Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. N. Heat. Heat. 30 seconds. Go ahead, Mayor. Thank you. Good evening everyone and
welcome to the July 13, 2026 Cedar Grove Public Council meeting. Madame Clerk, will you call the role please? >> Yes, sir. >> Councilwoman Mig here. >> Councilwoman Peterson >> here. >> Councilwoman Scavage >> here. >> Deputy Mayor Zazali >> here. >> Mayor Miseri
>> here. Please stand for the flag salute. 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.
>> Open public meeting statement. Adequate notice of this meeting was duly provided to the Verona Cedar Grove Times and the Star Ledger by email and published in the annual schedule of meetings on December 18, 2025 filed with the township clerk posted on the public
bulletin board in the municipal building lobby in accordance with the open public meetings act. Item three, introduction of ordinances. Oh, I'm sorry, two. Um, this portion of the meeting is public
comment. Anyone from the public wishing to be heard on any item on the agenda? Seeing none, I'll close that portion of the meeting. Item three, introduction of ordinances. 3A to consider introduction of pending capital
ordinance 26975 capital ordinance providing funding for Taylor's Brookbrook Riverbank stabilization for the township of Cedar Grove and appropriating $300,000 for that purpose. Mr. Zeli. >> Yes, Mayor. Thank you. This is a capital
ordinance as the council recalls when we were doing our budget at the end of uh 2025. We ended the year with just over $1.1 million in our capital improvement fund, which is basically cash that we reserve every year and let it acrue as part of our regular budget process. Um
it's good in case of emergencies and that's what this ordinance is allocating $300,000 out of the roughly $1.1 million in the capital improvement fund for which is the um emergent repairs to the Pcman River. Uh, I'm sorry, Taylor's Brook, which is a tributary of the
Peekman River, adjacent to Town Hall's uh, driveway off of Bowen Road, as well as some engineering costs built into this for the eventual permitting of the entire um, riverbank stabilization on Taylor's Brook and any costs associated with moving the telephone pole uh, that
has our 911 communication as well as the power to the municipal building. that's going to need to be moved before we actually come up with a long-term final uh bank stabilization for Taylor's Brook. >> Okay. Any discussion from the council? Any questions?
>> Is there a motion? Uh, mayor, I move for the introduction of pending capital ordinance number 26-975 to be published on the township official township's official internet website as a pending capital ordinance with a public hearing scheduled for August
17th, 2026. >> Thank you, Councilwoman. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Roll call. >> Councilwoman Mika, >> yes. >> Councilwoman Peterson, >> yes. >> Councilwoman Scavage, >> yes. >> Deputy Mayor Zazali, >> yes. Mayor Miss. >> Yes.
>> Item 3B, to consider introduction of pending ordinance 26-976, an ordinance authorizing the execution of an amended financial agreement by and between the township of Cedar Grove and 36 Cliffside Drive Urban Renewal Owner
LLC for the development of town houses located in 36 Cliffside Drive redevelopment area. Mr. Mr. Kelly, >> mayor, if I can speak on, uh, 3B and 3C at the same time, I would appreciate it. >> Thank you. >> So, uh, the previously, I believe it was 2021, the council executed a financial
agreement with the then, uh, developer at 36 Cliffside Drive. That financial agreement, uh, with that developer, that developer obviously went bankrupt. The new developer came in. Um and as part of the revised site plan that was approved by the planning board, the new plan is
uh 317 rental units as opposed to 347 rental units and 30 town homes. So again, the overall unit count did not increase at all on this development. It was originally 347 rentals with 57
affordable units. uh through negotiations of a uh pilot agreement, a renegotiated pilot agreement, we were able to increase the affordable housing units to 69 units to satisfy our fourth round affordable housing obligation. and council and myself uh we felt that it
would be best to bifurcate the agreement one for the town homes and one for the uh rental units because when the town homes are sold each agreement will have to run with the land and buying subsequent purchasers whereas it's one agreement for all 317 rental units. So
the prior agreement didn't contemplate that type of bifurcation. That's why you see two ordinances here as you indicated. Ordinance 26976 which was 3B on the agenda is for the 30 town homes and 3C is for uh ordinance 26977 is for
the 317 rental units. Again a reduction from the original 347. Yeah. I don't know council if you want to add anything to that or >> Yeah. The financial agreement was also amended to include the additional affordable units which was contemplated for our fourth round settlement as well
as the revised plans that were approved by the planning board. So the financial agreement in 20121 was essentially moot as a result of the redesign and the additional units that were proposed. So this agreement is essentially following the changes at the site. So, this is um
essentially what was already in place from 2021 uh with some slight upgrades and modifications to the agreement. >> Any questions from the council or comments? >> Is there a motion? >> Mayor, I move for introduction of
pending ordinance number 26-976 to be published on the township's official internet website as a pending ordinance with a public hearing scheduled for August 17, 2026. Thank you. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Roll call. >> Councilwoman Mu.
>> Yes. >> Councilwoman Peterson? >> Yes. >> Councilwoman Scavage? >> Yes. >> Deputy Mayor Zali? >> Yes. >> May. >> Yes. Item 3 C to consider introduction of pending ordinance 26-977 an ordinance of the township of Cedar
Grove authorizing execution of an amended financial agreement buy and between the township of Cedar Grove and 36 Cliffside Drive urban renewal Owner LLC for the development of an inclusionary multif family development located in 36 Cliffside Drive
redevelopment area. Any additional comments? I know Mr. Z. Kelly already spoke on this. None. >> Well, do I have a motion? >> I'll move for a motion for introduction of pending ordinance 26-977
to be published on the township's official internet internet website as a pending ordinance with a public hearing scheduled for August 17th, 2026. >> Thank you. >> Is there a second? Second. >> Roll call, please.
>> Councilwoman Ma. >> Yes. Yes. Councilwoman Peterson, >> yes. >> Councilwoman Scavage, >> yes. >> Deputy Mayor Zali, >> yes. >> Mayor Mer, >> yes. >> Item four, we do not have a second reading for any public ordinances,
public hearing. Um, so we'll go to five, approval of minutes. 5A, to consider approval of regular meeting minutes for June 1, 2026. Is there a motion? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Roll call.
Councilwoman Miga, >> yes. >> Councilwoman Peterson, >> yes. >> You weren't here. >> Oh, sorry. Abstain. >> Councilwoman Scavage. >> Yes. >> Deputy Mayor Zali. >> Yes. >> Mayor Miss >> Abstain.
>> 5B to consider approval of staff meeting minutes for June 22nd, 2026. Is there a motion? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Roll call. Councilwoman Mig, >> yes. >> Councilwoman Peterson, >> yes. >> Councilwoman Scavage, >> yes.
>> Deputy Mayor Zali, >> yes. >> Mayor Miss, >> yes. >> 5C. To consider approval of executive meeting minutes for June 22nd, 2026. Is there a motion without release? >> So move, mayor. >> Second.
>> Thank you. Roll call. >> Councilwoman Ma, >> yes. >> Councilwoman Peterson, >> yes. >> Councilwoman Scavage, >> yes. >> Deputy Mayor Zazali, >> yes. Merry. >> Yes. Item 5D to consider approval of the reorganization meeting minutes of July
1, 2026. >> So move second. >> Roll call. >> Councilwoman Ma? >> Yes. >> Councilwoman Peterson? >> Yes. >> Councilwoman Scav. >> Yes. >> Deputy Mayor Zali. >> Yes. >> Mayor M. >> Yes. >> Item six on the agenda, reports of
township officials. Starting with our township manager. >> Good evening, Kelly. >> Good evening, mayor. Good council. Uh just a few brief items. I would also like to discuss uh items on the consent agenda now if it's okay with you, mayor. >> Yes, please. >> Um just want to thank uh Mara Landalfi of our rec department for throwing a
spectacular fireworks uh show. It was quite hot out uh but a lot of people came out. Um and it was just a really great show. I saw a lot of positive feedback from the community. Also want to thank our police department, fire department, ambulance and rescue squad and OEM for standing by uh just making sure everyone was safe. Traffic flowed
nicely. It was really a positive event for our community. Tomorrow I'm meeting with our engineer and uh some officials from DPW. We're going to finalize the August paving schedule that we will post conspicuously for the township. As the council is aware right now, we are
paving Rock Ledge Place and Reservoir Place. Um the milling is set to begin later this week with the paving probably next week. Again, weather dependent, just the concrete work has been done. That's a NJ DOT reimburseable project. The paving in August will be done through our cooperative. Um all of those
streets and um areas will be published hopefully by the end of the day tomorrow as soon as we finalize it with our contractor. Again, that's scheduled for August. Um if I can go through the consent agenda now, mayor, item 7B
is uh the township's participation in an Essex County urban community development program grant for 2027 to 2029. This is a uh community development block grant program. Sometimes we can get some money, sometimes we can't, but we have
to opt in before we're even able to apply. We do it every 3 years. And this is us just renewing our application. Item 7 C is a Low SAP or length of service awards program for the Cedar Grove Ambulance and Rescue Squad in the amount of $8,7146.
Just for the council's edification, we budgeted $16,500 in LOAP for Seagars for 2026, which leaves $8,428.54 in the account. This will just lapse to our fund balance at the end of the year and just be replenished next year. Item
7D, this is a resolution that would reject the only bid that we received for a NJ DOT recon of Mountain Way in Ridge Court uh pursuant to NJSA4A1-13.2B. 2B. Uh the bids came in uh higher than the amount of money we had appropriated.
We appropriated $850,000 $850,000. The lowest soul bid came in at $1,10,1.65. We think the reason for that is because we included some lining of our sanitary system and our storm system in there. Um
if we take the lining out, we think it'll come back closer to the cost estimate that the engineer provided. So, we will be re reassessing our options uh for this project. uh in order to continue with it in the future, whether it's going back out to bid with some modified plans this year or early next year. I'll work on the engineer with
that. And just the last two items I want to discuss are 7E and 7F. 7E is the insertion of $6,9204 from the highway traffic safety grant into the budget. The council remembered this is when we had uh some enhanced enforcement by our police department.
Didn't cost us any money. We got it through this grant program. in 7F is insertion of $18,25245 from the recycling tonnage grant. Um that's money we get every year uh back from the state for our solid waste and recycling program that will hit our
budget as well. >> Thank you, Mr. Speaker. >> Thank you. >> Good evening, Madam Clerk. Do you have a report tonight? >> Good evening, Mayor, members of council. I do not have a report this evening. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Good evening, Mr. Lagana. Good evening,
Mayor and Council. Uh, we do not have a formal report this evening. >> Okay, great. All right, we'll start to my right again. >> Good evening, Councilwoman. >> Good evening, Mayor. >> I do not have a report. >> Okay. Good evening, Councilwoman Ma.
>> Good evening. Have no fear. I have a report. >> Just a few things. I I also want to mimic what Mr. Zaki said about the uh fireworks. I thought they were fantastic. It was incredibly hot. They did a fantastic job. Um, and uh, thank
you to Mr. Zeli, Marica Landulfi, the DPW, the high school for their black and gold club running of the concession stand, the first responders, and for the residents that joined us. I hope everyone had a good time. Um, I just want to give a little shout out here to
I decided to join, wait for it, the water work out of the pool. Okay, big turnout down there. Um, it's tonight, so they have another great night to do it. But I highly recommend that people pay attention to
the classes that are being offered because she's doing a great job with all the different classes, um, the senior citizens classes, the programs that are out there. Our recck department does a great job for people of all ages. Um, I'll segue to also the Cedar Grove
Ambulance and Rescue Squad is doing two classes for certifying people for CPR. Also, I don't have the exact dates of those, but if it's definitely on their website. Um, and the Cedar Grove Historical Society, they're bringing some new programs in. Um, hopefully late
July, more like early August. They're going to do flower workshops which you can um they'll teach you how to properly harvest your tech the harvesting techniques of flowers as well as make your own hand tied bouquets while you're at Morgan's farm. And in August or
September, we're having another line dancing class. If anybody would like to join us, I'm just saying anyone want to come line dance? >> John says you want to come. >> John wants to come. Deputy mayor, you want to come? Possibility. >> I'll remind you. Don't you worry. Um, in September there's an appraisal day back
due to popular demand. And of course in October and the fall we'll have the pumpkin and apple sale coming up again. So that's it. Stay cool in the heatwave everybody. And that's it for me. >> Thank you, Councilwoman. >> You're welcome. >> Councilwoman Scavage. Good evening. >> Good evening. Um, I have no report
tonight, Mayor. >> Thank you, >> Deputy Mayor. Good evening, Mayor. Good evening, everyone. I do not have a report this evening. Great. >> All right. Um, I also do not have a formal report. Um, but uh to echo councilwoman's
comments about the fireworks. I mean, we I know you acknowledge OEM first responders as did Mr. Zeli, but I have to acknowledge Mr. Zelli, too. >> And I know you didn't I know you didn't do it uh deliberately. You didn't you didn't miss him? But I was
Kelly. He's the first one because I saw him with his OEM shirt, running around making sure everything was uh working fine. So, it was it was a lot. Um but we did do a great job. So, so thank you to everybody. Thank you, Mr. Z Kelly.
>> Um that's all I have. So, moving along, item seven, consent agenda 7 A through 7F. Before we take a motion on all, does anybody have any questions or comments? I know Mr. Z. Kelly reported on them during his
report. Is there any other comments, questions for the days? >> No. Then I will ask for a motion. >> So move. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> Roll call, please. >> Councilwoman Ma,
>> yes. >> Councilwoman Peterson, >> yes. >> Counciloman Scav. >> Yes. >> Deputy Mayor Zali. >> Yes. M say >> yes. Item eight, approval of bills. >> The resolve of the township of Cedar Grove County of Essis, New Jersey, that the summary of bills having been duly
audited and found to be correct are hereby ordered paid in their aggregated amount of $520,440.76. >> Thank you, Madam Clerk. Is there a motion? >> So move. >> Second. >> Roll call. >> Councilwoman Ma, >> yes. Councilwoman Peterson,
>> yes. >> Councilwoman Scavenage, >> yes. >> Deputy Mayor Zali, >> yes. >> Mayor Miser, >> yes. Item nine, new business. Is there any new business, manager? No. >> Item 10, public comment. Anyone from the public is welcome um for this portion of
the meeting. Public comment, you just come up to the podium. All right. Uh good evening everyone. Uh, Mayor Miseri, members of the township council, uh, and members of the public. Uh, my name is Mark Ceino. Uh, my wife Jacqueline and I are parents of four
children who attend St. Katherine of Sienna School here in Cedar Grove. Uh, I'm here tonight to discuss uh, the issue of school security. Over the past several weeks, we've had the opportunity to meet with township leadership uh to discuss the possibility of establishing
a class 3 special law enforcement officer program or SLO program to enable armed security protection for St. Catherine. I'd like to thank the members of the township for their time and attention in engaging with us uh so far and appreciate the opportunity to address everybody as a as a group
tonight. Um as many of you know, St. Katherine is governed by the arch dasis of Newark which only permits armed security in its schools through New Jersey's class 3 program. The state created this framework to provide municipalities with a standardized mechanism for protecting schools through
the hiring of trained retired law enforcement officers operating under the supervision of the local police department. Because Cedar Grove does not currently have a class 3 program, St. Katherine has no mechanism to provide armed security uh for its students and
is unable to hire private security like other schools in the township. This is an unsettling reality for us and many other St. Catherine families as the school is quickly becoming one of the one of the only schools in the area without on-site security. Over the past several months, I've we've researched
how municipalities throughout New Jersey have implemented class 3 programs to protect their Catholic schools. Communities including North Caldwell, Wyoff, Kennallorth, Hillsdale, and others have successfully established class 3 programs that are fully funded by the schools and come at essentially
no cost to the taxpayers. Those municipalities have demonstrated that there is a clear blueprint for implementing these programs while balancing the operational needs of the police departments. We're asking that Cedar Grove consider the establishment of a similar framework and pass an ordinance if necessary to allow the
school to access the same class 3 security option that is available uh to surrounding communities. I recognize that these decisions deserve careful consideration. There are a lot of questions about implementation, administration, and coordination. Uh and I appreciate that the township has been
working through these issues. Uh I also appreciate Mr. Kelly has taken efforts to think about uh if there's ways to uh to also implement this uh with the arch dasis. I respectfully ask that this process continue moving forward with a sense of urgency. Uh unfortunately,
school safety is not an abstract issue. Uh I don't want to harp on on recent events. Uh but within the past month, we have seen a terrorism investigation and a contemplated attack on a Jewish center in Wayne. And last week, a school in Little Falls was evacuated because of a
threat. Thankfully, neither incident resulted in tragedy, but they do serve as reminders that these are issues that are increasingly happening in communities around us and deserve proactive attention. While we appreciate the support that Cedar Grove and its police department currently provides to
St. Catherine, there's simply no substitute for having a dedicated armed officer present throughout the day. The new school year is approaching quickly. I understand that implementing a new program cannot happen overnight. Uh but again, I just respectfully ask that the council continue to evaluate this issue
as a priority. Uh assuming that there is no uh workaround with the arch dasis that comes to uh comes to fruition. Um myself, my family, the school remain uh committed to collaboratively working with with the township and the police
department. Uh the school administration is supportive of this. The arch dasis is obviously supportive of the class 3 program. Uh and so I we just appreciate the time that's already been invested in this uh your willingness to continue to engage uh on the topic and remain
hopeful uh that we can we can get to a solution that provides the students of St. Katherine with the same level uh of security protection that is available to others in the community. So I thank you for your time and consideration. >> Thank you, Mr. Savan. Thank you for your comments tonight.
Anybody else going once, twice? Okay, seeing none, we'll close that portion of the meeting. We don't have anything for executive session. The next meeting date is August 17th, 7 p.m. That's a public meeting here at council chambers.
Item 13. Is there a motion for an adjournment? >> So moved. Second. >> Thank you. Roll call. >> Councilwoman Ma. >> Yes. >> Councilwoman Peterson. Yes. >> Councilwoman Scav. >> Yes. >> Deputy Mayor Zali. >> Yes. Mayor. >> Yes. Thank you. Thank you everybody.
Thanks for coming through. >> Thanks Mark. Appreciate it.