All right. I aliance 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.
All right, we have our statement of notification and roll call. >> John >> here. >> Dela >> here. >> Steven >> here. >> Gabe >> here. >> Here. And Teresa
>> here. >> All right. We have minutes from >> Oh, sorry. Oh, you got to read that. Pursuant to the open public meetings act, notice of this meeting was sent to the Cranberry Press, the Trenton Times, and Home News Tribune on January 3rd,
2025, posted on the bulletin board, posted on the township's website, and sent to those who requested a copy of this notice. Okay, so we have minutes from September. So, we all take a quick look at that if
you haven't already sent out Do I have A motion to accept the minutes. >> I will make that motion. >> Got a second. All in favor say I. >> I.
>> Okay. All right. So, we will begin with reports beginning with the township committee report from Rogers. Hello everyone. >> So just a couple things that I had to
committee and for you guys to know too. I attended the ANJ environmental congress their annual um congress which really was a new location at R University seminary and
it's a nice space. Um have you been there before? >> I've not been inside. >> It's actually quite um anyway they had some really great um talks on the MS4 permitting. So there's some new requirements um with storm
water ses I always forget anyway um but uh so the mapping occurred and now um uh they're doing the watershed um inventory plan and then the
thing that I brought up that's really going to be important with budgeting eventually um there's going There have to be some um you know some some money spent on improving uh you know runoff etc you know and
additional street sweeping for instance and where does that money come from? So um it might not be for this budget but it's going to be have to be planned out that eventually infrastructurees you know money's going to have to be spent on how we're going to improve our storm
water management. So um you know right now it's in the planning phase and then there'll be certain items that are going to be um suggested that have to be done like green infrastructure things like that. So um and so you know
it turns to either taxes or and I'm going to say the word um storm water utility and uh you know right now I'm working on a regional northern um wershed working group and um you know
we're going to see what comes out of that. Um so you know it's a fee and then not a tax. So we got to get used to that idea. So something like that comes about. So Raritin actually um there that town in
particular um had in and Maplewood had their own storm water utility and it was interesting they presented how it went about they had buyin from the administration getting public. So anyway um stay tuned.
>> I I I just want to pick up on that with you. So last month I wasn't here because I was at the Pennsylvania flood plane conference and that was a big thing that they were talking about as well is the storm water utilities and how a lot of townships are starting to enact those in
Pennsylvania. Um and also how Pennsylvania is now starting to follow a lot more in line with New Jerseyy's regulations towards storm water runoff and that kind of stuff. Um and to follow up on your ANJ thing, tomorrow starts the New Jersey flood plane conference as
well. Um, so there's a lot of that stuff going on there, too. But, um, I I definitely agree with you on the storm water thing. So, anything that, you know, I can help and provide and share with you on that from what I do as well. >> Yeah. Just keep presenting because we're
gonna have to start becoming >> verbal and start speaking out loud because there is also a public part where the public is starting to have to be educated on storm water management as well. and then you run off in your home or business etc etc what you can do
because >> well that's what we tried to do at Cranberry Day with our little storm water model so yes absolutely because yeah like education to the community is number one >> that sounds great you know maybe
um how does that what what does the picture look like I mean if towns are doing utilities by themselves what is the connection to the state of the state, but maybe there's a lower connection. But how does
that is that coordinated yet? Not yet. Is there a whole vision? >> There's a whole spreadsheet and what the items are that each town needs to interconnectivity between the towns,
>> right? Yeah, but but you're talking so like like water doesn't just stop in Cranberry and and not go to East Windsor or wherever it goes to. So how to Yes. It's it like you mentioned working like with the northern regional, right? So it's more of like a regional thing, but
each township I think should take the initiative to do it because it does have to start locally at that township level. Um, but there are I know that from the work that I do in Pennsylvania that there are municipalities, even counties
that have intermunicipal and intercount agreements to do those kind of storm water utilities. And it it's not so much that it is an additional fee, but it's from that storm water fee that they collect and it's put towards a regional
and a portion is goes kind of like our taxes go to >> the county and the state and yeah, so they kind of break up the utility fee that way. And um the most expensive utility that I've heard of in Pennsylvania is a$120 a quarter. >> Wow.
>> Yeah. So, I mean, like, you know, that's Pennsylvania, but like here, I mean, you know, where where is it going to be? And like, that's the big thing of getting the buy in from from the public. And I think that education and talking to the public and making them aware of >> and I think >> what's going on is important >> to that point to the buy in point. I
think it would be good to understand and perhaps communicate what the vision is for the interconnectedness and also >> what the state >> it's all these like so like basically >> the envision structure. I know we're not
there but you need a good plan >> for people to start to put the little Legos together. >> Well, that's what our engineers. So, first we mapped out as we know all the inlets. Now they're at the watered like now they're connecting the pipes literally making a map because we didn't
know where those things were prior and um so then now they're at the watershed um with improvement plan. So starting to put all of that did that get through by the way the state was still pending. I'm sorry. I understand
>> the new um MS4 is already MS4, but there was a new >> No, the NJ packed and the NJ real rules. No, that that No, that still is not going. No, >> I I think the public comment period closed for that, but I don't think that it actually has.
>> I'm just so in that they identify areas of concern and where water quality. So, this the TM >> TMDL. >> Yeah. So, that that's all part of it. Well, see now, okay, so you bring that up. That is the state responding to the
Fed and the TMDL. TMDL is in the Clean Water Act, right? So that the Fed comes down and says, "State, you're still impaired. Do a TMDL for Rippers Aid by ABC." So what I'm saying is my larger point is I I see the on the ground. We're doing
the things on the ground. It's built to build up. Well, but how? >> Yeah. I I just I'm just saying I think the ANJ and others should develop a vision
for how it works together because >> the Fed state >> maybe maybe that >> if we're going to be if at the end is if one of the outcomes is TMDL yes that has to be there has to be at least an arrow
from >> they are using the TMDL that comes as part of Okay. So that's that's a statefed constant, >> right? But discussion >> but New Jersey just revised all their regulations the beginning of this year
which far surpassed the federal regul. So the thing with that John I think is you know with the TMDLs and meeting those limits is you know where does the municipality discharge to right so do we discharge to
water bodies we should treat for TMDLs before that discharge goes out into water bodies right or even do we get to the point where we say we need to treat for that before it crosses our boundary right before it meets that that county
line or that state line does it need to be treated so that we know that we're meeting oneoff requirements at that point >> and that's part of the issues of the regional >> exactly all this is all starting I mean the state they usually go to the discharge to the
stream you ask and so they say who'sever upstream here now egg is obviously a separate category so that's something but >> if you have a point source resources, right? Then you know then and it's a way
for us to help to get potential financing to to either study how to fix it and to actually fix it. So I think it's important to have that vision because it helps us down the road with public buyin and with potential support
from above. >> So what are you asking? Well, I was hoping. >> Is it like something an engineer would would like put together? >> No, no, no. It's a policy document. It's a policy vision. It's a policy vision that says you want that. You want
>> Well, anjek is proposing towns to move in this direction. >> No, they're not proposing. >> They're just providing information. They're providing information to maybe go forward. >> There's no policy there. But I think that what you're looking for, so there's another organization called Jersey
Waterworks Association and I think that they maybe gear more towards the policy side of things and probably I know you're looking for a vision. >> Yes. And I think that they may have that greater vision, a blueprint and a plan
obviously legislators. So what I I attended was you know he came out you know I attended Chris and then you know there was a town that said hey utility like so all of this
little pieces were kind of put together but you're thinking how >> yes I mean I was I mean I think theorg would be it would be great if if they could If we could ask them for something and it doesn't have to be complicated
really simple is better but to have that vision blueprint and maybe blueprint is better so that towns see where they fit. >> Yeah. Can I jump in? always. >> I think what you're getting at is kind of what I was thinking of if like and I
don't know if we just haven't gotten this far in like the conversation of it all or the preparation of the documents, but do they when it comes to community outreach, are there like best practices? Is there a folder of marketing materials that have the little flowchart of like
these are your towns, this is the little waterways? Yes. >> And how it flows through, right? Because I feel like when I think of community outreach, it's like cranberry, I think at the library, and like with other initiatives, like that only goes so far. So, I think maybe like what he's getting
at is like why would the average resident like care like what would make them like look up from their phone and be like, "Oh, I should maybe read this. Like, why is this important?" >> So, that was part of that and and like jumping ahead, that was like part of the whole like adopt to catch basin. was
like the whole part to to like kind of build the awareness of that, right? Because that contributes to the MS4 permitting points. There's other things that go along with that and that's gets the community involved. It gets community engagement and it makes them aware of things. So that was where all
of that stuff came to be because you know this this is my industry, right? So this is what I know the most about and I know that all of these things are coming. >> They absolutely are. and and if we can be at the forefront, that's the best thing for us to do. >> I think this makes the case for like
actually mailing something home. So, I think we have a big message and like a lot of things to say. I don't know if it's a fact sheet or if it's like appointing them to somewhere else. You know, you kind of lose them there sometimes, but I think I know I know we had talked about it for last year and
like maybe we just didn't really know what we were going to say or how important it was, but it seems like we have something to say and something that we should be like >> maybe allocating money to print and mail out. >> That's right. And >> for this, >> of course, you know, you need the
content, >> right? Before >> the content It's all about the right. >> Yes. Right. So, if we could and we could make our own, >> but I was just wondering if the Congress like handed out some things or showed
some slides, but maybe we can get from that point yet because >> cool. All right. Anyway, so that was interesting discussion. Thanks. Um, so on a lighter note, uh, we did a
walk to school events. Um, you know, it's part of our sustainability efforts and pedestrian safety and bicycle safety. It was it was fun. Dela, would you like to share what we did? Sure. >> What you did and my husband did.
>> Yeah. Yeah. So, um to at at all of these walking to school events, um the mayor and the town did a really great job of like inviting all of the commissions, any kind of board members, um organizations like Cranberry Historical
Preservation Society, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, just to sort of like give us another chance to get in front of kids, get in front of the community, you know, continue to like knit ourselves together as as a town. And so there were three of
us. So myself, my husband, and Bob Bob Rogers. Um we we did an encore performance of our of our characters, our um not characters, the ancestors that we reenacted at the Whispers of the Grave
event that the historical society did on October 11th. Um yeah, and so it was a great chance to get in front of the kiddos who maybe hadn't gone to that event and talk a bit about um what life was like in Cranberry back in the day. Um and their sort of role and what makes
our town so beautiful. So it was Yeah. And I felt like just having that costume on um really grabbed their attention. Um, I think we had probably like 20some kids there and yeah, maybe a little more and they were really engaged. They're
really excited to like learn about that facet of cranberry history. So, it was really fun. >> Yes. The whispers. >> Yeah. So, with whiskers from the grave or of the grave or anybody chips and that celebrate so all year next year
gearing up for the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution in New Jersey. one of those events and so we figured but you already have the script let's use it again so and it was really engaging was fun um the other thing that I think that you guys should know about
and I wanted to get my phone real quick to let you know the dates um so um so I attended October 15th a virtual meeting of the north south truck corridor project and this does have to do with environmental things but um you
know trucks are passing through. So there was a study that was done like about a year year and a half ago and now they're identifying particular projects that they want to study and eventually get funding for to actually do whether it's way finding maps to better get
trucks which low hanging fruit whether it might be roads that they want to build or whatever. So, um it was wasn't well attended unfortunately, but um um what my I feel my purpose is is to get
people to know that they're accepting public comments through Friday, November 14th. And if you know any areas that you might see, you know, yes, we've already done this for the pre preliminary study, but now again, if you see an area that's
getting worse over by exit a um any of like around group 130, there's a map of where the study area is. So where you would go to is middle sex truck.com. If you have any comments by Friday,
November 14th and please review the materials from October 15th. This is the website for the Southern Middle Sex Truck Browning Study and it includes Cranberry, Monroe, and South Brunswick.
and we are being partnered um it's really coming from the federal side northern New Jersey Transportation Planning Authority NJTPA and Middle Sex County is partnering with them and studying options for truck
routing in southern middle sex county. It's really was a cool study because you get to if you see where the trucks are going, you know, a lot of them are going north when they go off and a lot of going south and maybe 20% are going to
so I'm a little but um it's it's actually an interesting study but really really make comments now especially in so that our problems are >> will that be added to the mayor's Yeah, I think it was, but yeah, we'll do
it again. >> I think we have one more Tuesday. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Thanks. And I'm always trying to time the morning. There's a little window where the trucks haven't quite
left yet to go up 130. I'm sorry, this is a sidebar, >> but it's relative, >> but because that new place uh it's it's in South Brunswick, but they basically made a new road to make to access this
new area and there's many many trucks going in and out, but they head north on 130, so they don't have to go onto the turnpike until exit 8. Yeah, say you want. But um anyway,
there's a tiny window, but I haven't quite >> that kind of like I'm telling you, put those comments in because like at 8:30 like at 8 I'm good at 8:30. >> I just think who designed it for this place to be on 130 is not a good
decision, but that's way up there. Anyway, that's another >> it's there. It's too late. >> But honestly, >> that's what public's for. >> But they have high level stuff. Yeah. >> And they have the initial >> All right. Thank you.
>> Someone that thought it was a good idea. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. All right. Review committee. That's me. I did we did have a meeting and
Um, it was Oh, I know what it was. Um, yeah, that's right. It was the Amazon. because there was one before and I was confusing the Amazon uh folks at Amazon um need
to store empty uh truck trailers and this to they need to create a storage area. So they were rewarding routing some of their onsite traffic. It
didn't have any you know environmental stuff. It was all, you know, traffic and and where's the front entrance? They're doing redoing the front entrance. Make it look nicer. But but
Dr. Rogers and I spent the Cranberry cleanup last year. >> Yes. >> Outside on it's not brickyard there. What was that thing? >> The north south road. the station station Heightstown station Heightstown
Crary station road and um >> parallel to the >> we could have basically spent a week there because we're there and then DPW drives by and they're like oh yeah we were just here yesterday and cleaned it all and it was all back. So, I had an
off, you know, chat with the manager. It seems like, you know, she's got a good, you know, head on her shoulders and she's responsive. And I said, you know, just maybe we can brainstorm, be creative things because it's like trash on the
outside. On the inside there, she said, "Oh, yeah, we're working with all our cleaning on the inside, but it's outside. It's outside the fence, you know." And I suggested the big trash can with the bullseye, you know. Can you 10 points, you know, you win I don't know what you win free, you know, Arby's or
something. Um, she liked that idea. Anyway, so maybe there's a little bit of movement there because it is a big and that's not the only one. I'm not picking on Amazon. You know, there's a lot more traffic. There's a lot more trash. That's what
happens. So >> highway >> and some of it comes from the So anyway that was >> that was something that just talked about. Um otherwise there was a planning board meeting but
Jason is not here so we'll have to table that. Uh that brings us to parks and recreation. [Music] Hello all, I'm Sally O'Brady on Parks and Recreation for those of you watching virtually. Um, and I'm the lesson on
from parks to the environmental commission. And first of all, I just want to thank each of you for being on the EC because I personally had no idea what you were talking about with all your acronyms or whatever and Jack DL on this board. I had I thought maybe we
were starting a war or something. So, I want to thank all of you because you seem to know what you're talking about and I know that you're helping the environment. So, I thank you all for being here. Um, I don't have a lot to report that is
directly affecting you, but I do want to just keep you aware of some of the things that we're doing. One thing that we're considering is uh raising the cost of the pavilion rental. our our township is much lower than any of the surrounding townships. And so that's
just we have to come up with a a proposition and then put it before town council. But that's one thing that we're considering. Another thing is that we have a vendor that is going to a contractor is going to start the water bottle filling
station and water and water fountain at Heritage Park. We finally got three books and we got one the higher the lowest one. And um you can see some little flags in Heritage Park that marks out where the electric is so that they don't mess up the electric when they're
taking a trench for the water to go in. Also, we um as you've seen the tennis courts are I saw them last week. They were getting paved. So that's finally going. Let's see. That's in Village
>> in Village Park. Yes. Village Park. Um then I have a couple of um just Oh, and we also got a nice flag pole in Village Park if anybody Well, actually the flag pole was already there, but we had a resident that asked
why there was no flag on it. So, one of our members contacted the Lions Club and got a flag and a solar light donated so that it doesn't have to be taken down every night. And um DPW was too busy to put it up, but we had volunteers from
the firehouse came and put it up with their truck and put up the light on it. So that that was something that's new at parks. Then I have a couple of reports on conditions of the trails in
the Crearyy Brook preserve. My husband I didn't walk. My husband and son walk it regularly and there was um past the Boy Scout trail, the Eagle Scout trail, and it opens up to the field and then you can turn left and go to the sandy spot. Someone had taken a
saw, they thought it was a chainsaw, cut down one of the trees there. I actually have a picture of it. >> Birch, it's not cut. It's not cut all the way down. Um, but somebody deliberately vandalized one of the trees in there.
So, I don't know how we can It's bad enough that the beavers are are taking some trees down, but we don't need humans to be there, too. I don't know what we can do about that. And then the other the only other thing I have is that at last month's EC meeting we you had said you were going
to ask the DPW to maintain the rope trail between the firehouse lane and and woods and that has not been done. So that's all I had. Did you hear that part? >> I'm sorry. >> You had asked you were going to ask DPW
to maintain that book trail. >> Yes. >> And that has not been done. >> Yeah. So Brook Trail, we're thinking that perhaps we can part of the trail through an elevated
walkway and maybe have a boy scout project to that effect >> and we've spoken with the Boy Scouts >> spoken with Boy Scouts on discussion. So hopefully and so I know you suggest we wager I do apologize getting back to you
about that but um I think at this point we try to do that for those areas and then we'll come back and see what the DP so hopefully this will make it less because this you know the Japanese still grass you know there's no end to it. Um,
and I've seen them in and my hikes all around the area. Um, and in California, too, I just back in California again. The, um, they can be very simple. Just a few of the like 8 by8 blocks on the ground and then some boards over it.
>> So, um, you know, we don't need a whole >> Yeah. >> whole thing. So, I hope I hope that that works out. It's a great It's the closest to the the closest trail that we have to the stream in town. It's It's really great. >> And so, Exactly. gets you a little bit out over the flood plane
>> and so I think that could be really nice and then make that you know a nice marquee goes to the Uami woods and everything like that. So hopefully we'll get there. Um maybe maybe uh in the spring
>> that'd be great. Yeah, >> we also have several things in the works, but I'm not going to mention the things that are on our wish list, things that we want to do. And um so once we get more once we get home, >> we can't grant all the wishes, >> but but we are making progress on the
water bottle filling station and the tennis ball courts and we got the flag. So, >> thank you. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you, Sally. That's very good. >> All right. So it brings us to old
business and do we have anything to discuss further on adopt a catchbased initiative? >> No, there was the resolution that I know you guys >> was the resolution. Yes, >> that was the last >> that was the last thing. Yeah. >> So it's just a matter of us getting that
over to TC to take a look at and get their feedback. So however that >> I think they're mulling it. >> Okay, perfect. >> Is that a fair assessment? >> Okay. Okay, I will forward that on. >> Thank you.
>> Okay. >> And I will see. >> Yes. >> I will revisit that. I'll check. >> It was a crazy time September. Was that >> nothing else to report on? >> Nothing else to report. Okay. >> Absolutely.
>> And that brings us to wildlife habitat certification. >> Yeah. So, um I just checked our points. We are at 53 out of 100. Um and now that's with the parks, with the school, all of that has been improved and gone
in. So really, we just need 47 residents because it's one point per Yeah. per res. >> A huge gorgeous lot. >> No, it's just one one per address. >> But if you own multiple properties, what's going to happen? >> Yes. if you own multiple properties need
to account for a point. So I mean at this stage um we we have like flyers that are always out in front of town hall. We always include it at things like national cranberry
information is there. Um I post semi-regularly on cranberry gardens for wildlife. I try to stay up and up on like seasonal changes on like all about cranberry and on that page. So, I posted about leave the leaves in the summertime. I posted about rewing your
pond. If you wanted to plant wild flowers and um any kind of like educational videos that I see from like reputable sources, I try to repost them just to kind of see, you know, just things that I found interesting as a homeowner. Um I try to post those things
just so folks can sort of learn a thing or two or maybe spark some interest and kind of bring them back to the page and kind of see what we're up to. So, that's sort of where we're at at the moment. I'd love to include it in whatever mailer gets sent out to everyone. That would be cool. Um, but uh, and there's
no deadline, so these the points never expire. We can just keep chipping away at it and when we get to 100, we get to 100 and we're certified. >> Yeah. >> Uh, no, not recently. I think the last thing we sent out in the mayor's letter
was maybe like the spring. So, progress report that might inspire some people, hey, >> you know, yeah, maybe that'll help us. >> Yes, we can't link directly to like
please spend money on this, >> but we can link to more information. Yes. >> Type of vibe. So, I feel like I have that particular So >> yeah. Um and then with the outdoor classroom initiative, um the last
>> So you mentioned a couple things. Cranberry Gardens for Wildlife. That's what >> that's a Facebook page. >> Oh, that's a Facebook page. >> Yes. That I that I created as part of our like admin points of like how where we could keep track of our progress. One
was like a notes app thing that a few people are sharing on like a Google doc and then like a Facebook page that was open to the public. >> So we could we link to that? >> Yeah. Yes, we could link to the Facebook page and then all there. >> Yeah, good idea.
>> So outdoor now. >> Yes. So um outdoor classroom initiative. Um I don't know if you've seen the pictures. I can email them out. Um >> yes. Um so uh we have a cranberry parent
cranberry school parent and resident Noel Kenny who has been painting a beautiful beautiful um bookw walk mural sort of concept that I came up with um through a lot of just like Pinterest boards and just like looking at historical photos and just sort of like what would be a good image to sort of
put back there. So it's very colorful. Um we loved the idea of quilts as something that sort of has like a community aspect to it. It's wildly multicultural, right? So, and it but also speaks to sort of like colonial historical history. There are still barn
quilts on barns in nearby towns. I think I saw one in Milstone that a friend took a photo the other day. Yeah. No, it's um it's almost like a reproduction of a quilt block that speaks directly to sort of the quilt that you would make yourselves as a family. Almost like a
code of arms. And so then you would do that quilt like a reproduction of it like a giant oversized hanging on the outside of your barn. Um just as like a decorative motif in order of like the calling card of like this is our family. This is cute.
>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So um uh so that's on the back wall of the courtyard and then directly in front of it there is um a 7 foot by 27 foot garden bed that we had the Boy Scouts. There used to be a raised bed there. it was like
full of weeds and was falling apart. So, they helped us take it apart. Um, laid down cardboard and mulch and then in May there was a dig day with about like 30 some odd students and we had 67 plants that were donated by Ruckers that went in. They all survived the summer. Um,
and they were watered by the campers and by custodial staff and then by some volunteers um yeah, and so everything's there. everything's now kind of going to seed and doing its beautiful perennial thing. It's going a little dormant now. Um but
yeah, that that's sort of where we're at. Um, we have been contacted by the um, oh the no the last the last piece of the puzzle that we invested in as an EC was to buy a like a a a pole that gets mounted with a
smart bird feeder on top and then additional like bird feeding opportunities just to like really make it a hub for activity. And that smart bird feeder is going to go in on Thursday. Um, and then hopefully we'll see activity over the winter and it'll take it'll record live footage of
whatever birds come to visit and then um that'll get plugged into like the Chromebooks or whatever like technology suite they have at the school so that they can access it um and and share that content with the students. Maybe it's just for fun. Maybe it's a lesson. They
can do with it what they will, but we were able to sort of purchase that and and have it now to be installed. That is amazing. And at some point it would be great to I would like to visit maybe others. >> Yeah. >> Visit and see a smart feeder.
>> Really excited about that once it's set up. Absolutely. You know, get get the feed. Maybe there's an app. I don't know. But I think that would be really great. Bird feeder. >> Yeah, I'm I'm so excited. This is the last the last big element of like our contribution to that space. Um, we were
also gifted a really beautiful native plant sign by Middle Sex County Ruckers Cooperative Extension because we got the plants from them. Um, we got a sign that they recently came up with where I think we're the first ones to get it and it's like out there in the garden now. Um, I
was also able to certify because of how large the bed is. It's also in addition to being a wildlife habitat like schoolyard certification, it's also a monarch base station which I saw a monarch there in September and it was really cool and I told everybody I saw
and now all of you know. So yeah, so that's the update on the classroom. Um the garden club at Granberry School is about to kick off um meetings this Wednesday. They rotate their meetings every week. like one week it's third
graders, the next week it's fourth graders. Um and they've um even with the eighth graders, they've asked if um you know if there's a way that we can help like provide cold frames or get raised beds. This is now going into like phase
two of the plans for that space. Um I did end up doing a fundraiser through the PTO. We we sold moms to the school like family and community. um right as school started and we were able to raise a little over $600
um to put towards um the garden. So hope that's open to them. They're going to let me know what their plan is for sustainable Jersey and how the cold frames and how garden club all kind of like works in. Um but yeah, just sort of keep that space in mind. I know we're talking about budget. I don't know how
much we can continue to give to that space. I know it's like an endless well and that's not all we do, but I think this was a really great start. It was something to really sort of like kick the project off and really show people what it could be. Um so yeah, thank you
all for that. And I have um all the receipts and a couple of the photos of like the plants and stuff that we got there. So that's the >> So I guess so what you're saying is garden club will use >> Yeah. space. Yeah, we the plan like I'm still actively sort of presenting to the
cranberry education. >> So they're figuring out how to >> Yeah. Yeah. Like Garden Club is still kind of figuring out how they want to use it. Um the teachers are still kind of like, okay, well like how do we do I'm just I just keep sending them, you know, curriculum ideas if they ever, you
know, need a speaker or someone to help. They're just an assistant in the classroom. Like I'm available. >> Yeah. I mean, I'm just I'm sure they're sick of me because I email them every week with ideas.
>> Yeah, we can keep going. I can keep on like we can do any of these things. So, yeah, I'm kind of letting them they know I'm around and you're >> good. Um >> oh, actually I have one one last thing.
Um, I know at the last stream cleanup we had the water shed come and do a bit of that storm storm water management with like a model of the town and the girls got to interact interact with it. They did they observed macro invertebrates
that they pulled from a leaf pack from two weeks prior. Um, that same group of girls got to then go down to the cranberry brook and run some of the water tests that you do down there. So they tested for like oxygen and nitrates
and the um the temperature and like the pH. So they did all of the I think almost a series of like seven or eight different tests um with the wershed and we're sort of adopting the cranberry as like somewhere that we're going to visit periodically to send those results back.
So, we hope to go back out in the spring, maybe again, like schedule it, synchronize it with the stream cleanup um to have the troop go out there and run those tests again and then see how our results differ from last time. And then all of that data
gets sent back to to the wershed. So, that's just I'm planting a seed. Let me know if that inspires anything larger, if we want to include more people like shout it from the rooftops. um trail maintenance days around that same time. Anything to kind of get folks out there,
do more of the like community outreach and education and the Girl Scouts can help do some of that. That was on >> Yeah. So, we did it. So, on on the cleanup day, I think it was the Friday, we had them come to the library and then the cleanup was on Saturday morning. So,
if the girls were inspired by what they heard, they could go out and do something about it. Then with uh my third grade troop, we did the water testing in person October 17th. >> Oh. >> And then they say that it's um they usually test the water twice a year in
the fall and the spring. So that kind of then lines up for for next April. >> How do you guys test the water? What do you use? So there are um she came with different kits and there's just little boxes and like the instructions are in the box and the girls would like some one of them was like a beaker and they
would just go down and get like 25 milliliters and they would have to look at the turbidity and they would like look through the water and see sort of like what the JMU was like how clear or unclear it was. Another one they would have to actually then do chemical tests
and put in little packets and shake and wait and then see if there was any color change. So yeah, so each test sort of had its we broke them out into groups. We went and collected the water, followed the steps, and then we all reported to one another what the results were on like a little worksheet and then
we handed it in. >> Yeah, that's tough because I have I have a digital water tester that tests for all that stuff. So maybe we can look at Yeah. Yeah. They broke it out into like nine different ones. I think it's just to like get them involved in sort of like each step and like learning about
the units of measure and like all of that. So it was really cool. It was very fun. >> And that program is called stream watch schools. >> Yeah. So I got certified in that over the summer to be able to run that. Um >> and this is with the watershed >> with the watershed institute. Yeah. So
on this very first one, I still didn't feel super confident because it was like 12, eight year olds and I was like, how are we going to do this? But watching her sort of manage the groove and some tips and tricks of like how to get it done and not ruin all the results and make it real citizen science was like
really really informative. So hopefully the spring one I can run on my own. >> That's awesome. We are hoping to connect with the institute because they are compiling data that they've had at
different periods, you know, because they used to come out regularly. >> Yeah. >> To do it, but I don't know, you know, we don't exactly sure how it's going forward, but and actually Josh Co was going to be leading that. I still ask about that.
>> Yeah. >> Take on that role. Yeah, it was it was a great discussion to have with the girls because they they could really put the connection of like >> nothing like doing it yourself. >> Yeah, doing it yourself. Thinking about how your daily actions or like what you see around in your environment might be
then going into our water and that it not affects just us but also like the the environment, the wildlife, you know, plants and animals, all that good stuff. So, and I think the parents that were there as well, I think they learned a lot. So, We have someone here.
>> Okay. >> Amazing. I'll stop yapping. I'll let the professional. >> You mentioned the native. >> Yes. >> So, >> we didn't end up ordering one. What is that? Is it like a key? >> Oh, no.
It's just like a a metal sign with like a picture of a meadow. It's just very colorful and it just says like middle county. These plants are donated by and these are native plants like native. So it's it's to be put next
>> just like a butterfly. >> Okay. No problem. >> All right. So, uh, we did kind of drift into the preserves and the trails and so forth, but that's okay. Um,
I've been making lists of things that all of the preserves and trails need. Um, there three more trees down, for example, in in the Rinhard. I need to send that along. But um we're hoping to
really make a push on Pin Oaks for next year. So we have budgetary items for there's a there's a plank bridge, there's signage in the back, there's the gravel path and other things. So that's >> garbage can.
>> We are not doing a garbage can. Yeah, that was >> it got >> but no it was discussed >> that's fine. The problem is yes, it collects it. Well, no. What the problem
is people start using it as >> because it's so far out. It's on the border basically. >> Yeah. >> With East Windsor. So, there's concern that if you put a trash can there, then it's full of bags. You know, we wanted to collect all the
all the yuku box. Anyone know what yoooo is? probably know >> chocolate has come to make this a family program. >> So anyway,
no trash can. Um but anyway, the rest of the preserves um on the other potential scout pro projects, >> I think something could be done about tick awareness >> and tick diseases. It's quite
complicated right now. Uh there are more ticks and more potential diseases that they serve as vectors. Uh I was in a trail of actually near Anjax in Mendum I guess. I don't know where it is. Way up there. Um there's a wonderful little
hiking trail. You can see the headarters of the Pay River, which are gorgeous class one trout stream. It's unbelievable. You can't believe you're in New Jersey. It's absolutely amazing. But that had nice information there about ticks. It's a little old. It's
from It's from the N it's part of the National Parks system there. And um and I was looking at that and I took a picture and I was like, you know, we need something like this. >> Yeah. Well, they they came out recently with like this citizen science project of
like if you get a tick on your on yourself, send it to Ruckers. Oh, yeah. Testing. And then like there's a new sort of infographic of like what's a myth, what is not, right? Will you get lines? This is a situation when you will, this is where you won't. And I
feel like I saw it like a huge poster of it at the Earth Center, the Middle Sex County Earth Center where the master gardener meet up. So I feel like they have >> Yeah. So I feel like they must have that information like all of those like marketing materials to then push out.
And I feel like they've also been sharing um different like YouTube talks because I watched a couple. Some are longer than others. Some like go into the weeds and some are like 10 minutes, right? what you need to know, right? And right from the mouth of the scientists
at like the EPA or whatever it is. >> Yes. Yeah. Yeah. They have that stuff. We can look into getting that to add to our mailer. This beautiful mailer be so informative. >> I mean, kiosk always needs refreshing,
>> etc. Yeah, the kiosk. But well, it could be a a project and yes, I know you can mail in your kicks and and Professor Fo will analyze them and so forth, but it it's it's the kind of it's a little
bit it's not systematically collected, put that way. So that makes it a little difficult to interpret, but it's still useful um to see the extent of the mapping. Um, but I I was thinking a scout project >> who
was collecting ticks, you know what I mean? Making a little bit more effort to go various places like tick and give them a slug of t. I don't know. That was one idea or public information. You don't like tick? >> I think it's a great idea. So, my wife
got bit by a tick last season and wound up getting lime disease. So, so like we're we're dealing with that now. So, yeah. No, I think it's a absolutely it's a definitely great idea and definitely needs to be brought up about it.
>> Well, like the from what I saw of like the I don't know if it's new or old in this campaign of wanting to like submit them, but you have to like fill out a Google form, you have to like upload a photo, you have to describe it, and you have to like tape it onto a card and then like mail it in. >> The average person is like if you take
off me, I'm out of here. >> Right. Right. Um but I think I think the scout project though to boost >> awareness we can do we should do our own awareness. >> Okay. So that was it. Anything else on
the trails or preserves right now? Okay. Um, sustainable journey. >> I don't >> we
that's involved. >> It's a good idea. I walk at preserve all the time with my wife. So, >> okay preserve. So, others include Reinhardt is pretty easy for me. It's right around the corner. The other ones are Unami
and the Brook Trail. We're sort of tableabling. I mean, you know, it's we know the problems. Um, but if you feel like you have effort and you want to look at Nami Woods or any of the other ones, I mean, two two sets of four sets, whatever, >> feel free to jump in. Any thoughts, let
me know. Okay, that'd be great. It's in pretty good shape, but things happen. >> Yeah. What happens in the fall? Actually, you know what happens in Monsunami? It's going to be leaves. >> Yeah. >> You won't be able to see the ground. It's actually fabulous effect. It's
actually a wonderful effect, but it's interesting to the trail. Okay. Um, do we have anything update on nothing? Okay. Sustainable Jersey. We will table that. Now on the
community energy plan, I was supposed to like contact Miss Messenger etc. and I did not do that. Um so I need to plan to do that. >> They have a Friday drop in I was going
to ask you is it work? Should I do one of the Fridays? >> I don't know >> to break the ice. I'll try one. >> I think just break the ice. >> I'll just break the ice. Was it? Oh, Eliza.
>> Okay. >> So, do you think I should contact Sustainable Jersey on that? >> You were on that. You were on that email. >> I did. I got the email for the Fridays. Yeah, I got that. Yeah. >> And they told us who I would just Oh,
that's right. There was a different person. So, I just go directly to them. >> I would just goirect them and also have Tracy. >> Okay. Wait, Tracy. >> Oh, all right. We'll get that thing going.
Which brings us to new business. hear you. Hear you. Okay. Um, proposed meeting dates for 2026. And I think everybody has handouts. We're considering
a schedule of every two months starting in January. And that would be so you can see the schedule we we had and the schedule we're proposing the first January is always on a Tuesday of
Martin Luther King Jr. day and uh you can see from there now we can add meetings to be scheduled. We can add meetings the Thursday before a Monday to have an
extra meeting if we have issues. But I open the floor to discuss the 2026. Yeah, the there's a proposal to do it every other month accumulate
>> more good content, but you know, I'm not >> Yes, >> I think I'm a little hesitant to do that because the meetings if they do nothing else, everything tends to move very slowly and
the meetings if nothing else >> push, right? Remind us to do like the community energy call or me getting my act together with sustainable Jersey or
I think two months I would be a little I mean >> we only come we only come for an hour a little bit more unless it's something pretty major. So, it's not a big ask in my opinion.
>> Okay. And we had in the summer both July and August were sort of >> I think we need one or the other >> sometimes we don't know until we get there,
>> right? But I think that the August meeting I think would be a little bit more beneficial with Cranberry Day coming right up in September. So I think we should have the August meeting and the July meeting should be the optional meeting. I'll leave that there. >> Okay. So, there we go.
All right. So, we will continue with that schedule but move to an August and a July option. All right. And that brings us to public comment.
Is there anybody in the public comment? I see two person. and you just press the right button with the mouth and hopefully turns red. Please state your name. >> Uh my name is uh Mike Sher and uh an
important distinction is that I work at the watershed institute and not for the watershed institute. Um thank you very um I am the Americanore New Jersey wershed ambassador for the Stony Brookstone wershed. Have you guys worked
with us before? Maybe. Yes. I see that. >> Okay. Um, so for everyone else, um, we are a state program through the D, so we're free. I don't say that. Um, and we are very aptly named the American
New Jersey Washington Masters Program. And we are split up throughout the state. There's about 20 of us split up into the 20 different waterershed regions um throughout New Jersey. And we focus on three things. Um mainly uh environmental education is our biggest one. You guys talk about MSOR water
infrastructure. That's like my bread and butter that I talk about that all the time in schools, adult groups, college students, libraries, all these kind of things. Um we also do projects. We help coordinate volunteer opportunities like cleanups, rainbow workshops, um tree
plantings, rain garden plantings, native meadow plantings, all anything you can possibly imagine where volunteers are need. Um and lastly, if that wasn't enough, we also collect water quality data like you you folks will do down the street. Um we collect macro
invertebrates, we do visual assessments. We don't do anything but things like that. um which I also provide trainings on a little bit of but um I just kind of wanted to come today to introduce myself. You know this is kind of the start of our term. We change every about every 10 months who we are. Um so you
might have met one of my predecessors in the past right um so I just want to kind of introduce myself. Um I have more than >> so your what your um your term goes from when to when? Uh it starts right about
early September and goes until July 10th around there. Um you know spring gets insane with everyone. So >> that's the big season. >> Yeah. >> And can you spell your last name? >> S H E R. >> Very cool. Um and you what? So you're I
think that Milstone Milstone Milstone >> and do you go all the way down to the Raritan or how far? >> I go my region goes into Manford >> goes to Manford. Okay. So that's
basically Yeah, that's the Ritan. >> The whole thing. Yeah. >> And you go all the way up to Miltown and all the way >> headquarters Stony Brook. >> Awesome. >> So I got a lot of stuff. >> It's a big area. >> Yeah. It's interesting. >> Yeah. I have a quick question. Like
event events wise, is it the kind of thing where you would like consult or like give us information or would or like do you have staff that would actually be the ones coming to talk to our community? Would it be more like you would tell us what to say or like give
us the deck and we would just >> can like say the presentation? >> Yes. So um I can both provide I wouldn't say like technically scientific advice whatsoever science or some nonsense but whatever um
but I can give presentations right I can point you guys towards resources although you are extremely energetic environmental I should say so you should all probably know everything that I that I have to say but uh I can provide the presentation I can provide resources for
you for your communities things like that Um I don't have stack. I'm actually technically a paid volunteer through the state which is how they get paid. Um but uh yes I can I can provide all these things
that just reach out. >> What are some topics that you would suggest we have that we should be talking about with our community like the winter? I know like spring is like the crazy point, but like what could be
talking about like now? What are themes? >> So, so right now as we're going into winter, salt watch and starting getting water through salt is a big one. Um waterershed institute runs the salt watch program. If you guys don't know what that is, it's citizen science
taking salt measures in local streams and lakes and I'm by the canal. So, as well, um, that's a big thing kind of right now going into the winter. But, I mean, you guys are talking about storm water utilities. I mean, we talk sheds, we can talk about, um,
storm water, you know, nonpoint source pollution, things like that. Um, going into the spring, um, more so talking like, yeah, talking about that storm water, you know, um, talking about how you can reduce your, uh, your storm water on your property, your gardens,
your barrels. um which never happens but you know um things like that right uh I can also offer up especially in the spring those macros that you were talking about macro vertebrates um I can teach adults how to
do those kind of assessments the water institute has a very cool uh in streamwatch you're interacting with stream schools um stream is more volunteer I'm more kind of scientific and I do those kind of trainings as well Are you guys still recommending rain
barrels? I feel like I looked at that and then like all of the information was like 10 years old and everyone was just like the elephant in the room like we don't talk about anymore. >> Yeah. So I'm not going to speak for the water institute. Like I said, I only work work there, not um but for myself,
I always describe it as kind of like a gateway to green infrastructure, right? It's not going to solve your storm water problem, but it's going to get someone interested. You're going to get them to talk about rain gardens. Um, and that's the goal. >> Of course, I should also mention, which
I just learned today, that apparently on the MS4 permit, there's a special category of points for working with my program. >> So, I just want to put that. So, thank you. >> Don't leave. >> I'm here.
>> Of course. people. >> Yeah, that's right. Um I'm curious about the the salinity measurements that I guess you're are you doing conductivity measurements? Is that what you're doing? >> Um no, it's very simple. It's just kind of like a hydrometer.
>> No, notific. >> That's cool. But I would some things we could we could do conductivity. >> I have a conductivity meter. >> Look at that. >> All right. Any other comments from about 13 years ago? Um, Theresa and I
went into primary school with a rain. Remember when you were on DC? We were raining like crazy. >> Yeah. >> Yes. Um, anyway, we had brought this rain barrel to school yesterday, install
this paint, get people interested. Well, what ended up happening is over those 12, 13 years, um, it turned into the aquaponics, which is Yeah. So this little seed that got planted so I'm just going to read that cranberry school on being se was
selected by New Jersey Department of Agriculture as best of New Jersey farm school and that was in response to the aquaponics and um this distinction is the new state-of-the-art aquaponic system and it was funded
by um CF and thank you Teresa for you know promoting that and and helping fun that and um installed in the steam classroom as part of the recent school upgrades and renovation. The um commissioner um of uh of
agriculture came um you know Linda Greenstein came. We had we had it was a kids dressed up in um bumblebee outfits. Um it was quite an event and um you know it was so great
having kids cheer about aquaponics and uh agriculture and >> that was the award. That's the award that we >> Yeah. There was like an event at the school >> for the kids. It was like a fair. It was
a huge fair photo booth and like no in September. In September. >> Yeah. And I don't think I got to report out this the first time that I could have but um I just wanted to let you know what like your seating what you you know whatever
>> and you know it it some of it eventually takes off and becomes this brand and Teresa if you want to add a little bit more about how you you know you help keep promoting like when we went in it was this rain barrel and it was like
this this you know fish floating around and you know the nitrogen from the fish was feeding the the plants. But we would have students come in in the summer because no one was there and you know feed them because it wasn't feeding them and then eventually
Susan. >> Yeah. I mean, she really she's the enrichment and she really has gotten it into the curriculum and it's now own. Have you seen it? >> You guys have got to go in. It's
beautiful. >> So, maybe we can get a tour of that when we go in. >> I can email Dr. I would absolutely it's amazing. >> Yeah, the gateway.
>> It was you can lower your household to the street. We actually >> All right. So I think we have come to the end.
>> Can I request something for sustainable Jersey? We will need uh end of year progress and future goals. So I don't know if we want
>> for these deter for for this >> for 2025 >> for the sustainable Jersey things or in general? >> In general. Oh, in general it's the green team for sustainable Jersey is the environmental commission. >> So accomplishments and goals
>> when do you need >> I mean it would be for the end of the year. >> So if because you will >> Decemberish >> Decemberish I don't know if we want to start on it next month and then agree on
it in December. start a list next month >> and then you can present it to the TC >> at the beginning of the year. >> All right. Um, do we have any listed every
email they're listed and I'm not getting swarms of applications because we have three openings, >> one member and two. One member could be a fulltime member. Step right up, be a
member. [Laughter] If all the members are here, the alternates don't vote. >> That's basically >> are the terms shorter. >> I think
alternates one year and then three years two, right? Two or three >> longer sentence. It's like microphone. >> So yes, tell your friends, but consider them, you know, consider how they would
help us, you know, because it would be great to have us overflowing. >> All right. And do I have a motion to return? >> Motion to second the motion. >> All in favor say I. >> Well done.
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