Good evening everyone. Um, welcome everyone. Uh, this is Township regular meeting that will begin. Can we all please rise for Hello? >> One more second here. Hey, welcome everyone. Today is the regular meeting of the township council and can we all please rise for the pledge of
allegiance. [clears throat] 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.
[clears throat] >> Click 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 >> here. >> Council member >> here. >> Adequate notice.
>> Adequate notice of this meeting is required by open public meeting act of 1975 has been provided by the annual notice sent to the home news tribune star ledger desi talk and news India times on November 17th 2025 and posted in main lobby municipal complex on that same date.
>> Thank you madam clerk. Just a [clears throat] quick uh council president Marks. Good evening. Good evening everyone. For those who are attending for the first time, welcome. Each person will be given four minutes to speak uh during the public hearing and final adoption as well as during the
public comments on resolutions. You may also have an additional four minutes to speak in the oral petition remarks section listed on the agenda. If you're watching from home, please visit uh edisonenj.gov, gov. Click on
departments, then click on council, and then select the council agenda, and you can follow the meeting from there. Thank you. If you have any further questions, you're welcome to email me at edis at joecoil edisonenj.gov. Thank you for writing that, Marlene.
Um, moving forward, we have uh an a [clears throat] reminder just quick here is the Saturday, March 28th Easter Extravaganza at the sports building 10 to 12. I want to wish everyone a happy Passover and happy Easter. Okay.
[clears throat] And I'd just like to invite uh moving forward to invite our chief up, Chief Andy Toth, to do a presentation um for a life-saving award. Chief Toth. >> [clears throat] >> Thank you, council president. Can I have battalion chief on Samo, firefighter
Asperas, and firefighter your come up here, please? >> [clears throat] >> On March 13th, 2026, an offduty member arrived at fire station 1 exhibiting severe signs of medical distress. Onduty personnel promptly assessed the
situation and immediately identified symptoms of consistent with significant cardiac compromise. Without hesitation, the crew initiated oxygen therapy, requested an ambulance and paramedic unit, continued patient care, and assisted the paramedics as directed
throughout the transport to the hospital. Your swift assessment, decisive action, and coordinated teamwork were instrumental in achieving a positive outcome. The attending physician later confirmed that without your immediate intervention, the result
could have ended in a lifealtering outcome. Your professionalism, skill, and commitment to the well-being of others exemplify the highest standards of the Edison Division of Fire. Your actions were exemplary [clears throat] and did not go unnoticed. Therefore, you
are receiving the Edison Division of Fire Life-Saving award presented on March 25th, 2026. I'd like to congratulate all three of you. Before you applaud, I had an immediate phone call from the battalion chief. Uh he said, "Somebody's
having a heart attack. One of ours is having a heart attack." I said, "Get him to the hospital." He's like, "No, he's having a heart attack." And he was. And the doctor communicated to me that if it wasn't for these three, it would have been a different outcome. So, I applaud you, your teamwork, your professionalism, and it's not just
anybody. It was one of ours, though, too. But congratulations. I have the letters [clears throat] for you. I have the pins. Wear them with pride. I don't want to hold but a congratulations to Tim. If the um Ensemble family will come up for a picture real quick.
[applause] >> Council members come down. We'll take our picture. We're going to move down. The council will take the picture with the family. [applause] >> [clears throat] >> But then I No counsel. >> [clears throat]
>> There you go. [applause] >> [clears throat] >> There's your family. [clears throat] forget to talk about. >> [applause] [clears throat] [clears throat] [applause] >> Happy day.
>> [crying] >> This is now [clears throat] [applause] congrats. Congratulations to you three. We're very proud of you. >> [clears throat] >> I'll just allow some brief comments from the council starting from my right.
Richard Ber council person. >> Okay. I'm sorry. Councilman Pio. >> Go ahead. Go ahead. >> Please late to the mic. It's all yours. >> Thank you, Council President. Congratulations to all the firefighters.
You made Edison proud. This is not an easy task. You saved the life. And thank you uh Chief Tooth for your your leadership, training, mentoring, and making our Edison Fire Department the I would say know they are the best employees in the state of New Jersey.
Again, congratulations. Thank you. >> Any other council members? >> Okay, I'll try. >> Yes. Listen, I I this really this is a thank you to to the three people in general, but but to our department and to our chief also um especially for recognizing
this and bringing this not only to the council's attention, but to the town's attention because a lot of townships don't have a [clears throat] full-time fire department. We do. We're blessed to have that. We're blessed to be able to afford that. And it's it's this type of
thing that, you know, we benefit from. um you know, one individual benefited more than the rest of them, but every one of these men and women here are for here for all of us. So, I thank every one of you for what you've done here. Um [clears throat] thank you and I'm very
proud of of all of you. Thank you. >> Thank you, council member. Any other council members? [clears throat] >> Right. Well, I'll just say briefly uh everything my council member said. Uh Chief Joseph Salmo, firefighter Timmy
Espololis, firefighter Cody Earstone, thank you uh for being there at the right time reacting and uh I want to thank your families for your support. Your wives who sit home at different nights waiting uh to come home safely. Uh we totally appreciate everything you
do in keeping Edison safe. Thank our chief and the command staff for everything you do to make sure they're properly prepared. Thank our administration for making sure we have the budget to have public safety a priority. So, thank you again. We appreciate it. We understand you may leave. We're not offended. If you do
want to stay for the entire meeting, you're more than welcome. I think the chief is taking everybody to Lucas next week. Um over 75 people can arrive there on Friday. [laughter] It's all on him. But thank you again. We appreciate it very much. Congratulations
[applause] um council members and those who are watching. We are going to continue on to our meeting uh to number six, approval of the minutes uh of the work session meeting March 9th and the regular meeting March 11th. Motion to approve. >> Motion to approve. >> Have a second.
>> Second. >> All in favor say I. >> I. >> Any nays? Motion is approved. Moving to [clears throat] se number seven, unfinished business. Ordinance for further considerations, public hearing and final adoption. Clerk read ordinance. >> An ordinance of the township of Edison
authorizing the vacation of a certain portion of Thomas Place pursuant to NJSA 4067-1. >> Before I open for public comments, I just want to direct to council. This application has been before the planning board. is today before us is vacating
the street to have a proper turnaround. From what we have seen in the past, this has been a property that's been vacant for 35 plus years except for the actual motel which has been a nuisance to the area for a long time. We have had several crime reports there and
incidents throughout uh my tenure and I think everybody on this council. So I I forgive me if you personally were not aware in that particular area, but the notice goes out to the area behind that building and around that building. I'm going to refer to our council and what
is going on today by vacating the street and what has been approved. >> This is the Thomas Place, correct? >> Yes. >> Yeah. Uh so I was speaking with the administration. My understanding is that this simply this vacation uh of the
street is simply in order for a redevelopment project to be able to be formulated and completed that there's no current application for a development on that property. Um, this has been an ongoing
issue since I want to say 2020. Looks like uh where the area was studied as is it in need of redevelopment. That was finally determined that it was an area in need of redevelopment. a redevelopment plan was put into place. And all that means is that the zoning
was adjusted uh so that different um potentially uh um what's the word that I'm looking for? >> Projects. >> Yeah. Different potential projects could be considered that wouldn't violate the current zoning. um that a redeveloper
was named at one point uh with potential projects in mind, but that no actual application has been put forth before the planning board. The redevelopment plan does require them to get all their zoning approvals. It does require them to get all their uh planning board
approvals. Any variances that might be in place, they would still need to have public hearings on. But at this time there is no pending application to do any of that. Um this uh vacating this
part of the roadway lets them be able to develop those applications and actually put together a plan for for building. Is that that's correct Sony? Right. >> Yes. Correct. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. Um council members I'm going to move forward to open the public portion. If everybody would like to
speak on this particular matter for vacating the street you can. You have four minutes to speak and that's each person who'd like to speak has four minutes. Please come up. >> Hi, my name is Patty Sisilac and I live on 22 Elwood Avenue.
>> Welcome. >> Uh, my uncle built the house for me, us, our family, in 1966. I've been there a long time. This plan seems uh our in our area is very congested as it is. Um to me this meeting should be to make our
neighborhood less congested. Our neighborhood is wedged between hightraic areas. Route one, the ramp to Amboy Avenue, Amboy Avenue, Maplewood Avenue, and Wii Avenue. There's traffic coming to and from Tenno Mall. There's a plastic surgery building, auto mechanic
shop on the corner of Maplewood and Amboy, which generates backto-back cars parked and traffic in general. Redfield Village started out as apartments for senior citizens with few cars because they walked everywhere back then. Now there are so many people that
live in Redfield Village with tons of cars, large trucks. They're parked back to back on both sides of the street of Maplewood and John Street, making the uh both streets very narrow, like a one-way street. You have to move your car to the side when cars are coming toward you.
They they are also overflowing onto Elmwood Avenue. It looks like a used car lot as it is. It's impossible to make a turn onto Maplewood from John and vice versa because you can't see the cars are coming. It's you're going to get into an accident like every day. You can't even
go there. Um, there's condos on the corner of Maplewood. There's condos on Woodbridge Avenue across from Roosevelt Park. There's already a lot of traffic on Woodbridge Avenue sitting at the uh light to get to Route One. Cars are coming through Roosevelt Park from a touch-in. If there are 66 units, that
means around 132 extra cars plus visitors cars driving in and out of that small area. There will be lines of cars creating a bottleneck of cars just to get out of our neighborhood pouring out onto Woodbridge Avenue [clears throat] and Amboy. That is 132 extra people
walking around our small little neighborhood. When the motel was there, people would walk through our yards. Um Jan and I, we have on the last houses and on the end and day and night up the ramp, down the ramp, through our yards
just to get to town hall. So I'm sure it's going to be worse if there's 132 people walking around a four-story apartment building and parking garage. They're big structures that don't belong in a residential area. The structures will block our morning sun. They'll be
looking down on backyards and front yards. It'll be an eyesore. We don't want to see these structures in a little neighborhood. Imagine it being built in your backyard or front yard. Would you like that? I don't think anybody would like that. And
um also I feel it'll decrease our property value. And also um why wouldn't they just build f single family homes there? And again, this is the first time I'm hearing about it. No one communicated to me. I didn't
get a notice in my mailbox saying saying any of this. Um, and also, is there enough room? Fire trucks, emergency vehicles. I mean, you can't even get down, you know, John Street. And I thought you needed like five acres to do something like this with zoning laws.
And did anyone ever like drive there and monitor the flow of traffic, parking, and congestion? and you know before deciding to do this like we all see it. We're almost getting into accidents. It's like this little tiny area.
>> Thank you. [clears throat] Just to the administration, we had one question. Did anybody was there any traffic study done there or is that being done soon? >> That would all be part of the application that gets made uh through the planning board. Um I just uh if council members can wait to the end of
the actual um public discussion I could I'd be happy if everybody could speak once the public portion is closed uh at courtesy. I'd appreciate that. Um moving forward for those who are speaking I'm open to allow you to speak on any part of this subject although today it's just
vacating this particular portion. I know you have more questions that that's fine and being flexible on this issue. So, as the order uh we'll have the next person come up for public speaking. Anybody like to speak? Has four minutes. Yes, Miss Conway.
[clears throat] Elizabeth Conway, 20 Netherward Circle. I came up last month to talk about uh this property because I had physically driven there to see uh what it was like. And it's like a puzzle to even get to
that area, never mind adding a large building to it. Uh Thomas Place goes out to Woodbridge Avenue, so you have to go in Amboy Avenue and make a few turns even before you can get there.
But if you look around the surrounding area to that area of Thomas Place, it's all single family homes. Now, I realize it wasn't in the past. You had the gas station and you had whatever else was there. But I want to say since then, if
you look around, you see single family homes where each family can get to wherever their home is in and out. But adding a fourstory home to that block, and I'm talking about the block being vacated, but
adding that kind of building to that small area just goes against the grain. I can remember when we were doing the master plan, that was one of the biggest uh items that the residents were talking
about. If it's a residential area, leave it there. Don't build outside of what's in that vicinity, that area. I wouldn't want there's one house that'll be right next door to it. And I feel bad for that
that particular family, but we need to put a hold on what's going on. Now, I realize, you know, they talk about that it's senior citizens. That's great. We we need it. But that plot of land is not
appropriate. So yes, they have to go and follow through on all of the rules and regulations and jump through hoops, but that's usually not the way it happens. If they follow the basic rules without even considering
the residents in that area, what does that really tell the people in Edison? We're going to do what we want to do anyway. The firm that takes over will get what they want regardless. So, if any of you have
not gone to that area, take a look at it and see if you want to live next door or on that block. Thank you. >> Thank you for your comments. [clears throat] Any other members of the public who like to speak? Yes. >> Good evening, council. Ben from Edison.
Council President, I would like to have this ordinance be tabled and reviewed because of the public's comment. Thank you. >> Thank you. Any other members of the public that would like to speak? >> Seeing none, can I have a motion to close the public portion? >> One more.
>> I'm sorry. Yes. [clears throat] Joseph Romano Edison. Uh this particular plot of land is less than a half a mile away from another street that they're planning on building or
wanting to build uh multiple dwellings. And uh someone said uh just recently uh would you like that in your neighborhood? And I know there's
neighborhoods that they want to put, you know, three in store, three and four story uh complexes. So, uh maybe maybe uh some council people
would like to reconsider and make sure that the residents of that person's neighborhood. Uh
putting fourstory units on history. Maybe maybe you read between the lines. Have a wonderful night. Thank you for your comments.
[clears throat] Yes. Please come up. Good evening. >> Welcome. >> Hi. My name is Janice Casmar. I live at 33 Albert Avenue, Edison. Um, I just
feel this is a bad idea putting this like fourstory apartment building in this nice family home neighborhood. It's just not a feasible idea. The traffic itself in this neighborhood is awful. I
mean, awful. It's like a death trap trying to travel through these streets anymore. And you put this fourstory building there, it's just not going to work. I mean,
just the traffic alone and forget about the eyesore that it's going to bring. I mean, like like Patty said, I mean, I agree totally. And what this woman said, I I totally agree everything they said.
It's it's just not a feasible idea. And I mean, this I I totally agree with everybody. It's just not a good idea. And I I wish that it would totally go away in in our nice neighborhood. the
accidents alone coming off of Route One. I mean, if there's so many people walking around this neighborhood and if you're telling me it's going to be elderly people, they don't move that fast. That's all I have to say. Thank
[clears throat] you. >> Thank you for comments. Any other members of the public who would like to speak? >> Yes, please. Good evening. Uh my name is Chin Bashelle. I live in 30 hour Avenue. >> Welcome. >> Um
the the old hotel be in my backyard. So I had some story about the locations. uh our family uh uh our neighbors really worry about the whatever going on in our and backyard
is uh first of all that area is so crowded uh even in the night some car just park in front of my my house in the midnight 2:00 so I had to call the police so imagine that if you
build the fourth floor the the the building behind my backyard my parking lot be blocked. And then not only that, right now the current the street every time get out they just single row you had to waiting
for the car next end they back out you can go through. Imagine that if the building built behind my backyard we even can't get out in the B in the P hours. So uh also
that neighborhood is not that safe my house get um breaking a few years back and also the people have no idea where they come from. They they get a car from the the the store
green they just dump to the street. It's just the garbage everywhere. the people just passing by just throw everything on on the on the side the road and also the area is super busy every year a few
months get accent so it's very busy bad area I don't know what they're going to do in the area and also I didn't get any notification for the plan what they're going to build in my backyard I just got the the the
notification from my neighbors there is a meeting here. That's why I attended tonight. I want to know what's going on. I think my neighbors, my family, because most of people in the area is senior citizen. They are all older people.
Imagine they build a building with tons of people living there. And first of all, you don't have parking. Where could park, right? You can't park on the top of the the the the building. There's no no room for parking. Just I I hope everyone just
go there, visit there, see the area. It's a dead end, a very bad area and very noisy and not safe. So hopefully somebody reconsider the plan whatever guys should do to do. I think that's only for one single family only that
that space. Thank you. >> Thank you for your comments. Council, [clears throat] >> the other members of the public would like to speak. Seeing none, can I have a motion to close the public portion? Motion. [clears throat] >> Have a second.
>> Second. All in favor say I. >> The public portion is closed. >> We [clears throat] comment. >> Yes. Council comments. >> Council president. >> Yes. So, just for clarification, we're voting on vacating the property. >> Street. >> The the street.
>> Yeah. So, all the council is voting on tonight is to vacate a portion of the street >> [clears throat] >> um so that it's no longer a part of the municipal right of way. The the redevelopment of the project, the
redevelopment plan of the of of the area, that was done years ago. The study was done years ago. The planning board reviewed that several years ago. Two years ago, um the redevelopment plan was approved by the council in 2024 so that
the zoning was adjusted to allow for a wider variety of of projects. All that this council is doing tonight is voting on vacating a portion of the roadway that is there so that when an
application finally does go in um and a project is proposed uh they they've put forth ideas for a project but they haven't been able to fully develop that application because of access issues because of some of the roadway issues. by vacating a portion of this roadway,
they can incorporate that into their project and then that would go before the planning board for public hearing, review, approval, comment. Um, you know, were all of these issues that everyone has brought up tonight can be addressed by the planning board prior to approving
the application. Um, so the vacation of this roadway, my understanding is, is to help alleviate some of those problems that have actually been raised tonight so that they can actually put together an application that would address some of those concerns
regarding traffic access, where things are coming out and going in. So, a vote, my understanding is [clears throat] voting for this tonight, supporting this would alleviate a lot of the issues that >> the residents brought up.
>> No, >> tonight, >> not with respect to the the building itself that they've brought up, a story building, multi-use housing, senior citizens, but it is designed and the goal there is to alleviate some of those access issues, traffic issues, how the
site is designed. Council [clears throat] President. >> Yes. >> Um, right. This is part of a broader picture. Um, we recognize I or I I know I recognize I think all my colleagues do on the issues that you have in that
neighborhood. Okay. What I will tell you is you have a hotel, motel, whatever it is right there, right? Somebody owns that property. um the township would like to see that redeveloped. Now, if he doesn't get any approval to
redevelop it, he will probably do like everybody else that has a rundown hotel and motel, which you go to the state and the state puts in homeless people that live there. That's what happens to all of these places. We're not looking for
that to happen in the neighborhood. So, we're looking for a developer to develop the entire property whether he builds homes or a business or whatever that is. That's kind of like his choice because he owns the land and happens to be the United States of America. So, he can do
what he wants with this piece of land as long as he fits into our zoning. All that we were saying with the other portion um not vacating the street but with the redevelopment plan was that we recognize it's a problem and we're willing to help with his zoning. Okay.
Um if the public were to have ideas and and this has happened in the past and said, you know, this would be a great spot for X. um council people here would speak to the developer and he might actually consider that and that might be a viable alternative.
But to think that you're not going to have like any homes, right, or no warehouse or no stores or no anything built and he's not going to rent it out to make money. That's unreasonable. I I
mean realistically he is going to do something with it, right? He didn't spend money. doesn't own the property for no reason. So, if the public can come up with a solution, um I'm sure he'd be willing to listen. We'd be willing to listen because he's still coming up with a plan. He's just
trying to figure out how to make this viable for himself. Um so, if if anybody has any ideas, if you reach out to us, we can reach out to to him and see what his thoughts are. Um because I think he wants to work within the community, you know what I mean? Um,
me myself, I'd rather see the hotel gone, right? I don't want to see homeless people in there or whatever. I'd rather see 20, 30 units of seniors living there. >> What's that?
>> Right. But he can go just put another one up. Where I'm going is that's what you can end up having. So, it's not going to be turned into a park, right? So, it's going to be turned into something, but it it's got to be something that's going to be viable. Um, we just thought that that whole area
needed something, but it's not up to us to come up with a plan because we don't own the property. You know, if we owned it, then it would be up to this body or actually be up to the administration to come up with a a programming for it. [snorts] Um, so this is a long process. You're going to have to go to the
planning board. Um but in the meantime, if if anybody comes up with an idea, you know, bring it forward and let's let's present it. >> Uh thank you. >> Thank you, Council President. Anybody else? >> Council Vice President. >> Yeah. Um quick question. So we So the um
the snack shop property or the triangle piece of property, it's my understanding that's deed restricted. It could be parking only. My second But my my real question is with that said, my question is we vacate this street. Who owns the property under that street?
I don't know if is Okay. Sorry. Wasn't It's not green. Um I believe it's the same. It's the same same owner for both. >> No. No. Who's going to own the street? Is somebody going to own it? >> It's privately owned. It would be It would be privately owned. That portion of the street you're >> vacating. We're going to vacate it and
then sell it. >> No. No. It We're not selling it. This is just a vacation of the prop of portion of Thomas Place. >> Right. Now, who owns Thomas? that portion of Thomas Place. Right now, the township owns that piece. Unless the the unless the owners of the
adjoining properties own out to the center of that and we just have an easement over the top of it. >> We don't have any easement there. >> We own the street then. The township owns the street, >> right? >> So, we vacate the street. Who gets it? >> It would it would be the uh the developer of choice that's on there.
>> Are we going to deed restrict that to to um parking only? I mean, I I guess what I'm getting at is are they just going to build on the hotel property and then the snack shop property is protected in my eyes is protected. You can only park on it. You're not going to get over that deed restriction. But if we vacate the
street, is the developer going to be allowed to encroach onto the street with a building? Now, >> I'd have I don't believe usually you would be able to encroach >> under normal circumstances, you wouldn't be able to. >> Yeah. So, Mr. will answer >> when
if if you review the ordinance the dedication of that part of the property to the public use is what we're vacating which means that the ownership reverts to the adjoining properties. However, there are still utilities,
there is still um water lines, things like that that are in that portion that maintain their rights. So, you can't build a building on top of those, right? Uh, you would have to buy those rights from the utilities and and get them to want to reroute and that's that's a
whole process that is very very very >> un fair enough. You answer my question. I I didn't think that they would be that the developer would be allowed to encroach on that pro on on the vacated street to build. That that was my concern. >> And there are still there there are still um setbacks and things like that
from the edge of the property where you can't build anyway. So even if it's into the street where the property line ends up, there's still a a setback that's set forth in the ordinances and the zoning codes, that would mean that you can't build right up to the edge of the property. >> Right. Cuz I was just going along with what what Council Member Brer was saying
is that, you know, the the hotel propertyy's there. Somebody's going to build on it. What they're going to build on it, we don't know. But I just want to I know the snack shop property or whatever you want to call it is kind of protected. Want to make sure nobody's going to encroach on the street after they vacate it.
>> Any other council members? Any comments? Okay, I'll include this as part of our portion as we adopt and we have council comments. We've made our comments. Um, normally we adopt first and comment. So, I'm going to continue forward [clears throat] and entertain a motion
to adopt. >> Motion to adopt. >> Can I have a second? >> Second. >> Okay. Council comments. Madame Clerk, roll call. >> Council member Brusher. >> Uh, yes. Council member Dimma. >> Yes. >> Council member Kentos,
>> yes. >> Council member Patel, >> yes. >> Council member Patiel, >> yes. >> Council memberell, >> yes. >> Council President Coyle, >> yes. >> Number nine, uh we have the public comment on the resolutions. Um at this time, we have
resolutions on section uh nine that go on to the second page. At this particular time, if you're you are new here, you can look at these resolutions and make a comment on any one of these resolutions, but only the resolutions is this portion of your four
minutes. You can speak on you would not come up and comment on anything else but the resolutions before here. There are expenditures uh refunds uh and so forth and department spending. Uh anybody from the public would like to comment on resolutions only?
Yes, Miss Conway. Elizabeth Conway, 20 Netherwood Circle. Uh, I have a question about uh, resolution 165032026 regarding the the playground for America 250. >> Yes. I'll refer to Council Member
Kentos. >> Oh, okay. Um, >> and when you're finished, well, when you're finished with all your questions, I'm going to refer to it. >> Okay. Uh, it's for $478,000 and that's uh a sizable amount. Was an RFP put out for this or did you slide it
under through uh another I don't mean slide it um through another means uh cooperative or whatever. Um, and do you know how big this is incorporated for that kind of money?
>> That's my question. >> Do you have any other questions? >> No, that's it. >> Okay. If you don't have She'll refer to both you and the BA. >> Yeah, I I'll defer to the BA on one part of it. It it's my understanding that this um this is the skate park that's right over here in the municipal complex
that they're redoing. And um it was a project that the mayor already had visioned and um since it was America 250, he decided to turn the playground into an America 250 uh themed playground. As far as if RFP and all that was put out, I'll defer to the BA
>> in place of the SC. >> Thank you, council member. >> In place of it. >> Oh, to the BA. Ju just want a correction. It's not in place of the skatepark. It's next to the skate park. >> We're keeping the skate park. >> Yes. >> Oh, I was I was actually told
differently, but Okay. >> Okay. I will double triple check, but um our >> I'm I'm happy. Your statement makes me happy that we're keeping the CA park. It it it it's also my understanding that um the Splash Park has become more like a toddler park. a lot of very young kids.
The the residents that are using the splash park are very young children, so the mayor also thought the play the uh playground would be a good asset for them to be able to walk down from the splash park over over to a a swing set and stuff like that. >> You're correct. Uh so just just to answer Miss uh Conway's first question,
it's purchased through the um the educational co-op. So, it's through a cooperative. We're we're buying the playground equipment. Um and and uh council vice president is correct. We've created all of the paths that essentially you're creating this complex
um of activities for families um right at the top. So, where the softball field is located. So, that's it's it's going there. it's going to get tucked there and we'll uh continue to make the connection with the path so that it's a usable space when you're at the splash park or or um or just coming out of
Papani and and making a day out of it or when we have our events for example. So, >> thank you. Any other public comments on the resolutions only? Seeing none, have a motion to close the public portion on the resolutions only.
>> Motion. >> Have a second. >> Second. All in favor say I. >> I. >> I. >> Okay. [clears throat] At this time we go through the agenda. Each council member has the opportunity to pull a resolution. Um starting from my right. Council member Brasher.
>> Uh none. >> Council member Dimma. >> None. >> Council Vice President Kentos. >> Council member Patel. >> None. >> Council member Patiel. >> None. >> Council member. >> No. >> Yes. Okay. Good. Okay. At this time, I'll entertain a motion to adopt the
consent agenda. Motion to adopt a consent agenda. >> Second. >> Okay. >> Have a second. >> Madam clerk roll call. >> Council member Brusher. >> Yes. >> Council member Dimma. >> Yes. >> Council member Kentos. >> Yes. >> Council member Patel. >> Yes. >> Council member Patiel. >> Yes. >> Council member.
>> Yes. >> Council President Coyle. >> Yes. >> Uh we are on item 10 on the agenda. For those who are here right now, you have a chance to speak uh for four minutes. This is open public portion of this time. You can talk about anything you
would like. Please come up if you have a m welcome sir. >> Good evening everybody. My name is Michael Karpoff. I'm an attorney with the law firm of Hill Wallak LLP and I'm here on behalf of the Timberline Homeowners Association which consists of
129 homeowners and several of the homeowners are here today as well. We're here [clears throat] out of desperation really. Uh we have two issues in this condominium that have been uh presenting some problems for the association. One is that Robinson's
branch flows through this community and frequently floods. uh they recently did some work on their portion of the br of the the stream but it we believe that there are causes from outside of their
community that that is causing that flooding. The second thing is we have issues regarding the municipal services agreement that this association signed u 30 years ago in 1996. I have I have written several letters to
your director of planning and engineering and to your township attorney to for with questions trying to get information about uh the drainage situation at Robinson's branch and about issues involving the uh municipal
services and I've been ignored. I've written several letters since August 18th of last year and nobody has responded and I finally wrote to the mayor and to uh you
honorable council members and said we're going to appear here tonight because we need some somebody to [clears throat] address these situations. Um I have two questions for the council. Why has nobody responded to us? and how
will the township help this community resolve these issues? Who is it we need to turn to to get a response? And that's why we're here. We're looking for somebody to communicate with us to
so that we can discuss these issues, get answers to the questions, and find ways to resolve these problems. And you may have individual members also who [clears throat] wish to speak to you. I don't know if you can answer that question tonight, but I certainly hope
that you will direct me to someone who will communicate with us about this. C >> councelor White, you're still you still have a minute and a half, but um just can you recclarify who you represent and I apologize for not listening properly. >> I represent the Timberline Homeowners
Association, which is a condominium in I guess it's northern Edison of 129 homes. [snorts] And we >> Yep. of Inman >> Inman. It's on Inman Avenue. >> Okay. In fact, like I said, you have
members here if you have questions specifically. >> They certainly can come up and and address them >> next to MLK. >> Next to MLK school. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> But we're looking for someone to communicate with us. >> Okay. First, I want to apologize if
there has not been an communication. I'm just not aware of that part. I'm going to defer to my BA for a minute and uh right after this meeting we'll also speak to you if you have a moment and direct you to the proper channel. >> All right. Thank you. >> Do you want to say something first, Council?
>> Sure. Council President, um my understanding is that there has been communication that uh Mr. Renown um has been involved in addressing some of these issues with the administration. Um unfortunately because of the nature of the issues uh that have been raised in
those communications uh I would advise the council to communicate with the law department first uh speak with Mr. Renown about what's been done uh before making any kind of statements um [snorts] here in public.
>> All right, council president. >> I'm sorry. just um >> ask if we had any other questions >> um and I don't mind I just wanted to finish anything else to discuss at this time this time. >> I will promise you an answer and make sure that someone gets back to you. I apologize.
>> You would you still like me to stay? Okay. >> If you have the time to stay it staying can be a long answer, but I want to certainly welcome you to stay. >> All right. Thank you. >> Okay. Uh council member. >> Yes. Um I to answer your question directly
um the council um in Edison, we're a legislative body. Um what we do is we can approve funding um to fix things in the town and we can create laws. As far as any um maintenance or any issues like that, that is the administration which
goes through uh the mayor's office. Um anything like that you're asking for is really the mayor's office. People come to the council though because when you come here, you're on the video, right? The mayor sees it and it it comes to his
attention and well then normally things get resolved. Um I did receive your letter um that you sent. I didn't get to kind of get to the bottom of it. Um I I can just tell you that some of the
things in your thing were things that we've received from other I'm going to call them communities, right? uh different developments, very similar type of um issues. So, I don't know how those have been resolved. Um that would be up to our attorneys and the
administration. Um I think they probably worked it out with some other communities. I know AJ Patil myself was working on a couple of them. Um as far as flooding, I'm affected by flooding. I live um on Grove Avenue. So when some of those
streams down at your end flood, that backs all the way up to Grove Avenue and JP Stevens. Okay? And I'm going to say the administration. When I say the administration, I'm not talking about let's say Sonia because this has been
going on since like 2000 that we've had flooding, right? And so it's been many different um mayors and business administrators and DPW directors and everything else that have been trying to tackle it. And it's it's a maintenance
um that is what I found on Grove cuz I actually walked through during the flood one time and found in one of the homeowners association were some block coververts. Um and once that was clean, we had no problem. and
six years later another one got clocked uh and we have flooding again. So, so that that's a separate aspect than the other things that you were asking which is something that would be like the attorney and administration really um because where that line is drawn I I'm
not an attorney so I I I can't comment on it but ultimately it's really the um our attorney and the administration and the mayor's office um that'll help you with this. >> Thank you. Cancel pressure. >> Council president. >> Yes. Council >> just want to make the comment. I believe
2021 2022 there was a major flooding. >> Major flooding. The entire community was the their ground floor the kitchens and everything was gone. I personally went there visited it. It is a direct impact of upstream and downstream blockage. It's not not
their fault. Unfortunately they are in the middle of the two streams. So what I would request is to the administration we clean these streams all throughout the uh Edison township. If we can look at the map they already know where the blockage is coming from and if we can
put that on a routine for the cleanup I think that will elevate the situation but again that's an ask. I don't know what we can do because it links to the DP as far as their stream is concerned and the cleanup of that. But I will leave it to you on those comments. >> Uh council councilman Patil we can't
just go out and clean streams. it is D restricted and we would have to get special permission or their approvals essentially to do any stream cleaning. Um but I would I would just echo with what our counselor uh expresses that
this is now under legal review and advisement. So, um I I would not speak on it, uh respectfully. And if there's anything that would require the council's attention, if you would like to go into close session or anything like that, certainly that is your
prerogative, but um we we wouldn't have any further uh input on this matter. >> Absolutely. You know, when I say uh cleaning, I'm not asking to bring the equipment and clean it, but if there are dead trees, there are fallen trees, and that's what I'm saying. You know, if we can >> that that as well. Yes. >> Yeah. that that would still require D
approval because of the nature of the waterways. And this is [clears throat] just speaking in general, not in the specific >> for these areas. Anything that the townships would try to do with respect to some of these natural waterways, >> they would get denied by DB.
>> I think they would just get denied. >> We should go in close session for this topic because I have the historical record that what we have done. So >> I'm fine. >> I don't want to comment in front of the public, but we have done this. Thank you. >> I um I have more to comment. Um I think I'm
going take this next uh person, but uh please come up. [clears throat] Anthony Damron, uh Edison, I think I can comment on it though because I remember I was there with AJ uh that time when uh I think that was the place that got really destroyed in that storm, right? You guys had all that garbage in the
middle. Yeah, we brought Tom up there. Um, and I think you're 100% right. The the BA was right about the waterway there and it's they consider it like a uh not naval, but it's just you it goes through this whole getting through the D and all that stuff. But I remember they
Tom brought up the DPW to take the trash out if I'm not mistaken. Was that right? Out of the middle. I think he he helped remove some of the trash. But um that was a bad storm. I remember that. All those homes got flooded. Uh if that's the same place I'm thinking of, but I think it is. Um
one uh one thing I wanted to uh [snorts] uh bring up uh I was reading something recently. Um actually a few articles. I don't know if the town's aware of this, but apparently it's pretty it's it's like systemic throughout the country, but there these these um stealing of the
copper in in these utility poles uh around the country. I don't know if you I don't know if you're familiar with it or not, but um apparently it's a it's a huge it's it's big. It's it's California is dealing with a lot of it. Um Philadelphia dealt with it last year. Um
I'm sure this is more for the utility companies, but something to keep an eye on. Apparently, there's copper. I think there's copper inside of the utility poles and these people are being able to go in there and and rob them. And it's it feels I feel like from what I'm reading, it started in California. It's
working its way east now and uh it's a big problem. Missouri, it's coming this way. So, something to keep an eye on for the PD. It's uh I don't know how they do it, but they're getting inside these utility poles and taking copper. So, uh it's a problem. And it's it's shutting down um it's shutting down uh uh a lot
of uh internet and electricity and everything else like that, but I'm not an expert in that field. Um [clears throat] what else do I have? Uh uh you know that's that's probably it. But I I wanted to do I wanted to take one moment though and uh I I wanted to
uh really thank uh the Edison Police Department. Um you know, I'll tell you what uh it's there was an incident that I had involving [snorts] um that I had actually leaving a council meeting several several weeks ago. Um I was carjacked outside my house. Um and
[clears throat] um actually I was on the phone. I think one of the bureau maybe some bureaus on the phone with but uh it was it was scary but I they they took the car. Anyways the when I called 911 I can tell you this. Um I I I knew the wrath was coming. These guys
came and the PD could not have been better. Uh I couldn't be more proud. Uh when I needed them the most. These guys were uh they were great. They made me feel comfortable. They got the we found the car. Um few hours later they caught the guy the next day. Um he had uh you
know he had a firearm on him. It was it was it was you know it was serious stuff. So but these guys uh it was a random act. Uh the guy was on a spree. Um uh uh just just started in other towns but he just unfortunately ended up on my street at wrong time, wrong place.
But I just wanted the chief's not here tonight but just I know I spoke to chief about this. Honestly, you guys did great. The detectives upstairs were just fantastic to deal with. Um and and it's not because it was me. They would do that for anybody. So, it it was they were uh they were spot on. And I you
know, I I I know I speak for Megan as well. You know, Megan, we come from a long line of people in uh law enforcement. Her father, uncles, grandfather, my brother. Um you know, so we feel like we're part of the law enforcement extended family. And uh I I honestly could not be prouder um of you
guys. And uh you know, for me it was a big deal. And that was the second time. And uh you guys were there twice uh as a matter of fact over the last couple months for me. So I really appreciate it. And uh I just want you to if you could extend that to the chief and uh and that's about it, council president. Thank you.
>> Thank you. >> Any other members of the public that speak on the res on Yes, please. >> Is he coming? >> I'd just like to continue that discussion that our council raised. Uh
I'm a member of the board of the Timberline community. Uh we've been struggling with this uh flooding issue for the last four or five years. And we've done a lot of we we've spent a lot of money. We've cleaned the we've gotten the creek cleaned within the
community. We'll spend at least $300,000 doing that of our own money. But uh our contractors are telling us that the problem is coming from further downstream. And every year, every year there is flooding even after IDA.
uh when the rains get a little bit intensive, it always starts backing up from beyond our community and that's not within our control. We request whatever help we can get from the community because we've done everything. [clears throat] I you know we've also struggled with the
whole environmental protection and everything. They won't let us dig as much as we want to restore the comm the creek to the original level. We got a very narrow channel approved. Now the consequence of nobody acts the whole
community will get flooded and all the residents we we spent a lot of money in the last flooding to redo our homes and if we don't get help to resolve this you know every year when it rains we have a big issue with uh you know literally
everybody is very worried about the water levels and how it will flood our homes again. So we really need some help here. Thank you. Thank [clears throat] you. Yes, >> Elizabeth Conway, Twin, Netherwood Circle. Um, I don't know if anybody
watched uh the board of education meeting last night. Um, it was uh very challenging uh because they're talking about an almost a 12% increase in their budget. It is their preliminary budget.
So, we don't know the final answer, but uh it's a little scary that they're hitting the township all at once after numerous 0% tax increases. But I I come here tonight because there
were two um resolutions that were transferring money for a temporary emergency uh appropriation for the municipal budget and for the tan
uh sanitation budget. And my question is from where to uh will this money come from and be appropriated into the proper place? So my question is when will the
mayor address um the budget so we can um kind of firm up what our total uh increases will be in our taxes this year. It's going to be
a grave concern to the uh residents and knowing half of u I mean the school budget is a lot more than a municipal budget but everything adds up and it will be uh a decidedly large increase in
our taxes. So um that was my first question. Where is the money coming from and going to? if I could get the answer to that. That's my first question. My uh second concern is uh I've brought it to you
numerous times. Uh the traffic on Inman Avenue >> and the in the last couple of weeks, it's only proven that my concern for Inman Avenue has gotten worse because there have been uh a few horrific
accidents. uh one not too far from where my development goes out onto Inman Avenue. Then there was another one down further uh toward uh South Planefield on Inman Avenue which is causing uh road closures because the accidents are not
just fender benders. And then there was something else uh further down where um Inman Avenue runs into Old Raritin. I did send uh a text to uh Lieutenant Turner to get an update because I know
this has been uh something that goes on and I know it's a timely issue to get to whomever um would make this process move on. But in the meantime, uh these
accidents are happening. And the only question I had was when I was coming down 27 last night, I noticed that on Route 27, which I think is a a state highway, the speed limit is 40 miles per
hour. Well, guess what? Inman Avenue is 40 miles per hour. And I don't know if um lowering that down a bit might help. probably not because Grove there we haven't really seen much difference with the u decrease in the speed limit on
Grove. So I don't know if it would make a difference on Inman Avenue. And the last thing and you can see four minutes isn't going to work for me tonight. Uh 6 minutes versus four minutes because of exactly this uh item because we have um
numerous items. Four minutes just doesn't work. So I'm going to stop there. But when will this go? I just feel like it's still protecting you guys from the people complaining about six minutes
versus four minutes. >> Thank you. You may sit down. Thank you very much for your comments. Um just to answer her first question to the BA, did you want to answer the transfer? >> Sure. >> Sure. >> So um the total amount didn't change.
However, the um where the money is being transferred to um this is from the 2025 budget. It's not 2026. So the we are we need to put funds into the personnel HR employee group insurance and
streetlighting. Um and those are coming from the updated resolution. Those are now coming from uh the business administrator which was pre which is the same uh but the new account is now purchasing salaries and wages
communication um other expenses salary and wages municipal clerk other expenses finance engineering planning and zoning code enforcement health salaries um seniors salaries and wages which is uh through the health department animal
control and recreation other expenses So those are where the funds are coming from to support those three other budgets. >> Thank [clears throat] you. >> And Enman, >> um that
>> that was I don't I don't have anything else. I'm I'm moving I have other concerns for police, but I was just going to address that. Did you have something else you want to address? >> There was a there was a comment and concern regarding Inman. Just as far as uh Inman goes, the county is working on
a project uh making some modifications and upgrades on Inman and Grove Avenue. Um and we've we're in full support. The mayor has provided a supporting letter to the county. So um hopefully those improvements will be imminent.
>> Okay. Well, thank you. Um she answered some of your question for the [clears throat] county looking at that. I will schedule our public safety meeting and discuss uh the traffic situation, the um miles per hour at 40
at this time, but it's just fair to say that Edison has 750 lane miles of road. Um and it's challenging to get to every situational problem that happens. But I can tell you when there is traffic, if you'd like to contact me personally, I think you have my cell. I'm willing to
go down there. And I'm sure members of the council will sit and observe the traffic issue that uh you're seeing at this time and what can be done. I I wish I can control accidents. Uh I'm just happy that we have a good public safety um team to address that and I'm glad uh
no one is seriously injured at this time. Um as far as 27, you've comparing the 40 m hour there and 40 miles an hour on I will ask uh public safety committee to review that as well. Um, there were no other questions I did didn't miss. I
want the the mayor's budget. Did you want to speak about the mayor's budget? >> Um, are you referring to uh the budget when Yeah. When it's >> We're hoping to introduce the budget, the second meeting in April. We're currently working on it. We're really in
the trenches of it. So um we are coordinating obviously and communicating with the board of ed if there are any concerns in the sharing of information so that we can properly plan our budget. >> Yeah. Thank you. For those who are not aware in other administrations several
council members have been with me serving the budget wasn't even introduced until August. Uh and this administration I think is doing a really good job presenting it much earlier. and we didn't have a single question from the audience when it was presented in August. I'm happy we're moving forward
and I thank you for that. This moving much more aggressive. Thank you. Um any other members of the council would like to speak? Yes. Clarific clarification. Um, are we we're
doing public comment or we still >> It's public comment. Yeah, four minutes. Okay, cool. Thank you. Um, where to start off? Uh, good morning. Well, I'm sorry, not good morning. It's been a long day for me. Sorry. Good afternoon, council and Edison residents
who are watching right now. So, um, got my license recently the last week and I've been observing a lot of um, funny business. Um, you can say, but I'm I would talk offline. Um,
oh, I uh to the last speaker, Miss Conway, I don't mind observing traffic. I don't mind what because I I'm on the citizen app. I just did the live recording on that uh one of our students got hit down the road right by the uh
boulevard of Eagles. I was over there. record had about 19,000 live views and then a total of 46,000. Yeah. So, not just that, I did the winter storm that had a lot of views as
well. What else? I did I was live right by the mall. There was this disabled vehicle that happened recently. Um, but I don't mind exerving like, you know, traffic in certain areas, you know. Um, but I've been seeing a lot of
like potholes. I'm glad that we got the QR code finally. I was looking for that sucker. I mean that that piece. Um, but yeah. Uh, I feel like I think I guess we're all done with the winter storm. It's getting warm, you know? It's
kind of crazy. It It warms up and then it gets cold and it warms up and it gets cold. Like it's some wacky weather, you know. Um, what else? Uh if we can bring back the six minutes, that'll be great. Yeah. Right. Even even the public is
agreeing. Bring back the six minutes. Um I don't know what else to say. I think that's going to do it. I'm going to remain my speaking time at this time. Thank you, council. >> Thank you for your comments. >> Absolutely. >> Any other members of the public would like to speak?
>> Seeing none, could I have a motion to close the public portion? >> I have a second. Second. >> All in favor say I. >> I. >> Just [clears throat] uh my comments on the uh flooding. Of course, I have to take uh advice from my council not to dive deep into this, but I can tell you
that the members of this council will take this serious. Uh we will work with the administration and the council to get an answer. Uh I'm never happy to hear about different floods that happen throughout the town. um isolated from this situation speaking throughout the
town. We are measuring flood uh mitigation and we've looked at several grants to make sure of that and several members of the council have been on that discussing those situations. Um if there's an opportunity to sit in close session, uh Council Member Patiel
mentioned that. Uh I certainly will. Uh I'm not happy what you're going through. Uh, I know some of them are 25-year floods, which is an act of nature, but still we have to be prepared and more prepared. Um, and and I'm sorry for what you're going through. I I'm really, you
know, inspired that you've done a lot of work on your own to protect yourself and your HOA has stepped up to do what they can within their rights. Uh, I will continue. Uh, we can communicate. Um, well, at this time we can't commit as much as I'd like, but I will speak with
council uh in a in a close session about this in a few weeks through the direction of the BA, but we do care and I'm terribly sorry. And and this is something that I hope we'll uh find an answer. And if the D takes forever, we will we'll go down the tren and
hopefully get some answers. And we do have our Senator Pat Dagen and our Assemblyman Rob Carbinc as well as Sterley Stanley, our assemblyman and our commissioner. So, uh, I hope that we can find an answer. Did any other, uh,body want to make any comments from the council?
Thank you. I'd like a motion to adjurnn. >> Motion. >> I have a second. All in favor say I. This meeting is adjourned.