Jun 17, 2025 Township Council

I CALL THE BOARD THE REGULAR MEETING FOR THE TOWNSHIP OF MEDFORD TOWN COUNCIL FOR JUNE 17TH, 2025.

[I. PUBLIC MEETINGS STATEMENT]

THIS MEETING IS CALLED PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS LAW.

THIS MEETING OF JUNE 17TH, 2025 WAS INCLUDED IN A MEETING NOTICE SENT TO THE BURLINGTON COUNTY TIMES AND THE CENTRAL RECORD ON DECEMBER 18TH, 2024, AND ADVERTISED IN SAID NEWSPAPERS ON DECEMBER 23RD, 2024, AND DECEMBER 26TH, 2024, RESPECTIVELY POSTED ON THE WEBSITE AND THE BULLETIN BOARD IN THE MUNICIPAL BUILDING ON DECEMBER 18TH, 2024, AND HAS REMAINED CONTINUOUSLY POSTED AS REQUIRED UNDER THE STATUTE.

IN ADDITION, A COPY OF THIS NOTICE IS AND HAS BEEN AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC AND IS ON FILE IN THE OFFICE OF THE MUNICIPAL CLERK.

[II. FLAG SALUTE ]

PLEASE RISE FOR THE FLIGHT I TO FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND FOR WHICH ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE.

JUST ONE NOTE.

UM, IT WASN'T DECEMBER THAT WE ADVERTISED THIS MEETING, SO, OKAY.

[III. ROLL CALL]

UH, ROLL CALL PLEASE.

SO WE HAVE NO SPECIAL PRESENTATION SCHEDULED FOR TODAY.

DOES ANYONE

[IV. Communications, Scheduling Matters, Council Agenda, Presentations and Any Amendments to the Agenda]

HAVE ANY COMMUNICATIONS? JUST THAT IT'S SHAWNEE'S GRADUATION TONIGHT AND MEMORIAL'S GRADUATION TOMORROW.

SO I JUST WANNA CONGRATULATE THE CLASS OF 2025 AND MY SON IS A MEMORIAL GRADUATE TOMORROW, SO THAT'S GREAT.

ONE, ONE BRIEF THING.

I SEE MR. PANORAMA IS HERE, BUT, UM, WE SPOKE A COUPLE TIMES AND HE MAY HAVE SPOKEN WITH ALL OF YOU TOO ABOUT, UH, NEXT YEAR'S THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF AMERICA AND HE WANTS TO WORK ON HEADING UP A GROUP TO PUT SOME EVENTS AND STUFF TOGETHER, SO IT'S SOMETHING WE CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE LATELY LATER, BUT I KNOW HE WANTS, HE WANTS TO GET THE GO AHEAD SO HE CAN START PLANNING SOON.

SO JUST LET'S KEEP THAT IN MIND AND TALK ABOUT IT.

OKAY GUYS, JUST A REMINDER, PLEASE TALK INTO YOUR MIC SO EXAM WON'T PICK YOU UP.

THAT'S ALRIGHT.

THANK YOU MR. PANORAMA.

YOU ALWAYS DO A GREAT JOB MEMORIALIZING THINGS IN OUR COMMUNITY.

MUCH APPRECIATED.

IF, IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK FOR A MINUTE, IF THAT'S OKAY.

DID YOU WANT ME TO, UH, IS NOW A FINE TIME FOR THAT TO A CONTINUATION OF THAT PIECE? SURE.

MS. BROWN COMMUNICATION.

SURE, ABSOLUTELY.

WE APPRECIATE IT SO MUCH.

MIKE PAN 49 GEORGIA TRAIL, MEDFORD .

UM, IT'S THE 250TH, UH, ANNIVERSARY OF THE BROTHER OF OUR COUNTRY.

AND, UM, I WAS HOPING TO PUT, UM, MEDFORD, I WOULD LIKE TO DO SOMETHING SPECIAL IN MEDFORD.

UH, I'D LIKE TO ARRANGE MAYBE A SERIES OF EVENTS, UM, IN BETWEEN JANUARY 1ST BEFORE, UH, JULY THE FOURTH.

NOT TO INTERFERE WITH MEDFORD CELEBRATES.

UM, I'M THINKING OF DOING THINGS LIKE, UH, FUN THINGS, MAYBE GETTING, UH, STUDENTS TO LEARN AMERICANA SONGS AND HAVING THEM GO TO PLACES LIKE LEISURE TOWN OR METHOD LEE AND, UH, UM, METHOD HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

MAYBE THEY CAN SING SOME SONGS FROM THAT ERA.

UM, I'D LIKE TO INCORPORATE MAYBE THINGS LIKE, UM, AGAIN, FROM THE PLANNING STAGE, UM, I TALKED TO, UM, UH, MAYBE SOME KIND OF A DRESS UP, MAYBE IMPERSONATORS FROM THAT TIME PERIOD.

UM, ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS, FOCAL POINTS WOULD BE A, UH, MONUMENT PARK, WHICH I WOULD LIKE TO GET TOGETHER.

UH, MAYOR, UH, ON MAYOR WATSON.

UM, COUNCILMAN WATSON ON THAT.

UH, ALONG WITH DAVE STO, MAYBE WE COULD GET A LIBERTY BELL THERE AND WORD IT IN SUCH A WAY THAT IT'S 250TH ANNIVERSARY WHERE MEDFORD RECOGNIZES THAT.

UM, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT I WOULD PLAN, UH, TO INVOLVE IF THE STUDENTS OF THE, UM, SCHOOLS, THE COMMUNITY KIND OF ENERGIZE PEOPLE TOWARD THAT.

UM, AGAIN, I TALKED ABOUT EAGAN.

I HAVE NO INTENTION ON STEPPING ON ANYBODY'S FEET AROUND MIDFORD CELEBRATES.

I WOULD DO MY OWN FUNDRAISING OR THINGS LIKE THAT.

I WOULD LIKE TO FORM A COMMITTEE.

UM, I TALKED ACTUALLY, UH, GIRL HAD AN EVERGREEN, MAYBE WE CAN DO SOME OLD FASHIONED APPLE PIE.

SHE WOULD PUT HER PLACE AND THEN HAVE A PIE CONTEST.

IT WOULD BE THE BEST ONE.

SO I HAVE A LOT OF GOOD IDEAS, BUT BASICALLY IT'S TO KIND OF, UH, FOCUS ME ON RECOGNIZING THAT 250TH ANNIVERSARY.

UM, WE DID PLAY A SMALL PART IN REVOLUTION, UH, AND I, UM, PEACOCK, IF YOU KNOW HIS STORY, UM, HE DIED MAKING, UH, CANNONBALLS FOR THE REVOLUTION.

SOMEWHERE

[00:05:01]

ALONG THE LINE, MAYBE YOU CAN HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THAT KIND OF HISTORY AS WELL.

SO, UM, I'M IN THE FORMATIVE, I DON'T WANT TO PUT THE CART IN FRONT OF THE HORSE.

UH, I WOULD LIKE TO FORM A COMMITTEE AND I WOULD LIKE TO GET THE GO AHEAD, UM, GIVING YOU A ROUGH IDEA, BUT, UM, HAVING, GETTING THE COMMITTEE, THEN I WOULD GET SOMEBODY TO OWN THE COMMITTEE.

I CAN SAY THIS IS YOURS, YOU KNOW, DELEGATE, YOU KNOW, SO THAT'S WHERE I'M AT RIGHT NOW.

SO, UM, IF I GET THE GO AHEAD AND APPROVAL, THEN YOUR MORE.

OKAY, GREAT.

AND THEN MOVING ON TO THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES, WE HAVE MAY 20, 20, 25 COUNCIL MEETING, MINUTES, MAY 20, 25, MAY 20TH, 2025.

SURE.

UH, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE WOULD NEED TO DO FORMALLY TO GIVE YOU THE GO AHEAD? TO GIVE MR. PAN THE GO AHEAD.

I WOULD ASK THAT HE, UH, WORK WITH ANGELA.

WE ARE LOOKING AT, UH, TAKING HIS CONCEPT AND EXTENDING IT THROUGH THE ENTIRE YEAR.

WE DON'T NEED TO STOP AT 4TH OF JULY TO CELEBRATE 250 YEARS.

SO WE'RE LOOKING AT CALLING IT MEDFORD TWO 50 AND USING THAT AS A THEME FOR ALL OF OUR EVENTS NEXT YEAR.

SO WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A PARTNERSHIP OR MIKE'S INPUT IN ALL THIS STUFF.

OKAY, TERRIFIC.

THANKS MIKE.

THANK YOU AGAIN.

ALRIGHT, ANY OTHER COMMUNICATIONS? ALRIGHT, UH, SCHEDULING ITEMS REGARDING OUR UPCOMING SCHEDULE.

WE HAVE ONE MEETING IN THE MONTH OF JULY, JULY 15TH, 2025.

REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING AT THE PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING AT 6:30 PM

[V. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES, EXCUSE ME, MAY 20TH, 2025.

EXECUTIVE SESSION MINUTES AND JUNE 3RD, 2025.

SPECIAL BUDGET WORKSHOP MEETING MINUTES.

UH, DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON THAT? I'LL BE RECUSING MYSELF FROM THE JUNE 3RD.

I WASN'T AT THAT MEETING.

GREAT.

AND I'LL BE RECUSING MYSELF FROM BOTH MAY 20TH MEETINGS AS WELL.

ALL RIGHT.

CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE MINUTES? SO MOVED.

DISCUSSION ITEMS, WE HAVE OUR TOWNSHIP SOLICITOR HERE, TIMOTHY PRIME.

OPPOSED THAT THE MINUTES ARE APPROVED.

UH, REGARDING

[VI. DISCUSSION ITEMS]

HE'S OUR TOWNSHIP ATTORNEY, AND HE'S GOING TO BE EXPLAINING OUR CURRENT STATUS FOR THE NEXT ROUND OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

THANK YOU, MAYOR COUNCIL, THERE ARE TWO RESOLUTIONS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA THIS EVENING.

I WANTED TO BRIEFLY EXPLAIN FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE, OF THE COUNCIL ON THE PUBLIC.

I KNOW YOU ARE ALL VERY FAMILIAR WITH IT.

WE'VE, I'VE GIVEN YOU A NUMBER OF MEMOS.

WE'VE DISCUSSED IT IN EXECUTIVE SESSION, BUT I'M NOT SURE THE PUBLIC IS UP TO SPEED ON JUST WHERE WE ARE.

RESOLUTION 1 0 9 20 25 ENDORSES THE TOWNSHIP'S 2025 HOUSING ELEMENT AND FAIR SHARE PLAN.

IT REFERS IT TO THE PLANNING BOARD.

THERE WILL ACTUALLY BE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE HOUSING ELEMENT, UH, AT THE JAN AT THE JUNE 25 PLANNING BOARD MEETING.

AND I, I WILL ATTEND THAT AND, UM, ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT THE PUBLIC MAY HAVE OR, OR MAKE A SIMILAR PRESENTATION TO THE, TO THE PLANNING BOARD.

RESOLUTION ONE 10 AUTHORIZES AND DIRECTS THE PLANNING BOARD TO STUDY, DO A REDEVELOPMENT STUDY OF ALL OF THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING SITES TO ESTABLISH THAT THEY ARE ELIGIBLE, ELIGIBLE TO BE DESIGNATED AS AREAS NEED OF REDEVELOPMENT FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

I THINK EVERYONE IN THE PUBLIC'S FAMILIAR WITH THE MOUNT LAUREL AFFORDABLE HOUSING DOCTRINE IN 1975, OUR NEW JERSEY SUPREME COURT DECIDED, UH, THE LANDMARK MOUNT LAUREL CASE THAT EVERY MUNICIPALITY HAS AN AFFIRMATIVE OBLIGATION, A CONSTITUTIONAL OBLIGATION TO PROVIDE FOR ITS FAIR SHARE OF THE REGION'S AFFORDABLE HOUSING NEEDS.

MEDFORD IS IN REGION FIVE.

WE ARE IN THE REGION WITH CAMDEN COUNTY AND GLOUCESTER COUNTY, BURLINGTON COUNTY.

IN 1983, THE SUPREME COURT DECIDED THE MOUNT LAUREL TWO CASE, WHICH GAVE THE TEETH TO THE MOUNT LAUREL DOCTRINE.

UH, THE MAIN THRUST OF THAT DECISION WAS THAT IF A TOWN DOES NOT PROVIDE FOR ITS FAIR SHARE, UH, BUILDER, UH, A COURT, UH, A BUILDER CAN FILE WHAT THEY CALL A BUILDER'S REMEDY SUIT IN COURT AND GET THE COURT TO APPROVE AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING SUBDIVISION WITHOUT REALLY ANY INPUT, UH, OR APPROVAL FROM, FROM THE TOWN.

SO EVEN IF THE PROPERTY'S NOT ZONED, EVEN IF THE TOWNSHIP AND THE NEIGHBORS OF OF THE, OF THE SITE DON'T, DON'T WANT THE DEVELOPMENT, THE COURT CAN APPROVE THE DEVELOPMENT.

EVERY MUNICIPALITY, UH, IN NEW JERSEY IS SUBJECT TO THE MOUNT LAUREL DOCTRINE.

IT'S PERIODICALLY EXAMINED AND REVIEWED, UH, IN WHAT THEY CALL ROUNDS OR CYCLES.

THE FIRST AND SECOND ROUNDS WAS FROM 1987 TO 1999.

THE THIRD ROUND, INCLUDING THEIR SO-CALLED GAP PERIOD, WHEN KOA WASN'T DOING ANYTHING ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WAS FROM 1999 TO 2015.

AND THEN THE THIRD ROUND WAS FROM 2015 TO 2025.

UM, THE TOWNSHIP WAS GRANTED, UH, APPROVAL OF ITS THIRD ROUND AFFORDABLE HOUSING

[00:10:01]

PLAN ON SEPTEMBER 15TH, 2020.

TOWNSHIP IS FULLY IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING OBLIGATION.

THE TOWNSHIP IS FULLY PROTECTED, UM, FROM BUILDERS REMEDY LITIGATION, WHICH BRINGS US TO 2025 AND WHAT'S NOW THE FOURTH ROUND CYCLE.

THE FOURTH ROUND CYCLE IS 2025 TO 2035.

LATE LAST YEAR, THE LEGISLATURE ADOPTED AMENDMENTS TO THE FAIR HOUSING ACT, WHICH COMPLETELY PUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE COURTS AND THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS.

THERE IS NO MORE COA, THE COUNCIL ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING WAS ABOLISHED.

IT'S NOW SUBJECT TO STATE APPROVAL AND COURT AND, AND COURT APPROVAL.

UNDER THOSE AMENDMENTS.

WE ARE NOW REQUIRED TO FILE A NEW HOUSING ELEMENT AND FAIR SHARE PLAN FOR THE FOURTH ROUND CYCLE 2025 TO 2035.

UM, WE ARE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT THE PLAN BY JUNE 30TH.

THAT SCHEDULE REQUIRES US TO ENDORSE THE PLAN TONIGHT AND REFER IT TO THE PLANNING BOARD.

SO THE PLANNING BOARD CAN HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING, UH, ON JUNE 25TH TO FORMALLY ADOPT THE PLAN.

I THEN HAVE TO FILE IT WITH THE COURT, AND WITH THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO BE PROTECTED.

UH, THE TOWNSHIP WILL CONTINUE TO BE PROTECTED AGAINST BUILDERS REMEDY SUITS.

THE, THE FI THE PLAN WILL HAVE TO BE REVIEWED BY FAIR SHARE HOUSING BY THE COURTS.

IT'S A LONG PROCESS HERE YET, UH, BUT THIS IS THE MAIN STEP THAT HAD TO BE DONE TO CONTINUE OUR PROTECTION AGAINST BUILDERS REMEDY SUITS.

UM, WE'VE PROVIDED YOU WITH A COPY OF THE 2025 HOUSING ELEMENT.

UH, IT'S ON, ON THE TOWNSHIP WEBSITE.

UH, ANYBODY CAN REVIEW IT.

IT'S ON THE WEBSITE.

UNDER AFFORDABLE HOUSING, THE STATE HAS ASSIGNED US A PROSPECTIVE NEED FOR THE FOURTH ROUND OF 171 AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS.

UM, THE CURRENT PLAN SHOWS 175 UNITS.

IT'S BASED ON CURRENT CONCEPT PLANS BECAUSE NONE OF THE SITES HAVE YET GONE THROUGH THE REDEVELOPMENT PROCESS.

THEY HAVE ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES TO DO TO DETERMINE THE LIMITS OF CONSTRUCTION, WETLANDS, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.

AND ACTUALLY, THEY ALL HAVE TO GO BEFORE THE PLANNING BOARD FOR APPROVAL.

THAT IS ONE THING THAT THE, THAT THE TOWNSHIP CAN CONTROL.

AND THAT'S THE, THE, THE ARCHITECTURAL LOOK.

THE HOPEFULLY THE, THE, UH, APPEARANCE OF THE, OF, OF THE DEVELOPMENTS THAT FIT IN.

KIND OF WHAT MEDFORD'S GOAL IS TO HAVE RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS LOOK LIKE.

UH, THE, THE ONE SITE, THE FIRST SITE'S, THE LAFFERTY SITE, IT'S ON ROUTE 70.

UH, IT'S TWO PROPERTIES DOWN FROM THE CURRENT AUTUMN PARK AFFORDABLE HOUSING SITE AT THE EVESHAM BORDER.

UH, IT'S ENCLOSED PROXIMITY TO THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING SITE, WHICH HAS ALREADY BEEN CONSTRUCTED.

THE OTHER TWO SITES ARE IN THE NORTHEAST SECTION CORRIDOR OF THE TOWNSHIP, UH, ON FOSTER TOWN ROAD BECAUSE OF THEIR CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE MEDFORD TOWNSHIP, UH, SEWAGE TREATMENT PLAN.

UH, THEY'RE ALSO IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE FLYING W AND THE LUMBERTON TOWNSHIP LINE, WHICH IS, UH, THE, THE FLYING W IS A THIRD ROUND SITE, WHICH ARE YET TO BE CONSTRUCTED.

I THINK, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT, UM, THIS IS A STATE MANDATED, UM, REQUIREMENT.

THIS IS NOT METFORD TOWNSHIP'S IDEA.

UM, NOT NECESSARILY A METFORD TOWNSHIP'S IDEA OF HOW DEVELOPMENT SHOULD BE MONITORED AND CONSTRUCTED IN OUR TOWN.

NOT A STATEMENT OF WHETHER AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS GOOD OR BAD.

I'M NOT, I'M NOT SAYING THAT.

BUT IT DOES THE, THE PRO IF THERE'S A PROBLEM.

THE PROBLEM IS IT REQUIRES BONUS DENSITIES.

YOU HAVE TO GIVE DEVELOPERS BONUS DENSITIES BECAUSE THE, THE, THE PROJECTS HAVE TO SUBSIDIZE THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WHICH HAVE TO BE SOLD AT PRICES LESS THAN IT COST TO BUILD THEM.

SO FOR EVERY A HUNDRED HOUSES, EVERY A HUNDRED HOUSES, THERE'S 20 AFFORDABLE UNITS, 20%.

THOSE OTHER 80 UNITS HAVE TO BE SOLD TO, TO SUBSIDIZE THE COST OF THE 20.

SO THAT'S THE REASON FOR THE BONUS DENSITIES.

THAT'S THE REASON FOR THE AMOUNT OF HOMES THAT YOU SEE, UH, CURRENTLY CONSTRUCTED IN THE THIRD ROUND THAT, THAT YOU'LL SEE IN THE FOURTH ROUND, I THINK IN THE LAST 20 YEARS.

I THINK I'M SAFE IN SAYING MEDFORD HAS NOT APPROVED ANYTHING MORE THAN SCATTERED LOTS, FOUR OR FIVE LOTS IN SUBDIVISIONS OTHER THAN THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

ALL, ALL THE RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE MUNICIPALITY AT THIS POINT IS BECAUSE OF, OF THE MOUNT LAW DOCTRINE.

UM, THIS IS, IT'S A SIMPLE REALITY.

EVERY MUNICIPALITY'S FACING IT, THERE ARE DRACONIAN PENALTIES IF YOU DON'T COMPLY, AS I SAID, THE BUILDER'S REMEDY SUIT, THERE'S CASE LAW.

THE, UH, SOUTH BRUNSWICK CASE IN THE THIRD ROUND OCCURRED WHERE THE MUNICIPALITY FOUGHT THE, FOUGHT THE, THE, THE COURTS AND THE NUMBER, UH, AND THE COURTS BASICALLY A ABOLISHED THE MUNICIPAL PLANNING BOARD AND JUST APPROVED DEVELOPMENTS ALL OVER THE

[00:15:01]

TOWN.

SO AT LEAST THIS ALLOWS US SOME CONTROL OVER THE SITES.

IT ALLOWS US SOME CONTROL OVER THE APPEARANCE, THE, THE PLANNING BOARD PROCESSES STILL THERE.

IT'S JUST THAT THE DENSITIES ARE, ARE MANDATED BY THE COURT PROCESS.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

I JUST COMMENT ABSOLUTELY, PLEASE.

UM, I JUST, I SPOKE WITH MR. PRIME TODAY AND I, I'VE HAD ALL INTENTIONS TO COME IN HERE AND VOTE NO ON THIS BECAUSE I THINK IT'S JUST HORRIBLE WHAT IS BEING SHOVED INTO OUR COMMUNITY.

AS MR. PRIME JUST EXPLAINED, THAT'S PROBABLY NOT A SMART THING TO DO.

LIKE IT WASN'T A SMART THING SEVERAL YEARS AGO BECAUSE THEY'LL COME IN AND TAKE OVER OUR PLANNING BOARD AND BUILD MORE HOUSES THAN MR. PRIME NEGOTIATES FOR.

BUT, AND AGAIN, I LIKE MR. PRIME.

I'M NOT AGAINST AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BUT THE, TO BUILD 175 AFFORDABLE HOUSES, WE'RE GONNA BE BUILDING ALMOST 800 HOMES IN MEDFORD TO SUBSIDIZE THOSE AFFORDABLE HOUSES.

AND, UM, IT'S HARD ON OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.

IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, YOU KNOW, HORRIBLE FOR TRAFFIC.

IT'S, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT, I THINK ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA, WE'RE BUYING A BRAND NEW LADDER TRUCK.

IT'S BECAUSE WE HAVE TO SERVICE THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR THE ELEMENT THAT GOES ALONG WITH THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT'S OUT THERE.

SO WE'RE SPENDING TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS ON A FIRE TRUCK 'CAUSE OF THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING OBLIGATION WE HAVE.

I THINK IT'S HORRIBLE WHAT THEY'RE, THAT THEY'RE DOING IT TO US.

I THINK IT COSTS US A LOT OF TIME, MONEY, AND, AND IT REALLY CHANGES THE LIFE OF THE RESIDENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY.

AND, UH, IF I COULD VOTE AGAINST IT, I WILL, I HEARD OUR, THE, THE, UH, ONE OF THE CANDIDATES FOR GOVERNOR SAY THAT IF HE, IF HE WINS, SO YOU KNOW, WHICH ONE, 'CAUSE I SAID HE, UM, THAT HE'S GONNA DO HIS BEST TO ABOLISH IT.

NOW, WHETHER HE CAN OR NOT, 'CAUSE IT'S IN THE COURTS, I DON'T KNOW THAT MIGHT BE, BUT I HOPE THAT HE GETS IN AND THEN CAN PUT A STOP TO THIS OR AT LEAST SLOW IT DOWN IN SOME WAY THAT WE'RE NOT BUILDING 800 HOUSES IN MEDFORD AND TAKING OVER FARMS TO DO IT.

SO THAT'S JUST MY 2 CENTS.

WE TOOK A LOT OF HEAT THE LAST TIME WE DID THIS LIKE THAT.

WE CHANGED ZONING SO THAT THIS COULD BE BUILT.

IT'S, NO, WE HAD TO CHANGE BILL ZONING BECAUSE THE STATE REQUIRED IT.

SO JUST WANNA MAKE MY MY THOUGHTS CLEAR.

I DID WANT TO ADD THAT JUST JUST SO THERE'S SOME CONTEXT TO THIS.

UH, OUR, OUR OBLIGATION 171 UNITS, UM, MOUNT LAUREL HAS AN OBLIGATION OF 431 UNITS, AFFORDABLE UNITS, WHICH IS ABOUT 2000 HOUSES TO, TO TO, TO SUPPORT THEM.

UH, EVE SHAM HAS A NUMBER OF TWO 20, OR ARLINGTON TOWNSHIP 3 0 8.

SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF MUNICIPALITIES WITH A HIGHER OBLIGATION THAN WHAT WE HAVE.

IT'S ALL BASED ON FORMULAS ESTABLISHED BY THE STATE.

TWO THIRDS OF OUR MUNICIPALITIES IN THE PINELANDS WERE, WERE DEVELOPMENTS VERY RESTRICTED.

SO IT KIND OF FORCES THE DEVELOPMENT ON THE, ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE TOWNSHIP, UH, UH, NORTH OF ROUTE 70.

THAT'S NOT IN THE PINE LANDS, BUT THE NUMBERS ARE THROUGHOUT THE, THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.

THERE ARE REGION GLOUCESTER COUNTY, THERE'S FIVE, FIVE PROJECTS THAT HAVE OVER FIVE MUNICIPALITIES THAT HAVE OVER 400 UNITS.

SO IT, IT'S EVERYBODY'S FACING THE SAME THING.

WELL, THANK YOU.

UH, I'LL ALSO POINT OUT, I BELIEVE YOU CAN CORRECT ME, MR. PRIME IF I'M INCORRECT, BUT IN THE LAST 20 YEARS, WE HAVE ONLY DEVELOPED HERE IN MEDFORD BY FIAT FROM THE STATE.

THAT'S CORRECT.

RIGHT? OKAY.

THIS, THIS IS NOT A VOLUNTARY, WE'VE NEVER ZONED FOR IT.

WE'VE NEVER, I MEAN, WE, WE ZONED FOR IT.

IT'S REQUIRED BY THE COURT, BUT I MEAN, WE'VE NEVER VOLUNTARILY DECIDED TO BUILD RIGHT.

300 HOUSES ON, ON THE, THE, UH, AUTUMN PARK DEVELOPMENT.

THAT WAS WHAT WE NEEDED TO JUSTIFY TO, TO OBTAIN 90 UNITS WHICH BE NEEDED.

SO, RIGHT.

AND SO TO ECHO, COUNCILMAN WATSON, THIS WILL ACCOUNT IN 10 YEARS.

IT'LL ACCOUNT FOR THREE DECADES OF FORCED DEVELOPMENT HERE IN, IN MEDFORD.

AND WE TRY AND KEEP IT AS A BUCOLIC, CHARMING LITTLE TOWN AND CONTINUALLY HAVE TO DEVELOP OVER THAT.

SO IT'S JUST GOOD TO GO ON RECORD AND, AND SAY THAT.

AND SO, MR. PRIME, WE APPRECIATE YOUR WORK.

WE RECOGNIZE THAT YOU'VE WORKED DILIGENTLY TO KEEP THOSE NUMBERS AS LOW AS POSSIBLE.

WE MAY NOW MOVE ON TO OPENING OUR TIME OF PUBLIC COMMENT.

AND SO THANK YOU FOR THAT EFFORT.

AND WE MAY SAVE ABOUT THROUGH THE USE OF BONUS CREDITS AND, AND REQUIRING THE DEVELOPERS TO GIVE US EVEN MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAN THEY MIGHT OTHERWISE BE REQUIRED.

'CAUSE WE PICKED THEIR SITE, UM, WE SAVED ABOUT 200 MARKET HOUSES LESS THAN WHAT WE WOULD'VE HAD TO DO, BUT WE STILL GOT 600.

ANYONE ELSE? ALRIGHT,

[VII. PUBLIC COMMENTS (Comments limited to five (5) minutes per speaker)]

AND WE SIMPLY ASK THAT GENERAL DECORUM IS KEPT RECOGNIZING THAT VETERANS HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES FOR OUR FREEDOMS. AND THERE ARE VETERANS, THERE ARE PEOPLE CURRENTLY ON MILITARY FIELDS AND BASES FIGHTING FOR THOSE SPOKEN FREEDOMS AS WELL.

AND SO WE APPRECIATE THAT.

AND SO PLEASE RECOGNIZE THAT THIS, UH, IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO COMMENT PUBLICLY.

IT IS NOT A TIME FOR PUBLIC DEBATE.

AND SO WE'LL

[00:20:01]

CERTAINLY RECEIVE YOUR COMMENTS.

UH, PLEASE LIMIT THEM TO FIVE MINUTES AND THEN IF NECESSARY AND DESIRED, WE'LL RESPOND TO THOSE COMMENTS.

SO, UH, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND AND WE'LL CALL YOU UP.

PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, YOUR ADDRESS, AND, UH, WE'LL WORK TO KEEP THOSE TOWARDS FIVE MINUTES.

ALRIGHT, ANYONE LIKE TO SPEAK? PLEASE, SIR.

HI EVERYBODY, MY NAME IS JIM SCHIFFER.

I LIVE AT 2 0 9 PALM BOULEVARD IN MEDFORD.

I'M GONNA START OFF BY SAYING THAT I CONTINUE TO BE DISCUSSED AT ABOUT THE COVERAGE WE'RE GETTING ON BOULEVARD FOR SPEEDING VEHICLES.

UM, I SAW A REPORT RECENTLY THAT I REQUESTED THROUGH OPRAH.

FIRST OFF, THE REPORT SAID THAT THE SPEED LIMIT ON OUR ROAD WAS 35 MILES AN HOUR AND PROVIDED DATA BASED ON THAT 35 MILES AN HOUR.

IT'S A 30 MILE AN HOUR ROAD.

SO THAT COMPLETELY DISCREDITS THAT WHOLE REPORT.

EVEN IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THAT REPORT AND IT SHOWED THAT 1.6% OF THIS DRIVERS ON THAT ROAD EXCEED THE ENFORCEABLE LIMIT OF SEVEN MILES AN HOUR.

THE, THE BEDFORD TOWNSHIP POLICE DEPARTMENT IS ONLY TICKETING 0.67% OF THE SPEEDERS ON THAT ROAD.

NOW, I WENT BACK TO THE COUNTY REPORT FROM JANUARY THAT SHOWED THERE WERE 79,000 CARS ON THAT ROAD A WEEK OR EIGHT DAYS AFTER.

ALRIGHT, OVER THAT PERIOD OF TIME, 5,477 VEHICLES IN EIGHT DAYS OR 6.8% EXCEED THAT SEVEN MILE PER HOUR ENFORCEABLE TOLERANCE.

5,477.

THE MEDFORD POLICE DEPARTMENT GIVES OUT ONE TICKET A DAY ON AVERAGE ON TO BOULEVARD.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT PERCENTAGE THAT IS OF SPEEDERS THAT COMES OUT TO 0.15% OF THE SPEEDERS ON THAT ROAD.

WE GOTTA DO BETTER.

WE HAVE TRACTOR TRAILERS, CEMENT MIXERS, DUMP TRUCKS, SCHOOL BUSES, PROPANE TANKERS FLYING DOWN THAT ROAD ALL DAY LONG.

I DON'T THINK ANYBODY HAS THE FIRST CLUE WHAT GOES ON ON THAT ROAD ALL DAY.

IT STARTS AT FIVE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING AND DOESN'T END UNTIL ONE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING.

IT'S INSANITY.

AND I CAN'T BELIEVE IF THAT WENT ON IN FRONT OF YOUR HOME.

WE LIVE IN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD.

IF THAT WENT ON IN FRONT OF YOUR HOME, YOU WOULD BE LIVID.

AND EVERY DAY I SIT AT MY KITCHEN TABLE WORKING AND MY FEET SHAKE UNDERNEATH THE TABLE, THE WHOLE FOUNDATION OF MY HOUSE SHAKE.

AND THAT'S BECAUSE THAT THESE LARGE VEHICLES, WHICH WE'RE TRYING TO GET OFF OF THAT ROOM WITH EVE SHAMS HELP ARE EXCEEDING THE SPEED LIMIT.

NO ONE IN, IN ON TAUNTON BOULEVARD HAS, ALL THE NEIGHBORS I ASKED THEM HAS EVER SEEN A CONSTRUCTION VEHICLE STOPPED ON THAT ROAD BY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

THE STATE TROOPERS COME OUT AND STOP THEM.

BUT THEY'RE ONLY FOR INSPECTION ISSUES LIKE AT TAILLIGHTS THAT ARE OUT.

THEY DO NOT FORCE THE SPEED LIMIT.

I GOT AN EMAIL TODAY FROM SOMEBODY JUST BEFORE I CAME HERE.

INCREASED THREE TRAFFIC, PARTICULARLY OF INDUSTRIAL TRUCKS, HAVE BEEN TRAVELING TO BOULEVARD.

INCREASINGLY DANGEROUS.

NOT ONLY AM I CONSISTENTLY VERY CLOSELY TAILGATED BY CARS, TRUCKS PRESSURING ME TO EXCEED THE SPEED LIMIT ON A DAILY BASIS, THREE TIMES THIS MONTH ALONE, VEHICLES HAVE ACCELERATED AND PASSED ME ON THE LEFT CROSSING THE DOUBLE LINE.

WE WERE TOLD AT THE LAST MEETING OF THE SUBGROUP THAT THE POLICE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ACKNOWLEDGE THAT FULL ENFORCEMENT COVERS IS UNREALISTIC DUE TO LIMITED RESOURCES.

I'VE SAID BEFORE THAT THE REASON THIS IS GOING ON, ON THIS ROAD FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS IS BECAUSE OF NEGLECT.

AND WHETHER IT'S BECAUSE OF RESOURCES OR NOT CARING, IT DOESN'T MATTER.

IT'S STILL NEGLECT.

ALRIGHT? I GET THAT THERE'S LIMITED RESOURCES, BUT IT IS STILL NEGLECTFUL.

WHEN I GREW UP IN LUMBERTON, YOU DIDN'T DARE GO OVER 30 MILES AN HOUR ON TON BOULEVARD AND NOW IT'S A RACETRACK.

EVERY SINGLE DAY I HAVE PLEADED I HAVE BED ONCE AGAIN, 0.15% OF THE PEOPLE EXCEEDING 40 MILES AN HOUR ON A 30 MILE AN HOUR ROAD GET TICKETS ON THAT ROAD.

THE, THE, THE MEDFORD POLICE DEPARTMENT GIVES OUT LESS THAN ONE TICKET ON TOTON BOULEVARD A DAY.

AND I HAVE SAID, BABY, IT SHOULD BE TWO TICKETS PER SHIFT.

IT WOULDN'T BE HARD.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE HAVE TO DO TO GET THIS TO TURN AROUND.

I REALLY DON'T.

I'M I'M AT THE POINT WHERE I WANNA START GOING OUT THERE AND THROWING EGGS IN TRUCKS AND SOME DAYS I'M NOT UNSTABLE THAT I JUST MIGHT DO THAT.

ALRIGHT.

SOMETHING'S GOTTA BE DONE AND AND

[00:25:03]

WE'RE RESIDENTS, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A DEAL WITH THE TRUCK, THE CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES, MAYBE THEY PAY PART OF THE OVERTIME FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

SO LET'S NOT STOP THEM OR GIVE THEM SPEEDING TICKETS ON CALL.

THEY DO.

I DON'T KNOW.

I'M JUST SAYING THAT I DON'T KNOW WHAT GOES ON OR WHY IT HAPPENS.

BUT THE RESIDENTS OF TONTON BOULEVARD PAY TAXES THAT PAY THE SALARY OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WE ARE YOUR CONSTITUENTS.

THOSE TRUCKS, THOSE TRUCKS ARE NOT JUST BECAUSE THEY DO WORK IN THE TOWNSHIP, BUT, AND A LOT OF HER ARE GOING BEYOND METFORD.

I THINK THAT WAS MY FIVE MINUTES.

HELLO, I'M JACKIE FAUST FOR PILING DRIVE MEDFORD.

I LIVE IN A, UM, COMMUNITY OF 55 AND OAK COMMUNITY WHERE WE HAVE 25 AFFORDABLE UNITS.

AND I LIVE IN ONE OF 'EM.

I'VE BEEN IN THERE FOR OVER 10 YEARS.

MY PROPERTY IS WELL KEPT.

I REALLY OBJECT TO INSINUATING THAT IT COMPROMISES THE QUALITY OF OUR COMMUNITY.

I'LL JUST, CAN I JUST COMMENT ON THAT? SURE.

OH, WOULD YOU WRAP? I I WASN'T TRYING TO TALK POORLY OUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING AT ALL, AND I THOUGHT I MADE THAT CLEAR IN MY COMMENTS.

IT'S THE FACT THAT WE HAVE TO BUILD OVER A THOUSAND HOMES THE LAST TIME.

800 MORE THIS TIME.

THAT'S WHAT'S AFFECTING IT.

NOT THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

MY NAME IS HAROLD MORGAN.

I LIVE AT 27TH HASTINGS AVENUE IN THE 55 AND OVER CARRIAGE.

I HAD NEW NEIGHBORS MOVE INTO MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND I LIVE ON THE BACK OF THE JENS FARM.

AND I AM RIGHT ON THE BACK OF THE JENS FARM.

I'VE GOT A CHURCH ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STREET FROM ME.

NOW, A FARM IS NOT, IT'S, IT'S A SITUATION.

WHERE DID WE CHANGE THE ZONING THERE TO HAVE A CHARGE PUT IN? 'CAUSE IF SO, I NEVER RECEIVED ANYTHING IN THE MAIL.

I WAS AT HOA MEETING.

I ASKED THE HOA IF THEY RECEIVED ANYTHING ABOUT ITS ZONING CHANGE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

AND I HAVE NOTHING.

SUNDAYS AT NINE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING, I'VE GOT 200 CARS COMING DOWN JENNINGS ROAD.

THAT ROAD CAN'T HANDLE THAT.

THAT'S THE OLD FARM ROAD BACK THERE.

I I I THINK IT'S STILL THE JENNINGS ROAD.

IS IT A TOWNSHIP ROAD? YES, IT IS.

CORRECT? YES.

SO THEY, THEY PUT THE, THE THINGS IN THE BACK.

SO YOU CAN'T GO FROM JENNINGS TO HARFORD, CORRECT? CORRECT.

IT'S ONE WAY IN NO WAY OUT.

YOU CAN ONLY GO IN AND OUT ONE WAY IN THE, ON THE STREET.

CORRECT.

SO IF THERE WAS A PROBLEM THERE OR A SAFETY ISSUE OF SOME KIND, SOMEBODY'S GOTTA KNOW WHAT TO DO.

NOW I TRIED TO GET OUT LAST SUNDAY AT 1130.

I COULDN'T GET OUT THE DRIVEWAY.

THERE WAS A GOLF PARK BLOCK IN THE HERITAGE DRIVEWAY WAVING THE CHURCH TRAFFIC COME ON.

WHEN THEY FINALLY GOT OUT, THEN WE COULD COME OUT.

DID WE CHANGE SOMETHING BACK THERE? HELP ME OUT WITH THAT.

DID WE CHANGE THE ZONING? HAVE YOU COMPLETED YOUR COMMENTS, SIR? YES, SIR.

UM, I I DON'T WANNA CUT YOU OFF.

NO, WE DID NOT CHANGE THE ZONING.

UM, DO YOU WANT ME TO PLEASE? WE'RE ALL VERY FAMILIAR WITH THIS, SIR.

UM, OKAY.

THE, THE, UH, , THE MEDFORD ORDINANCE REQUIRES ANY PLACE OF WORSHIP TO GET WHAT THEY CALL CONDITIONAL USE APPROVAL.

GOTTA GO BEFORE THE BOARD NOTICE TO THE PROPERTY OWNERS AND GET A APPROVAL FOR IT ION WELL, NOT EXACTLY, BUT SIMILAR.

UM, HOWEVER, THERE'S A , THERE'S A RIGHT TO FARM, UH, STATUTE IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY.

AND THAT GIVES FARMERS BECAUSE THEY, THEY ARE DEED RESTRICTED TO ONLY FARMING

[00:30:01]

ACTIVITIES.

GIVES THEM BROAD LATITUDE ON DOING DIFFERENT THINGS TO GENERATE REVENUE, TO HELP THEM ALLOW TO KEEP THE FARM PRESERVED AS FARMLAND.

IN THIS CASE, WE'VE GONE THROUGH A NUMBER OF COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE LANDOWNER.

UM, THEY HAVE APPLIED TO THE STATE FOR APPROVAL TO CONDUCT CHURCH SERVICES AS PART OF THEIR FARMING ACTIVITIES AS PART OF THEIR LICENSED FARMING ACTIVITIES.

UH, THE CHURCH FOLKS ARE PLANTING, UH, SEEDLINGS AND THIS TYPE OF THING.

THEY'RE TRYING, I DON'T WANT TO, I DON'T WANNA MAKE A JUDGE, I'M JUST, THAT'S THE FACTS.

WHAT THAT DOES IS AFTER WE ISSUED A STOP ORDER, UM, HOWEVER, ONCE THEY MAKE THAT APPLICATION TO THE STATE FOR PROTECTION UNDER THE RIGHT TO FARM ACT, THE STATE ASSUMES JURISDICTION OVER THE MATTER.

WE CANNOT REGULATE THEM AT THAT POINT.

SO I'M WAITING TO HEAR WHAT THE STATE DOES WITH THIS APPLICATION.

IF THEY ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO SAY THAT THESE CHURCH ACTIVITIES ARE PART AND PARCEL OF THE, UH, RIGHT.

TOFOR ACTIVITIES THAT THEY'RE ALLOWED TO DO THERE.

AND IF THAT'S, IF THEY, DEPENDING WHAT THEY DO, THE TOWN CAN, CAN FOLLOW AN APPEAL FOR THAT OR DEPENDING ON WHAT HAPPENS.

WE HAVE TO SAY, I ALSO KNOW, UM, THAT IT'S, IT'S A TEMPORARY SITUATION.

THE THE CHURCH IS LOOKING FOR A PERMANENT, UH, FACILITY TO CONDUCTOR, CHURCH SERVICE, I THINK IN, IN HAN IN MARTON.

SO OBVIOUSLY WHEN THE COLD WEATHER COMES, YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO DO ANYTHING.

SO IT, IT, IT'S A TEMPORARY SITUATION.

NOT THAT, AND I'M NOT MINIMIZING THE IMPACT ON YOU AND YOUR, AND YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR AND YOUR COMMUNITY.

BUT WE'RE, OUR HANDS ARE TIED A LITTLE BIT.

WE GOT A LEGAL ISSUE HERE.

AND, UH, WE'RE DOING THE BEST WE CAN, BUT THEY KEEP MOVING THE TARGET ON ME.

AND, AND I'M, AND I'VE BEEN MOVING, TRYING TO MOVE WITH IT.

BUT WE ALSO HAVE THAT SAFETY ISSUE.

WELL, 'CAUSE IF SOMEBODY THAT'S SICK IN HERITAGE AND NEED AN AMBULANCE, WELL, HERITAGE SHOULD NOT BE BLOCKED.

AND I'LL HAVE TO ASK, UH, THE CHIEF TO HELP US OUT THERE, BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS, EVEN WITH THE RIGHT TO FARM ACTIVITIES, I MEAN, THEY CAN HAVE A, THEY CAN HAVE A, UH, FARM, UH, MARKET THERE.

I MEAN, THEY'RE ALLOWED TO DO THAT.

THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT DOING THAT.

SO THERE'S, THERE MAY BE SOME OTHER THINGS COMING HERE.

UH, BUT THEY, THEY HAVE TO AT LEAST, UM, DEAL WITH LOCAL TRAFFIC ISSUES AND STUFF.

SO IT CAN'T, YOU CAN'T HAVE UNSAFE SITUATIONS.

SO THEY MAY HAVE TO PAY FOR A POLICE PRESENCE TO, TO, TO, YOU KNOW, OFF DUTY TO GUIDE TRAFFIC, THAT TYPE OF THING.

BUT WE'RE STILL, WE'RE STILL IN THE ANCY OF TRYING TO FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING ON THERE.

GOOD.

I JUST WANTED MR. PRIME AWARE OF THE SITUATION.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

MR. PRIME.

I THOUGHT THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT, THAT THEY CAN OPEN THAT EMERGENCY EXIT OUT TO THAT IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY.

IT CAN BE, IT CAN BE, IT CAN BE MOVED, IT CAN BE UNLOCKED AND MOVED.

OKAY, SIR, PLEASE.

UH, MY NAME'S JACK MANN, UH, 67 RENT DRIVE VETERAN.

LIVED HERE ABOUT 49 YEARS.

UH, 27 YEARS AGO I STARTED PUT A LIQUOR LICENSE AND I STARTED MY EXPERIENCE A FEW YEARS AGO.

I TURNED IT OVER TO MY KIDS.

BUT I'M, I'M HERE TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW THE TOWNSHIP CAN JUSTIFY PUTTING A FED LIQUOR STORE IN THE TOWN.

AND OF COURSE, IT SOUNDS LIKE I'M CRYING GRAPES AND I DON'T WANT COMPETITION COMING DOWN THE STREET.

BUT OBVIOUSLY YOU'VE ALREADY APPROVED THE LIQUOR LICENSE BETWEEN SHOP RIGHT.

AND MEDICAL VILLAGE.

WE HAVEN'T.

THAT PUTS A FIFTH LIQUOR STORE AROUND TOWN.

NOW, OUR POPULATION DOESN'T WARRANT THAT.

THE STATE WILL TELL YOU THAT.

THE ABC WILL TELL YOU THAT.

BUT OUR TOWNSHIP POPULATION DOES NOT WARRANT BY .

SO WHERE, WHERE DO YOU COME UP TO APPROVE THIS? YOU THE AUTHORITY TO SAY NO, BUT YOU DIDN'T AND I KNOW WHY YOU FINISHED.

CONSUMPTION ONSITE CONSUMPTION, NOT DISTRIBUTION.

WE DON'T HAVE FIVE LIQUOR LICENSES.

WE HAVE, UH, THREE DISTRIBUTION LICENSES, ONE OF WHICH IS YOURS.

THERE ARE TWO BROAD SEA RETAIL CONSUMPTION LICENSES THAT HAVE BROAD SEA PRIVILEGES THAT ARE GRANDFATHERED.

THERE ARE TWO OF OUR SEVEN, UH, RETAIL PLANETARY CONSUMPTION LICENSES THAT ARE ALLOWED BY OUR POPULATION.

THE RECENT CENSUS ALLOWED US AN EIGHTH ONE, WHICH WE ARE NOW AWARDING THIS EVENING.

SO YOU'RE YOU'RE WRONG ON THE NUMBERS.

NO, YOU'RE, YEAH, YOU ARE.

YOU'RE, YOU, YOU USED THE POPULATION TO, TO FLOAT A SEA LICENSE.

EIGHTH ONE.

YOU WON'T USE THE POPULATION TO DENY A FIFTH LIQUOR STORE.

[00:35:01]

WE DON'T ALLOW, WE'RE NOT ALLOWING A FIFTH LIQUOR STORE, JOHN.

WE'RE NOT ALLOWING A FIFTH LIQUOR STORE.

THERE'S THREE LIQUOR STORES.

JACQUELINE, YOU WANT COUNT THEM? YEAH.

JACQUELINE LIQUORS, MEDFORD WINE AND SPIRITS CANALS.

WINE.

UH, WINE UNLIMITED, TAUNTON, FORGED LIQUORS.

THOSE ARE OUR THREE.

AND S YOU DON'T CONSIDER THAT.

S IS A BROAD C IT'S A RETAIL CONSUMPTION LICENSE.

IS THERE A LIQUOR STORE GOT, THEY'RE ALLOWED TO HAVE LIQUOR STORE, BUT IT'S A CONSUMPTION LICENSE.

IS THERE A LIQUOR STORE AT ALL? YES.

IT'S A CONSUMPTION LICENSE.

LIQUOR STORES IN TOWN.

NO, YOU, YOU, YOU'RE JUST WRONG.

WELL, YOU TELL ME THAT THAT'S NOT A LIQUOR STORE LIQUOR.

IT'S A SEPARATE ENTRANCE.

I'M TELLING YOU, I'M NOT ASKING ABOUT THE LICENSE USE.

WELL, THAT'S THE LICENSE.

I'M ASKING ABOUT THE LIQUOR STORE IN TOWN.

I'VE ANSWERED THE QUESTION, MAYOR.

I CAN'T ANSWER ANYMORE.

SO YOU DON'T, YOU, YOU SAY THERE'S THREE LIQUOR STORES IN TOWN.

THERE ARE THREE PLENARY RETAIL DISTRIBUTION LICENSES.

I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT LICENSE.

I'M TALKING ABOUT LIQUOR STORES.

WELL, ALL WE DO IS REGULATE LICENSES.

WE DON'T REGULATE STORES.

YOU HAVE, WE REGULATE LICENSES.

WELL, YOU HAVE A RIGHT, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO APPEAL AND YOU HAVE A RIGHT LEGAL RIGHTS ON THIS.

SO YOU, YOU HAVE TO EXERCISE THOSE.

GET LEGAL ADVICE.

I MEAN, HAM TOWNSHIP HAS 46,000 POPULATION, CORRECT.

AND FIVE LIQUOR STORES.

WE HAVE 24,000 POPULATION.

WE'RE GONNA HAVE FIVE LIQUOR STORES.

WHAT WE'RE DONE IS WHAT WE, AND I DON'T, I CAN'T SEE WHY YOU CAN'T REALIZE THAT COPS IS, THAT'S NOT A LIQUOR.

COME ON.

YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS.

I'LL, I'LL GO TO THE BOARD OF THE A C THE DIRECTOR AND UH, HAVE A GOOD DAY.

THANK, THANK YOU.

ANYONE ELSE? HI.

DIANA ROSSIE, UM, AT ARKANSAS TRAIL BEDFORD.

UM, I SPOKE AT THE LAST MEETING.

THERE IS A, UM, I KNOW THERE'S A BUDGET FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR.

AND I SPOKE ABOUT THE STORM WATER PROBLEM THAT WE'VE HAD IN THAT WAS ADDRESSED LAST YEAR.

I GUESS I'M JUST REPEATING, UM, THE URGENCY, ESPECIALLY IF YOU DRIVE THROUGH THE COMMUNITY NOW.

UM, THERE'S A LOT OF WATER AND I WALK MY DOG EVERY MORNING, SO I'M THROUGH ALL THE STREETS.

AND IT'S, IT'S, THERE'S JUST, SOMEONE SAID TO ME, WELL, WHY DON'T YOU JUST, YOU KNOW, GO IN THERE AND TURN, MAKE A SWALE ON THE SIDE OF YOUR PROPERTY.

I HAVE WOODS ON BOTH SIDES OF MY PROPERTY AND ON MY PROPERTY BACKS UP TO TUCKERTON ROAD.

BUT THE MOSQUITO POPULATION, I CAN'T WAIT UNTIL TOMORROW AND IT GETS HOT AND THEY ALL SHOW UP, IT.

I JUST HOPE THAT IT WILL BE ADDRESSED IN THE COMING BUDGET.

AND, UM, IS THERE ANY SUGGESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE? I KNOW LAST YEAR YOU WERE SUPPOSED PEOPLE WERE SUPPOSED TO COME OUT FROM PUBLIC WORKS.

THEY DID NOT.

I KNOW IT WAS A MUCH BIGGER PROBLEM THAN THEY ASSUMED IT WOULD BE.

AND I KNOW THIS IS A STATE PROBLEM, SO I JUST WAS WONDERING IF YOU WERE GOING TO ADDRESS IT AND HOW IT'S GOING TO BE ADDRESSED IN THE COMING FISCAL YEAR.

ON CHRISTOPHER MILL, I'M SORRY, UH, VIRGINIA TRAIL AND, UH, VERMONT.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT.

SEEING NONE.

OH, PLEASE, SIR.

JUST IN FRONT OF THE BELL.

HELLO, MY NAME IS JOHN ADOLPH.

I LIVE AT SIX 16 VIRGINIA TRAIL AND AND JUST THE TAGLINES ARE HER SEDIMENTS ABOUT THE WATER.

I BROUGHT MY, UH, NEIGHBOR.

HE'S AT 12 YOU, WELL, 14.

14 VIRGINIA TRAIL.

THE BACK OF HIS PROPERTY, IT COMES DOWN FROM CHRISTOPHER MILL.

HE BACKS UP.

WE BACK UP CHRISTOPHER MILL AND BETWEEN HIS HOUSE AND HIS NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE, WHICH WOULD BE, WELL, YEAH.

UM, THERE'S A DRAIN, SEWAGE AND A SEWER.

AND I GUESS IT'S THE DRAINAGE COMING DOWN FROM CHRISTOPHER MILL AND IT GETS CLOGGED.

AND I TOLD, I GUESS I'VE LIVED THERE SIX YEARS AND OVER THE PAST COUPLE YEARS.

I SEE.

AND WITH THE HEAVY DOWNPOURS, I'VE TAKEN VIDEOS IF YOU NEEDED, WHERE YOU TELL ME WHO I SHOULD SHOW THE VIDEO TO.

JUST APPROVED.

BUT IT COMES DOWN LIKE A RIVER.

AND ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WAS THE DRAINAGE WAS CLOCKED.

THAT PIPE YOU CAN BARELY SEE.

SO HE HAD, I TOLD HIM TO CALL THE COUNTER.

THEY CAME OUT AND THEY UNDR IT.

THEY CLOCKED OR UNCLOTHED IT THE DRAIN.

SO IT HAS HELPED A LITTLE BIT, BUT HE STILL GETS SO MUCH WATER.

IT'S LIKE A POOL IN HIS BACKYARD.

LIKE THE YOUNGER KIDS LOVE IT IN THE WINTER 'CAUSE IT FREEZES UP AND WE CAN GO ICE SKATING THERE.

THAT'S HOW BAD IT'S, SO FOR ME IT'S GOOD.

BUT WE CAN ICE SKATE, BUT FOR HIM IT'S NOT.

SO, UM, I WAS JUST WONDERING IF THAT IN TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION WITH, THANK GOODNESS THAT YOU HAVE THIS MONEY AND HOPEFULLY YOU'LL PROVE IT TO DO, TO WORK OUT SOME OF THE DRAINAGE.

AND I DID CALL BECAUSE THE GREAT THAT IS

[00:40:01]

VERMONT, THANK YOU.

UM, ALSO GETS CLOGGED AND IT WAS STARTING TO DETERIORATE.

AND I CALL IT PUBLIC WORKS.

AND THEY CAME OUT AND THEY RECHARGED SOME OF THAT.

'CAUSE THERE'S A GINORMOUS TREE THAT LIKE, I'M ASSUMING SOME OF THE ROOTS ARE STARTING TO TAKE AND DISMANTLE THAT, UH, SEWER DRAIN.

SO IT'LL POUR IN THERE LIKE JUST A, YOU KNOW, UM, JUST THE WATERWAY.

BUT THEY DID COME OUT AND THEY'RE STARTING TO GET BAD AGAIN.

SO IF YOU TAKE ANY CONSIDERATION AND COME OUT AT ANY TIME, I'M SURE THE PUBLIC WORKS WILL TELL YOU THAT'S A BAD SECTION TOO.

'CAUSE THAT ROAD'S STARTING TO DETERIORATE.

AND I DID TALK WITH THEM ALSO ABOUT WHAT THE, UH, PLOW TRUCKS COMING BY AND JUST, YOU KNOW, HAVE, UM, JUST FILLING INTO POTHOLES, CLOUDS POP UP, POTHOLES AND SOME OF THE SEWER DRAINS ARE STARTING TO GET HIT.

AND I FOUND BIG CHUNKS OF METAL FROM SOME OF THE CLOUDS THAT HAVE BROKEN OFF ON THE EDGES.

SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE TAKING IT SERIOUS THAT THERE IS A MAJOR PROBLEM IN THAT SECTION.

THE HOOD OUT OF THE WATER.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU MR. KEL.

ARE YOU ABLE TO, UH, ASK PUBLIC WORKS TO TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THOSE DRAINS IN THAT AREA? SO WE HAD BEGUN A DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT TO DO WITH HOOT AL.

AND IT'S GONNA TAKE A, A FAIR AMOUNT OF ENGINEERING AND PLANNING WORK BECAUSE IT IS PRETTY LOW LYING BACK THERE.

WE HAVE SOME IDEAS.

I DON'T WANT TO GO INTO 'EM NOW.

UM, THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE WOULD BE IF WE'RE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT SOME OF OUR SOLUTIONS, HOW DO WE GET THE WATER THERE? MEANING THAT WITHOUT SPENDING PROBABLY $10 MILLION TO REGRADE EVERY STREET, HOW DO WE GET THE WATER TO GO WHERE WE WANTED TO GO AND STOP WHERE WE WANT IT TO STOP.

SO IT'S, IT'S NOT A PROBLEM THAT'S, THAT'S GONNA BE SOLVED RIGHT AWAY.

BUT WE HAVE PUBLIC WORKS ENGINEERING MEETINGS EVERY OTHER MONTH, AND THIS IS A STANDING ITEM FOR US TO WORK ON.

YOU RECALL, WE HAD A WHOLE UNDER A, UH, STATE ORDER TO TRY TO GET EASEMENTS FROM THE PROPERTY OWNERS OUT THERE TO BE ABLE TO CONSTRUCT SOME DRAINS, WHICH WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET.

'CAUSE THE FOLKS, YES, WE NEED COOPERATION FROM, UH, FOLKS DON'T DO IT, BUT PROPERTY OWNERS, WE HAVE SOME OTHER IDEAS TOO.

WE, WE TRY TO CLEAN UP AS WE CAN AND AS WE GO.

I THINK YOU WERE ALL, I KNOW YOU AND, AND CHUCK WILL REMEMBER, I'M NOT SURE MM-HMM .

I GUESS DONNA WILL.

UM, WAS APPROVED IN THE FIFTIES.

IT HAD NO ENGINEERING DRAINAGE STUDIES LIKE WE HAVE TODAY.

SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF WETLANDS.

I I DON'T BELIEVE IT WOULD EVEN BE BUILT TODAY.

UM, BUT THEY'RE PUBLIC STREETS OUR RESPONSIBILITY AND, AND WE'RE DOING THE BEST WE CAN, BUT THEY'RE, IT'S A CHALLENGE BECAUSE OF THE, OF THE WAY IT WAS CONSTRUCTED.

IT, IT'S A, IT'S A OLD COMMUNITY THAT WAS NOT CONSTRUCTED, THE PRESENT STANDARD.

SO, ONE OTHER THING, UH, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, UM, WE DID ELECT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE BURLINGTON COUNTY MOSQUITO EXTERMINATION PROGRAM THIS YEAR.

I FILLED OUT THE PAPERWORK BACK IN THE SPRING, BUT MS. ROSSI, YOU MIGHT WANNA CALL THEM AND JUST ASK THEM TO COME OUT AND, AND DO SOME FOLLOW UP ON THAT.

I AM JIM ISH AND I'VE LIVED AT 14TH VIRGINIA TRAIL FOR 40 YEARS NOW.

AND AT MY POINT, THE WAY I UNDERSTAND IT, THAT I'M RESPONSIBLE FOR THE STREET ON MY PROPERTY.

THE DRAINAGE DITCH IS MY RESPONSIBILITY.

IS THAT CORRECT? YES.

CORRECT.

AND THERE'S NO RELIEF FOR THAT.

WELL, THE, THE STATE HAS ASKED US TO OBTAIN EASEMENTS FROM EACH PROPERTY OWNER WHO HAS A DITCH OR A SWALE ON THEIR PROPERTY SO THAT THE TOWNSHIP HAS THE RIGHT TO COME IN AND MAY AND ASSIST YOU MAINTAINING IT.

BECAUSE IF IT'S STORM WATER AFFECTING THE PUBLIC STREET, IT'S THEN OUR RESPONSIBILITY.

BUT MOST FOLKS HAVEN'T AGREED TO GIVE US THE EASEMENT.

SO WE'VE KIND OF JUST, WHEN WE CAN HELP, WE GET PERMISSION AND JUST DO IT.

BUT IT'S A LITTLE BIT AD HOC, SO, OKAY.

BECAUSE THROUGH LANDSCAPERS AND YEP.

UH, PEOPLE PUT RAILROAD TIES IN AND YEAH, WE'VE PUT PIPES, WE'VE DONE OUR PART.

BUT AFTER 40 YEARS, I DON'T WANT TO INVEST TOO MUCH MORE MONEY IN MY PROPERTY.

AND ALSO THE PROBLEM WAS, AND THE, UH, PUBLIC WORKS MANAGER CAME, UH, LAST YEAR.

LAST YEAR I THINK IT WAS THAT IT WAS BACKED UP AT THE STREET.

IT WAS DRAINING PROPERLY FROM MY HOUSE.

THAT BE DONE? WELL, THEY'RE LOOKING TO IT RIGHT NOW.

AND THEN THE SILT IN THE GRAVES WAS JUST BACKED UP AND REALLY NEGLECTED AND THEY DID A LITTLE WORK, BUT IT REALLY NEEDS MORE EX EXTENSIVE ATTENTION THAN THAT.

AND, AND CAN

[00:45:01]

THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THEY'RE LOOKING TO HOW BEST TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES.

THAT'S JUST WHAT THE MANAGER SAID.

IT'S ON THE, IT'S ON THE MEETING EVERY MONTH AND THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT IT, TRYING TO, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO.

BUT THEY'RE MAINTAINING IT AS BEST THEY CAN GIVEN THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, AS BEST THEY CAN WHILE WE'RE DOING THAT.

WELL, YOU KNOW, THE SUPPORT ISN'T REAL APPARENT.

WELL, OKAY.

I WON'T, I, THAT'S, I'VE LIVED THERE 40 YEARS.

I UNDERSTAND.

I SAID I'M GONNA HAVE TO SELL MY HOUSE EVENTUALLY AND THAT WOULD BE DETRIMENTAL.

IT'S RIGHT IT ON VIRGINIA TRAIL.

I I KNOW WHERE IT'S, YEAH.

MR. PRO OR OR MR. HOEL, DOES ANYONE HAVE AN IDEA OF HOW MANY RESIDENTS DID RESPOND WITH THE, UH, PERMISSION WITH THE EASEMENT? NONE.

NO ONE SIGNED IT.

NOBODY.

SO WE NEED THEIR HELP JUST AS WELL AS THEY NEED OUR HELP.

WELL, WE'VE ALWAYS JUST DONE IT.

I MEAN, LIKE, WOULD SOMEBODY COULD GENTLEMEN CALL WITH A COMPLAINT? PUBLIC WORKS AND WANT, TRY TO HELP OUT THAT HISTORICALLY THOUGH.

BUT IT STATES THAT YOU NEED, YOU NEED EASEMENTS.

WE NEED TO, IT'S PUBLIC STREET.

YOU NEED EASEMENTS AND WE SEND LETTERS TO EVERYBODY.

WE HAD A PUBLIC MEETING HERE.

I I KNOW I WAS AT THE MEETING.

YOU WERE THERE.

AND, UH, NOBODY, NOBODY PUBLIC WORKS I KNOW PERIODICALLY FOLLOWS UP WITH THE FOLKS, BUT ANYBODY MUST, I MEAN, THEY'RE AFRAID OF GIVING LEGAL, RIGHT? I MEAN, ALL THEY'RE DOING IS ALLOWANCE ACCESS TO RIGHT.

JUST LIKE A UTILITY EASEMENT FOR PUBLIC SERVICE.

AND, AND SEE IF ANYTIME IN THE LAST 40 YEARS THERE WOULD BE EASEMENTS ON THE PLAN ALREADY.

YOU KNOW, IT PART OF THE PLANNING BOARD APPROVAL.

BUT THIS, THE SUBDIVISION WAS, WAS JUST BUILT, IT WAS BEFORE A PLANNING BOARD.

YOU KNOW, YOU FILED A PLAT.

I MEAN, THAT'S HOW OLD IT'S SOMETHING SENT OUT TO THE RESIDENTS ABOUT USE T GET ANYTHING.

HE DIDN'T, WHEN WAS THIS? IF YOU HAVE A DITCH ON YOUR PROPERTY, YOU GOT A LETTER FROM US? ONE, WE CAN GET YOU.

WELL, WE CAN CHECK AND FIND OUT WHO GOT LETTERS, BUT EVERYBODY WAS, WAS SUPPOSED TO GET A LETTER.

WE HAD A PUBLIC HEARING ABOUT IT.

WE HAD A HALF OF THE RESIDENT OF HOO HOUR HERE LAST YEAR.

I DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

HOW DID YOU FIND OUT WHERE THE LETTERS IS? THAT LIST ON THE WEBSITE? PUBLIC WORKS IS A, THERE IS A LIST.

IT, I, I DON'T KNOW.

I'M ASKING IF THERE'S A LIST ON THE WEBSITE.

YOU MAY NOT HAVE IT.

I I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

CHRIS HAS IT.

I MEAN, HE KNOWS ALL ABOUT IT.

WE'LL, WE'LL LOOK INTO IT.

WE'LL FIND OUT.

THERE IS A LIST.

DO YOU HAVE A DITCH ON YOUR PROPERTY? WHAT? DO YOU HAVE A DITCH SWALE ON YOUR PROPERTY? HE DOES.

I KNOW HE THEN HE SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN A LETTER.

HE DIDN'T GET ONE.

ALL RIGHT, WELL, WE'LL FIND OUT.

WELL, HOW DID, SO WHO DOES HE CALL? KIND OF CALLED THE MANAGER'S OFFICE, BUT HE NEEDS TO GET IT BACK FROM THE ENGINEER.

DAN WAS NOT INVOLVED HERE WHEN WE DID THIS LAST YEAR.

SO IT'S NUMBER 14 AND 17 VIRGINIA.

WHAT, 14 AND 17? VIRGINIA, NOT NUMBER 12, 14 AND 12.

14 AND 12.

IT WAS 16.

WHICH ONE ARE YOU? 12.

HE'S 12.

ALRIGHT.

THAT'S THE ONE THAT HAS THE SWELL ON IT.

UH, SIR, THAT HAPPEN 1214.

DANIEL, CHRIS HAS, YES.

LARRY TCE FIVE UTAH TRAIL AND I DO HAVE A DITCH, UM, ON THE PROPERTY BETWEEN, I'M ON FIVE, MY NEXT NEIGHBORS THREE.

I WAS ATTENDING THAT MEETING.

YEP.

UM, ON ZOOM.

THE REASON WHY THE PEOPLE WEREN'T ASSIGNED THOSE, IT WAS A BLANKET.

YEP.

EASEMENT.

AND I THINK A LOT OF FOLKS WERE CONCERNED THAT WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? LIKE, AND I THINK IT WAS AGREED THAT THEY WOULD HAVE PEOPLE COME OUT AND EXPLAIN TO HAVE A SEPARATE EASEMENT LETTER THAT SAYS BY YOU TRAIL, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO.

MY STREAM HAPPENS TO RUN ALONG THE SIDE, ALONG THE BACK.

AND SO I'M NOT SURE IF THAT WAS EVER DONE, BUT I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY.

PUBLIC WORKS WAS SUPPOSED TO GO OUT AND TRY TO YEAH, YEAH.

BUT IT'S, I MEAN, IT'S A BIG JOB.

IT'S HUNDREDS OF HOUSES.

I MEAN, AND I SPOKE TO YOUR, YOUR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS.

UH, I THINK IT WAS JUST LAST WEEK BECAUSE MY, HE WAS AT THE MEETING, REMEMBER? YEAH, HE WAS, I MEAN, MY DRAIN, CONTINUING TO CLOGGED.

I HAVE THE CONCRETE CYLINDER IN THE MIDDLE AND JUST RIGHT.

SO I CALLED TO GET IT CLEANED OUT.

BUT, UH, HE HAD MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT IF YOU'RE GETTING SOME FINANCIAL AID FOR ME THAT THE STATE BRING COKE GETS BACK.

HE WAS MENTIONING HIS MONEY WAS AVAILABLE THE DAY THEY START THIS THING UP AGAIN.

SO I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT THAT'S, IN MY OPINION, THAT'S WHY THOSE EASEMENTS NEIGHBORS PROBABLY WEREN'T GONNA SIGN THOSE.

THEY'RE NOT GONNA SIGN A BLANKET EASEMENT.

IT'S JUST PEOPLE GET NERVOUS THAT YOU'RE CALLING THE PROPERTY, BUT, WELL, IT WAS A BLANKET MAINTENANCE EASEMENT, BUT THAT'S NEITHER HERE NOR, YEAH.

[00:50:01]

UH, RECENTLY I WAS AT A, A, UH, PUBLIC PRESENTATION FOR THE, OUR ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

AND THEY HAD A, A PROGRAM HERE LOCALLY THAT YOU CAN ADOPT A DRAIN.

IT'S THE ADOPT A DRAIN PROGRAM.

SO THAT'S ONE THING, ONE WAY FOR US AS A COMMUNITY, TO KEEP AN EYE ON THINGS, CLEAN THEM OUT AS WE GO, AND, AND LITERALLY CLAIM THAT DRAIN AS YOUR, UH, YOUR PURSUIT.

SO THAT COULD BE AN ADDITIONAL THING.

WE HAVE OUR, OUR CHAIR OF THE EAAC HERE, UH, MS. GA, MS. GALEY.

AND SO WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK, MS. GALEY.

AND, UH, AND SO PERHAPS I'LL PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, BUT PERHAPS, UH, SHE'D BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU SOME MORE INFORMATION ONCE THE MEETING CONCLUDES ABOUT THIS ADOPT A DRAIN PROGRAM.

SORRY, PLEASE, SIR.

MY NAME'S JOHN BENTY.

UH, 1 1 5 PARK COURT EAST.

SINCE WE'RE TALKING DRAINAGE, UH, BEHIND MY HOUSE, THERE IS A, UH, I A STREAM.

I'M JUST WONDERING NOW WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY IS ISN'T TO CLEAN THAT? I'VE NEVER SEEN THAT CLEANED.

YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS BRUSH AND STUFF LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW, I WORRY IF WE HAVE A HEAVY RAINSTORM IF THAT'S GOING BACK UP.

I LIVE, WELL, IT'S BETWEEN FOREST AVENUE AND, UH, PARK PORT EAST.

THERE'S A LITTLE STREAM THERE.

I FORGET THE NAME OF IT.

UH, YEAH, I, I DON'T, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW.

YOU HAVE TO, YOU'D HAVE TO RESPONSIBILITY.

WELL, I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE STREAM IS.

I MEAN, IF IT'S, IF IT'S WATERS OF THE STATE, IT'S THE STATE'S RESPONSIBILITY.

I MEAN, WE, WE, UH, TRY TO HELP OUT WITH THE SOUTHWEST BRANCH OF IRAN COCUS FOR, TO ALLEVIATE THE POSSIBILITY OF FLOODING FOR OUR RESIDENTS.

BUT WE GET NOTHING FROM THE STATE.

WE GET NO GUIDANCE ON DOING THAT.

WE GET NO FUNDING FROM THE STATE, BUT WE GET ALL THE BLAME IF PEOPLE'S PROPERTIES FLOOD.

WE, WE CAN'T BE RESPONSIBLE FOR EVERY BROOK CREEK AND STREAM IN, IN MEDFORD.

JUST TO PUT THE AL DRAINAGE IN THE CONTEXT, THE DEVELOPMENT IS 450 ACRES.

SO IT'S NOT A SMALL PROBLEM.

IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S GONNA HAVE TO REQUIRE A MAJOR ENGINEERING AND MAJOR PLANNING TO, TO ADDRESS IT AND TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT WE ARE ADDRESSING THE SPOTS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED.

SO IT'S GONNA TAKE TIME.

SO WHAT YOU'RE, WHAT I'M HEARING IS IT'S THE STATE'S RESPONSIBILITY.

WELL, I DON'T KNOW WHO ON WHOSE PROPERTY THIS STREAM IS FIRST.

IT GOES ACROSS, YOU KNOW, MULTI PROPERTIES.

WELL, RIGHT, I UNDERSTAND.

BUT, BUT IS IT A TRIBUTARY, IS IT PART, I MEAN, I'LL TELL YOU HOW WIDE IT'S FROM THAT.

ALRIGHT SIR.

JUST PUT IT IN WRITING TO THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER AND WE'LL LOOK AND, AND WE'LL LOOK AT IT.

HAVE PUBLIC WORKS.

LOOK AT IT.

I DON'T KNOW WHO OWNS IT.

I DON'T KNOW WHO'S RESPONSIBLE TO MAINTAIN IT.

ALL RIGHT.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS? UH, SEEING NONE, CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT? SO MOVED.

ALL IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED.

UH, MANAGER'S REPORT.

MR. MARSHALL, PLEASE.

WE'RE ALSO SEEKING APPROVAL FOR MS. SELTZER AND MS. SPIEGEL TO BE NEW JUNIOR EMS VOLUNTEER MEMBERS, WHICH IS FANTASTIC.

GOOD EVENING COUNSEL.

UM, BEFORE I GET INTO THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA, JUST WANT TO GIVE COUNSEL A BRIEF UPDATE ON HIMALAYA ROAD.

AS COUNSEL IS AWARE THAT THIS IS A MAJOR CONSTRUCTION PROJECT WHERE WE ARE, UH, WE HAVE A CONTRACTOR LAYING A NEW SEWER MAIN 17 FEET DEEP.

THEY ARE ALMOST, THEY'RE CLOSING IN ON ABOUT 50% OF THE AMOUNT OF PIPE THAT THEY'VE, THEY HAVE TO LAY.

UM, THE PROJECT HAS BEEN DELAYED FOR SOME, UH, CHALLENGING REASONS.

WE'VE HAD CERTAINLY A WETTER, UH, MAY AND JUNE THUS FAR THAN WE HAVE IN IN NORMAL YEARS.

UM, SOUTH JERSEY GAS HAS ALSO SOMEWHAT GOTTEN INVOLVED WITH THE PROJECT IN THAT THEY'VE ASKED FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO AND UPGRADE SOME SERVICE LATERALS.

SO THAT'S GONNA ADD A LITTLE BIT OF, OF DELAY.

UH, A REALISTIC TIMEFRAME IS IT'S BEEN PUSHED BACK PROBABLY TO, UM, MID AUGUST AS A TARGETED DATE FOR COMPLETION.

IF FOR SOME REASON IT IS NOT COMPLETED IN MIDGUT AND IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE IT'LL BE FINISHED SHORTLY WITHIN THAT TIMEFRAME, THEN THE TOWNSHIP ENGINEER MAY ELECT TO STOP THE PROJECT FOR NOW AND, UH, RESCHEDULE IT TO A MORE OPPORTUNE TIME BECAUSE WE DO NOT WANNA DELAY, UH, THE OPENING OF SCHOOL AND HAVE TO HAVE THE BUS ROUTES REROUTED FOR NEW SCHOOL YEAR.

SO THAT'S JUST A, A STATUS UPDATE ON THAT.

FOR TONIGHT, WE ACTUALLY HAVE, UH, A REQUEST TO ADD FIVE MEMBERS TO OUR VOLUNTEER STAFF.

WE'RE LOOKING FOR APPROVAL TO ADD MS. RICHARDSON AND MS. LUPA AS NEW EMS VOLUNTEER MEMBERS STATION 2 58.

[00:55:01]

UM, ALL, ALL FIVE OF THEM.

MS. RUG IS LOOKING TO BE A NEW JUNIOR FIREFIGHTER MEMBER.

UM, ALL FIVE OF THEM ARE, ARE YOUNG LADIES THAT ARE, ARE, UM, ANXIOUS TO, UM, SERVE THE COMMUNITY BY VOLUNTEERING IN EITHER FIRE OR EMS. SO WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL AND SUBMIT THESE TO YOU.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR TONIGHT.

GREAT.

DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS ABOUT THE APPLICATION? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.

AYE.

OPPOSED? ALRIGHT.

OUR NEW EMS, UH, FIREFIGHTERS AND JUNIOR EMS VOLUNTEERS ARE APPROVED.

UH, CHIEF DOVEY, COULD YOU PLEASE THANK THEM FOR US IF, UNLESS ANY OF THEM ARE HERE, THEY HAPPEN TO BE HERE.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.

ALRIGHT, MOVING ON TO THE

[IX. CLERK’S REPORT]

CLERK'S REPORT.

MS. WEER.

UM, YES, TONIGHT WE HAVE A APPROVAL FARM TRUCK BREWERY, UM, FOR THEIR THIRD ANNIVERSARY ON JUNE 21ST FROM 11:00 AM TO 12:00 AM AT 47TH MAY.

AND APPROVAL OF WOODFORD CEDAR RUN RAFFLE FOR 50 50.

RAFFLE ON, UM, JULY 26TH AT 2:00 PM OKAY.

UH, CAN WE HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE CLERK'S REPORT? SO MOVED.

TO ACCEPT THIS EVENING FOR JUNE 11TH, 2025 AND MAY, 2020.

OPPOSED? RIGHT.

THE CLERK'S REPORT IS ACCEPTED.

WE HAVE TWO BILL LISTS

[X. BILL LIST]

MAY 23RD, 2025.

ADDITIONAL BILL LIST.

I HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE BILL LIST.

THERE BE AN ADDITIONAL.

OKAY, GREAT.

ALRIGHT, SO WE'RE ADDING ONE ADDITIONAL JUNE 16TH, 2025.

UH, ADDITIONALLY TO THAT.

SO, UH, CAN WE HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE BILL? SO MOVE SECOND.

OPPOSED? I I'M JUST GONNA OPPOSE THIS SIX 16 BECAUSE WE JUST RECEIVED IT AND I HAVEN'T HAD TIME TO REVIEW.

WE HAVE ONE ORDINANCE FOR SECOND READING.

ALRIGHT.

SO THE BILL LISTS ARE ACCEPTED.

UH, WE HAVE NO ORDINANCES FOR FIRST READING.

[XII. ORDINANCES FOR SECOND READING/PUBLIC HEARING(S) ]

WOULD SOMEONE LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION FOR ORDINANCE 2025 DASH 11? I MOVE THAT COUNSEL ADOPT ON SECOND READING ORDINANCE 2025 DASH 11 ADOPTING A SECOND AMENDMENT TO REDEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR THE TO FOMO.

NOW TIMBER RIDGE AT MEDFORD REDEVELOPMENT AREA, FORMERLY KNOWN AS BLOCK 4 0 1 LOT 13.01 BLOCK 4 0 3 LOTS, TWO AND SEVEN.

SO THIS ORDINANCE AMENDS THE REDEVELOPMENT PLAN BE CONSISTENT WITH THE NEW TOWNSHIP CODE, CHAPTER DER DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS FOR GARAGES AND SHEDS IN RESIDENTIAL ZONES.

SO WE'LL NOW OPEN THIS UP.

YOU NEED A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.

SO WE'LL OPEN THIS UP FOR PUBLIC HEARING.

IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THIS ORDINANCE, RAISE YOUR HAND AND WE'LL CALL YOU UP FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

THE MICROPHONE.

ANY COMMENTS? ALRIGHT, SEEING NONE, WOULD SOMEONE LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING? I MOVE.

THE CONSENT AGENDA RESOLUTIONS, WE HAVE A, A COUPLE OF ADDITIONS OR ALTERATIONS.

ALRIGHT, ROLL CALL PLEASE.

ANY COUNSEL COMMENTS? ALRIGHT, ROLL CALL FOR ADOPTION PLEASE.

MS. MILL.

AYE.

MS. SIMONS? AYE.

MR. WATSON? AYE ERIC, AYE THE ORDINANCE IS ADOPTED.

UH, REGARDING

[XIII. CONSENT AGENDA RESOLUTIONS]

WE'LL BE ADDING RESOLUTION 1 15 20 25, WHICH IS AN APPLICATION FOR SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES GRANT FROM ATLANTIC CITY ELECTRIC AND WE WILL BE REMOVING RESOLUTION 1 0 3 20 25 FOR THE TIME BEING.

WE'LL BE MOVING THAT TO OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION.

WE'LL BE DISCUSSING THAT AND WE MAY TAKE, UH, SOME ACTION AFTER THAT.

THIS EVENING? YES, THIS EVENING.

ALRIGHT,

[XIV. RESOLUTIONS]

SO THE RESOLUTIONS RESOLUTION 94 DASH 2025 APPROVING THE RENEWAL OF LIQUOR LICENSES 2025 AND 2026 RESOLUTIONS 95 DASH 2025 AVOID AWARDING OF PLENARY RETAIL CONSUMPTION LIQUOR LICENSE TO MEDFORD LQ LLC RESOLUTION 96 20 25 AUTHORIZING REFUND OF 2025.

TAX OVERPAYMENTS RESOLUTION 97 20 25 APPROVING THE 2024 OAP CERTIFICATION LIST FOR QUALIFICATION OF MEDFORD TOWNSHIP FIRE AND EMS VOLUNTEER HOURS RESOLUTION 98 20 25 EXTENDING THE GRACE PERIOD FOR PAYMENT OF 2025 THIRD QUARTER PROPERTY TAXES RESOLUTION 99 DASH 2025 AUTHORIZING EXECUTION OF SHARED SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH THE BURLINGTON COUNTY SOIL CONSERVATION DISTRICT FOR STORMWATER MANAGEMENT FACILITY INSPECTION AND OTHER RELATED SERVICES.

RESOLUTION 120 25 AUTHORIZING APPROVAL FOR SUBMISSION OF A GRANT APPLICATION TO A NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT

[01:00:01]

OF TRANSPORTATION MUNICIPAL AID GRANT PROGRAM FOR THE PHASE ONE RECONSTRUCTION OF CHRISTOPHER'S MILL ROAD, RESOLUTION 1 0 1 DASH 2025 AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASE OF A 2026 FORD F FIVE 50 HORTON 6 23 CRASH CONFIGURATION.

TYPE ONE MODULAR AMBULANCE FOR THE TOWNSHIP OF MEDFORD, DEPARTMENT OF FIRE AND EMS RESOLUTION 1 0 2 DASH 2025 AUTHORIZING THE ACCEPTANCE OF GRANTS FUNDS FROM THE HAYNES FAMILY FOUNDATION IN THE AMOUNT OF $30,000 FOR THE TOWNSHIP OF MEDFORD, DEPARTMENT OF FIRE AND EMS RESOLUTION 1 0 4 DASH 2025 ACCEPTING A GRANT FROM MEDFORD CELEBRATES FOR THE INDEPENDENCE DAY FIREWORKS RESOLUTION 1 0 5 DASH 2025 AUTHORIZING AN AMENDMENT TO THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE TOWNSHIP OF MEDFORD AND MEDFORD YOUTH ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION, RESOLUTION 1 0 6 20 25 AMENDING THE 2025.

TEMPORARY BUDGET RESOLUTION 1 0 7 20 25 AUTHORIZING A NON FAIR AND OPEN CONTRACT WITH SIGNAL CONTROL PRODUCTS FOR THE PURCHASE OF OPTICUM GPS PREEMPTION HIGH PRIORITY VEHICLE KITS FOR THE TOWNSHIP OF MEDFORD, DEPARTMENT OF FIRE AND EMS RESOLUTION 1 0 8 20 25 AUTHORIZING THE TOWNSHIP TO APPLY TO BURLINGTON COUNTY FOR A MUNICIPAL PARK DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.

GRANT TO INSTALL FIELD LIGHTING AT THE HARTFORD CROSSING PARK, MULTIPURPOSE TUR TURF FIELD IN THE AMOUNT OF $2,500.

RESOLUTION 1 0 9 DASH 2025, ENDORSING THE 2025 HOUSING ELEMENT AND FAIR SHARE PLAN.

RESOLUTION 1 10 20 25 DIRECTING THE MEDFORD TOWNSHIP PLANNING BOARD TO CONDUCT A PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION OF BLOCK 4 0 1 LOTS.

1 0 0 1, 1 0 0 2, 1 0 0 4, AND 15 BLOCK 3 0 2 LOTS, 28 0 2 AND 39 0 3 AND BLOCK 3 0 1 LOTS, 3.01 AND BLOCK 3 0 2, LOT SEVEN FOR THE POTENTIAL DESIGNATION AS AN AREA IN NEED OF REDEVELOPMENT RESOLUTION 1 11 20 25 AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASE OF TWO FREIGHT LINER LEAK VACUUM TRUCKS FROM TIMBERMAN EQUIPMENT TRUCK COMPANY IN THE AMOUNT OF 700,000 26, 720 $6,757 AND 94 CENTS.

RESOLUTION ONE 12 DASH 2025 AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASE AND INSTALLATION OF A NEW DRIVE UNIT THROUGH THE NEW JERSEY WASTEWATER COM, UH, COOPERATIVE PRICING SYSTEM IN THE AMOUNT OF $141,382 AND 50 CENTS.

RESOLUTION 1 13 20 25 AUTHORIZING LETTER OF INTENT TO PURCHASE A 100 FOOT PIERCE LADDER TRUCK RESOLUTION 1 15 20 25 AUTHORIZING AN APPLICATION FOR A SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES GRANT FROM ATLANTIC CITY ELECTRIC.

DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THE CONSENT AGENDAS? UM, I HAVE ONE.

I DID DID YOU START, GO AHEAD.

DID YOU SAY SOMETHING? NO, I, I WAS GOING TO SAY, UH, GO AHEAD FOR THE RECORD.

I BELIEVE ON RESOLUTION 1 0 8 20 25 YOU SAID 2,500? IT'S 250,000.

IF I SAID 2,500, IT'S A VERY DIFFERENT NUMBER.

SO 250,000.

UH, THE OTHER THING IS I WANTED TO, UM, THANK THE HAYNES FAMILY FOUNDATION FOR GRANTING, UH, MEDFORD FIRE AND EMS $30,000 FOR A NEW PIECE OF EQUIPMENT THAT, UM, HOPEFULLY CHIEF DOVEY COULD COME UP AND JUST EXPLAIN TO EVERYONE WHAT THAT PIECE OF EQUIPMENT WILL DO FOR THE TOWN.

UH, ROBERT DO, CHIEF OF FIRE AND EMS. SO THE GPS PREEMPTION, PREEMPTIVE PREEMPTION EQUIPMENT, UH, WILL ENABLE OUR THREE AMBULANCES AND TWO OF OUR ENGINES, UH, THAT WHEN THEY APPROACH AN INTERSECTION, UH, THAT'S CONTROLLED BY A COUNTY TRAFFIC LIGHT, UM, SPECIFICALLY I'LL USE COUNTY ROUTE 5 41 FOR EXAMPLE.

UM, IT'LL CHANGE THE, UH, TRAFFIC SIGNAL TO GREEN IN THE DIRECTION THAT THE FIRE OR EMS APPARATUS IS TRAVELING AND TURN THE OTHER THREE DIRECTIONS TO RED, UH, THEREFORE REDUCING THE POTENTIAL FOR A IN INTERSECTION COLLISION DURING EMERGENCY RESPONSE.

AND BURLINGTON COUNTY HAS, HAS SPENT A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF, UH, TIME AND EFFORT UPGRADING MULTIPLE INTERSECTIONS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.

UM, MOST OF THE COUNTY ROADS AT THIS POINT HAVE THIS SOFTWARE ALREADY INSTALLED ON THE TRAFFIC SIGNALS.

AND THEN THE LOCAL FIRE AND EMS, UH, AGENCIES PURCHASED THE EQUIPMENT TO PUT IN THEIR VEHICLES THAT, UH, THAT REGISTERS WITH THE SOFTWARE TO CHANGE THE, UH, CHANGE THE, THE TRAFFIC DIRECTION FOR THE LIGHT.

SO IT'LL INCREASE PUBLIC SAFETY, IT'LL INCREASE THE SAFETY OF THE RESPONDERS.

THAT'S GREAT.

PUT IN EACH YEAR IS INCREDIBLE AND, AND TRULY A GIFT TO OUR TOWNSHIP.

THANK YOU CHIEF DOVEY.

WHILE, WHILE YOU'RE HERE, I JUST NOTICED, UH, EARLIER TODAY I WAS CONSIDERING THE LOS SAP, UH, CERTIFICATION LIST OF QUALIFICATION FOR VOLUNTEER HOURS.

AND SO AGAIN, JUST THANK YOU TO, TO YOU AND YOUR VOLUNTEER STAFF AS WELL AS YOUR PROFESSIONALS FOR ALL THE WORK THAT THEY DO.

AND JUST SUMMING UP ALL OF THE HOURS THAT, THAT THESE VOLUNTEERS

[01:05:01]

SO PLEASE THANK THEM AND PUBLICLY WE THANK THEM AS WELL.

ABSOLUTELY.

UH, I JUST HAVE A BRIEF QUESTION ON RESOLUTION ONE 11, UM, WHICH IS THE LEAF TRUCKS.

WHEN DO WE EXPECT DELIVERY OF THEM? UM, ACTUALLY THE, THE COMPANY HAS TWO LEAF TRUCKS ON THEIR LOT, SO WE WOULD BE ABLE TO, TO ACCEPT DELIVERY WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH.

I JUST, I KNOW WE CANCELED THE CONTRACT WITH, RIGHT? YEAH.

WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE USED THAT.

I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THERE WASN'T CORRECT.

WE'RE GONNA HAVE THESE, THEY, THEY'RE GONNA READY, READY AND RUNNING AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE ALL THE TRAINING DONE IN TIME FOR OUR, UH, EMPLOYEES IN PUBLIC WORKS, THE PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITY, THE PUBLIC WORKS DIVISION TO UTILIZE THESE TRUCKS, GET A MOBILIZED AND UH, GET A JUMP ON LEAF COLLECTION THIS YEAR.

GREAT, THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS? CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE CONSENT AGENDA RESOLUTIONS? SO MOVED.

I FEEL I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T EXPRESS MY CONCERNS.

ALRIGHT, ROLL CALL FOR APPROVAL PLEASE.

MAYOR RED SCOTT? AYE.

I HAVE THE RESOLUTIONS ARE APPROVED AND WE HAVE ONE RESOLUTION THIS EVENING.

RESOLUTION ONE 14 DASH 2025 INTRODUCTION OF THE 2025 MUNICIPAL BUDGET.

AND SO I JUST WANNA POINT OUT THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.

THE, THE DETAILS OF THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.

UH, IT MAINTAINS THE STAFFING AND SERVICE LEVELS THAT RESIDENTS HAVE COME TO EXPECT FROM OUR POLICE FIRE, EMS, PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES CONSTRUCTION OFFICE AND TOWN HALL.

UH, WE'LL BE SPENDING FOR THE CORE OF THE TOWNSHIP OPERATIONS IN TERMS OF SALARIES AND WAGES AND OTHER EXPENSES.

WE'VE NOTICED THAT THAT IS UP JUST 1% OVER THE 2024 BUDGET.

THE BUDGET PROVIDES FUNDING IN THE CAPITAL PROGRAM FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO KIRBY'S MILL DAM, THE BALANCE OF THE PURCHASE PRICE OF A NEW 100 FOOT LADDER TRUCK FOR FIRE AND EMS DEPARTMENT AND REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT AND VEHICLES FOR POLICE AND PUBLIC WORKS OPERATIONS.

THIS YEAR'S UTILITY BUDGET PROVIDES FUNDING IN THE CAPITAL PROGRAM FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO WELLS THREE AND SIX WATER METER REPLACEMENTS, WHICH WILL BE A MULTI-YEAR PROJECT REPLACEMENT WATER MAINS FOR LAKE PINE FUNDS TO RELINE SEWER MAINS AND A CONTRIBUTION TOWARD THE 2025 ROAD REP PAVING PROGRAM.

AND COUNCIL CONTINUES TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR PARK MAINTENANCE AND FOR A SHARE OF THE EXPENSES FOR EVENTS THAT THE COMMUNITY ENJOYS EVERY YEAR, INCLUDING THE ARTS, MUSIC AND WINE FESTIVAL, THE 4TH OF JULY FIREWORKS OCTOBER FEST, OUR ANNUAL HALLOWEEN PARADE AND DICKENS FEST ALONG WITH OUR THIRD THURSDAY FOOD TRUCK NIGHTS.

UH, DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I JUST HAVE A COUPLE COMMENTS.

UM, UH, STARTED OUT, I'M JU STARTING OUT, I'M JUST KIND OF DISAPPOINTED IN HOW LATE WE ARE.

INPO.

I MEAN, IT'S GONNA BE JULY BEFORE WE ADOPT THE BUDGET.

WE EVEN GOT A LETTER FROM THE STATE TELLING US LIKE, WE'RE GONNA BE IN TROUBLE IF WE DON'T REPRIMAND DO THIS, WHICH IS SOME OF THE REASON WE HAVE TO AGAIN, VOTE ON THIS TONIGHT BECAUSE WE HAVE TO GET IT, UM, GET THIS, GET GOTTA GET IT MOVING.

UM, I'M A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED THAT WE HAD TO HIRE SOMEBODY TO HELP US WITH THE BUDGET, QUITE FRANKLY.

UM, AND MY BIGGEST PROBLEM WITH IT IS HOW WE'RE FILLING SOME OF THE GAPS WITH ONETIME REVENUES, ONETIME REVENUES THAT WE WON'T HAVE NEXT YEAR.

AND I LIVED THROUGH THIS 17 YEARS AGO.

I STARTED COMING TO COUNCIL MEETINGS.

I CAME TO COUNCIL MEETINGS FOR OVER THREE YEARS AND WATCHED US DO ALL THESE ONETIME REVENUES AND TAKEN FROM THIS DEPARTMENT TO DO THAT DEPARTMENT.

AND AT THE END OF THREE YEARS WE WERE ALMOST BANKRUPT AS A TOWN AND WE WERE SELLING STUFF AND WE WERE LAYING OFF PEOPLE.

AND I I'M JUST FEARFUL THAT WE'RE HEADING DOWN THAT PATH AGAIN.

SO I HOPE THIS IS THE LAST TIME WE DO THAT.

DO THIS, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST THE, THE, THE SELLING OF THE LIQUOR LICENSE FOR INSTANCE.

WE'RE USING THAT TO BALANCE THE BUDGET.

WHERE ARE WE GONNA GET THAT $400,000 NEXT YEAR? UM, YOU KNOW, I DON'T LIKE THAT WE'RE USING MONEY FROM OPEN SPACE TO PAY FOR HEALTHCARE, UH, OF OUR EMPLOYEES AND THAT THAT MONEY IS A TAX THAT'S PUT FOR OPEN SPACE.

AND I UNDERSTAND WE CAN JUSTIFY IT 'CAUSE SOME OF OUR EMPLOYEES DO SOME WORK FOR THAT.

BUT THAT WAS NEVER WHAT I THOUGHT THAT TAX WAS FOR.

I THOUGHT IT WAS FOR OPEN SPACE.

THERE'S THINGS THAT WE HAVE EARMARKED THAT FOR, TO PURCHASE DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS SO THAT WHEN THE NEXT ROUND OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMES, WE DON'T HAVE, THERE'S NOT, THERE MAY BE NOT AS MANY PLACES WE COULD PUT IT AND WE'RE JUST HURTING THAT OPTION, UM, THAT WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, INCLUDING, YOU KNOW, THAT'S TAKEN MONEY AWAY POTENTIALLY TO GO TO MYAA AS WELL.

SO I, I JUST, I'M VERY CONCERNED BECAUSE I LIVED THIS, I'VE RAN FOR OFFICE BECAUSE THE PEOPLE BEFORE ME WERE DOING THESE KIND OF THINGS TO BALANCE THE BUDGET AND UM, I KNOW A LOT OF WORK WENT INTO IT AND I'M SORRY I HAD TO SAY THIS PUBLICLY, BUT

[01:10:01]

THANK YOU MAYOR RED STOCK.

ARE WE, WE'RE JUST INTRODUCING THIS TONIGHT.

WE ARE NOT VOTING ON THIS BUDGET THIS EVENING.

YOU SHOULD ANNOUNCE THAT THERE WILL BE A PUBLIC HEARING AND UH RIGHT FOR ON ADOPTION OF THE BUDGET ON JU JULY, JULY 15TH.

BECAUSE I HAVE SOME INFORMATION THAT I'D LIKE TO PROVIDE, BUT I WASN'T NECESSARILY PREPARED THIS EVENING BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW WE WERE VOTING, WE WERE JUST INTRODUCING YOU INTRODUCING IT.

CORRECT.

WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT VOTING ON THE BUDGET.

JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT.

NOBODY LIKES A BUDGET EVEN IN HER OWN HOUSEHOLD.

AGAIN, UH, PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE JULY 15TH, UH, 2025.

UH, SO THAT'S ONE MONTH.

WE REQUIRE A MINIMUM OF 28 DAYS TO YEP.

REVIEW THE BUDGET.

ALRIGHT, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I'M, I'M SORRY SIR, THE PUBLIC COMMENT HAS BEEN CLOSED.

JUST HAVE A QUESTION, PUBLIC COMMENT CLOSED.

TERRIFIC.

I'LL BE HAPPY TO SPEAK WITH YOU RIGHT AFTER RIGHT AFTER THE MEETING IF THAT'S ALL RIGHT.

DO YOU, CAN WE HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE RESOLUTION? SO MOVED.

RIGHT, NOW WE NOW HAVE OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION, UH, RESOLUTION ES 0 6 1 7 20 25 MATTERS RATING RELATING TO LITIGATION NEGOTIATIONS AND THE ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE.

I'M ASSUMING ROLL CALL.

TERRY, YOU'D LIKE THAT ROLL CALL FOR APPROVAL PLEASE? YES.

[XV. EXECUTIVE SESSION]

WOULD SOMEONE LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE RESOLUTION, RICHARD? APPROVAL OR RESOLUTION? SO MOVED.

OPPOSED? AYE.

MOTION IS APPROVED AND WE'LL BE GOING INTO OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION.

I'M SURE WE'LL BE THERE FOR SOME LENGTH OF TIME.

UH, WHEN WE RETURN, THE MEETING WILL BE BACK OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND WE MAY TAKE ACTION BASED ON THE DISCUSSION IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.

I RECONVENED THE OPEN PORTION OF THE MEETING.

WE DISCUSSED ALL THE ITEMS ON THE EXECUTIVE SESSION AGENDA AND ACTION WAS TAKEN.

UH, WE DISCUSSED RESOLUTION 1 0 3 DASH 2025 AUTHORIZING A COLLECTIVE NEGOTIATIONS AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE TOWNSHIP OF MEDFORD AND GOVERNMENT WORKERS UNION, WHICH IS OUR PUBLIC WORKS UNIT.

DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I'M HEARING NONE.

CAN I HAVE A PLEASE HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE RESOLUTION.

SO MOVED.

SECOND ROLL CALL FOR APPROVAL PLEASE.

NO OTHER BUSINESS THIS EVENING.

SO CAN WE HAVE A MUTE MOTION TO ADJOURN? SO MOVED.