* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:02] ALL RIGHT, CALL TO ORDER THE REGULAR MEETING WITH THE TOWNSHIP OF MEDFORD TOWN COUNCIL FOR FEBRUARY 20, UH, FEBRUARY 18TH, 2025. PUBLIC MEETING STATEMENT. 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 BURLINGTON COUNTY TIMES, AND THE CENTRAL RECORD FORWARDING WRITTEN NOTICE TO EACH PERSON WHO HAS REQUESTED COPIES OF THE REGULAR MEETING SCHEDULE. ALL THE ABOVE POSTING, FILING, AND MAILING HAVE TAKEN PLACE ON THE 14TH, TODAY OF FEBRUARY, 2025. PLEASE [II. FLAG SALUTE ] RISE FOR THE FLAG HERE. I PLEDGE THEE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH HE STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE. STRONG. [III. ROLL CALL] ROLL CALL PLEASE, MS. MILL. HERE. MS. SIMONS. HERE. MR. WATSON. HERE. DEPUTY MAYOR CIZIK. HERE. MAYOR ABTA HERE. ALRIGHT. [IV. Communications, Scheduling Matters, Council Agenda, Presentations and Any Amendments to the Agenda ] WE HAVE TWO SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS TONIGHT AND TODAY WE'LL BE HONORING, UH, MR. JACK HARTWIG FOR AS MANY YEARS OF SERVICE. AND NORMALLY IT IS THE HONOR OF THE MAYOR TO READ PROCLAMATIONS, AND CERTAINLY IT WOULD BE FOR ME TO DO SO TODAY. HOWEVER, MR. HARTWIG AND MR. WATSON SAT NEXT TO EACH OTHER ON THE PLANNING BOARD AS MR. HARTWOOD SERVED FOR NINE YEARS. AND SO THE HONOR GOES TO FORMER MAYOR WATSON FOR THIS. SO IF WE COULD ALL, UH, RISE AND WE'LL GO DOWN IN THE FRONT AND READ THE PROCLAMATION. NUMBER ONE. THANK YOU MAYOR ESTOCK, FOR ALLOWING ME TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY. ABSOLUTELY. AND, UH, IT'S AN HONOR TO BE ABLE TO READ THIS INTO THE RECORD AND PRESENT IT TO YOU AFTER SITTING ALONGSIDE YOU FOR MANY YEARS. BUT YOU'VE DONE SO MUCH TO PRESERVE THE CHARACTER OF OUR TOWN WHILE YOU SAT AS THE CHAIR. AND, UH, IT'S AGAIN, AN HONOR. AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE FOR METRO. TAKE YOUR TIME READING. OKAY, I READ IT TWICE. PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING JACK HARTWICK FOR HIS VOLUNTEER SERVICE TO MEDFORD TOWNSHIP AND THE MEDFORD TOWNSHIP PLANNING BOARD. WHEREAS MEDFORD RESIDENT, JACK HARTWICK HAS SERVED AS A VOLUNTEER TO VARIOUS MEDFORD TOWNSHIP OR COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS FOR OVER 40 YEARS. AND WHEREAS JACK HARTWICK HAS RECENTLY CONCLUDED HIS VOLUNTEER SERVICE TO THE MEDFORD TOWNSHIP PLANNING BOARD, EFFECTIVE DECEMBER 31ST, 2024, UPON THE EXPIRATION OF HIS MOST RECENT TERM APPOINTMENT. WHEREAS THE MEDFORD TOWNSHIP PLANNING BOARD IS THE AGENCY DESIGNATED BY THE TOWNSHIP COUNCIL TO CONSIDER LAND USE APPLICATIONS INVOLVING MAJOR DEVELOPMENT AND SUBDIVISION OF LAND, AND IS PRIMARILY RESPONSIBLE FOR DRAFTING AND APPROVING UPDATES TO THE MEDFORD TOWNSHIP MASTER PLAN. AND WHEREAS THE PLANNING BOARD IS COMPROMISED OF NINE REGULAR MEMBERS AND TWO ALTERNATES. AND WHEREAS JACK HARTWIG WAS FIRST APPOINTED BY TOWNSHIP COUNCIL TO THE PLANNING BOARD ON JANUARY 13TH, 2013, FOR A FOUR YEAR TERM, SERVING THREE CONSECUTIVE FOUR YEAR TERMS. AND WHEREAS IN JANUARY OF 2014, JACK HARTWIG BECAME CHAIR OF THE PLANNING BOARD, A POST HE MAINTAINED THROUGHOUT THE REMAINDER OF HIS TENURE. AND WHEREAS IN ADDITION TO HIS SERVICE ON THE PLANNING BOARD, JACK HARTWICK HAS SERVED AS AN MYAA TRAVELING SOCCER COACH, MYAA SOCCER COMMISSIONER, MYAA TREASURER AND MYAA PRESIDENT, AS WELL AS A MEMBER OF THE MEDFORD TOWNSHIP RECREATION COUNCIL AND MEDFORD TOWNSHIP PROFESSIONAL REVIEW TASK FORCE. AND WHEREAS DURING HIS TENURE ON THE PLANNING BOARD, JACK HARTWIG HAS PRESIDED OVER NUMEROUS DEVELOPMENT APPLICATIONS AND REVISIONS TO THE MASTER PLAN, IN ADDITION TO FURTHERING THE TOWNSHIP'S EFFORTS TO PROVIDE AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES. AND WHEREAS THE TOWNSHIP COUNCIL WISHES TO FORMALLY RECOGNIZE JACK HART'S LONG HISTORY OF SERVICE TO MEDFORD TOWNSHIP AND THE COMMUNITY NOW THEREFORE BE RESOLVED BY THE TOWNSHIP COUNCIL OF THE TOWNSHIP OF MEDFORD AND THE COUNTY OF BURLINGTON, STATE OF NEW JERSEY, THAT THE TOWNSHIP EXPRESSES ITS GRATITUDE TO JACK HARTWIG FOR OVER 40 YEARS OF VOLUNTEER SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY OF MEDFORD, INCLUDING 12 YEARS AS A MEMBER OF THE PLANNING BOARD, AND 11 YEARS AS BOARD CHAIRMAN PRESENTED FEBRUARY 18TH, 2025 BY THE MEDFORD TOWNSHIP COUNCIL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. [00:05:20] ALL RIGHT. OUR SECOND PRESENTATION FOR THE EVENING IS A SPECIAL PRESENTATION BY OUR ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS ADVISORY COMMITTEE. SO IF YOU COULD PLEASE MS. ALLIE, I WAS JUST THINKING YOU'D HAVE TO MAKE THIS A LITTLE SHORTER. . SO, AS YOU KNOW, MY NAME IS APIA GALEY AND I'M THE CURRENT CHAIR OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR MEDFORD. JOINING ME TONIGHT IS MY CO-CHAIR, UH, DEB DEB EVANS, OUR SECRETARY, ED TENTOFF, ONE OF OUR MEMBERS, SANDRA KRUEGER. AND, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THEM FOR VOLUNTEERS. AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL FOR OUR APPOINTMENTS AND FOR ALL THE SUPPORT THAT YOU GIVE US DURING THE YEAR. I'M USUALLY AN EXTEMPORANEOUS SPEAKER, BUT THEN I GO OFF ON TANGENTS AND YOU, YOU KNOW ME, I CAN TALK ABOUT RECYCLING AND PLASTIC, UH, FOR AT LEAST TWO DAYS, . SO I GAVE MYSELF A NOTE. I HAVE GIVEN YOU, I'VE PROVIDED, UH, TO COUNSEL AND TO DANIEL, UH, AL OUR, OUR GOALS FOR OUR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES FOR 2025, AS WELL AS OUR ANNUAL REPORT FOR 2024. AND I DO APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU WILL PUT IT ON THE WEBSITE SO EVERYBODY CAN SEE AND SHARE AND GIVE US FEEDBACK, BECAUSE THAT'S IMPORTANT. SO I'M JUST GONNA WITH MY NOTES SO I DON'T GO OVERBOARD. UM, I JUST WANNA DO A LITTLE, YOU KNOW, MOST PEOPLE, IF YOU READ OUR HANDBOOK AND READ OUR, OUR MISSION, IT'S ABOUT TREES, BUT WE'RE MORE ABOUT TREES. I MEAN, WE DO, WE CARE ABOUT CLEAN WATER, WE CARE ABOUT CLEAN AIR FOR OUR RESIDENTS, BUT TREES ARE PRETTY IMPORTANT. WE CONTINUE TO CARE AND ACT ON WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO MEDFORD AS A WHOLE WITH THE COUNCIL, AS OUR PARTNERS, WITH COLLABORATION WITH THE RESIDENTS, AND FOR MANY OF THE NONPROFITS AND FOR THE, UH, LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS. SO, UH, LET'S SEE. THIS YEAR WE'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL WITH GETTING ANOTHER GRANT FOR A WEATHER STATION THAT'S GONNA EXTEND, UH, THE WEATHER STATION FROM FREEDOM PARK TO HARTFORD CROSSING. WE GOT ANOTHER $5,000. AND THIS IS JUST FROM INSIDE THIS SMALL GROUP. I KNOW YOU'VE, WE'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF OTHER GRANTS. UH, WE GOT 5,000 FOR THE RAN COCUS, UH, UH, REMEDIATION. UH, WE'RE IN THE CER RECERTIFICATION PROCESS FOR OUR SUSTAINABLE JERSEY APPLICATION. AND, UH, WHILE WE WORK TOWARDS OUR CONTINUING OUR SILVER CERTIFICATION, THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT HELPS US GET FREE TECHNICAL ADVICE. IT HELPS US WITH DIFFERENT, UH, GRANTS THAT WE APPLY FOR. SO IT'S BEEN A BIG BOON, AND I DO APPRECIATE IT. SO THAT'S GONNA BE, I'LL BE BUGGING EVERYBODY UNTIL, UH, SUNDAY. THAT'S WHEN OUR FIRST, UH, GO ROUND GOES IN. WE REALLY HAVE AN ACTIVE AND ENGAGED, UH, GREEN TEAM AUXILIARY. THEY'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT BEING PART OF SOMETHING GREATER THAT HAS A DIRECT POSITIVE IMPACT ON WHAT IT IS WE DO. WE REALLY APPRECIATE GETTING YOUTH INVOLVED WITH THE DIFFERENT PROJECTS WE DO. AND FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN THE ROW, WE HAD A CUB SCOUT TROOP DO THE WILDLIFE TREE AT THE DICKENS FESTIVAL AT TOMLINSON PARK. AND IT WAS NICE TO SEE THEM BE EXCITED ABOUT LEARNING ABOUT HABITAT AND, UM, THE ENVIRONMENT. WILDLIFE MEDFORD DOES HAVE A LOT OF WILDLIFE, AND PEOPLE DO APPRECIATE THAT. AND, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T SPEAK ABOUT ANY PROJECTS WITHOUT MENTIONING PLASTIC. UH, WE ARE WORKING ON OUR NINTH BENCH, AND IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE WE ARE MOVING VERY QUICKLY. SO THEY GIVE US A YEAR TO RAISE A THOUSAND POUNDS OF TRADITIONALLY NON-RECYCLABLE PLASTIC. UH, BUT WE'RE DOING IT IN FOUR MONTHS, AND IT'S NOW THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE'S, UH, TURN. AND I THINK PRETTY WE'RE GOING TO BEAT THAT FOUR MONTHS BECAUSE WE'RE TURNING IN ANYWHERE FROM 75 TO 150 POUNDS A WEEK WITH RESIDENTS. AND, YOU KNOW, WITH THE TWO BOXES WE NOW HAVE AT THE, UH, AT THE LIBRARY AND THE TOWNSHIP BUILDING, I'M SURE MR. HORNICK WILL CAN TELL YOU HOW QUICKLY THEY FILL UP AND WE HAVE TO GO GET IT. SO IT'S BEEN A BOON. IT'S ALSO GIVEN US A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT HOW MEDFORD CARES, HOW MEDFORD CARES ABOUT RECYCLING, COMPOSTING, AND KEEPING OUR TOWN AHEAD OF THE CURVE. WE DON'T WANNA BE PLAYING CATCH UP, WE WANNA BE AHEAD OF THE CURVE, WHICH BRINGS US TO, UM, OUR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES. I MEAN, I'M REALLY EXCITED. I'M REALLY EXCITED. WE'RE GOING RIGHT FROM RECYCLING AND PLASTIC TO DRAINS, STORMWATER, UH, IT'S SUCH A BIG THING. AND, UH, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE TOWNSHIP AND DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS, UH, THERE WILL BE, UH, EMBARKING ON AN ADOPT A DRAIN PROGRAM IN 2025. AND AT OUR EDUCATIONAL, UH, OFFERING, WHICH IS GONNA TAKE [00:10:01] PLACE HERE ON APRIL 8TH, UH, BRIAN KOPA AND ANOTHER PERSON, I THINK THE, UH, CLEAN COMMUNITIES COORDINATOR WILL BE HERE TO PRESENT. SO IT'S GONNA BE AN EXCITING NIGHT. LET'S SEE. CONTINUING EDUCATION. EDUCATION. EDUCATION IS VERY IMPORTANT AS WE MOVE FORWARD. UH, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIONS AND PROJECTS ON BEHALF OF THE TOWN, WHICH INCLUDES, THIS IS A, A REALLY BIG GOAL FOR ME, FINDING NOT NON TAXPAYER MONEY TO BE ABLE TO, UH, INCLUDE PRIVATE AND PUBLIC PARTNERSHIPS FOR ONGOING TO HELP BUILD A LARGER FOUNDATION TO KEEP MEDFORD STILL AT THE FOREFRONT OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND SUSTAINABLE PROJECTS. AND WE WILL KEEP APPLYING FOR BENCHES AS LONG AS TREK'S, UH, PROGRAM EXISTS. WE APPRECIATE THE PARTNERSHIPS, NOT ONLY WITH THE TOWNSHIP AND WITH COUNCIL AND, UH, ALL THE DEPARTMENTS, BUT WITH GROUPS LIKE THE WOMEN'S CLUB OF MEDFORD, THE PINE LANDS GARDEN CLUB, THE FREEDOM PARKS VOLUNTEERS, THE BOY SCOUT TROOPS, THE EAGLE SCOUTS THAT WANNA DO PROJECTS, AND ALL THE RESIDENTS AND VISITORS WHO SUPPORT US IN REACHING THOSE GOALS. SO, UH, ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO ADD IS OUR MEETINGS ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, THE GREEN TEAM AUXILIARY MEETINGS ARE ALSO OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, AND THEY WELCOME INTERESTED PEOPLE TO JOIN THEM AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE MEDFORD CONTINUE TO BE THE GREAT PLACE THAT WE LIVE IN. AND THE PEOPLE COME TO VISIT AND WE REALLY DO. WE WANNA HEAR FROM THE COUNCIL AND FROM EVERYONE AS TO WHAT, YOU KNOW, THEY WANNA SEE US DO IN THE FUTURE. ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU. JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. WONDERFUL. AND THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE ALSO ON THE EAAC, THANK YOU AS WELL. AND OLO, CAN YOU PLEASE EXTEND OUR APPRECIATION TO THE REST OF THE TEAM? ABSOLUTELY, I WILL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. I'LL MAKE THE WATCH VIDEO . ALRIGHT. ANY COMMUNICATIONS ANYONE MIGHT HAVE? I THINK A, A THANK YOU TO THE FIRST RESPONDERS, UH, ALL THE WORK THAT WAS DONE WITH THIS STORM AND THE WIND THAT TOOK PLACE, THAT WAS, UH, PRETTY INTENSE FOR, THERE'S TWO OR THREE NIGHTS THERE, BUT DID A GREAT JOB. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? UH, I WOULD LIKE TO WISH MY WIFE, MY LOVELY WIFE, A HAPPY BIRTHDAY TODAY. THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING TO HER BIRTHDAY PARTY. . THIS IS A, UH, WONDERFUL EVENING FOR HER. SHE WAS NOT ABLE TO MAKE IT, UNFORTUNATELY. . ALRIGHT. ANY, ANY OTHER COMMUNICATIONS? ALRIGHT. SCHEDULING ITEMS MARCH 4TH, 2025 IS THE NEXT SCHEDULED REGULAR MEETING, REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING AT PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING HERE AT 6:30 PM AND THEN MARCH 18TH IS OUR SECOND MEETING OF THE MONTH. 2025 IS THE, ALSO HERE AT THE PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING AT 6:30 PM AND THEN MOVING [V. APPROVAL OF MINUTES] ON TO THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES, WE HAVE FEBRUARY 4TH, 2025. COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES AND FEBRUARY 4TH, 2025. EXECUTIVE SESSION MINUTES. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS ABOUT THE MINUTES? ALRIGHT, HEARING NONE, CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES? SO MOVED. SECOND. ALRIGHT, ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED? OKAY, THE MINUTES ARE APPROVED. [VI. DISCUSSION ITEMS] WE HAVE ONE DISCUSSION ITEM ON THE AGENDA THIS EVENING, AND THIS IS JUST REGARDING THE FORMER PINELANDS LIBRARY. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MAY NOT BE AWARE OF THIS, THE, THE, UH, TOWNSHIP HAS, UH, IN ITS POSSESSION, THE FORMER LIBRARY, IT SITS, UH, NEAR, NEAR THE STREAM ON MAIN STREET AT THE SOUTHERN END. AND SO WE JUST WANTED TO HAVE AN, AN OPEN CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS, UH, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IN THE TOWN IS AWARE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING AS WE MOVE, UH, MOVE TOWARD THOSE SPACES. SO I'LL OPEN THAT UP TO DISCUSSION. UM, I'LL OFFICER GUESS I'LL START. UM, NOT BEING TOO FAMILIAR WITH THE DETAILS OF, OF THE PROCESS. I KNOW IT'S BEEN EXPRESSED HERE, UM, AT COUNCIL EVEN PRIOR TO LAST YEAR WITH OTHER PROJECTS. BUT, UH, SOME SUGGESTIONS FROM OUR PROFESSIONALS HAVE COME UP. AND I THINK WE'RE TALKING THROUGH JUST BEING AS PUBLIC AS WE CAN WITH THE PROCESS, POTENTIALLY HAVING A SIGN OUT FRONT UNLIKE A REALTOR SIGN, BUT MORE LIKE AN INFORMATIONAL SIGN. SO WE COULD UPDATE, UM, MAYBE A WEBSITE OR SOMETHING THROUGH A QR CODE JUST TO KEEP EVERYBODY UP TO DATE IF THEY HAVE QUESTIONS ONGOING. THAT WAS A SUGGESTION I THOUGHT WAS VERY VALUABLE FROM ONE OF OUR PROFESSIONALS. UM, AND AS I LEARNED MORE ABOUT THE PROCESS AS WELL, JUST, YOU KNOW, THE INTAKE OF INTERESTED PARTIES THAT MAY BE, UM, WILLING TO PARTAKE IN THAT BID PROCESS. UM, THEY REACH OUT TO MR. NIKAL, UM, AND THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES TO REPORT TO THAT PROPERTY SO THEY CAN UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT THE BUILDING ITSELF AND THE USES THAT, THAT MIGHT, THAT THEY MIGHT WANT TO APPLY THERE. SO, UM, WE'RE OPEN. UM, YOU KNOW, UM, I SAY WE, I WE ARE OPEN TO REALLY ANY IDEA AT THIS POINT THAT COULD BE A GOOD USE FOR THAT PROPERTY. [00:15:01] OKAY. I WAS GONNA MENTION THE SAME THING JUST ABOUT THE SIGN, SO THERE'S MORE INFORMATION SO PEOPLE KNOW WHERE TO GO. TRUE. YEAH. DANIEL, THAT'S POSSIBLE, RIGHT? YES. UM, I LIKE THE IDEA OF A SIGN AND, UM, I HAVE TAKEN A NUMBER OF PEOPLE ON TOURS OF THE BUILDING. UM, I'VE RESPONDED TO A NUMBER OF INQUIRIES AND I'VE REALLY JUST LIKE COUNSEL'S CONSENSUS TO, UH, WORK WITH MR. PRIME TO PUT TOGETHER AN RFP, UH, OVER THE NEXT FOUR WEEKS OR SO FOR YOUR REVIEW AND EVENTUAL PUBLICATION, AN RFP THAT FOCUSES ON GETTING PEOPLE THAT ARE INTERESTED IN THE BUILDING TO REALLY, YOU MENTIONED, TELL US WHAT THEY ENVISION DOING WITH THE BUILDING. I KNOW ONE OF COUNCIL'S PRIORITIES IS TO TRY TO GET MORE FOOT TRAFFIC ON THAT END OF SOUTH MAIN STREET. SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT MR. PRIME AND I WILL EMBODY IN, IN AN RFP TO BE PUBLISHED. MM-HMM . THAT WOULD BE OUR GOAL. UM, I COULD TELL YOU THE BUILDING ITSELF, YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S, IT'S SOUND IN VERY GOOD SHAPE AT ALL. UNFORTUNATELY, UM, WEATHER HAS DONE A NUMBER TO THE BUILDING, SO IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT NECESSARILY HOLDS HIGH VALUE AS AN ARTICLE FOR SALE. I THINK THE VALUE IS IN WHAT SOMEBODY COULD PUT IT BACK INTO USE AND GET IT ONTO THE TAX ROLLS BECAUSE IT'S BEEN OFF THE TAX ROLLS FOR SO LONG. SO THERE'S GONNA BE A, A CHALLENGE IN REHABBING THAT BUILDING. IT'S GONNA BE VERY COSTLY TO, UM, FIX IT FOR USE AGAIN, UM, THAT'S GONNA BE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE. UM, FINDING SOMEBODY THAT WANTS TO TAKE ON THAT INVESTMENT AND PUTTING IT BACK INTO USE AND GETTING A ACTUAL CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY FOR THE THINGS THAT NEED TO BE FIXED TO MAKE IT A WELCOMING FACILITY. THE, THE WAY THE TOWN HAS APPROACHED IT, UH, IN THE PAST, ANYTIME WE HAVE PUBLIC PROPERTY THAT'S NO LONGER NECESSARY FOR PUBLIC USE, UM, WE GO OUT FOR, UH, A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FROM ANY, ANY INTERESTED PARTY, UM, WHO IS INTERESTED IN REDEVELOPING WHAT WAS MUNICIPAL PROPERTY INTO PRIVATE PROPERTY, AS DANIEL INDICATED, PUTTING IT BACK ON THE TAX ROLL. AND WE'VE NEVER FOCUSED, NOT THAT WE GIVE IT AWAY, WE'VE NEVER FOCUSED THOUGH ON THE, THE AMOUNT OF PURCHASE PRICE. RATHER, WE FOCUSED ON WHAT THE USE IS, HOW MUCH BENEFIT IT IS TO THE TOWN AS A WHOLE AND TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD. AND THAT'S THE IDEA OF A REDEVELOPMENT PLAN IS FIRST TO GET A REDEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL FROM SOMEONE THAT, THAT THE COUNCIL THINKS IS THE APPROPRIATE, UH, OR APPROPRIATE USE FOR THE SITE. WE THEN ENTER INTO A REDEVELOPMENT PLAN, WHICH PROVIDES THE ZONING, QUOTE UNQUOTE, THE USE IS THEN PERMITTED, AND WE THEN GO TO THE PLANNING BOARD ULTIMATELY FOR APPROVAL OF AN ACTUAL USE. SO, UM, IT, IT'S A MULTI-STEP PROCESS. IT TAKES SOME TIME, UH, BUT IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT PROCESS. WE DON'T HAVE THAT MUCH MUNICIPAL PROPERTY. AND WHEN WE DO HAVE A PIECE THAT'S NO LONGER NECESSARY FOR, UH, FOR PUBLIC USE, IT'S GOOD TO FIND A GOOD PRIVATE USE, SOMETHING THAT HELPS THE VILLAGE, SOMEBODY THAT HELPS THE, UH, THE AREA. SO THAT'S OUR GOAL. UM, AS FAR AS THE PROPOSED USES, UM, WE USUALLY INCLUDE A, A VARIETY OF USES THAT WE, WE WILL BE WILLING TO ENTERTAIN SO AS TO NOT TO, UM, DISCOURAGE ANYBODY WHO MIGHT HAVE A DIFFERENT IDEA. SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA TRY TO DO WITH THIS. UM, IT'S AN ONGOING PROCESS, MAYBE A LITTLE BACK AND FORTH. UH, MAYBE REISSUE THE RFP IF WE'RE NOT SATISFIED WITH THE WAY IT WAS, WAS FINE. ANYWAY, WE WILL WORK THROUGH THIS PROCESS IS IT'S ALWAYS, IT'S IN PUBLIC BECAUSE THE RECEIPT OF THE RFP IS CONSIDERED IN PUBLIC AND THEN ALL THESE OTHER STEPS ARE IN PUBLIC. SO, UM, THAT'S THE PROCESS THAT DANIEL TALKED ABOUT AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA TRY TO DO. CHRIS, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YEAH. AND THE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR REDEVELOPMENT, THE BETTER. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HEARD, I MEAN ANY, ANY NUMBER OF DIFFERENT USES THAT PEOPLE HAVE BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION. SO YES, IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE SITE, IT'S A SMALL SITE, NOT A HUGE SITE. UH, THE BUILDING IS CHALLENGING, UH, THE PARKING CHALLENGING. SO IT, IT, IT'S NOT GONNA BE A, AN OVERWHELMING, HUGE, BIG , YOU KNOW, UH, USE. BUT IT'LL BE SOMETHING THAT WILL HOPEFULLY GET IT BACK ON THE TAX ROLLS AND, AND BE A POSITIVE TO THE TOWN AND TO THE, TO THE AREA WHICH THE SITE'S LOCATED. GREAT, THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS ELSE? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. SO WE'LL MOVE INTO OUR, UH, [VII. PUBLIC COMMENTS] PUBLIC COMMENT TIME FOR A REGULAR MEETING. AND WE WOULD ASK THAT CERTAINLY GENERAL DECORUM IS EXHIBITED, SO BE KIND TO EACH OTHER AND YOUR NEIGHBORS AND JUST RECOGNIZE THAT MANY VETERANS LOST THEIR LIVES SO THAT WE COULD, COULD HAVE THESE FREEDOMS. AND SO WE HONOR EACH OTHER AND HONOR THEM BY [00:20:01] SPEAKING KINDLY. AND PLEASE NOTE THAT WE ALSO DO HAVE ON RECORD ORDINANCE THREE DASH 2020, WHICH CALLS FOR PARTICIPANTS TO ENGAGE IN PROPER CONDUCT AND TO AVOID DISTURBING THE PEACE IN A MEETING. THIS PORTION OF THE MEETING IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO COMMENT PUBLICLY. IT'S NOT A TIME OF PUBLIC DEBATE. AND SO IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. WE'LL BRING YOU UP TO THE FRONT, SIR, YOU CAN GO FIRST AND, UH, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, YOUR ADDRESS, AND THEN RECOGNIZE THAT WE'LL LIMIT ALL THE CON COMMENTS TONIGHT TO FIVE MINUTES, PLEASE. GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS JOHN VENTI. I LIVE AT, UH, 1 1 5 PARK COURT EAST, AND THAT'S IN THE LAKE PINE COMMUNITY. I'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOU TONIGHT ABOUT THE CONDITION OF THE ROADS IN LAKE PINE. I'VE LIVED THERE FOR 25 YEARS AND, UH, I, THE ROADS HAVEN'T BEEN REDONE EXCEPT FOR ONE STREET RECENTLY, I CAN'T, I DON'T KNOW THE NAME OF IT. THEY REDID THE, UH, SEWERS. BUT, UH, I HAVE FOUR GRANDCHILDREN AND, UH, I SHUDDER TO THINK WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THEY FELL OFF THEIR BIKE. UH, AND, YOU KNOW, SCRAPE THEMSELVES, I MEAN, IT, IT'S, THE ROADS ARE AKIN TO A CHEESE GRATER. THE, UH, THE ASPHALT HAS WASHED OUT FROM THE MAIN ROADS, MAINLY LIKE FOREST. AND IT, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE THE PEBBLES THERE. SO, AND I WAS SPEAKING WITH, UH, ONE OF MY NEIGHBORS AND SHE, UH, WOULD LIKE TO RIDE HER BIKE, BUT BECAUSE OF THE CONDITIONS OF THE ROAD ON FOREST AVENUE, SHE, SHE'S AFRAID TO, UH, ESPECIALLY FOREST AVENUE, IT'S REALLY BAD. AND ALSO, UH, I WOULD SAY, UH, FALLS ROAD THAT GOES OVER THE, UH, DAM THERE. BUT, UH, DURING MY TIME THERE, LITTLE HAS BEEN DONE. NOW THE TOWNSHIP DOES COME OUT AND THEY REPAIR THE POTHOLES, BUT I WOULD SAY THE JOB THAT THEY DO IS INADEQUATE BECAUSE THEY BASICALLY PUT DOWN SOME ASPHALT AND WHAT YOU HAVE, IT GETS INCREASINGLY UNEVEN. OKAY? THEN THE RAINS COME AND IT WASHES OUT AND IT'S JUST AN ONGOING THING. I MEAN, IF THEY'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING AND WE HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE SEWERS ARE REPLACED, I THINK IT SHOULD BE CUT OUT AND DONE PROPERLY, JUST SMOOTH IT OUT, WHICH THEN WOULD STOP THE WEATHER FROM DETERIORATING IT, YOU KNOW, IN THE STORMS. BUT, UH, NO, I APPRECIATE WHAT THE TOWNSHIP DOES, BUT WHEN I DRIVE AROUND IN OTHER TOWNSHIPS, UH, LIKE EVESHAM, THEY JUST DID THE HOPEWELL BEAUTIFUL JOB. WHEN I HIT THAT, I THOUGHT MY WHEELS FELL OFF OF MY CAR. I WASN'T AWARE. I MEAN, IT WAS, YOU KNOW, IT'S SO NICE. BUT THEN THE, UH, PUBLIC UTILITY CAME IN, THEY DIDN'T PLAN AND IT DUG IT UP. AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY HAVE TO REDO IT IN THE SPRING, BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE YOU AWARE OF THAT. AND I DID TALK TO, UH, OR I SENT, UH, MR. PLE A EMAIL AND HE GOT RIGHT BACK TO ME. I THINK YOU PLAN TO BRING IT UP TO THE, UH, PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE OR SOMETHING. YEAH. ANYWAY, I JUST WANTED TO THE TOWNSHIP ENGINEER. MM-HMM . THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I THINK I, DR. HOOD DOES SEE A HAND OVER HERE AS WELL. LET'S GO HERE FIRST AND THEN WE'LL GO TO YOU. OKAY. PLEASE, SIR. THANK YOU. HELLO. HELLO. BOB ELMER 30 SOUTH WIND AVENUE. METFORD BEEN A RESIDENT HERE FOR, WELL SINCE 1973. SO, UM, YOU KNOW, MY COMMENTS, UM, AREN'T GONNA BE SO JOLLY. THEY'RE GONNA BE MORE TARGETED TOWARDS THE MANAGEMENT OF THE DOWN. AND I JUST HAVE SOME QUESTIONS TO START. UH, WE DID PUT TOGETHER A TEAM, UM, AND WE ARE GONNA START DOING ANALYSIS AFTER MY EXPERIENCE DEALING WITH THE TOWNSHIP. AND IT KIND OF STARTS WITH, YOU KNOW, THE FACT THAT MR. WATSON WAS THE MAYOR FOR NINE YEARS. UM, YOU KNOW, HIGHLY UNUSUAL WHEN YOU HAVE A TOWN THAT ROTATES THAT POSITION EVERY YEAR AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT DOESN'T ROTATE ANYMORE. SO WHAT WE DID WAS WE KIND OF, UM, AND I, AND I NEED TO BE STEERED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. UM, WHAT WE ARE DOING IS WE'RE DOING A LOOK BACK TO THE VERY FIRST YEAR THAT MR. WATSON WAS THE MAYOR. AND, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE FIRST, THE VERY FIRST ORDERS OF BUSINESS WAS TO PURCHASE THE CEMETERY, RIGHT? FOR 10 POINT $10,850,000. SO IN THIS ARTICLE IN WHICH HE WAS INTERVIEWED, OKAY, UM, HE STATES THAT THEY SPENT A LOT OF TIME EVALUATING THE VALUE OF THIS PROPERTY AND THEY WERE PUSHING [00:25:01] FORWARD WITHOUT THAT REFERENDUM FOR PEOPLE TO VOTE. AND THAT IT WAS VALUED AT ALMOST $11 MILLION. SO THE ONLY REASON THAT IT DIDN'T GO THROUGH WAS BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE OUTRAGED. THEY CAME IN HERE AND I WAS ACTUALLY IN THIS MEETING AND I WAS SHOCKED. WE WERE CAUGHT BY SURPRISE. ME AND A COUPLE OF MY FRIENDS, WE WEREN'T HERE FOR THAT PURPOSE. WE WERE HERE JUST TO BE IN THE MEETING. AND WE WERE LIKE, WHAT IS GOING ON? RIGHT? SO I'M AN ANALYST AND A LOT OF WHAT I DO IS LOOK BACK, OKAY? AND OF COURSE, BEING AN ANALYST, I LOOK BACK AT THE PARKVIEW CEMETERY TO SEE WHAT THE VALUATION WOULD BE BASED ON ALL THE MOST RECENT INCOME, EVERYTHING. BOB, LET ME INTERRUPT YOU AND I APOLOGIZE. I, I'M STOPPING THE CLOCK. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HEARD THE MAYOR, BUT THERE IS A FIVE MINUTE TIME LIMIT. I'M FINE ON PUBLIC COMMENT, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE YOU'RE AWARE OF THE TIME. I KEEP TRACK OF THAT INTERRUPTION OFF AND I'LL LET YOU KNOW IF YOU'RE GETTING CLOSE. OKAY? YEAH, THANKS. SO, SO MY FIRST QUESTION, OKAY, SO BASED ON MY EVALUATION, ALRIGHT, AND I'M GONNA, I WANT TO KNOW WHERE METFORD TOWNSHIP CAME UP WITH THE EVALUATION SPECIFICALLY MR. WATSON, BECAUSE WHAT I'M FINDING IS THAT IT WAS PROBABLY VALUED SOMEWHERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF A MILLION DOLLARS OR $800,000, BUT WE WERE GONNA PAY 11 MILLION FOR IT. AND I KNOW THE KARENS BROTHERS, THEY WERE VERY VOCAL COMING OUT AGAINST IT. AND BASED ON MY MATH, THEY SAVED THE TOWNSHIP ABOUT $10 MILLION. SO I DON'T KNOW ABOUT ANYBODY ELSE, BUT I, I THINK WE SHOULD MAYBE HAVE PARK BENCHES FOR 'EM OR NAME A STREET SIGN AFTER 'EM, BECAUSE THAT'S HOW MUCH MONEY THEY SAVED US. IT'S A HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY AND I NEED TO KNOW WHERE TO GO TO GET THIS INFORMATION BECAUSE THE DEVIL'S IN THE DETAILS. IT'S SUCH A WIDE DISPARITY IN VALUATION BETWEEN ACTUAL AND WHAT WE WERE WILLING TO PAY. WE NEED TO FIND OUT MORE. THE SECOND ORDER OF BUSINESS THAT MR. WATSON DID WAS HIRE MR. PRIME. OKAY. AND MR. PRIME HAS BEEN IN OFFICE NOW WITH MR. WATSON. AND MY QUESTION TO YOU, MR. PRIME, IS AT ANY TIME DID YOU TELL CHUCK WATSON TO ROTATE THE MAYOR POSITION? BOB, I'M NOT GONNA RESPOND TO QUESTIONS. OKAY. IS IT IS A CHANCE FOR YOU TO COMMENT TO THE OKAY. TO THE COUNCIL. AND SO HAS ANYBODY EVER DONE ANY KIND OF, JUST FOR THE RECORD, I WAS HIRED BY ANALYSIS FIVE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. NOT, NOT ONE. HAS ANYBODY DONE ANY ANALYSIS ON A MAYOR THAT'S BEEN IN OFFICE FOR NINE YEARS WITH THE SAME SOLICITOR? THE RISK, SO NONE OF YOU HAVE, SO NOBODY'S DONE ANY KIND OF ANALYSIS. IF YOU HAVE A MAYOR IN IN OFFICE FOR NINE YEARS WITH THE SAME TOWNSHIP SOLICITOR, WHAT IS THE RISK TO, TO THE TAXPAYER? SO WE DID THE ANALYSIS ON THAT AND THE LIKELIHOOD OF FINANCIAL MISCONDUCT FOR SOMEBODY THAT WON'T STEP DOWN FOR NINE YEARS WITH THE SAME SOLICITOR IS A 60 TO 90% LIKELIHOOD OF FINANCIAL MISCONDUCT. SO MY QUESTION IS, WE LOOKED AT THE RFP FOR LEGAL SERVICES AND THE RFP IS MISSING A FEW THINGS. NUMBER ONE, IT'S NOT BROKEN OUT BY ISSUE. SO IF WE HAVE A PROBLEM, LIKE WE KNOW THAT MAYOR WATSON OR PREVIOUS MAYOR WATSON AND MR. PRIME WENT AFTER THE KASS BROTHERS, RIGHT? AND THEY ACTUALLY DID THE RIGHT THING, IT TURNS OUT THEY WERE RIGHT. SO WE WANT TO KNOW, RIGHT, HOW MUCH IN LEGAL FEES DID WE SPEND ON THAT ISSUE? BUT THE WAY THAT THE RFP IS SET UP IN MEDFORD TOWNSHIP, IT'S NOT SET UP TO UNBUNDLE IT BY ISSUE. SO MY FIRST REQUEST OF THIS COUNSEL IS THAT YOU GO OUT FOR RFP FOR A TOWNSHIP SOLICITOR, THAT SHOULD BE THE IMMEDIATE NEXT STEP. SO NOW THAT MR. WATSON HAS STEPPED ASIDE AFTER NINE YEARS, THE NEXT THING YOU SHOULD FOCUS ON IS AN RFP FOR LEGAL SERVICES. AND IT SHOULD INCLUDE UNBUNDLING THE ISSUES SO THAT IF WE REQUEST AN O REQUEST THAT WE CAN FIND OUT FIVE MINUTES AND 30 SECONDS JUST FOR THE RECORD, WE CAN FIND OUT WHAT ISSUES THE MONEY WAS SPENT ON AND WE'RE ENTITLED TO THAT. AND THE SECOND THING IS, NO NEPOTISM. [00:30:01] SO HIS SONS WORK FOR HIS LAW FIRM. IF YOU WANT TO GET A SECOND OPINION, WHO ARE YOU GONNA GO TO? RIGHT? SO YOU WANT TO HIRE A LAW FIRM THAT HAS MULTIPLE DIFFERENT PEOPLE, NOT HIS SON. SO THESE ARE JUST BASIC THINGS THAT IF YOU WERE TO EXPLORE OTHER TOWNSHIPS, IT'S 1 0 1 AND IT'S NOT IN OUR CONTRACT. AND WE ARE GONNA BE COMING INTO THESE MEETINGS ON A REGULAR, WE HAVE A WHOLE TEAM OF PEOPLE THAT ARE FOCUSED ON THIS AND WE ARE GONNA EVALUATE THE LAST NINE YEARS. AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT MY PROFE MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH MEMBER TOWNSHIP HAS BEEN TERRIBLE, OKAY? IN MANY DIFFERENT AREAS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF AR, THE CHIEF OF POLICE, HE STOOD UP AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT HIS PERSONALITY PROFILE, 'CAUSE WHEN I GO TO A MEETING, I LOOK UP THE PERSON TO BE DEALING WITH. HE WAS A PRIOR DETECTIVE AND HE'S HONORABLE, HE'S TRUSTWORTHY, AND HE DID ALL OF THE THINGS HE SAID HE WAS GONNA DO. THAT WAS THE ONLY PERSON THAT I DEALT WITH THAT WAS PROFESSIONAL. SO I REALLY HOPE YOU TAKE THE THINGS THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT AND CERTAINLY DO THE RFP FOR THE LEGAL SERVICES. AND I WANT YOU TO STAY TUNED 'CAUSE I HAVE A LOT OF OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE GONNA BE COMING UP WITH. OUR TEAM IS COMING UP WITH SOME REALLY GOOD STUFF AND I KNOW IT'S A, A THANKLESS JOB, BUT YOU REALLY DO NEED TO MAKE HARD DECISIONS. OKAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH MR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, PLEASE. HEATHER. ARMS CANAVAN, UH, 2 65 BEDFORD MOUNT HOLLY FARM. UM, I, UH, HERE JUST KIND OF BRING UP, UM, A SUBJECT THAT HAS BOTHERED ME LATELY. AND IT SEEMS LIKE THE, THE LIGHTS AT THE, UH, SOCCER FIELD NEXT TO US PARK, UM, HAVE BEEN SIGNIFICANTLY LIKE LONG, LONGER THAN I CAN REMEMBER. UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY YEARS OR HOW LONG EXACTLY IT'S, BUT UM, I'M NOT SURE IF THERE'S LIKE A PROTOCOL, UM, FOR WHO TURNS 'EM OFF IF THEY'RE ON A TIMER IF A COACH AFTER A GAME DOES IT. BUT LIKE THEY COME ON, UH, EVEN WHEN THERE'S NOT GAMES AND THEY STAY ON 1:00 AM 2:00 AM AND IT SEEMS KIND OF CRAZY FOR UH, A LOT OF REASONS. BUT MONEY IS A BIG ONE. UM, I'M FRIENDS WITH A LOCAL ASTRONOMER TOO IN THE AREA. WELL SHE DOES ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY PAT ORLEY AND UH, SHE'S BEEN BRINGING A LOT OF ATTENTION TO, UH, LIGHT PERMISSION IN MEDFORD. AND UH, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, UH, I FEEL LIKE COULD BE, YOU KNOW, A BIG DEAL FOR THAT AREA IN NORTH. IT'S PRETTY DARK AROUND THERE. AND THEN, UM, THERE'S THAT, I MEAN THEY'RE, THEY'RE VERY BRIGHT, BUT UM, OTHER NEIGHBORS HAVE COMPLAINED ALSO AROUND US. AND UM, I EVEN, I TALKED TO A TOWNSHIP WORKER, I DUNNO HOW LONG AGO, BUT HE GETS CALLS SOMETIMES AT LIKE MIDNIGHT TO GO OUT THERE. I DON'T KNOW IF LIKE NEIGHBORS WILL CALL THE POLICE OR WHATEVER NUMBER AND THEN THEY CALL HIM AND HE HAS TO GET OUT OF BED AND GO UP THERE AND TURN THE LIGHTS OFF. SO I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A WAY TO LIKE, UH, SURVEILLANCE 'EM WHEN THERE'S NOT GAMES GOING ON, LIKE DURING SNOWSTORMS, MIDDLE OF WINTER. SO THAT'S ALL. OKAY. OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU HEATHER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MR. HARLE, IS THAT A PATHWAY YOU CAN TAKE THROUGH THAT TO ADJUST THOSE LIGHTS OR IS THAT A I'LL DO SOME EXPLORATION, SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING, YOUR HONOR. ALRIGHT. THAT'S GREAT. THANK YOU AGAIN. ALRIGHT, ANYONE ELSE? EARL STAHL 25 FOSTER TOWN ROAD. UM, JUST WANTED TO RESPOND TO A GENTLEMAN'S COMMENT. UM, NOT HERE ON ANY SIDE. I KNOW THAT MR. COS UH, THE COS THERE NO PROBLEM WITH THE FAMILY. UM, JUST WANTED TO CORRECT FOR THE RECORD, THE PRICE OF THE CEMETERY WAS $10,875,000, NOT 40. UM, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, I WITHDREW FROM THE DEAL. SO IT WASN'T BECAUSE OF PUBLIC PRESSURE. WE HEARD THE COS, I'VE TALKED TO THE COS ABOUT THE PROJECT AND WHAT HAD HAPPENED THERE. UM, AND THE APPRAISAL THAT WAS DONE BY RENWICK ASSOCIATES WAS PERFORMED BY, UH, A COMPANY THAT WAS HIRED THROUGH AN RFP BY COUNSEL. SO THE PRICE THAT WHATEVER THE GENTLEMAN'S TALKING ABOUT, THAT 875,000, IT WAS ACTUALLY PROFESSIONALLY, YOU KNOW, DONE THROUGH AN EVALUATION BASED ON THE 50 YEAR LIFE EXPECTANCY OF THE CEMETERY. [00:35:01] SINCE THEN, WE'VE ADDED 39 MORE ACRES. SO NOW WE HAVE 200 MORE YEARS. SO I JUST WANTED TO LET EVERYONE KNOW WE'RE HITTING ALL OF OUR PROJECTIONS AND I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THE CORONER'S FAMILY AND, UH, JUST WANNA CORRECT FOR THE RECORD MR. WATSON. THANK YOU. I WITHDREW FROM THE DEAL. OKAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, EARL, PLEASE. BRIAN CARS 2 65 MOUNT HOLLY ROAD. I CAME UP HERE JUST TO SIT BACK AND WATCH EVERYTHING, BUT, UH, A COUPLE THINGS HAVE COME UP ABOUT THE CEMETERY, UH, LIKE BOB BROUGHT IT UP AND, AND UH, THE FUNNY THING ABOUT THE CEMETERY IS, IS THAT IT'S THE FIRST TIME WE'VE EVER COME TO A MEETING AND HAD SPOKEN OUT. UM, WE WEREN'T ON BOARD WITH IT, WE JUST HAD SOME QUESTIONS. I DON'T THINK THERE WAS A LOT OF PEOPLE AND THERE WAS A LOT OF INFORMATION OUT. THAT'S NOT WHAT I EVEN WANTED TO BRING UP. BUT UP UNTIL THAT POINT, WE HAD BEEN, OUR FAMILY HAD BEEN IN MEDFORD. MR. WATSON, YOU, YOU LOOKING FOR 75 YEARS AT THIS POINT? WE HIT OUR FIRST MEETING. I DON'T SPEAK BECAUSE I KNEW I, I'D HAVE A HARD TIME AT THESE MEETINGS COMING UP HERE AND WHATEVER DEALING WITH MR. WATSON, BUT MY BROTHER DID. AND SO YOU FIGURE 75 YEARS WE HAD BEEN IN MEDFORD WITHOUT ONE LETTER FROM THE ZONING DEPARTMENT WITH THAT ONE PROBLEM WITH ANY OFFICIAL HERE IN METFORD. AND LET'S SAY WITHIN 90 DAYS WE GOT OUR FIRST LETTER AND IT WAS A DOOZY. AND LOOKING BACK NOW, WE, WE ALL KNOW IT WAS COMPLETE RETALIATION. YOUR, YOUR BOY FRANK EVEN SAID HE AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, HE HAD A DUTY TO LOOK INTO PEOPLE COMING UP HERE AND SPEAKING. HE'S JUST MORE HONEST THAN YOU ARE MR. WATSON. BUT THAT IS WHERE OUR PROBLEM ACTUALLY STARTED. AND I WISH WE NEVER HEARD ABOUT THE CEMETERY AND WE HAD NEVER COME TO THIS MEETING BECAUSE WE'RE NOW 10 YEARS ON. AND UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT. MAYBE THERE'S SOME PEOPLE UP HERE. WHERE DID IT ALL START? BETWEEN THE CARNS AND MR. WATSON? I DON'T EVEN SAY METFORD TOWNSHIP 'CAUSE IT'S NOT METFORD TOWNSHIP REALLY WASN'T INVOLVED IN IT. THE LETTER SHOULD HAVE JUST COME FROM YOU MR. WATSON, AND THEN YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE YOU GOT TOGETHER, WHETHER IT WAS THE OLD TOWNSHIP MANAGER IN THE ZONING DEPARTMENT AND STUFF LIKE THAT. BUT THAT'S REALLY WHERE, WHERE IT ALL STARTS FOR US. AND YOU, DID YOU RETALIATED, UM, BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T LIKE PEOPLE COMING UP HERE AND SPEAKING OUT AGAINST SOMETHING THAT YOU WANTED TO PUSH THROUGH? I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE GUY, I GUESS BOB TOOK OFF, BUT HE KIND OF NAILED A LOT OF THE TIMELINE AND WAS VERY INTERESTED, INTERESTING TO HEAR, UM, HIM TALK. SO THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO AT LEAST SAY. LOOK, THIS IS WHERE OUR PROBLEM STARTED BECAUSE, UH, WE DID, MY BROTHER DID COME UP HERE AND HE DID ASK SOME QUESTIONS. MY GRANDFATHER HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN THE CEMETERY FOR A LONG TIME, SO WE KNEW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT. OTHER THAN THAT, UM, THE, THE RESOLUTION YOU GUYS PASSED, HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN WHERE YOU, YOU ACTUALLY HAND OUT A CERTIFICATE TO A RESIDENT HERE IN MEFFORD? LIKE THE THE ONE THAT, THE ONE THAT HAPPENED EARLIER? YES, THAT WAS, YES, THAT WAS A PROCLAMATION, JUST AN APPRECIATION FOR HIS 40 YEARS OF SERVICE HERE. GOTCHA. BECAUSE THAT KIND OF RUBS ME THE WRONG WAY. THIS GUY'S COME UP TO MEETING AFTER MEETING, HE'S CALLED HIS TAX CHEATS. HE SAID THAT YOU GUYS SHOULD HAVE EVEN TOUGHER ZONING LAWS ON FARMS, UH, SAID THAT WE WERE RUNNING A CORPORATION AND YOU'RE RECOGNIZING HIM NOW FOR THE TIME ON THE PLANNING BOARD. IS THAT IT? HE WAS CHAIRMAN OF THE PLANNING BOARD. ALRIGHT. CAN YOU GIMME AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT THE PLANNING BOARD'S DONE FOR THE BETTER OF THE COMMUNITY IN THE LAST 10 YEARS? WELL, I CAN'T ANSWER THAT. JUST ONE. I CAN'T ANSWER THAT, BUT HE GOT A PIECE OF PAPER. THIS IS A CRAZY WORLD WE LIVE IN GUYS AND I'M SURE HE'S RESPECTED IN OTHER WAYS, BUT I CAN TELL YOU AS FAR AS WE'RE CONCERNED. AND AND, AND THAT GOES FOR THE ZONING BOARD TOO. THE BEST THING YOU GUYS CAN DO IS CLEAN BOTH THOSE BOARDS OUT. START OVER. THEY'RE, THEY'RE, IT'S, IT'S THE WHOLE WELL HAS BEEN TAINTED FROM, FROM MR. WATSON. START FRESH, GET THESE GUYS OUT, GET SOME NEW FACES IN. UM, AND I, I, I GUESS YOU KNOW, I ONLY HAVE ONE OTHER QUESTION. ARE YOU GONNA RUN AGAIN, MR. WATSON? I'M NOT GONNA ANSWER THAT QUESTION RIGHT NOW. DONNA, ARE YOU RUNNING AGAIN? I'M NOT ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION. OKAY. BUCKLE IN GUYS. ALL RIGHT, THAT'S IT. HAVE A GOOD NIGHT GUYS. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, ANYONE ELSE? ANY OTHER COMMENTS? ANYONE ELSE? ALRIGHT, SEEING NONE, CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENTS? SO MOVED. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED? ALRIGHT, PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED. MR. [VIII. MANAGER’S REPORT] HORWELL, CAN WE HAVE THE MANAGER'S REPORT PLEASE? CERTAINLY. I ACTUALLY HAVE A NUMBER OF FOR COUNCIL TONIGHT. UH, THE FIRST ITEM I HAVE IS REQUEST FOR APPROVAL FOR AN CARDILLO, A NEW JUNIOR FIREFIGHTER. UM, WOULD [00:40:01] LIKE TO JOIN ON FORCE, BEEN HERE FOR NINE YEARS IN TOWN AND JUNIOR FIREFIGHTER PROGRAM ENTRY INTO VOLUNTEER SERVICE FOR US. AND I HAVE A NUMBER OF UPDATES FOR DEPARTMENT UPDATES FIRST STARTING WITH THE DEPARTMENT. OKAY. UH, CHIEF BURMAN PROMOTED TWO CORPORAL CORPORAL BL AND CORPORAL TO SERGEANTS STARTED TODAY. LAST WAS PROMOTED TO RETIREMENT FROM LIEUTENANT AND SERGEANT CONNECT AND . UH, THIS MORNING WE HAD A PRECONSTRUCTION MEETING FOR ROOF SEWER MAIN PROJECT. WE ANTICIPATE THAT IT'S LIKELY GONNA GET STARTED ABOUT A MONTH FROM NOW ONCE IT GETS STARTED. AL I ROAD, ROAD, A BIG SECTION OF AL AND GOLF FLEW UP TO HARTFORD ROAD, WILL BE CLOSED PROBABLY FOR 60 DAYS. THE PROJECT 60 CALENDAR DAYS LONG WILL BE INSTALLING THE GRAVITY SEWER OF REPAIRING AN UNDERSIZED PRO WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT TO REACT. MR. AUGH, I'M SORRY TO STOP YOU. SURE. SO GOLF YOU ALL THE WAY TO HARTFORD OR TO MILL? YES. YES. PASS IT'S MILL TO HARTFORD. YES. OKAY. UM, WE WON'T, WE WON'T DO PLENTY OF NOTIFICATION TO THE PUBLIC TWO WEEKS OUT. WE'LL HAVE SIGN BOARDS OUT THERE. WE'LL ALSO POST AN ATTACHED WEBSITE AND THEN CLOSE TO THE PROJECT STARTS ALERTS. FEW PEOPLE WAKE UP IN THE MORNING, THEY DON'T COLLABORATE THERE. AND, UM, THE CONSTRUCTION OFFICE WILL BE GOING LIVE SHORTLY WITH FAST TRACK GOV, WHICH WILL ALLOW PEOPLE TO MORE EFFICIENTLY SCHEDULE CONSTRUCTION INSPECTIONS AND ARE THE RESULTS OF THOSE INSPECTIONS. UM, AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND BELL, THE DIRECTOR OF PLANNING AND ZONING WORKED WITH THE FINANCE TAX AND CONSTRUCTION OFFICES TO RECONCILE THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND. THE STATE HAD A CERTAIN AMOUNT THAT THEY THOUGHT WE HAD, WHICH WAS MUCH HIGHER THAN WE ACTUALLY HAD AND ANNE WORKING WITH HER COLLEGE WAS ABLE TO, UH, REALLY CLOSE THAT GAP DRAMATICALLY. I APPRECIATE THE 20 YEARS WORTH OF RECORDS THAT SHE HAD TO GO THROUGH TO TRY TO GET THAT NUMBER CLOSER. WHAT WE HAVE, UM, THE DEPART, UH, PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES DEPARTMENT JUST ACCEPTED THEIR NEW RAFFLE TRUCK, WHICH HAS BEEN NAMED, UH, THE GREEN MONSTER BECAUSE IT'S IN FACT GREEN. IT'S A BEAUTIFUL PIECE OF EQUIPMENT THAT THEY INTEND TO, UH, WITHOUT OUT TO USE VERY SOON. WE'RE STILL DOING LEAF COLLECTIONS. WE'RE FINISHING UP ZONE TWO, THE SECOND ROUND, SECOND ROUND COLLECTIONS WE'RE FINISHING UP ZONE TWO AND THEY'LL BE MOVING FIRE DEPARTMENT CHIEF DOBY IN HIS GANG. THEY HONORED TWO LATE LIFETIME MEMBERS WHO PASSED AWAY. UM, THAT WOULD BE JOHN WAYNE SCOTT STATIONS 2 52 52 AND ALSO CHARLES BURNS STATION 2 52. UH, THE GROUP GOT TOGETHER AND THEY, THEY HONORED THEIR PASSING IN RECENT PASSES. WE ALSO HAD A NEW VOLUNTEER, UM, CASEY PAULSON WHO COMPLETED FIREFIGHTER UM, FIRE ACADEMY WITH BOTH FIREFIGHTER ONE, FIREFIGHTER TWO. THERE'S NOW PUSH TO SEND PEOPLE TO BOTH FIREFIGHTER ONE, FIREFIGHTER TWO, WHICH MAKES IT THAT MUCH HARDER FOR VOLUNTEERS BECAUSE INSTEAD OF DOING A, YOU KNOW, 13 TO 14 OR 13 TO 16 WEEK COURSE NOW GOING 19, 20 WEEKS TO GET BOTH CERTIFICATIONS MONTHS, UM, CHIEF DOY ALSO ACTIVATED THE EOC ON THE WEEKEND BECAUSE OF THE WINDSTORMS, WHICH REQUIRED BASICALLY A LOT OF EFFORT FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, POLICE DEPARTMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS. PUBLIC WORKS ARE STILL CLEANING UP ALL THE DOWN BRANCHES. THAT STORM COST, THERE'S STILL SEVEN PROPERTIES WITHOUT POWER IN THE AC ELECTRIC, UH, AREA OF TOWN. UH, THE ANTICIPATED POWER WILL BE RESTORED FOR THIS SEVEN PROPERTIES AND, UH, WE'RE STILL WORKING TO LAUNCH THE PARK REC MODULE. WE THOUGHT WE HAD EVERYTHING READY TO GO. TURNS [00:45:01] OUT TO FIND WORK AROUND FOR UM, BOOKINGS. WERE THEY MULTIPLE? SO THAT'S WHAT ANGELA IS COMING WORKING. SHE'S GOT THE COUNTER OF EVENTS UPDATED. SHE CONTINUES TO WORK WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS TO SCHEDULE EVENTS THROUGHOUT AND THAT'S, UH, THAT'S GREAT. THANK YOU. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS ABOUT THE APPLICATION? NO. ALL RIGHT. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? ALL OUR NEW FIREFIGHTER IS APPROVED. AND SO CHIEF DOY, CAN YOU PLEASE EXTEND IF HE'S, I DON'T BELIEVE HE'S HERE. IF YOU COULD EXTEND OUR APPRECIATION TODAY. ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, MS. WICKER, CAN WE [IX. CLERK’S REPORT] HAVE A QUICK REPORT PLEASE? ABSOLUTELY. AND SO FORM FOR APPROVAL OF THE VERY BASKET QUILTERS QUILT RAFFLE ON DECEMBER 10TH, UH, WE HAVE APPROVAL FOR THE MEDFORD VFW POST 7 6 7 7 RAFFLE FOR 50 50 ON MAY 10TH AND APPROVAL FOR MYAA RAFFLE LICENSE FOR BASKET AND 50 50 ON MARCH 23RD. OKAY, THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? GREAT. THE RAFFLES ARE APPROVED. UH, REGARDING OUR BILL [X. BILL LIST] LIST, WE HAVE ONE BILL LIST TO ACCEPT FOR FEBRUARY 13TH, 2025. I HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE BILL LIST. SECOND MOVE. SECOND OPPOSED? I'M SORRY. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED? ALL THE BILL LIST IS ACCEPTED AND THEN I BELIEVE MR. [XI. ORDINANCES FOR INTRODUCTION] KEL, YOU HAD AN ADDITIONAL COMMENT REGARDING OUR FIRST INTRODUCTION FOR NOR ORDINANCE FOR INTRODUCTION. FIRST ORDINANCE FOR INTRODUCTION. TONIGHT TITLED AMENDING CHAPTER FIVE, SECTION SEVEN NINE ENTITLED DEPARTMENT POLICE SUBSECTION 10 TO PROGRAM THE CHIEF COMMAND STAFF WE HAVE FORWARDED TO THEM AND WE WOULD JUST LIKE TO MAKE ONE, UH, MODEST AMENDMENT TO UH, NUMBER TWO, PARAGRAPH C. THE WORDING, THAT PARAGRAPH SHALL BE ENTITLED, PROVIDED BY RETIREMENT SYSTEM TO MAINTAIN ALL EMPLOYMENT RIGHT WHILE PERFORMING AUTHORIZED DUTY ASSIGNMENTS. JUST A VERY MINOR CORRECTION FORWARD FOR CLARIFICATION BECAUSE AS I DRAFTED I FULLY ENCOMPASS THE ATTEMPT WE'RE TRYING TO, OKAY, SO THE MOTION WOULD BE TO INTRODUCE THAT ORDINANCE, UH, 2025 DASH THREE, UH, AS AMENDED AND THEN THE ACTUAL CHANGE WHEN WE DO SECOND READING IN PUBLIC HEARING, THE, THE ORDERS BE CHANGED TO, TO HAVE THAT. OKAY. OKAY, GREAT. UH, WOULD SOMEONE LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION FOR ORDINANCE 2025 DASH THREE AS AMENDED? I MOVE THAT COUNSEL AND RENEW ON FIRST READING WELL AS AMENDED ORDINANCE 2025 DASH THREE THE TOWNSHIP CODE CHAPTER FIVE, SECTION 79 ENTITLED DEPARTMENT OF POLICE TO ADD A NEW SUBSECTION M TO AUTHORIZE PROGRAM RULES FOR OFF-DUTY POLICE JOBS. SECOND. ALRIGHT, THE, UH, EXPLANATION OF THIS, THIS ORDINANCE UPDATES THE RULES AND ALLOWS FOR A THIRD PARTY VENDOR TO ADMINISTER THE OFF-DUTY POLICE JOBS WITH SCHEDULING, MANAGING FEES AND MAINTAINING RECORDS. THE PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE MARCH 4TH, 2025. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON THE ORDINANCE? ALRIGHT, ROLL CALL FOR APPROVAL PLEASE. MS. MILK. AYE. MS. ? AYE. MR. WATSON? AYE. MR. MAYOR SCIS. AYE. MAYOR O SCOTT? AYE. ALRIGHT. THE ORDINANCE IS APPROVED AS, UH, UNDER PRODUCTION. ALRIGHT, WOULD SOMEONE LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION FOR ORDINANCE 2025 DASH FOUR? I MOVE. THE COUNCIL INTRODUCED ON FIRST READING ORDINANCE 2025 DASH FOUR AMENDING VARIOUS SECTIONS OF THE TOWNSHIP CODE TO UPDATE FEE SCHEDULES. SECOND. OKAY. UH, THE STAFF HAVE REVIEWED THE FEES AND LICENSES AND RECOMMENDED AND MADE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE FEES BASED ON WHAT THE STATE CHARGES, UH, AND ALSO OTHER MUNICIPALITY FEES AND THE COST OF PROVIDING CERTAIN SERVICES. THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THIS ORDINANCE AND THE PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE HELD MARCH 4TH, 2025. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON THIS ORDINANCE? ROLL CALL FOR APPROVAL PLEASE. MS. MILL. AYE. MS. AYE, MR. WATSON? AYE. MAYOR SIMPSON? AYE. MAYOR AYE. ALRIGHT, THE ORDINANCE IS ON INTRODUCTION. WE HAVE NO ORDINANCES FOR SECOND READING AND WE DO HAVE OUR CONSENT [XIII. CONSENT AGENDA RESOLUTIONS] AGENDA RESOLUTIONS. AND SO REGARDING THESE RESOLUTIONS, WE HAVE RESOLUTION 43 DASH 2025 AMENDING RESOLUTION ONE 50 DASH 2023 TO AUTHORIZE A CHANGE ORDER FOR THE PURCHASE OF A 2025 FORD E FOUR 50 HORTON [00:50:01] 5 5 3 I-I-I-S-D MODULAR AMBULANCE RESOLUTION 44 DASH 2025 AUTHORIZING THE TOWNSHIP OF MEDFORD TO ENTER INTO A COOPERATIVE PRICING AGREEMENT WITH THE TOWNSHIP OF STAFFORD MEMBER PARTICIPATION IN THE STAFFORD TOWNSHIP COOPERATIVE PRICING SYSTEM ID 33 DASH ZERO UH DASH O-C-C-P-S RESOLUTION, 45 DASH 2025 APPROVING REQUEST FOR RELEASE OF MAINTENANCE GUARANTEE FOR TIMBER RIDGE PHASES TWO AND THREE EAST RESOLUTION 46 DASH 2025 APPROVING REQUEST FOR RELEASE OF MAINTENANCE GUARANTEE FOR TIMBER RIDGE PHASES TWO WEST AND RESOLUTION 47 20 25 AUTHORIZING CHANGE ORDER NUMBER ONE TO THE CONTRACT WITH TKT CONSTRUCTION COMPANY INCORPORATED IN THE NET AMOUNT OF $22,622 AND 48 CENTS FOR ADDITIONAL WORK FOR THE WELL. SEVEN UPGRADES. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY COMMENTS REGARDING THE REGULATIONS? ROLL CALL FOR APPROVAL PLEASE. WE HAVE MOTION. OH, I'M SORRY. WE HAVE A MOTION. SHALL I? SECOND. SECOND. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. ROLL CALL FOR APPROVAL. MS. MILL. AYE. MS. SIMON AYE. MR. WATSON? AYE. DEPUTY MAYOR CIZIK AYE. MAYOR, STAFF AYE. CONSENT RESOLUTIONS ARE APPROVED. WE HAVE NO RESOLUTIONS FOR THIS EVENING AND NOW WE HAVE OUR [XV. EXECUTIVE SESSION ] EXECUTIVE SESSION RESOLUTION ES 0 2 1 8 20 25 REGARDING PERSONNEL AND PUBLIC BODY APPOINTMENT. NJSA TEN FOUR DASH 12 B EIGHT WOULD SOUND LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE OF RESOLUTION. SO MOVED. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED? ALRIGHT. THE MOTION IS APPROVED. MAYOR ACTION MAY BE TAKEN ON THOSE APPOINTMENTS THIS EVENING AFTER THE EXECUTIVE SESSION. EXCELLENT. AND ABOUT HOW LONG DO YOU THINK WE'LL BE? 45 MINUTES OR SO? I HAVE A LONG TAKE. DO THE THREE INTERVIEWS. OKAY. ALRIGHT, GREAT. ARE WE GOOD? YES. OKAY. UH, WE RECONVENE THE EXECUTIVE SESSION. I'M SORRY, WE RECONVENE THE REGULAR MEETING PORTION OF OUR MEETING TONIGHT. ACTION WAS TAKEN. WE ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH RESOLUTION 48 DASH 2025, OUR MUNICIPAL ALLIANCE GROUP. MAY I HAVE A MOTION? I MOVE, I, I'M SORRY. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE AYE. AYE. WE DON'T NEED A VOICE VOTE. ANYTHING LIKE THAT? WE'RE MOTION DO VOICE VOTE FOR THAT RESOLUTION WE GOTTA HAVE A, A ROLL CALL. ALRIGHT. ROLL CALL FOR APPROVAL PLEASE. MS. MILL. AYE. MS. S AYE. MR. WATSON? AYE. AYE. MAYOR REP? AYE. ALRIGHT. THE RESOLUTION IS APPROVED. WE HAVE NO FURTHER BUSINESS. WE HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN. SO MOVED. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED? MEETINGS ADJOURNED. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.