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I CALL THE ORDER THE REGULAR MEETING OF MEDFORD TOWNSHIP COUNCIL, MAY 19TH, 2026.
THIS MEETING IS CALLED PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS LAW.
THIS MEETING OF MAY 19TH, 2026 WAS INCLUDED IN A MEETING NOTICE SENT TO THE BURLINGTON COUNTY TIMES AND THE CENTRAL RECORD ON JANUARY 7TH, 2026.
AND ADVERTISING SAID NEWSPAPERS ON JANUARY 11TH, 2026 AND JANUARY 15TH, 2026, RESPECTIVELY POSTED ON THE WEBSITE IN THE BULLETIN BOARD IN THE MUNICIPAL BUILDING ON JANUARY 7TH, 2026.
THE TIME CHANGE WAS POSTED ON MAY 4TH AND 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.
S**T PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO FLAG OF UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
[IV. Communications, Scheduling Matters, Council Agenda, Presentations and Any Amendments to the Agenda ]
WE ARE GONNA START THIS EVENING WITH TWO SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS.UM, THE FIRST IS FOR MR. TOM GERBER.
I WAS SO EXCITED TO READ THOMAS PROCLAMATION.
UM, IF WE CAN ALL HEAD DOWN YEAH.
THIS PROCLAMATION IS HONORING SECTION WARDEN B ONE THOMAS GERBER, UPON HIS RETIREMENT FROM THE NEW JERSEY FOREST FIRE SERVICE.
WHEREAS THOMAS, TOMMY GERBER HAS SPENT OVER 40 YEARS PROTECTING THE NEW JERSEY PINE BARONS FROM FIRE.
AND HIS FAMILY HAS A LONG HISTORY IN MEDFORD AS CRANBERRY FARMERS AND COMMUNITY SERVANTS.
WHEREAS TOM'S FAMILY ALSO HAS A LONG HISTORY OF SERVICE WITH A NEW JERSEY FOREST FIRE SERVICE DATING BACK TO 1917, WHERE HIS GRANDFATHER, JULIUS GERBER, WAS APPOINTED AS A FIRE WARDEN.
AND WHEREAS TOM IS RECOGNIZED AS A LEADER, MENTOR, AND SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT IN THE FIELD OF WILD LAND FIRE MANAGEMENT AND FOREST PRESERVATION, WHEREAS TOM HAS TRAINED A MULTITUDE OF FIREFIGHTERS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AND THE TECHNIQUES OF WILDFIRE SUPPRESSION AND MANAGEMENT.
WHEREAS THOMAS HAS NOT ONLY PROVIDED SERVICE TO THE RESIDENTS OF NEW JERSEY, HE HAS ALSO SERVED AND PROTECTED NUMEROUS RESIDENTS AND FORESTS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
WHEREAS TOM HAS EXEMPLIFIED DEDICATION TO THE RESIDENTS OF MEDFORD TOWNSHIP IN SERVICE AS SECTION FIRE WARDEN.
B ONE TOM HAS SAVED THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS FROM THE THREAT OF WILDFIRE THROUGH WAS COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND PRESCRIBED BURNING.
WHEREAS TOM'S EXPERTISE IN FIRE MANAGEMENT HAS HELPED TO PROTECT AND MAINTAIN THE PILOT'S NATIONAL PRESERVATION BY INTRODUCING FIRE ACROSS THE LANDSCAPE IN A METHOD KNOWN AS PRESCRIBED BURNING.
THIS METHOD HAS PROMOTED NEW GROWTH WITHIN THIS FIRE DEPENDENT ECOSYSTEM AND HELPED PROTECT OUR ENVIRONMENT FROM WILDFIRES.
WHEREAS DURING HIS YEARS OF DEDICATED PUBLIC SERVICE, TOM HAS EARNED THE DEEP ADMIRATION AND RESPECT OF THE ME TOWNSHIP COUNCIL, TOWNSHIP OFFICIALS, HIS FELLOW FIREFIGHTERS, PROFESSIONAL COLLEAGUES, FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND THE RESIDENT HE SO ADMIRABLY SERVES EACH DAY.
WHEREAS TOM HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN THE OPERATIONS OF OUR HISTORICAL SOCIETY BY WORKING TO PRESERVE THE HISTORY OF MEDFORD TOWNSHIP, SPECIFICALLY THE TOMLINSON HOUSE.
TOM WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN CREATING AN AREA DEDICATED TO THE HISTORY OF WILDFIRE IN OUR REGION.
WHEREAS THE TOWNSHIP COUNCIL ON BEHALF OF ALL TOWNSHIP EMPLOYEES AND RESIDENTS WISH TO EXPRESS THEIR GREAT APPRECIATION AND HEARTFELT GRATITUDE TO TOM FOR THE INTEGRITY, PROFESSIONALISM, ENTHUSIASM, AND RESOURCEFULNESS HE BRINGS TO THE MEDFORD TOWN, TO MEDFORD TOWNSHIP THROUGH HIS OVER 40 YEARS OF SERVICE WITH THE NEW JERSEY FOREST FIRE SERVICE.
I'D JUST LIKE, JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT IT'S BEEN AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE TO SERVE THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY, IN PARTICULAR, MEDFORD TOWNSHIP.
MEDFORD TOWNSHIP HAS ALWAYS OVER, OVER THE LAST A HUNDRED YEARS OF THE NEW JERSEY FOREST FIRE SERVICE AND HAS BEEN JUST THE GREATEST PARTNER.
AND WE'VE DONE WONDERFUL THINGS IN, IN KEEPING EVERYBODY SAFE HERE IN MEDFORD TOWNSHIP.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO, YOU KNOW, CONTINUING TO HELP OUT, YOU KNOW, THE
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NEXT GENERATION.THERE'S NOT MUCH ELSE WE CAN SAY OTHER THAN THANK YOU FOR YOUR SELFLESS DEDICATION TO PROTECTING THE PINES AND MEDFORD TOWNSHIP AS B ONE.
YOU HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF THE WOODS AND FIRE BEHAVIOR THAT IS UNMATCHED.
ON BEHALF OF MEDFORD TOWNSHIP, WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND PRESENT YOU WITH THIS PLAQUE, THOMAS GERBER, NEW JERSEY FOREST FIRE SERVICE, SECTION ONE WARDEN B ONE.
AND THANKS FOR YOUR MANY YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE TO THE RESIDENTS OF MEDFORD TOWNSHIP 2025.
WE'RE GONNA BRING UP THE, UH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNION FIRE COMPANY.
HE'S GOT A REPLACEMENT PLAQUE FOR YOU.
I'M CRAIG LAFFEY, PRESIDENT OF UNION FIRE COMPANY.
I'M REPACKING HIM FROM JANUARY 8TH, 2026.
NOT MANY OF YOU KNOW THIS, BUT IN THE SECOND SNOWSTORM HE LOST HIS HOUSE TO A FIRE.
SO HE LOST A LOT OF VALUABLE THINGS AND WE WANT TO KEEP HIM WHOLE.
AND THERE'S A RETIREMENT FROM THE NEW JERSEY STATE FOREST, FOREST FIRE SERVICE, 1986 TO 2026.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATION TO THE UNION FIRE COMPANY STATION 2 5 1 MEDFORD.
I LOVE, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.
I'VE BEEN BORN AND RAISED HERE.
AND LOOKING FORWARD TO HANGING ON AS LONG AS THEY CAN.
YOU'RE COMING IN SOCIETY AS WELL.
OKAY, NOW I'D LIKE TO READ A PROCLAMATION FOR THE EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES WEEK.
THIS PROCLAMATION IS RECOGNIZING EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES WEEK, WHEREAS COUNCIL WISHES TO DEDICATE THE WEEK OF MAY 17TH THROUGH 23RD, 2026 AS MEDICAL, AS EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES WEEK.
AND WHEREAS EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES ARE A VITAL PUBLIC SERVICE THAT IS PROVIDED BY OUR TRAINED PROFESSIONAL STAFF FROM MEDFORD FIRE AND EMS, WHEREAS THE TOWNSHIP OF MEDFORD RECOGNIZES EMS AS AN ESSENTIAL SERVICE VITAL TO THE HEALTH AND WELFARE OF OUR COMMUNITY.
WHEREAS THE MEMBERS OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES TEAMS ARE READY TO PROVIDE LIFESAVING CARE, THOSE IN NEED 24 HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
AND WHEREAS ACCESS TO QUALITY EMERGENCY CARE DRAMATICALLY IMPROVES THE SURVIVAL AND RECOVERY RATES OF THOSE WHO EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ILLNESS AND INJURY.
WHEREAS THE EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES SYSTEM CONSISTS OF FIRST RESPONDERS, EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIANS, PARAMEDICS, EMERGENCY MEDICAL DISPATCHERS, FIREFIGHTERS, POLICE OFFICERS, EDUCATORS, ADMINISTRATORS, PRE-HOSPITAL NURSES, EMERGENCY NURSES, EMERGENCY PHYSICIANS, TRAINED MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AND OTHER OUT OF HOSPITAL MEDICAL CARE PROFESSIONALS.
AND WHEREAS THE MEMBERS OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES TEAM, WHETHER CAREER OR VOLUNTEER, ENGAGED IN THOUSANDS OF HOURS OF SPECIALIZED TRAINING, CONTINUED EDUCATION TO ENHANCE THEIR LIFESAVING SKILLS.
AND WHEREAS IT IS APPROPRIATE TO RECOGNIZE THE VALUE AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES PROVIDERS BY DESIGNATING EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE WEEK.
NOW THEREFORE, LET IT BE PROCLAIMED THAT THE MEDFORD TOWNSHIP COUNCIL OF MEDFORD, NEW JERSEY TO RECOGNIZE OUR EMERGENCY MEDICAL PROVIDERS DUE HEREBY PROCLAIMED THE WEEK OF MAY 17TH, 2020, MAY 17TH THROUGH 23RD, 2026 AS EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES WEEK.
AND YOU GUYS ARE ALL INVITED TO ATTEND OUR OPEN HOUSE THIS SATURDAY AT 20 JACKSON ROAD FROM 12 TO THREE.
IT'S OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND WE WILL LOVE TO HAVE ALL OF YOU STOP BY, HAVE SOME GOOD FOOD AND S ENJOY PART OF OUR COMMUNITY.
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UM, AT THIS TIME, I'D OPEN IT UP TO COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR COMMUNICATIONS.
I JUST HAVE ONE THAT'S THE MEMORIAL DAY PARADE AT 11:00 AM ON MAIN STREET, AND IT GOES TO FREEDOM PARK.
UM, I'D LIKE TO THANK FATHER DAN, UM, ALL THE VOLUNTEERS OF ST.
MARY'S CARNIVAL, OUR EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE PROVIDERS, POLICE, FIRE, EMS AND OTHER MUNICIPALITIES THAT PROVIDED SERVICE TO SUPPORT THIS CARNIVAL.
UH, I WENT, I THINK ALMOST EVERY NIGHT AND, UM, IT WAS REALLY GOOD TO SEE A REALLY HEALTHY FAMILY ENVIRONMENT HERE IN MEDFORD.
SO THANK YOU EVERYONE WHO PUT THAT TOGETHER.
UM, THIS WEEK IS SHAWNEE HIGH SCHOOL'S PROM.
UM, I WISH EVERYONE THIS YEAR, UM, UH, GREAT SENIOR PROM.
UM, MINE WAS 26 YEARS AGO, AND, UM, I JUST REMEMBER HOW SPECIAL IT WAS AND I HOPE THAT ALL THE FAMILIES CAN ENJOY THAT EVENING.
I'D LIKE TO THANK OUR EAAC AND GREEN TEAM FOR PUTTING TOGETHER REPAIR CAFE, WHICH TOOK PLACE THIS SATURDAY.
UM, I CAME JUST AT THE VERY LAST MINUTE, BUT I HEARD THE, UH, THE, UH, ATTENDANCE WAS EXCELLENT AND THERE WAS MANY, NOT ONLY REPAIR PERSONNEL, BUT MEMBERS OF COMMU OF THE COMMUNITY THAT ATTENDED.
IT WAS A REALLY GOOD SHOWING AND, UH, THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY FOR PUTTING ON THE KIRBY'S MILL CAR SHOW, WHICH AGAIN, I STOPPED BY AND I HEARD IT WAS A GREAT EVENT MOST OF THE DAY, UH, ALL OF THE DAY.
I ONLY SAW A FEW MINUTES OF IT.
BUT, UM, SO AGAIN, UH, THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE FOR MAKING THIS COMMUNITY GREAT.
NOW WE HAVE OUR SCHEDULING ITEMS. OUR NEXT MEETING IS JUNE 9TH.
IT'S A REGULAR MEETING HERE AT THE PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING AT SIX 30.
THE FOLLOWING MEETING WILL BE JUNE 23RD, 2026.
IT'LL BE A REGULAR MEETING ALSO HERE AT THE PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING AT SIX 30 FOR OUR APPROVAL OF MINUTES.
[V. APPROVAL OF MINUTES ]
WE HAVE ONE.ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THE MINUTES? SEEING NONE.
WE HAVE NO DISCUSSION ITEMS AT THIS TIME, AND NOW WE OPEN IT UP.
[VII. PUBLIC COMMENTS]
THE PUBLIC COMMENT.UM, I WILL ASK THAT THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT'LL BE INTERESTED IN SPEAKING, I SEE A HAND UP SO FAR.
UM, IF I LOSE TRACK OF THE HANDS, IF YOU COULD JUST COME TO THE FRONT ROW AND ORGANIZE.
UM, WE'LL, WE PROVIDE FIVE MINUTES TO EACH MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
I'D ASK CHIEF DOVEY TO KEEP THE TIME.
UM, AND THEN MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, IF WE COULD JUST HOLD OUR COMMENTS TO THE END, UNLESS THE MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE US TO INTERACT AND JUST, JUST TO KEEP THE TIME GOING, MAYBE WE CAN LET THEM ALL GO FIRST AND THEN WE REACT.
I THINK THAT MIGHT BE MORE PRODUCTIVE.
MR. SHANI? I DID SEE YOUR HAND FIRST.
AND THEN MA'AM, RIPPA IN THE GREEN.
YOU'LL BE, YOU'LL BE NEXT, MA'AM.
MY NAME IS PAUL CHENE, ALTHOUGH I LIVE OVER, OVER MOUNT LAUREL, AS SOME OF YOU KNOW, MEDFORD WAS, YOU KNOW, MY HOME FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
IN FACT, I MADE MEDFORD MY HOME AFTER I GOT BACK, YOU KNOW, FROM VIETNAM.
WE HAD A SON, YOU KNOW, WE LIVED RIGHT HERE ON MAIN STREET.
WE HAD A SON, UH, WHO STILL, YOU KNOW, LIVES IN TOWN.
SO MEDFORD HOLDS A VERY SOFT SPOT, YOU KNOW, MY HEART.
UH, BUT THE REASON FOR COMING UP HERE, I WANT TO COME UP AND THANK THE MAYOR.
I'M PART OF A GROUP OF VETERANS THAT MEET AT THE FARMSTEAD OVER METRO, UH, THE FIRST FRIDAY OF EVERY MONTH.
IT STARTED OUT ABOUT A YEAR AGO, UM, WITH THE TITLE COFFEE WITH A VET, AND THANKS TO BOB MYERS, YOU KNOW, THE OWNER AND I GOTTA GIVE HIM ACCOLADES.
IT'S NOW, WE STARTED WITH MAYBE SIX, SIX VETERANS, MAYBE SEVEN AT ANY GIVEN TIME.
NOW WE'RE UP TO MAYBE 40, MAYBE, YOU KNOW, 45.
WE DON'T HAVE COFFEE AND DONUTS ANYMORE.
IT'S A FULL-BLOWN BREAKFAST BUFFET.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE MAYOR, YOU KNOW, SAW THAT, HE'LL VOUCH FOR IT.
BUT, UM, I WANT TO COME UP HERE AND THANK THE MAYOR FOR COMING OUT AT, UH, LAST ONE.
UM, AND I'M NOT A SPOKESMAN FOR THE GROUP, BUT I THINK IT WAS MEANINGFUL TO ME AS WELL AS ALL OF THE OTHER VETS TO HAVE YOU THERE HONORING US.
AND I URGE, YOU KNOW, ANYBODY, IT'S THE FIRST FRIDAY OF EVERY MONTH.
YOU GUYS WANNA COME? BREAKFAST
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IS ON.YOU KNOW, BOB, YOU KNOW, IT IS ON BOB.
IF I COULD JUST TAKE A MOMENT, UH, MR. SHANIE, I, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THAT TOGETHER.
UM, I AM NOT A MILITARY VETERAN BY ANY MEANS.
UH, MY GRANDFATHER WAS, AND IT WAS, UH, IT WAS REALLY GREAT TO SEE ALL THE MEN AND WOMEN THAT WERE THERE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO FIND COMRADERY WITH ONE ANOTHER FROM ALL DIFFERENT, UM, TIMES OF SERVICE.
UM, IT, IT WAS, IT WAS REALLY GREAT TO SEE.
UM, AND THANK YOU FOR INVITING US.
IT, IT, IT'S REALLY A GREAT THING.
IF YOU KNOW ANY VETERANS AT ALL, UM, OR YOU, YOU ARE A VETERAN YOURSELF, I WOULD STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO FIND TIME THE FIRST FRIDAY OF EVERY MONTH AT THE FARMSTEAD.
IT'S, IT'S A REALLY GREAT EVENT.
WHAT TIME DOES IT START? NINE.
NO, AND IT'S NOT JUST FOR TOWNSHIP RESIDENTS, IT'S FOR ANYWHERE.
UH, THERE'S RESIDENTS FROM ALL OVER.
ALL MUNICIPALITIES CAN ATTEND, CORRECT? WELL, IT'S OPEN TO ANY VETERAN.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO OBSERVE IN A COMBAT ZONE.
LIKE A NUMBER OF ORGANIZATIONS SERVE IN WAR ZONE.
THIS IS OPEN TO EVERY VETERAN AND HIS RESPONSE, YOU KNOW? THANK YOU, SIR.
AND WHAT IT IS, AND I'LL BE QUICK.
WE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR A YEAR NOW.
WE SPEAK A LANGUAGE AND I KNOW YOU WON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING, BUT WE SPEAK A LANGUAGE ALL THAT ONLY WE UNDERSTAND AND WE CAN GET OUR BAD STUFF OUT, OUT OUR MIND.
UM, I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT HERE IN MEDFORD FOR OVER 20 YEARS.
MAY MAY YOU STATE YOUR NAME, PLEASE.
AND, UM, I'M A DOG LOVER AND I FREQUENT, UM, FREEDOM BARKS HERE IN TOWN.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS KNOW HOW GOOD THIS PARK IS.
IT'S RATED ONE OF THE TOP 10 IN THE COUNTRY AND NUMBER ONE IN NEW JERSEY.
AND I MEET PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES THAT ARE PASSING THROUGH AND THEY HAVE TO STOP AT THE PARK, COLORADO, MAINE, FLORIDA, I MEAN MISSOURI.
BUT ANYWAY, WHAT I'M, WHAT I WANNA SPEAK ABOUT IS I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE WATER FLOW IN THE CREEK.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TREES FALLING INTO THE WATER AND THERE'S OTHER TREES THAT LOOK LIKE THEY ARE GOING TO FALL INTO THE WATER AND THEY'RE DIMINISHING THE FLOW OF THE WATER TO THE POINT WHERE SOME PLACES IT DOESN'T EVEN FLOW.
THERE USED TO BE DUCKS SWIMMING IN THE WATER, NO LONGER DUCKS.
THERE ARE STILL FRESH WATER MUSSELS AND THEY HELP TO KEEP THE WATER CLEAN.
UM, BUT NOW THAT'S FORMING GREEN ALGAE, WHICH IS NOT A GOOD THING TO HAVE, ESPECIALLY FOR THE WILDLIFE.
I KNOW THE TOWNSHIP TAKES PRIDE IN OUR TOWN, AND I KNOW THAT THEY TOOK OUT 20 TREES ALONG THE CREEK IN MEDFORD PARK AND MADE A GREAT CANOE TRAIL.
BUT I WANTED TO KNOW, UM, IF YOU COULD HELP OUT THE DOG PARK BY HELPING US GET SOME OF THE TREES OUT OF THE WATER.
THE VOLUNTEERS, I'M A VOLUNTEER AND TWICE A YEAR WE HAVE CLEANUP AND WE DO MAINTAIN THE PARK.
BUT I WAS WONDERING IF YOU COULD PLEASE HELP US WITH THE TREES AND THE CREEK.
ODDLY ENOUGH, COUNCILMAN COX OR MYSELF MET WITH SOME OF THE, UM, FOLKS FROM FREEDOM PARKS, AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT THEY ASKED.
UH, THERE WAS A BUNCH THAT WE DISCUSSED IN OUR TIME, BUT THAT WAS ONE OF THE ITEMS. AND I BELIEVE CHIEF THAT YOU HAD, UM, BRIAN COX GO OUT AND DO A REVIEW, OR HE WAS GOING TO, HAS HE BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT REVIEW SO FAR? UH, NO.
TO GO OUT AND COMPLETE THAT REVIEW OF THE TREES.
SO HE WAS LOOKING AT HAZARDOUS TREES THAT WERE IDENTIFIED IN THE PARK AND THEN, UM, WE CAN HAVE HIM LOOK ALSO AT THE TREES IN THE CREEK.
AND ON THAT MAP WAS PROBABLY, I'M GONNA JUST GUESS A NUMBER 12 RED DOTS THAT WERE, THE TREES WERE OF A HIGHER CONCERN MM-HMM
THAN EVEN WHAT WAS IN THE WATER.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, BRIAN HAD ALSO SAID THAT THERE WAS SOME DEP CONCERNS WHERE SOME OF THOSE TREES COULD NOT COME OUT OF THE WATER, BUT HE WAS WORKING WITH A REALLY LOVELY LADY WHOSE NAME, I DON'T REMEMBER WHY, I'M SORRY.
WHY CAN'T THEY TAKE THE TREES OUT OF THE WATER? IT WAS A DEP AND TO SPEAK TO IT, I DON'T KNOW ENOUGH.
SO YOU NEED A SPECIFIC PERMIT IN ORDER TO REMOVE TREES, UH, FROM THE WATERWAY, GWEN, THAT'S WHO, BUT IF THERE'S A, THERE'S RULE BY PER PERMIT, BY RULE, RULE BY PERMIT, WHERE IF YOU'RE NOT PUTTING HEAVY EQUIPMENT INTO THE WATERWAY, YOU CAN STILL TAKE IT OUT WITHOUT A PERMIT.
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CAN'T DO HEAVY EQUIPMENT, MOST OF THESE DO REQUIRE HEAVY EQUIPMENT.DURING MY TIME AS THE ADMINISTRATOR IN LUMBERTON, UM, WE FOUND THAT THE EASIEST WAY WAS TO WAIT FOR A DECLARED, DECLARED DECLARED DISASTER STORM.
THAT THEN GIVES US THE ABILITY SAFEGUARD STRUCTURES AND SAFEGUARD, UH, BUILDINGS.
WE USE THAT A LOT OF THE TIME TO THEN GO GET SOME OF THE TREES OUT OF THE RED CCUS.
THE PROBLEM IS, ONCE IT FALLS INTO THE, INTO THE CREEK, IT THEN BECOMES THE PURVIEW OF A DEP PERMIT TO GO AND REMOVE IT.
UM, EVEN USING SMALL EQUIPMENT TO TRY AND CHOP IT UP WOULD REQUIRE US TO, TO SEEK A APPROVAL BY THE D.
SO WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN? 'CAUSE TECH, TECHNICALLY THE WATERWAY, ANY STANDING WATERWAY WITHIN THE COUNTY, UM, IS A COUNTY WATERWAY.
BUT SINCE WE OWN THE PROPERTY ON BOTH SIDES, THAT'S THE REASON WHY LUMBERTON BOUGHT IRONWOOD OUTDOOR PARK BECAUSE IT GAVE US 180 ACRES OF FRONTAGE TO THE RAIN COAS CREEK THAT WE HAD THE ABILITY TO THERE, UM, AND, AND REMOVED IT.
SO I THINK WHAT BRIAN TOLD MANAGER'S OFFICE IS THAT HE'S REVIEWING THE SINK, WHAT HE CAN DO TO TAKE IT OUT.
UM, SOME OF THESE TREES ARE GONNA REQUIRE EQUIPMENT TO, TO DO IT.
UM, AND, AND BASED OFF OF THE EQUIPMENT THAT, THAT THEN WE COULD PRO, WE COULD PUT IN FOR A PERMIT AND WAIT FOR APPROVAL FROM DEP.
SO WHAT HAPPENS HAS TO HAPPEN BESIDES COMING OUT TO LOOK AT THEM IN ORDER FOR THE TREES TO MAYBE BE TAKEN CARE OF? JUST ALL DEPENDS ON WHERE THE TREE IS.
UM, THERE, THERE ARE VARYING REGULATIONS AND IT'S CASE BY CASE.
SO YOU'LL KNOW BETTER WHEN YOU GO OUT.
YEAH, ONCE, ONCE BRIAN GOES OUT AND, UH, AND INSPECTS IT, THEN WE'LL BE ABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT WE'RE GONNA NEED TO REMOVE THE TREES.
THE PROJECT THAT WE DID ALONG THE RAN COCUS, UM, FROM MEDFORD PARK OUT TOWARD, UM, I SAY MEDFORD LEE'S, WE RECEIVED A GRANT MONEY FOR, AND WE WERE ABLE TO HIRE A CONTRACTOR WHO WENT IN AND OBTAINED ALL THOSE PERMITS AND THEN REMOVED, CUT AND CLEARED SOME OF THE TREES OUT OF THE CREEK.
SO THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, WE COULD, WE COULD TAKE A LOOK AT THAT, BUT WE WOULD NEED TO IDENTIFY THE TREES AND THE HAZARDS FIRST BEFORE WE MOVE TO THAT NEXT STEP STEP OF, YOU KNOW, SEEKING GRANT FUNDING FOR IT.
AND DID YOU HAVE, AND JUST TO GIVE YOU THE TIMELINE, THAT MEETING WAS MAY 11TH.
SO IT WAS ONLY EIGHT DAYS AGO.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS TO OUR ATTENTION.
I LIVE AT 30 SOUTH WIND AVENUE IN MEDFORD.
AND, UM, I'VE BEEN LIVING IN MEDFORD, UH, YOU KNOW, SINCE THE EARLY SEVENTIES.
FATHER DAN, I WORK OUT AT THE GYM WITH EVERY DAY PRETTY MUCH BOB MEYER.
SO, YOU KNOW, I KNOW A LOT OF THE LOCAL PEOPLE HERE.
I'M ASSUMING YOU'RE THE NEW, UH, TOWNSHIP SOLICITOR.
AND I'M, I'M NOT REALLY FAMILIAR WITH WHAT YOU DO.
I AM THE ADMINISTRATOR IN SOUTHAMPTON.
I WAS HIRED TO PROVIDE ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT TO THE ACTING MANAGER.
SO I JUST, UM, MY REQUEST IS SIMPLE.
THERE WAS A DECISION LAST YEAR THAT WAS RENDERED THAT HAS A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON MY PROPERTY VALUE.
AND IT WAS BASED ON ALL WRONG INFORMATION AND I WAS VERY INVOLVED IN GETTING NEW FACES ON THE COUNCIL BEHIND THE SCENES.
AND MY, THE ONLY REQUEST THAT I HAVE IS THAT I'D LIKE TO HAVE A MEETING WITH A FRESH SET OF EYES.
I CAN FOLLOW UP WITH AN EMAIL, UH, WITH THE DETAILS WITH YOU AND THE COUNSEL, AND I'M HAPPY TO PAY WHATEVER YOUR FEE IS.
I WOULD LIKE YOU TO BE INVOLVED.
SO IF YOU WANNA HAVE A LAWYER THERE, I'M HAPPY TO PICK UP THE TAB.
SO I JUST WANNA HAVE, WAS THIS ZONING? I'M NOT CERTAIN WHAT YOU'RE YEAH.
THIS IS THE ONLY PURPOSE OF THIS IS THAT I'D LIKE TO SET A MEETING OKAY.
TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, SOME INFORMATION, SEND IT TO CHIEF AT MANAGER@MEDFORDTOWNSHIP.COM.
I SENT CHIEF AN EMAIL, SO I WANT THE COUNCIL INVOLVED AS WELL.
SO, UM, I DON'T WANNA MAKE THIS, UM, I WANNA KEEP THIS POSITIVE, BUT FOR NOW, IT'S JUST REALLY, I'D LIKE TO HAVE A, UH, A MEETING AND REALLY IT'S ALL ABOUT JUST MAKING SURE THAT THE RIGHT INFORMATION IS BEING SEEN AND DECISIONS ARE BEING RENDERED ON ACCURATE INFORMATION.
HAVE YOU SENT IT OUT TO US YET OR ARE YOU GOING TO, PARDON ME? HAVE YOU SENT US THE INFORMATION YET? NO, I HAVE.
I'M JUST, I WANTED TO PLEASE KEEP ONE THING IN MIND.
YOU CAN'T ACTUALLY MEET WITH ALL OF US AS ONE, UNLESS IT'S AN OPEN TOWN HALL.
UM, BUT YOU CAN MEET WITH TWO OF US AT A TIME.
I HAVE LOTS OF MEETINGS, SO I'LL MEET WITH TWO AND THEN, UH, WE CAN TAKE IT FROM THERE AND, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY WE CAN, YOU KNOW, HAVE THE TOWNSHIP SOLICITOR THERE AND THEN, UM, WE CAN TAKE IT FROM THERE.
I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT, 'CAUSE YOU HAD SAID TO MEET WITH COUNSEL AND EITHER THIS IS IT OR YOU GET TWO OF US AT A TIME.
JUST I, I'M AN ALL CARDS ON THE TABLE GROUND.
I, I WOULD RATHER HAVE IT BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.
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GIVE YOU THE INFORMATION AND THEN YOU COULD DO WITH IT AS YOU FEEL.THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS AND OF COURSE THE, UH, NEW ATTORNEY.
MR. S BRIAN CARNES, TWO 16 CHURCH ROAD.
AND HE LIVES NEXT DOOR TO CHUCK WATSON.
AND IF YOU THINK WE HAD A BED AT THE FARM, CAN YOU IMAGINE BEING MR. WATSON'S NEIGHBOR? NO.
SO IN CASE ANYBODY HAD ANY QUESTIONS HERE? UM, THE CREEK THING, WE, I HAVE A TREE SERVICE AND I AM FAMILIAR WITH SOME OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
UM, WE'VE WORKED FOR OTHER TOWNS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
I DON'T KNOW A LOT ABOUT THE RED TAPE.
I DON'T THINK YOU NEED HEAVY EQUIPMENT IN THERE.
YOU GOT WATER AND THE WOOD FLOATS.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF WAYS TO TO TO GET WOOD OUT OF THE CREEK.
BRIAN DIDN'T THINK IT WOULD NEED HEAVY EQUIPMENT EITHER.
BUT YOU CAN COME DOWN WITH A BOAT.
A CHAINSAW
AND I DON'T KNOW A LOT ABOUT IT, BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT SOUNDS LIKE WE LIVE IN LIKE THE WORST TOWN IN CALIFORNIA WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ALL THESE REGULATIONS OF TREES ON WATER.
CANOE CARNIVAL IN LUMBERTON, IF YOU REMEMBER OUT AT THE VILLAGE GREEN, WE HAD A TREE GO DOWN AND LITERALLY WE HAD TO GET CREATIVE YEAH.
NOW LOOK, YOU DID A GREAT JOB OF KEEPING THE CREEK OPEN IN LUMBERTON.
UM, AND I, I KNOW THAT, SO I JUST THINK THAT PROBABLY SHOULDN'T SAY THIS ON RECORD, BUT YOU GUYS CAN GET THINGS DONE OR YOU CAN SIT BACK AND FILL OUT PAPERWORK, WHATEVER THE, THE DIFFERENCE IS GET THE TREE OUTTA THE WATER.
UM, SO THAT'S, THAT'S ONE OTHER THING.
AND IF SOMEBODY WANTED TO MEET ME OUT THERE AND WE LOOK AT IT AFTER YOU TELL ME ALL THE REGULATIONS AND ALL THAT, WE COULD FLOAT SOME THINGS AROUND.
UM, SO I'M UP HERE ABOUT THE SAMOS PROPERTY AND NEAR WAWA.
UH, THIS HAD COME UP LAST YEAR WITH THE SEWER PERMITS AND THE IDEA THAT LOOK ROUND FOUR IS DESIGNATED FOR, UM, FOR X AMOUNT OF HOMES.
PEOPLE HAD QUESTIONS AND THE SOLICITOR, I MEAN, I COULD, I COULD RUN TAPE AFTER TAPE ON OH 8, 0 5 5.
HIM SAYING, SAMOS ISN'T COMING.
WE'RE AT THE CAPACITY EVERY MEETING.
NOW WE FIND OUT THAT IT SOUNDS LIKE THE TOWNSHIP AND THE SOLICITOR KNEW CLEARLY MR. SAMOS WAS COMING.
THERE, THERE WAS, THERE WAS LITIGATION, THERE'S PAPERWORK, THERE'S STUFF LIKE THAT.
I BELIEVE OUT THERE IS IS IS THERE A WAY WE COULD GET AN ANSWER OF WHY, UM, WE WERE LIED TO AND, AND MISLED? NOT THAT IT WOULD'VE MADE A BIG DIFFERENCE.
IT'S JUST CONFUSING WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S ALREADY HAPPENING.
AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, UH, YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, IT SOUNDS LIKE ANOTHER DEVELOPMENT COMING.
I'M SORRY, WHICH SOLICITOR AND WHO LIKED YOU? TIM PRIME.
AND WHO LIKED YOU? I MEAN, YOU WERE HERE.
I I IMAGINE HALF THE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM WERE HERE.
CLEARLY WERE TOLD SAMOS CANNOT BUILD.
WE DON'T, THAT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN.
UM, AND, AND IT WAS OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
THERE WAS A COUPLE PEOPLE THAT ARE OLD SCHOOL HERE, THEY UNDERSTAND THE PERMIT PROCESS WITH THE SEWER.
AND THEY, THEY, THEY WERE THE ONES THAT SAY, YO, YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO STOP THIS GUY.
BUT YOUR SOLICITOR DID SAY ON RECORD MORE THAN ONCE, NOT YOU, THE OLD ONE.
UM, THAT THAT'S NOT GONNA BE A PROBLEM FOR THE COMMUNITY NOT TO WORRY ABOUT IT.
AND NOW WE FIND OUT THAT, THAT IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S A RACE THAT'S ON NOW FOR HIM, UM, TO GET IN THERE AS FAST AS HE POSSIBLY CAN.
UM, IS, IS THERE, LIKE, MIKE, YOU WERE HERE MAN, WHEN WE WERE I'M ASKING THE SOLICITOR QUESTIONS IN FRONT OF YOU WHEN HE WAS ANSWERING ME.
SO YOU KIND OF LOOK, LOOK, LOOK AT ME A LITTLE BLANK.
AND IT'S DRIVING ME CRAZY THAT THIS STUFF JUST GOES ON WITH OUR GOVERNMENT AND WE JUST UH, WE JUST SKIP OVER IT AND, AND AND, AND WE CAN'T EVEN GET ANY ANSWERS.
AND I WOULD JUST LOVE TO KNOW WHY WE WERE MISLED OR IF IT'S A MISUNDERSTANDING ON MR. PRIME'S PART, THEN MAYBE YOU COULD EXPLAIN THAT.
SO CAN I TAKE THIS? WELL, I JUST WANT YOU TO MAKE SURE THAT I CAN SAY WHAT I'M ABOUT TO SAY, BUT KEEP GOING.
ARE YOU TALKING, WHICH, WHICH PROPERTY IS THIS ONE AND WHAT IS YOUR QUESTION? HARRIS TOWN ROAD ACROSS FROM METFORD CHASE.
THAT IS THE FARMER CLEARING HIS OWN PROPERTY.
SO HIS ACTION, WE ALL, IT'S IT'S HIS, HE'S DOING HIS OWN CLEARING FOR HIS OWN PROPERTY.
DOES SAMOS OWN THAT LAND THERE? I RAN A VIDEO.
WELL YOU'RE SAYING A FARMER, BUT HE LEASES IT TO THE FARMER.
LOOK THAT IT HAS OUT THERE FOR 20 YEARS.
HE'S NOT GONNA START CLEARING TREES FOR AN EXTRA LITTLE ROW OF CORN.
[00:30:01]
LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT, BUT IT'S OKAY.I'LL TELL, I ACCEPT YOUR ANSWER.
AT LEAST YOU'RE ANSWERING NEXT.
BUT NOW INTO YOUR QUESTION, ARE YOU ASKING IS THERE A PROPOSAL TO HAVE THAT? I'M ASKING WHY WE WERE LIED TO.
NO, LET'S, BUT LET'S GO BACK TO WHAT WERE YOU LIED ABOUT? THAT THAT PROPERTY'S GONNA BE DEVELOP, DEVELOPED.
WHY WERE WE LIED TO? WHY DID YOUR SOLICITOR THAT BROUGHT YOU IN? I BELIEVE OKAY.
UHHUH, WHY DID HE LIE TO THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THIS PROPERTY? SAMOS, THERE'S A PAPER TRAIL.
I MEAN, THERE'S NOT, LIKE, THERE'S NO PROPOSAL TO DEVELOP THAT PROPERTY.
WHEN, HOW COULD YOU LIE IF THERE'S NO PROPOSAL TO DEVELOP IT? THERE'S BEEN NO LITIGATION BETWEEN SAMOS AND THE TOWNSHIP.
THERE IS A LOT OF LITIGATION BETWEEN SAMOS AND THE TOWNSHIP.
WELL, WOULDN'T THAT BE AN INTENTION? WHAT IS HE DOING SUING YOU FOR WHAT THAT INVOLVES? THE SECOND ROUND.
SECOND ROUND AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT.
EACH AS WELL AS MIDFORD VILLAGE ACROSS FROM THE GAS STATION.
SO WHAT WOULD THAT ENTAIL? THAT IS BEING HANDLED BY CHRIS NORMAN'S OFFICE AND WE ARE NOT INVOLVED.
MAN, IT'S JUST THIS RABBIT HOLE.
IT IT, IT IS JUST DEPUTY MAYOR.
AM I, AM I NUTS? IT'S A RABBIT HOLE.
AM I, AM I LOSING MY MIND WHEN I COME UP HERE AND ASK THESE QUESTIONS? IT SEEMS SO SIMPLE AND, AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND IT.
I THINK THAT THAT THAT IT, IT IT IS EXACTLY WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.
AND I DON'T COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND ALL THE PIECES, BUT I KNOW I WAS UP HERE LAST YEAR ASKING ALL THESE QUESTIONS.
HE HAS THE RIGHT TO, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE SAYING WITH A FARMER OUT THERE.
I BET YOU THE CLEARANCE STUFF THAT IT'S EASIER JUST TO DO IT BEFORE THAN, THAN THAN AFTER.
SO, UM, DEPUTY MAYOR, IF, IF I MAY, SO THIS IS ONE OF THE SUBJECT PROPERTIES THAT, UH, SOME QUESTIONS COME TO THE MANAGER'S OFFICE.
SO I'VE BEEN DOING A LITTLE BIT OF RESEARCH ON, ON THE ITEM.
SO AS MR. VARGAS STATED, IT IS A FARM.
UM, IF THERE IS A DEP REGULATION THAT UH, UH, THERE MIGHT BE A VIOLATION THAT WOULD BE HANDLED BY THEM.
THEY DON'T NEED A PERMIT FROM THE TOWNSHIP IN ORDER TO CLEAR TREES.
UM, 'CAUSE IT'S, UH, BY THE RIGHT TO FARM.
I DON'T CARE IF THEY'RE CLEARING TREES.
BUT CLEAR TO YOUR, TO YOUR, UH, QUESTION MR. CARNES.
THE, THE COA PROGRAM IS A VOLUNTARY PROGRAM OF PEOPLE THAT COME FORWARD AND, AND DESIGNATE PROPERTIES THAT THE TOWNSHIP CAN THEN PUT TOGETHER A PLAN, UM, TO MEET ITS AFFORDABLE HOUSING OBLIGATION.
MR. SAMOS PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO PICK HIM OUT IN, IN, IN A ROOM.
UM, BUT HE WOULD HAVE TO VOLUNTARILY BRING THAT, THAT PROPERTY, UM, INTO THIS.
AND, AND I WOULD SAY A RATIONAL ACTOR WOULDN'T, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S LITIGATION, YOU'RE NOT GONNA, YOU'RE NOT GONNA ENGAGE, UM, IN A PLAN THAT IS VERY VITAL TO THE TOWN THAT WE DON'T WANNA BUILD HIS REMEDY SUIT.
WE, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE PLAN IS, IS BUTTONED UP.
MR. SAMOS DID FILE, UM, UH, FROM MY REVIEW THAT HE FILED, UM, AN OBJECTION TO OUR FAIR SHARE PLAN IN THE FOURTH ROUND.
THAT THAT DID NOT GO ANYWHERE BECAUSE OUR FAIR SHARE PLAN HAS BEEN APPROVED AND AUTHORIZED BY THE COURT.
AND WE'RE IN A COMPLIANCE PERIOD AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
UM, MR. SAMOS, I, I THEN HAD AN EXTENSIVE MEETING WITH MR. NOEL.
UM, THERE'S BEEN THIS DISCUSSION, AGAIN, I'M A RESIDENT, BEEN A RESIDENT HERE SINCE 2017.
UM, I HAVE AN INTEREST IN, IN THIS AS WELL TO UNDERSTAND IT.
'CAUSE I'M A NORTH, NORTH, SOUTH SIDER JUST LIKE YOURSELF.
UM, SO HE DOES HAVE, UM, FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, 539 PERMITS FOR WATER AND SEWER.
HE COULD PRESENT A PLAN TO THE TOWN AND AS LONG AS IT MEETS THE UNDERLINING ZONING TO THAT AREA, HE, HE HAS THE, THE PERMITS FOR WATER AND SEWER FOR 539 UNITS.
NOW, HE WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH HIS DUE DILIGENCE THERE, THERE MIGHT BE SOME ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS THERE.
IF HE'S TAKING OUT TREES IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN, I, I, I, UH, WOULD SAY THAT THAT IS A MATTER FOR THE DEP AND WE CAN FILE THAT AND THAT THEY CAN REVIEW IT.
DON'T DO THAT BASED ON ME BECAUSE YOU'RE TALKING.
BUT THAT'S, THAT, THAT IS MY UNDERSTANDING OF, OF THE CURRENT STATUS OF, OF THAT PROPERTY AS IT RELATES TO THE TOWN.
WHERE THEY'RE CLEARING TREES OR WHERE THEY'RE, THEY'RE OUT THERE WORKING.
AND IT DOESN'T MATTER YOU HAVE A FARM TOO.
I DON'T, I DON'T THINK ANYONE, ANYONE CAN BEGRUDGE A FARMER FROM CLEARING TREES IF THEY'RE, IF THEY'RE NOT, I'M TYING INTO THEIR FARMING OPERATION.
IT'S ABOUT LIKE HE, YOU KNOW, I GET IT.
THE IDEA THAT HE'S GONNA BE BUILDING.
UM, BUT LOOK, I'M GONNA BELIEVE YOU, YOU DO HAVE GOOD STATS OUTTA SOUTH HAMPTON.
I DON'T, A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE A BEEF WITH YOU, BUT YOU DID FIGHT BACK THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND YOU GUYS AREN'T UPSIDE DOWN THERE WITH YOUR BUDGET.
YOU THOUGHT THAT THERE'S A CHANCE YOU GUYS, ONE MINUTE YOU HAVE ALL THE TIME YOU NEED.
YOU THOUGHT THAT, THAT THERE'S A CHANCE YOU GUYS MIGHT BE ABLE TO PRESERVE THAT, THAT PIECE OF LAND THERE, RIGHT? WE, WE MET WITH THE COUNTY OPEN SPACE FOLKS LAST WEEK, OR YEAH, LAST WEEK TO REVIEW DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT OPTIONS ON ALL THE LAW OF OPEN SPACE THAT WE HAVE HERE IN TOWN.
SO WE ARE LOOKING AT EVERYTHING ELSE ON
[00:35:01]
THE TABLE AT THIS POINT.BECAUSE YOU WOULD, YOU WOULD SAY THAT WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN A BIG RETURN FROM OUR TAXES GOING TO THE COUNTY.
THEY'VE DONE, THEY'VE POPPED IN OTHER TOWNS.
I DON'T KNOW ANY REAL LAND THAT'S BEEN PRESERVED HERE.
THEY, THEY, THEY DID PROVIDE SOME IDENTIFIED LANDS THAT WERE PRESERVED HERE IN MEDFORD, BUT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PROPERTIES THAT ARE STILL OPEN FOR DESER TO BE PRESERVED AND ARE TARGETED BY THE COUNTY.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS NOW, TO SEE HOW WE CAN ENCOURAGE THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS TO COME FORTH IF THEY'RE IN A QUALIFYING AREA, TO ALLOW US TO EITHER PRESERVE THEIR OPEN SPACE OR PREFERABLY, UH, PRESERVE THEIR FARMLAND SO THAT WE, WE CAN KEEP THAT HERE IN THE TOWNSHIP.
SO ADD ONTO WHAT COUNCILMAN COX IS STATING THE LAW, THE STATE LAW TO PRESERVE LAND OPENED UP TWO YEARS AGO.
SO NOW THE STATE HAS A PROGRAM.
IT USED TO BE THAT YOU COULD ONLY GET THE VALUE OF THE LAND, NOT THE DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL VALUE OF THE LAND.
UM, IN OUR TOWN, WE CAN WORK WITH THE COUNTY.
IF IT'S OUTSIDE THE PINE LANDS, THEY LOOK FOR A 25% SET ASIDE FROM US TO CONTRIBUTE TO PRESERVING.
IF IT'S IN THE PINE LANDS, USUALLY THAT'S EITHER COVER COVERED A HUNDRED PERCENT BY THE COUNTY ARE COVERED A HUNDRED PERCENT BY THE STATE'S PROGRAM.
SO I THINK THE MEETING, UH, THAT THE DEPUTY MAYOR AND COUNCILMAN COX ASKED THE MANAGER'S OFFICE TO SET UP, UM, WITH THE COUNTY WAS TO GO OVER THEIR CRITERIA, UM, GO OVER AND THEY DO THIS EVERY YEAR.
THEY WILL COME TO THE TOWN AND GO OVER TARGET PROPERTIES THAT THEY WOULD LOOK AT.
I THINK THERE'S TWO IN ORANGE.
I AM JUST GOING OFF OF THEIR MAP THAT THEY GIVE US TWO IN ORANGE THAT ARE AREAS THAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT, UM, OR PLOTS THAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT.
UM, AND, AND YOU KNOW, BUT WE CAN NOW ENGAGE THE STATE A LITTLE BIT FURTHER.
I THINK FROM MY REVIEW OF THE BUDGET, A LOT OF OUR OPEN SPACE DOLLARS ARE TIED UP INTO MAINTAINING OUR RECREATIONAL FACILITIES.
I KNOW THEY, THEY CHANGE AROUND OR PAYING, PAYING FOR PROPERTIES THAT WE HAVE, UM, BONDING ON THAT WE ALREADY PRESERVE LIKE CAL POINT, UM, TO THAT, THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A DEVELOPMENT, BUT WE PRESERVED IT AND, AND USED, UH, UH, BONDS.
I THINK, I THINK IT WAS REGULAR BONDING THAT THEY, THEY THEY GOT FOR THAT TO, TO THEN PRESERVE THAT.
BUT WE'RE STILL PAYING THE DEBT SERVICE PAYMENT ON, ON THAT.
SO YEAH, IT'S WORTH IT THOUGH.
A LOT OF THERE, THERE'S A LOT OF WIGGLE ROOM WITHIN OUR OPEN SPACE BUDGET UNLESS WE HAD A REFERENDUM THAT IT WOULD ALLOW US TO EXPAND.
UM, THE AMOUNT, AMOUNT OF, THEY TURN A LOT OF THAT MONEY OVER TO PARKS AND PICKLEBALL COURTS.
I DON'T, I DON'T, I DON'T, YOU DON'T WANNA GET INTO ALL THAT, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT'S WHAT IT WAS INTENDED FOR.
AND I DO THINK IF WE LOOK BACK AT THE LAST 10 OR 15 YEARS, THE RETURN FROM THE COUNTY OKAY ITSELF, IT'S, IT'S, IT, THERE HASN'T BEEN ANYTHING REALLY PRESERVED.
UM, I IMAGINE THAT THEY HAD A STRAINED RELATIONSHIP HERE BECAUSE OF THE OLD MAYOR.
BUT I WOULD SAY, COME ON GUYS, WE'VE, WE'VE GIVEN UP A LOT OF LAND, WHAT CAN WE DO? AND I WOULD SUGGEST TO COUNCIL, LET THE PUBLIC AND THE COMMUNITY KNOW WHAT THEY CAN DO TO HELP YOU GUYS AND SUPPORT THIS.
AND LET'S DO IT OPENLY SO WE DON'T, YOU KNOW, JUST HERE, HEY, THE CHECK WAS WRITTEN AND WE BOUGHT THE LAND.
LET US ALL BE INVOLVED IN IT AND, AND LEARN.
UM, THEY, THEY THEY PROVIDE US, UH, VARIOUS MAPS WITH THE HIGHLIGHTED AREAS THAT ARE TARGETED PLUS AREAS THAT THEY DEEMED, UM, AGRICULTURALLY ACCESSIBLE.
UH, THOUGH WE DO INTEND TO HAVE FOR THE PUBLIC TO VIEW HERE AT A FUTURE, FUTURE MEETING, WE OPTED NOT TO HAVE THEM ON DISPLAY TONIGHT BECAUSE OF THE BUDGET HEARING AND WHAT HAVE YOU.
UH, BUT WE WILL BE SHARING THEM OUT AT FUTURE MEETINGS SO THAT WAY EVERYBODY IN ATTENDANCE CAN KIND OF COME UP AND TAKE A LOOK, IDENTIFY THE PROPERTIES THAT, THAT ARE TARGETED THAT THE COUNTY HAS IDENTIFIED.
BUT WE, WE DO HAVE THAT INFORMATION NOW.
IT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE DID THIS PUBLICLY.
A LOT OF OTHER THINGS, IT'S WONDER THING THAT THEY CAME UP WITH THAT I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT.
IT'S CALLED THE WOODLAND PRESERVATION PROGRAM AND IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
IT'S FOR THE FARMS IN THE AREA THAT DON'T FIT ALL THE CRITERIA.
THERE WAS A TON OF HARS FAMILY FARM.
IS THAT WHAT WE'RE GETTING AT THAT? THAT'S WHERE I WAS KIND OF GOING WITH THAT
UM, BUT IT'S CALLED THE WOODLAND PRESERVATION PROGRAM.
THEY'RE GONNA START TAKING APPLICATIONS IN 2027.
AND IT'S A GREAT WAY THAT IF YOU DIDN'T FIT INTO ANY OF THE OTHER PREVIOUS PRESERVATION PROGRAMS THEY HAD, YOU COULD PROBABLY FIT INTO THIS ONE.
ALL THE KEY THING THERE IS HAVING, UM, A WOODLAND MANAGEMENT PROGRAM OR, OR SOMETHING, WHICH I THINK YOU ALREADY RUN FOR FARM.
YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THAT APPROVED PLAN, WHICH USUALLY TIES INTO ON THE FARM.
HOW MUCH MONEY ARE WE TALKING, MAN? I GOT A LOT OF CATS AT THE FARM.
I'M FEEDING RIGHT NOW FOR REAL.
AND IT GOT REALLY HOT REALLY FAST.
ALRIGHT, SO I'VE MISSED THE LAST COUPLE MEETINGS, BUT I KNOW THE LANDOWNER EARL'S BEEN UP HERE AND IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF PRESSURE AND I I DON'T COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON.
WHY DOES, I MEAN, I BELIEVE HE SAID HE'S GONNA SUE YOU OR HE MAY SUE YOU.
AND I DON'T WANNA PUT WORDS INTO EARL'S MOUTH, BUT I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT, WHAT REALLY IS GOING ON HERE.
IS THAT SOMETHING YOU CAN EXPLAIN? LIKE IS THERE PROBLEMS WITH THIS DEAL OR, OR WHAT?
[00:40:02]
SO KATHY, GO, I KNOW YOU WANT TO GO.I, I WOULD COMMEND THE COUNCIL.
NO, I'M GONNA INSTRUCT HIM NOT TO LISTEN TO DON EITHER, MAN, BUT WELL, HE'S OPENING IT UP TO THE PUBLIC WHERE WE ARE, WHERE WE ARE.
THE COUNCIL IS ACTIVELY NEGOTIATING THE REDEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WE SUBMITTED FOR FULL COMPLIANCE IN ACCORDANCE WITH OUR FOURTH ROUND OBLIGATION ON MAY 13TH.
R HOREN, MR. STALL, NO ONE HAS SUED THE TOWN.
WE ARE WORKING IN GOOD FAITH AND WE ARE NEGOTIATING A REDEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
WELL TECHNICALLY FOUR REDEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS FOR THE FLYING W PROPERTY FROM THE THIRD ROUND AS WELL AS THE THREE FOURTH ROUND SITES.
IN TERMS OF THE TERMS OF THE NEGOTIATION, THE TERMS OF THE CONTRACT, THEY ARE STILL IN DRAFT, THEY'RE STILL BEING REVISED, THEY'RE STILL BEING NEGOTIATED.
SO THE COUNCIL IS NOT GOING TO COMMENT ALL.
YEAH, NO, I'M ONLY ASKING 'CAUSE IT'S PUBLIC.
YOU NEED TO SO THAT THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS WHAT AN INTERVENER REQUEST IS.
'CAUSE THERE'S THIS MISCONCEPTION THAT THERE IS A LAWSUIT.
INTERVENER STATUS IS NOT A LAWSUIT AND I THINK IT SHOULD BE RA UH, PUT ON THE RECORD SO THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT MEANS.
SO IN THE FOURTH ROUND IN THE, IN OUR DECLARATORY JUDGMENT ACTION, WHICH WE FILED IN ORDER TO ESSENTIALLY CERTIFY OUR FOURTH ROUND HOUSING ELEMENT AND FAIR SHARE PLAN, DR. HORTON DID FILE A MOTION TO INTERVENE BASICALLY TO SAY, HEY JUDGE, WE WANT TO HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE NOW THAT WE HAVE AN INTEREST IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE FOURTH ROUND.
SO THAT THE JUDGE KEEPS HIS THUMB ESSENTIALLY ON THE REDEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS AND OUR CONSTITUTIONAL OBLIGATION TO PROVIDE THESE AFFORDABLE UNITS.
R HORTON FILED THEIR MOTION OR DIDN'T FILE THEIR MOTION, THE JUDGE IS GOING TO DO ANYWAY BECAUSE IT IS A PART OF OUR FINAL COMPLIANCE ORDER, WHICH WE SUBMITTED ON MAY 13TH, WHICH DOES REQUIRE US TO HAVE THIS CONTINUING STEP OF COMPLIANCE WITH OUR FIRST DUE DATE OF AUGUST, AUGUST 1ST, AND THEN FOLLOWING WHICH A FIVE YEAR HALF.
KATHY, YOU READY TO TELL THE COMMUNITY THE TRUTH? LET'S GO
DID YOU LOOK, DID YOU LISTEN TO KIM'S UH, VIDEO? I, I IT WAS SO LONG.
I, I GOT IN THERE FOR LIKE A MINUTE AND I UNDERSTAND I I'M NOT TRYING HERE TO RUFFLE FEATHERS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
I, I JUST THOUGHT ALL IT'S A DONE DEAL.
EVERYBODY'S HAPPY AND YOU'RE MOVING FORWARD.
AND I CAUGHT THE OTHER MEETING.
IT SEEMED LIKE THERE'S SOME TENSION, SOME OTHER PROBLEMS. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? AT THIS POINT, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, FOR ME PERSONALLY, I WANT TO LOOK AT THIS OTHER TRACK OF LAND AND HOPEFULLY YOU GUYS CAN GET THAT PRESERVED AND I, I, I WOULD BE JUST HAPPY WITH THAT.
I, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND THE FOURTH ROUND HORTON'S DOING IT AND, UH, AND HOPEFULLY YOU GUYS CAN MAKE SOME IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE PEOPLE IN MEDFORD, CHASE AND AND WHATNOT, BUT IT IS CONFUSING.
YOU GUYS GOT EVERYBODY P****D OFF AT YOU AND HAVE THESE, YOU REALLY DO, MAN.
NO WINNERS HERE, MAN, UP THERE.
YOU WANNA TELL ME? NO, I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, ALRIGHT, IF I START, IF I, HOW ABOUT IF I ASK YOU A QUESTION? YOU'RE BLANK TWICE.
ANYBODY KNOW? ALRIGHT, LISTEN GUYS.
I LIKE THE ANSWERS WE GOT TONIGHT AND I HOPE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE INFORMATION KEEPS GETTING SHARED AND WE CAN UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS.
I LISTEN TO THE REST OF THE VIDEO.
I WOULD SAY FAST FORWARD TO 44 MINUTES.
WORST ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER.
THEY WERE GOOD, BUT I THINK THERE'S A LOT MORE IF YOU'RE ONLY LOOKING FOR A SHORT CHUNK MINUTE 44.
UM, I'M GONNA JUST TAKE HER FIRST IF THAT'S OKAY AND THEN YOU'LL PROBLEM.
UM, WE CAN BRING YOU THE MICROPHONE POTENTIALLY, BUT WE NEED THE AUDIO RECORDED.
WE DON'T KNOW HOW FAR THAT'S GONNA GO THOUGH.
COULD YOU WANNA SIT UP HERE? YOU CAN DO OKAY.
MA'AM, YOU, YOU CAN SIT RIGHT THERE.
I'LL, I'LL, I'LL STAND FOR, OKAY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR KAREN MORANTE FIVE HOLLY DRIVE.
WHAT WAS YOUR NAME? I'M SORRY.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE WORK ON OPEN SPACE.
THANK YOU BRIAN FOR REITERATING SOME OF THE COMMENTS I THINK THAT WE'VE BEEN SAYING.
UM, I HAVE TWO POINTS THAT I WANTED TO MAKE.
THE FIRST, WE HAVE A GENTLEMAN HERE, PROFESSIONAL FROM LUMBERTON.
MAYBE HE CAN SHED SOME LIGHT IF YOU WERE SOUTHTON.
OH, I THOUGHT YOU SAID LUMBERTON.
OKAY, WELL THAT'S, THAT'S GOOD.
UM, THURSDAY, THERE'S AN INFORMAL MEETING THAT'S TAKING PLACE IN LUMBERTON.
IT'S GOING TO BE, UM, DR HORTON, THE DEVELOPER OF THE PROPERTY, WHICH IS ALL OF AYS TOWN ROAD.
MY DAUGHTER JUST BOUGHT THE HISTORIC FARM IN LUMBERTON.
THAT WAS ACTUALLY HANNAH AYERS, WHO WAS THE ORIGINAL, UM, FAMILY OF MEDFORD AND LUMBERTON AND JOHN MOORE WHO FOUNDED THE INN IN MOORESTOWN 1775.
AND THEN SHE SAW THIS AND SAID, WOW, THEY'RE GONNA DEVELOP ALL OF HARRIS TOWN ROAD.
SO MY QUESTION IS, UM, WELL FIRST OF ALL, JUST TO MAKE THE COUNCIL AWARE, I'M SURE YOU
[00:45:01]
ALL ARE, THAT DR HORTON IS PLANNING TO CONTINUE ALL THE WAY DOWN HARRIS TOWN ROAD INTO LUMBERTON.SECONDLY, THE QUESTION I HAVE IS, UM, SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP WAS SUCCESSFUL AND APPARENTLY WON THEIR CASE WITH THE SAME DEVELOPER STATING THAT THEIR TOWN, I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE YOU KNOW WHAT THE PARTICULARS ARE, BUT MAYBE YOU CAN SHARE.
I CAN DO YOU HAVE SOME DETAILS ON THAT? THEY, THEY'RE REPRESENTED BY THE SAME ATTORNEY THAT SOUTHAMPTON HAS.
SO IT WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL AND THEY WON.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, CAN WE DO THAT? SO THERE ARE, AND WHAT CAN WE DO? THERE ARE CERTAIN PARAMETERS.
I I'M NOT FULLY VERSED IN THE, IN THE ENTIRETY OF THE CASE.
THE, THE BIGGEST PART OF THE PROJECT WAS THAT THEY WERE, THERE IS NO WATER AND SEWER IN SPRINGFIELD, AS WE ALL KNOW.
UM, THERE IS, UH, UM, NOT A UTILITY, UH, THAT WE HAVE.
UM, THE PROPOSAL THAT CAME IN, I BELIEVE DID SUBJECT AROUND THEM BUILDING THEIR OWN WATER AND SEWER TO, UM, TO, UH, UM, SERVICE THE COMMUNITY.
I THINK THAT WAS THE, THE BIG ITEM WITHIN THE CASE, UM, THAT WAS BENEFICIAL TO THEM.
UM, AND SO IT WASN'T THAT, SO IT'S, IT'S CASE SPECIFIC OKAY.
THAT YOU, THAT YOU CAN DO THAT.
UM, THERE'S ANOTHER SIMILAR CASE IN SOUTH HAMPTON.
THIRD ROUND OBLIGATION, UH, BEHIND WHITE DOT WAS DESIGNATED BY THE TOWN TO BE AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING ZONE.
UM, AND PULTE HOMES SPENT, UH, YOU KNOW, THE BETTER PART OF A DECADE TRYING TO MAKE THAT WORK.
UM, AND IT, UH, IT BECAME, UH, AN ISSUE THAT WAS SUBJECT TO SOUTHAMPTON GOING INTO THE COURT SYSTEM AND SAYING, LISTEN, WE ONLY HAVE A SMALL SEWER SYSTEM THAT THAT FUNCTIONS THE VILLAGE, UM, UH, THE, THE VINCENT TOWN VILLAGE AND, AND LEISURE TOWN, UM, NEW JERSEY AMERICAN ONLY FUNCTIONS IN THAT AREA.
THIS IS, YOU KNOW, AN AREA THAT, THAT DIDN'T HAVE THAT AT THAT POINT, UM, STILL DOESN'T HAVE IT.
UM, AND THEY WERE SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING THE, THE STATE TO HAVE JUDGE BOOKBINDER SIGN AN ORDER SAYING THAT THE THIRD ROUND OBLIGATION WAS, WAS NULL AND VOID.
AGAIN, THIS IS ALL SPECIFIC TO SPECIFIC TOWN ITEMS. UM, AND IT, IT'S CASE BY CASE WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT, RIGHT? I DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT THE, THE CURRENT STATUS OF THE LUMBERTON ITEM, BUT WHAT I CAN TELL YOU BY BEING THE ADMINISTRATOR THERE FOR SIX YEARS, THAT AREA WAS, UM, IN BURLINGTON COUNTY THERE WAS ANOTHER PROGRAM CALLED THE TRANSFER DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS PROGRAM.
UM, LUMBERTON AND I BELIEVE ONE TOWN UP IN NORTH NORTHERN BURLINGTON, I WANT TO SAY IT WAS EITHER SPRINGFIELD OR MANSFIELD, UM, WERE THE TWO TOWNS THAT HAD THIS PROGRAM, UH, IN PLACE.
THAT'S THE REASON WHY YOU SEE THE BIG HOMES ON 5 41.
AND THEN FARMERS, UH, GOT TAX CREDITS TO PRESERVE THEIR FARMS, UM, AROUND, UH, UH, THE 5 41 ARIS TOWN ROAD AREA.
UM, THERE WAS CHANGING IN ZONING AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THAT WAS THE ONE RECEIVING AREA.
AND THEN THE AIRS TOWN PIECE, UH, THAT YOU ARE SPEAKING OF IS THE OTHER RECEIVING AREA.
SO WHAT WAS IN THE SEWER SERVICE AREA MM-HMM
ALREADY DESIGNATED TO RECEIVE SEWER.
UM, AND, AND BUT THE WAY THE TRANSFER DEVELOPMENT RIGHT PROGRAM WORKS IS THAT IF THERE'S MORE THAN A DECADE WORTH OF INACTIVITY, UM, IT, IT'S, IT, THE PROGRAM'S DEEMED DEFUNCT.
SO THEN OVER LINE ZONING NEEDED TO HAPPEN AT THAT PROPERTY.
SO AGAIN, IT'S CASE BY CASE SPECIFIC.
UM, AND WELL I JUST, I JUST HAD ONE OTHER COMMENT ON SPRINGFIELD.
MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT IT WAS THE FACT THAT THE COMMUNITY, UM, WAS REPRESENTED BY FARMLAND AND THAT IT WAS A RURAL COMMUNITY, WHICH I THINK MEDFORD STILL IS FOR NOW.
UM, BUT THAT WAS ALSO PLAYED INTO IT.
SO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS IT REALLY COMES DOWN TO THE SEWER PERMITS AND CAN WE AS A TOWN BUY SOME SEWER PERMITS BACK? THAT, THAT WAS PRIMARILY, UH, ONE OF THE AREAS.
THERE WAS, THERE WAS SOME OTHER, UM, LEGALESE THAT THEY DID PLAY IN.
UM, I, I WOULD, I WOULD, MY WIFE'S THE ATTORNEY IN THE FAMILY.
I'M NOT, SO I TRY NOT TO PRACTICE LAW.
SO I'M JUST TRYING TO GIVE YOU THE PARAMETERS OF WHAT I REMEMBER FROM THE CASE.
UM, PARKER MCKAY WAS THE LAW FIRM THAT REPRESENTED THEM.
UM, GEORGE MORRIS, WHO'S ALSO OUR SOLICITOR IN SOUTH HAMPTON.
SO I CAN GET MORE PARTICULARS THAT WE CAN PRESENT, UH, TO THE PUBLIC.
BUT AGAIN, IT IS ALL CASE BY CASE SPECIFIC.
UM, WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THESE MATTERS, ONE SIZE DOESN'T FIT ALL WHEN IT COMES TO, TO CODE REGULATIONS.
SORRY, BAR, IS THAT OKAY? YES, SIR.
UM, PATRICK, HOW 80 NEW FREEDOM ROAD? UM, I, I JUST WANTED TO TOUCH ON THIS 'CAUSE I ACTUALLY WASN'T GONNA TALK ABOUT THE OTHER AYERS TOWN PROPERTY.
I WAS ACTUALLY HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE NEW FREEDOM AYERS TOWN PROPERTY 'CAUSE I HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS, SOME OF WHICH ARE, HAVE BEEN ANSWERED.
UM, I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED WITH THAT PROPERTY SINCE I MOVED HERE ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO.
UM, SO I THINK I HAVE A LOT OF, YOU KNOW,
[00:50:01]
A LOT OF EXPERIENCE AND A LOT OF UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT SEMOS HAS BEEN TRYING TO DO THERE FOR, YOU KNOW, THE MULTIPLE DECADES THAT HE'S, THAT HE'S OWNED THAT PROPERTY.I'VE ALSO KNOWN, UM, ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE THERE IN PARTICULAR, 'CAUSE HE DOES OWN THE SEWER PERMITS, WE'RE, WE'RE, YOU KNOW, MORE OR LESS IN A, IN A HOSTAGE SITUATION WITH HIM, UM, TO YOUR CONCERN WITH DR HORTON.
UM, THAT ORGANIZATION HAS LIKE A LONG HISTORY OF FEDERAL ENVIRONMENTAL VIOLATIONS.
UM, YOU KNOW, A WILLINGNESS TO KIND OF SUE ANY COMMUNITY THAT REJECTS WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO.
UM, THEY, THEY ARE NOT A COMPANY THAT I THINK WE WOULD WANNA WELCOME INTO MEDFORD AT ALL.
UM, I KNOW THIS IN PART BECAUSE IN MY LINE OF WORK I DO DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION.
I'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR 30 YEARS.
I MEET WITH MUNICIPALITIES ALL THE TIME WHERE WE GO IN AND WE ASK TO BUILD IN THESE COMMUNITIES AND WE DO IT THE RIGHT WAY.
AT LEAST I THINK WE DO IT THE RIGHT WAY.
AND I KNOW THAT THEIR PRACTICES AND HOW THEY DO THINGS IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM, FROM WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER TO BE, UH, ON THE UP AND UP.
LET'S JUST THAT, UM, SPECIFIC TO SEMOS IN THAT PROPERTY.
I HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS FOR YOU GUYS TODAY, BUT I GUESS YOU ANSWERED A LITTLE BIT OF THAT.
UM, THE CONCERNS I HAVE ARE THIS, IF ANYBODY KNOWS ANYTHING ABOUT FARMING, THE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE THERE TODAY, THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO FINANCIAL INCENTIVE FOR THE AMOUNT OF EQUIPMENT THEY HAVE THERE FOR THAT TO BE TOWARDS FARMING.
THOSE FARMERS THAT PUT SOYBEAN OVER THERE THAT HAVE BEEN FOR THE LAST 10, 15 YEARS, COIN CORN, SOYBEAN, THEY'RE CLEARING ACRES UPON ACRES OF WOODS RIGHT NOW.
THEY'RE ALSO TRENCHING ALL AROUND THERE AND MOVING WATERWAYS.
THAT TO ME IS A DEP THING THAT THEY NEED TO LOOK INTO IMMEDIATELY.
AND THAT CERTAINLY HAS LIKE ZERO BEARING ON THE FINANCIALS OF A GUY TRYING TO FARM OVER THERE.
'CAUSE THOSE GUYS DO LEASE THAT PROPERTY IN IN THE END.
THERE IS NO NOT ONE PERMIT OR OR JURISDICTION.
JURISDICTION THAT THIS TOWN CAN DO.
ALL WE CAN DO IS MAKE THE DEP AWARE AND I BELIEVE WE'VE ALREADY HAD A ONE CONVERSATION WE CAN HAVE ANOTHER.
'CAUSE I'VE BEEN DOCUMENTING IT TOO.
IT IT'S, IT'S SUBJECT TO THE DEP TO COME DOWN AND THEN DETERMINE WHAT IF, IF ANYTHING IS A VIOLATION OF THEIR REGULATIONS.
I, I KNOW YOU CAN'T OFFER AN OPINION HERE, BUT THERE IS A TON OF EQUIPMENT OVER THERE.
I KNOW, I'M SURE YOU DO FROM SOUTH HAMPTON AND YOU KNOW HOW MUCH IT COSTS TO HAVE THAT EQUIPMENT THERE, RIGHT? I I DO, BUT I ALSO KNOW THE PARAMETERS OF THE LAW THAT, THAT THE TOWN FUNCTION.
BUT AGAIN, LET'S, LET'S ALL BE CLEAR LIKE WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE, RIGHT? YOU SEE IT, I SEE IT.
I, THE FASTER THE DEP CAN GET HERE TO EVALUATE WHAT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING THERE, THE BETTER IN MY OPINION.
I, I AGREE BECAUSE THIS GUY THAT OWNS THAT PROPERTY HAS NEVER BEEN A GOOD STEWARD OR A GOOD PARTNER WITH THIS COMMUNITY AT ALL.
LIKE HE HAS ONLY BEEN A TOXIC STAIN IN EVERY PROPERTY HE OWNS IN THIS COMMUNITY.
BUT NOT JUST HERE, BUT EVERYWHERE.
I CAN ONLY SPEAK EVEN WITH HIS OWN FAMILY.
HE'S IN LAWSUITS, IT DATES BACK TO HIS OWN FATHER.
THIS HAS BEEN AN EXTENSIVE, LIKE THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR 30 PLUS YEARS AND THE PERSON THAT OWNED MY HOUSE BEFORE I DID, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, ACTUALLY GOT A PHYSICAL ALTERCATION WITH HIS FAMILY GOING WAY BACK 30 PLUS YEARS OR SO.
SO AGAIN, WHAT I WANNA MAKE SURE HAPPENS THOUGH FROM FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE COUNCIL REALLY IS JUST TO MAKE SURE, BECAUSE ANYTHING THAT ENDS UP HAPPENING THERE, WHICH I'M SURE THIS IS WHAT IT'S LEADING UP TO, 'CAUSE THERE'S NO CHANCE IN, IN, IN ANY IMAGINABLE CIRCUMSTANCE THAT THAT IS ON BEHALF OF THE FARMER DOING FARM WORK THAT IS ALL LEADING INTO WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN NEXT WITH SEAMLESS.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THOUGH THAT, THAT EVERYBODY HERE WITH OPEN EYES IS, IS, IS REQUIRING ALL OF THE DUE DILIGENCE STUDIES THAT WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THOMAS GER GERBER, I THINK HE WAS THE GUY THAT STARTED OFF THIS MEETING, RIGHT? LIKE, WHAT A GREAT, GREAT GUY TO KIND OF START A MEETING TODAY WHERE HE, YOU KNOW, FOUGHT AND SPENT HIS ENTIRE LIFE KIND OF PRESERVING THE COMMUNITY AND PRESERVING THE WOODS AND EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE HERE, UM, OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS AND THE THINGS THAT I'M HEARING, IT'S, IT'S BRINGING ME BACK TO, YOU KNOW, 10, 12 PLUS YEARS.
THE LAST TIME THIS CAME UP WHEN THANKFULLY THAT ALL KIND OF FELL APART, YOU KNOW, BASED ON THE PRIOR MAYOR, NOT CHUCK WATSON.
IF YOU GUYS REMEMBER THAT FIASCO, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT'S WHAT KIND OF BROUGHT THIS TO AN END THE LAST TIME.
THE LEGACY OF THAT PROPERTY HAS BEEN, UM, SUCH A MESS.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ALL KNOW THE HISTORY OF THAT.
WE'RE ALL ASKING THESE QUESTIONS.
'CAUSE AGAIN, EVENTUALLY WHEN THIS DEVELOPMENT COMES BACK UP AGAIN, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THESE STUDIES AGAIN TO PROVE OUT WHY IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.
SO ANYWAY, THANKS FOR YOUR TIME.
WE'LL BE TRACKING THIS VERY CLOSELY.
LIKE I SAID, I'M DOCUMENTING WHAT'S HAPPENING ON THE PROPERTY NOW.
SHARE THAT WITH ANY OF YOU GUYS.
UM, AND WE'RE GONNA BE, YOU KNOW, WITH, WITH REALLY CLEAR EYES AS A COMMUNITY.
'CAUSE WE KNOW WHAT THIS PROCESS WAS LIKE 10 PLUS YEARS AGO ON THIS PROPERTY SPECIFICALLY AND WITH THIS PERSON IN PARTICULAR.
AND, UH, LIKE I SAID, I'LL BE BACK AND
[00:55:01]
ASKING YOU MORE QUESTIONS.I'M SURE IF WE CAN HAVE A CHANCE TO TALK ON AN, UH, TWO ON TWO BASIS AS YOU DESCRIBED, TWO ON TWO, I'D LOVE TO DO THAT.
I AM GONNA BE ASKING QUESTIONS FOR CLARIFICATION.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT YOU CAN ANSWER THIS EVEN THOUGH IT'S A LEGAL QUESTION.
IS MR. SMOS A PART OF 1 71 DASH 25 SUPERIOR COURT CASE? AUGUST, 2025, HE FILED AGAINST THE TOWN ASKING FOR A BUILDER'S REMEDY FROM THE JUDGE.
IS THAT ALIVE OR NOT? NO, THAT IS THE DECLARATORY JUDGMENT ACTION I MENTIONED EARLIER.
THAT WAS THE CHALLENGE TO OUR FOURTH ROUND HOUSING ELEMENT AND FAIR SHARE PLAN.
ON MARCH 13TH, 2026, THE JUDGE APPROVED OUR FOURTH ROUND HOUSING ELEMENT AND FAIR SHARE PLAN, AND WE JUST FILED FOR COMPLIANCE AND REPOSE ON MAY 13TH.
SO YOU, I KNOW YOU FILED MARCH, HE CAME IN AFTER FAIR SHARE FILED IN AUGUST OF 2025.
AND YOU'RE SAYING THAT THE AUGUST, 2025 MOTION THAT HE MADE IS DEAD? CORRECT.
UM, I'VE GOT ANOTHER QUESTION.
UM, AND I'M GOING A LITTLE SLOW TODAY, SO I APOLOGIZE.
IN APRIL, PART OF APRIL OF 2025, PART OF THE ORDER THAT JUDGE COOK SIGNED WITH OUR AGREEMENT ON THE FAIR SHARE, IT SAYS THAT PURSUANT TO D C'S FOURTH ROUND, THE PRESENT NEED OBLIGATION OF THE PETITIONER HAS BEEN CALCULATED AND REPORTED 69 AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS IN ITS PERSPECTIVE, NEED, OBLIGATION OF THE, UH, PETITIONER HAS BEEN CALCULATED AND REPORTED AS 171 AFFORDABLE UNITS HAVING FOUND AND DETERMINED THEREFORE, THAT THE PRESENT NEED AND PROSPECTIVE NEED OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE PETITIONER, THE FOURTH ROUND HOUSING, AS CALCULATED AND REPORTED BY THE DCA, HAVE BEEN COMMITTED BY THE PETITIONER AND ARE UNCONTESTED.
SO THERE IS A PRESENT NEED OF 69 AFFORDABLE UNITS.
MY QUESTION IS, IF WE HAVE A PRESENT NEED OF 69 AND A TOTAL NEED OF 1 71, HOW IS THAT 69 THE PRESENT NEED DETERMINED IN YEARS? AND IF IT'S FOUR TO ONE ON THE AFFORDABLE BUILDING, HOW ARE WE AT 800? HOW ARE WE WHAT, AT 800 APPROXIMATELY? THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
AND I'M ASKING, I'M NOT ACCUSING AND I'M ASKING.
SO THE, WE HAD A PRIOR NEED THAT IS BEING SATISFIED BY FLYING W THE REMAINING IS BEING SATISFIED BY THE THREE AFFORDABLE DEVELOPMENTS THAT WE HAVE THAT WE'VE GONE OVER TO DEATH IN THE LAST EIGHT MEETINGS, INCLUDING SCOTT TAYLOR'S REDEVELOPMENT PLAN.
SO THE FLYING W THERE WAS A SMALL AMOUNT OF AFFORDABLE ON THAT.
UM, MR. DAVERN IN HIS NOT THERE WAS 90, 90 90.
AT MR. DAVERN WAS, UH, IN HIS STATEMENT IN THE VIDEO WAS SAYING THAT PRETTY MUCH THAT'S NOT ECONOMICALLY FEASIBLE AND IT'S A LOSING PROPOSITION FOR DR.
AND THAT PRETTY MUCH FLYING W IS OUT NOW I'S NOT, I MIGHT HAVE MISSED THAT'S, I MIGHT HAVE MISUNDERSTOOD HIM, BUT THAT'S THE WORDS I CAN PLAY IT BECAUSE I KEPT KEPT IT IN CASE YOU WANTED ME TO PLAY.
IT'S NOT, I BELIEVE THAT'S IT'S NOT OUT.
SO, SO THE IMPORTANCE OF, OF UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE INFORMATION WHEN IT COMES TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS THAT TOWNSHIP PUTS TOGETHER A PLAN.
WE, AND, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE COME TO US SAYING, WELL, THERE'S A BOG TURTLE.
THERE'S THIS, THERE'S THAT, THAT IS FOR THE DEVELOPER OF THE PROPERTY TO GO THROUGH DUE DILIGENCE.
THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT THE TOWNSHIP YIELDS IN ITS PLAN.
SO WHEN A DEVELOPER COMES TO YOU AND SAYS, I'M GONNA BUILD, I CAN BUILD 600 UNITS HERE.
WELL, DOES THE ZONING ALLOW NO.
IS IT A REDEVELOPMENT PLAN? IS IT IN A REDEVELOPMENT ZONE? YES.
SO THEN YOU CAN GO THROUGH THE REDEVELOPMENT ENTITY AND COME UP WITH A PLAN.
WHAT MEDFORD HAS DONE IS MADE A NUMBER THAT SAID, THIS PROPERTY NEEDS TO YIELD ME THIS AMOUNT OF AFFORDABLE UNITS, REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE OVERALL SCOPE IS.
BECAUSE YOU'VE DONE THE YIELD AND SAID, OKAY, MAYBE AFTER YOU DO YOUR DUE DILIGENCE, ALWAYS, I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR 12 YEARS, THE NUMBER THAT YOU SAY IN THE BEGINNING IS NEVER THE NUMBER AT THE END.
IT IT, IN VARIOUS DEVELOPMENTS, DEVELOPERS WILL COME TO YOU AND SAY, I WANNA DEVELOP THIS PROPERTY IN A COMMERCIAL PROPERTY.
THEY DO THEIR DUE DILIGENCE AND SAY, IT'S NOT GONNA WORK.
THEY'RE ONLY UNDER CONTRACT WITH THAT PERSON.
UM, SO I THINK THE CONCEPT THAT WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT THE TOWN TO BE COMPLIANT NEEDS TO HAVE A COMPLIANT PLAN.
WE NEED TO HAVE RATIONAL ACTORS THAT ARE PART OF THAT COMPLIANT PLAN.
[01:00:01]
A RATIONAL ACTOR FALLS OUT LIKE LAFFERTY, YOU NEED TO FIND THAT REPLACEMENT AND YOU NEED TO FIND THAT REPLACEMENT QUICK, OR YOU'RE GONNA SEE A BUILDER'S REMEDY SUIT COMING TO YOU BECAUSE NOW THAT PERSON'S SAYING YOU DON'T HAVE A VIABLE PLAN ANYMORE.SO WHAT THE TOWN IS DOING IS A TOWN PUTS TOGETHER A VIABLE PLAN AND YOU'RE IN DUE DILIGENCE.
WE HAVE NOT SEEN A, AN APPLICATION TO OUR BOARD WITH REGARDS TO FLYING W UM, AS THE LAWYER STATED, WE ARE STILL ACTIVELY NEGOTIATING, UH, A REDEVELOPMENT, UH, AGREEMENT WITH THAT PERSON.
SO WE KNOW WHAT THE PLAN SAYS.
THIS IS THE AMOUNT OF UNITS, WHICH I THINK IT WAS FOR 90, ABOUT THAT, ABOUT THAT, ABOUT THAT 90 OF IT, YEAH.
BEING 90 OF IT BEING, UH, FAMILY UNITS AND THE REST OF IT RESTRICTED AS AGE RESTRICTED UNITS.
I KNOW OF THIS PROPERTY BECAUSE I WAS THE ADMINISTRATOR IN LUMBERTON WHEN THEY CAME TO US SAYING, WE WANT TO BUILD 120 IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, BECAUSE MR. CAVE OWNS THE, THE AIRPORT AND IT HAS BOTH SIDES OF LUMBERTON THERE.
UM, SO UNTIL YOU GET A PLAN THAT HAS MET MUSTER WITH DEP HAS GONE THROUGH ALL THE DUE DILIGENCE PHASES AND UNDERSTANDS WHAT CAN BE DONE, THAT'S FOR THE DEVELOPER TO DECIDE WHAT MR. DN SAYS.
AND WHAT MR. DN PRESENTS IS TO US IS SOMETHING THAT HE'S TELLING THE PUBLIC.
BUT UNTIL HE GIVES US A PLAN THAT WE CAN OPINE ON AND, AND APPROVALS THAT HE'S SEEKING OUR BOARDS TO APPROVE, WE REALLY CAN'T GET INTO THAT DISCUSSION PUBLICLY BECAUSE IT'S STILL SUBJECT TO AN REDEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT THAT IS STILL BEING NEGOTIATED.
DO YOU WANNA ANSWER MY QUESTION NOW? THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IS THE FLYING W IS STILL, IF WE HAVE A PRESENT NEED OF 69 AFFORDABLE UNITS THAT'S BEEN AGREED TO AND SIGNED BY THE COURT AND SIGNED BY JUDGE COOK AND AN AN OVERALL NEED OF 1 71.
I UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING YOU SAID, BY THE WAY.
MY QUESTION IS, IF WE HAVE A 69 AFFORDABLE UNITS SIGNED BY THE COURT AGREED TO BY FAIR SHARE, AGREED TO BY ME PART OF THE COURT RECORD, HOW ARE WE WHERE WE ARE? I BELIEVE I'VE, I'M SORRY BECAUSE, SO I THINK YOU'RE, I THINK YOU'RE BEING VERY CONDESCENDING TO ME.
I NO, I DON'T UNDERSTAND YOUR ANSWER.
THE ANSWER, THE ANSWER TO YOU IS, IS THAT THE PLAN WENT FORWARD AND THAT THERE IS ROOM FOR IF DUE DILIGENCE COMES IN, THAT THE PLAN DOESN'T GO DEFUNCT.
THAT'S, THAT'S THERE'S A PLAN PUT IN PLACE THAT WE BELIEVE WE CAN, BY LOOKING AT A CONCEPT, PUT THIS MANY UNITS HERE, THAT TOWN HAS TO, BY LAW GET TO ITS AFFORDABLE HOUSING NUMBER.
THEY'VE BUILT INTO THAT NUMBER TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO GET THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING NUMBER, REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE DUE DILIGENCE STATES FLYING W IS GOING TO YIELD 90 AFFORDABLE UNITS.
AND THE REST OF THOSE UNITS THERE ARE AGE RESTRICTED AS PER THE PLAN.
IF DUE DILIGENCE COMES IN AND THAT COMES DOWN, GOES UP, IT'S STILL TO THE NUMBER THAT THE PLAN ALLOWS SO THAT THERE IS WIGGLE ROOM.
'CAUSE IF YOU, IF YOU LOSE A PROPERTY, YOU'RE THEN SUBJECT TO A BUILDER'S REMEDY.
IF ONE OF YOUR PROPERTIES DOESN'T FIT TO YOUR FAIR SHARE PLAN, YOU IMMEDIATELY ARE GOING TO HAVE A FILING WITH THE COURT SAYING YOU, YOU'VE NOT MET YOUR NEED FOR COA IN THE ROUND FOUR SOLID.
ARE YOU TRYING ASKING LIKE HOW WE GOT FROM 1 71 TO 800? YEAH, THAT'S, WELL, OUR PRESENT NEED IS 69.
RIGHT? FOR ROUND COMPLETE ROUND THREE, OUR PRESENT NEED IS 69.
OUR OVERALL NEED FOR THE 10 YEAR PLAN IS 1 71 69 WAS FOR THE ROUND THREE.
69 WAS IS THE REMAINING THAT WAS DUE, THE DETACHMENT WAS DUE FOR ROUND THREE.
AND THEN THE 1 71 IS THE, THE ROUND FOUR TOWNSHIP'S OBLIGATION.
SO FOR EVERY ONE AFFORDABLE UNIT THAT'S BUILT, A DEVELOPER CAN BUILD FOUR FOUR MARKET RATE UNITS.
SO ESSENTIALLY FOR THE FOURTH ROUND, WE HAVE A REQUIREMENT OF 171 AFFORDABLE UNITS, WHICH ALLOWS THE DEVELOPER TO BUILD 684 MARKET RATE UNITS.
BUT IT THERE I MARIANNE, ARE YOU TRYING TO SAY WHY FOUR IS THAT NO, I, I'M READING THIS.
I, I LOVE I CAN, I I I KNOW I CAN READ ENGLISH.
AND IN THE, UM, APRIL 8TH, 2025 ORDER BY JUDGE COOK, IT STATES 2025 TO 2035 FOURTH ROUND PRESENT NEED IS SET AT 69 UNITS.
THAT'S A COMPLETE THE THIRD ROUND.
IT'S PART OF THE FOURTH ROUND.
AND, AND I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING MM-HMM
BUT I UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M READING.
THE REDEVELOPMENT PLANS THAT WERE PRESENTED AND VOTED ON THROUGH ORDINANCES.
I THINK WE HAD THREE PRESENTATIONS BY TAYLOR DESIGN GROUP.
THOSE HAVE ALL THE NUMBERS CLEARLY LAID OUT OF THEM.
THOSE THREE PLANS ARE THE PLANS THAT, AS MR. UMBA STATED, WE NEEDED TO PRESENT TO
[01:05:01]
FAIR SHARE TO BEING COMPLIANCE TO PREVENT A BILL OF REMEDY.I THINK JUST FOR THE PUBLIC TO BE AWARE, OUR JOB AS OF NOW, IS TO STAY WITHIN COMPLIANCE CORRECT.
THROUGH THESE REDEVELOPMENT PLANS AND FUTURE REDEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS THAT WILL BE NEGOTIATED.
SO WE DON'T HAVE THE SITUATIONS THAT MR. BERG BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION BUILDER'S REMEDY PARCELS DROPPING OUT.
DO YOU KNOW, UH, I'M GONNA SAY SOMETHING.
CAN I JUST CLARIFY HOW WE REALLY GOT ABSOLUTELY.
BECAUSE WHAT I KNOW I CAN READ, WHAT IS BEING MISUNDERSTOOD IS THIS, WHEN YOU FILED THE, LET'S GO BACK IN TIME TO HOW THIS, HOW WE EVEN GOT HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE IN 2025, THE DCA, WELL, TECHNICALLY 2024, THE DCA PUBLISHED EVERY TOWN ACROSS THE STATE, WHAT THEIR NUMBERS ARE.
THE DCA SAID ARE OUR NUMBERS NOW ON JANUARY 21ST, 2025, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE DIRECTIVE BY THE DCA AND THE STATE.
WE ADOPTED THOSE NUMBERS AS WE WERE REQUIRED TO DO.
AFTER THAT, THE JUDGE ENTERS AN ORDER ESSENTIALLY SAYING, THANK YOU FOR ACCEPTING THE NUMBERS THAT THE DCA SAYS ARE YOUR NUMBER, ARE YOUR NUMBERS.
'CAUSE THERE'S NO WIGGLE ROOM.
AND THEN AFTER WHICH A CHALLENGE CAN BE FILED AS TO THE HOUSING ELEMENT AND FAIR SHARE PLAN OF HOW ARE YOU GOING TO NOW DEMONSTRATE COMPLIANCE WITH SAID NUMBERS.
NOW TO DEMONSTRATE COMPLIANCE WITH SAID NUMBERS, YOU HAVE TO HAVE FOUR TO ONE DEVELOPMENT.
NOW, ULTIMATELY, THROUGH THE NEGOTIATIONS, AS MR. AMBA HAS EXPLAINED, THERE ARE, THERE IS WIGGLE ROOM.
THESE PLANS ARE DEVELOPED IN A WAY THAT IS GOING TO GUARANTEE THAT THE AFFORDABLE UNITS ARE GOING TO BE DEVELOPED BASED OFF THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE TO BE FISCALLY APPROPRIATE.
SO THEY CANNOT BE A FINANCIAL BURDEN IF THEY ARE BE A FINANCIAL BURDEN, AND YOU REQUIRE TWO LESS, NOT ENOUGH MARKET RATE UNITS TO OFFSET THE COST OF THE AFFORDABLES, GUESS WHAT? YOU DO NOT HAVE A COMPLYING PLAN.
SO THE 800 UNITS IS OUR COMPLYING COURT ORDERED PLAN.
THAT IS THE ORDER, THAT IS WHAT THE JUDGE ENTERED.
SO CAN I ASK FOR A COPY OF WHAT YOU HAVE WHERE THE JUDGE SAYS IT'S 800? UH, YOU CAN LOOK AT THE MARCH 13TH DECISION.
IT'S IN THE HOUSING ELEMENT AND FAIR SHARE PLAN.
CAN I ASK FOR A COPY? UH, I'M BEING HONEST.
WE WILL PRESENT YOU ANY INFORMATION YOU NEED.
UM, I GUESS YOU GUYS KNOW WHERE I'M GOING WITH THIS.
I MEAN, AND MR. AMBA IN ALL, IN ALL DUE RESPECT, WHEN YOU SEND IT TO HER, WOULD YOU SEE C IN ALL DUE RESPECT, WHATEVER YOU SEND HER, I'VE READ IT ALL.
I'M THE ONE THAT BROUGHT THE, THE DISCREPANCIES IN THE NUMBERS.
I'M THE ONE THAT GOT THE CONVERSATION STARTED IN THE PUBLIC TO BEGIN WITH.
I'M, I'M, I'M THE PERSON THAT HAS TAKEN, I MEAN, THIS HASN'T BEEN PLEASANT FOR ME.
THIS HASN'T BEEN PLEASANT AT ALL.
SO, AND, AND COUNSEL'S BEEN VERY RESPECTFUL, AND I THINK MY QUESTION HAS NOT BEEN ANSWERED.
I THINK MS. HOLLOWAY NO, I'M SORRY.
I'D LIKE YOU TO CLEARLY STATE YOUR QUESTION.
HOW, IF WE HAVE A PRESENT NEED OF 69 UNITS AND AN OVERALL NEED OF 1 71 OVER A 10 YEAR PERIOD, ARE WE BEING IN, WE DON'T HAVE AN, I KNOW WE DON'T HAVE AN APPLICATION YET.
I KNOW THAT THE LOIS AND EVERYTHING ELSE HAVE TO BE DONE YET.
I KNOW THE DEP NEEDS TO COME IN YET I'M ASKING HOW THESE NUMBERS ARE BEING FLOATED AROUND IF WE HAVE AN INITIAL NEED OF 69.
I KNOW IT'S A FLUID SITUATION.
AND I'M GONNA ASK MR. VARGA JUST TO DESCRIBE WHAT THE NUMBER 69 REPRESENTS IN THE FOURTH ROUND.
THAT IS OUR CURRENT REQUIRED NEED THAT WE ARE BEING FOR THE PEOPLE THAT CURRENT, EXCUSE ME, FOR THE PEOPLE THAT CURRENTLY RESIDE IN MEDFORD, THAT IS OUR NEED TO SUPPLY AFFORDABLE UNITS.
OUR OBLIGATION FOR FUTURE AFFORDABLE RESIDENTS MOVING INTO MEDFORD IS THE 171.
SO WE'RE EXACTLY, THAT'S OUR, THAT'S OUR ANSWER.
69 IS THE CURRENT NEED AS CLEARLY STATED.
WE CAN BELABOR THE SET ASIDE NUMBERS AND I AGREE.
AND THE CREDITS THAT WE APPLIED FOR AND RECEIVED TO BRING DOWN THOSE OVERALL AFFORDABLE NUMBERS, THAT'S BEEN GONE THROUGH A MILLION TIMES OVER.
AND I KNOW YOU'RE FULLY AWARE OF IT.
YOU'VE BEEN VERY VIGOROUS IN BRINGING SOME OF THIS TO OUR ATTENTION.
FOR THE SAKE OF TIME, IS THERE ANY OTHER FACTS YOU'D YEAH, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY WHEN THE, THE, UM, REPORTS ARE BEING DONE BY ERI AND BY DR HORTON AND THE SITE PLANS ARE BEING DONE.
THEY'RE MAXIMIZING THE NUMBER OF THE UNITS WHEN AT CURRENT
[01:10:01]
OUR PRESENT NEED IS 69, BUT YET WE ARE BEING INUNDATED WITH THE PAPERWORK ON THE OTHER LAST NUMBER.I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU'RE GOING TO ANSWER THAT BECAUSE I THINK THE ANSWER IS GONNA BE IT'S FLUID.
SO, BUT MY QUESTION IS, IT'S BEING DONE AT THE MAXIMUM, AT A VERY RAPID RATE, AND I DON'T KNOW WHY.
I, I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT THE REDEVELOPMENT PLANS THAT WERE APPROVED BY COUNSEL STATED THAT THE AFFORDABLE UNITS WERE REQUIRED, AND ANY MARKET RATE UNITS DESIGNATED ON THAT CONCEPT PLAN WERE TO BE BUILT.
WHAT'S THE PROPER TERM THERE? IT, IT CAN BE BUILT CONCURRENT UP, UP TO CONCURRENT WITH EACH OTHER UP.
UP TO, SO THE REDEVELOPER HAS, IF THEY ADOPT THAT PLAN MM-HMM
HAS TO BUILD THE AFFORDABLE UNITS AND HAS THE OPPORTUNITY UP TO THE NUMBER OF UNITS DESIGNATED ON THE CONCEPT PLAN.
I'M NOT GONNA GET INTO THE REST OF MY QUESTIONS BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL LEGAL AND BASED ON WHAT'S GOING ON AND HOW IT'S BEING FILED AND EVERYTHING, I DON'T THINK THIS IS THE APPROPRIATE TIME TO DO IT.
I DON'T KNOW THAT I GOT A FULL UNDERSTANDING.
IT MIGHT BE ME, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT I HAVE A FULL UNDERSTANDING BECAUSE THERE'S A FULL COURT PRESS.
AND WE ALL KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
IT'S A FULL COURT PRESS, AND IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE EVERY SINGLE THING THAT YOU AGREE TO AND EVERY LEGAL DOCUMENT THAT'S IN THAT COURT CASE, WHAT'S FILED, THE FAIR SHARE AGREEMENT, FAIR SHARE REQUESTING US ONLY TO HAVE 50%, SENIOR 50 AND, UH, REST LOW INCOME, LOW TO MODERATE.
I'M GONNA BE ASKING THE QUESTION AGAIN AFTER I DIGEST.
I'M GONNA GO BACK AND LISTEN TO THIS AGAIN.
I'M GONNA LISTEN TO MR. UMBA EXPLANATION.
UM, BUT I'M STILL GOT THAT QUESTION.
CAN YOU PUT YOUR DISTINCT QUESTION IN AN EMAIL TO US? I'LL MAKE SURE THAT IT GOES TO EACH, IF YOU SEND IT TO ME OR ME AND RAY, WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT EACH COUNCIL MEMBER GETS A COPY AS WELL.
AND, UM, I DIDN'T ATTEND A LOT OF THESE OTHER MEETINGS THAT SOME OF YOU MIGHT ATTENDED REGARDING THE REDEVELOPMENT EFFORTS, UM, AND ROUND FOUR AND THE FAIR SHARE AND ALL COMING FROM THE MOUNT LAUREL DOCTRINE.
BUT WHAT I DO WANNA BRING UP SPECIFICALLY IS THAT, UM, EACH REDEVELOPMENT PLAN, UH, REQUIRES A FISCAL IMPACT ANALYSIS FROM THE REDEVELOPER PRIOR TO THE SITE PLAN SUBMISSION, AS FAR AS I UNDERSTAND IT, BUT ONLY FOR THAT DEVELOPER'S OWN SITE.
UM, THERE'S NO REQUIRED CUMULATIVE STUDY OF THE COMBINED INFRASTRUCTURE IMPACT ACROSS ALL THREE SITES.
AND I THINK, UH, IT'S IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE TOWNSHIP, UM, THAT THE COUNCIL COMMISSIONED AN INDEPENDENT STUDY NOT PREPARED BY ANY OF THE RE DEVELOPERS OR THEIR CONSULTANTS COVERING THE SEWER AND WATER CAPACITY WITH EXPLICIT TREATMENT OF THE N-J-D-E-P, UH, SEWER SERVICE AREA CONSTRAINTS THAT STALLED THE FLYING W SITE, UM, SCHOOL ENROLLMENT CAPACITY AT BOTH MEDFORD K THROUGH EIGHT AND LEPE REGIONAL TRAFFIC ON HARRIS TOWN ROAD, CHURCH ROAD, UH, FOSTER TOWN ROAD, AND CR 5 41 AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE TIMES.
UH, THE STUDY SHOULD BE FUNDED FROM THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND OR THE MUNICIPAL BUDGET MADE FULLY PUBLIC AND COMPLETED BEFORE ANY SITE PLAN APPLICATION IS DEEMED COMPLETE.
AND I THINK THAT WOULD BE, UH, A GOOD STEP TOWARDS COMPLETING DUE DILIGENCE.
UH, EARL STAHL, RESIDENT OF MEDFORD, UM,
MAYBE I'M GONNA ASK YOU TO USE SOME OF YOUR TIME TO MAYBE ANSWER THE QUESTION WHEN THE TIME COMES.
BUT MY FIRST QUESTION, SINCE MR. PATTON CAME UP HERE TALKING THE WAY HE TALKED BAD ABOUT A NATIONAL HOME BUILDER, SINCE HE HAD SO MUCH INFORMATION ABOUT HOW MANY VIOLATIONS THE DR. HORTON HAS IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY FROM AN ENVIRONMENTAL STANDPOINT, MAYBE MR. PATTON CAN PROVIDE THEM THE NEXT MEETING.
THAT'S MY FIRST REQUEST OF MR. PATTON.
AND THEN THE SECOND QUESTION I HAVE WITH REGARDS TO COUNSEL AND OR THE TWO MANAGERS, ACTING MANAGER AND MANAGER.
MANAGER, I'M ASSISTANT ASSISTANT.
OVER THE THOUSAND HOMES THAT DR. HORTON HAS CONSTRUCTED IN ROUND THREE, HOW MANY OF THOSE THOUSAND HOMEOWNERS HAS FILED ANY COMPLAINTS
[01:15:01]
TO MEDFORD TOWNSHIPS BUILDING CODE OFFICIALS OR ANYWHERE IN MEDFORD ABOUT THE QUALITY OF THEIR HOMES? VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.HEAR A LOT OF TALK ABOUT PEOPLE, BUT LET'S JUST SEE IF THERE'S ANY VIOLATIONS AT THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT REGARDING ANY ONE OF THOSE HOMEOWNERS THAT ARE GRACIOUS ENOUGH TO LIVE IN THOSE HOMES.
NOW, THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM IS THE SAMOS PROPERTY.
WE ALL KNOW I'VE BEEN HERE 40 YEARS, 39 TECHNICALLY CAME HERE IN 1987.
IN 19, I THINK 86, 88 TIMEFRAME.
MR. SAMOS, HIS FATHER, I THINK, PURCHASED 4,000 PERMITS WERE THE CAPACITY RELATIVE TO WHAT HE OWNS.
AND THE JUDGE, I THINK JUDGE WELLS, ONE OF THE JUDGES BACK THEN RULED THAT HE HAD THE PROPERTY SUFFICIENT TO HANDLE THOSE PERMITS.
AND DON'T QUOTE ME, I COULD BE WRONG, MR. CORS.
I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT DEVELOPMENT, BUT I'M SURE IT WAS A COMBINATION OF A, UH, MUNICIPAL BUILDING LIBRARY, HUGE COMMERCIAL COMPLEX, AND 500 AND SOMETHING MARKET RATE HOMES.
NOW, HERE WE ARE TODAY, THAT'S ROUND TWO.
HE STILL HAS TO BUILD, I THINK, 24 OR OR SHORT 24.
OKAY? I'M NOT TRYING TO PUT WATER ON ANY FIRE OR TRYING TO HIDE ANYTHING.
WE HAVE TO RESIDE, RESOLVE, RESOLVE A PROBLEM.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A PROBLEM FOR OUR SCHOOLS.
NOW, WAIT UNTIL 560 MARKET RATE HOMES COME.
SO I'M ASKING COUNCIL COUNCILMAN SANMAR, UH, IF, GOD FORBID IF WE CAN PRESERVE THE PROPERTY.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GOT A HUNDRED MILLION TO GIVE TO MR. SAMBOS.
BUT THAT'S WHAT THE PROPERTY'S WORTH.
IT'S ON BOTH SIDES OF ROUTE 70.
IT'S 70 ON THE NORTH AND 70 ON THE SOUTH.
IT'S IN THE PINELANDS TO GO TO THE GENTLEMAN'S POINT ABOUT THE WETLANDS.
OKAY, MR. PATTON, I SEE YOU DRIVING OUT THERE.
I HAVE THE WETLANDS DELINEATIONS FOR THAT PROPERTY.
HE'S ALLOWED TO CLEAN OUT HIS DITCHES.
HE'S TRYING TO SAVE HIS PROPERTY FOR 25, 30 YEARS, ALLOWING TWEEDS THAT TURNED INTO TREES THAT ARE NOW BLOCKING THE WATER COMING OFF THE PROPERTY.
HE HAS A RIGHT TO DO IT UNDER THE RIGHT TO FARM ACT.
BUT TO GO BACK TO THE ORIGINAL QUESTION, IF WE CAN'T PRESERVE THAT PROPERTY, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE WITH THAT PROPERTY? COUNCILMAN SANDBAR? I CAN HAVE ANYTHING I WANT.
I DON'T KNOW, LIKE WALKING PARK.
BUT I I I'M WITH YOU ON SAM SOS.
WE'VE BEEN GOING AROUND THAT SINCE THE NINETIES.
HE WAS BUILT A MOVIE THEATER AND A HOME DEPOT.
AND EVERYBODY SAID, CROSS YOUR FINGERS.
AND, AND EVERY FIVE YEARS OR SO, WE, OH, WE NEED ANOTHER FIVE YEARS.
NOW WHAT DO WE DO? WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE A PARK COUNCILMAN VOES.
LET'S BE A LITTLE BIT MORE REALISTIC.
I'M DEPUTY MAYOR, JUST SO YOU KNOW, DEPUTY MAYOR.
I'M SAYING, UM, IT'S AN ODD QUESTION.
IF I REALLY HAD MY WAY, I'D LIKE A RATEABLE.
MAYOR CIZIK FIRST THOUGHT, UM, A HOSPITAL WOULDN'T BE BAD.
UM, BUT THEY DON'T PAY TAXES, DO THEY? YEAH, THEY DO.
AND, AND I WOULD DEFINITELY AGREE WITH RED BULLS.
I THINK WHEN WE WENT THROUGH THE BUDGET PRESENTATION, WE SAW THAT, AND I'M SORRY, LINDSAY, BUT IT WAS LIKE ABOUT 6% OF OUR TOTAL TAX LEVY COMES FROM COMMERCIAL RATEABLES.
WHICH IS FAR LOWER THAN MOST MUNICIPALITIES IN THE AREA THAT WE TOUT THAT ME MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC MAY TOUT AS, UM, EXAMPLES THAT WE SHOULD FOLLOW.
UM, SO INCREASING THE RATEABLES IS, IS A BIG ONE FOR ME.
AND I THINK MEDICAL SERVICES, NOT ONLY WOULD IT BE GREAT FOR OUR RESIDENTS TO HAVE ACCESS TO THOSE MEDICAL SERVICES, BUT IT DEFINITELY BRINGS IN, UM, MORE RESIDENTS AND MORE PROFESSIONALS AND SOME ANCILLARY BUSINESSES AS IT HAS ON ROUTE 73 WITH THE NEW VIRTUAL AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
SO THOSE WOULD BE MY FIRST TWO.
AND WITH MAYBE THE FLYING W IF THAT POTENTIALLY GOES, THEY COULD GET A HELIPORT THERE FOR EMERGENCY SERVICES AND ALL THAT.
[01:20:01]
COUNCILWOMAN MILK, I'LL ECHO WHAT THEY SAID AS FAR AS THE RATEABLES GO, BUT MAYBE QUAINT HOTEL OR SOMETHING THAT WOULD FIT, FIT IN THE FARMLAND OR SOMETHING THAT WHERE PEOPLE COULD GO TO MAIN STREET AND BE SHUTTLED THERE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.YEAH, IT'S REALLY CLOSE TO THE, I WOULD PUT THAT ON THE OAKLAND RIGHT.
I WOULD PUT THAT ON THE NORTH SIDE OR THE SOUTH SIDE.
'CAUSE YOU GET TO THE VILLAGE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
WE'RE GONNA NEED IT A SCHOOL AND WE'RE GONNA NEED IT REALLY SOON.
HOW ABOUT A COMBINATION OF ALL OF THOSE IDEAS AND SOME SENIOR HOUSING? SO 77 CENTS OF EVERY ONE OF OUR TAX DOLLARS CAN GO TO THE SCHOOLS TO HELP THAT.
BUT THEN HAVE SOME COMMERCIAL, HAVE A HOSPITAL, HAVE A HOTEL, HAVE SOMETHING.
SO MAYBE WE CAN COME TOGETHER AND GET SOMETHING DONE.
THANK, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
UM, MR. STAHL, UH, IF I MAY, CHIEF DOBY, MR. STAHL ASKED A QUESTION ABOUT THE THIRD ROUND DR.
HOMES BUILT AND BUILDING VIOLATIONS OR CODE VIOLATIONS FOR THOSE PROPERTIES.
IS THAT SOMETHING WE CAN LOOK INTO? YEAH, WE CAN, UH, CHECK WITH OUR CONSTRUCTION OFFICE.
AND SEE IF ANY ANYTHING HAS BEEN FILED.
ANYONE ELSE, SIR? GOOD EVENING.
UH, MY NAME IS JEFF YING, RESIDENT OF MEDFORD.
UH, FIRST TIME COMING TO ONE OF THE MEETINGS, UH, FIRST TIME GETTING INVOLVED IN TOWNSHIP AFFAIRS.
UH, I'VE BEEN ATTENDING MEETINGS IN OTHER COMMUNITIES, UH, WHERE I'VE LIVED OVER THE YEARS.
WHY IS A TOWNSHIP, AND I MAY HAVE MISSED THIS DISCUSSION AT PRIOR MEETINGS, BUT WHY WOULD A TOWNSHIP SUCH AS MEDFORD, WHICH IS NOT A CAMDEN OR TRENTON OR NEWARK, USE PROPERTY, UH, DESIGNATIONS AS AN AREA IN NEED OF REDEVELOPMENT WHEN IT'S FARMLAND.
WE DON'T HAVE ABANDONED CHEMICAL FACTORIES, ABANDONED FACT, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, COMMERCIAL CENTERS AND SUCH THAT WOULD NEED TO BE REDEVELOPED.
SO WHY WOULD A TOWN LIKE MEDFORD USE SOMETHING LIKE THAT? I MEAN, I, I CAN GIVE THE RESIDENT ANSWER IF THEN THERE'D BE PROBABLY A MORE POLISHED ANSWER COMING FOR PROFESSIONALS.
I WOULD SAY THAT, UM, WE HAVE, WE HAD THAT CHOICE.
THIS COUNCIL CHOSE TO DEEM THOSE AREAS IN NEED OF REDEVELOPMENT SO WE COULD HAVE MORE CONTROL, NOT ONLY OF THE PARCELS, BUT OF THE REDEVELOPMENT PLANS AND AGREEMENTS THAT WOULD BE ZONED ON TOP OF THEM.
UM, WITHOUT THAT WE WOULD CAN'T SPOT ZONE.
YOU CAN'T, THE UNDERLYING ZONING THAT WOULD, THE UNDERLYING ZONING OF THAT AREA, OF THAT REGION THAT THOSE PARCELS FALL IN, WOULD BE REALLY WHAT WOULD, WE WOULD BE BEHOLDEN TO THAT IF WE DIDN'T USE AREAS AND NEEDED REDEVELOPMENT.
AND THEN ULTIMATELY THE DEVELOPER, I'M SORRY, THE BUILDER WOULD BE ABLE, THE SOLID, THE LAND, THE YEAH.
ZONING OVERLAY AND WHATEVER AESTHETICS THEY CHOSE TO MM-HMM
WHICH, UM, I BELIEVE, AND AGAIN, I'LL SPEAK FOR MYSELF, BUT AS WE VOTED, WE CHOSE TO USE THAT MECHANISM FOR GREATER CONTROL OVER THOSE PARCELS.
BECAUSE I'VE SEEN IT, UH, AS A, A SUGGESTED DESIGNATION OR LIKE THE LAFFERTY PROPERTY, UH, AS AN EXAMPLE.
UH, I'M SURE THERE'S A HISTORY THAT GOES PRIOR TO MIKE GETTING TO TOWN.
UM, BUT IT WAS JUST A, A CURIOSITY QUESTION MORE THAN ANYTHING.
WHAT WAS THE LTY QUESTION? I'M SORRY.
THE, UH, THE LAFFERTY, I SAW THAT WE HAD A DESIGNATION ON THAT PROPERTY AS WELL AS AN AREA NEED OF REDEVELOPMENT.
SO HOW WOULD FARMLAND NEED TO BE REDEVELOPED INTO SOMETHING ELSE IF IT WAS ONLY FARMLAND? THAT PARCEL WITH THE OTHER THREE PARCELS THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN THE PLAN WERE BROUGHT TO US BY THE LANDOWNERS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO FULFILL OUR FOURTH ROUND OBLIGATION.
THEY CAME TO US WITH THOSE PARCELS MM-HMM
AND IN DOING SO, WE FELT, AND, AND AGAIN, LAFFERTY FELL OUT BECAUSE OF LITIGATION? OR WHAT WAS THE NO, IT WAS LITIGATION.
I THINK IT WAS JUST CONTRACTS.
CONTRACTS BETWEEN THE DEVELOPER.
AGAIN, I DON'T WANNA USE THE WRONG TERMS. I DON'T WANNA GET ANYBODY IN TROUBLE HERE.
AGAIN, THIS IS JUST A CAPITAL QUESTION.
THIS IS A VOLUNTARY ITEM WHERE PEOPLE OR DEVELOPER OR LANDOWNER BRING LAND TO THE TOWN MM-HMM
THAT SAYS, YES, I'M, I'M WILLING TO DEVELOP IT AS PART OF THE CO OBLIGATION.
I THINK THE STIGMATISM AGAINST REDEVELOPMENT, UM, THAT IS OUT THERE IS, I, IS IS WRONG IN A SENSE BECAUSE THERE ARE, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF ITEMS THAT YOU CAN TALK ABOUT.
SO YOU CAN TALK ABOUT PILOTS MM-HMM
THAT I THINK THE COUNCIL HAS MADE IT VERY CLEAR.
THAT'S ANOTHER ISSUE I DIDN'T WANNA BRING UP TODAY.
THE WALL IS REQUIRED FOR THE AFFORDABLES TO HAVE A PILOT, BUT NO OTHER, UH, HOMES WOULD HAVE A PILOT.
UM, BUT REDEVELOPMENT GIVES THESE FIVE INDIVIDUALS THE FULL SAY, WHAT DOES THE FACADE LOOK LIKE? WHAT DOES THE LANDSCAPING LOOK LIKE? WHAT, WHAT THE LAYOUT.
IT GIVES THEM STRONGER CRITERIA AND, UH, STRINGENT, UH, REGULATIONS THAT THEY CAN PUT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU GET WHAT YOU WANT IN, IN THE CHARACTER OF WHAT, WHAT'S GOING TO BE BUILT.
[01:25:01]
UM, SO I I, I DO SEE IT BOTH WAYS.I, I DO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS A HISTORY WHERE THERE IS SOME, UM, STIGMATISM AGAINST REDEVELOPMENT BECAUSE OF MAYBE SOME THINGS THAT WERE DONE ON MAIN STREET OR OTHERS MM-HMM
BUT THE OVERALL CRITERIA OF AN AREA NEED OF REDEVELOPMENT GIVES THE REDEVELOPMENT ENTITY BY LAW THAT IS THE GOVERNING BODY, UM, GIVES THEM A LOT MORE POWER WHEN IT COMES TO THE ACTUAL, UH, DEVELOPMENT THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN, WHETHER IT BE COMMERCIAL OR RESIDENTIAL.
AND, AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE YOU, YOU LOOK AT, AND REALLY YOU SEE A LOT OF THIS IN THE COA PLANS.
I WOULD SEE PROBABLY THE MAJORITY OF THE COA PLANS YOU SEE FROM TOWNS IS IN AREAS IN NEED OF REDEVELOPMENT BECAUSE THEY HAVE BETTER CONTROL.
SO THEY CAN SHOW TO THE COURT SYSTEM THAT, LISTEN, THIS IS, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE WHAT MR. VARGAS SAID EARLIER.
THE THIRD ROUND WAS, LET'S MAKE A DEAL.
GOVERNOR CHRISTIE DID NOT SET NUMBERS.
HE DEFUNCT THE CO-OP, UH, DEPARTMENT AND DID NOT HAVE ANYBODY IN TRENTON SAYING ANYTHING.
SO YOU HAD TO GO TO THE COURT AND YOU HAD TO DEAL WITH FAIR SHARE, AND YOU HAD TO LITIGATE TO COME UP WITH A FAIR NUMBER.
GOVERNOR MURPHY DECIDED IN THE, IN THE END OF HIS ADMINISTRATION TO MAKE REALISTIC NUMBERS.
THE COURT SYSTEM SAID NO TO EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE CHALLENGES.
THEY SAID THAT THOSE NUMBERS WERE REALISTIC.
SO THOSE, IT'S A, LIKE A TALE OF TWO, TWO STORIES HERE OF HOW COA IN THE THIRD AND FOURTH ROUND HAVE BEEN RUN.
UM, BUT BACK TO YOUR ORIGINAL, UH, QUESTION ABOUT REDEVELOPMENT, IT GIVES THE COUNCIL MORE POWER.
I, I'M THE LONG-WINDED TALKER.
MY WIFE TELLS ME THAT QUITE A LOT.
IT GIVES A LOT OF POWER TO THE COUNCIL.
AND YOU WANT THAT IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU CAN GET YOURSELF TO THE FINISH LINE.
DO, DO WE, YOU KNOW, WE WANT AS MINIMUM AS, AS AS POSSIBLE.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO BE RATIONAL BECAUSE THE MOMENT ONE OF THESE INDIVIDUALS LET'S ANY KINK IN THE ARMOR, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE SOMEBODY COMING HERE AND SAYING, WELL, NOW I'M GONNA USE THAT AGAINST YOU.
IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A, SO WE ARE GIVING A REALISTIC PLAN TO, TO MEET THIS CONSTITUTIONAL STATE MANDATED COURT APPROVED MANDATE THAT WE HAVE TO, UH, TO HANDLE.
AND THIS, THIS TOO ALSO GOES PRIOR TO MY ARRIVAL, UM, YOU KNOW, CO HAS BEEN AROUND FOR DECADES.
WHY HASN'T MEDFORD AS A TOWN ENACTED, UH, YOU KNOW, CONSTRUCTION OF THESE UNITS OVER THE LAST 30 YEARS? WE HAVE FULFILLED YEAH.
OUR ALL, WELL, THE FIRST ROUND WAS WE, WE WERE ABLE TO SELL THOSE, UH, THAT OBLIGATION.
SECOND AND THIRD ROUNDS WERE PRIMARILY MET THROUGH DEVELOPMENT ON THE NORTH SIDE OF 70.
WELL, BUT THIS IS EVEN LIKE PRIOR TO THE LAST 10 YEARS, WHERE THE, THERE'S, THERE'S A VARIOUS PHASE HAVE BEEN INSTALLED, HAVE TO PROVIDE THESE PHASE TODAY, BACK IN THE EIGHTIES, YOU KNOW, IT STARTED WHERE COMMUNITIES WERE ALL FORCED TO DO IT.
IT'S THE TOWNSHIP DIDN'T WANT IT.
THEY JUST SOLD THE RIGHTS OFF TO ANOTHER COMMUNITY.
YOU CAN'T DO MEDFORD, WHICH YOU CAN'T DO NOW.
BUT MEDFORD FAULT HAS HAD 40 YEARS NOW, ROUGHLY SINCE THE EIGHTIES TO, YOU KNOW, START BUILDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WHY NOW ARE WE AT THE POINT WHERE WE, WE'VE DONE, WE'VE DONE IT FOR THE LAST 25, 25 YEAR, 20 YEARS, 25 YEARS.
I THINK A LOT OF IT IS ABOUT INFORMATION GETTING OUT TO THE PUBLIC.
I'M A FIRM BELIEVER IN MAKING SURE THAT YOU HAVE THE INFORMATION, THE INFORMATION IS KNOWLEDGE AND POWER.
WE HAVE THE ADVENT OF SOCIAL MEDIA AND THINGS LIKE THAT TO GET IT OUT.
UM, YOU KNOW, I I, I DO BELIEVE AS A RESIDENT AND AS A PERSON HERE TO TRY AND HELP, IS THAT WE GOTTA GET THE INFORMATION OUT TO PEOPLE BECAUSE THE, THE PRODUCT OF MISINFORMATION THAT IS OUT THERE IS OUTWEIGHING THE ACTUAL RIGHT INFORMATION THAT THE STATE AND THIS BOARD IS PUTTING OUT THERE.
UM, AND TRYING TO BE A GOOD STEWARD TO, TO THE PUBLIC.
THAT'S, LISTEN, IT'S NOT A SITUATION THAT ANY OF US WANT TO BE IN.
BUT WE CAN'T STICK OUR HEAD IN THE SAND.
'CAUSE THAT'S WHEN A JUDGE IS GONNA GIVE A, GIVE US A BUILDER'S REMEDY SUIT.
ESSENTIALLY, WE HAVE TO BE COMPLIANT.
'CAUSE MEDFORD IS WHAT MEDFORD IS.
I'M HOPING TO SEE NOT BECOME CHERRY HILL.
TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, QUESTION, IF YOU LIVE IN A, IF ANYONE LIVES IN A HOME THAT WAS BUILT IN THE LAST 25 YEARS MM-HMM
IT WAS, AGAIN, UNLESS IT'S A SINGLE UNIT OR VERY SMALL DEVELOPMENT.
ANY HOME BUILT IN THE LAST 25 YEARS WAS BUILT BECAUSE WE HAD TO SATISFY AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING NEED WITH MARKET RATE OFFSETS.
WINDGATE HERITAGE, UM, WILDFLOWER, I'M SORRY, WILDFLOWER WILDFLOWERS, GLEN GATE, HERITAGE WILDFLOWER, I DON'T BELIEVE, UH, AUTUMN PARK.
AUTUMN PARK, I MEAN EVERYTHING ALONG 70 CREEK WILLOWS, CREEKSIDE.
SO ALL THESE DEVELOPMENTS, AND, AND WE HAVE A LOT OF FRIENDS THAT LIVE IN THESE DEVELOPMENTS.
MY, MY CHILDREN HAVE FRIENDS THAT I'M NOT AGAINST THEM.
I JUST DON'T WANNA SEE THOUSANDS OF THEM.
IN ORDER TO BUILD A HUNDRED OR 200, WHATEVER WE HAVE, WE HAVE TO FULFILL OUR FORTH ROUND OBLIGATION.
AND THAT REQUIRES A MARKET RATE OFFSET.
AND THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S THE CONVERSATION WE'RE HAVING RIGHT NOW.
AND I THINK LIKE THIS, I I WAS NOT TRYING TO BE ADVERSARIAL AND MRS. HOLLOWAY, BUT WE HAVE, WE HAVE TO PROJECT THE PLAN THAT WE HAVE PUT, PUT TOGETHER THAT THAT'S, THAT IS OUR PLAN AND WE'RE STICKING TO IT.
[01:30:01]
HAS TO BE ABLE TO BE FLUID THAT LET'S SAY DEP COMES IN AND SAYS, OH, YOU WANNA BUILD 500 UNITS THERE? YEAH.THERE'S THIS, THIS, THIS, AND THIS.
AND, AND YOU ONLY CAN YIELD 300.
THE, THE, THE, AND I THINK THE COUNCIL, UM, NEEDS CREDIT WHERE THEY SAY THAT IN THEIR REDEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS, AND THIS GOES BACK TO YOUR ORIGINAL PLAN OF REDEVELOPMENT PLANS, YOU CAN THEN GET THESE REDEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS THAT BUILD IN AND SAY, LISTEN, FLYING WI DON'T CARE HOW MANY MARKET RATE UNITS YOU GIVE ME, YOU'RE GIVING ME 90 FAMILY UNITS AFFORDABLE OF AFFORDABLE.
THEY ALSO WENT A LITTLE BIT FURTHER AND SAID, ALL THE OTHER MARKET RATE ARE SENIOR.
SO ALL OF THOSE ITEMS, NOW, UNFORTUNATELY, OUR LAND RUNS OUT MM-HMM
AT THE, AT THE BORDER OF LUMBERTON, AND WE LOSE 120 TO THEM.
SO THOSE TAXES ARE GONNA GO TO THEM.
BUT IT IS RESTRICTING IT TO SENIOR.
THAT'S WHAT YOU CAN GET IN A, IN A REDEVELOPMENT PLAN.
THE, THE OTHER ISSUE IS FAIR SHARE AND, AND THE COURTS AND DCA, THEY DON'T ALLOW YOU TO JUST SAY, YEAH, YOUR ENTIRE OBLIGATION IS GONNA BE SENIOR AFFORDABLE.
THEY PUT PERCENTAGES ON THOSE FAMILY RENTALS, LOW AND MA INCOME, UM, UH, SENIOR.
SO THOSE, THOSE ARE ALL THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT.
SO I, I UNDERSTAND THE FRUSTRATION OF RESIDENTS.
I'M FRUSTRATED TOO, AND I HAVE TO LIVE WITH IT EVERY DAY, UM, AND DEAL WITH IT EVERY DAY.
BUT WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO PUT A VIABLE PLAN FORWARD AND HAVE CONTINGENCIES SO THAT WE DON'T END UP IN COURT WITH A BUILDER'S REMEDY.
FINAL COMMENT TOO, AS FAR AS DR. HORTON AS THE BUILDER LOOK, NOT JUST AS AT LOCAL, BUT LOOK AT STATE AND NATIONAL COMPLAINTS.
WE DON'T PICK THE BUILDER, AND THAT'S WITH ANY BUILDER, NOT JUST THAT, LISTEN, WE DON'T PICK THE BUILDER.
YOU, YOU PUT BUILDER NAME A, IT'S, IT'S THE DEVELOP THE, THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY CONTRACTS WITH A DEVELOPER.
WE, WE CANNOT STOP THAT FROM HAPPENING.
THAT'S HAVE A CONTRACT WITH THEIR, WITH THEIR PROPERTY TO A DEVELOPER.
THAT, AND, AND I, I, WE BELIEVE THAT THOSE OWNERS DID THEIR DUE DILIGENCE.
MR. STALL CAME UP HERE AND SAID PUBLICLY THAT HE DID DUE DILIGENCE WITH A NUMBER OF FIRMS. I BELIEVE HIM.
HE'S MY NEIGHBOR AND, AND A RESIDENT OF THIS TOWN.
UM, BUT IN THE END, IT'S NOT, THE TOWN DOES NOT DO THAT.
THE TOWN DOES NOT GET IN THE BUSINESS OF THAT.
WE GET IN THE BUSINESS OF MAKING SURE WE HAVE A VIABLE PLAN THAT MEETS MUSTER MM-HMM
SO THAT WE CAN SURVIVE ANY TYPE OF CHALLENGE THAT MIGHT COME BEFORE US.
WHILE WE DEAL WITH OUR FOURTH ROUND OBLIGATION, WHICH IS FROM NOW UNTIL 2035.
ZACH WILSON, 51 NORTH MAIN STREET.
UH, I'M PROBABLY AS EAGER AS YOU GUYS ARE TO GET BEYOND THE FOURTH ROUND CONVERSATIONS.
I UNDERSTAND IT'S GONNA KEEP HAPPENING.
PEOPLE ARE GONNA KEEP COMING UP.
UM, CLEARLY WE'RE IN NEGOTIATIONS.
IT'S GONNA PROCEED THAT WE'LL FIGURE OUT THE FINAL PIECE OF THE THIRD ROUND, FOURTH ROUND'S GONNA GO ON.
I JUST, I'M GONNA KEEP COMING UP HERE AS WE, AS THESE CONVERSATIONS HAPPEN, AND POINT OUT THE FACT THAT YES, FOR 30 YEARS THESE WE HAVE BEEN BUILDING.
AND I THINK IT WAS A GREAT RUN THROUGH OF ALL THE DIFFERENT DEVELOPMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN PUT UP OVER THE LAST 30 YEARS TO MEET THESE OBLIGATIONS.
BUT I ALSO THINK THAT IT UNDERSCORES THE VERY SIMPLE APPROACH THAT COUNCIL HAS TAKEN FOR THOSE LAST THREE DECADES ON HOW WE'RE GOING TO MEET THAT OBLIGATION.
UM, THERE'S BEEN SIMPLY NO PLANNING TO MEET IT THROUGH ANY WAY OTHER THAN THESE LARGE SCALE DEVELOPMENTS.
I'M VERY EAGER TO SEE WHAT TYPE OF ONGOING CONVERSATION YOU'RE GOING TO CONDUCT WITH THE PUBLIC TO KEEP US APPRISED OF YOUR EFFORTS TO BRING IN RATEABLES YOUR ONGOING EFFORTS TO EXTEND LEASES THAT WILL EXPIRE BY THE END OF THIS, UH, BY THE END OF THE FOURTH ROUND, SO THAT WHEN WE GO INTO THE FIFTH ROUND, THOSE ARE ABLE TO BE EXTEND AGAIN.
IF THEY, IF THEY EXPIRE WITHIN THE FOURTH ROUND, WE CAN EXTEND 'EM FOR THE FIFTH, RIGHT? OH, CORRECT.
IF THEY EXPIRED IN THE FOURTH.
IF THEY EXPIRE IN THE YEAH, WE, THERE'S DO HOUSING SUBCOMMITTEE WHERE LET'S GET ALL THE ACCOUNTING OF ALL THE PR DEEDS THAT ARE GONNA EXPIRE WITHIN THE FOURTH ROUND SO THAT WE CAN START NOW WITH NEGOTIATIONS WITH THOSE HOMEOWNERS TO SAY, WHEN THIS EXPIRES, WE WANT TO EXTEND THIS AND WE WANT TO HAVE THAT PLAN IN PLACE NOW.
SO I'M VERY MUCH LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR EFFORTS AROUND THAT.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO MORE IMAGINATIVE EFFORTS ON FLOATING BONDS TO BUY PUBLIC PROPERTY THAT WE CAN THEN DEED TO AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROPERTY MANAGER THAT WILL THEN TAKE IT OVER AND ONLY BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING RATHER THAN 500 HOMES TO YIELD US A HUNDRED AFFORDABLE HOUSES.
ONCE AGAIN, THIS IS A ABJECT FAILURE ON THE LAST 30 YEARS OF COUNCIL.
THESE ARE MANY NEW FACES, ALL NEW FACES OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS.
I'M VERY MUCH LOOKING FORWARD TO A NEW APPROACH.
I THINK EVERYBODY IN TOWN IS, I THINK MR. WILSON, UM, I THINK THE BIGGEST THING THAT YOU ALL JUST SAID, YOU NEED RATEABLES SO YOU CAN BUILD UP THAT COA FUND.
[01:35:01]
I'LL CALL YOU GUYS.CALL ME OUT FOR BEING A REPUBLICAN.
SO WE HAD TO SPEND A LOT OF COA MONEY IN LITIGATION TO TRY AND GET A NUMBER THAT WAS UNREALISTIC TO GET IT DOWN.
BUT WE NEED TO BUILD UP THE COA FUND SO THAT WE HAVE THIS ABILITY MM-HMM
OR GO TO THE TAXPAYERS AND SAY, HEY, WE NEED, WE NEED AN EXTRA 2 CENTS OR 1 CENT ON THE OPEN SPACE FUND.
UH, WILL YOU APPROVE IT SO THAT THERE'S EXTRA MONEY THERE? THAT THAT ONE YEAR EXTRA MONEY ISN'T GONNA GET YOU TO PRESERVE A PIECE OF PROPERTY.
IT'S GONNA GET YOU TO DO WHAT YOU DID WITH CAL POINT.
GET A BOND, FLOAT A BOND TO THEN GO AND, AND PRESERVE FUTURE PROPERTIES.
BUT I THINK WITH THE STATE'S RULES NOW THAT THE DEVELOPMENT, DEVELOPMENT VALUE OF THE PROPERTY, NOT THE FARM LAND VALUE OF THAT PROPERTY.
UM, AND, AND HAVING THE STATE MORE ACTIVE IN THAT APPROACH.
UM, WE USED TO ONLY HAVE OUR POT AND THE COUNTY'S POT TO GO TO.
NOW WE HAVE THE STATE POT, THE COUNTY POT, AND, AND YEAH.
AND, AND HONESTLY, I, I'M ALL FOR PRESERVATION OF OPEN LAND.
UM, I WANT TO DO THAT AS WELL AS BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSES.
AND IT'S
IT'S EXPENSIVE TO LIVE IN MEDFORD AND I WANT TO WELCOME NEW PEOPLE INTO OUR COMMUNITY AND WE NEED THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR IT.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT JUST OFFSETTING OUR REQUIREMENTS THROUGH PRESERVATION OF OPEN SPACE.
IT'S DEDICATING ALL THE CONSTRUCTION JUST TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND HOW DO WE FIND THAT? AND FLOATING BONDS TO BUY A CHUNK OF LAND FROM SOMEBODY AND THEN TURNING AROUND LIKE WATERFORD DID AND GIVING IT TO AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING MANAGEMENT COMPANY TO PUT UP THAT, TO JUST DO THAT.
AND YES, IT HAS BEEN A FAILURE OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT, BUT ALSO, QUITE FRANKLY, FOR DECADES, BUSINESS FRIENDLY REPUBLICANS HAVE LED THIS COUNCIL AND HAVE NOT BROUGHT IN RATEABLES TO INCREASE THAT COA FUND.
I KNOW
AND I CAN TOUCH ALMOST EVERY SINGLE THING YOU'VE SAID.
WE'VE LOOKED AT DEEDS, WE'VE TALKED TO DCA, WE'VE TALKED TO HMFA TO FIND OUT WHEN WE CAN BUY THEM.
WE'VE GONE OVER AND OVER AND OVER TRIAD TO FIND OUT IF THERE'S ANY WAY WE HAVE ANY NUMBERS THAT ARE NOW YEAH, WE DO NOT.
UM, MARYANNE AND I WILL KEEP GOING BACK AND FORTH.
WE'VE GOT TONS OF INFORMATION, BUT SHE'S TRYING.
UM, BUT WE'RE STILL GONNA TAKE WHAT SHE BROUGHT US.
AND IN HER DEFENSE, SHE WAS TOTALLY RIGHT ABOUT ONE OF OUR NUMBERS FOR TRIAD THAT WE'RE INCORRECT.
I MEAN, I'M ALL SHORT OF REVISITING FOURTH ROUND, BUT I'M NOT, BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT FOR ROUND.
ROUND FOUR IS GONNA BE A TOUGH ONE.
BUT THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING SUBCOMMITTEE IS LOOKING AT ZERO MARKET RATE HOMES FOR THE FIFTH ROUND.
SO THAT IS TALKING ABOUT THINGS WE ALL AFFORDABLE HOUSE, WHETHER IT'S PROJECT FREEDOM, DOING IT, WHETHER IT'S SOMEBODY ELSE.
WE'RE LOOKING AT A VETERAN'S HOME.
THERE'S SO MANY THINGS THAT WE CAN DO.
THERE'S TWO FOLKS ON THAT SUBCOMMITTEE WHO ARE WORKING ON JUST THAT ONE PIECE ALL BY THEMSELVES.
THERE IS SO MANY OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT.
SO THAT 10 YEARS FROM NOW, ZACH WILSON JR.
ISN'T SAYING THAT COUNCIL SUCKED BECAUSE WE SAT HERE AND DID NOTHING.
SO WE ARE LOOKING AT ALL THOSE THINGS.
AND THEN EVERY MONTH AND THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING SUBCOMMITTEE MEETS, WE SEND OUR MEETING MINUTES OUT TO THE ENTIRE COUNCIL.
SO FAR, NO ONE'S HAD ANY QUESTIONS, BUT IT'S THERE.
UM, WE ARE LOOKING AT EACH OF THESE THINGS BECAUSE IN 10 YEARS, I REALLY WANT YOU TO SAY TO ME, MICHELLE, NICELY DONE.
I I VERY MUCH WOULD LIKE THAT AS WELL.
UM, IS THERE A PLACE THAT WE CAN FIND, UM, INFORMATION ON THE SUBCOMMITTEE'S, UH, ONGOING CONVERSATIONS BESIDES JUST JOINING? 'CAUSE I JUST, SO, ODDLY ENOUGH, WE ARE NOT A TRUE SUBCOMMITTEE THAT IF ANYONE REMEMBERS THE ARGUMENTS IN THE BEGINNING, THERE'S NO CHARTER.
UM, WE DID TRY TO OPEN IT UP TO THE PUBLIC.
WE RAN INTO SOME DIFFICULTIES THERE WITH PEOPLE VIDEOTAPING AND TAPING.
AND IT JUST TAKES AWAY FROM, IN THAT TYPE OF CONVERSATION, I NEED TO BE ABLE TO SAY TO YOU LIKE, YOU'RE CRAZY.
AND IT NOT GO OUT THAT I SAID, YOU'RE CRAZY.
UM, SO IT TOOK AWAY, SO WE DID STEP BACK ON, ON PUBLIC.
UM, BUT WE DO HAVE THE NOTES AND IF YOU EVER WANNA SHOOT US AN EMAIL, I'LL FORWARD THEM TO YOU.
BUT I MORE TO THE POINT JUST IN THE SPIRIT OF OPENNESS AND TRANSPARENCY, I'D LOVE FOR YOU TO FIGURE OUT A WAY, LIKE YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT WITH COMMUNICATION TO THE YEAH.
I THINK THEY'RE ON THE WEBSITE CONSOLIDATING ALL OF THAT.
WE JUST DECIDE TO DO THAT BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S, RIGHT.
NOW, WHAT, YOU'RE ONE OF THE CURRENT FOURTH OF ROUND FOUR.
THIS IS GREAT THAT WE'RE ALL HAVING THIS CONVERSATION.
I WANT THIS TO CONTINUE THIS YEAR, NEXT YEAR.
I THINK THAT'S GONNA BE THE CASE AND ONGOING.
I I, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, FOR THE RESIDENTS, ALL OF A SUDDEN, IT WAS LIKE JUNE OF 24, I THINK, OR YEAH.
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN IT'S LIKE, WELL, WAIT A SECOND.
THE COUNCIL'S PASSING, YOU KNOW, 800 HOUSES AND WHAT HAVE YOU.
I THINK WE'RE GONNA FIND NOW WITH THIS COUNCIL'S A LOT MORE PROACTIVE COMMUNICATION OUT TO THE PUBLIC, SO THAT WAY EVERYBODY'S AWARE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING ALONG THE, ALONG THE WAY.
SO THAT IN 10 YEARS, IT'S NOT NO SURPRISE.
THAT'S, YOU KNOW, LISTEN, IF YOU MANAGE TO BE OPEN AND HONEST AND KEEPING EVERYBODY UP TO SPEED, MAYBE YOU'LL ALL STILL BE HERE IN 10 YEARS.
AND ANYONE HAS A SPECIFIC QUESTION, THEY CAN PUT IT INTO THE PORTAL AND THOSE ARE GETTING ANSWERED.
SO WE REALLY ARE TRYING TO, TO GET THE INFORMATION OUT TO YOU GUYS.
[01:40:01]
MUCH.I JUST, AGAIN, I I KNOW THAT IT FOURTH ROUND STUFF IS GONNA KEEP COMING UP.
I, I'M MUCH MORE INTERESTED AND I THINK THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE ALSO MUCH MORE INTERESTED IN WHAT'S HAPPENING NEXT TIME.
I, I LIKE WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT PEOPLE HAVE A RIGHT TO LIVE IN A PLACE AND AFFORD IT.
AND WHEN THAT HAPPENS WITH THE 800 HOMES, IT GETS LOST.
AND THEN YOU HAVE PEOPLE ANGRY AT THE PEOPLE.
WHO JUST NEED A, A PLACE TO LIVE FOR AFFORDABLE PRICE.
AND THEN THE AFFORD THE MARKET RATE HOUSES GET SOLD AND THEY DRIVE THE VALUE UP AND IT JUST MAKES IT MORE UNAFFORDABLE.
ANYONE ELSE? SEEING NONE? MOTION TO CLOSE? MOTION.
WE ARE NOW ONTO THE MANAGER'S REPORT.
[VIII. MANAGER'S REPORT ]
JUST HAD A COUPLE OF THINGS.UM, AT THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING, IT WAS SUGGESTED, UH, THAT MY DUAL ROLES AS CHIEF OF FIRE AND EMS AND ACTING MANAGER COULD BE CAUSING A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A MINUTE TO ADDRESS THIS.
UM, THE DEPARTMENT OF FIRE AND EMS IS THE SECOND LARGEST DEPARTMENT IN THE TOWNSHIP BEHIND A MANAGER'S OFFICE.
THEY'RE ALL STAFFED BY A COMBINATION OF VOLUNTEER AND CAREER FIREFIGHTERS AND EMTS.
WE HAVE THREE CAPABLE DEPUTY CHIEFS THAT RESPOND TO EMERGENCIES AND CAN ESTABLISH INCIDENT COMMAND.
UH, IN MY ABSENCE, UM, DEPUTY CHIEF HOFFMAN HAS STEPPED UP AND IS ASSISTING WITH OUR DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS, AND I'M AVAILABLE WHEN NEEDED TO RESPOND TO EMERGENCIES.
UH, STILL AN EXAMPLE OF THIS I'LL USE IS WAS LITERALLY JUST TODAY.
UH, WE WERE IN A MEETING WHEN A LIFE THREAT, UH, WAS DISPATCHED PRETTY MUCH AROUND THE CORNER FROM WHERE I, WHERE WE WERE AT, UH, FOR THAT MEETING.
UM, SO OUR POLICE FIRE AND EMS ALL RESPONDED, RENDERED IMMEDIATE LIFESAVING CARE, UM, TO, TO THE INDIVIDUAL.
UM, IN FACT, UH, TRACK ALONG BRANDON GOT TO TAKE A RIDE LIGHTS AND SIRENS DOWN THE STOKES ROAD WITH ME.
SO, UM, I JUST WANNA STATE FOR THE RECORD THAT I, I TAKE MY RESPONSIBILITIES, MY ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES VERY SERIOUSLY.
UM, THERE ARE 24,000 PLUS RESIDENTS WHO RELY ON OUR TOWNSHIP SERVICES DAILY.
UM, WE HAVE CAPABLE, EDUCATED, AND A, WE HAVE A CAPABLE, EDUCATED, AND VERY PROFESSIONAL WORKFORCE BOTH IN TOWN HALL AND AT THE DEPARTMENT OF FIRE AND EMS. SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE COUNCIL AND THE RESIDENTS WERE AWARE OF THAT.
UM, 'CAUSE I KNOW, I KNOW THERE WAS A CONCERN ON THAT.
UM, CAN I, I DON'T WANNA INTERRUPT YOUR MANAGER'S REPORT.
BUT I KNOW I SPEAK FOR ALL THE RESIDENTS AND ESPECIALLY COUNSEL.
YOU'RE DOING A PHENOMENAL JOB IN THIS ACTING ROLE.
UM, AND, AND ALL THE THINGS YOU STATED, I, I MEAN, I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW IT 'CAUSE WE SEE YOU EVERY DAY, OR WE TALK TO YOU EVERY DAY.
I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THE RESIDENTS UNDERSTAND THAT CHIEF DOBY HAS AN EXTREMELY AMAZING TEAM BEHIND HIM AT FIRE AND EMS AND THE VOLUNTEER INDIVIDUALS THAT SUPPORT YOU AND, AND YOUR ORGANIZATION, UM, THE CAREER INDIVIDUALS.
AND, AND I THANK YOU FOR THAT REPORT MM-HMM
UM, AND I, I THANK YOU SPECIFICALLY AND YOUR TEAM FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO.
AND, AND I, I DON'T WANNA DISCOUNT ANY OF THE PERSONNEL AT TOWN HALL TOO, WHO HAVE STEPPED UP.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE DEPARTMENT HEADS ARE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE REACHING OUT TO THEM WITH, WITH QUESTIONS.
THEY'RE GETTING BACK TO US WITH ANSWERS, AND THEN HOPEFULLY WE'RE GETTING THEM TO COUNSEL IN A TIMELY MANNER.
SO THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS.
UH, FOR THE OPENNESS AND TRANSPARENCY.
I JUST WANNA ADD, UH, ADD YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
EVEN THOUGH WE DISAGREE ON ALMOST EVERYTHING
BUT WE'LL CONTINUE TO DISAGREE.
LISTEN, IF WE CAN AGREE TO DISAGREE, THAT'S GOOD.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA AGREE ON SOMETHING, SO, ABSOLUTELY.
UM, ALSO JUST, UH, AT THE REQUEST OF COUNCIL, UM, AT THE LAST MEETING, THE DRAFT RESOLUTIONS WERE PUT IN THE RED BOOK FOR REVIEW.
UM, I KNOW THAT WAS A, THAT WAS A BIG POINT LAST, SO THANK YOU TO TARA FOR GETTING THEM INTO THE BOOK.
UM, THEY'RE IN THE BOOK TONIGHT, UM, REGARDING MISSED TRASH COLLECTIONS IN MEDFORD.
UM, OUR PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR, I BELIEVE HAD 120 SOME, UH, VOICEMAILS, UH, ON ONE FRIDAY.
SO WE DID HOLD A MEETING WITH REPUBLIC.
UM, THEY ARE VERY AWARE OF OUR CONCERNS.
UH, THEY'RE WORKING INTERNALLY TO CORRECT VEHICLE AND STAMPING ISSUES THAT LED TO THE MISSED TRASH COLLECTIONS.
UM, WE DID APPLY LIQUIDATED DAMAGES FOR THE MONTH OF MAY, UH, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONTRACT WITH REPUBLIC.
UM, SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT ON TRASH COLLECTIONS.
UM, THEY'RE CORRECTING THEIR, THERE WAS AN ISSUE THAT CAME UP ABOUT, UM, DROPPED CALLS GOING TO THEM.
OR BEING IT REROUTED TO HOUSTON TO THEIR CORPORATE OFFICE.
UM, SO THAT WAS, UH, AN ITEM THAT WAS BROUGHT UP SO THAT WE CAN TRY AND ALLEVIATE THE 120 MESSAGES COMING TO BRIAN'S OFFICE.
IT, THEY REALLY HAVE TO, TO COME FROM THERE AND STANDARDIZING THEIR ROUTES.
THAT'S, THAT'S A KEY THING THAT WE TOLD THEM.
IT'S LIKE WE'RE AT THE TAIL END OF THIS CONTRACT, WHY ISN'T IT STANDARDIZED? SO, UM, UH, THE CHIEF DID A VERY GOOD JOB OF HOLDING THEIR FEET TO THE FIRE ALONG WITH OUR, UH, DIRECTOR, UH, PUBLIC WORKS,
[01:45:01]
BRIAN COPP.UM, THE OTHER THING I HAD WAS BRUSH COLLECTION.
AGAIN, ANOTHER VERY HOT TOPIC FOR US.
UM, WE KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF BRUSH.
UM, BUT, UH, THE CREWS ARE IN ZONE THREE.
THEY'RE CONTINUING TO WORK THROUGH ZONE THREE.
ZONE THREE IS ONE OF OUR LARGEST ZONES.
UH, SO THEY ARE STILL IN ZONE THREE.
UM, AS SOON AS THEY MOVE, YOU KNOW, ARE PREPARING TO MOVE TO THE NEXT ZONE.
UM, OUR PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR'S VERY GOOD AT UPDATING US.
AND, YOU KNOW, UH, ANGELA'S BEEN DOING A FANTASTIC JOB SHARING THAT OUT ON OUR WEBSITE.
UM, THE OTHER THING I HAD WAS WATER METERS.
UM, UH, BRIAN KOPP PROVIDED AN UPDATE.
WE'RE GONNA BE REPLACING WATER METERS THROUGHOUT THE TOWNSHIP.
UM, SO THEY'RE IMPLEMENTING A NEW WATER METER REPLACEMENT PROGRAM TO SYSTEMATICALLY REPLACE AGING WATER METERS THROUGHOUT THE WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM.
SOME OF THE OLDEST METERS WE HAVE ARE 23 YEARS OLD.
SO THIS LONG-TERM INITIATIVE'S GONNA ENSURE, UH, CONTINUED ACCURACY FOR CUSTOMER BILLING WHILE MAINTAINING THE TOWNSHIPS, UM, AUTOMATIC, UH, METER READING SYSTEM.
SO THIS IS BEING DONE AT NO COST, UH, TO THE CUSTOMERS FOR THE METER REPLACEMENT.
IT'S BEING FULLY FUNDED BY THE TOWNSHIP.
UM, WE'VE, WE'VE, UH, SECURED TWO CONTRACTORS, RIO SYSTEMS OUTTA SICKLERVILLE.
THEY WERE AWARDED THE CONTRACT, UM, UNDER THE NORTH JERSEY WATER WASTEWATER COOPERATIVE PURCHASING SYSTEM FOR THE METER REPLACEMENTS.
AND THEN, UH, LANIGAN, UH, PLUMBING, LLC IS GOING TO BE, UM, HAS BEEN ENGAGED BY THE TOWNSHIP TO PERFORM ALL THE ONSITE INSTALL METER INSTALLATION WORK.
SO THIS IS A MULTI-YEAR PROJECT.
THE GOAL IS TO COMPLETE THE INITIAL REPLACEMENT OF THE AGING METERS OVER THE NEXT THREE TO FIVE YEARS.
UM, WE'RE USING A TARGETED APPROACH BY NEIGHBORHOOD OR DEVELOPMENT.
SO NOT EVERYBODY IS GOING TO GET A LETTER.
THEY'RE GONNA START WITH THE OLDEST METERS FIRST AND THEN WORK THEIR WAY FROM THERE.
SO YOU, YOU MAY GET AN A LETTER, YOUR NEIGHBOR MAY NOT.
SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO OUR DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS ON THAT.
UM, AND THAT THEY'RE GONNA HAVE A
SO, UH, FOLLOWING COMPLETION OF THE INITIAL PHASE, THE ONGOING, UM, REPLACEMENT PROGRAM WILL BE IMPLEMENTED.
UM, THEY'RE LOOKING, UM, THEY'RE LOOKING FOR ABOUT 15 TO 20 MINUTES, UH, FOR EACH EXPECTED INSTALLATION AT THE TIME OF INSTALLATION.
ALL OF THE, UM, CONTRACTORS WILL HAVE TOWNSHIP IDS THAT WILL HAVE A, UH, LENIN, UH, PHOTO ON IT.
SO THEY WILL BE THE ONES COMING TO YOUR, TO YOUR RESIDENCE, UM, TO REPLACE THOSE METERS.
UM, OTHER THAN THAT, UH, AGAIN, THIS HAS BEING FULLY, IF I MAY, JUST THE FUNDING, 'CAUSE I, I THINK I HEARD THAT THE FUNDING FOR THIS METER PROGRAM IS COMING OUTTA THE UTILITY.
IF, FROM THE PRESENTATION FROM FROM LINDSAY, SHE TALKED ABOUT IT WAS 500,000 FOR WATER METER REPLACEMENT, THOUGH THIS CONTRACT, I BELIEVE IS 300 300 SOME ODD THOUSAND.
UM, SO THERE IS STILL WIGGLE ROOM WITHIN THE, THE BUDGET, BUT THIS IS GETTING YOU STARTED.
AND WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THEY'RE GONNA HAVE A LANYARD.
UM, WITH AN ID THAT ALSO REQUIRES US TO GET TO THE CHIEF SO THAT THEY CAN HAVE A BACKGROUND CHECK WITH THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING INTO OUR RESIDENCE ACCESS.
AND LIKE YOU SAID, YEAH, IT'S FILLED, IT'S BEING FUNDED THROUGH THE UTILITY CAPITAL ACCOUNT.
UM, OTHER THAN THAT, I THINK YOU ONLY HAVE, UH, ONE VOLUNTEER FOR CONSIDERATION AND THAT'S THE EXTENT OF MY REPORT.
I APOLOGIZE, IT WAS LONG-WINDED TONIGHT.
HAVE QUESTIONS? ALL GOOD? YEAH.
CHIEF, I HAVE PROBABLY A VERY DUMB QUESTION.
WHEN THEY'RE CHANGING OUT THOSE WATER MAINS, WILL THE WATER BE TURNED OFF? UH, YEAH.
SO THE, SO THEY'LL TURN OFF WATER TO THE RESIDENT.
THERE'S A SUPPOSED TO BE A VALVE ON EITHER SIDE, UM, THAT THE VALVE IS A HOMEOWNER'S RESPONSIBILITY, BUT THEY'LL TURN THE VALVE OFF THE REPLACE METER, TURN THE WATER BACK ON, AND FROM, UH, THE, THE VENDOR SAID IT SHOULD BE ABOUT 15 TO 20 MINUTES.
SO ORDER 15, 20 MINUTES, THERE'S A POLICY THEY HAVE TO KEEP THE METER.
UM, THERE COULD BE THAT THE METER, UM, WASN'T REGISTERING WHEN IT WAS READ OUT, SO THEY HAVE TO DOCUMENT IT, HOLD IT, UH, WAREHOUSE IT SO THAT IF THERE'S A DISCRETION COMES IN FROM THE RESIDENT, UM, OR THE UTILITY, UM, UH, USER, UH, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, AND THE FOCUS IS ON COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES RIGHT NOW BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A LARGER FLOW THAT THEY HAVE.
AND WE NEED A VOICE VOTE FOR APPROVAL ON OUR YES.
AND CHIEF AS ALWAYS, UM, I THINK IT'S PHENOMENAL THAT WE HAVE, UH, RESIDENT VOLUNTEERS, ESPECIALLY IN THE JUNIOR CATEGORY.
UM, AND, UM, THIS IS A YOUNG MAN THAT'S VOLUNTEERING TO STATION AT 2 5 2 ON GRAVELEY HOLLOW ROAD.
UM, SO AGAIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO ALL THE VOLUNTEERS OF OUR GRAY TOWN.
ALRIGHT, NOW WE MOVE TO THE CLERK'S
[IX. CLERK'S REPORT ]
REPORT.SO WE HAVE A SOCIAL AFFAIR PERMIT FOR THE GIRL SCOUTS, UM, WHEN AFTER HOURS WE F ON JUNE 24TH, UH, WE HAVE A SOCIAL AFFAIRS PERMIT
[01:50:01]
FOR FUSION PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, BLUES FEST ON MAY 30TH AT FEED MILL ON MAIN STREET.WE HAVE A SOCIAL AFFAIR FOR MANFORD ARTS, UH, ART, WINE AND MUSIC FESTIVAL, UH, ON JUNE 14TH ON MAIN STREET.
AND AN OFF PREMISE 50 50 RAFFLE FROM WOODFORD CEDAR RUN, UH, WITH THE DRAWING ON JULY 26TH.
TERRY, THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING ALL THOSE PERMITS.
[X. BILL LIST ]
LISTS FOR APPROVAL.WE HAVE A BILL LIST FROM MAY 6TH, 2026, AND MAY 14TH, 2026.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL ON THE BILLS? LISTS? NO.
[XI. BUDGET RESOLUTIONS ]
RESOLUTIONS FOR THE EVENING.UM, AND JUST TO VERIFY WITH MR. VARGA, SO WE NEED RESOLUTION, WE WOULD LIKE TO PASS RESOLUTION 1 12 20 26 READ THE BUDGET BY TITLE ONLY.
IS THAT THE ACTUAL TITLE OF THE RESOLUTION? CORRECT.
IT'S RESOLUTION TO READ THE MEDFORD TOWN OF 2026 YEAR MUNICIPAL BUDGET BY TITLE O, ONLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH NJSA 48 4 DASH EIGHT.
THIS JUST CONFIRMS THAT WE DID INITIALLY READ IT BY TITLE ONLY 28 DAYS PRIOR TO TODAY'S HEARING.
AND THEN AFTER THIS IS INTRODUCED BY TITLE ONLY, WE'LL OPEN IT UP FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING PRIOR TO ITS ADOPTION.
SO NOW WE NEED A MOTION ON RESOLUTION 1 12 20 26.
AYE, AT THIS TIME WE WILL OPEN UP TO A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE BUDGET RESOLUTION 1 13 20 26, OUR 2026 MUNICIPAL BUDGET.
ANYONE LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE MUNICIPAL BUDGET SEEING ABSOLUTELY NO ONE SPEAKING TO THE BUDGET? I'M GONNA REQUEST A MO SECOND ON SPEAKING.
WOULD SOMEONE LIKE TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT? SO MOVED SECOND.
WHERE DO WE NEED ROLL CALL TO CLOSE? PAT, DO WE NEED ROLL CALL TO CLOSE? UH, JUST ALL IN FAVOR.
SO PUBLIC, THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED FOR THE BUDGET RESOLUTION.
AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE MR. MR. MAYOR BEFORE WE GO.
UH, AS EVERYBODY KNOWS IN THE PUBLIC, I'VE SHARED MY CONCERNS OVER THE PAST FEW MEETINGS ABOUT, ABOUT THE BUDGET, UM, AND I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF REITERATE THAT THIS AGAIN, THIS EVENING.
AND I WANNA THANK LINDSAY, UH, FOR THE WORK THAT SHE DID IN PUTTING TOGETHER THE BUDGET FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2026.
I, I KNOW WHAT, WHAT IT'S LIKE TRYING TO PUT TOGETHER A, A PUBLIC BUDGET.
SO I WANNA, I WANNA THANK YOU, LINDSAY, FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DID.
IN SAYING THAT, I, I JUST WANNA BE, BE MINDFUL OF THE FACT THAT WE'RE APPROVING THIS BUDGET BECAUSE WE'RE REQUIRED TO BY THE STATE.
UH, BUT I, WE WANNA REITERATE MY CONCERNS ABOUT THE OVERALL FUNDING AND THE USAGE OF FUND BALANCE.
UH, AND IN SAYING THAT, I, I WENT BACK INTO THE AUDITS AND PASSED USAGE OF FUND BALANCE AND GOING BACK TO 2020, WE'VE AVERAGED, OR I SHOULD SAY NOT WE, BUT PRIOR COUNCILS HAVE AVERAGED USING, USING UP TO 70% OF THE FUND BALANCE TO FUND THE, THE FOLLOWING YEAR, UH, BUDGET.
IT'S REALLY NOT A GOOD STABLE PRACTICE AS WE, YOU KNOW, AS WE'RE FACING THAT RIGHT NOW WITH THE COMPOUNDING EFFECTS OF THAT.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, GOING BACK TO 2023, THEY USED 90% OF THE FUND BALANCE TO FUND THE 2024 COUNTER YEAR BUDGET.
UH, THAT WAS AROUND $3.3 MILLION.
IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTINUE GENERATING THAT TYPE OF FUND BALANCE, ESPECIALLY WHEN IN THIS BA IN THIS BUDGET FOR 2026, THE EXPENDITURES WERE ALREADY REDUCED BY $1.3 MILLION.
SO THE 2027 BUDGET IS GONNA BE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT MM-HMM
BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO GENERATE THAT TYPE, THAT TYPE OF REVENUE.
WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR FUND BALANCE THAT WE'RE PROJECTING FOR THIS CALENDAR A YEAR, WE'RE LOOKING AT ROUGHLY JUST UNDER $500,000.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT, WHEN YOU SPEAK, SPEAK TO OUR BOND COUNCIL OR FINANCIAL ADVISORS, THEY WOULD SAY THAT A HEALTHY AND AND STABLE FUND BALANCE FOR WOULD BE AROUND 10% OF THE GENERAL OPERATING BUDGET FOR THE MUNICIPALITY.
SO IF OUR CASE WITHIN ROUGHLY $24 MILLION OPERATING BUDGET, WE SHOULD BE HAVING A FUND BALANCE AROUND $2.4 MILLION AND WE HAVE LESS THAN $500,000.
SO IF, GOD FORBID, WE DO HAVE AN EMERGENCY, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW WITH ONE OF THE BILL LISTS THAT WE JUST PASSED THIS EVENING, THAT BILL LIST WAS JUST OVER $300,000.
SO WE HAVE A FUND BALANCE THAT WOULD COVER ESSENTIALLY ONE MONTHS OF BILLS, NOT COUNTING PAYROLL IN THE EVENT THAT WE HAVE AN EMERGENCY.
[01:55:01]
SO I'M JUST SAYING ALL THIS BECAUSE I'M CONCERNED THAT WE'RE GOING TO HIT A POINT WHERE WE HAVE TO LOOK AT IMPLEMENTING SOME TYPE OF AUSTERITY MEASURE, WHETHER THAT BE REDUCING SALARIES, CUTTING SERVICES, RIFFING, RIFF RIFFING STAFF.BUT I JUST WANT THE PUBLIC TO REALIZE WHAT WE'RE FACING, UH, AND, AND SAYING ALL THAT.
AND I KNOW THAT THIS BUDGET IS A, A BUDGET THAT WE'VE INHERITED, I SHOULDN'T SAY THIS BUDGET, BUT THE PRACTICES THAT HAVE LED UP TO THIS BUDGET ARE THINGS THAT WE'VE INHERITED AS A COUNCIL, AND IT'S NOW THINGS THAT WE MUST ADDRESS.
UH, AND THAT'S WHERE LOOKING AT RATEABLES AND LOOKING AT WHAT WE CAN DO TO GENERATE MORE REVENUE INTO THE TOWN IS GONNA BECOME EXTREMELY VITAL, UH, AS WE LOOK INTO SUBSEQUENT YEARS.
SO I JUST WANNA GO ON WITH THAT.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, I THINK WE CAN ALL SECOND MR. UH, COUNCILMAN COX'S CONCERNS THERE.
THERE'S, WE'RE FACING A SEVERE BUDGET CHALLENGE IN THE FUTURE MM-HMM
AND WE, WE ARE, WE ARE ON THIS PATH AT THIS CURRENT POINT.
UM, WE'VE DONE, I THINK THE LAST TWO YEARS HAVE BEEN BUDGET INCREASES YES.
TO TRY TO START TO CHANGE THAT PATTERN.
UM, BUT TO COUNCILMAN COX'S POINT, UM, RATEABLES ARE GONNA BE PROBABLY THE NUMBER ONE DRIVER HERE AND WE HAVE TO STOP RELYING ON ONE TIME BUDGET, UH, REVENUE SOURCES.
UM, I JUST WANNA ADD, AND I SAY THIS EVERY MEETING, I DO THINK WE NEED A SUBCOMMITTEE TO LOOK AT THIS.
WE, IT'S AN EMERGENCY THAT'S, I, THAT'S NOT ENOUGH MONEY FOR FAMILY TO HAVE IN RESERVED, WOULD YOU AGREE? RIGHT.
I MEAN THAT'S, I, YOU KNOW, WEALTHY FAMILY YEAH.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT IT AS A COMMUNITY BECAUSE THE REASON WE'VE BEEN GOING INTO FUND BALANCE IS SO WE DON'T RAISE TAXES.
AND THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR QUITE A WHILE.
AND NO, THIS IS NO ONE'S FAULT HERE, BUT POLITICALLY IT WAS A GOOD IDEA.
BUT FINANCIALLY IT'S, IT'S TERRIBLE.
SO I, I LIKE THE IDEA OF THE COMMITTEE, BUT I'M STILL LOOKING INTO IT.
AND, AND COUNCILMAN SENATOR MOORE.
I, I BELIEVE WE ALL AGREE WITH THE, THE, THE COMMUNITY'S EFFORTS IN THIS MATTER WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL.
I THINK WHERE WE MAYBE DIFFER IS THE, THE CHALLENGE OF THE COUNCIL BEING PART OF THAT OR COMMISSIONING A SUBCOMMITTEE TO PROVIDE INPUT.
AND, AND I DON'T WANT TO, I DON'T WANNA USE THE WRONG WORDS HERE, PAT, AND I KNOW I'VE SAID THAT A FEW TIMES TONIGHT, BUT, BUT I THINK WE'RE, I DON'T WANNA SAY SPEAK CLOSE.
I THINK I'M DEFINITELY IN FAVOR OF THE COMMUNITY PARTAKING IN WAYS TO INCREASE REVENUE SOURCES.
I JUST THINK WE, WE MIGHT DISAGREE THAT AN OFFICIAL SUBCOMMITTEE WITH A CHARTER COULD ACTUALLY CONFLICT WITH OUR FORM OF GOVERNMENT.
AND I'M GONNA TALK TO A LAWYER, JUST, YOU KNOW, TO BE SURE BECAUSE I, BUT I, I DO LIKE THE, THE IDEA OF THE COMMUNITY BEING INVOLVED COMPLETELY.
AND I, I THINK MR. DOBY OR WHATEVER SAID, WELL THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING'S, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WERE THE ONE WHO TOLD ME EVERYTHING'S ON THE WEBSITE, THAT'S NOT BEING PART OF THE COMMUNITY.
IF YOU LOOK AT IT ON THE WEBSITE, THE MOST YOU CAN DO IS COME HERE AND TALK AND WE DON'T EVEN HAVE TO ANSWER.
I THIS IS SOMETHING, THIS KIND OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, AGAIN, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, A MAYOR THAT WE DO HAVE A FORM OF GOVERNMENT THAT DOES RESTRICT IT, BUT THERE MAY BE SOME WAY WE CAN GET AROUND THAT.
SO I'LL, I'LL TALK TO A LAWYER.
MY DAUGHTER'S A LAWYER, BUT SHE WON'T HELP ME.
BUT, UM, I THINK THAT'S, I'M ONGOING IN THAT DIRECTION.
I MEAN, I COULD TELL YOU SITTING RIGHT NOW, THE PROBLEM IS THE SEPARATION OF POWERS DOCTRINE.
UM, THAT IS THE BIGGEST HICCUP.
SO YOU HAVE, YOU CAN HAVE AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE WHERE YOU GO THROUGH AND SAY, WE WANT TO HAVE COMMERCIAL RATEABLES HERE, BUT IN TERMS OF AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON THE ACTUAL BUDGET, THAT WOULD VIOLATE THE SEPARATION OF POWERS DOCTRINE, BECAUSE THAT IS CHARGED TO THE OFFICE OF THE MANAGER.
AND SO IF THE MANAGER NEEDS A DEPUTY TO ASSIST IN THE APPROPRIATION OF THE BUDGET, WHICH IS HIS STATUTORY NO, I, I UNDERSTAND THAT.
I HAVE TO JUST THE COMMITTEE CAN'T YOU CAN, I APOLOGIZE.
THE COUNCIL CANNOT INTERFERE WITH THAT.
AND AS GREAT OF AN IDEA AS IT IS, YOUR HANDS ARE TIED BY THE, I KNOW BY YOUR, SO I'M GONNA SEE IF WE CAN RE RECONFIGURE IT SOME WAY.
I DON'T KNOW HOW, BUT IT'S ANYTHING'S POSSIBLE AND IT, WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING.
WELL, THERE'S A WILL, THERE'S A WAY YEAH.
RECOMMENDATION FROM THE COMMUNITY.
I THINK WE TALK ABOUT, I KNOW YOU ALL CARE ABOUT THAT AND I KNOW YOU LISTEN TO, YOU ALL DO.
BUT, UM, WE HAVE MANY MEMBERS HERE WHO REALLY WANNA BE PART OF OUR DECISION AND THAT'S BEEN A, A PROBLEM WITH THIS COUNCIL BEFORE YOU GUYS THAT NO ONE WOULD COME AND IF YOU SAT IN A MEETING, NO ONE WAS EVEN TALKING.
SO WE WANT THE COMMUNITY PART OF OUR DECISIONS.
SO THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME TALK.
UM, ANY MORE COUNSEL COMMENTS ON THE BUDGET? NO.
AT THIS TIME, NEXT UP IS A MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 1 13 20 26 ADOPTION OF THE 2026 MUNICIPAL BUDGET.
[02:00:01]
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED.THE 2026 MUNICIPAL BUDGET IS APPROVED.
[XII. CONSENT AGENDA RESOLUTIONS ]
CONSENT AGENDA RESOLUTIONS.I'LL START WITH RESOLUTION 1 0 7 20 26 AUTHORIZING CANCELLATION OF 2026, PROPERTY TAXES ON PROPERTIES OWNED BY QUALIFIED TOTALLY DISABLED EXEMPT VETERANS RESOLUTION A HUNDRED EIGHT TWENTY TWENTY SIX AUTHORIZING THE RETROACTIVE AWARD OF A CONTRACT TO COASTLINE FOR EMERGENCY WATER AND SEWER REPAIRS.
RESOLUTION 1 0 9 20 26 AUTHORIZING A SHARED SERVICE WITH THE BOROUGH OF MEDFORD LAKES FOR CONSTRUCTION OF FISH OFFICE AND INSPECTIONS RESOLUTION 1 10 20 26 AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF A SHARED SERVICE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE TOWNSHIP OF MEDFORD AND BURLINGTON COUNTY INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY BOARD OF EDUCATION FOR PROVISION OF A SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER SRO FOR THE 20 26 20 27 SCHOOL YEAR RESOLUTION 1 11 20 26 URGING THE NEW JERSEY STATE LEGISLATION AND GOVERNOR TO REPEAL GAS TAX ESCALATOR AND RESTORE ACCOUNTABILITY TO FUEL TAX INCREASES RESOLUTION.
UM, RESOLUTION 1 14 20 26 AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF A SHARED SERVICE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE TOWNSHIP OF MEDFORD AND MEDFORD LAKES REGIONAL, I'M SORRY, LPE REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF EDUCATION FOR PROVISION OF A SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER SRO FOR THE 20 26 20 27 SCHOOL YEAR.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? RESOLUTIONS? I SEEING NONE.
AND AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO TURN IT OVER
[XIII. RESOLUTIONS ]
TO COUNCILMAN COX.I'D LIKE TO REQUEST A MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTION ONE 15 DASH 2 0 2 6.
UH, RECOGNIZING MAY, 2026 AS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH IN THE TOWNSHIP OF MEDFORD.
AND IF I MAY TAKE A MINUTE TO READ THAT RESOLUTION.
WHEREAS MENTAL HEALTH IS ESSENTIAL TO THE OVERALL WELLBEING OF INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES.
AND WHEREAS ONE IN FIVE ADULTS EXPERIENCES A MENTAL HEALTH CONDITION IN A GIVEN YEAR, AND MANY INDIVIDUALS FACE CHALLENGES IN ACCESSING CARE, SUPPORT AND RESOURCES.
AND WHEREAS MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES ALSO SIGNIFICANTLY AFFECT CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WITH MANY YOUNG PEOPLE EXPERIENCING ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CONDITIONS, AND OTHER CONCERNS THAT IMPACT OUR DEVELOPMENT, ACADEMIC SUCCESS AND OVERALL WELLBEING.
AND WHEREAS EARLY IDENTIFICATION, INTERVENTION, AND ACCESS TO AGE APPROPRIATE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH CAN GREATLY IMPROVE LONG-TERM OUTCOMES AND HELP BUILD RESILIENCE.
AND WHEREAS SCHOOLS, FAMILIES, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN SUPPORTING THE MENTAL HEALTH OF YOUNG PEOPLE AND FOSTERING SAFE SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENTS WHERE CHILDREN CAN THRIVE.
AND WHEREAS STIGMA AND MISUNDERSTANDING CONTINUE TO PREVENT MANY INDIVIDUALS, INCLUDING YOUNG PEOPLE FROM SEEKING THE HELP THAT THEY NEED.
AND WHEREAS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY TO RAISE AWARENESS, EDUCATE THE PUBLIC, PROMOTE EARLY INTERVENTION, REDUCE STIGMA, AND IMPROVE ACCESS TO SERVICES FOR RESIDENTS OF ALL AGES.
AND WHEREAS THE TOWNSHIP OF MEDFORD IS COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING INITIATIVES THAT FOSTER A HEALTHY, RESILIENT, AND COMPASSIONATE COMMUNITY FOR BOTH ADULTS AND CHILDREN.
AND WHEREAS COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, EDUCATORS, ADVOCATES THROUGHOUT BURLINGTON COUNTY WORK DILIGENTLY TO PROVIDE CRITICAL MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, EDUCATION, AND OUTREACH FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES.
NOW THEREFORE BE RESOLVED BY THE TOWNSHIP COUNCIL OF THE TOWNSHIP OF METFORD, COUNTY OF BURLINGTON IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY, THAT THE MONTH OF MAY 20, 20, 26 IS HEREBY RECOGNIZED AS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH IN THE TOWNSHIP OF MEDFORD.
AND BE A FURTHER RESOLVED THAT THE TOWNSHIP COUNCIL ENCOURAGES ALL RESIDENTS TO PROMOTE MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS, SUPPORT THOSE AFFECTED BY MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS, INCLUDING CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS, AND PARTICIPATE IN ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMS THAT INCREASE AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING.
AND BE A FURTHER RESOLVED BY THAT THE TOWNSHIP OF EFFORT REAFFIRMS ITS COMMITMENT TO FOSTERING A SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT WHERE ON INDIVIDUALS, PARTICULARLY YOUNG PEOPLE, FEEL SAFE SEEKING HELP AND ACCESSING CARE.
UM, WE'RE GONNA SEEK A MOTION ON THAT.
I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A MINUTE TO THANK COUNCILMAN COX FOR THAT AND TO LET THE PUBLIC KNOW THAT THE MUNICIPAL ALLIANCE THE FIRST, UM, I GUESS THE FIRST, NOT PROBLEM,
[02:05:01]
BUT WE RECOGNIZE THAT MENTAL HEALTH IS A CRISIS IN THIS COUNTRY AND THAT'LL BE OUR FIRST PROJECT TO WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY ON THAT.[XIV. EXECUTIVE SESSION ]
WILL MOVE TO EXECUTIVE SESSION RESOLUTION EES 0 5 1 9 20 26, CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS AND MATTERS RELATED TO ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE, LITIGATION MOTION TO MOVE TO EXECUTIVE.ACTION'S NOT GONNA BE TAKEN, BUT APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES.
ACTION MAY BE TAKEN, BUT YOU KNOW, 30 MINUTES DOESN'T MEAN 30 MINUTES.
I'D LIKE TO RECONVENE THE OPEN PORTION OF THE PUBLIC MEETING.
WE ADDRESSED ALL THE ITEMS ON THE, OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION AND NO ACTION WAS TAKEN.