Okay, >> good evening 7:01. Welcome to the Bedster Township Committee meeting. This is our regularly scheduled August 18, 2025 meeting. This is our second August meeting. So, this
is usually the shortest or second shortest meeting. And uh we're going to strive to uh remain consistent. recognize that we have a quorum. Township committee attending here in
person. Committeewoman Fernandez, committeewoman Moreski, Committeeman Hickey, and myself. Committee Stevenson has an excused absence. Ms. Ray, may I please have the open public meetings act statement. >> Yes, mayor. Adequate notice of this
meeting of the township committee was sent to Courier News Somerville Burnersville News Whippony and to all subscribers and posted the township municipal building on January 7th, 2025. >> Great. 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. >> You got it. I I know I'm moving way too fast. Uh this is time in the meeting that we open up the microphone, the Zoom
session or telephone for public comments. And remember, the public is welcome to ask questions, make comments. Not guaranteed of an answer, not guaranteed of a dialogue or discourse, and certainly not guaranteed of getting
an answer that you like. There's no one on on Zoom there. >> Zooming none. Let's move on. One set of meeting minutes to approve. That's the August 4th, 2025 township committee meeting.
I know you did uh made revisions to the earlier draft. Um any other comments or questions regarding those minutes? Seeing none, take a motion to approve. >> So move. Second. All in favor? I. Thank
you. >> Permit to uh review and approve social fair permit to V benefit the Sumis family foundation on September 22, 2025 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Fiddler's
Elbow Country Club. Any questions, comments regarding social affair permit? Seeing none, take a motion to approve. >> So moved. >> Second. All in favor? I >> thank you >> to report discussion by subcommittee
chair committee woman Fernandez >> the focus will be on fall effect fest but I have no current updates we haven't had a meeting >> oh well you better get those meetings [Music] >> committee woman
>> hi mayor evening everybody um real quick on environmental commission Um, there was more conversation about the styrofoam and uh for whoever is signed up for the rave system, Robin has sent out the survey that EC is looking for,
as many people as Ken will uh fill out about u managing your styrofoam. Um, on the rave text, I don't think that link is working, but it will get fixed on the um email that goes out. That should be
fine. Um, and that's about all they talked about there. >> I saw that. There it is. The business alert >> on the website as well on the homepage. >> Styrofoam survey. >> So, everybody fill it out because EC is looking to um to continue with their
research. If we have a lot of need for styrofoam recycling, uh there are some options that they're looking at. Uh we had a second meeting of the Jacob's Vander um commission and more
talk about programs coming up such as um Journey through the past and our tree lighting and colonial Christmas. Um there were all sorts of ideas thrown out and people getting very interested in helping with these committees. Um, and
we will have another meeting in two weeks and we will continue with the enthusiasm, I'm assure. And uh, it's going to be an exciting fall and winter. >> How's that Liberty tree going? >> That is uh,
>> yeah, they're going to need another tree. >> And that's all I have to do. >> All right. Well, what's a what's a good certainly good one to talk to? Committeeman Hickey. >> Thank you, Mayor. Good evening all. Board of Health has a meeting later this week. Just want to remind everybody that
the board is sponsoring a flu shot clinic on Wednesday, September 24th from 3 to 6:00 p.m. right here at the firehouse on Miller Lane. No appointment is necessary. Just come on by. Mayor, that's all I have. >> Okay, great. Uh Jason, since Doug isn't here to do public works, anything from
public works you want to uh our first in-house application of Caling Dirt Roads? >> No, doing that. we needed to grade them. We wetted them with the fire company tanker and then we put the calcium down. Um, we did still have one complaint after that, but otherwise it's been
pretty good. >> I haven't gotten a complaint since you did that. So, from my perspective, >> some roads are great, some people don't like it. So, >> um, we're still grooming, lining the ball fields and the soccer fields. We're still working on the heavy equipment in
the police cars. We're still cutting grass. So, we're still doing cleaning of basins and pipes after the storms. >> And you got the fence up at River Road. >> Fence is up at River Road Park. We started doing the turtle tunnel fence. The first section is not complete. It's still in the preliminary stages. Uh
we're going to try to get that all situated and buttoned up this week. The first section, >> what's what's the first section? >> Like where it's all opened up right now, that area. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Um it's got to get finished up and back filled. uh you won't won't see those white posts and stuff and then it
gets curled over like this. It's going to be a lot lower than it is. Um and the garden has been >> I was going to say what's going on with the garden. So at the farmers market this weekend and got a bunch of questions about uh about all the construction out there. So what's the uh
what's the latest started groundbreaking a week ago? Um they're pretty much working 10 hour days. So they've been taking off Friday. You most see them there. Mhm. >> Uh they're just moving material around. >> Yeah, that seems like there's a lot of action out there.
>> So, good. Good. All right. Thank you. Um I really have not much to report on. Just farmers market. Um Colin, what two weeks in a row? 1300. Yep. >> Over over 1300. >> Yeah. Amazing. >> Um so just summer is going great for the
farmers market. I know the vendors happy. you know, you over hear some of the conversations about people using that as a meetup for like friends groups and everything. It was just, you know, really, really exciting to see what it's become. Um,
administrators report. Uh, but am I missing anything? There were series of meetings that I attended that I did not report on. >> That's okay. I think they were last. Most of them was right leading up to our August 4th meeting. We had a lot. Um,
and I forgot to mention of a sport that I attended with Jason a tour of the Somerset County Recycling Center. That was quite an eyeopener. We actually saw where they hand sort hand sort items. Correct. >> It's amazing. Is that most of it is hand
sorted? >> The cardboard shoots it. It's all >> That's crazy though. I learned that it's actually better to bundle and tie off your cardboard cuz then they can just grab one one large piece rather than
individual pieces. So, it was kind of a little bit like I love Lucy with the chocolate, >> of course. >> But that's how he tells us to do it on the the strips is important to do it that way. So, that really resonated with me. Um that was
eye opener. Just a another quick reminder because we still had people coming in questioning about the tax bill. They were mailed July 31st and residents had until August 25th to make payments. Um community uh garden construction actually started. We've gotten a lot of calls on it. Um Neil's
going to give me some good pictures we can pop on the website. The main piece that's way out front that everybody's really that big. It's all the storm water management that has to be addressed. So, um, Jacob's Vanver House, Rene, you already spoke about that. Our next meeting is
Wednesday, August 27th. We locked in a couple programs, which was great. >> Excellent. >> Got momentum for the 250th. We have Steve Parker and Wendy Weinstein. Weinstein Hickey are going to take care of that. Um, and there's a meeting actually next week with Pepac Ladstone
and Far Hill so we can combine efforts for the 250th from the Somerset Hills. And, um, just HR. We had a lot of HR activity the past two weeks between interviewing for um CFO, assistant treasurer, QPA um DPW foreman. Lot going
on. >> Great. Great. Chief Bernardo, any update on policing? >> Hey, good evening. Uh we set up a coffee with a cop at the library on September 16th uh from 11 to 1. Uh that's the only
event we locked in so far. And then we're working on some programming around ebikes and the laws and to get people up to speed on uh what they can and cannot do. I know we're setting up programming with the school, but uh the detectives
are trying to set something up uh with other groups, but that's just in the planning stages right now. And that's all I got. >> Okay. Thank you, Chief. Introduction of ordinances. We do have one ordinance to introduce.
Ordinance 202517 identifies funding sources and authorizes funding for sewer improvements associated with the sanitary sewer transmission system and the Miller Lane pump station. If uh we introduce those tonight, the public hearing will be
scheduled for September 2nd. Miss Ray, >> uh just a brief overview. Um, every year the sewer transmission advisory board determines what the uh annual budget is going to be in the capital contributions. This actually allows us there was additional money put
into capital this year uh for um some of the problems that we had with the pumps uh with the uh force main last year. So um this just allows us to be able to spend the funds from PPAC Ladstone and
spend the funds from Far Hillsboro as well as Bedminster Township. So it identifies the funding sources and authorizes the spending. >> Okay, great. And while we're do we have any update on um the Miller Lane pump station? >> I do not. >> Okay, Jason.
>> Um Rodney had the company out last week. They were looking over. They did disconnect a couple electrical things on some of the pumps. There is progress in the model. >> Okay. Okay. All right. >> Um he he wants me to start moving the
all our equipment out of this side. So we it's it's moving slowly. Every week I ask the most. We'll >> take a motion to introduce ordinance 2025017. >> So moved. Second.
>> Roll call vote, please. Miss Oh, Mr. Stevens is on here. Mr. Hickey. >> Hi. >> Miss Moreski. >> I. >> M. Fernandez. >> Hi. >> And Mayor Jacob. Hi. >> Thank you. We have one, two, three, four, five, six,
seven items on the consent agenda. These are resolutions of a routine nature. Any member of the tential committee may pull any or all of them off for individual consideration that you do not have to do so.
Seeing no comments, I'll take a motion to approve the items on the consent agenda. >> So moved. >> Second. Roll call vote, please. Mr. Hickey. >> Hi. >> Miss Moreski. Hi. >> M. Fernandez. >> Hi. >> And Mayor Jacobs. >> Hi. >> Thank you.
>> First resolution for individual consideration. Resolution number 2025134 authorizes award of contract to topline construction for the Tuttle Avenue and Riverwood Avenue Road Improvement Project in the amount not exceed
$214,265. Jason Robin >> um this is Straw. >> We had a bid opening um which I did not report upon. Um, we had a bid opening the week before last and Topline Construction was the lowest parent qualified bidder and we would like to
move forward with a ward of contract for Tuttle and Riverwood at >> Topline was the uh the contractor that did the work Colin in your neighborhood. Um, I think um TPW was very well satisfied and engineering was satisfied with their work. Any
further questions, comments regarding the award to topline? Seeing none, take a motion to approve resolution 2025-134. >> So moved. >> Second.
>> Roll call vote, please. Mr. Hickey, >> I >> do that. Miss Moreski. >> I. >> Miss Fernandez. >> Hi. >> And Mayor Jacobs. >> Thank you. >> Okay. been working on this resolution for a very long time.
Resolution 2025-135. This resolution appoints a chief finance officer for the township of Edminster. Robin, Amanda, Gina, who wants to take the first go at this?
>> I can go with the first go. Sure. Um so Derek Machia comes from comes to us from um Chester and he is very experienced so good things come to those who wait. He has a lots of vision and plan for the
department. Um comes with a ton of knowledge in the municipal level and we are very excited to have him aboard here in Bminster. It's going to be a great addition to our town. >> Amanda, anything to add?
He's fabulous. We're lucky. And like Gina said, it's well worth the wait. >> Here's Rick. >> Did a I I will say Robin and Amanda did ask me to meet with uh with Derek. I met with
him real briefly just following the meetings he had with Gina >> uh and Amanda and Robin before that. uh very impressed um and a long-standing history with um municipalities similar to Bedminster
and he also uh trained under Bud Jones and also when he was at >> Nisia Navokia Miss >> close enough >> our auditor he helped train >> Andrew
>> oh wow >> our auditor and they have a great relationship Um, any comments or questions regarding resolution 2025135 appointing Derek Machia
as our CFO? >> Seeing none, take a motion to approve resolution 2025135. >> Second. >> Roll call vote, please. Mr. Stevens, it's Mr. Hickeyi. >> Hi. >> Miss Moresy.
>> I. Miss Fernandez. Hi. >> And Mayor Jacobs. >> Hi. >> Thank you. >> All right. >> Muscle memory camp. >> That's right. >> As Gina was saying, good things come to those who wait. Our next resolution is
resolution 2025136. This resolution appoints an assistant treasurer and qualified purchasing agent, Caitlyn Haroldson. Junior, do you want this one, too?
>> Sure. Um, so Caitlyn Haroldson is great because not only is she going to be our assistant treasurer, which the position just came available, so it just was perfect timing, but she's also a qualified purchasing agent, which is a requirement that we have here at in Bedminster Township or all townships.
So, that's um a great bonus that she has that qualification. And we're just again, we're they're going to be a great team together and we're very excited to have them both on board. We're very fortunate and they're both very impressive in their knowledge base and
um even very personable. So, it's just they're a great fit. >> Okay, Amanda, >> Ditto, they uh were very lucky. The timing couldn't have been more appropriate and again together they're
just going to be an amazing team. So, we are very blessed. and Robin. So, obviously, you know, you're in charge of uh staff and and that part of the building over there, and you feel that these are they're going to blend in well with um with what we've got, right?
>> I'm so happy. You have no idea. >> Yeah, Robin, >> I really am. They're I'm thrilled that they're both coming on board. Um they both are so professional and I have to say when I first met um Caitlyn and she was going through her whole spiel, she
um had me at label maker So, she's going to be wonderful. >> And thank you, Robin, for first of all, all the interviewing and um this was our third go at the CFO position. Um but also, thank you for filling in all the
gaps, you know, in the interim. We had someone here temporarily, but they couldn't possibly do all that needed to get done. So, thank you so much for that. And yes, I agree. when they all spoke of spreadsheets galore that they have created and Robin was just glowing.
So, um, so they're going to be great addition >> and thank you Gina Fernandez because we can't they, you know, we can't possibly meet with every all these people. you do you've gone through the
screening process with not just these two applicants but those who don't necessarily make the cut >> and and I think it's it's a critical function of the township committee uh position is that you know you're looking out for the town and you know how it
works in that room and you got to be there as our uh representative to make sure that you bless the folks that uh proceed through this process. So, thank you for your time and effort and all the interviews that you've sat through. And
um with that, unless there's any further questions or comments regarding Caitlyn. Yes. >> One comment. I just want to since we're thanking everybody, I do want to thank Caitlyn Viddle because she's also a lot has been on her shoulders through this whole past eight months as the only
finance clerk. So, I just want to make sure that she gets proper recognition. She's done an outstanding job. >> Thank you, Kayyn. She is another um hero in in the administrative staff over there and she's always there and when she's not doing that, she's answering
the phone if no one else is there to uh so talk to Caitlyn, you know, just about every day when she's if uh Karen is there to get the phone. Um okay, with that, take a motion to approve resolution 2025
136. >> So moved. >> Second. Roll call vote, please. Mr. >> Mr. Stevenson, >> I miss moresi. >> Hi, >> Miss Fernandez. >> Hi. >> And Mayor Jacobs. >> Hi. >> I also just want to mention that um our
interim CFO um >> Jason Gabloff. >> Jason Gaboff >> and Jim Cosmore. >> Um they've um highly recommend Derek as well. They've worked with him before. >> Uh that's also great. and and Derek and uh Caitlyn have worked together in prior
um positions. Um so that's once again I think that we're we're essentially hiring the team which is >> great news for us. Uh I'll take a motion to approve the bill as pending review of individual invoices. So moved. >> Second. Roll call vote please. Mr.
Hickey. >> I. >> Miss Moresy. >> I. >> Miss Fernandez. >> Hi. And Mayor Jacobs. >> I. >> Thank you. Any matters that any township committee member wants to put up for dis new business discussion?
All right. Old business utilities. >> I guess that would be me. >> We had another couple storms since our last meeting >> and the lights stayed on. Okay. >> Oh, good. Uh, just want to let you know I'm continuing to work with JCPNL to
make sure any lighting, landscaping, lighting or irrigation that was damaged during their recent construction in the hills is being addressed. As you can imagine, there was a lot of construction. It touched a lot of properties along Hills Drive. So, we have to coordinate with each one of the
HOAs and the two masters just to make sure everything gets addressed along with DPW. It's actually impacted some of our lighting as well. So, we've shipped off a spreadsheet to uh the folks in JCPNL that will handle that and address restoration of those items and I'll keep pushing to get that done as quickly as
possible. I am also still working to lock down a presentation date so they can come out here likely will be the second meeting in September or first meeting in October and they can give us a dog and pony in terms of what they've done, what it's going to achieve and what they're planning on doing in the
future. That's all I have on JCPNL. I just want to make a note that New Jersey American Water the lead line inspections are continuing. Miss Ray and I continue to receive updates on that every week. And Jason, I don't know if Do you have any updates on utilities? So, Mayor, that's it. >> Okay. Thank you. Uh Pumpkin Park Senior
Housing. John, I take it there's nothing for public uh consideration at this point. >> You you are correct, Mayor Robin and I have something coming up on September 12th, but nothing to report at this time. >> Okay. Thank you. Somerset Hills Public Safety Committee
meeting u I'm sorry public safety committee uh we don't have a meeting until was Robin was that midepptember >> uh yes third week in September >> so uh nothing on there um I have seen a couple other articles we talked about
this last um at our last meeting there was a public comment um about uh deed fraud and I uh passed an article around um regarding uh with I think it Mississippi or Alabama. >> Yeah.
>> Um where they were putting into an alert. You could sign up with the county down there and anytime there was any filing against one of your properties, you would get a notice. Once again, it's not necessarily going to stop at the
filing, but at least give you notice that uh there was some action on your deed. Not sure that that would work in New Jersey, but it's certainly something for um that we should consider and we'll raise with the other municipalities at our next meeting.
We do not have an executive session, so we will go through township committee comments and then we will adjourn for August. Committeewoman Fernandez. >> Um thank you, Mayor. I have no comments. Um just you know everybody back to
school enjoy have a great Labor Day weekend and um that's it. >> All righty women Moreski >> I want everybody to get out their calendars for the next event for Sea of Reptile Night. We had it last year with
um Wreck when they did a movie night but this time it's just going to be Aaron Molini. She has a company called Snakes and Scales October 24th and it will be in Hills Village North um rec center up at the top of the hill
on Artillery Road. So October 24th 700 p.m. Aaron and her snakes and turtles and all sorts of cool stuff. And we'll get more information out as we get closer. >> Okay. All right. You bring them to the turtle tunnels. Let let them loose that.
>> Yeah. Thank you, Mayor. I have no additional comments and I have no further comments at 7:27. I will take a motion to adjourn. >> Move. >> Go ahead. George moved. >> Second. >> All in favor?
>> I. >> Thank you. And good night. Kiss me. >> And you know what's coming. >> You know what's coming. Good night. Ear question. When this stops.