You mean the I'm sorry. That wasn't All right, we're calling the order. All please rise for the pledge of allegiance. Pledge of allegiance to the of the United
States to the stands and justice for all comply with those sunshine law by adopting prior to January 10th this year a resolution prescribing time all regular meetings of the commission. This meeting is one of the meetings listed such resolution and
copies of the resolution were prior to January 10 filed with the borrower. Okay. Eric Carol please. so used to being up the front. Usually
there's a counter. Come on over here. Come over here. It's your show. Yeah. Right. So I am going to um read through this um this proclamation. Carol has been working at our um the Collins Public Library for 26 years. Uh she is
retiring. uh you know I want to read this because a lot of people contributed things different things to this but uh what one of the things I will always think of and remember the family is uh is the in the in the first iteration of our haunted
hay rides uh this it's been going on for it's it's restarted the last couple years but it was going on a lot for some time ago, the Earth family would spend pretty much all day out um in Night Park. Um and they would like build a
house uh that would be the haunted house uh on this this driveway. They have 20 people out there all day having a grand old time doing this great service, great little events that we had for town. It was really it was just fantastic. Um and
Carol's been with us for for couple days. Uh whereas Carol Erin is retiring from the College of Public Library after 26 years of extraordinary service and steadfast dedication to her colleagues, community, and countless library patrons. And whereas Carol served in
multiple departments over her tenure tenure, youth services, circulation, technical services, leaving an indelible mark on every aspect of the library's operations and culture. Whereas Carol has brought to her work a rare combination of quiet
strength, deep institutional knowledge, and unwavering reliability, becoming the go-to person for so many over the years. And whereas confl's calm presence, dry wit, and thoughtful insights have been essential to the library success and
day-to-day operations, and she will be deeply missed by co-workers who became friends, by patrons who came to rely on her warmth and helpfulness. Where's Carol champion the importance of libraries and the value of public access in books, information, and community
space, believing in the mission of the Collins public library and embodying its values in our daily park. And whereas over the years, Carol became not only a picture of the library, but of the entire Kingsman community, helping generations of residents, especially
children, find books they love, learn to use library resources, and develop a lifelong love of reading. Whereas many as among her many contributions, Carol was instrumental in esta in in establishing and maintaining the
library's beloved community cabin, a grassroots effort that continues to provide essential supplies to those in need, reflecting their deep compassion and commitment to service. Now therefore, in this fifth day of May, it is hereby proclaimed by
the board of commissioners of the burl of the Carol formally commended for her outstanding 6 years of service for the library, her invaluable contributions to our community, and her legacy of care, humor, and generosity. We extend our
heartfelt thanks, best wishes as she begins a well earned and children do open now. Is it Okay. Oh yes, it should be open now. That means it's not likely to explode.
There you go. There you go. Thank you. And as always with tradition, you are free to stay or not. Thanks, Carol. So, we had some things for uh
Commissioner Lewowski, but we're going to hang on to that till the end of our business. Okay. Um Okay. Huh. We have a second reading and public hearing of ordinance of salary ordinance 1804. So, this is the public hearing on the ordinance
adjusting a few salary setting the range for two different positions. This is your opportunity to bring anything before the commission. Anyone want me? Yes. Yes. Yes. We have a second reading public hearing of 1805 amending
chapter 217 please. So this was revive. This was adding we're really happy about this ordinance. is establishing recreation in the in our in our rec program for violin and summer strings orchestras which we've not had before.
Uh this is a huge addition for us actually kind of kind of resulted from some school issues right with music. Yeah. You want to talk about a little bit? Yeah. I mean, I think that the discussions really started when there were having issues with uh him staffing
for the marching day and parents came to us and talked about it and then we around the idea what would it be like if we could provide some type of cost uh you know low cost music to people for
rent programs and this bill we had some great you know violin viola instructor ers who said like I'm I'll take this on. So, we're starting here and hopefully maybe through the years we can grow it into other instruments. Community marching band.
Absolutely. Okay. Uh this is the public hearing on this ordinance. Anyone have anything they'd like to say about violin recreation fees? Okay. Yes. Yes. Yes.
Okay. And we have the first reading of ordinance 1806 amending the bur development plan for 627. So um college development at the same time and first reading of ordinance 1807
amending the federal college red. So, um we're as you take a look afterward. These are there's some boards up here, but the these two projects are first one is for the um the viola firehouse. Uh part of that building is going to be um turned into a uh be used
as a cigar lounge. Uh it's a business that is in uh Hadenfield right now. Um the um Mitch Porch is the is the fellow's name who who runs it. Um he uh he is a pretty intrigued. I haven't met
him yet, but he's a former Disney Imagineer. Uh and I've only seen pictures of his Hadenfield location and what they have plans here is pretty spectacular. Um little little fact, this will show age, but he's the son of
Frank. You know anything? Yes. Riddler from the original Batman TV series, Adam West, all that stuff. Frank Worsh is a big time big time standup comedian. Uh but this is his son's going
to be coming in and open this business. This is a redevelopment plan that makes some minor zoning by uh changes here. main thing is to allow cigar lang lounges in that property that doesn't permit it right now. So, um it's making changes for that. And then the second uh
project is the Ocean First Bank um the former Ocean First Bank that is um that is allowing for uh their project is shown up here, but it's a uh they're going to build a second floor on top of the bank. It will have um and a portion
of that second above the second there'll be a portion of it will be a third floor be set back um but it'll have nine residential units uh up above um one of them supportable and then it'll have um commercial space down the first probably
split into two or three different uh businesses on the first floor. Uh the back, not related to this, but the back of that property is is going to become a formal public parking lot. Uh today it's an informal public parking lot, but
it'll be paved and it'll be um theater unfortunately, but they'll pay. So that's what these two projects are. The second meeting on these ordinances will be at the June June 2nd meeting. Um, you
can bring any comments you have from that. Okay. Oh, you're going to do them separately. Okay. Go ahead. I'm sorry. For order 1806, Mayor Ming. Yes. Yes. And ordinance 1807. Mayor Ming.
Yes. Commission. Yes. I think now she um yes first committee ordinance 1808 a capital improvement fund bar and pocket
park. So this is simply allocating money from within our budget and what's called both the capital improvement fund allocating it for the work at the pocket park and also for construction of a a new salt bar for if we ever have snow again. But um that's what this is for.
The public hearing will be in the June 2nd. Mayor, yes. Yes. Yes. Public comment. Okay. So, um this is the public comment section for the the remainder of the
resolutions that are on the agenda. If you have any issues or items you want to talk about that go beyond that agenda items on the agenda, we're to talk about them at the end. Okay? You can talk about whatever you want at the end of the meeting. Anyone have any comments, questions on the the items on the
agenda? Okay. Okay. Now we have the public hearing in 2025 budget amendments. So this is our third meeting discussing the municipal budget for 2025. Um we had originally u introduced a budget that had a $70 increase in it.
um with um with all of the events and the history that's gone on with the school funding issues and the various uh iterations that the the burrow the burrow's plan for helping school has
taken. Um the in the last month or so there's been changes in all that. Uh the school board tonight is um adopting a budget that will um the text I got will be a on the average property in town it
the increase will be roughly $1,100. Um having wind of that um we had revised this budget at our last meeting to get rid of the $70 increase.
Uh we made some cuts in different areas. So the the budget that the borrow is introducing tonight is or is adopting tonight is a zero increase. There's no increase on the municipal side recognizing the fact that for a lot of people the increase that the school's
going to be put through is going to be severe. Uh so we're trying to just have some minimal impact try to reduce that impact just a little bit. Um so that's my comment. Rob Morgan, anything you want to add before we open the floor?
Yeah, just just, you know, we we we probably changed this this this budget three or four times. Um, and you know, now that we're getting to where the school is clear on what they're going to do, this just feels like it's the best
thing to keep all of our services, you know, running. Yes, some of our um you know some some of our expenses are are a lot of our expenses are going up, but we'll tighten our belts and we'll make this year work. Next year we'll do it again. Okay, this is the public hearing.
Anyone has anything they'd like to comment, questions, anything on the 2025 mm budget. M. Well, that was just a public hearing, right? That's right. It's an element authorized adoption of Yeah. We're authorizing the adoption of 2025 budget.
Yes. Yes. Yes. We have two appointments and police department. Yes. Yes. Okay. A couple
SP family. Anybody here with us? Come on up. Okay. All right. I station eight. I will do so that I will support the Constitution of the United States that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of New
Jersey and the Constitution of that I will bear true and allegiance to the same that I will wear faith and allegiance to the government to the government established in the United States established in the United States and in this state and in the state under the authority of the people under the
authority and that I will faithfully and I will faithfully and partially Just before all the duties as police sergeant police department best of my ability my
ability congratulations Hold on. I thought you do solely swearly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States. So I'll support the Constitution of the United States as a Constitution of the State of New Jersey. Constitution
of the state of New York that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same true faith and to the government establish the United States establish United States and in this state and this under the authority of the people the authority of the people and I will faithfully I will faithfully partially
and justly perform all the duties as police sergeant for the confident police according to the best of my ability. Congratulations. Thank you very much. All right.
Thank you to all of our officers and friends that came out to today. You are tonight you are you are all free to go today. You do not have to stay for the fun and excitement. Thank you.
You got take care guys. Congrats. Oh yeah. That's for class one of the Hollywood. Yes. Yes. poisoning avoiding nasal and police special.
Uh just Jim often time mayor often talks about how tough it is swearing in people that he coached um coach baseball with a little same age as my son. So glad to have her on board.
Um, okay. Matthew as emergency management. Yes, that's one of them. Contract Gemini General Contracting for the
204 Chelsea Avenue main replacement project. Yes. Awarding a contract elect for the 2024 NJ2 trust fund servicing on the hill out of the project. Yes. And awarding a project for the construction
of a public works salt ward to Rose construction of items of revenue appropriations for the 2025 grant. Yes. Referring ordinance 1806 and ordinance 1807 to the planning board for
review. So what this these resolutions refer the redevelopment plan amendments that were dealing with these two projects over to the planning board for their recommendation. So that's what discussed. Send it to the planning. Yes. Yes. Approving a salary resolution for
certain employees. Yes. Yes. Authorizing the adjustment of the of an added assessment of 40 white pipe. Yes. Yes. approved to submit an application to execute a contract with the New Jersey Economic Development Authority for the
CAFE program. So, this the cafe program is the acronym for it's called the Cultural Arts Facilities Expansion Program. We're um we are contracting um uh this is authorizing an application. There's a new tax credit program uh with
with the state of New Jersey that is authorizing up to $2 billion in tax credits for cultural facilities. So, we're putting together an application, a major application for in excess of $5 million of work on Scottish threat. Um
this would allow us to do um basically place seats, make the place truly ADA compliant, kind of try to update this, you know, this building um uh as as much as possible um to get in uh get so that
we can use it. We've already air conditioned the place now with infrastructure money that we got a few years ago with the counties to cooperation and this is a way to get some more free money to renovate and upgrade this. So this is authorizing that application for uh for the cafe tax
credit. Yes. Amending the borrow of employee manual health insurance policy. Yes. Yes. And approving payment and bills presented by the CF. Yes. Yes. Okay, instead of um our public
statements or just generic comments, um we're going to talk just for a few minutes. Um tonight is Rob Luwendowski's uh last meetings. Might be all of our last meetings. Tonight is Rob Luendowski's last meeting. Uh we know that for sure. So we wanted to take a
moment. Uh we did a little u recognizing him at the uh at the the volunteer appreciation dinner that we had a week or so ago. Um I just I just want to say I want to reiterate that that Rob's been
with us for just over eight years, right? Just a couple few months over eight years. Uh it's been a joy working with him. He has brought his own special kind of approach to everything. um always got a light part with it all and is uh but has been serious on trying to
achieve all of the things trying to uh we're going to miss him. Uh I don't expect him to be gone on everything that needs to be done because as will repeatedly say he volunteers all the time. Um and we've got a couple things
we wanted to present to to him uh just a token of our appreciation. Um, would you like to say no? All right, come on. So, we're going to move on. Um, it has been a pleasure working with
you in this capacity. Um, and as you mentioned, we've known each other for a very long time as parents, as neighbors. Um, and the good news is kids that, um, I value everything that taught me and all of the things that we worked on
together. that you best. So, we got a couple little things to present to you. So, first we have a proclamation that we like to present to you. I am not going to read all of this. Um, let's
just touch, you know, the the Navy veteran uh adjunct professor at Crowin. Um, we give him a lot of well, I shouldn't say we. I give him a lot of grief that he maybe can say things in a hundred words that other people can say
too. Um, but it has always been a delight and fun and great. Um, and your heart speaks through all. So, we wish you the best. Um, we thank thank you for your service. Thank
you and the family bar for for allowing him to do this because it is not the easiest thing the easiest process to do. So we have a proclamation for you but I had we also have one other little I'll just say my start in local government
was writing these proclamations in Cherry Hill. So I'm having a little bit of All right. So, this is um this is a piece of art. A local artist does this. It's Collinswood. It's a little back and it kind of we we're loving it because it's
a a bit whimsical. Okay. A little bit whimsical, which is really what Rob has brought to a whole lot of everything that we do. But the fun feature I want to point out is right here. The artist has um fixed up the the the
map for us and has Rob Lewowski here with his years of service at Pearl Hall. Okay. Right here in the middle. It looks really really It's the park. The park is named Robuin Park. Hi.
Maybe see you don't agree with each other. Maybe a little tough to progress the back. Well, thank you. Thank the best part of this job is really, believe it or not, doing the work. So, we
do thank everybody. Okay. We're we are now going to have um a little um kind of the Odyssey of the mind um present a little bit. One, two, one. Please say it again. How many is
it? Is it one team? Three teams during the world final. 31. No, you're gonna come on up. So, I want to introduce the Odyssey of the Mind. You guys come on up. Tell us a little bit about it all. I my apologies because I am going to skip
out. I got to run to um the school board meeting. Um and so my apologies for that, but I will catch up on it and congratulations. We have all these state champion winners here.
So, go for it. Yeah. Obine is a a program we have in town that serves over 125 kids, over 30 or 40 volunteers. It is a box program for sports, theater, music. This is a program for kids who don't fit exactly into those buckets and it supports all of those things, right?
So, we have three teams that qualify for the world finals at Michigan State. I think this is one of them right here. So, what is in mind in what sense? Um, Honestly, of the mind is um a competitive thing where you um where you
make a performance and you have to solve a problem using like certain qualifications that they um assign to you for the specific like um problem that you choose to do. So this year for our team it was you had
to do an eight minute performance about a historical civilization and um how they discovered these constellations and about how they affected their entire society as a whole. And um a part of the some of the qualifications for that
problem were we had to make a model tuning star that as it went across the sky changed colors or some form of visual appearance. And um another qualification was we needed to make a special like lighting effect. So we used
black light to make a constellation that when a model like black light telescope was shown on it, it um revealed itself. So, um, I'm just so so everyone knows if you're watching online too, you got to say your name, tell us what grade you're in. Tell
us your name. My name is Jack. Fifth grade. All right, Jack. And, and one question for you. Um, when you said we decided we made this, we did that, are we talking about the coaches? Um, no.
Right. No, we better not be other kids on our team. So, oh yes, we are the one. No, we do for each one here. sit down. We are missing two members. Um,
Caleb Duca and Olivia Marcelo. I'm Ed Bites. This is my wife Tracy. We're very privileged to get to watch these folks meet in our living room every Sunday. uh starting in October to start spitballing ideas and watch them
write a sketch and get the ideas for props, build the props, practice, make their costumes. Uh and we do it for three years. Every year they got a little bit better and this year uh blew all blew the doors off and uh going to the state
funding in at Michigan State. Yeah. And I would like to point out for us it's really they do a lot of public speaking and a lot of long-term problem solving and team building together which are still serve you throughout your lives. Um certainly look at the leaders here today need to learn how to speak in front of big groups and be comfortable with that. So starting in third grade
they get an opportunity to do it in South Jersey and then they go and do it for the whole state and um it's a pretty unique experience and I see I've seen all these kids players and grow and gain confidence which is what it's all about. And I'll just thank you by the way and I'll just add that It's an incredible
amount of work for coaches for there are judges that are volunteers from college that that go into this. And um the one thing I want all of you to know uh what's the name of your team by the way? Um the hamsters the hamster I want the
answers to know colleagues what 14,000 people hundreds of businesses. We're all really proud of you and we want you to enjoy yourself and do great things at Michigan State. So go get them. All right team. And so maybe
um um still you're still raising funds for uh yes farmers market next week and then also on our gofundme farmers market gund it's a great thing we want to make sure that every family no matter what their
circumstances are have the ability to go there. It's really such a thing. The GoFundMe is floating around on on in the wood and uh and the other the other inwood folks uh and and there are the kids are going to be at the farmers
market. Any little bit, 10 bucks, five five bucks, 15 bucks, anything adds up and uh takes a burden off off the it's not a cheap trip to Michigan. uh just the the registration cost, driving there, staying there, all that all that fun stuff. So, uh thanks very much again
and appreciate you all. So, this is now the public portion of the meeting where um all all anything goes. That's not true. But uh if anyone has anything they'd like to to bring to the board, this this is the time. Just ask you to stand up, give us your name
and uh and address for the record. So uh anyone uh um have anything for open? All right. Um, last thing I'll say is uh over here to the right uh is this
absolutely fantastic, caring, skilled, professional staff that has supported me and supported this town and will continue to do so. I'm so grateful for for all of you for everything you've done and I look forward to continuing to
work from you even though you don't have to answer me anymore. Uh motion journal.