[I. PUBLIC MEETINGS STATEMENT ]
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I CALLED THE ORDER THE REGULAR MEETING OF METRO TOWNSHIP COUNCIL, APRIL 14TH, 2026.
THIS MEETING IS CALLED PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE OPEN AND PUBLIC MEETINGS LAW.
THIS MEETING OF APRIL 14TH, 2026 WAS INCLUDED IN A MEETING NOTICE SENT TO THE BURLINGTON COUNTY TIMES AND THE CENTRAL RECORD ON JANUARY 7TH, 2026.
AN ADVERTISING SAID NEWSPAPERS ON JANUARY 11TH, 2026 AND JANUARY 15TH, 2026, RESPECTIVELY POSTED ON THE WEBSITE AND ON THE BULLETIN BOARD IN THE MUNICIPAL BUILDING ON JANUARY 7TH, 2026, AS 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.
I PLEDGE ALLE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND SHOULD BE PUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE QUARTER.
HERE, MAYOR CICK HERE THIS EVENING, WE ARE GOING TO OPEN
[IV. Communications, Scheduling Matters, Council Agenda, Presentations and Any Amendments to the Agenda]
OUR MEETING WITH, UH, US VERY SPECIAL POLICE AWARDS.I'M GONNA ASK THE CAPTAIN DUNLEVY COME UP AND WE'LL HEAD DOWN.
TONIGHT, WE GATHER RECOGNIZED MEMBERS OF THE MEFFORD STATUTE POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR THEIR PROFESSIONALISM, DEDICATION, AND SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY.
I'D LIKE TO EXTEND A WARM WELCOME TO THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF OUR OFFICERS, DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS OF OUR PARTNER AGENCIES, RETIRED PERSONNEL, AND THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT HAVE JOINED US TO CELEBRATE THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THESE INDIVIDUALS.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE TO THE MAYOR, THE MANAGER, AND THE TOWNSHIP COUNCIL WERE GRANTING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO PUBLICLY ACKNOWLEDGE THE OUTSTANDING WORK OF OUR PERSONNEL TO ALL THE SWORN AND NON-SWORN STAFF.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PROFESSIONALISM AND UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO SERVING MEDFORD TOWNSHIP.
YOUR DAILY EFFORTS ARE ESSENTIAL TO CONTINUE SUCCESS AND SAFETY OF OUR RESIDENTS.
AT THIS TIME, WE'LL BEGIN TONIGHT'S AWARDS PRESENTATION.
I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE CAPTAIN JEFF SAMOS.
I'D HAVE TO BRING UP SERGEANT BLASH, CORPORAL BROKOWSKI PATROL, TU PATROL PEREZ, AND COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER VARGAS ON S UH, SEPTEMBER 17TH, 2025.
METRO POLICE RESPOND TO A RESIDENCE ON INDIAN PIPE TRAIL FOR SUICIDAL MALE.
HIS WIFE REPORTED THAT HER HUSBAND HAD BARRICADED HIMSELF IN HIS BEDROOM BY PLACING A LARGE DRESSER IN FRONT OF THE DOORWAY AND WAS IN POSSESSION OF SEVERAL KNIVES AND POSSIBLY A HUNTING RIFLE.
THE OFFICERS QUICKLY CLEARED THE RESIDENCE WITH SAFE TACTICS, ESTABLISHED A COMMAND POST, AND BEGAN DEESCALATION TECHNIQUES WITH THE SUBJECT.
THIS ULTIMATELY WAS UNSUCCESSFUL AS THE VICTIM STOPPED RESPONDING TO THE OFFICERS.
DUE TO THE IMMEDIATE THREAT TO THE VICTIM'S LIFE, THE OFFICERS FORCED ENTRY INTO THE BEDROOM AND OBSERVED BLOOD COMING IN FROM UNDERNEATH THE BATHROOM.
DOOR OFFICERS, AGAIN, FORCED ENTRY INTO THE BATHROOM WHERE THE VICTIM WAS FOUND.
WITH MULTIPLE LACERATIONS TO HIS WRIST, FOREARMS, BICEPS AND NECK PATROLS APPLIED TOURNIQUETS AND RUSHED THE VICTIM TO COOPER TRAUMA MEDEVAC, WHERE HE WAS FLOWN TO COOPER TRAUMA CENTER.
BROWN COUNTY CENTRAL COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER SHARON VARGAS WAS CALM AND PROFESSIONAL ON THE RADIO DURING THE ENTIRE INCIDENT.
SHE COORDINATED MULTI-AGENCY RESPONSE BETWEEN LAW ENFORCEMENT NEIGHBORING TOWNS FIRING EMS, AND THROUGH HER FLUID CONTROL OF THE RADIO, WAS ABLE TO COORDINATE SWIFT ATTENTION TO THE VICTIM IN NEED.
RUN COUNTY CENTRAL COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER VARGAS IS TO BE AWARDED CERTIFICATE OF MERIT FOR ACTIONS.
IN THIS INCIDENT, SERGEANT BLASH, CORPORAL RUSZKOWSKI, PATROLMAN, COSTUME AND PATROL AND PEREZ SHOULD BE COMMITTED FOR THEIR UNUSUAL ACCOMPLISHMENT OF SAVING THE VICTIM'S LIFE UNDER ADVERSE CONDITIONS WITH A SIGNIFICANT THREAT TO HARM TO THEMSELVES, THEY ARE TO BE AWARDED MERITORY SERVICE MEDAL.
NEXT QUESTION, DETECTIVE TIM O HALEN.
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MEDFORD TOWNSHIP POLICE AND LARGE MAJORITY OF SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY WAS PLAGUED BY MOTOR VEHICLE THEFTS.MEDFORD TOWNSHIP POLICE RESPOND TO ONE SUCH INCIDENT ON TUCKERTON ROAD, WHERE THE RESIDENT'S MOTOR VEHICLE WAS STOLEN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.
WHAT BEGAN AS A SEEMINGLY ROUTINE MOTOR, UH, STOLEN MOTOR VEHICLE REPORT WAS MET WITH DETERMINATION AND EXEMPLARY INVESTIGATIVE SKILL.
DETECTIVE HALEN SUCCESSFULLY IDENTIFIED A SERIES OF THEFTS AFFECTING MULTIPLE AGENCIES, AND ULTIMATELY CLEARED AN ORGANIZED THEFT RING, WHICH TARGETED THE FELONY JURISDICTIONS, MEDFORD DELRAN, DELANCO, EVESHAM, MAPLE SHADE, MORRISTOWN, MOUNT LAUREL, PINE HILL, GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP, CAMDEN CITY, WOODBURY CITY SENTIMENTS IN LUMBERTON, WEST HAMPTON, PHILADELPHIA, AND MOBILE JURISDICTIONS COVERED BY THE NEW JERSEY STATE POLICE.
DETECTIVE HAMLIN RECOGNIZED THE SCOPE OF THIS THEFT RING ORGANIZED SEVERAL MULTI, UH, MULTI-COUNTY INTELLIGENCE MEETINGS THROUGHOUT NEW JERSEY AND PENNSYLVANIA, WHERE HE DETAILED KEY PATTERNS, SHARED INTELLIGENCE AND UNIFIED INVESTIGATIVE EFFORTS, WHICH SECURED THE ARREST OF THREE INDIVIDUALS.
DETECTIVE HAMLIN SHOULD BE RECOGNIZED FOR HIS OUTSTANDING WORK, UNWAVERING RESOLVE, SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION TO PUBLIC SAFETY AND AIR AGENCY CO COOPERATION, ALONG WITH BRINGING MEDFORD TOWNSHIP POLICE A CLAIM.
HE'S TO BE AWARDED THE EXCEPTIONAL DUTY MEDAL.
DETECTIVE DYLAN, YOUNGER ANALYST, KYLE MOYER AND DETECTIVE SIERRA GATES.
OKAY, ON APRIL 24TH, 2025, DETECTIVE YOUNGER WAS NOTIFIED OF A BURGLARY, WHICH THE MEDFORD NATASHA POLICE HAD TO RESPOND TO AT SPORTS PARADISE.
HE SECURED VITAL EVIDENCE, INCLUDING SURVEILLANCE FOOTAGE AND LATENT FINGERPRINTS, ALONG WITH PROPERTY THEFT ON SCENE, UH, BY THE UNKNOWN SUSPECTS.
THROUGH PERSISTENT FOLLOWUP AND INTER AGENCY COORDINATION, DETECTIVE YOUNGER CONNECTED THE BURGLARY IN OUR JURISDICTION TO A SERIES OF SIMILAR BURGLARIES AND ALLUDING CASES ACROSS NEW JERSEY.
THESE INCLUDE INCIDENTS IN MONROE TOWNSHIP, BEDFORD TOWNSHIP, CHERRY HILL, DELRAN, GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP, CAMDEN, AND EVES SHAM.
DETECTIVE GER COORDINATED HIS INVESTIGATION WITH EVES SHAM TOWNSHIP CRIME ANALYSIS, KYLE MOYER AND DETECTIVE SIERRA GATES.
THIS LED TO THE IDENTIFICATION OF A KNOWN CAREER OFFENDER WITH THE DOCUMENTED HISTORY OF BURGLARY, THEFT, AND ALLUDING LAW ENFORCEMENT.
DETECTIVE YOUNG'S EFFORTS, ALONG WITH ANALYST MOYER AND DETECTIVE GATES WERE IN INSTRUMENTAL IN IDENTIFYING A STOLEN FORD TRANSIT VAN USING THE MAJORITY OF THESE AGENCIES, CRIMES, SALES, SURVEILLANCE OPERATIONS WERE COORDINATED THROUGHOUT NEW JERSEY AND PHILADELPHIA, WHICH LED TO THE APPREHENSION OF THE SUSPECT IN CAMDEN.
THE SUSPECT WAS ARRESTED, WEARING STOLEN APPAREL FROM THE SPORTS PARADISE MAKES IT A LITTLE EASY.
BOTH DETECTIVE GATES AND ANALYST MOYER SHOULD BE RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR EX EXEMPLARY MANNER OF THE PROFESSIONALISM, COOPERATION WITH OUR AGENCY AND FURTHER PURSUIT OF THEIR DEPARTMENT'S VISION.
THEY ARE TO BE AWARDED A CERTIFICATE OF MERIT.
DETECTIVE RE SHOULD BE RECOGNIZED FOR HIS DEVOTION TO THIS CASE, SERVICE TO THE VICTIMS SPANNING THROUGHOUT MULTIPLE AGENCIES, COUNTIES, AND STATES AND HIS THOROUGHNESS.
IN INVESTIGATION OF THESE CRIMES, WHICH BROUGHT THE CLAIM TO OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT AND LED TO THE IDENTIFICATION INTEREST OF THE SUSPECT, HE HAS TO BE AWARDED EXCEPTIONAL DUTY MEDAL OFFICER TIM SHOCKLEY ON MAY 17TH, 2025 PATROLS RESPOND TO A MOTOR VEHICLE COLLISION ON ROUTE 70 AT NORTH MAIN STREET.
OFFICERS WERE AWARE THAT MULTIPLE INJURIES WERE REPORTED ON LOCATION WITH VEHICLES IN THE ROADWAY, WHICH ULTIMATELY REQUIRED METRIC FIRE AND EMS TO RESPOND.
WHILE PATROLS WERE INVESTIGATING THE ACCIDENT, TWO MALES WERE FOUND TO BE WALKING AROUND THE SCENE WHILE WEARING FIREFIGHTER PROTECTIVE GEAR, FIRE DEPARTMENT VEST, NEW JERSEY STATE POLICE T-SHIRTS AND HATS.
THE MALES AIMLESSLY WALKED AROUND THE ACCIDENT SEEING CUTTING AIRBAGS FROM INVOLVED VEHICLES, AND ALSO ATTEMPTED TO CONTROL TRAFFIC ON ROUTE 70.
IT WAS ALSO LEARNED THAT ONE OF THESE MALES HAD UTILIZED HIS PERSONAL VEHICLE WITH EMERGENCY LIGHTS AND SIRENS TO RESPOND.
OFFICER SHARPLEY DISCOVERED THAT NEITHER MEN WERE MEMBERS OF OUR EMERGENCY SERVICES DEPARTMENTS AND MATCHED THE DESCRIPTION OF A KNOWN FIRST RESPONDER IMPERSONATOR.
IT WAS ULTIMATELY DETERMINED THAT THESE MEN WERE NOT MERELY WELL-INTENDED PASSERBYS, AND THEY APPEARED TO BE ENGAGED IN A CONTINUED COURSE OF CONDUCT TO IMPERSONATE FIRST RESPONDERS.
BOTH SUBJECTS WERE CHARGED WITH IMPERSONATION OF A PUBLIC SERVANT.
SHOCKLEY SHOULD BE COMMENDED FOR HIS PROFESSIONALISM,
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DEDICATION TO DUTY, AND HIS PURSUIT, NOT ONLY IN PROVIDING TRAFFIC SAFETY, MEDICAL ATTENTION, AND OVERALL SCENE SAFETY, BUT INVESTIGATING THESE SUBJECTS, ULTIMATELY CHARGING THEM ACCORDINGLY.FOR IMPERSONATING PUBLIC SERVANTS, OFFICER SHOCKLEY AWARDED THE HONORABLE SERVICE MEDAL.
LIEUTENANT K WILL BE TAKING OVER FROM HERE, CORPORAL DII, PATROLMAN MEEKS PATROLMAN SNYDER, PATROLMAN MAGALI.
ON OCTOBER, OCTOBER 31ST, 2025, CORPORAL DII, PATROLMAN MEEKS PATROLMAN SNYDER AND PATROLMAN MAGALI RESPONDED TO A CARDIAC ARREST CALL INVOLVING A FEMALE WHO WAS UNRESPONSIVE AND NOT BREATHING.
OFFICERS IMMEDIATELY INITIATED CPR AND UTILIZED AN A ED WORKING TOGETHER WITH URGENCY AND PRECISION.
THEIR QUICK COORDINATION ACT COORDINATED ACTIONS RESULTED IN THE VICTIM REGAINING SEMI-CONSCIOUS BEFORE BEING TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL.
MEDICAL PERSONNEL LATER CONFIRMED THAT THE VICTIM WAS IN STABLE CONDITION.
OFFICERS SHOULD BE COMMENDED FOR THEIR SWIFT AND DECISIVE RESPONSE TO THE TRAUMATIC MEDICAL EMERGENCY, WHICH ULTIMATELY SAVE THE LIFE OF THE VICTIM FOR THEIR ACTIONS.
THE OFFICERS ARE AWARDED A CPR, SAFE MEDAL CORPORAL RUSZKOWSKI.
PATROLMAN COSTO PATROLMAN MATTHEWS ON JULY 11TH, 2025 AT 3:10 AM MEDFORD POLICE AND MEDFORD EMS WERE DISPATCHED TO ONE 16 DIXON TOWN ROAD FOR A 65-YEAR-OLD MALE WITH SHORTS, SHORTNESS OF BREATH.
WHILE PATROLS WERE EN ROUTE, INFORMATION WAS UPDATED STATING THE PATIENT HAD POSSIBLY HAD A STROKE AND WAS NOW UNRESPONSIVE UPON PATROL'S ARRIVING ON LOCATION, THE PAT PATIENT WAS NOW IN CARDIAC ARREST AND PATROLS ASSUMED CPR WHILE ON LOCATION OF THE RESIDENCE WORKING WITH EMS AND PARAMEDICS.
PULSES WERE REGAINED SEVERAL TIMES, AND THE SUBJECT WAS ULTIMATELY TRANSPORTED TO THE VIRTUAL HOSPITAL IN MARLTON AND ME, AND ADMITTED INTO THE ICU.
A FEW DAYS LATER, THE PATIENT WAS CONSCIOUS, ALERT AND SPEAKING.
DUE TO THE QUICK ACTIONS TAKEN BY CORPORAL RUSZKOWSKI, PET PATROLMAN TU AND PET PATROLMAN MATTHEWS, PROVIDING QUALITY CPR AND ALLOWING THE PATIENT TO REGAIN PULSES AND ULTIMATELY REGAIN CONSCIOUSNESS AND BEGIN RECOVERING, THEY SHOULD BE AWARDED THE CPR SAFE MEDAL SERGEANT FIONA, CORPORAL BROKOWSKI AND PATROLMAN MEEKS.
ON MAY 27TH, 2025, PATROLMAN MEEKS HANDLED A PHONE CALL FROM A CONCERNED RESIDENT WHO RECOGNIZED THAT TWO YOUNG CHILDREN OF SCHOOL AGE WERE OUT OF SCHOOL AND ATTEMPTING TO RAISE MONEY FOR THEIR SCHOOL.
PATROLMAN MEEKS LOCATED THE JUVENILES WHO THEMSELVES LOOKED UNKEPT AND DOWNTRODDEN.
HE IDENTIFIED THEM, LOCATED THEIR MOTHER, AND NOT LEAVING THE INCIDENT AT FACE VALUE, FOLLOWED UP WITH STORIES THAT WERE PROVIDED TO HIM.
WITH THE TOTALITY OF INFORMATION NOT CONNECTING D CCP AND P WAS NOTIFIED, BECAME INVOLVED IN SERVICES PROVIDED TO THE FAMILY.
ON JUNE 11TH, 2025, MEDFORD TOWNSHIP POLICE RESPONDED TO THE RESIDENCE OF THE FAMILY FOR A WELLBEING CHECK ON THE JUVENILE'S MOTHER.
IT WAS LEARNED SHE HAD BEEN MISSING FROM WORK AND NOT ATTENDING TREATMENT, AND HER CHILDREN HAD NOT BEEN IN SCHOOL.
IN FIVE DAYS, OFFICERS LOCATED THE MOTHER AT A RESIDENCE WHERE SHE EMERGED WITH TWO JUVENILES WHO PATROLMAN MEEKS PREVIOUSLY IDENTIFIED AND ASSISTED THE RESIDENT'S.
WATER AND ELECTRICITY HAD BEEN TURNED OFF, AND THE HOUSE WAS IN A HORRIFIC STATE, AND POOR LIVING CONDITIONS WERE PRESENT.
DCP AND P, AGAIN WAS CONTACTED.
SERGEANT PALONA RESPONDED FROM THE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER ASSIGNMENT TO BE WITH THE CHILDREN WHO SHE HAD BUILT A RAPPORT WITH, AND CORPORAL RUSKI COORDINATED THE EVENTS AT THE SCENE, WHICH LED TO THE ARREST OF THE MOTHER FOR CHILD NEGLECT.
OFFICER MEEK SHOULD BE COMMENDED FOR HIS OUTSTANDING EFFORTS THROUGH THOROUGH INVESTIGATION ON MAY 27, 25, 25, INVOLVING THE MOTHER AND HER CHILDREN.
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EXCEPTIONAL ATTENTION TO DETAIL AND A STRONG SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY, HIS FOLLOW UP AND PERSISTENCE ALLOWED FOR THE DISCOVERY OF NEGLECTFUL LIVING CONDITIONS, AND ENSURING THE CHILDREN RECEIVE EXPECTED CARE AND PROTECTION THEY NEEDED.SERGEANT FIONA AND CORPORAL RUSZKOWSKI SHOULD BE COMMENDED FOR THEIR QUICK RESPONSE CARE FOR THE CHILDREN, DEDICATION TO OUR COMMUNITY AND HANDLING A CHALLENGING CIRCUMSTANCE.
THEIR COLLABORATION CONTRIBUTED TO THE OVERALL SUCCESS OF THE INCIDENT AND ENSURE ACCOUNTABILITY TOWARDS A NEGLECTFUL MOTHER.
THESE OFFICERS ARE RECOGNIZED WITH THEIR CERTIFICATE OF MERIT.
ON JUNE 6TH, SIXTH, 2025, DETECTIVE O'HANLON INITIATED AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE THEFT OF A MOTOR VEHICLE IN A SERIES OF MOTOR VEHICLE BURGLARIES OCCURRING IN THE TOWNSHIP.
WHAT BEGAN IS A SINGLE STOLEN VEHICLE REPORT RAPIDLY DEVELOPED INTO A COMPLEX MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL CASE INVOLVING ARMED SUSPECTS RESPONSIBLE FOR A PATTERN OF THEFTS AND BURGLARIES ACROSS, ACROSS BURLINGTON, CAMDEN, AND GLOUCESTER COUNTIES.
DETECTIVE O'HANLON APPROACHED THE MATTER WITH EXCEPTIONAL DILIGENCE AND INVESTIGATIVE SKILLS.
HE COORDINATED WITH NUMEROUS AGENCIES, INCLUDING MOUNT LAUREL, CAMDEN COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT, STRATEGIC ANALYST UNIT, NEW JERSEY STATE POLICE AUTO THEFT TASK FORCE, AND THE BURLINGTON COUNTY PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE.
DETECTIVE O'HANLON IDENTIFIED SUB SUSPECTS, JAYDEN JOHNSON, ISAIAH SIERRA AS ARMED OFFENDERS INVOLVED IN TOWNSHIP BURGLARIES, MOTOR VEHICLE THEFTS, AND SUBSEQUENT HOME INVASION.
HIS WORK ALSO TIED THEM TO A LARGER CRIMINAL ENTERPRISE OPERATING THROUGHOUT THE REGION.
HIS EFFORTS DIRECTLY CONTRIBUTED TO THE ARREST OF SIERRA AND JOHNSON BY THE NEW JERSEY STATE POLICE AUTO THEFT TASK FORCE IN RECOVERY OF FIREARMS, AND THE APPROVAL OF NUMEROUS BURGLARY, THEFT AND WEAPONS RELATED CHARGES BY THE BROAD COUNTY PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE.
IN RECOGNITION OF THE EXCEPTIONAL INVESTIGATIVE WORK INTERAGENCY COORDINATION AND SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY, DETECTIVE O'HANLON WILL BE AWARDED THE CERTIFICATE OF MERIT ON MAY 31ST, 2024.
DETECTIVE HANLEY RESPONDED TO A SERIES OF COMMERCIAL BURGLARIES AT THE MEDFORD TOWNSHIP DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS YARD, WHERE OFFENDERS HAD CUT THE PERIMETER FENCE AND SOLD POWER TOOLS FROM MULTIPLE TRUCKS WITH NO ONSITE CAMERAS AND LIMITED INITIAL LEADS.
DETECTIVE O'HANLEY CONDUCTED A THOROUGH SCENE PROCESSING CANVAS FOR EXTERNAL VIDEO AND IDENTIFIED A SUSPECT PICKUP AND A DRIVER VIA WAWA SURVEILLANCE.
HE ISSUED AN ALL POINTS BULLETIN, WHICH PROMPTLY MATCHED A NEW JERSEY STATE POLICE ARREST LINKING THE SUSPECT VEHICLE AND DRIVER WORKING SEAMLESSLY WITH NEW JERSEY STATE POLICE, BURLINGTON COUNTY PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE, AND SURROUNDING AGENCIES.
HE OBTAINED CHARGES FOR CONSPIRACY, BURGLARY, THEFT, CRIMINAL MISCHIEF AND CONTEMPT, AND ADVANCED THE CASE TO A GUILTY PLEA BY A PRINCIPAL OFFENDER.
DETECTIVE O'HANLAN IS RECOGNIZED WITH A CERTIFICATE OF MERIT AT THIS POINT, I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO LIEUTENANT ROB.
I'M LIEUTENANT ROBE, DETECTIVE TIM O'HANLAN CERTIFICATE, OH, SORRY.
ON NOVEMBER 4TH, 2024, DETECTIVE O'HANLAN RESPONDED TO A, A REPORTED BURGLARY AND THEFT OF TOOLS FROM MULTIPLE WORK VEHICLES AT JERSEY POOLS AND SPAS.
FROM THE OUTSET, DETECTIVE O'HANLAN APPROACHED THE INVESTIGATION WITH DILIGENCE AND PROFESSIONALISM, COORDINATING WITH PATROL OFFICERS PROCESSING THE CRIME SCENE, AND SECURING FINGERPRINTS AND VIDEO EVIDENCE.
DETECTIVE O'HANLON DEMONSTRATED INITIATIVE BY EXPANDING THE INVESTIGATION BEYOND THE INITIAL REPORT.
HE LINKED THE SUSPECT VEHICLE TO A RELATED SHOPLIFTING INCIDENT IN GLOUCESTER COUNTY, COORDINATED WITH NUMEROUS OUTSIDE AGENCIES, INCLUDING THE STATE POLICE, REAL-TIME CRIME CENTER, CAMDEN COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT, INTELLIGENCE UNIT, TON COUNTY PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE, AND THE US MARSHALS TASK FORCE.
THROUGH CAREFUL ANALYSIS OF SURVEILLANCE FOOTAGE, A LPR DATA AND INTERAGENCY INTELLIGENCE, DETECTIVE O'HANLON WAS SUCCESSFULLY ABLE TO IDENTIFY A FORMER EMPLOYEE AS A SUSPECT WHO WAS ULTIMATELY ARRESTED.
DETECTIVE O'HANLON IS RECOGNIZED WITH THE CERTIFICATE OF MERIT, OH, SORRY, DETECTIVE WAYLAN.
DETECTIVE O'HANLON INVESTIGATED
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A SERIES OF VEHICLE BURGLARY THEFTS AND CRIMINAL ATTEMPTS SPANNING MULTIPLE MUNICIPALITIES IN NEW JERSEY AND PENNSYLVANIA IN THE MONTH OF DECEMBER OF 2024.THROUGH DETECTIVE O' HANLON'S PERSISTENT EFFORTS, THE SUSPECT WAS IDENTIFIED AND CONNECTED TO A LARGER NETWORK OF CRIMES SPANNING SEVERAL MUNICIPALITIES.
DETECTIVE O' HANLON'S WORK WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN IDENTIFYING AND APPREHENDING A PROLIFIC OFFENDER RESPONSIBLE FOR DOZENS OF VEHICLE BURGLARIES AND THEFTS, AND THEN BRINGING CLOSURE TO A VICTIM TO VICTIMS ACROSS STATE LINES.
FOR HIS EFFORTS, DETECTIVE O'HANLAN IS RECOGNIZED WITH A CERTIFICATE OF MERIT.
ALL RIGHT, YOU'RE DISMISSED
WHILE EN ROUTE OFFICERS WERE UPDATED BY DISPATCH, THAT INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE HEIMLICH MANEUVER WERE BEING GIVEN OVER THE PHONE TO THE CARETAKERS.
CORPORAL RUSZKOWSKI AND PATROLMAN FULMER QUICKLY ARRIVED ON LOCATION AND LOCATED THE VISIBLY DISTRESSED 46-YEAR-OLD MALE VICTIM WHO WAS ACTIVELY CHOKING WITH AIRWAY OBSTRUCTION CLEARLY IN A LIFE-THREATENING CONDITION.
CORPORAL ALKI AND PATROLMAN FULMER WITHOUT HESITATION AND DEMONSTRATING CRITICAL SITUATIONAL AWARENESS, ASSESS THE SITUATION AND IMMEDIATELY PERFORM THE HEIMLICH MANEUVER.
UNTIL MEDFORD EMS AND VIRTUAL PARAMEDICS SURVIVED ON LOCATION AND TOOK OVER PATIENT CARE DUE TO CORPORAL ALKI AND PATROLMAN'S FULMER'S PROMPT AND ALERT ACTION, AND THEIR ABILITY TO ACT QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY UNDER PRESSURE ASSISTED IN SAVING THIS VICTIM'S LIFE, CORPORAL RUSZKOWSKI AND PATROLMAN FULMER ARE RECOGNIZED WITH A CERTIFICATE OF MERIT.
NOPE, CAPTAIN, YOU'RE BACK UP.
LIEUTENANT CANUSO, SERGEANT MACK, CORPORAL SABADOS AND FRED SHEAR, DETECTIVE HANLIN, OFFICER LANG AND MYSELF ON MARCH 21ST, 2025 AT 1231 HOURS PATROLS, UH, WERE PROVIDE INFORMATION FROM THE DIRECTOR OF SEQUOIA ALTERNATIVE ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL.
THAT JUVENILE DID NOT SHOW UP TO SCHOOL.
PATROLS WERE NOTIFIED THAT THE SCHOOL CONTACTED THE JUVENILE'S MOTHER AND DISCOVERED THAT AFTER AN ARGUMENT BETWEEN THE TWO.
THE PREVIOUS NIGHT, THE JUVENILE MADE MULTIPLE SUICIDAL STATEMENTS AND THEN RAN AWAY.
CORPORAL OFFICER SHEER AND OFFICER LANG RESPOND TO THE RESIDENCE TO MAKE CONTACT WITH THE JUVENILE'S PARENTS.
INFORMATION WAS GATHERED TO INCLUDE POSSIBLE DESTINATIONS OF THE JUVENILE.
IT WAS ALSO CONFIRMED THAT THE JUVENILE HAS HAD MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AND SUICIDAL IDEATIONS IN THE PAST, WHICH HE ONCE ADMITTED TO.
THE, UH, WAS ONCE ADMITTED TO THE HOSPITAL FOR SERGEANT MATT CONTACTED THE JUVENILE'S FRIEND WHO ADVISED THAT HE LAST SAW HIM AT 3:00 AM WHEN THEY WENT TO THE WAWA, HE HAD A SNAP, UH, SNAPCHAT LOCATION, WHICH SHOWED THREE HOURS AGO.
THE JUVENILE WAS IN AVOIDED AREA BETWEEN SPRINGHOUSE AND MEDFORD.
LEE'S LIEUTENANT CANUSO, LIEUTENANT ROBBIE CORPORAL AVAS AND OFFICER SHEER CONDUCTED A THOROUGH SEARCH OF THE AREA ON FOOT.
DETECTIVE LEY DEPLOYED THE DRONE AND WAS ABLE TO FIND THE JUVENILE IN THE WOODED AREA.
OFFICERS QUICKLY RESPONDED TO THE AREA AND TOOK THE JUVENILE IN PROTECTIVE CUSTODY.
HE WAS TRANSPORTED TO VIRTUAL MOUNT HOLLY FOR AN EVALUATION.
LIEUTENANT CANUSO, LIEUTENANT ROBY, SERGEANT MACK, CORPORAL STOS, OFFICER SHEAR.
DETECTIVE OLIN AND OFFICER LANG SHOULD BE COMMITTED FOR THEIR EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY AND QUICKLY LOCATING MISSING SUICIDAL JUVENILE AND PROVIDING THE APPROPRIATE SERVICES, RECOGNIZING THEM WITH A CERTIFICATE OF MERIT.
SITTING, LIEUTENANT ROB, SERGEANT BLASH, CORPORAL RUSZKOWSKI, DETECTIVE HANLIN, PATROL STO, OFFICER REARDEN, OFFICER PEREZ, OFFICER FULMER AND OFFICER MARMAR ON SEPTEMBER 22ND, 2025 AT 12:08 PM COUNTY CENTRAL BROADCASTED A COUNTYWIDE
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FLASH FOR A STOLEN VEHICLE OUTTA MOUNT HOLLY TOWNSHIP THAT JUST OCCURRED SHORTLY AFTER MOUNT LAUREL.POLICE OBSERVED THE STOLEN VEHICLE AND ATTEMPTED TO CONDUCT A MOTOR VEHICLE STOP AT ROUTE 38 AND ARC ROAD.
THE OPERATOR ALLUDED MOUNT LAUREL POLICE AND FLED INTO THE LUMBERTON SOUTHBOUND ARC ROAD.
PATROLS CHECKED IMMEDIATE AREA FOR THE VEHICLE, WHICH WAS OBTAINED.
TOYOTA RAV4 BEARING NEW JERSEY REGISTRATION.
WHILE CHECKING THE AREA, PATROLS OBSERVED A TAN RAV4 PARKED ABNORMALLY AND PROPERLY IN THE DIRT PORTION OF JOHNSON'S CORNER FARM MARKET, WHICH IS ULTIMATELY CONFIRMED TO BE THE STOLEN VEHICLE.
THE VEHICLE WAS UNOCCUPIED AND MULTIPLE WITNESS STATEMENTS ADVISED THE MALE SUSPECT WALKED AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE ONTO THE PROPERTY IN A HURRY.
ATLANTIC P HIGH SCHOOL WAS PUT IN A SHELTER IN PLACE, AND VIDEO SURVEILLANCE AT ATLANTIC P WAS REVIEWED, WHICH SHOWED THE SUSPECT CURRENTLY WALKING THROUGH THE MAIN PARKING LOT OF LEPE HIGH SCHOOL PATROLS LOCATED THE MALE WALKING NORTHBOUND HARTFORD ROAD WHERE A PEDESTRIAN STOP WAS CONDUCTED AND THE MALE WAS DETAINED.
MALE LAUREL POLICE ARRIVED IN THE LOCATION AND CONFIRMED THAT THE MALE WAS THE SAME MALE OPERATING A STOLEN VEHICLE AT THE TIME.
IT ALLUDED THEM STILL IMAGE PROVIDED BY MOUNT HOLLY POLICE FROM THE VIDEO SURVEILLANCE OF THE SUSPECT PRIOR TO STEALING THE VEHICLE ALSO MATCHED THE DESCRIPTION OF THE MALE THAT WE HAD IN DETENTION.
MOUNT LAW TOOK THE MALE INTO CUSTODY FOR LOOTING.
THESE OFFICERS ARE RECOGNIZED WITH A CERTIFICATE OF MERIT, CORPORAL JOHN ON MARCH 8TH, 2025 AT 8 46 IN THE MORNING.
CORPORAL CTOS WAS ONE OF THE, O WAS ONE OF THE OFFICERS WHO RESPONDED TO THE REPORT OF A FIRE INSIDE OF CANAL'S, LIQUOR STORES LOCATED AT FOUR 30 STOKES ROAD.
CORPORAL CTOS ARRIVED AND REPORTED OBSERVING FLAMES COMING FROM THE INSIDE OF THE CLOSED BUSINESS.
CORPORAL CTOS IMMEDIATELY BEGAN TO EVACUATE ADJACENT BUSINESSES, ENSURING THE SAFETY OF THE OCCUPANTS.
HE THEN MADE ENTRY THROUGH THE REAR ENTRANCE OF CANAL'S, LIQUORS WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF AN EMPLOYEE, AND ULTIMATELY USED HIS FIRE EXTINGUISHER TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE.
CORPORAL SABATO SHOULD BE COMMENDED FOR HIS ACTIONS DURING THIS INCIDENT THAT DEMONSTRATED HIS DEDICATION TO DUTY AND WILLINGNESS TO PUT HIMSELF IN HARM'S WAY THAT RESULTED IN THE PREVENTION OF FURTHER SIGNIFICANT PROPERTY LOSS.
CORPORAL SABADOS IS RECOGNIZED WITH A LETTER OF COMMENDATION, OFFICER FULMER ON MAY 20TH, 2025.
AT FOUR O'CLOCK, METFORD POLICE WERE DISPATCHED TO OTTS TAVERN, LOCATED AT 6 56 STOKES ROAD FOR THE REPORT OF A THEFT.
PATROLMAN FULMER RESPONDED AND CONTACTED THE MANAGER OF OTTS TAVERN AND THE VICTIM OF THE THEFT WHO WAS ANOTHER EMPLOYEE.
IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE VICTIM, THAT IT WAS DISCOVERED BY THE VICTIM THAT AN UNKNOWN SUSPECT HAD TAKEN HIS E-BIKE AND THAT HE, THAT HE HAD PARKED OUTSIDE THE REAR SERVICE DOOR TO THE BUILDING.
WHEN HE ARRIVED AT WORK ON THE DATE, PATROLMAN FULMER OBTAINED ALL PERTINENT INFORMATION NEEDED FOR THIS INVESTIGATION, INCLUDING OBTAINING VIDEO SURVEILLANCE OF THE THEFT, WHICH OCCURRED, AND THE SUSPECT PATROLMAN FULMER DISTRIBUTED A LENS NOTIFICATION TO ALL SURROUNDING LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES DETAILING HIS CASE WITH PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE STOLEN BICYCLE AND AS WELL AS THE SUSPECT.
THE LENS NOTIFICATION PRODUCED THE SUSPECT'S IDENTIFICATION BY MOUNT HIGH POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THE SUSPECT WAS ENTERED AS A WANTED PERSON, AND THROUGH NETWORKING AND COMMUNICATION WITH MOUNT HIGH POLICE DEPARTMENT, THEY ULTIMATELY LOCATED AND ARRESTED THE SUSPECT IN THEIR JURISDICTION IN THE SUSPECT'S POSSESSION.
AT THE TIME OF THE ARREST WAS THE STOLEN BIKE PATROLMAN FULMER IS RECOGNIZED WITH A LETTER OF ACCOMMODATION.
DETECTIVE TIM O'HANLAN, DETECTIVE O'HANLAN CONDUCTED A METICULOUS AND MULTIFACETED INVESTIGATION FOLLOWING AN INCIDENT AT RITA'S WATER ICE ON MARCH 17TH, 2025, IN WHICH A COUNTERFEIT $100 BILL WAS PASSED BY A SUSPECT WHO WAS LATER IDENTIFIED DEMONSTRATING AN EXCEPTIONAL INITIATIVE AND ANALYTICAL SKILL.
DETECTIVE O'HANLON UTILIZED ADVANCED TOOLS TO SEARCH FOR POSSIBLE SUSPECT VEHICLES AND TIMELINES.
HE CONDUCTED INTERVIEWS, COLLECTED PHYSICAL AND VIDEO EVIDENCE, COORDINATED WITH FEDERAL AGENCIES INCLUDED THE UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE AND ESTABLISHED KEY LINKS BETWEEN THE THESE CASES AND OTHER INCIDENTS IN SURROUNDING JURISDICTIONS.
THROUGH DILIGENT INTERAGENCY COLLABORATION, DETECTIVE O'HANLON IDENTIFIED THE SUSPECT VEHICLE AND POSITIVELY CONNECTED THE SAME COUNTERFEIT BILL WITH MULTIPLE FRAUDULENT TRANSACTIONS ACROSS STATE LINES.
[00:30:01]
ONLY LED TO THE IDENTIFICATION AND CHARGING OF THE SUSPECT, A KNOWN REPEAT OFFENDER WITH AN EXTENSIVE CRIMINAL HISTORY, BUT ALSO CONNECTED HIM TO A BROADER CRIMINAL NETWORK INVOLVED IN CURRENCY AND COUNTER FOR COUNTERFEITING OPERATIONS.DETECTIVE O'HANLAN IS RECOGNIZED WITH A LETTER OF ACCOMMODATION, DETECTIVE TIM O'HANLON.
UH, EACH YEAR THE COMMAND STAFF NOMINATES THREE CANDIDATES THAT THEY BELIEVE ARE MOST DESERVING, UH, THE HONOR OF POLICE OFFICER.
THE YEAR BALLOT IS PREPARED AND DISTRIBUTED TO ALL PERSONNEL WHO CAST A SINGLE VOTE FOR THE CANDIDATE.
THEY FEEL BEST REPRESENTS THE STANDARD OF POLICE OFFICER OF THE YEAR.
THESE CANDIDATES HAVE DEMONSTRATED DEDICATION TO THE MISSION GOALS AND OBJECTIVES TO THE METFORD TOWNSHIP POLICE DEPARTMENT, SERVICE TO THE RESIDENTS OF METFORD TOWNSHIP, PROFESSIONALISM, ETHICS INITIATIVE, OUTSTANDING JOB PERFORMANCE, AND EXEMPLIFY THE PROFESSIONAL IDEALS OF THE AGENCY.
DURING 2025, DETECTIVE TIM OEL WAS ASSIGNED TO THE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIVE BUREAU WHERE HE CONSISTENTLY DEMONSTRATED PROFESSIONALISM IN HIS WORK AND INTERACTIONS WITH HIS PEERS.
HE EMBODIES THE AGENCY MOTTO OF INTEGRITY, RESPECT, AND FAIRNESS IN WAY IN THE WAY HE DELIVERS LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY FOR HIS ACTIONS AND PERFORMANCE.
THROUGHOUT THE 2025 CALENDAR YEAR.
DETECTIVE TIM OLAND IS HEREBY AWARDED THE METFORD POLICE DEPARTMENT TO POLICE OFFICER THE YEAR TWO.
AS I CLOSE THIS EVENING, I WANNA THANK EVERYONE FOR ATTENDING TONIGHT'S CEREMONY, AND ONCE AGAIN, I'D LIKE TO THANK MY STAFF FOR THEIR DEDICATION, COMMITMENT TO MEETING THE CONTINUOUS CHALLENGES WE FACE DAILY IN THE GROWING COMMUNITY.
UH, THANKS TO THE MAYOR, THE MANAGER AND MEMBERS OF TOWN COUNCIL AGAIN FOR PROVIDING US THIS TIME TONIGHT AND FURTHER CONTINUED SUPPORT OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UM, I'D JUST LIKE TO PERSONALLY THANK ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND, AND ALL OUR EMERGENCY SERVICES.
I KNOW I CAN SPEAK FOR COUNSEL AND ALL THE RESIDENTS THAT, UM, HEARING WHAT YOU GUYS AND GALS DO EVERY DAY IS, UM, IT'S ALL INSPIRING AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU BEING OUT THERE.
UM, WE'RE GONNA TAKE ABOUT A FIVE MINUTE BREAK IN CASE WE WANNA DO SOME PICTURES OR FOLKS WANT TO, UM, MOVE ON THE, THE REST OF THE MEETING'S PRETTY BORING AFTER THIS, SO, UM, WE'LL RECONVENE AROUND SEVEN 15, IF THAT'S OKAY? YES, SIR.
UM, I'M GONNA RECONVENE THE OPEN, UH, THE REGULAR PORTION OF THE MEETING.
UM, AT THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO HAVE A MOTION TO ADD A RESOLUTION 88 20 26 TO THE AGENDA.
UH, THIS RESOLUTION WILL BE ADDED.
UM, THIS RESOLUTION WILL BE, UM, VOTED ON AFTER OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION TO GIVE COUNSEL TIME TO DISCUSS, CORRECT? CORRECT.
UM, SO WE HAVE A FIRST AND A SECOND.
WE NEED A ROLL CALL A CORRECT.
SO THAT RESOLUTION HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE AGENDA FOLLOWING EXECUTIVE.
NOW WE ARE MOVING ON TO COMMUNICATIONS.
UM, DOES ANYONE HAVE ANYTHING FOR THE PUBLIC? I DO.
I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO PERSONALLY AND AS A GROUP THANK JASON KLEIMAN.
JASON BROUGHT TO US TWO MEETINGS AGO THAT WE HAD A DISCREPANCY BETWEEN OUR, UM, APPLICATION FOR BOARDING COMMISSIONS AND WHAT OUR BYLAWS ACTUALLY SAID.
SO I LOOKED AT WHAT JASON HAD SAID, WE REVIEWED IT, COUNSEL REVIEWED IT.
UM, WE WEREN'T, OUR APPLICATION ACTUALLY WENT AGAINST OUR OWN BYLAWS.
AN EXAMPLE IS THAT IF ANYONE IS ON THE EAAC ONE MEMBER OF THE EAAC MUST ALSO BE ON THE PLANNING BOARD AND OUR APPLICATION DID NOT ALLOW FOR THAT.
SO THANKS TO JASON BRINGING THAT FORWARD TO US.
WE REVIEWED IT, WE SENT IT OUT TO THE LAWYERS TO REVIEW.
THE APPLICATION HAS BEEN REDONE.
UM, PAT, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD TO THAT? NO.
AND IF I MAY ADD TO THAT, SO, UM, IN THIS PROCESS OF I GUESS ENHANCING OR IMPROVING THE APPLICATION FOLKS HAVE PUT IN APPLICATIONS PRIOR, WE WILL ACCEPT THOSE APPLICATIONS, BUT IF YOU'D LIKE TO PUT IN A SIMILAR NEW APPLICATION, YOU MAY DO THAT AS WELL.
[00:35:01]
UH, BUT WE DO HAVE A, A ROSTER OF INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE APPLIED FOR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THAT WE WILL MAINTAIN THOSE APPLICATIONS AT THIS TIME.WE DID REMOVE THE DEADLINE ON ALL THE APPLICATIONS.
SO IF YOU PUT ONE IN, IF THERE'S NO OPENING, IT WILL SIT THERE.
BUT WHEN THERE IS AN OPENING, WE WILL HAVE YOUR APPLICATION ON THE BOARD.
UM, ANYONE ELSE? THERE'S SEVERAL THINGS COMING UP IN TOWN, UM, THERE.
THURSDAY FOOD TRUCKS ON MAINE IS ON THE 16TH, WHICH IS THIS THURSDAY FROM FIVE TO NINE.
THE FUR BABY FESTIVAL IN FREEDOM PARK.
THAT'S THE SATURDAY FROM 12 TO FIVE 30.
AND WE HAVE A TOWNSHIP SHREDDING EVENT AT THE RECYCLING CENTER.
AND THEN NEXT FRIDAY IS THE ARBOR DAY CELEBRATION AT TAR TOTTEN FORGE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
SO THERE'S A LOT COMING UP IN TOWN.
UH, JUST CONTINUING ON FROM COUNCILWOMAN MILK, WE HAVE LOBBY EVENTS COMING UP IN MAY AS WELL.
ON MAY 2ND FROM TEN TWO, WE HAVE THE TREAT YOUR PUP FUNDRAISER AT FREEDOM PARK.
WE HAVE MUSIC ON THE PORCH THAT WILL BE HAPPENING ON MAIN STREET, MAY 11TH AND MAY 16TH IS ST.
MAY 21ST IS, AGAIN, THIS IS THE THIRD THURSDAY FOOD TRUCK NIGHT ON MAY AND THE 23RD, THE 30TH OF MAY, WE HAVE THE FIELD OF HONOR AT FREEDOM PARK AND THAT WILL BE CULMINATING WITH THE, UH, MEMORIAL DAY PARADE OF SERMON CEREMONY ON THE 25TH OF MAY.
UM, WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO SCHEDULING ITEMS. OUR NEXT SCHEDULED MEETING IS APRIL 20TH, 2026.
IT'LL BE A SPECIAL COUNSEL MEETING AT THE PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING RIGHT HERE AT SIX 30.
THE FOLLOWING, UH, WILL BE APRIL 28TH, WILL BE A SPECIAL PUBLIC HEARING AT THE PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING THAT WILL BE AT FIVE 30.
THAT WILL BE FOLLOWED ON THE SAME DAY BY A TOWN HALL MEETING AT THE PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING AT SIX 30.
SO IT'S BACK TO BACK MEETINGS.
AND THAT TOWN HALL MEETING WAS ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED FOR APRIL 23RD.
WE HAD MOVED THAT TO APRIL 28TH AT SIX 30.
UH, MOVING ON YOUR APPROVAL, MAYOR, I'M SO SORRY.
I DO NEED TO ASK THE COUNCIL'S PERMISSION.
MY DAUGHTER IS VERY PREGNANT AND VERY READY TO GO.
SO WITH YOUR APPROVAL, I WILL HAVE MY CELL PHONE ON ME TODAY AND LOOK AT IT SPORADICALLY ONLY FOR HER, BUT WE ARE AWAITING, SHE IS TWO DAYS AWAY FROM HER DUE DATE.
[V. APPROVAL OF MINUTES ]
APPROVAL OF MINUTES.WE HAVE MINUTES FROM MARCH 3RD, 2026.
COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES AND MARCH 17TH, 2026.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THE MINUTES? NO.
UH, SEEING NONE MAY HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
[VI. DISCUSSION ITEMS ]
NEXT UP WE HAVE DISCUSSION ITEMS. WE WILL BEGIN WITH ORDINANCE 2026 DASH 11.UH, THIS ORDINANCE IS AMENDING CHAPTER 71, FEES AND LICENSES FOR THE TOWNSHIP CODE OF OF WATER AND SEWER UTILITIES.
CHIEF DOVEY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO THAT? YES.
UH, SO OUR DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, BRIAN KA, HAS RECOMMENDED WE INCREASE OUR EARN CONSUMER FEES.
BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT BEEN INCREASED SINCE 2010.
WE'RE, WE'RE PRETTY FAR BEHIND EVERYBODY ELSE.
UH, SO BY INCREASING THESE FEES, UH, WE WILL ONLY GO UP, UH, FROM WHERE WE'RE CURRENTLY AT, AT 23RD PLACE, UH, TO 13TH ON THE OVERALL LIST.
SO, UM, THIS IS NECESSARY JUST TO KEEP AND MAINTAIN OPERATIONS OF THE WATER AND SEWER TREATMENT PLANT.
AND, UM, JUST THAT RANKING THAT YOU JUST DESCRIBED, WHAT'S THE, WHAT'S THE SAMPLE SIZE OF THAT RANK? IS THAT BURLINGTON COUNTY? IS THAT, UH, THAT WAS, UH, SIMILAR MUNICIPALITIES THROUGHOUT BURLINGTON AND CAMDEN COUNTY.
JUST AND, UM, I KNOW I HAVE A BULLET POINT HERE JUST TO DISCUSS.
I KNOW, UM, WE'VE RECEIVED RECENT NOTIFICATION THAT ONE OF OUR MAJOR WATER SUPPLIERS HAS A POTENTIAL 18% INCREASE IN THEIR CHARGES TO US, AND WE'RE GONNA ENGAGE IN POTENTIAL LITIGATION.
I DON'T WANNA SPEAK OUT OF TURN.
WE, THE TOWNSHIP IS LOOKING TO JOIN INTO A, UM, ESSENTIALLY A COUNTY AND STATEWIDE LITIGATION AGAINST THIS WATER SUPPLIER IN REGARDS TO THIS, UM, DRASTIC RATE INCREASE.
UM, TOWNSHIP IS PLANNING ON JOINING SAID LITIGATION.
THEY WON'T BE SPEARHEADING IT, IT'LL BE LED BY ANOTHER MUNICIPALITY, BUT IN THE EVENT THERE IS A SUCCESSFUL RESULT, IT WOULD PREVENT THE, UH, THE ENACTMENT AGAINST THE TOWNSHIP OF MEDFORD.
AND IT IS ON OUR, UM, IT'S ON OUR LIST TO JOIN.
[00:40:02]
ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THIS PENDING ORDINANCE? NO.SEEING NONE, WE'LL MOVE ON TO, UH, NONPROFIT EVENTS IN PUBLIC FACILITIES.
SO I HAD ASKED, UH, TO BRING THIS UP FOR DISCUSSION.
UH, AS A RESULT OF A MEETING, MY MEETING, I ATTENDED SOME AREA OF NONPROFITS HERE IN TOWN.
UH, ONE OF THE, THE STATEMENTS THAT WAS MADE WAS THAT WHEN NONPROFITS SUCH AS MEDFORD BUSINESSES BUSINESS ASSOCIATION OR MAINSTREAM MERCHANTS, UH, CONDUCT A, AN EVENT HERE IN THE TOWNSHIP, UM, THAT THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR CONTRACTING WITH, UH, A VENDOR FOR, YOU KNOW, LIKE SAY, UH, BOB DRAIN FOR, UH, PORTA POTTS.
UH, AND AS SUCH THEY, YOU KNOW, PAY, PAY THE FULL COST OF THAT.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS ASKED IS WHETHER OR NOT COUNCIL WOULD CONSIDER, UH, HAVING THOSE CONTRACTS GO THROUGH THE TOWNSHIP AS THE TOWNSHIP IS ABLE TO GET THOSE UNITS AT A, UH, STATE CONTRACT RATE VERSUS WHAT THESE NONPROFITS ARE ABLE TO DO, UH, THROUGH THESE VARIOUS VENDORS.
UH, SO I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT TO COUNCIL AND SEE WHAT OTHER COUNCIL'S THOUGHTS ON THAT WOULD BE.
UH, OBVIOUSLY THE NONPROFITS WILL CONTINUE TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REIMBURSEMENT FOR THOSE COSTS, BUT IT WOULD BE AT A MUCH LOWER RATE THAN WHAT THEY'RE CURRENTLY PAYING, UH, TO THOSE VENDORS.
UM, I HAVE A SIMILAR SITUATION THAT I WAS INVOLVED IN, UM, WHEN I WAS THE MYA PRESIDENT OF SOFTBALL.
UM, THOSE EVENTS ARE HELD ON, UH, MUNICIPAL LAND AND, BUT THE NONPROFIT ENTITY WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PORTA POTS.
AND I KNOW THAT THE RATE THAT WE PAID WAS HIGHER, JUST 'CAUSE I KNOW BOTH NUMBERS THAT WAS HIGHER THAN THE NUMBER THAT THE MUNICIPALITIES CONTRACTED TO PAY.
UM, I, I GUESS ONE OF MY CONCERNS, UM, IS GONNA BE THAT IF WE BECOME THE ADMINISTRATIVE ARM OF THESE NONPROFITS TO ADMINISTER THESE CONTRACTS BETWEEN VENDORS, UH, THAT MAY JUST BE A COST TO OUR MUNICIPAL STAFF THAT, THAT WE HAVE TO BE AWARE OF.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT WE, WE NECESSARILY SAY NO TO THAT, OBVIOUSLY.
BUT, UM, THO THAT WAS, I'LL GO WAY BACK ON THAT.
LIKE 20 10, 20 11, THAT WAS ONE OF THE MAJOR ITEMS DURING THAT SEPARATION OF NON-PROFIT AND MUNICIPAL SERVICES.
UM, PORTA POTTO WAS ON THE LIST.
LIGHTING SERVICES, UM, WAS ON THE LIST.
UM, LAND, UM, LAWN CARE AND MAINTENANCE, THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.
UM, SO I I I JUST GET CONCERNED THAT IF IT'S, IF IT'S PORT OF POTS NOW, THEN WE HAVE TO KIND OF RETROACTIVELY GO BACK TO ALL THE OTHER NONPROFITS THAT ARE, WE'RE PROVIDING SOME SERVICE TO AND LOOK AT THOSE ENTITIES.
AND THEN MAYBE POTENTIALLY WHAT'S THE NEXT THING THAT MAY COME UP FOR THE RIGHT REASONS.
WE WANT TO SAVE THEM MONEY AS WELL, BUT THERE MIGHT BE A WAY THAT WE CAN WORK WITH THEM AND THE VENDOR TO TRY TO WORK AT A PRICE AGREEMENT WITHOUT US ACTUALLY BEING INVOLVED.
BUT SOME OF 'EM THAT, OR MAYBE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF CONSIDERING A, A MINIMAL ADMINISTRATIVE FEE FOR THE, FOR THE TOWNSHIP PROCESSING THAT ON, ON THEIR BEHALF.
UH, BECAUSE I, I DO RECOGNIZE THE VALUE THAT THESE ORGANIZATIONS BRING WITH THESE EVENTS AND WHAT THEY BRING INTO THE TOWNSHIP IN TERMS OF JUST NOT ONLY OUR RESIDENTS BUT ALSO RESIDENTS FROM THE OUTSIDE AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES TO BRING IN.
WHICH I THINK I WOULD HOPE THAT THAT WILL ALL HELP BALANCE THAT, THAT THOSE COSTS OUT SOME, MAYBE SOMEWHAT OFFSET SOME OF THOSE COSTS AS AS WELL.
THE, THE ART AND WINE FESTIVAL, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S ONE DAY, BUT IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, IT'S ABOUT EIGHT HOURS.
AND IT'S NOT A, NOT A WEEKEND EVENT.
UM, AND I KNOW SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT HAVE COME FROM OUT OF TOWN AND EVEN OUTTA STATE TO THAT EVENT AND MOVED THEM EFFORT BECAUSE THEY CAME FOR THAT EVENT.
SO IT, THERE IS A DRAW ASPECT TO IT THAT WE SHOULD CONSIDER.
UM, I THINK WE CAN DISCUSS THE POTENTIAL ADMINISTRATIVE FEE AS, AS AN OPTION.
IT, IT'S DEFINITELY A POSSIBILITY.
I, I WILL OWN UP AS SOMEONE WHO'S PUT TOGETHER SOME BIG EVENTS AND HAD TO DEAL WITH PORTA-POTTIES.
UM, AS THE NUMBERS CHANGE, THEN YOU HAVE TO MAKE ANOTHER PHONE CALL.
OH, WE DON'T NEED JUST SIX, WE NEED EIGHT.
AND THEN WHAT IF ONE FALLS OVER? 'CAUSE LET ME TELL YOU, IF THEY FALL OVER, YOU GET A WHOLE NEW GAME.
THEY HAVE, THEY CHARGE YOU EXTRA BECAUSE THE GOODIES INSIDE CAME UP.
UM, IF THERE'S A STORM, THEY WON'T COME COLLECT THEM.
SO THEN YOU HAVE TO COORDINATE ANOTHER TIME.
SO I KNOW I SOUND LIKE I'M KIND OF LIKE NITPICKING A LITTLE BIT.
I DON'T WANT TOWN HALL TO DO IT BECAUSE AS MUCH AS WE SAY THE ADMINISTRATIVE FEE AN HOUR, AN HOUR SHOULD BE PLENTY.
LIKE RIGHT TO SET UP PORTA-POTTIES, IT SHOULD BE AN HOUR.
BUT WHAT IF THERE'S A STORM? WHAT IF THERE'S THIS AND WHAT DOES NUMBER OF PEOPLE GROW OR THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE DIMINISH? EVERYONE ELSE'S TAXPAYERS ARE PAYING FOR THEIR ONE EVENT TO BE SET UP.
SO FOR ME, I WOULD RATHER WORK WITH THE COMPANIES TO SAY, IF MEDFORD GETS THIS TOWN RATE, WHY CAN'T WE GIVE IT TO MEDFORD EVENTS? I'D RATHER WORK IT THAT WAY AND LEAVE TOWN HALL DOING TOWN HALL BUSINESS.
[00:45:05]
UM, ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? NO, I WANNA THINK ABOUT IT A WHILE.IT'S A LOT OF RAMIFICATIONS I DIDN'T CONSIDER YEAH.
BUT I, I, I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE THAT SUPPORTING THE NONPROFITS ABSOLUTELY.
IS GONNA DEFINITELY BE A, A BIG, UM, AN IMPORTANT THING THAT WE CAN DO IS, IS AS COUNSEL.
UM, ANYTHING ON THAT CHIEF? NO, I, UH, LIKE I SAID, WE, I CAN TAKE IT BACK AND WE CAN LOOK INTO IT A LITTLE BIT FURTHER.
MAYBE REACH OUT TO THE COMPANY AND SEE WHAT KIND OF ADDITIONAL PRICING WE CAN, YOU KNOW, WORK WITH THEM ON.
IF YOU WANNA WORK WITH MEDFORD, THIS IS THE RATE FOR MEDFORD AND ALL OF MEDFORD'S EVENTS, RIGHT? I MEAN, WE DO PLENTY OF EVENTS HERE IN TOWN, SO THERE'S DEFINITELY A NEED FOR ABSOLUTELY.
[VII. PUBLIC COMMENTS]
SO NOW WE'LL OPEN UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.UM, AS I STATE EVERY TIME, UM, THIS IS A VERY SACRED THING THAT WE'RE ABOUT TO DO.
UM, MANY PEOPLE LOST THEIR LIVES AND ARE STILL FIGHTING TODAY FOR THE FREEDOMS THAT WE'RE ABOUT TO EXPERIENCE.
UM, WE WILL LIMIT EACH SPEAKER TO FIVE MINUTES.
UM, IF THERE'S THE ABSOLUTE NEED FOR ONE ADDITIONAL MINUTE, UM, WE'LL GIVE YOU ONE EXTRA ONE.
UM, I FEEL HORRIBLE THAT WHILE I'M GIVING THE, WHILE I'M LISTENING AND WRITING DOWN THE NOTES OF THE CURRENT SPEAKER, I FORGET WHO'S NEXT.
SO I WOULD JUST ASK IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK, PLEASE COME UP.
WE'VE RESERVED THE FRONT ROW THAT WAY.
UM, THE NEXT PERSON IN LINE CAN JUST COME RIGHT UP TO THE MICROPHONE AND I DON'T HAVE TO REMEMBER WHO IS NEXT WHEN I'M TRYING TO TAKE THE NOTES.
BUT IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK, UH, FEEL FREE TO COME UP AND IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK AFTER THAT, THE CURRENT SPEAKERS, THERE'S PLENTY OF SEATS UP FRONT TO, TO SPEAK.
OH, AND I'M SORRY, I, I'LL ASK, UH, CHIEF DOBY TO KEEP THE TIME, UH, PROVIDE ME A ONE MINUTE WARNING AND THEN, UM, WE'LL GO, UM, IF COUNSEL ALLOWS THE ADDITIONAL MINUTE IN, IN CERTAIN INSTANCES THAT ARE NEEDED.
UM, WHO WOULD LIKE TO GO FIRST? SORRY, I'M MOVING SLOW TONIGHT.
UM, I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION TO ASK.
THE MINUTES THAT ARE APPROVED, THEY WEREN'T ONLINE FOR THE PUBLIC TO SEE.
UM, WASN'T THERE USUALLY A PROCEDURE WHERE YOU POSTED THE MINUTES AND THE AGENDA AND THEN THE PUBLIC HAD A CHANCE TO SEE WHAT THE MINUTES WERE BEFORE YOU VOTED? NO, JUST THE MINUTES UNTIL THEY'RE APPROVED.
THEY HAVE TO BE APPROVED BY COUNSEL.
SO IF THERE'S AN ERROR IN THEM, HOW IS IT CORRECTED? WE'VE AMENDED, WE'VE AMENDED THIS IF THERE HAS BEEN ERRORS.
SAME WITH THE BILL LIST, WE'VE DONE THAT AS WELL.
SO IF YOU FIND ERRORS, PLEASE BRING THEM TO OUR ATTENTION.
UM, I'M GONNA BE PRESENTING TONIGHT ON THE RECORD AGAIN.
UM, HOLD ON BEFORE YOU START, BECAUSE I DON'T WANNA USE YOUR TIME.
WAS THERE AN ERROR THAT WE SHOULD LOOK INTO? I DON'T KNOW.
I JUST THOUGHT MAYBE YOU WERE TALKING BECAUSE YOU HAD FOUND ONE FROM NO, I DID.
NO, AB ABSOLUTELY, BUT I JUST, IT DOESN'T, I WAS JUST GONNA START ON IT EARLY.
IS THAT A, IS THAT A LEGAL REQUIREMENT? IT'S NOT LOGICAL.
IS IT LEGAL THAT YOU DON'T PUBLISH 'EM BEFORE THEY'RE YEAH.
SIMILAR TO HOW THE ORDINANCES ARE, ARE WE, DON'T WE HAVE TO APPROVE AN, UH, FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE AND THEN IT GOES PUBLIC, THEN YOU HAVE TIME TO REVIEW IT AND THEN THERE'S A SECOND READING IS BUT THAT DOESN'T APPLY TO MINUTES.
YOU DON'T SO MINUTES ARE JUST DRAFTS UNTIL THEY'RE FORMALLY APPROVED? YEAH, THE MINUTES ARE DRAFT.
SO THEY'RE READ TONIGHT, APPROVED AND THEN THAT NEXT MEETING.
SO ONCE, ONCE THEY'RE APPROVED TONIGHT.
NOW THEY'RE, NOW THEY'RE PUBLIC AND THEY'RE OFFICIAL.
BUT UNTIL THEY'RE APPROVED BY THE GOVERNING BODY, THEY'RE JUST IN A DRAFT FORM.
BUT THEY'RE APPROVED AT THAT POINT.
UM, WHAT, WHAT I'M GONNA BE HANDING YOU IS AT THE LAST MEETING I HANDED YOU A REPORT FROM 2015, UM, FOR, UH, THE ENVIRONMENTAL RESTRICTIONS AND THE VACANT LAND INVENTORY ANALYSIS REPORT THAT ELIMINATED THE LAND THAT YOU HAVE NOW DESIGNATED TO BE BUILT ON.
I FILED A FORMAL OBJECTION BACK IN JANUARY 13TH, 2026 WITH FAIR SHARE.
I THINK IT WENT IN THE GLA IN THE GARBAGE CAN.
I ALSO HAD GIVEN A COPY TO THE PREVIOUS BOARD, THE PREVIOUS COUNSEL, THE DOCUMENTS THAT I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU SUPPORT THE REPORT THAT WAS REPAIRED BY ERI.
SO I FILED THE FORMAL OBJECTION WITH FAIR SHARE.
I WILL BE FILING ANOTHER ONE WITH THEM, BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU HAD THE COPIES AND THAT IT BECOMES PART OF THE RECORD.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO, HERE YOU'RE HURTING.
[00:50:01]
THANKS.THE REPORT I HANDED YOU, UM, SUPPORTS AND DETAILS THE ENVIRONMENTAL RESTRICTIONS ON THE LAND THAT, UM, THEY ARE NOW DOING TESTING ON.
AND IT'S A PRETTY, IT'S, IT'S PRETTY DETAILED.
AFTER YOU READ THAT AND AFTER YOU READ THE 2015 REPORT, YOU'LL UNDERSTAND WHY A ERI DESIGNATED THAT VACANT LAND REPORT AND WHY THEY DID IT AND WHY YOU SHOULD NOT BE MOVING FORWARD ON THE LAND THAT IS NOW.
BUT I THINK IT'S A MOOT POINT.
UM, THERE'S A DISCUSSION GOING ON AND I WANNA MAKE SOMETHING VERY CLEAR.
IT SEEMS LIKE THE COUNCIL FEELS THAT I'M THE ONLY PERSON THAT'S OBJECTING TO WHAT'S GOING ON, OR I'M THE ONLY ONE THAT'S A PROPONENT FOR THESE DEED EXTENSIONS.
PEOPLE ARE WATCHING ONLINE AND IT SEEMS LIKE IF THEY'RE NOT HERE AND YOU DON'T SEE THEM, THEY DON'T COUNT.
I TAKE CARE, I'VE HAD 14 PHONE CALLS THIS WEEK FROM SENIOR CITIZENS ASKING WHAT'S HAPPENING.
UM, I'VE ASKED THEM TO COME, THEY WILL BE HERE IN THE FUTURE.
UM, I DO THINK THAT THE COUNCIL IS GONNA OWE THEM A, A DETAILED EXPLANATION.
UM, I'M GONNA ASK THIS FORMALLY.
I'M ASKING FORMALLY, IT SEEMS LIKE THIS COUNCIL WANTS ME TO TAKE THE LEAD TO GO INTO A, UH, PUBLIC ENTITY TO GO INTO DCA OR, UM, TO GO TO FAIR SHARE AND GET YOU SOMETHING IN WRITING THAT ISN'T GONNA WORK.
EVERYBODY KNOWS THEN, UNLESS IT'S A GOVERNMENTAL AGENCY TO GOVERNMENTAL AGENCY.
BUT I WAS PROMISED THAT I WOULD BE A PART OF IT.
I THINK THAT WITH ALL THE EFFORT THAT I'VE PUT IN, AND I THINK WITH MY KNOWLEDGE, I, I FEEL AND FEELINGS DON'T MATTER.
BUT I FEEL THAT IT WOULD BE NOT ONLY IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE COMMUNITY, BUT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE COUNCIL TO HAVE MY KNOWLEDGE.
AND WHAT I HAVE FOUND AFTER HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH DCA IS THAT NOBODY THERE IS TRAINED ON THE NEW LAW.
THAT THEY'RE SITTING THERE THINKING THAT THE OLD RULES APPLY, THAT THEY DON'T.
METFORD HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE ON THE FOREFRONT OF SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY, NOT ONLY TO HELP AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BUT TO SHAPE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
IT SEEMS LIKE YOU GUYS DON'T WANNA DO THAT.
I DON'T THINK THAT YOU WANT TO GO TO COURT.
IMP I DON'T THINK YOU WANNA IMPLEMENT IT AND THEN GO AHEAD.
UM, I DON'T THINK YOU WANNA GO TO COURT.
BECAUSE THE LAW IS IN OUR FAVOR.
I KNOW THAT IT'S GONNA TAKE UNITS DOWN FROM, FROM UH, DR HORTON.
IT'S GONNA SAVE MONEY FOR THE COMMUNITY.
IT'S GONNA SAVE SENIOR CITIZENS.
THERE IS NO LOSS OTHER THAN REVENUE TO A LARGE CORPORATION.
THE OTHER THING THAT IT DOES IS IT GIVES YOU GUYS A TIME TO TAKE A BREATHER AND FIGURE OUT THE REST OF IT.
AND I WOULD LIKE AN ANSWER WHY WITH ALL THE EFFORT THAT'S BEING PUT IN, IT'S NOT BEING TAKEN SERIOUSLY.
SO I'LL ACTUALLY GO FIRST MAYOR, IF THAT'S OKAY.
BECAUSE I DID USE THE WORD LONE VOICE AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.
BY LONE VOICE, I SHOULD HAVE SAID STRONG VOICE.
UM, BY LONE I DIDN'T MEAN ALONE.
MORE THE ONE VOICE THAT, THAT WE CONSTANTLY HEAR, UM, IN A GOOD WAY.
IF THAT'S HOW YOU TOOK THAT, I AM VERY WILLING TO SAY, MY APOLOGIES.
UM, BUT LONE VOICE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, THE GOOD LORD WAS A LONE VOICE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS.
THAT IS THE ONLY WAY THAT I, I MEANT LONE VOICE, BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN MULTIPLE WAYS.
FLIP SIDE, I HAVE CALLED ALL OF THOSE AGENCIES AS I GAVE YOU MY WORD.
AND EVERY SINGLE ONE FROM PROJECT FREEDOM EMILY THERE, AMAZING WOMAN.
SHE DCA MULTIPLE PEOPLE AND ON AND ON.
AND EVERY SINGLE ONE HAS TOLD ME NOT JUST OUR CURRENT COUNSEL, NOT OUR PREVIOUS COUNSEL, WHO LIKE MANY OF YOU DID NOT BELIEVE, NO PROBLEMS THERE.
I MADE THE PHONE CALLS MYSELF.
AND IT'S WHY I SAY TO EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU, MAKE THE PHONE CALL YOURSELF.
DCA WILL TELL YOU YOU CAN GET THE NUMBERS FROM TRYOUT ON WHERE OUR DEEDS EXPIRE.
AND THEY WILL TELL YOU JUST LIKE THEY'VE TOLD ME, JUST LIKE THEY'VE TOLD COUNCILMAN COX, I PRESUME OUR LAWYER, THAT NO, YOU CANNOT DO THE DEEDS THAT ARE EXPIRING.
THE EXAMPLE ONE GENTLEMAN GAVE ME WAS MICHELLE, WHAT IF YOU EXTENDED THE DE DEEDS FOR A HUNDRED YEARS,
[00:55:01]
THAT WOULD CLEAR OUT ROUND FIVE, CLEAR OUT ROUND SIX AND PUT US INTO ROUND SEVEN.CAN YOU GUARANTEE THAT HOUSE WILL BE THERE? WE CAN'T.
SOON AS THAT EXPIRES THEN WE CAN COUNT IT.
I WISH TO THE GOOD LORD THAT WE COULD INTERPRET IT THE WAY YOU DO.
AND WHEN I SAY TO YOU, GET IT TO ME IN WRITING, I LITERALLY MEAN IF YOU CAN GET ONE SINGLE PERSON, WILL YOU GO WITH ME? I'LL CALL WITH YOU.
WILL YOU GO WITH ME? I CALL YOU.
CAN WE MAKE THIS HAPPEN? IF YOU PICK A DAY I'M NOT WORKING.
IF FINE, IF YOU CAN HELP ME MAKE THE PHONE CALLS I'VE REACHED OUT TO, TO TROY.
BUT I WILL ASK IN THE INTERIM THEN THAT YOU STOP AS WILL ALL OF US UP, SPEAKING FROM MY CREW, STIRRING PEOPLE UP UNTIL WE KNOW FOR SURE.
'CAUSE I KNOW FOR SURE WHAT THEY'VE TOLD ME.
YOU FEEL VERY STRONGLY ABOUT WHAT YOU'VE BEEN TOLD.
BUT NOBODY WILL GIVE IT TO YOU IN WRITING.
LET'S CLARIFY THIS AND THEN TOGETHER WE WILL PRESENT TO THE TOWN WHAT THE DCA TOLD US TOGETHER.
I PRAY I'M THAT WRONG AND I PRAY YOU ARE THAT RIGHT.
BUT BETWEEN NOW AND THEN, WE HAVE GOT TO STOP THIS BACK AND FORTH, GETTING PEOPLE TO STRESS AND WORRY.
AND WHEN I SAY THAT, I MEAN A REALLY SHORT TIMELINE.
THE PHONE CALL NEEDS TO BE MADE.
WE NEED TO DO IT TOGETHER IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD, NOT A MONTH FROM NOW.
UH, THAT'S HAS TO, HERE'S WHAT I'M GONNA TELL YOU AND I WANT YOU TO HEAR ME SINCERELY.
THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TALK AND THE WRITTEN LAW.
WHEN THAT LEGISLATION WAS PUT THROUGH.
I DON'T CARE WHAT THEY TELL YOU WHEN I READ THE LAW AND IT IS CHANGED.
THEY CAN TELL YOU ALL THEY WANT.
IF WE GO AND WE HAVE A MEETING AND THEY KEEP SAYING, OH NO, NO, BUT WE HAVE IT IN WRITING, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO CROSS THAT BRIDGE WHEN WE COME TO IT ON WHAT THIS TOWNSHIP'S WILLING TO DO.
I KNOW YOU'RE LOOKING TOWARDS THE COUNCIL.
I DON'T THINK THAT UNTIL WE HAVE THAT CONVERSATION THAT THAT NEXT STEP CAN HAPPEN.
WHICH NEXT STEP? JUST SO THAT WE'RE ALL CARS ON THE TABLE.
JUST IF WE GET TO THE POINT WHERE THE LAW SAYS THAT WE ARE CORRECT, IT'S IN WRITING.
IT'S IN BLACK AND WHITE AND WE HIT A ROADBLOCK.
WHAT THE DECISION'S GOING TO BE ABOUT THAT ROADBLOCK? I THINK THAT WE NEED TO TAKE THAT FIRST STEP.
I THINK IT HAS TO BE NOT ONLY WITH DCA, NOT ONLY WITH FAIR SHARE, BUT IT HAS TO BE WITH SENATOR SINGLETON.
THE LAST ONE, SENATOR SINGLETON, HE WROTE THE LAW.
SO I THINK IT'S GOTTA BE ALL OF THEM.
AND I THINK THE LEVEL OF KNOWLEDGE HAS GOTTA BE GREAT.
AND I THINK THE LEVEL OF DETERMINATION HAS TO BE THE SAME.
THE LEVEL OF DETERMINATION IS 100% THERE.
IF THE LAW IS IN OUR FAVOR, I'VE READ IT AS WELL.
I HAVE DONE MORE HOMEWORK ON COA AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAN THAN I EVER THOUGHT I WOULD KNOW.
I TOOK THAT RESPONSIBILITY WHEN I ASKED YOU GUYS TO VOTE FOR ME AND YOU DID.
I WILL DO GCAI WILL DO FAIR SHARE.
JUST LET ME KNOW WHEN I, I WILL MAKE MYSELF AVAILABLE EVEN IF I GOTTA CANCEL MY PRIEST.
BUT I'LL NEVER DIMINISH OUR CURRENT LAWYERS WHO ARE READING IT AND ALSO COUNSELING THE TOWN.
'CAUSE THEY TOO ARE OUT TO PROTECT THIS TOWN.
SIR, IF YOU DON'T HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH ME AFTERWARDS, I'LL GO OVER THE LAW WITH YOU.
ALL IT'S, IT'S AN AN A HIGHER LEVEL CONVERSATION.
BUT IF YOU CAN LET ME KNOW, I CAN CAN'T CALL.
LOOK, I JUST, I LITERALLY JUST SEND AN EMAIL TO THE ONE DIRECTOR THAT I'VE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH AT DCA TO SCHEDULE ANOTHER MEETING.
SO ONCE I HAVE A DATE AND TIME BACK, I'LL BE IN TOUCH WITH YOU AND DEPUTY MAYOR.
DO THEY HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE A DECISION AND, AND ANALYZE THE LAW AND COME BACK AND, AND MAKE A DETERMINATION? NO.
SO THE BIGGEST PROBLEM IS THE WAY THE LAW IS CRAFTED IS CATEGORICALLY, IT DOES NOT PERMIT THE UTILIZATION OF A PREVIOUSLY CREDITED DEEP HOLD THE MICROPHONE PLEASE.
SO I SAID THE, THE, THE PROBLEM IS CATEGORICALLY THE WAY THE LAW IS CRAFTED AND THE WAY THE LAW IS WRITTEN, IT DOES NOT PERMIT THE USE OF A CREDIT TWICE WHEN THE CREDIT PREVIOUSLY HAD NOT EXPIRED.
NOW IN THE LAW, THERE'S THIS VAGUE PASSAGE THAT ALLOWS FOR THE EXTENSION OF AFFORDABILITY CONTROLS.
NOW THAT EXTENSION OF AFFORDABILITY CONTROLS JUST EXTENDS THAT PREVIOUSLY UTILIZED CREDIT.
YOU DON'T GET TO EXTEND IT AND THEN COUNT IT AS A SECOND CREDIT.
[01:00:01]
THAT'S WHY THE CREDIT HAS TO FIRST EXPIRE.'CAUSE WHEN THE CREDIT FIRST EXPIRES, THEN YOU CAN UTILIZE IT AS A BRAND NEW CREDIT AND THEN YOU CAN EXTEND IT FOR THAT EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME.
THERE'S PRINCIPLES KNOWN AS PREEMPTION.
THERE'S PRINCIPLES KNOWN AS STATUTORY CONSTRUCTION.
NOW, WHEN STATUTES ON THEIR FACE ARE READ, THEY'RE GIVEN THEIR PLAIN MEETING.
NOW THE ENABLING STATUTE THAT GOVERNS D ONE, THE AFFORDABILITY CONTROLS, THERE'S ALSO A PROVISION IN THERE THAT REQUIRES THE DCA ADOPT ITS OWN REGULATIONS.
NOW THIS STATUTE CREATES A FIELD PREEMPTION PRINCIPLE, WHICH STATES THAT THE LEGISLATURE THROUGH THE DCA INTENDED TO ADOPT A FULLY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR HOW TO UTILIZE AND HOW TO COUNT AFFORDABILITY CONTROLS.
YOU CANNOT TAKE SOMETHING THAT'S NOT IN THE BLACK BOX AND USE A MUNICIPALITY, CANNOT UTILIZE A CRIT ON CREDIT THAT IS NOT WRITTEN VERBATIM FOR BEING PERMITTED OTHERWISE, IT IS PREEMPTED AND THUS UNLAWFUL.
EXACTLY WHERE IT'S 58, IT'S FIVE DASH 80 DASH 26 DASH ONE.
THAT WAS SLATED IS IN TWO PARTS.
THEN THERE'S THE RULES AND REGS.
WHEN THE RULES AND REGS WERE, WERE DONE, THE 50 DASH 80 DASH 26 INFLUENCE THE STATUTES TO THESE REGULATIONS, DIVINES THE PRESERVATION UNITS, IT CONFIRMS THE MINIMUM OF A 60 YEAR AFFORDABLE CONTROL PERIOD.
CRITICALLY, IT DOES NOT ADD ANY NEW TIMING LIMITATION THAT APPEARS NOWHERE IN THE STATUTES.
IT DOES NOT SAY A RESTRICTION MUST EXPIRE BEFORE 2025.
IT, IT, THE RESTRICTION DOES NOT SAY IT MUST EXPIRE IN 20, BEFORE 2035.
THE RESTRICTIONS EXTENDED BEFORE THE FOURTH ROUND ARE ACCOUNTABLE UNDER THIS, THE MEANING OF THE FATE.
THE PHRASE AT THE TIME OF PRESERVATION MEANS THE MOMENT THE MUNICIPALITY EXECUTES THE EXTENSION OF THE DEED RESTRICTION, IT IS SAYS JUST THAT IT DOES NOT MEAN WHEN THE RESTRICTION EXPIRES.
IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT RESTRICTION MUST BE CLOSE TO EXPIRATION.
THEY WENT FURTHER IN THE REGULATIONS TO EXPAND ON THE REASON WHY THEY DID THE LEGISLATION.
YOU'RE MISSING THE SECOND PART.
I KNOW WHEN I'M IN THE MIDDLE OF AN EXPLANATION AND A DEEP CONVERSATION.
BUT WHAT I'M SAYING TO YOU IS THIS IS WHY I'M ASKING TO SIT IN ON THE MEETINGS.
DEPUTY MAYOR BOHI, COUNCILMAN COX.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING SUCH COMMITTEE.
I LOOK FORWARD, I LOOK FORWARD, FORWARD TO THE DEFENSE.
OUR COUNSEL IS MORE THAN INTERESTED IN HEARING EVERYTHING YOU HAVE TO SAY.
AND I KNOW THE PUBLIC IS VERY GRATEFUL FOR ALL THE WORK YOU DO.
UM, I, I JUST FEEL FROM, FOR THE SAKE OF THE PUBLIC, YOU, I, I DON'T BE RESPECTFUL.
YOU, YOU MADE A STRONG CASE AND THEY WILL DEFINITELY LOOK INTO IT WITH YOU.
I JUST WANNA SAY THERE ARE MANY SENIOR CITIZENS OUT THERE THAT ARE NOW WITH THE LETTER OF INTENT.
THEY SIGNED WANTING TO KNOW A STATUS.
AH, ODDLY ENOUGH, OUR TOWN MANAGER, YOU CAN SPEAK TO THAT.
I, I, I HAVE BEEN COMMUNICATING, UM, I'M GONNA TALK TO YOU AFTERWARDS, BUT I WANTED TO BRING THIS TO EVERYBODY'S ATTENTION.
THANK YOU FOR WORKING WITH ME.
I'VE PUT MY HEART AND SOUL INTO THIS AND MY MIND AND KNOWLEDGE.
I, I, I JUST DON'T COME UP HERE TO TALK, TO TALK.
WE APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU'RE DOING.
HI, I'M ELIZABETH HARRIS, DELIO 39 BANK STREET.
FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR ACKNOWLEDGING OUR OFFICERS EARLIER.
I WOULD'VE LOVED TO HAVE HEARD EVERYTHING THAT THEY WERE SAYING, WHICH I DIDN'T HEAR A WORD OF BECAUSE I WAS BACK THERE AND I CAN'T HEAR.
AND I DON'T THINK MOST PEOPLE CAN HEAR ANYTHING THAT'S GOING ON UP HERE.
SO ALL THOSE LOVELY THINGS THAT THEY SAID ABOUT THE OFFICERS AND DESCRIBING EVERYTHING THEY DID SO BEAUTIFULLY FELL ON DEAF EARS.
SO PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS AUDIO SYSTEM YOU'VE GOT.
THAT'S LIKE A WHERE WERE YOU SEAT SEATED, MA'AM? I WAS STANDING IN THE LOBBY.
DID ALL OF YOU HEAR EVERY WORD THAT WAS BEING SAID? THEY ALL HEARD IT? NO.
LIKE ONE, ONE OF YOU SHOULD SIT HERE ONE NIGHT AND LISTEN, BECAUSE YOU GUYS ARE TALKING BETWEEN YOURSELVES BEAUTIFULLY.
BUT ANYWAY, MY CHILDREN WILL JUST TELL YOU I HAVE A BIG MOUTH.
ANOTHER THING, JUST NUMBER TWO, THE AGENDAS THAT WERE IN THE BACK WERE FROM MARCH 25TH.
[01:05:01]
SO I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE.AND THE FINAL THING IS I JUST WANNA ASK MARIANNE HOLLOWAY, I'M SORRY TO STOP YOU.
DO YOU HAVE A COPY THAT WAS IN THE BACK FROM MARCH 25TH? YEAH, IT'S ON THE CHAIR BACK THERE.
YOU WANT ME TO GET IT? YES, PLEASE.
YOU GOT THAT? I SAID IT'S THE WRONG AGENDA.
BECAUSE I SAID TO SOMEONE IN THE ROOM, WHERE IS IT LISTED? ON THE, THEY WON'T HEAR YOU UNLESS YOU'RE AT THE MICROPHONE.
WHERE IS IT LISTED ON THE AGENDA THAT THEY WERE DOING ALL THIS FOR THE POLICE OFFICERS.
AND I TOOK IT TO SOMEONE AND THEY SAID, OH, YOU'VE GOT THE ONE FROM MARCH 18TH.
THAT'S WHAT I TOOK FROM THE BACK.
YOU GOT THE CHIEF INTO THE GROUP.
I JUST, SOMEBODY SHOULD CHECK THAT THOSE WERE LEFT OVER.
HUH? THOSE ARE LEFT PROBABLY, YEAH.
BUT THE PROPER AGENDAS WERE IN THE FOLDER IN THE BACK.
I JUST WANNA ASK MARYANNE DIRECTLY, IF YOU DON'T MIND, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE EXTENDING THE EXISTING DEED RESTRICTIONS? MA'AM, I'M SO, I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THAT.
THAT'S WHAT SHE'S TALKING ABOUT.
WHICH INVOLVES HOW MANY PROPERTIES? I THINK THERE'S 59 OTHERS IN MY TECH, BUT I DON'T HAVE AN OFFICIAL NUMBER.
WE CAN HAVE THIS CONVERSATION AFTER PUBLIC COMMENT IF YOU LIKE.
KNOW WHAT SHE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COUNSEL? HMM? WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COUNSEL? I'M ASKING YOU, DID YOU KNOW WHAT SHE WAS FOLLOW? OF COURSE.
I KNOW, I FIGURED THAT, BUT I DIDN'T.
OKAY, SO I WAS LIKE, WHAT WAS SHE TALKING ABOUT? SO SHE'S TALKING ABOUT EXTENDING THE EXISTING, RIGHT? CORRECT.
AND THAT WOULD GIVE US 59 OF THE 600.
MAY I USE YOUR TIME? HOW MUCH MAY I USE YOUR TIME TO ANSWER? SURE.
JUST RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE 59 FOLKS WHO ARE INTERESTED.
IT'S ACTUALLY 58 'CAUSE ONE RESCINDED.
THOSE FOLKS ARE INTERESTED IN EXTENDING THEIR DEEDS.
THERE'S ALSO CORPORATIONS WHO OWN DEEDS ON HOMES AND WE'VE REACHED OUT TO THEM AS WELL.
FOR US, THE PROBLEM IS THAT NONE OF THEM EXPIRE UNTIL AFTER 20, UM, 37.
WE'LL NOT COVER ROUND FOUR, BUT WE ARE LOOKING INTO THEM AND PUTTING MONEY ASIDE.
IS THAT THE POINT? IT WOULD HELP, YEAH, BECAUSE I'LL SAY IT AGAIN LOUDLY.
MY GOAL FOR ROUND FIVE IS ZERO
UM, SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE, THE TOOLS THAT WE CAN USE.
MAYOR LUCAS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO DOWN LADIES' FIRST? WELL DONE ANYWAY.
UH, ONCE AGAIN, I'M BACK UP HERE ABOUT OUR SAFE STREET INITIATIVES.
UH, JIM HAS REQUESTED AN UPDATED MONITORING REPORT.
WE'RE AWAITING THAT ANY DAY, BUT WE KNOW FOR A FACT WE'RE OVER 365,000 CARS PER MONTH AND WE'RE OVER 1800 TRUCKS.
SO WE NEED TO HAVE THIS REALLY NAILED DOWN PRIOR TO THESE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS GOING ON.
AND TO THAT EXTENT, WE ARE REQUESTING THAT COUNCIL STIPULATE THAT THE CONSTRUCTION VEHICLES NOT GO DOWN TAUNTON BOULEVARD AT ANY TIME DURING THIS PROCESS.
AT, AT SOME POINT IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE.
OUR ROAD IS GOING TO HAVE TO BE REPAVED.
IT'S, IT'S, IT'S IN TERRIBLE CONDITION.
UH, WE HAVE THE, THE WEIGHT OF THE TRUCKS, AND AGAIN, I GO BACK TO NOT ONLY THE NUMBER OF CARS, BUT THE WEIGHT OF THE TRUCKS.
AND WE, WE KEEP HAMMERING THAT, BUT IT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
AND I'D LIKE TO IN ADVANCE, THANK, UH, COUNCILWOMAN VIES AND COUNCILWOMAN MILK FOR COMING OUT AND DOING A SITE VISIT THIS WEEK WITH JIM AND I, UH, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU SEE THE ROAD IN ACTION AND SEE WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE UP AGAINST IN THE EVENT THAT WE DON'T GET A PROHIBITION ON THOSE CONSTRUCTION VEHICLES.
IT'S GONNA BE CRITICAL TO, TO ANYTHING GOING FORWARD.
IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST IMPOSSIBLE.
AND ASIDE FROM THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THE CONCERN.
ONE OF THE TRUCKS THAT CAME DOWN THE STREET TODAY WAS, WAS GOING AT LEAST 55 MILES AN HOUR AND BEHIND IT, TWO OTHER VEHICLES OUTTA STATE VEHICLES.
I COULDN'T CATCH THEM FAST ENOUGH.
BUT THERE WERE AT LEAST, UH, TWO OTHERS GOING EQUALLY AS FAST IN BROAD DAYLIGHT.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE GRAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THINGS GOING FORWARD.
UM, IT'S SAFETY, IT'S QUALITY OF LIFE.
IT'S, IT, IT, IT ENCOMPASSES THE, THE WHOLE BOWL OF WAX.
AND WE REALLY ARE UP AGAINST IT.
I DON'T THINK WE'RE GETTING ANY KIND OF FEEDBACK FROM THE COUNTY AT ALL.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO EITHER COLLECTIVELY THROUGH COUNCIL, YOU KNOW, DO SOMETHING TO HAVE TO DRAW THEIR ATTENTION TO THIS.
[01:10:02]
I THINK IT'S, UM, COMMISSIONER ECKLE IS THE ONE RESPONSIBLE FOR TRANSPORTATION.I DON'T KNOW WHETHER WE REACH OUT TO HER OR WHOEVER IS CURRENTLY, UH, CHAIR OF THAT, UH, THAT GROUP.
BUT WE REALLY NEED TO GET SOME ACTION.
WE HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD.
AND MY CONCERN IS THAT, I DON'T KNOW HOW SWIFTLY, ONCE THESE APPROVALS GET PASSED FOR THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, HOW QUICKLY THEY'RE GOING TO RAMP UP AND START.
AND WE HAVE TO HAVE OUR POSITION IN PLACE NAILED DOWN BEFORE ANY OF ANY OF THAT BEGINS.
SO WE'RE REALLY VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.
AND, YOU KNOW, ANYBODY THAT COMES DOWN OUR STREET WILL EASILY UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PROBLEM IS.
AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S INCONCEIVABLE.
WE HAVE KIDS RIDING ON ELECTRIC BIKES.
THERE'S NO SHOULDER, YOU KNOW, IT'S PEOPLE PASS WHEN YOU GO TO TURN IN YOUR DRIVEWAY AND THEY'RE IN SOMEBODY ELSE'S YARD AS THEY PASS AROUND YOU.
AND IT'S JUST BECOME, YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S BEYOND CHRONIC.
AND IT'S JUST, IT'S BECOMING, UH, A NIGHTMARE EVERY DAY JUST TO GET OUTTA THE DRIVEWAY.
I HAD A FRIEND COME OVER AND SAY, I HAD TO STAND IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD TO LET HER BACK OUT BECAUSE THE CARS WERE GOING SO FAST.
SHE DIDN'T HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO JUST EASILY GET OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY.
SO IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY SERIOUS.
UM, AND I DON'T KNOW TO WHAT EXTENT YOU CAN DO THIS.
I GUESS COUNCIL WOULD HAVE TO BE INVOLVED, BUT THAT THIS COUNCIL DRAFT A STIPULATION GOING FORWARD THAT NO CONSTRUCTION VEHICLES RELATED TO THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS COME DOWN TAUNTON BOULEVARD.
WE ARE NEGOTIATING THE REDEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
THE BIGGEST ISSUE, I'M SORRY, I KNOW I'M ABOUT TO BE YELLED AT
UM, THE BIGGEST ISSUE IS IT IS A COUNTY ROAD.
SO THE TOWNSHIP DOESN'T HAVE THE, HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO REGULATE TRAFFIC ON IT, BUT WE ARE ACTIVELY NEGOTIATING THE REDEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT FOR THE, UM, FOR THESE PROJECTS.
UM, AND WE'LL SEE WHAT WE CAN DO.
WE'LL HAVE TO WORK WITH THE COUNTY.
WE'LL HAVE TO WORK WITH THE OTHER MUNICIPAL, MUNICIPAL AGENCIES, BUT, UM, WE'LL WORK FOR IT.
I MEAN, AS FAR AS WE'RE CONCERNED, I MEAN, WE'LL MEET WITH WHOMEVER TO KEEP THIS MOMENTUM GOING BECAUSE SOMETHING HAS TO HAPPEN DUE TO THE TIME LIMITS AND, AND CONSTRAINTS THAT, THAT ARE, THAT ARE OUT THERE.
THE OTHER THING, SORT OF NOT DIRECTLY RELATED TO THAT, BUT REGARDING A TAX ISSUE OR A BOND ISSUE, WHO WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BASINS IN THESE DEVELOPMENTS? FOR THE, WHAT I BELIEVE THERE'S A MAINTENANCE BOND.
THERE WILL BE A, FROM THE BUILDER THERE WILL BE A MAINTENANCE BOND, BUT THERE'S GOING, THE REDEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS HAVEN'T BEEN EXECUTED NOR HAVE THE, UM, REDEVELOPMENT PROJECTS BEEN FILED WITH THE PLANNING BOARD.
BUT 99.9% LIKELY THERE'S GONNA BE A HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION THAT WILL MAINTAIN ALL THE INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT.
UM, THAT IS TYPICAL FOR THESE KIND OF PROJECTS.
UM, THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT GET THE BENEFITS ARE THE ONES WHO PAY TO MAINTAIN IT.
IN THE EVENT THAT THEY FAIL TO MAINTAIN IT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE BYLAWS AND THE STORMWATER MAINTENANCE PLAN, THEN THE TOWNSHIP COULD ALWAYS GO ONTO THE PROPERTY TO MAKE THE CORRECTED REPAIRS AND THEN ASSESS TAXES AT A PRO RATA AMOUNT TO THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS ONLY WITHIN THE REDEVELOPMENT AREA.
ARE YOU SAYING THAT THAT APPLIES TO THE FAIR MARKET RESIDENTS AND THE AFFORDABLES? NO, EVERYBODY.
THE ENTIRE, THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
UM, AND SO THEN, SORT OF RELATED TO THAT, SO WHO WILL POST THE BONDS FOR THAT? THE DEVELOPER.
AND THEN TRIAD WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE, UH, REGULATING THE AFFORDABLE COMPLIANCE AND MONITORING? CORRECT.
I HAVE OTHER THINGS, BUT I'LL WAIT UNTIL ANOTHER TIME.
AND WE CAN TALK ON THURSDAY? YES.
AND, UH, CHIEF AND PAT, I, I DON'T WANT TO TAKE UP MUCH TIME, BUT ARE WE ABLE TO, I KNOW OUR ENGINEER'S NOT HERE, BUT THERE WERE SOME ADVANCEMENTS IN THE WEIGHT RESTRICTION CONVERSATION TIME.
SO I KNOW, UM, CRYSTAL SENT THE TWO RESOLUTIONS, UH, 40, 20, 25 AND 70 20, 26 TO THE COUNTY.
UH, THERE WAS SOME PUSHBACK ABOUT SOME, SOME SPECIFICATIONS, BUT CHRIS IS WORKING WITH THE COUNTY, UH, ON THOSE, UH, FOR THE WEIGHT RESTRICTIONS.
SO WE ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH THE WEIGHT RESTRICTIONS.
EVEN THOUGH WE DON'T HAVE NEIGHBORING MUNICIPALITIES SUPPORT IN THAT WE, WE'VE PASSED, PREVIOUS COUNCIL HAS PASSED A RESOLUTION.
WE, AS A GOVERNING BODY HAS PASSED THE RESOLUTION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THOSE MATTERS.
AND, UH, MANY OF THE TOPICS DISCUSSED DURING THE
[01:15:01]
TAR AND FORGE TAR AND ROAD SUBCOMMITTEE ARE BEING ADDRESSED OVER TIME.THERE'S A, THERE'LL BE A FALLS ROAD UPDATE COMING AS WELL.
ALRIGHT, NEXT, UH, I BELIEVE BRIAN IS NEXT.
BRIAN RNS TWO 16 CHURCH ROAD, METFORD.
UM, I GUESS I, I GOT, I GOT A BUNCH OF QUESTIONS, BUT IT DAWNED ON ME TONIGHT.
ARE YOU GUYS PASSING A BUDGET? IS THAT WHAT NO, SIR.
NO, WE ARE INTER WE ARE, WE ARE DOING A BUDGET PRESENTATION AND THERE WILL BE A TIMELINE FOR HOW THE BUDGET WILL BE INTRODUCED, MORE CONVERSATIONS, AND THEN AN ADOPTION PERIOD IN, FORGIVE ME, END OF MAY.
UM, IS THERE PUBLIC COMMENT AFTER YOU INTRODUCE YES.
THIS TONIGHT THEN? OH NO, THIS IS JUST THE PRESENTATION, UM, PRESENTATION, THE INTRODUCTION.
UM, JUST SO WE ALL ARE AWARE, WE'LL BE ON THE 20TH AND THEN THERE'S A MEETING ON THE 28TH, THE FIFTH AND THE 19TH.
I'LL GO OVER THOSE DATES WHEN WE GET, ALL RIGHT.
I ONLY ASK, 'CAUSE YOU KNOW, LAST YEAR, LIKE THERE WAS, AND I, IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN ACTUALLY WHEN YOU PUT THE BUDGET THROUGH, OR I THOUGHT THERE WAS A PRESENTATION BOARD WAS DOWN BEHIND YOU.
THERE WAS NO PUBLIC COMMENT AFTER AND, UH, MAYOR RESTOCK SAID, HEY LOOK, JUST COME TO THE NEXT MEETING.
UM, THE NEXT MEETING STARTED OUT WITH, HEY, 800 HOMES ARE COMING TO THE NORTH SIDE.
AND OBVIOUSLY EVERYTHING ABOUT THE BUDGET HAD BEEN PUSHED ASIDE.
I THINK IN THE FUTURE IT WOULDN'T HURT TO HAVE SOME PUBLIC COMMENT.
I WANTED TO COME UP AND SAY YOU, I THINK IT'S GREAT THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING SOME THINGS MORE IN-HOUSE.
LAST YEAR I HAD SOMETHING GOOD TO SAY AND YOU STILL BLEW ME OFF.
BUT NEXT TIME DO LIKE, UH, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC COMMENT, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE RIGHT AFTER? SAY GOOD.
I THOUGHT IT WAS, THAT WAS GREAT.
THE IDEAS ABOUT BEEFING UP THE PUBLIC WORKS, THE TRUCKS YOU WERE, YOU GUYS WERE GETTING, THIS WAS LAST YEAR.
I DON'T KNOW HOW ALL THE SERVICES WENT THROUGH.
IF EVERYBODY'S HAPPY WITH THEM, BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS A SMART WAY FOR THE TOWNSHIP TO TAKE CONTROL OVER THE VENDORS ROBBING US AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT GOES ON WITH, WITH, WITH SUBBING OUT WORK.
AND IF YOU CAN DO IT IN-HOUSE, YOU'RE ALWAYS BETTER OFF AND HIRE LOCALS.
UM, AND, AND SO THAT WAS, THAT WAS WHAT, YOU KNOW, I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT.
AND THEN I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS LIKE, YOU KNOW, ONCE THE BUDGET GOES, YOU GUYS ARE REALLY INTRODUCING IT.
JUST HOW MUCH TROUBLE ARE WE IN, IN TOWN WITH, WITH, WITH, WITH OUR FINANCES AND PLANNING OUT THE NEXT ROUND OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING? DO YOU HAVE IDEAS HOW TO FUND THAT? MISTAKES WE WERE MADE, HOW TO, HOW TO FIX SOME OF THAT STUFF SO THAT, THAT THAT WAS PART OF IT.
UM, I THINK THAT MARYANNE'S BEEN DOING A GREAT JOB.
AND I KNOW, I'M SURE IF YOU'RE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF IT, IT SUCKS.
BUT THIS IS WHAT THIS COUNTRY WAS FOUNDED ON.
IS PEOPLE LIKE HERSELF QUESTIONING AND, AND, AND FOR GOOD REASON.
IT STILL SEEMS SO CONFUSING WHAT MURPHY PASSED.
IT WAS RIGHT BEFORE HE LEAVES OFFICE.
IT'S A LIFELINE FOR CERTAIN TOWNS.
I'M I'M SURE SOMEBODY HE KNEW WAS, WAS ASKING HIM BECAUSE OF THEIR TOWN.
I, I DON'T, I I HAD BEEN UP AT THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING THING AND I HAD UNDERSTOOD THE DEED RESTRICTIONS BEFORE I EVEN HEARD ABOUT THIS NEW WOULD YOU SAY HE PASSED A LAW OR AN AMENDMENT OR SOMETHING? MURPHY.
I'D HAVE TO LOOK IT UP TO SPEAK TO A PAT JOB.
BUT THE ACTUAL VERAGE, IT'S A NEW LAW.
DID TIM PRIME TELL ANY OF US ABOUT THAT? WASN'T IT TWO YEARS AGO? I THINK IT WAS LAST YEAR.
THE NEWER ONE WAS JUST LAST YEAR.
NOBODY DID, DID, DID, DID DID YOUR SOLICITOR TELL YOU GUYS, BETHANY AND MIKE, HEY, WE GOT THIS, THIS NEW LAW THAT, THAT THAT, THAT THAT, THAT LITERALLY GIVES US SOME WIGGLE ROOM, I BELIEVE.
BUT THE DEED RESTRICTIONS YOU'RE MENTIONING? YES.
AND I, I DON'T WANNA CONTEST WHAT WE'RE GOING TO JUST GO THROUGH A DUE DILIGENCE PERIOD TO ULTIMATELY ALL AGREE ON, BUT IT'S TO OUR UNDERSTANDING RIGHT NOW, AND I DON'T WANNA SPEAK FOR EVERYBODY, SO IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE DEEDS MUST EXPIRE IN THE ROUND IN WHICH YOU WOULD LIKE TO RENEW THEM.
BUT, BUT THERE WAS ALREADY A LAW ON THERE ABOUT THE DEED RESTRICTIONS BEFORE MURPHY EVEN TALKS.
YOU HAVE THIS, THIS RULE AROUND THE DEED RESTRICTIONS AND YOU CAN'T EXTEND THEM.
AND THEN MURPHY ADDS A SECOND LAW KIND OF, I GUESS OPENING IT UP A LITTLE BIT FOR THESE DEED RESTRICTIONS TO EXTEND THAT.
AND HE STILL DIDN'T CHANGE ANYTHING ABOUT THEM HAVING TO EXPIRE FIRST.
'CAUSE THAT DOESN'T REALLY, AND KEEP IN MIND IT DOESN'T SENSE.
DOES THIS MAKE ANY SENSE TO ANYBODY UP HERE AS NEIGHBORS AND RESIDENTS OF THIS COMMUNITY, WHAT WE'RE EVEN DOING WITH THIS AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT? WE'RE LETTING SOME EXPIRE.
WE MIGHT NOT RENEW CORPORATIONS.
[01:20:01]
I MEAN, THERE'S JUST A LOT OF MONEY.SO I FULLY EXPECT WHEN WE GOT HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN PROFIT HERE.
JUST FOR, FOR SOMEBODY LIKE HERSELF TO JUST KEEP HEARING? NO, NO, NO.
BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING A LOT OF MONEY BEING TAKEN, TAKEN OFF THE TABLE.
I THINK THAT THIS IS A GREAT DEAL FOR HORTON TO BEGIN WITH.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHY HE COULDN'T SCALE IT DOWN A LITTLE BIT.
AND EVERYBODY STILL GET FILTHY RICH FROM IT FOR REAL.
THE DEED RESTRICTIONS NOW, SOMEONE TURNED IT DOWN.
THAT WAS BECAUSE 17 GRAND WASN'T A LOT OF MONEY.
THEY JUST RESCINDED THEIR OFFER.
UH, TAX WISE THEY HAD CONCERNS.
'CAUSE I KNOW SOMEBODY AND I BELIEVE IN BURLINGTON CITY, THEY RECEIVED 25,000 TO EXTEND THEIRS.
WOULD YOU SAY 17 THOUSANDS A REALLY LOW NUMBER? WE TOOK THE AVERAGE.
IT'S NOT TO SAY IT'S THE NUMBER THAT WE'LL STICK TO IN THE END.
'CAUSE WE'RE NOT DOING IT RIGHT NOW, BUT WE TOOK WHAT THE AVERAGE WAS AND UPPED IT A LITTLE BIT.
COULD AVERAGE IS ACTUALLY 15,000.
AND PLEASE AGAIN, DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH.
WELL WHY? SO THAT'S WHY WE WENT UP A DEED RESTRICTED HOMES.
WHY WOULD I TURN DOWN A, THE MONEY BUT B, EXTENDING IT.
WHAT WOULD BE MY REASON TO DO THAT? I REALLY COULDN'T THINK OF ONE UNLESS YOU WANT IT OUT.
SO I'D BE ASKING THESE QUESTIONS AND SO THAT WE COULD FIGURE OUT OKAY.
'CAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHY ANYBODY'S TURNING MONEY DOWN AND, AND EXTENDING THEIR, WE'RE JUST NOT OFFERING IT RIGHT NOW.
THIS WAS ALL LETTERS OF INTEREST.
WHO WOULD BE INTERESTED IN KNOWING 58, OUTTA 59 DEED, PRIVATELY HELD DEEDS.
AT LEAST SIGNED THE LETTER OF INTENT.
THAT THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD RATIO OF INTEREST.
BUT NOW WE'RE HEARING, BECAUSE AT FIRST THE SOLICITOR LAST YEAR SAID, YOU, YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING WITH THE DEED RESTRICTIONS.
THEN HE SAID, WHEN I THINK SHE GOT CLOSER AND CLOSER, HEY, WE'RE BROKE.
ANYWAY, IT HAS BEEN LIKE, IT'S, IT'S LIKE THE DMV OF THE NINETIES WHEN YOU WALK IN.
AND I THINK THAT IT SHOULD BE PRETTY SIMPLE TO, TO UNDERSTAND WHAT HER, HER VERSION OF THE LANGUAGE OF THE LAW IS.
I HONESTLY BELIEVE SHE'S RIGHT.
I I I THINK THAT THE POWERS THAT BE ARE, ARE, ARE AND, AND, AND WHATEVER THE CASE IS.
SO I HOPE WE CAN GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS AND THE COMMUNITY COMPLETELY UNDERSTANDS WHO'S RIGHT, WHO'S WRONG.
IN A SIMPLE WAY LIKE A FIVE-YEAR-OLD COULD UNDERSTAND BECAUSE THIS IS STILL VERY CONFUSING TO A LOT OF PEOPLE.
AND I THINK IT'S MADE THAT WAY BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT'S INVOLVED.
YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S WHY TOTALLY.
EVERYTHING'S CONFUSING, BRIAN, EVEN TO US AND, AND
SO I JUST, I YOU, YOU'VE BROUGHT UP PROFIT MANY TIMES AND I JUST WANNA BE VERY CLEAR, LIKE I THINK THE AVERAGE AGE OF OUR CARS IS LIKE 2015 OR SOMETHING.
I SAW YOU IN A SOCCER MOM VAN.
SO IT'S, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE, THAT, BUT YOU DO HAVE A LOT OF PRESSURE ON YOU BY SAY, LANDOWNERS AND HORTON.
THEY WANT OBVIOUSLY THE MOST UNITS THEY CAN GET.
IT'S, IT'S A NATURAL THING FOR A PRIVATE ENTITY.
YOU WANNA MAKE PROFIT OFF THEIR LAND OR, OR THE PRODUCT THEY SELL.
IT'S WE, BUT THEY'RE GETTING AWAY WITH MURDER.
BRIAN, JUST HEAR ME AFTER TOWN.
YOU KNOW, BETWEEN MICHELLE, RAY, MYSELF, BETHANY, CATHERINE, WE DON'T WANT THESE HOMES BUILT IF THEY DON'T NEED TO BE BUILT.
WE, WE WISH WE HAD THE MONEY TO BUY THOSE DEEDS AND THOSE DEEDS COULD BE APPLIED IN THE FOURTH ROUND.
AND, AND WE CAN EXTEND THE BENEFITS THAT THOSE DEEDS BRING TO THOSE, THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT LIVE IN THOSE PROPERTIES.
WE, WE ALL WANT THE SAME THING.
BUT WE DON'T, WE DON'T BELIEVE CURRENTLY THAT THAT MECHANISM WILL RESOLVE OUR FAIR SHARE.
AND BRIAN, WE'VE BEEN AT THE SAME MEETINGS TOGETHER.
WE, WE, WE ALL LOOKED INTO THIS.
THERE'S, THERE'S, IF THIS WAS A MECHANISM TO GET OUT OF IT, IF THIS WAS THE LIFELINE, WE WOULD MOVE.
WE WERE TALKING ABOUT POTENTIALLY EVEN GOING TO A REFERENDUM TO BOND THE MONEY TO BUY THESE DEEDS TO PREVENT THE BUILDING.
YEAH, BUT WE DON'T BELIEVE, I BELIEVE, I BELIEVE I DO.
AND LOOK NOBODY'S AGAINST, LIKE I KNOW LIKE THE ONE THREAD MEM LAKES ALL OF A SUDDEN IT'S LIKE, HEY, YOU AGAINST THE POOR COMING HERE.
NOBODY, THE NORTH SIDE, WE ARE POOR COMPARED TO THE SOUTH SIDE OF TOWN.
AND I, I CAN'T SPEAK FOR EVERYBODY IN HERE, BUT GROWING UP AT THAT FARM, WE FELT PRETTY POOR FROM MEFFORD STANDARDS, I CAN TELL YOU THAT.
SO THIS AIN'T GOT NOTHING TO DO WITH, UH, THE STATUS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
I I, ONE OR TWO MORE QUESTIONS.
CAN I, CAN I ASK YOU FOR ONE MORE? ALRIGHT.
BEST ONE, ONE BROKEN DOWN AT 29 PARTS.
ALRIGHT, SO THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM HORTON, THERE'S A GUY THAT LIVES IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WHAT, WHAT, WHAT IS HIS DEAL? LIKE I, HE, I HEAR HE IS MET WITH YOU GUYS AND HE'S MET WITH A FEW SQUEAKY WHEELS,
[01:25:01]
LIKE PEOPLE THAT ARE, THAT ARE TALKING A LOT.WHAT, WHAT IS HE THE, IS HE LIKE THE LAND HUNTER? LIKE A HEAD HUNTER, BUT HE HUNTS FOR LAND HERE IN METFORD AND THEN COMES TO YOU GUYS.
I IMAGINE HE, HE, THERE HAS TO, THERE'S SO MANY LINKS MISSING IN THIS WHOLE THREE GIANT DEVELOPMENTS GOING IN AT ONE SMALL SPOT.
RIGHT? I MEAN, AS FAR AS JUST POOR PLANNING AND EVERYTHING ELSE, IT COULD, IT COULDN'T BE ANY, ANY AS AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, WORSE.
I DON'T KNOW WHY SOME OF THIS ISN'T BROKEN OFF ON THE SAMOS PROPERTY.
THE STATE GUIDELINES, BY THE WAY, THEY WANT YOU NEAR TRANSPORTATION.
THEY WANT YOU NEAR ALL THESE THINGS.
SAMOS HAS, CAN WE MOVE PART OF THIS OVER TO THERE? THAT THAT'S INVOLVED IN LITIGATION AND THAT HAS PRIOR ROUND OBLIGATIONS BAKED INTO THAT.
THAT'S, THAT IT'S SAM IS IS NOT A MECHANISM FOR THE FOURTH ROUND.
I IMAGINE THAT'S TOO LATE, RIGHT? I'M SORRY, THAT'S HOLD ON.
AIRS TOWN, WAWA ROUTE 70 IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
YOU KNOW, IT JUST WOULD, IT WOULD, IF IF YOU, IF YOU MOVE SOME OF THIS OUT, IT WOULD CERTAINLY MAKE A LOT OF US FEEL BETTER.
AND, AND WHAT IS THE NAME OF THAT, OF THE REPRESENTATIVE FOR HORTON? I, I DON'T BELIEVE I CAN DIVULGE A RESIDENT'S NAME UP HERE, BUT, UM, BUT HE'S A REPRESENTATIVE FOR HORTON.
LIKE WHY ISN'T HE MEETING WITH EVERYBODY? I BELIEVE HE'S, I BELIEVE TON HAS MET WITH VERY HAPPY HE'S BEEN TO THESE MEETINGS AND DONE A PRESENTATION OR TALKED ABOUT ANYTHING.
TO BE HONEST, THEY'RE NOT NAMED REDEVELOPER YET.
THEY'RE STILL A REDEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT UNDERWAY.
BEFORE WE NAME A REDEVELOPER AND WE, WE ALL KNOW THOUGH, THIS IS A DONE DEAL AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE BUILDING.
I, ONE YEAR GUYS WE'RE INTO THIS.
WOULD YOU BELIEVE I DON'T HAVE ONE LETTER IN MY MAILBOX.
I'M 2 2 16 CHURCH ROAD AND 2 65 MEDFORD, MOUNT HOLLY ROAD.
EVERYTHING IS BETWEEN BOTH THOSE PROPERTIES.
DON'T YOU THINK? I KNOW YOU GUYS SAY, HEY, THE GOVERNMENT'S NOT INVOLVED.
IT'S BETWEEN THE LANDOWNER AND HORTON, BUT IT'S CLEAR THE TOWNSHIP IS INVOLVED.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHY LETTERS CAN'T BE SENT OUT SAYING, HEY, THIS IS WHAT'S PROPOSED.
I KNOW IT'S NOT A DONE DEAL, MIKE, BUT THEY'RE OUT THERE WITH THE EXCAVATORS.
THIS IS GONNA MOVE FORWARD ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.
I HOPE THAT SHE KEEPS FIGHTING AND SHE'S RIGHT.
BUT I THINK I I JUST HAD ONE QUESTION.
PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT THERE CONSULTANTS THAT CAN JUST COME IN HERE AND WE CAN PAY THEM AND EXPLAIN EVERYTHING TO US.
AND IN NORMAL LANGUAGE, LIKE YOU TALK YES.
BY THE WAY, I ALWAYS MAKE YES.
BECAUSE IT IS, YOU KNOW, JUST SOMEONE CAN RAISING, SPEAK NORMAL ENGLISH OR WITH NOT LEGALESE.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHY YOU CAN'T GIVE THIS NAME OUT BECAUSE HE, HE'S CONTRIBUTING, RIGHT? HE'S CONTRIBUTED TO, HAS HE MADE ANY DONATIONS TO ANYBODY OR ANY ORGANIZATIONS HERE? HE BUILT THE, HE PUT MONEY INTO THE FIELD FOR THE MYA.
YEAH, BECAUSE HE LOVES PEOPLE.
HOW MUCH MONEY? I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH THOSE THINGS COST.
HOW COME DOESN'T GIVE US THE TAXPAYERS SOME MONEY.
THE Y A'S BEEN MAKE IT OUT LIKE A BAND.
MOMS DON'T BE CHASING ME DOWN.
I DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH THE KIDS PLAYING.
BUT WE TOOK $650,000 PRESERVING PRESERVATION FUND.
WHAT PART OF PRESERVING SOUNDS LIKE PUTTING FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS OUT IN A FIELD WHEN WE'RE BROKE TO BEGIN WITH.
WHICH, WHAT ARE YOU REFERRING TO? $650,000 CAME OUT OF THE PRESERVATION FUND LAST YEAR FOR LIGHTS.
FOR THE, FOR, FOR A SPORTS FIELD WAS MY UNDERSTANDING.
UH, LAST YEAR WE, WE DID THE, WE APPLIED FOR A GRANT.
IT WAS A MILLION BUCKS FOR THE LAND ACROSS SWEET JOHNSON'S AND THEN $650,000 WENT FOR LIGHTS.
I'LL HAVE OUT OF THE OPEN SPACE TAX.
AND I REMEMBER, I REMEMBER ASKING YOU LIKE, USE THAT MONEY FOR THE DEED RESTRICTIONS AND MIKE, YOU SAID WE CAN'T, IT CAN ONLY BE USED FOR OTHER STUFF.
I KNOW THEY'RE, THEY'RE DOING PICKLEBALL COURTS WITH IT.
IT WOULDN'T BE OUT OF CONTROL THAT MEDFORD BOUGHT LIGHTS.
BUT I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW WE WENT FROM THE NINETIES OF PRESERVING FARMLANDS TO BUYING, TO BUYING LIGHTS FOR A SPORTING FIELD.
WE DIDN'T BUY LIGHTS FOR THE SPORTING FIELD.
WE APPLIED FOR A GRANT AND THE MYA PICKED UP THE BALANCES.
THERE WAS A BOND ON THAT MONEY THAT THEY'RE PAYING BACK.
THE, THE TAXPAYERS IN THIS ROOM, YOU INCLUDED.
AND I DO NOT FUND THE LIGHT IMPROVEMENT AT MYAA.
THAT WAS A GRANT THAT WE RECEIVED.
THAT WE FROM WHAT THOUGH? A GRANT FOR THE MONEY.
WHERE DID IT COME FROM? I THINK IT WAS A COUNTY GRANT.
I THINK EVERY TOWNSHIP IN THE COUNTY.
BUT IT CAME FROM OPEN PRESERVATION.
SO I KNOW ESHAM BOUGHT, THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE DOING PICKLEBALL COURTS WITH THEIRS, BUT THEY AT LEAST GOT THAT WHATEVER BLACK RUN PRESERVE DONE IN SOME, A FEW OTHER THINGS.
AND I JUST THINK HOPEFULLY COUNCIL IN THE FUTURE REALLY LOOKS AT AND IF IT IS COMING OUT OF AN OPEN SPACE TAX, ESPECIALLY
[01:30:01]
THE WORD PRESERVING MIKE.I'M PRETTY SURE I'M RIGHT ABOUT THE, THE COUNTY MONEY THAT THAT CAME DOWN.
UM, THAT, THAT EVERYBODY GETS THE BENEFIT FROM IT AND THEN WE LOOK AT IT LIKE, LOOK, THIS IS FOR ONE REAL THING AND IT IS LITERALLY THE PRESERVED LAND, YOU KNOW? ALRIGHT, ONE MORE THING AND I'M DONE.
NO, YOU SAID YOUR ENGINEERING FIRM THAT YOU LOVE TALE DESIGN.
I GOT A QUESTION FOR YOU GUYS.
YOU SAID WHY CAN'T WE HAVE MORE THAN ONE ENGINEERING FIRM TO CHOOSE FROM? PEOPLE LIKE JASON KLEINMAN, MYSELF, TROY HAYNES.
WE WOULD'VE GONE WITH SOMEBODY ELSE UP UNTIL 2015.
YOU COULD CHOOSE FROM TWO OR THREE ENGINEERING FIRMS. THE OLD MAYOR GOT RID OF THAT.
AND YOU ONLY HAVE TO GO, YOU, YOU, YOU, YOU, YOU, YOU CAN'T CHOOSE ANYBODY ELSE YOU'RE STUCK WITH, WITH, AND I HONESTLY, I NEVER EVEN MET SCOTT, BUT HIS WIFE IS SOMETHING ELSE, MICHELLE.
AND UH, AND I THINK THAT IT'S NOT FAIR AT THIS POINT.
CAN COUNCIL CONSIDER THOUGH, 15 MINUTES LETTING OTHER ENGINEERING FIRMS COME INTO ME? YOU RECEIVED 20 MINUTES THE LAST MEETING.
BUT I'LL SKIP THE FOLLOWING MEETING.
I JUST CONSIDER THANK YOU FOR THE EXTRA TIME.
I THINK THAT THIS WAS AN EEA EASIER OPEN DIALOGUE, AT LEAST FOR ME TO UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE STUFF.
YOU REALLY ARE NO HONOR ISSUES.
I WAS GONNA SAY, MR. MAYOR, WE CAN FOLLOW UP ON HIS REQUESTS FOR THAT 650,000 TO FIND OUT WHERE YEAH.
HI, KELLY BENSON, 19 CHARLESER LANE.
UM, THANK YOU AS ALWAYS FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.
EVEN IF WE HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THINGS BUT IS APPRECIATED.
UM, ONE THING HAS COME TO, AT THE DEVELOPMENT THAT WE LIVE IN BROOKSIDE, WHERE RICK'S IS RIGHT BEHIND US.
AND, UM, ONE THING THAT WE HAVE HAVE IN OUR HAND IS THE MAP FROM THE N-J-D-E-P PERMIT.
IT WAS SUBMITTED FOR THE MELVILLE COURT DEVELOPMENT THAT WAS ADDED INTO OUR DEVELOPMENT AND IT SHOWS THE ENTIRE AREA IS WETLAND BEHIND THE PROPERTY.
UM, WE, THERE'S ALSO A PROOF OF A MAPPING, UM, THAT WAS DONE THROUGH THE LAND RESOURCE PROTECTION WEB MAP THAT SUPPORTS THAT AND SHOWS IT AS WELL.
AS WELL AS THERE'S INDICATION ON THE MAP THAT THIS IS A BOG FROG AREA, WHICH IS RANK ONE AND TWO.
UM, WHICH SHOULD INDICATE THAT THEY, THEY HAVE TO DO SOMETHING UNDER THE, UM, HABITATS THIS SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS.
SO WE'RE CURIOUS AGAIN BECAUSE YOU KNOW, THIS WAS SLOTTED FOR SUCH A LARGER PIECE OF PROPERTY AND IT'S BEING BROUGHT FROM LAFFERTY TO HERE, A SIGNIFICANTLY SMALLER, AND THEN THERE IS EVIDENCE AT THIS POINT OF THE WETLAND.
AND I DO UNDERSTAND WE DON'T HAVE THE NEWEST WETLAND COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THAT.
YES, WE HAVE SEEN SURVEYORS OUT THERE.
NO, WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY NOTIFICATION, ANY OF THE NEIGHBORS.
BUT WE, WE DO KNOW THOSE THINGS EXIST.
SO OF COURSE WE WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT AS WELL.
AND WE'LL JUST CONTINUE TO DO OUR HOMEWORK AND DO DILIGENCE, UM, TO MAKE SURE HOPEFULLY WE'RE HELPING OURSELVES WITH THAT.
AND IN REGARD TO THE WETLANDS, WHAT'S INTERESTING IS THEY SIGNIFICANTLY, AS YOU KNOW, HAVE SHORTENED THAT BUFFER BETWEEN, BUT IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE AT ALL FOR THESE TWO PIECES OF DOCUMENTATION THROUGH N-J-D-E-P WHY THAT WOULD HAPPEN WHEN OBVIOUSLY IF I CAN SEE IT, THEY CAN SEE IT AND IT'S THERE.
SO THERE'S QUESTION WITHIN THAT.
UM, SECONDLY, AT THE LAST MEETING IT WAS BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION, I HAD ASKED THE QUESTION OF WHO WOULD OWN THE RENTAL PROPERTIES BECAUSE THAT CAME AS A SURPRISE AS WELL.
AND IT WAS SAID THAT IT WOULD BE NON-PROFIT.
AND QUITE FRANKLY, FIRST THERE'S A CONCERN IN REGARD TO NON-PROFIT BECAUSE IT'S DEFINITELY A DIFFERENT VETTING SYSTEM THAN IF AN INDIVIDUAL OWNED THE PROPERTY AND DOESN'T ALWAYS LEND WELL TO LOOKING OUT FOR THE TOWN.
MY BIGGEST CONCERN THOUGH IS WITH NONPROFIT THAT'S THEN TAX EXEMPT.
SO THEN WHO IS ABSORBING, IF NONPROFIT IS PURCHASING THOSE BUILDINGS? NOW WE'RE NOT GOING TO RECEIVE TAX MONEY, BUT IF AN INDIVIDUAL OWNED IT, WE WOULD.
SO IS THAT BEING ADDRESSED? ARE WE LOOKING AT THAT AND
[01:35:01]
THEN THAT KIND OF, I KNOW THREEFOLD, SORRY.UM, I KNOW YOU HAD TALKED ABOUT THE INCREASE OF THE WATER AND THE SEWER, AND OF COURSE WE NEED TO KEEP UP WITH THE WATER TREATMENT PLANTS, BUT AS WE PUT IN MORE PROPERTIES, WON'T THAT LEAD TO EVEN MORE, UH, MAYBE NOT NECESSARILY ISSUES, BUT THINGS THAT WE WILL HAVE TO DO TO MAINTAIN THAT AND THEN THE CONTINUAL INCREASE.
SO IT, IT FEELS LIKE WE MAY BE STARTING TO FALL DOWN A LITTLE BIT OF A SLOPE THERE.
SO THAT'S KIND OF MY THREE THINGS.
HOPEFULLY I WAS SHORTENED TO THE POINT.
THE WAY I UNDERSTAND IT IS THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS SAID THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE IN A PILOT PROGRAM FOR THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WE ARE NOT DOING PILOT PROGRAMS FOR ANY MARKET RATE HOUSE.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY TIMES I CAN SAY IT.
I DON'T CARE WHAT PREVIOUS COUNCILS DID.
I DON'T CARE WHAT PREVIOUS GROUPS DID.
WE HAVE NO CHOICE TO HAVE PILOTS FOR THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
SO YOU ARE CORRECT, THE TAXES WILL BE LESS.
IT'S ALL PART OF THE LOVELY PRESENT THAT NEW JERSEY HAS GIVEN US.
THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S UNFORTUNATELY PART OF THE, BUT IT'S, SO THE STATE IS SAYING IT HAS TO BE RENTAL AND IT HAS TO BE OWNED BY NONPROFIT.
THEY GIVE US A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT CHOICES ON WHAT WE CAN BUILD AND HOW WE CAN DO IT WITH DIFFERENT THINGS.
WE DIDN'T HAVE TO BUILD QUITE AS MANY.
SO RENTALS GAVE US, UH, PULLING UP FAMILY, FAMILY RENTALS, FAMILY RENTAL GAVE US BONUS CREDITS.
SO INSTEAD OF 200 HOUSES BECAUSE OF THE BONUS CREDITS, THAT ONE COUNTED AS ONE AND A HALF VERSUS JUST ONE.
SO THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO BUILD LESS.
AND WE ALREADY HATE THIS FOUR TO ONE RATIO THAT EVERYONE GETS.
COULD YOU IMAGINE IF WE DIDN'T USE THOSE BONUS CREDITS, WE WOULD'VE HAD FOR EVERY 0.5, PUT 'EM TOGETHER.
I WHAT IS, WHY DO WE HAVE TO, MAYBE WE SHOULD TELL PEOPLE THIS.
I MEAN, I GET TO DO THIS MYSELF.
WE NEED TO MAKE THIS AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.
MAKE WHAT AT ALL THE ALL THE OH, ALL THE DIFFERENT PIECES.
YEAH, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK ALL THE DIFFERENT PIECES INVOLVED.
I DON'T THINK PEOPLE, WELL, AND THE FAMILY RENTAL, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THEN THAT UNDER THE AFFORDABLE BRINGS IT DOWN TO VERY LOW INCOME BY PUTTING IN FAMILY.
SO WE NOW HAVE CHANGED THE DYNAMICS THERE.
THERE'S A TIER, THERE'S TIER AND UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ACTUAL, ACTUAL VERBIAGE IS, BUT THE TOTAL INCOME FOR A FAMILY IN AN AFFORDABLE SITUATION IN THEORY WOULD BE LOWER BECAUSE THERE'S MORE PEOPLE OFF THAT ONE INCOME OR THAT ONE NET INCOME.
SO I JUST WANNA BE FAIR TO THE, THE FOLKS, I MEAN, IF YOU HAVE A LOW INCOME AND, AND A HIGH FAMILY COUNT AND YOU'RE ELIGIBLE FOR THAT FAMILY UNIT, UM, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT IT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING.
WE'RE PROVIDING HOUSING TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
IT'S GONNA BE FOR MODERATE INCOME, VERY LOW AND LOW INCOME.
WE HAVE TO, YOU HAVE TO, LIKE YOU SAID, THERE'S A TIER THEY HAVE TO PROVIDE FOR EACH TIER IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FRAMEWORK.
THERE ARE MODERATE, LOW AND VERY LOW INCOME.
AND THE AFFORDABLE UNITS HAVE TO SATISFY THE PERCENTAGE BREAKDOWN FOR EACH OF THOSE THREE TIERS.
AND THERE'S SORTS OF MISCONCEPTIONS BECAUSE EVERYBODY THINKS THAT THERE'S JUST ONE LOW TIER AND THAT'S NOT THE CASE.
I BELIEVE THAT'S ON OUR WEBSITE.
THE, THE BREAKDOWN OF THE RATIOS FOR THE, THE, IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, NUMBER OF PEOPLE PER UNIT, RIGHT? YES.
THERE'S THAT THERE'S NUMBER OF PEOPLE PER UNIT, NUMBER OF BEDS PER UNIT.
IT'S THAT THERE'S THE, IT'S A BREAKDOWN BY NUMBER OF BED, NUMBER NUMBER, NUMBER OF ROOMS, NUMBER OF PEOPLE.
UM, CERTAIN NUMBER OF BEDROOMS HAVE TO BE MODERATE, CERTAIN NUMBER OF BEDROOMS HAVE TO BE LOW, CERTAIN NUMBER OF BEDROOMS HAVE TO BE VERY LOW.
IT'S, THERE'S, IT'S ALL ON THE TABLE THAT IT IS IN OUR APPROVED PLAN.
AND I BELIEVE IT'S ALSO INCLUDED IN EACH OF THE THREE REDEVELOPMENT PLANS AS WELL.
SO WHO WILL GOVERN THE NONPROFIT, THE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION? LIKE WHO? THE, WE HAVE A WHAT'S TRIAD? WHAT'S THE, WHAT'S THE, IT'S TRIAD IS ESSENTIALLY THE, IT'S THE COMP, IT'S CORPORATION THAT MONITORS OUR AFFORDABILITY, OUR AFFORDABLE UNITS IN THE TOWNSHIP AND THEY WILL REGULATE IT.
SO WHEN I SAY MONITOR, WHO'S GOING TO, IF YOU'RE SAYING THIS UNIT IS FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR, WHO'S GOING
[01:40:01]
TO ENSURE THAT THERE'S NOT SUDDENLY 16? IT SHOULD, IT WOULD, IT SHOULD BE TRIAD.BUT YOU CAN'T, YOU CAN'T LIMIT TO SAY ONLY A FAMILY OF FOUR IF THERE HAPPENS TO BE A BABY.
WELL, I'M JUST THROWING A NUMBER.
I'M NOT BEING GENERAL WITH A NUMBER.
I'M, I'M JUST CURIOUS WHO'S GOING TO ENSURE THAT WE DON'T SUDDENLY HAVE, THERE'S AN APPLICATION PROCESS PEOPLE, AND SO WHO GOVERNS THAT TRIAD? THERE'S AN APPLICATION PROCESS.
RIGHT? BUT IT'S STILL IN OUR TOWN.
I MEAN, IT'S STILL LIKE, WELL, THE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION, IT'S STILL, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ENFORCEMENT, RIGHT? HOW DO YOU ENFORCE THAT? WHAT'S THE APPLICATION PROCESS IS ACTUALLY GOING IN? AND QUITE, I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.
THAT WAS JUST MY CONCERN THAT SUDDENLY, LIKE I SAID, IT KIND OF CHANGED, IT WENT TO RENTAL AND FINDING OUT IT'S NON-PROFIT.
IT, IT DEFINITELY PUTS MORE CONCERN IN THIS.
BUT AGAIN, MY, MY BIGGEST THING IS WE KNOWING THAT THIS WETLAND EXISTS, AND I DON'T KNOW, I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT PROTOCOL IS, LIKE IF YOU WANTED THESE PIECES OF PAPER.
UM, BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT JUST BECAUSE IF IT SUDDENLY COMES BACK WITH SOMETHING DIFFERENT, IT WOULD BE INTERESTING AND I WOULD QUESTION IT.
DURING, UM, I DO WANNA SPEAK TO THE WATER RATE, BUT DURING THE PRESENTATION BY TAYLOR DESIGN, UM, THE CURRENT WETLAND DELINEATIONS WERE DEPICTED IN THE CONCEPT PLAN.
AND WE WILL AND, UH, CHRIS NOLL THROUGH ERI HAD MENTIONED THAT THEY ARE GONNA GO THROUGH THE DUE DILIGENCE PERIOD FOR ENVIRONMENTALS WETLANDS.
THESE WILL ALL HAPPEN BEFORE PLANNING BOARD APPROVALS RECEIVED, CORRECT? CORRECT.
SO THIS IS THE TIME WHERE THESE THINGS ARE BEING DELINEATED RIGHT NOW.
THERE, THERE WILL BE A TIME SHORTLY THAT THEY, ALL THESE THINGS WILL BE DELINEATED.
SO THE DITCH IN RICK'S AUTO BODY, RIGHT? WE ORIGINALLY THOUGHT IT WAS GONNA BE A 50 FOOT EACH SIDE BUFFER.
NOW WE'RE PROJECTING 300, A HUNDRED FOOT 150 EACH SIDE.
RIGHT? SO, UM, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, ANY, UM, ENDANGERED SPECIES THAT YOU HAD MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, THESE WILL ALL BE LOOKED INTO.
THERE'S WHAT'S THE ARCH ARCHEOLOGICAL COMPONENT? IF THEY FIND, DID YOU, IF YOU, IF YOU FIND A, IF, I'M SORRY.
IF THERE IS A HISTORIC ARCHEOLOGICAL, FINE, THEN THERE HAS TO BE ANOTHER STUDY OF HOW YOU'RE GONNA PRESERVE AND NOT IMPACT IT.
FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU FIND THAT THERE'S A GRAVE SITE ON THE PROPERTY, THERE IS A WHOLE NOTHER SKEW OF REGULATIONS THAT YOU HAVE TO JUMP THROUGH IN ORDER TO DEVELOP.
UM, I DON'T, I HAVEN'T HEARD ANY NEWS THAT THIS HAS ANY SUCH HISTORIC ARCHEOLOGICAL GRAVE SITES ON THE PROPERTY.
THERE MAY BE, WHO KNOWS WHAT HAPPENED 300 YEARS AGO WHEN WE BUILT THE TWO SCHOOLS, WE FOUND NATIVE AMERICAN TOOLS AND WE HAD TO PUT OFF THE BUILDING FOR A WHILE WHILE IT WAS STUDIED.
AND THEN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAD TO PAY TO PUT THE TOOLS UP IN A MUSEUM AND TREND.
YEAH, IT WAS REALLY INTERESTING.
AND YOU NEVER KNOW THEY WERE TOOLS.
AND MY POINT'S KIND OF JUST SO THIS INFORMATION IS OUT TO YOU.
MY, AND JUST ON THE WATER RATE.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, IF, IF NOTHING WERE TO EVER HAPPEN WITH MORE HOUSING IN MEDFORD, OUR UTILITY NEEDS THIS RATE INCREASE.
AND, BUT WE WILL BE RECEIVING ADDITIONAL RATE PAYERS TO THIS UTILITY.
THE, ALL THESE NEW HOMES WILL BE ON WATER AND SEWER.
SO THEY WILL BE PAYING THEIR NEW RATE AS SOON AS THEY COME ONLINE.
SO, OR WELL, YEAH, BUT THEY'LL ALSO BE USING IT.
WELL THEN THEY'LL ALSO BE USING IT.
IT'S GONNA BE OFFSET WON'T BE.
SO ERI CLAIMS WE HAVE CAPACITY AND, AND WE NEED TO MAKE THIS ADJUSTMENT TO SUPPORT THE UTILITY.
I LIVE AT 34 CHARLESER LANE AND I HAVE A NON SPEEDING UNAFFORDABLE HOUSING, UH, CONCERN I WANNA BRING UP.
UM, AS YOU MAY KNOW, DHS HAS DEDICATED $39 BILLION TO PURCHASE WAREHOUSES THROUGHOUT THIS COUNTRY.
THEIR GOAL IS TO CONVERT THESE STRUCTURES INTO LARGE DETENTION CENTERS FOR IMMIGRANTS.
AND WE ALSO KNOW THAT IN ROXBURY, NEW JERSEY, DHS PURCHASED A WAREHOUSE FOR JUST THIS PURPOSE.
THIS WAS DONE DESPITE A RESOLUTION FROM THE TOWN COUNCIL REJECTING CARCERAL CONVERSION, AS WELL AS A HUGE PROTEST FROM THE COMMUNITY.
WHEN I LOOK AT MEDFORD AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES, WE DO HAVE ONE WAREHOUSE FOR SALE IN MEDFORD.
UM, I WANNA ENSURE THAT THERE'S NO POSSIBILITY THAT THIS STRUCTURE IS PURCHASED BY DHS FOR CONVERSION TO A DETENTION CENTER.
IN ORDER TO DO THAT, ZONING LAWS MUST BE STRENGTHENED TO PREVENT THE POSSIBILITY OF HOUSING PEOPLE IN INDUSTRIAL
[01:45:01]
ZONES.WAREHOUSES HAVE BEEN CONSTRUCTED FOR INDUSTRIAL USE AND RARELY HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO ACCOMMODATE HOUSING LARGE GROUPS OF PEOPLE.
THEY LACK PUBLIC HEALTH, WATER, SEWER, HEATING, COOLING, AND LIFE SAFETY INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE PROPOSED SCALE OF HOUSING.
MOREOVER, ANY CONVERSION SHOULD TRIGGER REVIEW OF STATE AND FEDERAL LAWS IN REGARDS TO ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS.
AS MY REPRESENTATIVES, I WOULD HOPE YOU WOULD SUPPORT THE VALUES AND LAWS OF OUR COUNTRY, THOSE THAT TREAT INDIVIDUALS AS FAIRLY AND FREE TO LIVE WITHOUT FEAR.
THEREFORE, I WOULD EXPECT YOU TO BE AGAINST THE WHOLESALE DETENTION.
PEOPLE WITHOUT DUE PROCESS IN UNSAFE SPACES RUN WITH NO OUTSIDE INSPECTION OR PROVISION.
I REQUEST A RESOLUTION FROM THIS TOWN COUNCIL THAT WAREHOUSE CONVERSION IS NOT WELCOME IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I WANT COMMERCIAL REALTORS TO KNOW THAT THE SALE WAREHOUSES TO DHS ARE NOT WELCOME IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I WANT PREEMPTIVE ZONING PRECEDENTS CREATED THAT STATE OUR LAWS.
CLEARLY THERE SHOULD BE A FORMAL ZONING INTERPRETATION MADE SO THAT CARCERAL DETENTION IN DISTRICT IS DISTINCT FROM WAREHOUSE STORAGE OR ADMINISTRATIVE USE.
WE SHOULD REQUIRE THAT ANYTHING USED FOR THIS PURPOSE BE CLASSIFIED AS CORRECTIONAL AND REGULATED BY DIFFERENT ZONING REQUIREMENTS.
LASTLY, THE CITIZENS BANK IS HELPING TO FUND THE CREATION OF A LOT OF ICE DETENTION CENTERS.
AND I WOULD ASK THAT IF OUR TOWNSHIP IS BANKING WITH CITIZENS BANK, THAT THERE IS DISCUSSION IN POTENTIALLY CHANGING THAT.
CAN WE DO THAT? CAN WE DO IT? THIS IS
SO, UM, I, WE DEFINITELY WILL SEEK COUNSEL AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YES, THANK YOU FOR COMING.
I'D LIKE YOU TO ENJOY A DIFFERENT TIME
UM, I'M JUST GONNA TAKE ONE QUICK NOTE.
UM, WE'LL DEFINITELY SPEAK TO OUR ATTORNEY.
AND, AND PASSING THOSE RESOLUTIONS PROACTIVELY IN THE ZONING MATTERS AHEAD OF TIME.
AND, AND I THINK THERE'S EVEN MORE, AND I DON'T WANT TO CONFLATE THE TWO, BUT EVEN THE USE OF WAREHOUSE AND THE EFFECTS OF OUR ENVIRONMENTALS, OUR, OUR AQUIFERS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, THESE ARE ALL THINGS WE CAN GET IN FRONT OF.
SO I I DO THANK YOU FOR, FOR BRINGING THESE TO ATTENTION.
BECAUSE JUST NEVER THOUGHT OF IT.
I HADN'T REALIZED WE EVEN HAD A WAREHOUSE FOR SALE, BUT IF OVER BY, UM,
MAYOR, THIS CLEMENT, UH, THIS A RESPONSE JUST AS, AS A FOLLOW UP BECAUSE, UM, I, I FORGET WHERE I HAD BEEN AT, BUT I WAS AT A MEETING WHERE, UM, THAT THAT WAREHOUSE, YOU KNOW, WAS IDENTIFIED TO ME AND, YOU KNOW, IF INDIVIDUALS, RESIDENTS EXPRESS CONCERN, SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU EXPRESSED THIS EVENING.
UH, I DID SPEAK WITH OUR COUNTY REPRESENTATIVES.
I DID SPEAK WITH, UH, LEGAL COUNSEL AS WELL, JUST TO KIND OF GAUGE HOW, YOU KNOW, BEST WE CAN GO FORWARD AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO TALK TO LEGAL COUNSEL AS THE MAYOR SAID ABOUT A RESOLUTION.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME BACK TO US, OR CAME BACK TO ME, I SHOULD SAY, RATHER AFTER ROXBURY, IS THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS THE RIGHT TO CAN CIRCUMVENT EVEN OUR LOCAL ZONING LAWS, UNFORTUNATELY.
SO, YOU KNOW, EVEN IF BEING PRE PREEMPTIVE AND PUTTING THINGS IN PLACE, IF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT COMES IN AND PURCHASE THAT PROPERTY, THEY WILL HAVE THE RIGHT TO CIRCUMVENT OUR ZONING LAWS.
SAME WITH IF A PRIVATE OWNER COMES IN AND OPTS TO RENT THAT WAREHOUSE SPACE TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AS A RENTER, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CAN STILL PREEMPT AND OVERRIDE OUR ZONING LAWS.
SO I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF PUT THAT, THAT WORD OF CAUTION OUT BECAUSE IT IS SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, HAD BEEN BROUGHT, BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION.
UM, AND I DID REACH OUT INITIALLY TO GET SOME INFORMATION ABOUT IT.
BUT THAT'S, AND RAY, THIS WOULD BE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
SO WHAT WOULD BE THE LIKELIHOOD THAT WOULD EVEN, I MEAN, WE, I THINK WE SHOULD STILL BE LOOKING, LOOKING TO TAKING THE STEPS TO, TO PURSUE IT.
BUT YEAH, THANKS FOR THE, I THINK WE CAN DO A MOCK UP THERE.
HEY, ANYONE ELSE MA'AM? HELLO? UH, SHANNON IGO AT TWO HARPER FERRY COURT.
SO I ALSO WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE WETLANDS.
UM, THERE'S A MAP ON THE TOWNSHIP WEBSITE FROM ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES FROM NOVEMBER OF 2021, AND IT SHOWS WETLANDS ON ALL THREE OF THE SITES THAT WE ARE SLATED TO DEVELOP.
UM, AND ON THE KIRBY'S MILL SITE, THERE'S A FLOODPLAIN IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE, UM, PARCEL.
UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO ASK, I KNOW THAT THEY'RE DOING, UH, LIKE INVESTIGATIONS INTO LIKE THE EXTENT OF THE WETLANDS, IF THERE'S ANY ENDANGERED SPECIES, THE EXTENT OF FLOODPLAINS THAT MIGHT BE ON THERE.
[01:50:01]
IF IT COMES BACK THAT THEY CAN'T BUILD AS MANY UNITS ON THAT SITE? WHAT ARE THE OBLIGATIONS THAT WE HAVE AS A TOWN TO THE BUILDER IF THEY SAY, I KNOW THE, THE MINIMUM IS FOR THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING SITES, BUT IF IT COMES BACK THAT THEY CAN'T BUILD AS MANY MARKET RATE SITE MARKET UNIT, UM, AND SO THEN IT'S NOT PROFITABLE FOR THEM TO DO THAT AND THEY CAN'T BUILD ON THIS LAND ANYMORE, DO WE HAVE TO GIVE THEM ANOTHER SITE TO LOOK AT? OR CAN WE THEN SAY, YOU KNOW, THIS IS ONLY 40 AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS, SO CAN WE LOOK INTO BUILDING JUST THOSE UNITS? SO ONE OF THE GREAT WAYS THAT THEY WROTE OUR NOT AGREEMENT PLAN, I'M LEARNING TO USE THESE WORDS CORRECTLY.UM, THE WAY THEY WROTE OUR PLAN WAS THAT THE MARKET, EXCUSE ME, THE AFFORDABLE HOUSES, UM, HEADFIRST DIBS ON THE LAND AND THEN EVERYTHING ELSE THEREAFTER, UM, WHAT A ADJACENT NEW JERSEY TOWN WAS ABLE TO DO WAS ABLE TO GO BACK TO THE COURT AND SAY, LOOK, THIS MULTIMILLION DOLLAR COMPANY WASN'T ABLE TO BUILD HERE.
SO WHO COULD, AND THEY GOT FORGIVENESS ON THEIR NUMBERS.
I'M PRAYING THAT'S THE ROUTE WE'RE ABLE TO TAKE.
SO WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF OPTIONS.
IF THE LAND IS NOT GOOD, PRECIOUS.
AND THAT DOES HAPPEN FAIRLY OFTEN.
SO WE GOT, THEY GOT FORGIVENESS ON THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING NUMBERS AND NO AFFORDABLE HOUSING MEANS NO MARKET RATE HOUSES.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK? YEAH.
WAS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK AFTER THIS GENTLEMAN? I'M NOT GONNA BE NO, NO.
IF YOU COULD JUST GET, COME UP FRONT.
I JUST DON'T WANT TO CLOSE PUBLIC THE COMMENT.
I, I WANNA THANK YOU GUYS FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO AND I APPRECIATE ALL YOUR PATIENCE.
'CAUSE I KNOW IT'S BEEN A LONG FRESH NEW START FOR A LOT OF YOU GUYS.
'CAUSE A COUPLE OF YOU GUYS ARE BRAND NEW
UM, I APPRECIATE IT AND I APOLOGIZE FOR ANYTHING IN THE PAST AND ANYTHING GOING FORWARD.
UM, ID LIKE TO THANK A PATIENT OFFICER IN THE BACK AND YOU SHOULD HAVE ENJOYED ALL YOUR FRIENDS.
SO
I'M GLAD WE CAME FOR THAT TOO.
UM, IN REGARD TO RICK'S AUTO BODY, I DON'T KNOW TOO MUCH ABOUT THE OTHER TWO
UM, WAS THERE ANY FORMAL SUBMIT OF WHAT THE LAFFERTY PROPERTY WAS? OR IS IT JUST A DENOTED OF HOW MANY HOUSES WERE GOING THERE? 'CAUSE I WAS A LITTLE CONFUSED WHEN I LOOKED AT LAFFERTY PROPERTY, IT LOOKED LIKE IT WAS ACTUALLY SMALLER THAN RICK'S AUTO BODY, BUT I DON'T KNOW, IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A DIFFERENT PROPERTY.
'CAUSE I KNOW THEY OWN A BUNCH.
LAFFERTY WAS A LARGER LAND PARCEL.
UM, BUT THE, THE UNIT COUNTS WERE THE SAME.
SO WHEN WE LOST THE ABILITY TO USE LAFFERTY IN THE FOURTH ROUND AND RICK'S BECAME AVAILABLE, THE, WE MOVED THOSE UNITS.
BUT YOU DIDN'T HAVE A FORMAL PLAN.
YOU JUST HAD AN IDEA OF HOW MANY UNITS WERE GOING ON UP UNTIL THE REDEVELOPMENT PLANS THAT WERE, UM, READ INTO VIA ORDINANCE RECENTLY? EVERYTHING THAT WAS DISCUSSED WAS ALL CONCEPT PLANS.
YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.
IF IT ACTUALLY EXISTED TO SEE HOW THAT, AND, AND TO OUR PREVIOUS COMMENTS, I WOULD EVEN SAY THAT WHAT WE'VE ALREADY AGREED UPON IS IN THEORY, A CONCEPT PENDING ALL THE ENVIRONMENTALS THAT NEED TO NEED TO TAKE PLACE.
AND ALL THREE OF THESE ARE ESSENTIALLY CONTRACTS.
ALL THESE FALL UNDER THAT SAME CONCEPTUAL APPROVED CONCEPTUAL PLAN.
AND UNTIL ALL THESE STUDIES COME BACK, WE REALLY DON'T, WE REALLY CAN'T GET THE ZONING IN UNTIL RIGHT.
UH, FOR MY WIFE, IT'S THE BOG TURTLE.
AND IT'S A FEDERALLY PROTECTED, SO IT'S A CLASS FIVE MM-HMM
MEANING IT'S, I'M GONNA CROSS THAT FROG AND WRITE TURTLE
THEY DO GET US ON, WHETHER IT'S A NESTING AREA OR A, UM, WALKING THROUGH AREA, UM, THAT'S WHAT THE DEP PERMIT IS.
SO IT COULD BE, COULD BE NOTHING.
UM, SO IF ANYBODY SEES AN ORANGE TURTLE, PICK A PICTURE OF IT.
UM, SO IF YOU DO SEE ANY WILDLIFE, IF YOU GO TO UM, NJ FISH AND WILDLIFE REPORTING WILDLIFE SIGHTINGS, THERE'S A WILDLIFE TRACKER YOU CLICK ON THAT YOU TAKE, YOU SHOW SEND IN THE PICTURE AND FILL IT OUT WHERE YOU SAW IT.
SO CHIEF, COULD WE PUT THAT ON OUR WEBSITE? YEAH, THAT'S THAT LINK.
MAY AS WELL MAKE IT MORE ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYBODY.
SO IT'S, IT'S REALLY EASY TO FIND.
IT DOESN'T, IT JUST SAYS N-J-D-E-P REPORTING.
FISH AND WILDLIFE REPORTING SIGHTINGS.
UM, IN REGARD TO THE NUMBER OF UNITS, UM, I DO THINK YOU GUYS ARE VERY HEAVY WITH THE NUMBER OF MARKET RATE HOMES.
[01:55:01]
UM, MY CALCULATION IS THERE'S A HUNDRED MORE UNITS THAN ARE BEING MARKET RATE HOMES THAT ARE BEING ALLOTTED FOR THE CONTRACTOR TO BUILD ABOVE AND BEYOND THE UNITS THAT ARE BEING INSTALLED.NOW, MY UNDERSTANDING IS IT'S BASED ON EACH INDIVIDUAL UNIT, NOT THE CREDIT RATE.
SO IT DOESN'T MATTER IF THAT WAS 1.3 OR 0.75, IF YOU'RE BUILDING ONE UNIT, HE GETS FOUR MORE TO BUILD.
NOW I DO KNOW THAT OTHER COMMUNITIES, UM, HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET THE CONTRACTOR TO STILL BUILD ON A SITE WITH MAYBE ONLY BUILDING THREE AND A HALF HOMES PER ONE UNIT.
UM, AND THEN THE, THE LAST THING IN REGARD TO ALL THAT, I DON'T KNOW WHO, IF THERE WAS AN ORDINANCE ACTUALLY WRITTEN FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL ONE OR FOR OVERALL IN PHASE FOUR INDIVIDUALS.
UM, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT I CAN READ OR IS IT ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYBODY? I WOULD LIKE TO MM-HMM
I DON'T, I KNOW THEY'RE ON THE WEBSITE, BUT YOU CAN REQUEST A COPY, BUT IT'S EASILY ACCESSIBLE ON THE WEBSITE.
I MEAN IT'D BE NICE TO KIND OF HAVE THAT, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S, OR THOSE ORDINANCE, 'CAUSE I KNOW IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO FIND WHERE THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS IN THE MEDFORD WEBSITE.
UM, I DO WANT, I DON'T WANNA TAKE UP YOUR TIME, BUT I DO WANT TO, AND WE'LL PAUSE IT.
I DO WANNA SPEAK TO THE, THE NUMBER OF MARKET RATE UNITS THAT ARE PRESENT ON THE PLANS.
IF, IF YOU THINK 10 YEARS AGO WHEN FLYING W WAS BEING PROPOSED MM-HMM
THERE WAS X NUMBER OF MARKET RATE UNITS THAT WERE AVAILABLE OR PLANNED TO BE BUILT THEN, UH, DUE TO CERTAIN DELAYS.
UM, WHEN THEY FINALLY GET AROUND TO DOING THAT, THERE'S BEEN INCREASED WETLANDS BUFFERS AND WE NEED TO POTENTIALLY HAVE AN AMENDMENT TO THAT PLAN TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF MARKET RATE HOMES WHILE MAINTAINING THE AFFORDABLE HOMES.
SO I, I HATE TO USE THESE WORDS, BUT WHAT WE'RE ALL DISCUSSING IS POTENTIALLY THE WORST CASE SCENARIO.
AND, AND ALL THESE DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTALS WILL LOWER THE AMOUNT OF MARKET RATE HOMES THAT ARE BEING BUILT.
BUT TO THE DEPUTY MAYOR BO'S POINT, WHEN THE REDEVELOPMENT PLAN WAS PUT IN PLACE, WE FORCED THE FUTURE DEVELOPER TO BUILD THE REQUIRED AFFORDABLES FIRST, BASICALLY.
THEY CAME, WELL YOU DON'T HAVE TO LET THEM BUILD MORE MARKER AT HOMES IN PHASE FOUR BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T BUILD IT IN PHASE THREE.
AND ALSO IT'S ALSO, I HEARD IT'S BASED ON EACH INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT.
SO IT'S NOT LIKE YOU COULD PUT MORE IN ONE AND LESS THAN THE OTHER UNLESS THAT'S HOW YOU COORDINATE.
YEAH, I, I KNOW, I KNOW THAT THE NUMBERS FOR RICK'S ARE, ARE, ARE SKEWED DISPROPORTIONATELY COMPARED TO THE OTHER TWO SITES.
AND THAT'S MAINLY BECAUSE THEY TOOK WHAT WAS GOING TO GO AT LAFFERTY AND JUST MOVED THOSE SAME NUMBERS OVER TO RICK'S.
THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S 'CAUSE THEY'RE, THAT THE 80 20 SPLIT IS DEFINITELY OFF THERE BY, I BELIEVE IT'S LIKE 92 OR 93 HOMES.
I THINK IT'S 17% INSTEAD OF 20%.
SO, AND I THINK THERE'S ACTUALLY CHALLENGER, I THINK THERE'S ACTUALLY MORE MM-HMM
OH, KIRBY'S IS THE ONLY ONE THAT'S DEAD ON FOR SOME REASON.
'CAUSE I UNDERSTAND WE ESSENTIALLY HAVE NO CHOICE FROM THE STATE, UM, MOVING FORWARD IN PHASE FIVE.
UM, I'M NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO HELP YOU NOW, BUT I'D LOVE TO START HELPING YOU IN THE FALL IF THAT'S A POSSIBILITY.
PHASE FIVE WHEN YOU'RE WORKING ON PHASE FIVE IF YOU NEED HELP.
SO COUNCILMAN COX AND I, UH, WITH THE MAYOR'S BLESSING ALREADY ARE ON A AFFORDABLE HOUSING SUBCOMMITTEE AND WE'RE LOOKING AT ANYTHING FROM ADUS TO OTHER LANDS.
I THINK I CAN TALK FOR COUNCILMAN COX WHEN I SAY TO YOU OUR GOAL REALLY IS ZERO FOR GROUND FIVE.
THAT IS NOT A PROMISE THAT IT'LL BE ZERO.
IT IS A GOAL BETWEEN DEEDS, BETWEEN ANYTHING ELSE WE CAN COME UP WITH, BETWEEN USING OPEN LAND CORRECTLY, BUYING IT UP.
IF IT'S NOT AVAILABLE TO BE PURCHASED, YOU CAN'T BUILD ON IT.
IF THERE'S NOT ENOUGH SEWER, YOU CAN'T PUT AN AFFORDABLE HOUSE THERE.
SO THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS IN OUR TOOLBOX AND OUR GROUP IS LOOKING AT IT AND JUST LAST, WAS IT JUST LAST WEEK I PUT IT OUT THAT WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT ADUS, UM, NOT TONS ON HOUSES BUT ONES ATTACHED.
WE'RE GONNA, OUR GROUP IS GONNA LOOK AT THAT.
SO ALL THE DIFFERENT WAYS THAT MEDFORD CAN HELP MEDFORD BEAT THESE NUMBERS, THAT'D BE GREAT.
ALL WE'RE ASKING IS TO REDUCE NUMBER OF MARK HOLMES AND THAT'S IT.
I THINK I SAID IT AT ONE OTHER MEETING.
IF THEY HAD LOOKED AT THIS SIX TO EIGHT YEARS AGO WHEN THEY KNEW IT WAS COMING.
SOME IT LIKE THE ARGUMENT OF FOUR YEARS AGO.
UH, BUT IF THEY HAD LOOKED AT IT THEN KNOWING IT'S COMING, I THINK WE'D HAVE DIFFERENT ANSWERS RIGHT NOW.
THIS GROUP IS LOOKING AT IT, THIS GROUP IS 100% AWARE THAT
[02:00:01]
ROUND FIVE IS COMING.AND I THINK I CAN SPEAK FOR ALL OF US THAT NONE OF US WANNA BE DOING THIS.
AND FRANKLY, I DON'T WANT MY NAME BESMIRCHED IN EIGHT YEARS.
LIKE WHY DID THAT MICHELLE VOORHEES GIRL PUT DO HER HOMEWORK.
WE HOPE TO HAVE A VERY DIFFERENT OUTCOME.
I DUNNO IF YOU INTRODUCED DOCUMENT.
WOULD YOU JUST LIKE INTRODUCE YOURSELF AT THE MICROPHONE? I CAN KEEP IT SHORT.
PRETTY SELF EXPLAINED FOR THE BACKGROUND.
UH, JUSTIN RUMBLE 6 0 4, UH, HAYNES RUN.
AND UM, THIS WAS JUST A, UH, MODEL RESOLUTION THAT I BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE COUNCIL A COUPLE MONTHS AGO.
SOME, UH, I GUESS AREA, UH, VOLUNTEERS.
I KNOW NRA MEMBERS ASKED ME TO SPEAK ON THIS TONIGHT.
IT'S A RESOLUTION THAT I THINK 18 TOWNS IN NEW JERSEY PASSED SINCE LAST JUNE.
IT'S PERTAINING TO A REFUND FOR THE MUNICIPAL PORTION OF THE, UH, APPLICATION FEE FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO APPLY FOR A CONCEALED CARRY PERMIT.
UH, I'LL JUST READ THE RESOLUTION.
UH, MEDFORD LAKES ACTUALLY PASSED THIS A LITTLE WHILE BACK AS WELL.
UH, IT MIGHT BE THE ONLY TOWN IN BURLINGTON COUNTY SO FAR.
UH, IT JUST READS, UM, A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING REFUND OF MUNICIPAL PORTION OF HANDGUN CARRY PERMIT FEE UPON SUBMISSION OF RECEIPT.
UH, SEE, WHEREAS PURSUANT TO NJ SA TWO C 5 84 APPLICANT'S FOR PERMITS TO CARRY A HANDGUN ARE REQUIRED TO PAY AN APPLICATION FEE IN THE AMOUNT OF $200 OF WHICH 150 IS PAID TO THE MUNICIPALITY.
AND $50 IS PAID DIRECTLY TO THE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE STATE POLICE.
AND WHEREAS THE TOWNSHIP OF MEDFORD RECOGNIZES THAT THE STATUTORY FEE STRUCTURE IMPOSES FINANCIAL BURDENS ON APPLICANTS AND WISHES TO EASE THAT BURDEN FOR RESIDENTS BY OFFERING REFUNDS OF THE TOWNSHIP OF MEDFORD'S PORTION OF THE APPLICATION FEE.
AND WHEREAS THE TOWNSHIP OF MEDFORD RECOGNIZES THAT THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT LONG HELD THAT TAXES ON FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS ARE UNCONSTITUTIONAL AND THAT THE STATUTORY FEE PRESCRIBED BY NJS A TWO C FIVE EIGHT DASH FOUR IS IN EXCESS OF A MERE PROCESSING FEE AND IS THEREFORE A TAX ON COURT ON A CORE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT.
AND WHEREAS THE TOWNSHIP OF MEDFORD HAS DETERMINED THAT IT IS IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST TO ESTABLISH AN ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS FOR REFUNDING THE $150 MUNICIPAL PORTION OF THE APPLICATION FEE UPON APPROPRIATE DOCUMENTATION, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF THE TOWNSHIP OF MEDFORD AND, UH, COUNTY OF BURLINGTON, STATE OF NEW JERSEY AS FOLLOWS.
UH, NUMBER ONE, ANY APPLICANT WHO HAS PAID THE $150 MUNICIPAL APPLICATION FEE FOR A HANDGUN CARRY PERMIT ON OR AFTER DATE OF YOUR CHOOSING AND WHO SUBMITS A VALID RECEIPT SHOWING PAYMENT MAY APPLY TO THE TOWNSHIP OF MEDFORD'S CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER FOR A REFUND OF $150, REPRESENTING THE PORTION OF THE STATUTORY FEE PAID TO THE TOWNSHIP OF MEDFORD UNDER NJSA TWO C FIVE EIGHT DASH FOUR.
UH, NUMBER TWO, REFUND SHALL BE ISSUED UPON THE APPLICANT'S SUBMISSION TO THE CFO OF A PROOF OF PAYMENT AND B, CONFIRMATION THAT THE APPLICATION WAS PROCESSED THROUGH THE TOWNSHIP OF MEDFORD.
UH, THREE, THIS REFUND POLICY APPLIES ONLY TO THE MUNICIPAL PORTION OF THE FEE, AND DOES NOT APPLY TO ANY AMOUNTS REMITTED BY THE APPLICANT DIRECTLY TO THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY OR OTHER AGENCIES.
REFUNDS SHALL BE AVAILABLE ONLY FOR PAYMENTS MADE ON OR AFTER DATE OF YOUR CHOOSING.
UH, NUMBER FOUR, THAT THIS RESOLUTION SHALL TAKE EFFECT, UH, IMMEDIATELY UPON ADOPTION.
AND FIVE, THE TOWNSHIP OF MEDFORD CFO IS HEREBY AUTHORIZED TO ADMINISTER THIS REFUND PROGRAM AND TO REQUIRE ANY REASONABLE DOCUMENTATION NECESSARY TO CONFIRM ELIGIBILITY, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT A COPY OF THIS RESOLUTION SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC AND POSTED ON THE TOWNSHIP OF MEDFORD'S WEBSITE FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES.
ANYONE ELSE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? OKAY.
UM, THAT WILL BE THE CONCLUSION OF OUR PUBLIC
[02:05:01]
COMMENT SECTION.[VIII. MANAGER’S REPORT ]
TO THE MANAGER'S REPORT.SO WE'RE GONNA START THIS EVENING WITH THE, UH, BUDGET PRESENTATION.
WE WILL HAVE OUR CFO LINDSAY GENTILLY PRESENT OUR, UH, 2026 BUDGET.
UM, I COUNSEL TO JOIN ME DOWN AND THEN WE'LL GET SET UP, PUT IT ON THE TOWNSHIP WEBSITE.
WE'RE, I HAVE COURSE I YOU'RE GOOD.
WHEREVER YOU CAN SEE YOU PROBABLY BETTER DO THAT WAY.
I'M THE TOWNSHIP CFO AND TONIGHT I'M GONNA WALK YOU THROUGH THE PROPOSED 2026 MUNICIPAL BUDGET.
SO THE PRIMARY GOAL OF THE MUNICIPAL BUDGET IS TO SUSTAIN THE LEVEL OF MUNICIPAL SERVICES THAT RESIDENTS EXPECT AND REGULARLY RELY UPON.
THIS IS POLICE FIRE, EMS, PUBLIC WORKS, ZONING, CONSTRUCTION, YOU NAME IT.
OUR JOB IS TO FISCALLY MANAGE THE TOWNSHIP'S OPERATIONS AND PLAN FOR LONG TERM NEEDS, SUCH AS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS FOR INFRASTRUCTURE REPLACEMENT VEHICLES, ET CETERA.
OUR JOB IS TO ALSO BE CONSCIENTIOUS OF THE LOCAL TAX RATE AND EXPLORE REVENUE GENERATING ACTIVITIES TO TRY TO REDUCE THE BURDEN ON THE LOCAL PURPOSE TAX.
MUNICIPAL BUDGETS ARE A TOWN'S ANNUAL SPENDING PLAN.
IT CONSISTS OF REVENUES, EXPENDITURES, DEBT SERVICE, AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.
OUR ANNUAL BUDGET ALSO INCLUDES THE REGULAR AND CAPITAL BUDGETS FOR THE WATER AND SEWER UTILITY, AS WELL AS THE TOWNSHIP OPEN SPACE.
THE NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS DIVISION OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT SERVICE PROVIDES ALL TOWNS WITH A MUNICIPAL BUDGET DOCUMENT.
IS THERE FEEDBACK? I DUNNO IF I'M TOO CLOSE OR FAR ENOUGH.
UM, AND THAT TEMPLATE DOCUMENT CONTAINS FORMULAS THAT PERTAIN TO THE LEVY CAP, APPROPRIATIONS CAP RESERVE FOR UNCOLLECTED TAXES, ET CETERA.
EVERY THIRD YEAR, OUR BUDGET IS UNDER STATE REVIEW.
I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S MR. SPEAKER IS MANAGER, IS IT THAT? YEAH, SO SORRY.
EVERY THIRD YEAR, THE BUDGET IS UNDER STATE REVIEW BY DCA.
UH, THE TOWNSHIP'S BUDGET FISCAL YEAR COINCIDES WITH THE CALENDAR YEAR.
THE BUDGET PROCESS BEGINS IN THE PRECEDING FALL OF THE PRIOR YEAR WITH THE CFO PROVIDING DOCUMENTATION TO THE TOWNSHIP MAN, UH, TO THE TOWNSHIP DEPARTMENT.
HEADS CONTAINING YEAR TO DATE SPENDING AND FIVE YEARS WORTH OF DATA.
IN NOVEMBER, THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER AND I SIT WITH EACH DEPARTMENT HEAD AND WE GO THROUGH LINE BY LINE OF THEIR REQUESTS.
THE ANNUAL FINANCIAL STATEMENT OF THE PRIOR YEAR'S ACTIVITY, UM, IS ISSUED IN EARLY MARCH, AND THAT DETERMINES HOW MUCH SURPLUS WE HAVE TO USE POTENTIALLY IN THE BUDGET AT THIS TIME.
THE STATE ALSO CONFIRMS WHAT STATE AID IS AVAILABLE TO US FOR THE REVENUE COMPONENT OF THE BUDGET.
[02:10:01]
IT'S MADE UP OF THESE PRIMARY SOURCES, WHICH IS SURPLUS BALANCE.SO HOW MUCH IS LEFT FROM PRIOR YEARS BUDGETS, ANTICIPATED REVENUES FROM FEES, SHARED SERVICE AGREEMENTS, ET CETERA.
STATE AID, WHICH HAS BEEN HELD AT 2 MILLION, UM, FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS, GRANT FUNDS THAT ARE ADDED TO THE BUDGET THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND PROPERTY TAXES, WHICH THIS YEAR IT MAKES UP 64% OF THE REVENUE.
THE ANNUAL FINANCIAL STATEMENT VERIFIES, LIKE I SAID EARLIER, HOW MUCH SURPLUS WE HAVE THAT WE COULD USE AS A REVENUE SOURCE.
SO A LITTLE DEEPER DIVE INTO SURPLUS USAGE.
IN 2024, WE STARTED WITH 3.6 MILLION IN SURPLUS.
WE USED 3.2 AS A REVENUE IN THE 24 BUDGET LEAVING 354,000 IN RESERVE.
IN 2025, WE STARTED WITH 1.6 MILLION IN SURPLUS, WHICH WAS ALMOST A $2 MILLION DECREASE.
WE USED 1.3 AS REVENUE IN THE LA LAST YEAR'S BUDGET, LEAVING THE SAME AMOUNT OF SURPLUS RESERVE AS IN 2024.
THIS YEAR WE STARTED WITH $2.5 MILLION, ALMOST A MILLION DOLLAR INCREASE IN SURPLUS, WHICH IS A POSITIVE.
WE'RE PROPOSING USING 2.1 MILLION IN SURPLUS, LEAVING $450,000 IN SURPLUS RESERVE, WHICH I KNOW IS NOTHING TO BAT OUR EYES AT, BUT IT'S MAKING A CONSCIOUS EFFORT AND IT'S A HUNDRED THOUSAND MORE THAN WE'VE LEFT IN RESERVE THE LAST TWO YEARS.
FOR THE EXPENSE COMPONENT OF THE BUDGET, EACH DEPARTMENT HAS A SALARY AND WAGE LINE, WHICH INCLUDES OVERTIME AND IN OTHER EXPENSES LINE.
THIS IS FOR GOODS SERVICES TO RUN THEIR DEPARTMENT.
THERE'S ALSO BUDGET SHEETS FOR INSURANCE.
THIS IS HEALTH INSURANCE, WORKERS' COMP, GENERAL LIABILITY, UTILITY COSTS, ELECTRIC, NATURAL GAS, GASOLINE, STATUTORY COSTS, SO SOCIAL SECURITY, THE PENSION, ET CETERA.
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT AND DEBT SERVICE IS ALSO PART OF THE BUDGET.
THERE ARE TWO STATUTORY BUDGET CONTROLS GIVEN BY THE STATE.
I'LL START WITH THE TAX LEVY CAP.
THIS IS A HARD CAP OF 2% THAT APPLIES TO TAXES RAISED FOR REGULAR EXPENSES.
THE ONLY EXCLUSIONS TO THIS IS WHAT THE STATE ALLOWS US TO PUT OUTSIDE THE CAP.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, WE WERE HIT WITH A 17% HEALTH INSURANCE INCREASE THIS YEAR FOR TOWNSHIP STAFF AND RETIREE HEALTH INSURANCE.
THE STATE ALLOWS ME TO TAKE WHAT THE COST OF THIS YEAR'S HEALTH INSURANCE IS, WHAT THE COST OF LAST YEAR'S WAS, AND I CAN PUT THE DIFFERENCE OUTSIDE THE CAP.
THE ONLY OTHER EXCEPTIONS ARE IF OUR PENSION COSTS WENT UP, I CAN PUT THAT OUTSIDE THE CAP.
UM, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT DEBT SERVICE, IT'S VERY STRINGENT.
UM, THE ONLY THING THAT CAN INCREASE YOUR LEVY CAP IS IF YOU HAVE NEW RATEABLES OR IF YOU HAVE A LEVY CAP BANK.
THE LEVY CAP BANK, IF IT'S NOT USED, IT EXPIRES AFTER THREE YEARS.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, THE TOWNSHIP HAS NO LEVEE CAP BANK ACCESSIBLE TO US THIS YEAR.
THE OTHER BUDGETARY CONTROL FROM THE STATE IS A TWO AND A HALF PERCENT APPROPRIATIONS CAP.
THIS LIMITS OUR SPENDING BY TWO AND A HALF PERCENT UNLESS WE PASS AN ORDINANCE, WHICH WE DID IN THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR CALLED THE COLA ORDINANCE, AND THAT ALLOWS US TO RAISE THE APPROPRIATIONS CAP TO THREE POINT HALF PERCENT.
THERE'S ALSO EXCEPTIONS FOR THIS.
UM, THE STATE TRIES TO ENCOURAGE SHARED SERVICE AGREEMENTS, SO THAT'S ALLOWED TO BE OUTSIDE THE APPROPRIATIONS CAP.
THEY ALSO ALLOW CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AND DEBT SERVICE TO BE OUTSIDE THE CAP, MAINLY BECAUSE IT'S OBLIGATORY AND THERE'S NO WAY AROUND NOT MAKING THOSE PAYMENTS.
SAME WITH RESERVE FOR UNCOLLECTED TAXES.
IT'S A FORMULAIC INCREASE THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE BUDGET FOR.
THIS CAN ALSO ONLY BE INCREASED WITH NEW RATEABLES OR IF WE HAVE AN APPROPRIATIONS CAP BANK, WHICH AFTER THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, WE'LL HAVE 626,000 IN APPROPRIATIONS CAP BANK.
SO WHAT WAS OUR FIRST INITIAL LOOK AT THE BUDGET? THE 2026 BUDGET PROCESS, LIKE I HAVE SAID, BEGAN WITH AN INCREASE IN AVAILABLE SURPLUS.
LIKE I SAID, WE ENDED THE YEAR AND WE HAD 2.6 MILLION IN SURPLUS.
WE ARE PROPOSING USING 2.1 IN THIS BUDGET.
IT'S $800,000 MORE THAN WE USED IN LAST YEAR'S BUDGET, BUT IT LEAVES A SURPLUS RESERVE OF A HUNDRED THOUSAND MORE THAN WHAT WAS LEFT AT THE END OF LAST YEAR FOR THE PRIMARY REVENUE SIDE CHANGES.
LAST YEAR WE RECEIVED $400,000 FOR THE SALE OF A LIQUOR LICENSE.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE DON'T HAVE THAT AVAILABLE TO US THIS YEAR, SO THAT'S WORKING AGAINST US.
WE ARE SEEING $127,000 DECREASE IN SHARED SERVICE REVENUE AS THE SCHOOLS ARE MOVING FROM SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS TO CLASS THREE OFFICERS.
SO THOSE BRING IN LESS REVENUE TO THE TOWN.
WE ARE ALSO EXPERIENCING A $200,000 DECREASE IN PILOT REVENUE DUE TO AN EXPIRED AGREEMENT WITH MEDFORD.
AS FAR AS THE EXPENSE SIDE, WHAT WERE THINGS THAT WERE JUST KNOWN TO US RIGHT OFF THE GECKO? EVERY 12 YEARS THERE IS A 27TH PAY DAY, AND THAT IS JUST HOW THE CALENDAR HAS FALLEN THIS YEAR.
SO WE HAVE TO BUDGET FOR AN ADDITIONAL PAYROLL THAT WE HAVE NOT HAD TO
[02:15:01]
IN THE LAST 12 YEARS.OF COURSE, ONE PAYROLL IS OVER $200,000.
WE HAD AN INCREASE, LIKE I'VE SAID EARLIER, OF 17% FOR HEALTH INSURANCE.
SO THERE'S A $400,000 INCREASE IN RETIREE HEALTHCARE.
$250,000 INCREASE IN ACTIVE EMPLOYEE HEALTHCARE, $141,000 INCREASE IN STATUTORY COSTS.
THIS IS DUE TO THE PENSION GOING UP FOR POLICE AND FIRE, AND THEN $25,000 FOR FICA.
THAT'S THE SOCIAL SECURITY ASSOCIATED WITH THAT 27TH PAY, A $62,000 INCREASE FOR THE RESERVE FOR UNCOLLECTED TAXES.
I'LL GET INTO IT A LITTLE LATER, BUT BASICALLY WE HAVE TO BUDGET TO BE ABLE TO PAY FOR TAXES THAT MAY NOT BE COLLECTED.
UM, IT'S REQUIRED NO WAY AROUND IT.
$250,000 INCREASE FOR SOLID WASTE THAT IS DUE TO A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS, UM, INCREASE IN THE REPUBLIC SERVICE TRASH CONTRACT FOR THIS YEAR AND $150,000 INCREASE DUE TO LEAF DISPOSAL.
OTHER FACTORS AFFECTING THE EXPENSES? SORRY, I KNOW IT'S ME, BUT I DON'T KNOW.
UM, THE GROSS SALARIES, UM, ARE UP 4%.
THAT IS INCLUSIVE OF THE 27TH PAY.
UM, THAT'S POLICE CONTRACTS, FIRE AND EMS CONTRACTS, PUBLIC WORKS CONTRACTS, UM, THINGS THAT ARE ALREADY SET IN STONE.
UM, AND THAT HAS A LOT TO DO WITH TRASH SERVICES, UM, RECYCLING, ET CETERA.
SO WHAT ACTIONS DID WE TAKE TO FILL THE BUDGET GAP? REVENUE GAINS ARE ATTRIBUTED TO HIGHER PERMIT FEE VOLUME, INCREASED TAX INTEREST COSTS, AND STRENGTHEN EMS BILLING COLLECTIONS.
WE'VE REDUCED THE PROPOSED, UM, INCREASE IN THE SOLID WASTE BUDGET BY $50,000 THROUGH CHANGING THE PUBLIC WORK YARD HOURS AND WHAT TYPE OF MATERIALS THAT WE'RE GOING TO ACCEPT AT THE YARD.
WE'VE INSTITUTED A HIRING FREEZE FOR POLICE, FIRE, PUBLIC WORKS AND TOWN HALL DEPARTMENTS FOR ANY UNFILLED POSITIONS AS WELL AS ANY ANTICIPATED RETIREMENTS.
WE'VE ELIMINATED THE DIRECT FUNDING OF POLICE VEHICLES AND TRANSFERRED THAT EXPENSE TO CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND.
SO TO TRY TO BE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE, WE TRY, WE WANTED TO BUILD THOSE PURCHASES INTO THE BUDGET INSTEAD OF BORROWING FOR IT.
BUT NATURALLY, $150,000 WAS SOMETHING THAT WE DID HAVE TO PUSH TO CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND THIS YEAR TO TRY TO KEEP THE BURDEN DOWN.
WE USED ONE NON-REOCCURRING REVENUE SOURCE.
THAT'S THE SALE OF 39 ALLEN AVENUE.
THAT RESOLUTION WILL BE READ LATER TONIGHT.
THE SALE IS, UH, FOR $250,000 FOR THAT BUILDING.
WE'RE PROPOSING A MODEST INCREASE IN THE TAX RATE FROM 0.519 TO 0.50.
THAT'S A 3.20 CENT INCREASE PER $100 OF ASSESSED VALUE.
SO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE ANTICIPATED REVENUES BUILT INTO THIS BUDGET.
LIKE I SAID EARLIER, PROPERTY TAXES MAKE UP 64% OF OUR REVENUE.
THIS IS MONEY SAVED FROM PRIOR YEAR'S BUDGETS.
WE HAVE STATE AID WE RECEIVED FROM THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY.
THIS HAS BEEN HELD THE SAME DOLLAR AMOUNT FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS.
NO INCREASE, NO DECREASE FROM THE STATE.
LICENSEES FEES PERMITS THIS MAKE UP.
THIS MAKES UP 6% OF THE BUDGET.
THIS IS LIQUOR LICENSES, INTEREST ON INVESTMENTS, COURT FEES, TICKET FEES, ALARM FEES, TOWER RENTAL CABLE, TV FEES, ET CETERA.
EMS BILLING INCOME $875,000 AND RECEIPTS FROM DELINQUENT TAXES.
THIS IS WHEN WE COLLECT PAST DUE TAXES IN THIS YEAR.
CONSTRUCTION FEES, WE'RE ANTICIPATING $590,000.
THIS IS RENOVATIONS OR NEW BUILDS THAT GENERATE FEES.
SO ANY PERMIT THAT'S PULLED IN THE CONSTRUCTION OFFICE, PILOT PAYMENTS, UM, AGREEMENTS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN MADE IN THE PAST, UH, WE'RE ANTICIPATING $530,000 OF REVENUE FROM THOSE AGREEMENTS.
THIS IS WHEN OTHER TOWNS OR ENTITIES PAY US TO SHARE OUR SERVICES.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE THAT WITH EMS, THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE AND SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS.
THE MISCELLANEOUS CATEGORY, UM, IS MADE UP OF MYAA DEBT REIMBURSEMENT, GENERAL CAPITAL SURPLUS UTILITY FUND BALANCE, AND THE SALE OF MUNICIPAL PROPERTY.
THIS IS STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDS THAT HELP SUPPORT TOWNSHIP PROJECTS.
SO MY GOSH, THE NAVY BLUE IS THE PROPERTY TAXES SHOWING THE 64%.
IT TAKES YOU AROUND THE CIRCLE.
UM, JUST A BREAKDOWN, A VISUAL OF THE LAST TWO SLIDES.
UM, THIS NEXT SLIDE IS THE PILOT REVENUE BREAKDOWN.
SO IT JUST SHOWS EACH AGREEMENT THAT WE HAVE THAT'S ACTIVE, THE AGREEMENT DATES, AND THEN HOW MUCH I BROUGHT WE BROUGHT RECEIVED IN 25, AND HOW MUCH I'M ANTICIPATING IN BUDGETING TO RECEIVE IN 2026 AUTUMN PARK, 313,000, HARTFORD SQUARE, 80,000, THE WILLOWS AT MEDFORD.
39,000 CREEKSIDE, 18,000 VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA, 27,000.
[02:20:02]
MEDFORD SENIOR HOUSING ON JONES ROAD, 17,000.AND AGAIN, THIS WILL BE ON THE WEBSITE IF I'M MOVING A LITTLE TOO QUICKLY.
UM, I JUST AM TRYING TO BE MINDFUL OF TIME.
THIS IS EXPENSE, AN EXPLANATION OF HOW THE MONEY IS SPENT.
30% OF THE BUDGET IS ON SALARIES AND WAGES.
WE HAVE 130 FULL AND PART-TIME EMPLOYEES.
THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE THE WATER AND SEWER DEPARTMENT.
38% OF THE BUDGET IS FOR OTHER EXPENSES.
INSURANCE, SOLID WASTE COLLECTION AND DISPOSAL ENERGY AND UTILITIES.
UH, 13% OF THE BUDGET IS FOR THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND AS WELL AS DEBT SERVICE TO HELP PAY FOR PRIOR PROJECTS.
10% IS FOR STATUTORY COSTS, FICA, PENSION, ET CETERA.
WE HAVE TO BUDGET $1.2 MILLION BECAUSE THE TOWNSHIP BEARS THE BURDEN OF NOT COLLECTING A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE TAXES.
AND 3% OF THE BUDGET IS FOR GRANT FUND EXPENDITURES, SHARED SERVICE AGREEMENTS, ET CETERA.
THIS NEXT SLIDE IS JUST A VISUAL OF WHAT I JUST COVERED, STARTING WITH THE NAVY BLUE.
THAT'S THE POLICE DEPARTMENT INSURANCE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT SANITATION IN BROWN, UH, FIRE AND EMS IN RED.
THE RESERVE FOR UNCOLLECTED TAXES, UTILITIES TO RUN THE TOWN.
STREET LIGHTS, TRAFFIC LIGHTS, YOU NAME IT, IS IN ORANGE.
THE COST TO RUN TOWN HALL IS IN GRAY.
UM, AND THEN GRANTS AND SHARED SERVICE AGREEMENTS COMFORTABLE MOVING ON.
SO JUST TO GO OVER SOME STAFFING LEVELS, JUST TO BRING IT TO ATTENTION IN TOWN HALL, WE HAVE 18 FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES, FIVE PART-TIME.
THIS COVERS THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE COLLECTOR, FINANCE, CLERK MANAGER PLANNING AND ZONING AND CONSTRUCTION, PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES.
WE HAVE 25 FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES.
THIS IS ADMINISTRATION, FLEET, STREETS AND ROADS, BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS UTILITIES DIVISION HAS SEVEN FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES FOR POLICE AND MUNICIPAL COURT.
41 FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES, 12 PART-TIME, 36 SWORN OFFICERS.
FOUR LEO THREES, FIVE PART-TIME CROSSING GUARDS.
FOUR FULL-TIME AND TWO PART-TIME ADMIN STAFF TO RUN THOSE DEPARTMENTS.
FIRE AND EMS 17, FULL-TIME, SIX PART-TIME.
WE HAVE 10 FULL-TIME AND 82 VOLUNTEERS.
EMS SEVEN, FULL-TIME, SIX PART-TIME, SEVEN PER DM AND 20 VOLUNTEER EMS. SO NOW TO GET INTO CAPITAL, SO THERE'S A CAPITAL PROGRAM EACH YEAR FOR THE GENERAL FUND AND A CAPITAL PROGRAM FOR UTILITIES.
WE ARE BUDGETING $375,000 FOR A NEW STREET SWEEPER TO COMPLY WITH STATE STORM WATER MANDATE.
I'LL COVER THAT IN A LITTLE LATER.
325,000 FOR A NEW JET VAC TRUCK TO COMPLY WITH THE STATE STORM WATER MANDATE.
THE OTHER HALF IS IN THE UTILITY DEPARTMENT BECAUSE IT WILL HAVE SPLIT USE $1.2 MILLION FOR THE 2026 ROAD IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.
SO EACH YEAR THE ENGINEER GIVES US A LIST OF ROADS AND IT'S RANKED IN PRIORITY OF WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, $800,000 FOR THE FIRE AND EMS DEPARTMENT.
THIS COVERS THEIR EQUIPMENT, AIR, AIR PACKS AND PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT THAT ARE AT THE END OF THEIR USEFUL LIFE THAT NEED TO BE REPLACED.
$98,000 FOR PUBLIC WORKS EQUIPMENT.
THIS COVERS A FORKLIFT AND TWO MOWERS, 270,000 FOR POLICE EQUIPMENT.
IT COVERS ALL NEW HANDGUNS, TWO RADAR UNITS, TWO POLICE VEHICLES COMPLETELY UPFITTED, READY FOR THE ROAD LIGHTS, SIRENS, YOU NAME IT.
AND AN HVAC REPLACEMENT, $25,000 FOR A TOWN HALL COMPUTER HARDWARE SERVER REPLACEMENT.
UM, SOMETHING THAT'S BEHIND THE SCENES WE DON'T ALWAYS SEE, BUT DOES NEED TO BE REPLACED FOR UTILITIES.
$400,000 FOR SEWER TREATMENT, PLANT UPGRADES, THE PUMPS, GRINDERS AND BEARINGS TO RUN THE PLANT.
$650,000 FOR SEWER MAIN RELINING AND REPLACEMENT 1.5 MILLION TO REHAB WELLS.
NUMBER THREE AND NUMBER SIX, UM, $150,000 FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO OTHER WELLS.
1.2 MILLION FOR WATER MAIN UPGRADES AND REPLACEMENTS.
FOR THOSE OF YOU HAVE WHO HAVE COME TO COUNCIL AND MADE IT AWARE, WE ARE ADDRESSING YOUR CONCERNS.
UH, $500,000 FOR WATER METER REPLACEMENTS.
THIS IS A MULTI-YEAR PROJECT, UM, BY, YOU KNOW, THE METERS, UM, HAVE A BATTERY THAT DOES EXPIRE.
SO WE HAVE TO ACTIVELY REPAIR OR REPLACE THE WATER METERS THROUGHOUT TOWN.
THAT'S THE OTHER HALF OF THE JET VAC TRUCK THAT I'VE SPOKE OF EARLIER.
AND A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR ROAD RESURFACING.
THIS IS WHEN WE PAVE THE ROAD AFTER WATER MAIN UPGRADES ARE DONE.
SO YOU HEARD ME TALK ABOUT THE STREET SWEEPER AND THE JET VAC TRUCK.
THIS IS DUE TO AN UN UNFUNDED STATE MANDATE.
SO BASICALLY MUNICIPAL STORM WATER MANAGEMENT PERMIT IS WHAT IT'S CALLED.
AND IN 2023, THE STATE ELIMINATED THE CATEGORY THAT MEDFORD BELONGED IN, WHICH WAS TIER B PERMIT.
AND THEY MOVED MEDFORD TO A TIER A
[02:25:01]
TIER A TREATS MEDFORD STORMWATER MANAGEMENT, AS IF WE WERE A CITY OR DENSELY POP POPULATED AREA.OF COURSE, WE'RE NEITHER, BUT WE DO HAVE TO COMPLY WITH THEIR REQUIREMENTS.
THIS INCLUDES PERIODIC STREET SWEEPING DIGITAL MAPPING OF ALL STORMWATER FACILITIES AND INCREASED MAINTENANCE OF THE SAME.
SO THIS TOWNSHIP MUST PURCHASE THE STREET SWEEPER TO COMPLY THE COMBINATION JET VAC TRUCK AND HAVE OUR, UH, STORM WATER COMPLETELY MAPPED DIGITALLY.
AND THE STATE NATURALLY ONLY GAVE US $25,000 TO TAKE CARE OF THAT.
SO IT'S UNFUNDED AND WE ARE REQUIRED TO TAKE CARE OF THE REST.
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT TRUST FUNDS AND SELF-LIQUIDATING ACCOUNTS.
SO WE HAVE A UTILITY OPERATING SELF-LIQUIDATING FUND.
CURRENT BALANCE IS 3.3 MILLION.
A UTILITY IS CONSIDERED SELF-LIQUIDATING IF THE CASH RECEIPTS, MEANING THE FEES, RENTS, AND THE CHARGES COLLECTED, COVER ALL OF THE UTILITY OPERATING EXPENSE FOR THE YEAR TO RUN THAT UTILITY, INCLUDING THE DEBT SERVICE PAYMENTS.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, OURS IS A WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM.
MEDFORD RESIDENTS PAY FOR WHAT THEY USE.
THIS THEN FUNDS THE OPERATION OF THE TREATMENT PLANT.
THIS COVERS THE STAFF, THE ELECTRICITY TO RUN THE PLANT, THE LAB TESTING THE CHEMICALS TO TREAT THE PLANT, AND ANY INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS, ET CETERA.
FOR THE OPEN SPACE TRUST FUND, THE TAX RATE IS 3 CENTS AND THE CURRENT BALANCE IS 1.7 MILLION.
UNDER NEW JERSEY STATE GUIDELINES, THESE FUNDS ARE VERY STRICTLY PROHIBITED.
THEY CAN ONLY BE USED FOR LAND PRESERVATION, RECREATION AND PARK DEVELOPMENT, FARMLAND PRESERVATION, HISTORIC PRESERVATION, AND BLUE ACRES.
IT'S FLOOD PREVENTION, FLOOD PROTECTION FOR YOUR TOWN.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND.
THE CURRENT BALANCE IS ONLY $293,000.
THE USE OF THESE FUNDS IS STRICTLY GOVERNED BY THE NEW JERSEY FAIR HOUSING ACT WITH OVERSIGHT FROM DCA.
THE PRIMARY USES FOR THESE FUNDS ARE HOUSING PRODUCTION AND PRESERVATION, AFFORDABILITY, ASSISTANCE AND ADMINISTRATION AND PROFESSIONAL PROFESSIONAL COSTS TO MANAGE THE SAME, THE PROGRAM.
SO UNFORTUNATELY, THESE ARE THE ONLY USES PERMITTED FOR THESE FUNDS THAT I'VE LISTED.
SO NOW YOUR TAX BILL EXPLAINED, UM, YOUR TAX BILL'S COMPRISED OF FOUR COMPONENTS.
IT'S THE COUNTY TAXES, WHICH IS COUNTY GOVERNMENT, COUNTY OPEN SPACE COUNTY LIBRARY, LENAPE REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT, MEDFORD TOWNSHIP SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND THEN THE TOWNSHIP GOVERNMENT AND OPEN SPACE.
SO WE COLLECT THE TAXES FOR ALL OF THESE ENTITIES AND THEN IT IS PAID OUT QUARTERLY FROM MY OFFICE TO THESE OTHER ENTITIES IN FULL.
ONE PENNY ON THE MUNICIPAL TAX RATE COMPUTES TO $316,000.
THE PROPOSED TAX RATE TONIGHT FROM 0.519 TO 0.50, LIKE I SAID EARLIER, WAS A 3.20 CENT TAX INCREASE.
THE AVERAGE HOME IN MEDFORD IS ASSESSED AT $331,141.
THE PROPOSED TAX RATE TONIGHT WOULD BRING AN ESTIMATED INCREASE OF $103 AND 23 CENTS TO THE AVERAGE HOMEOWNER ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, OR $25 AND 81 CENTS PER QUARTER.
A LITTLE ABOUT SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND COUNTY TAXATION.
THE MEDFORD TOWNSHIP TAX COLLECTOR'S OFFICE, LIKE I SAID, COLLECTS ALL MONIES ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF ED LENAPE, THE COUNTY, COUNTY LIBRARY COUNTY OPEN SPACE.
WE REMIT A HUNDRED PERCENT OWED TO THEM ON A QUARTERLY BASIS.
THE TOWNSHIP MUST BUDGET ALMOST $1.3 MILLION.
LIKE I SAID EARLIER, IN RESERVE FOR UNCOLLECTED TAXES, WE BEAR THE SOLE RISK FOR ALL THE OTHER TAXING AGENCIES OF ANY UNPAID TAX.
THE TOWNSHIP AND ALL TAXING AGENCIES BEAR THE COST OF EXEMPT PROPERTIES.
THIS IS GOVERNMENT OWNED LAND, CHURCHES, NONPROFITS, TOTAL DISABLED VETS, ET CETERA.
THE STATE AID TO MUNICIPALITIES HAS BEEN RELATIVELY FLAT SINCE GOVERNOR CHRISTIE.
WHILE THE STATE HAS ALSO CUT AID TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN MEDFORD AS WELL.
THIS IS THE STATE AID TRENDS FOR LEPE REGIONAL FOR THE PAST EIGHT YEARS.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE IN 2019, LENAPE RECEIVED $28 MILLION IN FUNDING FROM THE STATE.
THIS YEAR THEY RECEIVED 19 MILLION.
EVEN THOUGH THEIR COSTS OF RUNNING THE SCHOOLS HAS CERTAINLY NOT GONE DOWN BY ANY MEANS IN THE LAST EIGHT YEARS.
MEDFORD SCHOOLS, SAME STORY IN THE LAST EIGHT YEARS.
THIS IS THEIR STATE AID TRENDS.
IN 2019, THEY RECEIVED 4.6 MILLION.
THEIR COSTS HAVE GONE UP SIGNIFICANTLY IN THE LAST EIGHT YEARS.
SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND COUNTY TAXATION, VERY RARELY IS THEIR ROLLBACK TAXES.
UM, WHEN A PROPERTY IS NO LONGER BEING FARMED, THE FUNDS ARE THEN SPLIT BETWEEN THE TOWNSHIP AND THE COUNTY.
UM, SIMILARLY, SAME WITH ADDED AND OMITTED TAXES.
THESE ARE SPLIT BETWEEN THE TOWNSHIP AND THE COUNTY.
FOR THE PARTIAL YEAR THEY'RE ASSESSED.
THIS WOULD BE IF A NEW HOME WAS BUILT MIDWAY THROUGH THE YEAR,
[02:30:01]
AN ADDITION WAS PUT ON A HOME, ET CETERA.PILOT AGREEMENTS HAVE FORMULAS FOR COMPUTATION, AND THIS IS SPLIT BETWEEN THE TOWNSHIP AND THE COUNTY AS WELL.
FOR PILOTS, ALL TAXING ENTITIES BENEFIT FROM INCREASED LAND TAXES.
LAND TAXES ALSO INCREASE WHEN PROPERTIES ARE SUBDIVIDED.
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT 2020 FIVE'S TAX COLLECTION.
SO THE TAX COLLECTOR FOR MEDFORD, SORRY, I'M TRYING.
THE LEVY AMOUNT WAS $118 MILLION.
THE COLLECTION RATE WAS INCREDIBLE.
SO WHAT'D YOU AWAY? CAN YOU STILL HEAR ME? OKAY.
TOWNSHIP SOLELY BEARS THE TAX DEFICIT.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE, THE COUNTY TAXES OVER 14 MILLION.
THEY GOT A HUNDRED PERCENT OF WHAT WAS OWED TO THEM.
UM, COUNTY LIBRARY COUNTY OPEN SPACE, LPE REGIONAL RECEIVED 26 MILLION MEDFORD SCHOOLS, 55 MILLION AND TOWNSHIP AND OPEN SPACE ONLY COLLECTED 95.5% OF WHAT WE NEEDED.
THIS IS A BREAKDOWN OF THE TAXING AGENCIES.
UM, IT SHOWS 24 RATE, 25 RATE, AND THE ESTIMATED RATE FOR 2026.
THE BURLINGTON COUNTY RATE HAS NOT BEEN ANNOUNCED YET, THE BOARD OF ED OR LEPE.
AND UM, THIS IS JUST AN ESTIMATE BASED ON THE LAST EIGHT YEARS OF THE TRAJECTORY OF WHERE THEIR RATE MAY BE FOR 26.
AND THIS IS JUST A BREAKDOWN TO SHOW YOU THE FOUR DIFFERENT ENTITIES THAT WE COLLECT ON BEHALF OF.
SO THIS IS A THREE YEAR TAX COMPARISON.
SO WHAT THIS BASICALLY DOES IS IF THE AVERAGE HOME IS ASSESSED AT $331,000, THE PORTION OF YOUR TAXES THAT COME TO MEDFORD TOWNSHIP IS $1,900.
THE REST GOES TO THE BOARD OF ED ATLANTIC P REGIONAL AND THE COUNTY.
SO THIS IS JUST TO SHOW, UM, THE INCREASE OVER THOSE THREE YEARS FOR THE AVERAGE HOMEOWNER PER ENTITY, PER TAXING ENTITY, UM, AS DEMONSTRATED MEDFORD BASED TAXING AUTHORITIES, TOWNSHIP, LEPE AND BOARD OF ED HAVE EXPERIENCED FLAT STATE AID OR WORSE, IT HAS DECREASED.
UM, SUB THIS IS BUDGET IS SUBJECT TO FURTHER FEEDBACK FROM TOWNSHIP COUNCIL, BUT WE ARE LOOKING TO INTRODUCE THE BUDGET ON MONDAY, APRIL 20TH AT THE COUNCIL MEETING.
THERE MUST BE 28 DAYS BETWEEN BUDGET INTRODUCTION AND BUDGET APPROVAL.
SO WE ARE HOPING TO HAVE A VOTE TO ADOPT THE BUDGET ON MAY 19TH AT THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED COUNCIL MEETING.
ANY QUESTIONS? I KNOW THAT'S A LOT, UM, BUT DON'T HESITATE.
SO IN, UH, ONE OF THE SLIDES JUST PRIOR THERE, YOUR CALENDAR YEAR 2025 TAX COLLECTION CO.
SO OF WHEN, WHEN WE COLLECT THAT 16TH 0.5 MILLION FOR MM-HMM
IS THAT THE AMOUNT PORTION THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT COLLECT IN TOTAL OR BECAUSE OF THAT DECREASED TAX RATE, EVEN THOUGH IT'S ONLY 27 5%, ARE YOU FACTORING IN THE THAT ATTRITION, THAT LOSS? YES.
THAT'S THE RESERVE FOR UNCOLLECTED TAXES.
SO WE, THIS YEAR IT'S JUST UNDER $1.3 MILLION TO BASICALLY FILL THAT GAP FROM 95.5 TO A HUNDRED PERCENT BECAUSE THE STATE KNOWS WE'RE NOT GONNA COLLECT A HUNDRED PERCENT AND THEY KNOW WE NEED TO BE MADE WHOLE AND WE'RE ALLOWED TO.
SO WE BASICALLY INCREASE THE TAX FOR THOSE THAT DON'T PAY.
THE REST OF US ARE CORRECT BILLING NEW BANK.
OF COURSE, IF THERE'S EXTRA THAT GOES INTO SURPLUS, BUT, UM, WE ARE REQUIRED TO AT LEAST IF WE ARE BUDGETING TO, OR IF WE'RE ANTICIPATING TO COLLECT 99% OF TAXES, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT 1% IS INCLUDED IN OUR BUDGET.
SO WE ARE PREPARED IF WE ONLY COLLECT 99%, WHICH I KNOW 99% SOUNDS AMAZING, BUT THAT'S HUGE WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A $27 MILLION BUDGET.
SO IT'S RIGHT AROUND $3.6 MILLION WORTH OF THE BUDGET.
AND WHAT IS THE FOR THAT IS TO FUND CAPITAL FROM THE PRIOR YEARS.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, UH, THE TOWNSHIP MUNICIPAL BUILDING, UM, ANY, ANY, UM, EQUIPMENT VEHICLES THAT HAVE BEEN PURCHASED, UM, ANY IMPROVEMENTS TO OTHER TOWNSHIP BUILDINGS? WELL HOUSES, UM, ROADS ROAD PROGRAMS. SO EACH YEAR WE TRY TO DO A CAPITAL PLAN THAT IS BETWEEN TWO TO TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS.
WE TRY TO BE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE WITH OUR BORROWING AND WE TRY TO PRIORITIZE WHICH PROJECTS NEED TO BE, WHAT IS PRIORITY, WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE RIGHT NOW.
AND THAT IS, UM, WE THEN HAVE TO BORROW MONEY TO THEN PAY FOR THAT.
AND THAT'S WHERE DEBT SERVICE IS.
UM, OKAY, SO 13% IS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT
[02:35:01]
FUND SLASH DEBT SERVICE.SO 3.45 MILLION OF THE $27 MILLION BUDGET IS TO PAY FOR DEBT.
AND THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND IS IF WE HAVE SAY A $3 MILLION CAPITAL PLAN FOR THIS YEAR, WE NEED TO BUDGET 5% OF THAT IN OUR REGULAR BUDGET.
THAT'S CALLED THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND.
IT'S BASICALLY THE DOWN PAYMENT FOR THE, FOR THE PRO TO FUND THE PROJECT.
ARE THERE ANY CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT WERE REQUESTED THAT WERE NOT ABLE TO FUND IN THIS BUDGET? YES.
SO THERE WAS A, THE DEPARTMENT HEADS BRING A SLEW OF NEEDS TO OUR ATTENTION.
UM, AND WE ASK THEM ONE, WE FIND OUT WHAT KIND OF BUDGET PREDICAMENT WHEN THEY BRING IT TO US, IT'S IN THE FALL, RIGHT? WE DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF BUDGET PREDICAMENT WILL REALLY BE IN UNTIL WE GET THE A FS, WHICH IS IN MARCH.
AND AT THAT POINT AND STATE AID, WHICH WE FIND OUT THE FIRST WEEK OF MARCH AS WELL.
AT THAT POINT WE THEN RECONVENE WITH THE DEPARTMENT HEADS AND SAY, WHAT IS MISSION CRITICAL? WE HEAR YOU, WE KNOW YOU NEED ALL THIS, WHAT DO YOU NEED THIS YEAR AND WHAT CAN WE POSSIBLY PUT TO NEXT YEAR'S CAPITAL? SO, UM, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S WE'RE TRYING TO BE, UM, RESPONSIBLE AND REPLACE AMBULANCES, YOU KNOW, ON A, ON A TIMELY BASIS, YOU KNOW, COULD YOU WAIT TILL NEXT YEAR FOR US TO ORDER THAT AMBULANCE KNOWING IT TAKES TWO YEARS TO COME IN.
UH, OF COURSE WE WISH WE COULD, BUT WE ALSO FISCALLY NEED TO KEEP OUR DEBT AS MANAGEABLE AS WE CAN.
UM, ON YOUR TOWNSHIP STAFFING LEVELS YES.
EACH OF THOSE COMPONENTS, YOU A TOTAL BUDGET BREAKDOWN OF WHAT IT'S FOR EACH ONE I DO, YES.
SO IT'S, AND THE BUDGET DOCUMENT WILL BE ON THE TOWNSHIP WEBSITE, UM, BEFORE THE 20TH AS WELL.
AND SO BASICALLY IT HAS EVERY SINGLE DEPARTMENT AND WHAT THE SALARY AND WAGE IS FOR EACH DEPARTMENT BROKEN DOWN, AND THAT INCLUDES THE OVERTIME FOR THEM AS WELL.
YOU MENTIONED EARLIER ABOUT A, I GUESS YOU WOULD CALL IT A STANDARD, UH, INCREASE IN THOSE AREAS.
AND HOW, HOW IS THAT DETERMINED FOR SALARIES? YES.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, THE POLICE CONTRACTS ARE FOUR YEARS.
THOSE ARE CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENTS.
SO IT'S BASED ON WHAT STEP THE OFFICER IS ON.
THAT'S THE AMOUNT THEY'RE GOING TO BE PAID FOR THE YEAR.
WE HAVE VERY LITTLE WIGGLE ROOM WITH THAT.
IT'S, IT'S A CONTRACT, UM, IT'S A UNION, UM, PUBLIC WORKS UTILITIES, THEY'RE IN A UNION, THEY HAVE A CONTRACT.
SO AFTER, IF THEY'VE BEEN HERE SEVEN YEARS, THEY ARE TO BE PAID THIS IF THEY'RE A LABORER, THIS IF THEY'RE A HEAVY EQUIPMENT OPERATOR.
UM, THE ONLY TOWNSHIP EMPLOYEES THAT ACTUALLY ARE NOT GUARANTEED A RAISE A BUMP, ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE IS REALLY THE ADMIN STAFF.
SO THAT WOULD BE THE ADMIN AT THE POLICE, AT FIRE, AT PUBLIC WORKS AND AT TOWN HALL, THERE'S NEVER A GUARANTEE OF WHAT THEY'LL BE GIVEN THAT IS DETERMINED BY THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER.
WHAT ABOUT THE, UM, THE NOTION OF, UH, BY STAFF THEN DISTRICT STAFF SAY THE TOWNSHIP, ARE THEY UNION EMPLOYEES? WE ARE NOT, NO MA'AM.
SO YOU'RE TOLD ME THAT YOU NEED CONTRACTS.
AND THAT'S FOR WHICH DEPARTMENTS? THAT WOULD BE FIRE, EMS, PUBLIC WORKS, UTILITIES POLICE.
BUT HOW COULD YOU GUARANTEE AN INCREMENT FOR THOSE DEPARTMENTS WHEN WE DON'T REALLY KNOW THE BUDGET? SO MY JOB IS TO GATHER ALL THE CONTRACTS AND I HAVE TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THEM WHAT THEY WERE AGREED UPON BACK WHEN THE CONTRACT WAS SETTLED.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF A CONTRACT IS A FOUR YEAR AGREEMENT, UM, YES, FOUR YEARS AGO THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT THIS YEAR'S BUDGET PREDICAMENT, BUT THAT'S MY JOB TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE MONEY TO PAY THEM WHAT THEY ARE GUARANTEED TO BE PAID.
THERE'S, IT'S A CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENT.
I HAVE TO PAY THEM THAT I, I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT, YOU KNOW, CIRCUMSTANCES NOT AVAILABLE THAT SORT OF SUPERSEDED THE PAYING SOME ENTITLED TO, IN OTHER WORDS, IF YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH FUNDING IN A MUNICIPAL BUDGET, HOW CAN YOU PAY, YOU KNOW, AN INCREMENT OF 4%, 3%? RIGHT.
I'M ABLE TO SAY THAT WITH THIS BUDGET AS, AS IS, UM, THERE WERE NO STAFFING CUTS.
UM, AND NO REDUCTIONS OF ANY NATURE, UM, IN THAT REGARD SPEAK.
I WAS GONNA TALK ABOUT A REDUCTION IN FORCE PLAN THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO, I WAS GONNA TALK ABOUT HOW YOU WOULD HAVE TO DO A, A STAFFING
SO SHE MENTIONED HOW YOU WOULD HAVE TO REDUCE STAFF, BUT YOU STILL HAVE TO SATISFY THAT CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATION.
SO IF THERE IS NO MONEY, YOU START, THAT'S REDUCTION FORCE.
[02:40:01]
SO THAT WAS NOT REQUIRED.AND, AND WHEN THEY NEGOTIATE THOSE CONTRACTS, ATTACHMENT MANAGER WILL LOOK AT PROJECTIONS, YOU KNOW, FOR THE NEXT 1, 2, 3, 4 YEARS.
AND THAT'S WHERE THEY WOULD BASE THOSE PERCENTAGE INCREASES ON.
SO THEY, YOU KNOW, LIKE JUST LIKE OUR CFO JUST PUT UP, YOU KNOW, THE PROJECTIONS OF WHAT WAS, WHAT'S ANTICIPATED POTENTIALLY FOR THIS YEAR'S, YOU KNOW,
THEY WOULD LOOK AT THOSE, THOSE PROJECTIONS PRIOR TO SIGNING, NEGOTIATING THAT CONTRACT TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE AGREEING UPON SOMETHING THAT ACTUALLY CAN BE CARRIED OUT IN FOUR YEARS.
WILL YOU LOOK AT IT DIFFERENTLY THAN SAY THE NEXT FOUR YEARS NOT FORWARD? ABSOLUTELY.
AND THAT WAS ONE THING, UM, OUR PRIOR MANAGER DID DO IS HE COULD ALL THE CONTRACTS, UM, SAT DOWN WITH OUR CFO AND LAID OUT KIND OF, OKAY, THESE ARE WHERE OUR PROJECTIONS ARE AT AND A LOT OF OUR CONTRACTS THIS YEAR ARE UP FOR REGIONAL.
AND WHO WOULD NEGOTIATE THAT THEN? THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER? YEAH, TOWNSHIP MANAGER NEGOTIATES WITH THE, UH, WITH THE UNIONS.
IF THEY, OBVIOUSLY IF THEY CAN'T COME TO AN AGREEMENT, THEN THEY WOULD GO TO ARBITRATION OR MEDIATION FOR MEDIATION.
AND THEN I JUST WANNA THANK YOU AGAIN FOR CERTAINLY ATION, AS, AS YOU KNOW, I SHARE A GREAT CONCERN ABOUT THE RELIANCE ON THE FUND BALANCE.
UM, AND, AND MY, MY CONCERN IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE ALL NEED TO BE MINDFUL OF IS THAT AT THIS POINT, LOOKING AT HOW HEAVY THE FUND BALANCE AND SURPLUS HAS BEEN RELIABLE ON AND NOT CAST DECADE, WE'RE AT A POINT NOW I THINK, WHERE ONCE WE ADOPT THE BUDGET IN, IN MAY, MAY 28TH, ESSENTIALLY WE'RE GONNA BE IMPLEMENTING A SPENDING FREEZE SIMULTANEOUSLY, RIGHT.
BECAUSE WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GENERATING THAT FUND BALANCE AND SURPLUS GOING FORWARD UP SUPPORT US AND ENCOUNTER YEAR 27.
SO I JUST WANT EVERYBODY TO BE MINDFUL OF, OF THAT FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, YES, IT WAS GREAT THAT TAXES WERE HELD OVER THE PAST DECADE, BUT THE COMPOUNDING IMPACT OF DOING SO HURT HAS LEFT US IN A, I DON'T WANT CALL A DIRE, BUT A DIFFICULT FINANCIAL SITUATION NOW GOING FORWARD.
UNFORTUNATELY, IT IS A COMPOUNDING EFFECT FROM NOT RAISING MUNICIPAL TAXES FOR EIGHT YEARS.
AND WE ARE FEELING THAT BURDEN TODAY AND WE WILL CONTINUE.
IT'S A PERPETUAL BUDGET CYCLE THAT WE ARE IN RIGHT NOW.
I WILL SAY WE DID CUT $1.3 MILLION IN EXPENDITURES BEFORE WE GOT TO THIS BUDGET.
UM, AND I WOULD SAY OUR DEPARTMENTS WORK INCREDIBLY HARD WITH THE AMOUNT OF FUNDS THAT THEY HAVE BEEN GIVEN OTHER THAN CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENTS OF TRASH AND LANDFILL EXPENSES, ET CETERA.
UTILITY COSTS, ALL OF OUR EXPENSES HAVE GONE UP AT HOME.
THE TOWNSHIP IS OF COURSE NO EXCEPTANCE TO THAT, BUT I WOULD SAY OUR TOWN DEPARTMENTS DO A WONDERFUL JOB WORKING WITHIN THEIR MEANS.
A LOT OF THEM HAVE RECEIVED THE SAME AMOUNT OF O AND E, WHICH IS OPERATING FUNDS THAT THEY'VE RECEIVED SINCE 2020.
SO I WOULD SAY WE HAVE A VERY BARE BONES BUDGET.
AND THAT'S A MAIN REASON WHY SURPLUS DOES NOT REGENERATE, RIGHT.
BECAUSE OUR BUDGET, THERE IS NO FLUFF.
SO DEPARTMENTS ARE LITERALLY USING EXACTLY WHAT THEY'RE GIVEN, VERY LITTLE THEN WILL ROLL INTO SURPLUS.
IT'S HONESTLY A KNOWN, WE KNOW THAT.
NOW I, I ALREADY KNOW WHAT THAT'LL BE LOOK LIKE AT THE END OF THE YEAR.
EVEN THOUGH YOU SAW AN INCREASE IN SURPLUS FROM 25 TO 26, THAT 1.3 MILLION REDUCTION IS GONNA BE DIFFICULT IF NOT POSSIBLE, TO, TO REGENERATE.
THERE IS NO REQUIREMENT, UNFORTUNATELY.
AND YOU'RE ALLOWED TO USE AS MUCH OR AS LITTLE OF WHAT YOU HAVE.
UM, HOWEVER, THEY DO PUT VERY STRICT, UM, CONSTRAINTS ON HOW MUCH CAN BE RAISED IN TAXES.
SO NATURALLY YOU THEN LOOK TO BRING IN REVENUE FROM YOUR SURPLUS BECAUSE OF THE 2% CAP THAT THEY HAVE ON TAXES.
EVEN IF I WANTED TO RAISE TAXES 5 CENTS TODAY, I CAN'T, WE ARE HELD AT THAT 3.2, WHICH IS REALLY THE 2% PLUS WHAT THEY'VE ALLOWED OUTSIDE THE CAP.
THAT'S THE ONLY REASON IT'S AT 3.2 HAVE THE A GIVEN A RECOMMENDATION FOR, FOR THE AMOUNT TO BE HELD A A LOAN HOUSE.
THEY RECOMMENDED THAT WE RAISE TAXES AS MUCH AS WE ARE ALLOWED TO EACH YEAR, BECAUSE IF NOT, WE'RE BASICALLY LOSING THAT CAP BANK AND IT'S A PERPETUAL CYCLE.
YEAH, BUT WE'RE, THERE'S NO, IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE EXEMPT, RIGHT? ALL THESE, A LOT OF TOWNS ARE IN THE SAME BOAT.
UM, BUT I WOULD SAY THE PRIOR ACTIONS HAVE LED US TO HERE THE, FROM EIGHT YEARS OF NO TAX INCREASE.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, JUST A SUGGESTION GOING FORWARD, HAVING SPENT MY WHOLE CAREER BUDGET, IT WOULD BE GOOD TO LET PEOPLE KNOW AS A PREAMBLE FOR THE, OF THIS, THE SITUATION THAT WE'RE IN BECAUSE IT WAS NOT PRIEST, YOU KNOW, THE FOLLOWING SITUATIONS HAVE OCCURRED AS A RESULT OF THAT, SEEING THAT AND SEEING INCREASE GONNA BE ONE, ONE
[02:45:01]
THE AVERAGE TAXPAYER IS MY OPINION.UM, AND I KNOW, YOU KNOW, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL MYSELF, WE, YOU KNOW, WE UNDERSTAND THESE CHALLENGES AND AS COUNCIL COX SAID, IT WILL BECOME PERPETUAL IF NO EXTERNAL CHANGES ARE MADE.
AND THIS IS WHERE I THINK WE ALL HAVE TO LOOK AT INCREASING RATEABLES, UM, YOU KNOW, COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT IN MEDFORD IS A TOUGH THING TO SWALLOW, BUT THOSE COMMERCIAL PROPERTY WILL DRAMATICALLY AFFECT OUR SURPLUS AS WE GO, WE GO FORWARD.
SO, UM, I I THINK WE ALL SPOKEN INTO OUR DESIRES OF DIFFERENT, TO KEEP OUT MEDFORD, BUT WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT WE'RE WILLING TO BRING INTO BEDFORD THAT CAN HELP THESE, THESE BUDGET CHALLENGES, RIGHT? LIKE WHAT ACTIONS CAN WE TAKE TO HELP TAKE THE BURDEN OFF OF THE LOCAL TAX RATE? CORRECT.
CERTAINLY, IF, IF, IF I HEARD YOU CORRECTLY, 64% OF THE ENTIRE TAX LEVY IS FUNDED BY THE RESIDENTS, CORRECT? YES.
PROPERTY TAXES, WHICH IS $17.4 MILLION.
SO AND, AND THAT INCLUDES THE COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES IN TOWN, CORRECT? THAT IS EVERYTHING, YES.
CLEARLY WE HAVE, WE HAVE SOME COMMERCIAL IN TOWN WE HAVE, BUT RIGHT.
RESIDENTS DO PAY A LARGE BURDEN THERE.
SO 100% WE JUST SPREAD THAT RATIO BACK TO A COMMERCIAL SECTOR.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
WHAT'S THAT? I MIGHT PULL, THIS IS THE WORST ONE.
I SAY YOU GOTTA LIKE KIND YEAH.
UP AND THEN PUSH IT, RIGHT? YEAH, THAT'S THE BEST.
UM, SO STICKING, STICKING WITH THE MANAGER.
STICKING WITH THE MANAGER'S REPORT.
UM, IF I MAY, JUST ON THE BUDGET, UH, JUST SO THAT THE DATES ARE CLEARLY STATED TODAY ON THE 14TH, WE'VE RECEIVED THE INITIAL BUDGET PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH LINDSAY FOR THAT.
UH, NEXT MONDAY THE 20TH, UH, WE'LL BE HELD A SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING WHERE WE HOPE TO INTRODUCE THIS BUDGET, UH, TWO WEEKS FROM THEM.
AND ON THE 28TH WE'LL HOST ANOTHER BUDGET WORKSHOP ON FIVE FIVE.
THERE'LL BE A REGULARLY SCHEDULED COUNCIL MEETING AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO HAVE DISCUSSIONS ON THIS BUDGET PRESENTATION.
AND ON FIVE 19 THERE'LL BE A TOWN HALL DEDICATED TO THE BUDGET IN WHICH WE HOPE TO HAVE AN ADOPTION PUBLIC HEARING AND THE FINALIZATION OF THE 2026 CALENDAR YEAR BUDGET.
SO WE WILL POST ALL THOSE DATES ON THE WEBSITE AND THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA TOMORROW MORNING, ANGELA
BUT THAT IS, UM, OUR HOPE WITH THE BUDGET THIS YEAR.
UM, WE'LL MOVE TO THE SECOND ITEM ON THE MANAGER'S REPORT.
SO, UH, WELL FIRST AND FOREMOST, I WOULD AGAIN WANT TO ECHO EVERYBODY'S COMMENTS.
COUPLE THINGS COMING UP, UH, FOR THE RESIDENTS THAT THEY, UH, TO MAKE EVERYBODY AWARE OF.
UM, TOWN HALL WILL BE MOVING TO A SUMMER HOUR SCHEDULE, UH, STARTING JUNE 1ST THROUGH SEPTEMBER 4TH.
UM, IT MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY, THE HOURS WILL BE 8:00 AM TO FOUR 30 ON FRIDAYS, UH, THE STAFF WILL WORK 8:00 AM TO NOON.
UM, THIS IS BASED ON HISTORICALLY LOW FOOT TRAFFIC IN THE AFTERNOONS AT THE MUNICIPAL BUILDING.
UM, AND THEN THERE ARE TWO HOLIDAYS IN THERE, UH, JUNETEENTH AND THE JULY 4TH HOLIDAY, I BELIEVE IT'S THE SECOND, UM, THE, UH, UH, 8:00 AM TO NOON.
UH, DAY WILL BE ON THAT THURSDAY BEFORE, 'CAUSE FRIDAY IS THE HOLIDAY.
SO, UH, AGAIN, ANGELA WILL POST THESE ON THE TOWNSHIP'S WEBSITE.
UM, REGARDING TAUNTON BOULEVARD.
UH, WE DID BRIEFLY TOUCH ON THAT EARLIER.
THE TWO RESOLUTIONS, UH, RECOMMENDING THE WEIGHT RESTRICTIONS WERE SENT TO THE COUNTY TO BE SUBMITTED TO N-J-D-O-T.
THERE WAS A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT LITERALLY JUST CAME BACK TODAY, UM, TO CHRIS KNOLL.
HE'S GONNA MAKE, MAKE SOME UPDATES TO THAT.
AND THEN OUR TOWNSHIP ENGINEER
[02:50:01]
DID TALK TO JOE BRICKLEY FROM BURLINGTON COUNTY, UM, THE BURNS COUNTY ENGINEER ABOUT THE SWAP OF TAUNTON BOULEVARD, UH, WITH HARTFORD ROAD THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT MOUNT LAUREL TOWNSHIP LINE TO OLD MARLTON PIKE, UM, FOR TAUNTON BOULEVARD.UH, THERE, THE COUNTY WAS NOT SUPPORTIVE, UNFORTUNATELY, UH, BASED ON CONTINUITY ISSUE WITH COUNTY ROADS.
THEY LIKE THE ROADS TO CONNECT AND NOT BE BROKEN UP.
UM, ALSO HARTFORD ROAD WOULD HAVE TO BE IMPROVED TO COUNTY STANDARDS AND THIS WOULD BE, OR PRIOR TO ACCEPTANCE BY THE COUNTY AND THIS WOULD BE EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE.
SO WE DID FOLLOW UP ON THAT, UH, WITH THE COUNTY.
A COUPLE OTHER QUICK THINGS WERE, UH, LEAF PICKUP WAS COMPLETED APRIL 4TH.
UH, THANKS TO GEORGE CHESTNUT AND HIS STAFF FOR THAT.
I KNOW THEY RAN INTO A NUMBER OF DELAYS WITH MECHANICAL BREAKDOWNS AND THEN OBVIOUSLY THE WEATHER DID NOT DO US ANY FAVORS WHATSOEVER THIS YEAR.
UM, SPRING BRUSH PICKUP HAS STARTED AND THEY'RE ON SCHEDULE.
AND THEN AS WE TOUCHED ON IN THE, UH, IN THE BUDGET PRESENTATION, THE NEW DPW YARD HOURS, UM, ARE THE SAME SEVEN TO TWO.
HOWEVER, THE YARD IS CLOSING ON TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS.
UH, BUT YOU KNOW, WE CAN PUT THAT OUT AGAIN AND THEN WE'LL BE ADDING ANOTHER SATURDAY AS WELL.
UM, THE FIRST AND THIRD SATURDAYS OF THE MONTH.
AND THEN THE ONLY OTHER THING I HAVE IS, UH, I WOULD ASK COUNSEL TO CONSIDER, UH, ORDINANCE 2026 DASH 10 AMENDING THE CHAPTER, UH, 19 LENGTH OF SERVICE PROGRAM AND CHAPTER 71 FEES AND LICENSES, UM, TO ENHANCE INCENTIVES FOR PUBLIC SAFETY VOLUNTEERS.
THAT THEY TABLE THAT ORDINANCE BASED ON THE FACT I'M THE FIRE CHIEF AND I'M SITTING HERE, I DON'T FEEL IT'S APPROPRIATE FOR US TO VOTE OR MOVE ON THAT TONIGHT.
SO I WOULD TABLE THAT WE HAVE AN INTERIM MANAGER.
AND THEN I DID HAVE AN EMAIL AND I JUST WANTED TO PUT THIS OUT TO THE, TO THE RESIDENTS.
UM, WE DO HAVE A NEW EMAIL FOR THE MEDFORD TOWNSHIP MANAGER, IT'S MANAGER@MEDFORDTOWNSHIP.COM.
SO THAT WILL GO TO THE MANAGER'S OFFICE AND THAT'S REGULARLY CHECKED BY MYSELF AND AND OTHER FOLKS.
SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE AND, UM, THANK YOU CHIEF, UH, JUST STATE AGAIN THE RESOLUTIONS YOU'RE, YOU'D LIKE TABLED.
UH, 2026 DASH 10 AMENDING CHAPTER 19, LENGTH OF SERVICE PROGRAM, UH, AND CHAPTER 71 FEES.
PAT, WHAT ACTIONS SHOULD BE TAKEN TO TABLE AT THIS MOMENT? WE JUST NEED A MOTION TO TABLE ORDINANCE 2026 DASH 10 AT THE TIME IT'S CALLED AT THE TIME.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO TABLE NOW OR WHEN IT'S CALLED WHEN WE GET THERE.
I'M READY BECAUSE MY BUDDY AND I ARE FIRST AND SECOND.
UM, WE WILL MOVE TO THE CLERK'S REPORT.
[IX. CLERK’S REPORT ]
OKAY.SO WE ARE ASKING BROOKLYN FOR CARNIVAL GAMES FOR ST.
UM, MAY 11TH THROUGH MAY 16TH.
UM, A BASKET AND A 50 50 RAFFLE FOR CEDAR RUN OCTOBER 17TH, AND ALSO ONE ON NOVEMBER 1ST AND A SOCIAL AFFAIR PERMIT, UM, FOR LIKE, FOR BUSINESS ASSOCIATION FOR OCTOBER FEST ON SEPTEMBER 18TH, 19TH.
[X. BILL LIST ]
WE ARE MOVING ON TO THE BILLS LIST.WE HAVE BILLS LIST FOR MARCH 19TH, 2026.
MARCH 25TH, 2026, APRIL 2ND, 2026 AND APRIL 8TH, 2026.
DO ANY MEMBERS OF COUNCIL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THE BILLS LIST? NO, NO QUESTION.
BUT JUST TO BE MINDFUL, UH, AS WE SAW CLIENT IN THE, IN THE PRESENTATION ABOUT THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND, THOSE THAT FUND IS DWINDLING, UH, RAPIDLY IT SEEMS LIKE, AND WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, OUR BILLS BEING PAID OUTTA THAT FUND.
SO WE HAVE TO BE MINDFUL OF THAT AS WE'RE GOING FORWARD, SO, OH, OKAY.
UM, MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE BILLS LIST? SO MOVED.
[XI. ORDINANCES FOR INTRODUCTION ]
MOVE TO ORDINANCES FOR INTRODUCTIONS.MAY HAVE A MOTION FOR ORDINANCE 2026 DASH 11.
I MOVED THAT COUNSEL INTRODUCE ON FIRST READING ORDINANCE 2026 DASH 11 AMENDING CHAPTER 71 FEES AND LICENSES OF THE TOWNSHIP CODE FOR THE WATER AND SEWER UTILITIES.
OKAY, CAN I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND.
ALRIGHT, SO THIS, UH, WAS DISCUSSED DURING OUR DISCUSSION ITEM SECTION.
UH, THIS ORDINANCE WILL BRING OUR RATES IN LINE WITH THE, APPROXIMATELY THE MIDDLE OF THE PACK OF THE TOWN'S, UM, THE SAMPLE SIZE DEMONSTRATED.
AND THIS WILL PROVIDE FOR, UM, AN OPPORTUNITY TO US TO GET IN FRONT OF ANY UNFUNDED MANDATES THAT ARE COMING OUR WAY AS WELL.
UM, SO ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THIS ORDINANCE? MM-HMM.
MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL MS.
MAYOR C AYE AT THIS TIME THE PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE ON MAY 5TH.
[XII. ORDINANCES FOR SECOND READING/PUBLIC HEARING(S) ]
SO NOW WE'LL MOVE TO ORDINANCES FOR A SECOND READING AND THEY WILL HAVE A PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION[02:55:01]
ATTACHED TO THEM.SO MAY I HAVE A MOTION FOR ORDINANCE 2026 DASH NINE? I MOVE THAT COUNSEL ADOPT ON SECOND READING ORDINANCE 2026 DASH NINE ORDINANCE TO AMEND AND SUPPLEMENT THE CODE OF THE TOWNSHIP OF MEDFORD CHAPTER ONE 40 THEREOF ENTITLED VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC TO DESIGNATE AN ADDITIONAL STOP INTERSECTION WITHIN SCHEDULE NINE OF SECTION ONE 40 DASH 26.
OKAY, THIS IS TO ADD AN ADDITIONAL STOP SIGN AT THE INTERSECTION OF CHARLES AND POST OFFICE LANE.
SO NOW WE WILL OPEN THIS UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THIS ORDINANCE, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND AND COME TO THE MICROPHONE.
SEEING NONE, UH, MOTION TO CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT.
AND NOW WE WILL ASK FOR A ROLL CALL FOR ADOPTION MOTION IN A SECOND.
WE NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO OKAY.
WE'LL DO TWO ROLL CALL FIRST FOR THE ORDINANCE FOR THE, UH, CLOSING PUBLIC.
AND THEN THE ORDINANCES? UM, MS. SANBORN? YES.
AND THEN AS WE STATED EARLIER, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO TABLE ORDINANCE 2026 DASH TEN SECOND.
CAN YOU MAYOR ON MAY THE MAY 5TH? THANK YOU FOR THAT FIVE.
AND CHIEF THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT TO OUR ATTENTION.
[XIII. CONSENT AGENDA RESOLUTIONS ]
SO NOW WE WILL MOVE TO THE CONSENT AGENDA RESOLUTIONS.MR. MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO REMOVE RESOLUTION A SEVEN DASH 2026 FROM THE CONSIGN AGENDA.
I WILL REMOVE, UH, WHAT WE NEED A SECOND ON IT.
AND, UH, COUNCILMAN, JUST TO UNDERSTAND YOU, YOU'D LIKE US TO MOVE IT OUTSIDE OF THE CONSENT? YES.
UM, DO WE NEED ALL IN FAVOR OR ROLL CODE TO MOVE IT? UH, JUST ALL IN FAVOR? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
SO I WILL MOVE THAT OUTSIDE OF CONSENT AGENDA.
SO NOW I WILL READ THE CONSENT AGENDA RESOLUTIONS.
RESOLUTION 77 20 26 CANCELLATION OF OUTSTANDING CHECKS RESOLUTION 78 20 26 AUTHORIZING BOARD OF CONTRACT FOR PUBLIC SAFETY VEHICLE MAINTENANCE RENEWAL FOR A ONE YEAR TERM OF A ONE YEAR TERM FOR THE SECOND TERM RESOLUTION 79 20 26 AUTHORIZING CANCELLATION OF 2026.
PROPERTY TAXES ON PROPERTIES OWNED BY A QUALIFIED TOTALLY DISABLED EXEMPT VETERAN RESOLUTION 80 20 26 APPOINTING MUNICIPAL JOINT INSURANCE FUND COMMISSIONER, ALTERNATE FUND COMMISSIONER, CLAIMS COORDINATOR AND SAFETY COORDINATOR RESOLUTION 81 20 26 APPOINTING CONTACT PERSON FOR THE EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES LIABILITY HELPLINE.
BURLINGTON COUNTY MUNICIPAL JOINT INSURANCE FUND RESOLUTION 82 20 26 AUTHORIZING A METER REPLACEMENT PROGRAM WITH RIO SUPPLY FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES RESOLUTION 83 20 26 AUTHORIZING THE APPROVAL OF A FINAL CHANGE ORDER AND APPOINTMENT AND I'M SORRY, ACCEPTANCE OF A TWO YEAR MAINTENANCE BOND FOR THE RIVERFRONT RECYCLING AND AGGREGATE LLC FOR THE HEMLINE ROAD WATER MAIN EXTENSION PER UH, PROJECT.
WE'LL TOUCH ON THAT AFTERWARDS.
RESOLUTION 84 20 26 AUTHORIZING APPROVAL OF EXTENSION FOR THE MAINTENANCE GUARANTEE PERIOD FOR THE MEDFORD CORNERSTONE PROJECT TO APRIL 1ST, 2027.
RESOLUTION 85 20 26 AWARDING CONTRACT TO MCCORMICK TAYLOR, INC.
IN THE AMOUNT OF $498,428 AND 69 CENTS FOR THE PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING SERVICES FOR THE MAIN STREET NORTH DASH SOUTH BIKE PEDESTRIAN CONNECTOR PROJECT THROUGH THE N-J-D-O-T LOCAL AID DESIGN ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AND RESOLUTION 86 20 26 AMENDING THE 2026 TEMPORARY BUDGET.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THOSE RESOLUTIONS? MM-HMM.
UM, I'LL JUST MAKE A STATEMENT ON 83.
SO MUCH HAS BEEN SAID ABOUT THE CONDITION OF HEMLINE ROAD.
UM, AS WE STATED, THE FILL NEEDED TO SETTLE FOR A PERIOD OF TIME.
GLOBAL FILL, GLOBAL FILL NEEDED TO SETTLE.
UM, DURING THAT PERIOD, IT WAS DISCUSSED WITH THE SCHOOLS TO ALLOW ADDITIONAL SETTLING UNTIL THEY FINISHED THEIR SCHOOL YEAR AND THEN THE FINAL SURFACING OF THAT ROAD WILL BE DONE WHILE SCHOOL IS OUT TO NOT INTERFERE ANY FURTHER.
[03:00:01]
WE'VE, WE'VE ALL SAID THAT INTERNALLY.UM, UM, SO, UM, THIS IS JUST ABOUT THE BOND, BUT I WANTED TO SPEAK TO THE CONDITION OF HELINE ROAD WHILE IT WAS BROUGHT UP.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THOSE CONSENT AGENDA RESOLUTIONS? NO.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION? SO MOVED.
[XIII.11. Resolution 87-2026 – Appointing Comegno Law Group, P. C. as Conflict Labor Counsel Pursuant to the Non- Fair and Open Process ]
I, UM, HOW WILL WE GO ABOUT THIS NOW? THERE'S A RESOLUTION 87 20 26 APPOINTING COMMANDING LAW GROUP PCS COUNSEL PURSUANT TO NON PROCESS.UM, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS RESOLUTION? NO.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION? I'LL MAKE THE MOTION.
SO NOW WE'LL DO A ROLL CALL ON THIS RESOLUTION.
MS. SANTO, I GUESS I HAVE TO SWITCH TO, AYE.
[XIV. EXECUTIVE SESSION ]
WE WILL MOVE TO EXECUTIVE.OKAY, SO NOW WE HAVE OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION RESOLUTION ES OH 4 1 4 20 26.
UM, MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO MOVE TO EXECUTIVE? I'LL MAKE A MOTION.
SO WE'LL BE ABOUT THREE HOURS
AND ACTION MAY OR MAY NOT BE TAKEN ADDRESS.
SO WE'LL COME OUT OF EXECUTIVE AND THEN SO WE WILL TAKE ACTION.
DON'T FORGET I WAS LIKE, ALRIGHT, I'M GONNA RECONVENE THE OPEN PORTION OF THE MEETING.
WE, UM, FINISHED OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION.
WE DISCUSSED THE, ALL THE ITEMS IN EXECUTIVE CORRECT.
JUST FOR THE RECORDS ON REFLECT, WE DISCUSSED THE, UH, SALE OF A REAL PROPERTY OWNED BY TOWNSHIP AS WELL AS ACCUSATION AND MEDICAL VILLAGE AND HIRING A POTENTIAL PERSONNEL.
UM, WE DID ADD RESOLUTION 88 20 26 TO THE AGENDA FOLLOWING EXECUTIVE PREVIOUS IN THIS MEETING.
UM, I'LL NOW ENTERTAIN A MOTION, I'LL MAKE THAT MOTION SECOND.
UM, ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT RESOLUTION? NO.
I WILL NOW ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU EVERYONE COME.