##VIDEO ID:74TlyZ4oSVU## by e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e to order at 7:02 PM andna would you please read the open public meetings act for the last time officially adquate notice of this meeting has been provided by forwarding a copy to the curer news Star Ledger and posting on the township website at least 48 hours prior to the meeting all in accordance with the open public meetings act this meeting will not substantially go past 10:30 um I'm going we want to do roll call on flag salute right and then executive yes roll call Madam clerk Mr C Mr Donell Mr boster here Mrs Ellis Mr Machado here Mrs po here I'm here we all right so we do have a matter potentially that could be on the agenda for this evening so we are going to go into executive section uh at the beginning of the meeting okay whereas the provisions of the open public meetings Act njsa 10 col 4-1 at SEC expressly provide that public body may move into executive session and exclude the public on the portion of a meeting at which the public body discusses any of the nine areas set forth in njsa 10 col 4-12 B and 12b Pary 7 and whereas the township Council the township of Burke has determined this Neary to move into executive session to discuss the following subjects all of which are included in the afor said exceptions attorney client privilege agreement epic therefore be resolved by the Town Council of the township of burk Heights that does hereby move into executive session pursuant to NJ sa 10 call 412b and 12b pry 7 to discuss the Apper set matters and it is further resolve that the appers said discussions shall be made public either at a public meeting following said executive session or at such time as any litigated or Personnel matters are concluded or upon conclusion of any negotiations or related discussions or is otherwise specified and is further resolved that this resolution shall take effect pursuant to law approved this 12th day of November 20124 have a second second any discussion roll call Mr Kudo here Mr th Mr Foster Mrs illis Mr Mach yes Mrs yes uh we will now go into executive session and we'll return to take legislative action on the agenda e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e you got a sitting ovas it's a sitting OV everyone seated and read make a motion to open a hearing on agenda items only second and a discussion roll call Mr Kudo yes Mr Don blis M Machado yes Mrs yes okay G do this without my glasses comments are welcomed during the public comment period during this meeting on any AG agenda item however if an ordinance is listed for its own public hearing on the agenda please fold your comments for that particular public hearing if you comment the speaker must come forward to the microphone State his or her name and address for the the record each speaker is limited to 3 minutes the mayor council president will keep time please promptly yield on the floor when time is called and return to your seat your cooperation and adherence to these Rules of Order will ensure an orderly and respectful meeting and with that I open up the hearing or uh yeah it is open anybody's able to come forward on the hearing on the agenda I seeing no one I make a motion of close the hearing on agenda items only second any discussion roll call Mr Cuda yes Mr Donal Mr Foster MRIs yes Mr Machado yes Mrs po yes Paul your first up yeah on new business okay I'll move on resolution one approving Bill list dated November 12th 2024 in the amount of 489 58313 second any discussion call Mr kud yes Mr Foster yes Mr zillis yes Mr M yes Mrs po yes I bring forth resolution number two awarding the contract is toell and Sun General Contracting with the road Recon of Old Farm Orchard Mercier project and a Amil not to exceed $451,500 I think all of us just received the plans on the sth and there's some discrepancies in the plans but um you know originally when this whole thing was planned it was going to be drainage curving and Paving of that neighborhood now what it is the plan is just Curbing and Paving and no drainage now the Westside drainage project said that it requires to have the drainage done from top to bottom because there's a small pipe that goes into a big pipe it goes into a smaller pipe into a smaller pipe Etc so in those plans there's no drainage it's just baving and curving and we just received the plans last week and when I looked there was no drainage piping so I'm just I'm asking why that's number one question why um number two it was just paved less than a year ago the whole neighborhood was paved and new Gres were added less than a year ago so if we're just going to be doing Curbing and Paving I just I don't understand why we're spending 450,000 when we just spent a couple hundred thousand Paving it less than a year ago doesn't make sense did you have an opportunity to talk to Mr Saro because this is his recommendation I'd be uncomfortable speaking on it as an expert well I just looked at the plans nobody discussed this we received the plans literally 7th which is what's today yeah so nobody's had a chance to sit and discuss this at all you know and it when we paved the neighborhood and I mentioned this when they were going to pave it I said this is going to direct more water downhill and it did directed War warm water now if you add Curbing and drainage to the existing drainage The Way It Is there going to be even more water coming down so I think that it needs a little a little bit more redesign or maybe the PIP maybe instead of spending the money on Paving it again maybe we should put pipes under the ground that actually work before we PVE it and curve it so I'm going to ask to table this until we can discuss this a little bit further because this is all brand new and not to mention on the diagram 4.02 whatever you sent me the other day which is the plans this is a bit spec just I just want to be clear so what Mr Don we see was the bit spec we went out for bid this is part of a grant so this is a warning of bits spec so you requested the bits spec the rest of the council did not get the bits speack we usually don't you sent it on the sth to everybody on Council the bits back thought it was only one to you went to you it only to remember so you guys never saw the bits backs because you're everybody on the council's name is on the cover of that that's when we go out too big we write so we did the resolution authorizing to go out to bid this is a warning the bid but the rest of the council did not get the bits back you had requested because you haveed to I also got the drawings and the plans of the project now everybody here got those plans right or no yeah so do so far I'll come and talk about this the drainage is bio swales it's green infrastructure um as approved by the D for this project so the drainage that's being put in place is bile SES on very I in various areas up there and I can't remember I thought he came here to talk about this when we there's a couple of rain Gardens per se but I don't see any drain SS on those PLS yes that's a big part of this project but there's only like four and there's only two in the area that have the most water so I'm concerned about it because everybody down below gets affected and I'm just thinking that this is going to be very bad for a lot of folks down below um not to mention when I was looking at the plans now if when they drew these drawings how long ago did they make these drawings for this plan I honestly I have no idea this is this comes from engineering this whole bid was handled through Naga past couple of months so the past couple of months they designed this right is what you're saying that's what I'm hearing yeah just say it was within the last year okay let's just say it's within the last year was drawn up regardless of whether it was or not um as I was looking at it there's a property which is block 3 3,1 lot 81 it says there's a gravel driveway and I know for a fact that it's a pave driveway and the reason I know that it's a paid driveway is because I've been complaining about it because it's out of code it's 22 feet wide it goes 10 ft beyond the house and it's not gravel it's paved so I don't know where these specs or drawings came from but they're old so I'm not sure if this we need to table this until we get further information or what do you guys thoughts can can we yeah can we have come in and like give us a little more detail is this CR is this critical just out of curiosity this a critical repair is this something this is this is part of like a project that they do the problem is this is part of drainage project went to I just want everybody to S this we have certain legal obligations I'm also going to point out that um this was part of the budget discussions that probably started about a year ago and ad nauseum discussions on drainage and infrastructure so I don't think that this is a surprise well it's not a surprise but the drawings are surprised because there's no drainage Paul did you did you have a chance to talk to Tom because I I think okay I would recommend in the future if you have like we're not got this on Thursday it's if I didn't ask for it I would have never gotten okay you I yeah we don't get the bids but I asked for it I got it I have a okay so why don't you vote no no because that defeats the purpose here because everybody else is going to vote Yes when they really shouldn't be voting yes until we table this and discuss it but you're one of seven people so if if the rest of the council wants to move forward or not that's fine I just need to hear from everybody not just you I think I don't also don't like to assume that um we're all going to vote Yes on something before we even vote I think that's presumption okay let's just vote no all right hold on just hold on please go um so Liza you said that the Westside drainage like the resolution for the water flow from your understanding on this and is those bio swes and the con ruction of the bioses is part of this bid bio West Side drainage separate from this project okay this is overground drainage bile swes green infrastructure the Westside drainage is separate from this in the sense that that involves underground piping this is part of the W side drainage project this is there's no neighborhood there is a separate because this is not being paid for with West M two separate engineering project as it's deemed by the township that's the clarification we can't I'm just I'm trying to understand where we are let's allow one% of time and then we can go back to you I have no problem debating but let's at least laza please finish what you're saying and then Margaret and then Paul will we'll hear your comments can you just repeat the last part of what you said because it I could not hear it is part of the the geographic area where the Westside drainage project is correct but instead of waiting how many years until we can finish this the thought was let's put in green infrastructure up there now to help and some curbing to help facilitate putting the water in the existing drainage and then slowing down the water with the green infrastructure like the bile swes and this was Tom S Faro's recommendation this project yes green infrastructure has been approved by the D so on October 29th Council authoriz us to go out to bed so Council approve going out to bed at that I ask good question let me just go Paul said that it got paved within the last two years this year so why are we digging it up and Paving it again I don't know about the paving I don't know how much is being paid ped according to how much I don't know if that's true it's in the drawing it's in the whole thing's being paid can you share the I don't have my computer so an you want to pull up on the screen no doesn't have that technology doesn't necessarily have her email with her if I have one phone I have one email if I have email I have a question go ahead sorry if this is done now will the Westside trage project destroy this to get that done and then have this no because so the Westside drainage is in installing new underground piping so this is not touching underground pipes it's adding above ground like Overland drainage structures which the D calls green infrastructure to help slow and absorb the water in the form of bioses okay well I guess but to that to that point to put in the underground piping you got to dig the road up to put the pipe in so if we're going to spend this kind of money on that kind of green Tru green infrastructure we're going to to dig this up to put the pipes in for the Westside drainage project am I unless I missing something or is it a different area I don't know if it's say same Parts like we're not going to be like we wouldn't be digging the bio Swale up correct bio swes are on the on the end there okay that's that's what I thought but I just wanted I wanted to just I wasn't sure where if it was in a different area where there's going to be piping over here we only have to take out 200 fet a road or it's going to be 50 ft a road or it's going to be pric the whole thing again you know that's that was my question thank you so the other thing on this is we don't have a timeline for when this was side drainage projects going to be massive Council decid the saw so we phased it in Phase One and phase two phase one is that Sawmill portion because we're increasing the pipes down at the bottom to see if that how effective that might be to help us to determine the grand scope of the rest of the uphill portion if you will of the W side drainage this could take years okay this is something we got a grant money to do and we're paying very little I think probably bring it up quickly how much we're paying but most this is being paid for mostly with grant money um to do the green infrastructure and the curving and I'm assuming the I I I don't know how much is being repaved because I have and I think it's portions I'm trying to get I'm assuming it's it's it's the whole thing it's the whole thing the whole thing is designed to be repaved and curved and new drain grates I find it difficult to believe though that Tom Tom and Joe come up with the paving list every year and they really struggle with where to pave or where to do certain projects he can't imagine and he's always trying to find additional funding towards the end of projects to go back to the co-op and pay that he would pay for of last year could it not have been a portion of maybe Merc or a portion of another and then this is going to continue no this the entire neighborhood was paid also the buyes were replaced as well and that's what they're going to redo doesn't make sense now can I just say something we paid $100,000 as a town to do the Westside drainage study okay we paid a lot of money to do a study and the reason we did that study is because of all the water that originated from that neighborhood that's why we did the study that's why the study was done so now you just want to create more water that does not get directed into s bio sell because there's not that many bios swells by the way when when you look at the designs all of the water is directed to the curve into the existing pipe that can't handle it to begin with that goes into a smaller pipe into a smaller pipe it overflows and then it causes problems downhill so just saying well so the having done a lot of research on um green infrastructure or the other projects I've done here the the purpose of the BIOS SW the bio Swale is to collect water so it doesn't go to the street but first of all they're not bioses they're rain Gardens they're just not those are two words for roughly the same thing but they're not big you can't handle the water that comes down there believe me I know I know how much water comes like you want you want to see a video how much water comes I have I got to show you I show because it's your house we get yeah it's your house um the bio also the curbing is only being added where the bio retention SES are being proposed there's may be more added during the job but as of now there it's where the bio so it's not curbing everywhere um it's curbing the entire neighborhood our engineer says they're being the curving is being put where the bioses are being installed you call Tom like on Thursday or Friday so I guess we'll table this are you making a motion to table it I'll make a motion to table it is there a second a second any discussion about tbling it and we can't get hold the time right we'll just show the public so I have a definition of BIOS swells they're linear vegetated ditches meeting I'm I'm going to ask two questions one since we had gone out the bid would this cause any problems that's yeah I to be honest i' have to inquire with Dan I do think that there is a time period usually with with the bids so I don't know what the time period is with this 30 60 yeah yes so yes the answer is that although again I would want to double check with Dan and I don't know when this bid went out but yes there could be I believe there is problem because it's it's the bid is only for a a limited period of time time very possible I don't know where we are no well it needs to be awarded I I don't know if it's 30 or 60 days so it went out to bid it has to be awarded within a certain time of when we open up the bid um but then it has to go back out the bid if it's not all right I'm gonna pop in for a second because I guess my issue is if something happened on Thursday and I had a question I would reach out to Anna I would reach out to Tom I'd reach out to whoever I need to reach I wouldn't wait for tonight I think it's uncomfortable ask us to table something where you had a few days to kind of look into it we didn't really have much time to look into well asked for it at the last meeting I just want to remind everyone we went out to bid you guys approved the resolution of going out to bid on October 29th Mr Donal Le said to me at the public meeting and I want to get a copy of the bits back and you receive that Council usually never gets a copy of the bits back on Thursday this whenever Tom gave it to me Tuesday Thursday Friday Monday ask a question and even today like I ask questions at 4:00 on Tuesday well it's read because there's 180 page we went out to bid at the last meeting this is two weeks later so we're well within the 30 days I know it's 30 or 60 yes of awarding table it and then vote at the next meeting I'm just I want to understand the ramifications of tabling it and getting answers from well and one other thing just to mention is is as part of that plan the specs in that plan and the survey show that there's a gravel driveway where I know it's a pave driveway so there's got to be some kind of discrepancies there with the plants because the plan is the plan I just wish we had more information before you ask Dan question I I'm inquired right now I'm sorry I wasn't sure if you were looking at me or Beyond me I apologize I just don't have that information I do know that the bids themselves are only good for a per when you when you that's right when you make a request for a bid and the bids come in you will have a limited period of time in which you have to accept those bids I don't know if it's 30 or 60 days and as mayor I think you said if if the bids if you go over that period of time and bids are not a bid is not accepted it can it can result in a lawsuit right no I I understand all of that but we just approved us going out to bid at the last council meeting Y and then the bid was received so if we don't vote on this what I'm hearing if we don't vote on this until the next council meeting we are still within the 30 days of bid receipt because it's two weeks from now so they could not have we could not have received the bid our next Council meet is December 2nd that's that's that's the issue you cannot take action so I don't know I I I don't know if it's 30 or 60 days but um that's the issue the next meeting is December 2 for you to take action that's that's the question right I don't know if it's 30 or 60 I have a question so can we move past two for now and kind of fish finish the others and then come back to as we waiting for answer you have you have a motion in a second oh okay okay so we we we approved the co-op we knew that that Mercier or whatever was on the list I'm just I'm trying to have a conversation with Tom he's at a council meeting too and everybody voted to support this application from the do he's saying that we we've sort of Revisited this we've talked about it everybody was aware of it that's kind of what he's saying well aware of the drainage project not no no no specifically this one specifically this one this this was it's free grant money they the council approved the co-op expenditure to leave their originally and supported the application to the do so we we must have had to vote on those two things the problem is we don't know the answer to the vid question and we could Beed so the question is do you want to being sued if we don't know the answer tonight I Ste out and see get the answer to that okay I apologize so let's move on from just Google it I'm on lfn have on to number three resolution three we'll come back to that we have we have a motion in a second we I don't we're not going to do anything we're just going to move on we have the ability to go out of order we have the ability to go out of order we're not it we're just going to come back um then I move resolution three a resolution approving a shared services agreement between the township and the Bureau of Madison concerning confined space entry rescue for a period of one year in the amount of $110,000 any discussion yeah I have a I have a question um on this shared service agreement what is Madison's response time if we have an issue that they because I I tried to find it somewhere in the document it doesn't really say it just says they're they're just going to respond um it doesn't say what the response time is Madison is further out than chat them so I'm just concerned about if we have something where this is because confined space works for the sewer plant also for the fire department and if our guys can't do it then I'm just concerned about their response line not that I don't agree appreciate them stepping up to um have the shared service agreement with us but I'm just concerned about the response time if something does come up pison is a a paid fire department yes that's the difference they're paid okay that's why in terms of reliability and ensuring it's not like putting a burden on or you never know how right so then my question is are we making moves within our own fire department to get this training so that we don't have to spend 10,000 up to them and it's been six months so we to 20,000 to train them because the trainings two years and and you have continually or this Council or governing bodies before have continually put it in the budget we a portion watering L part of the problem and we have to by law I'm frustrated because if we had a resident let's say we've had manhole covers come off for various reasons and you're walking your dog in the street and we have a resident not only a contractor a sewer plant worker a DPR DPW goes down in these confined spaces somebody Falls in a con confined space and for the last six seven eight months we've not been covered does it have to be the fire department it's the apparatus is most appropriate no yeah and the thing is that's what happens if our it does put another burden on our volunteers like if it's hard for to get our volunteers to respond to fires if you know they're they're volunteer they work during the day right so this is the other thought was this would alleviate some of the pressure put on them to not have to be called for these events so it would decrease the we have any data on how many events there have been I know we have to have thisy I can get I was just curious get yeah I know we have to have this it's sewer do our sewer department does a lot of confin space um and we had a gentleman who had a heart attack at conell what was that a year and a half ago with one of our it was an outside contractor he was in a combined space um year and a half two years ago um and it was very traumatic for one of our sewer plant workers who had to be you know in proximity of them so it's something when it does happen it may not Happ right and I know we have to have it I'm aware of that I was just curious and I do know Madison also provides this service for at least two other municipalities nearby um I don't want say them I don't remember them want to be sure accurate but they're in the same situation they have a volunteer fire department and they're kind ofus strain but on them with a paid fire department they know that they're going to be able to respond a lot of the you know some of these also are scheduled like our sewer plant like they're scheduled ahead of times they contact medicine when they know there's going to be um going down the right right so they know when they need to be there good to know thank you any other discussion so if we can just go back for a moment I did look into we have all our colle abolutely thank you though uh roll call oh Mr Foster already second okay uh Mr Kudo hi Mrs Ann yes Mr Foster yes Mrs illis Mr MCH yes this Pope yes okay I um I move resolution number four awarding a contract to Jersey infrared consultants for moisture survey work at the municipal building in the amount not to exceed 24,000 $795 Sor uh I have a question the this contract indicates that uh the lumpsum quotation is $4,995 per crew per night uh it's it also goes on to say that the project will not exceed three nights so roughly that's about $15,000 and we're s we're saying not to two different two different it's two different proposals one for the roof one for the building so there's so yes um so uh I'm just looking at yeah you only have the one proposal go I that same question so you're okay so it's two proposals one for the flat roof estimate and another for the the rest of the building envelope estimate so it's 4,900 $95 per crew per night for the flat roof the estimate is they need two nights to complete it so that's $9,900 the building envelope estimate is two to three nights to complete at the rate of $49.95 a night which would be um if you add those up it would be a maximum of 24795 the public has a full bid on their on their website this is not a bid no just break down public has ital yes and the public has a proposal sounds like you have a page missing no no no proposal missing oh okay all right he's right okay uh the other question I actually have on this too is that it indicates that the project uh will be done by the end of the year I think what where did I see that um right but based on what we just discovered um that may not be the case so that is actually that's actually a preference of our C CFO to put the timeline for the work to be done in because it's being approved under this 2024 budget right but so if there's a change right we could do this yeah so that is that that is that considered a immaterial change to take out the date by which the work is done is going to be done or you can just reove it next year I I say if it's not done within 2024 it could be so so yes just put it back on the agenda for next year so for it's approved now so the money is going to be there just in case it's not just in case if it's possible to do it now we can get it done and if not January 1 through your meeting or the next next possible meeting just put on the agenda say anticipated says anticipated you need to add it to your calendar not pledging the M's pledged ready so it's right could have re amended if we have to next year they can't do it this year yeah I would think if we're going to work on the same quote U for next year because it depending on the conditions right good right it all depends on the weather yeah between now and then right right pass we don't have to table and then reintroduce it at another time we can do it now yes like if the work doesn't get say the work doesn't get done because it doesn't rain between now and December which that'd be terrible um the money doesn't get used the money doesn't get used if our if our CFO I think if she wants us to pass another resolution amending it with a new date yeah that that would be the the probably best yes okay by the way I like our new CFO I like the process I think it's nice and clear yeah the was putting anticipated completion dates in these resolutions to sort of hold these vendors to getting the work done just to be clear it has uh and there's more than just rain I mean if you see the required conditions there's a whole bunch of bullet points there uh specific weather and and temperature and stuff like that so I mean it's part of part of it is precipitation but apparently this has be done on a mostly sunny day daytime high temperature above 40 4 degrees all that stuff and who knows if we're going to have the optimum yeah by the end of the year so we can pass now and amend yes yes if it doesn't get done by the end of the year am you got to appropriate the funds in case the conditions are met before exctly got have it done in case right all right any anybody else any discussion okay um Mr Kudo yes Mr Donnelly yes Mr pler yes Mr zillis yes Mr Mado yes this is poe yes I move resolution five authorizing transfers second n discussion sorry transfers of funds right yes it's transfer of funds F in November we're allowed to transfer money if there's something short you on the budget I me the rest right there yeah but they're just very right here very clear okay side by side Mr Cuda yes Mr Tali yes Mr Foster yes Mrs illis Mr Machado yes Mrs po yes and I move resolution number six resolution authorizing a shared service agreement with ring Hill for the use of styrofoam recycling systems I'll second that disc I have a question so I know that on the first of the first Saturday we take the thin film plastic and we take Recycling and electronics I guess right so this is we can still our residents can still drop off the styrofoam and then we'll send it to L Hill for the processing is that how it's goingon to work that's what our gpw does okay yes thank you I think we did this last year too yes else roll call please Mr Kudo hi Mrs annal yes Mr poer yes Mrs zis M Machado yes Mrs poke yes move our consent agenda a through F I'll second ask um any discussion actually I have a question I don't know can we discuss ask a question of stuff that's outside of the consent agenda sorry forgive me I lost my train thought can you just repeat under under the consent agenda I have a question about one of the items on here okay I ask it separately or I have to ask it for um you can ask it separately and then it can it can be not tabled but brought out and taken off of the consent agenda and discussed more fully for passages like a resolution like you did previously just ask question about an item without pulling it out oh sure you can I'm sorry yeah I wasn't sure how to ask I apologize have a question about um letter A on the resolution um it's authorizing contract motor Rola solutions for radios audio accessories for the fire department and the amount not to exceed $ 28,69596 just all right thank you um okay um consent we a motion the second any discussion mind anybody else roll call Mr cud yes Mr Donell Mr Foster yes Mr zis M Machado yes yes okay all right so now we have to go back to two we did all the resolutions now we're back to two correct right so typically the bids are they're 60 days unless it's set forth in the bid itself either a longer or shorter period usually it would be longer not shorter so you should be fine if you chose to table it because it would be 60 days now I don't have the benefit of having the bid spec here to say conclusively that it's 60 days but it's usually 60 days or longer so so I have a question um so if the bid gets approved does the work start before winter or now because it's going to be tabled and we have to wait another month then the weather impacts the work I don't think I could answer that that depends on what production typically stop stops in mid November but that's now that's now so I have something to add as well so I did have a chance to speak to Tom Saro um the way he explained it is in 2022 and all there's been multiple votes that everybody has voted on along the way so we were aware of this um we FEA one of the Super Storms happened and I can't recall which storm it was uh we applied for female money for the for this area simultaneously we also um applied for a do Grant I believe the FEMA was 100% reimbursed and the Dot money is 100% grant money so I from what Tom is telling me in either instance we the township funds are not going or haven't gone to to do this um he said yes because there was such an outcry from the residents in that area that it was on the co-op Paving and the superstorm um contributed to the conditions up there which were really severe to begin with that I recall um so the co-op came in and paved so what they added to the do application which is the one that the bid that we're talking about now is the bio swells and some of the Curbing and some of the paving is going to have to be done because of this disrup disruption on the paving that occurred two years ago he said that if we want he could try to go back to do and add additional curbing if we if we chose to do that instead if we let this go then we will let we will I don't know what the time I can't tell you that it's tonight but if we if we don't move forward with this project it's it's $410,000 she said that we will lose yeah just so I do have that amount so 463,000 in grant money and then we bonded about 280 in case we needed it in case we needed it but he felt that it was he felt the project was well find out what happens when it goes to bed I'm not going to comment what's the amount that it will come in at the amount of the gr money the gr 410,000 we going to get from a gr mm 60 4636 which we approve it we we be doing the repaving for grant money if we don't approve it we possibly lose the grant money yes that's my understanding of his explan timelines are his explanation our engineer said we possibly lose our grand money and the reason why it happened twice is because we took a simultaneous track of well not knowing that there was a superstorm occurring right applying for the FEMA money you never know if you're going to get that reimbursement in addition to the dot project so he tried to revise or tweak the dot project to reflect the fact that we had paved in 22 or 23 because of the female money that was his we paid before we got this grant so we didn't know we were know that right so we have this grant 450,000 this is 450,000 right and you have another bondage or set aside money another 260 right so so why don't they put additional swells and whatever because obviously the are is a water problem if the whole area had an outcry and they had to pay the neighbor because it was ripped apart by storms it's obviously a problem so I think the engineer needs to go back and figure out where more swells could be put in and more retention basins and more whatever because it's going to be a problem anyway you look at it unless you're going to dig it up and put pipes in which would the whole reason there's having this Westside drainage project is to do that you got to have a better plan or add to the plan add to it like if you want to accept the plan add more to it use that 260 and add more big holes in the ground to capture water whatever you felt that it was you know sufficient for what we were trying to do he shared that information with the environmental Commission and they had minor comments um and they I think are the experts on bios swells they may be the experts on bios swells but did they look at the $100,000 engineering study we did to show all of the water flow that goes down the hill I'm sure to make that determination it doesn't sound like because the way we're talking right now is like nobody knows what the hell's going on so I just explained it so the bottom line is if we don't vote on this then we are going to let 4 we have 60 days that's we're not two different things two different things the state gives you X they give you an award of a of a DOT Grant Department of Transportation Grant you the the clock starts ticking on that when you get that that Grant there are different things that have to happen that's why we voted on this a number of times we looked at it in the context of the budget triy to figure out if we needed to add additional Monies to that when it goes out to Big once we get to the point that it's ready the engineer in Wise it's ready to go out to bid and it and it does the clock is ticking for us to award two different things the bidder could could sue us that's different from the dot saying you no longer have these grandfriends because you had 24 months to do this project and there are certain Milestones that you have to hit along the way so two different two different things that we're talking about what I'm talking about is if we decide to to not move forward with this then we will lose 410 or he keep saying $410,000 in grant money the timeline for that losing that Grant so we need to award we need to award by this year and if we redo the design it has to be reapproved again by the de D do because it they need to approve the design in order to ensure we get the funds for it later on when we seek reimbursement and I can so that process that process if we make changes it right and I can tell you that previous to our administration because I live on that street similar type of thing happened on Cornell and they lost the money on Cornell so like you know half of my street was paved because the they didn't do it within the I think it's 24 months they didn't do it within the 24 months they lost the do money and could only pave a portion of the of the street it takes two years believe it or not for these State federals even worse but it takes two years to go through the government process to get the approvals to have the governing body approve certain things to get it to the point that it can go out to bit and then final construction and there's different rules we don't even know the timeline we're talking about this but we don't know the exact timeline of all this to say that we're lose it but if we don't vote today we don't know the timeline we have to award for a fact we have to award by the end of this year like per the grant the grant okay so we end this year if you know we still have time but if they to change the plans and that adds changes the timeline changes the timeline so what you're saying is if you don't change the plans and there's a water issue down below that the town will be responsible for for damage engineer isn't going to design a project I I mean I'm just saying it doesn't matter how they design because the designs have have a driveway that says that it's gravel when it's paved so the designs are not very accurate the begin but the design is really related to that particular Street the driveway the Crux of the project are these bios swells and some of the curbing design has the entire area I listen I understand that you're just opposed to this and that's okay and if anybody else wants to vote no but at this point I think that we spent a lot of it was a great conversation and I love that great so what you're saying is that the town will be responsible with the damages that will happen due to this design below AB saying that now that's not what I'm saying I'm saying this is Rob wouldn't the town be responsible in that instance though if there was damage below because the plan was not the right plan okay I'm going to go ahead and call for a second on this resolution or did we even read it into there was a to table it now have to vote on the table motion to Table in a second so we need to recall the table and based on that vote we either table it or go on to motion the resol olution do you agree with that table we're going to vote to table is that no no no it's already been tabled because you had a table a second so let's Okay so the motion on the floor right is a motion to table resolution two awarding a contract to sellan Sons General Contracting for the road Recon of Old Farm Orchard Mercier project in the amount not to exceed $451,500 [Music] it's not the motion but I'm just saying not second one so I'd say no I want I don't want to table it if we can lose the funds because we can always add on later but I don't want to lose the funding otherwise I would if there was not a funding issue I would like to table it and have a further discussion yeah but the vote is the table so is it yes or no so question um I'm going to have to say don't table it right now okay okay Mr Don say yes Mr Fuster to say no also is zillis um I'll say yes to table Mr Machado I have a question um if I were to table it uh would we we have that was it 60 days or 30 days it should be 60 if potentially be longer but I don't have your but that's a separate that's a separate issue two issues liability of being sued if were within the 60 days of the bid laws and the do saying the timelines are running at Liza is saying we have to award by the end of the year Paul is saying there's issues with the bid we would and design we would have to go back out to design and the likelihood is that there wouldn't be enough time to do all that and still do and go back because you got to remember there are timelines that Anna has for the bid right the likelihood is that we may not make that timeline so I I like to um um uh not table it so I'm I'm not going to table it this is sorry sorry down and Mrs po do you live up there you live up there uh I don't live up in that I was just wondering like I was just wondering if that was a conflict but I'm gonna say I live the neighborhood live below the neighborhood and it's part of the Westside drainage project so it's not really well based on what the mayor has shared with us and all the other information on vote now okay so now a can I have a motion to pass I don't like that that's not very kind just figures I know sarcasm I don't like can't I'm sorry MH I'll do it moving a resolution awarding contractor silian and general contracting for the road Recon of Old Farm Orchard Mercy air project in the amount not to exceed 45 45183873145 if I table said no to table I have to say yes to this uh Mrs an see uh I'll I'll abstain from the vote voster Yes is Ellis yes Mr Machado yes Mrs po yes once again great job guys I'm going to ask you not to chastise your colleagues Township Council reports motion we open Town Council reports easy uh Veterans Day had a nice Affair went to the flag raising um very short 1111 as special meetings to Veterans it was when arm day was signed were signed ending the war and it was 11th month 11th day 11th hour and we had a good attendance lot of B from town were there um as well as the mayor some of the council and uh that's about it for that me thank you man it was a really nice day Paul John uh hisor preservation committee is going to meet this Thursday uh we changed it from last week because there'll get some conflict with some people in the group um I want to start out with since we have the the shared service PR with Long Hill for the for the styrofoam American Recycling day is Friday November 15th it's known as National recycling day is observed every year on this day to raise awareness about importance of recycling the day intends to educate people about the positive impact it has on the world and the environment and encourage everyone to purchase products that are recycled Sunday November 17th grab your backpack and shoes prepare for adventure and it's National hiking Day celebrating every year on November 17th is a perfect excuse to leave behind the rush of everyday life ose yourself a quiet Splendor wer every Trail tells a story what we be Thursday November 21st is World philosophy day it's the day to answer several questions within us seem unearthly and the solutions that appear unattainable is celebrated annually on this third day of November in a life full of constant notifications hectic work schedules Global challenges could be very easy to lose sight of life's meaning and bigger picture on this day we reminded to take a step back from a chaotic life think about what could life mean in times if they were different and our basic way of life was different uh philosophy is not just an abstract discipline it offers profound direction to navigate today's personal societal challenges in our surroundings the theme for the 2024 World philosophy day is philosophy for an inclusive and sustainable future sry than very good um Margaret um I don't have any to report bill um well I attended the uh Veterans Day ceremony yesterday as well with uh Manny and and the mayor here and I thought it was a lovely day and it was just a great celebration honoring our veterans um and I also wanted to congratulate uh our president here John Foster uh for uh being reelected uh good to have you back thanks Susan I was going to say the same thing congratulations John um piggy back on hiking day we have the most beautiful hiking trails right here in the watang reservation right here in Berkeley Heights so if you haven't gone there yet check it out the white Trail is a favorite of mine uh Veterans Day yesterday the mayor came to my classroom and and shared um Trent fetus's story and the children just loved they thought they were so special they thought it was the president actually in our classroom which is really cute um with regards to what's your story again John I'm a piggyback the mayor and I are working on something about storytelling here in Berkeley Heights and I think it's going to be a really cool event we're looking at like a storytelling event for the township to come out and like find common ground and share stories and come together as human beings and the last thing I want to say is Anna sent me a beautiful check and letter handwritten letter by the way and there's the power of the handwritten letter and a donation for latel Lord trust and I just sent a letter back to the Foundation um thanking them and talking about historical PR and and grants and how we're fundraising and inviting them to the next fall festival she actually lives in Virginia so um really impressed with the work that we're that we've been doing on latel Lord so I just send that letter today and that's all I have all right Administration Happy Thanksgiving yes so that's a good one um Administration report so uh yeah I had the honor and privilege of reading to Susan's class I have to tell you you are REM remarkable educator than you really are remarkable your students are remarkable um and you deserve that Public Credit well I just want to say I had John's child I had your child I had two of Li's children you surv and I had daughter yeah so I had them I've had them all happy to have uh John back on the council looking forward to many good years of working together uh I'm going to try to do this without my glasses my very exciting thing that I am like nonstop working on is the Turkey Trot so we're thrilled for the inaugural brookley Heights Turkey Trot set for Thanksgiving morning at 800 a. at at the park for formerly known as conell uh registration if you haven't signed up yet we encourage you to register links are available on our website don't miss out on this fun and healthy way to kick off the holiday sponsorship opportunities there's still time to become a sponsor for the turkey chop in in interested businesses and individuals can reach out to us at ba turkey TR gmail.com volunteer opportunities we're still looking for volunteers so please check our website if you'd like to help out or be a part of this wonderful event costume contest we will be hosting a costume contest with prizes including gift cards from local favorites like Goodman's Deli dress up have fun and you might win something special usatf certification our race is already sanctioned and we've been we have submitted for uh certification rather we expect to receive that certification later this week um Community appreciation a special thank you to Michelle har harpster um who's the Fine Arts Teacher National Art Honor Society adviser and Art Club adviser at Governor Livingston high school along with her students for creating a thankful wall a big thanks also goes to our Department of Public Works team for constructing it um our sponsors we are very grateful to F serve the park lifetime for being our presenting sponsors for the generous support um and it's a great cause because the donations will help to uh raise money for the Berkley HS Rescue Squad so that's that I'm GNA take off my hat for this last oh please don't so I just want to point out that borrowing anything like additional this is the last meeting for our Township Clerk and um last me we're going to have a special meeting to honor her on um the 18th and we're going to have a little postp party at my house after um and I'm sure there's going to be wonderful words said about you but you and I go back at least 20 years when when I was sort of on my way out as administrator and you were on your way in in the clerk's office I think that you are an inspiration to many women little ones big ones you have been ecumenical he that word with everybody was impressed you've been an ecumenical Fair wonderful Clerk and I think people you are beloved in this town we thank you for all your service it it's not hard being the clerk between Oprah the girl Oprah requests um you know resident you know concerns that you're sort of like the first stop the elections becoming more and more difficult streamlining everything into one building the challenges that you have faced you know over the last few decades that you've been the clerk and you do it with beauty and Grace every single day you are remarkable you're going to be missed there are gigantic shoes for Angela to try to feel fill I'm glad that we have Angela coming in but you are going to be somebody you're going to leave you have left an indelible mark on this Township and from the bottom of my heart and everybody up here we thank you so much for everything you've done wish you so well in your retir I don't know anybody who deserves to just go off and travel and see her grandkids and her kids and do whatever you want to do whatever you want to do it and be a little bit more relaxed so thank you standing up standing up all right that means you can't leave okay sorry uh no we can end on that that's fine um just uh where we have more road paving coming up the list of roads will be published in on our website in the next few weeks our reminder about leaf pickup section four is this week section five is next week uh residents can also drop off their bag leaves at the DPW Monday through Friday and during regular Rec recycling days um they can also dispose of brush during their recycling days as well and also please remember there's a fire band in effect a Statewide fire ban on any sort of outdoor fire including something you might do in your fire pit there's Wilders burning up in North Jersey that are being smelled and experienced by my family up in Albany right now so like please don't just know outdoor fires so it gives a good rain can you talk about the drain challenge with it was on the big board oh the scary drain challenge oh I saw it on the big board yeah like clean your drains is a challenge I've cleaned mine three times in the last I don't know eight days between us and chadam right yeah no more scary drains are you supposed to weigh storm drains the storm drains yeah so for the month of November it was on the I didn't know I just clean my drains regularly because they're you know they're clogged and um for the month of November you can be in the competition between Berkeley Heights and chadam to keep our storm drains a little cleaner so you rake it you weigh it and you enter it on the website adopted drain I think it's.org so that's cool I don't know either you can D up more than one drain I have four drains I used to have 10 but people took some over so I only have four now which is good yeah all right you beat me but it's really easy to do especially when the leaves are dry but um clean those drains all right great PSA Li were you I'm sorry were you I'm done okay I thought that was your thing all right make a motion to accept the council reports is Right second any discussion roll call Mr Kudo yes Mr Mr zillis Mr Machado yes M po yes I make a motion to open the citizens hearing second that any discussion roll call Mr Cudo yes Mr Donell yes Mr pler yes Mrs zis yes Mr Machado yes Mrs poke yes okay the citizen hearing is now open at the same wul in effect that I uh read off earlier this evening as it happens silent for Steve Carell 35 Sycamore Avenue um probably other citizens I'm probably the only one who's going to talk and actually I was here because I wanted to say something it had to do with the timing of um an um but who would have thought that we' have a meeting where the executive session started the meeting and it and you know I would presume it would have been perfunctory because why would you schedule at the beginning and it took more than an hour and then what looked like to the average citizen this a non um controversial agenda turned out to have a lot of questions never mind a big discussion in one like it's like I'm kind of glad I witnessed it because this doesn't happen too often um but and one comment the only other thing you could do if you tabled it you could really better understand what this actually involved and if you didn't have to make changes you'd still be able to meet the timelines it's the only that's a thought I had as to why I plan to be here um and I guess the timing is good with this being in this last meeting I have to imagine that in planning for Anna leing there's a lot going on and with um I know one thing the clerk's office does very well um I want to make sure that lesson learned gets applied elsewhere in the administration it has to do with the issue of communication and specifically our website and our notifications I can say religiously that when agendas and minutes for the council go out the notifications for anyone who subscribes to those they they get them makes for an easy click and sometimes it's beneficial I'll see something a problem even send it on the same Friday and you have things fixed for the ready to go the the next meeting um not other postings that happen for um other boards and committees environmental commission is a good example maybe once that of every five meetings when the agenda gets posted don't get the notification what I learned talking we had the communications committee and they were setting involved in setting the system up there's just a few steps you got to do when you post something to the agendas that allow the notifications to work and you and your office do it great because you never miss it can I implore as part of getting ready for hand to leave that that get documented and shared with everyone in the administration Who's involved in posting things so that we get the convenience of what we put that website into place in the notification system I've talked about this separately over the years and um you know through Liza and such and it it hasn't gotten better in that regard so one other thing to add to your burden if you can make sure everyone knows how to do that as well as you guys do okay thank you thank you Steve I'll second it any discussion roll call Mr Cuda yes Mr tal Mr Foster Mrs Mr Machado yes po yes okay we handled executive session at the beginning of the meeting I'll just ask for a motion to adjourn motion to adjourn all in favor all right have a good night everybody