Good evening. It is 7 o'clock on December 1st. December 1st. Thanksgiving is behind us in the holiday season. Um recognize that we have full attendance by the township
committee here in person. This, as I forgot to mention, this is our regularly scheduled December 1st township committee meeting. Ms. Ray, may we please have the open public meetings act statement? >> Yes, Mayor. Adequate notice of this
meeting of the township committee was sent to the Courier News Somerville, Bernersville News, Whippony, and to all subscribers and post at 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. >> This is time we open up the uh the meeting for public comment. Any member
of the public here in person or by Zoom. Now is your opportunity to ask a question, make a statement. Uh you're not guaranteed uh of a dialogue. You're not guaranteed of an answer. I'm certainly not guaranteed of an answer that you're going to like.
No one here in the room. Robin, do we have anyone participating via Zoom? >> Uh, no problem. >> Okay, let's keep going. Approval of minutes. We have one set of meeting minutes to approve. That's November 17th, Township Committee
meeting at 7 p.m. No executive session. Any comments or questions regarding those minutes that have not otherwise already been provided to Miss Rack? >> No. >> Seeing none, take a motion to approve the minutes for November 17.
>> So moved. >> Second. >> Second. >> Got that for Renee. All in favor, please. >> I. >> Thank you. >> We have no permits and raffles today. Wow. >> Correct. So we will go right into
monthly report discussion by subcommittee chair and for Bill you were down at the league. So if you can also don't mind no >> filling in your whatever you learned
down in Atlantic City. So we'll start with committeeman Rosen. >> Thank you mayor. Um, I attended the League of Municipalities a couple weeks ago in Atlantic City with um, you, Robin, Jason, and two other um,
Bedminster Township employees. And I just thought for a newly elected uh, committeeman, it was a very great experience um, in terms of the presentations, networking, and getting to know the um, the people from Edminster um, a little bit better. Um
some of the highlights were a um ethics uh for government officials presentation which basically presented different scenarios. Were they conflicts or not? Um I also attended purchasing and how it
reflects uh relates to recreation and it went through bid processes when a bid has to be done what the limits are depending on whether there is a purchasing agent or a QPA. Um I attended the past um governor's session with you
which was only one past governor who served for about uh two minutes and a couple of other pundits and you know they they gave their outlook which was mixed for the next four years in Jersey. Um, and I think the um most
controversial one was the affordable housing um presentation and the uh fireworks that um erupted after the presentation. But all in all, and I came back with the shirt on my back, so can't argue with that. But all in all, like I
said, I thought for a newly elected uh committee person, it was a really uh it was a good experience. >> Great. Okay. And for your subcommittee reports, >> uh nothing to report uh since the last meeting on wreck. Uh we do have, which I guess is wreck related, the um uh the
holiday market and the last market of the season uh on Saturday. Great. Okay. Committeewoman Fernandez. >> Thank you, Mayor. I hope everybody had Thanksgiving. Um I just wanted to give you the
update. Um we pick up is ongoing. They picked up some trees and branches from the storms that took place. Um, salt had been delivered and they started putting salt sweaters on equipment. We don't need them, but you never know,
right? Time of year. There was some work done on heavy equipment. The grading of dirt roads, new stone was placed on the JV parking and driveway area. Um, they have been working on roadside mowing.
Three of our DPW employees went to CDL training to upgrade their classification, which is great. We love to see our our employees, you know, learning and growing. Um, Chase ported road
pavement. Um, they gave the AVA parking spot park and they set up for the Christmas. >> Okay. >> Committee woman Moresi. >> Good evening, Mayor. Good evening,
everyone. Um, on November 20th, I attended my first historic preservation committee meeting. Um, it was really kind of cool to see the process of how the committee goes through approving things uh that we'll see in our town. We
had two applicants for some new signage. Um, and it was uh really kind of cool to see how picky actually our historic pres people get to make sure that our town is um appropriate, it's pretty, and it's consistent. So, that that was really
cool. Um they're talking about some historic markers. Um one will be at the pocket park that's coming up in uh Pluckman. And then we talked about the victory, they talked about the victory trail sign and options of where to put that sign because we want to make the
historic pres wants to make sure that the the signage is consistent and that that sign's going to be a little bit different, but we thought it still is going to have some really valuable information. we just want to keep it from clashing with the other things that are being put up. So that will be an
ongoing discussion. And then this past weekend um with Jacob's Vanderve House was our Colonial Christmas. Unfortunately, I was out of town for most of the event. I did get to go on Sunday morning to help out with uh
the um gingerbread houses and there were a ton of kids and adults that came downstairs with their um houses that were put together. Most of the houses are already started by Robin and her crew. Um, but they did some really cute things with checkex mix and gumdrops and
lots of lots of smiles on both the kids and the parents faces. Um, but I will turn it over then to the mayor and to Robin to let us know how the tree lighting went and the Saturday and the um cocktail event. I've heard it was an amazing weekend.
>> Great. Thank you. We'll we'll just we'll save that for the administrator report. Yeah. Okay. >> Um been hickey. >> Hey, mayor. Good evening everybody. If you're waiting for an exciting board of health report, tonight's not the night. They had their regular scheduled
November meeting. They adopted minutes and a couple resolutions. No new applications were heard and there will be no December meeting. I did attend the board of ed meeting in November. Uh, Superintendent Giodano is part of a larger committee that's tasked with examining potential synergies between
the elementary and middle school operations of Bedminster School and the Somerset Skhill School District. This is only in the study phase and something or nothing may come out of it. Uh, Dr. G asked that in addition to representatives uh from the
administration and the teachers and the parents, they would also like to include a member of the Bedminster Township Committee in this effort. After consulting with the mayor, we determined I will run point on that effort and keep the rest of the governing body apprised. Looks like the work will begin in late winter or early spring. So, as I like to
say, more to follow on that one. Mayor, that's all I have. >> And that regionalization study is being funded through um Somerset Hill School District with some grants from uh the state. >> Yep. Exactly. Uh so from my perspective um
there's no land use board meeting since our last meeting. There is no library meeting. There is no board meeting. Um we have no land use board coming up this week. >> Do >> we do? >> Yes. >> We do. >> I believe so. Yes. >> Oh jeez.
>> And I'm double booked. Um not not the first time. >> I I think there there are no applications. So, I think it's adopt some events and resolutions and that's it. I believe >> we'll have to check to see if there any of those >> are >> if we're eligible. >> Yeah, I'm not sure. >> We may not be.
>> Um, did attend the tree lighting. Fantastic. Um, Robin will run through the numbers. Great turnout. Um, down at the league. So the seminars I attend at the league, I attended one on DP, uh, New Jersey
Department of Arms Protection and resiliency regulations that are coming down the pike um that are expected to be uh adopted uh before the end of Governor Murphy's term. Um standing room only at
that uh seminar. a lot of comments u from participants especially from the municipalities that are directly affected. Um so it was very interesting. Um we already went through a lot of that
with the inland flood protection rules that were adopted a couple years ago. Uh the main emphasis of these resiliency rules are going to be on coastal flooding. So doesn't necessarily directly impact us although some of the stormwater
requirements uh that are built in May. Um affordable housing I attended two separate affordable housing seminars. Uh the first one um I attended was with representatives from
um DCA and HMFA um and talking about the different programs that are being implemented by both DCA and HMFA on the new affordable housing legislation. And a couple uh some very
interesting comments. I uh forward some of those directly to uh attorney Bardo because I think they have some bearing on what we do here in Bedminster. Um, it is certainly clear that for the extension of new deed
restrictions or I'm sorry, the extension of deed restrictions, DCA and HMFA um are requiring that all extensions now comply with the U-Hack rules, which is a
change for Bedminster since um our deed restrictions that are built into u the master deeds of the condominiums for formal housing predate see you have rules. So I was in this seminar texting uh texting John John's
uh you know telling this is what we do now this is what we don't do. Um so that was very interesting. Uh there was some discussion about whether uh affordable housing restrictions should survive for
closures and there was actually a little bit of bit of discussion among the panelists between DCA and HMFA on that. Uh the current rule is that deed restrictions will survive
foreclosure. There was some concerns that uh that would affect the finance ability uh from the banks on those um deed restricted units, but right now the position is that deed restrictions do survive foreclosure built into the uh
forthcoming regulations. What was interesting is that they were talking about regulations that have already been approved but not yet published. So it is just they're coming down the pike. So what they told us is that they've been
approved official adoption is not until they're actually published but they're coming down. So for our um for housing leaison they should be out next New Jersey register might actually
be tomorrow. So maybe they'll be published tomorrow. If they're not published tomorrow then in two weeks. Um so it's interesting. Um and there was also a woman from a uh consulting firm question about the the
different tools for financing um affordable housing projects. And what was interesting is that she was not only looking at new projects, but she was looking at the financing issues with
older projects and looking at HMFA programs, uh, the long-term tax exemption pilots, uh, and there's apparently a fair housing act pilot as well. So that if you know what you're
doing and you properly assembled your tax credits and pilots, um it's the opportunity to provide enhancement for older developments,
which is really what we have in Bedminster. The affordable housing projects we have in Bedminster um range anything from 40 to 30 years old. So, some of these programs I also forwarded these to uh to John.
So, John has some familiarity with the woman who was speaking and so we may be doing some followup with her see if she can provide some advice here in uh in Bedminster. Um, Bill mentioned the governor's uh report uh which is
interesting little discussion on politics of the last election uh the voter turnout. Um but then the second affordable housing project, I'm sorry, seminar that both Bill and I
attended. Um John, it was the two speakers were Ed Boozak and Jeff Serenian >> know both well. >> Who you both who you know both well. Um you both who you
know both anyway. Anyway, so it was interesting. Um, they ran through the numbers. They ran through what, uh, Fair Share Housing is doing today. It ran through, um, the litigation and objections that have
been filed. The fireworks came out during the comments and question section when a uh council woman from um Princeton uh sort of attacked the approach that some of the towns have been taking on
fighting fair share housing and the DCA numbers. And then Adam Gordon from Fair Share came out said that everything that Buzzac and Seradian had uh laid out in the seminar
was misleading and was providing bad advice to the towns. This is essentially what he said. I think it may have been exactly what he said. >> That's And so that that um it's the first time I've seen one of
these sessions at the league where it actually got into uh more than just banter between the panelists and the one audience members. Uh but that was very very different. Uh,
one of the pointers that Jeff Serenian um said if you can extend units, do it. Do it because you're you if you don't extend the units, then your next chance is building new units. And if you're
doing them on a 4:1 or 5 to one basis, um, you may end up with projects you just don't want. So, um, he's his position was certainly extend the units, um, and and do what you need to do to keep
your immunity. Um, >> mayor, if I if I may on that, uh, I've indicated to you in a conversation today that we should have some very good news with respect to our, uh, fourth round, uh, affordable obligations, uh, in the
works and probably an announcement at our December 15th uh, meeting. So, we have uh, no need to go to uh, battle with fair share housing. We have a good relationship with their representative and um this particular township
committee has done a yman's job at uh moving forward with our numbers which are uh 72 uh future and uh six uh rehab. So we're in we're in good shape and uh stay tuned. That's all I have to say. We we'll have something public very
shortly. So Jake, December 15th, we hope to report on our status with uh the objection filed by Fair Share Housing to our affordable housing plan. We'll leave it at that.
>> Leave it at that. We'll wrap it with a big red bow. Okay. >> Um, >> oh, mayor, I forgot to mention I attended the um, >> presentation you moderated on historic preservation >> and I was just about to get to that one.
>> Well, there's the intro now. >> So, I was asked um I I attended another seminar on um actually on data management and it was really about polling um residents. I mean, frankly, um, you know, I I think the last polling
we did was, uh, the polling that Gina ran with Wreck. Uh, so was just talking about, you know, engagement and making sure that you reach all sectors of your community. Um, but I did moderate a panel on, let's just want to get the
official name of it, benefits of historic preservation and the tools to make it happen. Uh the speakers included um Glenn Ponis, executive director of the New Jersey Historic uh Trust from DCA, Division of Community Affairs, Gina
Fishetti, the chief counsel for the Office of Local Planning Services, and then we had um someone from the Montlair Planning Department talking about the planning efforts that they've done. Uh
interesting. Um DCA does have some money. There is some money out. Well, actually, let me tell you, DCA has money to help us. Um, and one of the things that both uh, Glenn's opponents from the historic trust and Gina Fetti mentioned were
engagement and trying to use historic preservation, especially in your historic neighborhoods to whether it's tourism or it's it's a sort of a branding and I sent a text to uh, and it
was great because Robin and Jason and Bill were were both in tenants and largely it it hit upon some of the issues that we are doing here in both Pluckman and in Bedminister Village, which are two historic districts. Um,
and you know, what can you do to establish uh guidelines with your HPC uh and your zoning so that you really create a sense of place in your historic district and that in turn can generate
um economic revival, a place where people want to be, where businesses want to be, where people want to live. Um, lots of takeaways. um I believe from the pres uh from the presentations. Um it also coincides with Main Street,
New Jersey. Uh once again, it's another planning device to make sure that your historic districts to the extent they usually are main streets. In our case, they certainly are. uh and the opportunity for funding and tax credits
and uh I think what my notes say here um transformative strategies on economic vitality design promotion
um and then just essentially identifying the opportunities in your historic main streets We know that the opportunities are there. There are some uh underutilized or vacant buildings uh that look like
they just need a little bit of a spur. Um and to some extent that's what we've been trying to do with both Bedminster Village and Pluckman. And um we hope that the new pocket park is part of those efforts. Um and then
other thing I will mention at the league is I had raised the issue with um the league of municipalities about dealing with hoarding issues and I raised this issue both to the Somerset Hills public
safety committee um and then again with the league and the league then adopted a resolution um to highlight the need for resources to deal with hoarding. So, uh this was
actually it's sponsored uh by me. This is I think the second year in a row uh that we actually had a resolution approved by the league. what these resolutions do, they then go to the legislature and hopefully someone
in the legislature picks one of these resolutions up, decides to sponsor a bill um and um you know, cross our fingers that we get some action from the legislature in 2026 on that resolution. That's what I have. And Miss Ray, I'll
turn it over to you for the administrator's report. talk about your report, the league, and if you want to talk about the numbers at JBH and the lighting, that'd be great. >> Absolutely. Let me just start off with um the personnel manual that's coming up every two years. We have to our
insurance company requires that we update our model and practices manual. Um we were going like gang busters there for a little while, Amanda and I, but um took a little break with the League of Municipalities and the Thanksgiving break between, but we'll get rolling on
that again. We need to wrap it up for the December 15th meeting. Um I also attended the League of Municipalities and in addition to several of the classes that I have to take for clerk just for my certification, um I did attend several other uh programs which
were terrific. Um, one of them was just pretty, uh, standard Oprah updates and recent decisions. Um, not too much came out of that. Um, grant funding was a good program that I actually went to to find out. We're always looking for ways to save money. We're pretty aggressive with grants here. Um, just to find out a
couple other funding opportunities which uh were made aware to all of us, which was great. Um I attended a right-of-way codes for new wireless technologies which I found very interesting and learned that we are um just like
everybody else deficient with our codes. So more to come on that. Um but perhaps I did tend historic preservation with the mayors uh with mayor's presentate. Um he was in charge of that program. And then perhaps my absolute favorite was
the 250th celebration. That was uh really important and I think it was particularly important because everybody in the northeast is very much into celebrating the 250th because of the revolutionary war um history that's here. Um great presentation by um it's
broken up into three different sections. The last one was a drift presentation by um a woman who represents the generation Z um era and uh what they're actually looking for and she was terrific. She
was engaging. Um everything we think we're doing right, we're doing wrong. Um but she said it in such a way that it was it made such sense and I think everybody's going to rethink the way we do things. Um she talked about that they
have a toolkit that's free to municipalities that will help you increase civic engagement for youth Jenzers which I thought was fantastic and uh so more to come on that we'll definitely be implementing some of the strategies that she suggested at least starting with the Vander House because
that seems like it's the easiest to uh to start with right now since we're still in the formative uh stages of the commission. So that was terrific. As far as the Chacob's Bander House Commission, um we were able to pull off Colonial Christmas and about 45 days worth of
planning and um we had a very successful tree lighting on Friday, November 28th at 5:00. We figured close to 275, maybe 300. It was a very good turnout. It was a different format. The house was opened right away. The mayor welcomed all the
guests and then welcomed everyone into the home and we had some uh colonial barkeeps that were in there giving non-alcoholic and alcoholic little bitty samples to uh people who wanted to participate. We had Santa inside because it was a cold night and I think
everybody just really appreciated kind of blowing through the house. It was beautifully decorated and just sets the tone for the holidays. On Saturday, we had um over 300 visitors. I think we had uh 311 to be exact. Uh it was a super
fun cocktail party again in the evening with 103 in attendance. And uh we followed by a somewhat slow Sunday with 78 visitors. So it was a combination of historical reenactors, uh demonstrators, activities. There was a wreath workshop.
There was a which was very well attended with 20 participants. We had gingerbread workshop again that had 23 participants. So, um really great. It was overall it was a a great weekend with we welcomed a
lot of new visitors and we did it without social media which was amazing. So, hopefully that'll change next year. >> Yeah, it was great. So, just uh kudos to you uh to Derek Anderson, uh to Gina Golthre, um Steve Parker, and everyone
else on the the commission. Uh you guys really rallied, and as you said, it was only a few months ago, >> right? >> It's only a few months ago that we actually formed the JBH Commission. And in that short time, you guys pulled off uh Colonial
Christmas to great effect. Um the line to get in the house Friday night at the tree lighting was just it was just great. And I heard >> from many different people, >> you know, I've never been in here before >> and I you know that was great. That's
the opportunity you combine these efforts. You do the tree lighting, you open the house up. It was it was just great. And then the enthusiasm um at the cocktail party on uh Saturday was was great. We had Commissioner
Melanie Mirano there uh from Somerset County. Um Mary J. Canó was also in attendance. It's great to see Mayor Canó there as well. Um and and I do want to say that uh Commissioner Sarah Soule was at the
tree lighting. So, we had we certainly had uh Somerset County Commissioners in attendance and it's important because they do control a lot of the grants that come to the JVH. So, it's good to have
them there to see what the commission is doing to see the activation of JBH and the involvement of the community in the events. Fantastic. and we hope these um you know that this
enthusiasm is just the beginning of some momentum and it's going to keep on rolling. So, thank you Robin. >> That's great. And thank you to DBW because we couldn't have done it without Jason and his crew. They did an awful lot at the house to keep us on track.
>> All right. Um any other reports on the league or any other committee reports? Seeing known. Um, chief community policing. >> No updates tonight, Mayor.
>> Okay. Thank you. Ordinances to introduce. We have none. Public hearing of ordinances. We have none. We have three items on the consent agenda. These are items of a routine nature
and member of attentive committee may pull one, two, or all three of them up for consideration. >> Seeing none, I'll take a motion to approve the items on the consent agenda. >> So moved. Second. >> Roll call vote, please.
>> Um, Committeeman Hickeyi, >> I. >> Committeewoman Moreski, >> I. >> Committeewoman Fernandez, >> hi. >> Committeeman Rosen, >> I. and Mayor Jacobs. >> Hi. >> Thank you. >> We have no resolutions for individual consideration. Uh we'll take a motion to
approve the billless pending review of individual invoices. >> So moved. >> Second. >> We'll call vote again, please. Committee Hickey. >> I. >> Committeewoman Moreski. I. >> Committeewoman Fernandez. Hi. >> Committee Rosen. >> Hi.
>> And Mayor Jacobs. >> I. >> Thank you. >> New business. Any attention? Committee member want to put any topics up for new business consideration, old business, utilities. >> Mayor, I do not have a report. I don't
know if Jason, do you have anything to add? >> No. >> The lights are staying on. >> All right. >> John Bolardo, Plucking Park Senior Housing. >> No public updates to announce yet, mayor. No public updates. Somerset Hills
Public Safety Committee. We did not have a committee meeting. Since our last township uh committee meeting, we do not have an executive session. So, we'll run through township committee comments and then we will adjourn
for the evening. Start with Committeeman Rosen. I hope everybody had a great Thanksgiving and getting ready for the holiday season. And as mentioned earlier, don't forget the farmers market. Have the holiday
market and a visit from Santa this Saturday to wrap up the season and hopefully the weather holds up. >> Thank you, Committee Fernandez. That's enough. Committeewoman Moreski.
>> Um, hope everybody had a wonderful Thanksgiving with their family and friends or just had a quiet evening at home alone, whichever made you happy. Um, and just want to say congratulations to JVH because they work really hard at putting that together and we're all really excited, as the mayor said, to
just keep this ball rolling. The house certainly deserves it. >> Great. Thank you, Committeeman Hickey. >> Thank you, Mayor. Just again, congratulations to everybody on the JBH Commission and Robin. I know how hard you worked on that. It's funny what happens when you cut the velvet ropes, right? And suddenly everybody wants to
be there inside the house. There's so much energy, enthusiasm. It was great. So, >> she still has gingerbread under her fingernails. >> I'm not surprised. And sparkles in her hair. Um, and mayor, you forgot to mention the farmers market. >> You know, I thought numbers. >> Yes. So Colin, you just want to walk us
through the last two farmers market numbers. >> So two weeks ago, we had 656 people show up and this past weekend and it was really cold. >> Cold. >> It was like 30 degrees when we got there. >> Uh there were 565
people who still showed up. >> Unbelievable. >> Unbelievable number. >> Right. Right. That's exactly right. according to Neil Master of Guano, our rec director. >> So with 565
>> on last week, >> yes, we need 235. >> If we hit 235, just 235 the last day, we will average,00 attendees throughout the entire season. Crazy. >> That's crazy.
Yeah. >> So, um >> that's all I have. >> Okay. Okay. So, uh thank you for that reminder. Uh just as everyone said, I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving and and to everyone in Bedminster, uh the same and
best wishes for a great holiday season. And at 7:35, I'll take a motion to adjurnn. >> So moved. Second. All in favor? >> I. >> Thank you. And good night. >> Good night. Good night all.
>> Bye, John. >> Good night, John. Good night, John. >> Byebye. >> Oh, he'll be fine down there. Oh yeah.