Good evening everybody. We'll call order the township committee meeting for Monday, March 23rd. If you're willing and able, please rise for the pledge of >> allegiance. To the flag of the United States of America and to the stands nation.
Okay, we're going to move on to the open public meeting statement pursuant to the open public meetings act. Notice of this meeting was sent to the cranberry presson and home news tribune on January 9th, 2026, posted on the township's website and sent to those who requested a copy of this notice. Now we'll move on
to roll call. Mr. Christopher >> here. >> Mrs. Elbadawi >> here. >> Dr. Rogers >> here. >> Mr. Scott >> here. >> Mayor Coner >> here. Thank you. >> Okay. Do we have any agenda additions or changes? >> No. >> No. Okay, great. Uh, if I could get a
motion uh to move then approve the township minutes from March 9th. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Okay. Move on to roll call. Mr. Christopher. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Eladawi. >> Yes. >> Dr. Rogers. >> Yes. >> Mr. Scott. >> Yes.
>> And Mayor Kir. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Um just a update to our agenda. Um the fire department won't be able to give an annual um update today. Some unforeseen circumstances. So um right
now they're requesting uh April 13th which will be our first meeting in April um to tenatively move that to that agenda. So just want to get ahead of that. And with that um members of the committee, anyone want to volunteer to kick us off? fill us in on what you've
been up to. >> Yeah, turn on now. You just >> Sorry, my first day. Um, I was unable to attend the rec board meeting, but I had a conversation with uh the chair and co-chair. There's really not much going on with parks and
wrecks so far. They're sort of uh coalesing and trying to figure out what if um any projects they want to work on this year. There was one issue, I know we've discussed it many times, but there was uh some concern about the chest tables and the lack of shade. And I know
that we had uh discussed this and I think the library had said they wanted to wait for a minute, but the parks and wreck were wondering if it could be revisited because they feel like it's going to be a problem. Um so just put it out there for your >> I can take that to the library board in
essence. Yeah. Thank you. >> Excellent. Thank you. That's all I have. Thank you. >> Sure. Thank you. >> Okay. Um I wanted to start off with a um with sort of happy wishes. It was a
convergence of a few holidays since our last meeting. So for those who are celebrating a very happy St. Patrick's Day, a happy Eid Mogaric, a happy Navaratri, and a happy Nus. These are all um a lot of these uh events converge with spring in fact. So um happy events
for everybody. Um March 10th we had a meeting of the affordable housing subcommittee and we discussed um sort of different project densities at the um at the at the location the pivot location from the um the Henry realy LLC and we
talked about the DP's sort of input into some of that work. Uh the library board of trustees met on March 12th. I missed that meeting but caught up with the discussion. They're working hard on their rooftop solar project as they have been all of last year. Um they acquired
the last statistics that they needed from the township engineer and they are in uh the second phase of uh the application for a federal grant. If you remember last meeting, I mentioned to this TC that I had applied for a federal grant and it looks like um the very next day I think they were selected, but
there's several phases to this grant. So, we are now in phase two and we'll see how this goes. But it is quite exciting. Um on April 10th at 7 p.m. they have a wonderful event um hosted by the Cranberry Public Library Foundation
hosted at the library. It's pretty much like a fireside chat with uh Amul Sha, the executive director of the ACLU of New Jersey and they're going to be discussing the role and importance of libraries and the national challenges. Please join us if you can. That is a free event, but you do have to register.
So, please register. >> Mom, what was that date again? >> Um, April 10th at 7. And today, March 23rd, we had another meeting regarding the affordable housing project. And it was a meeting with the D
to um you know, just discuss ways in which the project will continue to move forward. Lots of technicalities um and just you know for the for the benefit of our board here to know that all the moving parts are are being looked at and taken care of very diligently. Um, and
more moving parts to be dealt with. Um, this is the first year I couldn't volunteer at the Cranberry Craft Show. I think in my 12 or so years, I had not Yeah, this is the first year I couldn't volunteer. And I heard they were very low on donations of food items and they
were very low on volunteers in general. And I'm I'm curious to know, and maybe this is you, Rob, like when you get the report of that event or if if they do report out on it at the um school school board meeting, I' I'd be curious to know what the numbers were for this year
because there has been a steady decline over the last three four years with regards to exactly those two things, donations of items to sell and and volunteers. Um, I did participate at career day at the Cranberry School. It was really fun and I appreciate that. Um, I I
appreciate that event every year. And I attended a mayor wellness campaign uh town hall with the quality institute on March 19th uh where various towns and the admins spoke about activities and you know things that are working and things that are not. So I think that
pretty much sums it up for me. Yeah. Any questions? The only thing I would comment on and just for everyone's benefit for the D meeting, I was um probably more optimistic
than the two previous meetings with them just based on some language that we um not backed him into a corner on, but just point blank. Is there anything else that we need to provide you that is leaving you with open-ended questions?
And I got a good sense that that was not the case. So, you know, just following up on what Aman said, I feel more optimistic on that meeting than I had in the previous ones. And they certainly know where we are in the process. So, yeah. >> Yes. I also get the feeling that they
want to work with us and we are all in the same >> goal of moving the project forward. Yeah, >> this is with the D, right? >> Yeah, this is D on the 12 specifically the 1260 and I hope they're moving forward with a conscious, you know, yes, to move it
forward, but also to do it with a watershed approach and make sure the flooding units are they're held to the legal standards. So certainly they are. Yeah. >> Okay. >> And as you would expect what the standards were last year, they're new this year. >> Yeah. >> So that would surprise anybody flooding
rules, etc. We have that to deal with. That's different than last year. So, the floor continues to move, but it feels like it's the ground's settling underneath our feet a little bit. >> But no uh time frame given, right? No time frame given. No
>> uh basically we have to get permitting before we um close. I'm sorry if there's I don't know what's doing it. >> Oh, it's me. I'll I'll come back off the mic. um that um we need um prior approval to
July. Um that we need to have the permitting before we close. An anticipated close date is probably around the June time frameish. And so we'll have the application in and the permits well before that is what we were told by the Walters group. So that that
should be we should our timing should line up fine. >> Right. And just so I understand in public like are we under any time constraints now? Is there any gun that we need to worry about or is it we kind of >> No, every I mean everything we need is like we've got that March 16th deadline
which is not like specific to Cranberry in general and I everything that we've put in place over the last three meetings, every resolution that consent resolution we've put in here, our first and second ordinance readings, they've all been in line with doing that. So, it's been a a village effort between uh
legal teams, Mary Bethlon again, you know, ourselves being able to attend diligent meetings and have special meetings and so everything is like >> perfectly on track. Is that the right description, Denise? >> Yeah. As far as the state deadlines are concerned, yes.
>> Yes. >> Yeah. I' I've felt very confident with every meeting um with our builders because I feel like they are so well verssed at this like whenever something comes up they're already ahead of it. They understand it. They don't feel like it's a challenge. Like I'm very happy we
have who we have on our side. >> Yeah, I would completely agree with that. >> I have a question about Cranberry Craft Day. Do the organizers feel like there's something wrong or something missing, lack of publicity, or is it just uh >> Well, I'll tell you. Um the things that
have conflicted with the event are other craft fairs in other towns or other holidays or other like there's there's often a conflicting situation and so you know people can't be more than one place at a time and so getting the volunteers is not happening. I I really don't know.
I mean I'd like to hear a little bit of report. I'm not on the CF and um you know I I don't know if they discuss it at the BOE but >> we also had a distribution day at SKS. >> Yes. >> And um you know a big volunteer hour there. So a lot of the people even myself that had since in years past had
volunteered as well. I'm now at SKS and because it lines up with that same weekend. So to your point there's a lot going on you know. >> Well our school superintendent is here. She may be able to speak to it >> rather than guessing. >> Come, come on down.
>> I wasn't going to volunteer her. She had to raise her own hand. >> Hi, I'm happy to speak to it. It actually turned out really well and um attendance uh money income was better this Sunday than than in past and our Saturday was
right in par of what it's been. So, we really pushed at the end to get volunteers and so leading up to the event, we were low on volunteers. Um, but they pulled through and so everything was covered. Uh, lots of people, vendors were happy. Um, but I
agree, I think there's just so much going on and so families have to make choices. Um, the date they picked, um, there's another craft show that has been in competition in the past. It wasn't the same weekend. So I think they try to to do the best they can with that. And
so um that one there's another a bigger one. Uh it was the weekend before. Um so there was a lot of people I was there and um I volunteered and so um got to see it firsthand and and yes, I think leading up to it um they were in search of but I I really do think um the
families that could uh did volunteer. Um, but I think like anything, there's going to always be a lot of competition, a lot of different I know there's a lacrosse um, uh, uh, competition that's happening um, that weekend and that's the same every year. Um, but yeah,
overall a success and they felt that financially they did better this year um, than the past few. >> Yeah. Not not to take it down to the dollars incentive, but it sounds like financially at least it was a success. >> Yeah. Yeah. And the vendors were happy, which is a good thing. They felt like that it was worth it for them and that
there was a lot of purchasing happening. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Any other questions for mom? Well, I was just going to um I'll go next. Um just picking piggy backing off of the mayor's wellness um campaign county town hall
that we attended. Um lot of words. >> Yeah, that's a lot of words. Um it was interesting to have some input to see how we could drive this uh campaign in what direction we would even like it. And one of the things that came up is um
our seniors um and there there are more seniors aging in place now and how um infrastructure um you know could be a potential reason why some seniors may not be getting around and going to different places. So, um I thought that was a you know
something that um you know age friendly infrastructure is something that you know maybe we could even consider for our town too. How we might be able to improve that. Um and um you know and and I mean I hear the craft
show but this is something like the well um health and wellness fair used to be a completely independent event you know behind the school and then we wouldn't get uh there weren't people that would come. So now it's being piggybacked um with night out. So I that's what I'm
encouraging with the mayor's wellness campaign is how do we piggyback and how do we join partner with things to make these events more successful. So you can do a two for one, you know, kind of event. So, um, so that was it was an interesting conversation to see where
that goes. Um, the flags, uh, I dropped it off, um, the flag, uh, for the 250th anniversary. I dropped it off at the firehouse. I have not been to Village Park. Has anyone because the flag should be up now in Village Park. Um, the fire department did it.
>> You know what? It's been last uh uh two last last Monday. >> I can check when I go home. >> Saying it's not right outside our school with our flag. >> Okay, we got the school. Yay. Um
thank you. Um yeah, I just you know just the flag is made and um you know we want to celebrate this. Uh the other the other thing is the flag um was dropped off at the fire not the fire the police uh station. I
don't know if you know that >> uh today. >> Yeah. Hot off hot off the press. >> Ah okay. Um yeah Karen Kelly dropped it off and so hopefully >> it'll be fine tomorrow. >> Okay. Okay. So, I'll just u find an
update on what's happening with the village park. >> I'll check the village park on my way. It'll be after dusk, though. Just saying. >> Um anyway, um uh the traffic subcommittee met and um I just had a few
points. Um and if you want to add or if you want to do it yourself, um I just uh route 130 circle was discussed. Yes, it is still moving forward. Um and um uh so that was discussed on how it's could be
rearranged um so that there will be lights. How many lights did we say? Three, four, four lights. >> I mean it's essentially one it's a single traffic. It's it's one light. It's a single it'll be a single intersection. >> You want to move your phone maybe? >> Is it my
>> Yeah, I think that was that. Um, >> so everybody here has seen the documentation and whatever it is, it is resolution 058. That's an endorsement in support of the change of the traffic
circle. U the document documentation is there. It's long. We sat through a couple of meetings and then we had a meeting here last week on the 10th. So it wasn't last week. It was two weeks ago. Um, lots of information, diagrams, etc. If there's
questions, we can review a bunch of it if you'd like. Um, >> but essentially, yeah, but essentially the circle's going away, being replaced by a light >> in 2032. >> 2050 >> 2032, I believe, is the date.
>> Yes. >> You know what's disappointing about that is, you know, >> it's 2032. >> We we had that meeting, right? We had that meeting here in town, >> right? that the that was hosted at the school, right? So we had that meeting and it was discussed and then two years
three years ago um when I was mayor there was a lot of accidents in that circle and residents just kept you know please help please help please help and I I think on a monthly basis I contacted um the county if not the state and they kept saying no no no we're on track for
the you know the number of years that we've told you so it started out at seven and then it became six and then it became five and now this year we're hearing that it's gone back up essentially, right? >> Yeah. That's really disappointing. >> There are still accidents there. I think
the number was it's like one of the worst intersections in the state. >> 2829. Just push >> because it is a long >> it is a long time >> a 10 year project >> you know but there's been a lot of engagement too with residents and um
updates and I mean things take time >> it's just hard to take it seriously that we have something called project zero or net zero you you know, knowing that we have such an accidentprone area and that this doesn't move even further up. No, it's like we've added another year or
two or three. And yeah, I I don't say this to say that I'm disappointed at us. On the contrary, I think we are disappointed for our residents and for the town >> and safety. >> And safety. Exactly. Well, thank you guys for the
>> um Okay. Um uh two other points. Um maybe we mentioned it already. the there's the uh crossing uh on Old Trenton Road is now the flashing light there. So, that's exciting. Um and um also uh there was no update on Plansboro
Road on the bike network. The engineers working on um on a plan of whether it can or can't go forward and what might be some of the um literally roadblocks
and happening. Sorry. Um anyway, um we're setting up um a meeting for the regional approach to the storm water permitting. Um that should be set up later this week to see what what towns have signed up and and how it might go
forward um with all of this regional approach for storm water management on our permit. Um uh HPC, I had an HPC meeting Tuesday 3:17 St. Patrick's Day and my daughter's birthday. Um, so, uh,
there are two openings on HPC. Um, let's spread the word. Let's get that filled, those positions filled. Um, HPC rece received a certificate of eligibility for the Cranberry Station Hamlet from the state of New Jersey Historic Preservation Office. Um, this is a
significant accomplishment and an important step in gaining designation of the National Register of Historic Places. Um HPC will be following up but with the office for next steps um let's see uh which will likely include the need for
additional grant funding for professional uh research. This is um is a matching grant um with the township um village historic district ordinance is forthcoming. Um if TC has any questions please
contact Jennifer Sutmeer. Uh HPC rem um is concerned about the historic structures on 1260 and 1274 um South River Road. Um uh important New Jersey Revolution 250
upcoming events, Burger Beers and backtories at the Cranberry in April 17th, library lecture April 29th, and East Jersey cottage dedication and colonial fair May 17th. So um and that is I think uh
that's it. >> So for um chips basically for the mayor's update when one passes I'll add the next one on. >> Okay. >> Is what I just did. So the fact that you mentioned the fair in Milstone and that Milstone park was packed
>> uh over the weekend. There were so many people in Milstone Park. So the fact that >> that had that crossing there. >> Oh that's great. >> Yeah. Oh, wait. I forgot to say uh the EC meeting was um the environmental commission uh meeting on the 16th was cancelled due to lack of forum, but they
are moving forward with their community energy grant and meeting with their consultant. Um so that's exciting that we as a community what we can do to help um reduce our energy consumption and possibly increase renewables. So that's it.
>> All right, I guess that leaves me. Um, we obviously already talked about um the traffic subcommittee. Uh, the only other meeting I had was with the municipal alliance on the 10th. Um, I was actually only able to stay for the first half of that. We had some um some updates on the
jamfest at the school. Um we had some robust conversation about um the police and their uh their involvement in the municipal alliance and how they're going to restructure um their reporting uh really trying to focus on substance
abuse etc. Um at the time there was zero to report which is great news. Um additionally there was some uh conversation uh regarding a cotton candy machine for future jam fests etc. Um, and I think that moved forward after I
had left. Um, so that was uh that was the municipal alliance update for this month. Um, and that's again all I have. >> Do they have any speakers this year or no? >> Uh, I think they're planning a speaker. Um, I don't recall his name. Um, but I can get back to you on that one.
>> Just curious. >> And the school board has a meeting on Wednesday. >> Any questions for Rob or Barbara? Okay, good. Uh, only thing I was going to mention was the D and then um this Thursday um got an interesting
invitation to um from the economic uh development um committee for the state of New Jersey um what it takes to be a movie ready town. >> So uh we have done things like that in the past but uh it includes ordinances.
So, uh, the chief and I are going to head over there and figure out the public safety elements of that and what the they already have pre-written ordinances and so it'll be interesting to find out about it, but potentially a revenue stream, you know, for the town
um, and, you know, shed some positive light on Cranberry. >> Do we all need to get SAG cards? >> I guess we could if we're all set stand up to be extras. So, anyone who just got off legally blonde from the high school, uh, we'll see if there's some parts coming out. But, I don't know. I thought it was just interesting when you get
these invitations to pursue them because you never know. I mean, with the the quaintness of our town, it could really Yeah, there were several that were filmed here. >> And with Netflix not far now, that's >> Well, again, you've got a massive studio opening up on the waterfront up in like
the Weihawk area. you've got Netflix. Like I guess that was a big push of the previous administration was to make a push for pharma and also to make us like the east coast of Hollywood and to have a push of a lot of studios being created here and one of them was just covered on
like 60 minutes too. So it's an interesting push. So if it goes somewhere but thought it'd be interesting to do it and head to that. So that's all I had. >> I just want to mention that. >> Yeah. Yeah. Our new recycling and solid waste guide,
yes, is out um by the front uh office and you can come pick it up. It has all sorts of great information on recycling, paint recycling, household hazardous waste, dos and don'ts, cooking oil recycling, tire recycling, etc. So, uh
reduce, reuse, recycle. This is a really nice one. Yeah, good. Nice. Sorry. Um I'm usually just so loud I don't even need it. But okay. During our budget hearing, um the GEO rule was discussed and um the item was not
approved in a 4-1 straw poll. And at that time I had voted no primarily because I didn't feel that there was sufficient due diligence um specifically on the definition of the role um and the day-to-day responsibilities were not
outlined in my satisfaction and I believe that for a position to properly be considered a formal job description was necessary for that role. um and that was quickly addressed um uh and not only during the school hours in the calendar
but also what the role would entail outside of the school calendar. So since then a comprehensive job description was collaborately developed by Dr. Dizzler and our chief of police and shared with the township committee. Um I had a couple follow-up questions on the job
description. They were swiftly answered. Um, in addition, I attended the board of education meeting in late February to make myself available, if there were any questions about why I voted a certain way or what, you know, how I felt about the job description and gave me a chance
to answer um any questions that they had for me and for me to ask a few others that I had had. Um uh I spoke also with a range of residents uh including parents of current students who participated in the
survey uh residents who expressed um both support and some concern uh families whose children have already gone through the school system and then newer residents just beginning their journey at the Cranberry School. While these conversations they were informal, they're not statistically significant. I
did not um formally go out in a formalized professional research project. This was just me going out and asking questions and to better understand community sentiment. I also reviewed social media discussions, but I focused specifically on comments from Cranberry residents as I felt that they
were the most applicable to the role and its impact on our community. So across all these conversations, one common theme emerged which was fear. fear that unfortunately has become part of our everyday life, particularly when it
comes to concerns around safety in our American schools. And the what if scenario is weighing heavily on many families and from what I gathered, this fear is at the core of the desire for the safety and security component of the
JEO. And in my view, that fear should not be ignored. The second key component of this role is engagement. And the intent is for students to build familiarity and trust and comfort with a constant law enforcement presence in
their school community. And given that that is still a relatively new concept in schools, I was not surprised to see that aspect of the role a little more fluid. It's probably going to need time to evolve. It'll probably change over the years and it probably should be
reviewed you know regularly to assess you know its impact on students the culture of the school and identify opportunities to improve it. So for me, one of the most critical factors was clearly defining that role. As I stated, um it was essential that
the job description explicitly state that this is not a disciplinary position and that appropriate oversight in place uh will be in place to ensure that that remains the case. So by combining both safety and engagement, the goal is not
only to address fear, but ideally replace it at least or at least balance it out with a sense of trust and connection and reassurance and most importantly hope. So for those reasons, I'm in favor of the juvenile engagement officer role.
So that's all I wanted to say. I said no one's under an obligation to make any comment because I was a no. I have moved my position to a yes. I felt it needed to be explained on what I did to make that decision. So that's why I
prepared that statement. >> I I can just essentially double down on my first as the one of the 41 vote. Um, originally, uh, as the husband of a teacher in our wonderful school, um, I think safety is certainly paramount in
this discussion. Um, but seeing my kids, my son specifically, go through the school, I think there's an opportunity there for engagement, for relationship building with authority figures, especially for young men. Um I don't see
any risk of a disciplinarian type issue because of the ages of our students in the primary school. Um those are just some of just sort of the general reasons why I was a yes to start with and then I think primarily
we have two really good partners in Dr. Dizzler and Chief uh Chief Tara. they know kind of what's best for the folks that are under their purview and I have faith in their skills and their desires and their view of this role as
being a need for our for our town, for our school. Um, so I do I put I put faith in the folks that we entrust our our kids and our community safety with and that's how I got to a yes. So we will uh we'll see where we get to.
Thanks guys. I don't mind going, but I have a lot to say. So, I'm I'm sorry ahead of time. Um, like you, Lisa, I have had to do a lot of research because um I take this very seriously
and what I take seriously has multiffolds. I take the issue of security at the school seriously. I take it seriously that we are tasked with the job of being custodians of this town and the tax
dollar and the assets within it. Um I take it seriously that you know we've got members on this TC who have relatives in the school. I've got children and Rob has um you know a wife in the school. And so I also have looked at this from a multiaceted um you know
view. I spoke to residents from different walks of life in town. uh those that live at the affordable housing uh those who English is not their first language. I spoke to senior residents. I spoke to young residents. I spoke to residents who have been here for three generations
and people who had just arrived. I my first question to them was, "Are you aware of this project?" And not one of them could tell me that they were aware. And I said, "Well, why are you not aware?" When a survey went out, I found out that the survey was
pushed out through a communicator, a weekly communicator. And the communicator does a lot of things like informs uh parents about, you know, exam week or uh you know, important events that are coming up. It informs us about pajama day and things like that. And so if you're a parent that doesn't open
that, you wouldn't have seen the survey. I did not see the survey. And I don't think anyone on this TC saw the survey. Am I correct? I'm not part of that >> and a lot of parents didn't see that survey
because they didn't open that communicator. So I was actually informing them about the survey when I spoke to them and I found that problematic to begin with. Now in our conversation they were not the most excited about the
options that were ahead of them. the conversation that was had at our subcommittee meeting, our personnel subcommittee meeting, um between the superintendent, the police chief, uh Lisa, myself, and Denise um shared that in the survey parents were interested in
security. And I think this conversation was I don't know when was it, Thanksgiving, maybe close to Thanksgiving or just before >> September. >> September. Um and at that meeting it was said that um you know they could the school could provide security right away if they needed to. They could do it out
of their budget and they could provide security but they they wanted a um you know um a different model of offering security. They wanted this juvenile um enrichment enrichment officer >> engagement >> engagement officer
um a role that doesn't exist yet. Um I did further research. I actually called police officers in different townships to sort of say, well, you know, what are your thoughts on something like this? What, you know, do you have a model like this? Have you seen a model like this?
And um, you know, they hadn't, but the issue of security continues to be the conversation. Security can be offered in a different method by which um you know the method of just a security officer or an SRO
which is what most of the schools have an SRO and both of these can be done through the school budget and the school does not need this TC to be involved and we were told that I am I I will share it. I I feel the stress
of the position we were put in. Um you know when we have a resident from the public coming to our meeting basically to inform this TC um in asking us where are we with this enforcement officer when it's um you know when it was a discussion already at the board of ed
level and um but it really really hadn't reached this TC level. So the method already put us on the defensive and had the town looking at us this TC as the barrier the barrier of you know of what they
call safety at the school. Now I then went further and researched you know what's considered best practice and honestly it's not listed as best practice and I just want to read read you what I find out. This is so small.
Can I do that? >> No, it won't though. >> How it's not doing it. All right. So the best model for security for school security New Jersey integrates physical
target hardening secure vestibules surveillance alert systems with mandated multiddisciplinary threat assessment teams. The school engaged um sort of um a security overhaul a few years ago. Um I
think they spent about a good million dollars on doing exactly that. Creating these secure vestibules, creating um you know, Fort Knox really. Uh I I remember that I myself was actually locked in the school because I didn't have the right
IDs to open the doors to get myself out when I was in the large group room after an eighth grade um uh rehearsal for their for their um show. Additionally, the best model for New Jersey elementary school security is a
layered approach combining Alyssa's law compliance silent panic alarms, secure vestibial access control, an active AI enabled video surveillance, which the school has cameras and the school has a very robust secure system
with a vestibule that people cannot enter through unless they are actually, you know, buzzed And I feel the secure the security at the school has been very good. It has been really good. I commend them for all the changes that they have done. Now if the the few residents that
were surveyed feel that there is additional security that they need, why are we not offering the security model maybe to start with and you can, you know, move on up from there if you find it to be successful. Um, putting a police officer in the
building does not at all address the issue of how there are vulnerable families who are anxious with the presence of security in the school. And I understand that upsets
some people, but it doesn't upset me to say that. I spoke to a family who said my children had to see their father taken out of our house by the police officers because he was he had a habitual misbehaving. And so the
relationship with police is a little different and they would be very anxious to be in a school with the presence of you know an armed unformed police officer. We have to take all of this into consideration.
And so I look also at this job description and it's very noble. Um the human that's going to be doing this job um it looks like one sixth of the job is security. But that's exactly what the parents asked for. They asked for security. They
didn't ask for you know some of the admin work that this police officer will be doing or the liazing and the counseling. They asked for security. But yet we are offering a position that will do that for one sixth of the time.
So I am a very hard no on this and I I didn't come to this out of a personal um you know feeling. I've really done my research on this. Um I also know that you know when we talk about security is it that we are trying to prevent um you
know shootings at school because the statistics don't support that it does prevent shootings at school. So I I'm I can't um you know I I I can't comfortably move forward and say that this is something I would support. Uh we have a very robust system at the school.
We also have great um cooperation from the police department by way of programs already existing in the school. The the lead program, they come in for reading. They come in to support any of the extracurricular activities. I mean, I don't know of a moment that the police department isn't asked that they don't
show up at the school for anything at the drop of a hat. I also know that the police department is there for many hours of every day that the school is open, either during pickup or drop off or for the after school events. Um, and being that the town hall and the school are within the same sort of um area,
there's police, you know, circulating through this area all the time for security of town hall as well as the school. Um I this is a project that started at the school. It should reside with the school and I think that they should solve it or approach it in the
means that they have and I would encourage us on this TC um to let them do that. Thank you. Um, yeah, I I probably want to echo a lot of what Iman said, but I also want to add a few other things I think that
we should think at as a a governing body. Um, I personally am not comfortable with the police officer in the school, and it's no reflection on on on CPD or or anything like that. I just think in society at large, we're we're militarizing the police and they're
becoming, you know, a presence in our lives that we don't necessarily um say we don't need, but that I I find it alarming, but I don't really think my opinion on that is really important. You know, I'm not an educator. I'm not a school administrator, so I I feel like
putting the onus upon us to make this decision is is not really fair. Um, I know you didn't mean to be unfair, but um, I feel like, you know, if if the board of ed wants to make the decision, they should do it of their own accord and if they think that's best practice, that's that's one thing. Um, from a
governing standpoint, I think that having us make a decision that the board of ed will be primarily responsible for it doesn't make sense. I don't think it has good precedent. I don't I think the inverse would be true. You know, we wouldn't want the board of ed wouldn't want us to come in and and
and have them make a decision on, you know, if we should put more benches in Memorial Park or if we should have crooked fields in in Village Park. I I just don't think that we need to mix these two responsibilities. We all have our own mandates. We all have our own
purviews. I think we should stick in our lanes. I think as as a precedent going forward, I think that's important to do. Um, and from a management perspective, I'm not comfortable with the idea that if we are paying for half of this uh uh role, but essentially he'll be managed.
I know he's under the police, but you know, his day-to-day responsibilities would be within the school, which is not within our purview. And I know that there's some argument that, you know, he would only be 70% I guess in the school, right? Because of uh summer break and and school holidays and things like
that. But still, I I think it's a bad precedent. Um, and I also feel like finally for a question of fiscal responsibility, I mean, we're talking about a year and we're spending over $30 million in public housing. We've raised taxes for the first time in two or three
years. >> Yeah. >> 10 years. >> Um, and I I just don't think I I don't want to say security is not a problem, but security is perception. And what Aman said about the entrance to the school, you guys did a great job of of basically fortifying the entrance to the school. And it is like Fort Knox. And I
think that um looking nationally statistically for making the school safe, that's the best thing you can do. Um as far as um uh fostering a relationship between um school kids and cops, which I think is absolutely excellent idea and it's noble, but I
think there's other ways to do that. You know, we used to have a police athletic league. There's other avenues which can be explored which don't cost um you know, $60,000 a year over five years, $300,000. Um, and
yeah, so I'm I'm just opposed. I mean, you know, at first I was opposed when we first discussed this at the budget meeting, I was opposed just on a personal level. And then I I sort of pulled back and I listened to what, you know, um, some of the people in town had to say and um, but then the more I thought about it, you know, for those
reasons, for the for the um, governing reasons, fiscal reasons, executive management, I I just don't think it's a good idea. I mean, if the board of ed wants to go with this, you know, they they should do it, but I I don't think we should be part of it. Thanks. >> Um, I really appreciate everyone
everyone's thoughtful consideration. there's been a lot of time and uh consideration to this and I do respect the people on the board um of ed and um you know the head of our school um and providing their expertise um you know I
do have um you know similar concerns of how this was approached, how we were approached about it, how you did a presentation but there was no formal job description um you know and we did get that quickly. Um but
that approach to me um you know it just I need I you know I needed a concrete what was going on and now we do have it which is which is great but I feel like we're doing it backwards instead of having it part of the budget in the
beginning. Um anyway um the the one uh I have a I have a couple of uh points but they've been um they've you know they've been said um already so I'm not going to repeat them. The one part that I did in the job description, I I I just found
this a little bit um just a little bit unnerving for me. Um support our students before challenges escalate. I mean, I I don't see I I don't understand that like how a police officer is then going like let's say someone's having a psychiatric
situation. Is that police officer then going to be approaching a child that has the you know a crisis? I mean I to me that seems like a different specialist would be needed and I'm assuming the school has those people in positions. Um so that um that did that that did
unnerve me a little bit. Um if that's one of their roles. Um you know yes mental health has been put more into the police you know training. I I hear that and that's a question that I constantly am asking our chief both you know um
previous chief and our current chief um but I'm not sure if that that is a role that I you know for a police officer in our school but um uh and I am I have not
changed my position so I'm a no. Anything else from the township committee? >> Well, I think it's also important for us to understand our children are here until 8th grade and then they go to Princeton. And our discussion here may be a little bit different if we were
talking about, you know, our children, our students still being here um in their high school years. And Princeton High School does not have a JEO. Um maybe they have an the school resource officer. Um I know of like security is what they have and this open campus
system that they have. Uh but the fact that we're going to try and establish a relationship with students that are then going to go to another town um it it negates that argument because there will be no relationship. They will now be in another town with another set of eyes on them.
Thank you. Done. Okay. All right. So, now we're going to open up to members of the public to make any statement that they would like to make and we're going to limit it to three minutes like we said just for consistency of any other public comment. If
>> they could still sign in, that would be helpful. >> There you go. >> You could keep track of it that way. All right. How's it going? My name is Serup Saruni. I'm the president of the Cranberry School Board. Um so we had a number of discussions about this going
back um I want to say it started like the say middle of last year. We started off talking about this in um I think first off. We had some informal discussions then we kind of formalized a bit more of what like the role would look like. We had some feedback from um within the school board itself of what
it would look like, the kinds of things we're interested in like you know there's security aspect, engagement aspect, community aspect, a lot of uh we talked about this quite extensively. Um the culmination of that there was um a survey that went out which I think was mentioned I don't remember the exact number of respondents. I want to say it
was 100 something families responded to the survey. uh the feedback was about 92% positive for the thing. So it was overwhelmingly positive the feedback for it. After that survey because that survey included both the um what we were trying to do but also gathering some feedback of like you know like uh
different options of how to proceed with that. We did a presentation to the uh you know to the public uh going over what we envision things to look like and the um uh and the discussion of that like of the things that are involved in there was unanimous on the part of the board. So for us to come to to the town
afterwards to say that we want to do this. This was the you know I'm not just speaking on myself. I got children to school. You know obviously I care a lot about what's going on in the school. But it was also the um you know this is the position of the entire school board. It was a unanimous decision on the part of the school board representing all the people that they speak with and the
feedback that received from the town. Um and it was you I mean there is the security aspect obviously is a very important part and you know it is the the foremost part when you start discussing this but we did discuss the not just the security aspect the engagement aspect of being something that is uh something that we want with
the um the the specifically the part of having a positive role model there on the parts of the police force that people can interact with they see with um and you know there's a lot of deferral on our part to the police force of the administrator of like what exactly that looks But with the um with the overall
guidance of what was inside of that role of saying you know it's not a disciplinary role the security aspect obviously is a you know specific thing in there but outside of that it's um you know the the lead program things like that it was you know that was all like discussed as part of the school board. So we're all like you know we were very together as far as what is what's going
to be in there. If there is more feedback coming from the rest of the town I mean the informal conversations I've had it's you know everyone kind of has their own circle of people that they talk to. you're limited to what you know you're kind of limited to what you hear from what you what you actually talk to. It's been very positive on the idea
itself. So I mean we will uh you know we will be pursuing whatever we can pursue whatever to to solve this. From my understanding of the way that this stuff breaks down, there is some limitation as far as what the school is possible for the school to do by itself versus what the school can do um uh jointly with the
town. So you know we'll have to look at some of those things there. But I do want to just say that you know this um me speaking here it is like the position of the entire school board not just you know this wasn't just a consensus of like you know five to you know five to four or 8 to one or something. This was the opinion of everyone that came
forward and um and um so yeah I just wanted to present that here. So all right thank you Excellent. >> Hi Hi, my name is Michael Dulan. I live in
Winwood Drive in Cranberry. Um, and I come to you. This is I had no idea what this was all about. Uh I heard through a friend u earlier last week that there was a uh discussion about whether or not
uh Cranberry School should have a armed uniformed policeman in the school at all times. That's the entire extent of my understanding of this issue. I have no idea of the different job descriptions of of the other items that are that are
involved. Uh and I think that gives me a pretty good perspective on this. I'm looking at this simply from one perspective. Is it a good idea have it to have a uniformed armed policeman stationed permanently in the school
presumably to be there in the event that something disastrous occurs. not there as a counselor, not there as somebody to represent the the the police department, simply to be there for the security of the students that are there all the
time. Looking at that, I think there's a diff couple of different things that you have to balance out. First of all, thinking about what does that the image of an armed policeman create in the mind of a student, kindergarten through 8th
grade student. What it says is you're living in a very dangerous world and you have to be on guard for dangerous things happening all the time and you're better off if you happen to be in the presence of an armed unformed person.
that child is going to be going through life constantly thinking I might be exaggerating here but there there will be a a prediliction or a favoring of having protection of an armed person that you're living in such a dangerous world that you need an armed protector
around you most of the time or a lot of the time I don't think that's an image that we want to create in the kids secondly I think there's a spillover of that into the rest of the community as well the rest of the community is participating in that same thought.
They're also worried that there's going to be dangers that there's d that it's a dangerous world that we live in and that they that you're better off having police officers protecting you in different places. It's at it's at the school. Okay. Well, then what about the playground? What about at the supermarket? What about all over the
place? You know, when it starts, where does it end? So, I and so those are things that we have to consider. On the other side of it, um you you would consider those things if there was a real need. You would need police protection all the time if things were
that dangerous. But we are a long way from any danger that is close to that. Nowhere close to that kind of danger. Now, I understand there's there's a there's there's an increased level of concern now because of immigration and illegal immigration. By the way, many of
you Okay, that's that's fine. Thank you. Is there any other further public comment? No. Okay. All right. Seeing none, we'll close public comment and we'll just take a quick straw poll and then we'll move
on with our agenda. >> Okay. >> Yeah. I mean, we kind of did it talking, but let's just verbalize it so we close the circle on it. So, Rob, >> I'm clearly a yes. >> I really appreciate hearing from the
public and our professionals and support of it, but I'm still a no. >> As I stated earlier, I'm a yes. >> I'm a no. >> Uh, I am a no as well.
>> Okay, we'll move on from our working session. on do we have any follow-up items? I think we from previous meetings. >> I'm going to check Village Park on the way home. >> You're going to check Oh, no. I think that's our action items at the end. But
yeah, your Village Park and Yeah. >> Okay. All right. Um Okay. Boards and Commission vacancies. As Barbara mentioned uh earlier, the Historic Preservation Commission has a class C member uh open and a class C uh second
alternate open. The environmental comm environmental commission has a second alternate open and the zoning board has a second alternate that is open. So those are the same four positions that have been open for a while. So spread
the word, see if we can get some action on those positions uh to be filled. Okay. Tonight we have no first readings and we'll move on to our second reading.
>> So the um one ordinance that we have on this evening second reading is Cranberry Township Ordinance number 03-26-08 bond ordinance providing for various capital improvements appropriating 27 million86,700. Am I even saying that right? Therefore,
funding 1,389,835 from capital improvement fund, 10,000 from recreation trust, and authorizing the issuance of $26,46,865 bonds or notes of the township to finance part of the cost thereof.
Is there any public comment on ordinance number 0326-08? Okay, seeing none, we'll close public comment. Can I get a motion to approve? >> So moved. >> A second. >> Second. >> We'll move on to roll call. Uh, Mr.
Christopher, >> yes. >> Mrs. Eladawi, >> yes. >> Dr. Rogers, >> yes. >> Mr. Scott, >> yes. >> Mayor Caner, >> yes. >> It's unanimous. Thank you. >> Okay. Um, we have consent resolutions A through G uh tonight. I do want to just
uh point out that we have um uh consent resolution C is honoring the um Cranberry Centarians that we were able to uh go and celebrate at the Elms. So, we just formalized that
and then we'll deliver that on their birthdays which were the 26th and 27th of this week. So, we'll go ahead and do that. So, can I get a motion to move A through G? And if anybody wants one If I can I just pull out D. I just have a question clarification on D.
>> Y >> um did we not have this role before a public agency compliance officer for public contracts? >> We did. She um retired. So >> we have to replace her. >> Very good. >> Oh yeah. Go ahead. Sorry. >> No, that's it. That's all I want to
know. Thank you. I'll move a through uh >> Before you do that, sorry. Um, I had a resident that came in and was asking specifically about resolution G, that block five, block 16-02. That is the 1260 South River Road property where
>> 127 >> 1274, sorry, 12 uh South River Road property where the 60 uh senior units are going. This is the cancellation of the existing taxes and sewer of the previous owner of that property. So, it
is now our property, but we're canceling the taxes and sewer of the previous owner. Just to clarify that for he's watching at home, so with popcorn, I imagine so. >> Okay. And can Oprah and all these resolutions will be uh made public
tomorrow. So, oh, >> they're in the minutes. >> They're in the open. >> Okay. You can open it. Okay. All right. Can I get a motion to move A through G? I will make a motion to move consent resolutions A through G. >> Thank you. I get a second. >> I'll second.
>> Thank you. We're going to move on to roll call. Mr. Christopher, >> yes. >> Mrs. Elatawi, >> yes. >> Dr. Rogers, >> yes. >> Mr. Scott, >> yes. >> Mayor Kim, >> yes. >> Okay. Now, we'll move on to general public uh comment. Is there any general
public comment this evening? >> Okay. Seeing none, we will close public comment. our action items. Village Park flag. >> I will check Village Park for the flag. >> Okay. Is there any other action items that we have?
No. All set. Okay. Seeing none, can I get a motion to adjurnn? >> So moved. >> Okay. Second. All >> in favor? >> I >> I >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Stay manufacturing.