Uh, I'm calling this meeting to order at 6:30 and now the time is 6:34 p.m. Dr. Roach, do you please roll card? >> Yes, Miss Ford. Miss Francois
>> here. Mr. Schmidt >> here. >> Mr. Kovox >> present. >> Miss Davenport. >> Okay. Hi. And chairman Farugi and Commissioner and Baronson will not be
joining us this evening. Now I request you all to stand up for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of United States of America and to the republic for which
>> it stands. One nation >> and to the indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Here's my statement. In accordance with the provision of
chapter 231 New Jersey Public Laws of 1975, the open public meeting act advocate notice to this meeting has been provided by the giving to the notice to the
Koreer news posting the agenda in the public lobby of this building 48 hours prior to this meeting. delivery of this notice to the Franklin Township clerk at least 48 hours prior to this meeting and
mailing notice to those persons properly requesting to the to be mailed notification of meetings at least 48 hours prior to this meeting. Motion to open the public
comments. >> Motion to open. >> Second. >> No. All yes. All in favor to >> uh motion to close the meeting in the
public comments. Is there anybody from the public? >> Motion to move. >> I move to close. Second >> or yes, >> no.
>> Absent. >> All in favor? >> Okay. >> I approval of the meeting monthly board meeting April 7, 2026.
Is there any comment on that meeting? Um should I move move any of this motion? >> Any comment of the April 7 meeting board meeting? No. Yes. All in favor.
Okay. Now I move to the reports. Executive project status summary. >> Chairman Farugi, if I may interrupt, we have to make a motion to accept the minutes. I move to accept the minutes as is.
>> I second. >> Sorry, I I move forward. Reports executive uh project status summary. This report can be downloaded under here under the report section of the page
page below. It is https ftsa-nj.org meeting. >> Okay. Thank you, chairman. >> Yes, sure. >> Um, okay. Our legal services included
public bids, Green Hill uh manner litigation, uh meetings, resolutions, employee handbook, PSCG easement, bankruptcies, general support, and a solar project uh development under the solar electric vehicle uh
program uh project. Um we do have a project development agreement. I am uh scheduling a meeting with the vendor just the vendor and I to discuss details and priority focus of uh the project and
how it should be developed and in what areas and uh the role of the vendor and my team and um whatever engineering firm I assign this project to. Uh next project is
>> Mr. Director I I just have a question on that. What is the 500,000 for? >> That was a number I took a guesstimate at uh two years ago, two and a half years ago when I put this project on the
board. Uh I don't know if it's going to be above or below that. Um, so that's why you don't see Yeah, it hasn't changed in a couple years because we haven't developed the project yet. >> Are you talking about to complete the
project? That's correct. Ballpark figure, >> right? The the number on the left would be what you guys would what the board would authorize and if there was a number on the right, that's what we would sp have spent. Thank you.
>> Uh I'm gonna ask uh Dr. Roach to give us a a very quick uh update on the Edmonds finance program. >> That's the finance uh platform migration. >> Okay. Um at this time we are in our last month of the fiscal year. So we are uh
wrapping up things to close that out. We do have the uh project being looked at that was requested last month as far as the uh the annual billing and the uh the penalties that were charged to the residents. I did get update today from
Edmonds that they are working on that and we have a call actually tomorrow at 3 so that we can move that forward. So I'll report back at the next meeting. Uh other than that we had one other module with the Edmonds finance piece and its asset tracks that was in Harris and that
is for our inventory uh depreciation value and that is now been migrated over as of today and it's being analyzed. So we will now have that on board with the Edmonds project as well. Utility billing is moving forward. All well
>> thank you Dr. Roach. >> You're very welcome. There are no questions on that. Um, next uh project which is really completed but we have one small punch list item uh on the high bay garage
project and that's um for the final landscaping and planting on the easement on and around the easement. And right now that's what uh we're focused on. And we've ordered the supplies and waiting
for them to be to arrive and us to plant them. And then the final step would be the DRCC to approve the planting. >> Uh question on that. >> Um yes sir.
>> The threequarters of a million dollars. Um, that's for trees and soil and mulch and labor and stuff like that. Is that what you're talking about? >> Where do you see 3/4 of a million? >> $766,000.
>> No, that's Are you looking at the Somerset Street pump station rehab? >> Yes, I am. But uh >> right I I was speaking of the project right above that which is 2.55 million and >> oh I'm sorry I I'm sorry I
they got uh sort of confusing there because you mixed in with uh in that same thing as uh the three bullet points. All right. >> All right. But since you brought it up, I'm just going to highlight both projects came in under budget.
Well, I still have a question about the 766,000. >> Shoot, you can always ask questions. >> Okay. So, um, is that for trees and bushes and grass and mulch and all that stuff? Soil?
>> No. So, remember we had a big overall project that involved the Somerset Street pump station and the Brooklyn Avenue area rehabilitation. So though it was one project, I split them both up separately.
Um I got similar financing, I got two different federal grants and I assigned two different engineering firms to each subsection of that overall project. So I as I reported monthtomonth
on that these two projects always refer to one or the other as the sister project. So what we did with Somerset Street pump station, uh, two remarkable things with that is we upgraded the pumps there and we
installed a permanent but movable external bypass pump. So that pump was installed. So if the two upgraded pumps were to be overwhelmed by
the volume, then the external permanent slashmovable pump would kick in and pump uh a greater capacity uh temporarily. >> Yeah, I'm sorry. I think we're on we're on a different page here. I'm looking at
the print out that we got um in the in the same area. It it says focused on obtaining materials for landscaping orders will be placed soon. >> That's the bullet point under the high
bay garage project. >> Okay. All right. So there's not a breakdown as to what the uh the landscaping materials and all that stuff will cost. And I guess the only reason that I bring that up is was
it considered for that landscaping for money if it's for trees and stuff like that? Was it considered since it's township considered township property I would think? Right. um that if um money could be used from
the shade tree trust fund for any of that. >> So on the Somerset Street pump station, we did very minimal landscaping. Uh we did buy the lot ne next to us
because we were already encroaching on it. Uh we put up a fence and seated and planted grass and we maintain it. The only landscaping we we're doing is so minimal. We're doing it ourselves. And that's here on campus at the
headquarters. And that's >> I'm sorry, we're confusing this. You just said the high bay garage 2.55 million2.3 million. And then I brought up the landscaping and you said that landscaping comes underneath the high
bay garage. >> Correct. >> Okay. So that landscaping for the high bay garage um to take I I don't know what was in involved in that whether there was tree planting or anything like that and I was
asking if there was was it considered to be looking at taking shade tree trust fund money to use to plant trees there instead of having to use utility uh the
the the the sewage authorities uh money. >> It was not considered. Uh though I I'll add I think that's such a a minimal expense for us. Uh if you would like to know specifics, um we could ask Howard
Matson to give us an estimate on how much the materials will cost us or >> Yeah, I think the uh for for this conservation easement there the it's there's a list that the Delaware and Ron Canal Commission provides of things uh
shrubs primarily. It's not necessarily trees uh that they like to see in areas that are adjacent to the streams that they regulate. So, it's not necessarily trees so much as it shrubs. That's what I've run into in the past.
>> How I don't know if the shade shade >> How much do you think we'll be spending on this? >> I would say less than $10,000. Maybe less than five. Okay. >> How much does a How much does a shrub cost?
>> Depends on the shrub, but $10,000 is minimal. Okay. >> You've answered my question. Thank you. >> Okay. >> Thank you, Howard. >> Okay. Um that brings us to the Brookline
project. Um, I called for an uh all in-person meeting here at the authority uh to bring the vendor back to the table to insist on him uh increasing his volume. The very last
portion of this project we talked about um what got in his way, what slowed him down, equipment, the nature of the business, the industry. uh he's a pretty straightforward um person and it's a
very good company. So, we didn't want the our relationship to turn adversarial. Um however, the project should have been completed this past February. We're hoping it will be
completed uh June, July, but you know, we are going to be spending uh $100,000, $200,000 more uh than expected. Again, this is a six7 million project,
so it's not a big portion, but uh it was an issue I had to address. So right now uh as it sits 85% of service laterals are completed remaining are approximately 50
and um and they have increased their rate of production uh since that meeting. Um moving down Western Canal pump station project. Um we do have uh under the easement
agreement PSNG has agreed to that amendment we are asking for in involving the indemnification clause. The agreement is ready for the board to vote on it tonight. April, we have a resolution for the board to uh vote on tonight.
>> That is correct. We do. >> Thank you, ma'am. >> You're welcome. uh that like the Shirley Avenue pump station that we needed to buy an easement that easement and then the permits are the the most important step right now because we need to get
that land locked up. So that gives us the option to to do the project right away or to do it down the road in case we now own that easement. And the last item is on that project is the wetlands permit application
uh was submitted last month as reported. It is now in technical review. It could be expected at least 90 days for them to complete the complete that review and get back to us under Commerce Drive pump station. Um
that's going uh that's going forward very smoothly. Uh we enjoyed uh the crane coming the other day that lifted up the the concrete base and the building and put them into place. That was very interesting.
Uh PSNG completed the electrical bypass and shut down the the pumps still um still on bypass. And um the next step they uh and the the last
step that they uh did is they erected the the steel I-beam structure above the the wet wells. So that that project's going swimmingly smooth. So, uh that's the
um that's it for the um project status and professionals report. If there are no other questions, I'll go to into the executive director report chairman. Is that okay? >> Um yes, it's okay. But um could you
please give a breakdown to all of us about landscaping that how much is landscaping going to be done and uh what area and how much so could you please do for us? >> I'm sorry can you repeat that question? >> Could you please provide the breakdown
and the scope of work for the landscaping to all the commissioners? The the land >> landscaping >> the land Oh, landscaping. >> Yes, please. >> For the high bay garage.
>> Yeah. >> Okay. I I don't have a breakdown of the plantings and exactly where. Uh Howard, do you have that landscaping plan that we were submitting to the county? >> No. No, I didn't. I didn't prepare it. I
wanted to keep it a little bit more formal, but we can formalize it and get get it out to the commissioners. >> Would that suffice? Uh, chairman. >> Yes. >> Okay. And and just for your edification,
uh the landscaping we're talk about for that project will be very visible to us here at the building because it uh as you enter the the campus, uh that driveway off to the side, the easement runs along that driveway off
into the back. So, it's all along that it's just a very thin strip of land that goes back uh heading back towards the building. and they they want it landscaped. So, it should look very nice for us here on campus. >> Okay. All right. Thank you.
>> You're welcome. And we'll try to get you some cost breakdowns also. >> Yes, please. So, there's some confusion. >> Okay. Just uh just also just know that uh we have to work within the limitations of what they'll allow us
because it's it's uh because we gave them that uh conservation easement. It's kind of their land now. >> Okay. >> So, okay. Uh under revenue uh as of March 31st we received in
checks and deposited the same for $849,8562 which is an average for the month. Year to date, we've collected $15,445,59656, which is expected. And for the month generating in penalties was $14,229.37,
which is also average. Under expenses, the expenditures for the month was 2,553,7681. The year to date fiscal date that is uh it's 10,178,70.75. We are we are in our 11th month of our
fiscal cycle, the end of the cycle. We spent 67% of our budget which was approved and we're 92% through the fiscal calendar. So that's 67% spent 92% of the calendar. So uh we did pretty
good this year with our expenses. Now our cash position we had in the category of unrestricted 2,158,425.70. Under restricted, however, we have 16,426,17783. Under designated, we have 7,41,981,
giving us a total cash net position of $25,626,58453. Under our discussion items, I'm going to uh go over the items I need to highlight. Our budget uh I have submitted all of our reports and all the budget materials to our
financial advisor. I am waiting for her to do her analysis. When she is done, uh we will compare her analysis and my analysis and discuss and come up with a recommendation as I always do for the board as well. I'm also awaiting for the
suggest the suggestion for a rate increase within her analysis. I do anticipate her recommending a 5% user rate increase again. And I say that because last year
she recommended a 5% increase each year for the next five years. Though last year, I'll bring to your attention, we had a 2.9% rate increase. We did not follow her recommendation.
Under the audit, 20 the 2026 fiscal year audit fieldwork will begin this either this July or this August. That fieldwork is the auditor actually sends in a team of auditors and they spend approximately
a week here making Dr. Roach run around crazy into this closet and that closet and that computer report and so so forth that that that's going to begin on time and it'll have the benefit of the new financial system. Am I correct Dr.
Roach? >> Yes, you are. >> All right. Thank you. under banks uh we uh Dr. Roach successfully completed her first online wire transfer which has uh about four layers of security involved
in that. So she could not complete that alone or without without four forms of multiffactor authentication under computers and IT and computers. I
did place an order for six new laptops uh six new desktops for the office. That's to replace six heavily used desktops which are um uh in need of replacement due to their age and their operating system and
their inability to be upgraded um under computers financial um platform discussion. We had a situation in the last month whereas
a lot of our customers were charged a$150 or dollar something late fee and it got really PR uh on social media. I discussed it with a couple of uh commissioners who called me on it as
well and I had authorized them um to uh go into the system and remove that late fee. However, then we found out we could not do it in a blanket fashion programmatically. It had to be done individually. But uh thankfully that was
went by smooth and that's behind us. All the all our pro ongoing projects right now are in the green category and are either in the process of being completed or going moving forwards very smoothly. um
under internal engineering. So, uh Councilman embarrassand gave me a call and said the council had a meeting. I I'm not sure which uh subcommittee and it was noted that uh one business on
um either Belmont or Cottontail was using over a million gallons of water a year and it was asked you know where does the water go? Is it you know for sprinkler or is it what do they do with it? and they just assumed rightfully so that it was going to our
sewer system and the c uh councilman embarrassed that that we had a business that use that much water. Well, the truth of the matter is we have like 200 businesses that use much more water than that. For example, you know,
1 million gallons is not a lot of water at all for for a commercial business. We have uh we have some businesses that use over 20 million gallons of water. However, the conversation inspired
through Councilman and Barrison prompted me to think of doing a commercial/industrial account audit. So, I asked uh the water department. Took me some time to get it. water department sent me a spreadsheet
of uh their top actually spent me a spreadsheet of all businesses that were using 1 million or more gallons of water per year. I filtered that down and I put a name to the accounts because I didn't want to
wait for Carl any longer. Uh, I use G um Google to figure out the name of the account and then I filtered that and I um by if they were metered, if they were blanket or if they're just
by the gallonage. Um, and it turns out probably a half dozen of are offending our rating system. What does that mean? That means when we first open up the
account, maybe it was a warehouse, uh, one I'm thinking in particularly, um, and we charged them 42 EVUs per year
and now they're not a warehouse. What like this particular business is probably a data center. >> So 40 ADUs >> primaries >> might be 800,000 gallons of water per
year when in fact they're using 28 million gallons a year. So that's huge. And there's there's a handful of companies that I've identified like that. We are swiftly, without delay, and very
aggressively going to do our our homework, cross our tees, dot our eyes, and then we're going to load a hammer on these vis businesses. And not only are we going to charge them based upon the gallonage,
but um conversations with Councilman Barrison and I, I'm going to do all I can to go backwards and back bill them. This will result if if successful in hundreds of thousands of dollars more
per year to the sewage authority and that's because of the communication uh and the data sharing where between us and the town and us and the council. So uh that's under internal engineering. Additionally under internal does anyone
have any questions about that? you know, but I have a comment. >> Go ahead. >> So, I I definitely think that they should be paying their fear of the sage charges, you know, and the other rate payers should not be subsidizing them. I totally 100% agree with that. And I'm
glad that, you know, you and the Councilman Rom discovered that. But I think, you know, if if we were in error, I'm not so sure if you can go back and back charge people. I guess that's something for the attorney to, you know,
work with you on. >> Abs. >> Absolutely. If we were in error and actually that's explicitly the discussion I had today following up with our uh engineer. I said we got to pull off every email, every document. I want
to know how they got away with this. Did we were we asleep at the wheel? Did we miscalculate or did they um change their use since they opened up the account? I want to know. So
>> yeah, I I would I mean once again I know that there's right there's it's much much more complicated but uh you know but uh but Commissioner Francois I I would argue that it's it's incumbent on the the the the user of the property if
their situation if the terms of their you know use and their occupation change to to inform us. Now that may or may not be, you know, like a requirement. Maybe we can't go back backwards, but I don't feel any >> uh uh I I don't I don't I don't feel any
pro I don't feel like there's any kind of like, you know, you know, you moral or whatever. I don't feel like it's necessarily uh the responsibility of the of the sewage authority to chase after every single uh rateayer and say, "Hey, you know, if your use changes significantly, you know, we're the ones
that have to, you know, somehow act on that." it. We may need to change the structure to deal with that, but I think it should be incumbent on the on the on the on the use of the property to to to recognize the fact that, you know, their circumstances have changed. >> Yeah. Well, I just think there, you know, I'm not an attorney, so there
would might potentially be some legal ramifications associated with that. So, we want to be covered. That's the only point I was trying to make. >> Yeah. And it is possible because it's happened before that someone sends us an email notifying us and that email wasn't
acted on. >> You know, I mean, we're dealing with humans. So, I I I want to make sure I don't uh set us up for failure or embarrassment, but whatever we do, we're going to be aggressive on it. And I I'll continue to report on this every month
because 800,000 versus 28 million is a big big number. Okay. Um for the month we had uh two new connections. Uh we're up to 77 connections for the
fiscal year. We expect 93.8. Uh the technical review committee applications uh we received two I'm sorry three and uh two uh are being reviewed
under staffing. Um I'd like everyone to join me in congratulating our operations manager Scott Nero for reaching his uh well-earned welldeserved retirement.
This will be his last meeting as >> he is uh hightailing it like a criminal out of New Jersey soon. Not too soon for him. And uh let's all give him a round of
applause. >> Extend our gratitude. >> Yeah. refuses to allow us to throw him a uh retirement party >> and um wish him well. >> Thank you.
>> I'd like to thank everybody uh for for for those kind words. Joe, thank you. Thank you for the applause. I'd like to thank everybody that you know that you know when I was hired the director at the time and then you know the previous directors before Joe and Joe the board
members um you know it was a team effort and accomplishing a lot um tomorrow uh tomorrow is actually my anniversary there I completed 30 years PSA something I feel is uh to be proud of um and I'm
looking forward to my next chapter Scott uh played a big part in making sure we were one of the best sewage authorities in the state. We've uh we've been recognized year after year after year. We serve as a beacon and an
example for everybody else. Uh and our reputation is well known within the uh environmental community in large part because of Scott. uh very happy and proud uh to have worked with him. >> Well, Scott, you know, we're sad to see
you go, but we're certainly happy for you and you know, the your next chapter of your life. I was at a conference over at Hildridge and your name came up. I was talking to somebody, they told me, they said, you know, you you guys have Township has the best employees over
there and that Scott over there, he's a class A, he's class A. I said, you don't have to tell me that. I already know. your name has been out out when we're out and about, people always recognize you. And >> I appreciate that. I greatly appreciate that. I do I do mimic what Joe said. You
know, we we do look at ourselves as uh above and beyond u from any other authority andor public works. Um you got a good team there. >> You'll be gone, but you won't be forgotten. >> Thank you.
I I never get a chance to work with much work with Scott but as much as I know him he's a very knowledgeable person he's a very hardworking and really Scott civil super authority will miss you
>> thank you chairman >> okay uh additionally under staffing uh we just made an offer to a job offer to two new people. One as a technician and the second one as a laborer.
Those those two new people will will be filling in for Scott and doing Scott's job. That's a joke. >> No. Um and uh hopefully they'll they'll come on board as soon as possible. I'm sure they both started their onboarding
and you know they got to go through background check and medical and so forth. So um under uh municipal grants as you all know uh we've exhausted the 5 and a half
million or 5 million in uh municipal grant uh or art money grant. Uh we have submitted the very last requisition to the township and we expect to be paid after their next council meeting. Um
New Jersey GIF cyber security training uh is ongoing. It's uh very productive. I'm going into the advanced course now, which is coincidental timing because I had a I held a cyber security scam awareness
seminar last week uh for focusing on helping senior citizens. All projects are in the green. uh tonight uh for our resolutions for you to vote on. Under the standard resolutions, we have payroll,
operating expense, renewal replacement, and escrow. We do not have any general fund or North Track. Under the additional resolutions, resolution number five is authorizing a developers agreement for block 507.38
lot 13. Resolution number six is doing the same thing for a block 34.05 lot 50.03. Resolution number seven is authorizing the renewal of an agreement with Sparkle
Edge Cleaning Service for our office. Resolution number eight is authorizing the execution of grant of easement with PSENG that I mentioned under the um less canal pump station project.
And resolution number nine is authorizing the transfers of funds from 2G Birch Glenn LLC from escrow to Northr trust account. Uh that is all uh
that is all I have to report chairman. Okay. A motion to open executive session if applicable. Executive director will attempt to notice any executive session during presentation of discussion items.
>> Is motion to open? Uh, chairman, I don't I I'm unaware of any reason to go into executive session. I >> I don't have a need for executive session tonight, Mr. Chairman. >> Okay. All right. >> Motion to close the executive session.
>> Move to close. >> Second. >> Any second? >> Second. >> Motion to close. Action item from meeting. Motion to open. >> Chairman, we have to step back to the
committee reports and then go into the additional resolutions. Each one separately starting with resolution number one. You're talking about >> consent agenda. Now, each one of those line items has to be read indivi. They
have to be read as a group. >> Okay. Okay. >> No, I I thought that he he read all those, Mr. Joe. Anyway, resolution consent agenda. All of the items listed are considered to be a routine nature
thereby requiring one one motion and one second for all items. If any member wishes to remove an item from the consent consent agenda, please advise the chair at this time which
resolutions need to be handled separately and they will be addressed and voted on separately. Resolution number five. >> Resolution. >> Resolution. Yes, I have to read this all this
>> uh you have to just read number 1 2 3 and four with the dollar amounts for the record. >> Okay. Payroll account number 05052026-1215,129.21 21
operation expense account 0505 2026-2 2,ion293780.66 renewal and replacement 0505 2026-3
dollar 254 227.03 03 escro account 05052026-4 dollar amount $10,1180 motion to open So >> Dr.
Move that consent >> motion to move. >> I move to I move to accept the consent agenda. >> Second. >> Second. All right. Motion to approve. So you know resolution number five is 0505
20265. I think we have to have do we have to have the voice vote? The acclamation vote. >> Okay. You have the voice. >> It doesn't have to be a roll call vote on the consent agenda. >> The acclamation voice, >> but we have to we have to approve it,
right? >> Is all in favor? >> All in favor? >> I opposed. >> No. approved. Resolution number five 0505
2026-5 motion number 6 05052026-6 resolution 2050 2026-7 resolution number 20 050206-8 and resolution number nine yeah last
>> Mr. Chairman, each of these have to take uh be taken separately by each of those. >> I'm going to go back. >> Chairman, when you get to 5 through9, you just have to read that area that I highlighted in yellow. You don't have to
read the entire resolution, just a caption. >> Okay. Resolution number five. Resolution authoriz authorizing the executive of a capacity allocation and developers agreement with the developer of real
property designated as block 507.38 lot 13 on the official tax map of Franklin Township Somerset County New York City. Motion to approve.
>> Motion to approve. All in favor? >> Second. >> I motion to do that. >> Resolution number six. Uh resolution authorizing the executive of
a capacity allocation and developers agreement with the developer of real property designated as block 34.05 lot 50.03 on the official tax map of
Franklin Township Somerset County, New Jersey. Motion to open. >> Motion to approve. Second. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I I motion to approve.
>> Resolution number 7 05052026. Resolution authoriz authorizing the renewal of cleaning services agreement with the sparkle edge cleaning service in Inc. has a relation to there. Motion
to uh open. >> Motion to approve. >> Second. >> Second. >> Okay. All in favor? >> I I
approve. >> Resolution number 8 05052026. Resolution authorizing the executive of a grant of Eastman Eastment with public service electric and the gas company PS Energy for the
author authorities proposed pump station on the western canal road. >> Motion to >> motion to approve. >> I'll second it. >> In favor? >> I.
Motion to approve. Resolution number 920 05052026-9 resolution authorizing the transfer of funds receiving from 2G Birch Glenn LLC from the escore account
number 77668-34278 to the North track cash account number 7855 5109703. Motion to open. >> Motion to approve. >> Second. >> All in favor?
>> I >> Okay. Motion to open for executive session. I think any anybody has any comments on that one? >> Executive session. No, we don't have we don't need to
>> executive session, Mr. Chairman. Motion to close executive session. >> You don't need a motion to close it. >> Okay. >> All right. Thank you. Thank you, sir. Action item from meeting. Motion to adjourn.
>> I move to adjurnn. >> Thank you. Second. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I. Motion to approve. Motion is approved. Okay. Thank you very much, sir. Thank
you very much, everybody.