all the time. >> Good evening. It is 7:01. Welcome to the Bedminster Township Committee. This is our regularly scheduled August 4th, 2025 Township Committee meeting. Recognize
that we have a quorum of township committee members here. To my right, Committeeman Hickey. To my left, committee women Fernandez and the rest. >> Committeeman uh Stevenson has an excused
absence. Miss Ray, may we please have the open public meetings act? >> Yes, mayor. Adequate notice of this meeting the township committee was sent to the career news Somerville Burnsville News Whippony and to all subscribers and post at the township mal building on
January 7th, 2025. >> Thank you. Please join me in standing for the pledge of allegiance. >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and
justice for all. >> So, normally we would uh proceed with um public comments. Uh before we do, we have a uh a police swearing in ceremony that we'd like to uh get going and so we
can release those who showed up for the swearing in uh release them for the rest of the night. Um so as anyone who's been following township committee as well as the school board uh
school board authorized uh hiring a special officer as a uh school what's the right title of that you guys want >> school safety officer. So uh school safety officer uh
technically resides within the Bedminister police department. So, Bedminister Township, the committee itself had to um uh we had to change an ordinance. We had to adopt a resolution. I know that uh police chief and lieutenant went through some interviews
and I'm very happy with uh the special police officer that we've um hired. So, there's a few few notes about uh Joseph Far III.
So, Officer Ferry joins us from uh Union County where he is married and has two children. Uh he came through Somerset County Police Academy and has a bachelor's from Fairley Dickinson and five years in the Morris County
Parks Police incl. So, that includes five years in the Mountain Patrol. You will fit right in in Bed. >> Perfect. Uh and then 20 years in the Mendum Burough Police Department uh with eight years as their school resource
officer. Uh officer Far uh has an EMT, right? He is EMT uh certification, a DARE conference committee member, a DARE instructor, lead instructor, a mounted instructor,
Renee. Excellent. resiliency officer instructor and he's awarded uh several multiple lifesaver recognition awards. Gold star 20 years of service with rescue squad New Jersey veteran network volunteer of
the year. DARE officer of the year Morris County DARE executive officer of the year. So, Chief and Lieutenant sounds like uh sounds like you got the right Kai. >> Yeah. Excellent. Excellent. Um
man of >> very >> always ausive and [Laughter] >> uh one thing that stood out during the interview um one thing that officer Ferry mentioned he asked uh can I still
continue training? So he's not looking at this as a retired guy who's just wants a job. He that stood out to me that he still wants to grow and develop. So, I think uh this is a home run choice. He's going to be a great fit uh for the school, the community. He obviously knows how to talk to people if
you ever spend two seconds talk. So, >> we just did and we we ran into, you know, two or three uh connections that we already have. So, >> yeah. So, um he has an impeccable uh record. Um good character. I think he's going to be a perfect fit for our community. So,
welcome. >> Thank you. >> Great. >> Is that good? >> That's good. Thank you, Chief. So, Robin, let's uh let's do the swearing in. And if you don't mind, I'd like to invite members from school board and
from country school up here as well. >> Absolutely. Where would you like your right hand on the Bible if you want to hold that for us? >> Don't block.
>> Okay. So, repeat after me. I say to you >> I Joseph Barry >> do solemnly swear >> do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution that I will support the Constitution of the United States >> of the United States and the state of New Jersey and the state of New Jersey that I will bear true faith that I will
bear true faith and allegiance to the same and allegiance to the same and to governments established and to the governments established in the United States in the United States and in this state and in this state under the authority of the people under the authority of the people and that I will
faithfully and that I will faithfully partially and justly partially and justly perform all the duties perform all the duties of the office of special police officer >> of the office of special police officer
according to the best of my ability according to the best of my ability >> and that I will not use >> And that I will not use my office my office >> to grant preferential treatment to grant preferential treatment nor to seek personal gain. Or to seek personal gain. Favor or advantage. Favor or advantage.
Not available. Not available to the general public. To the general public. So >> everybody come up. Nobody. >> Yeah. >> Come on. You sure? >> Anyway, so >> come on, Cory. You got a bigger smile
than that. >> Thank you so much everybody. >> Okay. He used to ride >> and the thing was like arrested up to me. that you
going on Zoom now. >> Sit up. >> That's cool. >> Okay. Oh, do we need to put the podium back? >> So, it's certainly uh >> podium back. I got it. Renee, >> it's always exciting to uh to do a
swearing in and you know, as I mentioned earlier, just in in very brief conversation with officer Far >> recognize that we have a very um um let's see. Well, we have a few mutual
uh connections. That was really really great to hear. seems like a great fit and I know the school's excited and I think uh we're excited to see uh special resource safety officer there and um
I think it just gives uh I think the parents uh good deal of comfort. So well done. Uh before we proceed with the rest of the meeting, I do want to recognize that this must be um this must be birthday week.
>> So we have committeeman Hickey >> and Robin just had a birthday as well. >> So >> yes, >> we'll post lots of stuff on Facebook for you. >> We'll wait. We'll wait later on during um township committee comments uh to
sing happy birthday to both of you. Uh this is the time of the meeting that we open up the microphone and no one is on other than committee comm uh here enough. Council uh Bolardo u but
the microphone is open and available for public comment. Any member of the public wishing to make a comment, ask a question, now is your opportunity to do so. Uh coming up once again, you're not guaranteed of an answer. not guaranteed of an answer that you're gonna like and you're not guaranteed of a dialogue.
>> Name and >> do I go now? >> Yes. >> Yep. >> My name is Steve Ravi and I live at 129 Autumn Ridge Road in Bminster. >> Okay, Mr. Ravi. So, um, what I want to
do is follow up on, uh, some of the conversations we had regarding that farmland assessment act. >> And I think the last meeting we talked about the possibility of having an application fee for folks that want to claim that. Um, so in the meantime, I
also got in touch with this woman, Liz Thompson, who works for the New Jersey Farm Bureau. She was also the person that was on that New Jersey Spotlight piece that Jack Curtis was on as well. kind of like a posing type situation. So, I just asked her about it and uh the
application fee might be reach, she said. But she said what's definitely in the bylaws of this the assessment or the the farmland assessment act is the ability to charge for an inspection fee. And according to the the bylaws, an
inspection has to be done on every claimed farm once every three years. So just as a matter of, you know, making sure that we keep folks honest that say they're real farmers, and maybe they are, maybe they're not. Um, it's
definitely within the rules of of the of the Farm Line Assessment Act to charge whatever we think is appropriate, you guys think is appropriate, I guess, um, to have inspections done to make sure these are real farms and not fake farms. Okay. All right. Um, and tell while I'm
here, just one other thing. I don't know how I got stuck on real estate or real estate taxes, but um, I actually just got this on Friday. >> Mhm. And it's a great document. It's it's really good. I mean, it has a lot of stuff in here that I would never have
thought to even look for. Um, but there is one item that I think maybe next time around or as a supplement we could add. It's this. Um, I'm going to be actually talking to well, I have been talking to the Somerset County Clerk's Office and
he suggested he goes, "You might want to go to the legislature for this." But what is is this um one of the biggest rising fraud and scams is deed fraud and especially like with um you know every
it's just with AI and all the and also here here's good story I just heard is this remember in past years you might see we'll get an email from a scammer and and the email is just horrific. It's like the the grammar's off. And you
think to yourself, if you're going to be a good scammer, wouldn't you at least, you know, spellch checkck your stuff. And the thing of it is this, they did that on purpose. All right? So, let's just say there are these guys sitting in the back of Joe's Barn Grill. There's
about five of them. All right? And if they sent out a document that's perfect, let's say 10 million people responded, they haven't got the manpower to deal with that. So, what they did is like a three-step process to see, all right, we
want to get the people that we know are going to be good bait. Anyway, you probably haven't seen a lot of those lately because what's happened is this. It's become a transcontinental, you know, cyber crime syndicate. And these people are they're well funded.
They're well educated on how to do this. And now they have the advantage of AI and stuff like that. So what's happening is as much as in Somerset County we have a notification system, they make the point it's not an alert system. And by
statute, Somerset County has to actually if somebody steals your your property, they have to record it if they think they have the right documents within 3 days. So, what's happened is not only are we making it difficult for seniors especially because if you're a senior
and let's just say you've paid off your mortgage now you don't have at least a lending company wanting to check to make sure and get notifications and stuff like that. So, it's just people. So, one of the things I was thinking of is this again, if we if we could just put a
notice out to folks and just say, you know what, it's probably a good idea at least to sign up for this notification system so you can at least, you know, get notified. And then what happens is you have to get the prosecutor's office and local law enforcement involved and then you have to hire an attorney that's
expert on residential property theft. So, that's if you have the money to afford that. So, it's really it's it's a bad situation. So my only point would be is next uh you know half a year however often these guys come out which is a great document just add another blurb
probably the um the URL because it's really simple to to sign up it's ridiculous but again but it's not a it's not a cure all because all you're going to be doing is getting a notification that somebody stole your property. Now it's up to you to try and win it back.
But anyway, that's what I have for tonight. Hopefully the idea for basically having a an inspection fee put on folks that want to claim that they're that they're farmers is a good idea and we can basically, you know, if there are a couple people thought, well, maybe now
I'm not a farmer anymore if it's going to cost me $1,000 to have an inspection done, you know, and then it won't work out anyways. All righty. Um, >> that's what I have. >> Okay. Well, let me address your uh your first issue. So, you you may have uh you
may have missed this. I I think when we've reported back on the uh whether or not there could be a higher uh application fee, we did reach out to uh both attorney Bolardo as we also reached out to Kevin McDonald who is our uh tax
attorney. He addresses um taxes including tax appeals and other tax matters for the township. Um, and I read actually into the record his email and which said, "No, the application fee is
fixed by statute. I forget what it is. >> More than $25, >> no more than $25." Uh, and and that's it. So, unless the legislation changes, that's the application fee. Uh, I'm not familiar with the inspection fee. I'm
not aware if there's latitude. Typically inspections have to mirror the effort that goes into the activity. >> We'll ask Mr. Bolardo to uh to look into that and maybe Robin just reach out to
um >> actually who's doing your inspection >> went through this process >> and um we had there was some time there we weren't collecting the fees so we started that up about two years well last year was our first time collecting it and it's once every three years and
it covers the cost of the inspection the application fee has to cover the cost of the inspection >> and so that's what we >> and on your second issue um the deed fraud issue. is actually something that um as you know I think
most are aware that we've uh I've been having meetings with the other Somerset Hills mayors um and we called the Somerset Hills public safety meeting Gladstone Far Hills Bernardsville Bernard's Township had all them all six
of them Btowns and PG and Fills um and we've We've actually discussed uh the deed fraud issue and whether the towns can work together to get the notification
out. Uh, Chief um, Bernardo sits in on these calls as well and we did a little and actually at at my request, Robin did a little digging into what the county was offering and it's a notification system or actually they're recommending
folks retain one of the notification services. These are private um services that will notify you if there's been a recording against your deed, against your title. Um it is not does it doesn't prevent
anything from being recorded. Um but it's a notification. Um, so we're a little leerary of of going out there and endorsing one private institution or another, but it's certainly something that we've discussed up here and we're going to continue to discuss with the other members of the Somerset Hills
Public Safety Committee. Cool. You know what? Just uh and and on the the trifold insert, we're always um you know, Robin and uh staff do a great job of putting that together. Yeah. Um, we're a little like
we're we're constrained by by the page. So, it's always an issue of what gets in this year. Uh, there's some standards that always get in, but um, every year there's an insert and uh, it it's adjusted. So, maybe that's something we can get in next year, but certainly
we're aware of what the county has pushed out and and um, if there's something more aggressive that we can do. Um and and certainly I know that when we've had meetings with um Bedminster police and we've gone to different um areas of the hills on
community um participation meet a police officer. This is one of the things that we talk about. >> You know, I I was just going to say this is like everybody said, well, it's a brand new world like three or four or five years ago. It's not slowing down.
Oh no. Worse and worse and worse and and yet basically so >> what I've found when I did so I do a presentation for art um called the fraud landscape and this woman pinned me to a wall during one of the presentations because I had no idea what you could do
to to and they just covered it over so lightly during the presentation. So, I went back and did my own investigating on it and and the folks were saying, "Well, yeah, you could hire those third parties." And they said, "But the same thing what you were saying, they're not going to stop it. They're just going to
let you know, by the way, they said it's not cost-effective at all. It's very expensive." So, when I was going back and forth last week with the uh the county, the Somerset County Clerk, I think it's Steve Peter, um he basically said, he goes, "What you need to do is,
you know, get to your legislators and have them because he went through the whole alerting system." And he said, "It's not an alert." And he said it, he goes, "It's just a notification system." >> And that's a big difference because people hear alert and think, "Oh, I'm going to be saved." They're not going to >> No, no, no. You don't get noticed until
it's actually been recorded. So basically the legislation that I would you know what I think of it as like when you want to get into your uh into your Visa account you have to have double authentication right and just to get into your own stuff they should be able
to implement something that's very similar to double authentication and also the county has to record things within 72 hours. That's their statute. So it's not like there's a lot of time for let's just say you're older and it's
like oh I didn't look at my email for two days and now I have to look at this and then then kind of discern and and too late by then you know like way too late. So yeah, so I don't think the third parties I think the right thing to do is just get the state to basically
mandate and say guess what you got to we got to protect again just like anything else. Times are changing and we need to change with the times and nobody likes to have 10,000 laws but you know what it might make
sense you know. So anyway I appreciate you guys looking into everything. I'm very much so. Um I was hoping that you were going to tell me, "Oh yeah, we have an inspection fee that's $1,000 and it's it's not a problem at all." And uh but I I take it that's not the case. It's not really
>> I can send you the state statute the link to the statute. >> I actually have it. If you want to take my notes, I have the statute reference and you can see exactly what our tax attorney said. >> So >> thank you. I appreciate it. >> Save your step. >> So good. >> A++ >> once in a while.
>> Thank you all very much. I really appreciate it. All right. Thank you, Mr. Ravi. >> Thank you. >> Interesting. >> And Robin, there's no one else on Zoom. >> We'll proceed with the rest of the meeting. We have two sets of meeting
minutes to review and approve. July 21st, our regular session, and July 21st, our executive session. Any comments regarding either of those minutes? >> I'm abstaining, mayor. >> Yes. I'm sorry, Gina, you're abstaining.
>> Yes. >> Take motion to approve the meeting minutes. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I >> Thank you. One, two, three, four, five. Hermits and raffles
versus a social fair permit to benefit Summit Medical Group Foundation on September 29, 2025 from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Hamilton Farm Golf Club. A social fair permit to benefit the Center for Contemporary Art on October 10, 2025
from 7:00 p.m. to 1000 p.m. at the Center for Contemporary Art. a social fair permit to benefit Raritin Headquarters Association on September 27 from 6 PM to 11 p.m. at Fair View Farm
Wildlife Preserve. an on premise merchandise raffle to benefit friends of the shelter on October 23, 2025 from 10:30 a.m. to 3 pm at Hamilton Farm Golf Club and an on premise 50/50 raffle to
benefit friends of the shelter, February 23 from 10:30 a.m. to 300 p.m. at Hamilton Farm Golf Club. Any questions or comments regarding those permits and travels? Seeing none, take motion to approve. So moved. Second.
>> All in favor? I. Thank. >> Monthly report discussion by subcommittee chair. Committeewoman Fernandez. How is Wreck going? How's camp? >> We had a a wreck committee meeting on July 15th. Um so a couple of things.
First of all, um Fall Fest is Saturday, October 11th, and um packets have gone out and a lot of applicants have um sent their paperwork in, a lot of sponsors, and so it's going to be a great event.
Um it's October 11th from 12:00 to 5:00. And um camp Edminister is going great and there are eight new counselors in training hired for the 2025 season. and 15 applicants applied for Camp Edminster. The camps were all full um
right away and we have about 125 I think you said for the first session, no 128 for session A, 127 for session B and 119 for session C. So that's Camp Bedminster. And um also um construction
uh was set to begin on the community garden, which I'll let Robin talk about later. And um the dog park, I want to talk about the dog park. So, the plans have been approved for the dog park. It is 1 acre in size at Burnt Mills Park.
Uh it's set to go out to bid and it has a walking path around the entire thing and it has a fence outside the walking path so that it will um eliminate some of the digging under the fence because there's a path as opposed
to dirt. And that's all. So, so it's going out to bid and then hopefully we'll get started once the bids come in and can make a decision. >> Great. >> Okay. >> All right. Committeewoman Moreski. >> Good evening, Mayor. Good evening,
everyone. Um, as uh Gina mentioned, we had the groundbreaking for the community garden. Um, I'll let Robin and the mayor talk a little bit more about that, but as many of us attended as we could. It was a great day. It was a little warm, but it was so exciting after so many
years of this in process and uh it was just exciting for it to to begin. Um then real quick for Jacob's Vander House, new meet, new um new committee about 15 of us met over at the house. Um
everybody was real excited. Derek Anderson and Craig Sutherland gave us the background of where the friends have left it off, what's going on, state of the house, state of the utilities and things. Um some of the programs, where
they are with that. Um and then excuse me, some of the um the members who had previously been on this board um gave some thoughts and ideas as to where we were going and what we could do and some new ideas. And uh all in all, it sounded
like everybody who was there was excited to be there. There were some ideas thrown around the the table already, which is great. And uh we'll meet um in August, maybe one or two times to get things rolling. And it looks like um
community the uh uh colonial Christmas might be on and going good this year. So we'll be excited to see how that goes. I talked with Neil for a couple minutes at the farmers market and he already had some ideas. So it's great to have Neil
involved in everything we do in town. He's he's a clever young man. He's very smart. He's very enthusiastic. And he's already the wheels are already grinding away. Um so the next step will be to pick the um the leadership positions and
then we'll go from there. So all in all great meeting. >> Well there was another clever young man who also was in attendance at that meeting Jason. >> Yes >> that was you. >> So thank thank you uh thank you Renee
Mittyman Hickey. >> Thank you mayor. Good evening. >> And your birthday is tomorrow. Yes. >> Tomorrow. Thank So tomorrow is your birthday. >> Yes. >> Tomorrow. >> Thank you for reminding me about that. Yes. Just wondering. >> So when I drop over at 1:00 this morning with a beer for you, it'll be your birthday. >> Okay.
>> Thank you. >> I feel like a slacker compared to my colleagues. It's August 4th and you've already gotten all this done. None of my committees have met. So I have no report. >> This is the end of July to be fair. So you don't feel so bad. This is the end of July. >> No, I have nothing to report right now.
My committees will be meeting later this month. >> Okay. Thank you. So, um Renee and Gina had just mentioned uh the community garden. Uh we had some representatives from environmental
commission there uh from REC from farmers market committee there as well. Um Robin, great job in in putting that together. and Jason um obviously getting everything ready, getting the VGO uh garden set up uh was great and um
Burnsville News there. We had um uh Commissioner Greener from Somerset County in attendance. So got the opportunity to thank uh Somerset County Commissioners for the $300,000 grant that enables us to uh proceed with that.
And uh we'll be putting together an advisory committee for the community garden to set up certain rules, requirements, um application fees, and and the rules of how the community garden is going to operate. Um so we'll
be uh pursuing that with a little further in this year. And certainly the idea is to have that community garden up and operating by spring 2026. So that's a lot of VGO gardens to assemble.
>> Having done a few of them myself, they look like they should take about 10 or 15 minutes. They take about 45 minutes to an hour. Yeah. So, um, so DPW guys will be when they have a free minute, which they never have. >> Yeah.
>> Let's throw a party. >> Um, so that was great. And Robin will give us a little more details on that. Um uh I attended the JVH uh commission meeting as well just to welcome everyone
uh to reconstitute and give some expectations from township committee to activate that asset and I think that was a message that was received particularly well um and also to recognize that we
really do have an allstar commission that the members of that commission are all extreme extremely uh active in historic preservation, uh historic or in historic um programming, fundraising,
just you know really really just knockout group um farmers market. We had a banner day on Saturday. How many? >> 1505.
>> Wow. So other than opening day this year when we hit 19 seated 1900 >> 1505 would be the the second >> the second most. >> Yep. >> Beautiful weather help. >> Beautiful weather help.
>> Um >> and I do want to come back to Fall Fest because something that I I know at the end of last year Jason uh and I were discussing is a better parking layout so we don't get the backups for folks coming into
coming into Fallst and it sounds like Jason's got a plan. >> Yeah, the split app should be complete tomorrow. >> And so this way the parking all the way around and then exit this way. >> Excellent. Great. Great. Great. Um Lies
board, there is a land use board meeting um this Thursday. There's one zoning board application that committee meant Hickeyi and I are both ineligible to attend. And there is one planning board um application uh we are eligible to attend. I think
it's a minor >> minor house issue or something. >> Exactly. >> Um and that's all I have. Oh, I do have something um revolution 250. So last um I guess a week and a half ago I
attended a meeting uh at Somerset County. This was with the business partnership. Um the free not the realers the commissioners had asked representatives from each of the 21 towns in the county to attend. Uh it was
mainly mainly mayors and um it was to hear about the county's efforts on getting ready for Revolution 250, what the state is doing, what the county is doing. And then there was a little surprise at the end when um um
Commissioner Director Chanel Robinson said, "Okay, we're going to go around the room and we're going to start with the mayor so everyone tells us what their town is working on." So, um I wasn't first, but um I may have
been second or third and so was able to report on what we're doing with JBH, uh what we're doing with uh the park down in Pluckman and um that how as a town we look forward to full participation in uh Revolution 250, working with the county
and working with the other towns in the county as they all proceed with um implementation of programming for not just Revolution 250, but there are certain events in the county that happened during the war, during the
Revolutionary War. So, there will be 250th anniversaries. It's going to start on uh July 4, 2026, but it's going to continue. So, um we may be coming up on a 250th for the
Pluckman Kento. So, another opportunity for participation with Bedminster and our um neighboring municipalities as well. >> Ms. Ray, >> can we please have the administrators
report to report? I bet you the chap is far ahead. >> Some of them are. >> That's great. Um, okay. Just very quickly, last week I attended a um sewer transmission advisory board meeting
which is comprised of um representatives from Far Hills, Peepac, Gladstone and Bedminster uh to discuss the uh forced main failure that we had um back earlier in July and then next steps for the force main inspection. So um that was
well attended. Uh tax bills are obviously they were mailed on July 31st and just a reminder that the grace period has been extended to August 25th. Uh the groundbreaking which everybody had mentioned I think went really really well. We had a great day. It was really
really hot. Um but we had uh a really nice turnout and members from Wreck and the environmental commission present. And yes, the goal is to um start selling um plots in January, January 1. So Neil
has already put out uh information to all of those folks that responded to our advisory committee um interest and uh so we'll be calling meeting shortly to get everybody together and um of course after the mayor does his appointments
and then we'll we'll take care of that. But um >> so things are really moving forward with the community garden groundbreaking. Uh Jacob's Vanderber house commission again another uh great meeting. I think uh everybody like you said Renee was very enthusiastic, had a lot of great ideas
and uh looking forward to next steps. I'm just now confirming a couple things with the county and then I'll go ahead and send out meeting reminder tomorrow for two meetings in August, the second and fourth weeks of August so we can really ramp up. We have journeys through the past we have to plan for and
Colonial Christmas and a couple of school groups which have not really been fully planned out. So we need >> We just had the school here. I know. >> Oh, I just >> we just we just missed we missed an opportunity face. I knew it. >> That's okay. Now, and and Robin, I do
want to um you know, bringing uh uh two members who were instrumental in getting the JBH house um stabilized in the very beginning and having them
participate at this at this first meeting was um very important because they had lost some connection uh to the house. Now it's our opportunity to get back in and and they they echoed the same enthusiasm
that was around the room and also made some commitments um for donations. So that was that was great hitting the uh ground running which is always a wonderful thing. But it was I think a lot of good things come out of
this. Um, of course there's some facility, you know, management issues that Jason's already jumped on. He's got a whole list of things he'd like to accomplish. >> Barnraising being one of them. >> I'm looking into grants. There's a couple grants opportunities that are coming our way fast and furious that
need to be applied for by September. So, kind of yeah, moving out. There's a lot of stuff. We don't want to miss the mark because everything'll start up again next year. And for HR, we're still working on um well, we are working on the GIF has put out a new request that
we update our personnel manuals. So um Amanda and I actually had a call this afternoon. We looked at the different sections we have to divide and conquer as well as um updating the handbook. So um and also on the human resources front, we are still um continuing with
our efforts to secure a CFO and now we have a DPW general foreman position that we've advertised for as well. So um we'll keep turning and that concludes my report. >> Thank you. Uh Chief, any update on
community policing or any um thoughts on once again just as we talked before, Mr. Zavi uh mentioned um anything we can do to spread the word on uh deed fraud. Um we can bring work that into uh sort of
the the as we do the tours with the condo associations something maybe to uh you know get some information out there about that as well. Yeah, we can. I know we put something on our social media um I don't know remember when that was Robin >> for um
>> the def fraud. We put something out. >> It was like two weeks ago. >> Yeah. But um >> after our summer sales public safety meeting. >> Yeah. Our detectives do have a program that um regarding fraud so I can have them add this. >> Okay. >> Um thank goodness we haven't seen it in Venister yet, but that probably won't be
the case forever. Um but we can do that. That's no problem. Um, as far as community policing, we had a a program last month in July. I wanted to thank everyone who donated um goods and clothing uh for our Christmas in July for our veterans. Uh, appreciate that.
And right now, we're trying to secure different locations for Coffee with the Cop. Um, National Coffee with the Cop Day is uh in the fall, so we're trying to come up with something different location that we haven't been to, but I'll report when we lock that down. >> Great. Okay. Thank you.
Introduction of ordinances. We have none. Uh we do have one ordinance from public hearing. This is ordinance number 2025016. This ordinance appropriates $97,500 from the 2025 capital fund for
engineering design improvements to Autumn Ridge Gate House, Drummers Log, and Kestrel Roads for which the township has received a New Jersey Department of Transportation fiscal year 2025 local aid grant for 194,46.
take a motion to open the public hearing for ordinance number 2025016. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> Thank you. >> Okay. Robin, just want to walk us through. This looks like a relatively um
routine ordinance. >> Uh yes, it is, mayor. So, this is part of the uh state of New Jersey uh local aid program that we apply for um in the prior year and we um were awarded uh 2025. What we usually do is or we have
been uh practice has been the past couple years is to appropriate the funds in the uh capital budget which we did in 2025 for the engineering portion and then we'll appropriate the funds for the capital contribution in 2026.
And this covers the engineering planning and design. >> So then for the actual paving of um Bottom Ridge Gate House, Drummers Log and Kestrel that would be a 2026 schedule. >> That's correct. >> Okay.
Any further questions or comments from township committee? >> Nope. We'll open up microphone for public comment questions regarding ordinance 2025016. >> It's in your neighborhood.
>> He's just happy. >> Seeing none, take a motion to close the public hearing for ordinance 202516. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> Thank you. I will take a motion
to approve ordinance number 2025016. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Roll call vote, please. Mr. Hickeyi, >> I. >> Miss Moreski, >> I. >> Miss Fernandez. >> I. >> And Mayor Jacobs. >> I. >> Thank you.
>> We have three items on the consent agenda. These are items of a routine nature. Any member potential committee may pull one, two, or all of them. offer individual consideration. Seeing none, I'll take a motion to approve the items on the consent agenda.
>> So moved. Second. >> Roll call vote, please. Mr. Hickey. >> I. >> M. Moreski. >> I. >> Miss. Fernandez. >> I. >> And Mayor Jacobs. >> I. >> Thank you. >> And we have no other resolutions on for tonight. I will take a motion to approve the bill list pending review of
individual invoices. >> So moved. Second. Roll call vote again, please. Mr. Hickeyi, >> hi. >> Miss Moreski, >> hi. >> M Fernandez, >> hi. >> And Mayor Jacobs. >> Hi. >> Thank you. >> Any matters that any town committee
member wants to put on for new business? [Music] >> Old business, utilities. So, we had some uh pretty nasty nasty rain last two weeks.
I was expecting to see my phone blow up with um with reports of outages. I actually called Colin when I was stuck in a deluge right off of 287 in Middle Sex County and
Colin tell me how many uh neighborhoods are out and he said what do you mean it's not even raining here? So, I was I was stuck in Piscataway in Bound Brook and I guess it really wasn't raining that that hard here. Uh but then we had another rain event that did hit
us pretty hard and um outages last week. >> Oh, quiet. >> It was quiet, right? All right. Well, you can you can break that streak or >> No, no, no, no, no. I was in Pennsylvania a couple weekends ago and
we had big rains and we lost power in the hotel. I almost called you. >> I call it out for hours. >> So, do we have an update on >> JCP? I can bring us up to speed. So, at our last meeting, which was two weeks
ago, that very evening, JCPNL had alerted us to a planned outage in the lower hills where they were going to implement the final phase of the circuit switching technology. I'm happy to report all went according to plan and JCPNL has thrown the proverbial switch
and that capability is now now online. So as I mentioned this will enable power to be automatically rerouted from one feed to another in case of failure. Um what I've done now is ask JCPNL to come out give us a presentation in terms of what's been done what it's going to do
for us and what they plan in the future. I think we should probably target that for say midepptember. We can firm I'll firm up date with them. Rob and I'll work with you. We'll get a notice out. So, but we're live now. Um I'm also working with property managers, HOAs as
well as the masters because now there are a bunch of restoration items because there was irrigation systems that were damaged, lighting that still is not coming on. We'll assemble a master list. JCPNL has agreed to repair anything they damage. they'll get on that within the next few weeks. So, that's in progress
right now. >> So, good news on that front. >> Um, as for other updates, New Jersey American Water continues its leadline inspections. Miss Ray and I get those updates every week. >> And, uh, Jason, do you have any updates on anything?
>> Not right now. No. >> All right, >> we're good. >> That's what we got. >> And John Puffin Park, Senior Housing, um, anything to report? I know Doug's not here. Mayor, I know that the pilot agreement is expiring soon and uh Miss
Ray can probably shed some more light on uh that deadline, >> July 31st. >> So, it happened. >> So, so um Pluckman Park should now be on straight normal taxation.
>> Correct. That's where he's >> and the assessor will be looking at an added assessment as well. >> That's correct. >> Okay. >> Ongoing tax appeals with Mr. McDonald as tax appeal council have not been
resolved and remain active. >> All right. Okay. Uh summer sales public safety committee. I think we reported on this at the last meeting. Uh nothing new to report other than we I think our next meeting is it will be in September.
Um we do not have an executive session. So we'll go through township committee comments and then we will adjourn for the evening. Committee woman Fernandez. >> Thank you mayor. I just wanted to welcome class 3 special police officer Joseph Barry one more time. Um we're
very happy to have him and the school is lucky to have him. Um, and I just want to say happy birthday to Colin. Happy belated birthday to Robin. >> Thanks. >> Committee woman Moreski. >> And I will echo Gina's welcome to Officer Ferry. Um, we'll have to talk
horses at some point. Um, happy birthday, Colin. Happy belated Robin. And I wanted to send a special shout out to our DPW. My car is so grateful that they filled in the potholes leaving River Road Park because you bottom out
when you hit when you go from the um the pavement or the the stone dust to the pavement. And one lady, she got out of her car to come over and tell Frank that it was hurting her cars. And that was last week, I think. So, thank you guys so much for filling that in. It's beautiful.
>> Well, it slows them down as they approach Colin doing accounting. Yeah. >> So, we might have we might have to put built in some other speed bumps or uh >> that's what the cone traffic control. >> Well, that's why I stand in the middle. >> Stop anyway. >> Yeah, I stand in the middle. So, they
they slow down so they don't hit me and then they go. >> Well, you hope that one. >> So far, I've been lucky. >> Yeah. No bumps yet. >> The birthday boy. >> Thank you. Thank you for your birthday
wishes. Welcome to our new officer and I just want to note that we have a new addition in town. The owners of the Somerset Hills Shopping Center which houses Fresh Market have installed a brand new flag pole with a gold final. It's so it's on the corner of 202 and
206 and Washington Valley Road and it also draws attention to the historic marker on that site. The best part is it looks like it's always been there and it belongs there. And just mayor, as you were reporting before, considering the significance of Dead is one of the crossroads of the American Revolution
and all that's going on with America 250 and Revolution 250 right around the corner, it couldn't have come at a better time or >> place. Does crossroads roll off the tongue a little bit better than Encampment View Park? >> Crossroads Park
>> does sound nice. inspired by a couple glasses of wine. >> So, there you go. >> So, just want to acknowledge and thank the Skankerella family for this great >> It does look like it's always been there, >> right? It's >> I drove by and I was like >> I didn't even notice it and I drove by it like five times already this week. >> It's it's it's there and there will be a
flag raising ceremony within the next week or so. So, it's Thank the family for their patriotism and for that addition. It's a great addition to downtown Block event. >> That's great. >> That's all I have >> and I have nothing further. at 7:53. I'll take a motion to adjourn for the
evening. >> So moved. Second. >> All in favor? >> I >> I thank you and good night.