[00:00:01]
YES.[I. PUBLIC MEETINGS STATEMENT]
I AM GOING TO CALL THE ORDER THE REGULAR MEETING FOR MEDFORD ON APRIL 28TH, 2026.
THIS MEETING IS CALLED PURSUANT THE PROVISIONS OF THE OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS LAW.
THIS MEETING OF APRIL 28TH, 2026 IS, WAS POSTED ON THE WEBSITE AND ON THE BULLETIN BOARD IN MUNICIPAL BUILDING ON APRIL 15TH, 2026 HAS REMAINED CONTINUOUSLY POSTED AS REQUIRED UNDER THE STATUTE.
IN ADDITION, A COPY OF THIS NOTICE IS AND HAS BEEN AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC AND IS ON FILE WITH THE OFFICE OF THE MUNICIPAL CLERK.
PLEASE WRITE FOR THE FLAGS APPLIED ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH SAINTS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
[IV. Communications, Scheduling Matters, Council Agenda, Presentations and Any Amendments to the Agenda]
HAVE A, WE HAD NO SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS THIS EVENING.DOES ANY MEMBERS OF COUNCIL HAVE ANYTHING THAT THEY'D LIKE TO, I DO, TO BRING UP DURING COMMUNICATIONS.
UM, I HAD, WAS GOING TO INTRODUCE A RESOLUTION AND I HAD SHARED IT WITH MR. JOBY AND I USED THE NAME ECONOMIC AND REVENUE ADVISORY COUNCIL.
WE ALREADY HAVE AN ECONOMIC, BUT IT WAS, THIS IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.
UH, EVERYBODY'S REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE BUDGET.
THAT'S ALL WE HAVE IN SURPLUS.
THAT WOULD BE NOT ENOUGH FOR FAMILY TODAY.
SO I THOUGHT IT'S TIME THAT THINGS HAVEN'T BEEN WORKING.
LET'S TAKE A DIFFERENT PATH THAT AN ECONOMIC ADVISORY COUNCIL, WHICH MANY OTHER TOWNS HAVE.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT ESTABLISHED AND IT WOULD BE ADVISORY ONLY, BUT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ON IT WOULD BE FROM THE COMMUNITY, BUT WHO HAD EXPERTISE IN MONEY IN, UM, FINANCE AND REAL ESTATE.
IT WOULDN'T BE JUST BRING BUSINESSES IN, BUT HOW, BUT HOW TO MAYBE RESTRUCTURE OUR BUDGET AND TAKE A LOOK AT IT FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF SOMEONE WHO'S IN FINANCE, UM, AND A MEMBER OF THE TOWN COUNCIL WOULD SERVE AS A NON-VOTING MEMBER.
WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING AND WE HAVE SO MUCH EXPERTISE IN THIS TOWN.
I THINK WE SHOULD REACH OUT LIKE WE'RE DOING WITH THE FAIR, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WHY NOT LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, ECONOMICALLY, WE PROBABLY HAVE 10 PEOPLE IN HERE.
WELL, WHO COULD HAVE, OR FIVE.
YOU KNOW, SO I, I'LL, I'LL CHANGE THE NAME.
I MADE A MISTAKE, BUT OUR ECONOMIC ADVISORY COUNCIL IS MORE WITH BRINGING BUSINESSES INTO TOWN, WHICH IS GREAT.
BUT WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE BUDGET AND LOOK AT IT REALLY CAREFULLY.
SO HOPEFULLY I CAN PRESENT THIS AT THE NEXT MEETING.
WOULD YOU BE ABLE JUST TO EMAIL US ALL A COPY? UH, YEAH, I COULD.
MR. DOBY ADOBE CHIEF, YOU CAN SEND THAT OUT TO US.
DID YOU PASS IT ON OR BE BECAUSE OF THE OTHER NAME? NO, I'M SORRY.
UNTIL YOU MADE THE, AND I DIDN'T HAVE TIME UNTIL YOU MADE THE CORRECT, YES.
MY DAUGHTER'S A LAWYER, SO I
'CAUSE PEOPLE STOP ME ALL THE TIME WHEN I'M WALKING AND TELL ME THAT.
SO HOPEFULLY THIS WILL WORK OUT.
UM, WELL, I'M NOT GOOD WITH MONEY, BUT I'LL, MY BEST WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO THE, THE EMAIL.
UM, ANYONE ELSE FOR COMMUNICATIONS? I JUST HAVE ONE SWITCHING GEARS.
UM, I THINK WE MENTIONED IT LAST COUNCIL MEETING, BUT THERE'S MUSIC ON THE PORCH FEST THIS SATURDAY.
UM, HOPEFULLY THE WEATHER'S NICE, BUT IT'S ABOUT 40 BANDS ARE GONNA PARTICIPATE, UM, ALONG MAIN STREET.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT ONE.
COUNCILMAN? UH, I JUST WANT TO TALK, TALK ABOUT MY, MY NO VOTE EARLIER THIS EVENING, IF I MAY.
UM, I, I JUST HAVE TO, TO ADMIT AND, AND JUST ACKNOWLEDGE THAT I SUPPORTED, UH, THE RESOLUTION BACK ON MARCH 17TH.
UM, AND THE REASON I DID THAT IS WE HAD DISCUSSION AS A COUNCIL, UM, ABOUT KIND OF REVIEWING THAT RESOLUTION AND GOING OVER IT.
UH, BUT THIS EVENING I, I MUST SAY, UH, I AM DISAPPOINTED MR. VARGA.
UM, AND I HOPE GOING FORWARD WE CAN LOOK AT A BETTER DIRECTION IN, IN HOW WE HANDLE THESE TYPES OF THINGS.
SO THAT WE CAN KIND OF LAY OUT AND BE BETTER PREPARED FOR WHAT ACTION NEEDS TO BE TAKEN BY COUNSEL AND KIND OF REVIEW, UM, THE OPTIONS AHEAD OF TIME.
SO, UH, BUT THAT'S WHY I JUST, I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF REACH OUT.
'CAUSE AS I, AS I MENTIONED LAST WEEK, OR I SHOULD SAY OUR LAST MEETING WITH MY NO VOTE, UM, IT WAS THE TIMING OF THE RESOLUTION.
UH, I DON'T WANT TO BE ON A RESOLUTION THAT'S JUST HANDED TO ME, OR I RECEIVED THAT DAY, UH, WITHOUT PRIOR BE ABLE TO RE REVIEW IT PROPERLY OR WITHOUT HAVING PRIOR DISCUSSION ON IT.
[00:05:01]
THAT'S WHY, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHY THIS NO VOTE TONIGHT CONFLICTS MY MARCH 17TH NO VOTE OR MY MARCH 17TH YES.VOTE WAS, THAT'S BECAUSE OF MARCH 17TH.
WE DID REVIEW WITH THE ATTORNEY AT THE TIME.
UM, AND THAT'S, I JUST WANTED TO HAVE ADDRESS THAT, MR. PARKER, IF SOMETHING BIG WERE TO HAPPEN AGAIN.
AND I PRAY JUST NOT IN MY NEXT THREE AND A HALF YEARS HERE, BUT IS THERE A WAY TO EITHER HAVE THE MANAGER SEND OUT LIKE A EA TEXT, HEY GUYS, MAKE SURE YOU SET YOUR EMAIL.
'CAUSE WE ALL HAVE FULL-TIME JOBS, THIS, THAT, THE OTHER, IS THERE A WAY TO SEND THAT COMMUNICATION TO MAKE SURE THAT WE STOP AND LOOK AT A COMMUNICATION, UM, BEFORE, AND THAT WOULD LET US KNOW WHAT WAS GOING, GIVE US A LITTLE MORE OF THE DETAILS TONIGHT.
SORRY, I SUGGESTED, I'M SORRY.
YEAH, WE CAN, WE CAN CERTAINLY WORK THE LOGISTICS OUT FOR THAT.
I'M SURE THAT THERE'S, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO USE GOOGLE DOCS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT WHERE OUR, 'CAUSE WE DID THAT ON THE SCHOOL BOARD, BUT THE IMPORTANT INFORMATION WENT INTO, WE ALL HAD GOOGLE DOCS AND IT WENT IN THERE AND WE KNEW THAT WE HAD TO LOOK IN THERE RATHER THAN GETTING ALL THESE EMAILS THAT ARE MIXED UP WITH ADS FOR WHATEVER.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? AND YOU MIGHT KNOW SOMETHING BETTER.
YOU'RE A LOT YOUNGER, BUT NO, I DON'T BECAUSE MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT GOOGLE DOCS CAN BE HACKED BETTER EASILY.
IT WASN'T, WELL, THE BIGGEST ISSUE WHEN YOU UTILIZE GOOGLE DOCS AND YOU USE, YOU UTILIZE PLATFORMS THAT ARE EASILY HACKED, IS ONCE THEY'RE IN, THEY'RE IN.
AND THEN YOU COULD BE LIKE A, YOU COULD BE A MUNICIPALITY WHERE THE A FRAUDSTER FROM NIGERIA HAPPENS TO GET INTO THEIR ACCOUNT AND OVER THREE DAYS, SIPHON $6.5 MILLION, WHICH HAPPENED A YEAR AGO, UM, ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO.
AND ANOTHER MUNICIPALITY IN NEW JERSEY.
SO USING UNSECURED PLATFORMS FOR ANYTHING IS GENERAL GENERALLY NOT A GOOD IDEA THERE.
I COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING ELSE I'VE BEEN ASKING AROUND.
UM, BUT IT IS AN OPTION THAT I'M SURE THAT, SORRY, ACT ON MAGIC TO LOOK INTO.
THAT'S WHY I WAS OH, I'M SORRY.
DO I NEED TO SAY EVERYTHING ALL OVER AGAIN?
SO GOOGLE DOCS IS, IS VULNERABLE.
BUT, BUT I, I'LL JUST MAYBE ECHO EVERYONE'S SEDIMENT THAT, UM, WHEN THERE IS A MATTER IN WHICH A VOTE IS NEEDED, AND, AND I'LL JUST SAY THAT MR. VARGA DID DO A, A, AN EXCELLENT JOB EXPLAINING WHY WE WERE, WERE PRESENTED THESE THINGS IN THE MATTER.
THEY WERE PRESENTED THIS EVENING, UM, RELATED TO THE COURT CASE THAT YOU STATED.
AND I, I APOLOGIZE THAT I FORGOT IT.
BUT, UM, IN, IN MATTERS MOVING FORWARD, UNRELATED TO THE HEARING THAT WE HAD EARLIER TODAY, I THINK IT IS FAIR THAT WE RECEIVE, UH, ADEQUATE TIME TO REVIEW.
UM, AND THE HOPE IS THAT THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING ALONG THE LINES OF, I I BELIEVE WE ALL GET IT BY FRIDAY AT NOON OR THEREABOUTS.
SO IF, IF WE, IF THE MATTERS THAT ARE TO BE PRESENTED AT THE COUNCIL MEETING ARE IN THAT PACKET ON FRIDAY THAT WE GET DIGITALLY OR SOME, SOME STILL PREFER PAPER, UM, THOSE MATTERS.
I BELIEVE WE HAVE ADEQUATE TIME TO THE WEEKEND TO REVIEW MONDAY TO CHECK ON ANY QUESTIONS WE HAD.
UM, AND THEN THEY CAN BE PRESENTED AND VOTED ON AT A COUNCIL MEETING.
IT'S, IT'S MAYBE THOSE, THOSE ONE OFF, I DON'T WANNA CALL THEM ONE OFF OCCASIONS, BUT THE, THE EVENTS IN WHICH THERE WAS EITHER A LOGISTICAL, LEGAL REASON WHY WE CAN'T, WHICH WAS THIS EVENING.
AND THE OTHER MATTER, SIR, I'M SORRY, I FORGOT THAT YOU HAD MENTIONED THE 17TH.
WAS IT ON THE 17TH? 17TH BECAUSE, UH, THAT, THAT EVENING WE DID EXECUTIVE SESSION PRIOR.
SO MAYBE, DEPENDING ON WHAT THE SITUATION MAY BE, WE EITHER LOOK TO CHANGE THE AGENDA, DO AN EXECUTIVE SESSION PRIOR FOR DISCUSSION.
OR WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T HAVE THINGS AHEAD OF TIME FOR SOME REASON.
BUT YEAH, GIVE US THAT HEADS UP.
I WAS JUST, MR. VARGA, COULD WE DO LIKE A SHARE DRIVE WITH AN ENCRYPTED LINK THAT WOULD BE SENT TO EACH OF THEIR EMAILS AND THEN THEY WOULD HAVE, THEY WOULD HAVE TO LIKE A PASSWORD PROTECT TO GET IN.
'CAUSE I KNOW WE, I'VE USED THAT FOR HIPAA PROTECTED INFORMATION AND OTHER THINGS BEFORE IF IT SAYS OKAY.
WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL LEAVE IT, WE'LL LEAVE IT WITH THEM 'CAUSE YES, THAT'S FINE.
THAT'S WAY PAST MY AREA OF EXPERTISE,
ANY OTHER COMMUNICATIONS BY COUNSEL? NO.
UH, FOR SCHEDULING ITEMS, OUR NEXT MEETING WILL BE MAY 5TH, 2026.
THERE'LL BE A REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING AT THE PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING RIGHT HERE AT SIX 30.
UM, THERE'S NO MINUTES TO APPROVE.
WE WILL NOW MOVE TO THE BUDGET
[VI. DISCUSSION ITEMS]
PRESENTATION WE HAVE, UH, JUST, JUST FOR THE PUBLIC, WHICH MOST OF YOU ARE AWARE, WE'VE SEEN TWO, TWO FULL PRESENTATIONS OF THE BUDGET, WHICH ARE ON OUR WEBSITE.UM, THIS, WE HOPE, UM, WE DON'T, WE'RE NOT GONNA GO THROUGH THE FULL BUDGET PRESENTATION, BUT WE'RE GONNA, I'VE ASKED FOR A, I'LL
[00:10:01]
CALL IT A FIVE MINUTE AND YOU CAN GO TAKE AS LONG AS YOU'D LIKE.BUT A, A SYNOPSIS OF WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THE BUDGET AND MATTERS YOU'D LIKE TO DISCUSS MAYBE IN MORE DETAIL.
MY NAME IS LINDSAY GENTILLY AND I'M THE TOWNSHIP CFO.
I WANT TO START BY SAYING THAT RECORDINGS OF THE APRIL 14TH AND APRIL 20TH BUDGET SESSIONS ARE POSTED ON THE TOWNSHIP WEBSITE.
THE CURRENT BUDGET PRESENTATION AND THE INTRODUCED STATE BUDGET DOCUMENT HAS ALSO BEEN UPLOADED ON THE TOWNSHIP WEBSITE FOR PUBLIC REVIEW.
TONIGHT I'M GOING TO GIVE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE 2026 MUNICIPAL BUDGET AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AFTERWARDS PERTAINING TO THIS.
THE BUDGET PRESENTATION OUTLINES THE TOWNSHIP'S PRIMARY OBJECTIVE, WHICH IS TO MAINTAIN MUNICIPAL SERVICES THAT RESIDENTS EXPECT AND REGULARLY RELY UPON POLICE, FIRE, PUBLIC WORKS EMS. WE'RE ALSO DEALING WITH SIGNIFICANT COST INCREASES AND LIMITED STATE AID.
WE HAVE TO PLAN FOR LONG-TERM NEEDS, SUCH AS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, REPLACEMENT OF VEHICLES, ET CETERA.
WE'RE ALSO BEING, WHILE ALSO BEING CONSCIENTIOUS OF THE LOCAL TAX RATE.
EFFORTS ARE BEING MADE TO EXPLORE REVENUE GENERATING ACTIVITIES TO MINIMIZE THE PRESSURE ON THE LOCAL PURPOSE TAX.
THE BUDGET CONSISTS OF REVENUES, EXPENSES, DEBT SERVICE, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, AS WELL AS THE REGULAR AND CAPITAL BUDGET FOR THE WATER AND SEWER UTILITY AND THE TOWNSHIP'S OPEN SPACE.
THE BUDGET MUST BE REVIEWED BY THE NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS, ALSO KNOWN AS DCA EVERY THIRD YEAR.
AND WE WERE REVIEWED BY THE STATE LAST YEAR.
THE DCA ALSO PROVIDES A TEMPLATE BUDGET DOCUMENT THAT ALL TOWNS MUST USE TO PREPARE THEIR BUDGET.
THIS CONTAINS FORMULAS PERTAINING TO THE TAX LEVY CAP, APPROPRIATIONS CAP, AND THE RESERVE FOR UNCOLLECTED TAXES.
THE PRIMARY REVENUE SOURCES IN THE BUDGET ARE PROPERTY TAXES, ANTICIPATED REVENUES SURPLUS BALANCE, STATE AID AND GRANT FUNDS.
PROPERTY TAXES ARE THE LARGEST CONTRIBUTOR.
IT ACCOUNTS FOR 64% OF THE TOTAL REVENUE.
THIS INCLUDES THE COLLECTION OF DELINQUENT TAXES AS WELL.
COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES ULTIMATELY FUND ABOUT 6.5% OF THE TOWN'S TOTAL OPERATING BUDGET, OR 10% OF THE TOTAL PROPERTY TAXES COLLECTED.
ANTICIPATED REVENUES ARE INCOME GENERATED THROUGH USER FEES, SHARED SERVICE AGREEMENTS AND OTHER MISCELLANEOUS STREAMS WITHIN THE TOWNSHIP SURPLUS BALANCE ARE FUNDS CARRIED OVER FROM PREVIOUS YEAR'S BUDGETS.
THE SPECIFIC AMOUNT AVAILABLE TO BE USED IN THE BUDGET IS VERIFIED BY THE ANNUAL FINANCIAL STATEMENT EACH YEAR.
STATE AID IS A FIXED SOURCE OF INCOME, CURRENTLY NOTED AT JUST OVER $2 MILLION, WHICH HAS REMAINED FROZEN FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
GRANT FUNDS SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING THAT IS INTEGRATED INTO THE BUDGET AS IT IS AWARDED THROUGHOUT THE FISCAL YEAR FOR THE EXPENSE SECTION OF THE BUDGET DE.
IT DETAILS THE DISTRIBUTION OF MUNICIPAL FUNDING TOWARDS DAILY OPERATING COSTS AND VARIOUS LONG-TERM FINANCIAL COMMITMENTS.
IT'S GENERALLY CATEGORIZED INTO DEPARTMENTAL COSTS.
THERE'S SALARY AND WAGES, WHICH INCLUDES OVERTIME AND OTHER EXPENSES.
THIS IS THE GOODS AND SERVICES NEEDED TO RUN THE SET DEPARTMENTS.
THIS MAKES UP INSURANCE, UTILITIES, SOCIAL SECURITY, AND PENSION.
AND THERE'S CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS FOR INFRASTRUCTURE AND LONG-TERM PROJECTS AS WELL AS DEBT SERVICE, WHICH ARE PAYMENTS NEEDED FOR BORROWED FUNDS AND INTEREST.
THERE ARE TWO STATUTORY BUDGET CONTROLS.
THEIR MANDATE, THEIR STATE MANDATED LIMITS DESIGNED TO RESTRICT HOW MUCH A MUNICIPALITY CAN INCREASE ITS TAXES AND ITS SPENDING EACH YEAR.
THESE CONTROLS ACT AS CEILINGS TO TRY TO ENSURE FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY.
THE FIRST IS A 2% TAX LEVY CAP.
THIS IS A HARD CAP ON THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF MONEY RAISED THROUGH PROPERTY TAXES FOR REGULAR OPERATING EXPENSES.
THE EXCLUSIONS TO THIS CAN BE INCREASES IN DEBT SERVICE, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, AND SPECIFIC HEALTH AND PENSION BENEFIT SPIKES IF THEY OCCUR.
THE TOWNSHIP CURRENTLY HAS NO AVAILABLE LEVY CAP BANK.
THE SECOND STATUTORY BUDGET CONTROL IS A TWO AND A HALF PERCENT APPROPRIATIONS CAP.
WHILE THE LEVY, WHILE THE LEVY CAP LIMITS REVENUE, THIS CAP LIMITS SPENDING INCREASES.
SPENDING INCREASES ARE RESTRICTED TO 2.5%.
THOUGH THIS CAN BE RAISED TO 3.5%.
IF THE TOWNSHIP PASSES A COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT ORDINANCE FOR THIS CAP, YOU CAN EXCLUDE SHARED SERVICE EXPENSES, DEBT SERVICE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, AND THE RESERVE FOR UNCOLLECTED TAXES.
THE TOWNSHIP, AFTER THIS YEAR'S BUDGET HAS $745,875 AVAILABLE IN ITS APPROPRIATION CAP BANK TO COVER FUTURE SPENDING NEEDS.
SO THAT'S A LITTLE ABOUT THE BUDGET AND THE PROCESS.
OUR INITIAL OUTLOOK OF THE 2026 BUDGET, THE TOWNSHIP FACES SEVERAL UNIQUE FINANCIAL CHALLENGES FOR THE 2026 CALENDAR YEAR FOR REVENUE DECREASES.
WE SEE A LOSS OF $400,000 FROM A ONE-TIME LIQUOR LICENSE SALE THAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR.
$127,000 DROP IN SHARED SERVICE REVENUE DUE TO SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER CHANGES, AND A $200,000 REDUCTION IN PILOT REVENUE DUE TO AN EXPIRED AGREEMENT WITH MEDFORD LEES.
FOR THE EXPENSE SIDE, THE INCREASES
[00:15:01]
WE'RE SEEING, WE HAVE TO BUDGET FOR A 27TH PAYDAY.THIS OCCURS EVERY 12 YEARS AND IT ADDS OVER $200,000 IN EXPENSE TO THE BUDGET.
ADDITIONALLY, RETIREE HEALTHCARE COSTS ROSE BY 400,000 AND ACTIVE EMPLOYEE HEALTHCARE PREMIUMS INCREASED BY 250,000 DUE TO A 17% INCREASE IN HEALTH HEALTHCARE.
TO ADDRESS THESE FUNDING GAPS, THE TOWNSHIP INSTITUTED A HIRING FREEZE.
WE ELIMINATED THE DIRECT FUNDING FOR POLICE VEHICLES MOVING THEM TO THE CAPITAL FUND.
AND WE SOLD MUNICIPAL PROPERTY AT 39 ALLEN AVENUE FOR $250,000.
WE ARE PROPOSING AN INCREASE IN THE MUNICIPAL TAX RATE FROM 0.519 TO 0.50.
THIS IS A 3.20 CENT TAX INCREASE.
SO HOW DOES THIS AFFECT THE AVERAGE HOMEOWNER? THE AVERAGE HOME IN MEDFORD IS ASSESSED AT $331,141.
THIS RESULTS IN AN ESTIMATED ANNUAL INCREASE OF $103 AND 23 CENTS FOR THE MUNICIPAL PORTION OF YOUR TAXES.
AND THAT WORKS OUT TO BE APPROXIMATELY $25 AND 81 CENTS PER QUARTER FOR THE AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT MEDFORD TOWNSHIP COLLECTS ALL TAX MONIES ON BEHALF OF THE MEDFORD BOARD OF ED, LENAPE REGIONAL, BURLINGTON COUNTY, THE COUNTY LIBRARY AND COUNTY OPEN SPACE.
THE TOWNSHIP REMITS A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THESE AGENCIES TAX LEVY TO THEM.
THE TOWNSHIP MUST BUDGET NEARLY $1.3 MILLION IN A RESERVE FOR UNCOLLECTED TAXES.
THE TOWNSHIP BEARS THE SOLE RISK FOR ALL TAXING AGENCIES OF ANY UNPAID TAXES.
SO IF THE AVERAGE ASSESSED HOME IN MEDFORD IS $331,140, THE ESTIMATED TOTAL ANNUAL TAX FOR ALL FOUR TAXING ENTITIES WOULD BE $13,093 AND 31 CENTS.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT ONLY $1,920 OF THAT TAX BILL WOULD ACTUALLY BE FOR MEDFORD TOWNSHIP AND TOWNSHIP OPEN SPACE.
I JUST WANNA BRIEFLY MENTION THE 2026 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AND SOME STATE MANDATES WE'RE BEING FACED WITH.
FOR THE GENERAL CAPITAL FUND BUDGET, IT INCLUDES $1.2 MILLION FOR ROAD IMPROVEMENTS, $800,000 FOR FIRE AND EMS EQUIPMENT AND $375,000 FOR A NEW STREET SWEEPER UTILITY FUND.
CAPITAL PROJECT INCLUDES 1.5 MILLION FOR WELL REHABS AND OVER $1 MILLION FOR WATER MAIN UPGRADES.
THE UNFUNDED STATE MANDATE IS THAT THE STATE HAS ELIMINATED THE CATEGORY OF MUNICIPAL SEPARATE STORM SEWER SYSTEM, TIER B PERMIT.
AND THEY'VE MOVED MEDFORD TO TIER A, TIER A PERMIT REQUIREMENTS.
TREAT MEDFORD STORMWATER MANAGEMENT AS THOUGH WE ARE A CITY OR A DENSELY POPULATED AREA OR DENSELY POPULATED SUBURB.
WE ARE NEITHER TIER A PERMIT REQUIREMENTS INCLUDE PERIODIC STREET SWEEPING DIGITAL MAPPING OF ALL OUR STORMWATER FACILITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE AND INCREASED MAINTENANCE OF THE SAME.
THIS REQUIRES US TO PURCHASE THE STREET SWEEPER AND THE JET VAC TRUCK DESPITE RECEIVING ONLY $25,000 FROM THE STATE TO HELP WITH THIS MANDATE.
I JUST WANNA CLARIFY THAT AT A PRIOR MEETING I HAD MENTIONED THAT TAXES WERE NOT RAISED FOR EIGHT YEARS.
THAT WAS IN REFERENCE TO THE MUNICIPAL PORTION OF THE TAXES AND THAT WAS FROM YEARS 2016 TO 2023.
THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE, THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE AN INCREASE IN TAXES FROM THE SCHOOLS OR THE COUNTY IN WHICH WE HAVE NO CONTROL OVER.
SECONDLY, EARLIER TONIGHT IT WAS MENTIONED THAT THE TOWNSHIP WILL NOT HAVE FUNDS TO PAY EMPLOYEES STARTING IN SEPTEMBER.
I WANT TO CLARIFY FOR THE PUBLIC THAT ALL WAGES AND ASSOCIATED COSTS HAVE BEEN PROPERLY BUDGETED FOR IN THIS BUDGET THAT WAS INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL ON THE 20TH.
ENSURING FUNDS WILL BE AVAILABLE TO PAY ALL EMPLOYEES.
THE BUDGET WAS INTRODUCED ON APRIL 20TH.
THE PUBLIC HEARING AND FINAL ADOPTION IS SCHEDULED FOR THE MAY 19TH COUNCIL MEETING.
AND IF COUNCIL OR THE PUBLIC HAS ANY QUESTIONS, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.
UM, SO THAT WAS THE BUDGET, THE SHORT VERSION OF THE BUDGET PRESENTATION.
CERTAINLY, AS LINDSEY MENTIONED, THE FOUR 14 AND FOUR 20 FULL PRESENTATIONS HAVE BEEN AND ARE STILL AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE TO VIEW.
IN ADDITION TO THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE.
AND, AND THE PHYSICAL PRESENTATION, WHILE NOT VISIBLE IN THE VIDEO, IS ALSO AVAILABLE.
AS WELL AS THE STATE DOCUMENTS.
SO ALL THE INFORMATION YOU COULD POSSIBLY NEED IS AVAILABLE ON THE WEBSITE AND HAS BEEN AVAILABLE.
UM, WE ASK FOR THIS BUDGET MEETING TO KIND OF MAYBE ASK SOME QUESTIONS, WHICH I THINK EVEN MEMBERS OF COUNCIL HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.
BUT AT THIS TIME, IF THERE'S NO FURTHER STATEMENTS FROM LINDSEY, I'LL MOVE
[VII. PUBLIC COMMENTS]
TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION.WE GIVE THE PUBLIC AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK THEIR QUESTIONS OF YOU AS WELL.
UM, SO AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO OPEN UP THE PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION.
UM, I'LL ASK THAT THE COMMENTS BE LIMITED TO FIVE MINUTES, BUT IF THERE'S DIALOGUE ABOUT QUESTIONS OF THE BUDGET, WE'LL CLEARLY GO OVER.
UM, AS WE DO FOR ALL PUBLIC COMMENTS SECTIONS, PLEASE COME UP, STATE YOUR NAME.
[00:20:01]
UM, WE'LL GIVE YOU TIME.CHIEF, IF YOU COULD JUST KEEP THE TIME.
UM, THIS IS NOT JUST FOR BUDGET COMMENTS, BUT YOU, YOU CAN ASK ANY QUESTIONS.
BUT LINDSAY IS HERE TO ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE DIRECTLY.
UM, WE'LL GO RIGHT TO YOU NEXT.
CHRISTINE INE FIVE BLUE LANE TAKE GOODBYE.
FIRST I WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS THE TOWNSHIP OFFICES.
IN THE PAST, I REALLY LIKED THE BUILDING ON MAIN STREET.
YOU COULD GO IN, LOOK AT PLANS, YOU WEREN'T RUSHED, YOU HAD QUESTIONS, THEY WERE ANSWERED.
NOW WE HAVE A SITUATION WHERE LOCKED DOORS RING A BELL AND NO, WE DON'T HAVE PLANS.
AND NO ONE WHAT? WE DON'T HAVE ANY PLANS FOR YOU TO LOOK AT.
THE ONLY PLAN, UM, THE PLAN I'M REFERENCING IS A LOW INCOME PLAN, WHICH WILL HAVE THAT RENDERING DOWNSTAIRS.
I CAN'T MAKE OUT, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I KNOW THEY HAVE RE STATION MILL ROAD I THINK GOING ALL THE WAY THROUGH AND IT DOESN'T.
SO, SO REALLY WE LACK, IT'S BIG.
IT'S, YOU NEED, YOU NEED TO HAVE PEOPLE WHO NEED TO HAVE ACCESS TO THAT.
AND MAYBE TRAIN YOUR PEOPLE TO BE A LITTLE KINDER
I'M ONLY TRYING TO PROTECT MY TAXES.
SECONDLY, THIS IS ABOUT, AND I ADDRESSED IT WITH MR, THE MAYOR, THE ACTING MANAGER, THE APPOINTMENT OF OUR TOWNSHIP PLANNER.
TAILOR DESIGN TO DO THE DEVELOPMENT FOR OUR LOW INCOME HOUSING HERE.
WHILE A TOWNSHIP PLANNER CAN REP REPRESENT THE TOWNSHIP AND PLANNING AND ZONING MATTERS, THEY CANNOT REPRESENT A DEVELOPER IN THE SAME CAPACITY.
THIS IS DUE TO THE POTENTIAL FOR CONFLICT OF INTEREST AND APPEARANCE OF I PROPRIETY.
ONLY, ONLY TO BE PERFECTLY CLEAR WITH YOU, THEY WERE NOT APPOINTED TO REPRESENT THE DEVELOPER.
THEY ARE THE TOWNSHIP'S PLANNER WHO IS RESPONDING TO THE, SO THE DEVELOPER HAS THEIR OWN PLANNER.
AND TAYLOR DESIGN GROUP IS THE TOWNSHIP'S PLANNER WHO IS REVIEWING THE DEVELOPER'S PLANS AND SAYING, NO, THIS IS INCONSISTENT WITH THE TOWNSHIP.
THIS IS WHAT THE TOWNSHIP WANTS.
SO WHY IS HIS NAME ON THE PLANS? WHY IS TAYLOR DESIGN TAYLOR DESIGN NAME, EXCUSE ME, SCOTT TAYLOR'S NAME IS ON THE REDEVELOPMENT PLAN.
'CAUSE MR. TAYLOR PREPARED THE REDEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR THE TOWNSHIP OF MEDFORD.
THAT NOT SO THEN WHAT THE DEVELOPER'S PLANS.
THAT IS NOT, I WANNA SEE THE DEVELOPER'S PLAN.
THAT IS NOT THE DEVELOPER'S PLAN.
THAT REDEVELOPMENT PLAN GOVERNS WHAT THE DEVELOPER'S PLAN HAS TO FIT IN.
SO THINK OF MR. TAYLOR'S PLAN AS A BLACK BOX.
NOW THE DEVELOPER HAS TO PREPARE PLANS THAT FIT INSIDE THAT BLACK BOX.
IF IT DOESN'T FIT INSIDE THAT BLACK BOX, WHEN THEY FILE AN APPLICATION WITH THE PLANNING BOARD, THE PLANNING BOARD HAS TO DECIDE.
SO HE HAS TO REPLICATE THE PLANS IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? THE DEVELOPER, HE ALREADY HAS.
SO THE DEVELOPER HAS TO, I MEAN HE, HE DID THE HOUSING.
HE DID THE LOW INCOME MM-HMM
I DON'T EVER, AND I'VE BEEN HERE 41 YEARS MM-HMM
I WAS TAKEN TO COURT BY STEVE SAMUEL.
I NEVER REMEMBER THE TOWNSHIP ENGINEER NOR THE PLANNER HAVING THEIR NAMES ON ANYTHING.
THEY WERE THERE SOLELY TO PROTECT THE TOWNSHIP.
AND I DON'T SEE MR. TAYLOR PROTECTING US WHEN HE'S DEFENDING WHAT HE HAS DOWN.
IT IS A COMMON PRACTICE ON EVERY SINGLE REDEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR IT TO HAVE THE TOWNSHIP'S PLANNER'S NAME ON IT.
THAT'S HOW THE TOWNSHIP PROTECTS ITS INTEREST.
CAN I BRING PLAN FOR YOU TO SEE, UH, I'M FROM 25 YEARS AGO, THE LAW MAY HAVE CHANGED SINCE 25 YEARS AGO.
I WAS NOT A PRACTICING ATTORNEY BACK THEN.
I KNOW IT'S LIVING LOW INCOME.
IT WAS SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT, THAT THAT'S NOT A, THAT'S NOT A, CURRENTLY IT IS COMMON PRACTICE THAT THE TOWNSHIP PLANNER PREPARES THE REDEVELOPMENT PLAN.
THAT THE IS NOW OBLI, WHICH IS NOW THE OBLIGATION OF THE DEVELOPER TO COMPLY WITH.
'CAUSE IT IS ESSENTIALLY A TOWNSHIP ORDINANCE.
SO THEY'RE NOT REPRESENTING THE DEVELOPER.
THEY ARE REPRESENTING THE TOWNSHIP AND PROTECTING THE TOWNSHIP'S INTEREST BY REQUIRING THE PLANS THAT THE DEVELOPER PROPOSES TO CONFORM WITH WHAT IS WITHIN THE TAX.
[00:25:01]
SO WHAT WE'RE SEEING THERE, THERE'S NOT EVEN A PLAN FOR THE DEVELOPER IN THAT, IN THE LOBBY OF THE MILLION DOLLAR, WHATEVER MULTIMILLION DOLLAR CONCEPT BUILDING.IT IS POSSIBLE WHEN THEY GO TO THE PLANNING BOARD THAT THE PLAN MAY BE REVISED.
SO WHEN WE GO TO THE PLANNING, WHEN HE, WHEN THE DEVELOPER GOES TO THE PLANNING BOARD, THAT PLAN SHOULD NOT BE THE ONE THAT HE'S PRESENTING WHEN THEY GO TO THE PLANNING BOARD.
IF THIS IS A PERFECT WORLD, THAT PLAN WILL MATCH EXACTLY EVERYTHING THAT'S INSIDE THE REDEVELOPMENT PLAN.
SO WE WILL SEE WE'RE NOT THERE YET.
YET THEY HAVE NOT FILED AN APPLICATION YET? NOT YET.
AND IT'S NOT APPRECIATED BY THE NORTH PEOPLE, THAT NORTH SIDE PEOPLE TO PUT EVERYTHING ON OUR SIDE.
UM, AND, AND MA'AM, UM, I KNOW YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT EASEL, AND I AGREE WITH YOU WHEN I'M RIGHT IN FRONT OF IT, IT IS HARD TO READ ALL THOSE DOCUMENTS AND, AND DIAGRAMS THAT ARE IN THAT, ON THAT EASEL.
AND EVEN ONES THAT WERE AT THE PLANNING BOARD AND DURING OUR REDEVELOPMENT, UH, WHAT WOULD YOU CALL THAT? REDEVELOPMENT DESIGNATIONS ARE ALL ON THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING WEBSITE.
I, I DON'T WANT TO LOOK AND HAVE IT ALL SMALL.
I ALREADY KNOW SOME OF THAT'S NOT ACCURATE.
UM, I KNOW WHEN I SEE THAT MOST ALL, ALL OF THE DATA IS ON THE WEBSITE, UM, SHE'S, WHY CAN'T WE GO INTO WHY CAN'T AN OFFICE BE DESIGNATED IN THE TOWN FULFILL FOR PEOPLE TO COME IN AND SEE PLANS? WHY WE DON'T I WAS GONNA SAY WE DON'T HAVE FORMAL LIKE, PLANS YET FROM THE BUILDER OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
IF, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE REFERRING TO? LIKE A FORMAL PLAN? ANYTHING? OKAY.
WELL, BEFORE THE PLANNING OFFICE, THE ZONING OFFICE AND THE, IN THE OLD BUILDING, WHICH WAS MUCH MORE CONDUCIVE TO BUSINESS, YOU COULD GO IN AND YOU'D SAY, HEY, I WANT TO SEE THIS PLAN.
I WANT TO SEE, YOU KNOW, THIS PLAN.
THEY WOULD ROLL OUT THE PLANS.
ARE YOU REFERRING TO YOU GET AN IDEA BLUEPRINTS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT? YEAH.
LIKE CONSTRUCTION PLANS FOR THE, YEAH.
ALL THE CONSTRUCTION PLANS ARE, WE'RE DOING THIS OR WE'RE DOING THAT.
YOU COULD SEE 'EM, I WAS GONNA SAY, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, THEY DON'T EXIST YET FOR THOSE DEVELOPMENTS.
THE ONLY THING WE HAVE IS THAT REDEVELOPMENT.
WELL, EVEN, EVEN THE RENDERINGS THEY HAD AT THE MEETING WOULD'VE BEEN BETTER THAN THIS.
THIS THING THAT HE HAD THAT, THAT HE PUT UP THERE.
AND I'M SURE HE TRIED CONCRETE TO THAT.
AND YOU HAVE ROADS THAT ARE NOT THERE.
ONLY THE CONCEPT PLANS EXIST AT THIS TIME.
THE DEVELOPER WILL BE REQUIRED TO PREPARE FINAL SITE PLAN AND FINAL SUBDIVISION MAPS, A DRAINAGE MAP, A SOIL CONSERVATION MAP, A SOIL EROSION MAP, A PLOT PLAN, WHERE THE BASINS ARE GONNA GO, WHAT A NOISE STUDY IS GONNA BE TURNING RADIUS.
THE SHEETS WILL PROBABLY BE BETWEEN A HUNDRED TO 200 PAGES LONG OF ALL THE PLANS THAT WILL BE PREPARED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE PLANNING BOARD APPLICATION WHEN WE GET THERE.
BUT THIS IS STILL THE INITIAL STEP.
SO THERE IS ONLY THE CONCEPT PLAN.
THERE WILL BE A PLAN THAT YOU CAN MAKE.
MR. WOULD, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO REACH OUT TO MR. TAYLOR AND SEE IF HE DOES HAVE ANY CONCEPT, LARGE CONCEPT PLANS THAT COULD BE AVAILABLE? THAT, THAT'S WHAT I WAS JUST GONNA SAY.
EITHER THAT OR, AND I'M ALSO HAPPY TO PRINT THOSE CONCEPT PLANS OUT IF I CAN GET 'EM TO PRINT A LITTLE LARGER IN COLOR AND THEN, WELL, I DON'T NEED COLOR.
I JUST, YOU KNOW, WHEN I, WHEN I TAKE A MAGNIFYING GLASS TO LOOK, I'M TELLING YOU, THERE'S ROADS MISSING, RIGHT? THERE'S WETLANDS, DELINEATIONS NOT THERE.
WELL, CHIEF WILL ASK AND THEN MAKE IT AVAILABLE FOR YOU.
SO YOU'RE, YOU'RE PUTTING HOUSES, PLACES THAT ARE IMPOSSIBLE.
YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THERE'S PEOPLE, THERE'S HOUSES OFF OF FOSTER TOWN ROAD SET BACK IN BIG HOUSES.
THERE'S A LOT OF WETLAND OVER THERE.
THERE'S A LOT OF WETLAND ALL ON THE NORTH SIDE.
SO, AND HOW WAS THE DEVELOPER PICK PICKED OR THE DEVELOPER COMES TO THE TOWNSHIP FOR SELECTION? THAT'S AN ENTIRE PROCESS.
UM, HOW IS THE DEVELOPER PICKED, WHICH I THINK IT'S SAFE TO SAY WE HAVE NOT PICKED A REDEVELOPER YET.
HELLO? THERE'S BEEN NO DEVELOPER DESIGNATED YET.
BUT HOW ARE THEY PICKED? IT'S REALLY WHO HAS AN INTEREST IN THE LAND THAT HAS BEEN DESIGNATED AS A PART OF THE FOURTH ROUND SITE, WHICH IN THIS CASE IT IS DR. HORTON.
SO DR. HORTON DOES HAVE AN INTEREST IN THE FOURTH ROUND SITE IN ALL THREE OF THEM.
SO IN THE EVENT WE CAN COME TO AN AGREEMENT ON THE REDEVELOPMENT PLAN, UM, THEY WILL ULTIMATELY BE APPOINTED IN THE EVENT.
WE CAN'T COME TO AN AGREEMENT ON A REDEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, THEN AN ALTERNATE DEVELOPER WOULD HA WOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME IN.
[00:30:01]
IS THE ONLY DEVELOPER WITH AN INTEREST IN THOSE LOTS ABLE TO CONSTRUCT.SO, SO NOW THE DEVELOPER'S ON HIS OWN, ON HIS OWN TO DO THESE PLANS AND MAKE SURE THAT THAT FITS IN WITH THE, THE WETLANDS DELINEATIONS.
WE MIGHT AS WELL BUILD A HIGHWAY THERE NOW.
THAT'S GONNA COST THE TOWNSHIP MONEY.
THAT IS NOT HOW THE PROCEDURE WORKS.
THERE ARE PROFESSIONALS, THERE ARE PLANNING BOARDS, THERE ARE COUNTY BOARDS.
THERE ARE, BUT I'M SAYING HE DT BUT IS NOT USING OUR PLANNER.
WE'RE NOT PAYING THE PLANNER FOR HIS TIME.
THERE'S AN ESCROW SET ASIDE TO PROVIDE THE CONCEPT PLANS FROM THE PROPOSED DEVELOPER.
WE, OUR TAX DOLLARS ARE NOT PAYING MR. TAYLOR TO DO THE WORK THAT HE DID.
WELL, HE MADE IT SOUND LIKE THAT WHEN I TALKED TO HIM.
SO, SO THIS IS HIS PRIDE AND JOY, THESE PLANS.
I CAN'T SEE, I SAID BECAUSE IT'S NOT SITTING IN YOUR BACKYARD.
SO I JUST HOPE, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE BUDGET, IF ANY OF THIS GOES THROUGH, THE ROADS WILL HAVE TO BE IMPROVED.
TRAFFIC LIGHTS WILL HAVE TO BE EVERYWHERE.
IT'S, IT'S NOT SET UP FOR THAT AT ALL THERE.
THE DEVELOP NOT ACCIDENTS TO THE DEVELOPERS REQUIRED TO PROVIDE OFFSITE INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS OFF OFFSITE IN INFRASTRUCTURE.
THE, THE THINGS YOU'RE DISCUSSING, THE, THE, WHEN THE DEVELOPER IS NAMED AND THEY PRESENT TO THE PLANNING BOARD, THEY HAVE TO PROVIDE ALL THE, ALL THE OFFSITE IMPROVEMENTS.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE ROADS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
AND THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR BUILDING ALL OF IT.
IF THERE'S IMPROVEMENTS, THE UTILITY NEED THAT ARE NEEDED, THEY'RE GONNA BE REQUIRED.
THERE'S THE, WITH THE LOAN EXCEPTION IN THE EVENT YOUR PLANT NEEDS TO HAVE AN UPGRADE, THEY WOULDN'T BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PLANT UPGRADE.
BUT THERE IS ADEQUATE SEWER CAPACITY ALREADY FOR THESE PROJECTS.
SO THERE'S NO UPGRADE REQUIRED.
THEY ARE REQUIRED THOUGH, TO DO ALL THE INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS OUT OF THEIR OWN POCKET TO BRING ALL UTILITIES TO THEIR SITE, TO INSTALL ALL SIDEWALKS, TO IMPROVE ALL ROADWAYS.
IN THE EVENT THAT THERE ARE TRAFFIC LIGHTS THAT ARE REQUIRED BASED OFF OF THEIR TRAFFIC STUDY, THEY ARE GONNA BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR FAIR SHARE OF IT.
SO IF THEY HAVE TO, IF THERE'S A, IF THERE'S A 95% JUST SIMPLE MAP ARE, THEIR FAIR SHARE IS LIKE 99% BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT
I WAS GONNA SAY 95%, BUT 99% IF THEY'RE, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE BIG PIE, IF THEY'RE AT 99% REQUIREMENT FOR A TRAFFIC LIGHT, BUT WE'RE NOT AT A HUNDRED PERCENT YET, THEN A COMMERCIAL BUSINESS GOES UP DOWN THE STREET THAT VAULTS US TO A HUNDRED PERCENT.
DR. HORTON WILL HAVE TO PAY 99% OF THAT SHARE TO INSTALL THAT TRAFFIC LIGHT WHILE 1% COMES FROM THAT OTHER COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT.
I KNOW WE'RE STILL WAITING FOR THE TRAFFIC LIGHT AT ABOUT 70 IN RIS TOWN ROAD, BUT THAT'S WHEN STEVE SAMOS DEVELOPS MORE THAN HE'S SUPPOSED TO UPGRADE THAT TRAFFIC LIGHT.
THAT'S THE WAY IT'S BEEN FOR 20 SOME YEARS.
AND THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE ALL THE ACCIDENTS THERE.
SO THAT'S KIND OF LIKE DELAYED REACTION.
HOW MANY PEOPLE GONNA GET KILLED BEFORE SOMEBODY DOES SOMETHING.
I LIVE AT MOUNT HOLLY ROAD IN MEDFORD.
AND I WAS INTRIGUED AT THE LAST BUDGET, UM, PRESENTATION.
THE ONE THING I, AND I DID ASK A QUESTION ABOUT IT WAS THE TAX ABATEMENT.
AND I STILL DON'T SEE HOW THAT WAS EVER ANY KIND OF BENEFIT TO MEDFORD, BECAUSE IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, IT'S BEEN A WHILE.
THAT DEAL WAS DONE SO QUICKLY, THAT BUILDING WAS BOUGHT.
AND I REMEMBER PEOPLE WERE, WERE VERY SURPRISED THAT, THAT IT HAD GONE THROUGH SO QUICKLY.
SO HOW, IF, IF, IF THAT HAPPENED SO QUICKLY, WHAT WAS THE REASON THAT THEY WERE GIVEN A TAX ABATEMENT? DO YOU KNOW? THAT WAS, I IT WAS LONG BEFORE ANY FEW PEOPLE WERE HERE.
YEAH, BUT I MEAN, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, IT, SO WHAT IS IT? FIVE YEARS, THEY'RE NOT PAYING TAXES, RIGHT? CORRECT.
SO WITH MAGNIFY BREWING, WITH MAGNIFY BREWING, IT IS A, THE ONLY AR ACTIVE TAX ABATEMENT.
SO THEY PAY ZERO TAXES IN 2026, 20% IN 2027, 40% IN 28, 60% IN 29, 80% IN 2030.
SO IT'S PHASED IN OVER FIVE YEARS.
AND THEN 2031, THEY PAY A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE TAXES DUE.
[00:35:01]
OKAY.SO IT ISN'T FIVE YEARS THAT THEY'RE TOTALLY TAX FREE.
SO THAT'S A, A GOOD WAY TO STRUCTURE THAT BECAUSE IF IT WAS FIVE YEARS THEN, AND THEN THEY LEFT AFTER FIVE YEARS, THAT'S LIKE A BIG LOSS TO MEDFORD.
SO THEY DO PAY REGULAR LAND TAX EVERY YEAR, BUT THEN THEY'RE PHASED IN AT THAT 20 40, 60 80.
AND THAT'S ON THE IMPROVEMENT, WHICH IS THE BUILDING THE STRUCTURE.
SO, UM, IS THAT GENERALLY WAY THE WAY ANY TAX ABATEMENT WOULD GO? OR IS THAT NEGOTIATED EACH TIME? I CAN'T SPEAK ON THAT.
I'M NOT SURE IT'S NEGOTIATED EACH TIME, BUT IT'S TYPICALLY A FIVE YEAR TAX ABATEMENT AND CAN IN, IN THAT SAME 20, 40, 60, 80 RAMP.
THE, THE, THE ABATEMENT, AND, AND I'LL JUST, I'LL JUST, I'M A, I'M PLAIN IN SIMPLE GUY HERE.
UM, THE, THE REASON TAX ABATEMENT EVEN EXISTS IS TO ENCOURAGE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
I'M NOT SAYING ANYTHING ABOUT THAT.
I'M JUST TALKING ABOUT GENERAL.
SO IF, IF, OR POTENTIALLY AN INCENTIVE TO A NONPROFIT OR THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
SO, UM, IT'S A MECHANISM THAT CAN BE USED BY COUNCIL DURING A REDEVELOPMENT PLAN.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE, UM, IT WAS IN THAT INSTANCE.
BUT FROM A GENERAL STANDPOINT, THAT'S A COMMON TOOL THAT IS USED AND THAT'S THE COMMON FORMAT THAT IT'S USED.
AND IT GIVES THE PERSON RE OR THE ENTITY REDEVELOPING THE SITE OPPORTUNITIES TO HAVE GREATER FUNDS EARLY ON IN THAT PROCESS SO THEY CAN INVEST IN THEIR BUSINESS OR, OR WHATEVER THE SITE WOULD BE.
UM, AND THEN IT GIVES 'EM TIME TO BUILD UP THEIR BUSINESS SO THEY CAN STAND AND PAY FULL RATE TAXES.
AND THAT'S PROBABLY, UM, THE OLD PINELANDS LIBRARY PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE HAD DO, DO, ARE THEY GETTING A TAX ABATEMENT OR WAS THAT JUST BOUGHT OUTRIGHT OR, UH, THAT WAS BOUGHT BY A, I DON'T KNOW HOW, AGAIN, THESE LEGAL THINGS, HOW MUCH CAN WE ACTUALLY SAY? UM, I WAS GONNA SAY, I THINK THE, THE CONTRACT'S PUBLIC RECORD, RIGHT? CONTRACT'S, PUBLIC RECORD.
IT'S BEEN, IT WAS BOUGHT BY A DEVELOPER.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE LIBRARY AT 39 ALLEN STREET.
SO IT IS UNDER CONTRACT FOR 250,000.
WE ARE IN DUE DILIGENCE RIGHT NOW UNDER THE TERMS OF THE CONTRACT.
THEY HAVE 60 DAYS TO INVESTIGATE IT, DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THEY CAN CONSTRUCT IT WITHIN THEIR FEE WITHIN WHAT THEY BELIEVE IS FINANCIALLY FEASIBLE.
WE ARE TEEING UP A CONFERENCE WITH THEM, I BELIEVE MAY 5TH OR SEVENTH IS THE DATES THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT WITH OUR PROFESSIONAL STAFF AND THEIR PROFESSIONAL STAFF, UM, TO LOOK AT THEIR CONCEPT PLANS TO SEE IF IT FITS THAT LOT OR IF THERE'S ANY REVISIONS.
BUT ONCE WE GET THROUGH DUE DILIGENCE, THE NEXT STEP IS GONNA BE THE ADOPTION OF A REDEVELOPMENT PLAN, UH, REDEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
AND AT WHICH POINT THE CONTRACT IS FINALIZED AND CLOSING TAKES PLACE 30 DAYS THEREAFTER.
THE PARKING THERE, WHAT IS IT ONLY LIKE SEVEN SPOTS IN THAT, UH, LITTLE PARKING LOT THAT'S ATTACHED TO IT.
SO IT'S KIND OF YEAH, THEY ARE, THEY ARE ENVISIONING A LARGER PARKING LOT.
WELL, YOU'VE ANSWERED MY QUESTION ABOUT THE TAX ABATEMENT, AND THEN I HAVE SORT OF A, A MINOR QUESTION.
I'M LOOKING AT, UM, THAT, UH, NEW MURAL ON, UM, GHOST BURGER.
YOU KNOW WHERE I'M TALKING ABOUT.
AND IT'S MAKING ME, UH, THINK BACK TO THE BIG BRUHAHA OVER THE MURAL ON THE MAGGIE MOOSE BUILDING.
WHAT, WHAT EXACT, AND NONE OF YOU WERE HERE THEN, WERE YOU? WHAT WAS THE BRUHAHA ABOUT THAT WHY, WHY? I MEAN, THAT WAS JUST A, A PICTURE.
WHY DO, DOES ANYBODY KNOW WHY THAT WAS SUCH A, A MESS SO MANY YEARS AGO? SO IF, IF I BELIEVE CORRECTLY.
THE ISSUE WAS WITH THE FACT THAT IT WAS THE, A LOGO OF THE BUSINESS AND IT, IT, IT VIOLATED A ZONING ORDINANCE.
I DON'T SPECIFICALLY KNOW WHICH ONE THAT WAS.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, WITH THIS ONE ON MAIN STREET, IT'S REPRESENTING THE TOWNSHIP NOT A SPECIFIC BUSINESS.
SO THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHY, AND YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S WHY I DON'T BELIEVE THERE WERE ANY ADDITIONAL ISSUES WITH IT.
NO, I MEAN, IT, IT'S, IT'S NICE.
'CAUSE I WAS AL I'VE ALWAYS ALSO LOOKED AT THAT, UM, THE BIG SIGN ON THE, WHAT WAS IT CALLED? THE FEED MILL BUILDING.
AND I USED TO ALWAYS, UM, THINK OF THE MAGGIE MOOSE THING BECAUSE THAT'S, IT SAYS THE FEED MILL AND IT LISTS ALL THE OTHER BUSINESSES THAT ARE IN THERE.
WHAT, WHAT WOULD, WHY WOULD THAT HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT? UM, BECAUSE YOU'RE, YOU'RE JUST SAYING IT WAS 'CAUSE THE MAGGIE MOOSE WAS THE LOGO.
IT WAS A LOGO, AND I DON'T BELIEVE THEY COLLIDE FOR THE APPROPRIATE ZONING PERMITS FOR THAT.
WHEREAS THE OTHER BUSINESS ON MAIN STREET KIRBY'S FEED WOULD'VE, WOULD'VE APPLIED FOR THE APPROPRIATE ZONING PERMITS FOR THE SIGNAGE.
AND UNFORTUNATELY WAS A PROCEDURAL CHALLENGE THAT,
[00:40:01]
UM, THE FEED MILL AS PART OF THEIR DEVELOPMENT ASKED, I, I'M ASSUMING IT WAS EITHER ZONING OR PLANNING.BUT CAN WE CONSTRUCT OR RECONSTRUCT THIS BUILDING WITH THIS SIGNAGE ON IT MM-HMM
THAT'S WHY THE SIGN EXISTS WITH NO CHALLENGE.
I BELIEVE THE CHALLENGE WITH MAGGIE MOOSE WAS, IT WAS A LOGO DEPICTED ON THE SIDE OF THE BUILDING IN WHICH THERE WAS NO APPROVALS PRIOR TO IT BEING PAINTED.
I BELIEVE THEY HAD TO APPLY FOR A VARIANCE.
THEY NEEDED A VARIANCE TO PROPERLY PUT THEIR LOGO ON THE SIDE OF THEIR BUILDING.
I KNOW THESE WERE MINOR THINGS, BUT, UH, I THOUGHT ABOUT 'EM.
LUCAS, MARY LUCAS, 2 0 7 TAUNTON BOULEVARD.
UH, A LITTLE BIT OF MY REMARKS ARE GONNA PERTAIN TO THE BUDGET, AND I GUESS AT THAT POINT WE CAN GET INTO THAT PART OF THE DISCUSSION.
IN THE BEGINNING OF 2026, I WAS VERY HEARTENED BY WHAT I THOUGHT WAS GOING TO BE A GREAT YEAR FOR MEDFORD NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS.
AND THE HOPE THAT THE TOWNSHIP WOULD MOVE FORWARD IN A NONPARTISAN WAY, PUTTING MEDFORD CITIZENS ABOVE ALL ELSE.
OVER THE PAST WEEKS, AS THE DYER BUDGET SITUATION HAS UNFOLDED, IT'S EVIDENT THAT OUR FISCAL SITUATION IS WORSE THAN WE COULD HAVE IMAGINED IF THIS FISCAL DISTRESS HAS BEEN, HAS BEEN A CUMULATIVE PROCESS OVER THE LAST EIGHT YEARS AS WE HAVE BEEN LED TO BELIEVE MARY LUCAS, I'M ONLY INTERRUPTING YOU 'CAUSE WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY IS SO IMPORTANT AND WE CAN'T HEAR YOU.
WOULD YOU JUST MOVE IT UP A LITTLE BIT? OH, I'M SORRY.
I ACTUALLY WANNA HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY.
I THOUGHT SOMEBODY OH, THANK YOU.
UM, I'M JUST GONNA BACK UP FOR A SECOND.
IF THIS FISCAL DISTRESS HAS BEEN A CUMULATIVE PROCESS OVER THE LAST EIGHT YEARS AS WE'VE BEEN LED TO BELIEVE WE ARE, THE ANNUAL AUDITS FOR THE LAST EIGHT YEARS WAS THE AUDIT FIRM, WHO IS THE AUDIT FIRM, NOT ACCURATE IN THEIR REPORTING.
AND I REALIZED THIS BOARD WAS NOT, THIS COUNCIL, EXCUSE ME, WAS NOT IN IN POSITION FOR THESE PAST EIGHT YEARS.
BUT, BUT NOW THIS IS A TIME THAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH IT, AND I THINK WE NEED TO BACK UP AND FIND OUT WHAT THE ISSUES WERE OVER THOSE LAST EIGHT YEARS.
AND I DON'T KNOW, WHO IS THE AUDIT FIRM? DO WE KNOW? YES.
BOWMAN, BOWMAN COMPANY OUT OF VORHEES, AND ALL OF THE AUDITS ARE ON THE TOWNSHIP FINANCE WEBSITE.
UM, FROM 2024 DOWN TO 2012, ALL OF THE PDFS ARE ON THE TOWNSHIP FINANCE PAGE.
WELL, I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, WHAT HAPPENED WITH THOSE FINDINGS OVER THOSE PAST EIGHT YEARS? WHAT WERE THE RECOMMENDATIONS? USUALLY AT THE END OF AN AUDIT, THEY GIVE YOU A SUMMARY AND A LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO WAS THE COUNCIL OVER THOSE EIGHT YEARS REVIEWING THOSE AUDITS AND DID THEY ACT ON THE FINDINGS? THE AUDITS ARE LOOKING INTO OUR PRACTICES.
UM, RAISING MUNICIPAL TAXES IS A POLICY DECISION BY THE TOWNSHIP COUNCIL, BUT THERE IS AN EXIT CONFERENCE EACH YEAR.
UM, THAT THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER AND I, I DON'T WANNA SPEAK FOR BEFORE I WAS THERE.
UM, BUT THIS YEAR WE HAVE ACTUALLY ASKED THE AUDITOR TO COME SPEAK PUBLICLY AT A COUNCIL MEETING.
BUT I, I GUESS THE QUESTION IS, IF THE ISSUE IS CUMULATIVE OVER THE PAST EIGHT YEARS, WHAT HAPPENED? AND THAT'S, I'M NOT ASKING YOU THE QUESTION, IT'S RHETORICAL BECAUSE THE COUNCIL THAT WAS IN PLACE OVER THAT PERIOD OF TIME WOULD HAVE REVIEWED THE FINDINGS.
SO IT SEEMS TO BE A CONFLICT BETWEEN WHY ARE WE IN SUCH DIRE FINANCIAL STRAITS IF THERE WERE AUDIT RECOMMENDATIONS PERHAPS MADE OVER THOSE EIGHT YEARS THAT THE TOWNSHIP DIDN'T ACT UPON.
I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU CAN ANSWER THAT, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT, COUNCIL, THIS IS, THESE ARE GREAT QUESTIONS, MARY.
YEAH, I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, I THINK, I THINK A LOT OF IT, AND I, I DON'T WANT TO SOUND THIS WAY OR SPEAK TO THIS WAY, BUT I THINK A LOT OF IT GOES BACK TO NOT INCREASING THE TAXES OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.
LIKE, WE COULD HAVE A, A CLEAN AUDIT, WE COULD HAVE USED ONE TIME REVENUE, UM, YOU KNOW, GENERATORS.
WE COULD HAVE HIT, HIT THE, UH, THE SURPLUS OR THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT FOR THOSE EIGHT YEARS, THE LACK OF RAISING TAXES WITH THE INCREASE IN COST OF LIVING EXPENSES, SO, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING, COST OF LIVING, EVERYTHING IS HERE.
AND MEDFORD TOWNSHIP'S TRACKING RIGHT HERE, AND WE'RE NOT PLAYING CATCH UP TO WHERE WE NEED TO BE TO ACCOUNT FOR THOSE.
SO THAT'S WHERE, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK IT'S ANYTHING NECESSARILY THAT AN AUDIT FOUND THAT WE DID IMPROPERLY OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
IT'S JUST A SHEER MATTER OF OUR INCOME NOT KEEPING
[00:45:01]
UP WITH EXPENSE SIDE.AND I'LL DEFER TO THE CFO AND, AND COUNSEL ON THAT, BUT I THINK THAT'S UNFORTUNATELY THE SIMPLEST EXPLANATION FOR WHY WE'RE WHERE WE'RE AT.
I DON'T, I DON'T BELIEVE, I DON'T BELIEVE THE AUDITORS MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS IN, AS FAR AS POLICY DECISIONS GO.
THEY'RE CHECKING OUR PURCHASING PRACTICES, THEY'RE MAKING SURE THAT THERE'S NO FRAUD.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE CHECKING, UM, PROOF OF TAX PAYMENTS, ET CETERA.
UM, THEY'RE DO THEY DO SAMPLING THROUGH EACH DEPARTMENT? THEY GO TO COURT TAX CONSTRUCTION, THEY'RE PULLING PERMITS.
THEY'RE TRACKING THE VALIDITY OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE ACCOUNTING FOR IN OUR FINANCIALS.
THEY'RE AUDITING OUR FINANCIALS.
UM, BUT THEY ARE NOT MAKING NECESSARILY RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WOULD COME FROM THE TOWNSHIP COUNCIL, WHICH IS TO, UM, KEEP UP WITH INFLATION OR HOLD MUNICIPAL TAXES THE SAME, WHICH WAS WHAT WAS DONE FOR EIGHT YEARS.
UM, I MEAN, RAISING TAXES ON THAT SURFACE SOUNDS LIKE A TERRIBLE IDEA.
WHO WANTS TO PAY MORE IN TAXES? BUT WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU UNDERSTAND THE COMPLEXITY OF WHAT THAT DOES OVER EIGHT YEARS AND WHERE IT PUTS US, YOU KNOW, UM, WE WERE JUST COMING AT, IF YOU GO BACK NINE YEARS, OR FROM THAT POINT, IT WOULD BE 14 YEARS.
WE WERE IN A TERRIBLE FINANCIAL SITUATION.
I BELIEVE THE MENT OF THE COUNCILS AT THAT TIME WERE, MAN, WE JUST WENT THROUGH ALL THIS.
UM, THOSE DECISIONS HAVE IMPACTS.
AND WE DID HAVE TO RAISE THE LAST TWO YEARS, UH, THREE, I BELIEVE, RIGHT? WE'VE RAISED THE LAST THREE, OR WE'RE PROPOSED TO RAISE 24 AND 24.
YEAH, THIS WOULD BE THE THIRD RAISE.
SO, SO IT'S NOT COMFORTABLE TO SIT UP HERE AND SAY, YOU KNOW, THANK US FOR RAISING YOUR TAXES, BUT, UM, WITH, WITHOUT THESE INCREASES TO YOUR TAXES, UM, WE ARE RUNNING QUICKER TOWARDS THAT FINANCIAL CLIFF THAT, MR WELL, I GUESS THAT'S MY POINT, MIKE, BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S OVER EIGHT YEARS AND IF, IF YOU HAVE OVER HERE, YOU HAVE NOT WANTING TO RAISE TAXES, BUT OVER HERE WE HAVE A HUGE DEFICIT NOW.
SO I'M JUST SAYING THAT WHEN THE AUDITS COME THROUGH, MAYBE IT WOULD BE GOOD TO LOOK AT THEM AND SEE HOW THAT MATCHES UP WITH THE ACTUAL BUDGET.
BECAUSE THERE'S DEFINITELY A GAP IN WHAT'S HAPPENING.
AND I'M NOT, IT'S NOT ANYTHING THAT THE DEPARTMENT HAS DONE WRONG.
I'M JUST SUGGESTING THAT THERE SHOULD BE A BETTER CONTROL, LET'S SAY, ON WHAT THE FINDINGS ARE.
BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING HAS HAPPENED AND AS, AS LINDSAY STATED, I, I BELIEVE THE, THE NET RESULT OR THAT BOWMAN WOULD GIVE US IS, IS MORE ON ARE WE PROPERLY EXECUTING THE STEPS OF OUR FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY OR ALL IN COMPLIANCE.
THE, THE THE RECOMMENDATION PIECE THAT I BELIEVE YOU'RE, YOU'RE ASKING FOR IS REALLY THAT'S, I MEAN, I DON'T WANNA SPEAK FOR YOU, BUT THAT'S LINDSAY'S CORE JOB.
SHE'S ENCOURAGING US TO INCREASE OUR LEVY.
SO WE HAVE, WE HAVE MEANS TO KEEP UP WITH THESE INFLATIONS.
BUT I'M, I'M SUGGESTING THAT MAYBE BOWMAN, BOWMAN MAY HAVE MADE OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS OTHER THAN JUST TO SAY WE'RE IN COMPLIANCE.
I'M JUST SAYING IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO LOOK AT THOSE REPORTS.
YEAH, WE WILL DEFINITELY LOOK BACK THROUGH.
UM, BUT I THINK WE CAN ALL SET UP HERE AND COMFORTABLY SAY THAT THE ONLY WAY TO, ONE OF THE MECHANISMS WE NEED TO GET OUT OF THIS CHALLENGE IS TO INCREASE TAXES HOLDING REVENUE.
NO ONE WOULD DISAGREE WITH THAT.
HOLDING REVENUE, YOU KNOW? YEAH.
HOLDING ANY REVENUE FLAT IN THIS, IN IN ECONOMY IS NOT GONNA HELP ANYBODY.
UM, SO OVER, OVER THESE LAST EIGHT YEARS, THE TOWNSHIP EMPLOYEES CONTRACT AND OTHERWISE HAVE RECEIVED RAISES.
I'M REQUESTING THAT UNDER THE CURRENT FISCAL CONSTRAINTS THAT A RESOLUTION BE PASSED BY COUNSEL TO FREEZE BOTH CONTR, CONTRACTUAL AND NON-CONTRACTUAL SALARIES.
IT WOULD NOT BE PRUDENT TO FISCALLY TO PAY OUT THESE FUNDS.
AND, UM, FURTHER, I REQUEST THAT COUNSEL, I, WE JUST TALKED ABOUT BOWMAN, UM, AND, AND REVIEW WHATEVER RECOMMENDATIONS THEY MAY HAVE HAD.
WE TALKED ABOUT THE SHARED SERVICES.
UM, WHEN THE MEETINGS RUN THAT LONG, SOME OF THE THINGS ARE DEALT WITH, LET'S SAY, UH, THE LAST ITEM, UH, CONCERNING THE, UM, ISSUE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UNFORTUNATELY, THIS IS ANOTHER TOWNSHIP DELAYED ISSUE.
THIS COUNCIL INHERITED SOMETHING THAT WAS CUMULATIVE IN ANOTHER WAY OVER THE YEARS.
AND THAT'S, THAT IS A PROBLEM.
UM, WHAT IS SAD THOUGH, IS HOW CERTAIN RESIDENTS ARE VIEWING THIS WHOLE CONCEPT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
[00:50:01]
PEOPLE THAT HAVE TO USE AFFORDABLE HOUSING ARE BEING PORTRAYED AS CRIMINALS.AT THE LAST MEETING, SOMEONE HAD MENTIONED THAT, AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS TERRIBLE.
AND THAT IF THERE ARE FIVE PEOPLE APPROVED TO BE IN A RESIDENCE, SOMEBODY SUGGESTED, WELL, THERE'LL BE 12.
WHO'S GONNA MONITOR THAT? THESE ARE HUMAN BEINGS.
EVERYBODY, ANY ONE OF US COULD BE POOR TOMORROW AND BE IN THAT KIND OF SITUATION.
AND I THINK IT'S VERY DEMEANING THAT PEOPLE COME UP HERE, YOU KNOW, ARE YOU IN THE FIRST HOUSE THAT YOU BOUGHT? NO.
AS PEOPLE'S LIVES CHANGE AND THEIR INCOMES CHANGE, THEY MOVE UP.
SO I THINK IT'S VERY UNFAIR TO, IT'S A PREJUDICIAL VIEW.
IT'S ELITIST TO, TO PUT PEOPLE IN THAT KIND OF CATEGORY.
AND I THINK AS A TOWNSHIP, WE HAVE TO REALLY HELP DISAVOW THAT NOTION BECAUSE PEOPLE IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING ARE NOT CRIMINALS.
AND I THINK IT'S VERY SAD THAT THEY'RE BEING PORTRAYED THAT WAY.
AND I GUESS IT JUST IN CLOSING THAT WE, IN TERMS OF THE BUDGET, I THINK WE REALLY HAVE TO BE VERY MINDFUL OF HOW THINGS ARE GOING FORWARD.
UM, AND I GO BACK TO THE WHOLE IDEA.
I MEAN, I'M FAMILIAR WITH BOWMAN BECAUSE WHEN I WORKED FOR THE COUNTY, WE HAD BOWMAN AND, UM, AND I KNOW WHEN WE HAD THE EXIT MEETING THAT THEY DID MAKE OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO MAYBE IF SOMEONE HAS A CHANCE TO LOOK AT BOWMAN'S AUDITS, OR AT LEAST THE MOST RECENT ONES, THAT MAY BE INSIGHTFUL FOR COUNSEL.
ANYONE ELSE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? MAYOR, IF I MAY JUST ASK LINDSAY ONE QUESTION.
LINDSAY, I, YOU ADDRESSED THE, THE PLAN THAT WAS MADE EARLIER TONIGHT ABOUT THAT WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO HIT, MAKE PAYROLL AND WHATNOT AND ARE BUDGET WISE, BUT WE JUST ALSO CONFIRM FOR REPUBLIC FROM A CASH FLOW PERSPECTIVE, WE'RE ON SOLID GROUND THAT NOT JUST BUDGETARILY, BUT CASH FLOW WISE, WE'RE ALSO GONNA BE ABLE TO ADDRESS ALL OF OUR FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS FOR THE, FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR.
WITH THE BUDGET THAT WAS INTRODUCED ON APRIL 20TH, WE WILL MEET ALL CASH FLOW, UM, ALL EXPENSES AND HAVE NO CASH FLOW CONCERNS.
THANK YOU FOR OUR EXPENSES FOR CONTRACTS.
ANYTHING EXISTING, IT IS ACCOUNTED FOR.
AND I ALSO, I JUST WANTED A FOLLOW UP.
I ACTUALLY HAD SOME QUESTIONS TOO, BUT AHEAD.
UM, MS. LUCAS, I WANNA, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR, UM, ASK IF COUNCIL ADOPT A RESOLUTION TO FREE SALARIES AND AND WHATNOT.
AND, UM, I, I AGREE A HUNDRED PERCENT.
'CAUSE OBVIOUSLY WE ARE NOT IN A POSITION, UM, TO OFFER SALARIES TO THE STAFF, YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH WE SEE COST OF LIVING GOING UP AND RAISING AND WHATNOT.
UM, I ACTUALLY HAD A PHONE CONVERSATION EARLIER TODAY WITH, WITH TOWNSHIP STAFF.
UM, AND UNFORTUNATELY IT SEEMS, IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THAT WE'RE BEYOND THAT POINT AT THIS TIME, UM, THAT TOWNSHIP STAFF WERE GIVEN AN INCREASE BACK IN JANUARY.
UM, YOU KNOW, SO WE'RE NOW HALFWAY, ALMOST HALFWAY THROUGH THE YEAR.
SO IT SEEMS THAT WE'RE BEYOND UNFORTUNATELY THAT POINT OF, OF FREEZING NOW TO, TO PREVENT THAT FROM HAPPENING.
WELL, HOW THEY, HOW COULD THAT HAVE HAPPENED IF THERE WAS NO BUDGET THAT'S ON THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S THE PART THAT'S BEING INVESTIGATED RIGHT NOW.
THAT'S WHY THEY'VE ASKED TO BE INVESTIGATED.
THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION, MARY LUC, THANK YOU FOR THAT.
UM, AND TO YOUR POINT EARLIER, UM, FORGIVE ME, UM, YEAH, IT'S THROUGH THESE CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENTS THAT WE HAVE WITH DIFFERENT UNIONS OR ENTITIES, WE HAVE TO FULFILL THOSE OBLIGATIONS.
UM, THE, THE INDIVIDUALS THAT WORK FOR US ON A DAILY BASIS, POLICE, FIRE, EMS, EMS, YEAH.
ALL THESE INDIVIDUALS, WE CAN'T NOT HONOR THOSE CONTRACTS THAT WE'VE PROVIDED TO THEM.
UM, THEY HAVE THEIR OWN BILLS TO PAY IT.
IT WOULD BE UNFAIR FOR US TO, TO, TO, NOT TO, TO GO BACK ON THOSE, ON THE WORD WE'VE GIVEN TO THEM.
UM, WE'LL DEFINITELY LOOK INTO THE AUDITS.
UM, AND I DO, UM, YOUR LAST POINT ABOUT, UM, DEHUMANIZING INDIVIDUALS THAT, THAT REQUIRE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AT CERTAIN TIMES.
UM, I KNOW THAT THERE'S SUCCESS STORIES EVEN UP HERE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UM, AND IF YOU SPEAK TO, UM, MEMBERS OF, UM, DIFFERENT MEMBERS WITHIN THE ORGAN, UH, WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, NON-PROFITS, EVEN INDIVIDUALS THAT LIVE, UM, OUTSIDE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN MEDFORD WILL ATTEST THAT THEIR FIRST HOME MAY HAVE BEEN AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BUT THEY, THEY DID WHAT THEY HAD TO DO TO WORK THEIR WAY OUT OF THAT SITUATION AND GET INTO A MARKET RATE HOME.
AND I THINK THOSE ARE LIKE SUCCESS STORIES WE SHOULD BE REALLY PROMOTING IN TOWN, UM, WITHOUT DIVULGING THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
SO IT, IT'S A, WE ALL AGREE THAT THE
[00:55:01]
MECHANISM OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS REQUIRED TO PROVIDE THOSE INDIVIDUALS AN OPPORTUNITY.UM, AND YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU SAID, I MEAN, I COULD LOSE MY JOB.
MY BUSINESS COULD GO UNDER TOMORROW AND I'VE GOT A FAMILY OF FIVE THAT NEEDS A HOME TO LIVE IN.
I COULD LOSE MY HOUSE AND I MAY NEED THAT, THAT TOOL.
SO, UM, AND WE HOPE TO DEFINITELY DISPARAGE ANYONE THAT'S DEHUMANIZING THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
UM, I, IF I COULD JUST SWITCH BACK TO THE BUDGET.
I THINK, UM, AND I KNOW IT WAS JUST VAGUE EMAILS BACK AND FORTH, BUT JUST TO UNDERSTAND THAT 64% OF OUR, OF OUR, AND YOU'RE GOING TO KILL ME 'CAUSE I'M MIXING UP THE WORDS HERE.
UM, TOTAL REVENUE, TOTAL REVENUE COMES FROM PROPERTY TAXES.
AND AT THE LAST BUDGET PRESENTATION ON THE 20TH, I HAD ASKED, IS THAT A COMBINATION OF RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL? YES.
AND LINDSAY SAID YES, AND THEN WE, WE DOVE IN DEEPER.
SO 6.4% OF OUR REVENUE COMES FROM COMMERCIAL ENTITIES, WHICH I'M NOT AN EXPERT, BUT I'M SURE MORTON AND MOUNT LAUREL AND ALL THESE OTHER TOWNS, THE PROPORTION THERE OF FORGET ABOUT RESIDENTIAL TO COMMERCIAL, BUT JUST THEIR OVERALL REVENUE LINE ITEM FOR COMMERCIAL IS MUCH GREATER THAN 6.4% CERTAINLY OF THEIR BUDGET.
SO, UM, AND WE MENTIONED IT DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION LAST TIME.
I JUST WANNA MAKE IT, YOU KNOW, MORE ABUNDANTLY CLEAR HERE THAT WE CAN'T JUST KEEP COMING BACK TO OUR OWN POCKETS TO TRY TO FUND THE NEEDS OF THE TOWN.
WE HAVE TO BRING IN OTHER REVENUE SOURCES AND, AND OTHER RATEABLES IN THE, IN A COMMERCIAL FORMAT ARE GOING TO BE REQUIRED.
UM, SOME PEOPLE ARE IN FAVOR OF THAT, SOME PEOPLE AREN'T.
BUT THAT'S SOMETHING WE HAVE TO DO.
WE HAVE TO INCREASE THAT OVERALL PERCENTAGE OF COMMERCIAL PROPERTY TAX REVENUE, ESPECIALLY WITH THE 2% TAX LEVY CAP, BECAUSE OUR EXPENSES, AS WE CAN SEE ARE INCREASE.
LIKE DOY HAD SAID, IF WE WERE AT LOOKING AT A CHART, THE 2% TAX LEVY CAPITAL NEVER, WILL NEVER RIGHT.
SO, UM, SOMETHING WOULD HAVE TO GIVE, WHICH WOULD BE THE COMMERCIAL RIGHT REVENUE, AND I KNOW IT'S A FOUR LETTER WORD, BUT THINGS LIKE THE MECHANISM OF TAX ABATEMENT OR REDEVELOPMENT, THESE ARE WAYS TO ENCOURAGE BUSINESSES TO COME INTO OUR TOWN.
SO YOU MAY SEE THE NEED FOR THESE THINGS, BUT IT'S ALL IN AN EFFORT TO DRIVE BUSINESS INTO THE TOWN TO INCREASE THAT OVERALL PROPERTY TAX REVENUE THAT WE HOPE TO ANTICIPATE.
UM, ONE MORE PIECE IF I COULD ANSWER TOO.
UM, YOU HAD ALSO, I WAS REFERENCING BACK TO WHAT COUNCILMAN
UM, JUST SO YOU KNOW, YOU ARE CORRECT BUDGETS, NOT BUDGET, SORRY, SALARIES.
MY DAUGHTER DID HAVE HER BABY SINCE SOME PEOPLE WERE CHECKING IN ON THAT.
UM, SO I'VE BEEN UP SINCE TWO.
UM, SALARIES NORMALLY WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN PASSED 'CAUSE WE AS A COUNCIL DID NOT PASS A SALARY ORDINANCE.
UM, SO THIS WAS UNUSUAL AND THAT SALARY DID GO UP IN JANUARY.
SO AS A COUNCIL, WE WERE NOT APPRISED OF THAT.
WE STARTED DIGGING INTO IT RECENTLY.
I HAD REACHED OUT TO COUNCILMAN COX AND SAID, HEY, WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS? BECAUSE I MIGHT BE THE PHYSICS GIRL, BUT HE'S THE MONEY GUY.
UM, AND THEN WE REACHED OUT TO THE, UM, TO, TO CHIEF AND SAID, HEY, WHAT'S UP WITH THIS? SO IT WAS A SURPRISE TO US AS WELL.
SO I JUST DIDN'T WANT YOU TO THINK THAT WE WERE, THERE HAS BEEN THE COMMENT THAT THINGS WERE DONE BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.
UM, SO HOPEFULLY WITH NEW FOLKS AND NEW LOOKS AT THE BUDGET, THIS IS NOT SOMETHING WE WILL SEE AGAIN.
THE LADY IN THE BACK, I DON'T THINK YOUR QUESTION WAS ANSWERED REGARDING, UM, BRINGING TRASH IN HOUSE AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, THE REASONING THAT, UM, WHAT HAPPENED WAS, I BELIEVE WE'RE IN A THREE YEAR CONTRACT.
CORRECT? IT'S WITH REPUBLIC AND I TOO HAVE COMPLAINTS.
MY TRASH HASN'T BEEN PICKED UP IN THE LAST TWO TIMES.
UM, SO, UM, I'M WITH YOU THERE.
UH, BUT THE REASON WHY THEY WERE THE ONLY BIDDER AT THE TIME THAT PUT IN AND THE RATE WENT UP.
I DON'T, IT WAS JUST ASTRONOMICAL.
SO WE ARE LOOKING INTO OTHER WAYS TO BRING, UH, TRASH EITHER IN HOUSE OR A SHARED SERVICE, BUT TO BRING IT IN HOUSE, WE HAVE TO ORDER THE TRASH TRUCKS AND THAT DOES TAKE A REALLY LONG TIME AND THEY'RE VERY EXPENSIVE.
SO, UM, WAYS OF, MAYBE WE TALKED ABOUT HAVING THEM DO ONE SIDE OF TOWN AND STILL MAYBE USE A SHARED SERVICE FOR THE OTHER SIDE, BUT THERE'S WAYS THAT WE ARE LOOKING INTO BRINGING IT BACK IN HOUSE, BUT UNFORTUNATELY WE'RE STILL, UM, AT THE MERCIES OF THIS THREE YEAR CONTRACT.
LINDSAY, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE FOR THAT? DID I ANSWER IT RIGHT? YES, YOU DID.
AND THE CONTRACT DOES END 1231 OF 26.
[01:00:01]
ARE WE, I'M SORRY.ARE WE ISSUING AN RA BID OR RP SOON FOR, FOR THAT SERVICE? YES.
AND WE HAVE HAD OTHER BUSINESSES, LOCAL BUSINESSES EXPRESSED INTEREST IN BIDDING FOR OUR TRASH.
THE PRIOR TOWNSHIP MANAGER AND I DID MEET WITH A LOCALLY OWNED MEDFORD, UM, OR A COUPLE FROM MEDFORD THAT OWNS A TRASH SERVICE.
UM, AND WE DID, UM, EXPRESS WHEN OUR CONTRACT ENDS AND HOPED THAT THEY WOULD, UM, PUT IN A BID.
ALRIGHT, ANYONE ELSE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? ANY TOPIC? OKAY, I'M GONNA ASK FOR A MOTION TO CLOSE.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO CLOSE SECOND.
UM, SO, UM, THE 14TH, THE 20TH AND THIS EVENING'S BUDGET, COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS ARE OBVIOUSLY PART OF THE, UM, PUBLIC MEETING.
IS THERE A PORTAL FOR RESIDENTS TO ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BUDGET? ANGELA CAN OPEN IT AGAIN.
THAT'S WHAT YOU ARE DOING? YEAH.
SO THERE, THERE'S, THERE'S, IF YOU HAVE A BUDGET QUESTION, UM, NOT ONLY COULD YOU EMAIL MANAGER AT METFORD TOWNSHIP OR, OR LINDSAY, UM, BUT THERE'S A PORTAL THAT OPENS UP LIKE A QUESTION PORTAL IF YOU NEEDED, UH, MAYBE A MORE DIRECT QUESTION ANSWERED THAT WE, WE CAN SHARE THAT QUESTION WITH THE PUBLIC AS WELL.
UM, SO NOW WE WILL MOVE TO THE MANAGER'S
[VIII. MANAGER’S REPORT]
REPORT, WHICH I DON'T YEAH, JUST HAVE A, HAVE A COUPLE QUICK THINGS.I'LL JUST REITERATE ON TRASH WHAT WE'VE ALREADY DISCUSSED.
I REITERATE ON TRASH WHAT WE'VE ALREADY DISCUSSED.
WE DEMANDED A MEETING WITH REPUBLIC, UH, TO DISCUSS THE RECENT ISSUES WE ARE SEEKING, SEEKING THE LIQUIDATED DAMAGES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONTRACT.
UM, WE ARE LOOKING, LIKE WE SAID, UH, ISSUE THE RFP EARLIER THIS YEAR FOR TRASH.
UM, IN REGARDING THE CONCEALED CARRY PERMITS THAT WAS BROUGHT UP, UM, WE HAVE ASKED STAFF TO CONDUCT AN INTERNAL AUDIT TO SEE WHAT THE COST IS RELATED TO THE PROCESSING FEE THAT I THINK IT'S LIKE A $150 FEE.
UH, SO, UH, WE WE'RE WAITING TO HEAR BACK ON THAT AUDIT.
UM, MEDFORD LAKES DID REDUCE THEIR FEE, BUT THEY DID NOT WAIVE THE FULL FEE.
AND THEN JUST AT THE REQUEST OF COUNCILMAN COX TOWNSHIP STAFF DID REACH OUT TO FOLLOW UP, UH, WITH THE VENDOR REGARDING PUBLIC FACILITIES FOR SPECIAL EVENTS.
THE VENDOR WAS STILL DISCUSSING THAT INTERNALLY.
THE CONTRACT WITH REPUBLIC ENDS JANUARY 28TH, 2027.
IT COMMENCED ON JANUARY 29TH, 2024 AND IT ENDS ON JANUARY 28TH, 2027.
SORRY, JUST WANNA CORRECT WHAT I SAID.
[IX. CLERK’S REPORT ]
UH, CLERK'S REPORT.SO YES, WE HAVE A BASKET RAFF LICENSE FOR ST.
MARY'S SCHOOL, JUNE 8TH THROUGH 12TH.
UM, WE HAVE 50 50 RAFFLE LICENSE FROM TRACK BOOSTER CLUB ON MAY 15TH.
AND ON THE ALSO ON THE 16TH, WE HAVE A BASKET 50 50 FORGOTTEN ANGELS HAWAIIAN RESCUE ON MAY 5TH AND A SOCIAL PERMIT FOR THE STOP THE ARBORETUM ON JUNE 6TH.
ALL IN FAVOR? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
[X. BILL LIST]
ONE BILL LIST THIS EVENING, APRIL 24TH, 2026.ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THE BILLS LIST FROM COUNSEL? I HAVE ONE QUESTION, MR. MAYOR.
UH, I KNOW IT'S A NOMINAL MAP, BUT WHAT, UH, UM, AFFORDABLE HOUSING WORK WAS DONE IN MARCH BY PRIME AND VE THAT WAS REQUIRING A PAYMENT TO THE FIRM? I DON'T HAVE A COPY OF THE INVOICE IN FRONT OF ME.
I CAN CERTAINLY SEND THAT TO YOU TOMORROW.
UM, BUT IT WAS, HE, HE DID SUBMIT HIS FINAL BILLS AND THEY WERE THROUGH MARCH.
THAT MAY HAVE TO DO WITH THE DEEDS QUESTION WE ASKED FOR CREEK.
I BELIEVE IT HAD TO GO TO HIM, I BELIEVE BECAUSE THE AMOUNT WAS NOMINAL.
AND I CAN CERTAINLY SEND THAT OUT TOMORROW TO ALL NO PROBLEM.
PAT, ARE WE OKAY TO MOVE FORWARD? YES.
NO ORDINANCES FOR INTRODUCTION OR A SECOND READING.
[XII. CONSENT AGENDA RESOLUTIONS ]
HAVE OUR CONSENT AGENDA RESOLUTIONS RESOLUTION 94 20 26 AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR, CLERK AND TOWNSHIP MANAGER TO EXECUTE A FEDERAL AID AGREEMENT WITH THE NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION RESOLUTION 95 20 26 APPOINTING RESIDENCE OF THE LAN'S CERT RESOLUTION 96 20 26 AUTHORIZING SOLICITATION OF ROADWAY PERMITS RESOLUTION 97 AUTHORIZING CANCELLATION OF 2026, PROPERTY TAXES ON PROPERTIES OWNED BY QUALIFIED TOTALLY DISABLED EXEMPT[01:05:01]
VETERANS AND RESOLUTION 98 20 26 AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR AND CLERK TO EXECUTE A FEDERAL AID AGREEMENT WITH N-J-D-O-T BEFORE WE PROCEED.I WAS GONNA SAY YEAH, ONE'S FOR SAFE STREETS FOR ALL I BELIEVE AND ONE'S SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOLS.
THEY'RE BOTH N-J-D-O-T GRANTS.
YEAH, NO, 'CAUSE I HAD TO SIGN IT.
CONSENT AGENDA RESOLUTIONS ARE APPROVED AND NOW WE WILL MOVE TO EXECUTIVE.
WE NEED A MOTION RESOLUTION ES OH 4 28 20 26 MATTERS RELATED TO PERSONNEL AND CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS.
I DID PULL UP THE, UM, INVOICE, UH, TELL FOR TIM PRIME FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
IT WAS ON MARCH 9TH, TELEPHONE CONFERENCE WITH TOWNSHIP ENGINEER CONCERNING CREEKS I DEED RESTRICTIONS.
REVIEW OF EMAIL FROM TOWNSHIP COUNCIL REQUESTING INFORMATION REVIEW PRIOR ROUND TABLE AND FOURTH ROUND REGULATIONS AND PREPARE EMAIL TO TOWNSHIP ENGINEER CONFIRMING THAT THE TOWNSHIP CANNOT RECEIVE ANY ADDITIONAL CREDITS FOR CREEKSIDE FOR $220 ON MARCH 9TH.
ALRIGHT, SO, UH, THANK YOU FOR THAT, UH, UH, MOTION AND SECOND TO APPROVE THE EXECUTIVE SESSION RESOLUTION.
UH, WE ARE NOW GONNA GO INTO EXECUTIVE
[XIII. EXECUTIVE SESSION ]
HOW LONG AND YOU TELL ME.I'M RECONVENING THE OPEN PORTION OF THE PUBLIC MEETING.
UH, WE DISCUSSED THE MATTERS, UH, LISTED FOR THE EXECUTIVE SESSION, CORRECT MR. MAYOR, THE MATTERS THAT WERE DISCUSSED INVOLVED CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS AND PERSONNEL AND, AND NO ACTIONS WERE TAKEN, NO ACTION WILL BE TAKEN.
UM, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.