##VIDEO ID:z-kAaVMFDaI## stay e e go public meeting of December 16 2024 of the township Council of the township of Washington adequate notice of the meeting was given in accordance with the open public meeting act by the Township Clerk to at least two newspapers in January and this meeting has been posted on the township bulletin board electronic Message Board WCTV and the township website please notify the municipal clerk for any disability requirements necessary for attendance at township Council meetings the fire exits are located through the double doors to your right and through the door on your left please silence all cell phones if you are unable to attend the the council meeting in person I would like a topic to be addressed at a council meeting please send an email to the township of Washington hyphen contact all council members at once TWP of washington. us could everyone please stand for a salute to the flag to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation God indivisible with liberty and justice for all roll call councilman here councilman Sears here councilman Alman Council woman bz here council president to Here let the record reflect also in attendance mayor Peter Kari Township administrator Mark De Carlo Township attorney Shan Valley and Township Clerk Susan wowski payment of bills resolution number 24373 authorized payment of bills November 27 2024 to December 12th 2024 do I have a motion move second any discussion roll call councilman cassum yes councilman seers yes Council bz yes president the sen yes PSA for December 16 2024 the township of Washington has added the recycling coach app to our website on the Department of Public Works page recycle coach is an address based app that educates residents on how to recycle materials appropriately for their area by downloading the recycle coach app you will be able to obtain your curbside collection schedule sign up for alerts and quickly learn how to properly dispose of different waste materials there is no debris bulk pickup for the remainder of the Year and no special pickups the DPW Yard will open again on Tuesday beginning tomorrow December 17th from 7:00 a.m. to 3: p.m. Christmas trees will be picked up at the curb starting January 6th and last about two weeks there is no set pickup schedule holiday Rec recycling schedule Christmas day December 25th pickup for the Northwest South Zone will occur on Saturday December 28th New Year's Day January 1st pickup on the northeast Zone will occur on Saturday January 4th the township is seeking members for The Advisory Board of Health if you are interested please contact the mayor via email mayor atwp of washington. us the township Council of the township Washington is hereby soliciting resumes Andor letters of Interest qualifications from Township residents to be appointed to the zoning Board of adjustment please visit the clerk section of the website under the forms page for the application the quanas club of pasak Valley meets on the second Wednesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at the Westwood Community Center if anyone would like more information please contact Ralph cordi at 516 5818 319 Township offices will be closed on Wednesday December 25th and Wednesday January 1st our next council meeting will be held on Monday January 6 2025 thank you everyone mayor's appointment without consent of agenda Mr Mayor thank you good evening Council um please be advised that I'm appointing the following citizen for the position set forth below to The Advisory Board of Health Melina Juan Zaza with her term expiring December 31st 2027 thank you thank you good evening Chief and Captain P would you like to give us a SLO update please yes good evening good evening thank you for the opportunity uh so I asked the mayor and the uh administrator if we could come before you to give you an update on our sleo program because we are making some changes to it and I like for you guys to hear about changes from me directly as opposed to any other source uh so a brief overview of our SLO program we have SLO ones and twos right I'm sorry SLO threes and ch right now the the program is is going excellent I'm getting calls from other Chiefs who who want to know what we're doing how we're doing it and uh because there's there's good word of mouth on it and it's it's very very effective uh so to start off with our slo3 program S three S3s currently in all of the schools all the public schools uh they're there full-time any time that school is in session they're there they're doing a fantastic job and to say that that program has exceeded our expect ations would be an understatement um so much so that I don't know if anyone's aware that last year the senior class voted the yearbook dedication go to the slo3 officer that's in the High School uh that's incredible he was there two years and to get that kind of recognition is amazing from a from a class you know the these are kids that have gone through wi with teachers for for six and eight years that you know and yet they voted the SLO 3 so again he's really woven himself into the fabric of the community and uh as well as the officers in the uh grammar schools so they're doing a fantastic job does Westwood have a similar program or no they do yes so all our schools technically in the Westwood Regional School District have a full-time sleo in a school that is correct not just the Township Schools correct we administer ours their employe Township but I'm saying but all schools in our district are yes they are all towns are covered yeah it's again it's a terrific program uh you know and if anyone ever has any questions or anything you know please you know reach out to the mayor or me or you know we can we can get your answers on that any questions come up or or if you hear anything uh moving on to the slo2 program we've had a slo2 program since before captain and I were here uh and it's always been been extraordinarily effective it it helps as a uh with regard to Manpower it helps as you know what I like to call a force multiplier uh sleo for those that aren't aware but I I think you're all familiar c2s when they're on duty basically have all the same Powers as a regular police officer uh they're armed they are you know they use Force Etc you know they go on calls they go on medical calls they do Motor Vehicle Enforcement so they do pretty much the same job as a regular only at a fraction of the cost which is obviously the reason for using them we are limited in the number of SOS that we can have uh under What's called the belmare decision which was a a a sort of a Cornerstone decision in New Jersey from the courts going back again over 30 years which uh spelled out the formula for how many SOS you can have uh right now it's about 10% of your Force and and we only have one at what there was one time when we had two full-time but uh hiring Manpower budgeting Etc it's gone down to one full-time we've continued to try to get a part-timer but it's been challenging uh the the overall law enforcement climate with regard to hiring is not what it was at one time uh and there's also been changes in the legislation from and as well as from the police training commission that has made it uh only possible for so sleo twos used to attend an abbreviated police academy uh and in order for them to become sleo 2 to become a regular police officer he had to attend an additional 80 hours of full-time course it was two weeks the PTC has done away with that now sloos attend the exact same Academy right alongside fully sworn regular police officers so what does that mean what's the practical application of that that means a slo2 who attends the academy is a fully trained police officer so to upgrade them to wave them up they used to take this class they don't have to take the class anymore which means any agency who hires them doesn't have to pay for their training their training is already there if they hire them within two years they have to reimburse the agency that that invested in them and paid for their training and again there's a formula with regard to that all this adds up to that S2s are increasingly hard to get uh so the change we are making here is we've had to train our own S2s in the past we got S2s always from the short towns the short towns hire them heavily the belmire decision obviously comes from a Shore town where the the shore towns were obviously given a waiver on that 10% during the summer months and you know during their busy periods so previously the shore towns would pay for the officer's training they would go they would work a couple Summers and then they would get hired these were traditionally people who wanted to get on the job and become regular police Poli officers they would get hired all throughout the state they would go for the the waiver training now because they attend the exact same training they get picked up almost immediately as regular police officers when they're done with their stint down the shore towns so again this is the practical application of S2s and the way the whole dynamic has changed uh so as of now we've had discussions with the mayor and the administrator with regard to hiring c2s as you know we'll have one retirement at the end of the year and our current leo2 will be moving into the full-time regular position he's already field trained he's a fully certified police officer because he attended a regular Academy so it'll be pretty much a seamless transition we just notify the PTC that we're upgrading his status and his license and they sign off on it and and everything is good uh I can also point out that with regard to the program we've hired five or six of our five officers from our slo2 program we've upgraded them to regular officers and they're serving with us now it gives us a fantastic opportunity to see these people see what they do see their work ethic see how they handle themselves get some experience with them train them the way we like to do things in town and it's worked out terrific there also have been a couple that that didn't work out that just weren't a good fit or for whatever reason they were not reappointed you know and they went on their way uh you know and they were great people but they just might not have been the right fit or they might not have been the right thing for them so it doesn't automatically move people up we've had a couple instances where it didn't but the bottom line is it lets us see someone exactly for a much longer period of time and make sure that they're going to work out and and I can confidently say that all of them have so that's kind that's a benefit to an intangible benefit to the program so what we're doing now is we're going to send two officers to the police academy as appointed sleo two officers they they'll attend the regular Academy the academy is approximately six months it starts in January they will uh they'll they'll be appointed they have to be appointed they have to be appointed as cleo2 officers to attend the academy upon their graduation we will appoint one as a full-time and one as a part-time that's what we've asked for for many years that's what you've budgeted it's it's worked out very well but the problem is we've had trouble getting the part-time officer for all the reasons I just outlined so by hire by hiring to sending them to the academy they're ours okay any other somebody wants them they have to pay for our six months of pay exactly yeah uh so in in that regard we kind of one graduates the part-time let's just say he or she graduates and all of a sudden somebody comes and says hey I got a full-time gig for you they would just have to give us back our money for six months correct yeah and then we'd have to start the process again to but that's a possibility because we have a one a part-time or and a full-time yes okay it's to maintain Staffing yeah uh because right now for a few months we're going to be left without a slo2 uh because they'll be in the academy and our current slo2 will be hired and as a regular to replace our retirement uh now expanding and going down the ladder to slo1 a slo1 officer is a much different thing a slo1 officer is not armed they can only use limited Force they don't have the full and same power and authority that a regular police officer does whether they're on duty or not when they're when they're not on duty they have no power Authority when they are on duty they're again a force multiplier they can do a lot of things that we need uh and one of the most readily available examples even though it's kind of low on the the rung is our crossing guards can't direct traffic they can only cross people our s1s or any slo1 would be able to direct traffic now that comes in handy because that means a slo1 can be out in the road during uh public events motor vehicle accidents anything like that and again it's a good Force multiplier now I've asked the mayor again and the administrator and they've agreed to hire two per DM SLO ones we will train them we don't pay for their training we have to sponsor them and appoint them to attend an academy their Academy is only 80 hours it's done at night it's done for three hours or four four hours twice a week uh for 10 weeks and then they're graduated the one thing I am going to approach you on at some point is right now our our uh salary ordinance only provides one salary for all sleo officers which given what I've just described isn't really Equitable or right or or Fair uh the sleo position right now is slated at $25 an hour that hasn't changed in decades okay I think that's around what they were making when when we were first hired uh there was often a joke that a sleo two officers making more than a regular officer for the first year or so uh so at some point I will come and maybe we can start adding that into the 2% raises or or we can discuss that but along with that I would like uh to ask you when the time comes to create a a salary uh guide which would call for SLO tws for making $25 an hour you know but again I would I would ask for that to increase slightly uh and then providing for a lesser salary for sleo ones uh crossing guards are making approximately $20.50 an hour I would ask for a SLO one to get uh 22 to 2250 an hour and again it just makes it uh so who would qualify to be a SLO one anybody SLO ones have the same they have no I'm saying who would who would like who would want that position because it's a part anyone looking to get the experience and get their foot in the door so it's it's it's a stepping stone a real but you're not because you're only working when you're needed correct correct yeah so you can go months without even being called correct we wouldn't want to do that because we would want to keep them getting some experience uh a big be a hard thing to budget because how do you like how do you budget that line item like how how do you know how much money to put in there like you know what I'm saying given that's what we'll discuss you know when budget time comes I will I will be looking for a slight increase and I'm talking maybe2 to $3,000 to the line period to cover the entire program we've been doing it very well with what we have uh the person who wants that is generally the the younger person who's going to who's attending College full-time and wants to continue that they want to get their degree they want to finish but they want to start getting some experience so so it's a college student usually okay yeah very often that that is who you get you know dem like demographically yeah I would say that's exactly mostly after it would be like after 5 o' that we would call them for a concert or something at it may be or weekends right exactly we I mean we can use them during the week if if our regular SLO 2 is is not available for whatever reason he's sick he takes a day off we can use them to do the school posts because again they can direct traffic that's that essential component that this Leo is performing that the crossing guard can you know uh so again they're uh you know they're like a multi-purpose they're they're definitely uh they're useful and and it just works out very well it's something we we branching into and I wanted you guys to hear it from me to see if you have any questions or or want to provide any input or feedback or anything like that uh because again it's doing something a little different we've never in the 30 years that we've been here have never hired s1s but I do see a place for them I do think it's cost effective I think we get a lot of value out of it uh I think it can help with things like you know the biggest thing we always talk about is overtime a lot of times I think it can help with that uh and so that's basically why I wanted to come to you and just update you with regard to the program where we're heading what our plans are uh so that you hear it direct from me okay when are you looking to hire these to runs uh the academy is running the Bergen County Police Academy is running a class starting in January so they would be appointed for the new year has there been any interest so far like has anybody approached you there is as an example so we advertised for the position of slo2 and as always we tried to get certified people we got exactly zero applications for it uh we then expanded that to say you don't have to be certified we you know we will send you to the academy Etc we only got 15 15 applications for for those positions we used to get 40 uh and they were certified they were coming from again from the short towns so this is the challenge with regard to hiring and that's why we're trying to do something you know think a little outside the box do something a little more creative so that we can continue to keep the program going so John yeah um did you run numbers on how much If you hired a SLO one it would reduce over time no because I've never never I can I can imagine it doesn't estim I can imagine a dozen different ways I would use them uh you never use them you can't replace a regular police officer so it's kind of subjective as far as like where they're going to save like you know they would save we wouldn't have to bring a police officer and to do say traffic you know for an emergency or something like that we could bring them in to do that we think like doing like the town events yeah instead of hiring a full-time you put a SLO one down there at a lesser cost correct you know we always have our sleo there we always have this the one sleo we have so this would give us additional which then would right give us a saving so it would be significant you know okay you know for that event sure that's the idea that's exactly the idea that's hopefully where're going we're getting someone a young person to come in and get involved in the career right it's a career person hopefully and that we can reduce costs overall Y and keep the same uh safety Factor exactly that that is what the eye is on this you know what you know I'm a police chief I'm always going to want more regulars and more you know but I'm being realistic about again using these as Force multipliers getting value for our dollar that's basically what it is uh to to your point Steve you know sometimes if we only have the one s if I have a regular police officer out directing traffic on something like Town day you know and I can replace that person with 22 to $25 an hour oh yeah it it it you know it maximizes our dollar and we're getting you know very substantial similar service so that those are the practical motivations behind this right and again we're getting to see them and see their work ethic and you want how they fit with the Department mesh you know right the community how they handle themselves yeah I mean if there's no if there's no benefit to the township why have them but if there's going to be a cost benefit and a safety benefit obviously it would be uh you know be beneficial to everyone so that's what I anticipate yeah the uh like and and I got to give my my staff credit uh My Command Staff the captain and the lieutenants they they manage the program they do a fantastic job with with plugging these guy you know the SOS in where they're needed when they're needed and uh and it really does it works out so well that uh just you know in the year that I've been Chief I've been approached by four different Chiefs who who asked me to sit down and explain how we're using them where they're using them because they're not using them at all and they've admitted you know that we're they're leaving money on the table and they could really come in handy so uh so yeah it's just something that Washington Township's always sort of have been one of those things we've been a little ahead on and I'd like to keep it that way thank you thank you Chief thank you Captain thank you thank you moving on approval of minutes public meeting December 18 2023 conference meeting December 18 2023 do I have a motion so moved second second roll call Council massio yes councilman SE yes Council blz yes counc president the Senate yes no no no vote oh I'm sorry I have to obain Sor yeah you're right I have to obain that was my bad I didn't mark it no you did it's marked it's marked I I missed it I public meeting 2023 syai meeting January 3rd 2024 do I have a motion so move second roll call councilman Casio yes councilman Sears yes councilman om man sorry Council valz yes CC president I can't public meeting reorg January 3rd 2024 do I have a motion so move second roll call coun Casio yes Council M yes Council woman bz yes council president the Senate yes public meeting January 15 2024 conference meeting January 15 2024 do I have a motion some move second roll call counc Casio yes counc yes Council BL yes counc president the sen yes Mr President May the clerk question sure are we that behind with these okay I got these done by working from home because then there's no interruptions gotta thank you you have a follow-up report Mr de yes sir uh good evening Council this is my followup from the meeting on December 2nd 2024 there was no residents concerns or questions to follow up on there was two Council questions uh that were brought to my attention first was Council M deser requested a cost estimate for the proposed 3 Bay full story full twostory DW DPW building in steel I requested from Mr iino a cost estimate for a full steel structure as well as a steel structure for justice second floor topics will be discussed this evening further during the conference agenda Council requested information on the time frame and location that appraisal systems will beginning the reevaluation inspections was advised by appraisal systems that the inspections will most likely begin towards the end of January 2025 at this time the beginning locations has not been determined the inspectors May begin in several different locations in the township appraisal systems will be posting locations on their website at www.as nj.com the flyer and letter that will be mailed to Residents has been reviewed by our attorney and administration the forms were provided to council on Monday December 9th 20224 and an update to that uh and speaking with our tax assessor the letter will also include a date and uh I think link towards a presentation that would be virtual for our residents to join so they can hear live and I believe answer questions after that we'll also uh offer the same presentation to our seniors at one of their senior meetings so that date that has not been selected yet but it will go out in the flyer and letter uh that will be mailed the residents and that concludes my report thank you thank you motion to open the public comment period of the meeting so move second all in favor I I seeing no one in the audience do I have a motion to close the public portion of the meeting shall move second all in favor I thank you ordinances adoption second reading ordinance number 24-20 an ordinance of the township of Washington County of Bergen state of New Jersey to amend the code of the township of Washington by amending chapter 574 entitled storm Water Management in compliance with New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection njd Municipal storm water regulation program and the New Jersey storm water management rule n.j. a.c. 7. this ordinance has been sent to the planning board for further review and the public hearing will be continued on January 6 2025 okay introduction first reading none individual resolution resolution number 24-37 74 authorized 2024 transfer appropriation 24,500 do I have a motion some move do I have a second second roll call councilman CIO yes councilman Sears yes Council valz yes council president Senate yes resolutions consent agenda the following items have been determined to have unanimous consent of the council and will be enacted in one motion should any item require independent consideration any council member may have such item removed from the consent agenda does anyone have any items they'd like to have removed um I just had a question on 376 the the council meetings yep um where about the one in December being the first day of Hanukkah I don't remember what we had said on that so I just wanted to make sure we were all okay with that yeah the only one that was a conversation was the one in February February Martin Martin 15 y that was what was presented at the conference agenda L that's meeting let's the let's see right I'm not confusing this year versus next year I don't think so I thought the list you provided didn't have any objection any didn't except for except for Martin Luther King Day that was the only one that was discussed and then we had the concern with the fourth round housing that was it that was it there no there was no do you have that sheet still or no yeah I'm looking for I'm sorry in the back behind the resolution I looked at the wrong calendar year sorry was another one with the date on it it was another sheet yeah was another sheet yeah I give you all the different holidays that were there in the one and December 15th shows up for 2025 as the first day of Hanukkah this this calendar all right we'll have to that was my you may have to amend that date yeah we can always that was my only question okay it was on the list we had last week of Hanukah starting so that's why it wasn't brought up on my on my point because I didn't see it it wasn't on that list the other the other part that I have to tell you also is that and I sent it out to all of you from the state is that there is a conversation of the primary being moved because there is a Jewish holiday on June 3D so they are now talking originally it was told to me last week at my my association meeting that it was going to be just the 4th now it came out which I sent to all of you they talking about going from the 3rd to the 10th which is then going to affect this because I SCH the 9th as a meeting but then we would just bump that back to the first week of June but again we can we can adopt it this way and as we go on if you want to change it we just rescheduled the meet that's not a problem Miss I didn't bring my last week's last meeting's agenda that had all the dates on it so if we're okay with adopting it the way it is and then we'll modify it if we need I mean I'm okay with that I just wanted to bring it to everybody's attention it wasn't on that Master list we had that's why I didn't think it was an issue it was on that second sheet corre the second she I don't have that yeah I don't have it with me tonight I don't have it with me either so do we want to pull it are we okay leaving it the way it is and then we have to because we may have to revise that date anyway so um whatever the council agrees I just every okay with leaving it and then we'll amend it later sure would anybody like anything else remove just just I want to discuss the the first one 375 375 sure all right call 375 resolution number 24- 376 designating time in place of 2025 Council meetings resolution number 24377 appointment of Municipal housing liaison resolution number 24378 authorized renewal of interlocal agreement for street sweeping Services by and between the burough paramis and the township for year 2025 resolution number 24379 authorize renewal of shared service agreement for vehicle maintenance buy and between the bur paramis in the township of Washington year 2025 resolution number 24- 380 authorized renewal of membership in the Berard County Municipal joint Insurance Fund 2025 to 2028 resolution number 24- 382 authorized American Dream H Owners Association application for extension of tww treatment works approval 463 van Amberg Avenue resolution number 24- 383 authorize Amendment between Township of Washington and Delta Dental for years 2025 and 2026 do I have a motion to approve as presented some move second roll call councilman Casio yes councilman seers yes Council valz yes council president Des sen yes resolution number 24375 authorized final change order number one for Calvin Street 2024 Road Improvement project La 2024 ma do I have a motion so move I'm sorry so move thank you who second second discussion just just a question on the change order the rete step for that was added that's added by the library or now so this is the only part of the change order that Council was not aware of nor nor was I until we were reconciling reconciling this I guess it was a concrete step that was put in at a at a resident's home to make it level it was a decision made by Engineers on the spot that EV that ultimately saved us money couldn't really understand why it was a change order rather than it just being the section within um the bid so I don't really know how to explain it to you okay but explain the best you it's it's someone's home or it was a property it wasn't the library okay and then what you guys and I did also thought was going to be a change order was the repair to the sidewalks AB buding the county Bridges they did that as part of the project not a change order and we saved significant money I told you guys and girls it was 22 or 23 and it was equivalent to like 12,000 I think in that email so overall we meet out very well so so S1 which is the concrete step was added so that's that was done very early on I just didn't know about it until we reconciled the change order okay so you know my apologies and that's all right but I didn't know about it either but I from what I understand it was a decision had to be made and it the decision they made saved us a lot of money so okay I have no other questions else R councilman Casio yes councilman seers yes counc yes counc president to yes motion to adjourn to the conference agenda second all in favor I next meeting of the township Council will be on January 6 2025 reorganization meeting beginning at 7 p.m. sign up for nixel text 07676 to 888777 key code TWP bargain thank you conference agenda December 16 2024 DPW building organized here second yeah sure I have enough to get start um hopefully you all saw um Anthony iovino's response about the All Steel where he said it would potentially save a 100,000 um but uh he strongly recommends against it being constructed out of steel studs and sheetrock as opposed to Brick lining um and so uh you know that was his answer on that um hopefully tonight we get uh Council go ahead to move ahead with the uh three Bas structure um our our DPW guys have been extremely patient uh we you know we feel this is the best option giving the site constraints um and so uh we just ask for you know council's blessing per se to move ahead with the three Bay uh full second story structure okay I would like to I I I agree with you I I did not know Mr Alman was not going to be able to attend tonight so I would like to have a full quum up here when we make that decision um the only thing I would say is he's one vote out of five and so if it carries four um you know I I know but i' I'd like to have two weeks drags and two weeks drags I know but we could I we've waited this long to wait till January 6 at this point I'd rather have everybody give their views on it Mr Mayor it's it's our it's a big decision to make and I I understand your your your uh you know the need for the for the project but I'd like to have everybody here on the Das to make that decision I mean I I totally understand where you're coming from but what if next meeting one of your councilmen you unfortunately we'll have to wait again because I think it's such a big decision that we're spending 55 million I'd like everybody up here to explain why they're voting and why they're not voting okay I mean can I get a straw poll at least just to Bic Direction still be able to vote even if one council member is not I mean I don't have a problem with a straw V at all I'd like everybody up here to give their decision it's a big investment of tax dollars $5.5 million doar um and I'd like a full vote that's my feelings on it so we've just been kicking this down the road I am not disagreeing with that Miss valz but I just I don't think that I don't want I want to make a decision to spend $55 million without a full Council making that decision just like I I understand what the mayor is saying that you know it's been waiting you know previous councils have had years to do this also yeah so you were one of them I never had a plan in front of me to build a so I I was not one of them so do not do not put words in my mouth I had no plans in front of me to build a DPW I got thew building has been on the agenda for years I know we and during my and during my previous during my previous time at this I was responsible in spearheading the cleanup of the DPW we never had any plans to build a new DPW not the final plan no no we didn't have any let just I mean how many years are we going to wait on this I want a full Council I don't know how everybody else feels but even even with a full Council council president I mean having a STW vote now it's just a guideance some where we're going that's fine you know and I uh I would ask if you would indulge in and let us have a straw vote I mean again we're still going to have a full counsel you know I just don't want to make a decision to spend milon everybody being able but at least it gives Administration and idea going that's fine if everybody is every go ahead okay so you have anything other to add to this Mr May and Mr all right M you want to start yes my vote is yes um oh for the DPW yes correct I'm also a yes council president Dr Cassio at this point no you're a no I'm a no can can I ask if there's something we could do to switch it to a yes because that's part of the reason of a straw vote no okay I think with everything on our plate right now do we have any do we have any time frame for the uh environmental cleanup at the swim club Mr G yes I spoke to this no go oh I'm sorry Mr Mayor go please go ahead spoke to Mr Rossy uh last Friday he's anticipating hopefully some information to share um with Administration therefore sharing with Council by the mid January hopefully it's the um the recommendations moving forward as to what needs to be done in the cost estimate that'll include cost opinion we I believe so yes he doesn't have any idea right now what it's going to cost for hnos at this time without knowing the cost of the environmental clean up at the pool I'm a know so Municipal Court shared services no no no no one second I'm not done so we don't move forward with a DPW building indefinitely as we Contin I just asked for the cost of the pool to clean up but that does that factor into what we need to do for our community and our res how more Millions can we put how many more Millions can we put on res understand that but we don't have a facility I I'm not disagreeing with that M so how many more until until until we have a number that we can't just keep spending money up here we got we don't have a facility I am not disagreeing with that so if tomorrow our our workers decide to quit to find a location with a facility then where does that leave the town that anybody could quit at any time it's it's how many years are they going to be patient I mean I'm losing patience waiting for councils to to like man up and and let's get a project done I'm I'm all for it I just can't proceed to spend $55 million what if it's another $5 million to clean up the swim club we're talking about spending $105 million up here I understand that so cannot we have to be we have we have to factor some of this it we can't just keep we don't have okay so it cost 5 million to clean the swim club so we don't build a a DPW for the next 10 years I don't know I don't I don't have that answer or we just kick it down the Council next counil nobody saying nobody's saying kicking it down the road this Council has done more work on this DBW building with the administration than any other Council we have been delayed and delayed and steel building and this building and the other I still don't understand how an architect can make a decision when he built a steel building in another town you asked him to you asked the ad building but he built administra to look at the building on 17 which was the same architect and but it's it's good for them but it's not good for us how does that make any sense what I'm saying no no my my my exact answer is that building that he designed for them down there I I don't good for us what they have going on there but you asked the same gentleman to look into and I'm I'm and I and I respectfully you know don't I don't I don't understand his answer how for us we can't have a building but they have a a Sixt a six Bay metal building down there if I may clarify he didn't say we couldn't have it his recommendation was not to build the first floor as steel because it would involve a sheetrock interior wall that will get destroyed by operations from DPW he said the plan already includes steel framing for the second floor okay I'm just I'm losing patience I mean how long are we going to leave these guys you know under a tent it's it's well they're inside the ambulance court building now right correct Mr May for storage Oh I thought they were using that as it's it's you know mrman discusses about ethics and and whatnot and now we off from the January 6th meeting to the middle of December meeting I me January sorry um so again it's another month going by I mean but but but realistically how much money can we put on the backs of our res res if we don't know what our liability is at the swim club because our liability at the swim club is is is a is going to be a mandate we can't just leave it like you know what I'm saying so if if somebody says you guys spend you know a million dollar $2 million at least then we know what it is and then we can make an informed decision right right now we have this Pandora's Box we've opened up right we got there are grants for that they're not grants for DPW buildings so we can there grants for anything we no not for DPW but but we're saying we're get a grant like you know we're still waiting for the grant for the for the sewer thing that we haven't received yet hopefully we get right so there's grants for you know there's opportunity but council president if I make we can still move ahead with the gpw building but we can hold off on the swim club no we can't you know I mean no the way the Boswell letter reads is once we get the plan we have to proceed forward with the cleanup right yes you there's no stopping that plan once we get it do you mind I don't want I just if I can take a minute to clarify some things and I don't mean this for embarrassment I just mean it to recollect what has already been done Council a few meetings ago had advised Administration to move forward with the five bay half second story I don't remember any vote that said to stall it we brought another idea to you to to to less money so as far as iino knows he's supposed to be moving forward so that's what I just wanted to bring that information again not to embarrass anybody but Council has already voted to move forward with the architectural plans designed moving towards the bid documents of the five bay l b now right we have less B now well no we have more optimal space on the property to put a salt shed that we have to have and we're not having so many bays as to just essentially be storage for equipment so we're always trying to fit 10 lb of in a 5B bag so if I may want inter do we have to go ahead with the cleanup of the swim club yes is that a mandatory thing yes once we and there's no way that we could hold it for a year well I don't know what dp's time frame is it's just they're going to tell us when so I know it's not indefinite I know it's not in January it'll be sometime within there but you know so we'll have Mr Rosy's plus opinion yes again but you know just that's what I'm thinking of having a space between give some relief you know but if we're yeah if we could if we could if we could put the pool off like just say hey let it sit there like it has been for the last three and a half years I would have no objections to saying yes today but without having that number like are we asking for you know 5 and a half years and then another I don't know how many millions are we going to ask I don't know what that number is it's it's Pandora box if it's 100,000 Tom I'll vote Yes tomorrow if if if Mr Rossy tomorrow can get his quest opinion and say it's $500,000 I'll vote Yes for the DBW tomorrow he comes back and says well it's probably going to be a million two million three million I don't know like then I have then I we have to be Fally responsible but we're also open to grant money at the swim club we don't have that opportunity at DPW possible grant money there's opportunities there it's not guaranteed well the grant writer has been doing a great job of finding those funds so the work that Boswell is currently doing is to identify the extent of the problem right how the capacity of it and then there'll be recommendations as to how to remedy and hopefully a cost estimate now again not embarrassed Bal engineering but that's what I was told that going have so it could be a few weeks later maybe maybe it'll be earlier but they did submit for the grant and the grant is to re reimburse the township not only for the cost of that preliminary assessment but for the work itself as well and how much was that grant for do you know we don't know we don't know how much percentage oh it's just a percentage of it's most though most of the um the the preliminary work and then all of the remediation if we get it but we don't we don't have any like I know it's 880,000 for the preliminary 78 Grand 80,000 so I forget what what it said but it said most of that so say again just for numbers for you know say we get 70 back but the remediation itself it said it would cover all the costs we just don't know how much that's going to be yet so if we get this if we get the first part of the grant yeah we would definitely qualify for the second part is that a fair statement yeah and then and when do we find out if we get that Grant have a date I don't know but I know I know it's been submitted we you know we worked with Mr kowsky to get them the resolution can we ask can reach out find out because if he says if he says the date is next you know next month then I have no as long as we get that Grant I'll I'll say yes tomorrow all right well if I have no problem as long as I have a way to pay if I know the cost if it's $500,000 to clean the swim plug yeah it's another $500,000 hit that we don't get any more Fields with but at least we have an idea but if it's 5 million and the Grant's going to cover it or 500 and the Grant's going to cover I'll say yes to DPW right away but I need to I just can't sit up here and be fiscally responsible by saying just you know spend spend spend we we we need to have a it's got to stop somewhere is it right if I just take one more sentence I don't want to brow beat you but we're just clarifying that Council appreciates the three Bay full two story rather the five bay half a second story that's all we're looking to do and then give Mr iino the direction it doesn't mean tomorrow we're going to go out to bid for so the last plan he presented was the three Bay F second I I I have no objection to that yeah that that's all we're asking today that's I we're asking we're not asking to go I thought okay I have no objection to that at all okay thank you right Steve do you have an objection from what from what I understand that it would be uh we would be able to you have more space for more equipment with a three Bay is that correct is that a correct statement we have to S check it's giving us it's giving us more property to put stuff outside which we need to put the salt shed we're still we you know we figured that whether we have a five bay or 3 Bay we're still going to have to put stuff outside right some you know another piece of property that we talk to C again that's that's not a it's not for me it's not an issue okay the way I interpret is that we need the salt shed because we can't rely on the county for it so we have to have one and we could probably fit maybe one or two more pieces of equipment in the area without having a five b is that correct yes then I'm fine with I I have no I have no objection to the plan pres I'm okay as Mike St there are thank you for letting me brow be keep brow be it's okay you know again we have costs that are unknown okay for right now two projects that we're looking for and they could be very minimal I hope they're minimal I hope I hope next council meeting we come in with minimal cost opinions and we move ahead I'm hoping they made a mistake there's nothing on I hope you're right Steve I don't think I always you know I trust no one so I want to see it all right Municipal Court shared services just like to make one other comment um it's more of a reminder for the residents uh that uh you know the previous Council was ready to vote on this and when they didn't get elected they said all right let's have the new Council have a say that was back last January and we've been working hard because everything's AR to bring the price down down down and you know again it it's really not fair to our DPW workers to keep them always you know another week another month another you know turns into six months uh you know I talk to them every day they're very good-natured about it but they're frustrated with how long this has waited and you know so we're not being fair to our employees who are out there working you know their tails off every day and they they're not operating out of proper facilities thank you Municipal Court shared services Mr Carl yes thank you council president uh just to make sure I'm clear we're not looking uh for the council to take any action or to vote on the shared services tonight we want to get this information in your hands as soon as we could last week uh so you were up to date on it um if acceptable first by uh Bergen County Court System um it was accepted or it was we have not heard yet it's sent down to them that's the formality first then it will come back I believe um sadle river is actually discussing it this evening at their council meeting I believe not not totally sure um but if it was acceptable to Bergen County acceptable uh to our Council we would then try and get it to you as early as we could in January uh and it back dated to January 1st so s River requested the shared service so they should be okay with it right well we work together that's what I'm saying but I'm saying but it's not like they're going to come back tonight and say no absolutely not I don't think so think so but so really it's just a matter of the county putting there the formality of the county saying yes and then the two of us saying yes s River and count absolutely so in you know a very abbreviated you know version uh our Administration went with their Administration their CFO and uh Janine Janita did an excellent job of uh collaborating with us and putting the shared service agreement together we basically measured our current expenses verse uh what they were anticipating ating and after some negotiating uh we put the numbers in the email uh with you guys uh for you guys and girls so in 2024 the cost associated with the municipal G Court should be around 100, 655 that's what was budgeted I don't see going over uh any of the budgeted amount the anticipated 2025 costs associated with the Municipal Court without agreeing to the new Shar of services agreement are roughly 111,000 this is taken into account existing agreements for the clerk and the court administrator a 2% raise for the judge and prosecutor and any required increase in operating amounts the uh tentative agreement that the administrations have come up with would be $117,500 uh for 2025 and then it would go up in $10,000 increments for 2026 and 2027 we would be looking to have a three-year share to Services uh to see how it goes I believe there's also clause in that allows each of the entities um I don't want to use the word back out but you know relieve themselves from the obligation after the first year uh but we see this working out very well you know so essentially for about $6,500 um additional cost to the Township from what we expected to have to budget for 2025 we could get the shared service agreement and believe us of you know the use of of this room for the Municipal Court I just wanted to bring that all clarify it there's any questions or any direction to council or any feelings about it no thank you does it sound good it does it I think it's a great idea it's a shared service we should be doing more of it so the more we could do the better it is for the residents if if we hear from the county best case scenario shall I have it prepared for January absolutely if it's if it's ready by the county yes by the way everybody's okay with it right absolutely the most important thing is um Saddle River is going to apply for the grant that we are now um privy to and then Any Grant will be split 5050 by the township I just can't tell you what it can be used for like I don't know if it's just operating if it's salary whatever it may be it's that's great tax savings to the res thank you we appreciate it last thing on the administration 2025 Road program okay all right so I also gave uh Council some information to digest uh and preparation for this evening so what you have in front of you hopefully is an email from uh Glenn beckme JR this is best best case scenario um if Council approves all of the roads the administration is looking to have resurfaced in 2024 I'm sorry in 2025 so first if you remember last year Council was uh gracious enough to get us up and running on the njd Grant earlier because it took longer with State approvals and we we did um Calvin street so we're looking to do the same process in 2025 so we were approved you have the approval letter from the state for uh coolage the award was for $19,050 so what I would ask uh Council for if again acceptable tonight I would we would begin prepairing um the capital ordinance it would not be a bond ordinance because we have the money in hand from either our Capital Improvement fund or our Capital Surplus uh which together we have approximately little about $600,000 on hand so we wouldn't have to borrow money to do the coolage program we create a capital lawence like we did funding it with money we have on hand and supplemented um by the $190,000 Grant award so Beck Meer engineering is anticipating two the construction to be $260,000 with a contingency of 39,000 and then a um engineering cost of 43,000 so it ask um if acceptable to the council that by next meeting that or the sometime in January have a capital orance presented for I say whatever that total is 3 $45,000 uh so we could start getting the toolage app project okay with that anybody okay with that thank you okay so moving forward we're just going to the the May and I wanted to present the same roads uh that we had selected for 2024 which was Bergen Carriage Fern and Salem um again we're not looking for approval tonight but we wanted to get a head start on uh giving guys and girls on the Das and idea what we're looking for U as far as Road program so Bergen Carriage Fern and Salem would kind of be like our phase one desires which you have a construction subtotal of 719,000 in contingen which if we get the Grant from uh totally separate no no no no but I'm saying if we get the if we get the Grant from uh Congressman gimer that'll fund that project yes and and if you remember we that was the we were basically told we received it we're just waiting so I'm saying but that project is funded then get as soon as we get the money from gimer you'd have the money for that project yeah you know what was the total on from the state 77 well we applied for I think 699,000 the project was anticipated the cost say I think it was 640 and then 60 for engineering cost hopefully that's always exaggerated and we're looking to spend less um I don't remember if the gottheimer had an award amount yet I think it was the $699 it's waiting for the federal appr for so it's 700,000 so that would put a big 10 into that that program there yeah okay so then uh the engineering cost would be 58,000 so again you're looking at those four roads costing just under 900,000 and then our second wave um again if things go well with approval we'd be looking to do the leftover roads um from the PSC G Paving if you remember we did some horse trading so that would be Hoover not mckenley Hoover Ridgewood Boulevard north and west Place McKinley's just thrown in there because uh we were able to get PG to pay half the width of the road if you remember um it came to our attention that you know PS andg must just forgot to pave McKinley when they came in a couple years ago so we are successful in getting to do that half the road we probably should really do the other half of the road um based on its condition so that second phase would be um a construction total of 1, 37,000 plus the 78,500 so again that's just to give you an idea of what we're looking for for the streets thank you okay but I'm question yes Mr U Mr Dalo these streets that we're uh looking at were they dug up by Public Service Gas and Electric water company are they responsible to do any Paving on these streets so the first answer is yes some of the streets are uh are were dug up by PNG that's Hoover Ridgewood Boulevard north and west place the second part of your question is no they're not responsible to pave it because we did the horse training in order to get full width full length of smaller streets we gave up them doing PSC doing half the width of the road on West ho and ridge with Boulevard North so in other words P did exactly what they were supposed to do they didn't and they don't know us anything and they don't ow us anything there's no anticipated work going to be done well that's the question I was going to ask no it's okay I'm glad you asked it very good questions we um about this time I just haven't gotten the notifications but I'll be communicating with violia and PS G they're made aware of our streets that we have a memorial orium on and they get made aware of our anticipated streets that we um want to resurface so last year we didn't approve any loads but I still told them hey Calvin Fern berens blah blah blah but we have meetings with them uh kind of mid year and theia definitely knows they're not tearing up any of the streets and PSG is not is not coming back is there um an opportunity for you to look to see if they're going to do anything on where Miss Road from the construction on Goa Place either either utility sure I canand is that not what's the because that P road is so narrow they're going to be digging it up yeah I think they already did a utility connection um they came out to the middle of the road I think I think that's on basc right here they definitely came out did something I don't remember if it was P than all right excuse me Mr President can I ask our counselor if we can put something on our board in our ordinance that would say um if we um have a road that's going to be repaired or paid by us um and I know there's a moratorium can we put a monetary figure on that if they decide to break that you know plus doing a road plus fees on top of that can we do that by by would it be legal statute can we do that by Statute who I'm I'm sorry PSG or uh the Water Company I I don't know the answer I can look at it because I would like to change that because you know they come in and they say okay we're going to we're going to just do a road because it's happened before right Peter numerous times where I've just done one they come in two years later they rip it up and it's like it was never done and then they take forever to do it and then they finally do it but that still inconveniences the township and the residence so I'd like to put yes you're going to come in and fix what you broke after we just repaved it and put a monetary pay a premium pay a premium for it exactly I think that would be a good ordinance to put down this way they know Hey listen um they actually do their due diligence yeah you know a lot of times they don't care they say we're not going to do it and then they do it all of a sudden then we're you know we're out that money then we got to you know ret tax our our our residents for the same work paying twice for the same thing I think that's that's a lot to ask for our uh our residents Recreation fees men softball under ordinances and legislation yes uh as you see you should have all received a copy uh in your packet I believe of the uh budget for the men's softball season for 2025 um last year the program ended with a surplus of just slightly over $3,000 so we're looking to whittle that down uh to just uh over 1,800 U but uh to do that we need a uh a new fee going from $65 to $75 you said Surplus or deficit deficit no Surplus we had a surplus of money yeah if you see under the First Column income uh where it says uh other income 2024 balance right that that's a surplus for that program okay and so if now if you look at the uh bottom right where it says balance after expenses it would be projected that after 2025 that would get woodl down from the 3,000 to 1,800 so we want to slowly Whittle it down yeah not do anything too drastic in one year okay that's fine I'm okay with that anybody have any yeah I'm good okay um yes so did you want to let me read about the ordinance yeah I'm going to read it now we're going to vote on it now so we can get knocked so uh introduction first reading ordinance number 24-21 an ordinance changing the fee for the men's softball program within the Township Recreation programs motion to introduce and pass ordinance number 24-21 at first reading by title Drive motion so second roll call councilman cassum yes councilman Sears yes Council bz yes council president yes resolution number 24- 384 authorizing publication of ordinance number 24-21 and scheduling a public hearing do have a move second roll call coun Casio yes Council M yes Council valz yes council president yes thank you thank you foring the next thing on ordinances and legislation parking and storage of boats Boat Trailers commercial recreational vehicles and residential districts followup Mr Mayor I I didn't ask for this I I can speak to that oh very quickly the you may recall the council may recall back in September uh Steve light from Burgess came in uh introduced some uh ordinance amendments to our zoning ordinance those were passed at that time of those discussions the council also asked um uh for some changes and some additions to the zoning ordinance providing for parking and Stor storage of boats trailers Etc Mr Len has prepared draft ordinances I've reviewed those recommended some changes to him and we've settled up and I think we're on a final draft so this should be have something for the next meeting thank you the you have to know how it reads the crooks of it now or like what what we have now and what what their proposal is I don't think we have anything now which what was the point was and the council had requested he put together the draft so we'll have that for okay thank you everyone uh we are Township Council can I continue was there was there a complaint made to them that you know with storage of boats Boat Trailers commercial and recreational I know there's one for commercial one and there's also one for um what you call them like campers and stuff campers of these right but I I'm unsure of the boats and the boat trailers there was something around the lake um with boats oversiz being stormed by the front r or something like that were some compl these are also recommendations based on the reexamination of the master plan all I look into that all right thank thank you resolution number 24- 386 proposed transaction Memorial Field to go into Clos session ambulance shared services in 450 pasak Road the township Council will not be coming out of Clos session do I have a motion to enter into Clos session second all in favor I let's take a five minute break while Ricky shuts off the cameras thank you everyone