[00:00:04]
[I. CONVENING OF MEETING]
TO CONVENE THE MEETING.[II. PUBLIC MEETINGS STATEMENT]
IS CALLED PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE OPEN PUBLIC MEETING LAW.THIS MEETING OF JANUARY 6TH, 2026 WAS INCLUDED IN A MEETING NOTICE SENT TO THE BURLINGTON COUNTY TIMES AND THE CENTRAL RECORD ON DECEMBER 17TH, 2025, AND ADVERTISED AND SAID NEWSPAPERS ON DECEMBER 21ST, 2025, AND DECEMBER 25TH, 2025.
RESPECTFULLY POSTED ON THE WEBSITE AND THE BULLETIN BOARD IN THE MUNICIPAL BUILDING ON DECEMBER 17TH, 2025, 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.
[III. FLAG SALUTE]
PLEASE.I TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVIDUAL WITH LIBERTY, JUSTICE FOR ALL.
[IV. ROLL CALL]
CALL MS. SANDOR.[V. SWEARING IN OF COUNCIL-ELECT]
GOING TO HAVE THE SWEARING IN OF THE COUNCIL ELECT.UM, MR. COX WOULD, YOU'D LIKE TO COME FORWARD AND COMMISSIONER ALLISON ECKELS GOING TO SWEAR HIM IN.
DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR, DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR THAT I WILL SUPPORT, THAT WILL SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES, THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES, AND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY, AND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY.
AND THAT I WILL, AND THAT I WILL BEAR TRUE FAITH.
BEAR TRUE FAITH AND ALLEGIANCE, EXCUSE ME.
AND ALLEGIANCE TO THE STATE TO THE SAME.
AND TO THE GOVERNMENT'S ESTABLISHED.
AND TO THE GOVERNMENT'S ESTABLISHED IN THE UNITED STATES.
IN THE UNITED STATES, AND IN THIS STATE.
UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE PEOPLE, UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE PEOPLE.
I DO FURTHER, I DO FURTHER SOLEMNLY SWEAR.
THAT I WILL, THAT I WILL IMPARTIALLY, IMPARTIALLY AND JUSTLY AND JUSTLY.
PERFORM ALL THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE, OF THE OFFICE OF COUNCIL, PERSON OF MEDFORD, TOWNSHIP OF COUNCIL, PERSON OF MEDFORD TOWNSHIP, ACCORDING TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY, ACCORDING TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY.
MS. SANMAR, THE DO YOU SOMEONE STANDING UP WITH YOU? YOU DON'T HAVE TO.
YOU'RE GONNA COME A LITTLE OH, OKAY.
DO YOU, DO YOU WANT TO HOLD THE BIBLE? YOU DON'T HAVE TO.
WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO HOLD IT? PUT YOUR HAND ON IT? OR WOULD YOU LIKE TO OH, THAT'S, THAT'S OKAY.
SOMEBODY NOTEBOOK IS REQUIRED, BUT YOU CAN CHOOSE ONE IF YOU WANT TO.
AM I DO THIS WAY? YOU'RE GOOD.
WHY DON'T WE SHIFT THIS WAY A LITTLE BIT SO THAT PEOPLE CAN SEE YOU.
YOU CLOSE TO HAVING DONE THIS A HUNDRED TIMES.
IT'S AN EASY REPEAT AFTER ME, SO, OKAY.
DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR THAT I WILL SUPPORT, THAT I WILL SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES, THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES, AND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY, AND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY.
AND THAT I WILL, AND THAT I WILL BEAR TRUE FAITH, BEAR TRUE FAITH AND ALLEGIANCE TO THE SAME AND ALLEGIANCE
[00:05:01]
TO THE SAME, AND TO THE GOVERNMENT'S ESTABLISHED AND TO THE GOVERNMENT'S ESTABLISHED IN THE UNITED STATES.IN THE UNITED STATES, AND IN THIS STATE.
AND IN THIS STATE, UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE PEOPLE, UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE PEOPLE.
I DO FURTHER, I DO FURTHER SOLEMNLY SWEAR.
THAT I WILL, THAT I WILL IMPARTIALLY, IMPARTIALLY AND JUSTLY AND JUSTLY PERFORM.
PERFORM ALL THE DUTIES, ALL THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE OF COUNCILPERSON, OF MEDFORD TOWNSHIP, ALL THE DUTIES OF COUNCILPERSON OF MEDFORD TOWNSHIP, ACCORDING TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY, ACCORDING TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY.
NEXT, MS. VOORHEES AND SENATOR LATHAM VER IS COMING TO SWEAR HER.
YOU'RE NOT NERVOUS, RIGHT? NOPE, I'M READY.
DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR THAT I'LL SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION.
THAT I WILL SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES.
OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE CONSTITUTION AND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY, OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY, AND THAT I WILL BEAR TRUE FAITH AND THAT I WILL BEAR TRUE FAITH AND ALLEGIANCE TO THE SAME AND ALLEGIANCE TO THE SAME, AND TO THE GOVERNMENTS ESTABLISHED AND TO THE GOVERNMENTS ESTABLISHED IN THE UNITED STATES.
IN THE UNITED STATES, AND IN THIS STATE AND IN THIS STATE, UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE PEOPLE, UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE PEOPLE.
I DO FURTHER SOLEMNLY SWEAR THAT I WILL IMPARTIALLY, THAT I WILL IMPARTIALLY AND JUSTLY PERFORM AND JUSTLY PERFORM ALL OF THE DUTIES, ALL OF THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE OF COUNCIL PERSON.
OF THE OFFICE OF COUNCIL PERSON, ACCORDING TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITIES.
ACCORDING TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITIES.
[VI. NOMINATION AND ELECTION OF MAYOR FOR 2026]
THIS TIME, WE NEED TO GET A NOMINATION FOR MAYOR FOR 2026.UM, MADAM CLERK, I WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE MIKE CIZIK TO BE MAYOR FOR THE YEAR 2026.
ANY OTHER NOMINATION? ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS? NOMINATION,
I OPEN THE NOMINATIONS FOR SHE'LL DO.
YOU ARE NOW CHAIRING THE MEETING.
[VII. NOMINATION AND ELECTION OF DEPUTY MAYOR FOR 2026]
NEXT WE NEED, UM, NOMINATIONS FOR DEPUTY MAYOR FOR 2026.I NOMINATE MICHELLE VORHEES FOR DEPUTY MAYOR 2026.
SECOND, DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS? OKAY, WE'LL DO ROLL CALL MS. SANOR.
[VIII. ADMINISTRATION OF OATH OF OFFICE (Mayor)]
UM, MR. CIZIK, COME ON DOWN FOR YOUR, UM, YOUR OATH.SENATOR HAMPER WILL BE DELIVERING THE OATH.
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SORRY, I ROLLED DEEP HERE.MAKES IT EASIER INSTEAD OF PLAYING TWISTER.
DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR THAT I WILL SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION.
THAT I WILL SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES.
OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE CONSTITUTION AND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY AND, AND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY.
AND THAT I WILL BEAR TRUE FAITH AND I WILL BEAR TRUE FAITH AND ALLEGIANCE TO THE SAME AND ALLEGIANCE TO THE SAME, AND TO THE GOVERNMENTS ESTABLISHED AND THE GOVERNMENTS ESTABLISHED IN THE UNITED STATES.
IN THE UNITED STATES, AND IN THIS STATE AND IN THIS STATE, UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE PEOPLE, UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE PEOPLE.
I DO FURTHER SOLEMNLY SWEAR THAT I WILL IMPARTIALLY, THAT I WILL IMPARTIALLY AND JUSTLY PERFORM AND JUSTLY PERFORM ALL OF THE DUTIES, ALL OF THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE OF MAYOR, OF THE OFFICE OF MAYOR, ACCORDING TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY, ACCORDING TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY.
[IX. ADMINISTRATION OF OATH OF OFFICE (Deputy Mayor)]
TO COME UP? HUH? WELL, WOULDN'T BE HERE WITHOUT YOU.DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR THAT I WILL SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION.
THAT I WILL SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES.
OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE CONSTITUTION AND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE, OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY, OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY, AND THAT I WILL BEAR TRUE FAITH AND I WILL BEAR TRUE FAITH AND ALLEGIANCE TO THE SAME AND ALLEGIANCE TO THE SAME, AND TO THE GOVERNMENT'S ESTABLISHED AND TO THE GOVERNMENT'S ESTABLISHED IN THE UNITED STATES.
IN THE UNITED STATES, AND IN THIS STATE AND IN THIS STATE, UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE PEOPLE, UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE PEOPLE.
I DO FURTHER SOLEMNLY SWEAR THAT I WILL IMPARTIALLY, THAT I WILL IMPARTIALLY AND JUSTLY PERFORM AND JUSTLY PERFORM ALL OF THE DUTIES, ALL OF THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE OF DEPUTY MAYOR OF THE OFFICE OF DEPUTY MAYOR, ACCORDING TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY, ACCORDING TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITIES.
WE'LL TAKE YOU TWO MINUTES FOR PICTURES.
[X. 2026 ROLL CALL]
MS. WICKER, MAY YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.UM, OKAY, BEFORE WE MOVE ON, I'D LIKE TO TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, JUST TO THANK EVERYONE FOR COMING THIS EVENING.
I WANNA BEGIN BY THANKING THE PEOPLE OF MEDFORD FOR THE TRUST YOU HAVE PLACED IN US.
TO MY FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS BEING CHOSEN TO SERVE AS MAYORS, BOTH HUMBLING AND DEEPLY MEANINGFUL.
THIS IS, THIS IS A RESPONSIBILITY I DO NOT TAKE LIGHTLY, AND I WILL WORK EACH SINGLE DAY TO HONOR IT FOR ALL OF US ON THIS.
DA TONIGHT IS NOT SIMPLY THE START OF A NEW YEAR.
IT IS A CONTINUATION OF A LONG TRADITION OF PUBLIC SERVICE IN A TOWN THAT EXPECTS AND DESERVES THE VERY BEST FROM ITS LEADERS.
WE ARE HERE BECAUSE THE RESIDENTS OF MEDFORD BELIEVE IN US AND OUR JUDGMENT AND OUR INTENTIONS AND OUR COMMITMENT TO DOING WHAT
[00:15:01]
IS RIGHT FOR THIS COMMUNITY.BEFORE WE LOOK AHEAD, IT IS IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE US.
MAYOR RESTOCK, MAYOR WATSON, COUNCILWOMAN DONNA SIMONS.
EACH DEDICATED YEARS OF STEADY LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE TO THIS COMMUNITY.
EACH HAD SERVED AS DEPUTY MAYOR, CONTRIBUTED ON THE PLANNING BOARD, ATTENDED COUNTLESS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL MEETINGS, AND DEVOTED COUNTLESS HOURS, OFTEN SACRIFICING TIME WITH THEIR, WITH THEIR OWN FAMILIES TO HELP GUIDE MYFORD FORWARD.
IT'S EMBEDDED IN OUR ORDINANCES, IN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, IN OUR PRESERVED LANDS, AND THE CHARACTER OF THIS TOWN.
WE STAND ON, THE FOUNDATION THEY BUILT AND WE OWE THEM OUR THANKS.
I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE HEARTBEAT OF MEDFORD, OUR STAFF, AND OUR VOLUNTEERS.
THIS TOWN RUNS THE WAY IT DOES BECAUSE PEOPLE SHOW UP EARLY, STAY LATE, AND GIVE EVERYTHING THEY HAVE TO MAKE THIS COMMUNITY SAFE, FUNCTIONAL, AND WELCOMING.
OUR POLICE OFFICERS, OUR FIREFIGHTERS, OUR EMS PERSONNEL, OUR PUBLIC WORKS TEAMS, TOWNSHIP EMPLOYEES, BOARD MEMBERS, AND EVENT VOLUNTEERS.
YOU ARE THE REASON MEDFORD IS MORE THAN A TOWN.
YOUR SACRIFICE IS SEEN, IT'S APPRECIATED, AND IT'S ESSENTIAL.
I WANT TO RECOGNIZE OUR PROFESSIONALS, THOUGH THEY SERVE IN A PAID CAPACITY, THEIR COMMITMENT TO ME EXTENDS FAR BEYOND ANY CONTRACT.
THEY HAVE DEMONSTRATED STEADY, RESPONSIBLE STEWARDSHIP OF THIS COMMUNITY FOR MANY YEARS.
AND NONE OF THIS WOULD BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE FAMILIES AND SPOUSES WHO SUPPORT THOSE WHO SERVE PUBLIC SERVICE REQUIRES LATE NIGHTS, DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS, AND TIME AWAY FROM HOME TO THE FAMILIES WHO CARRY THAT BURDEN QUIETLY.
YOUR SUPPORT MAKES EVERY PART OF THIS POSSIBLE.
TONIGHT IS AN INFLECTION POINT FOR MEDFORD.
INFLECTION POINTS DO NOT DEFINE A COMMUNITY ON THEIR OWN.
WE DEFINE THEM BY OUR CHOICES, OUR CONDUCT, AND OUR INTENTIONS.
TO MY COLLEAGUES ON COUNCIL, I'D LIKE TO SPEAK DIRECTLY AND WITH RESPECT.
OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO MEDFORD, ONLY.
MEDFORD, NOT ANY OUTSIDE PRESSURES, NOT THE NOISE OR DISTRACTION, NOT ANYTHING THAT PULLS US AWAY FROM THE WORK THAT PEOPLE EXPECT US TO DO.
OUR NEIGHBORS DO NOT HAVE TO LIVE HERE.
THEY SAVE LONGER, THEY SACRIFICE MORE.
ALL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO RAISE THEIR FAMILIES IN AN EXTRAORDINARY TOWN, TO BE PART OF SOMETHING TRULY SPECIAL TO CALL METFORD HOME.
THOSE WHO BUILT THIS COMMUNITY TO THOSE WHO WILL INHERIT THIS COMMUNITY TO LEAD WITH INTENTION, INTEGRITY, AND PROFESSIONALISM.
WE WILL NOT ALWAYS AGREE, NO COUNSEL EVER DOES, BUT DISAGREEMENT MUST NOT, MUST NOT ECLIPSE PURPOSE.
THE DIFFERENCES MUST NEVER OUTWEIGH OUR SHARED DUTY TO THIS TOWN.
WE ALL COME TO SERVE MEDFORD FOR A REASON, A WHY THAT PUSHES US TO STEP FORWARD WHEN IT WOULD BE MUCH EASIER TO STAY ON THE SIDELINES.
WHETHER THAT WHY IS HERE WITH YOU IN THIS ROOM TONIGHT OR HALFWAY AROUND THE WORLD, OR WHETHER THEIR ENDURING MEMORIES WALK BESIDE YOU EACH DAY OFFERING QUIET SUPPORT.
I ASK YOU TO REMEMBER, HOLD IT CLOSE, PROTECT IT.
LET IT BE YOUR NORTH STAR BECAUSE THERE WILL BE MOMENTS WHEN OTHERS TRY TO USE YOUR PASSION FOR THEIR POWER OR PULL YOU INTO BATTLES THAT DO NOT SERVE THIS TOWN.
YOUR WHY MUST BE STRONGER THAN THEIR NOISE.
LET IT GUIDE YOU, STEADY YOU, AND REMIND YOU WHO YOU ARE HERE TO SERVE THE PEOPLE OF MEDFORD AND NO ONE ELSE.
AS MAYOR, I INTEND TO STRENGTHEN AND EXPAND HOW WE COMMUNICATE WITH OUR RESIDENTS.
YOU WILL SEE REGULAR MAYOR'S REPORTS CHANGES TO OUR AGENDA STRUCTURE, TOWN HALL STYLE MEETINGS, AND CLEAR OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESIDENTS TO SHARE IDEAS AND CONCERNS.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO USE TOOLS LIKE THE DISCOVER MEDFORD QR CODE TO PROVIDE ACCESSIBLE INFORMATION, HIGHLIGHT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN TOWN, AND ENSURE RESIDENTS FEEL INFORMED, CONNECTED, AND INCLUDED.
FOR ME PERSONALLY, THIS MOMENT CARRIES DEEP MEANING.
I HAVE ALWAYS VIEWED MEDFORD AS THE SUNLIT UPLANDS.
A PLACE WORTH DRIVING FOR, WORTH SAVING, FOR WORTH DREAMING ABOUT A PLACE WHERE YOU HOPE SOMEDAY NOT JUST TO LIVE, BUT TO GIVE BACK.
TODAY MARKS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO DO EXACTLY THAT.
I NOW HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING EVERY FAMILY IN MEDFORD, FAMILIES WHO HAVE BEEN HERE FOR GENERATIONS AND FAMILIES THAT JUST BEGAN THEIR STORY HERE.
FOR ALL OF THEM, THIS RESPONSIBILITY MATTERS TO MY COLLEAGUES, TO OUR STAFF, TO OUR VOLUNTEERS, AND TO EVERY RESIDENT WHO PLACES THEIR TRUST IN ME.
THANK YOU FOR BELIEVING IN MEDFORD.
THANK YOU FOR BELIEVING IN WHAT WE CAN ACCOMPLISH.
TOGETHER WE ARE HERE TO SERVE.
[00:20:03]
UM, THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO[XI. PUBLIC COMMENTS]
GIVE THE FLOOR TO MR. FRY.UH, THE PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION.
IF YOU'LL NOTICE ON THE AGENDA, THERE ARE TWO PUBLIC COMMENT SECTIONS OF THE AGENDA.
THE FIRST PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION IS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE, UH, REORGANIZATION AGENDA ONLY.
THERE IS A GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION DURING OUR REGULAR MEETING, AS WE ALWAYS DO, YOU CAN COMMENT ABOUT ANYTHING YOU WANT ON THIS PORTION OF THE AGENDA.
THE PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE LIMITED TO THE REORGANIZATION MATTERS.
IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON THOSE, THEN WE'LL MOVE INTO THE RESOLUTIONS FOR REORGANIZATION, THEN MOVE INTO THE REGULAR MEETING.
THERE WILL BE A PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION THEN, UH, AS NORMAL.
UM, SO AT THIS TIME, THIS IS FINE.
I WILL OPEN IT UP TO PUBLIC COMMENT ON RE ON REORGANIZATION ON REORGANIZATION MATTERS ONLY.
UM, IF I MAY, YEAH, WE'LL JUST HAVE TO REARRANGE.
I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE THE INCREDIBLE GIFT THAT WE ARE ABOUT TO DO ACROSS THE WORLD.
COUNTLESS PEOPLE STILL DREAM OF THE FREEDOMS. WE HAVE FREEDOMS THAT SO MANY BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN, THE SACRIFICE THEIR LIVES TO DEFEND THEIR RIGHTS.
THESE RIGHTS WE EXERCISE TONIGHT TO SPEAK OPENLY, TO DISAGREE, RESPECTFULLY, TO BE HEARD BY OUR COMMUNITY ARE NOT JUST A PRIVILEGE, THEY ARE AN UNALIENABLE GOD-GIVEN, RIGHT, PAID FOR, AND COURAGE AND SACRIFICE.
LET'S HONOR THAT BY ENGAGING EACH OTHER WITH CIVILITY, WITH RESPECT, AND WITH A SHARED COMMITMENT TO BUILDING A STRONGER COMMUNITY TOGETHER, EACH MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WILL BE GIVEN FIVE MINUTES IN WHICH THEY CAN ADDRESS THE CHAIR.
I ASK MR. HORNICK TO KEEP THE TIME AND PROVIDE A ONE MINUTE WARNING.
I ASK THE MEMBERS OF COUNCIL TO POLITELY HOLD THEIR COMMENTS TO THE END.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND AND YOU'LL BE CALLED IN THE MICROPHONE.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ANY PORTION OF YOUR ADDRESS YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE.
PLEASE SPEAK LOUDLY AND CLEARLY.
WE CAN BRING YOU THE PODIUM, MA'AM, IF YOU NEED IT, THAT'S FINE.
JUST FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS.
LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU THIS YEAR.
AND ALSO CONGRATULATIONS MAYOR AND ALSO DEPUTY MAYOR.
CONGRATULATIONS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR TO THE ENTIRE COUNCIL.
I LIVE AT 2 0 7 TAUNTON BOULEVARD IN MEDFORD.
UM, THIS WAS GONNA BE SOMETHING I WAS GONNA SORT OF REPORT OUT ON LATER, BUT IT DOES SEEM LIKE IT MIGHT BE MEANINGFUL.
ALL OF THE MEETINGS ARE NOT TRANSACTIONAL, AND IF THEY ARE, IT'S BECAUSE SOMEONE'S CALLING OUT RATHER THAN, YOU KNOW, RESPONDING APPROPRIATELY.
WHEN WE HAVE INITIATIVES THAT ARE BEFORE COUNCIL, IN ORDER FOR US TO GET AN ANSWER, THEN WE HAVE TO CALL PEOPLE INDIVIDUALLY.
I WAS THINKING IF THERE WOULD BE A WAY OF FORMATTING THE MEETING TO INCLUDE A SEGMENT THAT MIGHT INCLUDE COUNSEL REPORTING BACK TO US ON SOME OF THE INITIATIVES RATHER THAN HAVING MULTIPLE PHONE CALLS AND THEN SOMEBODY TRYING TO CALL OTHER PEOPLE AND ADVISE THEM AS TO WHAT'S HAPPENED.
AND, UM, MAYBE YOU TAKE THE FIVE MINUTES AT THE END OF THE MEETING AND SAY TO US, YOUR INITIATIVE IS HERE AND HERE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE BEING ADDRESSED.
AND WE SHOULD HAVE AN ANSWER SHORTLY.
I THINK IT WOULD BE BETTER FOR US IF IT WERE TRANSACTIONAL IN A WAY.
UH, AND IT WOULD CERTAINLY GIVE THE NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS SORT OF A FLAVOR OF WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE COMMUNITY AND ALSO EDUCATE THOSE OF US THAT ARE NOT PRIVY TO SOME OF THE OTHER COMMITTEES THAT ARE FUNCTIONING.
SO JUST THROWING IT OUT THERE AS A POSSIBILITY TO EXCHANGE INFORMATION.
UM, I'LL, I'LL MAKE A COMMENT TO THAT.
UM, WE DID HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET, UM, PRIOR TO BEING SWORN IN AND WE AGREED AS COUNSEL TO OFFER, I'M JUST GONNA MAKE SURE I GET THE NUMBER 1, 2, 6, 6 TOWN HALL STYLE MEETINGS THAT WOULD TAKE THE PLACE OF REGULAR COUNCIL MEETINGS IN WHICH THE FORMAT WILL BE MUCH MORE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC DIALOGUE THAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO.
UM, WE, YOU'VE BEEN HEARD AND I THINK ALL THE RESIDENTS HAVE EVER BEEN HEARD.
SO, UM, THAT WILL, THEY'LL, THEY'LL BE POSTED ON THE RESOLUTION AND THEN ON THE BULLETIN BOARD WHEN THOSE MEETINGS WILL BE COMING UP.
BUT THEY'RE SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
I KNOW YOU CAN'T SEE IT, BUT THERE'S UH, THERE'S A FEW RED SQUARES THERE THAT SIGNIFY THE TOWN HALL STYLE MEETINGS.
BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT.
[00:25:03]
ANYONE ELSE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON ON REORGANIZATION? ON REORGANIZATION ONLY? YES.UH, CONGRATULATIONS ON THE NEW GUYS, RAY VORHEES AND KATHY.
IT'S NICE TO HAVE SOME NEW FACES UP HERE.
I THINK WE HAVE A GREAT TEAM NOW OF LEADERSHIP HERE IN, UM, IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I'M HOPING YOU GUYS DO TURN AROUND SOME OF THE THINGS, UM, THAT HAVE GONE ON THE LAST, UH, THE LAST 10 YEARS.
I KNOW YOU READ OFF A STATEMENT THAT, YOU KNOW, THE FOUNDATION WAS REALLY SET WITH THE LAST COUPLE.
I I WOULD NOT AGREE WITH THAT AT ALL.
I WOULD ACTUALLY SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, METFORD TOWNSHIP HAS TURNED IT BACK AGAINST THE COMMUNITY THE LAST 10 YEARS.
YOU GUYS ARE IN HERE NOW REALLY TURNING IT AROUND.
WE DON'T NEED TO GET INTO ALL THAT.
THE, THE SUBJECT MATTER RIGHT NOW.
WHAT IS IT I'M ALLOWED TO TALK ABOUT? AND, AND NOT JUST, JUST THROUGH REORGANIZATION.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT OR ANY, THE COMMENT YOU MADE IS APPROPRIATE.
YOU'LL HAVE, THERE IS OPPORTUNITY.
THERE IS ANOTHER PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION.
THAT WAY YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
YEAH, NO, I THINK I UNDERSTAND.
SO LET'S JUST TALK ABOUT THEN YOU GUYS ARE PICKING NEW, UM, MEMBERS FOR THE PLANNING BOARD.
IS THAT PART OF WHAT I CAN TALK ABOUT? THAT'S JUST THE REGULAR MEETING.
UM, AND THAT, THAT, THAT'S BEFORE THE RESOLUTION, BUT THAT IS PART OF THE REORGANIZATION OF THE PLANNING BOARD, RIGHT? NO, IT'S ACTUALLY, IT'S ACTUALLY UNDER THE REGULAR PORTION OF THE MEETING MEETING.
ALL WELL THEN I, I'LL COME BACK UP HERE.
ANYONE ELSE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? YES MA'AM.
THANK YOU TO MICHELLE, KATHY AND RAY, IF YOU REMEMBER COUNCIL MAN, I SAID WE WILL BE SITTING NEXT TO YOU.
WE HAVE TWO OF WE SITTING HERE.
I THINK I'M, I'M VERY HAPPY TO SEE ALL OF YOU AND WE ARE HOPING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WILL ALL WORK TOGETHER.
ALL OF YOU WILL WORK TOGETHER FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE TOWN.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S GOOD TO SEE MIXED GOVERNMENT.
IT'S NOT ABOUT POLITICAL PARTIES, IT'S ABOUT GOVERNANCE HERE.
OUR TOWN NEEDED MORE TRANSPARENCY NEEDED.
YOU NEEDED TO HEAR THE TOWN FOLKS.
AND I THINK WHATEVER DECISIONS I HEARD THE TOWN HALLS, THAT'S AWESOME.
SO WE'RE HOPING THAT THIS TREND WILL CONTINUE AND YOU KNOW, I'M, I AM THAT WE WILL BE LESS WORRIED ABOUT WINNING A SEAT THAN DOING THE JOB.
I THINK WE WILL PICK MORE OF, YOU KNOW, THIS IS PUBLIC SERVICE AND I HOPE THAT EVERYONE SITTING THERE NOW WILL DO JUSTICE.
I KNOW TWO SITTING HERE VERY WELL AND I CAN GUARANTEE YOU THEY WILL.
I'M HOPING THAT YOU ALL WILL WORK TOGETHER FOR THE BENEFIT FOR OF ALL OF US.
ANYONE ELSE FOR REORGANIZATION? PUBLIC COMMENT? YES SIR.
I'M A HIGHLY CITIZEN AND COUNTY BURLINGTON AND STATE OF NEW JERSEY.
I'M JUST CURIOUS ABOUT ONE QUESTION AUTHORIZING INSTALLMENTS IS NOT YET DUE FOR SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS NOT BE PLACED IN TAX SALE.
IS THAT THE ONE YOU'RE ASKING ABOUT? YEAH.
DANIEL, DO YOU WANT TO YES, WE HAVE A FEW SPECIAL, UH, ASSESSMENTS ON THE BOOKS AND THIS AUTHORIZES THE TAX COLLECTOR CONTINUE TO COLLECT THOSE ASSESSMENTS OVER THE COMING YEAR.
IN, IN OTHER WORDS, IF YOU DON'T PAY YOUR TAXES, YOUR PROPERTY GOES UP FOR TAX SALE.
WE HAVE SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS THAT ALLOW STATE PAYMENTS THAT WON'T GO TO TAX SALE.
THEY'RE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE TO COLLECT THOSE PAYMENTS.
MY LAST QUESTION IS, UH, WHAT IF A PERSON IS IN THE MILITARY? UH, WHO PAYING TAX AND PAYING EVERYTHING? WELL, THE SEPARATE STATUTES DEAL WITH SOMEONE WITH THE MILITARY.
AND, UH, THANKS, UH, MR. RAYMOND FOR LETTING ME KNOW ABOUT THIS GREAT MEETING.
TO THANK JOY AND RECORD THIS MEETING AT 4K FORMAT.
SEEING NONE MAY HAVE A MOTION TO CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT.
[00:30:01]
FOR CLOSING, PUBLIC COMMENT.[XII. RESOLUTIONS]
TO RESOLUTIONS.TEMPORARY BUDGET RESOLUTION 2 20 26.
DESIGNATING OFFICIAL NEWSPAPERS RESOLUTION, RESOLUTION 3 20 26 AUTHORIZING EXECUTION OF CHECKS RESOLUTION 4 20 26 ESTABLISHING IN INTEREST RATE, DELINQUENT TAXES, RESOLUTION 5 20 26 AUTHORIZING REFUNDS FOR DUPLICATE TAX OR UTILITY PAYMENTS OF OVER OF OVERPAYMENTS RESOLUTION.
6 20 26 ADOPTING THE YEAR 2026.
CASH MANAGEMENT PLAN OF THE TOWNSHIP OF MEDFORD.
RESOLUTION 7 20 26 AUTHORIZING TO REESTABLISH CUSTODIANS PETTY CASH FUNDS OFF RESOLUTION.
8 20 26 APPOINTING CONTACT PERSON FOR THE EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES LIABILITY HELPLINE.
BURLINGTON COUNTY MUNICIPAL JOINT INSURANCE FUND RESOLUTION 9 20 26.
APPOINTING MUNICIPAL JOINT INSURANCE FUND COMMISSIONER, ALTERNATE FUND COMMISSIONER, CLAIMS CLAIMS COORDINATOR AND SAFETY COORDINATOR.
RESOLUTION 10 20 26 AUTHORIZING THE TAX COLLECTION, THE TAX COLLECTOR, EXCUSE ME, TO CANCEL 2025 AND 2026.
TAX AND SEWER WATER BALANCES, CREDITS AND OR DEBITS IN THE AMOUNT LESS THAN $10.
RESOLUTION 11 20 26 AUTHORIZING INSTALLMENTS NOT YET DUE FOR SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS NOT TO BE PLACED IN TAX SALE RESOLUTION.
12 20 26 AUTHORIZING $25 FEE FOR MAILING OF TAX SALE NOTICES AND ELECTRIC ELECTRIC TAX SALE RESOLUTION 13 20 26.
ESTABLISHING MEETING DATES FOR 2026.
UM, DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THESE RESOLUTIONS? MR. MAYOR? I'D LIKE TO OFFER AN AMENDMENT TO RESOLUTION TWO DASH 2 0 26.
WHAT'S THE, WHAT'S NUMBER? UH, RESOLUTION TWO DASH 2 0 2 6.
UH, FIRST WE NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION.
THEN A SECOND, THEN A, A MOTION TO AMEND WOULD BE IN ORDER.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION? A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTIONS.
I MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND RESOLUTION TWO DASH 2 0 2 6 TO INCLUDE AS THE SECONDARY EFFICIENT NEWSPAPER FOR THE TOWNSHIP, UH, MEDFORD.
IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT? SECOND.
UNDER ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER, THE MOTION TO AMEND TAKES PRECEDENT.
WE NEED A ROLL CALL VOTE ON THAT MOTION.
AND THE ROLL CALL IN THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION UNLESS THERE'S ANY OTHER I'M SORRY.
[XIII. Communications, Scheduling Matters, Council Agenda, Presentations and Any Amendments to the Agenda]
ON TO COMMUNICATIONS.UH, THERE ARE NO SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS THIS EVENING.
UM, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY NOW FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS IF THEY HAVE ANY COMMUNICATION MATTERS THEY'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH THE PUBLIC.
UM, FOR SCHEDULING ITEMS, OUR NEXT MEETING WILL BE JANUARY 20TH.
IT WILL BE IN THE PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING RIGHT HERE AT SIX 30.
[XIV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
APPROVAL OF MINUTES.UM, DUE TO THE TRANSITION OF TERMS BY THREE COUNCIL SEATS, I ASK THAT DEPUTY MAYOR VORHEES COUNCILWOMAN SANTA MOORE AND COUNCIL MANCO ABSTAIN FROM THIS SECTION.
SO I WILL ASK COUNCILWOMAN MILK.
UM, WE HAVE MINUTES FROM DECEMBER 16TH COUNCIL MEETING AND DECEMBER 16TH EXECUTIVE SESSION MEETING.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THOSE MINUTES? NOPE.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES? SO MOVED.
'CAUSE THERE'S THREE ABSTENTION, SO.
[XV. DISCUSSION ITEMS]
ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS DISCUSSION ITEMS. WE HAVE ONE ITEM UP FOR DISCUSSION, WHICH IS SCHEDULING A BOARD AND COMMISSIONER, COMMISSION CANDIDATES, AND IN THEIR THE INTERVIEWS FOR THAT.[00:35:02]
UM, THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.UM, WE RECEIVED A NUMBER OF, UM, APPLICATIONS FOR VARIOUS BOARD POSITIONS, UH, MEETING POSITIONS FILLED ON SEVERAL OF OUR BOARDS.
AND, UH, I WOULD ENCOURAGE COUNCIL TO MAYBE PICK A SATURDAY, UH, TO HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING WHERE WE COULD BRING THESE PEOPLE IN AND JUST FIND OUT WHO THEY ARE, FIND OUT WHAT THEIR INTEREST IS IN SERVING ON THE BOARDS, AND GIMME A CHANCE TO THANK YOU, HONOR.
SO, UM, THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL APPLICATIONS THAT HAVE COME IN BEFORE THE DEADLINE AND NOW SINCE AFTER THE DEADLINE.
UM, AND THERE ARE VACANCIES ON THESE BOARDS THAT WE DO NEED FILLED BY VOLUNTEER RESIDENTS FOR THESE VACANCIES.
FOR THE VACANCIES THAT COME OUT AFTER THIS EVENING, EACH MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL SHOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THESE APPLICATIONS.
HOW ARE THEY MADE AWARE? I'M, I'M SORRY.
HOW ARE THE COMMUNITY MADE, MADE AWARE? SURE.
UM, THERE'S COMMENTS MADE IN PUBLIC AT THESE MEETINGS, AND THEN THERE'S ALSO A SECTION OF OUR WEBSITE DEDICATED TO, UM, FORGIVE ME.
IS IT BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS? WE DO, WE POSTED, KEEP PUSHING THE WRONG BUTTON HERE.
WE POSTED IT ON THE SCROLLING BANNER OF NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS.
AND THEN WE ALSO DID, UH, DID A COUPLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS ON A NEED FOR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
UM, AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE US TO ALL REACH, OH, WE CAN, OH YEAH, PLEASE.
UM, SO, SO THE VACANCIES THAT REMAIN OPEN AFTER THIS EVENING, UM, WE ASK WE, WE AS COUNSEL, I'M, I'M ASKING FOR APPROVAL TO LOOK AT ALL THE APPLICANTS THAT HAVE COME IN BEFORE AND AFTER THAT DEADLINE.
BUT THESE WOULD BE FOR VACANCIES LEFT.
VACANCIES LEFT AFTER THIS EVENING.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT BOARD PLACEMENTS? ALRIGHT, SO NOW WE WILL MOVE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION.
UM, GIVE ME, LEMME GET BACKWARDS A SECOND.
WOULD YOU LIKE AN OPPORTUNITY, PLEASE? IF I MAY, MAYOR COUNSEL.
UM, AT THE LAST MEETING, UH, IT WAS A CONTENTIOUS MEETING AND, UH, I, IN RESPONSE TO BEING GOADED INTO SOME COMMENTS, UH, I MADE AN INAPPROPRIATE COMMENT TO A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC.
UH, I REGRET THAT AND I'D LIKE TO PUBLICLY APOLOGIZE, UH, TO THAT MEMBER, UH, MR. DUFFY GUFF, UH, TO THE PUBLIC AND ALSO TO THE COUNCIL.
I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT, THAT COMMENT.
IT WAS INAPPROPRIATE, UH, AND INCORRECT ALSO, UH, MAYOR, I WANT TO INDICATE, UH, FOR THE PUBLIC THAT EARLIER THIS YEAR, JANUARY 2ND, I DID ADVISE THE, UH, COUNCIL COUNSEL THAT I, OUR FIRM WAS WITHDRAWING OUR, UH, APPLICATION TO BE REAPPOINTED AS TOWNSHIP SOLICITOR FOR THE YEARS, FOR THE YEAR 2026.
UM, AND I WOULD RECOMMEND TO THE BOARD THAT A MOTION BE MADE TO REOPEN THE RFPS AND ALLOW APPLICANTS FOR ANY OF THE LEGAL POSITIONS TO BE TO RESUBMIT.
I THINK A LOT OF FOLKS FELT I WAS BEING REAPPOINTED.
THEY DID NOT APPLY, AND I THINK IT SHOULD BE LEFT OPEN AGAIN TO THE PUBLIC, UH, TO THE OTHER, UH, PROFESSIONALS TO MAKE THAT APPLICATION.
I NEED THAT MOTION IF THAT'S APPROPRIATE.
UH, I THINK THAT WOULD BE IN ORDER RIGHT NOW.
I THINK YOU BETTER HAVE A ROLL CALL ON THAT ONE, TARA.
AND MAYOR, NOW YOU CAN PROCEED WITH THE PUBLIC COMMENTS.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THAT STATEMENT.
UM, BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD WITH PUBLIC COMMENT, I DO WANNA TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE AND THANK MR. PRIME THO THOSE THAT SERVED THIS COMMUNITY FOR NINE YEARS.
MR. PRIME HAS SERVED AS TOWNSHIP AS TOWNSHIP SOLICITOR.
DURING THAT TIME, HE'S PROVIDED STEADY LEGAL COUNSEL THROUGH A WIDE RANGE OF MATTERS AND TRANSITIONS.
MR. PRIME HAS SERVED MEDFORD IN MANY WAYS OVER THE DECADES.
SOME HERE WILL REMEMBER HIM FOR THE YEARS WHEN HE WAS, WHEN HE HAD CHILDREN GROWING UP IN THIS TOWN.
DURING THAT TIME, HE WAS AN ACTIVE VOLUNTEER AND A FAMILIAR FACE, SOMEONE BALANCING PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES WITH FAMILY LIFE AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT.
IN A WAY MANY OF US IN MEDFORD DO TODAY.
EFFECTIVE LOCAL GOVERNANCE DEPENDS ON EXPERIENCE AND GOOD JUDGMENT.
FOR NEARLY A DECADE, MR. PRIME AND HIS FIRM HAVE BROUGHT THIS CONSISTENCY TO MEDFORD.
ON A PERSONAL NOTE, I WOULD WANT TO THANK MR. PRIME FOR HIS GUIDANCE, HIS WISDOM, HIS GENEROUS CARE FOR MEDFORD.
I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE COUNCIL HE'S PROVIDED TO ME AND TO DISCOVERING BODY OVER THE YEARS.
ON BEHALF OF THE TOWN COUNCIL, OUR STAFF, AND THE RESIDENTS OF MEDFORD, I WANT TO SINCERELY THANK MR. PRIME FOR HIS TIME, HIS PROFESSIONALISM, AND HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO THIS COMMUNITY.
[00:40:01]
MUCH.UM, AND, UM, PROCEDURALLY WE WILL MOVE THAT RESOLUTION TO 22.
CORRECT? WH WHICH RE OH, THE RESOLUTION.
IT, IT, IT DOES NOT NEED A RESOLUTION NUMBER.
IT CAN JUST YOU DIRECTING THE MAYOR OR THE STAFF UNDERSTOOD.
TO REORGANIZED TO RE READVERTISED.
CON CONFIRM, UH, GIVEN THAT WE ARE REJECTING THE CURRENT PROPOSALS THAT HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED, GOING HAVE THE DISTRICT TOWNSHIP STAFF READVERTISED.
WE WILL BE CONDUCTING SPECIAL MEETINGS GOING FORWARD THOUGH, CORRECT? YES.
I, FOR A TIMELY APPOINTMENT, I DO HAVE A, A COMMENT ON THAT DOWN IN THE RESOLUTION.
UM, SO BEFORE WE OPEN THE FLORIDA TO PUBLIC COMMENT TONIGHT, UM, WE KNOW THERE ARE SEVERAL PEOPLE HERE THAT WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
THIS WOULD BE THE TIME TO DO SO.
WHILE I FEEL WE CAN ALL AGREE ON THE NEED TO PROVIDE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO OUR NEIGHBORS, WE HAVE HEARD CHALLENGES TO THE MECHANISM IN WHICH HOMES WILL BE BUILT ON OPEN SPACE.
THAT IS WHY TOMORROW MORNING AT 10:00 AM DEPUTY MAYOR VOORHEES AND I WILL BE ATTENDING A COURT HEARING TO DISCUSS THE MONTVALE RULING IN TRENTON.
I HAVE ALSO MADE COMMITMENTS TO SURROUNDING TOWNS AND OUR LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS TO MEET WITH THEM SO WE CAN EXPLORE SOLUTIONS THAT BEST SERVE ALL OUR NEEDS.
I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE, FORGIVE ME.
UM, I WILL JUMP TO OPENING THE PUBLIC COMMENT NOW.
[XVI. PUBLIC COMMENTS]
COMMENT SECTION, UH, THE SAME RULES WILL APPLY.UM, PLEASE, I ASK THAT YOU BE RESPECTFUL TO YOUR BELIEVERS AND EACH MEMBER WILL HAVE A FRESH FIVE MINUTES.
MR. HORAL, IF YOU COULD KEEP THE TIME AND THERE WILL BE A ONE MINUTE WARNING JUST SO WE CAN KEEP PACE.
UM, ANYONE THAT LIKE TO GO FIRST? I SAW THIS GENTLEMAN'S HAND GO FIRST.
I APOLOGIZE THAT I SAW YOUR HAND NEXT.
I'M SORRY, BUT YOU CAN COME AHEAD, SIR.
UH, I'M NOT GOING TO ACTUALLY TALK ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING TONIGHT.
UM, BUT I ACTUALLY DIDN'T KNOW THAT THOSE COMMITTEES THAT YOU WERE JUST DISCUSSING THE APPLICATIONS FOR, I ONLY FOUND OUT ABOUT THEM ACTUALLY AFTER THE, THE DEADLINE, SO I DIDN'T BOTHER APPLYING.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO STILL ACCEPT APPLICATIONS PAST THAT, CAN I STILL PUT MY NAME IN THE RING FOR ANY OF THOSE? I CAN WE HAVE YOUR NAME FIRST.
YEAH, BECAUSE IF SO, I I'D LOVE TO.
I JUST, I DIDN'T, I SAW IT LIKE LITERALLY LIKE A WEEK AGO AND IT WAS ALREADY CLOSED, SO, YES.
UM, TO BE FAIR, I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR COUNSEL.
I JUST, I'M JUST THROWING IT OUT THERE.
UM, DO YOU MIND IF I TAKE YOUR, THE COURSE OF YOUR TIME? OKAY, SO WE HAVE RECEIVED, THE DEADLINE WAS IN NOVEMBER, I BELIEVE.
SO WE HAVE RECEIVED SEVERAL OKAY.
APPLICATIONS OVER PROBABLY THE LAST 72 HOURS OR SO.
SO I'M SEEING THE VOLUME RECENTLY AND HAVING THE AMOUNT OF VACANCIES THAT WE'LL HAVE COMING OUT OF TONIGHT.
UM, WE DID FEEL IT APPROPRIATE.
UM, I, I CAN'T, I DON'T WANNA SPEAK FOR COUNSEL SURE.
ON HOW LONG THAT WINDOW SHOULD STAY OPEN, BUT WE WILL NEED TO CLOSE IT DEFINITELY AT SOME POINT.
TO ALLOW FOR US TO ACTUALLY LOOK AT STUFF, DISCUSS AN INTERVIEW AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
SO, UM, UM, ONCE YOU'RE DONE, YOU'RE PUBLIC.
ONCE WE'RE DONE, I'M, I'M THE COMMENT, I'M DONE.
WE WILL, WE WILL, WE WILL DISCUSS AMONGST OURSELVES YOUR THING, THE TIMEFRAME THERE.
BUT THANK YOU FOR THAT INSIGHT.
MY NAME'S ANDREA KATZ AND I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING AS YOUR ASSEMBLYWOMAN REPRESENTING MEDFORD IN THE EIGHTH LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR NEWLY ELECTED COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY FAVORITE HOLIDAY IS ELECTION DAY, NOT CHRISTMAS OR THANKSGIVING.
UM, IT IS ELECTION DAY BECAUSE THAT'S THE TIME THAT PEOPLE COME OUT AND YOU MAKE A DECISION ON WHERE YOU WANT YOUR COMMUNITY TO GO AND TO HAVE A SAY.
UM, AND TODAY IS A CULMINATION OF THAT AMAZING HOLIDAY.
SO CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE.
IF MY OFFICE COULD EVER BE OF ASSISTANCE, PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO REACH OUT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH AND CONGRATULATIONS.
WELCOME BACK MY FRIENDS TO THE SHOW THAT NEVER ENDS.
HI, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE MYSELF.
I LIVE AT 2 0 9 TAUNTON BOULEVARD AND I'M HERE TONIGHT TO, UH, FAMILIARIZE THE
[00:45:01]
NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS WITH THE ISSUE THAT WE FACE ON TAUNTON BOULEVARD IN MEDFORD.I REPRESENT THE LAKE PINE SAFE STREETS INITIATIVE.
I STARTED COMING HERE SIX YEARS AGO IN A COLLEGIAL ATMOSPHERE TO CALL THE ATTENTION OF THE TOWNSHIP IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO THE SPEEDING THAT WAS GOING ON ON TOLTON BOULEVARD.
OVER THE PAST SIX YEARS, THAT SPEEDING ISSUE HAS CONTINUED TO INCREASE AND WE SEE NO, NO RESOLVE IN THAT AT ALL.
UH, I CAN GIVE YOU SOME NUMBERS THAT, THAT WE'VE GOTTEN FROM MONITORS THAT WERE PLACED ON THAT ROAD FROM THE MEDFORD, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IN MAY, THEY PLACED A MONITOR AND IN THAT MONTH THERE WERE 4,407 VEHICLES EXCEEDING THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT OF 30 MILES AN HOUR BY 10 MILES AN HOUR GOING OVER 40 MILES AN HOUR ON THAT ROAD.
THAT CALCULATES OUT TO ALMOST 18,000 VEHICLES A MONTH EXCEEDING THE ACCEPTABLE LIMIT OF 40 MILES AN HOUR.
IN THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ISSUED 11 TICKETS TO THOSE SPEEDERS ON THAT ROAD.
WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR ALL 18,000 PEOPLE TO BE TICKETED.
WE WANNA SEE ENOUGH TICKETS SO THAT THERE'S AT LEAST SOMEBODY ON THAT ROAD AT ANY SP SPECIFIC TIME, SLOWING DOWN THE REST OF THE TRAFFIC.
THE OTHER ISSUE WE HAVE IS THAT THE TOLERANCE USED TO BE SEVEN MILES AN HOUR.
THE LAST REPORT FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT SAID THE TOLERANCE HAS NOW GONE UP TO 10 MILES AN HOUR.
AND I THINK THAT THAT WAS AN, AN EFFORT TO MAKE THE NUMBERS LOOK A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
ANOTHER THING THAT CAME OUTTA THAT REPORT WAS THAT THE 85 PERCENTILE OF LARGE VEHICLES ON OUR, ON OUR ROAD, AND THOSE ARE VEHICLES GREATER THAN 25 FEET.
UM, OVER THAT SIX DAY PERIOD, THE 85 PERCENTILE HAS NOW RISEN TO 38 MILES PER HOUR ON THAT ROAD.
WE HAVE NEVER SEEN, EVER, IF YOU GO UP AND DOWN THE STREET AND TALK TO THE NEIGHBORS, WE'VE NEVER SEEN A CONSTRUCTION VEHICLE TICKETED ON THAT ROAD.
AND WE'D LIKE TO KNOW WHY THAT IS.
WE SUSPECT A LOT OF IT HAS TO DO WITH UNIONS BECAUSE THAT THOSE BRI TRUCKS FLY UP AND DOWN THAT ROAD EVERY SINGLE DAY.
WE HAVE FOUNDATIONAL STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO OUR HOMES AS A RESULT OF THAT CONSTANT POUNDING.
AND WE'VE NEVER SEEN ONE OF THOSE TRUCKS TICKETED.
UM, IN FACT, WE HAD 3,564 VEHICLES OVER A SIX DAY PERIOD IN MAY TRAVELING ON THAT ROAD AT THAT GRADE OF THAT 85 PERCENTILE, 38 MILES PER HOUR.
SO IN A SIX DAY PERIOD, 3,500 TRUCKS UP AND TAUNTON BOULEVARD, THOSE HOMES WERE BUILT IN THE 1920S AND 1940S.
THE FRONT PORCH ACTUALLY SITS WITHIN 10 FEET OF THE ROADWAY.
IT'S JUST COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE.
I WENT TO THE COUNTY, UH, THE COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S MEETING SEVERAL MONTHS AGO AND I GOT A LECTURE ON WHAT A WONDERFUL JOB THE COUNTY COMMISSIONER DOES.
AND ONE PERSON IN PARTICULAR, RANDY BROOP, DECIDED TO TELL ME JUST HOW GREAT JOE BRI BRISKY IS.
I FOUND OUT SINCE THEN THAT ROY RANDY BROO IS A UNION HEAD OF A CONSTRUCTION ORGANIZATION AND ANYTIME HE SHOULD RECUSE HIMSELF FROM ANY FURTHER COMMENT ON THIS ISSUE, SINCE IT BENEFITS HIS UNION TO SEE THOSE TRUCKS GOING UP AND DOWN TAUNTON BOULEVARD.
SO THE NEXT TIME I GO TO THE COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S MEETING, HE SHOULD RECUSE HIMSELF FROM ANY COMMENT AT ALL.
UM, THE OTHER THING IS I THINK THE TOWNSHIP ONE MINUTE NEEDS TO CONTACT THE NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.
THIS IS A VERY SPECIFIC ISSUE.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHOSE IDEA IT WAS MANY YEARS AGO WHEN THEY STARTED BUILDING KING'S GRANT TO START SENDING VEHICLES DOWN TAUNTON BOULEVARD AND NOT PROVIDE A DIFFERENT ACCESS ROUTE TO 2 95.
WE HAVE 12,000 CARS A DAY ON TAUNTON BOULEVARD NOW WHEN I MOVED IN THERE 10 YEARS AGO WITH 7,000.
SO WE NEED THE POLICE TO STEP IT UP AND FORCE THE SPEED LIMIT.
YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS, IT'S RIDICULOUS.
THE TOLERANCE IS 10 MILES AN HOUR NOW WHEN IT USED TO BE SEVEN.
AND WE NEED THEM TO TICKET TRUCKS.
IF THEY COULD SLOW DOWN THE TRUCKS, THEY'D BE MAYBE TOLERABLE.
[00:50:02]
UM, I WANNA START OUT PARTLY JUST OFF THE CUFF.I KNOW YOU'RE GETTING MANY APPLICATIONS IN FOR PLANNING AND ZONING.
I WOULD HOPE THAT YOU WOULD CONSIDER NEW FACES, NEW THOUGHTS, AND NOT SETTLE WITH REPEAT SITUATIONS.
THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE HERE THAT ARE VERY INFORMED AND IT WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE FRESH FACES ON THE PLANNING BOARD RATHER THAN JUST SOMEBODY COMING IN THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN PART OF THE OLD THOUGHT PROCESS.
UM, I JUST WANNA READ REAL QUICK.
THE FIRST TIME I CAME BEFORE THE PLANNING BOARD WAS BACK IN JULY AND BACK IN JULY, I ASKED THE PLANNING BOARD TO HAVE COURAGE TO STAND UP AGAINST A NATIONAL BUILDER.
AND THEN IT TOOK ME A LITTLE BIT TO REALIZE WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN THE TOWN.
AND THEN I REALIZED I HAD TO BE THE ONE THAT HAD THE COURAGE.
THIS IS NOT EASY COMING UP BEFORE EVERYBODY AND STANDING UP AGAINST SOMETHING SO BIG, BUT SOMEBODY HAD TO SAY SOMETHING TO BRING IT OUT OF THE SHADOWS.
WHEN THE ROUND FOUR DOCUMENTS WERE FINALLY POSTED TO THE TOWNSHIP WEBSITE, THERE WAS NO TIME FOR THE PUBLIC TO COME BEFORE YOU.
THIS BODY AND THE PLANNING BOARD HAD TO VOTE DUE TO THE END OF JUNE DEADLINE FOR FAIR HOUSING.
AND IT WAS LOOMING AND COMING QUICK.
THERE ARE AFFORDABLE UNITS, MISSING UNITS NOT ACCOUNTED FOR AT ALL, AND THE NUMBER OF AFFORDABLE UNITS SEEM TO BE A MOVING TARGET.
THIS IS EVIDENCED BY THE FACT THAT AFTER I ASKED WHY THE GROUP HOMES HAD NOT BEEN COUNTED AS THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN TOWARDS THE TOTAL NUMBER OF AFFORDABLE UNITS, M REALLY HAS.
ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY APPEARED IN THE YEAR END UPDATED REPORT PREPARED BY ENVIRONMENTAL RESOLUTIONS THAT WAS SUBMITTED AT THE END OF DECEMBER TO FAIR SHARE AND TO THE SUPERIOR COURT WITH THE INCLUSIONS, SOME OF THE UNITS UNEXPLAINABLY, ALMOST THE EXACT NUMBER OF UNITS WERE DELETED.
THE REPORT STATES THAT THE DELETED AFFORDABLE UNITS ARE RESERVED FOR A FUTURE TIME.
AFTER A FURTHER INVESTIGATION, I RESEARCHED THE STATUTES AND LAWS AND FOUND A MUNICIPALITY MUST LIST WITH THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY ON NEW JERSEY.GOV DCA.
THIS IS A MANDATORY SITE THAT REQUIRES TOWNSHIPS TO LIST ALL AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS.
MANY OF THE AFFORDABLE UNITS LISTED ON THIS SITE STILL ARE NOT INCLUDED IN ANY REPORT SUBMITTED TO FAIR SHARE.
THEY'RE MISSING UNDER PL 2 0 2 4 C TWO.
THERE'S AN ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW.
THIS IS IF THE NEW COUNSEL BELIEVES THE ORIGINAL AGREEMENT WAS BASED ON FLAWED, FLAWED MATH OR DOESN'T MEET THE NEW STATUTORY STANDARDS, THEY MAY CHALLENGE THEIR OWN FAIR HOUSING ELEMENT, HOUSING ELEMENT AND FAIR SHARE PLAN BEFORE MARCH 31ST.
YOU SHOULD DO IT A LOT SOONER DUE TO MANY OTHER SITUATIONS THAT ARE LOOMING WHEN I COMPARED THE NEW JERSEY.GOV LISTINGS.
THERE ARE A TOTAL 37 UNITS NOT ACCOUNTED FOR ANYWHERE.
THEY ARE ALTERNATIVE LIVING FOR LATER YEARS.
FIVE UNITS, BANCROFT NEURO HEALTH, FOUR SPECIAL UNITS, OAKS INTEGRATED CARE APARTMENTS, 11 SPECIAL UNITS QUALITY MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION GROUP, FOUR SPECIAL UNITS, SPECIAL NEED HOUSING, 13 SPECIAL UNITS.
THE COUNCIL HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMPLETE A COMPREHENSIVE AUDIT OF THE AFFORDABLE UNITS, THE LENGTH OF THE DEED RESTRICTIONS, AND THE NUMBERS OF UNITS TRULY NEEDED FOR THE FOURTH ROUND.
THIS AUDIT HAS BEEN REPEATEDLY ASKED FOR AND HAS YET TO BE CONSIDERED.
YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO CORRECT THIS.
THERE IS ALSO A LEGAL MECHANISM TO APPROACH FAIR SHARE NOW AND REQUEST EXTENSIONS AND HAVE THE TIME TO DO THE AUDIT.
THERE IS SO MUCH EVIDENCE OF THE NUMBER OF AFFORDABLE UNITS ALLEGEDLY BEING MANIPULATED THAT THIS SHOULD NOT BE A HARD THING TO ACHIEVE.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS NEEDED, BUT IT SHOULD TI IT SHOULD BE FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE LONG-TERM HOUSING.
I'M GONNA JUMP AROUND A LITTLE BIT.
WE CAN SPEAK FOR A VERY LONG TIME ON THE ALLEGED MISHANDLING AND ALLEGED STEERING OF MEFFORD INTO ONLY ONE OPTION.
THAT OPTION WAS ALLEGEDLY SELLING OUT THE TOWN TO A NATIONAL BUILDER.
THE OPTION OF EXTENDING DEED RESTRICTIONS WAS NEVER LOOKED AT.
IT WAS DISMISSED AS BEING TOO EXPENSIVE.
HOWEVER, THERE IS NOT ONE FINANCIAL STUDY DONE AS REQUIRED BY CURRENT LAWS AND STATUTES TO FINISH.
THERE WAS A PAYMENT OF $6.25 MILLION GIVEN TO A EFFORT, AFFORDABLE HOUSING AS A SETTLEMENT TO THEIR LAWSUIT BETWEEN 1998 AND 2000.
IN TODAY'S DOLLARS, THAT WOULD BE ABOUT 12 MILLION TO $13.2 MILLION, WHICH SHOULD BE ENOUGH TO EXTEND THE UNITS NECESSARY TO ACCOMPLISH THE FOURTH ROUND NEEDS.
THAT AMOUNT IS A FRACTION OF THE $58 MILLION IN INITIAL SCHOOL COSTS.
THIS AMOUNT DOES NOT TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE COST OF
[00:55:01]
INFRASTRUCTURE, POLICE, SEWER, WATER, AND INCREASE IN THE NEED OF PERMISSIBLE SERVICES.I COME ONCE AGAIN BEFORE YOU ASKING FOR THE SUBMISSION OF AN EXTENSION TO FAIR SHARE AND FOR A COMPREHENSIVE AUDIT TO BE COMPLETED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
MARY LUCAS, 2 0 7 TAUNTON BOULEVARD.
I'M HERE TO FOLLOW UP ON WHAT MY NEIGHBOR JIM SCHIFFER WAS SPEAKING TO ABOUT OUR SAFE STREETS INITIATIVE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S CRITICAL HERE, AND IT WAS DISCUSSED SEVERAL MEETINGS AGO, UH, AS A MATTER OF FACT, JIM AND I ATTENDED A MEETING IN
UNFORTUNATELY, THEY HAVE SINCE RENEGED ON THAT, AND I DON'T FEEL THAT MEDFORD SHOULD BE HELD HOSTAGE BECAUSE ISHA DOES NOT WANNA DO IT.
AND I AM IMPLORING THE COUNCIL TO TAKE THE STEPS NECESSARY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.
ALSO IN CONCERT WITH THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AS WELL, BECAUSE SOMETHING HAS TO HAPPEN AND IT'S, I MEAN, THERE'S ACCIDENTS EVERY DAY.
I MEAN, YOU CAN HEAR THE, THE SIRENS, THE FIRE TRUCKS, AND, UH, IT'S JUST, IT'S NOT IMPROVING.
SO WE NEED TO REALLY MOVE FORWARD ON THAT.
ANYONE ELSE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? MY NAME IS SINGH 5 5 9 MCKENNA ROAD, MEDFORD, NEW JERSEY.
I JUST WANTED TO, UM, BRING A SUGGESTION TO A COUNCIL.
UM, YOU HAVE YOUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS EVERY YEAR, I THINK IN ONE OF YOUR TOWN HALLS YOU SHOULD HAVE SOMETHING WHERE YOU TRY TO EXPLAIN THAT IN LAYMAN'S LANGUAGE TO THE, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, TO THE, UM, TOWN MEMBERS, JUST THE RESIDENTS, BECAUSE IT'S MUNICIPAL ACCOUNTING IS NOT VERY SIMPLE.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND MOST OF THE STUFF THAT GOES IN THERE.
I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE KIND OF, I CALL IT, YOU KNOW, COUPLE SESSIONS WHERE WE INVITE A MUNICIPAL AUDITOR AND COME AND TALK ABOUT WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? HOW DO, HOW DO OUR TAX DOLLARS COME IN AND HOW ARE THEY SPENT? NOW, MOST OF THAT INFORMATION, SO I, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT A MUNICIPAL AUDITOR, BUT OF COURSE WE HAVE TO STUDY THAT AS PART OF THE CPA EXAM.
BUT I THINK IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO DECIPHER THAT IF YOU'RE JUST LOOKING AT IT WITH NO ACCOUNTING BACKGROUND.
WE SHOULD HAVE SOMEONE WHO CAN TRANSLATE THAT FOR THE RESIDENTS.
NOW, THIS WHOLE AFFORDABLE HOUSING ISSUE ALSO, THERE ARE LOANS, THERE ARE DEBTS, THERE ARE THINGS THAT A TOWN HAS TO INCUR, BUT YOU KNOW, IF SOMEONE ELSE IS LOOKING AT IT JUST LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE TAKING LOANS UPON.
AND THERE ARE SOME INSTANCES WHERE WE DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THOSE LOANS WERE TAKEN IN THE FIRST PLACE.
WE HAD THAT WHOLE ISSUE WHERE THAT DAM UH, ISSUE WE HAD WHERE YOU HAD TO GUARANTEE SOME OF THE LOANS.
YOU KNOW, SO HOW DOES THAT, WHERE DOES THAT PLACE THE TOWN? I THINK THESE ARE SOME OF THE VERY IMPORTANT, UM, ISSUES THAT SHOULD BE DISCUSSED WITH THE PUBLIC THAT IS GIVING US ALL THIS MONEY TO SPEND.
AND I'M SURE MOST OF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND EITHER, EITHER SITTING THERE, YOU KNOW, YOU DO THE DEAL, YOU DO WHAT'S RIGHT, YOU INVITE AN AUDITOR, SOMEONE WHO'S PROFESSIONAL TAKES CARE OF ALL OF THIS, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, YOU PAY THEM AND THAT IT, IT'S DONE.
BUT I THINK WE ALL NEED A LESSON.
WE ALL NEED TO UNDERSTAND, ESPECIALLY THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE HERE WHO NEED TO KNOW WHAT GOES ON WITH THAT MONEY.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS A BIG ISSUE BECAUSE PART OF THE ISSUE IS WE DON'T KNOW HOW THE FUNDS ARE BEING SPENT.
YOU KNOW, I KNOW, UM, MAYOR CIZIK, YOU MENTIONED THAT WHILE WE CAN'T GET ENOUGH MONEY TO, YOU KNOW, DO THIS ON OUR OWN, BUT WHAT DOES THAT TRANSLATE INTO? WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN? I MEAN, IT'S A VERY, TO, TO SOMEONE WHO DOES NOT UNDERSTAND, IT'S A VERY VAGUE COMMENT.
THEY'LL SAY, WELL, WE PAY OUR TAXES.
YOU KNOW, WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY? WE, WE SEE YOUR, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE LOOK AT YOUR FINANCIALS, THERE'S SO MUCH CASH SITTING IN THE BANK ACCOUNT.
BUT THERE ARE ENCUMBRANCES, THERE ARE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE TO KEEP IN THE BANK.
SO I THINK YOU NEED TO HAVE TOWN COUNCILS SPECIFICALLY FOR, YOU KNOW, FINANCIAL EDUCATION TO EXPLAIN TO GENERAL PUBLIC WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? YOU KNOW, HOW ARE WE SPENDING YOUR MONEY? OF COURSE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A WHOLE OTHER SESSION
[01:00:01]
ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING BECAUSE EVERYONE'S BRINGING IT UP.NOT BECAUSE SOMEONE IS THIEF OR SOMEONE'S DONE SOMETHING WRONG.
IT'S BECAUSE THERE HAS TO BE TRANSPARENCY.
THIS IS PUBLIC FUNDS AND NOT FOR ANYONE'S REELECTION.
YOU KNOW, WE ARE ALL ELECTED TO SERVE.
IT'S FOR, YOU KNOW, GENERAL PUBLIC GOOD.
I THINK THAT IF YOU EVER, IF YOU NEED MY HELP, I CAN'T DO THIS JOB.
I DON'T KNOW, KNOW MUNICIPAL, UH, UH, OR, UH, OR I MEAN ACCOUNTING AS WELL.
I GO TO MY FRIENDS THAT ARE MUNICIPAL AUDITORS.
BUT I THINK IT'LL BE A GOOD IDEA TO INVITE SOMEONE, YOU KNOW, REGULARLY TO COME AND SPEAK ABOUT THIS.
TAKE OUR FINANCIALS, EXPLAIN HOW THEY DIFFER FROM OTHER TOWNS.
I WAS JUST GOING TO SUGGEST NOT EVERYBODY'S IN ACCOUNT LIKE DR.
SING, BUT IT COULD, THE BUDGET COULD BE MORE ORDINARY PEOPLE FRIENDLY.
WE COULD USE MORE POWERPOINTS.
WE COULD, AND IN FACT A POWERPOINT THAT'S ON THE WEBSITE AND PEOPLE COULD JUST OPEN IT EXPLANATION VENN DIAGRAMS THE WAY IT IS NOW, UNLESS YOU'RE AN ACCOUNTANT, IT'S A LITTLE, MAYBE EVEN IF YOU'RE AN ACCOUNTANT, IT'S HARD TO DECIDE WHICH TYPE OF, YES.
UM, IF I MAY AS WELL, UM, I COMPLETELY AGREE.
UM, I KNOW, UM, I'M NOT A FINANCE GUY IN MY COMPANY.
I ACTUALLY HIRE A CFO TO HANDLE THAT FOR MY BUSINESS.
'CAUSE I'M NOT THE BEST WITH NUMBERS.
BUT, UM, OVER, AFTER THE LAST TWO YEARS OF UNDERSTANDING IT AND THE PRESENTATION THAT MR. HORNICK HAD PUT TOGETHER AT, DURING THE LAST BUDGET CYCLE AND AT, DURING MY FIRST YEAR ON COUNCIL, WE HAD AN INTERIM MANAGER, TOM, UH, KY, AND HE DID A FANTASTIC JOB.
I WOULD STRONGLY ENCOURAGE THE PUBLIC TO ATTEND THE BUDGET WORKSHOPS THAT WE DO HOST BEFORE WE PASS THE BUDGET.
IT'S CRITICAL THAT YOU UNDERSTAND AND GIVE INPUT PRIOR TO THE BUDGET BEING PASSED.
'CAUSE AS MS. SINGH MENTIONED, ONCE THOSE, ONCE THAT BUDGET IS PASSED, UM, BY STATUTE WE'RE REQUIRED TO SPEND THE MONEY IN THE WAY THAT THE BUDGET DICTATES.
UM, WE HAVE A AMAZING STAFF THAT DOES KNOW THIS INSIDE AND OUT.
WE DO HIRE AUDITORS AS PROFESSIONALS TO SUPPORT US IN THAT MATTER.
UM, DURING OUR DISCUSSIONS OF MEETING DATES, UH, BASED OFF THE TIMEFRAME IN WHICH THE BUDGET NEEDS TO BE APPROVED, THERE'LL BE TWO MEETINGS IN APRIL AND A MEETING IN MAY.
TWO WILL BE REGULAR COUNCIL, ONE WILL BE TOWN HALL, THEY WILL BE BUDGET CENTRIC.
UM, THERE MIGHT BE OTHER TOPICS AS WELL, BUT THAT WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO NOT ONLY BE PART OF THE BUDGET WORKSHOPS, BUT THEN ENGAGE WITH US ON MATTERS THAT YOU FEEL YOU MIGHT NEED MORE INFORMATION OR YOU HAVE COMMENT ON.
SO, UM, WITHOUT BEING DEFINITIVE, WE BELIEVE THE APRIL 14TH COUNCIL MEETING WILL HAVE A BUDGET PORTION TO IT.
THERE'LL BE A TOWN HALL ON THE 21ST, WHICH WILL BE BUDGET CENTRIC.
AND BY MAY 5TH DURING THAT COUNCIL MEETING WITH BUDGET MATTERS, WE'LL NEED TO START WRAPPING UP THE BUDGET AT THAT TIME.
BUT THOSE WOULD BE THREE GREAT OPPORTUNITIES, UM, TO REALLY HAVE INPUT PRIOR TO THE BUDGET BEING PASSED.
AND THERE'LL BE ORDINARY PEOPLE FRIENDLY.
UH, I CAN UNDERSTAND IT, SO, YES.
AND, AND I DO ENCOURAGE YOU, UM, IT MIGHT BE SOME BORING READING WE'RE, WE'RE WATCHING, BUT, UM, THE TOWNSHIP DOES, DID RECORD THE BUDGET WORKSHOP MEETING AND IT WAS VERY HELPFUL FOR SOMEONE WHO, AS A LAYMAN DOES NOT UNDERSTAND IT.
SO IF MAYBE IN PREPARATION FOR THIS YEAR'S BUDGET CYCLE, IF YOU WATCH LAST YEAR'S BUDGET CYCLE, I THINK YOU'LL, YOU'LL BE A LITTLE BIT MORE PREPARED FOR WHAT YOU'RE ABOUT TO SEE.
ANYONE ELSE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? GO AHEAD, SIR.
YOU ONLY GET TWO MORE MINUTES.
NICE TO HAVE THE MIC WORKING THIS YEAR.
UM, I WANNA PICK UP WHERE I LEFT WHERE MARYANNE LEFT OFF WITH, WITH A FEW THINGS.
SHE STARTED OUT WITH THE PLANNING BOARD.
HOW DOES THAT PROCESS WORK AS FAR AS WHEN YOU GUYS ARE PICKING AS APPLICANTS THE VOTING PROCESS? IS IT SURE.
IS IT, I GUESS, I MEAN, IT WOULD BE MAJORITY THREE VERSE TWO OR MAYBE ALL FIVE, RIGHT? IS THAT WHAT YEAH.
AT AT LEAST THREE PEOPLE WOULD HAVE TO VOTE TO THE AFFIRMATIVE TO, UH, PLACE A VOLUNTEER MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC ON ANY OF THE BOARDS, PLANNING, ZONING, ENVIRONMENTAL, EDC AND GREEN.
UM, MY CONCERNS, THE PLANNING BOARD, THERE'S BEEN A RUMOR FOR, YOU KNOW, I GUESS IT'S BEEN ALL YEAR, UM, ABOUT THE OLD MAYOR, CHUCK WATSON.
AND, UH, I, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S TRUE OR NOT, BUT HE WANTS TO JOIN.
AND, UM, I THINK THAT'S A REALLY BAD IDEA.
PLANNING BOARD'S GOT ITS HANDS FULL WITH WHAT'S COMING WITH THIS DEVELOPMENT.
YOU WANT SOME NEW FACES ON THERE.
AND IT IS, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, THE WHOLE THING I FIND IS STRANGE.
[01:05:01]
OUR OLD MAYOR ON THE PLANNING BOARD, UM, I THINK YOU GUYS ARE GONNA PUT A LOT OF HEAT ON THEM AND, AND, AND, AND IT'S JUST GONNA CREATE MORE OF A CIRCUS.AND I WAS HOPING WE WERE CLOSING ALL THAT OUT.
I, HOPEFULLY I'M WRONG ABOUT WHAT I'M SAYING, BUT YOU KNOW, I'VE HEARD IT OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE FIRST THING WITH THE PLANNING BOARD FOR NEXT YEAR OR FOR THIS YEAR.
THE OTHER THING IS LIKE THE NUMBERS, UM, MAYOR YOU, WE, I'VE SEEN YOU AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER.
YOU SAT THERE AND IT WAS GREAT, YOU AND REP STOCK.
WHAT DID YOU THINK ABOUT THE NUMBERS THAT MARYANNE HAS? VERSE LIKE THE NUMBERS.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE, THE SOLICITOR HAS, SOMEONE'S WRONG AND SOMEONE'S RIGHT, IT'S CLEAR AS DAY.
I MEAN, I, I'M, I'M THINKING SHE'S RIGHT.
JUST CONSISTENTLY
HOW DO WE GET DOWN THAT RABBIT HOLE TO FIGURE OUT WHO IS RIGHT AND WHO IS WRONG? UM, I THINK WE, WE, WE OWE IT TO THE COMMUNITY.
I MEAN, EVERY TIME SHE MENTIONS ONE HOME THAT WAS TAKE WOULD BE TAKEN OFF THAT LIST.
THAT'S REALLY 5, 5, 5 OFF OF IT.
SO THAT'S A BIG NUMBER WHEN WE'RE JUST, EVEN WHEN SHE'S SAYING, HEY, FOUR HERE, I COULDN'T COMPLETELY KEEP OFF 37.
HOW, HOW DO WE FIND, HOW DO WE FIND OUT REALLY WHAT'S GOING ON HERE? AND, AND, AND IF, AND IF, IF LET'S JUST SAY THE, THE COMMUNITY CENTER GROUP IS RIGHT.
HOW, HOW, HOW DO YOU GO FORWARD FROM THERE TO FIX THIS? AND IS THAT TOO LATE? I AM NOT THE EXPERT, BRIAN, AND I DON'T WANNA TAKE YOUR TIME IF NO, GO AHEAD, MAN.
UM, I BELIEVE WHAT MS. HOLLOWAY'S RECOMMENDATIONS WOULD BE WOULD BE TO RENEW THE DEED RESTRICTIONS ON CURRENT AFFORDABLE UNITS.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
SO, UM, THAT, THAT, WHAT WOULD HAPPEN THERE IS WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO BUILD A NEW UNIT TO THEN, WHICH THEN HAS THE, THE, THE MULTIPLE OF, WE'LL CALL IT FIVE AT THIS POINT, TOTAL.
UM, SO WE'RE NOT REMOVING ANY AFFORDABLE UNITS.
WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING 171 AFFORDABLE UNITS TO OUR NEIGHBORS.
IT'S JUST THE MECHANISM, AS I SAID EARLIER, THAT HAS A, THAT, THAT PEOPLE FEEL MAY BE CHALLENGING US.
AND IF I MAY, AND DEPUTY MAYOR VORHEES AND I ARE GOING TOMORROW MORNING, I LOVE THAT TO THE MONVILLE HEARING TO UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT WHAT CAN BE DONE.
SO, UM, AS I SAID AT A PREVIOUS MEETING, I WASN'T SITTING HERE.
I'D BE AT THAT MICROPHONE AS WELL.
I UNDERSTAND THE CHALLENGES THAT THIS BRINGS TO OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT WE CAN DO, IF ANYTHING CAN BE DONE.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE TO DO.
THIS, THAT'S WHAT YOU, YOU'VE TRUSTED US TO DO.
JUST BACK TO THE, THE, THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND THE UNITS AND THE NUMBERS, UM, THE, THE DEED RESTRICTED ONES, AND THIS DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE TO ME HOW THEY RUN OUT.
LIKE THEY, THEY ACTUALLY EXPIRED.
SO YOU'RE, YOU'RE ACTUALLY REPLACING, YOU KNOW, ONE THAT NOW IS NOT AFFORDABLE, GOES TO MARKET RATE.
AND WE'VE GOTTA BUILD MM-HMM
DOES THAT MAKE ANY SENSE TO YOU AS FAR AS AT LEAST TRYING TO SOLVE THE ORIGINAL PROBLEM OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND MAYBE NOT TURN ME EFFORT INTO A CITY AT THE SAME TIME? DO YOU KNOW WHY WE DIDN'T LOOK INTO THAT MORE, I GUESS? OR IS IT TOO LATE NOW? IT'S TWO DIFFERENT MECHANISMS TO SATISFY A NUMBER THAT, THAT YOU'RE DISCUSSING TWO DIFFERENT MECHANISMS. THE ONE MECHANISM HAS A HUGE COST TO THE TOWN UP FRONT.
WE DON'T HAVE THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST TO FUND THE BUILDING OF THOSE UNITS OR THE PAYMENT TO THE EXISTING DEED OWNERS TO EXTEND THEIR DEED.
WE DON'T HAVE THOSE FUNDS IN HAND.
SO THE ONLY MECHANISM THAT WE FELT WE HAD AT THE TIME WAS, AND WITHIN THE VERY SHORT TIMEFRAME THAT WE WERE GIVEN, WAS THE METHOD AND THE MECHANISM THAT, THAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO OF TAKING, AND AGAIN, I I UNDERSTAND THE CHALLENGE.
WE'RE TAKING ZERO DENSITY, WE'RE TAKING FARMLAND THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN PRESERVED AND WE'RE MAKING IT HIGH DENSITY.
I KNOW, BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TWO SEPARATE THINGS THERE.
ONE REQUIRES A LARGE UPFRONT CAPITAL INVESTMENT FROM THE, FROM THE MUNICIPALITY THAT WE DON'T HAVE, WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY THAT THE OTHER TOWNS THAT DID THIS HALF.
WELL, WE ADD A TIME, TIME ON THAT PART THEN.
I MEAN, YOU COULD LOOK INTO A REFERENDUM, I'M SURE THE COMMUNITY CAN I STEAL YOUR TIME TOO? GO FOR IT.
SO, I'VE HAD A COUPLE OF CONVERSATIONS WITH DOC, A DOCTOR, SORRY, MAYOR MIKE ALI.
AND I'VE, HE'S TOLD ME HIS NAME'S 12 TIMES AND I STILL CAN'T SAY IT'S A TOUGH NAME.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THIS COURT CASE TOMORROW IS FOR, IS THAT THE FORMULA THAT CAME UP WITH A 1 71 THEIR GROUP? AND IT SEEMS THAT I AM IN AGREEMENT WITH THEM.
THE FORMULA TO COME UP WITH THAT NUMBER IS WHAT WE'RE GONNA FIGHT.
[01:10:01]
REDUCE THE NUMBER, THE RATIO.IT'S, IT'S, THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT PIECES THAT CAME TO BE INVOLVED IN THOSE NUMBERS.
AND THE NUMBERS DON'T MAKE SENSE.
ADD IN THE TIMELINE TO YOUR POINT TO YOURS, HOW FAST IT HAD TO BE DONE SO THAT TOWNS MADE THE BEST DECISIONS THEY COULD IN THAT SHORT OF TIMELINE, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE OTHER OPTION WAS A BUILDER'S REMEDY.
AT LEAST RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE CONTROL TO SOME DEGREE.
WHAT WILL THOSE HOUSES LOOK LIKE? NONE OF US WANT THESE HIGH RISES.
SO AT LEAST RIGHT NOW WE HAVE CONTROL, BUT THERE'S NOT GONNA BE HIGH RISES.
THEY'RE GONNA LOOK LIKE MEDFORD HOUSES.
BUT ALL THE NUMBERS AND THE TIMELINE, THAT'S WHAT TOMORROW'S COURT CASE IS GONNA BE.
SO HOPEFULLY AFTER TOMORROW, HOPEFULLY WE'RE GONNA HAVE SOME GOOD NEWS FOR YOU.
WE MIGHT NOT, BUT THAT ONE'S OUTTA MY HANDS.
WE'RE GONNA COME BACK WITH INFORMATION.
I WANT MY KIDS TO COME BACK HERE.
I WANT MY GRANDKIDS TO COME BACK HERE.
AND IT BECOMES HIGH DENSITY IN JUST ANOTHER CITY.
WELL THEN GO SOMEWHERE CHEAPER.
HELLO EVERYONE, AND CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF YOU, RAY.
I LIVE AT 2 64 CHURCH ROAD, MEDFORD.
AND I WANNA FURTHER WHAT MARYANNE, UM, COMMENTED ON AND, AND DAVE OR BRIAN RATHER, SORRY.
UM, WE HAVE AN ONSLAUGHT COMING TO THE NORTH SIDE OF 1,245 HOMES WITHIN THREE MILES.
IT'S THOUSANDS OF CARS A DAY, THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE.
HOW ARE WE GONNA HAVE THOUSANDS OF CARS IN A THREE MILE RADIUS EVERY SINGLE DAY? I, I WROTE, AND YOU ALL KNOW, YOU'VE GOT MY EMAIL TO, TO PASS A RESOLUTION TONIGHT TO ALLOW ME TO DIG DEEP WITH A GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS, A SUBCOMMITTEE INTO THE NUMBERS, THE DEED RESTRICTED NUMBERS.
THEY'LL HELP DEFRAY FIVE UNITS FOR EACH UNIT WITH EVERY ONE YIELDS FOUR, FOUR MORE TO BE BUILT.
SO THE YIELD IS FIVE IF WE FIND 50 AND YOU SAY THERE'S NO MONEY RIGHT NOW, BUT WE COULD FIND MONEY.
I HAVE AN EXPERT WORKING ON IT RIGHT NOW.
AN OPTION THAT WE'D LIKE TO PRESENT.
I DON'T KNOW HOW, MAYBE HAVE AN EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING OR ANOTHER TOWN COUNCIL MEETING TO REVIEW THIS BECAUSE IT'S REALLY A CRISIS THAT'S HEADED OUR WAY.
IT'S NOTHING LESS THAN A CRISIS.
WE CAN'T AFFORD TO BUILD NEW SCHOOLS.
IT'S GONNA IMPACT OUR SEWER PLAN.
WE WILL PROBABLY NEED A WATER TOWER TO SUPPORT THIS, BECAUSE FROM WHEN I TALK TO EXPERTS, WE DON'T HAVE THE PRESSURE TO SUPPORT THE WATER THAT'S GONNA BE NEEDED FOR IRRIGATION, FIRE HYDRANTS, SPRINKLER SYSTEMS, WATER, SO FORTH.
I ASKED FOR A RESOLUTION TONIGHT TO BE PASSED TO ALLOW A SUBCOMMITTEE TO LOOK INTO THE DEED RESTRICTED UNITS.
AND I ALSO SENT THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN TIME, UH, FAIR SHARE AND THE TOWN.
AND I CITED PAGE NINE, WHICH ALREADY IS IN AGREEMENT.
D THE TOWNSHIP WILL PROVIDE DEED RESTRICTIONS AND CERTIFICATES OF OCCUPANCY FOR BUILT UNITS ALLOCATED TOWARD PRIOR ROUND AND THIRD ROUND.
IT'S ALREADY IN THE AGREEMENT.
I'M JUST ASKING FOR WHAT'S ALREADY BEEN AGREED UPON.
SO I'M ASKING AGAIN, FOR THE RESOLUTION TO SUPPORT MY REQUEST FOR A SUBCOMMITTEE TO DIG INTO THE DEED RESTRICTED UNITS AND OFFER AN, AN OPTION FOR FUNDING.
AND THEN LET COUNCIL DECIDE, BECAUSE A, IS A TSUNAMI AND B MIGHT BE MUCH LESS.
MS. HOLLOWAY AND I HAVE GONE BACK AND FORTH.
WE'VE HAD PRIVATE DISCUSSIONS, WE'VE HAD PUBLIC DISCUSSIONS.
I MEAN, THE CHART IN OUR HOUSING ELEMENT AND FAIR SHARE PLAN REFERENCES THE UNITS THAT SHE'S TALKING ABOUT.
ARCHWAY PROGRAMS IS NOW, IS NOW, UH, BARKLEY.
[01:15:01]
SIX UNITS IN THERE.UH, THE FAMILY SERVICE IS SPECIAL NEEDS 28 CREDITS.
I MEAN, WE, THE NUMBERS ARE HERE.
WE WENT THROUGH SIX MEDIATION SESSIONS WITH FAIR SHARE, HOUSING MAINTENANCE JUSTIFY EVERY NUMBER THAT WE PUT IN HERE.
UM, THESE ARE FOR REAL NUMBERS.
WE, WE'VE GOT CREDIT FOR EVERYONE THAT WE'RE ENTITLED TO.
UM, THAT'S FACTS AS FAR AS PURCHASING THE DEED.
RESTRICT, UH, EXTENDING THE DEED RESTRICTIONS IN MY RESPONSE TO MS. UH, MS. POLLOCK'S, SHE'S FILED A COURT ACTION.
AS YOU KNOW, SHE'S, SHE'S SU SUED TOWN, PER SE, UM, WITHOUT AN ATTORNEY.
UM, AND I'VE RESPONDED EACH TIME THAT, THAT SHE'S FILED PAPERS, UM, YOU CAN DEBATE THE AMOUNT, WHETHER IT'S 5 MILLION, 6 MILLION, 10 MILLION.
THE OBLIGATION UNDER THE MOUNTAIN ROYAL DOCUMENT IS THE TOWNSHIP HAS TO FIND, ESTABLISH A REASONABLE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
I CAN'T JUST TELL FAIR SHARE OR THE COURT, YES, WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA GET THE MONEY.
SOMEHOW WE'LL FIND THE MONEY TO EXTEND THESE, THESE DEED RESTRICTIONS.
WE HAVE TO GIVE THEM A BOND ORDINANCE TO SHOW THAT WE ARE APPROPRIATING THE MONEY.
IF WE HAD THE MONEY, AND WE'VE BEEN OVER THIS AND OVER THIS, IF WE HAD THE MONEY IN THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND, LIKE TOM RIVER HAD 9 MILLION, MANFIELD HAS 8 MILLION, WE HAVE 200 AND SOME THOUSAND, MAYBE WE COULD BUY THREE, FOUR, MAYBE EXTEND THOSE CREDITS.
IT'S NOT A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE UNLESS THE COUNCIL CAN AGREED TO BOND $9 MILLION, $7 MILLION, $5 MILLION, WHATEVER.
IT'S 'CAUSE WE HAVE TO NEGOTIATE WITH EVERY PROPERTY OWNER TO EXTEND THOSE DEED RESTRICTIONS.
NONE OF THEM EXPIRE IN THIS 10 YEAR TIME PERIOD.
SO YOU'RE TRYING TO EXTEND DEED RESTRICTIONS THAT ALREADY HAVE A 30 YEAR DEED RESTRICTION ON THEM.
20 YEARS LEFT BY ANOTHER 30 YEARS.
AND IN RESPONSE TO BRIAN'S QUESTION, THEY EXPIRE AFTER 30 YEARS BECAUSE THAT'S THE STATE LAW.
AFTER 30 YEARS, THEY CONVERT TO MARKET UNITS.
ALL THESE AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPERS HAVE INVESTORS WHO'VE INVESTED WITH THEM ON THE IDEA THAT ULTIMATELY THOSE DEED RESTRICTIONS WILL EXPIRE AND THEY'LL BE ABLE TO SELL THEM OR RENT THEM AS MARKET UNITS.
IT'S A, IT'S A FINANCIAL THING MUCH BIGGER THAN MEDFORD OR US.
IT'S, IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S A SYSTEM THAT WAS SET UP YEARS AGO BY THE STATE.
SO THOSE ARE THE REALITIES THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH.
I, YOU KNOW, I, WE, I HAVE TO KEEP, I FEEL LIKE I'M DEFENDING SOMETHING THAT'S MY PLAN.
IT'S NOT, IT'S WHAT WE HAVE BEFORE US WITHIN THE TIMEFRAME THAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH.
THE, AS I POINTED OUT AT THE PLANNING BOARD MEETING, THE REASON I PROPOSED REDEVELOPMENT PLANS, BECAUSE EVERY ONE OF THE THREE PROJECTS THAT ARE PROPOSED FOR THE FOURTH ROUND, WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO DO A HUNDRED PERCENT AFFORDABLE, WHICH WE DID IN THE THIRD ROUND.
WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO EXTEND THE DEED, UH, RESTRICTIONS UNLESS YOU APPROPRIATE THE MONEY.
EVERY ONE OF THE THREE JOBS, WE WERE ABLE TO NEGOTIATE ON BEHALF OF THE TOWN.
THE ONLY CHOICE WE HAD WAS TO ALLOW THEM TO SAY NO.
ALLOW THEM TO COMMIT WITH A BUILDER'S REMEDY, FIGHT 'EM IN COURT AND LOSE.
AND I COULD, I COULD DO, I COULD DELAY THAT FOR A YEAR OR TWO AND MAKE A LOT OF LEGAL FEES DOING IT.
AND WHEN YOU LOSE, IT'S NOT JUST LOSING, IT'S LOSING THE LEVERAGE ON THE PROJECT.
THE, UM, UH, CHALLENGER PROJECT HAS 300 AGE RESTRICTED SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.
THAT'S LESS THAN WHAT'S ALREADY THERE IN WINGATE, INHERITED AND WILDFLOWERS THE TOWN ABSORBED THEM.
NOT TO SAY THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE A, A, YOU KNOW, SOME AFFECT OUR SERVICES, BUT THEY'RE LESS THAN WHAT WE'VE ALREADY DEALT WITH IN THE SECOND ROUND.
IN THE OTHER, UH, THE EFS PROJECT, WE NEGOTIATED TOWNHOUSES.
I CAN'T CONTROL THEM UNLESS I HAVE A REDEVELOPMENT PLAN THAT SCOTT TAYLOR, OUR PLANNER, CAN IMPOSE THE ARCHITECTURAL DEED RESTRICTIONS THAT WE WANT.
FLYING W IS ALSO AGE RESTRICTED.
MS. P*****K FOR AROUND THE, THE NUMBER OF 1,245.
OVER HALF OF THEM ARE AGE RESTRICTED.
WE WERE ABLE TO NEGOTIATE THAT.
IF I SAY NO, JUST GO TO COURT.
SO I I'M SITTING HERE TONIGHT, FRANKLY, WITH A HEAVY HEART.
I, I'VE TRIED TO GIVE YOU THE BEST ADVICE I COULD.
THE AUDIT THAT EVERYBODY'S TALKING ABOUT HAS BEEN DONE.
IT'S BEEN DONE WITH FAIR SHARE HOUSING.
THEY HAVE TO AGREE TO THE COURT THAT WE'VE DONE WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DO.
SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE THANK YOU, SIR.
UM, AND THROUGH THAT AUDIT AND THE SIX MEDIATION SESSIONS THAT YOU'VE HAD, FAIR SHARE HOUSING HAS AGREED TO OUR PLAN AS, AS A MUNICIPALITY.
AND DON'T FORGET, WHEN I TALK ABOUT THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PLUS FUND,
[01:20:01]
I HAVEN'T EVEN DEALT DANIEL.I HAD A CHANCE TO GET TOGETHER.
WE HAVE A PRESENT NEED OF 69 UNITS THAT DCA COME UP WITH MEANS OF 69 SUBSTANDARD AFFORDABLE UNITS IN MEDFORD, EXISTING, EXISTING THAT NEED TO BE UPGRADED.
I DID NEGOTIATE A RIGHT TO DO A STUDY OF THOSE 69 UNITS THAT DCA SAYS WE HAVE TO PICK.
AND I THINK THEY'RE, THAT'S WAY TOO HIGH.
WE'RE GONNA FIGHT THAT NUMBER, BUT AGAIN, THAT'S GONNA TAKE MONEY TOO.
SO THIS IS, AND THAT, AND THAT MONEY YOU'RE REFERRING TO, SIR, IS THE MONEY FROM IN OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST? YES.
THAT'S WHY I DON'T, THE BALANCE OF, OF LIMITED FUNDS, I DON'T HAVE ANY, HAS TO BE RELEGATED TO THE REHABILITATION OF EXISTING AFFORDABLE.
AND THERE ARE STATE PROGRAMS. THERE ARE COUNTY PROGRAMS. THERE'S SOME GRANT MONEY WHICH, UH, KIM, UH, MS. MS. P*****K SUGGESTED.
SO YES, WE'RE GONNA EXPLORE ALL THOSE THINGS.
BUT, UM, WELL, I'VE SET IT OFF.
IF I MAY, IN REGARD TO THE, THE EXTENDING THE, UH, FEE RESTRICTIONS MM-HMM
WAS THERE ANY CONSULTATION WITH BOND COUNSEL OR ANY TYPE OF ANALYSIS AS TO THE COST TO THE TAX SHEET IF WE WERE TO GO OUT TO BOND FOR THAT COST VERSUS THE LOST TAX REVENUE OR ANYTHING? RIGHT.
I KNEW THE AMOUNTS WERE FAR MORE THAN WE COULD HAVE AFFORD.
IT, I MEAN, YOU COULD DO THAT.
UM, I THINK THE MANAGER WOULD HAVE A LOT TO SAY ABOUT THAT BECAUSE I MEAN, I KEEP SAYING THERE'S 24,000 PEOPLE IN MEDFORD.
EVERYBODY'S CONCERNED ABOUT HIGH TAXES.
IF YOU'RE GONNA ADD ANOTHER X AMOUNT OF DOLLARS TO THE TAXES TO PAY FOR EXTENDING DEED RESTRICTIONS, YOU GOTTA, YOU, THAT'S THE KIND OFDECISION YOU HAVE.
BUT THAT, THAT WAS MY CLAIM WHERE I WAS COMING FROM AS FAR AS WORKING WITH BOND COUNCIL TO SEE THE COST OF, YOU KNOW, GOING OUT TO BOND FOR THOSE FUNDS TO EXTEND THOSE DEEDS VERSUS, YOU KNOW, COMPARING THAT TO THE, THE TAX REVENUE POTENTIALLY.
HAVE THOSE, THOSE UNITS NOW BECOME MARKET VALUE.
AND WHAT THAT WOULD COMPARE, YOU KNOW, WHAT THAT WOULD COST WOULD BE WHERE THE TOWNSHIP HAS, CONTRARY TO SOME OF THE PUBLIC COMMENTS, I DID TALK TO TWO OF THE, UM, THE ERMAN AND THE, UM, ERS OF THE MEREDITH MM-HMM
THEY'RE WILLING TO TALK, THEY'RE WILLING TO SAY, SURE, WE'LL EXTEND OUR DE RESTRICTIONS, BUT WE GOTTA AGREE ON AN AMOUNT.
AND THEY WOULDN'T EVEN GIMME THE AMOUNT.
I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU WOULD ESTIMATE IT WITHOUT REALLY SAYING WE'RE WILLING TO DO IT.
AND I DIDN'T HAVE THE TIME TO DO THAT.
AND I KNEW IT WAS GONNA BE MORE THAN REALLY THE TOWN PUT IT FORWARD.
AND AGAIN, I'M SORRY, GO AHEAD, SIR.
THE MONTVILLE CASE, UM, I'M FAMILIAR WITH IT.
ONE OF THE REAL GOOD ARGUMENTS THAT THEY HAVE IS THAT THE URBAN AID MUNICIPALITIES DON'T HAVE ANY AFFORDABLE HOUSING OBLIGATION AT ALL.
ALL THE SUBURBAN TOWNS HAVE, AND I LIKED THAT ARGUMENT.
27 TOWNS JOINED THAT ARGUMENT.
I FELT THAT FOR THE LEGAL FEES INVOLVED WAS 27 TOWNS FIGHTING, WHETHER IT WAS 28 OR 26 OR 20.
THEY'VE LOST EVERY CHANCE THEY'VE HAD SO FAR.
SO I HOPE IT, I HOPE IT GOES BETTER TOMORROW.
BUT THAT, THAT CASE, UH, IS A GOOD CASE.
IF THEY WIN, THAT WILL CHANGE THE NUMBER FOR SURE.
AND AS DEPUTY MAYOR WHERE HE'S MENTIONED, THAT WILL CHANGE OUR NUMBER.
THAT WILL NOT, IT WON'T ELIMINATE FROM, FROM, RIGHT.
IT WON'T ELIMINATE, IT WILL NOT ELIMINATE, BUT IT WOULD CHANGE.
AND, UM, THE, THE APPROPRIATION OF FUNDS TO, TO, SO THAT THE MUNICIPALITY, THE TAXPAYER CAN FUND THESE DEED RESTRICTIONS, AS MR. PRIM MENTIONED, UM, WE WOULD BE TRYING TO NEGOTIATE WITH STAKEHOLDERS THAT ARE LOOKING TO HAVE THEIR MARKET RATE, MARKET RATE UNITS ADJUST IN 30 YEARS.
SO IF, IF WE HAVE, IF YOU HAPPEN TO BE A HOMEOWNER IN MEDFORD, AND YOU CAN IMAGINE WHAT YOUR PROPERTY WOULD BE WORTH IN 30 YEARS, THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE NEGOTIATING AGAINST A NUMBER THAT IS ASTRONOMICAL.
WHEN WE WERE, WHEN WE REPRESENTED MOUNT LAUREL, UM, THE ORLEANS DEVELOPMENT, EVERY PROJECT THEY HAD, THEY KEPT THE AFFORDABLE UNITS.
AND, AND, AND JUST EXPLAIN THAT, SIR, BECAUSE I, I THINK THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO HEAR THAT.
SO IF THE, THE DEVELOPER DEVELOPED USE, USE THE ORLEANS PROPERTY, THEY DEVELOPED A, A AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN MOUNT LAUREL.
AFFORDABLE ONE, YOU KNOW, MARKETING AND AFFORDABLE.
THEY KEPT EVERY AFFORDABLE AND, AND RENT THOSE DEED RESTRICTIONS.
ACTUALLY, THEY WERE ONE OF THE FIRST ONES.
'CAUSE OF THE MOUNT LAUREL CASE, THEY EXPIRED.
AND THE TOWN TRIED TO BUY AN EXTENSION.
HE WOULDN'T EVEN CONSIDER IT NO AMOUNT.
'CAUSE HE'S NOW GOT MARKET HOUSING COMING ON THAT HE CAN SELL EVERY YEAR FOR THE NEXT, I DON'T HAVE MANY YEARS.
THAT'S NOBODY WOULD'VE INVEST IT IN AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT UNLESS THERE WAS A RATE OF RETURN THAT THEY COULD ESTIMATE BASED ON 30 YEARS OF PAYING.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S A, IT'S A BUSINESS.
[01:25:01]
WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SPEAKER, SIR.WOULD I WILL GET TO YOU, SIR, AND I WILL DEFINITELY GET TO YOU.
AT, AT THE RISK OF FACING A BACKLASH, LITERALLY, UH, TO, UH, CHANGE THE TOPIC A BIT.
UH, I CAME BY TO CONGRATULATE MY GOOD FRIENDS, UH, CATHERINE AND RAY COX JOINING THE COUNCIL.
AND OF COURSE, MIKE, STAN AND MAN, ARE MY OLD TIME GOOD FRIENDS.
SO I CONGRATULATE YOU, UH, UH, AND YOUR, UH, FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS, MICHELLE AND BERNIE AMAL.
WE ARE SAYING, I'M THE STATE LEGISLATOR ASSEMBLY MEMBER NEXT DOOR.
UH, BEFORE JOINING THE STATE, UH, UH, ASSEMBLY, I SERVED AS A COUNTY FREEHOLDER AND COMMISSIONER FOR SEVEN PLUS YEARS.
SO I'M FAMILIAR WITH THIS AREA.
FELT LIKE I, UH, SHOULDN'T, UH, COME BY AND JOIN THE, UH, HISTORIC MEETING AND CONGRATULATE MY FRIEND.
SO, BEST WISHES AND CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE ON THIS, UH, STAGE.
AND I'M SURE YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS ARE WAITING, UH, AT SOME POINT TO GO AND CELEBRATE.
WE KEEP THINGS VERY LIGHT TO CELEBRATE THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND THE BEST WISHES FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR.
I'M GONNA, AND THEN SIR, YOU'LL BE NEXT.
UH, DAVID LARS, NINE ATKINSON COURT.
THAT, UH, THE SEED NEW FACES UP HERE.
THIS IS, THIS IS A GOOD THING.
SO I DO WANNA TALK ABOUT THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
I, I THINK IF TOMORROW DOESN'T WORK OUT IN THAT FAVOR, I, I THINK THAT THERE SHOULD BE A, A, A PLAN HERE WHERE WE FILE FOR AN EXTENSION.
AND I THINK UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF MOVING THIS PROJECT, PART OF IT FROM THE LTY FARM, UM, TO ANOTHER LOCATION THAT'S ALREADY BEING CHOSEN, NOT FAR FROM THERE UNDER, UH, LIKE AT WHAT POINT DID YOU GUYS KNOW THAT YOU WEREN'T GONNA DO THE LAB REFORM THAT YOU WERE GONNA SWITCH DECEMBER 8TH, I BELIEVE, WAS THE FILING A MONTH AGO.
THAT WAS WHEN WE, THAT WAS WHEN THE FAIR SHARE APPROVED THE, THE, THE PLAN WITH THE CHANGE IN IT.
UM, YOU RECALL THAT I HAD ADVISED EXECUTIVE SESSION MONTHS BEFORE? YES, SIR.
UM, AND I GAVE THEM EVERY OPPORTUNITY.
I BEGGED THEM TO WORK OUT THEIR DIFFERENCES SO THEY COULD DO IT INSTEAD OF THE OTHER SITE, BUT THEY WOULDN'T DO IT.
'CAUSE YOU UNDERSTAND THE STATE GUIDELINES.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING WITH THE FOURTH ROUND IS HONESTLY, STAY WHERE YOU'RE BUILDING AND GO UP, NOT TAKE EXACTLY WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING.
THE STATE'S SAYING THAT'S NOT IN THEIR WISHES.
SO IT WOULD MAKE SENSE TO STAY ON 70, YOU KNOW, AND NOT GO FURTHER IN.
SO WHATEVER THE CASE IS, IT CHANGED UP.
SO THEN THIS GET, THIS PLAN GETS CHANGED DECEMBER, THAT'S WHEN YOU GUYS GET THAT.
YOU'RE GONNA, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO PICK A NEW LOCATION.
AND THAT'S ALL DONE IN SUCH A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
AND OUR ORIGINAL PLAN INCLUDED THE
IT TOOK US MONTHS TO GET THAT
THERE ARE, THERE ARE SEVERAL STAKEHOLDER HOLDERS, PRIVATE STAKEHOLDERS, THAT ARE WILLING TO GIVE UP THEIR PROPERTY FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UM, WE CHOSE THE THREE THAT WE ORIGINALLY CHOSE.
ONE WAS NOT ABLE TO GAIN THE CERTIFICATE THEY NEEDED.
SO WE HAD TO SEEK AN ALTERNATE SITE.
AND THERE WAS, THERE'S ALMOST NO SITES.
I MEAN, THERE ARE VERY FEW SITES EVEN EVEN AVAILABLE.
WHICH WOULD BE A GOOD ARGUMENT WITH THE STATE.
THERE IS SUCH THING AS A VACANT LAND.
I THINK WE PROBABLY TALK ABOUT THIS.
THERE IS SUCH THING AS A VACANT LAND ADJUSTER.
YOU CAN GO TO THE COURT AND SAY, DEFER MY OBLIGATION.
BECAUSE I DON'T, WHY DON'T THEY VACANT LAND PROBLEM IS ALL THEY NEED IS A BUILDER TO COME FORWARD AND SAY, NOW WE HERE, WE'RE WILLING TO DO IT.
NO, I, YOU COULD FILE FOR AN EXTENSION AND STILL, STILL HAVE YOUR, UH, PROTECTION, WHICH YOU CAN.
AND, AND IF YOU LOOK, IF YOU LOOK THIS UP, IF YOU SWITCH LOCATIONS, IF AN AREA FAILS AND YOU MOVE THE LOCATION, RIGHT, YOU UNDER THIS, YOU CAN FILE FOR A ONE YEAR EXTENSION AND KEEP PROTECTION.
AND HONESTLY, THAT PROBABLY WOULD'VE BEEN THE BEST ADVICE HERE
[01:30:01]
BECAUSE YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A REASON TO SLOW THIS WHOLE THING DOWN.BECAUSE WE HAVE ALL THESE DATES.
SO YOU HAVE A LEGITIMATE REASON TO AT LEAST ASK FOR AN EXTENSION FOR A ONE YEAR EXTENSION.
AND THAT'LL BUY THE RESIDENTS AND YOU GUYS SOME TIME TO REALLY GO OVER THESE NUMBERS.
BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THE STATE SET THESE LINE, THESE GUIDELINES AND THESE DATES.
THE PROBLEM IS THE PROCESS THAT I HATE LOOKING AT HOW WE GOT HERE AND THE FACT THAT IT WAS QUIET AND IT WAS CLEAR THAT THIS WAS COMING.
WE WEREN'T GONNA GET AWAY AROUND THIS.
AND SO THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION'S DECISION WAS WHAT TO DO.
SO I REALLY HOPE THAT YOU DIG DEEP INTO THIS.
I'VE HEARD FOR A LONG TIME THE SEWER SYSTEM IS AT ITS CAPACITY.
I'VE BEEN TOLD BY RESIDENTS, I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY WOULD LIE TO ME.
THESE ARE, YOU KNOW, I DON'T, I DOUBT I'M BEING LIED TO IF WE'RE BEING TOLD THAT SEWER SYSTEM CAN HANDLE THIS INFLUX AND WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE TO BUILD ONTO IT.
IF THAT'S WRONG, WHO, WHO, WHO IS MAKING THAT DECISION? WHO IS SAYING THE SEWER SYSTEM CAN HANDLE THIS? THAT WOULD BE ME.
HOW YOU DOING MR. NOLL? I'M DOING FINE.
UH, WE HAVE THE, WE HAVE THE CAPACITY.
SO, WELL, LET ME EXPLAIN THE PROCESS.
SO WE HAVE TO DO SEWER, SEWER SERVICE, AMENDMENT, 'CAUSE A PORTION OF SUMMER OR ALL THESE PROPERTIES ARE NOT IN THE SEWER SERVICE AREA.
SO WE HAVE TO JUSTIFY TO THE STATE THAT WE HAVE THE CAPACITY.
THE STATE HAS ALL THE DATA FROM THE PLANT.
WE LOOK AT IT ON A MONTHLY BASIS AND THEY'LL EVALUATE WHERE, WHETHER WE HAVE THE CAPACITY OR NOT.
IN MY OPINION, WE DO HAVE THE, THE CAPACITY FOR THESE THREE DEVELOPMENTS.
AND THE STATE WILL ALSO LOOK AT IT WHEN WE DO OUR TREATMENT WORKS APPROVAL.
AND THAT THAT'S SUBMITTED BY THE DEVELOPERS.
SO THERE'S ABOUT THREE LEVELS OF REVIEW ON IT.
WOULDN'T IT BE A GOOD IDEA TO SAY THE SEWER SYSTEM'S AT CAPACITY TO THE STATE? I HAVE TO TELL.
I MEAN, WHO CARES? THEY'RE NOT.
I'M JUST SAYING YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE WELL, THE DEVELOPMENT, COME ON.
WE COULD SAY, HEY, I AM BEING HONEST.
THE SEWER SYSTEM, WE'VE HAD SOME PROBLEMS WITH IT.
I HAVE A FUNNY FEELING THAT WE'RE GOING TO HEAR IN 15 YEARS THAT THE SEWER SYSTEM, WE NEED TO GET $50 MILLION OR WHATEVER IT'S GONNA COST FOR A SEWER SYSTEM.
AND, AND I BELIEVE THE PEOPLE THAT, THAT HAVE ASKED TO HOOK UP TO THE SEWER WERE TOLD IT'S AT CAPACITY.
I BELIEVE THEM OVER THE TOWNSHIP.
IF YOU HAVE ANY INDIVIDUAL THAT STATED THAT, HAVEN'T GIVEN ME A CALL AND THEY'LL TALK TO ME, THEY CERTAINLY WILL NOT BECAUSE OF RETALIATION AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
IT'LL RETALIATED AGAINST, AGAINST I I WELL, IT'S PUBLIC RECORDS AT THAT POINT.
SO THEY COULD TALK TO ME AT MY OFFICE.
I WOULD, I WOULD ASK FOR AN EXTENSION.
THAT'S THE RESPONSIBLE THING TO DO FOR GROWNUPS, BECAUSE THIS IS GOING TO GO IN FRONT OF THE PLANNING BOARD.
AND NEXT THING YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO RUSH THROUGH THAT.
WHAT KIND OF PLANNING THIS HAPPEN? IT'S STOP PLANNING.
DON'T, DON'T LET THE STATE PUSH US AROUND.
IF THERE'S ISSUES, LET'S ADDRESS IT.
LET'S USE THE TOOLS THAT THEY'RE GIVING YOU.
THERE'RE SAYING THERE ARE, YOU CAN GET EXTENSIONS.
IT SEEMS LIKE A RESPONSIBLE THING TO DO.
AND I HOPE TOMORROW THAT STUFF, I, IT'S, IT'S A DIFFERENT ATMOSPHERE.
SO I KNOW THAT MOUNT LAUREL DOCTRINE'S HOW OLD? 70, 50 YEARS ALMOST.
CONGRATS RAYMOND AND MICHELLE AND, UH, CATHERINE FOR YOUR APPOINTMENTS.
YOU CAN, ARE YOU COMFORTABLE STATING YOUR NAME AND YOUR, OH, SORRY.
IT'S RYAN, WINTER MUTE 21 BANK STREET.
ON THE AGENDA, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE FORMER PINELANDS LIBRARY.
WERE THERE VALUATIONS DONE ON THAT PROPERTY? HOW IS THE ONLY WAY TO GET THOSE THROUGH A PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST? I'M ASKING YES, THEY ARE PART THAT, THAT PARCEL IS PART OF A REDEVELOPMENT SITE.
AND TO HAVE IT PART OF THAT SITE AND BE SOLD, WE NEEDED TWO INDEPENDENT.
TYPICALLY WHEN SOMEBODY PAYS AN OFFER IN, IF COUNCIL ACCEPTS THE OFFER, I'M, THEY'LL PROBABLY GET THEIR OWN APPRAISAL.
HE'S ASKING FOR THE EVALUATION OF THE PROPERTY APPRAISAL EVALUATION.
EITHER THE APPRAISAL, WE HAD ONE APPRAISAL HAVE ONE, AND WE ALSO HAVE ONE BID.
[01:35:01]
ONE PROPOSAL.I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT THE APPRAISALS.
'CAUSE I KNOW FROM THE LAST PROPERTY THAT WAS PUT UP, THERE WERE THREE APPRAISALS DONE.
AND I JUST WANTED TO KNOW WHERE THOSE APPRAISALS ARE AVAILABLE.
IF THEY'RE LIKE PUBLIC INFORMATION, JUST PUBLIC RECORDS REQUESTS OVER REQUEST.
UM, I WOULD ASK THAT IN THE FUTURE, IF THE TOWN COUNCIL COULD MAKE A WAY TO HAVE THAT INFORMATION JUST READILY AVAILABLE TO THE CITIZENS.
SO WE DON'T HAVE TO KIND OF LIKE, GUESS WHEN IT'S DONE OR AN APPRAISAL'S DONE.
AND THEN WE COULD COME HERE AND HAVE AN ABILITY TO ACTUALLY HAVE AN OPEN DIALOGUE ABOUT OUR THOUGHTS ABOUT APPRAISALS.
WE, WE CAN TURN IT AROUND QUICKLY.
IT'S, YEAH, BUT I, I JUST MEAN LIKE, HOW DO I KNOW WHEN AN APPRAISAL'S DONE BEFORE I KNOW THE PROPERTY SOLD AND I CAN'T COMMENT.
IT WAS, THE APPRAISAL WAS DONE LAST YEAR, EARLY LAST YEAR.
SO AS PART OF A REDEVELOPMENT PLAN.
IT, IT WAS PART OF OUR, OUR REQUEST TO, FOR YOUR APPROVAL TO PUT IT OUT TO THE PUBLIC AND PUBLISH THE RFP TO THE PUBLIC FOR ANY, ANY INTERESTED PROPOSERS TO USE THE PROPERTY AND ACQUIRE IT.
UH, SO YOU'RE SAYING YOU NEED THE APPRAISAL BEFORE IT CAN BE RF RFPD? UM, WE GOT THE APPRAISAL DONE JUST SO WE'D HAVE A, AN IDEA OF WHAT THE VALUE OF IT IS.
OH, I'LL SHARE AN ANDO ABOUT T BOULEVARD.
WHEN I WAS LEARNING TO DRIVE 17 YEARS AGO, I WAS ALWAYS TOLD, DON'T DISPUTE ON THAT ROAD, YOU'RE GONNA GET A TICKET,
AND SO IT'S REFRESHING TO KNOW NOW THAT, UM, YOU CAN'T SPEED ON THAT ROAD.
ANYONE ELSE? I LOST, I, I KNOW THE LADY IN THE BACK WAS NEXT.
UM, WE'LL GO YOU AND THEN GOOD EVENING.
UM, CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, WHAT YOU BRING TO NEXT YEAR.
WE'RE HOPING BRING THAT MICROPHONE DOWN FOR US.
UM, I THINK I'M HOPING THAT BEING THAT YOU COME TOGETHER AND YOU DON'T AND YOU PUT YOUR PARTIES ASIDE.
NOW I'M PIGGYBACKING ONTO A, KIM, ARE YOU COMFORTABLE STATING ANY PORTION OF YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS? OH, LISA FISTER, TWO 13 CHURCH ROAD.
SO I'M PIGGYBACKING ONTO WHAT KIM WAS TRYING TO FINISH ON DECEMBER 8TH.
THE TOWNSHIP SIGNED AN AGREEMENT WITH THE FAIR SHARE, AND IT SAYS HERE, THE TOWNSHIP WILL PROVIDE RESTRICTIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS OF OCCUPANCY FOR THE BUILT UNITS ALLOCATED FORWARD PRIOR TO ROUND, PRIOR ROUND AND THIRD ROUND.
SO, UM, WHAT WE WANNA KNOW IS, AS RESIDENTS, CAN WE DEEP DIVE DEEPER INTO THIS AND THEN COME TO YOU WITH OUR SUGGESTIONS.
UM, THIS IS ALL PUBLIC INFORMATION AND THIS WOULD BE FREE OF CHARGE THAT SOME RESIDENTS WOULD GET TOGETHER AND THEY WOULD LOOK INTO SOME OTHER OPTIONS.
IT'S JUST ASKING TO DO IT FOR FREE TO COME AND SUGGEST SOMETHING FAIR SHARE.
BECAUSE ACCORDING TO THIS, WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT, UM, IN COMPLIANCE NO, NO, NO, NO.
ONE OF THE CONDITIONS OF THE FAIR SHARE CERTIFICATION AGREEMENT WAS THAT WE PROVIDE PROOF THAT OUR, THE UNITS ARE ALREADY BILLED, HAVE THE DEED RESTRICTIONS ON THEM.
BUT AS RESIDENTS, WE JUST WANNA DO THIS FOR FREE.
WE WANNA DEEP DIVE, UM, DIVE DEEPER INTO THIS AGREEMENT'S.
WE CAN YEAH, I I I'LL CERTAINLY CAN.
I DON'T WANNA SPEAK FOR COUNCIL, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THAT ANYONE UP HERE OR THERE ANYWHERE WOULD HAVE AN OBJECTION TO A GROUP OF RESIDENTS COMING TOGETHER AND PREPARING A REPORT IN WHICH THEY'RE LOOKING FOR ANSWERS.
BUT IF I MAY, IF I MAY, I, IF, IF THERE IS GOING TO BE A FORMULATED GROUP, WHICH I UNDERSTAND THERE ALREADY IS AS COUNSEL OR AS ANYONE RECEIVING THIS INFORMATION, I WOULD HOPE IT COMES IN A FINAL DRAFT IN WHICH YOU'RE CLEARLY STATING, UM, THE MATTERS IN WHICH YOU'D LIKE TO DISCUSS.
UM, AND I, THIS IS NOT A CRITICISM.
THIS IS ACTUALLY NO, WELL, I'M, I'M KIND OF PIGGYBACK.
I DIDN'T EXPECT TO, I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE MEETINGS THAT, THAT MS
[01:40:01]
I'M PIGGYBACKING ON THIS IN THE LAST FIVE MINUTES.I'M, AND I'LL GIVE YOU YOUR TIME BACK.
BUT, UM, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW WHERE IT STARTS AND ENDS.
SOMETIMES IT, IT BECOMES VERY CYCLICAL.
SO IF, IF YOU CAN COME TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY GROUP AND PRESENT US A FINAL REPORT IN WHICH YOU'RE INTERESTED IN GETTING THE DETAILS OF THAT CLARIFIED OR YOU HAVE SUGGESTIONS WE'LL RECEIVE, WELL OF COURSE WE'LL RECEIVE THAT, THAT INFORMATION.
BUT WE'LL, WE'LL NEED MORE THAN FIVE MINUTES.
AND THAT'S WHY, YOU KNOW, TO PRESENT THIS AND THAT WAY IT WON'T BE, YOU KNOW, THIS PERSON GETTING UP, THAT PERSON GETTING UP AND THIS PERSON GETTING UP.
OR EVEN, EVEN LIKE THE TIME, YOU KNOW, I'M PIGGYBACKING ONTO THIS 'CAUSE KIM'S TIME RAN OUT.
AND I'M PICKING THIS UP, YOU KNOW, WITH THIS INFORMATION IN THE LAST TWO MINUTES.
I DON'T WANNA SPEAK FOR THE REST OF COUNCIL, BUT IT, I I I WOULD IMAGINE THE MARCH 17TH TOWN HALL MEETING, OKAY.
WE COULD, WE COULD DEFINITELY ALLOCATE TIME TO YOUR GROUP TO PRESENT MARCH 17TH OKAY.
TO PRESENT THE, THE INFORMATION THAT, THAT YOU'RE PRODUCING.
AND, AND I, YOU KNOW, NOT FOR ME, BUT YOU'RE TALKING THIS MOUNT WAR 50 AGREEMENT 50 YEARS AGO.
SO THE BUILDERS BUILT, THEY ALREADY GOT THEIR MONEY BY BUILDING FOUR HOMES FOR ONE.
AND NOW THEY'RE HOLDING ONTO HOMES AND THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE EVEN MORE MONEY.
SO, I MEAN, I'M NOT, IT'S NOT YOUR CRITICISM AND JUST LIKE, LIKE THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM.
THIS IS A BUILDER'S DREAM COME TRUE FOR NEW JERSEY.
THEY ARE GOING TO BUILD AND BUILD AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO RUN OUT IN 30 YEARS AND WE GOTTA TAKE UP MORE LAND TO BUILD.
WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE ANY ROOM HERE.
WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO GROW.
WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE ANY FARMS. WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE ANYTHING.
WE'RE GONNA BE NOTHING BUT HOUSING.
I MEAN, AND NEW JERSEY, WE CAN'T, CAN'T AFFORD TO LIVE HERE AS IT IS.
I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE MOVING OUT OF NEW JERSEY.
SO, I MEAN, IT JUST MAKES NO SENSE.
WHY WOULD YOU BUILD ON EVERY PIECE OF LAND YOU HAVE? THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO END UP HAPPENING.
I DRIVE DOWN THE ROAD NOW AND I SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, 10 YEARS FROM NOW, I GUARANTEE YOU THAT'S GONE.
AND I TRY TO TAKE IN AND MY, I DRIVE EARLY IN THE MORNING TO WORK AND I JUST TAKE IN THE VIEW BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S GOING AWAY.
AND WITH THE MOUNT LAURA DOCTRINE, THAT'S, IT'S, IT'S A BUILDER'S DREAM.
SECOND OF ALL, YOU HAVE, RUMOR HAS IT, DR. HORTON IS GOING TO BE THE BUILDER FOR, UM, BEHIND THE, UM, CHALLENGERS, CHALLENG CHALLENGERS.
SO, UH, JUST SO YOU KNOW, THERE ARE QUITE A FEW, QUITE A FEW OTHER STATES THAT THEY'RE BEING SUED.
JUST SO IF YOU SAY YOU HAVE CONTROL, I DON'T KNOW WHO'S GOING TO BE INSPECTING THE MATERIALS THEY'RE USING.
BECAUSE THERE ARE HOMES IN ARIZONA WHERE THE ARIZONA OR FLORIDA WHERE THE HOMEOWNERS ARE SUING THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE MOLD INFESTED.
SO I DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR THAT WE HAVE PEOPLE COME INTO THE COMMUNITY, SAVE ALL THIS TIME TO BUY A BEAUTIFUL HOME IN MEDFORD.
AND THEN THEY'RE DEALING WITH HOMES THAT AREN'T BUILT CORRECTLY.
SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT, I MEAN, TO SOME EXTENT THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN.
BUT IF THIS IS THE BUILDER THAT'S GOING TO BE BU BUILDING, 'CAUSE I SEE THEY NOW HAVE A, A NICE BIG OFFICE IN MOUNT WALL.
AND WHAT KIND OF MATERIAL ARE THEY USING? I'M JUST SAYING IF WE HAVE CONTROL, WE NEED TO LET OUR INSPECTORS KNOW AND THEY NEED TO DO THEIR RESEARCH ON THIS BUILDER AND THEIR PAST HISTORY.
BECAUSE I THINK IT'S LIKE FIVE STATES WHERE THEY HAVE BUILT HOMES THAT JUST ARE SUB THEY'RE NOT EVEN LIVABLE.
MY LAST QUESTION IS, HAVE WE CALLED THE WOMAN ABOUT, BECAUSE SEE WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE IS ACTION ITEMS. A WOMAN CAME UP HERE, SHE COMPLAINED ABOUT HER SEWER SMELL COMING BACK UP INTO HER HOUSE.
HAS THAT BEEN ADDRESSED? THIS IS MY, I PASSED THAT COMMENT ON TO PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR THE NEXT MORNING.
THE NEXT TIME THE MEETING, I'M GONNA ASK AGAIN BECAUSE I'LL CHECK, I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE SOME ACTION ITEMS HERE.
DO YOU KNOW IF SHE'S STILL HAVING AN ISSUE? UM, I HAVEN'T RAN INTO HER.
I'VE LOOKED FOR HER QUITE OFTEN.
I ASKED HIM TO GIMME A CALL IF THERE'S ANY ISSUES.
HE DID NOT CALL ME BACK, BUT I DID TALK TO, I WOULD LIKE YOU TO JUST NEXT DAY FOLLOW UP AND MAKE SURE THAT AT LEAST SHE HAS BEEN CALLED AND SOMETHING HAS SOME TYPE OF RESOLUTION.
IF IT'S HER RESPONSIBILITY, IF IT'S THE TOWN'S RESPONSIBILITY, WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY IS THIS? I'LL FIND OUT.
[01:45:08]
HI, MY NAME IS RAY ELLI, TWO 12 TAUNTON BOULEVARD.UH, IT'S ABOUT THE, UH, SPEEDING, I GUESS IN LAKE PINE TAUNTON BOULEVARD, THE ONE MILE STRETCH.
UM, BACK IN AUGUST, I WENT TO THE COUNTY MEETING AND, UH, REQUESTED A NEW TRAFFIC STUDY FOR CALMING METHODS TO BE IMPLEMENTED.
AND THEY SUGGESTED I COME HERE, WHICH I DID IN SEPTEMBER, I BELIEVE.
AND I JUST WANTED TO CHECK THE STATUS OF THE TRAFFIC STUDY, IF THAT'S BEING IMPLEMENTED, IF ANYTHING HAS GONE FORTH ON THAT.
UM, I ALSO WANTED TO CHECK, EXCUSE ME, THE STATUS OF THE CROSSWALK.
UH, POTENTIALLY AT, AT THE BOW RAVAGE PINE.
YOU KNOW, GROWING UP ON THE EAST SIDE OF LAKE PINE AND TAUNTON LAKES, NOW I'M ON THE WEST SIDE.
I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE TRAFFIC FLOW, IN WHICH MEAN OVER THE LAST 60 YEARS, UM, OF COURSE THE MARTON BYPASS KINGS GRANT, THAT, THAT REALLY MADE AN IMPACT OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.
THE TWO POINTS I THINK THAT I'D LIKE TO MAKE IS THE SOUTH END AND THE NORTH END.
THAT'S WHERE THE SPEEDING STARTS.
SO YOU'RE AT THE SEVEN 11 AT THE SOUTH END WHERE THOMAS AND MILL, HOPEWELL AND TOTON BOULEVARD, THEY INTERSECT.
ONCE SOMEONE MAKES THE LEFT OFF OF, OFF, OFF OF KINGS GRAND OR THOMASON MILL OR MAKES THE RIGHT OFF OF HOPEWELL, THAT'S WHEN THE SPEEDING BEGINS.
UM, AND THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS YOU HAVE A BALL FIELD THAT'S RIGHT THERE.
THEN YOU HAVE THE TENNIS COURT.
IT'S ABOUT 50 YARDS UP AND A CROSSWALK THERE.
AND THE CROSSWALK IS VERY BUSY.
'CAUSE WE HAVE THE SOUTH BEACH.
THAT'S THE ACCESS TO THE SOUTH BEACH.
UM, WHEN I WENT TO THE COUNTY MEETING, I TALKED TO, UH, UH, TO, TO JOE BRICKLEY AND I HAD SUGGESTED SPEED HUMPS, NOT THROUGHOUT TAUNTON BOULEVARD, BUT MAYBE AT THAT, THE PORTION RIGHT BY THE BALL FIELD TO LET PEOPLE KNOW, SAID THERE WOULDN'T BE ANY COST OF THE SPEED HUMP FOR THEM TO INSTALL IT, BUT FOR THEM TO, TO TAKE IT OUT THERE WOULD BE A COST TO THE TOWNSHIP.
SO I THOUGHT THAT WAS INTERESTING.
UM, AND A SPEED HUMP AT THE NORTH END, RIGHT BEFORE THE DIP BY THE TAUNTON FORD SHOPPING CENTER.
THAT'S WHERE THE SPEEDING BEGINS.
WHEN PEOPLE GO THROUGH THE TRAFFIC LIGHT, THAT'S WHEN THEY, THAT'S WHEN THEY FLOOR IT.
SO AT EITHER END, I'M THINKING THIS IS BASED ON EXPERIENCE.
LIKE I SAID, GROWING UP HERE, YOU KNOW, 60 YEARS, I'VE SEEN IT GET PROGRESSIVELY WORSE.
UM, I THINK THAT WOULD SEND A MESSAGE TO THE DRIVERS, THE SPEEDERS, YOU KNOW, DO 30 MILES AN HOUR.
OF COURSE, WE'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO GET IT DOWN TO 25.
I BELIEVE IT WAS 35, YOU KNOW, FOR MANY YEARS UNTIL THE ACCIDENT, THERE WAS SOMEONE, THERE WAS, UM, A YOUNG MAN WHO WAS CROSSING OVER AND HE WAS PUT IN A WHEELCHAIR.
AND I THINK HE JUST PASSED AWAY ABOUT 18 MONTHS AGO.
AND HE GOT HIT BY THE BOW RAVAGE CONSTRUCTION TRAFFIC.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE GONNA CHANGE THAT, BUT IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE.
UM, BACK IN AUGUST, THERE WAS, UM, A TRACTOR TRAILER.
SO THERE WAS A CONSTRUCTION TRUCK WITH A TRAILER WITH A BACKHOE ON TOP OF THE TRAILER.
AND IT BECAME SEPARATED BY THE MAIN BEACH RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SUMMER.
AND IT WAS ROLLING ABOUT 50 YARDS DOWN DOWN TAUNT BOULEVARD.
IT LOOKED LIKE A MAD MAX MOVIE.
SO, SO I APPROACH IT AND WE APPROACH IT AS THE RESIDENTS OF LAKE PINE AS A SAFETY ISSUE.
THE DOG WALKERS, PEDESTRIANS, YOU KNOW, THE CYCLISTS, AND OF COURSE THE, YOU KNOW, THE DRIVERS.
PATRICK MURRAY 13 BROWNING COURT.
UH, DANIEL, THANK YOU FOR CATCHING ME UP TO SPEED.
UH, MY FIRST TOWN COUNCIL MEETING WAS THE LAST ONE, AND THAT WAS A PRETTY EXCITING ONE TO ATTEND.
UM, I'M STILL, I'M, I'M JUST TRYING TO WRAP MY HEAD AROUND THE NUMBERS ASPECT, AND I WAS KIND OF LOOKING AT THE PLANS.
[01:50:01]
WHAT I'M HAVING A HARD TIME UNDERSTANDING, SO 171 IS THE NUMBER OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT NEEDS TO BE BUILT.UH, THE TOTAL NUMBER IN THE FOURTH ROUND IS 788.
SO CAN YOU JUST TALK ME THROUGH HOW 171 IS NOW 788? I I DON'T WANNA TAKE UP YOUR TIME, BUT I WILL ANSWER THAT QUESTION PLEASE.
UM, THE TOWN HAS AN OBLIGATION TO BUILD 171 AFFORDABLE UNITS TO DO THAT.
THE TOWN DOES NOT HAVE A MECHANISM TO BUILD THOSE HOMES THEMSELVES.
WE DON'T HAVE THE LAND, WE DON'T HAVE THE, THE FUNDS TO BUILD THOSE HOMES.
WE DON'T HAVE THE THE PERSONNEL TO DO THAT.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE DO AS A MUNICIPALITY.
SO WE, THROUGH FAIR SHARE, UM, STAKEHOLDERS AND BUILDERS COME TOGETHER AND PRESENT US OPTIONS SO THEY CAN BUILD THESE UNITS FOR US.
STATE ALLOWS THE BILLER TO BUILD FOUR ADDITIONAL MARKET RATE HOMES FOR EVERY ONE AFFORDABLE HOME THAT WE NEED THEM TO BUILD.
SO THAT'S HOW YOU GO FROM 1 71 TO EXCUSE THE NUMBER 7 85.
SO THE STATE ALLOWS THEM TO DO 4, 4, 1 PLUS FOUR IS THE WAY I DO IT IN MY CASE.
THINK OF IT THIS WAY, IF A BUILDER HAS A HUNDRED HOUSES, 20% OF THEM, 20 OF 'EM HAVE TO BE AFFORDABLE.
80 CAN BE SOLD AS MARKET RATE.
AND THAT'S JUST, THAT'S A STATE FORMULA.
AND THEN SO THAT'S THE MOUNT LAUREL DOCUMENT, RIGHT? I JUST, I I'M NOT, I'M STILL NOT UNDERSTANDING HOW IT, IT, THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN PUSH BACK ON AS TO THE BUILDER THAT WE'RE WHAT'S THAT? I MEAN NO, YOU JUST HAVE TO SAY, OKAY, THE BUILDER NEEDS TO, WELL, WELL YOU UNDERSTAND THE THEORY, THE, THE EXAMPLE I GAVE YOU, THE A HUNDRED HOUSES, 20 OF 'EM HAVE TO BE AFFORDABLE.
SO THOSE, THEY, THEY GAVE 'EM A BONUS DENSITY SO THEY CAN BUILD 80 SO THEY CAN SUBSIDIZE THE 20 THAT THEY HAVE TO SELL FOR LESS THAN THE COST TO BUILD THEM.
SO 171 TIMES FOUR IS, WELL, YOU CAN'T USE THOSE NUMBERS BECAUSE WE GOT BONUS CREDITS.
SO I MEAN, THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF BEING BUILT IS 146, SO OF, OF, OF THE 1 71, BECAUSE WE GOT BONUS CREDITS FOR DOING THREE BEDROOM AFFORDABLES, THAT KIND OF THING.
SO THAT'S THE NUMBER THAT YOU HAVE TO FOCUS ON.
BUT THE 171 IS THE NUMBER WE USED FOR THE SET ASIDE FOR THE 4 0 1.
NOT, STILL, NOT SURE IF I FOLLOWED, BUT, AND, AND SIR, JUST JUST KEEP IN MIND, YEAH.
I HAD NO IDEA ABOUT ANY OF THIS PRIOR TO GETTING ON COUNCIL
SO, UM, I STOOD THERE A FEW TIMES AS YOU HAVE, I'M HERE NOW.
I UNDERSTAND THE NUMBERS A LITTLE BIT BETTER THAN YOU DO, NO OFFENSE.
AND IT IS A VERY COMPLEX THING TO WRAP YOUR HEAD AROUND.
UM, YES, I'VE BEEN ASKED THAT QUESTION A HUNDRED TIMES AND I DON'T THINK THE COMMUNITY UNDERSTANDS QUITE HOW THE WHOLE THING WORKS.
UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S TIME TO USE MEDIA MAYBE, OR BOOKLET OR, OR SOMETHING THAT IS SIMPLISTIC.
SO THE ORDINARY PERSON WHO JUST BOUGHT A HOUSE AND PAYS TAXES UNDERSTANDS IT'S, IT'S ALMOST LIKE IT'S MAGIC.
IS THAT HOW YOU FEEL? YEAH, I MEAN, JUST, I GET CONFUSED TOO.
EVEN BEING HERE TONIGHT AND TAKING TIME AWAY FROM, YOU KNOW, INSTEAD OF READING STORIES TO MY CHILDREN TONIGHT, I'M HERE TRYING TO JUST EDUCATE MYSELF.
SO MAYBE HE CAN THINK OF SOME WAY WE'VE TRIED REAL HARD.
THERE'S A Q AND A ON THE COUNCIL WEBSITE.
UNDER AFFORDABLE HOUSING, THE TAB, THERE'S A Q AND A ON THERE, THERE'S A, A SYNOPSIS.
WE'VE TRIED VERY HARD TO TRY TO EXPLAIN IT THAT THE, THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE AND, AND, UM, JUST TO EVERYONE'S POINT HERE, IT IS AN EXTREMELY COMPLEX FORMULA AND SITUATION, ESPECIALLY FOR MEDFORD.
WE'RE, WE'RE, I, AGAIN, I I'VE WROTE IT DOWN A FEW TIMES.
BUT GOING FROM ZERO DENSITY FARMS WHERE THERE'S NO HOMES, THERE'S TREES AND PASTURE AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE TO WHAT IS PROPOSED TO BE BUILT LIKE THAT JUST DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE.
WHY WOULD WE POSSIBLY DO THAT? AND THERE ARE THESE FORMULAS AND REQUIREMENTS THAT WE HAVE THAT FORCE THESE THINGS TO HAPPEN.
I GIVE YOU A LOT OF CREDIT FOR EVEN OPENING IT UP AND LOOKING IN UNDER THE HOOD.
UM, WE, WE WILL DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO CONTROL THESE NUMBERS THE BEST WE CAN.
AND, UM, I APPRECIATE YOU COMING UP.
AT ANY TIME BECAUSE I'M LEARNING TOO.
[01:55:07]
OH, I'M SORRY.THIS GENTLEMAN HAD HIS HAND UP A FEW TIMES.
WE, SIR, WE'LL GET TO YOU NEXT.
UH, SO FIRST AND FOREMOST, EVERYBODY SAID CONGRATULATIONS.
BUT I DO NOT ENVY YOUR CURRENT SEATS.
UM, MY BIG THING, MY NAME IS ALEX SEEDING LIVE AT ONE HADDINGTON WAY.
UH, I UNDERSTAND WE CAN'T REALLY GET WAY OF THIS TRAIN.
IT'S GONNA HIT US NO MATTER WHAT.
SO I'VE SEEN A LOT OF PLANS, A LOT OF DRAWINGS FOR THE HOMES THAT ARE TO BE BUILT, BUT NONE FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE.
UH, I DON'T KNOW WHEN THE LAST TIME ANYBODY DROVE DOWN FOSTER TOWN ROAD WAS NOT REALLY A GREAT PLACE TO HAVE A WHOLE LOT MORE TRAFFIC.
I THINK YOU CAN ALL AGREE ON THAT, RIGHT? UH, I'VE ALSO YET TO SEE ANYTHING THAT SAYS HOW WE'RE GONNA HANDLE THE SCHOOLING, RIGHT? MY WIFE AND I MOVED HERE IN 2021 BECAUSE OF HOW GOOD THE SCHOOLS WERE, BECAUSE OF THE BEAUTY OF THIS TOWN.
'CAUSE OF THAT BUILDING RIGHT BEHIND YOU, A HOUSING COMPLEX ON FOSTER TOWN ROAD, THAT'S NEVER GONNA LOOK THE SAME.
WE HAVE TO GROW, WE HAVE TO CHANGE.
BUT IF WE CAN GET AN EXTENSION JUST TO SEE WHAT THE REST OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS GONNA LOOK LIKE, RIGHT? 'CAUSE THE SCHOOLS ARE ALREADY AT CAPACITY.
WE DON'T HAVE ROOM ON THE ROADS.
WE DON'T EVEN HAVE ACTUAL TRANSPORTATION TO GET PEOPLE ANYWHERE.
SO HOW ARE WE GONNA ADDRESS THAT? THAT'S IF WE CAN MAKE A PLAN TO SEE THAT, THEN THE HOUSING IS GONNA HAPPEN NO MATTER WHAT.
BUT WE CAN'T JUST GO INTO IT BLIND.
UM, SECONDLY, I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO COURT TOMORROW, CORRECT? UM, AND THAT IS GOING TO BE CRUNCHING NUMBERS.
WHAT ELSE IS GONNA BE INVOLVED IN THAT MEETING AND WHERE DO YOU GUYS STAND ON THAT? STAND ON WHAT SPECIFICALLY? WHAT ELSE IS GONNA, OKAY, FIRST AND FOREMOST, WHAT ELSE IS GONNA BE COVERED IN THAT CASE OR IN THAT COURT MEETING? SO MY CONVERSATIONS WITH GOVERNOR MIKE IS THEIR GOAL IS TO ONE, TALK ABOUT HOW THE FORMULA WAS CREATED.
THE CRAZY FORMULA THAT THE JUDGMENT OVER THERE, YOU KNOW, IT'S ONE PLUS ONE, IT'S NOT TWO IN NEW JERSEY, IT'S 2.36421.
SO THEY'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THE FORMULA, THEY'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THE TIMELINES THAT WERE REALLY CRUNCHED TOGETHER.
THERE WAS A BUNCH OF THINGS THAT HAPPENED THAT THEY FEEL THE, AND I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, I'M LEARNING A LOT ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING BECAUSE I'M NEW.
I DON'T KNOW ALL THE DECISIONS THAT THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL, WHY THEY MADE THOSE DECISIONS.
I THINK THEY'RE PEOPLE WHO REALLY LOVE MEDFORD.
UM, BUT FOR ME, I'M LOOKING AT IT FROM THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING SIDE.
SO WHEN YOU ASK WHERE I STAND ON THAT, I TOTALLY SUPPORT GOVERNOR MIKE IN FIGHTING THIS.
THE OTHER GOVERNOR, MAYOR MIKE? NO, NO.
YOU SWITCHED TO THE, SORRY ABOUT THAT AGAIN.
I'VE WORKED BEFORE I CAME HERE, UM, MAYOR OF MIKE, I COULD PUT MYSELF TURNING RED.
THE MAYOR OF VILLE, MAYOR OF MONTVILLE.
UM, OTHERWISE IT'S THE FORMULA, THE TIMELINES, THE MATH, THE DEEDS.
LEMME LOOK AT MY NOTES REAL QUICK.
THE DEEDS IS HIS, ONE OF THEIR OTHER BIGGEST ONES.
UM, SO THEY'RE HOPING FOR AS A BARE MINIMUM TO COME OUT OF TOMORROW WITH AN EXTENSION OF TIMELINES RIGHT OFF THE BAT.
THAT WOULD HELP US TO HIS POINT OVER THERE.
AND A COUPLE OTHER FOLKS, POINT TO YOUR POINT, GIVE US A LITTLE MORE TIME TO LOOK AT THESE THINGS.
HE'S GONNA BRING THAT UP TO MR. PRIME'S POINT.
THEY'VE LOST EVERY CASE SO FAR.
THEY'RE ACTUALLY UP TO 36 TOWNS THAT HAVE NOW JOINED IN.
WE'RE LOOKING AT ANOTHER PINELANDS GROUP.
I LEFT BROWNS MILLS TO COME HERE.
I DON'T WANT THIS FOR MY CHILDREN.
I THINK I CAN SPEAK FOR THE BOARD THAT THEY DON'T WANT IT EITHER.
SO PLEASE KNOW AS MUCH AS THE IDEA THAT YOU GUYS HATE 750 HOUSES.
THEY'RE IN MY BACKYARD, MA'AM.
AND GOD FORBID IF THEY WERE IN MY BACKYARD, I'M LUCKY ENOUGH THAT THEY'RE NOT.
BUT THAT'S JUST MERE COINCIDENCE OF, UM, WHERE I, I CHOSE TO BUY WHAT HOUSE AVAILABLE.
UM, SO YOU ASKED FOR WHERE I STAND.
I THINK AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS IMPORTANT.
NO ONE, MOST OF YOU DON'T KNOW ME.
WE LIVED IN OUR CAR AT ONE POINT.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS IMPORTANT.
THERE'S A REASON THAT I'M WHERE I'M AT TODAY AND IT'S 'CAUSE MY PARENTS TAUGHT ME TO WORK.
WITHOUT THAT, I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE'D BE.
BUT WHAT I DISAGREE WITH SINCE YOU REALLY DID ASK, IS THAT WE NOW HAVE TO HAVE 800.
AND FOR A TOWN LIKE OURS, IT'S SO SPECIAL BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE AMAZON WAREHOUSES AND HOTELS AND ALL THAT OTHER STUFF.
THAT'S WHY WE WANTED TO COME HERE.
COOL FARMS. I CAN GO APPLE PICKING AND I GET PUMPKINS.
I DIDN'T HAVE TO GO FAR WHEN MY CHILDREN WEREN'T BEING REARED HERE TO GO GET A PUMPKIN.
[02:00:01]
RIGHT.THIS MOUNT LAUREL DOCTRINE IS BRUTAL.
AND THE PREMISE THAT IT FIRST STARTED WITH, WITH, I BELIEVE THE WOMAN'S NAME WAS ELOISE OR ELAINE.
'CAUSE ONLY, DO I NOT SAY GOVERNOR'S RIGHT? I DON'T REMEMBER NAMES.
WHERE WE ARE TODAY ISN'T EVEN WHAT SHE WANTED.
I AM GOING TO HELP THIS COUNCIL FIGHT THIS.
I AM GOING TO BE A MEDFORD RESIDENT.
I'M COMPLETELY UNDERSTANDING THAT WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO FIGHT THIS, RIGHT? I WE NOT GONNA, WE'RE WIN GONNA BE RIGHT, LEFT AND CENTER, BUT WE CAN WIN SOFT.
IF WE CAN'T FIGHT IT, CAN WE AT LEAST MITIGATE THE POTENTIAL DOWN THE LINE? WE PAY $22,000 YEAR PERSONALLY IN TAXES.
HOW ARE WE GONNA PAY FOR ANOTHER SCHOOL? HOW ARE WE GONNA PAY FOR MORE TEACHERS? USUALLY THAT GETS PUT ON THE BUILDER, RIGHT? BUT THEY GET TAX DEFERMENTS AND THEY NEVER ACTUALLY DO IT.
SO WE NEED SOMETHING CONCRETE TO SHOW THAT WE'RE GONNA BE CARED FOR AS RESIDENTS AND NOT JUST THE BUILDER'S GONNA COME IN BUILD AND SPLIT.
AND THAT'S A KEY PIECE TOO, TO KEEP THAT PORTION OF THE REDEVELOPMENT THAT WE GET TO SAY, NO, NO, NO.
THEY'RE NOT RUNNING WITH OUR MONEY.
IS THERE A WAY THAT WE CAN INTEGRATE? MAYBE LIKE AS THEY BUILD THESE DEVELOP COMMUNITIES, THEY PUT A SCHOOL IN THAT COMMUNITY, RIGHT? THAT THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE NOT GONNA BE OVERLOADED MORE THAN WE ALREADY ARE.
PART OF THE PROBLEM IS THE LAW.
PART OF THE PROBLEM IS THE LAW FORBID YOU FOR ADDING UNNECESSARY COST GENERATIVE REQUIREMENTS TO COURT OF A HOUSING DEVELOPMENT.
THEY NEED ALL THE MONEY TO SUBSIDIZE THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
SO I CAN'T SAY YOU, YOU GOTTA GO TO THE SCHOOL, YOU GOTTA GIVE US NEW FIRES.
BUT WHAT ONE THING YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER, THESE HAVE TO GO TO THE PLANNING BOARD.
NOW THE NUMBERS AREN'T GONNA CHANGE.
THE PLANNING BOARD'S NOT GONNA CHANGE THE NUMBER, BUT THE PLANNING BOARD CAN REQUIRE, THE BIG THING IS ARCHITECTURE CONTROL AND BUFFERS.
AND ALSO TRAFFIC IMPROVEMENTS.
NONE OF THIS DEALS WITH TRAFFIC IMPROVEMENTS.
THAT'S THE PLANNING BOARD'S BAIL AWAY.
THEY DO TRAFFIC STUDIES AND THEY TRY TO IMPOSE, THEY CAN'T DO ANY UNNECESSARY ONE, BUT THEY CAN DO REQUIREMENT DEVELOPER DO TRAFFIC IMPROVEMENTS.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I KNOW THAT THAT AREA OF TOWN NEEDS BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT, THOSE ROADS AREN'T BUILT FOR.
NO, THERE'S NOT A SHOP FOR THE DEN THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
SO THERE, THAT'S ONE THING THAT EVERYBODY COULD HELP WHEN THEY GO BEFORE THE PLANNING BOARD, YOU KNOW, IS TO, IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT HAPPENS.
HOW YOU DOING? DAN WHALEN, TWO 90 MEDFORD, MOUNT HOLLY ROAD, MEDFORD, I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS.
I WAS HERE IN THE AUGUST MEETING AND HE SAID THAT EVERYTHING ON THE NORTH SIDE OF 70 GOT CHANGED FROM THE AR DISTRICT, WHICH WAS FOUR ACRES AND 200 FOOT OF ROAD FRONTAGE TO BUILD ON GOT CHANGED IN 2020.
BUT IN THE DECEMBER MEETING HE SAID IT'S STILL THE AR DISTRICT, BUT THEY REZONED THESE PROPERTIES FOR THE HIGHER DENSITY.
SO I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHEN THE AR DISTRICT GOT RID OF, OR DAN.
WELL LET ME, THE AR ZONE STILL IS IN EFFECT EVERYWHERE IT WAS, IT'S STILL IN EFFECT.
WHAT'S CHANGED IS THE TRING PARCEL HAS BEEN DESIGNATED AS AN AREA OF NEEDED REDEVELOPMENT.
SO IT'S A REDEVELOPMENT AREA WHICH ALLOWS THE TOWNSHIP TO INCREASE THE DENSITY FOR AN AFFORD FOR AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING SITE THAT HAS, THAT HASN'T BEEN DONE YET, BUT IT'S GONNA BE DONE BY, IT HAS TO BE DONE BY MARCH.
WHEN I WAS HERE IN AUGUST, YOU TOLD ME IT WAS CHANGED IN 2020.
NO, I'M SURE YOU CAN LOOK IT UP, BUT, ALRIGHT.
THE, THE TRIALER PARCEL WAS DESIGNATED AS AN AREA IN NEED REDEVELOPMENT IN 2017.
BUT NO REDEVELOPMENT PLAN WAS EVER PUT.
IT'S NEVER BEEN ZONING HASN'T BEEN CHANGED YET.
IT'S GOING TO BE CHANGED, BUT IT HASN'T BEEN CHANGED YET.
THE OTHER QUESTION IS FOR MR. NOLL.
UH, MR. SEMOS CAME AND BOUGHT ALL THE SEWER PERMITS IN WHAT, 1989? YEAH, THE REMAINING SEWER PERMITS THAT WERE IN MEDFORD 1986.
SO NOW YOU SAY THE SEWER DEPARTMENT STILL HAS ROOM FOR THESE AFFORDABLE HOUSINGS.
WHAT HAPPENS IF MR. SMOS NOW COMES IN AFTER ALL THESE AFFORDABLE HOUSINGS ARE BUILT AND WANTS TO USE HIS SEWER, SEWER PERMITS THAT HE HAS, THAT'S ALL COUNTED FOR IN CAPACITY ANALYSIS.
SO HOW WAS ALL THE SEWER PERMITS IN 1986 SOLD.
THAT WAS MAKING THE SEWER DEPARTMENT A CAPACITY IN 1986 AND NOW WE STILL HAVE ROOM FOR 1100 HOMES.
[02:05:01]
SO THE STATE BACK IN ABOUT 10 OR 15 YEARS AGO HAD US UPGRADE THE PLANT, NOT CAPACITY WISE, THE TREATMENT WISE TO MEET THE NEW TREATMENT, UH, REQUIREMENTS.WE DID THAT AND AS A RESULT OF THE F BECAME MORE EFFICIENT.
AND ALSO WE HAD A LOT OF INFLOW AND INFILTRATION INTO OUR LINES.
SO WHEN WE PAVE A ROAD, WE TV THOSE LINES AND IF THERE'S A HOLE IN THE PIPE WHERE IT'S LEAKING, WE PLUG THAT BECAUSE IF WE DON'T PAVE THE ROAD AND WE HAVE A SINK AND GO REPAIR IN.
SO THE COMBINATION OF THOSE HAS RESULTED IN A MORE EFFICIENT SYSTEM AND THAT'S WHERE HAS INCREASED.
RESIDENT WHO LOVE AND CARE ABOUT GOING TO COUNTY, WHAT KIND OF SERVICES COULD YOU USE? UH, MUA I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION.
THAT'S WHAT KIND OF SEW SYSTEM DO YOU USE TOMORROW? MUA? NO, WE HAVE OUR OWN.
DO YOU HAVE A, LIKE A MEETING, LIKE, LIKE REGULAR MEETINGS? IT'S A, IT'S A MUNICIPAL SERVICE.
IT HA IT DOESN'T HAVE ITS OWN AUTHORITY THAT, THAT THIS BODY GOVERNS OVER THE WATER AND SEWER.
CAN YOU MAKE ONE LIKE, UH, LIKE MAHA DOES YOU, YOU COULD MAKE A MUA OR SEWER AUTHORITY, BUT IT'S REALLY EXTRA GOVERNMENT.
OH, IT IS POSSIBLE, RIGHT? ANYTHING'S POSSIBLE.
I GUESS IF IT WOULDN'T ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING, YEAH, IT WOULD STILL UTILITY.
IT WOULDN'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE EXCEPT COST MORE MONEY.
WHY IF SOMEONE, YOU KNOW, DONATE, YOU KNOW, MONEY JUST TO START AND YOU COULD TO SEE IS MAKE PROGRESS.
YOU GIVE YOU GRANTS AND STUFF TO MAKE A AN MEA.
THERE'S, THERE'S NO BENEFIT TO THE TOWN TO HAVE AN MEAI THINK.
I MEAN, I, YOU KNOW, I, I GO TO THE MOUNT HOLLY AND I LEARNED A LOT.
MOUNT HOLLY SERVES, NOT JUST MOUNT HOLLY.
MOUNT HOLLY SERVES A VARIETY OF, OF TOWNS.
THAT'S WHY IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE FOR MEDFORD TO HAVE IN ANY ANYWAY, I THINK, UH,
I REALLY APPRECIATE IT FOR THE BENEFIT.
AND, UH, I WANT TO THINK, UH, I THINK 14 RESIDENT, UH, FROM, UH, BEDFORD, THAT RESPOND TO MY YOUTUBE, THEY LOVE THE QUALITY.
LIKE I SAID, I CAN'T COME AND I BARELY GET SIGNAL TO GET HERE AFTER ASK FRIEND TO GET, COME HERE TO GET ME HERE.
THEY LOVE THE PERFECT QUALITY ON END DAY.
IF YOU LOOK INTO MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL, I JUST RECORD EVERY MEETING TO EVERY TOWN JUST TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON.
THAT HOW YOU IMPROVE YOURSELF.
IT'S GONNA BE UPLOADED TONIGHT.
IT'S GOING TO BE AT THE MIDDLE PAGE ABOUT BE ONE, APPROXIMATELY AN HOUR AND A HALF, DEPENDING HOW BIG THIS A RECORDING IS PASSED ONE HOUR AND 50 MINUTES.
AND MY LIMIT IS THREE HOURS OF RECORDING.
I GAS AND I LOVE TO SEE I COUNTY CONVINCING HER AND, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY YOUR FAMILY.
SAY HI, ESPECIALLY WIFE, SAY HI.
THANK YOU FOR THE, FOR THE GREETING.
I LIVE AT 14 BENNINGTON DRIVE.
UM, I AM A MEMBER OF THE SCHOOL BOARD, SO I JUST WANNA PUT OUT THERE THAT I'M NOT SPEAKING THAT CAPACITY JUST AS AN INDIVIDUAL.
UM, ONE QUESTION THAT I HAD THAT'S BEEN ON MY MIND LATELY IS I, I KNOW THAT MS. POLLOCK'S MOTION WITH THE COURT REALLY IS ASKING THE COURT AND MERIT WISE, I'M, I'M NOT GONNA COMMENT ON, BUT IT'S ASKING THE COURT FOR TIME, FOR OUR TOWN TO REGROUP, UM, AND FIGURE OUT WHAT THE IMPACT IS OF WHAT
[02:10:01]
THE PLAN THAT WE HAVE SO FAR.UM, AND MAYBE BE ABLE TO REGROUP AND GO IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION.
WHAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND IS WHY OUR TOWN IS OPPOSING THAT MOTION.
YOU KNOW, ON THE ONE HAND, WE'RE SITTING HERE TONIGHT SAYING THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEEK OUT OTHER ALTERNATIVES.
WE WOULD LIKE MORE TIME, BUT WE ARE OPPOSING THE MOTION AND WE'RE NOT, I, I KNOW THAT SHE'S ASKED THAT THE OPPOSITION BE WITHDRAWN.
SO I'D JUST LIKE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE REASONING IS THAT IT'S BENEFICIAL TO OUR TOWN TO OPPOSE A MOTION THAT'S ASKING FOR MORE TIME.
I HAVE TO PROTECT THE TOWN'S INTEREST TO MAKE SURE WE DO NOT LOSE OUR IMMUNITY TO BUILD A REMEDY SUITS.
I, I, I WOULD THINK THAT IF THE JUDGE WAS GOING TO GIVE US MORE TIME, THE JUDGE IS NOT GONNA NEED MORE TIME.
THERE'S BEEN NO TIME EXTENSIONS GRANTED BY ANY JUDGE IN THE STATE FOR THE FOURTH ROUND.
THAT'S WHY MONTVALE HAS FILED SUIT FOR THE 20, IT'S 36 POUNDS, WHATEVER IT IS.
THERE ARE NO EXTENSIONS BEEN GRANTED.
THEN MY OTHER ISSUE IS, UM, I KNOW I'VE HEARD THAT AS YOU SAID, OH, A $9 MILLION BOND.
WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO LOOK INTO THESE OTHER OPTIONS, UM, BESIDES JUST LETTING, LETTING THE BIG BUILDS HAPPEN.
BUT, UM, AND I COULD BE WRONG, BUT MY IMPRESSION WAS THAT THAT WAS AN OPINION, BUT NOT SOMETHING THAT WAS RESEARCHED.
UM, AND THAT NUMBERS WEREN'T COME UP WITH AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BECAUSE I, THAT'S MY IMPRESSION WAS THAT IT WAS A FEELING, BUT NOT SOMETHING LOOKED INTO, I DID NOT WASTE THE TOWNSHIP'S LEGAL FEES ON EXPLORING EXTENSION OF, UH, DE RESTRICTION CREDITS.
WHEN I HAVE $200,000 IN THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND WHEN I NEED MILLIONS.
WELL, IF WE LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE OF THE FINANCIAL IMPACT OF HAVING THOUSANDS OF NEW UNITS IN OUR TOWN, IT'S GONNA COST US MORE THAN YOUR LEGAL FEES TO LOOK INTO IT.
NOT THOUSAND OR MORE UNITS, NUMBER ONE.
LET, LET'S JUST SAY, WHAT IS IT? 800.
NOW HALF OF 'EM ARE AGE RESTRICTED, WHICH DON'T SEND ANY KIDS TO THE SCHOOLS, RIGHT? SO HALF, OKAY, SO HOW MANY NOT AGE RESTRICTED? I, I GAVE THE NUMBER TO THE PLANNING.
HOW MANY BEDROOMS? IT WAS 440 OR FOUR 50.
NO BIGGER THAN SOME OF THE EXISTING DEVELOPMENTS WE HAVE IN TOWN ALREADY THAT THE TOWN'S BEEN ABLE TO EX ABSORB AND THE SCHOOL BOARD'S BEEN ABLE TO DEAL WITH.
I MEAN, 400 UNITS COULD HAVE TWO KIDS IN EACH UNIT.
SO WHAT'S THE IMPACT TO THE TOWN? I MEAN, DID WE LOOK INTO THAT? I I GET THAT MAYBE YOU THOUGHT WE DIDN'T WANNA PAY FOR A $9 MILLION BOND, BUT THE COST OF A BOND TO BUILD A NEW SCHOOL AND THEN ACTUALLY HAVE EMPLOYEES TO WORK YEAR AFTER YEAR IN THAT SCHOOL IS WAY MORE THAN $9 MILLION BOND.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW YOUR PICTURE OF OUR TOWN'S BUDGET DOESN'T ALSO INCLUDE AN IDEA OF HOW MUCH OUR TOWN PAYS FOR OTHER RESOURCES.
EVEN WHEN YOU SET A BUILDER, COULDN'T, YOU KNOW, CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS SOME NON-ESSENTIAL THING.
I TALKED TO OTHER PEOPLE IN OTHER DISTRICTS AND THEIR BUILDERS DID BUILD THINGS FOR THE SCHOOLS, WHICH TO ME SEEMS ESSENTIAL.
IF YOU'RE BRINGING IN THE INFLUX OF ALL THESE NEW STUDENTS AND YOU'RE HAVING A DEED RESTRICTION AND THEY'RE NOT PAYING THE TAXES, THEN THAT SEEMS ESSENTIAL.
SO I WOULDN'T DISCOUNT THE IDEA THAT A BUILDER COULD SOMEHOW HELP OUR SCHOOLS.
I MEAN, ARE YOU SAYING THAT ANY CONTRIBUTION TO OUR SCHOOLS WOULD BE NON-ESSENTIAL? THAT'S WHAT THE CASES THE, THE COURT CASE IS SAYING.
AND, AND NO OTHER TOWNSHIPS THAT YOU'RE AWARE OF DO THAT? NO, I RESEARCHED THE MORRISTOWN I GAVE, I GAVE THE COUNCIL ALL THE MORRISTOWN NUMBERS.
THEIR NUMBERS ARE HIGHER THAN OURS.
THEY HAVE INCLUSIONARY HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS JUST LIKE WE HAVE.
THIS IS A, THIS IS A STATEWIDE PROBLEM.
I COULD GIVE YOU THE NAME, I COULD GIVE YOU TOWNS THAT DO THIS.
UM, AND IT, IT COULD HELP OUR TOWN ABSOLUTELY.
TO, TO KNOW HOW THEY, THEY DO IT AND THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO IT.
WE ARE EXPLORING SOME OPTIONS.
I DON'T CARE TO DISCLOSE 'EM PUBLICLY.
THERE ARE SOME REDEVELOPMENT AREA BONDS, TYPES OF THINGS THAT WE CAN EXPLORE WHERE CONTRIBUTIONS WE MADE TO THE SCHOOL THROUGH TAXING THE NEW PEOPLE THAT, BUT WE, WE'VE GOTTA EXPLORE ALL THAT.
I CANNOT SIT HERE AND GUARANTEE THAT, THAT WE CAN DO THAT.
AND FRANKLY, I DON'T WANT TO EVEN DISCUSS IT.
I WANNA BE ABLE TO EXPLORE IT AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO.
I JUST, YEAH, I, I I JUST THINK, YOU KNOW, A $9 MILLION BOND SOUNDS WONDERFUL
[02:15:01]
TO ME RIGHT NOW,AND, YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S JUST SOMEHOW WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE BIGGER PICTURE AND NOT JUST THE COST TO THE TOWN.
EXCLUSIVE OF THE SCHOOLS AND THE TOTAL TAX BECAUSE YES.
YOU KNOW, IT'S 5 0 1 5, YOU KNOW, HAVE TO HAVE ANOTHER.
IF WE DON'T DO THIS, THEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE ALL THESE OTHER COSTS.
YOU KNOW, I, IT MIGHT BE MORE, I FELT LIKE AT SOME POINT WHEN THE TOWN SENT OUT A NOTICE TO EVERYBODY WITH A PIE GRAPH ON IT THAT SHOWED WHERE YOUR TAXES ARE GOING AND MADE THAT PIE GRAPH LOOK LIKE ALL OF YOUR TAXES ARE GOING TO THE SCHOOLS WE'RE JUST ASKING FOR A MILLION DOLLARS.
TO ME, THAT MADE IT SEEM VERY PARTISAN.
UM, AND SEPARATE AND NOT AS THOUGH, YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T MATTER IF IT'S GOING TO THE SCHOOLS OR NOT, IT'S ALL COMING OUT OF OUR POCKETS.
LET'S LOOK AT IT AS ONE BIG PICTURE.
HOW DO WE FIX THAT PICTURE PROBLEM? PROBLEM IS, MA'AM, WE COLLECT THE TAXES AND THAT AND WE GET BLAMED FOR ALL THE TAXES.
I, I, I DON'T THINK THAT'S TRUE.
I'VE SEEN, I'VE SEEN YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS COME TO THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS.
I'M NOT GONNA AND POINT A FINGER AT US.
I'M NOT GONNA BE FOR RAISING TAXES.
THAT'S, WE ARE ALL TOGETHER IN THIS.
OKAY, MR. THANK, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
ANYONE ELSE? SEEING NONE? DO I HAVE A MOTION TO CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT? SO MOVED.
[XVII. MANAGER'S REPORT]
TO THE MANAGER'S REPORT.UM, I HAVE A COUPLE OF, UH, ITEMS BEFORE I GET TO THE ONES THAT ARE ON, UH, THE AGENDA.
FIRST OF ALL, I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY FOR COUNSEL THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO REISSUE THE RFP.
WE'RE NOT NECESSARILY REJECTING WHO'S SUBMITTED.
COUNSEL CAN STILL CONSIDER THE FIRMS THAT HAVE SUBMITTED.
WE'RE JUST REOPENING IT TO ENABLE MORE FIRMS TO SUBMIT.
AND THIS IS FOR 39 ALLEN A CORRECT? NO, NO.
FOR THE RFP FOR ATTORNEYS, I BELIEVE, I BELIEVE BECAUSE IT WAS OPEN WITH AN ADVERTISED DATE, WE HAVE TO REJECT AND REOPEN IT.
IT'S REALLY SEMANTICS THAT THE FOLKS CAN REAPPLY.
UH, I WOULD PREFER THEY REAPPLY, NOT HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED.
I THINK THEY SHOULD HAVE TO REAPPLY.
I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY HOW COUNCIL WANTS IT.
UM, NEXT I JUST WANT TO, UH, LET COUNSEL KNOW THAT, UH, WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF FIRE AND EMS, WE PROUDLY PROMOTED OUR FIRST CAREER FEMALE LIEUTENANT.
SHE'S OUR NOW, UH, OUR EMS LIEUTENANT.
SHE HAS BEEN DOING EMS FOR WELL OVER 30 YEARS.
SHE'S BEEN A MEMBER, UH, ACTUALLY SHE STARTED OUT AT, AT COLLEGE DOING EMS WORK.
AND THEN SHE WAS A, UH, A VOLUNTEER AND CAREER PERSON AT DEL RAND FOR 30 YEARS.
UH, SHE STARTED WITH US IN 2000 AS A PER DIEM.
EMD STAYED ON WITH US FOR 19 YEARS, WORKING EITHER PER DIEM OR PART-TIME UNTIL WE WERE ABLE, WE WERE ABLE TO ESTABLISH PERMANENT FULL-TIME EMT POSITIONS.
SO SHE BECAME A FULL-TIME EMT IN 2019, AND WE OPENED UP A LIEUTENANT POSITION, UH, AT THE END OF LAST YEAR.
SHE APPLIED, SHE WAS, UH, AN OUTSTANDING CANDIDATE AND WE ARE PROUD TO PROMOTE HER INTO THAT ROLE IN OUR, UH, SUPERVISORY STAFF IN FIRE AND EMS. UM, NEXT I JUST WANTED TO, UH, GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THE MYAA, UM, TO REFRESH YOUR MEMORY, YOU SAW, YOU MAY HAVE SEEN THE EMAIL THAT I SENT TODAY, UH, ON OUR BEHALF.
THEY TOOK ON THE PROJECT OF INSTALLING TURF FIELD LIGHTING AT AN ARTIFICIAL TURF FIELD ON, UM, HARTFORD CROSSING PARK ON, ON HARTFORD ROAD, SORRY, ON, ON CHURCH ROAD.
AND THAT PROJECT IS NOW COMPLETE AND, UH, JOINTLY BETWEEN THE MYA AND COUNCIL, WE'D LIKE TO HAVE A LIGHT SWITCH CEREMONY WHEN WE GET TO THE FIRST NIGHT GAME OF THE SEASON WHERE THEY WILL BE ABLE TO USE THOSE LIGHTS.
SO THANK YOU TO THE MYAA FOR TAKING ONE PRO PROJECT OFF OF MY PLATE AND SUCCESSFULLY GETTING IT ACCOMPLISHED.
I HAVE, UH, TWO ITEMS ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT.
UH, THE FIRST ONE IS, UH, KIND OF LIKE TWO PROJECTS
[02:20:01]
IN ONE.WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A VETERAN'S ART EX EXHIBIT.
UH, ANGELA SFORZA IS OUR EXTERNAL AFFAIRS COORDINATOR.
SHE WILL BE WORKING WITH, UH, I THINK THE MEDFORD ART CENTER AND, AND, UH, OTHERS ON THIS PROJECT FOR MEDFORD.
AND ADDITIONALLY, AT TOWN HALL ON THE FIRST FLOOR, WE HAVE THAT GIANT HALLWAY THAT'S BASICALLY VACANT, AND WE'D LIKE TO TURN THAT INTO OUR VETERANS HALL OF HONOR, WHERE FAMILIES CAN SUBMIT PICTURES OF VETERANS FROM MEDFORD TOWNSHIP WITH A LITTLE BIO UNDERNEATH OF THEM THAT WE WILL FRAME AND HANG ON THAT WALL.
SO ANYBODY VISITING TOWN HALL CAN PAY THEIR RESPECTS TO BOTH LIVING AND FORM AND DECEASED VETERANS.
UM, WE ARE ALSO, AND, UM, AS A FOOTNOTE, WE'RE ALSO RESTARTING OUR, UH, ENGRAVING BRICKS MEMORIAL OVER AT FREEDOM PARK FOR, FOR, UH, FIRST RESPONDERS.
SO THAT'S KIND OF LIKE THREE INITIATIVES THAT WE ARE EITHER STARTING OR RESTARTING AGAIN.
AND THEN MY LAST ITEM, UH, I AM SEEKING YOUR APPROVAL, UM, TO RE ADVERTISE THE OLD, THE CORNER OF HIGHLANDS LIBRARY AT 39 ALLEN AVE.
UH, BY WAY OF BACKGROUND, WE DID GET AN APPRAISAL DONE LAST WINTER.
WE PUBLISHED IN A COUPLE DIFFERENT NEWSPAPERS.
WE HAD A RFP THAT PEOPLE WERE ABLE TO ACCESS ON THE INTERNET.
WE WERE OPTIMISTIC THAT THAT PROPOSER WANTED TO DO SOMETHING WITH THE BUILDING.
UH, UNFORTUNATELY, THE CONDITION OF THE BUILDING IS VERY DIFFICULT.
SO, UH, FROM COUNSEL, I WOULD JUST LIKE YOU TO CONTEMPLATE WHAT OPTION OF THE, OF THE VARIOUS OPTIONS THAT WE CAN DO, WHETHER WE SHOULD ADVERTISE IT TO DO A DEMOLITION AND REBUILD A PARTIAL DEMOLITION AND REBUILD.
UM, TAKE IT AS IT IS, WHATEVER IT MAY BE.
BUT I WOULD LIKE YOUR AUTHORIZATION TO, UH, RE ADVERTISE THAT AND SOLICIT MORE PROPOSERS.
THERE ARE PARTIES THAT ARE INTERESTED, I'VE HEARD FROM TWO OF THEM, THAT ARE INTERESTED IN HAVING AN OPPORTUNITY TO SUBMIT A PROPOSAL FOR THAT PROPERTY.
AND I COULD STRUCTURE THE RFP WITH A COUNCIL'S GUIDANCE AND GIVEN THEM OPTIONS TO SUBMIT, WHETHER THEY WOULD WANT TO AGAIN, DO A PARTIAL DEMO, FULL DEMO WHATNOT.
SO, ANY THOUGHTS, COMMENTS, FEEDBACK? SO JUST, JUST TO RE I GUESS, GO OVER THE PROCESS THAT, THAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR.
SO WE HAVE A, WE HAD A BIDDER THAT, UM, UNFORTUNATELY THE PROJECT DIDN'T WORK FOR THEIR, FOR THEIR NEEDS AND DO THE STATE OF THE BUILDING AND THE NEED FOR US TO REALLY REVITALIZE THAT PART OF TOWN, PUT IT BACK ON THE TAX ROLLS AND MAKE GOOD USE OF IT.
YOU'RE ASKING COUNSEL FOR APPROVAL TO GO OUT ON IT WITH AN RFP SLIGHTLY MODIFIED THAN WHAT WE HAD BEFORE.
OPEN IT UP TO MORE BIDDERS THAT MIGHT HAVE DIFFERENT INTERESTS THAN WHAT WERE ORIGINALLY REQUESTED.
UM, I, I WOULD LIKE POTENTIALLY ALL THE MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, I KNOW, I KNOW COUNCILWOMAN MILK AND I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO BE PART OF THIS PROCESS PRIOR, BUT JUST, JUST TO BRING THE OTHER THREE MEMBERS UP TO SPEED, JUST TO, YOU KNOW, AT, AT YOUR, AT YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO THE MANAGER ABOUT WHERE WE, HOW WE GOT HERE AND WHERE WE'D LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD.
BUT THIS COULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE COULD, IF EVERYONE'S IN AGREEMENT PUT ON THE AGENDA FOR OUR NEXT MEETING.
THE IDEA IS TO GET IT BACK ON THE TAX ROLL IF SOMEONE, AS SOON AS AS POSSIBLE COME DEVELOPMENT.
WHAT WOULD BE, IF WE WERE ALL IN AGREEMENT, WHAT WOULD BE THE NEXT, WHAT WOULD BE THE FIRST STEP TO, FOR THIS NEW PROCESS PUT OUT THE RFP? I WOULD JUST, YEAH, I WOULD, I WOULD, UM, MAKE SOME ADDITIONAL CHANGES TO THE RFP, HAVE COUNSEL REVIEW IT, APPROVE IT, AND THEN WE WOULD PUBLISH THE RFP AND WE WOULD LIST IT ON OUR WEBSITE AND WE'D HANG THE SIGN OUT FRONT AGAIN WITH JUST A DIFFERENT, PLEASE RESPOND BY DATE.
AND YOU NEED AN ACTION TO BE TAKEN OUTTA COUNCIL MEETING FOR THIS TO HAPPEN.
I JUST NEED YOUR SUPPORT, THAT'S ALL.
SUPPORT IF YOU, IF YOU GOT, AND IF YOU HAVE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, YOU KNOW WHERE TO FIND ME.
IF I COULD JUST FOR THE, THE ONE PROPOSAL THAT WAS RECEIVED THAT THEY, UM, THEY BACKED OUT.
HOW DID THAT COMPARE TO THE APPRAISAL THAT WAS DONE ON THE PROPERTY? SO THEY NEVER ACTUALLY GAVE US AN OFFER FOR THE PROPERTY.
THEY GAVE US A PROPOSAL OF HOW, WHAT THEY LIKED TO DO WITH THE PROPERTY.
AND THEN WHAT THEY DID WAS THEY BROUGHT IN A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT PROFESSIONALS.
THEY HIRED AN ENGINEER, THEY HIRED AN ARCHITECT, AND THEY HIRED A PLANNER TO GO IN AND INSPECT THE BUILDING.
AND THEN THEIR PROFESSIONALS GAVE THEM DIFFERENT OPTIONS.
AND AFTER THEY REVIEWED ALL THE
[02:25:01]
OPTIONS, THEY JUST WEREN'T IN A POSITION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE NEGOTIATION ON THAT.WE HAVE TO BE FLEXIBLE WITH THE PRICE JUST BECAUSE OF THE ABSOLUTELY CONDITION OF THE PROPERTY.
IT'S, IT'S REALLY, UNFORTUNATELY THE, THE WEATHER, THE RACCOONS GOT IN THERE AND, UM, STRUCTURALLY THERE'S STRUCTURALLY, 30 YEARS AGO OR 40 YEARS AGO, AN ADDITION WAS BUILT.
WE CAN'T EVEN FIND THE PLANS FOR 'EM.
[XVIII. CLERK'S REPORT]
UH, WE WILL NOW MOVE TO THE CLERK'S REPORT.FIRST OF ALL, WE HAVE A APPROVAL FOR A BASKET RAFFLE LICENSE FOR CEDAR ONE FEBRUARY 7TH FROM ONE TO FIVE AT THREE SEVEN STOKES.
IF I COULD GET ALL IN FAVOR FOR THAT.
AND THEN JUST AN UPDATE, UM, AS FAR AS THE SOUND SYSTEM AND LIVE STREAM.
SO I THINK EVERYBODY, TODAY'S BEEN ENJOYING THE NEW MICROPHONE.
UM, WE JUST LUCKILY GOT THAT INSTALLED TODAY.
UM, SO WE WERE WORKING ON THAT.
IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S GOING WELL.
UM, AS FAR AS THE LIVE STREAM, OUR LAST MEETING, WE DID NOT GET RECORDED.
UM, SINCE THEN, ON THE 23RD OF DECEMBER, WE HAD, UH, THE TEAM COME OUT AND INSTALL A NEW CAMERA.
LUCKILY, IT LOOKS LIKE EVERYTHING'S WORKING NOW.
UM, WE ARE GOING TO ALSO PURSUE, UM, SOME PLAN B OPTIONS FOR BACKUP IN THE FUTURE.
AND IF I COULD JUST PIGGYBACK ON WHAT TARA SAID.
WE'VE ALSO HAD RESIDENTS CONTACT US WITH IDEAS.
SO TARA AND ANOTHER STAFF MEMBER, AND I MET WITH EUGENE, ONE OF OUR RESIDENTS, WHO GAVE US SOME GOOD INPUT ON VENDORS TO EXPLORE.
UH, WE'VE GOTTEN IN TOUCH WITH THE LPE REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT.
UH, COUNCILMAN SMORE FOR THAT SUGGESTION.
WE WERE ABLE TO GET IN TOUCH WITH SOMEBODY, SO WE'LL HAVE A MEETING SOON WITH THEM AS WELL.
YOU DID A GOOD JOB, MS. RIGGER.
THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK YOU'VE DONE.
IT'S IMPORTANT NOT ONLY TO US, BUT THE RESIDENTS AND, AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
[XIX. BILL LIST]
WE HAVE THE BILLS LIST.WE HAVE A BILLS LIST DATED JANUARY 2ND, 2026.
DO THE MEMBERS OF COUNCIL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THE BILLS LIST? NO.
UH, MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE BILLS LIST? MOTION APPROVED.
ALL IN FAVOR? A AYE AYE ANSWER.
UH, THERE ARE NO ORDINANCES FOR SECOND READING.
THERE ARE NO ORDINANCES FOR FIRST READING.
[XXII. CONSENT AGENDA RESOLUTIONS]
MOVE ON TO OUR CONSENT AGENDA RESOLUTIONS.MAYOR, UM, THE RESOLUTION 14, 20, 26 APPOINTMENTS TO THE PLANNING.
THE BOARD, THE RESOLUTION THAT WAS IN THE PACKET HAD BLANK AND SOME INCORRECT INFORMATION.
'CAUSE IT REFERRED TO, UM, THAT MEMBERS OF THE BOARD PREVIOUSLY APPOINTED WHEN THEY, THEY WEREN'T PREVIOUSLY APPOINTED.
THERE ARE NEW TERMS, I UNDERSTAND THAT.
UH, THE, THE COUNCIL WANTS TO MAKE, UM, MAKE THE APPOINTMENTS.
SO I NEED A MOTION TO REMOVE RESOLUTION 14, 20 26 FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA AND MOVE IT TO THE REGULAR AGENDA FOR A DISCUSSION AND VOTE.
DO I NEED IT ALL IN FAVOR? WE OUGHT, WE OUGHT DO A ROLL CALL.
NEXT THING WOULD BE A, NOT A MOTION, UH, TO NAME THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS TO THE PLANNING BOARD FOR 2026.
UH, AND THAT RESOLUTION SHOULD BE READ INTO THE RECORD BY THE MOTION.
SIR, WOULD YOU CONFIRM I NEED TO READ THIS WHOLE LIST? THIS WHOLE PAPER? YES.
UH, STARTING WITH WHERE AND THE MOTION.
OH, UM, I WOULD MAKE THAT MOTION.
DO YOU NEED A SECOND ON THAT MOTION? YES, I DO.
THIS IS TO MAKE THE APPOINTMENTS.
OKAY, SO THE MOTION IS MADE, BUT SECONDED AND CARRIED.
NOW YOU CAN READ THE RESOLUTION.
STARTING WITH, WHEREAS, YES, MA'AM.
WHEREAS PURSUANT TO MEDFORD TOWNSHIP ADMINISTRATIVE CODE, THERE EXISTS IN THE TOWNSHIP OF MEDFORD, A PLANNING BOARD.
AND WHEREAS THE TERMS OF CERTAIN MEMBERS OF SAID BOARD HAVE EXPIRED, AND THE TOWNSHIP COUNCIL DESIRES TO REAPPOINT SAID MEMBERS AND OR MAKE NEW APPOINTMENTS.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE TOWNSHIP COUNCIL OF THE TOWNSHIP OF BEDFORD, THAT THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS, ALL OF WHOM ARE RESIDENTS OF THE TOWNSHIP BE.
AND THE SAME ARE HEREBY APPOINTED AND OR REAPPOINTED TO SAID BOARD FOR THE TERMS AS SET FORTH BELOW.
CLASS ONE MANAGER ONE YEAR TO EXPIRE.
[02:30:01]
TWO MUNICIPAL OFFICIAL OR ENVIRONMENTAL ADVISORY COMMISSION.BETHANY MILK CLASS THREE GOVERNING BODY.
ONE YEAR TO DECEMBER 31ST, 2026.
VIRO APE, ALTERNATE ONE YEAR TO EXPIRE.
DARREN GOULD ALTERNATE TWO ONE YEAR TERM TO EXPIRE.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT THE BALANCE OF THE MEMBERSHIP OF SAID BOS IS AS FOLLOWS.
CLASS FOUR, FOUR YEAR TERM TO EXPIRE.
DONNA SIMMONS, CLASS FOUR, FOUR YEAR TERM TO EXPIRE.
CHUCK WATSON, CLASS FOUR, FOUR YEAR TERM TO EXPIRE.
JACK HARTWIG, CLASS FOUR, FOUR YEAR TERM TO EXPIRE.
THOMAS GIULIANO, CLASS FOUR, FOUR YEAR TERM TO EXPIRE.
CLARK PERKS, CLASS FOUR, FOUR YEAR TERM TO EXPIRE.
THERE WERE, THERE WERE NAMES MENTIONED IN THAT LIST, UH, THAT WERE JUST PROVIDED TO THE COUNCIL IN AN EMAIL FOR APPLICANTS FOR THIS BOARD.
SO HOW ARE THEY BEING CONSIDERED TO BE APPOINTED WHEN THIS COUNCIL IS NOT GETTING MET WITH INDIVIDUALS? WHERE'S THE TRANSPARENCY? WE JUST RECEIVED EMAILS.
WITH APPLICATIONS FOR AT LEAST TWO, THE TWO NAMES THAT WERE ON THAT LIST THIS WEEK.
AND YET NOW THEY'RE HERE ON A BOARD TO BE APPOINTED ALREADY.
WHICH TWO ARE YOU REFERRING TO? UH, CHUCK WATSON AND DONNA SIMONS, WHO I KNOW.
WE JUST RECEIVED THEIR EMAILS OF THEIR INFORMATION, THEIR APPLICATION.
I RECEIVED THAT EMAIL FROM TARA.
AND WE HAVE NOT MET, WE TOLD THE, THE PUBLIC TONIGHT THAT WE WERE STILL ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS GONNA BE REVIEWING, AND YET OUR NAMES ARE ALL RIGHT, APPEAR ON THE RESOLUTION.
WE ARE ACCEPTING MORE APPLICATIONS.
SO HOW, HOW ARE WE THEN FILLING VACANCIES WITH INDIVIDUALS WHO WE JUST RECEIVED THEIR APPLICATIONS FOR? THIS IS IN ALL THE SPOTS, RIGHT? YES.
THIS IS ALL THE SPOTS FOR THIS BOARD, FOR THIS BOARD.
BECAUSE THOSE NAMES DON'T MATCH THE ORIGINAL NAMES.
I KNOW ORIGINALLY CHANGES BASED ON DIFFERENT THINGS THAT HAPPENED THIS EVENING, BUT THERE WERE MULTIPLE VACANCIES ON THE ORIGINAL RESOLUTION THAT CAME OUT.
AND GRAMMATICAL ERRORS, ANGER, GRAMMATICAL ERRORS.
YEAH, I'M TALKING ABOUT THE VACANCIES.
SO ONCE THE RESOLUTION WAS REMOVED FROM CONSENT AGENDA YES.
AND A MOTION WAS MADE TO READ INTO THE RECORD A RESOLUTION FOR A NEW ROSTER OF PLANNING BOARD MEMBERS.
THIS IS THE PROPOSED RESOLUTION.
MY QUESTION THOUGH IS HOW WAS THIS RESOLUTION DEVELOPED AND NAMES AT THIS RESOLUTION WHEN IT'S INCLUDING NAMES OF APPLICANTS WHO WE JUST RECEIVED WHEN WE HAVE NOT EVEN MET TO DISCUSS EVERYONE WHO HAS APPLIED FOR THE ALL THE BOARDS PLANNING, BOARD ZONING, ENVIRONMENTAL, THIS IS A COUNCIL DECISION.
IT'S NOT A LEGAL MATTER, BUT THERE'S PLANNING BOARD MEETS ON JANUARY 28TH.
THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING IS JANUARY 20TH.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A PLANNING BOARD MEETING ON THE 28TH, YOU'VE GOTTA HAVE PLANNING BOARD MEMBERS HAVE A CHANCE TO REVIEW THE PACKETS, PREPARE FOR THE MEETING.
WE MOVE THE MEETING, THE MEETING MEETING JANUARY 28TH.
WHY NOT? BECAUSE IT HAD, THAT'S THE SCHEDULED MEETING.
BUT YOU CAN ANNOUNCE THAT YOU MOVED IT.
THAT'S UP, THAT'S UP TO THE PLANNING BOARD.
WE DON'T SCHEDULE THE MEETING.
I DON'T MEAN TO BE THAT'S ALL RIGHT.
THE PLANNING BOARD SETS THEIR SCHEDULE ON JANUARY 28TH.
BUT THIS, BUT THIS IS, SEE, THIS IS THE PROBLEM.
I THINK THIS IS WHAT THE RESIDENTS HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH.
AND ABOUT TRANSPARENCY, HERE WE ARE IN A SITUATION WHERE WE KNEW THERE WERE VACANCIES.
WE TOLD THE PUBLIC THAT WE'VE ACCEPTED APPLICATIONS POST THE DATE OF NOVEMBER.
WE TOLD THE GENTLEMAN TONIGHT THAT WE WILL CONSIDER EXTENDING THAT, POTENTIALLY EXTENDING THAT BEYOND.
AND YET, AND I KNOW YESTERDAY, I THINK IT WAS, OR OR FRIDAY FROM TARA'S EMAIL WAS THERE WERE APPLICATIONS OF TWO NAMES WHO WERE NOW ON THAT LIST.
WE HAD NOT MET AS A COUNSEL TO DISCUSS ANY OF THOSE APPLICATIONS.
WE HAVE NOT INTERVIEWED ANY OF THOSE APPLICATIONS.
AND YET NOW WE'RE STILL, YET WE'RE APPOINTING PEOPLE TO THIS BOARD POTENTIALLY.
A MOTION WAS MADE BASED OFF THE NAMES THAT WERE READ MM-HMM
AND NOW WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DETERMINE IF MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD ARE COMFORTABLE APPOINTING THESE MEMBERS.
SO WE DON'T, WE DON'T HAVE TO APPROVE THEM.
[02:35:01]
THAT'S, THAT'S SIMPLE.BUT I, BUT I, I UNDERSTAND THAT.
BUT MY QUESTION THOUGH GOES BACK TO HOW WAS THIS RESOLUTION DEVELOPED AND HOW WERE THESE NAMES PLACED ON THE RESOLUTION WITHOUT DISCUSSION AMONGST THE COUNCIL? HOW WAS A RESOLUTION DIRECTED? NO, NO.
HOW, HOW WERE THESE ADDITIONAL NAMES ADDED TO THIS RESOLUTION WITHOUT DISCUSSION AMONGST THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AS TO HOW THESE NAMES WERE GONNA BE ADDED AND WHO WAS GONNA BE ADDED TO THIS APPOINT WHO MADE, WHO MADE THE DECISION TO ADVISE THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER AND THE TOWNSHIP CLERK TO ADD THESE NAMES TO THIS RESOLUTION? THIS WAS A RESOLUTION THAT, THAT WAS PREPARED.
THAT WAS JUST READ ON THE RECORD BY DEPUTY.
BUT SOMEBODY HAD TO ADVISE THE TOWNSHIP CLERK TO PREPARE THE RESOLUTION WITH THOSE NAMES ON IT.
MY QUESTION IS, WHO GAVE THE DIRECTION TO AP APPROVE THOSE NAMES TO BE ADDED TO THAT RESOLUTION? I THINK WHEN WE SAW THE APPLICATIONS COME THROUGH, I THINK THEY TOOK APPLICATIONS JUST CAME THROUGH YESTERDAY FOR AT LEAST TWO OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
AND WE AGREED THAT THOSE APPLICATIONS WOULD BE CONSIDERED.
BUT, SO WE'RE CONSIDERING THOSE APPLICATIONS, BUT IT'S APPEARING THOUGH THAT THEY'RE ALREADY BEING CONSIDERED FOR APPOINTMENT.
WHETHER THERE'S EVER BEEN ANY DISCUSSION AS TO WHO WE WOULD CONSIDER POINTING TO THIS BOARD OR THAT BOARD.
I THINK I JUST, BUT I KNOW TWO OF THOSE NAMES WERE NOT IN THE ORIGINAL EMAIL OF APPLICATIONS THAT WERE RECEIVED.
I THINK IT WAS IN THE SECOND WAVE OF EMAILS OF APPLICANTS MANY, UH, MANY.
SO IF, IF WE'RE NOT TO CONSIDER ANY OF THOSE NAMES, THEN I, I CAN MAKE, I CAN UNDERSTAND YOUR POINT, BUT I THINK WE ALL AGREED THAT WE WOULD ACCEPT NAMES AFTER THAT.
I, I'M, I'M JUST, I'M JUST ASKING ABOUT HOW THEY'VE ALREADY MADE IT TO A RESOLUTION WITHOUT ANY DISCUSSION AMONGST COUNSEL OR, OR ANY TYPE OF INTERVIEWS WITH INDIVIDUALS OF THESE APPLICANTS.
FOR THE TWO THAT YOU HAD MENTIONED.
I THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT, THAT MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD AND THE PUBLIC ARE AWARE OF, OF THE RESUMES, OF THE TWO PEOPLE THAT YOU MENTIONED MM-HMM
WITH THEIR, THESE ARE PUBLIC FIGURES MM-HMM
THAT HAVE DONE MANY GREAT THINGS FOR OUR TOWN.
AND, UM, I, I WOULD, YOU KNOW, I THINK, AGAIN, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE HERE.
I'M NOT MAKING ANY PREJUDGMENTS HERE, BUT, UM, I THINK EVERYONE ON THIS BOARD KNEW THOSE NAMES.
UH, I, I, I'M CERTAIN THAT THEY, THAT EVERYONE DOES, AND I'M SURE THAT EVERYONE IN THE PUBLIC DOES.
BUT AGAIN, IT'S THE TRANSPARENCY PIECE.
WE, WE'VE EXTENDED THE DEADLINE.
WE'VE PUT THINGS OUT, WE SAID WE'RE GONNA INTERVIEW, AND YET ALREADY THERE'S A PROPOSAL TO TAKE ACTION WITHOUT ANYTHING BEING CONSIDERED.
I WAS PLANNING AND ZONING THOUGH.
WE STILL, WELL, THERE, THERE, THERE IS A RESOLUTION ON FOR NUMBER 15 FOR, FOR FERRY SPORTS.
15, 16, 17, 18 THAT HAVE MANY OTHER VACANCIES.
UM, AS MR. PRIME SAID THAT BASED OFF THE, THE TIME.
BUT THIS, BUT THIS BOARD ALSO HAD VACANCIES AND THE ORIGINAL RESOLUTION THAT CAME OUT AND GRAMMATICAL ERRORS, GRAMMATICAL ERRORS ASIDE, DOES NOT DISCOUNT VACANCIES.
WE DID REMOVE THE RESOLUTION FOR THOSE ERRORS.
AND, BUT THE VACANCIES STILL WERE EXISTING ASIDE IN THE, FROM THE ORIGINAL RESOLUTION.
AND, AND DEPUTY MAYOR OF WHERE HE'S READ INTO THE RECORD A RESOLUTION IN WHICH WE NOW HAVE A MOTION TO VOTE.
MOTION'S BEEN MADE AND SECONDED.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS BY THE COUNCIL? SHE, UH, CLERK CAN CALL THE RULE ON THE MOTION TO ADOPT THAT RESOLUTION AS READ BY FOR THIS SINGULAR RESOLUTION.
REST OF IT'S ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, WE'LL HAVE TO REMOVE THOSE, BUT I DON'T THINK THEY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THOSE.
THERE, THERE'S STILL TWO VACANCIES ON THE ZONING BOARD THAT NEED TO BE FILLED, ACCEPTED.
THIS IS ON 14TH, 2026 APPOINTMENTS TO THE PLANNING BOARD.
WE WILL MOVE THAT TO CONSENT AGENDA.
WE HAVE RESOLUTION 15, 20 26 APPOINTMENTS TO THE ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT RESOLUTION 16 20 26 APPOINTMENT TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
[02:40:01]
RESOLUTION 17 20 26 APPOINTMENT TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS ADVISORY COMMITTEE.RESOLUTION 18 20 26 APPOINTMENT TO THE GREEN TEAM ADVISORY COMMITTEE RESOLUTION 19 20 26 ADOPTING A REINSTATED DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLAN, INCLUDING ROTH PROVISIONS RESOLUTION 20 20 26, REMOVING DEED RESTRICTIONS ON BLOCK 8 0 8, LOT 6.04 PREVIOUSLY IMPOSED BY THE PLANNING BOARD AND RESOLUTION 21, 20 26 AMENDING THE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT WITH THE CHIEF OF FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES.
JUST TO BE CLEAR, THESE RESOLUTIONS WERE IN THE PACKET.
AND THEY'RE BEING ADOPTED AS WRITTEN.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THAT.
WHY, WHY WEREN'T ANY OF THE NAMES OF THE TWO APPLICANTS FOR AN OPTION FOR ONE OF THESE TWO, ONE OF THESE BOARDS THAT WERE, THAT WERE LISTED HERE.
WHY, WHY WOULD, WAS WHO AND WHY, HOW WAS THE DECISION MADE TO APPOINT THOSE INDIVIDUALS TO THE PLANNING BOARD RATHER THAN THE VACANCIES ON ONE OF THESE OTHER BOARDS? THEY, THEY, I BELIEVE THEY APPLIED TO THE PLANNING BOARD.
AGAIN, I GO BACK TO MY STATEMENT THAT THIS IS THE PROBLEM THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS HAD WITH THIS ADMINISTRATION FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
THE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY THAT HAS EXISTED.
AND AGAIN, I CONTINUE TO PRESS THAT FORWARD TONIGHT.
'CAUSE I TRULY BELIEVE WHEN WE SAT HERE AND SAID, AND TOLD THIS, THIS PUBLIC THAT WE WERE COLLECTING DATES, COLLECTING APPLICANT'S POST NOVEMBER DATE.
WE TOLD THE GENTLEMAN TONIGHT THAT WE WILL CONSIDER EXTENDING EVEN BEYOND.
AND YET THERE WERE CERTAIN MEMBERS OF THIS BODY WHO KNEW THERE WAS A RELU RESOLUTION COMING WITH NAMES ALREADY ADDED TO IT.
AND I REALLY DISRE DISRESPECT THAT.
DO I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND? HOLD ON.
UM, AT WHAT POINT WILL WE EXTEND THE DEADLINE FOR PEOPLE WHO DO WANNA GET ON THE ZONING BOARD? AT WHAT POINT DO WE DO THAT? THAT WAS A CONVERSATION THAT, SORRY, I'M JUST NOT SURE IF, WHERE IT ALL FALLS IN SO THAT IF ANYBODY HERE DOES WANNA GET ON THE ZONING BOARD, THEY CAN STILL APPLY FOR THAT.
THEY CAN, BECAUSE YOU'VE ALREADY BEEN SHUT OUT THE PLANNING BOARD IF YOU WERE INTERESTED.
SIR, SIR, THE ELECTIONS, THE ELECTIONS CAME, SIR, HOLD ON.
I'M GONNA TALK FOR A MINUTE, SIR.
I'M, I'M GONNA BE AFTER THE ELECTIONS.
I'M GONNA RESPECTFULLY CAME OUT AND VOTED, VOTED FOR CHANGE.
AND WHAT YOU GUYS JUST DID WAS YOU TOOK THE OLD MAYOR AND PUT A P BOARD.
UM, TO YOUR POINT, DEPUTY MAYOR VOORHEES, THERE NEEDS TO BE TIME DESIGNATED FOR PEOPLE FOR THE FILL THE VACANCIES.
AND I'LL GO BACK TO WHAT I HAD SAID EARLIER.
FORGIVE ME, BUT WE ARE LOOKING TO FILL THE VACANCIES LEFT FROM THIS EVENING.
WHEN DO WE, AGAIN, THAT'S A PROCESS I'M STILL NEW TO.
AT WHAT POINT DO WE SAY WE CAN EXTEND IT TILL WHATEVER THE DEADLINE IS, JUST SO WE CAN LET PEOPLE KNOW? DO WE DECIDE THAT AN EXECUTIVE, DO WE DECIDE THAT, HOW DO WE GET THE INFORMATION OUT THERE? 'CAUSE WE NEED TIME TO INTERVIEW.
SO, UM, I I, I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, THEY SHOULD THINGS STICK WITH THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR NOW THINGS THEN.
BUT WE SHOULD ANSWER THAT QUESTION RIGHT AFTER CONSENT AGENDA.
AND THE ZONING BOARD, I THINK I DON'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME.
THE PRINTED RESOLUTION, I THINK REFERS TO ONE OF THE PLANNING BOARD MEMBERS THAT WE JUST MARTY YEAH.
HE WAS ON THE ZONING BOARD, BUT YOU JUST APPOINTED HIM TO THE PLANNING BOARD.
SO THAT MOTION SHOULD, WHENEVER YOU, IF YOU MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE CONSENT AGENDA, RESOLUTION 15 20 26 SHOULD BE AMENDED TO EXCLUDE MARTY BE TWO VACANCIES ON THE ZONING BOARD.
THEN YOU HAVE TO DECIDE, YOU CAN MAKE THE APPOINTMENTS, BUT YOU'LL HAVE TWO VACANCIES.
YOU HAVE TO DECIDE WHEN YOU WANT TO FILL THOSE.
CAN WE REMOVE RESOLUTION? 1520 2026 FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA? YES.
MAKE A MOTION TO REMOVE RESOLUTION 1526.
AND I NEED A MOTION TO AMEND RESOLUTION 15 20 26 TO REMOVE MARTY HAMILTON.
MARTY HAMILTON FROM THE, FROM THE APPOINTMENT.
SO THERE'D BE TWO VACANCIES ON THE ZONING BOARD.
WOULD YOU MAKE THAT MOTION? MS. SO MOVED.
SO ANY, ANYBODY OPPOSED? VOICE VOTE.
SO NOW MOTION WOULD BE TO AMEND IT ACCORDINGLY.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND RESOLUTION 15 TO REMOVE MARTY HAMILTON FROM THE ORIGINAL DRAFT.
AND THE BALLOT WOULD BE THE, AND THE BALLOT REMAIN
[02:45:01]
THE SAME.AND AGAIN, FOR ANY OPPOSITION? ANY OPPOSITION? ANY, ANY? NO.
UM, THEN, THEN ON THE MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 15, 20, 26 HAS BEEN REMOVED.
THE DEFENDANT, JUDGE, NOW YOU HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT THAT RESOLUTION.
SO WE'RE GONNA AS AMEND AN AMENDED 15.
THAT LEAVES JUST FOR THE RECORD, TWO VACANCIES ON THAT BOARD.
NOW THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
SO WE'RE DOWN TO, WHICH I'VE ALREADY READ INTO THE RECORD.
ANY QUESTIONS ON 16 THROUGH 21 BEING NONE? MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL VOTE PLEASE.
DO I NEED A MOTION TO, OH, I'M SORRY.
MAKE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THOSE MOTION.
RIGHT NOW YOU CAN NEVER CALL MS. SAN.
DEPUTY MAYOR? AYE MAYOR AYE, THE RESOLUTION 16 THROUGH 21 PASSED ARE DOCK? YES.
SO WE DO, JUST TO BE CLAR, JUST TO CLARIFY, WE DO NOT NEED A RESOLUTION 22 TO PUT OUT FOR RFP.
CORRECT? THE YOU DO NOT, YOU DIRECTED THE, UM, MANAGER TO REPUBLISH THE RFPS FOR ALL OF THE ATTORNEY POSITIONS, UM, TO BE RETURNED AT THE DATE THAT YOU GUYS TELL HIM.
AND TO COUNCILMAN COX, UH, MENTION EARLIER, BASED OFF THE TIMEFRAMES OF THE YES.
I'M JUST, JUST BASED ON WHAT MR. PRIME SAID.
IS THE RFP THE ISSUE FOR ALL ATTORNEY POSITIONS OR JUST THE TOWNSHIP ATTORNEY? ALL THE ATTORNEY POSITIONS.
BECAUSE THE PLANNING BOARD AND ZONING BOARD, IF YOU PICK A FIRM THAT ALREADY REPRESENTS THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD AS THE TOWNSHIP SOLICITOR, YOU GOT APPOINTED NEW PLANNING ZONING BOARD.
SO I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GONNA DO.
THANK AND JUST A SLIGHT CLARIFICATION, ALL THE, WE DON'T NEED TO MISS BOTH PROSECUTORS, UH, I'M SORRY.
JUST THE, IT'S A TOWNSHIP ATTORNEY, UH, THE CONFLICT COUNSEL AND SPECIAL COUNSEL, THOSE ARE BOND COUNCIL PLANNING.
BOND COUNCIL PLANNING AND ZONING PLANNING, ZONING AND LABOR.
SO BASED OFF THE NEED FOR THAT REISSUANCE.
UM, THE COUNCIL, THE MANAGER AND THE CLERK WILL POST SPECIAL EXECUTIVE MEETINGS TO ALLOW FOR THOSE INTERVIEWS.
UM, THESE WILL BE POSTED ON THE WEBSITE AND THE PAPER AND IN THE MUNICIPAL BUILDING.
THESE DATES WILL BE MONDAY THE 26TH AND TUESDAY THE 27TH AT SIX 30 VIA ZOOM.
THAT ALL COMFORTABLE GUYS, THAT SHOULD BE IN, THAT SHOULD BE IN THE FORM OF A MOTION.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION? SO MOVED.
ONE THING I DO WANT JUST, I, I DON'T WANNA BELABOR THIS, BUT THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD ATTORNEY POSITIONS ARE APPOINTED BY THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD.
WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS MAKING SURE WE GET THE RFPS IN FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO MAKE, TO ALLOW THEM TO, YOU DON'T APPOINT THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD ATTORNEY.
IS THAT, JUST TO CLARIFY, BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT AS WE'VE NEVER EXPERIENCED AS A BOARD OR ANY OF THE MEMBERS HAVE.
SO YOU HAD MENTIONED IN THE PREVIOUS STATEMENT THAT THE PLANNING AND ZONING ATTORNEYS CANNOT BE ALSO THE TOWNSHIP SOLICITOR.
SO WHO CAN'T BE IN THE SAME FIRM? WHO GETS THE FIRST RIGHT OF REFUSAL? TOWNSHIP OF THE TOWNSHIP.
JUST TO BE, JUST TO BE CLEAR WITH HOW THOSE PROFESSIONALS ARE SELECTED.
I BELIEVE WE'RE THROUGH CONSENT AGENDA RESOLUTIONS.
WE DO NOT HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION TONIGHT.