middle of our particular production we had a call and had to leave but that was that's what happens uh at times um the also want to point out that I I was obviously participated in a lot of these Fourth of July Events over many many many many many many years um through the through the firehouse and and uh and through being on Township committee it it is phenomenal uh for example to pray in Strath here the there were so many people there it was it it was beyond it was beyond belief there wasn't a parking spot to be found and I'll I'll give a big shout out to our parking crew um parking Crews there they did the best they possibly could under extremely trying circumstances um and it that's the way it is and widen back through Ocean City to get back to the mainland it there just I mean when you're on Bay Avenue and every spot taking I mean you can't even Park a bicycle SE the same way I'm sure SE is the same way so uh just unbelievable and as everybody else pointed out the the event at um at mandice field on the 4th of July was probably what been to every one of those for 100 years as well probably one of the better ones I've been to and I'm going to say say why because first of all the weather was great there was just enough wind to keep the bugs down uh so you didn't have any bugs there was a lot of people there uh it was our fireing EMS Crews and Public Public Works just a phenomenal job and and you know there were several incidents all of them appear to be M throughout the throughout the thing maybe kids with cut foot and beats and you know kids run around bare just a great great Township event and uh there was plenty of vendors there plenty of things to do and it really worked out good so shout out to Larry and tribute to you Deputy Mayor Hayes so um that is that's where we're at there um other than that I really H wasn't emergency wise a busy weekend I me I think we had a couple calls and uh mat just you know usually runs multiples but nothing significance for upper Council which is always good for us but we were ready Cru on ready to go that's why there rather have them there not needed and needed not there so it worked out um G mayor thank you uh just the uh to follow up on your Public Safety theme the New Jersey State Police is your Police Department so to call me after the boat has sunk does nothing for us that the police department cannot identify cannot do their diligence relative to uh finding out what happened so case in point the mayor had had alluded to it and commissioner committee with courson same thing with the the fires on the beach right so fires on the beach are great somebody has to clean them up after the fire has been put out there's large holes there's burning embers there's uh nothing but uh debris uh it's one of those reasons why we don't allow the fire pits or the fire on the beach um the Lig Grant was fantastic it was something that uh we had identify prior to the system failure um the same is with the direct install so the city hall does not have a central air or the air conditioning system and that's a a $300,000 replacement um through the diligence of Public Works of the engineer Department we have applied for direct install which uh basically pays what for a fraction of the cost of The Replacements so if if um if we get that that's not even until supp so what Public Works did with the contractors and what Miss Ludy did with the finance office and the clerk's office all moving this ball forward will be able to get the seniors back I believe sometime this week if not not tomorrow okay say it tomorrow so uh thank you so much um the other issue that we've been getting is the tax bills uh the school had changed their Levy and they have just submitted it to the county so we can't put out the tax bills until the final Levy is that correct so if there if there's a need V I think Joan were allowed an extension yes right so if if need be then we'll we'll put up something for the board for extension so we can get those those uh um uh tax bill not that everybody's waiting for their tax bill but unfortunate they are coming um you're going to hear about the storm water pump project and so that's about 90% done now uh and so with any of those um um Renovations type of of systems what we do is we start the pumps up and then we look for holes we plug a hole and we we fix a hole and and we watch the water come back in until weid another hole so there is a deficiency at one of the pump stations and we're hoping to address that uh this this week and then we'll see if if it if it resolves the problem we can move it living Shoreline you'll hear about that uh we we struck a date for that uh commitment coursing and I think it's going to be a hybrid meeting so we'll move that forward sometime sometime mid month that's all I have for you I have nothing thank you brono yeah thank you mayor I just want to address a comment that was made at the last committee meeting specifically there was an accusation uh that the township committee acted illegally in connection with the BL England site and in its negotiations with orad uh the process that was undertaken throughout that was totally transparent and was in complete compliance with all of the applicable laws the township committee um appointed a subcommittee with two members of the governing body along with professionals um to handle the negotiations uh with orad that was permitted by state statutes as well as by the township ordinance uh the negotiations did not include any method by which the power would be generated but only pertained to the site development and the impact that that would have on the township residents uh these negotiations never materialized into any binding agreement and ultimately orad decided to abandon the project furthermore all the discussions that took place with the subcommittee and um representative s morstead were through um hired attorneys and professionals and were brought to the full attention of the committee um throughout the process at various close session meetings and the direction that was being given to the subcommittee with respect to those negotiations were with the full consent of the entire governing body so in conclusion in the statements that were made that there is somehow illegal conduct that's being investigated by the Attorney General are totally false and have no basis in fact uh to mind knowledge based on everything I've seen so I just wanted to get that out there because that was kind of left as an open issue as a result of the last meeting okay anything else anything else to time no that's it thank you Bara nothing all right Ryan got the shot Spotlight now thank you Mr Mayor um as Gary mentioned I'll start off with the Strath me some pump project as he said we are essentially 90% complete Pump Station at butum and Webster are fully operational at this time uh tomorrow Public Works is going to be installing a check valve uh at the suar pump station to uh ensure the tides don't back flow back into the system so it it will function properly so that should be completed tomorrow and hopefully within the next couple days that is entirely um functioning the I can tell you what 8 days ago Sunday morning or Saturday night into Sunday we had six Ines of rain no I would say within a half hour Bay you was dry that's the goal is the runoff is going to be there it's just now pushing it out quicker to the bay through the pump stations um so yeah like I said suar this week should be fully operational Commonwealth was to you by the trailer park there was that was the only place I saw a problem and that resolved itself by the end of the day good thing the storm came I guess it was kind of a great thing the storm came low tide which was a huge plus yeah absolutely it's good to hear um the next one up is Paving program more good news there I know Mill and overlay work started today um so they're out um throughout the township they're starting in the Northeast area of the township then making the uh their way Southwest um and should be completed with all the mill and overlays within four to 6 weeks um so and then after that they would complete striping as well as some or during the mill and overlay some inlight reconstruction as well another one Gary mentioned living Shoreline um as we discussed at previous meetings we're proceeding with setting up a subcommittee for the living Shoreline project uh we have that first meeting scheduled for July 19th with shme fishing environmental Club as well as act engineers next one up uh County open space Grant application uh so we're working on resubmitting and revised plans over the next two weeks to the county uh for the skate park improvements the last one I had for today was Municipal aid grant applications we were able to submit those prior to the July 1st deadline for roadway reconstruction bikeways and sidewalks uh near the elementary and middle school that's that's all I have for tonight that's good that's all that's good good good good good thank you Jo all consent agenda items listed below are routine in nature and will be enacted by one motion if the mayor or any Committee Member wishes a particular agenda item to be considered separately it will be removed from the consent agenda and acted on separately move we adopt the consent agenda items number 1 through 21 second call roll please Mr Corson yes Mr PA yes Mr Panos May Newman yes motion carried under ordinances we have the public hearing and final adoption of ordinance number 12 2024 Bond ordinance authorizing the completion of various Capital Improvements and and the acquisition of various pieces of Capital Equipment in and for the township of upper County of Kate May New Jersey appropriating the sum of $33,700 th000 therefore authorizing the issuance of General obligation bonds or Bond anticipation notes of the township of upper County of Kate May New Jersey in the aggregate principal amount of up to 3,515 th000 making certain determinations and Covenants and authorizing certain related actions in connection with the foregoing okay uh anything from Mr monzo on this I'll defer to Gary on on this but I just want to remind the committee that this um ordinance requires four votes um it's super majority regardless of the number of committee people uh voting so all four members would have to vote for it for final adoption car I was working with Barbara barara has a ratings call so we're hoping to get that rating back up with the Surplus that we've we've uh put in place with the uh the good payment with the strategy of taking these bands and making a permanent Finance so between Barbara and bond Council that's been where we were the last 3 weeks or so the con calls and and the negotiation relative to to putting these together again courses will tell you that this is just a large credit card this point any any appropriation on this particular Capital fond purchases have to go in front of the front of the board for for for releasees well and so we put it up there on the screen and we have a couple different extra copies here if anybody wants to cou exra copes but uh all the board members have a have a breakdown with anybody from uh Markos anything there was a couple big big purchases through the public works on here but a lot of these items are back they're they're the lead time needed for these like a new trash TR is three years two years out to get these things so the planning has to be there I guess is what I'm saying this is a well fought after or well fought out uh Bond ordance I believe um the things that are around here are are desperately needed for the safety of the public and our employees so I'm definely forward okay couple thing on the recreation thing so the amendes field skate park Improvement we have to have our matching funds available when we submit the application in a few weeks um also the resurfacing at amandes field and cell Park that was uh actually we were trying to do that through the road paving program but with the cost of everything that has gone up significantly those projects have to be cut so this is revisiting that um to improve those tennis pickle ball courts um at fallball Park the basketball courts weing those as well which are in pretty dire let me just throw that in there uh to to support that uh thaty mayor one of the items on there are the hbac replacement town and that's one of those matches and so if we were to fund that complete that would be over $300,000 we're hoping to get the direct install rant program and our match f the skate park is about 500,000 total no exactly uh I'll go next fin you go you're the guy you're the finance guy um there's some things in there for EMS and to reiterate what uh Mark says uh you know we're on a 5 to 10 year program for replacing ambulances but it the lead time to get the the product is tremendous and to even go out for a bid on it we have to you have to have the money available or available to spend or the township Financial Officer cannot order we cannot cannot allow to happen so and most of some of the other stuff in here is is uh for replacement of uh repeaters four or five repeaters and that is uh they're probably uh going on 15 to 20 years old they're way past their useful life uh and it's time to do that once again there's a little bit of lead time on those as well so um and that's done under the OEM portion of the budget uh and there's just about every Department every area the council's covered a lot of these grants so it's it's pretty uh pretty WID not widespread but all encompassing probably a better word and I'll turn it over to Curtis for the finance just want to reiterate with K said I mean just because we approved this Capital Bond purchase that allows us to spend the money but the money will not be spent until it comes back to Township committee and obviously there's going to be bids for this stuff this is some of the stuff is the automated trash trck just number one on the list I mean it's 425 I mean hopefully it comes in less but and every item will be voted on individually and you said some of this stuff this is the leite time is two three years on it so we have to be a little proactive and uh course you can see on the exact your point the replacement of the senior center so that might that amount might be reappropriated but won't be spent $880,000 there but we had a $61,000 grant that was able to be paid we still haven't received a grant yet right and there's a matching part to that Grant too so instead of the 80 and you just take out 10,000 okay uh this time I'll open it up to the public for comment on ordinance number 12 of 2024 this portion to the public is only uh ordinance number 12 of 2024 anybody like to comment hopefully I won't make any wrong statements tonight my name is Bob durio from seille in February of 2023 Upper Township committee introduced a $3.5 million B Bond ordinance this helped to ensure a small tax increase when a 2023 budget was introduced in 2024 another small tax increase and Township committee is passing another Bond ordinance this time for $3.7 million we will be over $7 million plus interest in new debt we will be paying on this debt for at least 10 years to come this is the same as a yearly tax increase Upper Township has raised taxes 68% in 8 years when it dust clears and after school and County taxes this year we could be over 75% tax increases in nine years this not does not include the 7.2 million in new debt and On a related note at the May 22nd 2023 Township meeting County Commissioner desiderio presented the township with the big check $400,000 in Federal grant money earmarked for infrastructure and repairs we never received any of the money those funds are being used to extend the source to the North End of seal City how many other municipalities have not received the Federal grant money and ask yourself one final question how does a Township that raises taxes every year suddenly grow its Reserve fund so quickly thank you for my five minutes and I hope none of it was false thank you anybody else to comment on ordinance number 12 of 2024 hearing none I'll close the public portion on the ordinance public hearing portion of the ordinance and entertain a motion to adopt move we adopt ordinance number 12 of 2024 second call the rooll Please Mr Corson yes Mrs Hayes Mr Panos yes may Newman yes motion carried before we move on brought the question about the check cat you that was deposited our general fund we have we we have to spend the money first and then be reimbursed by the count and that can only be used for the whatever the purpose is for the grant and I believe that we change we change the purpose of the gr yes um so we have to spend the money first and then apply to show the proof to the county and then we will be reimbursed that the money is still there the money is still there correct it's not being used to expand sewer lines okay okay on the under resolution to be add on separately a resolution of the township Committee of the township of upper County of Kate May New Jersey authorizing the issuance and sale of up to 8 million of General obligation bonds series 2024 of the township of upper County of Kate May New Jersey making certain covenants to maintain the exemption of the interest on said bonds from federal income taxation and authorizing such further actions and making such determinations as may be necessary or appropriate to effectuate the in issuance and sale of the bonds I'll move the resolution Mr Corson yes Mrs Hayes Mr penos yes mayor Newman yes motion carried under new business we have meeting procedures okay okay this is uh what we we discussed at last meeting at the request of um of one of the uh it's Barber uh Murphy so um that that we change her U meeting procedures to allow for public comment prior to resolutions uh I think and put only on the resolution only the resoltion so uh I was I I understand that this this is obviously my opinion and everybody else can have their in um and I think I'm trying not put words or take them out of your mouth you said something about the school board allows comment prior to resolutions how however we're not a school board um that's that they run differently it's a different operation over there and I just kind of want to it's to me I don't want to say this is you know and I get get where you're coming from in the means of transparency so a lot of these items that are on here are um Personnel issues that um we're not going to discuss with you or comment um regardless of what they are uh a lot of them are contract negotiations and we're not going to negotiate contracts in public uh that just does not work anybody will tell you that and this and there's specific ordinances and excuse me state laws that allow for us to to do this um and everything is done the full knowledge of the board and the attorneys and most cases a lot of people a lot of times of people that are involved um and for example I'm looking at this month's or this meeting's agenda um adopting revisions to the Personnel policies and procedures manual we're not going to we're not coming we're not saying anything about that the next two are are are Personnel issues uh actually three four five 6 7 8 Personnel issues then there's a contract that that's awarded and all this stuff is available online after the resolution or resolutions are made in addition to um we there's the resolutions and correct me if I'm wrong Mr monzo if something comes up and says this was the wrong thing to do we can turn it around it's a little little it's fairly easy to do to turn turn The Resolution around by adopting it you know another resolution to correct um you know for instance a resolution authorizing the execution of a contract until adopted the contract is still a negotiated document that could change so there are things that that may not be adopted that um if you don't get the requisite number of committee members voting on something and go back to a negotiation standpoint so it is a something that would not be public and the whole purpose I just want to comment on this the the open public meetings Act gives every member of the public an opportunity to comment on anything the resolutions that are listed pretty much spell out what they are um and it makes no sense for somebody to comment on a resolution because they can do that at any time and by opening a meeting up and allowing a question and answer session on resolutions that have not yet been adopted to me could cross the line in terms of getting into contract negotiations or otherwise just slow down the meeting uh and after the meeting is is over and the resolutions are adopted it's all public information and they can view it and they can comment on it at any time during public comment period so I think what's being asked is beyond what the open public meetings act um requires now that's not to say you can't go above and beyond that it's totally within the discretion of the committee to expand on procedures that allow for questions if you choose to but understanding that there may maybe limits as to what you can say in response to those questions based on what it is they're asking and instead of having two open public comments what if we just move the one we have now to yeah and just be satisfied having two just move this one before that beginning and we did that before I've remember doing that before um and and I don't why we mov it that was that was years ago on our PRI Comm remember that I mean I don't think it hurts and yeah the school board does it and I think there's other municipalities that do it uh I think yeah it would might not be a lot we can comment on but I think in the interest of transparency I think it would be a good thing what did you say Mar could just move the the the just move the public to the beginning after the administr after all of our reports right before we do the resolution put it there but I believe the the request was not to comment on it but to ask questions about what you're voting on we wouldn't be able to answer well some of some we could ask I mean somebody might ask authorizing payments from affordable housing trust funds how much we sending out where is it going I mean some of that if it's going to somebody personally we might not be able to Devol that information they appli for it never receive it but I mean it's in the interest of transparency I don't think it would be I get you're coming from maybe we'll try try going to the front of the meeting shot so I think we reiterated before it's not you know I don't want to say it's we're not being transparent but there are so many things that we cannot comment on anything that is enacted up here is is especially with pel and contract issues anything that's enacted up here is obviously we can comment on and we can receive comment on but I don't think that I don't want it to become a town hall this is this is you know we're back and forth where where where answers are you know demanded and we can't them because we can't provide the information by law or we don't know the information you put the town we everybody wants to talk about taxes but you have to consider legal fees as part of that so when we speak from this Das we're not speaking with our personal voice we're speaking from the office so the office and the representation of the township have to be careful that you don't say something that puts the township objective but you know I don't see any reason why we couldn't just move it to the front everybody if you can give that a try if we want to uh uh join for next meeting we can put that in front of we need to change the placement of the public comment isn't in the meeting procedures resolution we can change theorder the agenda discre yeah we that's us two stars okay uh moving on Joan uh number 25 the Southshore stitchers Inc request to hold a raffle ra 578 at the Upper Township Community Center on November 23rd 2024 I Mo we approve this this is something that they've done many times in the past and not that it would be anticipated but they also have donated funds to our Recreation trust fund from this as well so they're always a good Community partner so motion will approve second Mr Corson yes Mrs Hayes Mr Panos mayor Newman yes motion carried 26 Order of Eastern Star shakina chapter number 82 of New Jersey request to hold Raffles ra 579 and ra 580 at the tuo in one Harbor Road monora on October 16th 2024 move we approve that second call a rooll Please Mr Corson yes Mrs Hayes yes Mr Panos yes may Newman yes motion carried and in 27 we had the sdl computer management oh sorry sdl computer Management program for the Construction office this was born out of uh U two things one is another unfunded is as the board likes to say and so the uh it requires certain um um computer aspects to our current system doesn't exist second one is we had a recommendation from the Auditors relative to char to change some procedures in in the calculations or what did you put it for there there were certain items that the Auditors picked up that are flawed in our Software System so i' like to continue to work with the it Panos and come up with this sdl seems to be the Forefront of the of the the new systems that the municipalities are using so one to control uh some of the anomalies that would be that were being identified by for Scott Kendy and also to implement some of the new policies and the new procedures that the Construction office is going to be uh mandated so stdl is the forr in the county and uh you know it will come to Mark's eye relative to how many user licenses and how much we want to expand it uh but it it definitely has to go on radar now uh initial costs what about 20 20 grand or so uh but then it becomes user fees and different uh different uh that's so you're just moving forward what are we looking for with this uh I'm look for you're okay and then if it's good again we'll put it on the consent agenda or we'll bring it back to committee for you and this doesn't this doesn't have to come before Township committee for approval if they wish it can but it's not something that's required for Township committee to approve we can bring it back get a little more explanation to yes anything else that's good I think you can go ahead and move forward that General consensus up here uh pleasure on the bills hereby move that all submitted for payment of this meeting be approved and then Incorporated in full in the minutes of this meeting second please Mr Corson yes Mrs Hayes Mr Panos May Newman yes motion carried okay at this time uh the public is invited to address um the T committee anybody from the public wishes to speak please do so Natalie 4762 um I wasn't here at the last meeting um I uh I'm not really sure where I want to start but since I know I only have five minutes um I heard a lot tonight that I really didn't expect to hear um I've been coming to uh Township meetings committee meetings planning meetings learing meetings County meetings 25 years and um I think uh the first thing I'm going to say is item number 10 the ch elabe officer office i' like to a word congratulations for I have some L background and I found list very knowledgeable and helpful to me and um the second thing I'd like to say is um block 566 I have some papers with me um I believe that's uh 1014 acres of land um 1369 Old Stage Coach Roo the senior I guess that's the same thing contct negotiation under a close session um I'd also like to say uh tonight I want to speak my appreciation my gratitude um for Gary dearo uh three years it's now a pleasure to come into Township offices with my concerns uh the employee demeanor has changed um the tension is gone a lot of good things are happening in the township most recently I'd like to speak to Gary um I requested visit the uh Senior Center and um didn't take long there was a meeting and Miss hay I was welcomed and spoke with you and my um concerns issues um have been quickly resolved and um I really appreciate that um Gary has always been uh for right up front with me your policy um it's it's a lot easier a lot less tension and um I find I don't have to many times come out and sit at these meetings I've been try to reveal on the whatever you call it and um I really appreciate that um the issue that I heard Mr Monte speak to tonight I um that's me a good bit concerned and I know Mr monzo you weren't here um you know about 5 10 years ago but um my background in land planning in Pennsylvania and save the agriculture land I got involved in this Township with the master plan and years ago when it used to be 10e plans or so sevene plans and it went to the 10 years um it seemed that things were more open to the public there was more put and more knowledge to the public of what was going on and I think this Redevelopment um comes under that master plan and um I believe that uh that's done by the planning board typically and then um you know submitted to the township committee so there's not a a whole lot that's available to the community unless people are really aware you know take the time and understand to read the master plan and how informative it is and um I think it's unfortunate and growing up in the 50s and 60s here I remember my parents and you it was our summer home and U you know BL England plan I mean the word that you know I was out in a lot of meetings especially with the gas gas lines and um then with the turbines not the windmills but the turbines came about um orad I think changed their name from orad to Atlantic short and they have now moved from the other Township area under this Redevelopment to Egg Harbor and um Atlant City and um making before people ever really understand what's going on and um it's unfortunate and it's caused a lot of uh you know the word illegal or whatever but I heard out there too that 350 Acres of our land was sold for $10 because of the contamination that plant was contaminated the BL England site there was a lot going on I heard a lot of experts speak over the years I participated in a lot of bunch of a lot and a lot of it was over my head but and I understand Mr monzo want to say what he said tonight but um maybe if the township I don't know if the word forth right or whatever but somehow you know survey or make people more aware or have some kind of meetings groups something that the people can find out what's really going on so that they can participate they don't have stand here and you know say soal illegal things or whatever and be reprimanded in public so I the BL England plant was sold you're right and it was sold for more than $10 and it is flued or contamination and it is being remediated and it will be remediated before anything's Built Well I also heard that that's where our c k housing was going to and um I don't think a whole lot of people understand that either and that would take way more than like five minutes but you know also mentioned State Y which is 200t from the Misty meow that is a contaminated site by the state for the air the soil and the water and that really bothers me because I have an enjoining property LW to that for any project being built in Upper Township or anywhere in the state in New Jersey is subject to affordable housing or to obligation right but Township Planning and Zoning has oversight and it's very costly to go through variant heing you need to hire Engineers surveyor yes they do you know the general public really doesn't understand it so um there will be many public hearings before anything is built to be in and what about the Mr Met sheep place it was actually a pig farm wasn't a sheep farm it was a pig farm I understand that's up for sale couple years and it's the only animal in the count thank you Natalie anybody else under the public portion make comment to the C Comm uh St pasle PLO two questions um and this is kind of the reasoning why we need public comment before agenda items uh who is responsible for the agenda each committee meeting who formulates it how it gets on the paper and in regards to item 30 on the agenda uh why is the township trying to add or change our business administrator's title to keyboarding clerk uh can you please share your reasoning behind this with us thank you thank you anybody else from the public yeah how you doing my name is Lou Barbo I live in Petersburg and I heard this gentleman um go through a Litany of uh things and one of them was open space uh could you expound upon that well okay I think the only open space Grant applications that's all we did was apply for some open County open space grants okay uh I thought there would be is this for like a question that would be on the ballot in the future or no this is we are applying to the county open space board for money to uh I look says skate park improvements in Amanda field oh okay so it's uh basically you're improving the uh skate park no that's we're applying for the money to do it okay if if the grants not approved the project does not get done okay okay and out of everybody here I'm a member of the senior center and Mr demarzo is uh the only one I've seen who's who's come and uh observe the uh the building and thank you very much thank you anybody else in the public please state your name and town of residence for the record all right uh Fran Newman on Beasley's pointk a lot of comments have been brought up about comparing the Schoolboard meetings to the township meetings the Schoolboard meeting has two public comments I just came from one the first word comment is about things on the agenda it's not a question and answer you can express your concerns want clarification prior to that our superintendent gives is a brief report of things that may clarify things on the agenda it is not a question and answer session it is we talk you can ask anything on the agenda but as you stated if it's Personnel we can't answer if it has anything to do with litigation we can't answer so to clarification then the first part is agenda items only the second public comment at the end of the meeting can be on anything you want to talk about we have a three minute time liit it is not a question and answer session you can say thank you for the great work that you did this summer thanks for fixing the air conditioning or whatever the grass needs to be cut that is the time for when people can come up and talk about things that are not on the agenda so we are not as you guys are not talking about specific things on the agenda you can ask for clarification and if the superintendent or the business administrator so chooses to do that we can after the vote prior to like I said the superintendent we'll do a brief overview of things that may be of question but those are the two comments that the school board has and we've had it I've been on for 25 years it's always been the same thank you thank you your time's up good evening Chris Wright Petersburg I'm want to address a certain thing but then my point um the senior center air conditioning one of the first things that Miss Hayes addressed it's done great we can move them back there awesome but I want to come back to the June 24th meeting of that it was discussed that we were going to have additional bids in and so on and so forth when the truth of the matter was it was already awarded and it was in progress so so my comment is just be honest with us why sit there and play a charade of we're going to do this we're going to do that when it's already done little things like that when we can figure out it's not the truth we're going to question everything so just be honest with us thank you so I wasn't present for the June 24th meeting so I had a I apologize we had a we did have a bid on file that we had to use to apply for the grant so prior to the syst some breaking we had already had a bid on F that we used to apply for the grant funding because in order to be able to apply for enough money you have to know what it's going to cost so that's really I you know and then we went into an emergency procedure there was no I I I can't speak to what was said in the meeting but I can tell you that the bid that we had was a a local PR that we had on file that we had used to apply for the grant firei to the system going down again right it's not about the bid it's not about the emergency it was the fact that it was said at the meeting that it was not given yet and I believe Mr Corson asked that additional bids were taken in for a couple days and it was all it wasn't said by I just I did not inform there was no I have the seat I wasn't even here very clear wasn't saying it was done we did get other quotes we are the contractor did start the job prior to the being worded he was actually told to stop the job if I remember correctly and we did by Wednesday get other quotes and then Circle back and did award it to him because he was I don't have a problem with who guys doing what it was just that it was already in progress when it was presented let me let me clarify I gave the word that Thursday to start the job I G an emergency as the appointing appropriate Authority it's started that's it it's an emergency it's a Health and Welfare safety once it's done people second gu death that's what happens so they started second guessing the emergency the emergency was already in progress and the problem work was already in progress that Thursday when it went down prior to the meeting yeah that yes why not to say that because well first of all I don't know was not trans with Clarity I don't know but what we have to do through procedure through the emergency procedure is then put two resolutions at the next meeting approa the action and that's what we did there was some question that maybe the bids were erroneous maybe the bids were not we got two other bids we got two other bids and they were right within the ballmark and the work Contin the following day yeah it has nothing to do with amount it has nothing to do with emergency it's just presented like bids were still being taken already being taken just to validate that the quotes were accurate but that Thursday prior to the meeting once an emergency is deemed that's it somebody cares the football and you R towards the goldine it has anything second guessing anything administrative wise anything with in the resolutions doesn't matter anymore we have the law the right and the ability to move that emergency forward same thing happened with City with two major water breaks they they they may have gotten two bids after it but those water brakes had to be shut down and they had to be repaired we did the same thing gave the order the order was carried out it was a help and Welfare it was within the guidelines if the board was being cautious to make sure that it was right B if the board was being CAU to make sure that the B wasn't inflated that's the board's choice if if the procedure within that week you're talking Thursday to Monday now that's all I the window and put this together somebody ask who does who does the agendas the group does the agendas the mayor puts it on the on the board on the agenda and it gets transmitted and Mrs Haron puts it out to the public it was an emergency I get the emergency part I just don't understand why it wasn't just said it's an emergency hired a contractor the contractor has materials ordered and the job in progress period cuz I that was we we talk about transparency and honesty and just it seemed like we played around with it like there was still bids being gotten when the word bid is accurate it's a quote both words were used yes it's a quote the vote was received prior the system failed thirdly I gave the order Public Works Public Works made the calls to the the initial gentleman that had quote had like I said both thank you thank you anybody else I have a point clarification air conditioning was it emergency in 2023 not 2024 okay get away with bar seille um first of all I want to say thank you for putting um number 34 yeah number 24 under new business for meeting procedures I appreciate you discussing it and I really appreciate um Mrs Newman's clarification of exactly what I had intended I had no idea she was coming here it's wonderful that she came because basically that's the ideal situation is having an opportunity beginning to get clarification about consent agenda it's not a question exact I don't even need to repeat it she said it perfectly and and then having a public comment at the end Middle Township has that procedure in their in their committee agendas wildly and Gary you and I had talked about this via email when you were mayor that was part of the way it was done there was questions um about consent agenda items ahead of time for clarification so that is the ideal situation and in that email correspondent Mr mon did reply it's at the discretion of the committee whether or not to do it so you could do clarification and public comments which would be ideal just saying it'd be ideal thank you thank you any other public comment all right hearing none we'll close the public portion of the meeting and have uh Panos those than mayor here I move that a resolution be incorporated into the minutes authorizing the township committee to enter into executive session for the following matters pursuant to the open public meetings act number one Personnel two potential litigation Prescott Avenue three contract negotiation block 5661 I also include my motion to estimate the time and the circumstances under which the discussion conducted in close session can be disclosed to public as follows a is anticipated the matters discussed in close session may be disclosed to the public upon the determination of the township committee that the public interest will no longer be served by such confidentiality with respect to employment and Personnel matters such discussions will be made public if and when formal action is taken or when the individuals involed consent that it can be made public see with respect the contract negotiation such matters be made public when negotiations have ceased and there is no longer a reason for confidentiality D with respect litigation matter such as discussion will be made public when litigation is complete and the applicable appeal period has expired second call R Please Mr coron Mrs Hayes Mr Panos May Newman yes motion car