oh yeah yeah yeah ready everybody ready okay I call this meeting to order it's the April 8th 2024 meeting of the council it's a business session meeting welcome everybody and um happy solar eclipse day a lot of excitement earlier today I'm sure many people were watching on TV or be watching it um live outside uh roll call gaas here Jers here mandal here Weiss here Whitfield here have we been adequately noticed for yes we were adequately noticed on January 19th 2024 to the times the Princeton packet filed with the clerk and posted in the municipal Township building please rise for the salute to to the flag flag United States jce we have no ceremonial matters this evening so we'll move on to the first public comment if you'd like to make a public comment please state your name address and you'll have up to three minutes is there anyone in the audience who wishes to speak during this public comment if so please go to the mic seeing none okay we'll move on to Administration comments two announcements first DPW is collecting brush and leaves they're finishing up in zone one um they expect to start in zone two by Wednesday morning if you already have uh had leaves and brush collected in zone one please do not put any material out until your next scheduled uh service date um and we ask residents uh to remember to separate the brush um and branches from the leaves um the other announcement is on April 18th which is a Thursday from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. at the Princeton Junction Firehouse 2:45 Clarksville Road in West Windsor there will be a rabies vaccination clinic held by West Windsor Township Health Department uh pre-registration is strongly recommended Walkins are welcome you can go to the township website which is the official source of Township information and you can pre-register um your um animal each animal must be registered separately each pet should be accompanied by an adult all dogs must be on secure leashes no longer than six feet retractable leashes are not permitted cats must be in suitable carriers to prevent Escape purses pillowcases or cat Leches are not allowed uh if you have questions please please reach out to the health department at area code 609 936 8400 those are the announcements for this evening that I have thanks May thanks uh before I go to my written comments one suggestion whoever says these meeting days please check for any eclipses or nc2a finals yeah well I remember watching vinova win at the end I thought Mr Herbert cut the meeting to watch the final I remember watching on phone on Verizon with him when vinova beat so hopefully you will get us out so watch at least the end so um this is my meeting after a long time I took a much needed vacation uh so after the March 7th budget meeting I missed a couple of budget meetings and one budget meeting but at March 7th budget meeting uh when I was outside uh certain comments and misstatements were made regarding the Arts Center lease and funding uh since I missed all the meetings this is my first opportunity to respond to that criticism um it's not my style to hash out disagreements in public however since the comments were made in public for record I will respond in public to just set the record straight um first the procedural and philosophical issues it was suggested by somebody that the Arts Council should be funded by tax Bas it's an independent nonprofit organizations we have a few others which support various causes like that in West Winsor some even other forms of art the township doesn't f any other nonprofit even for a dollar in fact the township doesn't fund even our own committees like human relations Council and I'll talk a little bit more later on that because we have been having discussions on that last two three years as the elected representative how can I justify funding one or the others if I wanted to fully fund a nonprofit organization wouldn't it just make sense to fold it in Township and run it under a rec department when the Arts Council was established the expectation always was that it will be self- sustaining in a few years the taxpayers have supported it over the years and especially through covid even today the taxpayers are essentially funding it fully and I'll go through the through the accounting for that I heard complaints about the proposal le as expensive The Proposal Le ask for $1 rent per month and for the Arts Council to pay their own expenses is that really unfair find me other place which will give you a Dollar rent in the whole which wherever I mean even in Mississippi if you want what it doesn't mention is that in addition to that the Art Council has a yearly fixed income of about1 to $15,000 and I don't know the exact amount from Nasa Park pavilion due to the agreement Township made with the mall owner when it was constructed the township could have chosen the donation to get go to any other organization or to our own rec department but instead we dedicated it to the Arts Council to help themselves sustain thus the between one rent and the generous donation from Nasa Park Pavilion West winster tax Bears have made possible the use of that building absolutely free of cost to the Arts Council is it really fair to criticize the taxpayers as non-supportive in dealing with such policy issues what I put do personally with my wife's money is very different than what I feel comfortable doing with taxpayers money over the years I've openly admitted that I missed the art Gene during birth so I've done everything I can to help the Arts Council on a personal level that includes yearly donation from My Wife and me as well as raising over $40,000 to the mayor's ball I'm therefore baffled by the criticism of administration as not help helping let me address the delay in leas signing and thus approval of the grand project I can univocally say that the delay is due to Arts Council trying to negotiate more generous terms than offered and not due to any delay on part of the administration in fact after my last email I had received an email with other request that I could not agree to when the director texted me this morning I told her that I was waiting for her response as the deal given was the best Township could do I literally received a response this afternoon with a couple of minor changes that we can accommodate the lease is being finalized as I speak and will be sent to them in a day or two for Signature if it's signed it will be on Council agenda at the next meeting and couple of meetings ago I had called her repeatedly to say that if you give me today I'll put it on Council agenda and they didn't meet so they didn't give me the lease and I have the time line if somebody wants to go through it regarding the grand it was in fact the administration that has been pushing the Arts Council with action items for a very long time I have a timeline to establish what actions Administration has taken the responsibility of filling out paperwork and application rest with the Arts Council not the administration even on that front we have tried to help them as best as we could providing them samples of forms and other materials that they requested I believe the criticism on that front of Grant is unfounded too we'll continue to work with them as best as we can both on a personal level as an and as an elected mayor of town and I'll be happy to discuss these issues either in private or public today the budget is going to be introduced once again the budget is zero tax increase this is the fourth out of the fifth five years that the tax increase has been zero so if you find over 5 years I think it comes to 8% or something like that however as I have repeatedly said it doesn't mean we can spend more money because a lot of people say that they want XYZ and they don't mind paying more taxes we have maxed out on spending as well spending as much as the state allows and I do watch spending very carefully at the previous Council I mean Council people who have been on the council will tell you the zero tax increase and increase in Surplus is a result of prth growth policies I've adopted after becoming mayor I'm happy to see a lot of small businesses opening in West Wier and most of them survived covid we are aggressively building our affordable housing obligation much faster than most other towns and as far as I know other than 400 steps Everything Has Broken Ground I'll have more comments and more detailed comments on the budget at the meeting when the budget will be voted on I just want to point out one issue that I've alled alluded to in my previous comments because there's various times the township committees have requested funding for um various projects and we have funded them through the mayor's Budget on a very very selective basis rest of the time I worked with many nonprofit and even Township committees to do them fundraising and including contributing personally so specifically there's no budget allocated to any of the Committees in the budget as it's presented today so thanks thank you mayor Sonia welcome back thank you what you you start S with Council comments All right well I don't have much to say but happy solar eclipse day um in my neighborhood we did a viewing party and uh my kids came back home saying that they had a science went at school and the schools gave um them um solar um safe um like you know the eclip safe glasses for viewing so that was exciting um I do want to bring attention to one resolution that's on the agenda today um resolution 2024 r0 uh 97 um this resolution is in support of of um there are two uh bills in the Senate and assembly Senate Bill 2083 and assembly Bill 1754 um this um the bill the two bills are to provide um income tax relief to volunteer firefighters and First Volunteer First Trade Squad members if the if pass these bills will allow the volunteer firefighters and um volunteer first States Squad members to claim um $2,000 gr um gross income tax exemption under circum certain circumstances um this type of incentive will help in retaining volunteers not only retaining volunteers um in our Volunteer Fire Stations but also um help our community with um providing savings for our taxpayers so I think uh this is something um I had conversations with um both our Volunteer Fire Chiefs and there it was their request that Council take a look at it and um pass a resolution in support of the bill so that I just wanted to bring attention to that um it's not costing us anything to do this right now um it it's a bill we are just in the Senate and assembly I would um highly suggest that we pass that bill in support of our volunteer firefighters in our town um that's one thing that I just wanted to bring attention to um later I know we have um many ordinances um that are being introduced and also our budget we can talk about it then there is one ordinance that I wanted to bring attention to and I think um we can talk about it more if anybody has questions is um just try to look at the ordinance it's the ordinance 20247 it's the engine braking um ordinance uh for trucks um that is something that um the council had received many uh complaints um last year from community members about trucks and one thing um that um um Andrea and I when we investigated we found that it was the breaking of the trucks engine breaking that was making the noise so that is something that's on the agenda that's it thank you and thanks for welcoming me back I'm doing good it's good to see you thank you I'm happy to be back you know um slow in study but all right I'm doing good it's uh tomorrow it would be four weeks for my surgery I'm doing good my physical therapy starts next week so I'm looking really looking forward to that so I can actually start driving and doing things on my own especially moving my my shoulders and shoulders and arms right now now I'm very restricted um but um I'm doing good right well we've been sending prayers your way and good wishes and we're we're happy for your success it's not an easy thing to go through um physically and emotionally but we're here for you thank you so we're proud of all all that you're doing um and also you mentioned 2024 r97 um for our volunteers I I know firsthand being a member of the the fire police with the uh West Windsor Volunteer Fire Company how many calls come in each day they're constantly running but it's the it's the overnight too it's the holidays it's the overnight it's two: in the morning 4 in the morning when they have to go out um so they they are certainly they are very very dedicated and um hardworking uh men and women who who serve our Township um M Mr Herbert since I'm on the fire please do do I need to recuse myself from that I'm not a firefighter but I'm with fire police no you're not a you're not a firefighter no okay all right thanks I I had the same question I'm a wife of a firefighter so should I refuse myself okay all right um Dan U like to extend my um my joy to see you back here in in your seat um I know it's a it's a struggle um but you're clearly um winning that struggle so congratulations and um wishing you much success as you go forward um this weekend I attended the Village Elementary School science fair uh where over 180 students um from the fourth and fifth grades presented close to a 100 projects one exhibit that really struck me was about the mechanics of how a retractable seat belt works and how is it is applied to different seat belt designs um and the student then used this presentation to inform us that many of our school buses do not have shoulder belts uh relying solely on lap bels so was a a great demonstration of how science and Civics are intertwined I also attended the West Windsor Little League opening day event this weekend uh the president of the league was very grateful for the recent work by the recreation department to maintain the fields and Facilities there and she reminded me that the cost to keep the grounds maintained is a lot less expensive compared to the caring fields that are not regularly taken care of so kudos to the rec department um I also had a great conversation with Isa Levy a student at West Windsor Plainsboro High School South who last December submitted an application for the student adviser position in the environmental commission she is a leader at the environmental Club at High School South and volunteers for several environmental related initiatives and clauses including uh Watershed water testing volunteering to plant native species like milkweed and helping to complete the water story for our town she plans to study environmental science in college and I would highly recommend that she is considered to fill the vacancy for the environmental commission student advisor uh and so the last topic uh nothing new to us all but uh a new law has taken effect which overhauls the state's affordable housing system and under the new law the Department of Community Affairs the DCA instead of the courts will be making calculations to determine affordable housing needs the law among many other things protects municipalities from exclusionary zoning lawsuits under certain conditions and creates numerous bonus credits that municipalities can use to reduce their affordable housing obligations the obligation number calculated by the DCA is advisory and with consideration of these calculations West Windsor must determine its present and prospective fair share obligation number this obligation must be adopted through a binding resolution no later than January 31st 2025 and if we do not meet this deadline we lose immunity from Builders remedy litigation so I trust that the administration is working on this very complex program I recognize this is a very lengthy process and will require numerous resources but since the council is ultimately responsible for passing a binding resolution of its fair share obligation I think it's important that we are adequately informed of this critical work I would like to request that the administration consider providing periodic briefings to the council in a mutually agreeable fashion so that we can be successful in meeting that January 31st 2025 deadline with confidence and related to affordable housing calculations uh last week an interesting bill was introduced in at the state the Bill's intent is to exclude environmentally sensitive and flood prone land from designation as vacant or or available for affordable for the purposes of affordable housing construction um with pass this might have actually a very significant impact on West Windsor's fair share housing calculations the bill is a 4145 uh and Senate Bill 3065 and I would like to recommend to council that we take a closer look at this um and consider a resolution stating our support thank you right good well there is a lot of detail um that I know our affordable housing attorneys Township planner Administration has already begun looking into this because it's it's a lot it'll be the biggest thing happening this year just remember till DCA comes up with that number we you were sort of hamstr strong oh yes and it's going to be a while before they come up oh for sure for sure so it'll be hurry well they're required I believe to have that by October so what I want prevent is sort of just being blindsided at the very last minute to say here here's the number and you have to approve it in like two weeks right I think there's there's ways that remember if if you don't they will set a number and certain part of that would be Our obligation we don't agree with that then there has to be a whole another round of of pursuing sure but the first milestone for us and especially it's so important because if we get that finding resolution in by the end of January we will have immunity from these lawsuits or if we contest we have a little bit longer well if it's contested still the challenge doesn't happen in court it happens DC no actually it doesn't it happens at the AOC well which the DCA is administering so no it's separate it's a separate or the point being is that it's the program that makes that decisions it's not under the DCA DCA is over here in the admin side that's the executive branch the judicial branch actually has its now its own bureaucracy to determine all these appeals whether that's constitutional or not that may also be challenged and that's a set of Judges that have either been uh judges that have done uh affordable housing cases or are retired judges that have done affordable housing cases or if none of those are available uh I think there's a third and so so that I mean that's that's a whole um that's a that's a whole set of laws that are that are all part of this whole process right here detail point being is that it's not the traditional model where a developer can go to merer County Superior Court and Su us no but that could occur later on if OCC later uh yeah unfortunately UN based on following this process make sure that involve themselves in the AOC litigate well we look we don't need to get yeah well the council will be engaged and and we are on top of this and the New Jersey League of municipalities did send us um some information on on this which was I don't know whether was like eight pages long of details and dates also gave out a memo to all of our municipalities that has all the deadlines on right I think it's only four pages I tried to yeah I'll be interested to see the land what what land they count because if certain land is already being developed but they go back to a certain date when it wasn't are they counting that but anyway I don't want to get into as we said there's there's going to be interesting um discussions but it's um at least our professionals are beginning you know to work on that so we will we do need updates we will appreciate that from the administration and uh the appropriate time we'll we'll start to um you know talk about that okay uh let's see Andrea um well I want welcome Sonia back and um Sona I think you're you're on the way up now and we look forward to and and if there's a couple of blips along the way we we support you the whole way so no don't worry about it um I want to wish everyone a Happy Passover later this month as we celebrate the attorney Eternal celebration of Freedom uh I'm going to go a little bit into some of the ordinances that are um we are looking at tonight since this isn't the hearing I figured I'd make some comments I assume we're not really going to discuss them for the introductions so I figured I'd make a couple of comments on them now um I hope everyone enjoyed today's Eclipse eclipses are predictable unlike the earthquake we felt later this felt this week the tornado that hit us last year or the pandemic snow storms hurricanes fires power outages and other natural and man-made disasters that have befallen us in recent years setting a municipal budget is a balancing act of providing for what will be needed what will probably be needed and what might be needed West Windsor does this well and I'm proud to see us introduce the 2024 budget tonight it is the result of the hard work work of the mayor Administration staff and counsel thank you to everybody including members of the public Who provided input in different ways one of the primary infrastructure improvements that council's been working on since last year is Road Safety in addition to evaluating and fixing roads pedestrian safety has been made a priority based on our many meetings and discussions with residents I'm happy to say the capital budget includes modification to 2014-14 D the annual crosswalk Improvement program that adds 30,000 as part of a pedestrian Safety project this is on top of the increase that Administration made based on the council input before we received the budget I'm looking forward to seeing the additional improvements as roads are evaluated and projects are undertaken with this money tonight we will also introduce as as Sonia mentioned uh 2024 -07 engine braking prohibited um by the way which um East Windsor has uh has had for some time in response to several complaints received by council members last year across town about about noise from traffic traffic uh councilwoman Sonia gaws and I research prohibiting engine braking in order to avoid the sudden loud noises produced by compression braks this ordinance prohibits their use without sacrificing safety uh thank you to West Windsor resident and retired police officer Mory Murphy for his valuable help in identifying and solving this problem problem and we can probably talk about that a little bit more when the um hearing comes up um after a work session um with the West Windsor landscape architect Dan delber milsky at an earlier council meeting we are also introducing worked with the shade tree Commission on a draft ordinance based on the D model ordinance further discussions with D at council's request based on on the public uh work session discussion clarify the requirements for the removal of dangerous trees for one and two family Residential Properties allowing allowing us to make it more resident friendly this final introduced ordinance version has been simplified for excuse me for typical I had a lot of dental work done today allowing us to make it more resident friendly this final introduced ordinance version has been simplified for typical tree removal by residents due to cause while providing strong oversight for regulated trees that may be required to be replaced thank you to Mr dilky engineering the shade tree commission and the staff for all the work finalizing this looking to Future ordinances I attended the New Jersey future understanding storm water under the new July 2023 Inland flood protection rules webinar ones of several classes and seminars I've attended in anticipation of the upcoming West Windsor Municipal ordinance I look forward to having the time to properly review this ordinance before we'll have to introduce it and in out and about West Winds of the last couple of weeks congratulations to Pasar malam on their official opening in Nassar Park Mall the food samples were delicious I'd like to thank the Village Elementary School for inviting me to their science fair I had a wonderful time with the students discussing their science projects it is a fun and rewarding part of this job and thank you also to the West Windsor little league for inviting me to their open house and I wish them to a successful season thanks thanks hey Martin big night big night tonight sure is connections sure is so I just wanted to um reiterate Council colleagues um welcoming of on your back obviously we've been praying for you um we just want to continue to pray that God will bless and guide and direct you and your family uh it's beautiful to have the starting five right here back again and uh but that's a good segue because I'm going to kind of talk about basketball I just wanted to briefly um you know we talk about Equitable practices and humanity and treating everyone in our community with respect and love and admiration for the work that everyone does I just want you know since it is a basketball evening and last month was uh women's History Month I just say for those who may not be paying attention just wanted to make a a clear note um you know obviously to the fair practices and respect that women deserve uh in this country in this community but as well in this country and uh women's basketball uh for those who may not know I've been very involved in Grassroots Collegian and professional basketball for many years and what women's basketball is doing right now in the last few months um is very equal to you know the Magic Johnson Larry Bird days of the 80s and uh breaking ra ratings and uh TV ratings and things of that nature nil deals for Collegiate women's players are uh some of the top 10 I think four top 10 um women's basketball players are receiving nil which is name image and likeness deals uh it's doing something absolutely incredible for women's basketball and as we you know push for you know equitable practices for all um diversity and and things of that nature I think we should just really really think about how indirectly but directly uh the the the highlight of women's basketball and uh women's empowerment right now going on in this nation through basketball through the sport of basketball will actually be an empowerment and enhancement Enlightenment even to the women and the and the girls and young ladies and our community so I just wanted to make note of that uh what's going on today and hopefully everyone will enjoy uh the men's basketball game tonight um but the the the women's space is is really is really remarkable what's going on right now and that affects many different things people may look at it basketball as just being a singular activity um but when those and those spaces and uh are getting pushed through um in an equitable and Fair Way um that also affects treatment in the businesses treatment in the workplaces uh treatment on college campuses and things that nature so uh even though it may be one small topic of women's basketball girls basketball um but it is very direct um to how we respect Humanity uh in this country in this world so I just wanted to make note of that thank you thank you and having played uh bars basketball in high school uh we've come a long way it it's really changed and it's it's exciting to see the the national TV coverage that they're getting and all the recognition and the you know the stadiums are full of people um so it's an exciting time for for uh women's basketball um this past Saturday uh was the opening opening day ceremony for the West Windsor little league so I was honored to say a few words of encouragement and good luck uh to all the players coaches and families uh the fields were in good shape well manicured and everyone was enthusiastically ready to play ball uh at a ribbon cutting ceremony uh recently Andrea and I welcomed a new restaurant called Pasar malam the Malaysian Cuisine was absolutely uh delicious and there's a lot of flavorful drinks uh Pasar malam is located 635 Nassau Park Boulevard it's near the Home Depot um and please stop by and support our newest restaurant uh as April is 911 dispatchers appreciation month uh we want to thank these First Responders for to for taking the initial calls for police fire and emergency uh um emergency technicians um they have to really listen they have to analyze they have to keep people calm who are calling in and and they you know oftentimes have to give life saving instructions so thanks again um to their horrorism and and service all right uh clerk any comments I do um I want to let everybody know that the Westwinds are Township will once again be holding our Memorial Day parade and ceremony on Monday May 27th 2024 lineup will be at 10:30 at the West Windsor Plainsboro High School South and we will conclude the parade here at the municipal building and have our ceremony uh information is on the township website uh and I encourage everyone who is not signed up for the website to do that we were constantly updating and making Chang each and every week to help better um educate and get the information out to the community okay thank you all right we have a public hearing uh this evening 202 24-6 an ordinance amending and supplementing the code of the township of West Windsor 1999 chapter 4 administration of government to add section 82- 18 police section I concerts festivals outdoor events and carnivals okay if anyone would like to speak at the public hearing uh please come to the microphone and state your name and address and you'll have up to three minutes okay seeing none a roll call vote to close the hearing we need a Motion in a second mot that's what I me you're ahead of yourself yeah motion to close the hearing motion to close the public hearing second gaas yes Mandel yes Weiss yes Whitfield yes Jers yes okay motion approved motion to adopt so moved second gaas yes Mandel yes Weiss yes Whitfield yes G yes yes appr right we'll move on to the uh consent agenda January 16 2024 the inauguration and reorganization as amended January 16 2024 business session as amended February 12th 2024 close session as amended February 26 2024 business session as amended and March 4th 2024 business session is amended bills and claims does anyone need anything uh pulled seeing none a motion to approve the consent agenda so move second gaas yes mandal yes Weiss yes Whitfield yes Jers yes motion approved okay recommendations from the administration and Council clerk 2024 r97 in support of Senate Bill 2083 and assembly Bill 1754 to provide income tax relief to volunteer firefighters and volunteer first aid Squad members 2024 r98 authorizing the mayor and clerk to execute the reimbursement agreement with Avalon watch apartments for solid waste collection costs for 2022 202 4 r99 authorizing the mayor and clerk to execute the reimbursement agreement with various condominium and homeowner associations for refuge and snow removal costs for 2022 2024 r100 authorizing the mayor and clerk to execute the memorandum of understanding with the Mercer area District of the Washington Crossing Council troop voiding Boy Scouts to utilize one Bay of the three car garage located at the skank Farmstead 2024 r101 authorizing the mayor and clerk to execute Amendment one to the fourth renewal of a two-year extension of the memorandum of understanding with the Historic Society of West Windsor 2024 r102 authorizing the business administrator to execute change order number two with cazer Builder Inc for an increase of $ 5,867 51 for the project known as metal roof installation at the skank Farm said project for a total not to exceed of $ 57,8 3126 2024 r103 authorizing the mayor and clerk to execute Amendment one with Robert's engineering for additional survey and engineering design services for the project known as North Post Road Bikeway extension in the amount of 1,00 850 for a total not to exceed of 31,600 and 2024 r104 certifying compliance with the United States equal employment opportunity commission's enforcement guidance on the consideration of arrest and convict conviction records and employment decisions under title seven of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 in accordance with njs 40a 4- five does any council member need any resolutions pulled no okay no pull this yeah do we have to pull that for a separate vote for for the um 2024 r97 or can um say she recuse herself for that yeah it would be a separate separate vote okay so let let's do that first Mike does it matter that we're just sending it's a resolution in support of the legislation it's a fine line I know I think we've done it before on others I think I think you can vote for it Sonia yeah yeah and second call yes Sonia could vote for it because it's it's just you right it's just we're supporting hopefully the legislation moving that forward doesn't cost us anything all right I'm I'm good you're good okay so I then I need my apology misread it earlier on so you're you're good to go okay all right so I'd like a motion um to approve 2024 r97 through 2024 r104 so moved second okay roll call Bas yes Mandel yes Weiss yes Whitfield yes Jers yes motion approved uh introduction of ordinances yes public hearing will be April 29th 2024 motion approved 20248 an ordinance to replace chapter 170 of the revised General ordinances of the township of West Windsor 1999 by modifying Provisions pertaining to tree removal and mitigation due to state of New Jersey storm water pollution prevention regulations a motion to introduce so moved second roll call gaas yes mandal yes Weiss yes Whitfield yes jerse yes public hearing will be April 29th 2024 okay motion approved 202 24-9 an ordinance to amend and supplement chapter 82 fees of the revised General ordinances of the township of West windser 1999 to add section 82- 26 tree removal and replacement motion to introduce salute second daas yes Mandel yes Weiss yes Whitfield yes Jers yes public hearing April 29th 2024 motion approved 2024 d10 ordinance to exceed the municipal budget appropriation limits and to establish a c a cap Bank a motion to introduce so move second gaas yes Mandel yes Weiss yes Whitfield yes Jers yes public hearing for this ordinance will be May 13 2024 motion approved 2024 budget introduction motion to introduce some moved second laas yes Mandel yes Weiss yes yes Whitfield yes Jers yes public hearing May 13 2024 motion approved right this is the uh second period for public comment if you'd like to make public comment please come to the microphone and state your name and address you'll have up to three minutes real quick Uh Kevin appet 135 Conor Road uh chief of West voler Fire Company I just wanted to say thank you for passing the resolution and support of the Senate Bill uh will'll go a long way to provide incentives for the volunteers uh of which we have 61 members at Princeton Junction Volunteer Fire Company and over 100 at West Wier Volunteer Fire Company and I apologize for being a little late we uh just responded to a smoke condition over in Princeton Junction states of Princeton Junction thankfully turned out to be nothing but I would have been here sooner thank you okay thank you we made some comments earlier before you were here so you missed them but thank you positive thank you is there anyone else in the audience who wishes to speak if so please come to the mic seeing none okay we'll move on Council reports uh discussion new business uh Dan have anything uh yes the um the human relations Council met last week they continue to work on the details of the diversity Day program including finalizing the date and location and they're very grateful that there's some funding for their events this year yeah whatever I don't know what F uh yeah um Sonia um Board of Ed meeting is next meeting is tomorrow so um I'll attend that and then they also have another meeting coming up on April 30th where they would be introducing the um budget so that I think would be an important meeting if anybody wants to um take a look at the school districts budget that would be the meeting to go to council does have an opportunity to meet with the um board and the superintendent um the same evening earlier in that um evening before um the Public Presentation so I think everybody should have received um invitations to that um marks and re met um on April 3rd they were very generous enough to bring me in on Zoom so I was able to attend the meeting um after many deliberations over many uh many meetings um Park Andre has decided not to proceed with the bike fest this year um it's because of not enough participation over the years the participation has been going down and down and even the wall teers um to run such a big event has has been um going down um they are investigating to see if there it could be a possibility to do another event in Fall um but as of right now the Memorial Day Weekend bike fest is not happening um the schools I I think they have a four- day weekend now they do have a four day weekend yes I think it's it's tough um like last year I I think there were only like 40 or 50 people participated in that event um so it's a lot of work that goes in there um so I know they tried it a couple times at least once in September they that didn't work yeah that didn't work either so they're they're they're talking about trying to see if they can partner with some other organization or piggy back on some other event in town and like so they don't want to let it go because it's a 20 year tradition I most of the t-shirts yeah I have been in this town for 15 years now and I've known ever since but even getting vendors like I I remember 15 years ago it was a big party oh they had they had uh uh they drew numbers and people want bicycles and all kinds of things the first one was incredible it has over the years um it has um gone down I think in the past 20 years there was only one year that event was canceled was during covid uh 2020 that event did not happen um 2021 we we we we went back for it um but um so they don't want to go let it go as of yet but they're trying to figure out if there's something else that can be done um so they're looking into that um pickle ball courts the two old courts are open and running the two newer ones that were uh constructed late last year um need some repair work so they're waiting to get that done but weather hasn't cooperated with the wet weather and the temperatures up and down I think they need the the weather to be stable for a like you know I think it says a week or 10 days in consecutive days for them to be able to do it that hasn't happened um the uh pool um Norine is staying for the season so initially we we were thinking that Norine may not be here for the season um but right now she's going to stay for the season and work with the transition um for the next season so that's what I have me thank you um I just wanted to wish everybody celebrating um the Hindu community KY pwa ardi L there are many names I grew up with at least 15 names that I can think of because every region has its own name um it's the beginning of harvest season so and also Hindu New Year's which is tomorrow and then on Wednesday is Eid so um Eid Mubarak to everybody who's celebrating Eid thank you schools out on Wednesday schools are off on Wednesday yes for Eid not professional development day correct Martin you have anything uh I don't have any reports uh the next planning board meeting will be uh next Wednesday April 17 right Andre um yeah the environmental commission met on April um I'm sorry I heard the wrong date here the environmental commission um met and um they had a um March 14th had a um review of projects Community Park a garden and Meadows uh little bit on solar um the big thing that's going to happen there is is of course that Dan delb milski is retiring um and so the uh commission right now does do uh certain types of projects so there's going to be some kind of a transition period to see um what how how those projects are going to uh follow through at this point so there will be some form of transition the the team itself is is still there um they're and the next meeting is going to be on April 11th be affordable okay did they talk about the meadow that they were talk working on um you talking about the new Meadow yeah they're talking about that but because um you know with Dan leaving and then one of the other people who was um on the commission that um was going to be spending a lot of time on it he's going to have to back off for a little bit we think so they may be trying to work a little bit more right now on the um pollinator garden and the rain Garden that we have now uh you know look at getting people that are really going to want to maintain those and we may wind up holding off on that Meadow Garden for a little bit they still have the plans it's still in there they want to do it but I don't have a a date or anything yet on that there's no we we were hoping to have a all hands on deck uh volunteer effort but we're pulling back on that for a bit um the um I'm sorry I did I had a major dental work done today so if I sound weird I sound weird um the affordable housing commission met um on April 4th uh we're not sure if they they tend to meet every other month so I'm not sure if they're going to meet uh in May uh we basically had a discussion uh with the attorney um Martina on the new affordable housing law which is pretty much what we've been talking about as far as what the law is for the last few months with uh various changes that have been made along the way um the uh biggest one having been a DCA uh taking the place of uh so Court appoint ments and so now it's going to be a sort of hybrid of DCA and the um um the administrative office of the courts that are going to be administering the whole program and there was um I guess it was pretty much bringing the affordable housing committee up to speed on on uh what what's in that law and there was a little bit of discussion on what the main factors for affordable housing numbers are going to come from uh including uh an income capacity factor of which West Windsor is a very high income area so that will work against us um increases in nonresidential value and the land capacity Factor being the major drivers for what the um numbers uh will be coming out of DCA uh with employment itself not being part of the calculation um and there's some uh question as to how much uh whether or not Builders remedy immunity is actually worse off under this new law um this this law is supposed to simplify but it does have certain um pitfalls in it that if certain dates are not met um and certain openings that will allow um lawsuits to be brought after all um we would have preferred something where Builder's remedy is taken out of of it but um I know Linder and I and amont we we we we did our our main try we we went to um we went to the Senate meetings we wrote letters I think I wrote to every every member of the assembly and the Senate with um been been to all kinds of meetings on it um and the the league was made was able to make some changes I think the DCA one was a was a major major change but we still have some of the pitfalls in there that um uh that could expose expose the um a Township to a Builders remedy type lawsuits um I don't know if Mike you want to throw anything in on that um this is this isn't a meeting on affordable housing um so that that's where we are so the committee was brought up to speed on it and and had a bit of discussion and I told them that um you know I understood that the administration was working on the numbers and putting together various plans um and and that that's that's currently being done thanks good Danel thank you for that report uh Happy New Year to all of our Hindu friends and ID mabar the shade tree commission will hold its annual Arbor Day celebration on Saturday April 20th at the Ron Rogers Arbor redum at 9:30 if it rains the ceremony will be moved inside to the uh West Windsor Senior Center this this year's theme for the students art um artwork competition is a family of trees so the artwork uh of the winners will be on display as it usually is each year and the Township's recycling coordinator and the environmental commission will be present uh to give handouts and answer any questions along with um other invited groups so with that uh any further Administration updates seeing none uh any for a closed session mayor okay yeah there's some discussion about F housing uh the new law is better than what was proposed in December uh the big changes all the Mayors were asking for reinstatement of Coach uh they didn't do that but DC is another name for Coach s of I mean it's better than not doing anything and they did they did make some changes uh velia Jackson did reach out to me did have a zoom meeting with her she has promised to uh there's going to be some amendments made in future to the law and if uh I find something she has agreed to work with me to make that possible but this is better than the atrocious process in round three which was essentially random number pulling out of the Hat I hope DCA comes up with a better number uh the administration is working on the numbers is looking at all our options but I'm not ready to discuss then in public uh at this point um uh I don't think we will disclose any number before the DCA gives the number uh that doesn't make any sense to me so we will wait and see we will keep Council updated along the process but this is still uh too too early in the process to talk in public so you will get upd as as we go along good thank you mayor so um if there's no other comments then we need a motion to adjourn so move there second second okay all in favor say I iOS all right this meeting is adjourned thank you everyone thank you it's good time to go watch G