[Music] Good evening everybody. This is the regular meeting of Wednesday, April 30th. The time is 7:09 p.m. Could you join me in the pledge of allegiance,
please? I pledge allegiance 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.
Madame clerk, could you read the role, please? Council member Brusher. Council member Coyle, here. Council member Harris, here. Council member Patel, here. Council member Patiel. Council member Pointer, present. Council member here. Okay. Madame clerk, could you read
adequate notice? Adequate notice of this meeting as required by the open public meeting act of 1975 has been provided by the annual notice sent to News Tribune to ledger Desi Talk News India Times on November 18th, 2024 and post main lobby missile
complex on that same date. Um we go to number number four review of the minutes. Um we have the combined meetings of February 15th and April 16th. Um, can I get a motion to approve?
Motion to approve. Second, council president. I just have to abstain from uh April 16th because I was not here. Yes. And I think uh Councilman uh were you weren't here on April 16th either. Thank you for Okay. All right. So, two abstensions for April 16th. Um but we
have uh a second. Okay. Very good. All in favor. All in favor? I I Okay. Thank you. Um, council president remarks very brief. We're all waiting to find out when the budget presentation, the mayor's budget presentation is going to
take place. He had said it was going to take place a week before the approval. The approval would be the meeting of Wednesday, May 14th. So that would mean that sometime next week the presentation should take place. We are waiting to find out the date on that. And um I I
hope it's soon because uh the time for giving adequate notice on that is uh is is running very short. Um let's see. Uh oh, a correction I'm making on what happened in a couple of a couple of meetings ago with the four-minute public
speaking time. Um, I I don't feel it's right when someone is, let's say they've used their let's say they've used two minutes of their time and they have a question and the question goes to the attorney. Um, they should not have to leave the podium. If they have a if the
question is answered, they have a follow-up question, they should have their entire four minutes to be able to use the follow-up question. So, they should use those four minutes as they wish to ask and answer have questions answered. So from here on in, I am not going to ask anyone to sit down when
they have their four minutes and they have questions and they have time left. So um that's a change I'm going to make. Uh finally um the a reminder that the second annual police remembers ride is May 9th. The
police unity tour will be riding in honor of me in memory of EPD fallen officers uh patrolman Michael Dudes and patrolman Frank Papani. The ride in and ceremony starts at 11:30 a.m. at the Edison PD memorial in front of
headquarters. There will be an there will be an NJSP helicopter flyover at headquarters ceremony. Um also I lied. I have one more one more thing. Um, and that is I found this on Facebook. Uh oh.
Uh oh. What did I do with it? Oh, I took a picture of it. Oh dear. Um, I cannot find the thing that uh that I wanted to announce. Um, that will be it for council president remarks. We What's
that? No. Nope. Um, okay. Uh so now we move on to unfinished business. Ordinances for further consideration, public hearing and final adoption. Madam clerk, can you read the ordinance? Ordinance to exceed the municipal budget
appropriations limits to establish a cap bank. Okay. Uh uh open opening this up to the public. Any questions or concerns? Uh Joyce? All right. Um due to the um raising of
the cap, I know people say they do it from time and time again. So we going to raise the cap and would that be us also going into our reserve that we overbonded because this is an election year that we over bonded. So, we're
going to go into the reserve and then raise the cap also. Um, that's why I don't understand why we're raising the cap because I know we have a reserve. So, somebody can explain to me why they why is it necessary to raise the cap because that
um heightens the taxes, you know, because every time I get my tax report, everybody keep telling me it's not going up. But you need to see my paperwork because it is going up. So I just want to know why it's so necessary at this particular time when the federal government is
cutting cutting cutting cutting. I don't know why we're spending spending spending. It makes me very nervous. Okay. All right. I don't know if which of you wants to answer the two questions. Why are are we going into our reserves for the cat bank and why now?
Uh we are not. So it was we mentioned uh on Monday's meeting this is an ordinance good for two years. the other one has expired. Uh we do propose doing this because it would affect future budgets. And so from a conservative, you know, being fiscally responsible and
conservative, we want to make sure that future taxpayer dollars are protected. And so, uh this is what we are allowed to via the state statute. And so we feel comfortable that um we may not use it at all. But in any event, this is the responsible thing to
do. Okay. Um Okay. Anyone else on this ordinance? Yes, Liz. Elizabeth Conway, 20 Netherwood Circle. I'm also speaking on the uh moving the cap from 2.5 to 3.5. I was at the board of ed meeting last night and they are
trying to keep their uh budget at 0%. Which I think personally is foolish because of raising costs of everything. I think they're holding their hands and being pennywise and dollar foolish, I told them. But at the same time, going
from the cap from 2.5 to 3.5, is it the possibility of something down the road that just in case uh we foresee? Are you being proactive rather than reactive? And could you say uh let me know at
least what major item would be needed to raise the cap a whole percentage. That's my whole question. Sure. Do I sit down now? You can stay up if you want. Okay. I have three minutes. Anything that's foreseen that that would
cause this uh this increase to come into effect. So, anything uh that I could think of in the future uh could be related to benefits or pension contributions. You know, usually our bills are a little bit delayed. And so, let's say there's an influx of folks that are retiring and we owe pensions a
certain amount. I mean, this is a a responsible way to manage our budgets, our future budgets, if you will. So, there's really no main thing. Those items should be included in the budget because without with
pensions, you foresee pensions happening, but you also have new people coming on with a less salary that kind of could work its way out. Uh I was thinking maybe uh the renovation of the community center is going to be a big item down the road. So, we want to make
sure we have that item or something along those lines rather than saying uh a pension item. No, it wouldn't it wouldn't be that. I mean, you've got a certain finite amount of money uh allocated for that project. So, it would not be related to that specifically.
Okay. So, it's not a specific item. It's just uh I'd vote no on it. Thank you. Thank you. Anyone else on this ordinance? Okay. Um going on to council
comments or questions portion. Oh, I'm sorry. Um yes. going to get a motion to close close the public portion. Joe made that and second. Okay, thank you. Sorry about that. Um and motion to adopt.
Motion to adopt. Second. Is this this this would be the reading? Is this not the reading of the um is the comments would be after the motion is okay. Discussion after you get a mover and a seconder. Right. Okay. Um Oh, that's
right. Okay. Got it. Got it. Got it. Got it. Okay. Um, we had our second. Okay. Uh, council comments, questions. Council President, I thought we Joe made the motion. Joe, no. Joe made it for close. Who made the motion to adopt? Motion to
adopt. Okay. Then second Nish. Yes. Okay. Okay. Um, com council comments and council president. Yes. Just to uh reiterate and clarify in regards to the um 2.5% to
3.5%. That's the max that we can um increase from the amount that the government can the taxable amount that we can actually tax uh residents and businesses. So if our budget is $100, normally the max that we could go
is 2.5%. That would be 102.5 for the following year. 3.5 would mean that we are allowed to go up to $103.50. Does not mean that we have to use that $103.50. Right? This year for example,
we're proposing 0.95% but for argument sake 1%. Right? So that $103.5 minus 101 that 2.5 would allow to be capped i.e. saved for future use. As
an example, in 2020, the overall uh budget appropriation went up 5%. That was allowed because they went to the 3.5 and then used CAP money from previous years in order to go above that
appropriation. Now, I'm not saying that was bad then. I'm not saying that was good then. One of the main arguments for utilizing that in 2020 was to increase the the police department budget. So that would be a good thing to utilize. It's not to say that we're necessarily
going to use it in the future. If you look at this year's budget, the previous two years where there's been a cap bank, we're not using it in this year's budget. It's just as a safeguard for future years if we need to actually use it for an emergency
purpose. That would be it. Thank you, Council. Thank you, Council Vice President. Anyone else? Okay. Um, can we get a roll call, please? Council member Coyle, yes. Council member Patel, yes. Council member
Pointer, yes. Council member, yes. Council President Harris, yes. Motion's adopted. All right. Council, the uh clerk, could you please read ordinance 2248? An ordinance adopting the two Skylar
Drive redevelopment plan. Skylar Drive study area block 160.21 lot 50 pursuant to the local redevelopment housing law NJSA4A12A1. Thank you. Uh any public comments about or questions about this ordinance?
Okay, seeing none, motion to close the public portion. Second. Thank you very much. Um, can we get a motion to adopt? Motion to adopt. Second. Thank you very much. Uh, council comments, questions,
council president. Yes. Uh, I think many of us on the council have been aware of this property for decades. It sat um there I think it was a famous color of the building for decades and cars piled up there for decades. I'm happy to see
something finally come together in that property because uh this is what redevelopment's about. And this opportunity to have this property go from a blighted uh piece of property which you know hurts the neighborhood to a new project is really a great value
for the residents in that area. Thank you, Council President. Thank you. Anyone else? Council President, I agree with wholeheartedly with Councilman Coyle said. I think it also helps our taxes as instead of just being sitting around and making no use to anybody.
This property being useful will actually help everybody else by decreasing our tax burden. So, I'm glad we're moving forward with this and I'm glad the redevelopment of the Route 27 is taking progress and taking steps in the right directions. Thank you. Thank you, Councilman Patel. Councilman uh Council
Vice President. Thank you, Council President. Um the other day, uh Councilman Brer had mentioned like the items in regards to safeguarding for instance with parking or the actual square footage. I just want to remind people that it still has to go through the application process. So even though
if this gets adopted, um the applicant would still have to go before the municipal land use board in order to get its approval and make sure everything is up to our code and to the uh plan. Thank you, Council President. Thank you. Anyone else?
Okay. Um, yes, I echo what everybody has said here. Uh, from what it was, what this property was, which was extremely blighted and, um, not attractive to what will be a very nice building and and multi-use type of building. Uh, I think
it's a great addition to the town. Um, can we get a any other council comments? Okay. Can we get a roll call? Council member Coyle. Yes. Council member Patel. Yes. Council member Pointer. Yes. Council member Schmuel. Yes. Council President Harris. Yes. Thank you. All
right. We move on to number seven. New business. Proposed ordinances public hearing set down for Wednesday, May 14th, 2025. Madam clerk, could you read the ordinance 2249? An ordinance authorizing the township of Edison to acquire a workable uh
conservation easement over property located at 110 Clive Street, block 557H, lot 30B on the official tax map of Edison. Thank you very much. Uh can I get a motion to introduce Council President? I move this ordinance be passed on first reading, published
according to law for further consideration and public hearing set down for Wednesday, May 14th, 2025. Thank you very much. Uh, council comments. Second. Oh, we need the second. Sorry. Second. Okay, we got an issue. Sorry. No comments. Um, coun
council comments. Yeah. Yep. Any council comments on this ordinance? Council President. Yes. Just as a a followup, uh, Councilman Brusher had asked if the conservation easement would affect the ratable asset a aspect of the property. Was there any clarification of that? I
did get an analysis from our uh, tax assessor. Um, we were not entirely sure. So, if I could just uh rely on our township attorney to provide more insight. I think the question was would
the conservation easement uh affect the lots and what it would mean in terms of the impact. So, sure. May, Counc, if I may. You may. This conservation easement was part of the approval process as
granted by the land use board. Part of that process in order to um complete the application requires the filing of a subdivision deed. It's called perfecting the subdivision. For
whatever reason, the property owner and applicant has not done that. So the there is no separate lot and block that the assessor's office has created for this specific property because the
perfection of the subdivision is what triggers that process. It's my understanding that the question can't be answered until the assessor has the lots separated out so
that we could know what the value of the improvements are and what the value of the land is. As you'll recall, your assessment is a combination of those two factors. land has one value, improvement has another value. Uh the fact that the
property will be encumbered by a conservation easement may affect the land value. Um but I do not believe that the assessor uh can state that affirmatively yet and my experience is that if it does affect it, it will be
nominal. Thank you for the explanation. I I would only asked out of courtesy for council member brusher because he had asked at the last meeting. I'm of the opinion that even if there is a negative impact to the raidable the conservation of the
glacier pond is paramount. So um even if there is I'm okay with that. Thank you council president. Thank you. Any other council comments? Council president. Yes councilman coy. Uh, from what I've learned, I think the neighbors are happy. At at a point in time, I think this developer was trying to build four
homes, and I think it upset Matuchen and Edison residents. So, I from what I'm hearing, there's going to be two homes there. I'm sure there going to be homes that are worth $2.5 million in that beautiful area there, which I'm sure we'll get a good tax ratable. So, um, as
as the counselor said, I'm sure it'll be minimal, but I'm glad to see we do have something happening in that place. I'll be curious who's going to maintain it. Matuchin or us. That's what I and I think Matuchin deserves to maintain that. So, I'll be glad to pass that to them when we choose to. Thank you. Thank
you. Anyone else? Um, actually, Councilman Coyle, I believe they wanted to originally build six homes on that on that property. So, the fact that we got just two on there was a real win for us. For myself, I mentioned this on Monday. I live three blocks from there. And I
remember when the home when the pond the home had been vacant that had been there had been vacant for years and years and years. Um the pond which used to be a wonderful habitat. This glacial pond used to be a wonderful habitat for wildlife and there were there were
egrets, there were blue herand, there were all kinds of of habitat aside from the deer and foxes. Um it just became overgrown and um it's an eyesore. So I'm very very happy to see that this will be
this this ordinance will go into effect and I wanted to know what then what happens then we approve this and then what's the what's what's the what's the itinerary after this? So we approve this and then what happens?
You may. Thank you. Local land and buildings law requires that anytime a governmental entity acquires an interest in property as a conservation easement is it requires an ordinance to
approve. This is the introduction of that ordinance. Once the governing body decides whether or not to accept that ordinance and approve that ordinance, then the conservation easement would be recorded with the Middle Sex County
Clerk's Office to put the world on notice that there is in fact a conservation easement that covers the affected areas and no further building could take place in that easement area.
Thank you very much. You're welcome. Yeah, I know that uh I believe we approved this uh this was approved back in was it 2022 by the was it planning that uh that that did that? Yeah. So, I know all of us in the neighborhood are very anxious to see this project move
along. Uh all right. Um so we move on to uh clip m. I'm sorry. Oh, yep. Roll call. Council member Coyle, yes. Council member Patel, yes. Council member Pointer, yes. Council
member, yes. Council President Harris, yes. All right, Madame Clerk, could you read the ordinance 2250? An ordinance amending chapter 2 administration article 3 departments by amending portions of subsection 2-33.1 Division of Fire, Rescue, and
Emergency Services through subsection 2-33.6 Six, firefighters and promotion procedures. Thank you very much. We'll get a motion to introduce. Council President, I move this ordinance be passed on first reading, published
accordingly to law for further consideration and public hearing set down for May 14th. May 14th. Okay. 2025. Okay. Second by Councilmanuel. Uh council comments.
All right, seeing none, can we get a roll call? Council member Quail, yes. Council member Patel, yes. Council member Pointer, yes. Council member, yes. Council President Harris, yes. All right, we move to number eight. Public
comment on the resolutions. The resolutions only. Any anyone from the public? Joyce. 180 180 Joyce Ship Freeman, Edison, New Jersey. Um, the resolution authorizing the township of Edison to enter into a
cooperation agreement. I'm sorry, Joyce. Which which number? 187. 187. Yeah. Thank you. Oh, that took seconds off of me. Okay. Only playing. U resolution authorizing with the Edison Housing Authority. And I read
through the information and stuff it says um providing the lawyer agrees with it. So do we have to pass you have to pass this first then it goes to the law director?
Okay. The form of agreement would go through the law department for review and approval. if the governing body agrees that we should enter into this cooperation agreement. Thank you. I just want I just want to make sure that because I read through the whole thing.
I have this problem of reading all the time. Um then I was asking about uh 194 about the infrastructure bank uh to be issued a principal amount of up to a certain percentage. Um I thought we got
a lot large amount of money from the infrastructure bank already. So, I'm sorry. What's your question then? Um, I thought we had money already to work with from the infrastructure bank. Are we still uh this taking a peace meal? Still just adding more and more onto it. Money from the
infrastructure bank. Okay. Sonia. Uh, no. This is just required through the infrastructure bank in order to go and get the funding. They've they've approved it. This is just part of the process that we get it um before the council for their approval. So, we have to put 8 million up front. 8 million. 8.
We have to put that money up front before we can get any of the other money. It's already been bonded. Okay. It's already been bonded. So, this is just for their approval for us to go to the next level. Yes. For the infrastructure for the u the water. I
I'm just hoping that this water gets done sometime in my lifetime. Thank you. Thank you. Anyone else from the public? Resolutions only. All right. Seeing none, we got a motion to close public portion. Motion to close the public portion. Second.
Thank you. Okay. Um, anything now number nine to anything to pull for a separate vote from the consent agenda? Council President. Yes. I'd like to pull 187 and 194 for separate and 190 which one? 194. Okay. 194 87. Yes. Okay.
Um, can we get a motion to approve resolutions 178 through 186 and 188 through 193 and then 195 and 196? Motion to approve. Second. Okay. Uh, is that an
all in favor? Okay. Roll call. All right. C, this is Yes. Council. Yes. Council member Qu. Council member Patel. Yes. Council member Pointer. Council member. Yes. Council President Harris.
Yes. Okay. Uh, Council Vice Pre Council Vice President. Uh, take it away. Thank you for uh 187. Um, I just wanted to express my appreciation to executive director uh Deborah Hurley and the entire housing authority for the work
that they are doing um at this uh at the Robert Holmes Garden. Uh for those that may not be aware, the rental assistance uh program that they are working with the federal government to receive funding to refurbish the I believe
there's about 90 units that are that are there. Um, I did see some people uh have the misconception that these were going to be new housing units. These are refurbished housing units. So, I just want also want to make that clarification. But, uh, first and
foremost, I just want to express my appreciation to Deborah Hurley and the entire housing authority for the work that they've done in terms of getting us to this point. Thank you, Council President. All right. Um, do we vote on that one separately? And Okay. All right. So, can I get a motion to approve
resolution 187? Motion to approve. Second. Thank you. Roll call, please. Council member Coyle. Yes. Council member Patel. Yes. Council member Pointer. Yes. Council member. Yes. Council President Harris. Yes. All
right. Uh, Council Vice President 194. Thank you, Council President. Um, just for general background for anyone that may not know, uh, in 2023 and 2024, we had four main bond ordinances put for
consideration that were approved that were aimed towards improving uh, several sewer pump stations and improving um, water lines and what we have in front of us here. Um, so we had approved
the this particular bond in the beginning of 2024. I believe it was a unanimous approval at that point. Uh, and all that this resolution is doing is allowing for us to issue those bonds to the to the I bank so that we can receive
those fundings. One of the benefits with the I bank is that their terms that they give municipalities is at a decreased interest rate. usually to my understanding around 0.1 to 2% and I
believe interest rates right now are significantly higher than that. So for me I'm happy to support this. I'm glad that we are making um we are progressing on this and that we will be able to improve our infrastructure to this capacity. Thank you council president.
Thank you council vice president. Okay for resolution 194. Can I get a motion? Motion to approve. Second. Okay. Roll call, please. Council member Coyle, yes. Council member Patel, yes. Council member Pointer, yes. Council member,
yes. Council President Harris, yes. Okay, we move on to oral petitions and remarks. Okay. Yes, sir. Sam, excuse me. Sam Lamb, 20 parch, please. Um when I uh walk through Edison, there
are some streets that um have hardly any trees. And I was wondering if the council ever discussed the idea to require homeowners to have like one tree
on their front lawn. Do you have any other questions, sir? Um besides that and we can tackle them all at once. But the second question was uh is if anything is being done about the deer in South Edison near this
near the railway tracks cuz you know I can see easily a pack of five or six just you know grazing and eating up all the freshly planted uh you know shrubs and flowers and uh so that's my second question. Okay, thank
you very much. Uh I'm going to start with your second question first. Um where are we with the deer study? We anything going on there? Um just a little background in uh 2023 uh I had established a another deer
committee to kind of review what the previous studies had put forward and what really our options are. The township has three options to consider. one is either um tranquilizing and and moving them which is very costly and I'm not sure other m
I'm not even sure if we're allowed to move them to other municipalities quite frankly. The second option is to neuter the deer for lack of better words and that is also costly. The third option is to allow for a hunting season within the
township. In order for us to do the third option, we would have to actually modify our current code because our discharge um our discharge code does not allow for the discharging part of uh bow and
arrow. Um we would not we did not recommend firearms. Um we don't have the space for firearms quite quite honestly. Uh but we would have to modify that code to allow for the discharge of bow and arrows. The issue on the south side particularly is that there's not too
many open spaces where that type of hunt can actually be facilitated. State law requires that for bow hunting, you have to have 150 ft buffer between any residential property. On the south side, there's not too many areas outside of
like the boat basin area, like that ravine that really allows for that type of uh space requirement. Even if you allowed that, and I don't want to take up too much, but even if you allowed that for the entire township, you have to deal with the fact that the deer are
going to replenish. They're going to have new babies, and they will eventually migrate to the areas where uh even if there were a decrease in the population, it will eventually be repopulated. In order for you to see a decrease on the total population, you have to reduce it by about 40% on an
annual basis. In my honest opinion, I don't think it's a realistic measure to meet in Edison, unfortunately. Thank you. Yes, I just want to add that I'm glad that you brought that up because it it's a we know of the issue.
It's a constant conversation amongst us. It's but it's not so simple. It's not a simple fix. So, we're working on it. Um and hopefully we find a resolution for those deer. All right. Thank you. Thank you, Councilman. Uh the other question
had been about the streets that don't have trees and uh is there some kind of requirement for trees to at least one tree to be planted? um not for current homeowners, but if
there's a obviously if there's a a a new home built, they do have to replace it not with just trees, but with shrubs. So, with any new built, that is a requirement. Okay. All right. Sir, does does that answer your questions? Um just uh two
thoughts. One is, is it possible to have uh if a house is sold for the certificate of occupancy to be issued to have that as the um as a requirement that there should be at least one tree on the front lawn before the new person
moves in. I'm sorry. I think his time is up that up there. Okay. I would have had no way of knowing that. I'm sorry, sir. our our clock our timer is not working. Um and your your four minutes is is up. But you
can certainly ask this question offline after the meeting's over. All right. Okay. Thank you, sir. Council President, yes. I do want to follow up on the question about the trees in front of the properties to legal counsel. Is there a possibility we do have a tree fund and if some resident is interested in
planting a tree or something along the lines, is there a possibility that the township can plant it for them? Generally, those are street trees that are placed in the right ofway. Um, I call it the verge, the area between the
sidewalk and the curb. Um, that the township has the ability to use a tree fund to plant in those areas, but once you go beyond the sidewalk onto the private property of the owners, you do not. with the permission of the private
property owners. It's a slippery slope. Um, some say yes, some say no. What do you do if the one property owner's neighbor doesn't want
the tree there? Um, but it's still Yeah, it's doable. Um, I've generally seen it take with property owners not being required to do it, but being able to make
application to the municipality for trees and they get them at a reduced cost based upon the economies of scale that can be done. Okay. I think I would be something interested in uh if I want to initiate
some sort of project like that. How would I go about doing that? Would that be through administration? Yes, Sonia. If we can initiate some project like that, that would be really helpful. One of the things um we've done in the past was uh seedlings and certainly we
can encourage it in that way, but we can discuss that further. Sounds good. Thank you. Okay. Did you Was there something else council vice president? Council President, just um along those lines, I believe it was 2018 or 2019, there was actually ordinance put forth for that
type of contribution uh to use the tree fund for the one of the items though is that you have to be careful that you don't expend the entire tree fund in like a year, right? So, you have to set like a cap with that. I'll share uh with
my with the my council colleagues what that ordinance was. I tried to revisit that. Um, I would definitely support it. Thank you, Council President. Thank you. Um, next. Yes, Joyce. Joyce Ship Freeman, Edison, New
Jersey. Never going to have a be able to take care of the deer program because as long as we overdevelop, we overdevelop, we we don't they have no place to go but in our backyard. So, long as they're overdeveloping, that's nothing's going to happen. I'm telling you, you can have all the committees you want, that
doesn't happen. Um, on the housing authority, the housing authority RAD program was approved back in 2022. I am glad now that the township has got on board so we can now move forward with the program at all because every place I go and the place I go, I make sure it's
better off when I leave there. And that's what people should do. Starting off with the tennis courts, the basketball course, all that at all. I still go to the meetings. I still hope that they move forward in the things they're doing. Another thing uh I find highly disturbing when I look around, I
find misogynistic and disturbing because we have the president of the library board keep saying disparaging remarks about our town clerk. I don't think that's nice. I think somebody should tell the people
whoever appointed that person not to do that. Okay, because you're married that this is not the old days where the the wife is property of the man. Women nowadays have their own, you know, their own life. They work outside of the home, their lawyers, their doctors, and
everything. So, they're not responsible for anything but themselves. Okay? Especially after their children are grown. I think that's highly disgusting. I think somebody should do something about it. I don't like it at all. Point blank. Because I don't think if you're mad at the mayor, you should talk junk
about his wife. I think you should stick to the people who are the actual person that you're doing. Another thing that um kind of bothered me a bit y'all y'all are really hellbent on time time because I seen a lady and I
was watching it. I was seeing that the lady was deaf, but good God, y'all held her tight to the four minutes no matter what it was. I was like, whoa. handicapped people. I mean, you you guys can do better than you do. I mean, you don't have to be that smug, you know?
You can do better. I've been around handicapped people and different people. I've been around autistic people and all these people. Maybe you guys stay in a bubble somewhere, but I don't think it's nice that you would rush a person off that, you know, has hearing problems
back and forth. And then uh last last but not least, as I've walking around and knocking on doors and looking at different thing that's going on in the town, I had another person with me. But ah a lot of police officers follow me from different neighborhoods or
whatever. So I told them, "Hey, y'all don't have to go with me anymore." I said, "Cuz while I'm knocking on door, I'll have police escorts," which is good, which is a plus back and forth, you know, for us. But other than that, um I think
that it's highly terrible because we have these small things now because elections coming up, but I think it's terrible that you would only have four minutes to discuss some major issues, you know, the water, other things that are coming up,
the humongous amount of bonds that, you know, I can count them up the amount of it. I don't know if we're going to have a decent um budget hearing because the last great budget hearing I had we had when with
uh Mayor Tom Lanky was being uh questioned thoroughly for about two hours and a half by Councilman Sam Josie at the time. But if y'all going to do a fivem minute deal, don't even worry about the thing. If nobody can ask questions, nobody can really review the
uh the budget properly, then it's just a show. That's all it is. It's nothing real. You don't want any really real answers from people. It's just a show. Thank you. Thank you. Um I'm sorry, Liz. Next.
Elizabeth Conway, 20 Netherwood Circle. I had a simple question and I thought I wouldn't have to come up to the podium to ask. So, I did ask um Mr. Coyle if he could just give me a quick answer, but he told me I had to refer it to the
council board. So, I'm up here. Um, the item for 110 Clive Street, Edison. I like to put it into my uh Google to it shows you a picture of the
place. So, I saw where the Shiler one was there and it proved to me that it really needed it. But when I went in and I put in 110 Clive, it came out Matuchen. Is there some kind of overlap to that property was my biggest
question. Any other questions? Uh, no. I just wanted to let Marina know it did stop at 319 on that item, but not there. Okay. All right. But that was my only question. Yes. Um, that is that's a very
good question. I know both mayors uh I know both mayors back in 22, Bush and Johi were discussing this whole thing. I'm kind I'm confused about it as well because as as far as I know and I'll get some clarification on this, but as far
as I know that property is on the Edison the Edison side if it was across the street the the brick house that's across the street from it actually half of the house is in Edison and half of it is in Matuchen. So they pay a combination of
taxes on that but everything on that side as far as I know is Edison. But can I get some clarification counselor? Sure was the my only question. Sometimes the mailing address is not consistent with
where the property is actually located. That's a post office issue, not necessarily a municipal boundary issue. Oh, that's clear. Nice simple answer. Okay. Thank you. Yes, sir.
Council President, that's ex the same reason why I didn't answer her question while I was walking to the bathroom because it was a deep answer. In fact, sometimes I Google properties that are retail stores and they're not on that street on the tax
assessor map, it's much different. They're the physical address is not always the address assessed or on the voting on the uh record. But I'm glad she came up to verify and get her answer. Thank you. Thank you. Yes, sir.
Uh Vinnie South Jersey News. Um I watched the meeting last time on Monday and I watched a woman um who was deaf and um I wasn't too happy with the
situation. So, um, a deaf woman came to this podium and asked for an interpreter in advance on Friday. When she showed up, no one had a clue she was coming. That's, uh, not just negligence, but a disgrace.
What's worse is when her time was up, Council President Harris, you banged the gavvel as if she could hear it. You tried to talk to her as if she could hear you. Are you serious? And the saddest part, the most humil humiliating things that I've ever This is one of the
most humil humiliating things I've ever seen in public. Not just for her, but for you in this town. This is what happens when a local government doesn't give a damn about the people with disabilities. You didn't plan. You didn't accommodate. You didn't care. The
woman's voice didn't matter you because you knew she couldn't hear you anyway. That's not dis disrespect. That's discrimination. It didn't stop there. On a cold, rainy night, you made every elderly residents uh and disabled people climb up that steep ramp to get into
this building. Some in electric wheelchairs left out in the rain. Electric wheelchairs. Do you know what water does to those things? It's a safety hazard and an accessibility violation. Period. This is how we treat the
disabled here. This town, this is not the This is This This town uh claims to serve all residents, but Edison needs to shape up. You are failing. You're most vulnerable, and it's shameful. Uh as for you,
Councilwoman Harris, you are not fit for the chair and these meetings. You can't manage the room. You can't protect basic rights. You don't uphold the public's access uh or decency. I'm calling for a no vote confidence in your
leadership right here and now. I'm asking the council who will stand up and say it. Who's going to admit that what's obvious and what everyone's watching that Harris does not run these meetings well, that she violates public rights and that she silences
dissent. Councilman Brusher and Patel aren't here, but I I I called for them. I said, "Now it's your time. You sat through it. You saw it." I was removed for playing public meeting minutes. You saw disabled citizens disrespected and ignored. Are you going to stay quiet?
All of you? I'll ask all of you instead of just Councilman Patel and Brusher who I think have the most integrity. The people are watching. We see what's happening. We won't be silent even if you try to throw us out. um get your together because if you
don't start showing some respect for the people who show up here, rain or shine, hearing or death, walking or wheeling, then we the people will show up for you at the ballot box or in the courts. Thank you. Anyone else? Yes, sir.
I will be remaining I will be remaining anonymous. Uh a couple things I want to say. Um yeah, that that was very disturbing to watch at the last meeting. Um it sounded like as you were calling on the lady, council president, you
got Joe over here. So so quick to call a motion, a closed public comment. Close public comment every single time. He's batting a thousand for that except for when he's in the bathroom. then John will call a point of well we'll we'll close the close the public. Um I thought
I thought that was a pretty pretty disgusting thing to watch. If if you're ever going to give someone a little bit of extra time, wouldn't that be the per It's not like you had D Ron's a little bit more lenient with these meetings. He allows you to run them. You didn't have Dave in your ear telling you to cut it
down. You know, cut it. Cut it. Her four minutes are up. But you on your own will decided to make sure that she didn't go a second over. Meanwhile, she's trying to sign her name to you. You know, it's another reason why we should have the
six minutes and not the four minutes. Couple meetings ago when I was here, there was a lady from the Lions Club. when you guys were recognized in the Lions Club and all the good good work that they do in the community and she came up to speak and she was cut off by
four minutes and I you could feel the energy in the room. It was pretty upsetting that her time got cut off. She wasn't able to finish it. If she had six minutes, maybe she would have been able to finish it. So that that was pretty disturbing to watch. um been meaning to bring that
up and um I know Kristo's not here. I wanted to uh give him something tonight, but with all the stuff that's happened with him and his rights being violated over and over numerous
times after the ridiculous FASA order that he beat that kept him that barred him from these meetings to participate. It's just it's the lengths that this that this town goes to to violate certain people's
rights, certain people who are critics of the government. So, I made this for Christo. He's not here to receive it. But what I have here is a key to the city of
Edison. We don't need government to acknowledge too. We don't need We don't need the people. We're the ones in charge. So, this is Christo's award. It's a key to the city of
Edison. Traditionally, a key to the city represents somebody being able to go within city limits and come as they please. And he is no longer barred from the meetings from this ridiculous Vaspa order that for some reason every time we bring it up, it we it's it's attempted
to be silenced again. So, I think what I'm going to do, you know what I'd like to do with this? I'd like to display it upstairs where there used to be artwork where the mayor decided to remove all of the artwork from the Edison Arts Society. I think
I'm going to go up there and take this key to the city and maybe take down one of the pictures of Mayor Joshi and then put this up and restore the art that we've just decided to just remove. Do I have anybody's approval of
doing that? Can I go upstairs after this meeting and take down one of his campaign photos and put the key to the city for Christo Jersey Watcher? Any response? Restore those public hallways with some
artwork? Nothing. Well, this is a key to the city for Christo and he is allowed to go wherever he wants within these city limits. There is no more barring him from the meeting.
Thank you. Anyone else? [Music] Yes. Hello, council. My name is El Ram. E L R M Pador P A D O R the citizen of Earth.
I'm here because I do not have Zoom access to take part in these meetings with Zoom. You took it away after 19 months of giving to us. You took it away. So, I have to risk my life to wear my burka in public because it's very dangerous for
me to go against my religion to show my body without the burka in public. If I do, I will get stoned. And not New Jersey stoned. Middle Eastern stoned. Not good. I have to risk my life to come here to speak. And why do I come here to
speak? Because Sam Johoshi shut down the wheelchair access months ago. I saw it. He shut down the wheelchair access. Johi and his security team. Shut down the wheelchair access. Made sick and dying people go up this hill. Up this horrible
hill. A one-legged woman. People in wheelchairs. Sick and dying people. Vets. You did not care for the disabled. There's a lawsuit against you for this. You are being sued. You think you would
learn your lesson, but Monday you shut down a deaf woman. All you had to do was go get the machine. You had Friday and Monday to get the machine. Why is it so hard to go get the machine? The BA cannot go down the hall
and get the get the machine. The BA cannot stop them when they want to do something illegal against the ADA. When there's no banisters, no lighting, no ramp. This town is horrible for the disabled. You treat them
horribly. Sam Josh is to blame for for blocking off the entrance. He is going to lose his erection. And we are all going to laugh when he loses his erection. He should lose his erection. and your BA should find another job. All you have to do is take take
care of the disabled. How hard is that to do? You're being sued for it. You should be aware of it, but you're not. You're asleep. Someday in your family, you'll see someone who's disabled. There's a very young man that comes here, very
good-looking man, lefty. He says to you every time, "Go get in the wheelchair. Spend one day in the wheelchair." And nobody ever does it. Nobody ever spends a day in a wheelchair. Why? Why? Cuz it's bad. It's horrible.
And you should help anybody that's in a wheelchair. You don't even have access to this stupid platform here. You raise people up on a platform. Except if you're in a wheelchair, you can't get up on a platform. No thought given to the disabled in this
town. None. One of you could have called the point of order. Richard Brler, one of you, point of order, five minute recess. BA, go get the machine. Go get the machine. Hurry up. Chop chop. Get the machine. But now we got nothing. Again,
disabled people get nothing. And it was kind of disgusting when you're talking to the dead person and you're banging. Come on, man. Situational awareness and disability rights are human rights. Disability rights are human rights.
Thank you very much. Thank you. Anyone else? Make a motion to close public. Motion to close the public portion. Second. All in favor? I. Okay. Motion to adjourn. Can I
get a second? Was that Councilman Schmool? Um, all right. We are adjourned. All the second was Councilman Schmool. All in all in favor. Oh, I'm sorry. It was Councilman Patel. Uh, all in favor I All right. Special this meeting is adjourned at
8:05 p.m. [Music]