All right. Let me know when we're ready. >> All right. Thank you. >> Recording in progress. Welcome back to the public session of the township committee meeting for tonight, June 23rd. Will you please rise for the flag salute
to the flag of the United States of America to the stands one for all. Okay, we will now open the first hearing of citizens. Uh, Mr. Lant, will you please provide guidance?
>> Yes. Uh, members of the public are now welcome to come up to the microphone to address the township committee. This is an opportunity for any member of the public to be heard about issues which are not topics scheduled for public hearings tonight. Those present may step up to the microphone to be heard. If
you're watching via Zoom, you may speak during any of the public comment sessions by following the Zoom instructions to raise your hand. Whether in person or online, when you are recognized to speak, please mind the following procedures. Please say your
name, spell your last name, and give the name of your street. You do not need to give your street number. All public comments will be limited to three minutes. Rather than use any of your time answering questions, the township committee will wait until you finish speaking before responding. There are
two public comment sessions on tonight's agenda. Each member of the public will be limited to one comment of up to three minutes during each public comment period. Written comments submitted to the township clerk before 3 p.m. today will be read during the public comment
sessions. Written comments are subject to the same guidelines as oral comments. Duplicative written comments may be summarized rather than read in full according to guidelines issued by the New Jersey Division of Local Government Services. And uh for the two ordinances that we have on for public hearing,
these rules will apply to those public hearings as well. >> And uh we do not have any written comments for this evening. >> Okay. Uh are there any hands raised online? >> Uh we do not have any Zoom viewers. >> Okay. U if anyone would like to come up
please. >> Hi, my name is Larry Cohen. I live in Fanwood. Um I'm a volunteer for the Humane World for Animals, formerly the Humane Society of the United States. I wrote to you a little over a week ago asking you to consider an ordinance that would ban pet stores in town from
selling dogs and cats. Um, you currently have a pet store in town. It's well bred. They do not sell dogs and cats. This is something that 155 towns throughout New Jersey have done as well as 10 states across the country. The
reason is because the pet store industry is set up particularly in New Jersey so that they get their animals from large commercial breeders mostly out in Midwest states that are known as puppy mills. They put the they put their profits ahead of the welfare of the
animals. I can tell you that they are governed by the USDA and under federal law, these are the things that are allowed for commercial breeders that pet stores use. It's a nasty business. And this
growing um effort throughout the country has been to end this pipeline of these commercial breeders to the pet stores. So what we ask communities and states to do is say, "Hey, listen, welcome pet stores like you have well Brad. Tell
them that you want them to come to town and sell goods and services and offer supplies, but that they cannot sell dogs and cats because we know where they come from. And we want to encourage obviously humane treatment of animals and uh the adoption of animals and and
and people getting animals from responsible breeders which this does not affect. Pet stores themselves have said that they only account for about four to 5% of puppy sales in this state. They will say that themselves. So we're not
talking about eliminating this huge source of of dog supply. I'm asking you to do this basically from a moral standpoint. You know, perhaps the likelihood is not that great that a store would move into Chadam that would sell dogs and cats, but I I think towns
all the time are considering what is good, what is reflective of the morals of their town, whether it be um you know, liquor licenses or noise ordinances or massage parlors or AI data centers, you know, or immigration
detention places. is, you know, you're always looking to say what what kind of businesses or what what kind of uh things reflect the nature of our town, our morals. This is an easy one. >> You know, it costs nothing. It says loud
and clear that your values are on the side of of humane treatment of animals. It doesn't put anybody out of business. It doesn't restrict any businesses. It doesn't really restrict consumers. You know, it doesn't change the playing field at all. There are stores still in New Jersey that sell dogs and cats. You
passing an ordinance for Cadam will not shut any of those stores down. Um, yeah, that's about it. So, if I may, I I I have the ordinance again in writing along with a little
>> Yeah, I can certainly do that. I can reail it and I have other information if you have any interest in coming to understand yourself just how bad this industry is. >> Thank you very much. Thanks for coming all the way out.
>> Okay, any other comments? Anyone else? >> Okay, so we can close the first hearing of citizens. May I actually have a question if you don't mind. Sure. >> Uh for the gentleman here. Yeah.
>> Um are there any situations where um pet stores uh utilize places like you know St. Hubert's or agreements with those kinds of organizations that are out there for the adoption of animals whether they get paid to sell them or
not. Uh just the anti-puppy mill approach. Uh is there that set up with stores around this area? this area. No. Okay. >> The Humane Society has a program that will convert stores to that model. >> Okay.
>> And the state laws that are being that are proposed and that have passed include that, okay? >> That stores are allowed to bring in dogs from rescues and shelters to showcase them for adoption. >> And a ban would not preclude the not preclude that.
>> Actually, the ordinance has that language in it. >> Okay, great. Thank you. >> Okay. Uh, now we can move on to monthly reports. Were there any questions or comments about any of the monthly reports? >> Nope.
>> Okay. Uh, now we can move on to the regular session. >> Yes. under workshop. I don't know if uh we still wanted to discuss the library matter, the resolution for funding. >> Ah, okay. Under that. Yeah, >> if you want to discuss at this point.
>> Yeah, we can do that. >> Deputy mayor, >> I think you wanted to write an update on >> uh Yes. Thank you, Mayor and Administrator Shahadi. Um I actually it's kind of a call to action for a number of things.
There has been a uh a public presentation on the library uh project um and it is available for public viewing um and review and to date um at least to my knowledge anyway. Uh we have
no um public input reaction uh etc. Um and we're trying to wrestle with uh the fairness across all demands across the township for uh whether it be the police department, the fire department, uh you know, the public safety side and of
course the library as a great uh and wonderful asset. So, um, if I might be able to put out a call to arms, uh, so that we might get some public feedback, um, without the committee having to, um,
come up with a a dart um, and, uh, figuring out what is, uh, proper and fair and legitimate and workable for that matter. And so, um, I ask for that uh, for the public to please do approach
us. Please do come. Please make comment uh as we try to figure out among among this uh among this board um what the best approach will be and uh what we can afford, what we cannot afford. Um what is a good project, a fair project, a
wonderful project in improvement of of this asset. It's a very very important asset to all of us. And so, um, mayor, I, if possible, I'd like to, you know, get the call to arms for residents to participate.
>> Thank you, Deputy Mayor. Okay. Any other questions or comments? Okay. So, on to the mayor's message. Uh, good evening. Thank you everyone for joining tonight. Um, I want to thank Assemblyman McCertie for holding his office hours
here. This was the first one and I think there will be more scheduled um and it's quiet time in the summer. Um, but uh later in the summer and throughout the fall. Uh, this is June. It's happy pride month. So, I would like to share a quote from the actor Jodie Foster. She said,
"Being gay is like being left-handed. Some people are, most people aren't, and nobody really knows exactly why. It's not right or wrong. It's just one of the many natural ways to be. The world works best when everyone gets to live as they truly are. So, if you ever feel out of
place, remember, you're not broken. You're just beautifully different. And that's something the world needs. Last week, Chattam High launched another class of successful graduates. So, congratulations to all and thank you to all of our incredible educators.
Um, if you've noticed the gold ribbons tied around town, those are in honor of one of my favorite citizens, Callum McGukin. Callum passed away a couple of weeks ago at the too young age of 11. But life isn't necessarily measured in
the number of years on this earth, but what you did in that time. Callum was a shining example of packing so much life into the time that he had. He was the kind of person that asked for donations for the homeless as his birthday presents and was always up to
show you every bell and whistle in an ambulance and was infinitely patient when people could not find a certain item in the Christmas village scavenger hunt. His legacy will live on in the foundation that was established in his
name, in the organs that he donated, and in all the acts of kindness that will be done in his name. This loss is unfathomable and it hurts a lot. But tomorrow at the Chattam Middle School from 4 to 7, we can all come together to
celebrate the joy that he brought and that perfect smile. Um, there are details at the website calummaggooken.com if you need any additional information. So, I hope to see people there. Now, we can move on to the township committee reports. Um, the historical
society, you may have noticed um a pod outside of the red brick schoolhouse. Well, that's because we're getting new flooring. Um, a bunch of us were over there moving stuff out into the pod and they're working on the flooring now. And in addition to the new lighting, the
floors should be ready for the next um July meeting on the first Sunday of every month. Um you can visit there between the hours of 2 to 4. >> Uh Committeeman Alaritz, >> thank you, Mayor. Um yeah, I'm going to
just elaborate as well too, and I probably won't get through much as you did. Um uh the emergency squad particularly is mourning the loss of Callum uh who pretty much walked our halls from the
moment he walked uh and uh he was every bit a member as we all are. So, uh, my love and adoration to Liz and Brian and Gemma and grandparents, uh,
who are very prominent in Chadam Township as well, too. Um, uh, I don't have much more to report other than, uh, I think the environmental commission and the joint rec Commission uh, both met a couple weeks back. Uh the environmental
commission is embarking on a tri count tritown initiative called quiet summer. They're asking um if uh residents are so inclined to ask their landscapers to pause on uh the gas
powered leaf blowers uh throughout the summer in order to promote more silence in town. Uh several members have done this already. Uh it's no skin off of the landscapers back. Uh we're not asking them to reduce
their charge to to to cutting the grass uh but just to simply scale back on uh the gas powered equipment. Um uh I think that's all I have to report. Thanks. >> Thank you. Committeeman uh Committeeman Choy.
>> Mayor don't have anything to report this evening. >> All right. Thank you. committee women ewalt. >> Um the I I have a lot that the Colony Pool wants to say, but just doesn't seem like the right time. I do want to um let
people know that Colony Pool is up and running and they're doing very well and I hope people take an advant take advantage of it. I will give more of an update, you know, next month. Thank you. Thank you, committee woman. Deputy Mayor McHugh.
>> Thank you, Mayor. Uh, I will update that the, uh, open space committee has has met finally this year. Um, a couple things that will be progressing. A number of the trail questions and issues. There will be feedback
forthcoming. Uh, there is the painting of the corn crib, uh, which looks like perhaps this summer may occur. Uh, so really uh, to brighten things up. Um moving on to the library. Further to what I said, action is uh needed in
preservation of the grant or making sure an assurance of the grant. And so uh please do uh if you have any comments come to us so that we may deliberate and come up with solutions that make sense for for everyone. Thank you.
>> Thank you, Deputy Mayor. Okay, we can now move on to the public hearing and final adoption of ordinances. I would like to open the public hearing for resolution 2026-112 amending the capital budget. That was
only adding um additional information, the revised funding source and debt authorizations. >> Yeah. So, this one we don't actually need a public hearing on the resolution. This just needs to be adopted before the ordinance. Okay. So, is there a motion to adopt?
>> I move to adopt uh resolution 2026-112 amending the capital budget. >> I will second. >> Okay. >> Mr. Al Perowitz. >> Uh yes. >> Mr. Troy.
>> Yes. >> Mrs. Eold. >> Yes. >> Deputy Mayor McHugh. >> Yes. >> And Mayor Roland. >> Yes. >> Motion passes. >> Thank you. Okay. Uh, I looked up open the public hearing for ordinance 2026-09, the capital ordinance. Um, you can see
the details for our $500,000 capital budget. Any comments or questions? Okay. Is there a motion to adopt ordinance 2026-09? >> Uh, so move.
>> I'll second. >> Okay. Mr. Al Perowitz, >> yes. >> Mr. Troy, >> yes. >> Mrs. Ewald, >> yes. >> Deputy Mayor McHugh, >> yes. >> And Mayor, >> yes. >> Motion passes. >> Thank you. I'd like to open the public
hearing for ordinance 2026-10. That's amending the police department personnel, which is adding additional headcount uh to the police org chart, which is moving from 22 sworn officers to 23. Is there a motion to adopt ordinance or
any questions or any comments? >> We should open the public hearing. >> Oh, the public hearing. Yes. >> No one. >> Right. Is there a motion to adopt ordinance 2026-10? >> So move.
>> I'll second. >> Mr. El Perwoods. >> Yes. >> Mr. Choy. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Ewald. >> Yes. >> Deputy Mayor McHugh. >> Yes. and Mayor Roland. >> Yes. >> Motion passes. >> Thank you. >> Now move on to the the approval of the
consent agenda. Are there any items that anyone would like to pull out for a separate discussion or separate vote? >> Okay. Anything Mr. Shahad you'd like to add? >> No, I just wanted to be prepared in case there were any questions on the anything. Yeah.
>> Additional revenue, additional grant money came in. >> Yes. >> Which is always good. >> Always good news. >> And the liquor licenses. Yes. >> Is there a motion to approve the consent agenda? >> So move.
>> I'll second. >> Mr. Aleritz. >> Yes. >> Mr. Troy. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Eold. >> Yes. >> Deputy Mayor McHugh. >> Yes. >> Mayor Roland. Yes. >> Motion passes. >> Okay. Thank you. I'd like to now open the second hearing of citizens. The same rules apply that Mr. Lanti provided
previously. There were no advanced questions. Did anyone hop online yet? >> Uh, no one online, so we can open it up to the audience. Anyone that wants to step up to the microphone? >> Okay. >> Anyone wanting to step up to the
microphone? The time is now yours to actually stand up and walk up to the microphone. Hi, Ted Godfrey, 21 Evergreen. Uh, first, thank you, Mayor Roland. Um, you responded to my email with the debacle
at uh, Colony Club. Was there a performance bond on that? >> I think we looked into that. I don't know, Mr. Shahad, if you want to provide some additional information that you got from uh, >> Sorry, sorry to interrupt you. I only know I have a certain amount of time. I just
>> Yes. So just as a reminder of the way this works is you take up as much as your three minutes as you want and when you're done that's when the committee will respond. >> Okay. Okay. >> So um you have two minutes once I hit resume you'll have 2 minutes and 44 seconds left. >> Okay. So
>> good. Talk about the the soil that's you know construction debris in the Colony Club. We're also wondering in the neighborhood about the blighted half completed house that hasn't had any construction in seven months. I guess now on Myersville Road and I guess
there's some law that you have to do something about that blight after 6 months of nothing being done. Um, and I'm wondering how many campers they're going to have at the Colony Club. And I I wondered about uh is there any kind of
tree replacement program? Like 10 15 years ago, I came here. We had to take a class and the town gave us a couple of trees. I planted them both. one is completely died and I I'm trying to find out if there's any program
in in that. Okay. Now, oh, and then gas blowers. Obviously, I have electric ones, but I have 500 trees on my property. The when the leaves start falling, if you had electric, it's not working in the back
there. I have to have a push gas one. Okay. So, I guess if I have any time, if you want to say anything further, that the soil was not screened top soil. It was construction debris with rocks. I I showed you some pictures. So, okay, I'm
done. I'll just listen. >> So, at first I was trying to figure out where that was and um I know that our DPW also had some comments about what you know was happening over at Colony if you wouldn't mind elaborating.
>> Um so, we tried to ascertain exactly where that was uh based on the image. There was it looked like there was a bench in in the image of the picture with the stone and yeah and so um nevertheless though the the rocks and
the bold patches are not from the construction. Those are just hightra areas. Uh the area that was in the photograph uh was not near the area of disturbance from the construction. So um that that's the simple answer to that.
high traffic in the beginning of the season. >> Again, that's not where they did construction, sir. So, um >> I'd be happy to visit with you and certainly I do have your contact. Yeah. No, I do have your contact information. I'd love to, you know, get more
information. Happy to go out there uh with you myself and see exactly where that is because we do know exactly where they were working. And uh nevertheless, I mean, we will take care of it. But unfortunately right now with hot weather, you can't plant grass. Uh I >> I'm sorry. Yeah. So it it certainly is
something that is on our radar to address uh when the weather is appropriate. >> Yeah. Um I'll jump around. Glass gas blowers I understand um with electric. But what we're asking for a lot of times they use a very powerful gas blower for
everything. And in the summer there aren't many leaves, but they still it's just kind of a habit. So, we're just trying to raise awareness that says, you know what, we don't have to use a gas blower all the time. If it's just some grass clippings, sweep them or something. So, it's just working partnering with our with our landscapers
to just, you know, try to try to think of different ways rather than just falling back into the um into the habits. But I I definitely understand. I used to have a um an electric lawn mower. It was a lot of work. Um, uh, if you want to email me the address
for Myersville Road, we can look into that further if you want to send me an email on that. >> Did I say Myersville? I'm sorry. There. Mountain View. >> On Mountain View. Okay. Okay. Uh, we can look into that. >> I don't know. It's the only one where
you can see that it's been abandoned for what, six, eight months now. >> We'll have I'll have to look into that and I'll I have your email address. You can't miss it. >> Well, I don't drive that way a lot, but I'm not looking right. Yeah. Um, and
then regarding tree replacement, um, I don't know. We can look with the environmental commission. >> I don't think they they've offered a lot of plants and things like that and plant drives, but I don't know if they've done like other than seedings. >> Uh, but >> 10 15 years.
>> Yeah. when they did that >> every couple a couple of times a year they have offer trees like different types of trees um I can't remember what time of the year but I know that um I could get that for you when they offer um free trees it's
kind of a first come first- serve basis and you show up and they give you free trees to plant they're they're about this >> they before can I can I speak >> yes >> we had to actually go to a class here to instructed and you know how to do it
properly and then we got two free trees. It wasn't just getting the you know >> ah okay I will have to look into that. Does anybody know if we still have a program like that? Tree education. >> If I may um Mr. Goffrey, how big were
the trees that you got after your class? >> About this tall. >> Oh so they were they were significant trees. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> Well saplings at that point. Okay. And a tree is debt defined as being 12 in in diameter according to the construction. >> No, no, no. It wasn't just a a bare root
little >> No, it was okay. >> Okay. Thanks. We'll look into it. >> Thank you very much, >> Mayor. If I may just go back to the matter related to Colin P, Mr. Shahadi, the areas that were of concern or
discussion just a few minutes ago, is the underlying issue a safety issue or an aesthetics issue? I have not seen the photo so I don't know >> Mike >> there are some in the one photo that I saw some larger rocks about this big so
if you're stepping on them barefoot might be uncomfortable but not necessarily a safety issue to the clerk And this is before the campers and everything. This is like when they just open.
>> Thank you. Okay, thank you. >> Hi there. Um, my name is Megan Shaff and I live on Garden Street. Um, and I wasn't prepared Oh, Sha. S C H A A F. And I wasn't prepared to speak tonight. I'm here with my son who's working on a
merit badge for citizenship in the community. So sorry if I'm a little scattered, but >> um I'm actually a member of the friends of the library as well. So I felt called to speak after your request for comments from the public. Um and I just wanted to
uh lend my wholehearted support that you in turn support the library and all their needs. Um there are a lot of needs. I'm sure you've been to the library on a daily basis um and see how it's used all day long from people of all ages. Um there's nannies there with
little ones for story time in the morning. There's elderly people um you know reading and just enjoying um some social time with friends. Um and then if you're there at 3:00, you know that the doors are flying open with teenagers
coming just for somewhere to hang out after school because there's not a lot of options that are free and open and available uh for kids in middle school to just come and hang out with friends. Um, and we were able to provide the new teen room for them to have a space to uh
play games and chat, do homework, have meetings. Um, and as a member of the friends of the library, we are raising money for all the programming, um, different events that are held. The seed library, um, there's something for everyone, but I do know the library is really hurting, uh, in terms of
infrastructure and also um, we have librarians doing like three to four jobs that they shouldn't have to be holding all these responsibilities. So, um, we really need the support from both, uh, the burrow and the township to keep the library as amazing as it is for all of
our citizens, uh, for everyone in the community to enjoy. Um, so, thank you for your consideration. And as a side note, I was on the environmental commission in 2012, and it was a one-off uh, program that Mike Kelly put together with the saplings.
Uh, so I don't know if they've run it since because I had some children since then, so I had to drop off. But >> just for background info, >> thank you. >> And anytime you want to come back, you can uh rejoin. >> Okay.
>> Well, and sorry, just to let you know, especially because you have a scout that's trying to earn this uh badge, um, this meeting is quieter, but uh the, you know, in terms of putting things uh in perspective in terms of how things run. The last meeting there was a big discussion for anybody who's interested
about the library and their requests. So this we kind of go in cycles. We have a big workshop meeting. We discuss a lot of these things and then we come here and we vote on them and if there's any res resident input or questions or if we have any additional questions, you know, we'll follow through on that. especially
bringing up the library and because uh committeeman Mchugh has asked for input uh at the last meeting if you go online you'll see the video and you can watch uh the presentation that the library gave and they ask and what their needs are >> and that video is available on the
YouTube channel. >> Great. Okay, any other hands raised or anyone else in the audience would like to come forward? Sorry. Nothing nothing on Zoom unless anyone else from the audience wants to come up. >> Okay.
>> Can I see one more thing? >> You can. Sure. >> Put a new sidewalk in. And I'm looking at a picture here and it's there's hardly any s there's it's just construction debris and that was a new
uh pavement that they put in. So this is not something that didn't come from construction and and I've been there every year and that grass was narrow like that. Can I just show you one little quick picture? >> Mr. Godfrey, as I mentioned, I'd be happy to go out there with you because we're not going to solve it right now.
So, I'd be happy to go out there to, you know, I've got your contact info if you let me know when you're there. Be happy to come by there with our DPW director and we'll we'll get it fixed. >> Okay. >> Okay. I think we can now close the second hearing of citizens
and I think that's it. Is there a motion to adjurnn? >> I'll make such a motion. >> Second. >> I in favor? Hi. >> Hi. >> Hi. >> All right. Thank Thank you everyone.