All right. >> Let's call this meeting to order at 7:02 p.m. We're going to start with saloon, the flag. >> 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. >> Please join me in a moment of silent reflection. Thank you, >> Alison. I'm missing a sunshine law notice. >> What? >> I'm missing a sunshine law notice.
>> Look at the note. >> I'm going to read the one from the last one. In accordance with the provisions of the open public meetings act, public meetings may be held in person or by means of communication equipment that include streaming services and other online meeting platforms. This meeting
is being held in person through the Zoom meeting platform being broadcast from Burough Hall, 748 River Road, Fair, New Jersey. Public participation for this regular council meeting of March >> 23rd, 2026 is available by call and phone number or through web conference
Zoom. Members of the public will be on mute till there's time for questions or comments which will be announced. At that time, the public has the opportunity to question or comment by phone or through resume by the raise hand button and will be called on at the appropriate time. Notice of this meeting was included in a schedule of meetings which was adopted by resolution number
2026-13 and sent to the Asbury Park Press of the Two River Times on January 12th, 2026, posted on the burough website at the Bolton board and municipal building and has remained continuously posted as required in the statute. With adequate notes having been given, the bur clerk is directed to include the statement of
the minutes of this meeting. Alison, may I please have a roll call. Council members Cole here, Misselli here, Griffin Scott here, Mki here, Olsson. We have administrator Burke, Attorney Soil, Engineer Gordella, CF Britain,
Director Breenidge, and BCW Director. >> Thank you. Uh, first up on workshop session, Bird Sanctuary Rededication. Nancy here. She is. >> Yep. I'm back and I'm not really asking for much this.
>> Okay. I'm Nancy Bosco and I chair the bird sanctuary committee for the burrow. And I'd like to say this was started in July of 2024 when the mayor um came together with a few of us from the
garden club to do some more specific and formal work to rehab the bird sanctuary. I'd just like to read you quickly what we have accomplished in almost two years. We started with a set of goals. We assessed the health of the trees and
had the dead and dangerous trees removed. After that assessment, we treated invasive knotweed for an eradication program. We assessed the damage by deer to the understory and made plans to mitigate, including neighbors were identified as feeding the
deer and those were dealt with. and we started to plant more deer resistant items. The burrow did notification of encroachment on the property and planned a remedy. We created and implemented a planting plan for the understory near the entrance, including deer protection
with fencing. We planted 111 trees and bushes, created a perennial garden of 100 plants, and put in 350 bulbs. We went to the local scout troops and we paired with an Eagle Scout project who
built 20 birdouses and recently you approved another Eagle Scout project for or four batous. We purchased through the Burrow office program two memorial benches which have been ordered and will be installed soon.
I have applied for various grants throughout this project. I've gotten one from the Autobond Society and I'm waiting on an application to the Garden Club of New Jersey for additional funding for the understory. To date, we've The Garden Club has spent $2,500
on its president's project, $1,500 from a grant with the Autobon Society, a $500 donation from two Fair Haven residents, $900 donated by the members for the perennial gardens, the family of a deceased member funded the Eagle Scout
project for $500, and we just spent $1,900 on the two benches. That's a total of $7,814 plus >> Thank you. >> plus untold manh hours given to us so
generously by the burrow. Chris York has been so instrumental. Betsy Cotch has sat on the committee. Nick Joe Malay and DJ have helped us tirelessly. And this is what we're asking for now. The bird sanctuary was originally
started in 1956 on May the 28th. It was rededicated by the mayor. I have it right here, the proclamation for the 50th anniversary, but we would like because we're this project has been so big and is in
completion almost and although I don't want it ever to be considered complete, it's a living thing. We have to keep it going. Anyway, we would like to ask that this year on May the 16th, we rededicate it for its 70th anniversary because that
will coincide with the 75th anniversary of the garden club which will take place in September. So, that's what we would like to ask for. >> What day of the week is it? >> It's a Saturday. >> And um what would be needed to
rededicate? What what exactly is the ask? What is the ask for people to come and celebrate with us? That's it. >> Going to sign or you know we're going to cut a ribbon. Is that the the basic uh >> we can adopt we can do something? I
>> think it sounds like a lovely idea. Anyone um make a motion? I'd like to make a motion that we approve May 16th as the day for the rededication of the Harding Bird Sanctuary and to celebrate
the 70th anniversary. >> Alison, uh, you know what? I think all in favor >> um, next, uh, Carolyn, are you presenting? Yeah. We have 2025 annual report from Fairman Fields Natural Area Advisory. Do you have it for the
>> I do um Councilman is on a meeting who's driving so I don't know. >> Okay. Drive safely, please. We have a uh Kevin for the next 10 to 15 minutes. We have a um we have the Fairman Fields
Natural Area Advisory Committee as they're giving their 2025 year. I'm going to get closer to the screen. That's not me being to Oh, you know what? I have it. Congrat. Sorry. Let's go. >> Okay. Hi, I'm Carolyn Ferguson. I'm the
chair of the Fair Haven Fields Natural Area Advisory Committee. I'm here tonight with uh Dave Bordilon, who is our vice chair, and Mark Olsson, who is one of our other committee members. We're here to talk to you about what we accomplished in 2025 and what we plan to do in 2026. As always, we're eager to
hear your feedback. Uh for the first few slides, we're going to ask you to read some of these offline just in the interest of time. Uh but slide two tells you about our committee members. We also have volunteers who join our meeting and uh in the case of Robin O'Neal, she actually uh organizes our bird walks and
nature walks. So she's really going above and beyond. Uh during 2025, Drew was our council liaison and as you know the DPW really is the responsible party who takes care of the natural area and we appreciate the collaboration that we have with them and thank them very much
for their hard work. Uh moving on to slide three. Um this is the history of the natural area. We think it's very uh interesting. Uh our committee has existed for over 50 years. We're going to ask you to read this offline. Uh but uh Alison, if you could show slide
three. The um one thing we would like you to see is the map of the Fair Haven Fields. Uh the Fair Haven Fields has uh parts. Uh we are the count our our committee is responsible for taking care of the natural area so only one part of
fair haven fields. >> I just want to uh for the members up here usually I do this uh they're going to present the whole thing then we can ask questions. >> Then moving to slide four again you can read the details but uh we talk about what the benefits of the natural area
are to our residents. Uh besides what we put here, we uh also want to note that open spaces in a town increase property values for the residents in that neighborhood. Um so that it we get served in that way too. Uh that we have a philosophy in the natural area to keep
things natural. So like we're very uh cautious about introducing signs or new benches. It the idea is to let nature happen there as it will. Uh and then the last thing is that we work with support from Mammoth County Park System. our committee actually initiated like
reached out and formed a relationship with them a few years ago and has been very helpful. They come out once a year. They do an assessment. They give us a written report. They give us instructions about what to do. Um when we have questions, we turn to them and use their guidance. And now I'm going to
turn it over to Dave. >> Hi. So I just wanted to discuss the current state of the natural area. And as it says from the heading, uh it's under stress right now. Uh the primary cause of that stress is de or the deer. The deer are eating most of the
understory. If you go to a healthy forest, when you would look through the forest, you see trees, little shrubs at different heights. When you look through the forest in the uh natural area, you see the ground. You don't see that kind of understory that allows for the story
for the forest to regenerate. So we see that right now as one of the major problems in the natural area. Um connected to that is when we plant new uh new trees, native species, we have to put cages around them. That requires additional expense and then we're
worried about the upkeep of later on removing the uh those cages. Um a few notes as well on invasive species. Um we have a a vine that has just come in in the last two years. It's called mile a minute vine. You might see it if you're
in there. Triangular shaped uh pale green leaves. The problem is it grows in a vine. The vine is filled with spines. So when you try to pull it out, it uh uh uh makes it very difficult to remove because it can penetrate even a leather glove. Um so we're working on removing
that as well. Um we were just told as it says in the um in the uh presentation we were just told in 2025 Mammoth Park when they came through and looked at in particular Morales Meadow they noticed that over years of deer predation
and um in a sense the old growth uh kind of building up a thick thatch that we now need to go in and kind of reclaim that. So, we're now just at the planning stage of what we need to do to get through the different steps to achieve
that. But I think >> and just to interrupt, like that was upsetting for us to learn. They said the meadow is sick. It basically needs to be rebuilt from scratch. It's almost 2 acres of meadow. It's going to be a big project. So, that was a sad situation. >> Right. Right. So, um we do have possible
solutions. I think the mil minute and the moralis meadow we we kind of have uh we can work on that uh probably with ourselves and the DPW. Um what I think we see as a problem is that we need a strategy to resolve the deer problem. As
you see we're just trying to figure out what to do. Should we surround the natural area with an 8-ft fence and put in gates? We have questions about that just for the cost and for the uh that it' be a bit unsightly. So, we're really curious if the uh council has any ideas
on how to address the deer problems. We know that, you know, that's been brought to you in the past, but we're definitely willing and again at the end, we'll be hoping to hear, you know, maybe some solutions you folks might might have. I'd like to turn it over now to Mark, and he's going to discuss our
accomplishments, what we finished up in uh 2025. >> And typical of me, I'm going to go off the grid, right, Carolyn? As you can off the grid. Okay. What can I say? >> There we go. So, uh, it's not going to follow the slides there. Um, well, one
of the big things we're trying to do is we're trying, the committee is trying to increase the awareness of the value of the natural area. It's just unbelievable. Um, Bengals live down the street from me and that these guys did this uh 50ome years ago. And you just think about what would it be like if in
1974 they would have developed all that land into houses. We wouldn't have the baseball fields. we wouldn't have the tennis courts and we wouldn't have the Nashville area. So, we're very fortunate that those people were forward thinking 50 some years ago. Terms of raising awareness, I think the best way to raise
the awareness, we haven't gotten Christina yet, but I think we'll get her and we will get Kevin. Everybody else in the council has certainly done a a volunteer day. We do the two volunteer days in the spring and the two volunteer days in the fall. And I think when you get in there and you remove some
invasive or you help cut down a limb or you um move some wood chips around and you you get involved, you dig around in the dirt and I think your awareness gets raised for the value of the natural area. So those volunteer weekends are very
important to us. We also do a nature walk and a bird walk throughout the year. Um, we participated in Love Where You Live Day the last couple years and then of course Ally Countryman does our social media and that also helps raise awareness. Um, we're continuing to work
on that northwest corner. So, if you're geographically challenged, think about where the cell tower is. That was the five acres that we took on a few years ago. spent the 20,000, removed all the invasives, um, or all the big trees, and now we're
planning, we're consulting, we're learning more. We've tried to remove more invasives. We've tried and failed with some seeds for some grasses. Um, we put in the trail uh with the wood chips last fall. We planted a number of trees
in there. We have more to do. So the northwest corner um it's more it's sort of the h one of the humbling things about the natural area is we're just volunteers. We don't necessarily know what we're doing we have to reach out to the professionals
and what we're finding my opinion is that even the professionals have different opinions. So it's it's a very humbling process. The Northwest Corner is an example of that. We've tried and we got to keep trying. Um last year in the natural area we planted
90 trees. Um we did 63 uh donated bare root trees. We did 15 winter berry back to trying to get that understory in. We planted 12 evergreens and then Bonnie of course got the Salem oak from up north which sat on her porch for a couple
years and then we finally got that planted by the Jim Engle tree. The Jim Engle area. Um, we continue back to this whole thing about expanding our relationships with outside experts. We meet with Mammoth County. There's various opinions within Mammoth
County, but we meet with them annually. Uh, we started this year to dive in with the USDA on a community forestry plan. Um, and then of course we're always working with the DPW. um volunteer hours last year, somewhere
between 700 to 800 hours across the Nashville area committee members. And then volunteer uh hours from those four different uh days, the two in the spring and the two in the fall, the cleanup days, another three to 400 hours. So, um
I love the natural area. It's very humbling what Dave was talking about with Moralers's Meadow and with the fight uh against the deer. It's humbling stuff, but we're not going to give up and we're just going to keep on going. So, thank you.
>> Thank you. >> And just going to slide nine. Um, you know, I think last year when we did this, we said, you know, it's odd to talk about this without talking about money. >> Uh, so we added a slide. We don't have a ton of good information, but we're sharing what we do know. So, uh, we do
get about $5,000 a year from the community appeal, uh, for the natural area, and the burrow lets us, uh, have a lot of input about how to spend that. >> Uh, we did get about $1,000 of donations. Uh, and then, of course, most
of the expenses, DPW hours, and vendor services, which we can't quantify, but we know that, uh, that's at current. >> Um, I'd like to shift now to looking forward to this year. So, what we plan on accomplishing this year, we're going
to continue. Mark talked about the Northwest section. We're going to continue our work with that. When we took on that project, we knew it was going to be a multi-year project. We're about three two three years into it. Um, in April, we plan to uh sew a cover crop
of perennial grasses and we're going to work on continue to build a buffer of evergreens and that is to kind of keep the natural experience all year round. As you know with deciduous trees, leaves fall and suddenly you can look right through and see either the church or you
know the fence of the uh cell tower. So we're looking for something to kind of keep that natural experience while people are enjoying the natural area. We did we mentioned already we do are we will be working on planning and rebuilding uh Morales Meadow. We'll be
working closely with both uh Mammoth County Park System and the DPW. We plan on planting 100 trees in the natural area. And also, we mentioned the Everdream buffer along the church border. We also are going to increase the buffer right along Ridge Road. When
you're on the Ridge Road trail, particularly in the winter, you just again see right through it. So, we're trying to uh uh again create some green screening to again keep that natural air throughout the um throughout the natural area. So if you turn to page 11 or slide
11, we do have some specific asks, specific uh uh requests for the burough council. Um we see that uh the town is working on their strategic plan. We just want to make sure that >> master plan >> master plan. Yes, I'm sorry. The master
plan. Um we just want to make sure uh um that some of the specific requests that we have are included. We're looking particularly at the eastern edge of the natural area that runs alongside Fair Haven Road. We're wondering what changes will be needed to pursue the cherry
trees. What entrances to the natural area will be allowed and continued and determine um this is a newer item. What access is the town planning for the sewer authorities easement because they have an easement right through the
natural area. So, what plans do we have for that and also for access for equipment like to get larger trucks into the natural area? So, we're interesting in um what plans uh is the town developing for that. We also would like the burrow to manage the purchases that
we make. Sometimes there have been there's been a bit of confusion sometimes when we're um asking to spend some of our uh money. So we would like uh the town to kind of handle that that we would you know ask this is what we need and the town kind of picks it up from there. We feel a little
uncomfortable representing the town and like that kind of financial authority. So we feel it would be best if the uh the town would do that. Um we did submit a a list of projects for that. We were very glad to see that uh pretty quickly
the DPW agreed to most of the requests. So, we'll be working with the DPW to fulfill those requests. We have uh just some carryover requests. These are things that have been kind of ongoing um ongoing concerns or requests of the
council. It's on page 12. Uh the main thing you could see at the top, we're still have questions about deer. We've been coming to the burrow for years now with the deer. You have now examined this yourself. Just last year, you had the deer inventory. So, we're really
looking to see what can be done to kind of save the forest. I mean, we're really wondering how long can the forest last with that level of depradation. Um, we uh like to uh continue the DPW participation in the natural area
committee meetings and the volunteer weekends. And then also, we had this last point. This is on the storm water flowing from Buttonwood. We understand that there was going to be some work as they repave the road on Fair Haven Road to kind of address that. So, we're just
wanted to see what was the status of that and what was going to be done. We'd like to end it just with thanking the burrow, DPW, the committee, and the volunteers who, as Mark noted, put in hours of work to ensure that Fair Haven
residents enjoy what um what past uh residents have called the jewel, crown jewel of uh of Fair Haven. >> And I just like to point out many of our members are here. They work super hard. We really uh have the utmost respect for them and we really want to thank them
for their service to the bar >> and they're all they're all above average. >> Mark, Dave, Carolyn, thank you very much. Thank you to the entire committee. Um I know that especially Bob sees me. I'm in the natural area and all the time
street trail all the time. Um you're right. It is it's the crown jewel for sure of their in and in um you know it's obvious to me from sitting in the seat for a lot of years that uh the magic doesn't just happen. It's based on
people rolling up their sleeves and getting to work. So we're very very appreciative of all you do. You make you really made it um from year to year we keep seeing the improvements but again then we have situations like the beer that we have to address. Chris I think you had an update on the beer. present.
>> Yes. So, um, so we have Nick here. Nick can add some points on it as well. So, to give you an idea, I know, um, and this was shortly prior to me arriving. Um, New Jersey DP, he had done a presentation to the mayor and council about the, uh, deer deer report. We received a grant to do it, which, um,
Sher Spiro from CN compiled that grant and showed Robi where there were issues. Um, at the time I believe, and I remember watching the meeting on Zoom, um, there was a talk about a phase two that New Jersey DP was going to have, I think, for a controlled hunt of some sort. Um, when we did get the funding
for the the grant for the actual report was done and we submitted it, I followed up about the second phase of it to which D told me and I have it writing in an email that there was no phase two ever. Okay. >> So, I don't know if we hallucinated that. Um, then of course I would have
been one hallucinated as well. um or in fact it's just not there. But they said there never was. It was never part of it. Um if this is something that the towns would like to do on their own, they certainly can, but there is no D funding or there never was. Um in the meantime, we have made and I know Carolyn and I have talked a bit about
this. Um I know Dick Fuller and Nick have talked a bit about this as well. There are some uh points that we did do to try to um you know handle the uh areas where the deer were attacking. Nick, can you add some u some of the work we've done so far? I know there's still more we want to add on to from the
DPW standpoint. >> Yeah, the the deer management report uh indicated that they had some uh test plots and those those areas were labeled and ribboned and reviewed for, you know, their current condition. And one of the recommendations from Sherry was to put
fences around those areas to establish a second phase of study to see if fencing would actually um change any of the the results. and it was kind of determined that probably wouldn't change anything. So, the additional expense of fencing and and the time delay wasn't really
necessary. I know Dick has done some additional research with regard to um you know trying to identify the population and how how dense it is or how large it is. Um and was also going Dick was also going to we're going to
reach out to the Mama County to see how they're managing population in various different parks. I know Huber Woods, Hoff Shore Wood, these other places have designated uh times a year where they they have specific uh you know hunts and things like that. So that was we were
going to re reach out to them and see the success rate that they're having in uh in those types of programs. Um but we're still kind of pursuing different, you know, possibilities to to bring up the ladder. We we we may have to have a discussion
here, you know, from Bay on whether we want to go after our hunt. Um, as I've mentioned in past years, Rumson and Lil Silver have expressed that they don't want to join us. That's partially my concern is that we create a vacuum for their deer to come to our land once we
clear out of our deer. Um, but I I acknowledge it's a big problem beyond just the natural area. I'm worried about human life. Um, you probably won't believe me, but I had deer in my backyard last night. I went out to scream at them and then this morning my
wife found a tick on our bed like no way. >> So, I'm not saying that those are connected specifically, but you know, >> I think you're starting to see a pattern where there's a lot of instances across the burough fair haven where um they're becoming a nuisance for different
reasons. you know, our our leadership um is is probably destined to make a decision here at a certain point. Obviously, we want to wait for more information from Nick and uh and all the outlets that we're using to inform ourselves. So, >> yeah, and the nice thing about we do
have pretty comprehensive report that gives us a road map on where to begin, not to mention all the work that you know the natural area committee has done as well. We have a good road map and you know, I think, you know, it's a good starting point to where we could do something. You know, I wish D would have had a little more involvement in the phase two that was supposed to have
existed. It doesn't. So, I think this is something that we're going to have to take on. The governing body is going to have to make an approval on as well. So, >> yeah. And I would just encourage to move as quickly as we can because we've been bringing it up for several years and it's just not going to get better. It will only get worse because of the reproduction rates. >> Mayor, can I just mention two other
things real quick? Just um >> one thing you mentioned here about the master plan. I think that's great. Um you want to have a collaborative effort in the master plan. And I think we have one of our two representatives to the planning board here tonight. >> Yeah, Betsy reached out. I wanted to thank you, Betsy, for reaching out. >> Betsy Zoning um planning, Councilwoman
Cole and Councilman Olsson. Um if you have any information you would like for the master plan, um please send me an email and copy Councilwoman Cole and Councilman Olsson on it. I'll make sure the firm that we've hired is u CCH Michael Sullivan's the individual who's
taking up the endeavor. um we can make sure that that gets um addressed. The other thing you mentioned in here too uh regarding the sewer easements um I'm also a commissioner for the Two Rivers Water Reclamation Authority. So, um, if you want any idea what their plans are
or if there's any requests you have, obviously they're not going to it's the reason they're not going to move it, but um, with the utilities there, but if you have any questions or anything that you would like addressed, um, certainly send me an email and I can talk to their executive director, Dennis Galvin, or your assistant executive director, Brian Richmond, and we can, uh, you know, we
proceed, try take them on their adisement, see what we can do. >> Yeah, mostly we're looking to have us decide, the VRO, decide what we're going to do on that east side. Like at one point, I know Nick mentioned to me there's an entrance right at the corner of Fair Haven Road and Ridge Road that
the DPW uses to bring in trucks, but they said they feel like it's not a very safe location. And they said we could use the sewer authority easement and use that for two purposes. Um, so if we could just kind of establish on a map what we think makes sense where. Um,
also we noticed like recently uh big trucks come in and they uh kind of ruin the trails, make big dips in the trails. So like on one hand we're fixing trails, on the other hands we're bringing in trucks that are too big and causing damage. So like if we could kind of
understand let's try to keep this kind of truck >> and that's something we can talk administratively in house you know between Nick and myself and then we've talked in the sewer commission as well. So that's awesome. we start using drones to draw one. >> I have that on the agenda. >> Yeah. >> Right. And we do understand the
challenges of the deer thing. So like that's why we were like maybe there's other solutions, right? Like maybe a fence or you know. >> One more question. You said a new entrance was added recently. So that >> Fair Haven Road. It was kind of midway between Ridge Road and the existing
entrance. It's kind of right by Buttonwood. Yeah. >> But it's >> Yeah. >> Okay. the that's a planned entrance for >> that was the one that's been there for a few years now. I think you pointed out you might have pointed out they think it
was kind of man-made from people cutting through and maybe over a period of time. Um are you suggesting we keep it or close it up? >> Well, we're just saying we should rationalize, right? Like it appeared. We don't know where it came from, but the the fence collections were taken down.
It has chips. And if we open that one, should we close the other one? Where should the trash can go? >> All right. Right. >> So, you have your meetings usually what, once a week on natural area tasks or once a month with that. So, put that on the agenda. I know um you know, Nick will talk about maybe I'll be at that
one as well. And uh we can make a plan. >> And the plan for the cherry trees has a big impact on Yes. >> trail from the opening the new entrance. They was a trail. >> It's been chips. >> It's a trail. Yeah. It has chips on it. Yeah. So, who put the chips there? I
don't know. >> Josh did. It was the drone. The drone. >> Just things on top terms of the deer as the leison on for the environmental commission, the shade tree, the green team, and um >> natural
>> natural area. It's come up in every single meeting. So, it's definitely something that I've said we we need to readress here. Um but I have a question that maybe Nick or Rich can answer. You asked about the storm water flowing down Button Ridge Road Drive and causing erosion in the natural area. Has there
been any updates on that? Like what have we done for that? >> That's part of our road plans a little bit. Part of the ferry road project. We put in additional catch basins. We extended some of the curb. We also added another catch basin upstream to
intercept and pick up some of that water. So minimize gutter flow coming down. And There's minimal what they call crown on fair haven road. So what happens is blow is coming down butt wood and it just goes right across there
hitting a road. So we're re that's being all redone when it's going to get baked. >> So that'll direct >> the farmers market was always a trio. Is it become a quartet? It's rich. Are you >> quoting
this? I think this exales a little bit with what Chris was saying about master plan conservation open space and master plan is obviously part of it you mentioned um and I'm so happy that you reached out to the county parks uh because it's phenomenal resource and um
I know that you have had a plan for gs when you get one of those plans prepared with guidance from the parks where's that document live >> uh we keep a Google drive with all the we have 50 years worth of documents of expert advice. Um, and that's where all of that stuff is.
>> So, I'm going to suggest that that get circulated certainly to the environmental commission. Um, and definitely to um, you know, to Mr. York who can then distribute it as appropriate, which I'm imagining my share. >> They have it. >> Good. >> Yeah.
>> Um, that would also be helpful if you would. Um, is there more than one or is it just one? >> Every year for the last three or four years, they've given us one. if you could pull all of those and attach them to um I think people are intending to email Chris and myself and Brian
regarding the master plan. >> Okay, >> those would be great supporting documents. Yes, >> good catch. Good point. >> Great. >> Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. >> Uh next up,
>> uh we had a request to hold Girls on the Run event on June 7th. Um, I don't know that anyone's here representing them, but I think in our packets we have a little bit of information. Anyone's Oh, >> I'm not here on the run. Um, be your
recreation director. Um, but they did come to the um the February recreation commission meeting. Um, we did uh recommend for approval like we do every year. Um this year Megan Moran uh Fair Haven resident is going to be heading it
up for that local chapter. Um and we also work with Donna York who's the executive director of Rails on the Run. Um so we're fully supportive of it. We've been working with Chief McGovern as far as the rate the race route goes and all that. Um all the scheduling has been uh worked around so that this could
take place on June 7th. Um, so as far as a a parks and recreation aspect, we're uh we're on board. >> I'd like to add that I I was the coach for girls on the run. I've been in the race. It's it's such a nice event. I think it's such a good thing that they do. So I definitely
>> Yeah, >> I definitely support. We I assume we get insurance. >> Yeah. So we get we get all proper forms. Uh facility request form, hold harmless, certification of insurance. We do a walk through beforehand. Then afterwards, we have a follow-up meeting if there's any tweaks or adjustments we need to make.
Like a few years ago, music was a little too loud, a little too early, so we tweak that back a little bit. Um, but I'll do a walkthrough beforehand, make sure they they have access to outlets and things like that. Um, and any uh vendors that they have on site, like for example, to have a United Side Services will come with their bathrooms and
things like that. We'll make sure we have all their proper documentation. >> I think I'm curious if maybe we could promote it. I don't know if that's something we would promote, but it is so nice when all the like talent is out and supporting all the kids running throughout. So maybe that's just a thing we could mention is happening just to
let people know. >> The the girls in the room. The one thing that I kind of remember too, there's a lot of people that come from out of town out of town for the event. I don't know if the business association might if there might be a way to hand something out to get them to come into the
business community after the race. I don't know. Yeah, it's not a good idea because it is end. >> So it starts and ends at Fairen Fields. So it starts in Fairaven Fields and then it runs out goes on Third Street and then loops back in and they finish along the trail. >> Maybe one year they consider ending
somewhere in business. >> Yeah, I'm sure they'd be open to I can put you in touch with Donnie York if you would like if you if you'd like to have a table or something there for the business association if that if that's something that would be >> we'll take it up at our next meeting. >> Thank you DJ. All right. Um,
>> make a motion on the run June 7th. All >> in favor. >> Anyone opposed? >> Beautiful. All right. Uh, next up, we have a request from Shade Tree to put 13 bonsai in front of the 13 oldest trees
in Fair Haven >> in remembrance of the original 13 colonies. Yes. Good point. >> Such typical things. I think it's a really >> someone here for that chain tree or >> I'm from chain tree. >> I know you are but I don't think I can tell I don't think you're prepared to
talk on this specific thing. Are you >> I will get me I guess I can say I mean I think this is a wonderful thing that they're doing as as Councilman F said it is in remembrance of the 13 original colonies.
They would put these on the um 13 trees in a sign would be on the 13 trees. and they already passed it with the 250 committee. >> Is it is it just a generic sign, the same sign in front of the 15 or is the sign say something about the tree like
>> So they're going to do like a um a scavenger hunt kind of thing. So there'll be a different QR code on each of them but they're all the same sign. >> Got it. And where where does the QR code take you to? Like >> it's a map. Yeah. So I love that they're doing this. So
>> Jill Sullivan has >> do you do you know how long the signs are going to be up? Jill >> I don't I don't remember Jill what they you said >> Hi can you hear me? >> Yes we can. >> Okay perfect. All right. Sorry. Um yeah.
So uh basically what we did is we used the tree inventory to estimate the age of um each tree in Fair Haven. And we did that by taking a growth rate factor
against the DBH. And we have a list of um at least 40 trees that are kind of like contenders uh for this project. And we are going to pick, you know, the 13 trees that um I would say make the most
sense in terms of their location in order to send residents on a walk through town to 13 locations of trees that were most likely here at, you know, 250 years ago. What the QR code is going
to do is it's going to take you into um a PDF or maybe like a Canva screen that would give you a narrative about the trees like maybe something that was happening in that location 250 years ago. Obviously, it's going to give you
information about the species, its age, um you know, those types of facts. Uh and then it would lead you along to like the next tree. So a resident would be able to start at any tree that they found um and then move through to the um
other 12 locations. Um we are we approved the um idea of putting a bunting around the tree uh with the beautifification committee. Um and then what we're looking for is permission to um put these uh 13 signs at the base of
the tree. um you know like your typical you know RFH senior dog lives here type sign um in in that style. So um I I didn't know if there was another question I I missed but that's that's
the gist. >> Um do you have more did you get more than 13 signs? Like did you print like >> We haven't printed anything yet. We're, you know, looking for approval before we go to print. >> If the sign's just being placed like on those metal prongs into the ground, I
would probably print more than um 13. I just think that kids are kids and sometimes those things get lost from experience. Um, >> yes. QR code. Is the QR code like a sticker that you're putting on after? >> No, that will that will go that will be
printed. >> Oh, it's always the same map. Okay. Sorry. >> Yeah. Yeah, it's the same. Yeah, we're not making them unique to each tree. just it's not very cost effective to do it that way. >> How long do you anticipate keeping the signs up? >> We would love to have this up by Arbor
Day, but realistically um Memorial Day is probably a more, you know, realistic goal and then have it up through the summer. You know, I just I think this is such a lovely, wonderful idea and there's something simple about it, but also it
celebrates our natural heritage and our his heritage and helps us connect to the place where we live in a in a in a new way. And the story of the map and the 13 trees that the commission selects, I think it almost goes away once the signs
go away. Jill, correct me if I'm wrong, but without the um sandwich board or without the uh lawn signs, does the whole story go away other than maybe it's exists on a website somewhere, right?
>> I Yeah, it doesn't have to go away. I mean, it it and um there is even the opportunity to um perhaps create a a greater list than 13. I mean, but realistically on like
what you're asking somebody to do, like we can't we have to actually narrow down the the smartest trees to send people to because obviously we're not going to send somebody to Ridge Road to look at a tree. Um, you know, so yeah. Yeah, this
could this could live. I mean, in in in theory, um, you know, the story behind all the trees and and kind of where they are. >> Yeah. You're you're probably familiar with the um the plaque that or the metal
sign at the center or at the bsentennial hall. There's a tree that was planted to commemorate the bsentennial. And maybe even I'm I'm just going to throw this out here. You guys take it back to your commission. Maybe it's not worth anything, but a small metal sign
that has something to indicate that this was one of the 13 trees during the sunny quincentennial named for this map. and story what would live on there and how discreet you could make it and but it's the kind of thing that could stay if it's flushed with the ground and it last
so it can survive the elements might be interesting to explore it. >> Okay. All right. We can think about that. Yeah. >> A lot of them are on public property though private property. >> That's the only question that's the idea >> to be fair. That's the only reason we're
we're discussing this in general is because they're on public property. on private property. They really don't need any approval. >> Some of them are though, isn't it? Just >> will you have capab >> will you have capabilities to see how many people are scanning the QR code so
you can figure out if this is a successful Yeah. thing or not and then go forward with the real plan. >> I think that's a great idea. Um I have one concern that I want to ask attorney Soville. It says most of them are on public property which implies that some
of them are on private property. So is there a liability concern there as a burrow we're running a scavenger hunt and sending people on people's private property >> as long as they you know it's not like they need an easement or anything like that. I mean it's just working with your neighbors.
>> You know any any sort of you know whether it's a run if someone accesses you know someone's yard it's the same type of concern. was. No, I wouldn't have any sort of liability issue. >> I most of these trees are are in the rightway. Um, you know, so you'd be able
to see the tree from the street. You wouldn't necessarily have to go onto somebody's property. All these trees were taken from the inventory. So something that is well into somebody's property would not have been part of our inventory.
>> If somebody wanted to participate, we did put it out there. Um we only got one response um from you know resident that actually said consider my tree. Um so all all the trees that we're looking at are right away trees or park trees.
>> Really nice idea. >> Great. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Uh do we have a motion? >> I'll make a motion to support the shade tree commission's um >> it's the 13 >> 13.
What is there a name for this Jill? >> Uh, not yet. >> The 13 trees story of fair. >> I second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> Anyone opposed? Thank you. Uh, next up we have a request. Thank you, Joe. We
have a request from Kristen Hathaway to close Third Street. Uh, this is on this year's transition day. Um there is some information in the packet, although it doesn't seem to me like um Chief, it I don't see like the uh final information
here. You you kind of said um to her, I have no issues with closing third street, but if you need an officer, if you keep in the parking lot, it's up to you whether you want him. Did she end up saying whether she offered? That's I never really talked to her
again. She knows that. I have no issue but they have all their phones. >> Is she on the phone also by any chance? >> I do not see her. >> She picture of a car also leaving them. >> Don't they? >> This is well after. So >> Oh, this is after
>> this is from 2 to 5:30. >> Got it. Got it. Got it. >> This is something last year. I I don't believe we Yeah. I had no issue with them closing road and she knows that >> and you know third street itself is
closed beyond for 4 hours we're >> they close the road because you want four hours >> church street church >> that's not >> why church and not >> well then they they come close well
that's kind of I'm okay with where But we didn't hear back from her to know whether she wants to >> say officer. I never heard back. >> So how do I >> I would say just once we >> would say table it for the next meeting. >> Yeah.
>> Table till we get more information. Chief, you'll follow up with her. >> Yeah. >> To find out if then they want we can get more information for next meeting. >> What's the date? >> I'll make a motion and table request until The chief police is satisfied. Second that all
>> in favor. >> Anyone oppose? >> Thank you. Uh next up we have 2026 Fairman Farmers Market request. >> Oh no. >> Rich, you coming too?
>> He's silent. Um, now you >> guys can come up if you want to sit down. >> Um, Anna Anthony 92 Bon OC 263 Fairaven Road. >> I just want to have it again. >> Are there are there any before we get
into anything else? Are there any differences from last year? >> We're adding vendors. >> More vendors food. >> Yeah. So >> more more vendors meaning like different vendors or you gonna have more vendors on the actual street? >> More on the actual more street. >> You get an idea of what it was last year and what it would be this year.
>> Like 42 last year, 50 this year if everyone shows up. And then >> four on each side basically >> in November it will be more probably closer to 60. >> Is that because other ones aren't happening? So more people can join. >> No, we open it up to craft style
vendors. to keep it food based throughout the year and then a holiday market. And >> is this the amount of dates you had last year? >> That's right. Yeah. >> Um the the alcohol last year, as I recall, I I feel like we did some sort of conditional thing. I don't remember any issues with it, but Allison, what
was it? Do you remember? >> It was Yeah, >> we capped the amount of types. So, we were only allowed to have one liquor, one wine, one beer. This year we had one liquor and one mead. There's no beer, so it's actually less than what we asked
for. >> And you have to get ABC alcohol vendors in in addition to the vendors and the newer vendors you're bringing in this this season. Do you allow tables for fair haven
community? >> Nope. Not really. No, we the three of us have taken we allowed it last year. We had Chris and Josh and a few other members. When we first started, we kind of had an open door policy and it gets
hard to field those requests and to say no to requests like that. We don't want to take a stance of what we want, what we allow. So, it's easier to just say sorry, we we don't I mean, we get asked by realators, by authors.
>> I'm not talking about that. I I I would understand saying no to that, but I'm talking about like uh the Boy Scouts or if the natural area wanted to have, >> you know, it's it just kind of it's a slippery slope. It opens us up to the one that we did allow was the
library. >> The second year, the first year we allowed Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. What we found was that it was less children, more parents working it. And that's just not really that's not the intention. This is supposed to be to support our community.
>> Yeah. Well, and we had a really good example of one. Was it the baseball? >> And we said, "No, you can't just, you know, hand out information." And they came back to us and said, "Well, what if we sold moms?" And we were like, "That's amazing. You should do that." >> If they can if they can figure out a way
to tie in any sort of market adjacent sale, that's great. So, they went to a >> We just don't want them to advertise. >> We don't want like an info. They can they they raised money to send kids to Coopertown. That was great. That was their intent. They sold mums. They were
able to do that. That's that's well within the bounds of that. >> They come to you with a fundraiser or >> that's farmers market adjacent. So it's not like it can't be like selling just gear. You have to be able to sell something and and yeah. So the the Mum's
one was a really good one that we've we've recommended in the past. So that happened the first year. I don't think it it didn't happen. >> And like the library did an activity with kids that's totally in line with what we see happening. But we just were not looking for info tables, info fair.
We had a little like harassment >> like a handout thing. >> So we're just really trying to like Anna said no across the board is a lot easier than no as long as you are this way or >> no with a caveat. If you can come to we can't we're not going to bring the idea. We're not going to say like we recommend
you do. We give you an example and if they come to us and say this was something that we did last a few years ago the Ed Foundation handed out >> cool it was holidays it made sense so um those are things in terms of it being
it is a community event at its core it's it serves the broader community this community Rumson so I don't think there's any it doesn't take away from it that we don't allow the boy scouts or any of those groups there if they can come and and do something that works for
our our setup, then they're welcome to join us. >> You just heard a presentation from the natural area and we also have the third street trail. So, if they wanted to come in and partner with you on something >> Yeah, of course. >> Yeah. Or like something in the park during the time. We really like that
idea and we haven't really gotten that going yet. So, that could be >> a great opportunity. >> Could it be like a tree bind program or something? >> Those are seedlings. Any of that sort of stuff is totally welcome. Yeah. >> Treats. >> We have a We do have a treat. I know it's legal,
>> right? That still >> is still uh on the signage. I get the the big ones. I understand 4x10. >> The the two A-frame signs at River Oak and River. The only thing I ask is maybe
the first market. Can you have chief or one of the uh police officers show you the best spot to put them? I remember last year one time seeing it like on the handicap ramp. I'm not saying you even put it there. Maybe someone else moved it. But you'll know the best spot to put them. Can you tell me you don't have a number on the on the yard signs along
River Road and Fair? That's on public property. You're going to put those. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. You know, >> 25 maybe less. Yeah. 20 25. >> Well, that's a lot of signs. I would agree with that. >> Rugby guys at 20. Just throwing that out
there. >> That's around the entire burrow though. We're doing that on talking about on one on one road here. >> Yeah, we we don't have that many. >> I think it's like 12. >> Yeah, we definitely >> Yeah, we put some on the hardware store. We put some in in on the street leading into it. Yeah, it's really
>> Catholic 12. Is that fair? >> It's within walking distance of the market because we're walk we're leaving Willow to place them and walking back. Okay. Um, does anyone else have anything on this? >> No, I I have one concern about May 9th.
And we allowed it. >> Um, well, we could do two things. I could move the vote until after. You're saying someone in the public wants to I'm assuming that's what the hand is. We could move it after public comment or if you want to talk now if everyone's all right with that as well.
>> Let's do it. >> Yeah. So Nancy Bosco again from the garden club. When the farmers market started just a few years ago as a nonprofit, right? And we're another nonprofit in town. We have
two ways of raising funds. One is the plant sale which is on May 9th this year. It's Mother's Day weekend. And if anybody in the room has not been in Fair Haven on Mother's Day and there
wasn't a plant sale, that's because you're older than 60 because our 60th anniversary of the plant sale on Mother's Day weekend is coming up next year. So for 60 almost 60 years, we have supported our projects with the plant
sale. One of the things we sell are trees. Somebody here mentioned they had trees. We sell bouquets of flowers. They have bouquets of flowers. And those things directly cut into our business. This
past one calendar year of the garden club, we spent $1,900 for benches, $900 of our money for perennials, $2,500 on the bird sanctuary, $1,500 to a student
in in the town for a scholarship, $1,500 to fill the town planters, and we just got an additional $1,000 grant that we applied for from Plant America to plant Memorial Royal Park Red, White, and Blue for a total of $9,314
that the garden club has given back to the burrow of fair haven just this year out of funds that we only have two ways to raise. We had a letter from the people from the farmers market in
2024 offering to put a bird cam in the bird sanctuary with your funds. That didn't happen. Another one asking us for a list. Did it? No, >> it didn't because there were no birds. >> We were asked for a list of trees that
could be purchased with your profit to put in the bird sanctuary to help restore the understory. I have those here. That didn't happen. So, all I'm asking for is some consideration of either the date or what they sell on the
date that we have our plant sale so that our funds are not impacted. So I'd like to Isn't Friday and Saturday the sale? >> It is. >> And so it's not Friday afternoon and Saturday morning from 9 to 12, >> right?
>> Regarding the the offerings that we made to the bird sanctuary, those are emails that I sent. >> It was in good faith that we were going to help out from that the Harding Bird Sanctuary Committee. It was completely moved from our verb and you created the
heart and bird sanctuary committee. I mean, we were going to do those things and then we were basically told there are no birds. There's no point in putting a >> But you're a member of the bird sanctuary committee, correct? >> Yeah. Okay. >> Was this conflict um did it happen last year?
>> Yes, it did. And I sent a letter to the burrow soon after asking that consideration be given and there's not a conflict on the calendar. Are there are there um from a financial standpoint was was there damage last year? >> So there was in this way we've always
sold out of our cut flowers and last year we threw away cut flowers because on Saturday we sold almost none. We have a food. They not have a flower vendor that day. >> We we've offered Chris and come
collaborate and come to the >> Well, no, because we have 50 members who all have to put time in at this at the um fireman's house. We have to bring all of our materials there. We have to clean it all up. So, no, we wouldn't have
additional people to go to another location. >> Is it is it It's Friday and Saturday. Yeah, >> last Friday it rained >> last Friday. Last year, last year it rained. So, >> and we were there in the boring rain. >> I I live on Bat and I drove past it five times. I mean, if potentially that had
an impact on sales as well. >> So, this is the first time I'm hearing about this, but I'm just wondering um would May 16th work for you because it's not Does that mess you up? I mean, our dates are already in the burough calendar and we're the second Saturday of every month, May through November, which has been distributed to our
vendors. And so, we're not approving the dates. >> Not worried about the burough calendar. The vendor situation >> they they advertised without getting approval. >> We we assumed that the second Saturday of every month because we got it
approved last year and had heard nothing from anyone until a few weeks ago that there was an issue. how it's in which calendar? It's in our calendar. >> It is in our calendar. It was >> Why did we let that >> that matter was handled with the employee? >> Okay. So,
>> and that's not specific to the farmers market. There were there were many mistakes that were handled. So, >> so it seems to me though there are things we we've talked about this that's one of the reasons we want to get rid of the calendar is that things are dated. So, one date to me
>> wouldn't be the end of the world. But I understand that >> our vendors are locked in. They sign up for a lot of people selling flowers on Mother's Day weekend. >> Yeah. I mean it's >> I don't know that we have third and Linux but this is a scheduling issue. I
think we have more like a marketing issue and I understand that second Saturday of the month works and it's one message and you can repeat it. Yeah. >> And I understand 60 year tradition and how you did a firehouse for over 30 years. Um, that's an important marketing
message. I I'd love to believe that there's a way all these beautiful good women who are doing amazing things in this town. We don't have to ask one or the other to get smaller to accommodate the good works that everyone is committed to. And honestly, if it's just
this I don't even know that this is a function of government to talk about this stuff. So, I'm just going to change hats and a little bit about retail marketing and say, let's make this a marketing initiative. How can there how can you cross market? How can you share messaging? How can you sell more? You
know, let's be flower town that day. We don't have to be one or the other. Everyone in town is buying flowers. Everyone that comes through town can buy flowers at Fair one place or the other. >> Is there any way that you could not sell flowers that would >> So why why would we then take away from
a Fair Haven resident who grows flowers in her backyard who comes to the farmers market to sell them? I mean, what levers are we pulling to support? >> Can I ask you a question? >> Sure. >> At that time in May, what is that person selling from their backyard that grew in Fair Haven in May?
>> Do we want We can speak to that. I mean, are you implying they're not here or >> Well, I'm saying that there's not much that's come up in your backyard in May to be selling. >> You can get more information on that. I don't
>> My goal here is to try to find a solution. >> Great. And don't take this thoroughly. Is it is it possible to start the market that day a little later exclusivity hour? >> I don't understand why we can't just
make this work together as opposed it's it's Mother's Day weekend. There it's like there's enough pieces of the pie to make this work. So what would you like me to change? >> No, we don't. >> We don't want you to change. Maybe we can put signs or add some
directing people to the You said there's going to be members. Could any of the members of us we can help move? >> Not one of them could come to the market or >> the consistency of the farmers market is not just for fair haven. It is for the
broader community. People who don't get their information from Facebook, they don't get their information from Instagram. They just know that from 9 to 12 on the second Saturday of every month from May to November there is a farmers market. That >> that doesn't dictate the weekend for us
as much as it dictates the weekend for you. And I'm I'm I'm generally I'm sorry that that has taken away from from what you guys are doing. But we can find a way to make this work on both accounts. I mean, if you have 50 members, >> so it's our event just like I mean,
conversely, you could do this. You could take your flower vendor. >> Here's the problem here. >> I'd be happy to talk to about that. She just hold just have a lot of different conversations going on and and my problem, too, is I'm not listening to all of them, so I'm missing key parts
here. Um it it sounds to me as if everything having to do with the farmers market is okay except for the May 9th bait right now which is being debated and we talked about a cap at 12 signs on River Road. Is that accurate? >> Right.
>> Um is there any benefit? This may sound crazy in uh the four of you going outside and just having a discussion and maybe coming back and seeing if maybe you can figure something out. If not, we'll just we'll we'll circle back to this in in 20 minutes. >> I've expressed my opinion. That's all I
need to do. You know, >> it is what it is. >> I would I would like to say though that moving forward just to get us monotonous. We obviously know that we need to have these dates approved by us like before the we're not going to do the calendar, but I think part of the problem is you're locked in, which I
understand why you move forward because you have all the vendors, you have the planet, but we never saw that. And so I and now moving forward if you end up doing it on the same day, let's see what happens >> and then next year we can evaluate. >> I'd like to see what happens this year
knowing >> that this was an issue last year. Let's see. I'm a member of the garden club. I need to say that I work at garden work plant sale every year. I'm completely committed to help support the garden club.
I think we should seize the opportunity and look at ways >> that we might be able >> to sell more. Maybe we can even outsell you guys. >> You know, but I'll just finish up because >> what we learned last year is that hey,
something didn't work. Now that's information. >> What do we do with that information if we just take one step at a time? The question is, well, what can we do? Shut them down. I don't know. That seems like a big step. They say to just let me finish my thought, Anna.
>> Oh, let's use the information we learned from last year and see what we can do to do better so that it doesn't hurt. Then if it still needs to come to council, again, I'll just repeat. I don't believe that this is punishing government this
weekend, but anyway, um let's deal with the information when we have more data. I don't think we know it. We're reacting to a monster situation. I have a question. Well, why just curiosity why would it not be part of government? We >> that's we'll have that offline. We don't
>> but to say that this is benefiting the three of us is it that you just said it does it benefit you or it doesn't benefit we don't benefit from the farmers market. It is our vendors that benefit from we keep the price low so that they can come in and sell and make
money. So there's no there's no skin off our back on this this point. It doesn't benefit Elise or Maggie or myself. It benefits Taylor and it benefits Yolana and it benefits the girls that sell the flowers and that's wonderful. That's the point. >> This is what benefits fair even the
farmer is good for fair >> and so is the garden plants >> and the garden club simultaneously. >> I just from hearing from people up here this this is my recommendation. We approve it as is with the date that it
is this year. But I I will say um and I think I would like to get more data this year. Let us know if it if it hurts you again. That's going to be that's >> probably won't sell fresh flowers because >> it it'll it that's data that we need to have. But I I would I would probably say
that on the record um you know and not all of us will be up here but next year uh you know I would say in 60 years the garden club is is you know obviously a part of fair and I think that you you're
going to have to communicate with Chris um in advance of getting your dates solidified next year um to make sure that that you're not would say the first year we were so cautious and new and we evaluated dates based on not overlapping
with anything and due to the success and the wonderful vibes that this created we saw no issue in having it the same day as fairy given day or the sidewalk sale or the sale infant that would be a benefit more we bring people out of
their homes it is a busy day on the streets and we don't hold them captive they walk around town so I don't see it as a problem. I agree. It's a marketing. You know, price it. The flowers that are at the far market are incredibly expensive. Why don't you make it very known that yours are less expensive or,
you know, I'm just thinking of ideas. I don't see it as a problem personally because I think more is more, >> but that's opinion. >> I hear you. I don't think we >> My only concern is the farmers market came to us originally as a and part of the pitch was a vehicle to move traffic
into our business community. Not that they're necessarily our business community, but they're obviously it's their main fundraiser of the year and you know their president are you the chair president has come here and said this has hurt our main fundraiser. So
it's it's kind of having >> sort of the same impact in a negative way. That that's my concern. I think what we've all said though I think Tracy ties into what we said as well is let's get data for one more year. We're going to approve the dates as is. But I would
say we need to be a little bit more careful next year be before we lock in dates. Let's communicate with the burrow to make sure that we're not having a confident and I just want to I just want I just want to add one thing real quick and then you can I mean when this did come
in I did reach out to Anna and I did express you know the letter that we did get from uh garden club last year and Anna did at that time you know say listen the dates were locked in. They wanted the second week cadence. However, she did say free of charge. She would offer a booth to the garden club if they wanted to be on site there. So, she did
make some type of um you know accommodation. Whether the garden club was interested or not, that's a different story. But they did try to make an accommodation for the garden club understanding the hardship that was there. So, I just want to put that on the record. We did have that conversation and I called Anna right away and and without seconds she did offer that up. So,
>> and that's a standing invitation. So, if you guys do change your mind and you'd be happy to help facilitate it, we move people in from 6:00 to 8:00 a.m. physically, we'd be happy to help do that for you. >> I just ask that, you know, again, we need to do this earlier and get this approved, but and I understand why you
lock in the dates again, but I think you just need to be a little bit flexible. I understand how being consistent, but I think because I think you said like that is what it is. Like I think you just need to be open to possibly that personate moving the date because if you're saying right now that's not
happening that that that doesn't give us good faith that you know you'd be willing to work with us. I mean I I run events all the time like dates change. I mean I get the advance the like advantage of this but just I ask that you be open to that first date. >> Yeah. I mean, we're we're taking this
off of like a normal farmers market cadence where it's like Bell Works is Wednesdays, you know, Red Banks is Sundays. This isn't like it's going to be this date, it's going to be this date. We'll lose vendors that I get it. I'm just saying. I get it. >> It's not like a Saturday in June like
fair even day that that can kind of land anywhere. This is like farmers the vendors are locked in pretty consistently throughout the year. I mean the other option I guess would then to be not to start till June if this does become if it ends up being decided. But I think at this point like just I ask
that you be open because we can't we can't be flexible. We're all trying to make this work. And I I would just like you to consider if we find out that the Guard Club had a significant loss and they've got the records of maybe the past 10 years, what
their revenue has been, and then what the revenue has been over the past three years as a result of the competition between the two groups for flowers that you be you be amendable to changing the date at least in that chunk. That being said, I'll be buying my flowers at the
plant sale and everything else at the farmers market. Yes. >> Um we uh we look I think we we all say we're um we're looking forward to another great year farmers market. Do I have a motion based on what we've been farmers market as proposed
>> and also their ABC vendors >> and their ABC vendor >> and the signs >> and the signs um just on the river road. The other signs are good as this rout >> and we also include some wording as to
next unit or is that in? >> I'm not sure you want to I think we've put it on the record. I don't think we could tie in. >> Right. Okay. >> Um do I have a second? >> Second. >> All in favor? >> Anyone opposed? Thank you. All right.
Next up, uh French front message board sign. >> Okay. You want to take it? So, um, anybody who's driven by our electronic sign board has seen, um, there's been some repairs that are needed. Um, we have since I've arrived here almost two
years ago, we've had several, um, repairs done to it, several panels that have been replaced. Um, what we're finding with that message board is in two years all the parts will be obsolete. And the question is whether that message board is even efficient.
And know we have had conversations from the communications committee on whether or not people still utilize a message board. You see a lot of uh facilities are taking them out. Um the high school took theirs out. Um you know ours is different than Rumson's. Rumson's is in
a a corner where you know every street at the intersection there at Bingham and River you can see it. Um ours you have to be stopped about three cars back in traffic to see it and you're only going to see it in one lane. So, um, there are some issues with it. And the fact the matter is, and you know, with the panels
consistently, you know, wearing out, um, we're going to have to either upgrade it or decide we're not going to have it anymore. It seems to have been the consensus last time we had this conversation that it may be a good idea since most people their information from their phones and really don't rely on
you know sign message boards anymore that maybe we go back to a traditional sign and we have a sign design and um to discuss that on top of it not you know wishing we spend more money um but I had a conversation with the mayor and members of the council as well about
since we're talking about designing a sign probably a good idea A um since this is the 250th year uh American, we put some you know emphasis on beautifification and putting banners up and you know upgrading um you know our
look on on River Road that we probably revision our signs. Our current signs we have now roughly about 15 years old. Um they're not in great shape anymore and um and they they're different designs. They don't seem to match. A lot of municipalities are going back to what
their original sign was. Um, for example, our neighboring town Rumson is um going back to what the original sign was. And I know Fair Haven years ago had actually a very nice sign which I'll hold up to the uh you know my childhood sign. >> Childhood sign. And this is what Fair Haven had forever.
>> Um and probably a lot of these are sitting in basement and living come. >> Yeah. Christina, did you make one? >> Um so we had a discussion. Maybe it might be nice to go back um since our signs are hitting the end of their life. go back to this type of design uh for
all our entrances as well. So, I think if we're going to consider redesigning our front sign, it'd be a nice idea to go back and upgrade our signs as well and go back to like the traditional, you know, fair haven sign was. >> And I'll just for the record, I've already mentioned it to a few people on council, but um I think it would be
great in potentially limit um the number of banners that go up at that entryway. It's potentially very pictures. You know, there's a water feature and lazy bows of the trees and children fishing and a lawn area. They all of this which could be landscaped and made quite
lovely for our entrance um that we're proud of. You know, we're proud of Fair and so I think there's a little disconnect between how we feel about Fair Haven and how it looks when people come in. And I know everyone's interested in solving it, but um we can't conquer everything at one time,
but it might help to reduce number of banners in that location if we considered um it's like a sign bar made out of wood, similar material that the sign would be made out of. And it rests in it's it's pre-made >> a harness in there.
>> You'd have a harness in there with attachments, >> set of clamps. It would obviously be a whole lot simpler for the event organizers. Say for example, farmers market, you have to do it like seven times and it's not an easy install. It's easier now, but anyway, that would just be made, it would live somewhere safe,
it would be attractive, and they would pull it out and slide it into that bracket system. Um, you know, I will say it would be great to have a designer involved in specifying scale. >> Yep.
>> Um, bracket systems, color. I love those color. did you get what you paper we engage a designer this is like a narrow task I think it would pay dividends in the long run because it would help inform other sign decisions if we did want to continue to >> that's the extent of my contribution
actually on I think we should oh and did we talk about the digital sign >> that's what he's talking about >> yeah I know we went jump the entryway I think it's a I think we should eliminate it
it's really a discordant kind of element, especially as you're approaching the historic district. It's across Memorial Arc and yeah, it's never been one of my favorite features of >> I I I definitely would uh personally I would definitely remove it. Um
>> I I love I think I've said before I love the new sign at RFH. Um, if we could if we could find a way to build a sign like that, even if it was on like a wedge, so it was kind of, you know, from each direction that you come, a sign is kind
of directed towards you as the car. >> 100%. But I think the directive that we want to give to Chris now is if we agree up here that the digital sign should be removed, then it's full steam ahead on um repurposing that area.
>> Yeah. Can I wait? So, I'm to be honest, I'm like a little bit on the fence about the electric. I I electronic side. I like the idea of saving the money of taking it down. It hasn't been working, but I do actually think people look at it and I know I look at it and even
though it's cars, but people walk in town a lot, so it's not like they're you have to be in a car. I just with us taking, you know, having no printed u newsletter, having no printed calendar, I just don't want to take away something that some people are utilizing. But I'm
not I wouldn't I I'm okay if we do vote for it. I just want that to be said. I would love to I know that we're looking into having an evaluation of the business district. And I'd really like to get to a point where we have a lot more wayfinding. So I was wondering if maybe we could just see what some options are. look at that and see if
there are digital options that maybe or something that does give a little bit more than just a sign. >> So just just more uh on that on the digital sign we have now they only have parts for another two years. >> Two years. Yeah. >> I think that has to go. I totally agree with that. >> So we're talking about a new we talking
about we' be talking about a new apparatus of some sort. >> Yes. >> Um >> which is a lot of money. So a lot of money. So >> So but I What about like in the old school like how the >> where you put the letters up? They don't they don't make those anymore. >> Would require like $10,000 was it?
>> Yeah, roughly. Roughly. But the panels them the panels themselves are roughly three grand and we and we've now replaced them several times over. So I think to probably do it right, you're probably looking at 10 12,000. I >> And I I don't want to spend the money that way. I think if we have to spend
some money, I'd rather see if the council would support spending a portion of that money. You might have to bring us quotes to hire a professional to give us the design guidance on a set of signs, entryway, burrow, you know, the two entryways that may be the burrow to resolve it and put together a nice
signage plan for those three locations. >> Yeah. And I'm wondering if it can tie into business plan. >> Well, it will. We can't wait for that to happen. I >> have you have you gotten I remember I saw one design so far. >> Yeah.
>> Have Have we looked into any other options for that spot >> like like >> I can I I can get I can um I can have our sign engineer put up a whole bunch of different samples to get an idea. we get a bunch of samples together and then you know we could actually take a look at them and if if we're not feeling it
then maybe we get into some sort of hired >> I think there's slight decisions there whether there's a foundation whether it's masonry is it planted is it lit is it you know and we cannot be making those decisions here at this council so
>> we can but maybe we shouldn't >> I don't think we should do that >> it's you know I I don't think we're dealing with rocket science here with the sign out front. But but let's let's let's start with what you just said. There's a lot of different options. Yeah. >> Let's take a look at those options and
and then maybe we narrow it down to two or three and then maybe we still need to do what you're saying, Tracy. You know what I mean? >> Well, it will probably wouldn't cost that much. Maybe could you get us a quote so we can see. Well, we'd have we'd have to I mean we'd have to put it and some of again some of the concern
that I have and I mean I expressed it is you know obviously this would be we using pay you go capital for this and we can't Nancy correct me if I'm wrong I can't use pay as you go capital for professional services >> sometimes >> sometimes it' be a small percentage but
we'd have to determine what that number would be for that >> I wonder if there's anyone in town that would be willing to volunteer kind of professional. >> I I agree. >> Somebody that will be happy or willing to help make this decision.
>> I agree with you. I think we can get someone. >> I still think we got to start with >> I think I think we need to get an idea of what we're really looking for and >> yeah, >> you know, um you know what I what I don't want to see happen is we spend too much then we don't have money actually
places. So that's we have to be careful about. Yeah. I don't want to spend Yeah. We listen We we we can go back in history, we see we spent a lot of money on prof previous councils. We spent a lot of money on professionals that jobs we never ended up doing. So >> so we have to be very and now that we we took on death force. So those are things
we have to make sure that we never do again. >> So what are we we're going to explore new and schemes. >> Yeah. >> You'll be back first. >> Yep. For next meeting. >> Thank you. Uh, next up, 2026 municipal
budget. >> So, this isn't a formal presentation because this is not our public hearing. I'm really here just to answer any questions that you may have on the information you've received. Um, I can tell you right off right off the get-go
what is being proposed is a flat tax rate, municipal tax rate only. Um, so it is a flat tax rate for 2026. Um, does anybody have any questions or something you'd like me to go over? Again, keeping in mind this is not a
public hear. >> What was that? What were you able to reclaim for within the cat bank and can you submit the benefits of that? >> 260,000. So the the appropriations cap bank just get that in front of me.
There are two separate cap banks. There is the appropriations cap bank which is our spending um and our our appropriations cap bank ends up uh we would end up with $260,000 after the budget. though that we would
be banking $260,000 to use in the next three years for the appropriations cap for the levy cap, which is a 2% cap on our um tax levy. We are at um under4
$457 which which it actually I know that's where we're at here but that we will be banking approximately 140,000 for next year. >> Anyone else?
And just one thing to add too, just as last year, um where Nancy and I put together a uh PowerPoint presentation for the hearing, uh we're we plan to do the same thing for the council uh when we have the hearing for the budget as well, which I have all these figures up on the screen. We go on the burger details if there's any questions from
either the governing body or the public. Um we we thought that worked very well last year for the presentation as far as understanding it. So, we're going to repeat the same presentation with with this year's. >> Right. Thank you. >> I'd like to say so I'm on the finance committee and I think that you've done a great job. So I just want to thank them.
I think it's a very clean budget. They've cleaned up a couple things just to so we can really see where we're spending more or where we're, you know, spending and I'm I'm really happy to have overview. So thank you. >> Yeah. And just to add a little bit on what Michael said, a couple things we
broke down into smaller subcategories within the budget um which allows us, you know, for better um fis fiscal planning down the road. So, when we're looking at strategic planning for the burrow, um breaking things up that maybe all would have been out of one sub account um into smaller sub accounts to determine what our future needs are. We
thought that's just a better approach. So, >> nice. >> Yeah. Thank you. >> You're welcome. >> Thank you, Nancy. >> Next up, we have public comment on agenda item. Please observe a threeminut time limit. Please state your name and address for the record. Is there anyone
in the public public comment on agenda items only? >> Yes, sir. >> Mark Olson 220 Cambridge Avenue. Just was thinking about our presentation that we don't want to or I I'll speak for myself. There's a lot of great stuff
happening in the national area. We have removed so many invasives now. Other invasives have come in, but >> a minute. >> You know how fast that grows. >> A minute. Got it. Um, so just it's sometimes I think we're so close to it
we get frustrated and yeah there's some frustrating things but there's in aggregate if you go back 10 years it really thanks to all the volunteering and the DPW and some of the outside vendors it really has improved. So didn't want to leave an impression that it's all going down.
>> Can I just say one thing about that when you had the uh volunteer day for the third street trail >> Yeah. We were we were there and how many deer crossed our path in one >> 16. >> It was 16 deer just came right by us. >> I saw 12 in the natural area.
>> Would have been 17 if if I didn't do my job. >> Yeah. >> Stopped everyone. We were all just watching all the deer go by. >> They're everywhere. >> Thank you. >> And I just want to say to the third street cleaner, there were so many people there. It was such a positive day that like all the chips got out. I
didn't think we were going to do it. It was really nice. So, thank you to all the volunteers. It was unbelievable how many council members did. >> Sorry, my baby was fussy that day. >> I missed one day. >> Oh, you just remind them that
uh court. Yeah. I don't know if we said that our volunteer weekend is April 18th and 19th. >> Yeah. So, that's coming up. Uh, we plan to be seeding the Northwest area. So, that's a new project we've never done before. Uh, we're going to ask people just to lightly rate and then put seed
down. We'll see how that goes. Um, and then also I just wanted to support the farmers market. Like, you know, you were asking for their dates, but we really already know their dates, right? It's the second Saturday of every month. Uh, same thing for the garden club. We know
their date. Um, and they do have like their vendors go to one place on the first Saturday, another place on the second Saturday. So, I agree with them that it's not that easy for them to just shift over um and still have vendors there. >> Thank you.
>> Carolyn, you give me that information so we can get it out to our communications. >> Yep. >> Anyone else? >> Public. Yeah, sure. >> Hi, Betsy Corian Road. I just also want to echo what Carolyn said about the farmers market and the garden club both
great causes and from the farmers market perspective. I can say from experience the past uh few years the first year when it was different dates um I was a vendor people were asking me all the time well what what day is it next month? What day what when when is it
going to be? And last year when it was the second Saturday of every month and this year I know people are looking forward to the second Saturday of every month. It's just great. It's in their head. It's part of the cycle. And I think there's a real opportunity for synergy between the two. I think that it
only takes two people to set up a tent and to sell a tent. You only need one person to sell it. You need two people to actually put a tent up. So, if the garden club has 50 volunteers, I would hope that they could find two and sell cut flowers and bouquets there, and it could be a really great thing. And then
they could direct people over uh to buy the plants. So, I think we get a lot of out of town people coming to the farmers market. I know I imagine the garden club has the same, but I'm sure if there's some kind of indication there at the farmers market, hey, walk on down to the
plant sale. It's a great opportunity to drive even more traffic to the plant sale. So, I think I think they can both work together and I think uh second Saturday is important. >> Carol, I have a question. Thank you. >> As a as a representative of the business community, do you see any difference in
footp traffic or um uh customers, clients coming into Fair Haven as a result of the farmers market? >> Yeah, I don't think I'm in a position to answer that just because I don't have a retail shop. >> Anecdotally, we hear that people are coming into the bookstore, but it is
anecdotal. Maybe we should figure out a way to measure that. as for data from, you know, weekend to weekend. You measure a Saturday versus the next Saturday and you do that for a few months and maybe we'll get the information we need. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. There's probably opportunities to
crossromote that businesses aren't seizing. >> Yeah. as as much as they could, you know. >> Um, but I haven't heard anyone saying it. >> I know I know you have a a roster of officers and is there someone in
particular who's in charge of retail? >> Yeah, we have a VP of retail and that is an um and I just think I'm not speaking for everyone, but it has to be known like we all support the farmers market. We've definitely supported along the way. So I don't want anyone to think that we're not because I think it's wonderful for
the burrow. It's just we also, you know, we just need to look at everything and >> yeah, I definitely agree with what Betsy said that I think it's a opportunity that could be solved very easily with some >> I think once the temperature cools down. >> Exactly.
>> Well, the data is going to speak for itself. They're going to keep the records. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Thank you. Uh Betsy, Carolyn, anyone else? Public comment. Agenda items only. Uh Alison, >> no one has. >> Great. Let's move along. We're going to go to approval of minutes. March 9th,
2026 regular meeting. Do I have a motion to approve? >> Motion. Second. >> Alison, may I please have a roll call? >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Thank you. Next up is 2026-08.
It's our uh old business, our Cobalt index rate ordinance by a motion to open. >> So move second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> Anyone opposed? >> Anyone up here have anything on this? >> Anyone in the public have anything on this? Anyone online have anything on
this? >> No, sir. >> Do I have a motion to close? >> So move. Second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> Anyone opposed? Do I have a motion to approve? >> Motion. Second. >> Allison, may I please have a roll call? Council members, >> yes. >> Yes. Yes.
>> Yes. >> Thank you. Uh, next up, our consent agenda, resolutions 2026-082 through 2026-092. Uh, before I ask for a motion, does anyone want to separate anything? >> No. Does anyone have anything on
anything? Does anyone have a motion to approve? >> Motion second. >> Allison, may I please have a roll call? >> Yes. >> Yes. Sorry. >> Forget it. >> Did you say
>> department reports February 2026 municipal court? Do I have a motion to accept with a thank you? >> Motion to accept with a thank you. >> Are you still second? >> I move second. >> All in favor? >> I. Anyone opposed? Thank you. Uh, next
up is good of the burrow. Please stand and identify yourself by clearly stating your name and address for the record. Please observe a time limit of 3 minutes. Anyone with the good of the burrow? Anyone? >> I was going to mess with Sue. We'll bring Sue up first and we'll go to you after that. All right.
>> Go first. >> I always want you, Sue. So I uh I noticed that the building on the >> Susan O'Brien 875 River Road. I noticed um that the building on the
corner of Fair Haven and River seems to be empty. I have always thought it would be a wonderful library. Has anybody thought about that? Mhm. >> Well, you haven't. I mean, it probably would be a lovely library. Everything
cost money, though. Um, >> well, I know. >> Is it for sale or it's just empty? >> So, I'll I'll add a little bit on there. So, um, though it is for sale was up for 2 million. Um, however, the owner of it I spoke to the other day, um, he wasn't
really interested in selling it. Um, he was actually more interested in actually getting another tenant in there. And um so he didn't um he actually ended up getting another tenant in he had it up for sale in the event and I spoke to him the other day. He had a couple
questions. Um so he has a tenant that's interested that's going to be moving in and >> yeah. So >> and can I just say and you can add to it the library just finished their campaign and announced that they had meet their go met their goal of raising money. So
they they already have a whole plan in place for >> No, I I understand that except that it's for furniture. So that could go any place. >> That's true. >> So I I just want you to keep that in mind for the future because I it would
be ideal. >> Um there's always a constraint for office space in this building. >> Yes, that's >> and um >> that would factor in. >> Yeah, Susan, you bring up a good point. That's certainly one of the issues we do have with this building that we have
greatly outgrown it and in some directions that I know that I've had discussions with the governing body with um that we would like to do we're unable to do it just for the fact that we don't have the office space to accommodate it. Yes. Um so yeah that certainly would have given us office space um that we
would need and you know maybe it's >> upstairs. >> I think there's downstairs of a restaurant right next to us that it's out of they're not out of business too I think. So we could put the library there. >> That might be a nice spot as well. >> So if you donate $2 million, we'll name
it after you. >> I I agree though. I mean, I would love to have a larger dedicated library space. I do think that we could accommodate that. Definitely people would use it. It's just where would that be? I mean, I'm sure there's some funding out there somewhere that would
help with something like that. But yeah, >> at at some point, you know, not today, maybe probably not tomorrow either, but at some point it would be something we're going to have to address as far as, you know, room and space and and, you know, and and that's something even in the master plan that we can discuss, you know, you know, what, you know, you
know, initiatives that the bur would like to do that we just don't have the space to do it. >> The space in the room behind us, I wanted I wanted to knock through the floor and >> there is. It's pretty cool. >> Yeah. >> You know, but everything costs money. So,
>> right. Well, keep it in mind for the future because you never know. >> Somebody other than me might come along with the money. >> Also, um why don't we use the county authority for our funding?
>> Why don't we use the what? >> County authority. >> Are you talking about the >> the improvement authority? Well, we exported this the option we I let Chris and Nancy address it, but um they're there right we looked at
>> Oh, you mean for funding I think we saved like $1.3 million. >> Yeah. >> Oh, we did. But but I thought that number right, Chris. >> No, no, we um we had we ended up getting rated as a double A+ and um and in the end we got phenomenal financing rate. it
would we the finance rate we got um with 16 16 firms registered for our um our debt sale 13 bid on it um out of those 13 they were all roughly about nine basis points apart uh and the rate that we ended up selling our um debt for was
3.47 47, you know, and and that day prime was 6.75. So we we basically got it for almost half prime. So we got >> I think Brian said it's $1.3 million. >> I think so. Maybe >> over the over the life of the life of
not >> I thought that they had a higher rating. So I thought the higher the rating, >> so they they do have a higher rating, but part of what when you're selling a bond or selling debt like that is also
timing. >> So the Mon County Improvement Authority, we would have had to go on with them in December. Um, and we actually had our financial advisor here speaking to us back in the fall before we made this decision. >> Who also works with the improvement authority. >> Who Yeah, she also works for the
improvement authority. Um, so the decision was was made by the council based on the timing, whe how it would affect our payment schedule as well as the potential um rates. And we actually
did get a really good rate that now if Mammoth County had been going on at the same time as us, they may have gotten a few basis points less because their rating is just slightly higher, their AAA or DA plus. Uh but it really was a a timing thing and what was best for the burrow.
>> So it was taken into consideration. >> We had spoke at a meeting to the whole council, you know. So yes, we we talked about doing it both ways and felt that the best way for our residents and the burrow was to do it to go out on our own.
>> I think she had recommended >> and I think you were at that meeting Susan. >> Okay. >> I think you were there. >> Well, sometimes I pay attention. Is that what the opposite? >> Yeah. Thank you. >> Absolutely. >> Third thing. >> Oh,
>> I um you know I go to all the meetings. Um I tried to go to the parks and recck committee meeting and couldn't get in. There was a problem with the Zoom and because they're not here physically,
I couldn't attend that meeting. DJ said it was an issue with the Where did you come in from there? I I asked DJ about this and it was specifically from the origin that you went in through. What browser? >> The browser. Not the browser. I think it was that you
>> clicked on the buzz link. Yeah. So, >> it was the buzz link that was the issue. >> Yeah. So, I checked with Betty the next day and she could she confirmed that uh that was the one issue that we had someone getting in. Um so, she thought it was from that link. >> Yeah. So, I think that was It wasn't
that the link if you had gone into the website the agenda you would have been able to get in but I think the link for the >> getting into the planning board the last meeting but then I thought maybe it was just a short meeting and I missed it. >> Yes, it was. >> It was a short meeting. Okay. >> Yes.
>> And then like >> thank you S. >> So what's my recourse when I can't get into a meeting that I'm trying to get into >> the minutes of that meeting? >> It's nothing that gets published. It has to be published. Well, >> you don't publish it. Wait, the breath
meeting minutes don't get published. There's fair committee. >> You you you called DJ at the meeting or >> you could you could always me as well. >> Sorry. >> Reach out to me. >> But also that might not be a bad thing that we do somehow get it onto the
website. Even though they don't have to have it, it would be good for people to know that they can access a lot of committees. I don't know how you Yeah, there's a lot of government speaks there. >> It happens very often. >> No, I have not had this happen before. So, I was trying to find out what my
recourse is if it happens again because >> my cell phone number and I can help you with the right. >> There you go. >> Or pretty good offer. >> Think Jake could just bring me in and I'll keep my mouth shut. >> You did take that one from my office with me.
>> Yes. Everybody's at home. >> They said you're always welcome. >> Thank you, Susan. >> If I knew Susan had a clipboard, I would have brought you up first. >> I'm on a clipboard.
>> Listen, Mike S, 39 Lake Avenue. Nice to see everybody. Hi, Mike. Hi, Mike. >> How you doing, mayor and council? Chris, nice to meet you. >> Few emails back and forth. I have an issue with zoning.
I think we I uh need some attention. That is garages. Um I wrote a letter in January. I don't know if you remember that. I have a copy of it here. If you want to pass it around, >> you can get multiples or
>> Yeah. >> There's a house on Park Avenue. I was walking in around the neighborhood. There's a house at 94 Park Avenue just con newly constructed Khaw Builders on an R10 lot with the
garage on the front lawn. I thought it was a huge mistake. I said this can't be compliant and it it is. It's compliant. I talked to a few people, talked to Joe, Eli. Um,
and I I think it's the type of construction that we need to I think we need to close this loophole. Um, as you can see, it blocks the house. It doesn't marry in with the house. It's just in front of the house with a little
small um corridor. >> What's the setback of that though? Do you know? >> It's It's an R10 and I believe it's 25 ft. It It is 25 ft back.
>> So, this house the residence sits 50 65 feet back, >> right? And the neighboring homes, are they also >> compliant? So, are the other homes 20 to 35 ft closer? >> Oh, no. Yeah. The
Park Avenue, the homes are >> like where the garage is. >> Yeah. Where the garage >> front setbacks are 20 to 25 ft. Side setbacks at 5 to 10 feet. >> What's If you're looking at the house, what's the street to the left where I see a car?
>> Maybe a drive. Um that's uh that's 100 >> driveway has to be to go into the >> that's that's 100 Park Avenue. Um >> that's a neighbor's driveway. >> I see. >> So just so I understand your issue is
that it's a garage and not a house. >> So it kind of looks >> fine. Yeah. >> Michael. >> Oh wait to to left to the left of the house here. >> Yeah. >> Bush. Is this land? >> That's Jonathan Peters house.
>> Jonathan Peters. >> That's a boat. >> That's a boat or motorcycles or whatever. Yeah. >> Is it Is this landscaped yet? >> No. >> Now that I drove by? >> No. >> I still have It's not finished. They're
saying it's going to be opened in April. But, um, there's a I looked I looked at our zoning laws and, uh, you can't put a shed on the front lawn, right, >> of a house. A garage has to be attached,
but there's a loophole there where they only have a very small corridor attaching to that house. There's no like maybe maybe 10% of the of the square footage.
>> Um what I'm getting at is I don't think it's it's a loophole. There's a lot of construction going on in Fairhead. These R10 lots are turning into they're small houses, old houses. >> They're getting turned into they're
they're getting sold for $3 million in the R10 lots. Okay. So, the builder was compliant. They had no that house is going for three and a half million.
Um garage is 20 ft high. It's compliant. It's uh it's attached for a very small narrow walkway hallway. >> Yeah. >> So, I think we we need to look at is
you're going to put a garage in the front of your house. It has to be structurally attached to your house. >> There's a >> I mean I I don't know how you feel about it. I I just feel that it's it's it's not the best use of our land. >> So the way that I personally feel is
that I think that you know when we create zoning laws, we want to take as much feedback as possible from as many different people as possible. That's how I feel. So I'm I'm receiving your feedback right now. Like we have a um
subcommittee that a few years ago put some new zoning laws in which reaction >> to other types of builds that that were going up around Fair Haven where >> and the result of that >> I think was that we had separated garage
standalone garages and people didn't like the look of that. So, we changed the zoning and then, you know, everything we changed there's going to be an action and a reaction. So, yeah, we can absolutely look at this and see if there's a way to improve this. Um, my
best guess, we'll improve it and another >> architect will draw something up and that'll be some sort of monstrosity. My personal opinion, do I think this is the best looking uh situation? I don't. I also don't think it's the worst. Um, I've seen worse than this, I think, and
I think when it's landscaped, it might end up being a little bit better, but I do hear you. I, you know, I'm not sure that this is the intent of what we're trying to achieve in >> that does not look like the Have you seen the rendering? >> Would you like This is what they're
if you go to Zillow or it looks different. You're seeing you're actually zoning laws that >> not just for individual lots that they're like covenants that we all agree to follow. So I think what I'm hearing from you is this really stands out as
being different from all of the other homes on the streets because the house is so far back >> and really it's the front door that wants to be part of the neighborhood at the same step back as all the other ones. It's it's >> that's what zoning. >> It's not zoning is right and horizontal
like you cannot put a shed in your front lawn. >> You know, you're not supposed to put a pool in your front lawn. >> You can't put a pool in your front, right? >> But I mean, why should we if you're going to have a garage then like on on Forest there is a house with a garage
that kind of sticks out, but it's 100% attached to the house. It's like an L-shaped house. That's fine, right? It's structurally attached to the house. But this is as close to a to a detached garage as you can get without being detached.
>> And I don't think any of the zoning laws contemplated a detached garage in the front yard. Right. >> To your point. >> Yeah. To my point. Right. >> I hear your point and I I agree. I don't think it looks great. >> The question I have though is even if we change the the zoning ordinance to have
it been patched, it's still going to look the same though. No, because the house you can't >> I didn't tell any word does say >> the house the house the house is built uh you know with windows and doors all the way across the front
>> and even behind the garage you know you can't see that part of the house whereas if you had an attached garage you couldn't put windows and >> sopets and all that you know >> it's it's just they built the house and
they put a garage in front of it with a little narrow walkway. >> So, this subcommittee is is um is going to meet again, you know, and I think they already met one place even for a phase two from what we did two or three years ago.
>> I I think I even saw an email like this week about this home. >> Yes. Yes. >> I saw an email this week about this home. It's on the radar. I think Mike send me Mike email me that letter just so I have another copy of it and I'll make sure it goes on the subcommittee's agenda.
>> Yeah, it's Councilman Olson who's not here today. He uh he leads that committee up so I'll make sure it's on our discussion. >> Great. >> Thank you. Thank you for >> might yach your house
>> attach. Does that count as attached? >> Yeah. But again, that floor area ratio, that floor area has to be included as part of the overall floor area, right? >> Of the house. If it's attached,
>> it's it complies. Yes. RB set back. The garage is attached. It's considered attached to the main structure. So blocks and it be some floor area and the height and everything. >> Is there an office on that second floor
of the garage? >> Is there a what office? >> A room. >> No. >> No. But there could be if there a floor area to spare to go to. Yeah, it's attached. >> Thank Thank you.
>> Thank you, Mike. Does anyone else go to the burrow? >> I'm going to talk to you about I'm coming back. I have that on the Allison. Anyone online? >> For the planning board. I'd like to encourage everyone to please take
>> townwide master plan survey. Um, Mike, I don't know if you and me have had a chance to take the survey for the master plan, but we'd love to have you guys do that. Actually, everybody, please spread the word. There's another roughly two weeks um survey window left.
So, we're halfway through. We really want to uh make sure there's very very close part, which I should say the participation so far has been phenomenal. And by the next meeting, we'll have numbers for everyone. And >> can I just add something real quick? Just real quick for the deadline. The
deadline for that is going to be Monday, April 6th is when we're going to close it. So, if everybody could just take it before then, please get the message out. Um, we had a large majority, maybe about five or six people had an issue with their browser. Um, some people on Google had an issue, one person on Safari. I've
actually taken it on all those browsers now and it has worked. So, some of it could be an older, you know, edition that you have or maybe an update. Yeah. But, um, but if it doesn't work, try it on another browser. But um that's only about five or six that we've had. We boarded up out of the 400 now that have taken it. So
>> we did change on it. So to try to explain to people >> allocate about 15 minutes. You can complete the survey. You can take more time with it if you want, but um please do so and ask your friends and neighbors to do the same thing. The um can we
touch on the vision plan the award? >> Yes. Um and you can fill in where um but um the town applied for a technical assistant planning grant through um the DCA has a division called division of local planning services. And by
technical support, it means they provide the human professionals to come to our town and help us with a vision plan for the business district, which I think is also going to incorporate some vision work for 21 because it really could serve as an extension to all things um
communitywide. Um but I think what I wanted to share about this is it'll be folded into the master plan work. The planning board is aware of this. I'm extremely grateful for Chris's endeavors in pursuing these kinds of services that
we need and can't always afford. So, I'm really glad and stay tuned because um this anybody who wants to participate can do so in this process. Um and in the end, we'll have some a short report and some drawings and a feel for a shared vision for our vicious district.
>> Yeah. And just to add just a little bit off of what Councilwoman Cole said, um it's a great award um through the Division of Local Planning Services. They're going to put together an entire sub element to our master plan on the business district. Um, and again, we have to put together what their scope of work will be. I've reached out to
Michael Sullivan, um, who's the, uh, consultant for the group that we hired to do our master plan. Um, we're looking at some dates to get together. Obviously, our leazison to the planning board. post planning board members might Sullivan be there to put together what that scope of work will be but again to
get more professional services you know for a master plan you know for for the future of the burough I think is great and um and no cost of the better >> thank you >> um a couple reminders this weekend is a big weekend Saturday the
>> we have the sports swap at the community is that this weekend >> yeah Okay, so the Acon is this weekend, the sports swap is this weekend, and then Love where you live day is April 26th at the community center, and the sports sports swap is at the community center. And there are a bunch of different drop
off locations. So if you want to drop some stuff off in advance, you can always just bring it to the sports swap and pick up what you need. And then of course, Lard Day is the 26th from 1 to 4 at the community center. >> Thank you. Okay. So, um, last week we had a, uh,
joint meeting with, uh, representatives of the Burough Rumson. Uh, we had Rumson's mayor here, bur administrator, engineer, uh, police chief and councilman, as well as our, um, representatives. We had our mayor, uh, Councilman Cotch, um, our police chief,
our engineer, our TBW director, and then we had, um, Joey Tormoth County Engineer, their consultant um, for traffic and planning to discuss the, um, the intersection of Ridge Road and Fair Haven and how we can make it safer. They did uh, three presentations on three
possible solutions. Uh, the first one would be a traditional traffic light, similar to what we already have now at Hance in Fair Haven. And the second one was a roundabout with a smaller roundabout. And then the next one was a
single lane roundabout um which again is more for suburban environment. It has plantings in the center. It's less urban. Um interestingly enough um contrary to what most of us believe, the roundabout actually takes less land acquisition than the traffic lights
because the traffic lights require a turning lane. So we would have two turning lanes on on Ridge Road approaching Fair Haven as well as we would have to put easements in for the traffic lights as well. Um there's less um rightway impact for the roundabouts.
And one of the things the roundabouts do is it actually you know some of the you know some of the concerns that we saw out in social media was um you know is a traffic light going to take away the charm of that that neighborhood? Is it going to make it look too urban or too
commercial? um by putting the roundabout in actually kind of keeps some of that charm of you know a suburban rural you know environment um as well as you know the aesthetics of plantings in the center and also it prevents having any types of delays and they went through I'm not a traffic engineer um but they
went through all the um you know the different delays that are involved also they talked about accidents and the safest of intersections is the roundabout >> 80 83% less accidents >> thank you thank you so 83% >> the light or the Yeah. >> Then then uh I think it was down
>> then now the light was >> 54 >> 54% less >> and and the delay they call it a delay. >> So if you you have to stand at the light they show how many cars can be set back. It was like you know six or eight cars or something. The round about what was
it one and a half or something. >> One and a half. >> You talked about the seconds of delay with a light. There was maybe 17 seconds but around about 4 seconds. >> Correct. And the 83% obviously that still leaves 70% accents. They're like
sideswipes. They're not Yeah. T-bone and on about um did they talk about the sideline as you're headed u west? Yes. And grading. >> Yeah. That and that was brought up as well. Um, and they did discuss that they
would have to end up regrading that section of Ridge Road where >> I'm going to I'm going to date myself where Marter's bridge used to be. >> That section there bridge up. >> Yeah, we're bringing the bridge back. >> Bringing the bridge back. >> Now, this would be paved for.
>> So, that's very important to know. One of the things that's important is um director. So, director Arnown um has put a lot of support behind this project from the county commissioners and Mama County would be paying 100% of this project. Not even they're not worried they're not doing federal grants. We
don't have to worry about federal grant delays or state grants. This is basically 100% funded by Mammoth County and it's director's initiative. So again, thank you to the county for pushing this out. Um >> so this just informative making decisions. No, no, this is just an
information session. And the reason why I wanted to bring it up um at the council meeting and just have it on record is because there was an accident that occurred. I think the chief can speak to it a couple weeks ago at Fair Haven Ridge and there's a lot of chatter on um Facebook and social media and such. So, um we had already had this
meeting booked. So, that's why, you know, I put the um the release out that day that we had already had the meeting booked to discuss this. We had initially met with county back in July. So they've had their engineering staff and they even hired an eight outside consultant to put this together. Um so they've been
working on this project for a while. So um they gave us really three good options and um the overwhelming support from the stakeholders that were there that day was for the single lane roundabout. However, decisions not officially made but that seemed to be the one that made the most sense for all
the parties involved. Mama County, Rumson, and Fair Haven. >> This is a hu huge Wendy. Uh they say that not not that we'll have the exact results. They say the roundabout they installed in Brookdale hasn't had an accident in 10 years. >> We've had 12 accidents in five years of
that interest. >> And that wasn't counting the two accidents we had the last three weeks either. >> Not about cold snap. >> Yes. >> Talked about but you know the horse. >> Yeah. >> We've we've talked about putting a bulldog >> with a little fair to nights chain.
>> Do you know how many? >> You're right. a picture. I already did the red. >> Did they talk about dropping the speed limit? Because that's part of the problem. >> So, they did bring that up. And
unfortunately, you can't just drop the speed limit. What they can do, they could put up advisory speed limits. You know, the yellow signs for the speed limits. However, they can't just drop the speed limit. There's a lot more involved. Chief, I think, Chief, I think you would just ask that question. Maybe
you have a little detail on that. You get in through fair and it's ridiculous. So they did have to do studies to justify it and for whatever reason that street >> that that street did not justify me.
>> Yeah. And that's the one and we did bring that up because we had all the representatives there and Joe again when they you can't just arbitrarily change a speed limit. There has to be an entire study to determine what it is. And interestingly enough, the accidents that we did have because they actually were
monitoring speed are actually not speed related. >> A lot of them were sight related. Um people were in a hurry. >> Yeah. >> I think we're in good hand. I have to say we the engineering committee I think it was five years ago and you were in
the room when it didn't take an accident. It was just the history of accidents that we initiated outreach to the county with a letter from our engineer which you know was just one more in a long sort of narrative of
continuing to bring it to the county's attention and what I want to acknowledge is they finally did and and and I do believe they went to the extra effort of bringing in outside professionals so we give this special attention. I for one am relieved and grateful because I think
it's going to be a better solution. We're going to be safer and it is going to be attractive. >> Yeah. And Susan, just to talk about accident data, um we had provided them prior um to the meeting July. We had three years worth of accident data from both Romson and Fair Haven. So when they went through the NJTR1 reports, they
looked at the contributing factors that caused each one. So um they did again we had monitors out there of speed was not a factor for that intersection. Right. mentioned that they simply blowing through the stop sign. >> Well, now they weren't necessarily all of that either. You know, you might have
had people that stopped there in their visibility issues where they didn't see. Um, you may have had some people that did blow through a stop sign. You there's there's factors, but speed was not that was not the contributing factor. And again, and that was the discussion that was brought up at the meeting and you have to think of the I
walk through that intersection. I think it's a lot of different things including the speed, including the >> Yeah, you're right. We lowered the speed. That might be one more thing to help, but you'll be right back where we >> But you may not stop the
>> over the last over the last five years or failure. We added stop head stop uh uh stop lines. We had red lights and it actually has not helped them. that we don't want in the last
part of the year exceptions are still happening. >> Michael, you had a question. >> Just one more. And we talked with this before you had the meeting about timing. So, what were they saying time? >> The good question. That was one of the questions that I asked. Um, they think
roughly, again, they said 18 months. Um, however, I think the longest portion would probably be, interestingly enough, is applying the green acres for that that one section there and how far that is going into the right way. Um, that would probably take the longest of all of it. I think realistically you're
probably looking at two years. >> But >> they also we talked about their locust. >> Yes. >> Roundabout and I mean that's been two years now. >> Yes. >> And their problem is JCPN. They can't get the utilities taken care of
>> which is very surprising. >> Yeah. And that's fair. Um but it but I have to say you know again it was a great collaborative effort between both municipalities and also the county and again you know it's great to see a project the county is taking on with um so much support >> the trees.
>> Thank you for everyone. >> They plant those trees at Fairfields. >> They painted the doors though. >> Okay. >> Doors are painted >> baby steps. >> Yes. And then door. Thank you around that one. But um so
the family >> I just want to thank Garden Club and I know nobody's here from the garden club but club. >> Oh yeah. I meant in the audience >> I do represent >> um but I I just think for a local
community organization can donate 10 close to $10,000 back to their community is pretty outstanding. So when you look at all the different avenues that they cover with that nine 198 um I would just like to thank them for
their efforts. It was I think it was worth it. Thank you. Thank you. That being said, uh, our next council meeting is Monday, April 13th. Please note that the mayor and council will be meeting in the council chambers at 6:30
p.m. prior to the regular meeting for a mid Jersey Joint Insurance Fund elected officials training. I'm part of that. >> All of you will get that news to me. >> You say that that kept our tax rate. >> Oh, okay.
>> No, I'm not feeling well. All right. Uh, we're going to adjourn at 9:10 p.m. Do I have a motion? >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I >> Hold on a second. You second. You can't
all in favor. You already second the motion. >> Just I was just talking to them. >> I >> Anyone opposed? There's no one left to oppose. >> Night. It says six stories fire to the radio