[00:00:01]
WE'RE GOOD.[I. PUBLIC MEETINGS STATEMENT]
GOOD EVENING.WELCOME TO THE MEDFORD TOWNSHIP COUNCIL MEETING.
NOTICE OF THIS MEETING HAS BEEN PROVIDED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS ACT BY POSTING A COPY OF THE AGENDA ON THE BULLETIN BOARD OF THE MUNICIPAL BUILDING AND ON THE TOWNSHIP WEBSITE, FILING A COPY OF THE AGENDA IN THE OFFICE OF THE TOWNSHIP CLERK AT THE MUNICIPAL BUILDING, FORWARDING A COPY OF THE AGENDA TO THE BURLINGTON COUNTY TIMES, AND THE CENTRAL RECORD FORWARDING WRITTEN NOTICE TO EACH PERSON WHO HAS REQUESTED COPIES OF THE REGULAR MEETING SCHEDULE.
ALL OF THE ABOVE POSTING, FILING, AND MAILING HAVE TAKEN PLACE ON THE 12TH DAY OF DECEMBER, 2024.
[II. FLAG SALUTE]
PLEASE BRIE AND JOIN ME IN THE FLAG SALUTE, I THINK IN FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.[III. ROLL CALL]
PLEASE? MR. CIZIK? HERE.WE HAVE NO, UH, SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS THIS EVENING, BUT OUR NEXT THING
[IV. Communications, Scheduling Matters, Council Agenda, Presentations and Any Amendments to the Agenda ]
ON OUR AGENDA IS COMMUNICATIONS.IS THERE ANYONE THAT HAS ANYTHING THEY'D LIKE TO SHARE? I HAVE TWO.
I'D LIKE TO THANK THE CHIEF AND HIS STAFF FOR THE OPERATIONS CENTER EVENT THAT HAPPENED THIS WEEKEND, SATURDAY.
UM, GREAT EVENT FOR THE COMMUNITY AND ALL INVOLVED.
UM, AND THEN ALSO, I DUNNO IF YOU WANNA TAKE THIS ONE, BUT THE VILLAGE TOWN HALL MEETING WAS LAST NIGHT.
SO WE, WE DID HAVE A TOWN HALL LAST NIGHT AND WE GOT A LOT OF GREAT FEEDBACK AND SUGGESTIONS.
AND WE ARE GONNA GO BACK TO THE MANAGER AND COUNCIL WITH WHAT WE CAME BACK WITH AND, UM, DISCUSS IT.
WE HAVE TO GET OUR NOTES TOGETHER AND EVERYTHING STILL.
SO THIS WAS REGARDING PARKING, CORRECT? PARKING ON MAIN STREET? YES.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO THANK THE MEDFORD MAIN STREET MERCHANTS FOR PUTTING ON SUCH A FABULOUS DICKENS FESTIVAL THIS YEAR.
UM, I ALSO WANNA REMIND EVERYONE THAT OUR LAST FOOD TRUCK EVENT IS THIS THURSDAY, SO WE WON'T RESUME UNTIL SOMETIME IN 2025.
NEXT WE HAVE OUR, ANY, ANY OTHER COMMENTS BY ANY COUNCIL MEMBERS? YEAH, JUST ONE STAFF HAS ITS CHRISTMAS LUNCHEON THIS WEEK.
HAD A CHANCE TO, UH, EAT LUNCH WITH THE STAFF, WHICH IS GREAT.
SO THANK YOU TO THE STAFF AND CONTINUING.
NEXT, UM, WE HAVE OUR SCHEDULING ITEMS. OUR NEXT MEETING WILL BE JANUARY 7TH, 2025.
THIS WILL BE OUR REORGANIZATION MEETING AND REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING AT THE PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING AT SIX 30.
THIS IS JUST A REMINDER THAT MOVING FORWARD IN 2025, OUR MEETINGS, OUR COUNCIL MEETINGS WILL BE, UM, BEGINNING AT 6:30 PM NEXT WE HAVE THE APPROVAL
[V. APPROVAL OF MINUTES ]
OF THE MINUTES.HAS EVERYONE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE DECEMBER 3RD, 2024 COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES DECEMBER 3RD, 2024, EXECUTIVE SESSION MINUTES AND DECEMBER 3RD, 2024, EXECUTIVE MINUTES FOR PUBLIC RELEASE? ANY CHANGES NECESSARY? ANYTHING? OKAY.
CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES? SO MOVE SECOND.
[VII. PUBLIC COMMENTS]
OKAY.I'D LIKE TO OPEN UP THE MEETING TO THE PUBLIC.
IF THERE'S ANYONE HERE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK WITH COUNSEL, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND, COME UP TO THE MICROPHONE WHEN YOU'RE CALLED UPON, AND FEEL FREE TO SPEAK TO US.
YOU DO HAVE FIVE MINUTES TO SPEAK WITH US.
UM, WE WILL NOT INTERRUPT YOU AND AFTER YOU ARE FINISHED, WE WILL TRY TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION OR SOLVE YOUR PROBLEM.
ANYONE INTERESTED? COME ON UP, SIR.
BRING THIS CHAIR SO I CAN SURE.
UH, WE'RE ACTUALLY TRYING TO COME BACK HERE.
MY WIFE AND I CAUGHT, UH, JUST PURCHASED A PROPERTY ON 22 MILL STREET, UH, ACTUALLY THIS JULY.
UM, ANYBODY THAT'S GONE BY, UH, MILL STREET'S, PROBABLY NOT THE NICEST STREET IN THE, IN THE WORLD.
AND THE, THIS PROPERTY 22 WAS DEFINITELY AN EYE STORE.
UM, WE WENT, I GUESS WITH ONE EYE OPEN, ONE EYES CLOSED, BUT WE KNOW THAT WE COULD REHAB.
UH, THE MAIN ISSUE, THE MAIN PROBLEM I HAVE IS, UM, IT IS ZONE.
UM, I'VE, I'VE HIT A BRICK WALL WITH PLANNING WHERE I'M NOT GETTING ANY RESPONSES AS WELL DURING MY INVESTIGATION.
THIS IS A MUCH LARGER ISSUE AND THAT HAS ALSO BEEN BROUGHT UP AT THE COUNCIL HERE BACK IN 2017
[00:05:01]
AND 18.AND NOTHING SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN DONE BY IT.
SO THAT'S IN A NUTSHELL, AND OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A PERSONAL SIDE TO IT.
SO, UM, THIS IS MY PROPERTY HERE AND IS, UM, PPE FOR ANYBODY THAT DOES KNOW WHAT THAT STANDS FOR, IT'S PUBLIC PARKS AND EDUCATION.
THE RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY ON IT.
UM, DURING THE, UM, INITIAL PART OF THE RE UH, OUR RENOVATION, UH, WENT THROUGH THE ZONING PROCESS WITH AMBEL APPROVED FOR, TO REMOVE THE SMALL ADDITION, REPLACED WITH A LARGER ADDITION, GOT THE DEMO PERMIT DEMOED, THE PER THE, UH, THE, UH, UM, THE ADDITION, UH, DURING THE DIGGING OF THE FOOTINGS, THE BACK FOUNDATION WALL OF THE ORIGINAL STRUCTURE CAVED IN, WHICH CAUSED US TO SAY UHOH.
LOOKING AT THE, WHAT OTHER PANDORA'S BOX WE OPENED UP IN THE ORIGINAL STRUCTURE AS FAR AS THE, AND THE EXPENSE AND TIME TO REDO THE FOUNDATION.
WE SAID LET'S BUILD A NEW HOUSE.
OKAY, A NICER HOUSE BRAND BACK TO ZNO, BACK TO ANN.
AND THAT'S WHEN ANN TOLD ME, BY THE WAY, YOUR ZONE PPE, WHICH IS PUBLIC PARKS AND EDUCATION.
AND FIRST QUESTION IS, ANN, HOW CAN THAT BE? I HAVE A, UH, THE HOUSE IS ON THIS, THIS HOUSE HAS BEEN ON THIS PROPERTY SINCE 1858.
HOW IS ITS OWN PPE? THE RESPONSE I GOT WAS, I DON'T KNOW, I'LL HAVE TO GO LOOK INTO IT.
WHICH UNDERSTANDABLE, SHE WASN'T HERE.
SHE'D ONLY BEEN HERE LIKE THREE YEARS AS FAR AS I KNOW.
SO I SAID, OKAY, I'LL LOOK INTO IT TOO.
THE TOWNSHIP WEBSITE, 2017, MASTER PLAN REORGANIZATION REPORT AND PPE ZONING DISTRICT BEAUTIFUL REPORT.
WHY, WHAT WAS THE CAUSE OF THIS? AND YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY I LOOKED INTO IT, IT KIND OF TALKS ABOUT WHAT I'M, WHAT MY ISSUE IS.
IT WAS BROUGHT UP AT THE TOWNSHIP COUNCIL IN AUGUST OF 2016, DISCUSSED IN SEPTEMBER, 2016, AND THE SPECIAL PRESENTATION IN 2017 BY THE PLANNER AT THE TIME, DISCUSSING THE ISSUES WITH THIS.
OKAY? SO THEN, UM, OBVIOUSLY SOMEWHERE AROUND THERE, THERE WAS SOME INSTRUCTION TO PREPARE A REPORT, WHICH WAS DONE BY, UH, OUR PLANNER AND, UM, WHOEVER ELSE.
LOVELY REPORT, UM, IN IT, YOU KNOW, IT WAS MORE THAN THAT.
THAT IS NOT JUST THE PPE, THAT IS MORE, BUT AS FAR AS THE PPE IS CONCERNED AND MORE ABOUT MY, MY CONCERNED, THEY FOUND THAT THERE'S FOUR DIFFERENT TYPES OF PARCELS THAT ARE ZONE PPE THAT SHOULD NOT BE PUBLIC BUILDING PARKS, EDUCATION.
THEY FOUND CHURCHES, THEY'RE NOT PUBLIC CEMETERIES, OF COURSE, I KNOW THEY'RE NOT PUBLIC.
THEY'RE CONNECTED TO THE CHURCH CANS AND PRIVATE PARCELS, OF WHICH OBVIOUSLY MINE IS ONE.
THEY SPECIFICALLY TALKED ABOUT THESE TWO, TWO PRIVATE PARCELS.
WELL, THEY SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED THREE PRIVATE PARCELS THAT ARE, UM, ZONE PPE, THAT SHOULDN'T BE.
UM, THE SENIOR COMMUNITY SENIOR BUILDING BACK HERE, THAT'S PRIVATE.
IT'S OWN PPE, THE SINGER BUILDING RIGHT OVER HERE.
THEY REFERENCE 62 BRANCH AND 66 BRANCH ARE PRIVATELY OWNED RESIDENTIAL LOTS RIGHT ON BRANCH STREET.
THEY'RE IN A BLOCK THAT'S CONNECTED TO A CEMETERY AND THEN IN CHURCH.
SO THAT'S THE MAIN REFERENCE THAT THEY'RE TALKING TO.
UM, WHAT ELSE I FOUND WAS THIS, THIS REPORT LOOKS LIKE IT COSTS $14,000.
NOW TODAY, 62 66 BRANCH CEMETERY CHURCH.
STILL ZONE PPE, NOTHING WAS DONE ABOUT THAT.
I LOOKED INTO, UM, THE FIRST THREE OR FOUR CHURCHES THAT ARE LISTED.
HOW WAS THAT? SO OBVIOUSLY NOTHING WAS DONE ABOUT IT THERE.
I DON'T KNOW WHY THE RECOMMENDATIONS WERE IN THERE IN THAT REPORT.
THE, THE, THE AT THIS LEVEL, WHICH WOULD HAVE TO BE DONE THIS BY TOWNSHIP ORDINANCE, OKAY.
AND ANY OF THESE PPE BOTS THAT ARE NOT PUBLIC PARK OR EDUCATION SHOULD BE REZONED.
I'M HOPING I'M NOT TWO ELEMENTARY.
I DON'T KNOW HOW FAMILIAR YOU GUYS ARE.
[00:10:01]
THESE ARE, IS BETWEEN, UM, MILL AND MAINE, ALL RESIDENTIAL? IT SHOULD BE.THE HOUSE IS COMING UP, INCLUDING IN THE APARTMENT BUILDING FROM MAINE RESIDENTIAL.
THESE FIRST FIVE HOUSES HERE FROM BONNIE FIELD.
SINGLE, SINGLE, SINGLE, SINGLE DOUBLE RESIDENTIAL.
THIS GREEN FLAG LOT, THAT'S A TOWNSHIP OWNED LOT GREEN AS IT SHOULD BE.
ANYBODY WANNA GUESS WHAT THIS WHY IS ONE HOUSE OWNED RESIDENTIAL OR ONE LOT, THIS IS IT.
TOWNSHIP OWNED HISTORIC LOT ZONED RESIDENTIAL.
AND THE TWO HOUSES ON EITHER SIDE ARE ZONED PPE.
NEEDLESS SAY I'VE, I'VE HIT A BRICK WALL 'CAUSE I'VE GONE THROUGH ZONING, GOT THE PLANNING, SENT EMAILS, GOT CONNECTED TO THE TOWNSHIP PLANNER AND TOWNSHIP ATTORNEY.
NOT EVEN, HEY, I'LL GET BACK TO YOU.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? IT'S OUTTA MY HANDS.
YOU KNOW WHAT THE, THE SETBACKS FOR A RESIDENTIAL OR 15 15 15 PPE.
I'M, I'D BE, I'M NOT GOT A THIRD OF AN ACRE.
I'D BE LUCKY IF I COULD PUT A DOUBLE WIRE ON IT.
AND I, WHETHER I COULD EVEN DO IT, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? SO THAT MEANS IT'S UP TO ME TO GO THROUGH.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANY, YOU HAD TO GO THROUGH THE BULK ZONING VARIANCE PROCESS.
SEVEN COPIES, THIS'S, 15 COPIES OF THIS, THIS AND THAT, AND THAT.
UH, ANOTHER THIS'S AN EDUCATIONAL PART OF THE THING.
IF YOU KNOCK DOWN A HOUSE 50 YEARS OR OLDER IN THE TOWN OF MEDFORD AND WANT TO BUILD ANOTHER ONE, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO GO TO PINELAND THE PINE OUR FAVORITE.
SO, BUT THAT IS A, THAT IS A PINE LANDS COMMISSION REGULATION.
WE FORCED TO HAVE IT UNDERSTAND.
NO, IT'S JUST A WHOLE NOTHER, WASN'T SOMETHING WE CAME UP WITH, JUST SO, OH, I'M, I'M WELL AWARE OF THE PINES.
I GREW UP IN THE WHOLE AREA HERE FOR YEARS.
UM, SO I GUESS I GOT TWO QUESTIONS AND I KNOW THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE ANSWERED NOW, BUT ONE, WHY WAS NOTHING DONE BACK THEN AND NONE OF YOU, I'M SORRY, NONE OF YOU FOLKS WERE ON THE COUNCIL OR EVEN EMPLOYED HERE AT THAT POINT IN TIME.
WHY WAS NOTHING DONE EVEN THOUGH IT WAS DISCUSSED? DISCUSSED, DISCUSSED, REPORT CREATED, SPENT MONEY.
UNLESS THERE ARE SOME THAT I DIDN'T FIND AND I WASN'T GONNA FIND EVERY PROPERTY THEY WERE LISTED ON THERE.
BUT ON A MORE PERSONAL EXTENT, WHY IS IT ON, THERE'S A BURDEN ON THE TAXPAYER TO GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS HERE AND THE EXPENSE TIME AGGRAVATION.
UM, OBVIOUSLY TIME AND AGGRAVATION, THAT S**T IS ALREADY SAILED.
BUT EXPENSE TO DO A, TO GET A BOLD ZONING VARIANCE ON A CLEAR AND OBVIOUS MISTAKE THAT WAS POINTED OUT YEARS AGO.
I, I I, I MEAN, I KNOW, I KNOW I'M NOT GONNA GET ANSWERS NOW, BUT I, I HAD TO GIVE IT OUT SOMEWHERE BECAUSE I'M, GO AHEAD.
I'M SO SORRY FOR INTERRUPTING.
UH, I THINK I'M, I THINK I'M DONE.
UM, I APPRECIATE ALL THE INFORMATION.
UM, JUST SO I CAN UNDERSTAND IT, ARE YOU, YOU, YOU FEEL YOU NEED THE VARIANCE BECAUSE YOUR SETBACKS ARE BASED OFF OF THE PPE ZONING? NOT THE RESIDENTIAL.
BUT I DON'T THINK, I DON'T THINK WHAT PPP ZONING NOW PROBABLY THE USE, THEY WILL NOT ALLOW ME TO BUILD ON THERE.
I THINK, I THINK DANIEL'S PROBABLY GOT SOME BACKGROUND.
IF I COULD COUNSEL, UH, THIS DID COME TO MY ATTENTION MAYBE TWO WEEKS AGO.
AT MOST, UM, WE ARE, WE HAVE BEEN DOING OUR OWN RESEARCH.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR RESEARCH AS WELL.
AND IT APPEARS THAT SOMEHOW IN THE, IN BETWEEN THE MASTER PLAN IN 1980S AND A MASTER PLAN UPDATE IN THE 1990S, SOME OF THESE RESIDENTIAL LOTS WITH ACTUAL HOMES ON IT WERE SOMEHOW SHIFTED INTO THIS PPE ZONE AND WE DON'T KNOW WHY.
SO I DID INSTRUCT ANN BELL TO, UM, TO CONFER WITH BOTH THE TOWNSHIP PLANNER, TOWNSHIP ENGINEER AND TO START THE PROCESS TO SEE WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO TRY TO CORRECT THE MAP.
'CAUSE IF WE CORRECT THE MAP, THAT WILL AT LEAST ALLEVIATE THE NEED TO GO TO THE ZONING BOARD.
UNLESS HE NEEDS OTHER KIND OF BULK RELIEF DEPENDING ON WHAT HE, HE WANTS, FINE.
BUT YEAH, THIS CAME TO MY ATTENTION A COUPLE WEEKS AGO AND NOBODY ON STAFF HAS THE HISTORICAL KNOWLEDGE.
BUT WE DID OUR RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT IT APPEARS SOMETIME IN THE,
[00:15:01]
IN THE 1990S, I WAS UNAWARE OF THIS REPORT THAT YOU HAVE.SO I WILL GO BACK AND, UH, RESEARCH IT.
I WAS TOWN CHIEF ATTORNEY THEN.
I DON'T REMEMBER SEEING THE REPORT.
I I DON'T REMEMBER REVIEWING IT OR TALKING ABOUT IT AND INCLUDING THE NO, NO, I, I MEAN I JUST DON'T REMEMBER DISCUSSING IT OR HAVING A PROBLEM.
IF THE HOMEWORK'S BEEN DONE, IT MIGHT HELP US PROCESS.
JUST, JUST SO WE'RE CLEAR, IF THERE'S A MISTAKE, THE PROCESS WOULD BE TO, YOU KNOW, GO THROUGH THE, THE, IT'S GONNA TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME, BUT IT WOULD BE TO CORRECT THE ZONING, IT WOULD BE THE ZONING ORDINANCE AMENDMENT, UM, HAD TO BE REFERRED TO THE PLANNING BOARD THEN IT NOT FOR YOU, FOR US, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE REFERRED TO THE PLANNING BOARD.
COME BACK TO US, UM, BY ORDINANCE AND WE CORRECT THE ZONING.
IT WOULD ALSO, ONCE WE INTRODUCE, WE'D SEND IT TO THE PINELANDS COMMISSION FOR THEIR, THEIR REVIEW.
I'M SORRY, I'M JUST GONNA SAY THERE'S ALSO A PINE LANDS COMMISSION STEPPED HERE BECAUSE THE PARCEL IS IN THE PINE LANDS.
UM, AND THE 50 YEAR, UM, ISSUE, IF YOU'RE GONNA DEMOLISH THE HOUSE, IT WILL REQUIRE PINE LANDS APPROVAL.
SO, WELL, NO, I ACTUALLY, I'VE GOTTEN APPROVAL FROM THEM NOW I'M AWAITING IT AGAIN FROM THE TOWNSHIP TO GET THE LETTER TO THEM.
THE CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS THEY NEED.
SO I MEAN, THERE IS A PROCESS HERE.
I I, WE WILL, WE'LL BE HAPPY TO LOOK INTO IT AND, AND, AND PROCESS IT IF IT'S A MISTAKE.
SO BASICALLY WHAT I'M HEARING IS I MIGHT AS WELL GO AHEAD AND GO WITH THE AGGRAVATION AND WHATEVER.
'CAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS IS GONNA TAKE A LONG TIME.
I MEAN, IT'S, IT, WHEN I SAY A LONG TIME, IT, IT REQUIRES MEETINGS, UM, TWO COUNCIL MEETINGS TO APPROVE AN ORDINANCE.
UM, AND THE PLANNING BOARD IN BETWEEN.
BUT WE CAN TIME IT SO THAT YOU'RE NOT LOSING ANY TIME IN BETWEEN THOSE TWO MEETINGS.
UH, AND IT'S JUST THE PROCESS OF ADOPTING AN ORDINANCE WITH A PLANNING BOARD, UH, REVIEW, UH, LIKE ANY ZONING ORDINANCE.
UM, SO WE CAN, WE, WE CAN DO IT.
DO YOU THINK IT WOULD BE LIKE 30 TO 45 DAYS OR MORE? LIKE 30? IT DEPENDS WHEN WE START THE PROCESS, UM, WE GOTTA GET A REPORT FROM THE PLANNER.
WE GOTTA GET A, UH, UH, AN ORDINANCE DRAFTED AND REFERRED TO THE PLAN BOARD.
IT'S GONNA TAKE SOME TIME, BUT IT'S NOT GONNA TAKE MONTHS, YOU KNOW, OR YEARS.
UM, BECAUSE APPARENTLY IT'S NOT JUST THIS GENTLEMAN'S PROPERTY.
APPARENTLY OTHER PROPERTIES IT NEED TO BE CORRECTED HEADACHES FOR OTHER PEOPLE IN THE FUTURE.
IT'S NOT REALLY GONNA HELP ME BECAUSE I, THIS STARTED SEPTEMBER 6TH, MY BIRTHDAY WHEN IT ALL CAVED IN.
AND THIS IS AS FAR AS I'VE GOTTEN.
SO MAYBE I SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN HERE EARLIER, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW EVERYTHING.
SO CAN I ASK A QUESTION AND DON'T TAKE THIS THE WRONG WAY.
DID YOU LOOK INTO THE ZONING WHEN YOU BOUGHT THE PROPERTY? NO, I, I'M REALISTIC.
NOW THE NEIGHBOR, HE BOUGHT THE HOUSE.
HE SAYS, YEAH, HE KNOWS WHO WAS PPE
I WENT DOWN TO TWO HOUSES THERE, TALKED TO HIM.
HE GOES, I DUNNO WHAT'S PP? BUT HE HASN'T EXISTING.
AND HE GOES, I DON'T REALLY CARE.
BUT HE HAS AN EXISTING HOUSE, RIGHT? YEAH, EXISTING HOUSE.
IT'S NOT NECESSARILY A HOUSE RIGHT NOW, IT'S, BUT I MEAN, HE'S, HE DOESN'T CARE'S.
FAIRLY SAFE WITH THE BACK, BUT HE SHOULD BE CORRECTED ANYWAY.
IF HE'S OWN PPE AND HE'S GOT A HOUSE, HE SHOULD BE CORRECTED.
THE ONLY PROBLEM HE WOULD HAVE IF HE WANTS HOUSE DOWN AND BUY ANOTHER ONE, SELL.
WELL, IF HE WENT, HE SELLS OR SELL.
WHEN SOMEBODY LOOKED INTO IT, WHOA, WHOA, WHOA.
I'M NOT GONNA DO ANYTHING TO IT.
SO IT'S NOT, I MEAN, NOT UNUSUAL.
THESE THINGS HAPPEN AND AND WE CAN, WE CAN CORRECT IT.
SO WE NEED, WE NEED A ORDINANCE.
WE NEED TWO MEETINGS FOR THE ORDINANCE.
AND IN BETWEEN WE NEED PLANNING.
IF, IF THE MEETINGS FALL, SINCE THERE'S A PLANNING BOARD MEETING BETWEEN THE TWO READINGS, WE COULD DO IT OKAY.
I BELIEVE AND I BELIEVE WE USUALLY CAN.
WELL IF, IF THE PLANNING BOARD WORKS AS FAST AS THEY'RE WORKING RIGHT NOW, AND I'LL HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF FAITH.
WELL, RESPECTFULLY, WE, I MEAN WE, WE DO GUYS, WE DO THIS ALL THE TIME.
IT'S, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT ANYTHING UNUSUAL.
I, I CAN'T PUT ANY PRESSURE ON HIM.
OBVIOUSLY SOMEBODY'S GOTTA DO WELL THAT'S WHAT WE'LL DO.
WE, WE, YOU KNOW, WE, WE'LL TRY TO HELP YOU.
I MEAN THAT'S, I MEAN, WE, WE WANT TO WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR.
JUST CURIOUS WHY YOU, YOU STARTED THE TWO WEEKS AGO, SO, BUT OKAY, THAT'S FINE.
MR. MOODY, YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF THINGS TO RESPOND TO IN EACH TWO WEEKS.
SO MR. MOODY, IF YOU'D LIKE TO GIVE, UM, OUR TOWNSHIP MANAGER, MR. HOEL, YOUR CELL NUMBER BEFORE YOU LEAVE A CONTACT PHONE NUMBER, SIR, AND THEN HE CAN DO SOME FOLLOW UP WITH YOU.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WISHES TO SPEAK TO THE PUBLIC? SORRY, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
LISTEN, I WANNA HELP YOU COME TO THE MICROPHONE.
SEVEN EIGHT ONE SEVEN EIGHT SIX.
UM, RECENTLY WENT THROUGH DOING A PLANNING FOR A DECK THAT I HAD TO PUT ON MY, UH, THAT I WANTED TO PUT ON MY HOUSE AND CAN ATTEST TO THE HARDSHIP THAT CITIZENS HAVE TO GO THROUGH IN TRYING TO GET THAT, UH, APPROVED.
THE CONSTANT TRIPS TO THE OFFICE,
[00:20:01]
THE CONSTANT COPIES.OH, I BROUGHT IN WHAT YOU ASKED FOR.
IT'D BE REALLY GREAT IF, YOU KNOW, AS, AS THE MANAGER COMING IN, YOU CAN KIND OF GET THEM A LITTLE BIT MORE EFFICIENT IN THEIR PROCESSING.
I DON'T THINK IT'S ALWAYS JUST THE BOARD.
I THINK IT'S ACTUALLY THE OFFICE AS WELL AND JUST THE PROCESSES THAT YOU HAVE US GO THROUGH.
THERE'S GOTTA BE BETTER WAYS TO PUT THAT THROUGH.
BUT THAT'S NOT WHY I STAND UP TODAY.
I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF LEND THAT I'VE SEEN HIM WALKING BY, UM, AND AS A FELLOW VILLAGE RESIDENT WHO SEEMS TO HAVE HAD A PROPERTY THAT HAS FALLEN INTO THAT KIND OF BROAD BRUSH REZONING THAT HAS OCCURRED, THAT SEEMS TO HAVE CAUGHT HIM UP.
YOU KNOW, I LIVE IN A COMMERCIAL, A HISTORIC COMMERCIAL ZONE IN A RESIDENTIAL USE PROPERTY.
AND SO EVERYTHING THAT I WANT TO DO IS ALSO GOVERNED BY THE COMMERCIAL, HISTORIC, NOT AS A RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY.
AND THERE ARE OTHER PROPERTIES THAT ARE LIKE THAT THROUGHOUT THE VILLAGE THAT ARE REGISTERED AS RESIDENTIAL USE, BUT ARE SUBJECT TO COMMERCIAL, UH, HISTORIC COMMERCIAL ZONING LAWS.
AND I THINK THAT WE RUN INTO THE SAME TYPES OF ISSUES WHEN THE USE IS NONCONFORMING TO THE ZONE AND WE'RE THEN SUBJECT TO THOSE ZONING LAWS.
UM, AND I WOULD LOVE TO SEE, NOT THAT I WANNA HOLD ANYTHING UP FOR MR. MOODY, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE HIM HAVE HIS STUFF ADDRESSED, BUT IT'D BE GREAT IF IT COULD BE A MORE COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THERE ARE OTHER, UH, NEIGHBORS THAT I HAVE THAT EITHER ARE NOT DOING WORK ON THEIR HOUSE BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO DEAL WITH IT, AND THE EXTRA EXPENSE AND THE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN, UH, EITHER ATTORNEY'S FEES TO GO THROUGH THE VARIANCE PROCESS AND THE VARIANCE FEE ITSELF.
OR THEY ARE FRUSTRATED WITH HOW LONG IT'S TAKEN THEM TO DO PREVIOUS WORK ON THEIR HOUSE.
SO I WOULD, I WOULD ENCOURAGE A MORE HOLISTIC APPROACH FOR, FOR THAT TYPE OF REVIEW.
UM, BUT REALLY WHAT I WANTED TO STEP UP HERE AND SAY IS, UM, THANK YOU TO MIKE AND BETHANY FOR THE TOWN HALL LAST NIGHT.
UM, IT FELT GREAT TO ACTUALLY HAVE RESIDENTS BE HEARD IN A PUBLIC SETTING WHERE WE'RE NOT RESTRICTED BY A FIVE MINUTE CLOCK WHERE WE MAY OR MAY NOT GET A RESPONSE.
UM, IT WAS GOOD TO HEAR BACK AND FORTH AND COMMUNAL CONVERSATION ABOUT ISSUES THAT ARE AFFECTING OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, NOT JUST FROM THE PEOPLE WITHIN IT, BUT FROM THE PEOPLE THAT VISIT.
UM, IT WAS, IT WAS GOOD TO BE HEARD.
UM, MY CONCERN WITH SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT ARE THE LENGTH, THE SHEER LENGTH OF TIME IT'S GOING TO TAKE TO ENACT SOME OF THESE THINGS.
AND THE FACT THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT IT NOW INSTEAD OF SIX MONTHS AGO INSTEAD OF 12 MONTHS AGO, INSTEAD OF 18 MONTHS AGO WHEN WE WERE FACED WITH WHAT WE KNEW WAS GOING TO BE A GIANT INFLUX AND WHEN WE ALREADY HAD PARKING ISSUES AND THE OTHER MYRIAD PROBLEMS THAT RESIDENTS REPORTED IN THAT MEETING, JUST LIKE WITH WHAT WE HEARD ABOUT WITH THIS REPORT THAT WAS JUST NOT ACTED UPON FOR SOUNDS LIKE 10 YEARS, SEVEN, EIGHT YEARS, MAYBE SEVEN YEARS.
HOW LONG IS IT GOING TO TAKE FOR SOME OF THESE THINGS? YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT PAINTING LINES ON THE ROADS COORDINATING WITH THE COUNTY.
HOW LONG IS THAT GOING TO TAKE? AND AGAIN, IF HISTORY IS GOING TO BE OUR EXEMPLAR, IT'S GOING TO TAKE A REALLY LONG TIME AND I'M JUST KIND OF STANDING UP ON PUBLIC RECORD AND SAYING, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO COME UP HERE AND BOTHER YOU.
FIND PEOPLE ABOUT THIS BECAUSE YOU NEED TO ACT FASTER ON IT.
AND EXCUSES THAT, OH, IT'S A COUNTY ROAD WE'VE GOTTA COORDINATE.
WHEN WE CAME TO YOU 18 MONTHS AGO, THAT WAS A, THAT WAS A BIG PART OF THE CONVERSATION AND I HOPE THAT THAT COMES THROUGH IN THE NOTES, WAS THE ABSOLUTE FRUSTRATION OF RESIDENTS ON HOW SLOW THIS COUNCIL HAS BEEN TO MOVE ON.
I KNOW YOU JUST JOINED SO IT'S NOT YOU, BUT ON HOW SLOW THE TOWN HAS BEEN TO MOVE ON ANY OF THIS.
YOU KNOW, WE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THE PROCESS IS WHEN WE WERE ASKING YESTERDAY TO ACTUALLY GET THAT, UM, TO GET THOSE PAYMENTS.
IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY'VE JUST BEEN LOOKED INTO WHEN I KNOW I'VE BEEN UP HERE AND I KNOW OTHER PEOPLE HAVE CONTACTED THE TOWN AND HAVE COME UP HERE ABOUT THESE ISSUES AND IT'S JUST BEING LOOKED INTO NOW.
SO, UM, AGAIN, UP HERE SCOLDING ABOUT THE TIME THAT IT TAKES, BUT ALSO WANTING TO TAKE A MOMENT TO JUST EXPRESS APPRECIATION FOR ACTUALLY BEING HEARD IN A SETTING WHERE WE CAN HAVE A CONVERSATION.
I'M KIND OF APPALLED THAT OUR TWO JUNIOR MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL ARE THE ONES THAT HAVE TO DO THIS AND WOULD ASK OUR MORE SENIOR TENURED MEMBERS TO STEP IT UP A LITTLE BIT.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE COUNCIL SCENE? NONE.
CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT? SO MOVED.
[VIII. MANAGER’S REPORT]
WE DO HAVE OUR MANAGER'S REPORT.MR. HORNICK, I THANK YOU AND UH, ZACH, I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS TOO.
[00:25:01]
IF I COULD JUST, JUST ADDRESS ONE THING.UM, THINGS CAN MOVE ONCE THAT ROAD GETS REPAVED.
SO, UH, I, I APPRECIATE COUNSEL PUSHING ME ON THIS AS WELL AND YOU KNOW, I WANT TO GET THINGS DONE AS WELL TO TRY TO GET AHEAD OF AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
UNDERSTANDING WE MAY BE A LITTLE BIT LATER ON YOUR TIMELINE.
UM, I JUST WANNA TELL COUNSEL I HAD THE PLEASURE OF DRIVING OVER TO THE COLONY CLUB TONIGHT, UH, WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS MILK AND, AND
UM, ALSO BEFORE I GET TO MY ONE MANAGER'S REPORT ITEM, UH, TEMPLE UNIVERSITY HAS A, UH, STUDY GOING ON FOR WELL WATER AND THEY'RE LOOKING FOR RESIDENTS WHO HAVE YOUNGER CHILDREN, UM, WHO ARE FOUR AND UNDER OR UNDER FOUR THAT MAY BE, UH, INTERESTED IN GETTING FREE UV WATER TREATMENT EQUIPMENT AT THEIR HOUSE IN EXCHANGE FOR ALLOWING THEM TO DO TEMPLE UNIVERSITY TO DO SOME SAMPLING.
SO I'LL TRY TO GET THIS POSTED ON THE WEBSITE, BUT, UM, THE U UV WATER TREATMENT DEVICES IS WORTH ABOUT A THOUSAND DOLLARS, THE COST OF ACQUIRING AN INSTALLATION.
AND, UH, TEMPLE HAS A, I GUESS A GRANT THAT THEY'RE DOING THIS IN COMBINATION WITH WHAM WHAM LAB, UM, TO TRY TO, YOU KNOW, IDENTIFY CHALLENGES IN DRINKING WATER, UH, FOR POTABLE WELLS.
SO I'LL SEE IF I CAN GET THAT POSTED FOR MY MANAGER'S.
DANIEL, I'M SORRY, IS THAT JUST FOR WELL WATER? JUST FOR WELL WATER.
YEAH, JUST FOR WELL WATER PRIVATE.
WELL, YEAH, PRIVATE, PRIVATE WELLS.
UM, UH, IT'S, IT'S, UM, MY PLEASURE TO ASK COUNSEL FOR APPROVAL ON, UH, STATION CHIEF 2 52 SON JOHN GULICK, WHO IS, UH, WANTS TO BE OUR NEW JUNIOR, UH, FIREFIGHTER, VOLUNTEER MEMBER.
UH, IT'S ALWAYS NEAT TO SEE A, A, YOU KNOW, FAMILY MEMBER, PARTICULARLY A PARENT AND CHILD COMBINATION.
SO, UH, I THINK THIS ONE'S AN EASY LIFT FOR COUNSEL.
AND I WOULD SUBMIT THAT FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
IT'S SO EXCITING TO SEE SO MANY VOLUNTEERS THIS PAST YEAR MM-HMM
IT, IT REALLY SAYS A LOT ABOUT THESE INDIVIDUALS.
DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT THIS? YES.
CAN I HAVE A VOICE? VOTE TO APPROVE JOHN FOR NEW JUNIOR FIREFIGHTER.
ALL, ALL IN AGREEMENT SAY A AYE.
UM, NEXT WE HAVE THE BILL LIST.
[X. BILL LIST]
HAS EVERYONE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE BILL LIST FROM THE DECEMBER 11TH, 2024? IF THERE AREN'T ANY QUESTIONS, CAN I HAVE A MOTION FOR ACCEPTANCE? SO MOVED.WE, WE HAVE NO NEW INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCES THIS, THIS EVENING, BUT ORDINANCES FOR SECOND
[XII. ORDINANCES FOR SECOND READING/PUBLIC HEARING(S)]
READING, PUBLIC HEARINGS.ORDINANCE NUMBER 1 20 24 DASH 16.
ALRIGHT, I MOVE THAT WE ADOPT ON SECOND READING ORDINANCE 2024 DASH 16, ESTABLISHING CALENDAR YEAR 2025, SALARY AND RANGE AND WAGE RANGES FOR CERTAIN EMPLOYEES OF THE TOWNSHIP OF MEDFORD.
UM, IF I COULD, CAN WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON IT FIRST? OH, SORRY, I DO WE NEED TO HAVE A, A MOTION TO OPEN PUBLIC HEARING.
FIRST THING WOULD BE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ORDINANCE FOR A SECOND.
ANYBODY COMMENT BY THE COUNCIL? THEN WE OPEN UP A PUBLIC HEARING.
ALL IN FAVOR? NO, NO, WE'RE NOT VOTING YET.
I HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING.
NOW WE OPEN THE MEETING TO THE PUBLIC.
IT'S A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS ORDINANCE, WHICH IS A SALARY AND WAGE ORDINANCE.
DANIEL CAN ENLIGHTEN YOU ON THAT.
YEAH, IT'S JUST, UH, THE, THE ANNUAL SALARY AND WAGE ORDINANCE THAT WE DO FOR, UH, EMPLOYEES.
WE LIKE TO HAVE IT LINED UP FOR THE NEW YEAR.
JUST UPDATED A FEW OF THE STEPS, RIGHT? YEAH.
I'D LIKE TO OPEN THIS UP TO THE PUBLIC.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE THAT WISHES TO SPEAK TO COUNSEL REGARDING THIS ORDINANCE 2024 DASH 16? SEEING NONE.
WOULD SOMEONE LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC PORTION? SO MOVED.
ANY OPPOSED? OKAY, NOW ACTION ON THE ORDINANCE.
NOW YOU WANT APPROVAL ON THE ORDINANCE? YES.
[00:30:01]
AND NOW WE WOULD LIKE A ROLL CALL VOTE.ORDINANCE 20 24 17 AMENDING THE TOWNSHIP CODE TO ADD A NEW CHAPTER FIVE DASH 31.9 TO CREATE THE MUNICIPAL ALLIANCE GROUP.
I I MOVE THAT WE ADOPT ON SECOND READING ORDINANCE 2024 DASH 17 AMENDING THE TOWNSHIP CODE TO ADD A NEW CHAPTER FIVE DASH THREE 1.9 TO CREATE THE MUNICIPAL ALLIANCE GROUP.
NOW YOU SECOND TIM, JUST KEEP 'EM COMING.
SO THIS IS AN ORDINANCE THAT CREATES THE MUNICIPAL ALLIANCE GROUP TO, UH, ASSIST THE MANAGER, UH, IN, IN, UH, ALLOCATING THE FUNDS FROM THE OPIOID SETTLEMENT AND WHATEVER OTHER SETTLEMENTS DOWN IN ROAD WE ENTER INTO IT'S A CITIZEN ADVISORY BOARD.
AND NOW, UH, WE HAVE TO OPEN UP TO THE PUBLIC ON THE ORDINANCE.
I'D LIKE TO OPEN UP THIS ORDINANCE TO THE PUBLIC ORDINANCE 2024 DASH 17.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO COUNSEL REGARDING THIS ORDINANCE? SEEING NONE.
CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO CLOSE PUBLIC PORTION? SO SECOND, PLEASE VOTE.
OKAY, NOW ACTION ON THE ORDINANCE.
RIGHT NOW WE'D LIKE TO ADOPT THIS ORDINANCE 2024 DASH 17 AND I WOULD LIKE A ROLL CALL THOUGH PLEASE MR. CIZ.
[XIII. CONSENT AGENDA RESOLUTIONS]
NOW GONNA GO TO CONSENT.AGENDA RESOLUTIONS RESOLUTION 2 0 2 DASH 2024 AUTHORIZING THE AWARD OF A CONTRACT TO RIVERFRONT RECYCLING AND AGGREGATE LLC IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,354,500 FOR ELIMINATION OF THE GULF VIEW PUMP STATION AND EXTENSION OF THE HEMLINE ROAD, SANITARY SEWER MAINE FOR THE MEDFORD TOWNSHIP SEWER UTILITY RESOLUTION 2229 DASH 2024 SUPPORTING AMENDMENT OF FAIR HOUSING ACT FHA AS PROPOSED BY THE NEW JERSEY INSTITUTE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT ATTORNEYS N-J-I-L-G-A RESOLUTION TWO THREE DASH 2024 ESTABLISHING MEETING DATES FOR 2025 RESOLUTION 2 31 DASH 2024 AUTHORIZING THE TOWNSHIP OF MEDFORD TO ACCEPT A SUB-GRANT AWARD OF THE FEDERAL FISCAL YEAR 2024 OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERFORMANCE GRANT AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY ASSISTANCE RESOLUTION 2 32 DASH 2024 AUTHORIZING A ONE YEAR CONTRACT EXTENSION WITH VIR HEALTH INCORPORATED FOR MEDFORD FIRE AND EMS TRANSPORTATION, BILLING AND RELATED SERVICES RESOLUTION 2 33 DASH 2024 AUTHORIZING CANCELLATION AND REFUND OF 2024.
PROPERTY TAXES ON PROPERTY OWNED BY A QUALIFYING TOTALLY DISABLED VETERAN RESOLUTION 2 34 DASH 2024 AMENDING THE 2024 YEAR MUNICIPAL BUDGET BY THE INSERTION OF A SPECIAL ITEM OF REVENUE AND APPROPRIATION FROM THE MEDFORD BUSINESS ASSOCIATION.
ART, WINE AND MUSIC FESTIVAL RESOLUTION 2 35 DASH 2024 AUTHORIZING CONTRACTS WITH CERTAIN APPROVED STATE CONTRACT VENDORS FOR CONTRACTING UNITS PURSUANT TO NJS A 40 A 11 DASH 12 A RESOLUTION 2 36 DASH 2024 APPROVING 2024 APPROPRIATION TRANSFERS RESOLUTION 2 37 DASH 2024 CANCELING OUTSTANDING CHECKS.
CAN I HAVE A ROLL CALL FOR APPROVAL OF THE AFOREMENTIONED RESOLUTIONS? MOTION? WE NEED A MOTION.
DEPUTY MAYOR SECONDS? AYE, WE HAVE NO OTHER RESOLUTIONS FOR THIS EVENING.
UM, IS THERE A NEED FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION RESOLUTION ES 12 17 20 24? NO NEED.
IF NO NEED, UM, COUNSEL, WE'D LIKE TO WISH ALL RESIDENTS, UM, HAPPY AND PEACEFUL HOLIDAYS.
AND NEXT WE WILL GO FOR A MOTION TO ADJOURN