for okay okay yeah we're going to call to order the township commit meeting for Monday February 24th 2025 if you are able and willing can you please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance flag United States of America
to the stand Nation God indivisible and justice for all [Music] okay we'll go on to the open public meeting notice pursuant to the open public meetings act notice of this meeting was sent to the cranberry press
Trenton Times and home News Tribune on January 3rd 2025 posted on the Township's website and sent to those who requested a copy of the notice we'll move on to roll call Mr Christopher present Mrs Eli here uh Dr Rogers here
Mr Scott here and mayor caner here thank you I think we have one addition yes so this evening we will be adding one resolution to the consent resolutions which will be item e which is Cranberry Township resolution number
r2251 authorizing the township to enter into a coop pricing agreement okay um like to get a motion to approve the committee minutes from February 10th and the closed session
minutes from February 10th unless anyone has any changes so moved okay second G to move on to roll call this will be for both sets of minutes uh Mr Christopher yes Missi yes Dr Rogers yes
Mr Scott yes mayor Canam yes it's unanimous foro thank you okay now last time we were asking for updates rob you had none so I'm going to have you start tonight because you had all your meetings so exciting so I love going
first um I actually was unable to join the school board meeting um I was traveling um but I will make a quick note that Cassie Shay um has taken my vacant spot on the school board um and I did reach out and um talk to Dr dler and
promote chift day um essentially not a whole lot going on that would impact us but the um the addition and Renovations School are going swimmingly um I think we can all see the steel up for uh for the new piece of the building it's
exciting times um nothing else to report there I had the municipal Alliance meeting on the 18th at 3:30 um spoke uh conveniently a lot that is associated with the school um jamfest is was this past Friday um sorry the
weeks go by quickly um they've been doing a lot of work with um the arrive program um with the police department U which is um exciting for us to be able to offer that service for mental health um and folks who are in
crisis um we approved Ed gity to be a speaker again I think every other year maybe um for career day um and the municipal Alliance committed to National night night out again fingers crossed
that the weather holds up um and that is August 5th um some other things that were uh kind of minor um as we went through some things about some senior activities talking about some programs through Wellspring Etc um later that day
at 7even o'clock um we had our HPC meeting that's my day we talked about this last time this is gonna be a habit um there was a public hearing on the expansion of um the historic district um lots of conversation um regarding that um well
five or six folks in the public um had various uh questions concerns Etc um that is uh clearly moving forward at this point we spend a lot of time talking about accomplishments and goals design guidelines to help uh the
community make some uh easier um decisions when when making updates to their properties Etc um SE Grant moving forward some public Outreach um as far as goals uh reminders that residents
that they need to apply uh before doing work things of that nature um had a nice commentary by Richard Moody about the Hamlet um over in the old um rail station uh which was very exciting um and
informative um and they're also putting a student volunteer seat uh into the HPC which may or may not um resolve some volunteer hours for some of our some of our kids so that will be uh that's some exciting times too
um I think at this point that's all thank you any questions any questions for Rob um Rob I just wanted to share with you because I Leed with the municipal Alliance last year um the grant that I was able to get for the uh
Teen Mental Health um program out of PHS I just wanted to and Joanne is aware of this but I just wanted to share with you that I had there was a phase of the grant that I had to satisfy very recently we just submit sort of um the skeleton of what
the program entails and it every every couple of weeks they're going to ask us for some they're going to ask me for something else so if you ever get asked about it please just send it my way we do thank you thank you any other
questions I don't know if you know the answer to this but what are the next uh milestones for the school construction like what what's going to be open next and I don't know that but the website is very informative gota I'll go
on who's next ladies go um so there was an EC meeting on February 18th I was at a funeral but um but it was a short meeting so I was
unable to attend um uh members are needed for the EC this is the first time in the many years that I've been part of it that uh they've been down at least two members um so keep your ears and eyes open for environmental commission um
members um so uh they discussed their 2025 goals um um including uh working on sustainable Jersey recertification possibly um they table the community energy uh Grant um
until I could attend we have to um I attended a webinar and we have to re uh submit some things to we we have the money we we'll get the money but we have to resubmit for an application um because the BPU has changed their
application process um anyway um they discussed stream cleanup April 12th and one of the things um that seems to be coming up constantly is uh dog curbing um especially in preserves and dogs off leash um they're you know they're
discussing whether education more education of the public um is needed for that or possibly signage um for curving dogs um uh let's see uh the zoning board was cancelled uh their next zoning board
is March 5th and I just want let you know that the environmental commission had a student liaison and our very first student liaison they don't have that position anymore our very first student leaon is now a road scholar so you never know what these
student liazon positions could do yeah that's it any questions just just um thinking about this whole carbing the dog like every year we hear a very similar um someone lifts a very similar concern um What
entity would be good to do exactly what you said the you know the signage part is independent of the signage but maybe some of the education I think the um I think the environmental commission would be a really uh a good place because it is an environmental like off leash a I
think it is a safety issue potentially some dogs are not so good off leash but also like the waste potentially could just get into our water streams ETA Etc yeah I don't know what what what's your thought no I I really don't know um I don't know who I mean it could be Parks
too it could be Parks I know that one resident came to me last year to share that uh a dog off leash or dogs off leash often will sort of sabotage the efforts of a dog being trained to be a res um a companion like once it is startled that dog now gets put to the
back of the line they have to be thrown out of the program until they start all over again and so it's more than just waste I mean it's it's for the environmental commiss I know like there are areas where you know you just step on it's pretty horrible would that not be an issue for
the police department dogs off dogs off dogs yes but the education piece yeah who who could do that and or have we done that in the past Denise I believe didn't we put that out when we sent out the reminders about the
dog license we had a whole pamphlet about it and we sent that out people choose to ignore they choose to ignore you can only educate as much as you can so but we did do that we sent it out then that's fair enough you know there are signs in Cranberry Brook preserve
remember there's there's this big brown sign which makes sense um but um but that has a lot of the rules on it um but um so cranberry Brook preserves has signage so it's whether the EC fi that
every open space should have it or whether we feel that you know and then they bring it up to us if you can send me the um a copy of that pamphlet and then maybe we just um scan it in and include it in the mayor's update just as just a reminder and we can do it every
every other month or something like that just as a reminder I mean the education here is like common sense like if your dog goes to the bathroom pick it up you know like again you do it off Le you don't know where it's off leash I totally agree that's two separate issues
with that right yeah um I I just realized I did forget something else I'm I'm part of the traffic subcomittee and we haven't met yet this year but um two signs uh two lit speeding signs um have appeared um and it doesn't appear just out of nowhere there's a lot of work
that goes behind it and I'm on I'm as part of the traffic subcommittee these were some of the recommendations so enjoy the blinking speeding L lights on Plainsboro Road and cranberry Neck Road you had some recognition a few minutes
ago from a resident acknowledging the flashing sign on Plainsboro Road great just saying yeah but it's a it's a team effort and that's really important to know and it does take time but it's there now thanks uh Jerry for putting it
I think it's Jerry right yeah Jerry yeah okay I don't mind going is that okay with you Matt yeah excellent um I just wanted to acknowledge before I start um my report this evening that we have two community members two very prominent community members that passed
away this week so deepest deepest condolences to the Andrews family and to the Swale family um on the passing of jod Andrews and normous Swale they will certainly certainly leave a gaping hole in this community so our hearts go out to them [Music]
um uh on a more official report the affordable housing subcommittee met on February 11th and uh just to discuss sort of ongoing U property searches and uh the challenges to that and I believe a communication I think with cha also
ensued so that's great um the library board met on the 13th of February and they discussed programming they discussed technology audits they discussed um some redesign to the website potentially and they have some
really cool sustainable initiatives U they're trying to continue to pursue the solar cells I believe that it's the same hitch as last year so they're trying to make sure this um this project doesn't um doesn't get pushed by the wayside and they're encouraging to use
the reusable water bottles in their facilities and they are adjusting site plans to manage Wastewater better um the the biggest conversation at the library board was the fireplace it is getting a new
facade the current facade uh is made of plaster uh when it was constructed I think you know they just went the most efficient route possible and that facade is uh crumbling and cracking a little bit now and so the library Foundation which is independent of the library
board has gifted the repairs of that facade and the library board very graciously accepted and so they believe that the job will take about a week and a half and they will sort of continue to keep the library open but they will um you know lay down some tarps and cover
the areas that will be be worked on and they'll use some other exits and entrances uh by the adult section by the adult book section um the other big news ER at the director Brook Bas East will be on maternity to leave very soon and so the interim director will be Dean climic
which I think we all of us have worked with Dean in some way yeah it's going to be seamless and um we're you know we certainly wish her well um I wanted to share with you all at the lunar celebration that we went to I mean we thought it was a lot of people it was
over 290 people I asked the question I'm so glad you found out the number I figured it was over 100 but I was curious yeah over 290 and I don't know why we don't have the exact number I mean at some point you stop counting I guess but yeah it was it was really well attended and um they did go into a close
session to discuss an employment issue and Anno your rights issue and two days later we had the library Retreat which I was corrected by Mr fante that this is a public event so the library Retreat occurred at the library on a weekend on a Saturday they discussed a lot of
issues um like updating their Board of Trustees uh packet and they discussed various focus groups and continued and new collaborations with Township boards and commissions were appropriate it was a really nice way to get to know this board for me this is a new board I've never liased with them but I know them
individually in different capacities so um what else did we do the mayor's well campaign I brought that up with the library because we had a little bit of informal meeting over the phone and I had reached out to a member of the library uh Nicoletta to join the
mayor's Wellness campaign with regards to the library programming she will be sharing that with us so that when we do our update at the end of the year it's a little easier to capture all the information correctly um and I had a little bit of
free time on Thursday so I attended a CPR class at the library and you're right Barber there I mean all the classes are just amazing um very very well done and before I end I wanted to wish the Muslim Community in Cranberry a very happy Ramadan um the those community members will be fasting for
the whole month of Ramadan so if you see us looking a little a little lethargic from sunrise to sunset those people's will my people I will be fasting and I hope that I don't go into grouchy phase angry angry no angry and
that's it any questions for me I'm glad that you mentioned uh the mayor's Wellness that we we met informally Joanne you me and U and uh I think we're going to have some nice programming um we're setting up some walks potentially and I did speak with the Girl Scouts and they are willing to
uh help with a walk there because that'll help with their opening of the Monarch Way Station they want to um in cranbery Brook so I just want to let you know that and the public no fabulous all right my turn um couple things I was think about dog waste um I
don't know how many um doggy bag stations we have set up currently I think that might help um something we can talk to Parks or I guess EC about but setting up uh little stations where people can get the little plastic bags I
think would be super helpful I know we think we have a few in town but we do yeah I think no oh we should yeah those little green bags yeah that you have at the dog parks and stuff I've never seen
them I I don't walk Monty in the park so I only walk them in my neighborhood but I've never seen them so you've just come up with an excellent idea and follow up for yourself yes I know I will I will do that absolutely write that down
yes um and just real quick am on what uh the new fireplace facade will be stone or is it yeah they've picked a very beautiful stone that's going to um sort of honor the whole image of the library in general like it doesn't take away from that
appeal it's so funny because when we were there for the lunar celebration I was standing in the lobby and I was thinking to myself it's very Blank Space over the fireplace and I'm wondering if they're going to do any sort of like art installation so it's just so funny that you said that because I was like I'm it
was just glaringly blank over the fireplace yeah anyway onto my report on the uh 19th I attended the uh parks and wreck committee meeting um they have a couple things going on they're actively
working on this uh plan potentially for 2026 for a um they're referring to it's a water pad but it's essentially it's kind of a mini water park um location TBD they're looking mostly at Village Park um they're looking at a lot of
different ideas for you know how big it would be and how feasible it is to get water there um depending on which location they they eventually decide on um they uh Ken Jacob's going to talk to the town engineer about uh the feasibility of bringing in town water to
this potential um facility um you know this is all sort of early planning stages and they're just kind of throwing around ideas so um they will obviously come to the TC once they have things more fleshed out um I should preface all this by saying I was hoping that Bren
Hansen would be able to be here tonight to update us on a few things but uh he was unable to and he's going to request that uh if um if our agenda permits that he can come on the 10th yeah he will uh I spoke to him
today he said he'll reach out to you yep um so that was one thing um the other was the uh Helen Cody sculpture which was supposed to go to Memorial Park which Brandon was supposed to present to us tonight but again he's unable to attend tonight so hopefully he'll um
address that future meeting um and finally the Evergreen topic of chest tables weird his ugly head again um the the parks and recck committee uh expressed discontent with the location planned location of the tables in the
library so I again was hoping Brendan would be here so we could talk about it but um it seems like when they come on the 10th we'll be able to talk to about that they are requesting that um it actually be considered for placement in Heritage Park um but we can talk about
that when he comes um that's it sorry any questions okay um I don't really have much of an update um the only thing I want to update is um I had a follow-up item that
um based on the last two planning meetings was recommended that we um create a zoning committee so we're in the process of doing that right now um just hearing back of uh the members that'll be identified for that that's to help streamline some preliminary processes prior to a planning meeting
for applications to help with guidelines and um just streamline potential challenges to Applications before they reach the planning board uh so that those Mee meetings can be a little bit more efficient um and and less
cumbersome in nature um so we'll get that together and then um that'll come before the TC as a resolution so that can be formed and then we'll uh start to schedule some meetings because besides the guidelines they'll be change potentially to coding so that has to be
formalized as a a subcommittee for all lack of a better description um so I don't think that that will be before the TC prior to um maybe March 10th at the earliest um if everybody is on board with that so that was just a follow-up
item that I had other than that I really don't have anything just a reminder that next weekend I believe we spring ahead in our clocks is that correct I can't believe it's that time already this coming weekend the the following weekend
so um get ready time is flying I can't believe what date it is in February already so I don't have anything um do we then we have um no subcommittees but we do have a department head Carberry
Housing Association is oh I'm sorry on there we don't have any department head updates or anything like that right okay perfect and then I don't have any any follow-up items we had uh quick question for you can you flesh out the zoning I mean we
have a zoning committee so no we have a zoning board a zoning committee is established if there's something outside that we need to form a subcommittee um like last year I was the liaison to the zoning board and Michael fante was the zoning committee so there's something
that's needed directly out of the planning meeting and so this is separate it's almost like a subcommittee for lack of a better description um and this would involve our planner or engineer if needed so it's just we have these guidelines for applications for the
planning board and we just the feeling is based on the last two meetings and month please feel free to jump in is that the applications are not coming in as buttoned and tightened up as we think they should be and it's taking much much longer to get through these planning meetings where we could probably give
some Council and have a better list of guidelines so they they can check some things off and make sure their application is complete as possible so then what comes before the planning meeting they can planning where they can go faster through these things and they know the challenges and can they can evaluate the challenges better and the
applicant then becomes better prepared if you don't check that box you know you're going to have a tougher time during the planning meeting and your application may not get approved so it's in everybody's best interest the applicant and the planning board to tighten this up a little bit so this would just be professionals no it would
be a member from the um EC a member from the zoning board zoning board two members from the planning board they're informal meetings it's all spelled out in our code it's called the zoning committee the last time we made changes
to the signed ordinance we had a zoning committee they flushed out all the details got the information the data came up with the ideas then they bring it back to the township committee so that there's not you know a waste of time that's and everything is is ready
to go and we pull in the engineer as needed or planner by needed or the zoning officer as needed just as needed in those meetings so they anticipated you know three to four meetings and we can kind of flush this out and then we would bring that before the TC to evaluate the changes and make sure you
know why they're making those suggestions those are isn't it those are for ordinances right like that are coming through they're not for the things that are coming to the zoning no no they're not for applications coming to they're not for the appli they're for the
checklist the checklist gives I you know what you need when you come to the planning board there's been some right things that the planning board feel could have been addressed prior to the application being deemed complete and coming to the
board and then you're spending a lot of time at the planning board on the application and it may um create some ordinances that need changes and so this zoning committee will go through those ordinance and work with the professionals to decide what changes
need to be made and then they'll they'll come back with the recommendation to the township committee but first was identifying people of those committees to make sure that they could commit my resolution by the TC do you identify the
ordinances that are needed Pro like because I remember when the zoning committee they we had there was like a list that they they would attack like you know there was priorities like obviously the attorney will help the zoning committee decide which ordinances are affected by whatever changes they
need to be made to the checklist the the main the main trigger to this is giving the same critique to every application all the time which says okay well we need to then adjust the guidance so that this particular thing that we keep
adjusting is in there uh sort of locked um so thank you for taking this on like I I will say prayers for you because it has been very long sometimes painful meetings um but yeah we're looking forward to that um relief yep again
hoping everybody benefits on both sides of it the ad hoc committee like just if well it's not ad hoc in the fact that it's determined in the code who is to be on the committee that it's informal that
there's no meeting minutes that the meetings happen whenever they need to happen there doesn't need to be a quorum for them to happen it's informal however it's defined how it has to be created so the people who are on it are defined in the code and then a resolution is done
point ing those members and the chairperson of the committee is going to be a Township Committee Member which would be Lisa because she's one of the planning board members that will be on it's 1507 yeah it was created
for2 but the first thing I needed was to make sure that the people that from each of those committees are willing to do it or have to move on to someone else and so I'm 2third of the way through that process and I have one more to say yes and then it'll probably be on the March
10th um for you guys to say yay okay or nay I'll bake them cookies just keep them on board like we're so grateful for them to step up thank you exactly yeah so I said I try to cap those meetings at one hour so that we could get what we
needed done done and be cognizant of their time okay just as it's the environmental commission planning board uh planner planning board engineer and planning board yeah two planning board members from different
classes one Zoning Board member one EC member and then whatever professionals you need to use correct I have that you ask Matt I have that I have that almost memorized now okay um any follow-up
items okay and then um any boards and commission vacancies you can see on our resolutions that we have some appointments um this evening uh that leaves for the environmental commission um as Barbara um had mentioned we have one full membership a first and second
alternative Municipal Alliance as the second alternative uh shade tree has one full membership and the zoning board has one full membership so again um amplify that amongst the community looking for volunteers to fill those and it'll be really nice going into the second
quarter of the year if we could really have everybody locked and loaded and and full okay um we have no first readings this evening um I'd like to open it up uh for our second reading uh to public
comment so the ordinance that we have on for second reading is titled Cranberry Township ordinance number 02- 25-3 amending an ordinance fixing the salaries wages and benefits for various officials and employees of the township
of cranberry providing for the manner of payment thereof and ratifying salaries and payments to employees and officials previously paid the am may can open to public okay so we'll open that if there's any public comment on that ordinance okay is there seeing none is
there any Township committee comment okay can I get an adoption motion to adopt motion to motion to adopt can I get a second second thank you we'll move on to roll
call Mr Christopher yes Miss El yes Dr Rogers yes Mr Scott yes American yes thank you it's unanimous okay we'll move on to um consent resolutions a through e uh if anyone would like them pulled out or a motion to move a through
e I'll move a through e i it a second second thank you we'll move on to roll call for those items Mr Christopher yes Mrs elwi yes uh Dr Rogers yes Mr Scott yes and mayor can yes again unanimous thank
you okay we have reached the portion of our meeting that's open to public comment as a reminder you can come up and press the button till it turns red state your name and put your address on that paper and we allow a three minute cap and this is our time to listen to
your concerns or accolades you know whatever you choose um thank you for being here um good evening my name is Eileen zis and I'm here with my husband Arthur uh we live on Daner drive and we've been
residents for 26 years we are consumers of New Jersey American Water and we've reached out to them directly but today um I'm asking what steps the town has taken to rectify three concerns the chemical spill from a repackaging
facility in Branchburg the infrastructure of several pipes bursting within the town and the foul odor and taste of the water I understand New Jersey American Water flushed hydrants they made repairs to pipes and they
report that the EPA deems the water safe to to drink however it's been 4 months and the foul odor and taste persist making the water undrinkable so when will the township wide water problem be
rectified yeah it's public comment I guess that go in the record that goes in the record abolutely and who can answer that question or nobody here can answer that question well again the the management of those pipes you've done the right thing by contacting American Water I can
tell you that because the service and the quality of the water is completely under American Waters control does the town well maybe you can answer this but I would think we have an agreement with New Jersey American Water the township so we have an agreement no we sold the
water company to them there is no agreement have nothing to say no Board of Public Utilities wow okay all right well let it be noted that our water stinks anyway and evening and thank you for
your service on the township committee I know it takes a lot of time and effort my name is Ralph as I live on 55 kber Neck Road I'm joined uh tonight with uh by my wife Karen who isome back so the past few years we unfortunately been involved in a dispute with our neighbor
over land use uh that dispute has been resolved settled all taken care of however during that time we did have some interaction with Township staff on how it defends its zoning ordinances and once the issue was resolved we reached
out to the township staff to offer some uh advice and maybe an opportunity to understand better how the town defends its ordinances and requested a meeting to do so we did receive a very courteous response uh that said basically the township is always receptive to hear
from our residents and please email me email me any feedback you may have uh so we did send an email outlining the four areas that we wish to discuss and repeated our request for a brief meeting because dialogue is always a more constructive way to to see whether or not there are opportunities for
improvement unfortunately the response to that second request after the email was that um the how the zoning officer upholds the law is not up for discussion and an in-person meeting to go over improvements is not
necessary uh I was a little confused as to why an email for suggested improvements might be a good idea but why an in-person improvement meeting was not remember not asking for any reconsideration just the dialogue on how the town could do perhaps perhaps a
better job in defending its Z uences why am I here because I I wanted to ask for a clarification about why an email is okay but an in-person meeting is not but that same email ended with I consider the matter closed and this will conclude any further communication from
me about it which hardly seems a participatory way to run government um I I just heard eileene ask you some questions and she didn't get any answers I was I was here to Simply ask what should I do differently how can I help uh with what I I think could be a
flawed process some of you are aware of the issue in full disclosure others may not be but it's it's awfully hard to sit here and see blank stairs I guess this is the process wow the opportunity to communicate with
us is through public comment so that your comments in an email they get received and we rece we get them and we review them and so they don't fall on deaf ears we all get copies of those emails from Resident correspondents but your opportunity to make your concerns
publicly heard is exactly why you're sitting here today we allow for public comment and you get that on a formal um on the formal record and now that's documented dialogue as opposed to one-way conversation but I guess that's
just not the way it works thank you any other public comment Mark good evening everyone I'm here wearing two hats I'll try to do it within my three minute even though it's two different subjects uh first is Cranbury housing Associates uh the cha board and I would
like to thank the township for inviting us to join in coming up with uh solutions to our round for obligations uh we take this very seriously and we hope to come up with some good solutions that we can all be
very very proud of in our to to meet our obligations so we do have a challenge and I think about eight weeks to come up with some solutions and we are working diligently uh to make this happen so again we thank you for the the opportunity we're all looking for the same
outcome uh the second is wearing my uh Historical Society hat uh we have a presentation scheduled for March 9th Sunday afternoon to present uh historic preservation in cramur over the last 50
years this was a presentation given to the cha my chips membership uh and it was felt uh that it would really be very helpful to open it up to the whole town so the presentation will be uh Sunday March 9th
at the library so we look forward to good attendance especially our new residents uh to really find out what we have done uh the town and uh Historical Society to make this town a continue to town what we all love about it so thanks
very much uh 2 o' Mark can you send an email with those details so we can include it in the mayor's update sure you oh on the website yeah there's a form on the website Mark and then that way comes to us okay I'll go back to our
chair okay sounds good thanks very much and then I need just any other public comment this evening okay seeing none we'll close public comment um I did have one other thing I just
wanted to remind our residents on um for March 1st uh begins late fees for the pet licensing add uh additional late fees for pet licensing um and rate increases and then on March 2nd summonses will begin and then April 2nd
uh is mandatory Court appearances so um myself what' you say so please pay yeah so please pay and having uh been a recipient of the summons last year I never made it to the mandatory court appearance it was a voluntary appearance
uh I just applaud every implore everybody to please do that um because you're only going to wind up paying more so thank you so I forgot to get that in um okay uh any action items besides Matt coming up with uh poop bags for
dogs are there any other um action items sorry hit my three minute limit kept your R in there sorry about that any other action ramps I didn't capture any okay a motion to
adjourn motion so thank you favor I thank you thank you