Good. >> Now it's on. >> Good evening everyone. This is the combined municipal meeting. >> This is the combined municipal meeting of January 28th at starting at 6 p.m. Could we all please rise for the pledge of allegiance? >> [clears throat]
>> 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. [clears throat] >> Madam clerk, roll call. >> Council member Brusher
>> here. Council member Coyle >> here. >> Council member Dimma here. >> Council member Kentos here. >> Council member Patel here. >> Council member Patiel. Council member Shmeuel >> here. >> Adequate notice >> adequate notice of this meeting as required of the open public meeting act
of 1975 has been provided by the annual notice sent to the home news triboom store ledger desi talk on November 17th 2025 and posted [clears throat] main lobby mal complex on that same date. >> Thank you madam clerk. I have uh no comments for council president remarks.
Uh I'm going to move straight to the agenda. [clears throat] Uh for unfinished business, uh we have an ordinance for further consideration, public hearing and further adoption which is 2271. Any questions or comments? [clears throat] Hearing none, we have an addition
additional ordinance for 2272 2026 or amending the chapters of land use section of the technical review committee. Any [clears throat] questions or comments? Hearing none. Moving to six. Proposed ordinance
is an ordinance amending the chapter or personal policy section 4.3 military leave uh subsequence 413 of the municipal code of the township of Edison. Any questions or comments? [clears throat] Moving the 2274 2026 and amending the
township code to update the address list of personnel entitled handicap parking spaces. Any questions or comments? [clears throat] Moving the 2020 2275, an ordinance establishing not to exceed salaries for certain officers, departments, heads,
and employees of township. Any questions or comments? Moving [clears throat] to seven, review of the minutes, the combined meeting of the the 22nd the reorg of January 5th, 2026, work session
of January 12th, 2026, and the regular meeting of January 14th, 2026. Any questions or comments? Moving forward, uh from the Department of Finance, [clears throat] A, B, C, and D. Any questions or
comments? Hearing none. Moving to nine from the department of health A and B. Any questions or comments? [clears throat] 10 from the Department of Planning Engineering A [clears throat] through F. Any questions or comments?
Hearing none. Moving to 11. Department of Public Works A and B. Any questions or comments? from the Department of Recreation. A any questions or comments from the Department of Water and Sewer, A, B, and C. Any questions or comments?
14. From the clerk's office, A. Any questions or comments? I'm sorry, from the chief of police. I >> apologize. From the chief of police. Any questions or comments? And from the township clerk 15, letter
A. Any questions or comments? Hearing none, um we'll [clears throat] move forward to our regular meeting. I have the combined um need a motion to approve the minutes for the combined meeting December 22nd, January 5th, January 12th, and January 14th.
>> Motion to approve. >> Second. >> Second. Uh Council Bureau >> and Council Kentos. Roll call. Madam clerk. >> No, it's [clears throat] all in favor. >> All in favor say I. I. I. >> Any nays?
Motion carries. >> [clears throat] [clears throat] >> Unfinished business. Uh, clerk read ordinance. >> Ordinance amending chapter 5 boards, commissions, committees, and agencies of chapter 2, administration of the municipal code. >> Public comment.
>> Uh, can I open for public comment? Seeing no residents, can I have a motion to club close the public portion? Rich. >> Okay. Have a second. >> Second. >> All in favor say I. >> I.
[clears throat] >> Comments. >> Council comments. Okay. Yes. >> Any council comments on a final adoption? Motion to adopt. >> Motion to adopt. >> Second. >> Second.
Madam >> clerk, roll call. >> Council member Brasher. >> Yes. >> Council member Dimma. >> Yes. >> Council member Kentos. >> Yes. >> Council member Patel. >> Yes. >> Council member Shimuel. >> Yes. >> Council President Coyle. >> Yes. [clears throat] >> Cl ordinance. Ordinance amending chapter
39 land use section 39-12.15 technical review committee of the code of the township of Edison >> and open to any public comments from the residents. Please come up. >> This is for the TRC, right?
>> Yeah. Name and address, please. Dr. Nasser, Pleasant Avenue. So, with regards to the TRC, I know that the meetings were moved to 3:00 and now then all of a sudden um we are talking about not making it openly available to
the public and there'll be issues with the OPMA. So I believe that this is a mistake to go ahead and and do it this way because that means that residents will only be aware of any new construction when the statutory 10-day window of public notice under MLUL is
given to the residents. So that eliminates the time that residents can go ahead and coordinate, review with in the township with other residents and get proper legal representation be and have their objection ready to go for the
boards. And as we already know that I tried doing that with the 1039 and boy avenue on multiple occasions and I've already told you that my issues that we had with that as well and hopefully that you guys will figure out if that was done accordingly. So I'm wondering uh
Councilman AJ Patiel I think said something about that there will be minutes available to the residents about that but then I'm wondering if that will be available within that 10day window for residents to go ahead and see what was in the details of that plan. So, if
you can give me any information about why it's smart to go ahead and do this and how that might not benefit the residents from what I just spoke, you can make sure that I right now I feel apprehension toward this whole idea. [clears throat]
>> Do you have any other questions? >> That is question that I have just how is this beneficial to the residents? Why are we doing this >> to our BA? Do you want to answer two of these questions? Sure. I think from a process standpoint, um this is not the final approval. Of
course, it goes to the board who uh offers their opinion and advice and if it needs to go back and to certainly do this. All this is is from a procedural standpoint the completeness the administrative officer um gives adisement to the board essentially to
make sure and the attorney can correct me if I'm wrong to make sure that all of the documents are submitted um are are sub submitted in in in its form. So that's what this simply is. So it does not preclude the public from coming out
and um speaking on the matter on these applications. No, >> that's accurate. So then the public would be available to listen to um when [clears throat] this is being heard whenever that goes in for application then is that correct?
>> Is are there minutes to this as well? >> Uh this is no not a public hearing. It's not a public meeting. Okay. No, it's not going to be a public meeting. >> But previously the TRC was as far as I understand. So, uh, it sorry, council vice president
looked like you wanted to say something. I want to try. >> Did you want to chime in? Go ahead. >> I think the question being asked here, I just want to clarify because, um, Councilman AJ Patil, who's not here, this is what he had, this is what he had alluded to, which was the packages or
what is discussed at the TRC and the applications there. All the information that's collected there will move over to the planning board and we'll and it will be publicly available at that point. Correct. >> Correct. So, and they have 45 days to make that determination out of 10day as was >> correct. I just wanted because the
councilman's absent. I remember word for word what he said. So, I just wanted to repeat that for Octar. [clears throat] >> Yes, sir. Thank you for clarifying that. >> So, then there will be no issue with the res. There will not be that 10day window like all of a sudden the residents will be told like okay you got to come up
with your argument right away within those 10 days we will have they will have information about a property before that 10day window when the statutory information has to be brought through. I I think at this time uh we're going to move forward. Your time is up. I'm I'm
not saying uh your questions are not fully answered, but uh at this time if this board decides to move forward with this, it can always be rescended and pulled back if it's not working out. I mean, you've had plenty experience of [clears throat] these TRC's. The TRC has always been optional
for the public to show up. Uh and they have. Were they even noticed the TRC meetings? They they weren't even noticed. Were they noticed? >> They were noticed. >> Um so I understand your point. Um, I I think see what the members of the councils do and what comments they may have and that's the best answer I can
give you right now. Thank you for your comments. [clears throat] >> Is the clock? >> It's working here. >> Okay, just one second. M >> Pleasant Avenue. Um, so I have one question. Why
why why is this ordinance necessary to change this TRC and keep it from the public? >> That's it. That's my question >> to the BA. Do you want to answer that? >> Sure. I'll just repeat what I had
mentioned to uh Mr. Nasser is this streamlines the process allows the administrative officer who's a an engineering professional on our team to review the documents and in its completeness rather than um and of course making sure that the completeness then is
sent to the planning board uh reviewed at 45 days. So, um, we just want to ensure that all the documents are collected and and it's for the lack of better word completeness to the to the planning board. Make sure that all of the uh documents are submitted so the
administrative officer can certainly compile that and discuss any changes um that would be potentially okay with the planning board. >> The public does not stop the completeness of the documents. public
being being there for the TRC does not prohibit complete collection of documents and I would like to know how the public does
impact the completeness. So, are we saying all these years that TRC was available to the public, it was all going bad? They never got complete documents. I think we all know that is complete BS.
>> Thank you for your comments. Any other members of the public? Sure. [clears throat] >> Um, Anthony Deamron, Edison, was there I just I have one question. Was there any uh court case of litigation regarding uh
whether or not those technical review uh had to be public? I was uh I was trying to look it up. I thought there was one. I don't I don't know. Maybe up to the attorney if there was a recent >> uh that's something we can look into. I wouldn't know if we have an immediate answer right now, but uh I'm sorry to not have that answer this second, but I
can look into it. >> Any other questions or comments? Seeing none, could I have a motion to close the public portion on this ordinance? >> Motion to close. >> Have a second. >> Second. >> All in favor say I. [clears throat] >> I.
>> I. >> Any question or comments on the ordinance? Hearing none. Madam clerk, roll call. >> I need a motion. Okay. >> Motion to adopt. I'm sorry. [clears throat] Motion to adopt. Do >> I have a second? >> Second.
Madame Clerk, roll call. >> Council member Brusher. Uh, >> yes. >> Council member Dimma. >> Yes. >> Council member Kentos. >> Yes. >> Council member Patel. >> Yes. >> Council memberuel. >> Yes. >> Council President Quail. >> Yes.
>> Moving to 18. New business. Proposed ordinances for public hearing set down for Wednesday, February 4th. Clerk read ordinance. >> An ordinance amending chapter 4 personnel policy section 4-13 military leave subsection 4-13.x
of the municipal code of the township. >> Thank you madam clerk. I have a motion to introduce. >> Motion to introduce it. >> Oh Jesus. Okay. Motion. >> I move this ordinance be passed on the
first reading published according to law for further consideration and public hearing set down for February 11th. >> Can I have a second? >> Second. >> Second room.
>> Can any council comments? >> Council president. >> Yes. I should have asked this earlier during the work session. Um, could you tell me what we're amending in this ordinance? What what are the fine lines that are being amended? [clears throat]
>> Counselor. >> Certainly. So, um, what this is doing is it's bringing the the text of the ordinance into, uh, alignment with the actual state statute, including adding the definitions for what the various
components are. Changing some of the terms to reflect what the state statute reflects. Uh, for example, changing uh, the word full to differential uh, because that's that's what the entitlements are. It's not intended to strip any kind of benefits out of the ordinance. is intended to clean it up
and make it align with the actual state statute uh as it's changed over the years. There's been a number of of updates to the state statute in the last 20 years and I don't think most of them are reflected um in in the ordinance itself. So, it doesn't strip any benefits away. Um it just clarifies what
those benefits are so that there's no misinterpreting what it means um and uses language consistent with the state statute. the previous ordinance before this one. How long has it been um in our township
uh that we're amending? >> I would have to check the history on it. >> I think to make sure >> 2020 was 2020. >> I have to get you the exact [clears throat] >> council president. if if if [snorts] you
can make an exception uh this one time to pull this uh because I'm I'd like to look a little deeper into this ordinance before I could fully vote on it. >> Council this >> council members uh any objections to him
tableabling this >> I'll second table. >> Yeah, there's currently a motion to adopt on the floor. [clears throat] Um the motion to table would have to be after the motion to adopt is is uh defeated essentially. So um as part of your council comments, what you're
requesting is that the other council members not vote to adopt [clears throat] it so that you can then make that motion to >> table. Councelor, if we introduce this, we can also table it at the next meeting. Correct. >> Certainly. >> Okay. >> Yeah, you can introduce it and then >> put it on a different date at the next
meeting and and push it out further that way if you don't have an opportunity to review it before then. uh or sit down with with council to go over what your specific concerns are. >> Yeah. >> I have no we don't have a table in it now.
>> Um we we have a motion on the floor. We go let's go through through the motion first. Um >> table just resend just resend the motion. Well, if you vote no on it, then it doesn't need to
be tabled since it's not on the agenda anymore and it hasn't been placed onto a new agenda. You would just have to re-ra it at a separate time. Right now, the motion is to adopt the ordinance for second reading. If [clears throat] that motion fails, then the ordinance fails at this stage and
you would have to reintroduce it at a later meeting anyway. So, there would be no real tableling of it now that I actually go through the process. the um Councilman Schmill, would you be okay with adopting it uh and reooking at tableabling at the next meeting or would
you prefer which preference would you like? >> Introducing it in in >> introducing it and then you can have the option to table it at the next meeting if you're not satisfied with the information. >> Yeah, that would be fine. Thank you. >> Okay. Look, if the council members on
board, we are going to continue, if members are in line, we're going to continue to introduce this military ordinance uh for further reading. Uh we have a motion on the floor and we have a second. >> Yep. >> And madame clerk, roll call.
>> Council member Brusher. >> No. >> Council member Dimma. >> Yes. >> Council member Kentos. >> Yes. >> Council member Patel. >> Yes. >> Council [clears throat] member, >> yes. Council President Coyle. >> Yes. [clears throat]
>> Thank you for that discussion, council members. And Councilman Schmo, we'll look at whether we'll consider tableabling it at this later date. And that will be set down for what date? >> The 11th. [clears throat] >> The 11th. >> No. Okay. >> The 11th, not the 14th. >> The 11th. >> The 11th. >> Yeah.
I lost my No problem. >> Clerk, uh 2274 read ordinance, >> an ordinance amending the township code to update the address list of persons entitled to handicap parking spaces and to delete a handicap parking space.
[snorts] >> Have a motion to introduce. I move this ordinance be passed on first reading published according to the law for further consideration and public hearing set down for February 11th. >> Do you have a second? >> Second.
>> Any council comments? >> I do, council [clears throat] president. >> Yes. H >> how is this going to be done logistically? In other words, I know there are certain residents that have a handicap sign in front of their house and maybe they moved. Um, you know, may maybe they moved, maybe they didn't
move, maybe they're still there. Are we do we have a list? Are we going to knock on their doors? What what are we going to do to update this list? >> Give me one minute. I think the chief is >> I I have the chief here. He can certainly um answer to that. We have an updated list that we we have compiled.
So that that's really it. So it gets compile it gets updated regularly. So, we have a list from DMV of people who are registered or >> are using a cross checklist? >> Yeah. How how are we going to update the list is >> So, when we get applications, we
obviously check to make sure they're current. So, we get it through the DMV's >> Oh, so Councilman's question. >> Okay. So, we're not I'm sorry, maybe my misundersting. So, we're not cleaning up a list. Like, we're not going and checking to see if anybody who's out there who has a handicapped is still
handicapped, for instance, or still in town. [clears throat] >> We're just continuing to maintain the list. >> Okay. >> If there are any discrepancies, uh, my staff will handle that, but it's Yeah, it's not a problem. >> Fair enough. >> Thank you. Thanks. Any other council
comments on this ordinance [clears throat] hearing? None. Uh, roll call. >> Council member Brusher. >> Yes. >> Council member Dimma. >> Yes. >> Council member Kentos. >> Yes. >> Council member Patel. >> Yes. >> Council member.
>> Yes. >> Council President Coyle. >> Yes. [clears throat] over here. Uh 2275. Clerk read ordinance >> an ordinance establishing the not to exceed salaries or certain officers, department heads, and employees of the town.
>> Have a motion to introduce. I move this ordinance to be passed on the first reading published according to the law for further consideration and public hearing set for February 11th. >> Can I have a second? >> Second. >> Can I have a second?
>> Any council comments? [cough] [clears throat] >> Hearing none. Madam clerk, roll call. Council member Brusher >> for introduction. >> Yes. Did you say for introduction? Can you speak close to the mic, Mr. Brusher? >> Yes. For introduction.
>> Council member Dimma. >> Yes. >> Council member Kentos. >> Yes. For introduction. >> Member [clears throat] Patel. >> Yes. >> Council member. >> Yes. >> Council President Coyle. >> Yes. >> Okay. 19. 19. >> Y.
>> We're move to 19. uh public comments on the resolutions only. If this is your first time here, you can comment on any of the resolutions that are set forth here for four minutes and then there will also be a public portion of this meeting. You can comment on anything you like in the township of Edison. I'm just
letting people know if it's your first time here. So, and would like to comment on the resolutions only, please come up. [clears throat] Joyce ship Freeman, Edison, New Jersey. Now, I'm questioning
on 073 about the resolutes accepting and adopting the Central Jersey Joint Insurance Fund 2026 safety incentive [clears throat] program. And I'm just questioning, is this the same GIF program that has like the slush money or
whatever that pays off the uh people that pays off the uh how can you say the lawsuits and stuff from from our town without the council having to be involved in it? Is it is it is it that the GIF fund they
can pay off lawsuits and you guys don't even have to vote on it? Is that the same? Is that the GIF we're talking about? [clears throat] >> Do you have any other questions? >> Could um to the counselor, could you identify the GIF is or do you want to answer that question? It was a comment
or a question. I really >> The item listed here is with regard to our safety program uh our safety incentive program. So we have a safety committee meets every month and we dis and we report back to the GIF make sure that we've uh implemented any um
processes or procedures that are required to make sure that employee safety resident safety is adhered to. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Answer. [clears throat] >> Okay. Um she just stated the answer. We we can >> Okay.
Do you want to do you want to repeat it? >> Central Insurance is >> Hold on. Do you want to stand closer just so we It's up to you. >> No problem. >> I mean, did you want to stand over there so we can hear? >> No, I can I can This is close enough for me.
>> Okay. >> The central insurance, this is what we belong to. Uh the item listed here under resolutions is to adopt the safety incentive program. We have a safety committee that meets every month and we go over employee resident safety um with
a group of uh our team here mostly department department heads um and make sure that uh there's items that we implement what practices we implement within the township. >> How's that? >> But no answer. Thank you. >> Safety safety incentive program. Thank
you. Any other questions or comments on the resolutions only from the residents, please? >> [clears throat] >> Octoaster Pleasant Avenue. Uh, so I want to give a congratulations to uh, Councilman
um for resolution 079-012026 where you're being appointed a class three to the planning board. I was just curious if I could get like a quick synopsis of what class one, class 2, class three, and I think there's a class four as well. what exactly those are.
>> We can we can send you an email that I mean if only because that's your first time here. Do would you prefer an email sent to me exactly what the class is and the details of each class? That would be fantastic. >> They're all laid out by statute uh within the municipal land use uh law, what the different classes of the
planning board and zoning board are. Uh but certainly we can send it to you so that you can review it. >> Okay. He's a voting member >> like every member on there. >> Right. Thank you. Sure. >> Uh for the public, any other questions
or comments on the resolutions only 2373. >> Welcome. >> You're welcome. >> You're recognized. >> You're also recognized. Thank you. Um 22 2273.
>> Um this is for resolutions only right now. >> It hasn't made it it hasn't made it in the resolutions yet. >> Uh right now we're commenting on the resolutions only. >> Okay. And 2273 hasn't made it into the resolutions yet.
>> Well, it's an ordinance. >> Okay. >> Well, give me a moment. I'll I'll I'll look through the resolution. >> Sure. Uh 060. >> Yeah. Starting with 060. Why not? >> See them right there. Right.
>> Yep. I [snorts] know. >> I'm against all them, by the way. I don't I don't I don't see anything of value on here. just see a lot a lot of waste and fraud through the through the chair to Councilman Brer and and Kentos.
Waste and fraud everywhere [clears throat] from 060 all the way down to R79. Okay. Oh, R73, the the joint insurance fund.
Another scam. Big time scam. Uh, do we have any members of Edison Town Council on the Central Jersey Joint Insurance Fund?
Do we have any township employees on the Central Jersey Joint Insurance Fund? >> When you finish your questions, I'll I'll put that down as a question when you're finished. >> You never answer >> with your four minutes. I'll answer it. >> No, you won't. No, you won't. Through
the chair to uh Councilman Brasher, Councilman Brerer, do we have any employees or or uh coun >> anybody? anybody on the payroll [clears throat] on the board of the Central Jersey Joint Insurance Fund? And if we do, would it be a conflict of
interest of any kind that [clears throat] anytime someone's trying to sue the Township of Edison, they either get denied, uh, they get less than what they're supposed to, but no one's answered my question. Is are
any of you [clears throat] on this central? We're We're waiting for you to finish your questions in your form. >> I'm waiting for you to answer. You got a minute 14 seconds left. You have ample time to answer the question. Are there any township employees that are on the
board of the Central Jersey Joint Insurance Fund? >> Do you have any other further questions? >> Would you like to answer the question? There's 59 seconds left. >> I'm giving you all your time to speak. through the chair to Bob Deal through the chair to Sonia.
Do you guys know of anyone that's on the board of the Central Jersey Joint Insurance Fund? >> They're they're not going to answer your question. The meeting is >> through the chair. >> You you know >> through the chair through the chair to business administrator Sonia,
>> are you on the Central Jersey Joint Insurance Fund? 27 26 seconds. >> Is that your only question today? >> I don't know. I could have more questions. If we answer the first one, I then it will lead to a follow-up question. But 16 seconds left and we
still do not want to admit that. Yeah, we're on the board of the Central Jersey Joint Insurance Fund and I don't understand public employee being asked a question from a member of the public and we got crickets.
>> Thank you. Please sit up. [clears throat] Can you uh to the BA, could you answer that question, please? >> Sure. Uh the item again is related to the incentive program, but I sit as a commissioner for the Jeff. >> Okay. Thank you.
Any questions or comments from for the resident, please? >> Elizabeth Conway, 20 Netherwood Circle. I just have a question and I don't need an email, but could you just explain what a class three member of the planning board is? I don't care about 1,
two, and four. I just like to know what uh class three specifically is. >> It's a me it's a member of the council. >> Yeah, it's a member. >> Yeah, it's a they have the same voting privilege as every member on the board.
Any other questions or comments from the public on the resolutions only? Seeing none, hearing none, can I have a motion uh to close the public portion? Council brusher. Have a motion to close the public portion. I used to hear it from the
right. >> I think there's somebody coming up the stairs. >> Oh, you you hear it? >> What? Well, I think someone said they were coming. We can give them a couple minutes. >> Have a motion to close the public portion. [clears throat] >> Why don't we
>> motion to close the public portion? >> Have a second. >> Second. >> All in favor say I. >> I hope it's on. >> Public portion is closed. C. Council, we've never waited for someone to come upstairs for me. I I imagine you were joking with me.
>> I was joking. [clears throat] >> Okay. Okay. Where's that on here? Where' you write? Where'd you write that? Did I miss it? My Where's my notes? Where's my notes? My notes. Anything pulled for a separate vote?
[cough and clears throat] I like all my fancy legs. >> Okay. >> Anything pulling? [clears throat] >> Members of council, uh, for the resolution, is there anything pulled for a separate vote? here. Seeing none, I have a motion to uh
[clears throat] for the consent agenda. Motion to adopt the consent agenda. >> Motion to adopt the I move the motion to adopt the consent agenda. >> Council Patel, have a second. >> Second. >> Second. >> Council vice president Kentos. [clears throat] >> Ma'am, quick roll call. >> Council member Brusher. >> Yes.
>> Council member Dimma. >> Yes. >> Council member Kentos. >> Yes. >> Council member Patel. >> Yes. Council member, >> yes. >> Council President Coyle, >> yes. [clears throat] 21. Back to public comment is oral tition and remarks. For those who are the first
time here, you have four minutes. You can comment on any uh item on the agenda and you can comment on um anything like please. [clears throat] >> Marggo Harris, 43 Oak Hills Road. Good evening, everyone. You're recognized.
>> Thank you. I'm absolutely insensed over the proposed ordinance raising council salaries to 38 thou 38.5,000 and $39.5,000 a full 120%.
I cannot wrap my head around the greed, the audacity, the arrogance, and tone-deaf nature of this ordinance, especially in view of the council's refusal to give the public back their six minutes of speaking time. What a slap in the face. I would like to remind
council members that you were elected to serve at the Edison taxpayers, not yourselves. I know that some of you are either unemployed or undermployed, but I need to remind you that the council's salary should not be viewed as a primary source of income. If you came on to
council looking to profit from your service, then you don't belong on council. Back in November, when I was still council president, this very same ordinance was to be put on the agenda, except for the salaries were being bumped up only 100% instead of 120%. I
refused to put it on the agenda because not only did I think this was an unseammly increase, but also because former council members John Pointer, Nish Patel, and I would have benefited from the retroactive pay increase that would have been made retroactive to the beginning of last year. While it would
have been nice to leave council with a $16,000 golden parachute, it just wasn't right. Both Councilman Brusher and I served on the Edison Board of Education and I think we can agree that we did as much work with no pay as we do on council. The difference is that the
members of the school board do so irrespective of no financial compens compensation. Now, it's true that I did and still do support the salary increase that was granted for the mayor because it fits the job description of such a
demanding job of a town the size of ours. no matter who occupies that office. However, this ordinance is another thing altogether and I urge council members to search your conscience and common sense, do the right thing and vote no. Thank you.
>> Thank you. Any members of the public who'd like to speak? [clears throat] >> Andrew Sers, uh 24 Ker Edison. >> Welcome. You're recognized. >> Thank you. Um, I'll come here today to talk about ordinance 2273 tag 2026
of uh, good evening council president and members of the council. My name is Andrew James Cells IVth and I serve as a Marine Corps recruiter working with young men and women from communities just like Edison. I want to speak about something I see every single day. How employee support directly impacts military recruitment and retention. When
local governments change policies surrounding military leave, pay, and benefits, serve members and their families are affected. So do the young people considering whether to serve uh stability and support from employers are a major factor in whether someone would decide to join reserves or national guard or saying after their first
contract retention. If service members feel that their civilian careers may be affected, politicized or made uncertain because of military commitment, it creates hesitation and doubt. Parents u when I was a recruiter, parents asked me, will my son or daughter be protected at their job?
Spouses asked me, will our income be stable if they deploy? Those questions can determine whether someone signs a contract or walks away. And recruiting is already hard enough. Trust me. Uh when policies appear to shift or become part of a political debate, it sends the wrong message that military service is a complication instead of something valued
and supported. The uh that perception hurts recruiting and hurts retention of experienced service members who are already serving both for their countries and their communities. Uh municipalities play important role showing that the service is respected not scrutinized. Consistency, clarity, and a strong protections make it easier for people to
raise their right hand and a seasoned service member to continue serving. I encourage the council members to consider how the decisions are viewed, not just legally or financially, but through the eyes of future Marines, Marines, simplify uh soldiers, airmen, sailors, and guardians who are deciding whether service is worth their personal
sacrifice. Uh to add, I just want you guys to think about this a little bit. See from my point of view, you know, I don't come here often. And you know, I'm not crazy in the politics and everything, but I was a recruiter, you know, I keep saying that, whatever, but I don't want y'all to make me seem like a liar, [clears throat] you know, and
you guys want more veterans protecting us, you got to treat us right, you got to do what's right, you know, as simple as that. And the question I asked you guys, like, how many people this truly affect for you to be taken? Cuz uh I heard um
was it ASAP, Shme, whatever. Um, thank you for commenting that, you know, questioning it and tableing all that stuff, right? But what I'm trying to say is lost my train of thought. Give me a second. >> As far as like uh how many members
actually part of like the township is applied to? Is it like a large number? Is it a small number? Why take away from us? We gave you guys everything, you know, and that's I remember I was going to say now Asaf Schmele, he mentioned um
the wording within the ordinance as far as differential full and must. And I and I heard you guys going back and forth about that. Um words have meaning. You know, there's a huge difference between must and uh full. I have to pull it up. I read the document earlier. Must and
full. Must is 100% guaranteed. Um, if you use other words like I sorry I took notes. Let me find it real quick. Uh, [clears throat] I don't got time. Look it up. But all I'm trying to say is don't take away
from the veterans. Not just the current ones, but for the future ones. because that could be the difference be because when I when I was in service a lot of people like military from Jersey they say don't don't don't come over to Edison because stuff like this so you want quality or you just want quantity
you want the best want some Marines out here do the right thing >> sir thank you and thank you for serving our country >> council president >> yes >> um can we get the um I'm going to say young man I mean he's probably my son's age but but can we get his uh contact
and give that to Michael because Michael was saying that um we're not really taking anything away. We're just correcting the spelling of certain words basically. And and if that's the case, I would like to hear from the recruiter
after he reviews reviews this with you, right? So that I feel comfortable because I will tell you this, there is no way that I will cut a nickel from anybody in our military. I mean, I passed this ordinance that's up here
that's about to be changed with the mayor, Sam Joshi, okay? Because it was drawn up. It was said it was inconsistent. It was wrong. I think Bob Deal might have been on the council with me at the time. Um, and we said it was inconsistent. And we had the lawyer, which was Bill Northgrave, who's one of
the greatest lawyers that we have in Middle Sex County, um, came up with this. So, you know, I guess if there's an an our fort, art thou or something in there that's not right, I get it. But if there's a nickel being taken away from
our military in this day and age that we live in now, um, and I know, you know, I I know the world's getting crazy now, um, where we want to defund everybody, but as a Democrat, I'm like your old school Democrat. I'm not defunding my police and definitely not
my military. So, can we get his contact then you guys do that thing and then he contacts at least me. Um, if if you can get my contact so that then you can let me know whether it sounds good or not. >> Councilman Brasher. >> Thank you, >> Councilman Brasher. He belongs to the
the post that I do. I will um I have his information in my cell phone. I I know him very well. >> All right. And can you give him my contact? >> I will give him I will exchange contact information with him whether he stays for the end of the meeting or not. I can text him. >> All right. Thank you very much. C
>> councelor [clears throat] counselor, could you just repeat the uh ordinance and [clears throat] how it aligns with all state ordinances? >> So the ordinance itself uh that's being proposed includes the the definitions
that are in the state statutes with respect to military leave. Um it includes definitions for what active duty is. It references uh the specific statutes within the New Jersey statutes annotated that define what is active
duty, what is uh entitlement to those leaves. Um it replaces uh must with uh shall which is legally essentially the same thing. Uh it's just >> it's for it's it's an imperative.
When you have an ordinance that says the township shall do something, that means that the township shall do it. It it's not it's an imperative. There's there's no arguing with that. We can, but it's it's what the township's required to do. >> We're going to provide you a copy of
this and anybody who would like to have a copy in the room here, we'll make sure you have a copy and by the next meeting, you can caucus with um Councilman Brer and and Councilman, it's Assaf. You're pretty close. ASAP. It's a soft shooel. You've come the closest in pronouncing
his name out of probably 50 people. So, you did good. Uh, no, it's okay. It's But we'll get it out to you and anybody who'd like to have a copy, the clerk will have a cop copies for everyone. >> Yeah, President, quick question to for our attorney. Um, because when we keep
on saying it aligns with the state law, right? Like when I first got into government, I thought we had to uh line up with state law. I thought that state had to line up with federal law, but I just seen our great governor Mickey Cheryl. Um, she's enacting like her own
vaccine clinic now so that we don't have to follow the federal law, which Donald Trump has. So, what that means to me then is that the township doesn't necessarily have to follow the state law um either. So, you know, I mean, if the governor can do it, well, council mayor
can do it. And and that's just my comment, but I'll wait to see what you come up with um for the >> Yeah. >> Like I was going to say, I'm I'm happy to listen to any concerns. I'm happy to bring those concerns back and and try to make sure that that it it aligns with what the the township's values are. So
that's perfectly perfectly acceptable. >> Okay. Thank you. Any other questions or comments from members of the public? Please come up. [clears throat] >> Yeah. Elizabeth Conway, 20 Netherwood Circle. >> Welcome. You're recognized. >> Thank you. Uh just I'm going to change
my order. Uh just to discuss the military ordinance. Uh from what I'm gathering, you're just trying to put your P's and Q's in line without any changes is what I'm um thinking is what is
happening. But I would never want any kind of slip in. Um the word shall goes with the I and first person whereas will goes with
second and third person. So if you're changing from must to shall, it's not proper English. Uh the second thing is sorry u you might have meant shall but shall is incorrect. So if Sha's in there, please change it.
>> Legal ease is rarely proper English. >> Well, >> that's why I'm laughing. But the idea the idea of it is if we're aligning with the state what changes or what difference
is there without going through legal ease to understand the uh regular public to understand what the changes are and what loopholes could actually occur is my first question.
Uh my second question was why I looked at the uh ordinance regarding the salaries not to exceed and it was a um very um blatant overall
wording of who is not to exceed. But as Margot got up and explained that uh you guys are one of the not to exceed um I'm kind of embarrassed for you guys that you would even insinuate to do something like this. Um as a former
board of ed member I put in [clears throat] quite a bit of time and I was elected to be that person and I was willing to put in that time regardless of my salary. Uh yes, you did get uh a salary from the beginning,
which was a lot more money than I ever made, but to increase it that much, and I would assume that you might want to add a few dollars because the gas has gone up, but it really hasn't. If you go to Costco, gas has gone down, so you
can't even say that gas is going to make a difference. But it's just blatant embarrassment um for any one of you to say, "Oh, I I I I got elected to do this." And I would hope that that's not your primary reason
or any reason to merely double your salary. Whereas the department heads after so many years of public service and their a job that they applied for and they were doing it deserve salaries
like that. Uh the mayor, it's a very large increase that you gave him and you felt strongly about it. But on his tale, you're making your increase even worse than his in percentage. And I'm I'm very sorry for anybody that could actually
look into the camera and say, "Uh, I think I deserve it." Uh, the third thing is, um, you did answer the question that I had on the definition of a class three member. I thank you. Um, we are now to
the end of January. Has the council members been assigned committees or commissions that they would be liaons to? um the various commissions. Um I know the Edison Human Relations Committee's
next meeting is February 4th and it would be nice to know that one of you have interest in um our commission. So uh that's it. >> Thank you very much.
Um could just to can we repeat um to the council can you repeat the military ordinance again that it aligns with the state >> and and [clears throat] that's that's the the intention. Um obviously that's what this process is for. There are
questions about it. There are concerns about it. That's what public comment is for. That's what the public discussion and council discussion for it will be when it comes back. Um, and in the meantime, it's it's our job to make sure that all of that plays out properly and
that everything is included. And as far as the committees, um, we're going to meet next week. Um there's no exact time when we'll do that, but I would hope to have it done before the 4th so that you have a liaison for your committee. That'd be great. I haven't
seen an overwhelming response of people because of their busy schedules this week. It's been challenging with uh snowstorms, pipe, [clears throat] you know, pipe breaks and different things. So, I'll get back to Councilman Brressure to see if he can check off a
few more boxes for me. Yes, [clears throat] >> ship Freeman. I'm in support of uh Councilwoman Margo. Um to my first thing when I thought about it, I said, "What
do we elect a bunch of grifters? You just got to raise 2023. They've been on the council for a minute and they want double the salary. But then I'm looking around. I'm looking through the neighborhood and I see Jerry She going out to all the schools making
sure it's secure. Not getting a dime. Making sure it's secure for all the kids so the teachers don't slip in the parking lot so the kids don't get hurt. And I come and this group here says, "Oh, we want 20 more,000." Well, let me see. The unemployment rate
in New Jersey is on its way up to 6%. the health insurance has went through the roof and the people have to pay the taxes. We're over 200 million in debt, but that's been stretched out for 30 years. But sooner or later, all this stuff is going to come. It's going to
impact this community. But oh, I need 20,000 more because you know why? And I'm only going to give you four minutes because I want to control the message. I don't want you to be able to say one thing or another thing. I want to control the message. So you sit down. I
I want more money. So, you know, I look at all of you with disdain. You're all beneath me. I need all this extra money, but you're not getting six minutes and you're not getting a rebuttal. This is not going to happen. Then I look over to my right and I see this gentleman, Bob
De. I remember Bob De peanuts. He would be here at 3:00 in the morning because he respected his job as a councilman. That meant more to him. All right. So, I don't know. Oh, maybe I need to sit and have a meeting with somebody that knows
a little bit about council cuz this really really this this really disturbed me more than anything. And then somebody said, you know, in Woodbridge they get 26,000. Well, guess what? The councilman for Colonia is just like the mayor
there. That [clears throat] mean they ain't hardly making any money cuz they're doing gigantic jobs and they have assignments that they have to do throughout the year. I was sitting up there on the council. Most of the people that I was with, even though they got the big raise, I didn't
see him at any of the events. I didn't see him out working for people. I didn't see them doing much stuff for people. You know what I mean? And then we should be pushing the idea that they're going to be building senior housing down by EMTT Avenue. So, we could say, "Hey, some of you people who can't even get a
loaf of bread, maybe we'll try to get something to the food desert. Maybe we will for you seniors and stuff. Maybe we'll do something something for you or whatever, you know, because I I every like at least one day a week I hand out food and stuff to people. That's what I
do. Okay. And I'm just really really appalled that somebody would say double my salary. I haven't even been here. I haven't been long enough. I can give a civics test and I don't even know who would pass it, but I want double the money. And look, and to me, I think
you're looking at people with disdain when you tell them you only have four minutes. Retired teachers, retired social workers, retired people that come here, drive here through the ice and everything over 35 minutes. Senior say,
I'm looking at the people here, the dedicated people that are still dedicated to this town, and you say, I don't care if you drive for 50 minutes. You only getting four minutes whether you like it or not. And guess what? I'm gonna make sure I get 20,000. I'm g make sure I get double your salary. Now, I
was talking to law enforcement outside. Now, if they want more money, I'm okay because they gonna take a bullet and they show up at things. Okay. But to me, I I'm like, am I with a bunch of grifters or what? What? What's going on?
How How did this come about that everybody wants more and more money while we get less and less? Okay. I I don't think it's fair. I'm I'm really very very disgusted with it. Thank you. >> Thank you. Any other members of the public?
>> Get Anthony back here. >> Anthony Damron, uh Edison, New Jersey. Um I'm going to I'm just going to try to keep this as positive as I can. Um, well, [clears throat] as far as like the mayor the mayor's salary is concerned, I I have to say, you know, with regards to
him, I I think there's I got to be honest, I think there's there's effort there. He's he's I might not agree with everything he does >> and and stand, you know, stands for it. But, I mean, he he does put the effort in. I have to be honest. Even the BA, I I was against the BA the first time around getting the raise, but I think
she's uh I think she's been loyal to the mayor, which is very important. The BA needs to do that. Otherwise, you're going to have just chaos here in this town. if that was if she went sideways, but she uh there's effort there. So, I have no problem with that. Um this time, [clears throat]
um as far as the council, I mean, oh, and as far as the one thing with the mayor, though, the only thing I don't like with the mayor and how they how he boxes it, you know, how he frames it is the full-time stuff. The mayor can't be full-time part-time. It's an impossibility because if he's full-time parttime, that means he's off on the
weekends. What what day is he off? Um he it he's it just it's an it just doesn't make sense. He's the mayor. He's the mayor at 12 midnight. He's the mayor at all times. That's just it. So he we don't need to see the full-time part-time. However, he does put in the hours in at the office. I think that's what it comes from to help him out. I
think that's his point is that it was based on the previous mayor who also that was a a lie. He met Mayor Lankani was always at the office. Maybe not as many hours because he worked a full-time job, but it is what it is. So I think that's uh so that's reasonable. What I
don't understand I guess the question is regarding council is first of all I think you should go for more money possibly because honestly there's it's not going to matter. It's going to pass anyway. Let's be honest. So with that said your responsibilities are they changing? I I happen to agree with some
of the other speakers is that I want a back and forth. I want a conversation. I told you that council president a million times. Uh I want a back and forth. So, we should be able to get to you should give the people something in return for that because if your responsibilities aren't changing, then what is it technically? What does the
council do besides come here and vote on things? You really you could every single person could call council members. You don't have to answer the phone. You don't have to show up anywhere else. You don't you're not obligated to do really anything else. Maybe some committee meetings and that's it. So, I think it's not it's it's it's
it's reasonable to ask to give something in return. I'll go a step further. Also, I think if you're going to go to these salaries, I think you might as well go the full 10 yards. And and honestly, because there's something missing with the council, there's no Listen, I I I
look at if there's complaints, I I I believe in the ward system. Truly do at the end of the day in my heart. That's what we should go to. But we're not going to go there. I know that unfortunately. But then if what would be the best second best option? And that to me is somebody I don't know what it is.
Maybe somebody else has a better solution than me, but there's something missing where I think that like the council president uh you know the responsibilities if you're paying them that salary, give them a cell phone, give them a township issue cell phone, give them an office, give them assistance, whatever it may be. They got an office. Okay. I didn't know that. So
they got you have an office. All right. But um there needs to be something where we're able the people are able to reach out and demand a little bit more from you in my opinion, you know, and I feel like uh we have too many people. I'm not saying
nobody does their job, but you know, I used to go to Rich for a lot of stuff. I I He's retired in my book. I retired him. I I use I like I feel bad. But so I you know, but I Joe, I I I we speak to you. You know, you're always we're always talking. Um, but too many people
are I feel like some people could just they disappear and we don't hear from them. And I think the way to do that is to uh give you guys some more responsibility or somebody dictate or or uh uh you know send jobs to to each
[clears throat] one. I don't know whatever it is. Something like that. But that's 60 seconds. I have a lot to say. >> Were you happy I got back to you? Mere were you happy I got back to you? I [clears throat] I we're going to have to talk because I didn't like the response. >> Was it a fast enough response? >> But I didn't like >> Was it fast enough?
>> It was fast, but the cont I I think we need to talk afterwards because I I didn't really to be honest with you. I think you misinterpreted what I was saying. >> I went there. >> Did you go past there? 7 feet out, Joe. From the curb to the street. I fixed it today. 7t out. That's >> I got to end your time, but yes. Thank you.
>> You know, Council President, um I I believe it's good to have the public and and hear from the public. Um, I am going to give a statement because I I believe um I believe in certain votes that I have and and I'm going to explain those
and I and I I think they're true. The >> you add this to your discussion items. >> Oh, yes. Okay, >> that's fine. >> Yeah, that's fine. >> I I just wanted to make a quick comment um for the TPW. They did a great job on the snow and uh Mr. was talking about
snow and tightening up some spots which we'll get to. But thank you. Uh anybody else question or comments please Sumalon Barber Pleasant Avenue. Um regarding ordinance 2272
the change to the TRC. Since you are narrowing transparency with this ordinance, >> [snorts] >> um will the planning board be transparent and uh post the complete plans because now
that we have this TRC um that's not open to the public, the plans will be complete. Uh, will the planning board post the complete plans online to the township website in a timely
manner before the planning board committee before the planning board meeting and what guarantees do we have of that? That's one question couple questions under that. Then with regard to 2275,
um it's pretty cool thing that you know you can write up an [clears throat] ordinance to give yourself a raise and then vote to give yourself a raise. That's pretty cool. I've never had that in my life. But um my my understanding and I don't
begrudge anybody the the stipend, but you know any elected official is in a service position. Um and they elect to be in that service position. And you know, you don't run for council so you can pay your rent.
And if you don't like the salary, you don't accept the job. Um, so my questions now are where is this money coming from? Is it in the budget? You are you are raising the
taxpayer burden from 123.5 uh $123,500 a year to $270,500 a year. [snorts] Um, how how are you justifying such a huge increase? like why not go to
$25,000? Why do you have to go to 38? I said the same thing about the mayor. Um and then um is the assuming even though it's the maximum, that's what you're going to vote in and that's what you're going to
get. What um is there a retro payment back to January 1? So you get a little bonus. Uh so those are my questions. [snorts] How do you justify it? Why one? Why 120%.
Why [clears throat] not a lesser increase? And what's the retrop payment? >> First question to the BA. Um, as far as the budget, she was asking a question on the salaries and how they fit into our budget.
>> Um, so we have a a temporary budget. Um, they would be towards uh January 1st. So, we're early on in the year. So, um, we were able to budget that for this upcoming budget. >> Um, >> and if this was passed, will we have a
retro from, uh, let's say February 11th to January 1st? That would be three meetings, 30 days. Typically, yes. >> Yeah, typically. Yes. So, the answer to the retro for 35 days of the year or so, give or take. Yes. >> January 1st.
>> Yes. Okay. And um you had another question about um posting the plans or are we going to fully post the plans? >> Well, I had more questions about the budget. My other two questions on the budget were um how how did you arrive at 120% increase? Why that number? Why not
a lesser number? And uh how are you justifying that? >> And then I'll repeat my 20 my questions on 2272. >> Your your time is up. >> So you're not going to answer my
questions. >> Well, we're going to answer your questions, but your time is up. >> But you don't even know what they are. I had to repeat them. >> But we wrote them down and I I have them here and I'll answer your questions. >> Okay. I'm just going to go first to the post
of the plan. I'm going to go back to your questions on the salary. Um, but for the posting of the plans, I just want to get that out of the way. Will we be posting plans? >> The agendas are online. Um, anyone from the public is able to go get the copy of the plans through engineering is my understanding.
>> Yeah. >> Right. >> Okay. >> Sorry, I couldn't hear you. Could you say that again? The plan the agenda for the planning board is posted online. If anyone would like a copy of the applications um they can go to engineering and retrieve
those. You can certainly file an open request. Um just a brief uh we're going to go over this in discussion items as well and answer it in more detail for the council salaries, but each member of the council individually did their homework with the clerk's office to justify what
salary should be or could be for a council member. And I think today I think the expectations of a council member is different of what it was yesterday. We also felt that this would open the door to the middle class to get involved more and it's appropriate that
a salary could could have other people involved in council. You just commented before and so did others that retired people are involved and they are. This makes it the majority of who can afford to be an elected official and who can't.
This certainly takes that out of it and there'll be opportunities for others. Uh this salary was looked at across 500 municipalities for the for the for [clears throat] the for how big this town is uh over 35 square miles for the
budget being close to $200 million. for the expectations of each member of this council to understand finance, infrastructure, road paving, snowplowing, emergencies, sewer breaks. The expectations are much different than
a small town in Hamilton or somewhere uh down south. So, that's where we arrived at it and the discussion items will answer more for you. But there's no question that this salary definitely attracts someone else to get more involved than someone who's established,
who is an attorney, who has a job, has a family, or retired. And you can't argue, to my in my opinion, that's a fair argument to say because you just had three people come two people come up here that were from the board of ed who got that job at the end of the
retirement and were established. And it's been rare that anybody else has had a job as a member of an excellent official, you know, with having those opportunities. So, we think this opens up the door to middle class getting involved. That's my opinion, but we're going to answer more and I thank you for
your time. >> Okay. >> Anybody next? Mr. [clears throat] >> Oster Pleasant Avenue. So to continue the conversation you're just having that it opens up the door to other people to apply or to try to think about being a council then it does not make sense to
go ahead and establish that salary right now. That would have made more sense to do it during the primaries or before then or maybe to hold off two years when we go ahead and try to have new people go on to the council. So I don't think that argument jives now with the Oprah
that we were just talking about for the planning board. We know that Opras take forever did they get denied. So, I have a concern again that at the planning board meetings, people will not have that information until the very end. So, I'm going to read a couple things here because four minutes is tight and I do have a lot of things to talk about. I
really wasn't going to come here tonight because I have other things I have to do with my job, but I'm here. So, this year we have four we have had four meetings now and nearly half of the council is new. Everyone knew the compensation when they first arrived at this job. So, what
has changed to justify the doubling of the salaries? Maybe that should have been brought up when campaigns are going on. It would have been interesting to see what the public thinks. So, what specific legislature or outcomes from the three meetings or four meetings I should say warrant a 120% increase? That is a reasonable question. Hopefully, get
an answer. At the last two meetings, I raised concerns that council legislation legislation was being undermined. No actions or responses followed. Fundamental legislative responsibilities were questions, but nothing changed. But yet, we want to increase the salary. I think that at best maybe you should wait
six months and we see what this council accomplishes and then we go ahead and see if you should go ahead and get an increase. But again, you don't have to listen to me. You guys are in control of your own salary, which is interesting in itself. Now, with regards to things that I've been coming here, and I have not
come here last year for a long time because the last council would not listen to what I was talking about, and it is about sidewalks, sidewalks, sidewalk, sidewalks. So, I've asked and I've inquired about grants about sidewalks for the schools. There are portions that do not have sidewalks yet.
We still do not have sidewalks. Why can't we get this? Why is this a big problem? Do you want me to pay for it? Cuz I'll do that then if that's what you need to do. Why can't this town go ahead and make sure that there's safety for the students? As with sidewalks, there is an ordinance that says 12 hours of
light. I went around to three schools to take a look at the sidewalks to see what the students are walking through. And there are for Thankfully, most people did go ahead and clean up the sidewalks, but there it only takes one person to cause a problem with students having to go off onto the streets and then back on
the sidewalk. Also, with some of the streets, especially in the schools, I feel like maybe you should have an ordinance like Wood Wilson Drive will use an example. Cars should have been off the roads. That's what the mayor asked for. And so, the plows could not pave that appropriately. and schools, buses, and cars going in that turns
there. There's plenty of turns there, had trouble getting through. Um, another thing is I did suggest um, and I actually contact you, Councilman Coyle, about when the mayor wanted to take cars off street. I asked if we could use the Steuart's lot. Um, and and thank you for
getting back to me, but I think that we have to have a plan of where people can put the cars. For myself, my neighbors um, did not have parking spots and they were afraid about being towed. So, one of the people was going to go to Perth Amboy as far as that to put their car. I said, "No, go ahead and park in my driveway." Just as I did that, somebody
from one of the condos parked in front of my house. I had an altercation with them. They moved their car. Eventually, the police got involved and I don't know why they had to park there, but then again, people didn't move their cars off the streets, so therefore, I can't park in front of my house right now. So, that
did not make sense. As for the 1039 Amboy Avenue, I had a complaint by somebody saying that they moved the snow in front of the residents. I have pictures to show that. Who is responsible on Amboy Avenue to clean off those spots? There's lots of businesses there. There are spots allotted to like
the Dr. Cello place. Is he supposed to clean it up? And with ordinance 2233-20224, I'm asking about that information. Is it inclusive? Or you can just pick and choose. I don't have enough time because you won't give us six minutes. [clears throat]
>> Okay. Um, let me try to tackle some of the sidewalks. You mentioned um clearing the walks to the schools. You're at first. I thought you were discussing sidewalks, but sidewalks around the schools, but you're talking about the snow clearing and having access,
correct? >> And also that there are sidewalks that are missing here and there. >> Okay. Um I I think the engineering departments went you want to answer that first? >> Sure. Um I would love to um speak to uh Mr. Nasser about those specific areas.
It's the first time I'm aware of them. So I certainly want to make sure that we are going out there. I know for a fact tomorrow we're we're going to have an early crew just to work on even corners. Uh I understand that there's concerns with even council members yourself that asked about um corners and and certain
cross cross areas. So, um, if Mr. Nasser could please provide me those specific areas, I want to make sure that we hit them. >> Okay. So, uh, first, as you heard, I think if we can sit down after this meeting or through an email, identify the locations exactly of where there's
not continuous sidewalks where there you're walking and there's a gap of dirt between the next. >> I provided this to the council last year. >> Okay. Um, I apologize. I I didn't receive a copy of it, but uh, it's important. I sat with the mayor when we first uh became mayor and we went over
Oakue Road on every sidewalk on on Oak Road. It is a concern and we will address it. Okay. So, um and as far as Amboy Avenue and um enforcing Chief, do you want to uh give crack at uh the
enforcement and how we first oct want to share with you um it's I spoke to our uh chief. I talked to our lieutenant in traffic. We've been out there doing a pretty good job making sure we can get cars moved. And I think this mayor this time has pushed as hard as he can
through this emergency, but we're looking at, you know, a lot of snow in a short amount of time and then the expectations of residents to be in somewhat perfect shape as it was prior to and it's it's not easy. It's not easy feat. But today we had uh DPW on Amboy
Avenue with with with loaders and moving and clearing out spots and but Amboy Avenue is not the only place they have to be. They have to be across 750 lane miles across this town. Um people are complaining they elected to go curb the curb but they also just finished their sidewalk and if we go curb the curb that
snow will be over their sidewalk. So some are upset that we're again, you know, so we have to draw the line in particular spot here and and I think to expect a a night shift employee to expect a retiree to expect an elderly person or disabled person to move their
car immediately, it's challenging and I think we're doing a great job, but so I don't want to think we're certainly not. But I'm going to give it to the chief and he can discuss. Go ahead. >> Thank you, Council President. And uh I appreciate the kind words and I I certainly do concur with that. The mayor
had a fantastic campaign to try to get residents to get their vehicles off the roadway so the plows could get through. As we all know, it was a marathon storm. DPW did a fantastic job. Fire department, OEM, and my officers were out there around the clock. Uh our traffic division, which usually works
during the day, we had them work throughout the night till 6:00 in the morning. Uh we towed numerous vehicles. We gave over, I think about 25 summones. Uh we stickered beforehand numerous vehicles and we actually knocked on
doors and moved well over 100 cars. So I think we did a fantastic job all in all. Uh we all understand that uh when a snowstorm comes, people like to leave their vehicles in front of their house and when the storm stops, clear their driveway and then put their vehicles back in the driveway. But unfortunately,
if that's the case, we can't get the roads clear. Uh, so the township did a fantastic job in my opinion and the opinion of many others with clearing the snow, but you are going to have situations where people are just defiant and don't want to move their vehicles.
>> Okay. And um, thank you, Chief. I appreciate that. And it's fair to say I this has been the largest campaign any mayor's ever done in Edison in the 35 years I've been watching or the clerk next to me has been involved or Councilman Kentos um Brer this has been
the loudest campaign I think any mayor has pushed to make sure people get off the road. Uh and I think it'll increase uh and more will come from it. I certainly hope there'll be signs in the future we can look at so we can sit down another time to see how we can get people off the street. But no matter what, no different than the gentleman
who parked from your house. you're getting into argument into a fight over what, you know, a parking space and and and as far as your parking lot opportunities, you know, we will look into that. Again, it it is not an easy feat to see how we can get, you know, 750 lane miles of cars on on on so many
streets of the town and find them a proper parking space other than their driveway that they have. But it's something we'll work on and I I certainly care and it's a good point you brought up. As far as 10:39, I I'm not going to answer any question that now, but if you can send me an email separately, I'm going to sit down with the the BA and get you the proper answer
for 1039. Is that fair? >> Thank you. Any other questions from the public? Yes, sir. >> Am I recognized? [clears throat] >> You're recognized. Welcome.
>> Thank you. You've known me long enough. I I hope you recognize me. there would be an issue if you didn't recognize me. Um, yeah. So, I know I basically know the real reason you guys are given the race,
but I can't can't even say it. I I'll wait two months and in two months I'll say it. That's because I love America. I respect the court system and sometimes you have to hold your breath. Um,
but what I can say is through the chair to Councilman Brerer, Councilman Brcher, all you need to do to figure out, hey, why are we giving ourselves raises is find out which one one of you guys doesn't have a job up there. And as soon as you figure out which one of you guys
don't have the job up there, then boom, that's all you have to do. But again, I won't say nothing. I'll wait two months. I'll wait two months. I just got some Chipotle, guys. I got some Chipotle. Um, yes. Yes. Uh, I made a I made a bet with
the guys. I said if Coyle goes to the bathroom while I speak, they got to buy me Chipotle. And they took the freaking bet, bro. They took the bet. Uh, and I'm not a psychic. It's just when you know your enemy so well, like the back of your hand, you know, it's called pattern
recognition. He does the same thing all the damn time. Um, so now they owe me Chipotle. you guys, the only town council in the United States of America that banned the banned the American flag and now you're giving yourselves 120%
raise. That's really unheard of. Um, that's beyond stupidity and >> you know, again, there's certain things I can't say because I'll wait the two months. But I I I was
going to play a song. I was going to play a song and then but then I saw ordinance 2273 and we have deal there 2273 we have you and last time Sam Joshi was a councilman
he said he would never do something like this and let's be honest 2273 is that is is that to go after officer David Tingle is this what happens in Edison Township when you run for office when you do your constitutionally protected activity when When you're a
police officer, when you're a war hero, when you do everything by the book, now now the town comes after you for doing what? Your constitutional protected activity. A police officer is not allowed to run for office here in
the township of Edison. And then you want to give yourselves raises on top of that. That's absolutely disgusting. You you're you target a police officer. You target a war hero. You ban the American flag. Then you want to give yourself a raise. But you're not really giving yourself a raise. You're
giving the guy a raise who doesn't even have a job, whose name I shall not mention. Must and shall is not the same. It is not the same. Um
so here, you know, here we are. Uh it's a you can explain to the public, hey, we target Cristo. The guy's a little bit weird. He's a little bit strange. We have to use special tactics against him because he's a special person. But now we're talking about
Officer David Tingle. When Sam Joshi deal when you were up there, you you you promised you wouldn't do something like this. Um and now we're using the excuse we got to copy the the state law. If it's the same as the state law, then why do you have to touch it? It's the same. You wouldn't have to touch it. Why do
you wait the first basically the second meeting after he ran against Dave Tingle to target the guy? You don't even wait two months after. You don't wait three months after. It's disgusting. Let's call it >> Time is up. Thank you.
>> Your time is going to be up. >> Yes. Uh if I may add, I'm looking at some of my stats right now. Uh actually yesterday over 102 summones issued for cars that were violating what we needed them to do and uh another 80 today. So
the traffic bureau is actually out there enforcing our laws to get the residents to comply to make it a little bit easier for everybody to get those roads clear. >> Thank you. Appreciate it. Okay. Um any other members of the public
like to speak? Seeing none. Can I have a motion to close the public portion? >> Motion to close the public portion. Do >> I have a second? [clears throat] >> Second. >> All in favor say I. >> I. >> I. Public portion is closed.
[clears throat] Moving forward, we're going to skip um the council member to the planning board, but I am truly proud uh that this council [clears throat] uh has appointed a soft to the planning board. He's served in the past on zoning and I think you'll be a great asset and
many people know to work with you. Thank you for taking Thank you for staying some late nights for us. I'm quite certain your wife will be very happy. [clears throat] And moving on to reports from council committees. At this time, we will be reporting those uh committees uh at the
next meeting. So, we have no council committee remarks at this time. Is there anybody that wants to add something to an old committee they may have served on? >> Okay, hearing none. Uh we're going to move to points of light. Any points of light items? >> I just wanted to give a shout out to DPW
for the snow removal. I think they did a great job to the water with the uh the water main break on Route One. I think you know they deserve a shout out too. Excellent job and I just want to say thank you. >> Yes. >> Any other members of council points of
light? >> Council president, I would echo Mrs. Dimma's statement about DPW. Great job. Specifically, I got mean by so many people about you know this is a big snowstorm. So about several issues and Pat Coyle and your whole administrative
team. They're very responsive and they you know had the DBW go out taken care of issues for with the cleaning with the salt and everything and u chief it's good to know that the enforcement is being done. Thank you. >> Any other council uh points of light any
other council comments? >> Okay. Um I'm just going to make brief comment to our DPW as well. Um I've received several phone calls definitely responded to different Facebook comments. I was very happy to see the
response uh from DPW, uh public safety, police, fire, and everybody and anybody who's been out there, whether it was clearing a fire hydrant or making sure we had access to the sewers and certainly being out there 24 hours in these trucks on this cold
night. I appreciate the council members and the mayor being out with these trucks making sure we're out and prepared. I appreciate this council properly and the council before making sure that we're fully funded to make sure that we're available to be out there with the proper trucks, the proper
staff uh and the routes. I mean, it's quite impressive as you uh would hear from our council colleagues. Uh we know exactly where all those trucks are at every given time. We know whether the blade is up or the blade is down. I can't begin to tell you how many times
people said to me when I first came on the council, "Well, the guy came down my block with the blade up." Well, today we have technology to know that blade is down and it's coming down your block. So, I think they did a great job. As I mentioned before, this was a very large storm. It's it's it's definitely a
20-year storm that's come our way. It doesn't come near as much. And we have, you know, hit the ground with teams and we have black top throughout the town. I've driven many back streets and we're looking at blacktop. Uh although it's challenging to make it as wide as you'd
like, that comes in time, but they are out there. So, thank you to all members of Edison and TPW for doing such a great job. Um, moving forward with points of light, I just want to mention the state of the township address is on February 3rd at the Pines Manor at 7 p.m. It's
open to the public. It is free and it looks like we the weather will be good for that date. on February 7th, Saturday, um Valentine's Day, disability dance, 6:00 to 8:30 at the Mini Beville Center. Please uh come and mention it on Facebook if you could and spread the
word. Much appreciated. Um moving forward, anybody else have any dates they want to mention um that are coming up for Points of Light hearing? None. We'll move to discussion items. Uh to my right, Councilman Brusher.
Well, I I was going to talk about our our COA obligation, but um Michael's going to set something up for us, right? So, we can speak to someone on that first. >> Yeah. >> Um the the only thing I would say is and I and I wanted to say this earlier. Um
about the council raise, right? And I said this once and a resident got offended and he left and he never came back again. Um, residents come here and residents call council people and and they call us
and they ask us to help them get their driveway cleared. They ask for a sign to be put up. Um, they they ask for all kinds of things for us that has nothing to do with what our job is. That's the job of the
administration, the mayor and, you know, the mayor of staff. um we shouldn't be called when it gets to us. It's at a point where the administration isn't doing it. You know what I mean? So that's like you like
code red um for you to get to us and most of the public doesn't really know what we do. And really our job is to make the laws um to read these muster shells and understand the
definitions. Um, this is our job to actually go through that and put those words in there using legal as advice. Our job is to go through the entire budget to make sure that the budgeted items and the money that's being spent
is spent appropriately. Um, that that's what our job is. It's it's not to do all all the other things. And [clears throat] to be quite honest with you, for us to thoroughly go through the budget deserves 50,000
70,000 a year. I'm going to say it should be part-time to the mayor. So if the mayor gets 200,000, council people should get a 100,000. Okay? And I know that sounds ludicrous because council people don't get anywhere near that. But for us to really go through the budget like an accountant would go through to
actually verify that things we aren't overspending like on containers, right? Where we could have bought containers for 4,000, we paid eight, right? That's what our job is. So if we're doing our job, the money should be there. Um, now
it goes back to the same thing where where we were talking about the mayor and somebody said the mayor doesn't deserve that. You can say that that our mayor doesn't deserve it, but I'm telling you that job deserves that pay, right? So, if the council people are going to do that job and are going to go through that budget and go through all
of that, then yes, 100% they deserve the raise. Whether whether the raise is 25,000, like I I I know Sue asked, you know, how do we arrive at that number? Um, I I didn't arrive at the number. somebody arrived at that number using other things. But whether it's it's
25,000 or 38,000 or 50,000, um I wish I get Anthony to allow us to let him pick our salary. Um but right, so I I think that the salary itself is um
worth it. I I guess um I think that there is work that we should do and if we don't do that work, if we're not doing that budget stuff, then that's the that's your job out in the public. You should be firing us for not looking at
the finances, not looking at the laws. That that's your job is to fire us. Um we can give ourselves raises, but you can fire us. So that's my statement on the the raise thing anyway that [clears throat] I was going to say before. >> Thank you. Council point of order. Um,
thank you council pressure. Well done. Um, and then council members. That's I'm going back here real quick. Here we have council member Dimma. >> Okay. Council member Kentos. >> Sure. Real quick briefly. Um, that um
I'm I'm impartial to the uh to the pay raise. um doesn't matter to me if I get the money or not. But I just want to touch on something else that a lot of the people here spoke to. Over the past two days, I feel it no less than 50 calls. Since I started this job in
January, I've dedicated practically my life to this. I've given up numerous events to go to, family events. You [clears throat] know, everybody says, "Oh, it's a part-time job." Well, when does the part-time job stop? Um, I answer all calls from the public all day
long. And um, you know, what is the pay for that? Well, I signed up for this job. So whether I get paid for it or not, I really don't care. But I'm just saying just know there's a lot of us up here that you don't because you come to a meeting, you don't know what I do at home during the day. Um, and I've I've
started to realize that about everybody up here. Something I didn't know um before I got, you know, elected. Something I didn't know is how many calls do they answer a day? I can only imagine how often Joe Coyle's phone rings um and other council members. And
like I said, um I've prevented I I think I've prevented so far about 12 people from coming to these meetings to complain. They've reached out to me. I worked with the administration, got them in touch with the right people, and they didn't even have to show up here to a meeting. I said, "Please don't come to the meeting complain." I said, "Give me
give me a few days just to see if I could get this resolved for you. Get in touch with the right people." And they did. And sure enough, they didn't have to come here. So, um, not not saying I need a raise. I don't I really, again, I really don't care about the money. Um, just saying that this is a this is a
very busy job. Um, I guess you could shut it off if you wanted to. You could shut your phone off and say, "Hey, I'm not going to talk to anybody. I'm not going to answer any calls." But, um, I always pick up my phone. So, and again, [clears throat] if you're listening out there and you have an issue, something you believe that's a council issue,
maybe it's not even a council issue, just robertkentos.com. My phone number's there. Give me a call. Thank you. >> Thank you, uh, Councilman, Councilman Patel. >> I have [clears throat] a few things. Um, thank you, Council President. So, again, echoing um, everyone's sentiment about
great job done by DPW and your administration. Uh very good job because people before the snowstorm were very panic especially what shows up in the news media and channels and everything and it was and all of us get concerned um how long will be stuck for but uh
pretty much everything was taken care of in very relatively timely manner. That being said one of the things that people brought up and it's it's real. It's not an AI generated video or anything but
yeah in general the sentiment in the town was uh the roads were clean in a very nicely clean but this is from years and years when the blow truck passes by they block people's driveway and nobody
likes it right and people oh I just clean my driveway and and I have to do it again >> there is a video out there which was being circulated it's real video of what they use in Canada um where the truck
so Sonia if you're aware of that that's good news and so many people reached out I got at least 50 60 messages can the township implement that so I have to say that here like if >> yes um and just to echo your we we talked about that even what is called
the dragon if anybody wants to YouTube that video there are some uh interesting methods out there that we certainly want to explore Um and and I understand the I understand the frustration. We we received hundreds of calls with the same issue. Um but of
course we we want to make sure that residents don't throw the snow out in the road either um because there's a fine line that we don't uh want any you the black top to get recovered and then of course it's freezing out there. So um however I will say this and I'm sure the
mayor will be okay with me saying it. If there is an a resident that requires some help with their driveway because it's as a result of us coming around, please call. Um we are more than glad to go out there. We're going out there tomorrow to hit up certain intersections
um just to make that effort because it is freezing. It is very heavy. And so if that is an issue, then if you could just call our offices and speak to Pat Coyle, we'll try to coordinate what we can do in order to release some of that pressure from residents. >> Right. Now that's helpful. How about
what's the feasibility in getting this equipment for the township? >> Uh well, we're in the midst of budget planning and certainly that is something we can we can try to get some quotes for. >> Okay. So, you are aware of the equipment and >> I am. It's sort of like a scooper in sense. Yes.
>> And people brought up different ideas. Oh, we don't even need the equipment. We can put something on the side, but I would rather go with the equipment. So, yeah, if you can look into it and you know [clears throat] have a discussion around that to make it a part of the budget, that that would be awesome. Yes, sir. residents would love it and uh
chief thank you so much for the enforcement that's very helpful. Now one question I had with the enforcement is um the messaging was very good and we all as council members many of us worked sending the message out to people please move your cars off the street we all worked very hard the residents
themselves worked hard mayor did video and I think many people complied and they did move the cars now especially Mr. around your neighborhood. Uh someone would move the car um being diligent and you know try their best but then someone
else would come and use their spot and park the car. So how do we handle you know those um is still the same summons or is there something else that we can do about it? >> Well sure we could continue with our enforcement but obviously anytime there's a problem and uh you made mention Mr. Ner that you had the police
involved. So if there's an issue and a resident's having an issue just not a problem call us we'll resolve it. >> Okay. Thank you. Thank you chief. And uh the last thing for today is uh with the sidewalk. Mr. Naser brings up sidewalk. So uh I think last meeting we had a
discussion when Aaron got the email from Mr. Nasser. So he was you and him talked and he got the email. So anything that we can do in the in that direction. And I don't know if Aaron is going to be in next meeting or it's going to be still yourself as a council, but if you can if
someone can respond back to Mr. Nasser about the sidewalks. >> I'll I'll I'll consult with Aaron and see if he responded or or what his response was. >> Because I do understand the sentiments that those sidewalks that lead to school and some parents reach out that you know
it's very dangerous walking in the conditions and we had a lot of snow. So this was expected nothing about this time around but in general for every snowstorm. All right. Thank you. That's all I had. Super president. Thank you Councilman Assaf. No, no comments. Thank
[clears throat] you. Um I just want to remind council members uh today. We didn't have anything on the discussion items for council members. Um we allowed a courtesy the rich pressure uh to discuss some things and um but for the next meetings we we will have a deadline sent to you. If you have particular
subjects you want to discuss as members of the council, please put on the list. It doesn't um mean that I you can't speak about something, but at least we know to take a deep dive on a question. But um I just want to comment on the uh salary ordinance for those who came here
to have a discussion and some who unfortunately left. Um this salary um from 1966 that was $1,200. today in 2026 which will be 38,500
opens up the door to residents and middle class. I mean without a doubt if you can prove to me and you're welcome to send information to me at jcoy editionj.gov find elected officials throughout this county throughout this state that are
under the age of 30 years old. I mean, we know that most of these jobs of elected officials have been for those who have. It's never been for those who have not. And that that is a fact. This definitely gives an opportunity to inspire youth to get involved in the
political process. Anyone anyone here on the Deis knows that it's a fact. Those who come to the microphone here, a few are retired. They're able to do this. And I think this definitely gives a good opportunity for anyone else who wants to
be involved in this. And there is expired terms coming up, four expired terms coming up in 2028. And those who wish to seek that office or are disappointed in the work that is done on this council or the measurement of what I feel the expectations of the residents
want, you'll feel free to file for that petition and run for office. But it is a fact that across the town in the history of Edison, it's been rare that someone has served on the council under 30 years old. So this gives an opportunity to many people, not just the youth, but
many people can afford to do this job. And I'm looking forward to more involvement. And and I do think everybody on this council deserves a fair salary for this job. It's part-time one compared what the mayor gets at 200,000. to compare it to us. This
salary again will be $38,500 from 1966 being $1,200 to today. And I again believe that the amount of talent and work that each member of this council has to ensue and learn in such a
quick study is enormous. And each member who comes here every day has expectations of what this council should know and they want answers. I think many of these people have been available 24 hours. There are people in the audience right here that have called us and we've gotten back to them. So, if those who
may comment to say, "We just have one job, which is to vote and just do the budget." It it's it's just not true. Uh good luck telling the public that when you want to be reelected for office, that all I'm going to do is look at the budget and nothing else. It's impossible. Uh the public expects you to
be involved uh in in so much public safety, finance. They want to they expect clean water. They have expectance of improvements of our infrastructure, our roads, our paving, our sidewalks, our snow plowing, our infrastructure, uh
with sewer management. A lot is expected of each member of this council. So, I'm looking forward to the support from the members of this council. And thank you very much. I have nothing else to discuss. >> Did you? Yes, council. Yes, please. >> Yeah, I I I forgot to mention um earlier
today I was going to make a motion to um restore the six minutes speaking time and um unfortunately that notice would have to have been that ordinance would have to have been uh noticed and I would had to give it to the uh clerk ahead of time. So, council president was so kind
that we are going to notice it and he has agreed to put it on the agenda. So, I'm very happy about that. Okay, with that being said, could I have a motion to adjurnn the meeting? >> Motion to adjurnn. Second. >> A second.
>> All in favor say I. >> I. >> This meeting is adjourned. 751. >> Second. ordinances.