[I. PUBLIC MEETINGS STATEMENT]
[00:00:06]
I CALLED ORDER THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE TOWNSHIP OF MEDFORD TOWN COUNCIL FOR JANUARY 21ST, 2025.
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 AT 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 HAS TAKEN PLACE, HAVE TAKEN PLACE ON THE 17TH DAY OF JANUARY, 2025.
[ II. FLAG SALUTE ]
THE BLACK PLEASURE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE.[ III. ROLL CALL]
PLEASE.[IV. Communications, Scheduling Matters, Council Agenda, Presentations and Any Amendments to the Agenda ]
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS FOR TODAY.DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY COMMUNICATIONS? I HAVE.
UM, THE CONCLUSION OF LAST COUNCIL MEETING.
WE APPROVED A MAIN STREET SUBCOMMITTEE, UM, TO DEAL WITH PARKING, OTHER ISSUES THAT HAD COME UP IN THE TOWN HALL.
WE'RE GONNA FORM A, EXCUSE ME FOR THE VERBIAGE HERE, BUT A SUBCOMMITTEE CHARTER TO DELEGATE INDIVIDUALS FROM THE COMMUNITY, PUBLIC WORKS, POLICE, FIRE, AND ALL DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE CAN ALL COME TOGETHER AND WE'LL HAVE REPRESENTATION FROM ALL THOSE GROUPS.
SO, UM, WE HAVE TO HAVE SOME INFORMATION COMING OUT LATER THIS WEEK.
EVERYBODY BE CAREFUL TO SPEAK CLOSER TO YOUR MIC SO THE PUBLIC CAN HEAR YOU.
IT'S, THEY'RE VERY HARD TO HEAR ANY OTHER COMMUNICATIONS.
ALRIGHT, SEEING NONE, SCHEDULING ITEMS. FEBRUARY 4TH, 2025 IS THE NEXT SCHEDULED REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING AT THE PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING AT 6:30 PM FEBRUARY 18TH.
AND THAT IS THE SECOND SCHEDULED REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING AT THE PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING AGAIN AT 6:30 PM SO, MOVING ON TO THE
[V. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
APPROVAL OF MINUTES.WE HAVE JANUARY 7TH, 2025, COUNCIL REORGANIZATION AND REGULAR MEETING MINUTES.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, OR CORRECTIONS TO THE MINUTES? ALRIGHT, HEARING NONE.
CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES? SO MOVED.
OPPOSED? THE MINUTES ARE APPROVED.
SO WE HAVE BEEN INFORMED OF A RISING LEVEL OF CONCERN, WHICH MAY BE WHY SO MANY PEOPLE ARE HERE THIS EVENING REGARDING THE POTENTIAL FOR CANNABIS FARMING HERE IN MEDFORD.
AND SO, PRIOR TO OUR TIME OF PUBLIC COMMENT, WE FELT IT WOULD BE INFORMATIVE TO, TO DISCUSS THIS AS A COUNCIL.
SO WE WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT TOPIC FOR DISCUSSION TONIGHT.
WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND THE AGENDA TO ADD A DISCUSSION ABOUT CANNABIS FARMING TONIGHT? SO, MOVED.
OPPOSED? ALRIGHT, THE MOTION CARRIES.
MR. PRIME, COULD YOU EXPLAIN OUR CURRENT ORDINANCE FOR CANNABIS? UH, Y YES, MAYOR AND, AND COUNCIL.
AS I INDICATED, I THINK AT THE LAST MEETING, UH, WHEN THE CANNABIS REGULATORY ACT WAS, UH, ENACTED, UH, AFTER, AFTER VOTER APPROVAL BY THE, UH, VOTERS IN THE STATE, UH, THE ACT PROVIDED FOR AN OPTION TO MUNICIPALITIES, ALL MUNICIPALITIES IN THE STATE TO EITHER ALLOW CERTAIN OR ALL OF THE LICENSES THAT THE STATUTE ALLOWED A LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO HAVE OR TO ISSUE OR TO OPT OUT OF THE CANNABIS, UH, USES AND NOT PERMIT THEM INTO MUNICIPALITY.
THERE WAS A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME WHEN THE TOWNSHIP HAD TO MAKE THAT DECISION.
UH, THE TOWNSHIP COUNCIL AT THE TIME, UH, DECIDED NOT TO ALLOW CANNABIS USES IN THE MUNICIPALITY.
THE TOWNSHIP ADOPTED THE, UH, REQUIRED ORDINANCE, FILED IT WITH THE STATE, UH, AND THAT IS THE CURRENT STATE OF THE CANNABIS REGULATION IN TOWN.
THE CANNABIS LICENSES INCLUDE RETAIL LICENSES FOR THE RETAIL SALE, SALE, CANNABIS.
THEY ALSO INCLUDE MANUFACTURER AND CULTIVATION.
UH, AT THE TIME, THE TOWNSHIP COUNCIL FELT THERE WERE TOO MANY UNANSWERED ISSUES CONCERNING, UH, THE CANNABIS USES.
UH, THERE WERE, IN PARTICULAR, THERE WERE CONCERNS ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF CULTIVATION.
UH, THERE WERE ACTUALLY THE, UH, CANNABIS, UH, CULTIVATION'S, NOT A FARM.
IT'S, IT'S, IT'S WITHIN BUILDINGS.
IT'S GOT ELECTRIC NEEDS, WATER NEEDS, THAT KIND OF THING.
[00:05:01]
THE TIME WAS TO NOT ALLOW ANY OF THE USES IN THE MUNICIPALITY, AND THAT IS THE CURRENT STATE OF THE ORDINANCE TODAY.SO, UH, FOR US AS COUNCIL, WE HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THIS PUBLICLY.
UH, I, I WAS ONE OF THE, THERE WERE, THERE WERE THREE OF US, UH, MS. SIMONS, MYSELF, AND COUNCILMAN WATSON, WHO ISN'T HERE THIS EVENING, UH, WHO WERE PRESENT ON COUNCIL WHEN WE VOTED FOR THIS, THE VOTE WAS FIVE ZERO.
UH, COUNCILWOMAN, LAUREN COCHEN, COUNCILMAN FRANK, CHECK WERE THE OTHER TWO.
UH, AND, AND SO JUST MOVING FORWARD, I, I JUST WANNA ESTABLISH MY CONTINUING POSITION THAT THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD BE INTERESTED, THAT I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN MOVING FORWARD WITH HERE IN MEDFORD FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS, ENVIRONMENTAL, UH, AND ALSO WAREHOUSE ISSUES.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S MY POSITION.
ANYONE LEFT TO, WELL, I WILL SPEAK IF THAT'S OKAY, ERIC, PLEASE.
I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF CHANGING THE ORDINANCE.
I WANNA KEEP IT IN PLACE AS IT IS.
IT IS NOT A COMMERCIAL ZONE OR A FARM ZONE.
UM, MANY DEVELOPMENTS ARE ADJACENT TO THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY, UM, THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, THE EFFECTS OF PERMITTING.
THIS WOULD CAUSE HARM TO OUR RESIDENTS IN MANY WAYS.
ODORS, TRAFFIC OF TRUCKS, SECURITY, I COULD GO ON AND ON WITH THE LIST.
THIS LOCATION IS ALSO LOCATED WITHIN A RADIUS OF A DAYCARE CENTER, A SCHOOL, AND MANY OF THE LAKES.
I'M A LOCAL REAL ESTATE AGENT.
WHEN I'M SELLING A PROPERTY, I ALWAYS SUGGEST TO MY CLIENT TO DO YOUR DUE DILIGENCE FOR ANYTHING THAT COULD AFFECT THE PROPERTY.
AND IT COULD BE HAZARDOUS WASTE, IT COULD BE A COMMERCIAL BUILDING.
IT'S ALWAYS BEST TO, TO INVESTIGATE THAT.
AND I JUST FEEL THAT SOMETHING LIKE THIS IN THE TOWN WOULD DEFINITELY CREATE A PROBLEM WITH RESALE, UH, VALUES.
THIS PROPERTY IN QUESTION IS SURE NEXT TO SHERWOOD FOREST, OAKWOOD BIRCHWOOD WOOD LAKE, AND MY PARTICULAR DEVELOPMENT OF CRANBERRY LAKES.
WE ALSO HAVE A TREE ORDINANCE IN PINE LAND REGULATIONS.
AND THAT IS NOT SU, THE LOCATION IS NOT SUITABLE, AND I AM AGAINST ANY CHANGING OF THAT ORDINANCE AT ALL.
UM, SO MY STANCE IS THAT THIS LAW IS IN ITS INFANCY.
UM, A GROVE FACILITY IS NOT A FARM.
IT'S, IT IS A WAREHOUSE, AS MR. PRIME SAID.
UM, IT WOULD NEED TO HAVE SECURITY, I BELIEVE, AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, THAT, UM, WE'VE DONE A DECENT DRIVE JOB TO TRY TO KEEP OUR TOWN IN ITS CHARACTER.
IF WE ALLOW THIS, UM, WE'RE GONNA PUT A WAREHOUSE, THEN WHEN, WHEN WOULD IT STOP? UM, FOR US AS COUNCIL, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE BROADER PICTURE AND WHAT THIS ENTAILS.
UM, THERE'S SO MANY MORE IMPLICATIONS, UM, AND CONCERNS THAT, THAT I CERTAINLY HAVE.
UM, NOWHERE AROUND US DO THEY EVEN ALLOW IT IN RE RESIDENTIAL ZONES.
UM, THIS HAS ONLY BEEN, I THINK, AROUND FOR THREE YEARS OR SO, RIGHT? IS THAT RIGHT, TIM? YEAH.
UM, SO I WANNA KEEP OUR FARMLANDS AS FARMLANDS, AND THAT IS MY POSITION.
AND, UM, I WOULD SECOND ALL THE OPINIONS OF COUNSEL.
IT'S, UM, IT'S A, A USE THAT WE DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE APPROVED.
AND I THINK THERE'S MANY OTHER USES THAT WE DON'T HAVE APPROVED THAT WE WOULDN'T CONSIDER.
ALSO, I DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE ANYTHING AGAINST THE PRODUCT OR ITS MEDICINAL USE.
I JUST DON'T FEEL AS THOUGH IT FITS WITHIN THE CHARACTER OF MEDFORD.
UM, THE SAME WAY AN AMAZON WAREHOUSE WOULDN'T FIT INTO OUR TOWN OR A LARGE DEPARTMENT STORE, AND THAT WAS BEING DISCUSSED ALONG ROUTE 70.
THAT'S JUST NOT THE TOWN THAT WE BOUGHT INTO.
SO I DON'T AGREE WITH CHANGING THE ORDINANCE.
JUST SO WE'RE CLEAR, UM, THERE WAS, THIS WAS PRECIPITATED BY A REQUEST RELATIVE TO A SPECIFIC PIECE OF PROPERTY, HOWEVER, THE COUNCIL'S DECISION IS NOT BASED ON A SPECIFIC PARCEL, IT'S BASED ON AN OVERALL EVALUATION OF THE CANNABIS USES AND THEIR, AND, AND THEIR SUITABILITY FOR THE TOWNSHIP.
THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT.
ALRIGHT, ANY OTHER COMMENTS? THANK YOU.
[VII. PUBLIC COMMENTS]
NOW OPEN IT UP TO, UH, FOR PUBLIC COMMENT FOR A REGULAR MEETING, AND WE WOULD ASK THAT GENERAL, UH, DECORUM IS EXHIBITED, AND SO BE KIND TO EACH OTHER AND TO YOUR NEIGHBORS.WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THIS, MANY VETERANS LOST THEIR LIVES TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE FREE SPEECH AND HONORING EACH OTHER AS A WAY TO HONOR THEM.
AND PLEASE NOTE THAT WE ALSO DO HAVE ON RECORD ORDINANCE 3 20 20, UH, 20, EXCUSE ME, ORDINANCE THREE DASH 2020, WHICH CALLS FOR ALL PARTICIPANTS TO ENGAGE IN PROPER CONDUCT
[00:10:01]
AND TO AVOID DISTURBING THE PIECE OF A MEETING.AND SO THIS PORTION OF A MEETING IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO, UH, CO TO COMMENT PUBLICLY.
THIS IS NOT A TIME OF PUBLIC DEBATE.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND AND YOU'LL BE CALLED TO THE MICROPHONE.
AND PLEASE CLEARLY STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
AND AGAIN, ANY COMMENTS WILL BE LIMITED TO FIVE MINUTES PER SPEAKER.
MR. HORNICK, WILL, COULD YOU PLEASE PROVIDE JUST A, A TIMER FOR THAT AND, AND PERHAPS GIVE US A 32ND WARNING AS WE MOVE ABOUT.
SO, IS THERE ANYONE WHO'D LIKE TO SPEAK, PLEASE? ABSOLUTELY.
I'M NOT GONNA TALK ABOUT THAT SUBJECT.
LISTEN, UM, I'M HERE FOR ONE REASON.
YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE.
UM, I TAUGHT AT SHAWNEE HIGH SCHOOL FOR MANY YEARS, AND, UH, I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT IN MEDFORD SINCE 76.
BUT MY FATHER BOUGHT A, A WAREHOUSE RIGHT NEAR MERIT'S GAS STATION IN 1970.
LISTEN, I'M HERE FOR ONE REASON.
EVERYONE KNOWS I'M A DEMOCRAT, AND I'M SO FAR TO THE LEFT THAT EVERY TIME I TURN TO MY CAR, I CRINGE WHEN I PUT THE RIGHT TURN SIGNAL ON.
BUT THERE'S A MAN WHO SAT THERE AND HE SAT THERE BEFORE.
AND I'M NOT GOING TO GET INVOLVED IN YOUR INTERNAL POLITIC.
I LOOK AT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HE AND I WITH THE HELP OF SOME OF THE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM HAVE ACCOMPLISHED.
WE HAVE A MEMORIAL FOR DR STILL.
WE HAVE MEMORIALS FOR MEN WHO FOUGHT IN EVERY WAR IN THE 20TH CENTURY.
AND WITH THE HELP OF THESE GENTLEMEN, WE NOW HAVE A MEMORIAL FOR ALL FIRST RESPONDERS.
I WANT TO CLEAR THE AIR EVEN THOUGH HE'S ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE, OF THE POLITICAL AISLE THAT I AM, THAT WE BOTH HAD THE BETTERMENT OF MEDFORD IN OUR EYES, AND WE WERE OVER TO OVERCOME THESE POLITICAL DIFFERENCES TO MOVE FORWARD.
I URGE AND HOPE THAT I CAN HAVE A CONTINUED OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO WITH THIS COUNCIL, BUT I ALSO URGE YOU TO RESPECT AND ADMIRE EVERYTHING THAT WE WERE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH.
PLEASE, SIR, WHO HERE? MY NAME IS
I'M A MAHA RESIDENT AND COUNTY OF TON OF LEE JERSEY.
FIRST I'D LIKE TO SAY HI FROM MY FRIENDS, I'VE KNOWN FROM HIM FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
SECOND IS I WANT GIVE THANKS TO, UH, JACQUE FROSTING OF MEDFORD, UH, NANCY GREEN RANKING.
UH, I CAN SAY THE INDIAN NAME, UH,
SHE'S, UH, THE HEAD LEADER TO THE DEMOCRAT, UH, ME CASE, THE ADMINISTRATION.
UM, MY NAME IS, I JUST CAME HERE TO SEE, TO SEE MY FRIENDS.
I CAN FIND THAT MY, UH, I'M GENEROUS NOT JUST TO LEARN TO RECORD EVERY TIME MEETING FROM
UH, THEREFORE, THAT FOUR YEARS AGO I DID THAT.
THAT COMPLETELY CHANGED FROM FOUR YEARS AGO.
I USED TO COME WITH A KIND OF FREE HOLDER.
IT USED TO BECOME HERE ONCE IN A BLUE MOON.
MOVE JUST TO ABOUT THREE QUESTIONS.
FIRST QUESTION IS, DO YOU KNOW, UM, THE STATUS OF THE FUTURE OF THE
DO WE KNOW THE STATUS OF THE BUR THE BURGER KING BUILDING? NO.
WHAT'S THE, WHAT'S THE FUTURE FOR THAT PROPERTY? WE, WE DON'T AT THIS, AT THIS POINT.
IT, YOU KNOW, IT'S A FRANCHISE.
SO WE, WE DON'T KNOW, UM, UNTIL SOMEBODY TRIES TO REACTIVATE IT OR USE IT, WE WON'T KNOW ABOUT IT.
WELL, AND HOW FAR IS THE STREET APPRO FROM HERE? ACROSS THE STREET? RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET.
AND LIKE I SAID, I WOULD LOVE COMING HERE, JUST HOW YOU KNOW.
I LEARNED, I USED TO BE A CANDIDATE FOR A COUNTY HOLDER.
I USED TO BE A CANDIDATE FOR MY HEART.
AND I WAS, YOU KNOW, TAKING ME AS A, AS THE GUEST AND ONE LAST CALL.
DO YOU HAVE THE SAME PROGRAM AS
[00:15:01]
IN MEDFORD? NO.NO, WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT AN URBAN ENTERPRISE ZONE.
I MEAN, THERE IS A GROUP PROGRAM.
YOU COULD, YOU KNOW, THE MESSAGE.
THEY HAVE ONE A UE PERMIT THAT WOULD'VE HELP THE TOWN ITSELF.
WELL, MEDFORD WOULDN'T QUALIFY FOR THAT.
WHY? BECAUSE THERE'S REGULATIONS ABOUT WHAT YOU, WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HAVE A REDUCED SALES TAX IN THOSE AREAS.
YOU, YOU, YOU KNOW, TRY TO GET ONE.
IT DID SAVE A LOT OF, SAVE A LOT OF MONEY FROM THE SHIP.
I'M LIVING PROVE ROOM AND THANK YOU, UH, HAVING AS A GUEST.
I LIVE AT 49 NORTH MAIN STREET.
I LIVE NEXT TO A BREWERY, UM, FOR THE LAST TWO AND A HALF YEARS.
THE REASON FOR MY COMING HERE IS AGAIN, TO PLEA FOR THE NOISE ORDINANCE TO BE LOWERED.
RIGHT NOW THE NOISE ORDINANCE IS AT 65 DECIMALS.
I LIVE 24 POINT 24 FEET AND SIX INCHES EXACTLY FROM A BREWERY.
SO WHAT'S HAPPENING IS THAT WHEN THEY PLAY MUSIC, THE MUSIC IS IN OUR HOME, ALL, ALL IN OUR HOME, IN OUR BATHROOM, IN OUR BEDROOM, YOU NAME IT, LIVE ROOM.
UM, IT'S JUST FULLY IN OUR HOME.
AND I'M PLEADING TO SEE IF WE CAN GET THE NOISE ORDINANCE LOWERED, AT LEAST FOR RESIDENTIALS THAT LIVE SO CLOSE TO A BREWERY OR ESTABLISHMENT THAT HAS LIVE MUSIC OR MUSIC AT ALL.
WE HAVE TRIED NUMEROUS TIMES TO HAVE THE OWNER, UM, TO HELP AND SEE WHAT HE CAN DO.
UM, HE DID PUT SOME SOUND, A LITTLE BIT OF SOME SOUND.
UM, I GUESS LIKE, UH, CRATES HE PUT SAYS ON THE CEILING TO SEE IF IT WOULD REFLECT THE SOUND AND NOT COME SO MUCH INTO OUR HOME.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY, WITH THE STRUCTURE OF THE BUILDING THAT'S VERY OLD, IT STILL COMES INTO OUR HOUSE.
UM, SO BASICALLY LIKE I'M SAYING IS THAT WE'RE JUST HOPING MAYBE WE CAN GET THE NOISE ORDINANCE TO BE LOWERED, ESPECIALLY FOR RESIDENTIALS THAT LIVES FOR XX AMOUNT OF FEET FROM ESTABLISHMENT LIKE THIS.
UM, THE OWNER KEEPS TELLING ME THAT HE'S IN HIS RIGHT, WHICH HE IS.
65 DECIBELS IS RIGHT AND IT IS HIS RIGHT.
BUT FOR PEOPLE WHO DO LIVE THERE AS RESIDENTIAL, IT, IT'S UNFORTUNATE, BUT IT'S VERY HARD TO, UM, LIVE YOUR LIFE WHEN YOU HAVE MUSIC CONSTANTLY COMING INTO YOUR HOME, ESPECIALLY AT ALL HOURS, YOU KNOW, UP TO 10 O'CLOCK AT NIGHT, AND THEN IT GOES DOWN TO A DIFFERENT, UM, NOISE ORDINANCE.
BUT IT'S STILL VERY LOUD, RIGHT? UM, I MYSELF, I MEAN, I LIKE TO GO HOME TO A QUIET HOME.
AND UNFORTUNATELY WHEN BREWERIES CAME INTO THE TOWN, ESPECIALLY LIVING NEXT TO RESIDENTIAL, THEY DIDN'T CONSIDER THE PEOPLE THAT LIVED THERE.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE ALSO HAVE FUNERAL HOMES THAT ARE NEAR THESE ESTABLISHMENTS.
WE ALSO HAVE A, A NEW BREWERY THAT'S COMING THAT'S ACROSS THE STREET FROM FUNERAL NEXT TO A DENTAL RESIDENTIAL THAT LIVE UP THERE.
SO IT'S NOT JUST MYSELF THAT'S GONNA BE AFFECTED BY THESE BREWERIES AND THE NOISE ORDINANCE.
SO I'M HOPING THAT WE CAN BE HEARD AS RESIDENTIAL AND SOMEBODY PLEASE HELP US GET THIS NOISE ORDINANCE LOWERED DOWN SO WE CAN LIVE IN OUR HOMES PEACEFULLY.
FIELD JUSTICE, FIELD JUSTICE, 100 JACKSON ROAD.
UM, I HAVE A PREPARED SPEECH, BUT I FEEL LIKE IT'S APPROPRIATE TO FIRST ADDRESS THE COUNCIL AND SOME OF THE CONCERNS OF THE COUNCIL.
UM, I'D LIKE TO START BY STATING THAT MANY OF THE OBJECTIONS THAT WERE REPRESENTED WERE BASED SPECIFICALLY ON AND AROUND ZONING.
WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THAT ZONING IS DIFFERENT THAN AN ORDINANCE.
THIS ORDINANCE IS HOLISTIC TO THE TOWNSHIP OF MEDFORD AND SHOULD NOT BE DISCUSSED AT AN INDIVIDUAL ZONING LEVEL THAT WOULD BE INAPPROPRIATE AT THIS TIME.
WE NEED TO DECIDE HOLISTICALLY IF THIS IS GOOD FOR US AND NOT BE AS OUR DECISION SPECIFICALLY ON THE ZONING OF MY PROPERTY.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, IT WAS ALSO CALLED INTO QUESTION THAT CANNABIS IS NOT A FARMING ACTIVITY.
THERE ARE COMMITTEES AND AGRICULTURAL COMMITTEES SPECIFIC TO NEW JERSEY THAT CLASSIFIES CANNABIS AS AN ARCHITECT.
AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITY UNDER THIS TOWNSHIP'S, UH, DEVELOPMENT REGULATION DR 3 0 7, THAT IS THE RIGHT TO FARM PERMITTED USE IN ALL, ALL, UH, IN ALL ZONES.
THAT COVERS MY ABILITY TO PRODUCE ANY AGRICULTURAL PRODUCT OR BUILD ANY WAREHOUSE.
I DON'T KNOW IF THE TOWNSHIP KNEW THAT, BUT WHETHER I WANT TO GROW.
NOW CANNABIS IS A PARTICULAR ONE THAT BECAUSE YOU HAVE AN ORDINANCE, YOU CAN BLOCK ME.
BUT IF I WANTED TO GO CREW COMP GROW CUCUMBERS OR POTATOES OR ANYTHING ELSE UNDER THAT ORDINANCE, I COULD MAKE AN ARGUMENT TO CUT DOWN EVERY TREE AND PLANT CORN ON ALL 30 OF MY ACRES.
DO I PLAN TO DO THAT? ABSOLUTELY NOT.
BUT ALL I'M SAYING IS THAT IT IS AN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCT.
IT IS ALREADY A PERMITTED USE AND IT SHOULD BE HOLISTICALLY LOOKED AT AND NOT JUST BASED ON MY PROPERTY.
THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS TOWNSHIP THAT WOULD LIKE TO OPERATE BUSINESSES AND CONDUCT.
[00:20:01]
UM, AND WITH WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO MOVE TO MY PREPARED SPEECH.UM, LAST TIME I SPOKE BEFORE THIS COUNCIL, I SPOKE GENERALLY REGARDING COMMERCIAL CANVAS AS A WHOLE, HOLISTICALLY, BUT THIS EVENING SPECIFICALLY, I WANT TO TOUCH ON THAT OF CULTIVATION.
AND TO ILLUSTRATE MY POINT THIS EVENING, I'D LIKE TO START WITH A BIT OF A RHETORICAL QUESTION FOR EVERYONE.
UM, WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME THAT SOMEONE APPROACHED THIS COUNCIL AND SAID, I WANNA GIVE YOU $500,000 TO A MILLION DOLLARS IN TAX REVENUE EVERY YEAR IN PERPETUITY? THE ANSWER'S PROBABLY NEVER.
AND THIS EVENING, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT IS REAL DATA BY ONE OF OUR NEW JERSEY TOWNSHIPS THAT DIRECTLY SPEAKS TO THOSE NUMBERS.
SO LET'S MOVE ON IN WINSLOW TOWNSHIP, WINSLOW TOWNSHIP, UH, HAS A SINGLE BUSINESS, A SINGLE CULTIVATOR THAT OPERATES A 123,000 SQUARE FOOT CANNABIS FACILITY.
THIS FACILITY IS 27,000 SQUARE FEET LESS THAN THE NEW JERSEY STATE MAXIMUM, WHICH IS 150,000 SQUARE FEET.
MOVING FORWARD IN 2023 ALONE, AND BASED ON THE DATA SHEETS THAT I PRESENTED IN FRONT OF YOU, THAT DATA IN 2023 CAME IN.
AND THIS IS TAXABLE REVENUE THAT WINSLOW TOWNSHIP COLLECTED AT $500,000.
ONE SINGLE BUSINESS, ONE SINGLE LICENSE FROM, UH, THAT, THAT WAS LICENSED IN NEW JERSEY PRODUCED $500,000 FOR THAT MUNICIPALITY IN 2024.
THEY, THEY PRODUCED REVENUE, NOT REVENUE, EXCUSE ME.
THEY PRODUCED TAX REVENUE FOR WINSLOW TOWNSHIP.
NOW, THINK OF THAT ADDITIONAL 27,000 SQUARE FEET THAT THEY COULD ADD TO THEIR FACILITY.
WITH THAT, THEY COULD, IN 2025, VERY LIKELY PRODUCE REVENUES FOR THEIR TOWNSHIP IN EXCESS OF A MILLION DOLLARS.
AND WITH THAT EXTRA 27,000 SQUARE FEET COULD BE PRODUCING $1.5 MILLION EVERY YEAR IN TAX REVENUE FOR THEIR MUNICIPALITY.
THIS REPRESENTS MEDFORD TOWNSHIPS AND ANY OTHER TOWNSHIP WHO WANTS TO GET BEHIND CULTIVATION.
THEIR NUMBER TWO WAY TO COLLECT REVENUE ONLY BE BY THE PROPERTY TAXES THAT WE COLLECT FROM OUR RESIDENTS.
LET'S COMPARE THAT DATA TO THAT OF MEDFORD'S 2024 BUDGET.
MEDFORD'S TOTAL 2024 BUDGET CAME IN AT $26 MILLION.
ONE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS IS 5.5% OF THE TOTAL MUNICIPAL BUDGET FROM ONE CULTIVATOR.
$15 MILLION REPRESENTS THE TOTAL PROPERTY TAXES COLLECTED FROM EVERY SINGLE RESIDENT IN MEDFORD TOWNSHIP AT $1.5 MILLION.
THAT WOULD BE 10% OF THE REVENUE OF THIS TOWNSHIP THAT WE COLLECTED FROM PROPERTY TAXES, 10% FROM ONE BUSINESS OPERATING.
THOSE ARE REAL NUMBERS GUYS, BASED ON THESE NUMBERS.
AS I STATED, THIS REPRESENTS MEDFORD'S NUMBER ONE WAY TO COLLECT REVENUE THAT DOES NOT TAKE IT DIRECTLY OUT OF OUR RESIDENCE POCKETS.
NOW CLEARLY THIS IS A VERY CHARGED ISSUE.
UM, MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL, UH, SUCH AS MS. SIMMONS, UH, MADE SOME COMMENTS THAT WERE VERY STRONG.
UM, I KNOW THERE ARE ALSO SOME PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM THAT FEEL VERY STRONGLY ABOUT THIS AS WELL.
WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST IS THAT WE ACTUALLY TAKE THE TIME TO DIVE INTO THE DATA, DATA, LIKE WHAT I JUST REPRESENTED TO YOU.
THERE ARE CULTIVATION, UH, THERE ARE RETAIL LICENSES, THERE ARE WHOLESALE LICENSE, DISTRIBUTION, DELIVERY, TESTING FACILITIES, ALL KINDS OF STUFF, RIGHT? MR. JUSTICE, YOU'RE ABOUT 30 SECONDS FROM YOUR TIME BEING.
AND, AND I JUST THINK THAT WE, THIS DESERVES REAL CONSIDERATION ABOVE AND BEYOND JUST A QUICK DISMISSAL.
UM, AND WHAT I WOULD SAY TO THE COUNCIL IS PERHAPS WE MOVE THESE DISCUSSIONS OUT OF THIS MEETING SO I DON'T HAVE TO MONOPOLIZE YOUR TIME.
AND MAYBE WE COULD CREATE A BOARD COMMISSION COMMITTEE, A TASK FORCE, AND USE THAT CAPABILITY TO ACTUALLY REVIEW THIS DATA.
AND WHAT I WOULD ASK OF EACH AND EVERY COUNCILSHIP COUNCIL MEMBER, AND HOPEFULLY I COULD GET A COMMITMENT, I, I'D LIKE SOMEONE TO SPEAK UP AND COMMIT, IS TO ACTUALLY SIT DOWN WITH ME FOR A ONE-ON-ONE CONVERSATION.
OR MAYBE WE CAN MAKE IT AN EXECUTIVE REVIEW AND ACTUALLY REVIEW THE DATA, NOT JUST SPEAK OFFHAND, NOT SPEAK ON A MOTION.
CAN THIS ACTUALLY BE A NET POSITIVE TO THIS TOWNSHIP? YES OR NO? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ZACH WILSON, 51 NORTH MAIN STREET.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, IT'S GREAT TO SEE, UM, THE NEW MAKEUP AND TO ADDRESS YOU ALL, UH, KIND OF DIFFERENTLY THAN HAS BEEN USED TO.
UM, I THINK THAT IT'S A TESTAMENT TO THE NEW MEMBERS HAVING COME IN AND STARTED TO ENGAGE MORE WITH THE PUBLIC.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I KNOW JEN AND NEIGHBORS LIKE US HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR, FOR OVER TWO YEARS NOW.
UM, AND IT'S NICE TO SEE IT FINALLY HAPPENING.
UM, I, I APPRECIATE THE ONGOING ENGAGEMENT.
UH, I JUST APPRECIATE YOU HEARING OUR CONCERNS AT THE TOWN HALL ABOUT THE PARKING AND OTHER ISSUES THAT ARE HAPPENING.
UH, JEN AGAIN ALLUDED TO THE, TO THE NOISE.
UM, THESE ARE, THIS, THIS IS, THESE ARE ISSUES THAT ARE GONNA BE FACING ALL OF THE RESIDENTS, UM, IN AND AROUND OR AROUND THE NEW BREWERY.
I DON'T THINK THAT EVERYBODY THAT LIVES AROUND STILL PARK AND IN THE UPSTAIRS APARTMENTS OF MAIN STREET OR IN THAT AREA ARE QUITE READY FOR HOW LOUD 65 DECIBELS CAN BE AT THAT TIME OF NIGHT,
[00:25:01]
AT NINE O'CLOCK AT NIGHT WHEN YOUR KIDS ARE GOING TO BED, WHEN YOU'RE, UM, WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO SETTLE THINGS DOWN, WHEN YOUR REACTIVE DOGS ARE BARKING ALL THE TIME BECAUSE THE WALLS ARE SHAKING WITH THE, WITH THE NOISE.SO I THINK THAT IT'S SOMETHING YOU SHOULD ABSOLUTELY, UH, CHANGE.
IT WOULD BE NICE IF MAYBE YOU CAME OUT TO ONE OF THE EVENTS THAT HAPPENED AT THE BREWERY SO YOU CAN ACTUALLY HEAR WHAT THAT SOUNDS LIKE.
UM, IT HAPPENS THURSDAY, FRIDAY, SATURDAY, SUNDAY NIGHTS.
SO LOVE TO SEE YOU AROUND TOWN TO, TO ACTUALLY EXPERIENCE THAT.
UM, I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE, UH, PARKING SUBCOMMITTEE LOOKING FORWARD OR THE VILLAGE SUBCOMMITTEE.
LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING ABOUT THAT.
WE'D LOVE TO, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY BE PART OF THAT FROM A CITIZEN STANDPOINT, IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS.
UM, I THINK THAT WE REALLY NEED TO TALK ABOUT NOT JUST THE PARKING, BUT ALSO JUST THE GENERAL MANAGEMENT OF THE DOWNTOWN ON THOSE BUSY NIGHTS, WHICH AGAIN, ARE STARTING TO BE EVERY THURSDAY, EVERY FRIDAY NIGHT, EVERY SATURDAY, EVERY SUNDAY, BECAUSE OF HOW BUSY IT GETS IN, IN AND AROUND THE BREWERIES, WHICH IS GREAT.
I LOVE IT, BUT LET'S MANAGE IT, RIGHT? LET'S GET PERHAPS A, AN OFFICER THAT IS ON PATROL TO PREVENT PEOPLE FROM URINATING IN OUR BACKYARDS WHEN THEY'RE DRUNK, TO STOP THE PEOPLE THAT ARE STUMBLING AND CALLING OUT THROUGH THE PARKING LOTS.
I'M NOT TAKING A BREATHALYZER.
I MEAN, THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE AS RESIDENTS HERE, AND IT'S REALLY CONCERNING, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE EXPANSION OF THIS NEW BREWERY AND JUST THIS SHEER SIZE OF HOW MANY PEOPLE CAN GO THERE AND ENJOY THEMSELVES ON MAIN STREET AGAIN.
I WANT US TO BE RESPONSIBLE AS A TOWN TO ENSURE THE SAFETY AND THE WELLBEING OF OUR CITIZENS THAT LIVE THERE, THAT VISIT THERE, AND THE VISITORS FROM OTHER TOWNS THAT COME IN.
UM, SO I'M VERY MUCH LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT YOU'RE DOING THERE.
ALSO, JUST WANTED TO TOUCH ON THE CANNABIS CULTIVATION.
UM, I DO THINK THAT AS A POINT OF ENGAGEMENT, AND I KNOW THAT ESPECIALLY YOU TWO, ERIC, I'VE HAD GOOD CONVERSATIONS WITH YOU THAT, UM, YOU SHOULD HEAR FROM PEOPLE AND THAT YOU'RE WILLING TO, AND I WOULD LIKE YOU TO PROPERLY ENGAGE PEOPLE WITHOUT JUST SITTING UP THERE AND SAYING, I DON'T WANT TO REVISIT THIS.
I THINK THAT YOU SHOULD LISTEN TO PEOPLE.
I ESPECIALLY THINK THAT YOU SHOULD LOOK AT HOW THE TOWN VOTED.
67.5% OF THIS TOWN VOTED TO PASS THAT, THAT STATE LAW.
THAT MEANS NEARLY SEVEN 10 PEOPLE WANTED THAT TO BE LEGAL IN NEW JERSEY.
AND PRESUMABLY A DECENT PORTION OF THEM WANTED US AS A TOWN TO GET THE BENEFITS OF THAT NEW INDUSTRY.
AND WE ARE LETTING ALL OF THAT MONEY SLIP OUT TO OUR NEIGHBORING TOWNS.
BUT AS YOU JUST HEARD, SOME OF THE AMOUNTS THAT WE'RE PASSING UP YEAR OVER YEAR OVER YEAR, FAILURE TO LOOK AT THAT FAILURE TO EXPAND AND MAKE A DISPASSIONATE REVIEW OF THIS INDUSTRY IS LETTING THOSE TAX DOLLARS SLIP OUT THE DOOR YEAR OVER YEAR, OVER YEAR OVER YEAR.
ARE YOU WILLING TO LOOK AT 10 PEOPLE TODAY AND TELL SEVEN OF 'EM, SEVEN OF 'EM DON'T CARE.
WE'RE NOT EVEN GONNA LOOK AT IT.
WE'RE NOT EVEN GONNA TAKE IT UP AS AN ISSUE.
I DON'T THINK YOU WANNA DO THAT, OR AT LEAST MOST OF YOU DON'T WANT TO DO THAT.
SO I WOULD ASK YOU TO RECONSIDER YOUR KIND OF STAUNCH UH, POSITION ON THAT.
WHAT ELSE, PLEASE? UH, UH, JOSHUA GATESMAN THREE SOUTH LAKESIDE DRIVE WEST.
AUGUSTINE PREP, AN EAGLE SCOUT FROM MEDFORD LAKE TROOP 48, A MEMBER OF OUR LOCAL ALLIANCE ART TEEN VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATION, HONOR STUDENT AND FOUNDER OF A LOCAL CHARITY.
WHILE NOT ENGAGED IN THESE EXTRACURRICULARS, YOU MAY SEE ME HANGING OUT AT BURFORD LAKES, SWIMMING AT DEERBROOK, RIDING MY BIKE AROUND MEDFORD.
THE MEDFORD COMMUNITY HAS PROVIDED ME WITH SUCH AN AMAZING ATMOSPHERE TO HAVE AN INCREDIBLE CHILDHOOD AND DEVELOP INTO THE DRIVEN YOUNG MAN I AM TODAY.
IT WOULD BE A SHAME FOR A FAMILY ORIENTED, STRONG VALUE COMMUNITY LIKE MEDFORD TO ALLOW A COMMERCIAL CANNABIS FARM TO INFILTRATE OUR TOWN.
THERE ARE SO MANY PRACTICAL ISSUES WITH CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION OF THIS FARM, LIKE THE RUNOFF INTO OUR LAKES AND GROUNDWATER AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF CLEARING 31 ACRES OF TREES ON HISTORIC CRANBERRY BOGS.
BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, IT'S THE KIND OF BUSINESSES WE WANT TO ATTRACT INTO OUR TOWN AND THE SAFETY AND VALUES WE INSTILL IN OUR SCHOOLS, PUBLIC SPACES AND HOMES THAT MAKE NOT PASSING A RESOLUTION TO CHAPTER 54, A CRUCIAL STEP TOWARDS PRESERVING A SAFE AND UPLIFTING COMMUNITY.
AS A FOUNDER OF A CHARITY WHICH HAS DONATED OVER $3,800
[00:30:01]
TO YOUTH ATHLETICS, I UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT OUTDOOR RECREATION IS TO CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT.IN FACT, AS A KID IN MIDDLE AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, I WAS BLESSED THAT THE OWNER OF THIS 31 ACRE PROPERTY ALLOWED ME AND MY FRIENDS TO BIKE AND HIKE ON THE SAME TRAILS THIS FARM WOULD REPLACE.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, I LOVE SWIMMING IN OUR LOCAL LAKES SUCH AS BURWOOD, BIRCHWOOD, AND OAKWOOD.
THE ENVI, THE OUTDOOR NATURAL PLAYGROUND FOUND ON THIS 31 ACRE WOODS IS AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE CREATIVITY, EXPLORATION, AND LOVE OF NATURE DEVELOPS IN OUR TOWN'S YOUTH ALLOWING COMMERCIAL POT FARMING IN MEDFORD WOULD GIVE THIS COUPLE THE EASY OPPORTUNITY TO UTILIZE THE RIGHT TO FARM ACT AND BULLDOZE THIS INCREDIBLE FORCE TO MAKE WAY FOR ROWS OF CANNABIS GREENHOUSES.
I'M INCREDIBLY UPSET THAT THE YOUNG KIDS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD WOULD BE DEPRIVED OF THE ADVENTUROUS WOODS AND WOULD BE EXPOSED TO THE ENVIRONMENT OF A COMMERCIAL PLATFORM.
IN ADDITION, THE HARMFUL EFFECTS OF RUNOFF WASTE FROM AGRICULTURE, ESPECIALLY THAT OF CANNABIS, WOULD CONTAMINATE OUR LAKES, WHICH ARE LESS THAN A FOOTBALL FIELD AWAY FROM THE GROWING SITE.
THE MEDFORD TOWNSHIPS PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAVE DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB AT TEACHING ME THE DANGERS OF DRUG ABUSE AT ALLEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
JUST DOWN THE ROAD, I HEARD MS. PALMER SPEAK OF THE DANGERS OF DRUG, OF DRUG USE.
AND NOW AS A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT, I'VE SEEN FIRSTHAND WHAT EXPOSURE TO DRUGS CAN DO TO TALENTED DRIVEN YOUNG PEOPLE.
I'VE SEEN INCREDIBLY SMART AND DRIVEN FRIENDS FALL VICTIM TO MARIJUANA AND LOSE THEIR DRIVE AND AMBITIONS IN LIFE.
TO PUT A BUSINESS THAT PRODUCES MARIJUANA, ESPECIALLY WITHIN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD, WOULD BE GIVING DRUGS A WARM WELCOME INTO OUR TOWN AND OPENING OUR DOORS TO DRUG ABUSE IN MEDFORD YOUTH.
IN CONCLUSION, I ASK THE BOARD TONIGHT TO KEEP CHAP CHAPTER 54 AS IS BECAUSE IF AMENDED AND COMBINED WITH THE RIGHT TO FARM ACT, IT WOULD ALLOW FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THIS COMMERCIAL CANNABIS FARM WITHIN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT IS SERIOUSLY IMPORTANT TO ME AND NUMEROUS OTHER FAMILIES THAT THE INTEGRITY OF MEDFORD THAT I GREW UP WITH REMAINS CONSISTENT.
SO WE CAN ATTRACT VALUE DRIVEN FAMILIES TO OUR COMMUNITY WHO FEEL SAFE TO RAISE THEIR CHILDREN IN SUCH A GREAT TOWN.
I OWN THE PROPERTY AT 98 JACKSON ROAD.
SO IT WAS NICE TO MEET MY NEIGHBOR FOR THE FIRST TIME TONIGHT.
UM, ALTHOUGH I APPRECIATE THE, UM, MINI MUNICIPAL PURPOSES OF MARIJUANA, I HAVE SEVERAL OF MY DAD'S A VIETNAM VET WHO HAS PTSD AND USES POT REGULARLY.
I PERSONALLY DO NOT WANT A PRO POT GROWN FACILITY IN MY BACKYARD.
SO, UM, BOARD MEMBERS MENTIONED, UM, YOU KNOW, REALTY.
I HAVE A TENANT IN THAT HOME RIGHT NOW.
AND THE REASON I HAVE A TENANT IN THAT HOME IS BECAUSE WE TRIED TO BUILD ONTO OUR HOUSE.
WE BOUGHT THE HOUSE, UM, IN 2001.
SO WE OWNED THE HOME FOR 24 YEARS.
WE TRIED TO PUT AN ADDITION ON THE HOME.
WE WERE HOOKED UP TO PUBLIC SEWER, BUT SAME AS YOU.
SO WE TRIED TO GET APPROVAL FROM THE DEP TO PUT A WELL FURTHER BACK ON OUR PROPERTY SO WE COULD ADD A 1600 SQUARE FOOT ADDITION TO THAT LITTLE BE RANCHER THAT MY HUSBAND BUILT THE GARAGE THREE TIMES BIGGER THAN MY HOUSE, BUT COULDN'T MOVE THE WELL.
SO WE MOVED, WE MOVED TO TABERNACLE, WE LEASED THAT PROPERTY OUT.
UM, THE PROBLEM WAS IT WAS GONNA COST US $30,000, 20 TO $30,000 TO TURN THE WATER ON IN OUR HOUSE.
'CAUSE WE WERE BEING FORCED TO CONNECT TO PUBLIC WATER ACROSS THE STREET.
SO I DON'T KNOW HOW HE WAS, WERE KIND YOUR PLANTS, BUT JUST SO YOU KNOW, YOU ARE WITHIN THAT 200 FEET TOO.
SO THAT BEING SAID, UM, WE MOVED, WE LEASED IT OUT.
I'M GONNA HAVE ONE HELL OF A TIME GETTING PEOPLE TO RENT MY PROPERTY.
'CAUSE WHEN MY KIDS GET OLDER, THIS IS A THOUSAND SQUARE FOOT RANCHER THAT ME AND MY HUSBAND PLAN TO COME BACK TO AND RETIRE.
I TOO, JUST LIKE JOSH, JOSH, GREAT JOB, OBVIOUSLY.
LIKE JOSH, MY KIDS, THE GATES MEN'S KIDS, MR. AND MS. SMITH'S, UH, SON NATHAN.
WE WENT ICE SKATING ON THAT POND.
THEY GO ZIP LINING AT MS. GATES MEN'S HOUSE.
THESE ARE FAMILIES THAT WANT KIDS.
EVENTUALLY I'LL GIVE THIS HOUSE TO MY KIDS.
THAT'S WHY YOU MAINTAINED THE HOUSE.
I DON'T WANNA SIT ON MY BACK DECK AND SMELL MARIJUANA.
AND, AND UM, TO THE GENTLEMAN THAT WAS UP EARLIER ABOUT THE NOISE, I'M SO SORRY ABOUT THOSE BREWERIES AND THAT NOISE.
I REALLY, I REALLY, THAT REALLY BREAKS MY HEART.
BUT IMAGINE SITTING THERE AND HAVING TRUCKLOADS OF MARIJUANA COME UP AND DOWN YOUR HOUSE.
[00:35:01]
I OWN AN ACRE AND MR. AND MRS. GATESMAN HAVE MY OTHER SIDE.
I WOULD BE DEALING WITH THAT SAME ORANGE ISSUE.
UNFORTUNATELY, I THINK WE NEED TO LEAVE MEDFORD THE WAY IT IS.
SOMETIMES IT'S NOT ABOUT DATA AND FOR SOME MONEY, SOMETIMES IT'S ANYONE ELSE FROM THE, ALRIGHT, I SEE YOUR HAND IN THE BACK.
UM, HI, MY NAME'S VICTORIA HUMEL.
I'M AT FOR PIN OAK TRAIL MEDFORD'S IN OAKWOOD LAKES.
UM, I'M ACTUALLY CHANGING, I'M STILL TALKING ABOUT THE CANNABIS CHANGING MY TACTIC BECAUSE I RECALL HIM SPECIFICALLY SAYING IT WAS ABOUT MONEY AND REVENUE AND IMPROVING THE TOWN.
SO ONE OF MY FUN LITTLE FACTS WAS THAT HOME PRICES WITHIN 0.36 MILE RADIUS OF GROWING PLANTS, THAT'D BE MINE OR DISPENSARIES TYPICALLY FALL ON AVERAGE THREE TO 4%.
THE ONLY TIME HOME VALUES INCREASE IS IN CITIES WITH TYPICALLY BELOW THE MEDIAN PROPERTY VALUES COMPARED TO SURROUNDING TOWN.
NOW I LOVE, UH, I FORGOT YOUR NAME, I'M SORRY THAT MENTIONED, UH, THAT YOU WANT THE FACILITY, BUT YOU BROUGHT UP WINSLOW TOWNSHIP.
WINSLOW TOWNSHIP'S MEDIUM SALE HOME PRICE FOR THE 2024 CALENDAR YEAR WAS $340,000.
MEDFORD IS UP THERE AT $575,333.
SO I WOULD DEFINITELY GO BY THESE STATS.
AND THE REALTOR ASPECT THAT WE ARE DEFINITELY NOT AT THE BELOW A MEDIAN HOME VALUE OF OUR TOWN, WHICH MEANS OUR PROPERTY VALUES WILL DROP.
NOW I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT THIS EARLIER.
IF A GROWING FACILITY WOULD APPEAR NEAR MY HOME AND I WAS CUT OFF BY THE FIRST ONE OF, UNLESS YOU'RE GONNA SEVERELY DROP YOUR PRICES, IT'S NOT WORTH MY TIME.
THE SECOND ONE SAID, YOU'D REALLY HAVE TO DROP YOUR PRICES.
'CAUSE MOST FAMILIES WHEN MOVING INTO A TOWN, ESPECIALLY A SUBURBAN TOWN LIKE MEDFORD, WITH GOOD SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE MOVING INTO THIS TOWN TO GET AWAY FROM THINGS LIKE EXTRACURRICULAR MARIJUANA USE.
SIMILAR TO WHY MY HUSBAND AND I, WHO HAD HAD A HOUSE IN MAPLE SHADE, DECIDED TO MOVE BACK TO OUR HOMETOWN, TO THE METFORD MARLTON AREA TO GET AWAY FROM THAT USE.
ANYONE ELSE, SIR? UM, MY NAME'S MICHAEL BRIAN.
I'M AT 10 WOODLAKE COURT JUST AROUND THE CORNER FROM THIS PROPOSED FACILITY.
UM, I, UH, WE MOVED INTO MEDFORD IN 1966, GOT MARRIED IN 86 AND MOVED OUT.
SPENT 38 YEARS IN HATFIELD AND JUST MOVED BACK INTO MEDFORD.
LOOKING FORWARD TO RETIREMENT, UM, ABOUT A YEAR AGO.
UM, I SPENT A LOT OF TIME TRAVELING AROUND THE STATE.
I THINK WE'VE ALL SEEN THE COMMUNITIES ALONG 2 95 AND THE TURNPIKE WHERE THE WAREHOUSES, THE WAREHOUSE FARMS HAVE GROWN UP.
AND I REALLY WOULD NOT WANT TO SEE 125 OR 150,000 SQUARE FOOT FACILITY WITHIN A COUPLE OF HUNDRED YARDS OF WHERE I LIVE.
I THINK WE ALL RECOGNIZE IT'S A LOT.
THIS IS ABOUT A LOT MORE THAN JUST MONEY.
I THINK THERE'S ROUGHLY 25,000 RESIDENTS UNDERSTANDING SOME OF THOSE TODDLERS AND INFANTS.
BUT IF YOU DO THE MATH AT AGAINST 800 AND WHAT WAS IT, $68,000, THAT'S ROUGHLY 34 AND A HALF DOLLARS PER RESIDENT.
SO THIS IS NOT A HUGE AMOUNT OF REVENUE IN PERPETUITY.
WHO KNOWS? UM, BUT I, I THINK THIS IS ABOUT A LOT MORE THAN JUST CASH.
AND THE LAST THING WE NEED TO DO IS BUILD SOMETHING WITHIN THE BOROUGH.
UM, ESPECIALLY THIS CLOSE TO THE CENTER OF A RESIDENTIAL AREA.
THAT IS, YOU KNOW, UH, POTENTIAL RISK TO ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES, A STRAIN ON OTHER RESOURCES.
UM, SECURITY, UH, IS I WOULD THINK A, A PRETTY MAJOR CONCERN BECAUSE I'D RATHER NOT, UM, HAVE FOLKS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD CARRYING FIREARMS, UM, IN, IN, IN SECURING A FACILITY LIKE THIS.
SO, UM, I'M, I'M GLAD TO HEAR THERE'S NOT A LOT OF SUPPORT OR NO SUPPORT.
I, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE, THE, THE FIFTH MEMBER WHO'S NOT HERE THIS EVENING.
UM, BUT I'M, I'M GLAD TO HEAR THERE'S NOT A LOT OF SUPPORT HERE, UH, FOR CHANGING THE ORDINANCE, UNDERSTANDING THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ZONING AND, AND THIS ORDINANCE.
[00:40:06]
AND I'LL JUST POINT OUT FOR THE RECORD, I SPOKE WITH COUNCILMAN WATSON TODAY AND HE ASKED ME TO SHARE THAT HE'S 100% AGAINST ALL CANNABIS IN THE TOWN OF MEDFORD.JUST FOR THE RECORD, ANY OTHER PUBLIC? OKAY.
HELLO, JOHN BUSKE, 35 LITTLE JOHN DRIVE IN THE SHORT FOREST NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, YES, I, UH, I AGREE WITH THE, THE YOUNG LADY WHO'S, UH, REAL IN THE REAL ESTATE BUSINESS.
I'M CONCERNED ABOUT MY PROPERTY VALUE, UH, DECREASING SUBSTANTIALLY.
GENTLEMAN MENTIONED A POT FARM FARM, UH, WOULD DELIVER INCREASED REVENUE.
I THINK IT WILL ACTUALLY DELIVER DECREASED REVENUE BECAUSE YOU'RE GONNA HAVE HUNDREDS OF FAMILIES ASKING FOR, UH, PROPERTY TAX REBATES.
UM, SECONDLY, THE GENTLEMAN WANTS A PRIVATE SESSION WITH YOU.
THIS, THIS MATTER SHOULD BE DISCUSSED IN THE PUBLIC AND BE TRANSPARENT.
GENTLEMEN OVER HERE MENTIONED THAT, UH, 54% OF THE STATE VOTED TO LEGALIZE MARIJUANA.
I DOUBT, I DOUBT THAT IS, UH, WITH RESPECT TO WHETHER THEY WANT A, UH, CANNABIS FACILITY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
I WOULD THINK IF YOU LOOK AT YOU, IF YOU ASK THAT OF THE VOTERS IN MEDFORD, IF THEY WANTED A CANNABIS FACILITY IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, I CAN GUARANTEE YOU IT'S WAY BELOW 50%.
UM, AND ACTUALLY I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THIS PROCESS.
I JUST HEARD ABOUT THIS THE OTHER DAY.
I WOULD ASK, HOW DO WE PUT A STAKE IN THIS? WHAT IS THE PROCESS? WELL, THERE WAS NEVER AN APPLICATION THE TOWNSHIP COUNCIL HAS ALREADY INDICATED, AND I'VE INDICATED THAT WE HAVE AN ORDINANCE THAT DOES NOT ALLOW ANY CANNABIS USES IN THE TOWN.
OKAY? THE REQUEST WAS TO CHANGE THAT.
THE COUNCIL EXPRESSED THEIR UNANIMOUS, UH, STATEMENT TONIGHT THAT THEY'RE NOT GONNA CHANGE THE ORDINANCE AT THIS AT THIS TIME.
SO THERE'S NOTHING TO BE DONE.
EVERYONE ELSE, PLEASE, LET'S AROUND THE BACK.
BRIAN CARS 2 65 MET FROM THE HOLLY ROAD.
UM, I DON'T REALLY HAVE MUCH TO SAY ABOUT THE POT THING OTHER THAN I ENJOY IT.
AND, UH,
SO IT'S FUNNY, IT'S GREAT THAT COMMUNITY'S GETTING TOGETHER AND TALKING ABOUT IT AT LEAST.
BUT, UM, I CAME UP HERE FOR A FEW DIFFERENT REASONS.
ONE, I WANNA APOLOGIZE ABOUT THE LAST MEETING.
UM, ME AND THE WOLVES SHOULDN'T BE IN THE SAME ROOM TOGETHER.
UH, OTHER THAN THAT, WHERE IS, YOU SAID YOU SPOKE TO MR. WATSON TODAY.
IS THERE A REASON WHY HE'S NOT HERE TONIGHT? HE'S IN DENVER ON BUSINESS.
ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT.
I JUST WANT TO COME UP HERE AND APOLOGIZE.
OH, THERE IS ONE ON THERE MR. PRIME.
MAYBE YOU CAN WEIGH IN ON THIS.
WE WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO PRESENT MY MOTHER, OUR MOTHER, CAROLYN, SOME KIND OF LETTER FROM THE TOWNSHIP SAYING, LOOK, WE GOT A FEW THINGS WRONG.
AN APOLOGY IS WHAT I'M GETTING AT.
NOT EVEN TO US, IT WOULD BE TO HER ON BEHALF OF MEDFORD TOWNSHIP.
I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE COMMUNITY WOULD LIKE TO SEE TOO.
AND THERE'S NO LIABILITY IF THERE'S SOME KIND OF WAIVER OR WE'RE WORRIED ABOUT THAT.
I THINK WE'RE WAY PAST THAT ANYWAY.
WE'D BE ABLE TO MOVE ON IN A HEALTHIER WAY.
IT'S CREATED A LOT OF PROBLEMS OVER THERE, UM, THE LAST NINE YEARS WITH, UH, WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON.
SO IT WOULD BRING CLOSURE TO THIS.
WE CAN GIVE MY MOM SOMETHING AND UM, AND UH, GET ON WITH IT.
MR. PRIME, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT COULD BE DONE? BRIAN? I'M NOT GONNA COMMENT ON THAT.
IF COUNSEL WILL YOU LOOK INTO IT AND LET US KNOW.
AND MR. COS THANK YOU FOR THE APOLOGY.
[00:45:01]
HI, MY NAME IS, UH, JUDD PARKER.I'M FROM, UH, EIGHT YORKSHIRE DRIVE IN SHERWOOD FOREST.
UM, COMING INTO THIS A LITTLE BIT OFF THE CUFF, I WAS DRIVING BACK FROM AN ERRAND WITH MY WIFE AND SHE'S LIKE, UH, DO WE NEED TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THIS? SO I WANNA GIVE YOU A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON ME REAL QUICK.
I'M A SIXTH GENERATION FARMER.
MY FAMILY'S BEEN FARMING CONTINUOUSLY SINCE 18, THE 1840S.
UM, I KNOW AGRICULTURE, WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED WITH A CANNABIS FARM.
AND I DON'T SMOKE CANNABIS, I DON'T CARE.
YOU SHOULD HAVE AUTONOMY AS A PERSON TO DO WHAT YOU PLEASE.
THE PROBLEM I HAVE WITH THIS IS YOUR, I DON'T QUITE UNDERSTAND WHY THIS LOCATION MAKES SENSE.
THERE'S WAY TOO MANY HOUSES AND I JUST DON'T GET IT AS A FARMER, WHY YOU WANT THIS PROPERTY TO BE WHERE YOU DO THIS.
NOW I COME FROM CRANBERRY FARMING.
I AM FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA AROUND SHERWOOD FOREST.
IT'S OLD BLUEBERRY FIELDS AND CRANBERRY BOGS.
I WOULD URGE THE GENTLEMAN THAT'S TRYING TO TAKE THIS ENDEAVOR TO REALLY THINK HARD ABOUT IT BECAUSE ASIDE FROM WHAT HAPPENS HERE, THAT'S WETLANDS.
'CAUSE AFTER HERE, YOU'VE GOTTA GO SEE THE PEOPLE AT PINELANDS.
AND IF YOU THINK THIS IS HARD, YOU HAVE NO CLUE WHAT WHAT CAN OF WORMS YOU'RE OPENING.
I HAVE 54 ACRES OF CRANBERRY BOGS THAT WERE ACTIVE CRANBERRY BOGS UP UNTIL ABOUT 1999 WHEN I LET 'EM GO FALLOW FOR A FEW YEARS BECAUSE THE MARKET WAS BAD.
I WENT BACK TO RENOVATE 'EM AND I GOT CEASE AND DESIST FROM THE DEP.
THAT WAS 20 YEARS AND $2 MILLION AGO.
I DON'T THINK THIS TOWN HAS THE CULTURE FOR IT.
THE OTHER THING I JUST WANT TO MAKE KNOWN, WHEN I LET A CRANBERRY BALL GO, IT TURNS INTO SOMETHING PRETTY.
IT TURNS BACK INTO SWAMP BECAUSE REALLY I'M WORKING WITH THE LAND.
YOU CAN DRIVE ALL OVER MEDFORD TO BARELY TELL THAT HALF THE WOODS WAS BLUEBERRY FIELDS BECAUSE PINE TREES GROW UP AND IT LOOKS LIKE, YOU KNOW, REGULAR PINE BARRENS WHEN YOU START PUTTING BRICK AND MORTAR AND GLASS IN, THAT DOESN'T GO BACK LIKE THAT.
AND THE OTHER PART ABOUT AGRICULTURE IS ONE OF THE WORST THINGS FOR FARMERS IS INVESTORS.
BECAUSE PEOPLE COME IN AND THEY THINK IT'S LUCRATIVE.
AND MAYBE SOME PEOPLE ARE, BUT THEY PROBABLY HAD A LOT OF BIG CORPORATE BACKING.
BUT USUALLY THE PATTERN IS ABOUT FIVE, THREE TO FIVE YEARS DOWN THE ROAD, THOSE INVESTORS THAT GAVE YOU THAT MONEY WANNA START SEEING SOMETHING BACK.
AND I'M NOT, I'M GONNA PLEAD IGNORANT.
I DON'T KNOW A LOT ABOUT CANNABIS FARMING, BUT I KNOW IN MOST FOR FORMS OF FARMING, ESPECIALLY WHAT I DO, WHICH IS A SPECIALTY CROP, THOSE ARE NOT FUN.
'CAUSE YOU MIGHT AS WELL JUST THROW YOURSELVES OUT TO A PACK OF WOLVES.
THAT'S A DANGEROUS PLACE TO PUT YOURSELF.
WHAT I'M GETTING AT WITH THIS IS FARMING LOOKS ROMANTIC.
IF YOU DON'T LOVE WHAT YOU DO TO THE CORE OF WHO YOU ARE, I WOULD LOVE TO USE THESE WORDS, BUT I'M GONNA BE POLITE.
AND I'VE SEEN IT WITH FELLOW PEOPLE MY AGE THAT WERE EXPECTED TO GENERALLY GENERATIONALLY START WITH A PRE-ESTABLISHED FARM.
IF YOU REALLY WANT TO GET INTO THIS, YOU BETTER KNOW WHAT THE HECK YOU'RE DOING BECAUSE IF YOU SCREW THIS UP, YOU LEAVE A HECK OF A MESS.
FARMING'S HARD TO GET INTO AND IT'S HARD TO GET OUT OF.
AND AS MUCH AS I AM PRO LIBERTY AND I BELIEVE PEOPLE SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO WHATEVER THE HECK THEY WANT ON THEIR PROPERTY, AS LONG AS IT DOESN'T HURT OTHER PEOPLE.
'CAUSE I'VE GOT NEWS CALLS WHERE PEOPLE DON'T LIKE HEAR MY PUMPS PRIME AT THREE IN THE MORNING.
'CAUSE I HAVE TO PROTECT FOR FROST.
THANK GOD I'M IN THE MIDDLE OF PINE.
I DON'T REALLY HAVE NEIGHBORS.
BUT, AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE PLANNING, IF THIS GENTLEMAN'S PLANNING ON DOING THIS OPEN AIR.
'CAUSE THEN, UH, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE DEER PROBLEMS. HEY, HEY JOHN, YOU GOT THIR ABOUT 30 SECONDS LEFT.
[00:50:02]
EXCUSE ME.MY NAME IS GREGORY CONLEY, 2 31 CHURCH ROAD IN MEDFORD.
I WORK DAILY IN CITY COUNCIL, STATE LEGISLATURES ACROSS THE COUNTRY ON MY AREA OF EXPERTISE.
BUT TO COME HERE ON SOMETHING THAT, UH, I'M ONLY MEDIUM LEVEL, UH, IS NEW TO ME.
UM, I JUST CAME HERE TONIGHT TO WATCH THE THEATER, BUT I WANTED TO STAND UP AND COMMENT ON ONE THING THING THAT WAS SAID EARLIER IN THE TONE AND TENOR OF SOME OF THE COMMENTS.
UH, IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S PEOPLE THAT THINK THAT IN A CITY THAT 67% OF RESIDENTS VOTED TO LEGALIZE MARIJUANA, THAT THERE MAY BE SOMETHING IMMORAL OR, UH, A CHARACTER FLAW FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO BE IN THIS INDUSTRY.
AND I'M NOT IN THE MARIJUANA INDUSTRY, BUT THIS IS A LEGITIMATE LAWFUL INDUSTRY.
MAYBE WHAT HAS BEEN PROPOSED TONIGHT WILL NOT WORK FOR THE CITY.
BUT IN THE FUTURE, WHEN THIS COUNCIL MEETS BIG DECISIONS THAT FACE A LOT OF ANGRY COMMENTS, LIKE THE FACT THAT WE ARE IN A HOUSING CRISIS AND NEED TO, UH, PERHAPS REVISIT PAST ZONING RESTRICTIONS, UH, I HOPE THAT YOU'LL STAND UP AND LOOK AT THE DATA.
YOU DON'T NEED TO DO FIVE PEOPLE IN ONE ROOM MEETING WITH A CONSTITUENT THAT'S NOT RIGHT, BUT ONE-ON-ONE LOOKING AT REAL DATA.
UH, THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT.
WAS THERE ANOTHER HAND OVER HERE? IT IT WAS THE MAN RIGHT THERE.
THIS IS SIMON'S POINTING THIS OUT.
ALRIGHT, SO LET'S GO JUST TO HELP THIS A LITTLE BIT.
AND THEN THERE WAS SOME, A GENTLEMAN OVER HERE.
ALRIGHT, UH, I'M JACK KASIER 20 EL DRIVE, BEDFORD.
I MOVED HERE AND IN, UH, 1965.
SO I'VE BEEN HERE ABOUT 50 PLUS YEARS.
TWO OUT OF THE THREE, MOVED BACK TO MEDFORD BECAUSE IT'S A, A GREAT, A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE.
AND, UM, I'VE GOT SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT REVENUE.
IF THE TOWN IS TO RECEIVE THE MILLION OR SO DOLLARS, THE FIRST GENTLEMAN SPOKE OF HOW MUCH REVENUE WILL HE RECEIVE IN ORDER TO PAY THAT.
DOES ANYBODY KNOW COUNSEL? I DO NOT.
PARDON? MUNICIPALITY CAN COLLECT UP 2%.
SO YOU THINK 90% MORE THAN THAT FOLKS, LET'S JUST, THIS IS NOT A TIME FOR BACK AND FORTH, UM, DEBATE.
I MEAN, YOU, YOU, YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO ADDRESS COUNSEL AND THAT'S THE IDEA OF THIS, UM, JACKSON ROAD IS A, A, UH, A COUNTY ROAD I BELIEVE.
THE COUNTY FIXED THE BRIDGE WHEN IT BLEW OUT IN OH FIVE, I BELIEVE.
AND, UH, I WONDER ABOUT TRAFFIC.
UM, IF THERE IS A FARM SUCH AS PROPOSED THEN WOULD THERE BE MUCH TRAFFIC? HAS THAT BEEN INVESTIGATED? HAS THIS STUDY BEEN MADE FOR TRAFFIC COUNSEL? NOT AT THIS POINT.
WE, WE HAVEN'T FOUND A REASON TO ACTUALLY DO THAT.
WOULD THERE BE, IF THE ISSUE AROSE, WE HAVE OUR PLANNER, IF THE USE WAS PERMITTED, MR. KASER, IF IT WAS PERMITTED AND IF THERE WAS A PROPOSAL FOR DEVELOPMENT OF IT, IT WOULD HAVE TO GO TO THE PLANNING BOARD OR THE ZONING BOARD FOR, UH, APPROVAL SITE.
THERE WOULD BE ALL THAT WOULD BE THAT AT THAT POINT.
IN THE 1970S, I WAS A MEMBER OF THE PLANNING BOARD FOR MEMPHIS COUNTY, I RECALL.
AND, UM, I'M FAMILIAR WITH THE PROCESS, UM, TO ENTERTAIN
[00:55:01]
SUCH A, UH, I'LL DESCRIBE HORRIBLE THING TO HAPPEN IN A, UH, RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY WOULD, UH, WOULD IN MY OPINION BE AN ABOMINATION.UM, WOULD THERE BE FENCING REQUIRED AROUND THIS FARM COUNSEL? THERE WOULD BE A WHOLE SITE PLAN APPLICATION, AS YOU KNOW, FROM BEING ON THE PLANNING BOARD.
IT WOULD INVOLVE LANDSCAPING, LIGHTING, UH, WATER, ELECTRICITY, FENCING, BUFFERING, ALL, ALL THOSE THINGS WOULD HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED BY THE PLANNING BOARD.
BUT THAT'S ONLY IF IT WAS PERMITTED AND EVEN COULD GET THERE.
SO FENCING EVIDENTLY WOULD BE REQUIRED.
I WONDER WHAT SUCH FENCE MIGHT LOOK LIKE.
10 OR 15 FOOT HIGH CHAIN LINK BARBED WIRE ON TOP.
THERE POLICE, UM, ROAMING, PERHAPS GUARD DOGS AND SO ON.
NOTWITHSTANDING, JACK, YOU GOT ABOUT 30 SECONDS LEFT.
UH, NOTWITHSTANDING POLLUTION AND SO ON.
UH, THE NUMBER OF WELLS THAT WOULD BE DRIVEN IN THAT, UH, TO PROVIDE ALL THE WATER AROUND THE CLOCK FARMING WOULD, UM, BE SUBSTANTIAL.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK IF I MIGHT RAISE ANOTHER ISSUE.
WELL, ZACH, YOU'RE AT, YOU'RE OUT OF TIME.
YOU'VE USED UP TO FIVE MINUTES, SO EVERYBODY HAS A CHANCE TO TALK, RIGHT? I HAVE ANOTHER ISSUE AND I COME BACK FOR NOT REALLY.
YOU ARE ALLOWED ONE TIME, ONE SHOT UNRELIEVED.
WOULD YOU, WOULD YOU MIND RAISING THAT MICROPHONE? OH, PLEASE.
SORRY IF IT'S, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I'M NINE ATKINSON COURT MEDFORD.
UH, GOOD EVENING COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UH, IT'S NICE TO SEE YOU UP HERE.
I SPOKE TWO WEEKS AGO AND THINGS WERE A LITTLE CRAZY, SO I JUST WANTED TO COME UP AND SAY, YOU KNOW, CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU FROM, FROM DEPUTY, UH, MIKE AND PERHAPS DR.
UH, BETHANY, HOW ARE YOU DOING? GOOD TO SEE YOU UP HERE.
UM, I ACTUALLY CAME HERE TO TALK TO MR. WATSON, BUT HE'S NOT HERE.
UM, SO I GUESS I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE.
UH, TIM PRIME, YOU HAD ASKED FOR ENHANCED PENALTIES AGAINST MY MOM.
UM, IS THAT, IS THAT STILL HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THIS? THAT ENHANCED PENALTIES WAS JUSTIFIABLE AS AN 82-YEAR-OLD, UH, LONGTIME RESIDENT OF MEDFORD DAVID AT THE TIME, EITHER YOU OR YOUR BROTHER, I DON'T REMEMBER WHICH ONE.
ASKED FOR A DESCRIPTION OF ANY POTENTIAL PENALTY THAT COULD BE IMPOSED AS A RESULT OF AN ORDINANCE VIOLATION.
I PROVIDED THAT INFORMATION IN A LETTER AND INDICATED THAT THE COUNSEL HAD RESERVED HIS RIGHTS TO REQUEST AN ENHANCED PENALTY.
UH, AT THE TIME THERE WAS NEVER ANY INTENT TO ASK FOR A JAIL SENTENCE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, AS YOU KNOW, FROM THE TIME.
THAT'S ALL I'M GONNA COMMENT ON IT THIS EVENING.
DID YOU, HAVE YOU ASKED FOR ENHANCED PENALTIES ON ANYBODY ELSE SINCE THEN? I, I DIDN'T ASK FOR ANYTHING.
I SPOKE ON BEHALF OF THE, I SPOKE ON BEHALF OF THE COUNCIL.
I DON'T CARE IF I WAS QUOTED IN THE NEWSPAPER.
ON THE RECORD, AFTER MY MOM WAS FINED $10,000, IT WAS RIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS YOU WENT ON THE RECORD AND YOU SAID THAT YOU STOOD BEHIND THAT.
IT'S TWO YEARS LATER, IT'S ELECTION YEAR.
AND I THINK THE RESIDENTS WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, DO YOU STILL THINK AN 82-YEAR-OLD RESIDENT OF THIS TOWNSHIP MEANS THAT YOU WERE ON ZONING FOR 10 YEARS? 'CAUSE YOU MADE THAT CLEAR DURING YOUR STATEMENT TWO YEARS AGO.
REMEMBER YOU SAID YOU WERE ON ZONING FOR 10 YEARS, SO YOU'RE WELL AWARE OF THE ZONING LAWS AND, AND YOU STOOD BEHIND THIS $10,000 FINE.
[01:00:01]
TO HEAR, DO YOU STILL BELIEVE THAT THAT WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO? NO COMMENT.DAVID, YOU'RE OUT OF COMMENTS TOO.
IT'S THE FIRST TIME I'M UP HERE AND THE SEAT IS EMPTY.
AND I GOTTA TELL YOU, THE ENERGY HERE IS A LOT BETTER.
HEY, I HAVEN'T HEARD FROM ANYONE YET, SO I FORGOT.
CALL BRIAN RE DESIGN TWO SIXTY SEVEN.
UH, SO I WANTED TO FILL IN WITH THE, UH, FARMER GUY.
HE DIDN'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT CANNABIS GROWING.
UH, I KNOW A THING OR TWO ABOUT IT.
UH, ALRIGHT, SO IT REQUIRES A LOT OF ENERGY.
WE'RE TALKING IT DEPENDING, IT'S GONNA BE PROBABLY INDOOR FACILITIES.
SO WE'RE TALKING, YOU HAVE FANS LIGHTS BECAUSE, UH, IT'S THE WAY THE BUD FLOWERS.
THESE THINGS REQUIRE A LOT OF LIGHT, A LOT OF AIR, AND A LOT OF WATER AND A LOT OF NUTRIENT FERTILIZER.
AND IT'S ALL GONNA GO INTO A SEPTIC SYSTEM IT SOUNDS LIKE.
OR GET FLUSHED DOWN TO BIRCHWOOD LAKE SOMEHOW, OR IT'S GONNA GET REACHED DOWN.
AND I MEAN, ALMOST LIBERALS, THEY COME IN MEDFORD.
BUT FROM THE ENVIRONMENTAL STANDPOINT, THIS IS JUST DISASTER WAITING TO HAPPEN.
LET ALONE THE NOISE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO, THAT IT'S GONNA SUBJECT THE LOCAL PEOPLE TO.
UH, IF YOU THINK BREWERIES ARE LOUD, TRY FANS GOING 24 7.
SUCKING IN FRESH AIR, TRYING TO PUSH IT ALL THROUGH A LITTLE CARBON.
UH, IT'S GONNA STINK TOO, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE NEAR.
AND YOU MAY AS WELL JUST PUT A PIG FARM THERE.
UH, SO I MEAN, I HEAR LIKE, UH, IT SEEMS LIKE WHAT MORE CAN YOU GUYS DO TO PROTECT RESIDENTIAL AREAS FROM APPROACH BEING ABOUT, UH, INDUSTRY OR NOT, YOU KNOW, PEACEFUL BUSINESS.
CAN WE ADD MORE ORDINANCES OR TRYING TO JUST, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS GUY'S GONNA STOP OR THIS IS GONNA BE AN ONGOING ISSUE 'CAUSE WE DO HAVE LAND.
IS THERE ANY MORE YOU CAN DO? THIS IS JUST, I LIKE TO ASK.
I'M, I'M SURE THAT OUR CONTINUING DESIRE IS TO KEEP MEDFORD AS A CHARMING PLACE TO, TO LIVE, WORK, SHOP, AND PLAY.
SO THAT'S OUR ULTIMATE GOAL, HOW TO ACCOMPLISH THAT.
I'M LISA KUNA FROM AT 11 HIGHBRIDGE BOULEVARD.
I SENT, UM, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL AN EMAIL, BUT I GOT A COUPLE FAILURES BACK SO I FIGURED I WOULD JUST READ MY EMAIL FROM MY DAD.
AND THIS DOES HAVE TO DO WITH THE PROPERTY AT HUNDRED JACKSON ROAD OR ANY OTHER PROPERTY THAT EVER COMES UP WANTING TO CULTIVATE CANNABIS.
SO I STRONGLY OPPOSE OF THIS TYPE OF OPERATION AND A FAMILY FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT SUCH AS MEDFORD.
I'VE LIVED IN THIS TOWN, IN THIS COMMUNITY FOR OVER 17 YEARS, AND DO NOT BELIEVE THAT A GROW FARM IS GOOD FOR RESIDENTIAL AREAS SUCH AS OURS.
THE PROXIMITY TO SCHOOLS, PARKS AND LAKES THAT MAKE MEDFORD A WONDERFUL PLACE TO RAISE A FAMILY, DOES NOT NEED TO BE TAINTED OR LABELED WITH DRUGS OR ITIES.
I CHOSE MEDFORD TO RAISE MY CHILDREN BASED ON THE STRONG FAMILY VALUES AND SENSE OF COMMUNITY.
PLEASE DO NOT ALLOW OUR WONDERFUL TOWN TO BE EXPLOITED BY THE NEGATIVE ASPECT OF A GATEWAY DRUG, CANNABIS FARM OF GROWTH FARM.
PLEASE PROTECT OUR FAMILIES, CHILDREN, AND COMMUNITY, AND THE GOOD REPUTATION THAT MEDFORD ALREADY HAS.
HELLO? UH, MY NAME IS MANAL FARES LIVE AT FIVE SAXE COURT SHOWED FOREST BACK, NEW JERSEY.
UM, DIDN'T REALLY WANT TO SAY ANYTHING CAME FOR THE SAME REASON MOST FOLKS CAME, UM, BUT JUST GIVEN SOME OF THE STATS ARE OUT THERE, I I FIGURED I'D HAVE TO ALSO PUT IN AND SAY THAT I'M, I'M VEHEMENTLY AGAINST IT.
UM, HOWEVER, THAT BEING SAID, UH, IT, I'M NOT SURE THAT I'M AGAINST IT IN THE TOWNSHIP OF MEDFORD, BUT IN THE RESIDENTIAL AREA, BUT I'M ALSO AN ACCOUNTANT AND A FARMER.
[01:05:01]
KNOW HOW THOSE TWO GO TOGETHER.I HAVE FARMED DOWN IN PRICK TOWN, NEW JERSEY, WHERE I HAVE SEEN WHAT THE WAREHOUSING INDUSTRY HAS DONE.
I'VE ALSO SEEN WHAT HYDROPONICS OR HYDRO, HOWEVER YOU PRONOUNCE IT, WHAT THAT'S DONE.
UH, YOU HAVE BUILDINGS AND IF THEY FAIL, WE'RE STUCK WITH BUILDINGS, UM, OR CLEAR CLEARING OF THE TREES.
SO THERE ARE PLENTY OF OTHER PROPERTIES.
WE HAVE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF ACRES OF FARMS TO THE EAST, TO THE SOUTH, AND TO THE NORTH.
UM, WE HAVE OTHER PROPERTY WITHIN MEDFORD, IF THAT WAS EVER TO BE DECIDED UPON.
UM, I, I'M, I'M FOR, I'M FOR AMERICANS DOING WHAT THEY CAN WITHOUT, UM, AFFECTING THE LIBERTIES OF OTHERS.
UM, AND FOR THAT REASONS, UM, IT IS VERY HIGH WETLAND.
ANYONE WHO LIVES IN SHERWOOD FOREST KNOWS THAT WE HAVE FREE SWIMMING POOLS WHEN IT RAINS.
UM, AND SO WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO THAT PARTICULAR AREA? UM, SO WHERE STONES THROW AWAY FROM, FROM FROM SET PROPERTY.
UM, SO YEAH, OBVIOUSLY AGAINST IT AND JUST FIGURED THAT, UM, I SHOULD ALSO SAY THAT I'M AGAINST IT.
AND SO I'M GLAD THAT THAT IS CURRENTLY THE SITUATION.
AND IF HAPPENS TO COME UP AGAIN IN THE FUTURE, THEN, UH, AS RESIDENTS, IT'S OUR, IT'S OUR DUTY AND OUR RIGHT TO TO, TO SPEAK UP.
MONICA HOLLENBECK, UH, 21 YORKSHIRE DRIVE IN SHERWOOD FOREST.
AND, UM, ONE OF THE, MY, UH, CONCERNS ABOUT THE, UH, POTENTIAL OF OPENING UP THE CANNABIS, UH, CULTIVATION IN MEDFORD IS SOMETHING THAT HASN'T BEEN SPOKEN ABOUT TOO MUCH HERE.
AND THAT IS THE SMELL, UM, THAT THE FARM CAN PRODUCE.
I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT LIKE POT SMELL AT A CONCERT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THIS HAS BEEN, UH, THIS IS DESCRIBED AS A SKUNKY ODOR THAT, UH, PERMEATES, UH, FOR A, A LARGE DISTANCE.
UM, THERE'S A UNIVERSITY OF THE BRITISH OF COLUMBIA, THERE WAS A STUDY THERE THAT FOUND THAT A FACILITY THAT GROWS ABOUT 1700 CANNABIS PLANTS CAN EMIT THE SAME ODOR CONCENTRATION AS A LIVESTOCK OPERATION WITH 30 PIGS OR ABOUT, UH, 1600 SHADES.
UH, THE SMELL ALSO APPLIES TO INDOOR, UH, BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO VENT.
AND THE, THROUGHOUT THE TE THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY, THERE ARE NUMEROUS MUNICIPALITIES WHO HAVE, UH, THERE ARE COMPLAINTS AGAINST THE PLANTS FOR THE OWNER THERE.
UM, AND THERE HAVE BEEN FINES AGAINST THE PLANTS.
AND THERE'S EVEN IN, UH, TOWNSHIP OF BOIN HAS ONE, HAS A PLANT, AND THE NEIGHBORING TOWN OF DENVILLE HAS, IS TRYING TO WORK WITH THEM AND IS ISSUED RESOLUTIONS ABOUT THE SMELL IS TRAVELING SO FAR THAT IT'S AFFECTING THE NEIGHBORS THERE.
SO, UH, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK, UH, YOU KNOW, EVEN IF THEY CONSIDER ALLOWING IT IN THE TOWNSHIP, IT'S SOMETHING THAT HAS TO BE CONSIDERED THE SMELL, YOU KNOW, HOW IT CAN BE MITIGATED IF THAT'S EVEN POSSIBLE.
AND, UH, THAT'S, UH, PRIMARILY WHAT I WANNA SAY.
OH, WAIT, ONE ADDITIONAL THING.
UM, THERE WAS SOMETHING YEARS AGO WITH THE 10 SHIFT, CONSIDERING THE PURCHASE OF A CEMETERY.
AND NOW THAT WAS AN EXPENDITURE FROM THE TOWNSHIP, BUT THEY WERE ADVERTISING, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY HAD RUN THE NUMBERS.
UH, JEFF BEANSTOCK HAD RUN THE NUMBERS TWO AND A HALF YEARS WORTH OF WORK ABOUT THIS, AND THAT WAS GONNA GENERATE $80 MILLION IN REVENUE, UH, OVER 50 YEARS, AND THE TOWNSHIP VEHEMENTLY AGAINST IT.
AND THAT IS SOMETHING WHERE A LOT OF REVENUE WAS PROMISED.
AND I THINK JUST GOING OFF OF THE NUMBERS OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO BENEFIT THE MOST FROM THIS AND THE PROMISES OF REVENUE, WHEN IT'S GONNA HURT THE PROPERTY VALUE OF THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE THERE, AND ALSO THE FAMILIES, YOU KNOW, THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE.
AND MY DAUGHTER, SHE'S, SHE'S AT RUTGERS RIGHT NOW.
SHE KNOWS A LOT OF KIDS IN HER MAJOR WHO ARE L WHO ARE THERE FOR LEARNING ABOUT HOW TO CULTIVATE CANVAS.
AND SHE JUST SAID THE OTHER DAY, SHE'S LIKE, HER FAVORITE SPOT IS THAT SPOT, THE COMMON GROUND TRAILS THAT WE HAVE THERE.
AND SHE GREW UP IN THOSE WOODS.
MY OTHER DAUGHTER GREW UP IN THOSE WOODS, ALL THEIR FRIENDS, AND THAT CHARACTER THAT WOULD BE, THAT WOULD BE DESTROYED.
AND NOT TO MENTION THE HARM TO THE WILDLIFE.
[01:10:02]
ALL RIGHT.ANYONE ELSE, SIR? GOOD EVENING.
UH, BAKER HACKETT, NINE WOODLAKE COURT, MEDFORD, AND ACTUALLY I'M THE, UH, PRESIDENT OF THE, UH, HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION FOR, UH, WOODLAKE.
UH, MY SON IS A GRADUATE OF BISHOP ES, BUT I'VE GOTTA GIVE A HAT OFF TO ST.
THAT WAS
TRAVELED ALL OVER, LIVED ALL OVER.
BUT WHEN IT CAME TO WHERE WE WANTED TO LIVE AND SETTLED DOWN, IT WAS METFORD.
AND PART OF THAT IS BECAUSE OF THE CHARACTER OF THAT METHOD.
AND I THINK IT'S WONDERFUL WHEN YOU ARE IN THE SUMMER AND YOU'RE SEEING THE KIDS RIDING THEIR BICYCLES FREELY UP AND DOWN THE STREET.
AND I THINK THE IDEA OF THIS WOULD SEVERELY CHALLENGE THE CHARACTER THAT WE HAVE INSIDE OF METFORD.
SO I AM IN SUPPORT OF THE ORDINANCE AS IT STANDS NOW, AND LET'S KEEP IT THAT WAY AND LET'S KEEP METHOD THE WAY IT IS.
MARYANNE HOLLOWAY METFORD, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF EMOTION ABOUT THIS, BUT THERE'S ALSO THE PRACTICAL SIDE, AND THAT'S THE ZONING SIDE.
UM, MY KNOWLEDGE ISN, AND IF I'M INCORRECT, MR. PRIME CAN CORRECT ME OR DON SPOT ZONING IS ILLEGAL FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND.
AND THIS SEEMS TO BE ONE PARCEL THAT IS ASKING FOR VARIANCES TO CHANGE FROM RESIDENTIAL TO COMMERCIAL.
IF YOU SPOT ZONE THIS PROPERTY, YOU WOULD HAVE TO BLANKET OTHER PROPERTIES TO MAKE A ZONE BACK, WAY BACK WHEN THAT PROPERTY HAD SIGNIFICANT WETLANDS.
SO I WENT TO THE PINELANDS MAPS TODAY AND I DID AN OVERLAY OF THAT PROPERTY AND THE WETLANDS, AND THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT WETLANDS AND BUTLERS.
SO WHEN YOU TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION FOR ONE PARCEL SPOT ZONING, HAVING TO BLANKET AN AREA, TAKING A RESIDENTIAL TO A TOTAL COMMERCIAL, IT'S NOT LOGICAL.
SO THERE WERE MANY THINGS TALKED ABOUT ONLINE AND EVERYTHING AND ALL THE PROS ABOUT IT, ALL THE CONS ABOUT IT.
BUT LEGALITY WISE, I DON'T KNOW HOW HE SPOTS HIM PARCEL.
THERE WAS ALSO A TALK ABOUT A WOMAN THAT WANTED TO RUN IT OR WHATEVER THAT PARCEL ON THE DEED IS DEEDED TO ONE SINGLE MAN.
SO I'M NOT SURE WHO'S APPLYING, WHO'S NOT APPLYING.
I'M SURE YOU'LL LOOK INTO IT, BUT NONE OF IT WAS ON A BUSINESS LEVEL.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW YOU DO IT.
SO IT, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE IT'S COMING OUT OF THE BLUE.
ALSO, WAY BACK WHEN DONALD WILL KNOW THIS, THERE WAS, I BELIEVE IT WAS POND AND SPITS THAT WAS RUNNING THEIR OFFICE OUT OF ONE OF THE HOMES.
THEY WERE BUILDING PART OF WOODLAKE, THEY WERE BUILDING OTHER THINGS AROUND TOWN WHEN THEY STOPPED BUILDING, THEY STAYED IN THAT RESIDENTIAL HOUSE FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS AND YOU GUYS SHUT THEM DOWN AS A COMMERCIAL PROP, AS A COMMERCIAL BUSINESS RIGHT NEXT TO THIS.
SO YOU FORCED ONE OTHER BUSINESS OUT OF THERE, DIDN'T WANT TO CONVERT IT TO COMMERCIAL AND STOP THEM FROM OPERATING IT.
TAKE A STRUCTURE THAT'S NEEDED AS PART OF A GROWTH FACILITY IN THAT, IN THAT LOCATION.
ANYONE ELSE FROM THE PUBLIC? SIR? HI THERE.
UH, BRIAN CIZIK, 69 TAUNT ROAD.
UM, I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT THE TOWN COME TOGETHER AND TALK ABOUT AN IMPORTANT SUBJECT AND I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT THE TOWN COUNCIL CARES ABOUT THESE PEOPLE'S OPINIONS AND I'M GLAD JUST TO HEAR EVERYBODY'S OPINIONS AND HOW THEY TRULY FEEL.
ALRIGHT, ANYONE ELSE? ALRIGHT.
HI, JACQUELINE GI LIVE AT ONE LITTLE JOHN DRIVE IN SHERWOOD FOREST.
UM, I JUST FIGURED I'D GET UP AND ALSO, UM, JUST IMPLIED THAT I AM IN A OPPOSITION OF THIS BILL.
UM, I FIGURED I WOULD SPEAK BECAUSE I AM NOT A LONGTIME MEDFORD RESIDENT.
MY HUSBAND AND I JUST MOVED HERE ABOUT TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO.
UM, I, MY BACKGROUND IS GROWING UP RIGHT OUTSIDE OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA IN A LITTLE TOWN CALLED DARBY, PENNSYLVANIA.
IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR, IT'S VERY CLOSE TO CAMDEN, UH, IN LIKENESS.
IT'S LIKE CAMDEN, UM, A LOT OF DRUGS, A LOT OF, UH, CRIME.
UM, WHEN WINSLOW WAS BROUGHT UP, MY EARS PERKED UP BECAUSE I WAS ACTUALLY A PUBLIC EDUCATOR IN
[01:15:01]
WINSLOW TOWNSHIP.SO WHEN IT COMES TO THE COMPARISON OF HOUSING AND THE MARKET OF MEDFORD TOWNSHIP TO WINSLOW, UM, BESIDES THE FINANCIAL ASPECT OF IT, YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS AND THE GENERAL PEOPLE AND HOW THEY PRODUCT, UM, HOW THEY PRODUCE, UH, I'M SORRY, HOW THEY SHOW THEMSELVES AS PEOPLE, THEIR CHARACTER AND THE TYPES OF FAMILIES THAT ARE THERE.
MY HEART IS WITH THOSE TYPES OF CHILDREN.
UM, HOWEVER, THERE IS A LOT OF HURT AND SADNESS AND BROKENNESS IN THOSE TYPES OF FAMILIES, AND I CAN ONLY IMAGINE THAT THAT WOULD BRING ABOUT, UM, SEVERAL SYMPTOMS OF THAT AS WELL IN OUR TOWN IF WE WERE TO BRING THAT TYPE OF REVENUE INTO OUR TOWNSHIP.
UM, I ALSO, WE MOVED FROM BERLIN, UH, WEST BERLIN IN PARTICULAR, AND I HAVE A 10-YEAR-OLD NOW AND AN 8-YEAR-OLD.
AND AT THE TIME THEY WERE FIVE AND SEVEN AND WE HAD SOME DRUG USERS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IN PARTICULAR AND I HAD THE FEAR OF WHO WAS DRIVING PAST OUR HOME.
AND I JUST, I DON'T WANT THAT FOR OUR TOWNSHIP HERE.
UH, IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO SEE BRING DOWN OUR TOWN AND THE FAMILY ASPECT OF THINGS.
UM, IT'S SUCH A FAMILY ORIENTED TOWN AND SAFE AND WE CAN FEEL CONFIDENT IN WHO IS AROUND OUR CHILDREN IN THIS AREA.
ALRIGHT, ANYONE ELSE INTERESTED IN MAKING A PUBLIC COMMENT? ALRIGHT, SEEING NONE, CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT? SO MOVED.
OPPOSED? PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED
[VIII. MANAGER’S REPORT]
MANAGER'S REPORT.WE HAVE, UM, ONE, UH, NEW EMS VOLUNTEER, SLIGHT CORRECTION.
UM, IT'S ANOTHER ONE OF OUR, UH, SERVICE MEMBERS WHO IS VOLUNTEERING, UH, FOR US.
AND I WOULD JUST ASK THE COUNCIL APPROVE, UM, ANNA MORIARTY'S APPLICATION TO SERVE FOR US.
I'M GONNA PAUSE FOR A MOMENT JUST FOR, JUST TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO, TO CLEAR OUT.
ALL RIGHT, SO WE ALWAYS APPRECIATE THE VOLUNTEERS, ESPECIALLY THIS WEEK.
UH, ANNA MARIA AND CHIEF DOY, IF YOU COULD EXTEND THAT.
ANNA, I DON'T BELIEVE YOU'RE HERE AT THE MOMENT.
SO CHIEF, IF YOU COULD EXTEND THAT OUR APPRECIATION TO HER AND THEIR CONTINUING APPRECIATION TO VOLUNTEERS, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS ABOUT THE APPLICATION? NO.
WE HAVE NO CCLE UH, CLERK'S REPORT THIS EVENING.
[X. BILL LIST]
ONE BILL LIST TO ACCEPT FOR JANUARY 25TH.WE HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE BILL LIST.
OPPOSED? THE BILL LIST IS ACCEPTED.
[XI. ORDINANCES FOR INTRODUCTION]
WE HAVE ONE ORDINANCE FOR FIRST READING.WOULD SOMEONE LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION? I MOVE THAT COUNCIL.
INTRODUCE ON FIRST READING ORDINANCE 2025 DASH TWO.
UH, CALENDAR YEAR 2025, MODEL ORDINANCE TO EXCEED THE MUNICIPAL BUDGET APPROPRIATION LIMITS AND ESTABLISH A CAP BANK.
THIS IS A STANDARD, UH, ORDINANCE.
THIS IS NOT ANYTHING SPECIAL PEOPLE SEE EXCEED THE CAP.
I THINK FOR GOING OVER THE CAP.
IT'S JUST A, A, A RELU, EXCUSE ME.
ORDINANCE IS ADOPTED EVERY YEAR FOR THE COUNCIL, UM, TO CREATE THIS BANK IN THE EVENT IT WILL BE NECESSARY IN THE URGENCY.
THERE'S A LONG STORY COUNCILMAN, UH, BONNEY USED TO
UH, IT'S JUST A, A STANDARD ORDINANCE.
PUBLIC HEARING FOR THIS WILL BE ON FEBRUARY 4TH, 2025.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON THIS ORDINANCE? ALRIGHT, ROLL CALL FOR APPROVAL.
ALRIGHT, THE ORDINANCE, UH, IS APPROVED.
WE HAVE NO ORDINANCE FOR SECOND READING AND
[XIII. CONSENT AGENDA RESOLUTIONS]
WE HAVE SOME CONSENT RESULT RESOLUTIONS.CONSENT AGENDA RESOLUTIONS, WE'RE GOING TO PULL RESOLUTION 31, 20 25 FOR A FURTHER DISCUSSION, BUT REGARDING THE REST OF THE CONSENT RESOLUTIONS,
[01:20:01]
WE HAVE RESOLUTION 20 25 25, 20 25 REPORTING HARDENBERG INSURANCE GROUP AS MEDFORD TOWNSHIP'S RISK MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2025.RESOLUTION 26 20 25 AUTHORIZING VARIOUS PROFESSIONAL APPOINTMENTS AND CONTRACTS.
RESOLUTION 27 20 25 AUTHORIZING CANCELLATION OF 2025.
PROPERTY TAXES ON PROPERTY OWNED BY A QUALIFYING TOTALLY DISABLED EXEMPT VETERAN RESOLUTION 28 20 25 AUTHORIZING A FIFTH AMENDMENT TO THE AGREEMENT WITH NJR CLEAN ENERGY VENTURES FOR A TERM EXTENSION.
TEMPORARILY EXTENDING THE CONTRACT WITH TRIAD ASSOCIATES FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT SERVICES RESOLUTION 30 20 25.
APPOINTING INSURANCE SOLUTION INCORPORATED AS MEDFORD TOWNSHIP'S BENEFITS BROKER OF RECORD FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2025.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? HEARING NONE.
OH, SOMEONE LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION? I'LL MAKE A MOTION.
THERE AYE WE HAVE NO ADDITIONAL RESOLUTIONS TO
[XV. EXECUTIVE SESSION]
CONSIDER.WE NOW HAVE OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION RESOLUTION ES 0 1 2 1 20 25 MATTERS RELATING TO ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND PERSONNEL PUBLIC BODY APPOINTMENT.
WOULD SOMEONE LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION? SO MOVED.
MAYOR, I EXPECT THE, UH, UH, EXECUTIVE SESSION TO LAST ABOUT A HALF HOUR.
I DO EXPECT THE THE COUNCIL TO TAKE ACTION AFTER THE EXECUTIVE SESSION, UH, RELATED TO THE, UH, TOWNSHIP'S ACCEPTANCE OF THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UM, UH, CALCULATIONS PROVIDED TO THE TOWNSHIP BY THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS.
WE WILL, WE WILL RECONVENE THE, THE MEETING IN HOPEFULLY ABOUT HALF AN HOUR OR SO.
I, WE RECONVENE THE OPEN PORTION OF THIS MEETING.
WE DISCUSSED A VARIETY OF ITEMS ON THE EXECUTIVE SESSION.
WE WILL BE TABLING NUMBER 31 20 25 AND WE WILL, UH, PROPOSE RESOLUTION 32 20 25 RESOLUTION COMMITTING MEDFORD TOWNSHIP TO C'S CALCULATION OF THE TOWNSHIP'S FOURTH ROUND SHARE OF REGION FIVE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, PRESENT NEED AND PROSPECTIVE NEED OBLIGATION.
IF I COULD, IS THAT THE MOTION TO ADD TO THE AGENDA OR THE MOTION? THAT WAS THE MOTION TO ADOPT? I DON'T, WE CAN DO A MOTION TO ADD TO THE AGENDA FIRST AND THEN THIS ADOPT THAT.
WE HAVE A MOTION TO ADD RESOLUTION 32 25 TO THE AGENDA.
WOULD YOU LIKE A SECOND ROLL CALL? NO, SECOND ROLL CALL.
IT ALL ENDS UP THE SAME PLACE ANYWAY.
WE CAN GET OVER, WE CAN REALLY GET OVER THE TECHNICAL HERE, BUT WE'RE OKAY.
UH, A MOTION TO ADJOURN THE MEETING.
OPPOSED? ALRIGHT, MEETING MR. THIS IN CASE.