--------- so this is for the Democratic prate good evening please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance please remain standing for the invocation by Cassandra Hill to the flag of the United States of America and to the
rep One Nation God indivisible andice all bow our heads father We Gather today in honor of black history our history a story of strength and resilience and boundless
Brilliance from The Echoes of our ancestors songs of triumphs today we stand We Stand we stand on the shoulders of of those who Dare To Dream fight and build let us remember those sacrifices celebrate those victories continue their
legacy with pride and purpose may we walk forward in unity empowered by the past and inspired to the shape for the future amen please be seated this regular meeting of the township Council held in accord with the
schedule the meetings of the township Council established and adopted by the township Council which schedule does need the time and date in place of this meeting adequate public notice of this meeting has been provided pursuance to the provisions of the open public meetings act we are using Electronic amplifying Reporting device in order to
obtain a clear and audible record and reest all those wishing speak you recognize and state your name and address directly to the mic the device be Solly utilized by the township clerk's office for the preparation minutes and shall be the official record of the township C M CL Mr
here Mr is Mr wers here W here Mr pres Mr car here Mr ctis here Chief here Mr Miguel here good evening everyone tonight we celebrate Black History Month uh an
event that we've been holding over 20 years here in gler Township celebrating individuals that made outstanding contributions to our town whether they live or work in our Township I'll start off with our Proclamation and then we'll go into a singing performance by
Reverend Dr Cassandra Hill Cole of seeing lift every voice and sing Proclamation Black History Month whereas the township of gler takes pride in recognizing February 2025 as Black History Month celebrating the many notable contributions that people of
African descent have made to our country and whereas negro history week was first established in 1926 by the Association for the study of African-American life and history under the leadership of Dr Carter G Woodson the fame africanamerican historian new as the father of black history and whereas in
1976 it expanded the celebration of Black History Month to a month-long celebration of black history and 10 years later Congress passed public b 99 244 designating February 1986 as a 60th annual public and private salutes of black history observed as
national black afroamerican history Mon and whereas we recognize this year's theme of African-American and labor and labor and whereas this theme focus on the various and profound ways of work and working of all kinds free and unfree skilled and unskilled vocational and
voluntary intersect with the collective experiences of black people and whereas after fighting for their freedom in the Civil War through the country's transition from an agriculturally based economy to an industrial African-Americans became share cers forers Landers and then Wagers and
whereas the work of African-Americans will provide versatile and sightful platforms for examining black life and culture through compensated labor in factories military Office Buildings public service and private homes but also includes the community building of social justice activists voluntary
workers serving others and institutions building in churches Community groups and Social Clubs and organizations whereas the work African-American people do and have done have been instrument shaping the lives cultures and histories of black people in 2025 marks the 100
year anniversary of the creation of the Brotherhood of sleeping hard quarters and Maids by labor organizer and civil rights activist A Philip Randol which was the first black Union to receive a charter in the American Federation of Labor whereas this year's theme encourages broad Reflections on
intersections between black people's work and their workplaces in all their iterations and key moments in events of black history and culture cost time and space throughout us United States a and Africa now therefore be a resolve that I David our mayor mayor of Township of
bler and Ireland Marcato president of the Council of the township of BL to hereby Proclaim February 1st 2025 to February 28 2025 as Black History Month call upon all the people of the township of lost to reserve this month with appropriate
programs activities and Reflections and to continue our efforts to create a world that is more just Equitable and prosper for dat of February 24th 2025 can you please all stand the words to the song you like to join
in are in the program lift every voice and sing till Earth Heaven ring with the heart of let ouring rise high as
theing let it as the r SE sing s full of the fath that the darkness has
sing soring the rising of our new day let us on Victory is let us March Victory us
on Victory is before we start our program I would to acknowledge one of our uh uh legislative officials uh from the fourth district assembly uh Daniel Hutchinson assemblyman Hutchinson thank
you for good evening everyone good evening I have the honor of talking about a retired award-winning educator a championship High School football coach from woodro Wilson in Winslow Township a 29 years
a leadership speaker and consultant at this time I'm going to bring up coach Michael McBride coach Michael McBride is known for his leadership on and off the field he's a respected
speaker and writer empowering leaders across the the country through his work with the wings project which is a leadership Consulting and training firm he founded in New Jersey the firm's mission is to equip engage and Elevate
Leaders with tools and strategies necessary for Success coach you've been invited to speak at hundreds of events about leadership culture communication and self-development his audience spans
Fortune 500 companies State and National organizations law enforcement agencies Educators coaches and athletes these also address groups like The New Jersey fir Footers Mutual Ben benevolent General Assembly local school
districts universities high school teams and always focusing on how leadership can transform environments and the people within them he's a co-founder of A Few Good Men when I asked coach about A Few Good Men He said this came from his father his
father said look in the mirror and say was I a good man it's a goal of mentorship program that serves a thousand High School football players across 15 schools in Burlington Camden and gler counties his goal is to get to 10,000
leaders by 2030 the initiative is driven by the belief that leadership can change communities and ignite positive impact coach also serves as a champ uh chaplain for wholesome riches which is an organized dedicated uh group to
providing food to those in need at five locations throughout Camden now let's go on to his Sports accomplishments coach Michael McBride's achiev is on the football field are legendary he's coached nine NFL players and was named Coach of the Year by New
Jersey football coaches association the touchdown Club of South Jersey and The Courier Post also recogniz by the Philadelphia Eagles as one of the regional coaches in the year in 2015 he was honored as one of the greatest on display Persons Of The
Year coach MC prde is most proud of his students athletes academic Su successes his players earn over $10 million in scholarships and financial aid more than 250 of his former players gra graduated from college many of these graduates
going to become leaders in their own communities with some holding positions as school administrators doctors attorneys and even a position at the White House under former president Barack Obama coach Michael McBride's D objective remains simple be the best
version of himself and improve the lies of every everyone other every day others every day I'm sorry a proud husband of three his wife and his son are over there not three wi not three he said he his believe that that service to others is
the greatest gift one can give every day he strives to pre exceeds a positivity grow in the lives of those around him leaving a lasting Legacy of leadership and Community impact he's being recognized by Blackwood Elementary principal Alexander fante and after
reading this and learning more about you coach I can understand why he recognized you congratulations I'm I'm not going to be long I I want to say thank you to our our councel our wonderful counsel um I want to say thank you to my my beautiful
wife the only one I have I want to say thank you to Al my good friend Alex fante and I want to say congratulations to all the honores that are here tonight um I'm I'm a son of Georgia farmy in the military man um my
dad had four Sons so he was always that peacock always had his feathers up because he had four boys no not no daughters but nothing get daughters because God gave me lots of daughters so now I used to have a lot of hair I us have black hair and that I've got
blessed with these wonderful young ladies in our lives but I want to say this to to you continue to service service to others is what is going to change our world in a in a in a global Society of a lot of chain and a
lot of bickering back and forth across the aisle the only way that ladies and gentlemen that we come together is we start serving one another so I say this to the young people now I see a lot of young faces in here and and here's what I say to you as an educator as a man of
color I say to you it is your job now to pick up the man pick up the man of service to your community let's not start this woring about me me me me me let's take care of us let's take care of us and again ladies and gentlemen I
thank you so much for incredible honor I thank you for coming out and again I congratulate everyone around us thank you so much black here mayor mayor and councel sir we also have a certificate from the New Jersey
legislature from senator Paul Mor AR Dan Hinson and Cody Miller and last but not least we have another certificate from the Canyon County Board of Commissioners and I want to say after that speech I can see why your team is
successful I'm ready to run through that wall well it's really good to see so many happy faces tonight sometimes in this Council room we're not always happy we try our best but this evening I have the special honor of honoring Chantel
Washington come on down Shantel I have to tell you I read a resume seven pages long I expected an older lady you've been busy you've been very busy well you were you were um uh your
name was given to me by your principal Ryan varar and the letter that he wrote about you just really touched my heart so I want to talk to you a little bit about how she is as a teacher because that's my background to and she couple
of the words that he used Dynam excuse me Dynamic Innova she adapts to the needs the needs of the students that she teaches she has this special kind of talent that she sees in students what they need and
she doesn't just teach to a classroom she teaches to every individual student when you do that you teach you are really teaching and they are learning and sometimes that's hard to do
it's actually very hard to do because the students have to trust each other plus the teacher that doesn't always happen well this this lady has a special talent she gets all the students that they we used to call brainstorming they get in a room and
they all talk about what they're teaching what she's teaching them and they all have their different opinions and they all Express their different opinions which is really valuable in today's society because if you express your opinions today in public people
will hit you but in the classroom there's this sense of respect deep respect for our teacher and for each of the students they have a lot of respect for each other so that they can do that if we have more teachers like that
in society we will have less arguing out in the world we will be able to understand each other much better and we'll ex we'll be able to accept the differences and if we disagree with somebody we won't want to beat them up we want to say well why do you think
like that this is what she does so it's so vital in today's society now I have loads of things to say but her unwavering commitment to Student Success and the engagement and the personal growth of her students
That's the basis for her teaching and when you get personal growth in a student or in anyone whatever Walk of Life whether you're working or you're teaching or you're you're a student whatever you are in life that personal growth is vital it's vital to the Future
fut of our society as a whole and it's got to be positive you got to teach each other positive things as the last gentleman said it's really important and so because of that she uses the socratic seminars now those seminars ensure that
every student has a voice and that cultivates the classroom respect dignity and honor that each student walks away with when they go home and they take that through life with them that doesn't just happened in the classroom that goes
through life that to me was the focus of my talk with you because seven pages of a resume I'd be up here all night but to me the most important thing of all that she does is she cultivates respect for her students she teaches
them in a way that they can learn individually and together and with each other which is so nice because if one student says something another student might say hey that might be a good idea and then all of a sudden some other students think about and that's how you
get uh that's democracy it's actually democracy in society today and that's what she's using she's using that style which I just really love now one of the things she has I'll tell you what she's got high expectations for the students yeah
there's no fooling around you got to be smart you you've got to be academically challenged she wants to challenge you academically so that when you do come up with creative ideas they're good ones they're not just po poo and and some of those ideas have to
be they're based on kindness some of them are kindness some of them are just thoughtful to an individual not just to your yourself they're thoughtful to somebody else which is really important and besides all this teaching that she
does in this extra special way she is an adviser of the pen to mik group and she's also an adviser of the Black Culture Club at Highland High School when I uh talked to the principal he said to me she is an an invaluable asset
to the Highland community the lessons and values she instills stay with her students long after they leave her classroom her extensive resume supports the woman you see here today congratulations Mrs Washington and keep
up the good and we have some other things here and I believe one is from let's see Hinson would you care to please present come on make your work this one's
mine congratulations and uh I hope you don't have three husbands sorry mik give you that one I do not have three husbands um I have one and um and I have a son um and
I'm grateful uh for my church family and my natural family and my Highland family being here um for me it's love God and love people and uh that's what continues to fuel me daily um I don't know when
the last day when I'll take my last breath but if I know I know that the stamp is that she loves God and she loves people and so that's that's why I'm here right thank you good evening um I have the pleasure of
honoring star Benjamin um before I spoke with star um I was looking at her resume and I was like wow I'm like this girl senior in high school at Highlands impressive right she and then I looked up her name
I just Googled her name see the meaning of it and it means hope and guidance if you were to read her name the definition and then you read her um her resume and then you speak with her you could see how her name fits her I don't know if
her mom knew she had this Destiny um and then she took this path but she is fitting the name um she does many say she's a leader um and she doesn't just she participates so she acts um she doesn't just do um or expect things she
wants to make a change in Highland she's part of many clubs um first she is um for two years she's been Secretary of her class um so that's a task um and she's vice president and current
president of the Black Culture Club so in that club she has um she had told me today when I was speaking to her that part of women's history she wants to make changes and she wants to do something for those that were affected out in California so she's
already putting her mindset to it that this is what she wants to do um she wasn't sure but that's okay she has a goal um her wheels are spinning in her head and she's determined to do something um also part in school she's part of the student voice committee where she helped um she was on the
committee she was a spokesperson she was a leader and she helped change the dress code and between staff and students it's very hard to find a happy medium um and she did help um deliver that uh she when I was speaking to her and I
read this on a resume but when she was telling me I was like in awe of her she decided to um be part of the United Nation conference up in New York in February she took it upon
herself as an individual not part of a committee to go up there and she took her position um on Turkey um turkey's government which she presented to 66100 people I'm sorry six people in different countries
I'm sorry um so just that impression she took the initiative she went there she wanted to make this change she wanted to prove something and this is what she was doing um so I commend her for the leadership um she volunteers she volunteers at MLK day i' probably be
seeing you there um so she doesn't just um she acts upon it and she gives back to the community gives back um and that's what she wants to do with um in her in her career she wants to go away to college sorry Mom but this will just help shape her um she wants to major in
political science international relations and foreign policy so when you see her one day you see her name remember um how she was recognized um after college she would like to join the Peace Corps and she would like to travel and make changes and help others that's
what she said she enjoys doing um so whoo mom and dad for bringing up such a beautiful daughter um so and in her free time she enjoys writing no a child enjoys writing I mean and doing all that she does so I
commend you in your leadership and your um all that you do for the community for your school for others to make a change congratulations from May May from County Commissioners
and from and Miller congratulations you like the same um thank you so much for the for the honor actually um one of the reasons why I donate so much of my time to service I think it's because it's really
important and I think it helps with empathy and Leadership ship and being able to actually listen to others and to be able to care about someone other than yourself um I do have a great life here in the United States but unfortunately
not everyone else has an amazing life in other countries that's why I want to join the peace cor that's why when to do foreign policy and to help others um it's helped me become a much more empathe empathetic person it's helped with my leadership skills um being able
to talk to individuals um yeah just I really enjoy it before we go to our next recipient I just want to thank our Black History Month committee uh they have the arduous task of whittling our honores down to 10
honores we received many nominations and it's their role and we put that burden on them uh because we don't want to exclude anyone so uh they work very hard in whing it down to 10 AR so Renee Michelle and George Hill thank you very much our next Honore if I could share
this George asked me because he looked at his name and he goes is he black I said he's from Nigeria so like okay all right so our next honory is Umar Mr Umar I have the distinct honor of
working Mr Umar in the gloss of Township Public School District he is the facility supervisor of the largest k38 District in the state of New Jersey uh the superintendent buildo provided this long looks like a memo like he's writing
someone up type thing and uh I will read some of that but also I just want to highlight some of the things about Mr Umar Mr Umar was born and raised in Nigeria came to the United States in 1978 in a program that was through the consulate where they could pick any
country to go to and he picked to go to United States for a program that was at Canam County College and he came here in 1978 he started off in medical technology and he switched over to uh business studies he graduated with
associates degree from uh Canon County uh hung out here now the program was they were supposed to go back to their home country so he goes back there comes back here in 1983 and starts working for the Gloucester Township Public School District uh he started working here as a
custodian spent two years here and then decided he wanted to go back he met his wife while he was here his wife Ruth uh and he said we're going to go back to Nigeria because they wanted to raise chickens and have a farm there and have this big Old Farm those plans changed
because he came back in 1987 and he never left loster Township Public Schools he has been a loster Township Public School employee for over 39 years he has served as director the facilities uh director since 2009 in the bler Township Public School District uh
when I think of son he has about eight or nine members of his staff and former folks that have worked with him in the past that are here this evening uh that he is a kind generous loving man uh sort of the Earth the smile you see the smile
there it is come out um but I will also read some of the things that superintendent buildo wrote about him and I said to him today I said you have an affinity for Mr Umar and he's and he said I absolutely do so Mr Umar is a
conscientious and dedicated employee he's even better individual he's always willing to provide support to the Gloucester Township community examples of Mr umar's Community involvement include the following gler Township day Warren Luther King Day of Service TVA annual soccer tournament and the gler
township Educational Foundation in gler Township day he has supported this event since it started uh there are significant resources including staff that supports this worthwhile Community event and Mr Umar and his District staff work at w town today from the morning
until the conclusion and 2025 Mr Umar will Mark the 40th year he's provided service across the township day in addition for Martin Luther King Day celebration that's a huge event that the township sponsors and Gloucester Township Board of
Education also helps out we had we had over 500 volunteers this year if you recall that particular day there was snow and ice that was occurring I was getting frantic phone calls are we still having it if we're still having it and I contacted Miss Dumar several times over the week and I said we need to place
everybody all man and women on Deck this place has to be salted he's like don't worry about going to be taken care of and it was there no there was no slipping Falls there was no ice there was no snow they made sure that that event took place an illustration of his
effort is that severe snow and ice had impacted Gloster Township many involved question the event would even transpire due to inclement weather but Mr Umar is sure the superintendent that the building and the school's parking lot would be ready he delivered on that and the promise and it truly memorable and
safe day transpired for all those attended in addition TVA has an annual soccer tournament that takes place in Valley Brook valb Sports Complex for the last 25 years he has been involved in the support of that tournament by making sure that the fields that are behind larm fling Elementary School are to the
standards of TVA to host such a large tournament here in our Township and lastly the glossa township Educational Foundation that is the charitable arm of the school district where they provide scholarships uh to teachers to provide uh classroom support uh they provide
funds to students as well and this is a community effort that was formed Mr Umar has always been part of that no request is ever too daunting for him he is unselfish and an enthusiastic supporter at every event so in summary this is
what he wrote in summary whenever gler ta Community request the school district's assistance I superintendent always include Sonny Umar in planning a thorough and complete response irrespec of the event he remains level-headed a truly caring person to ensure that their request is satisfied his humanitarian
commitment intelligence and good humor all combined to Y the truly selfless individual he is in the last 30 years the many good things he's done many good things with duar not only for gler Township Public School Districts but for bler Township and I hope that you feel
the same as well congratulations Mr on behalf of L town to director of your exemplary leadership outstanding service and dedication to the people of loss of Township dat of February 24th 2025 this is for mayor and councel you
have a citation from the Kon County Board of Commissioners a leg citation from the New Jersey legislature and also from Congressman Don morross a citation as well honoring you well thank you so much um I want to
congratulate all the nominees you know and not just the nominees but also the friends and the families of the nines because without our families and the friends that support us especially
people that we walk with so our second families you and I have a lot of them in the back you know we can notot be where we are so again thank you this is the best Township to work with
and to work in a school district you know with over 6,000 kids you know that comes through the you know the district you know is an honor that I will cherish you know for life so thank you so much for giving me that got I got two questions Mr Umar has
some in interview questions so G I ask you what the first question is what is your superpower yes he asked this an interview what's your superpow so the energy that I get from the people
that I work with okay and that around me that are my superow because they to be there it's unlimited power okay and the second question if you were an animal what animal would you be all right what animal are you going to be son
today I would like to be the best human possible okay this time I'd like to bring up Denise Hall Denise R up so you speak about family I see Denise brought some family with her I also hear that you're a runner is
that true okay great and you ran the Philly marathon head marathon in November we'll go back back to that in a second but I want you to remember a couple key key notes here a half marathon 13.1 miles okay that's going to be notes to to follow along here so
Denise uh she starts her mornings at 4:15 in the morning to get up and run with her soul sisters okay and she said that she never ran in her life and if you ever saw her run and that meant she was being chased by a
dog so she runs every morning with the South Jersey chapter of black girl run so in in 2013 at the age of 54 sorry to call your age but it's on here with a friend's encouragement she joined the black girls run an organization that promotes health and fitness among black
women so she met so many soul sisters and so many friendships through this activity and with the support of her fellow Runners Hall completed her first half marathon a year later in 2014 remember 13.1 miles after traveling with friend to run half marathons in
different states she soon set a goal to run a half marathon in all 50 states there's so much out there to see she says okay in April 22 she completed her 50th state a half marathon in Hawaii
saying she wanted to save the best for last so it took her nine years to achieve this goal all right remember so I did some math and I figured that's about what five to six half marathons a year although she cheated a little bit because one year
she ran 16 half marathons remember 13.1 miles per per run soon after reaching that goal she decided why stopped there let me complete a 100 half marathons and at that time she was at 72 so I just said to myself oh well why not
go for a 100 guess what in November of 2024 the goal became a reality she ran 100 half marathons friends friends from her running group have been inspired by her dedication she's a very
powerful very motivating said Wanita Robinson a member of the black girls run she provides an awesome push no matter what age you are you could do this no matter what she encouraged me so much said toik Ellie another member and
she says I haven't stopped yet I have the health and the strength to keep going God willing and when I asked her I said are you when are you gonna stop she says never as long as I can I'm gonna keep running well Den e Hall congratulations we also have my friend
to the right here has another citation to give you an addition to the other ones that are up on this diets good evening so uh Denise made an impression upon uh Senator Mor Ari a few years ago
I don't know if you remembered in with the senator and the senator heard about tonight's award so he sent me as his Emissary to uh to give you this award the New Jersey Senate and the New Jersey General Assembly got together and they
tried to figure out who was worthy of being recognized this evening and today you are being recognized because you represent as an inspiration to people and this country so desperately needs inspiration so it is for that reason
you're getting this award now I do want to point out a couple of things 4:15 a.m. yes that's crazy yes all year so so I I think uh Mr Umar has uh would
ask you what is your superpower and I know what type of animal it would be okay but seriously congratulations on this is fantastic you're an inspiration and um I've been wondering if I could be inspired to run again since beating
Orlando by over two minutes in many many years thank God for all of this giv me strength to do this I want to thank all of my friends and family my my BGR sisters that for their
support they're out there running with me I'm running with them get up 4:15 we run at 5:00 it's well worth it all about health and fitness and remember motion is lotion you have to
keep moving you know just get up off the couch and do something walk around the block 30 minutes a day something just to keep it keep it going you can do it never too holds never too late to
start right get up and do it thank you everyone I'm so grateful what's to do in Utah R congratulations a mom my heart is filled as an African
Aman woman here in glosser Township for 40 years my heart is filled because diversity in this community and to see so many people do so many great works just fills my heart I want to welcome up Miss tussa
leis I read her bio and I just got chills because not only you going to hear but as I read it I saw myself and her and her and me we talked and then I thought about her mom and her grandom
and the history that comes along with African-American people and people of color um for men and women and in the words of Miss Chantel Washington when she said love love for God and love for
your people that resonates in our culture all the time every day all day long from your being a little child and coming up so I just want y'all to hear all these wonderful things about Miss truss Lewis who was nominated by Miss
Nick pearon who I admire so much as well um Mrs Miss pearon said she first came to meet tresa at ch's school in glosser Township where she taught the ever challenging grade of kindergarten
she was a consistent smiling face a strong presence of life and a safe place that encouraged those around her to show up as their authentic selves children that came from preschool with a
warning label and we know sometimes kids can be a struggle but they came with a warning label she found and nurtured in her classroom as trustless energy exuded um acceptance she cultivated positivity and fostered an environment
of create creativity for little ones and we know I'm an educator too so we know that when kids are young you have to really love them no matter what so they might come to you with a label but she takes them in her heart and and really gives them the love and care that they
need um trust's leadership skills along with her genuine warmth has given rise to her next career path as she is the acting vice principal um whereas she's able to extend the spirit of her service she invited to her entire school since
it can no longer be contained in the classroom so she had to go all out whole school district trust also calls whan T tremble Baptist Church her home temp
tremble her her church home and it is there she conducts Outreach programs such as price and culture humility where she trains members to interact and embrace A diversity of culture as traditional Philadelphia neighborhoods
become more integrated she also brings her love for teaching into the ministry um with an annual back to school block party and she also gave out 150 students backpacks but not only that
she fills them with lots of supplies and also um treat them to a full fun day of activities like bouncy house snacks all of that went all out um parents also get important health information at these
events as well in addition she's involved with Winterfest night at her local school where she puts her chef hat on so she now's got another hat she went from being a te found principal now you know all out in
the community now she's back at the church and doing wonderful things for the community and she provides warm meals and a fully stock closet of food supplies and clothing to the community that she enjoys um finally Tres is not afraid of little dirty getting a little
dirty and sweat as she can be seen rolling up her sleeves and North Philadelphia streets to clean up trash and transform the places into Gardens and also dog parts in addition to that as I was
talking to her I know immediately if she was not part of divine n she should be okay so I was like are you a Delta cuz we know these all part of leadership you are committed and you take an oath to do those things but she
told me she was an AKA she's a part of the alaca of sorority the first interc Colgate historical African-American sorority that was found founded January 15 1908 Miss tresta Lewis is also marking
her silver anniversary and if you know what that is that means she's been a Delta for a very very long time I'm w okay so in attendance here also is Mama Barbara Mama Barbara Booker's here and I
know she's probably like my mama and my Grandmama and every history a woman of color that has come with love support and caring and just do everything to make sure your dreams come true um and also here's a host of staff from chw
Landing School and a host of church members and her children um jaha who is 16 and Jan Janelle who was four okay look at the down there I see
you on behalf of Mayor mayor and council president Orlando marado the council members we congratulate you on being an outstanding African-American in our community believe okay Mrs Lewis Black History
Month Award presented to tra Lewis in recognition of your exemplary leadership outstanding service and dedication to the people our Township on February 24th 2025 Wason Township mayor Dave our mayor David our mayor and Council recognized
you yes have two citations we have one from the New Jersey legislators office and we also have oh no three I'm sorry you have one from the uh US House of
Representatives and on behalf of uh our assembly Man David D um you also Cy County board Mission so I don't know if you want to present this or okay you're
wel sister H I would like to say a special thank you to the council um thank you very much for this honor tonight thank you Miss mcferson for nominating me um my family
for being here my church family my choose and District family thank you so much um my professional Mentor is here thank you very much um you know when you set out to do things to help others you don't think
that you're going to be honored because this is just something that you do it's just a part of your everyday life and it's nice to be recognized but honestly it's not necessary
right right I just encourage each and every one of you to just get out there and just help someone whether it's just one person and I just I just try to show God's love through my
actions sometimes it's not about always saying something it's just doing your actions mean more than your words sometimes so just get out there work hard even if you just help one person that's all that matters congratulations
to all of the honores tonight and everyone have a wonderful evening I told on the phone she might be after my job a woman good evening everybody I have the pleasure
of introducing you to our nominee Isabelle Isabelle is a student from Mullen and she was nominated by her principal Miss Rose bounds and one of her teachers Miss Kowalski um and normally I'll kind of go through and get highlights and things like that but the way this letter was written the wording
that was used and stuff like that I'm just going to kind of re through a bunch of it just because I feel like I'm doing her a disservice by summarizing it and putting it into my words which are nowhere near these words because I'm not a writer who wasn't but said they like to write yeah that's not
me okay so it's with great pleasure that we nominate Isabelle for recognition during Black History Month her heartfelt community service and commitment to Unity compassion and social justice reflect the enduring Spirit of black history month and the Visionary Legacy of Dr Martin Luther King J Isabelle's
dedication to uplifting others is evident through her involvement in numerous initiatives and as an active member of the njhs she amplifies leadership and service by volunteering monthly with the sherff food program participating annually in the heart walk fundraiser which is near and dear to my
heart uh and supporting fil abundance these efforts highlight her unwavering commitment to ensuring that all members of our community have access to support and dignity Beyond her organiz organized volunteer work Isabelle extends kindness in many personal ways she creates
heartfelt cards for nursing home and assist with activities at mullen's preschool demonstrating that compassion can be expressed in both grand gestures and small acts of care through these Endeavors Isabelle Fosters a sense of belonging and empathy among those she
serves she has a leadership Journey that began as a young a young age since the fourth grade she served as an alar server modeling reverence and respect for her community's traditions in sixth grade she took initiative by handmaking bracelets for her classmates during Mullen Spirit Week promoting unity and
inclusion among her peers her actions have consistently encouraged others to embrace the values of empathy Justice and mutual respect in every aspect of her service Isabelle reflects the ideals of equity and community and are
celebrated during Black History Month for these reasons we wholeheartedly recommend Isabelle for this distinguished recognition from the Town Council during black history her exemplary service and Leadership served as a Fe of Hope and inspiration for our community reminding of all of us of the
power of empathy and the enduring strength of unity so you can see the words that they use that she used writing this letter um to me just describe someone who we're seeing her now in middle school so just imagine where she's going to be later on you
know we've seen some high school students we've seen adults we've seen you know all different ages but we're all going to be seeing her again she might be up here again in a couple years you never know getting another award we'll see but we can all see that she's example of giving to the community and
giving it to others and she provides us with a wonderful wonderful representation of what we want for our youth and from our youth in our Township so I congratulate you um I would just like to to thank the people that nominated for this award and
I would like to thank my mom because she's the one that brings me to all these things after school and yeah I just like putting a smile on people's face our next recipient is Donna Ellison Donna is ill today could not make it uh
but I will read her uh nomination from Angela roseb who's the principal of and M Middle School I I do know Donna Donna is a full-time substitute teacher in GL Township Public School District uh for the last four years two years at CW
Lewis school and two years at an M middle school and uh our our substitute teachers come to school every day uh they're not on call they're full-time uh employees and uh we try to treat them like our teaching our contracted
teaching staff and Miss Allison is the self-proclaimed Union Leader they're not in a union but she you know she's the union leader of the substitute teachers she doesn't mind asking for things she's a dedicated caring supportive uh staff
member of our students uh so I I'll read Mrs Rose B's letter I'm honored to nominate Donna Ellison for recognition as exemplary citizen of wer Township in her role as a permanent substitute teacher at the na Mullen middle school she's a dedicated volunteer with the
Brittney Woods Community Action Group Donna has consistently demonstrated extraordinary commitment to both our students and our community Donna's input on our student extends far beyond the classroom she plays an integral role in prompting both educational and emotional well-being whether through her daily
interaction actions or her involvement in initiatives such as PBIS CARE program and the National Junior Honor Society Donna ensures that every student receives the attention and care they deserve her willingness to step in whenever needed and her cheerful proactive approach has made her a
trusted Mentor for many students they regularly seek her advice knowing that she is there to support them not only academically but also emotionally guiding them through challenges and celebrating their successes her dedication to to the communities ex is
also equally commendable she's an active volunteer with the Britney Woods Community Action Group and that's why I had uh councel and Grace here uh to speak about that uh she's a shining example of her commitment her role in the annual Britney Woods community
cleanup where she inspires and encourages people to participate through this initiative Donna not only helps maintain our community's Beauty but also instill students the values of empathy Civic respons ility and service her tireless work whether it's in the
classroom or in the community exemplifies Spirit of service and the commitment we value in loster Township her leadership compassion unwavering dedication have a profound and positive impact on both the educational environment and the community as her as a whole for these Reasons I'm delighted
to recommend Donna ellson for this prestigious recognition her contributions make her truly deserving candidate for this award and I'm confident that she would continue to be a beacon of inspiration support within our town thank you for considering this nomination congratulations on Alison
we'll make sure Donna gets this okay you like yes I wanted to say a few words and I've known Leia since she was a little teeny baby Donna Ellison and I lived in the
same community of Britney Woods I moved there when I was 18 I think Donna was there first I moved 198 87 was there in so we've been pillars in the Britney Woods Community in the late
9s around the community took a decline where people were moving out a lot of rental properties and then all of a sudden we saw a slew of banding homes so after a while we just took the action and that's how the Britney was Community Action Group K we met in our kitchen my
kitchen Donna myself and a couple other ladies and we formed the Britney wood Community Action room on Saturday morning we would get up we would talk about what needed to be done we would break things into compartments roadside easements
backyards whatever the community need and we would have meetings and on Sunday we would take action so that's how we came up Comm action Donna has not only just been a pillar and a person who dedicated and committed to serving the
community in that aspects now this community went from having being a plight in the community to being a thriving Community where there were no more abandoned homes we might have had two maybe vacant homes it became vacant
homes everything came back to life we RI drugs out of the community we did a lot of things and I'm so proud to be a friend of Donna and watching all of our children grow up and everybody being successful and again going back to that whole thing of you know you passing on
that love love for people love for God because it constantly resonates from generation to generation so on behalf of council um we want to give your mother this award and we're sorry she not feeling thank you so much would you like
to just on behalf of my mom I just want to say thank you to Mr Mayor and council members um for honoring my mom she's been in lost of Township since the 80s and um she's dedicated her life now to serving children and her community so I
just say thank you on behalf of her so you know she's always thank you very much thank you uh Billy Frasier so I just found out I was introducing Philly to everyone tonight and her nomination about about an hour
and seven or eight minutes ago um so I'm going to read a lot of her nomination letter just because I'm not that familiar we didn't get a chance to meet beforehand um so fortunate for me it's teachers that did nominating so they're always very well-written letters um so
that's a good thing so she was nominated by her principal at Timber Creek Miss McKenzie um sounds like there was a group so it's a great honor to nominate Billy Frasier to represent Timber Creek Regional High School during black history F she's nominated by everyone her principal her vice principal her
class advisors and her coaches she's a 12th grade student so she's a senior and represents the ideals of what it means to be a charger Billy car is 3.7 GPA serves as member of the National Honor Society and her academic success is accompanied by a diverse resume she's
the vice president of her class and shows great leadership skills in that role she also represents Timber Creek at the 2023 Hugh O'Brien youth Leadership Summit AT Drew University she's also taken on the highest level of leadership roles for both our women's soccer team
and our women's track team as team captain Billy is an exceptional multisport athlete she's a two-time All-American honors winner in soccer and a Timber Creek State Player of the Year representative she leads second in the
division with 23 goals and accumulatively has 44 career goals at Timber Creek good for you she's a four-year Varsity track and field athlete for Timber Creek she's been a tremendous asset to the program as her range of ability and events is
incredible Billy's a sprinter a hurdler a jumper a mid distance runner for our team she takes part in there's a whole bunch of races here um and she does the shuttle hurdle relay team that holds the school record at this time she's also
named an All-American for the hurdles last spring she's been ranked at the top 10 in the state for the last three years in a row in her events for outdoor track she's won many accolades during winter and spring such as first and second Team all conference as well as being named
part of the allstar South Jersey track and field team since freshman year I don't know Denise you might be able to pull her in join your Club if she wants to get up that early Billy volunteers to speak at school engagements that encourage
perspective and current students to make amazing decisions and exercise sport sportsmanship in January she was featured on phl1 17 television networks athlete of the week and it was a sens Sensational source of Pride for our Athletic program Le Community the
strengths that make Billy a success inside and outside the classroom include a strong work ethic and a willingness to always be of assistance to her classmates teachers and staff throughout the Bing beyond the classroom she demonstrates self motivation and Leadership qualities through
participation in school events as well as with her work in the community on a personal level I the principal often look at Billy to help encourage and guide other students in times of need amazing this pours out of those perfect
curls and Billy's impact is simply magic she's extremely outgoing super friendly and the school world is a much better place because she is in it so I was very fortunate this evening I had the honor of um introducing you guys to two of our
students from glester Township um so I think we're gonna see both of them again hope I don't know bil I know gon to see you might see you on a squirt shop we might see you on TV I going to see you but remember space cuz you will see her U so I've always had such a great
support system when it came to my family but you know also the whole gler Township community starting from Union Valley to Mullen and now Timmer Creek all you know the sport programs that g Township has had from Highland and tbaa
you know I was a part of all those so those programs in this community has guided me to have you know my own individual ideas for me to know right vers wrong and to be inclusive to all people because of how diverse the community is and so I really couldn't imagine growing up anywhere else uh it's
amazing an amazing Community to be in and I would just like to thank you know the Timmer Creek community my my principal Miss McKenzie she's MISD do it all so she really is I couldn't imagine my years without her um my coaches uh
all the counselors and teachers I've always had great role models to look up to and I'm very thankful for everybody that's been a part of my life and has given me opportunities to you know make a change within the uh Community but I've always had a great example set for
me so I just want to say thank you to my parents you know for all the ripping and running all these past few years and for my coaches and all my parents for always believing in me so thank you for this last but not
least Ashley and when I say again I'm very proud of Blosser Township the schools in Blosser Town doing amazing things to students but as an African-American in a community you guys are really passive
time where's mom and dad at I know they're over there we grew up and we did things and we were really involved in our schools and love for God love for our community but when you read the soon as what they're doing I'm like where do they
have the time but they're doing it all and they're not only doing it all they're doing it with 4.0 gpas and are just amaz and I just want you to keep up the C work so I'm going to read on behalf of Jordana
Simmons um also nominated by everyone her principal the vice principal um uh African-American cultural Club advisory the class advisory and her coaches everyone in the school was like this is
the one she's gonna be nominated so Ashley she is a 12th grader and she's an all around out student Ashley carries a 4.0 GPA she serves as the member of the National Honor Society Ashley is is the
African-American cultural Club president and a member of the no no place for hate and interact interact love she also represents Timber Creek of 2023 huge O'Brien youth Leadership Summit AT Drew
University to tell us more about that um Ash also is committed to Excellence and has a sense excuse me she is committed to Excellence and has a sense of personal responsibility that is rare to see in students her age as she
demonstrates leadership in the classroom in the hallways and out on the athletic field and I and they consider you um to be truly well-rounded student as an a Ashley lends her leadership to The Varsity soccer team as a testament to
her hard work she participated as a captain of the soccer team her senior year where she and I I needed a moment with this because I didn't know anything about soccer but she was the stward defender leading the back to four shouts did I say that
correct and another two games when only one goal allowed and I hope they won you won didn't you I think because it sound like they won so but she sound like she did an amazing job there she commanded the defense ensuring everyone was in place they
needed as they needed to be outside of school she uh was previous named to the Guyana women's U7 National Socrates amazing you Clap the strength that makes Ashley a success inside and out of school
includes her strong work ethic and a willingness to always be at assistance to her classmates teachers and staff throughout the building she has pride in the things that she is attached to um and Demands a St standard of Excellence in all that she does beyond the
classroom she demonstrates self motivation and Leadership qualities throughout uh dis nation and school events as well as her work within the community as she is also um as she also dedicates her time to Force program at
school Force means focus on relationships community and enrichment it's a leadership program that promotes a positive School climate encourages maximizing potential of Timber Creek on a personal level
um uh Miss Jordana often looks at Ashley to help inspiring guide other students in the time of we ashle she is not the loudest person in the room but she leads with impact and Tech um she is like a quiet
storm um she is honest hardworking and has principles of a leader being in service to others is her specialty we appre appreciate her willingness to be uh willingness to consider the experience of others and to leave with
empathy she is Guided by an internal sense of right and wrong and listen to her personal convictions when trying to make choices that contribute you to greater good Ashley is someone who is truly for the culture she is balanced
she balances all and does it all with Grace and a smile her contributions to the Timber Creek are as big as her heart and your school and everyone that nominated you are very proud of you and so am
I vond say that right Hayes and Patrick ha B thank you um if you want to say a few words but again from cler Township black history mother Award presented to Ashley be in recognition of your
Exemplar leadership outstanding service and dedication to the people of Township on February 24th 2025 W Township mayor David our mayor and Council present you with this um I just want to first thank my TC
Community my TC family I call them um to start off I want to thank my coaches um Miss p is in the back and Keller's also in the back um I also want to thank Miss McKenzie for the first four years like of my um of my first
like my my like becoming a young woman honestly and if it wasn't for her then I probably wouldn't have done all the things that I've done in high school and she's definitely become like a pillar I see every day in the hallways always laughing always smiling always calling
me Miss Ashley H um she definitely um guided me into who I want to become today um also I want to thank Miss Simmons for um the nomination she's definitely like a safe space in school and I always go to her class whenever I have the chance to she definitely um
holds it down for TC she often goes unnoticed and I want to notice her today um and she's gonna be like the last person like I might cry during graduation but um she definitely helps
during the um the Black History Month assembly and I'm gonna be my last time doing it so I'm gonna be very thankful that I can speak during that and then um to go for the National Hug O'Brien award it was very um it very rewarding that I
was able to be selected among my peers am like 40 PE that I was able to go and be with like-minded students that also want to be leaders in the world and I definitely like was very thankful for that that I was um that I was selected
for that I just want to thank thank you to my parents R and Patrick um they definitely always um push me every day to be the best that I can with like my for GPA always making sure I was in clubs and activities and my dad also
helped me to get on a national team for guyan he's always on my back about that so um I'm very thankful for him and my mom always taking me to soccer practice and so she was quiet on the phone when I spoke to her today so I'm like smiling because
I'm like wow that's a lot so she might be a quiet storm but I see great things coming from fut congratulations unfortunately the mayor can not be here today he had a work commitment but he sends his regards he apologizes that he
can not be here today uh this evening nights like this are very important uh I grew up in a small little town sboro and when I went away to college 35 years of my freshman year uh in the pursuit of
food I learned a lot of things I learned that there was more than just Merry Christmas there was Hanukkah there was Quanza I learned that there was a Black History Month The Lift Every Voice was considered the N the
black national anthem there was a women's History Month Hispanic heritage M and in the pursuit of food I learned these things on my floor my freshman year it was like the United
Nations you know I I one one of the next door fell said I'm we bring some macaroni and gravy I'm like gravy macaroon said my Italian friends call it a gravy rather than
sauce um house music Harold was from Kenya and had the best beats on the floor I learned about the Jewish High holidays the guy across the uh the hall had dominoes every Friday and the best
ties and I didn't care who he loved and I learned about all these different things on my floor and in in school in the pursuit of food so tonight if you came here for something else for another council meeting and maybe you learned something
from some of the recipients today because what I realized 35 years ago and I continue is that we learn from each other we shared with each other other and then we understand each other and so nights like this are important this is why we've continued to do this for over
20 years in our Township and we'll continue to do it over and over again every year so I want to thank everyone for coming out this evening God bless all of you next month we're celebrating women's History Month there may be someone here that you would like to nominate and you can nominate them up
until March 7th or 10th Nancy something like that it's on the website but we're honoring individuals on March 24th here uh for women's history M we can have double winners some people that are honored today could be back here next month so I'd like to thank everyone that
came here today thank the committee uh thank you very much Reverend thank you very much for the prayer invocation and thank you very much for coming out this evening can we have all the award recipients up here we'll take a group picture thank you very much and God bless folks everybody will be a 10minute
recess thank you think it now for it's not working out you got it supp um and I always like I don't to work come home know teer
she said um what did she say said know St on stamp I want my stamp to say I love people okay one that was nice they came here to give it
to you nice you Come on B the you got it every year you right you all thank you
youy it right you I I yeah it's not a police all right cool thank you Sam got I know I know I'm not sure or the
10 so it's one of okay thank you like doing good guys I just I just I've been texting Mary Joe I was just texting she on way
home now yeah yeah he's doing okay long yeah yeah so she's hanging I told her just go home and let him rest tomorrow will be a whole another he's going to be banged up you oh
no she's going he needs to just go out you know he needs he's banged up yeah for mam Clark can I have roll call again please here Mrs Al Trel here Mrs Grace
love here Mrs Walkers here Mrs wers here Mar pres Mr car here Mr ctis here Gins here Mr Miguel here Mrs here we now go to our public
comment uh before we go to public comment please follow the rules of Ed for our Council meetings if you're unfamiliar with them they are posted on the Bon board located to my left on the wall uh for the first public comment portion please limit your comments to three minutes for any public comment
portion and this is only for agenda items only anyone like to speak during the first public comment period is this an agenda item yes sir okay hi hello me for blackc I just wanted to be sure that we're still on
the agenda for our street that that is on the capital budget for and there will be a hearing for that yes but loas Scot is still on there yes checking thank you so much there anyone else like to
speak public comment bid report tier renovations to gler Township black bot Community Center three South black horse bik may have a motion make that motion a question roll call please Mr
yes Mrs love yes Mrs Walters Mrs W Mr Mar yes next is a ordinance a second reading there will be a public hearing for the public hearing there's unlimited time for comments you may speak more than once uh during this public Hearing in
five minute increments I will ask if there's anyone else that wishes to speak as we continue during the public hearings uh if no wish to speak then we'll end the public hearing comments just any comments or questions that are
made during the public hearing will be addressed by council at the conclusion of the public hearing any uh ordinance 0-25 03 Bond or is authorizing the completion of various improvements the sewer utility system in the township bler County of C in New Jersey
appropriating a sum of $1 million therefore authorizing issues of General obligation Bond or Bond anticipation notes of the township of glester County of can New Jersey an aggregate principal amount of up to $1 million making certain determination and Covenants and
authorizing certain related actions and connections with the forego this ordinance is to extend sewer to the new Brooklyn eal Road Mr car you want to add anything to that no we now open up the public
hearing anyone wish to speak on this matter Mr Leader by by Miss Kelly by by gentleman with that eag shirt on glasses okay followed by Miss Miss coin he leader hington Avenue glendor so this is an extension of the
sewer system you know it was coming development board proved and planned and architect and all that but in spite of that in spite of just doing a budget you have to borrow money I don't understand why the monies that
the GT mua had at the time of their desolution is not being used to support the activities that the sewer division needs to conduct millions of dollars of sewer
division needs to conduct their business but yet it's been on plan for since it was dissolved in Section 8 of the ordinance 25-3 it says that the
period of the respective bonds is 40 years so looking at the ages of most you folks your children are about to have children those grandchild are going to be taxed with this
Bond they will be born in debt if they live in gler Township that's a sad State of Affairs when you could avoid it by better fiscal planning can I talk about 0- 25-4 no thank you
sir anyone uh Miss Kelly hi pleas Kelly section Blackwood um do we know the timeline of the SE project once it's going to start how long's it going to take spring summer and when do we expect it to be
completed how long is it going to take and exactly what does the $1 million that's a lot of money what does it exactly cover is it just to hook it up are there other little things that are going on with it is there infrastructure
that we need to be concerned about or there other upgrades um yeah just let me know specifically the answers okay thank you yes sir hello everybody hello I would like to start by saying thank you for having
the opportunity to have the chance to not have a Cess pool not have a setic tank and to be able to have a city sewer hookup I really appreciate that my family appreciates that and I hope everybody else does can
we have your name and your address so we need your name and address sir for the record Robert D runquist 1890 new Brooklyn area Road yes continue okay anybody who had to deal with anything like we've had to deal with since I've been there since
2013 would not like it you wouldn't want to deal with it that's all I have to say on that subject I do have another issue that I would like to speak to but I don't think it's on the agenda so that will be in the second public portion today yes
tonight if yes we have a second public portion you can speak about anything oh okay all right thank you Mr this Co good evening Denise Queen chose Landing um I have a lot of
questions one uh when the township tried to sell the sewer system for 143 million to pay off the debt um Tom Carter said we'd be in a tough financial position if the referendum failed so I'm wondering how does borrowing a million dollars for
the sewer align with that statement the money was supposed to be tight how can the township afford to take long your debt um and I'm wondering if the borrowing for the sewer is going to make our property taxes go up or our sewer
rates go up and see uh also when the township bonded the $585,000 on December
23rd uh Mr ricado stated that 300,000 of that 585 was to uh connect this neighborhood to the sewer system so or we're now borrowing another million dollars on top of the
300,000 and if that's the case What's the total cost to hook this neighborhood up and why was it bonded separately um see what else are these funds
um I mean the when you guys took the re renew renewal and replacement funds and absorb that into the general budget I'm wondering why you didn't use those funds for this neighborhood um I'm assuming you knew
that this needed to be done more than just you know within the past month or so so seems to me that could use those funds instead of borrowing um this million or a million three and I'm also wondering if you were
aware that this uh neighborhood needed the sewer hookup when you uh dissolved the MUA thank you thank you is there anyone else Mr paor
good evening Council roro from the historic village of Ariel good even uh as much as I know uh that development and the surrounding area southern end of town desperately needed this so um again we've got to go back to looking at when
you folks procured $6 million of the mua's money and you called it a surplus and you still sit on almost $3 million of that money and as gentleman previously said uh you're going to pass
this debt on to uh two generations and the debt continues to climb higher than the budget for this town and I'm going to again repeat that these people deserve this sewer there was a time when we ran sewer up uh the southern end of
town to assist Winslow and why at that time was it not considered maybe to take care of those folks while we were doing all that work while we were assisting another Township and didn't take care of our own but it all goes back to the same
thing you took $6 million of the money and you blew half of it already and you still have $3 million uh and yet you're borrowing uh and and you'll have even additional money that you're going to be
bor borrowing and again it doesn't always have to be borred for at what point do we say um maybe we should start budgeting for things you know I get that we need a vehicle and various things like that but it all goes back to when you
have and I know you don't take too kindly to me saying when you got cash leaking out of your pockets and you're going to take the People's Credit Card and swipe it and put us in debt reach into your pocket you've already taken that money and you made it your own why
not use it and and stop burdening the people of the township it's only common sense and yet you'll find some jargon things to say why you had to do it blame Trenton that's always a good one um but maybe start taking a look at the cash
this that this Township has on hand I remember one year uh the state turned you down for something you wanted to put in the budget and uh you couldn't use it and the township magician found that million dollars to put into the budget and made
it happen start spending the money that you have and stop putting us in debt and again I'll repeat for the third time the sewer Improvement there is needed it's my end of town and I know that and to hear some of the conditions that the
people have had to live with in all this time it's tough so I I support it I just don't think uh going in debt when you had the cash was appr thing to do thank you thank you there anyone else seeing none we close public hearing Mr leaders comments that um we
knew that this was coming um no uh as council members as a legislative body we probably knew about this in the last four to five months uh shake your head Mr leader but that's
what I'm telling you we can't two-way dialog so we can't have back and forth two-way dialog for your public Mr ctis I don't recall when the first meeting with Mr ronquest uh and his fellow residents took place uh in the mayor's office to
discuss this problem um that's that's really where it initiated from um the 40 years that Mr uh leader mentions that is by local Bond wall uh anything uh to do with the sewer is
basically going to be out of 4E period and that's prescribed by the state El there was another comment about I I'll get to that I'm going down Miss Kelly asked about the timeline uh when will it start uh what does it cover the
completion of it and does it cover UPG so you can you provide yeah unfortunately Mr release is not here the engineer but my understanding is the project is almost complete um there are a couple other
homes that are uh tying into that sewer line um and once they tie in then it will be 100% thank you for your comments Mr dumus about having city sewer uh Miss coin I
had asked how the township can afford to take on uh more debt uh based on comments that you made regard the sewer sale would you like to address that I don't recall the comments about sewer sale but I mean as far as any projects that would be undertaken of a capital
nature uh at the sewer utility uh that would be be handled uh through issuance of that uh she had concerns regarding the tax rate and possible sewer rate going up we're in the process of working administration's working on Municipal budget right now the CFO is here as well
um are there any anticipation of a nothing have been brought to council regarding a sewer rate when we have a fee increase as we had last year for connection fees I was weling for Council uh and the
sewer rates remain flat uh Miss coin had indicated that in December there was a $300,000 of a $500,000 plus Bond uh that we approved in December that 300K will go towards that my recollection is is
that that that the uh Brooklyn uh Brooklyn areal Road project that sewer line had nothing to do with the 585 that project was the million dollar project I don't know if the CFO calls What specifically was in the
585 do you know that it was a very s project um okay I'll pull that I'll pull the tape take a look at that to pull the ordinance okay uh the renewal replacement funds why were they not used
for this neighborhood um again this conversation that took place with res there something within last year correct correct my understanding and were you aware at the time of dissolvement that this was needed again dissolvement of the MUA
took place going be two years in March so that was at that time Mr paoro um people deserve sewer um you said that a few times um and we blew half of it again Mr paoro that money was returned
back to taxpayers in a tax relief uh and will possibly be returned back to the taxpayers in this budget as well uh okay we move on to ordinance zero debt sorry okay oh sorry c a motion make that
motion is there a second on the question roll call please Mr yes Mrs yes Mrs Walters yes Mrs W Mr Mar yes ordinance 0-25 d04 bot ordinance
authorizing the completion of various capital projects and the acquisition of various pieces of Capital Equipment in and for the township of bler County of Canon appropriating a sum of 10,435
36 therefore authorizing the issuance of General obligation bonds or Bond anticipation thatal bler County of Candon New Jersey in the aggregate principal amount of up to 9, 98,2 making certain determinations and Covenants and authorizing certain
related actions in connections with foregoing this is our annual capital budget that will address uh reconstruction repaving of various sidewalks and curbs in the township reconstruction and repaving of various streets that are identified in our capital budget various drainage improvements throughout the
town improvements and upgrades to various parks and playgrounds Recreation facilities acquisition installment of various traffic signs improvements and upgrades to various Township buildings acquisition of heavy heavy equipment for a public works department uh acquisition various vehicles and equipment for the
public works department uh acquisition various equipment for for the parks and W Department acquisition of information uh it technology and office equipment equipment for the police department and various improvements to Township grounds open space and streetscapes again we'll open up the
public hearing there's unlimited time for comments you may speak more than once there'll be in five minute increments you may speak more than once comments and questions will be addressed at the conclusion of the public hearing anyone like to speak on this ordinance Mr leader followed by
gentleman here followed by Mr swe followed by m coin Miss Kelly and Mr paor please remember your order F forget Mr leader thank you Dave leer cunnington Avenue
glendor I think this is the one last meeting where Mr ctis was given aols for cutting items out of this I think that was this issue and uh I think that should be recognized
for uh good performance and tired times when it's money to be needed I'd like to see you do two three more rounds of hairing back take what you need to maintain obviously take you what you need that
you've made commitments to obviously but if there's internal things that can be delayed for a year or can be put in in the budget that is not yet approved add them to the budget do that
borrow less Part: 2
the the axom uh BWC payment we in the prior uh Capital budgets it said two and 22 was two of five and three of five and 23 four of five and four this should be the fifth of number five of five but yet this one says payment two of six so did
we have they extended that or are we done with that payment coming this year which one is correct are we are we still going to be paying for for that are they B basically do we borrow again or do we have to borrow again because it was our understanding when we first did this the
uh the acts on BWC that it was supposed to be five payments spread out over five years and the fifth year would be now um I would ask Council when voting on this did you truly look at the budgets and compare
them to last year okay because and the years before that and the years before that all right president marado will test that I I started getting involved in Council meetings when the uh turf fields were
being installed that was 10 years ago I came to council asking you remember that don't you no you came out because there was going to be uh RCA bought the facility acrossing that was the first one and then the second one was was the uh
tur Fields uh which is 10 years in which we bonded for and which is hopefully being paid off just in time for us to put new turf fields on um but the reason I'm asking is because there's a lot of spending and borrowing that we
don't I'm G to say that we don't need or it doesn't make any sense for example we are now borrowing on this budget 150,000 for a public works generator that's fine not but we borrowed
2,24 we borrowed 1,22 we borrowed 15,000 21 100,9 and 100,000 18 so we previously borrowed 650,000 for Public Works generator and now we're borrowing another 150 so
that's going to be $800,000 for a generator that has yet to be installed why are we continuing borrowing for a generator that's not been installed and we're paying interest on that because we as I've already stated we're bonding it um engineering
designs in 22 we had engineering designs toing 111,000 for projects around the township I'm not against the projects around the township but to the best of my uh ability through Oprah requests and everything those projects have not been
done cannot find any invoices on those projects 23 we have 31,000 that was borrowed 31,800 that was borrowed and in 24 we have borrowed 9,600 now these are engineering designs not saying that there's anything wrong with getting a
design to build a project but if we're not doing that project why are we borrowing and paying for a design especially one from 22 111,000 is a lot of money to borrow and not do a project with
um how many lawn mowers 72inch mowers does the township need and again I just want to state that I'm not saying that Public Works is doing a bad job and I'm not saying they don't deserve these mowers but how many do we need we're now there's two on there for 25 we borrowed
two for 24 two and 23 one and 22 and two and 21 that's a total of nine mowers 972 in mowers now according to Mr cartis he'll tell you that if anything has over a fiveyear useful life statey Jersey
statutes state that we have to or it can be put on the capital budgets and borrow for not not arguing that we don't need these mes but how many do we actually need and if we were to go if I were to go to public works tomorrow would we
have 972 inch mowers no he's is there anyone else would like to speak Mr leader would like to speak so you're not last Sir Mr leader I won't speak I'll let Sam finish
his work thank you sure Mr Le we have every right to speak you have every right to speak that's fine you want to speak I don't want him to take your time because he thinks I'm the last speaker okay uh Miss Henry put her hand up Sir
okay I'm sorry Sam people want to speak is hry good evening Dena Hendry Summerdale um with the $10 million that we are proposed to possibly borrow um last
meeting in the agenda it just said like various Valley Brook projects it never said lights um could you is there lights going to be put in there we'll answer at the end of public oh okay um because it never said it just
said various projects it didn't say anything and so when I asked uh during the second public portion how did TBA soccer know on a Tuesday evening if lights were going to
be on the agenda I think you misheard me and thought that I said Thursday but it was really Tuesday because the email I didn't I didn't miss hear you you were asking if uh how to day know how to day know ahead of time Oh I thought you were waiting until answering my questions
after my time okay ipris clarification but that's fine okay I'll answer so so Tuesday evening an email went out from tbaa stating that it was going to be on the agenda well the agenda is not out until Thursday so I don't understand how
a certain population can know about these possible projects about money being spent or borrowed when all of the population do not know so I really ask you all again to really look at what is
wanting to be borrowed and cut anything that doesn't need to be done today or this year I get it it would be a great thing for all children of able abilities to play at night but it doesn't need to
be done now we are in debt and it's not fair to the taxpayers to keep borrowing and expecting us to pay for that so that's all I have thank you gentlemen in the back
hello my name is Adam denz I'm 53 tort Road in the timber bir section I also represent as one of the trustees of TV and uh just for clarification for what was just said about the email um I
was on the email we didn't get to that weekend prove it we heard just like everybody else it's posted hearings and everything so my whole thing is we really need these improvements to
our facility it's really Paramount for not just us but also for the uh the additional things that are going on for us it's not just a thing for all the kids it's a safety
issue um we have these diesel powered lights that one we're you know practicing the kids are kicking the ball it goes underneath of there next thing you know they're you know trying to reach underneath it you've got 11 kids that
are 10 years old or 11 years old or younger and they're you know trying to go catch the balls you're paying attention to something else and you know these improvements will improve prove the quality of what these kids are doing
um by what we heard here tonight we saw there's two um women that came here and they talked about the importance of soccer of different Recreational Sports and this town does give great resources
they take care of it you know we heard tonight about the people that are trying to help you know facilitate those things in the township you know you know me personally um coming here to this Township I didn't know really much about
it and when I got here um started having children we we started going to tbia and the more I got involved with it the more that I saw the improvements that we were doing to kids and the lives you know you see these kids who may not have the best
background and they Thrive or these kids who may not have greatest you know when it comes to uh learning or attention but you teach and you find ways to work with these kids and for us to be able to you
know grow on that and have them play Under the lights and you know help us with practice we don't have to go and shut off the lights uh my wife is also a coach there and she you know at night
you know she's getting done and it's 8:30 at night she's going around she's trying to turn off these the lights that we have you know they're properly you know sometimes they're not properly maintenanced so you know when it comes to everybody's worried about how much
money that we're putting into these things and I do too I don't want my taxes to go up however what the importance of these things when you see for the kids you know we forgot about that aspect is it's about the kids it's about you know what we're bringing to it
and what you guys are presenting to us in our parks and rights Department the facilities that we have are wonderful people say to us all the time we come from all these different townships and I appreciate it and we just want to make it better and you know we talk about it all the time you know we were over the
weekend we were working there and it's really is important you know in bringing that money to our facility and making the improvements and I just I appreciate it you know from everybody over there like we really really do and I want you
to take the attentiveness to I get that people are one pinch pennies and save here and save there however for us it's really important it's really important to my kids it's important to all the other kids that are there we see the other facilities that are you know
around town and you know we look at it as why us and we want to be able to bring it bigger and better and I know like um I'm an engineer myself I sit on the other side you know I'm in several different townships and uh so I know you
know how the design aspect works I know how you know the monies are you know handled the budgets and all the constraints of that but what I like to see is just the human aspect of it and look past it instead of just that it's
dollars and cents you know red and black you know it's it's it's about children it's about the facilities and I thank you for your time thank anyone else has not spoken yet that would like to speak hi hi Stacy smargo 1680 Old Black
Horse Pike I didn't intend to speak but I will so um in regards to the spending of the lights I'm just going to like hopefully say thanks for supporting that as well because I not only have been out there with my kid and his team um but I
was there tonight before I came here I left to come here um with their practice and what's there now is not feasible you can't see even with all of the things on also it's been a safety issue and the parking lot is amazing right now that I can actually see the car and I don't
have to worry about um hitting a kid when I'm backing up because it's dark so um it does matter I don't know the politics behind um how things get out who listened to what meeting who knew what was on agenda I know that I learned that things are there and things get
posted and people listen and clearly everyone watches your feed so um and I was part of getting an email that said come support tbaa um and so uh just in support of that it really does matter and when we we have almost had to cancel
Championship opportunities or cup opportunities because we don't have fields to play um with lights that what we have there now is not up to you're not allowed to play regulation with the temporary lights that we have so in
order for us to compete and to continue to allow the kids to do what they're trying to do um and the club to continue it's an imperative thing to to move forward with and finish because there's some lovely concrete pillars that are out there so I couldn't imagine what
would happen if uh it didn't go through but anyway um for those that are concerned there's a lot more people that use it than just TVA and I know that there's some wonderful churches in the area that also runs some free camps there so um there's a lot more than just TVA that benefits from that but it is a
community resource and it is a community thing and it is something positive that would be coming to our Township thank you thank you so yes sir uh Phil up clemon I'd like to say thank you to the
council for the new playground it's going to get a lot of use I'm sure it is and last two speakers really I think set a tone what we're saying what we're saying is the lights are not something that you
measure with an Roi it doesn't work it doesn't it's not spreadsheet material it's the joy that you see on their faces when they play that's what we're talking about you
can't measure that please I support those lights and my son would have been here tonight he's just not feeling good and he wanted to say that he plays on that field and he would he he wanted to come tonight and say put the lights on
so please put those lights on thank you thank you Mr D anyone else would like to speak that has Spen yet Mr leer we'll start with you again Follow by David
Vader H Avenue glendor I see that a lot of the equipment is for uh yard work grass work stuff like that um
mowers seems like we get weed whackers every quarter so know where they go M last a lot longer than that but I don't understand with all those it's calling lawn
devices if you'll go along with that why do we have a contract with marksman to maintain our properties but we also need to spend all this money and equipment that Marksman actually has in
their trucks to maintain our properties under uh capital l mentioned black black box theater I'm an artist I believe in the Arts I think it's great what we're trying to do to
have a space to pursue showing artists and their work however there's a separate category of bids and responses for blackbox theater
so it's duplicated here I don't quite get that and as much as I love the Arts if I were you sitting there I would say we have to postpone that whatever we paid for finish it up fence it up lock
it up and once you get out of debt then resume the work for the Arts District it's not a necessity thank you for hearing me Donna Savage top I just have one more question what is our Township
debt compared to other townships or municipals relative to our size is that something that we look at like I know it's a lot of big numbers it's you know millions of dollars this millions of dollars that but what is our debt in compared to other townships and I only
say that because I've only been in this Township for less than three years and to be honest with you I'm already ready to go I don't think that what we pay in taxes we see as Citizens you know I've lived in a Township where my taxes were
higher I actually ended up moving to the township and buying a home here because of the ath Athletics um and lights would be great I would love a new car I can't afford one so all kids are you know packing in the Honda
unfortunately sometimes we we can't always do what we want to do because we have to do what we have to do um and it's just really concerning um to the point where I'm looking at other townships that you know may even have higher taxes but what am I getting in
return for that I believe that people will pay when they're getting something in return um and it's it's nerve-wracking you know as a newer person in the township I have six children from high school all the way down to Elementary I am a coach I have
have you know been with the Athletics in the township since before I was a resident um and it's just it's a little disheartening that I feel like there's never any answers I've watched the online feeds um it's it's it's just concerning I don't know if our Township
is gonna are we growing like are people coming here or are people leaving and if they are why and what is our debt compared to other municipalities that's relative to our size that's all thank you thank you is
there anyone else that like not SP Mr sweet back to you again don't say my name again doing I don't have to say my name again do I no okay um where was I 72inch mowers all right
uh with respect to the Valley Brook lights um my kids play on two fields that have lights and I'm not against the lights um actually my kids play more Fields with lights and I'm not against the lights for the kids and I understand
that whole concept of the joy in their faces and all of that what I don't understand is why we have to borrow close to a million dollars for those lights all right Mr councilman Manon was on the aial board way back when and Ariel paid for their own
lights so we Ariel I believe Mr M can correct me on later if if I'm because that was before my time but they went out to a bank got a loan paid for the lights had the lights installed some I think some work was donated some of the construction work
was donated and a Le paid for for about 10 years because when I started when my son started playing baseball was I think the last year of the the payment of those lights but I umpired under those lights several years and yes are lights needed in this day and age yes but for
to a Township to take on the the responsibility when we're already in so much debt when a league can go out and get a loan a nonprofit loan and or get sponsors American Water spent a million dollars not to bring up a SE Serv but spent over a million
dollars trying to convince people to sell the sewer system that million dollars could have gone to pay for those lights tbaa would have gone a lot farther you know I'm right okay they they absolutely could have and it might have gotten them more
votes not to not to uh bring that home but a million dollars we TBA would have had liks they can go to a bank they can get a loan they can do fundraising they can call Comcast they can call Verizon whatever those big companies are looking to Shell out
money so to ask a Township where I'm going to say close to 50% of the people are not going to use those lights the kid the kids absolutely will I use those lights when we play tbaa absolutely but I can tell you that 75% of my neighborhood doesn't care about those
lights and I'm going to hear about it and I think Council needs to realize that probably 50% of this Township doesn't care about those lights and the the organizations Ariel has done it Blackwood has done it believe Blackwood paid for their own liks too president Ricardo I think you were a
part of that I'm not sure no they did not pay for okay that's not what I was told I was not part of board okay not what I was told but but we definitely know that aiel did and other townships have paid for their own lights the the organization so again I'm not against
the lights for the children all for it but there are other ways and to borrow in a Township that's already struggling with Debt Service service um I'll go back to council looking at this
budget and seeing things that may may have been on there last year for example we borrowed close to $500,000 since 2019 for a roof on this building the roof was not repaired until last year we only spent
$200,000 but from 19 not 2019 21 actually 18 I'm sorry 18 19 21 and 22 we borrowed close to $500,000 that's early borrowing for a roof that was never repaired or fixed or
replaced those M that money was bonded that money now we're still paying for that roof and we only spent 200,000 on the fixing of the roof and again just to be clear I am not complaining about spending of the 200,000 on the roof but we borrowed 500,000 so that's 300,000 that went elsewhere that we early
borrowed and nobody can ever tell me where that $300,000 went did it go to other projects what other projects and why are we borrowing so early before we fix the roof um another example of this we have
borrowed as a Township $300,000 over the last two years regarding batting cages 200,000 two years ago and 100,000 last year and the bad and cage was still not put in so that's another $300,000 that we borrowed that we're paying interest
on why um I have to ask this question there's a cash counter counterfeit counting machine on the budget for $800 I realize that Mr carus will say
that it's got a five-year useful life and can be put on that budget why are we borrowing for $800 there are other items on there small items that we're borrowing for we're borrowing for a small Smart Board $4,500 if we're that dire straight that
we need to borrow $5,300 for counterfeit cash machine and a Smartboard why I I just don't understand that and yes it's a fiveyear period but we don't have $5,300 in the budget to pay that off because that $5,300 that
we're borrowing is going to turn into $10,000 over the course of 10 years it's going to double and then our our kids are going to pay for that we're going to pay for that as we're getting closer to retirement with taxes going up with regards to the high torque brush
brush Shredder Mr ctis you stated that we needed to show that we had the funds available in order to do that and so that's why we're borrowing for it now but it's going to take up to two years we're a Township we're a large Township one of the largest townships in Camden County and we have proven time and time
again over the last 10 years that if we need to borrow money we can get it at a moment's notice we can go over the million dollars for insurance we can go over the three million that we needed for health insurance for two years ago there there
are so many ways you're telling me that this company is not going to honor that and say okay yeah they can get it and that we don't want to borrow right now because we want to put on the list yes we're going to get it and we can get that money in a moment's notice how I don't understand how that works and I
need clarification on that because to me it doesn't make sense if we needed $3 million for insurance with the I forget what it was the um the health insurance we needed $3 million and we got it that meeting had an emergency it was on the
budget or on the agenda we voted on it you guys voted on it agreed to it all of a sudden $3 million and then we were told we can get it and there's other ways so I I I just don't understand why um
and then to go back the last meeting with these lights people were in the the room and they were like it's on the agenda it's on the agenda and the agenda does not mention lights okay it does not mention it says
various improvements and it does save improvements to Valleybrook Valleybrook or tbaa gets a email stating that please come to council because there are people against the lights we're not against the lights we're against borrowing again for $1 million for something that could be
done elsewhere so I'm going to ask Council again did we really look at this budget what can we take off of this budget what can we pay for out of our without borrowing we have a TR A J prot Truck scanner for
$7,000 that's going to be cost us $14,000 at the end of the day in 10 years after we borrow because we've done that every year what's our what's our debt service right now and it doesn't really matter what our debt service is to in
comparison to other townships we don't live in those townships we live here and because of The Debt Service causing our taxes to go up yes we're looking at items that can me I'm want to say the word cut per se
but maybe not borrowed again 800 just to go over quick numbers $800,000 is being barred for a generator 650 over the past 5 years that we have not installed we have put in engineering designs of almost
$250,000 over the last three years on projects that are not done yet not even any chance of being done because I've asked for the asked for them I've asked for the invoices I've gotten oh it's not been done the bathroom in the library was
borrowed for for $50,000 in Prior years not done if you walk in there it still feels like we're in the 70s in the in the cam County Library that's on Blackwood road so right now we have about $228,000 in engineering designs for jobs
are these jobs scheduled we I'm not going to go through them which each job but are these jobs scheduled are they going to be done at least starting I think Council needs to sit back and ask those questions and if you didn't ask those questions shame on you
all because you're are are elected officials and this is your job that this should not be my job I shouldn't have to open all of this stuff and keep 10 years worth of stuff and go back on it those should be your questions to ask you guys are elected officials and
you're supposed to speak for us and yet you're going to go up here and rubber stamp this as you always do and it's just wrong so think about that all these people here are coming out we're trying to save on taxes and you guys will just
keep on borrowing borrowing borrowing raising our taxes it's got to stop it's all I got thank you thank you Miss coin coin chose
Landing um I really didn't understand uh what effect early borrowing has on the taxpayers and why um the municipality would want to ear early borrow so I did some research and
I want to read a statement so everybody else understands it as well because I'm sure most people do not so um at a recent meeting you stated that the township has to borrow money three years in advance to show proof of funds for large Capital Equipment
purchases however that exp exploitation does not align with responsible Municipal financial management practices borrowing years in advance cost for taxpayers by forcing us to pay interest on money that sits unused rather than
using short-term financing options or timing the debt issuance closer to the actual purchase date early borrowing May temporarily inflate the Township's Financial Outlook by making fund
balances look stronger but in reality it pushes the financial burden onto future taxpayers while benefiting the administration today by creating the illusion of financial stab stability instead of using borrowed money
responsibly this approach increases our Township debt load and can be used to justify additional borrowing thank you thank you anyone else like to speak yes ma'am hell Marine CL here um Cedar
Avenue and she's Landing um I wasn't going to speak tonight either but I just want to say um as a mom of my son who plays for the Field of Dreams like I would appreciate those LS to watch those kids and like I said I welcome everybody
to come out just to one of the games and you know when every parent that came up here and said like just look at the kids faces it's the truth and you know I'm sure there are people that could care less about the lights or you know just like people um pay school taxes they
don't have children or they don't have you know their kids are grown they don't you know they're still paying school taxes it's just part of life it's part of you know living in the township and um like I said I thank you again I'm very excited for the inclusion
playground and I hope those lights are being put in so we can have our Friday night games thank you thank you Mr leader thank you Dave leader hington Avenue glendor Mr swe brought up the subject of the
roof for this building uh several months ago I talked about the roof on the other side the other building behind the main building needing roof Roofing pretty seriously I'm kind of surprised you don't have
leaks because there's many shingles missing I haven't heard any discussion since I brought this up months ago of whether the other building is scheduled for roofing I'd like to know the answer to that thank
you Mr leader when you refer to the other building what are you referring to Senior Center if you look at police station the senior center and whatever is behind this bill I guess it's administrator if you look at it overhead
sorry if if you look at Google Maps and you look down you know there there's this building there is the community Senior Center and then there's another building like where the tax office is that roof is in very bad condition thank
you Miss hry good evening Dina Hendry Summerdale unfortunately I think the root of this light issue stems
from an unfortunate history of this Council and this representation not operating with sheer transparency and accountability and it may not be all of you sitting up
here so I I want to say that unfortunately when an email gets sent out on a Tuesday at 5:31 p.m. to tbaa
parents that states good evening as you know the township is in the process of adding lights to our Fields but they hit a glitch there seems to be a group of Township residents opposing this project on Monday February 10th at 7 p.m. in the
council room at the municipal building there will be a meeting to discuss this TBA is asking you for your support to show up at the meeting and counteract this opposing group thank you in advance TBA
soccer as I State this was on a Tuesday the agenda is posted on a Thursday so I asked directly how did a select few know what was going to be
discussed in a council meeting when the agenda wasn't posted also in the agenda doesn't specifically lay out exactly that there are these lights so unfortunately whoever gave the
bit has caused this divide between these as Miss tra will say naysayers to the supporting myself as a parent of three School AG children we
don't we like nice things we do Sports we are involved in the community but we also know responsible spending those who are asking you to put this in a parking lot and to put a pin in it or maybe ask for other avenues for
these lights are not saying it out of malice we like to see The Joy on children's faces but we don't like is being a part of a pawn to have this take place so I ask you
directly stop the bull crap and be responsible be transparent and be accountable thank you thank you is there anyone else like to speak close
public we'll go down the list here okay uh Mr leer started off asking about the years regarding uh the bond we had in the resolution it has the period of
usefulness please please don't Shout Out Mr leader I can answer please don't shout answer it also I'm asking please don't shout out I don't need any back have Council talk to the microphones Mr leader thank you Mr cars
so a typical a typical permanent financing of a bond anticipation ordinance which would initially start as a note a oneye note which as we know can be renewed year
after year when you get to the third year you have to start paying down some principle but when that is permanently financed the typical uh maturity on that on that issuance will be about uh
anywhere from 10 to 12 years so I would s on average about 11 excuse me add anything the ordinance says 11 years and one month okay sorry expected life man it's not duration
that's what it the duration yes sir uh Miss [Music] coin in Miss coin's first comment Mr leader could you please stop interrupting Mr
leader uh Miss coin's first comments uh any are there any projects that have been borrowed for again uh any projects in previous years that we borrowed for again no what is the annual debt payment for a 10 million for this10 million Bond it's
something you can anti I don't have that I don't know if the CFO would have it I do know that she also asked about the overall borrowing power and our debt she is that part of her questions about what we can borrow where
we are with regard to our debt compared to no the question was what's the annual debt payment for yeah I don't I don't have the breakdown of that do you have that uh it's not known until we permanently
financed so I can't answer that question right now it's just one year because it's not uh Miss Point asked about project start date if they're a year out or longer one these project now there's a lot of projects that are listed here no
most of these projects will be completed within this calendar year um Mr sweet mentioned about the shredder and a couple years that's not the case what takes longer to get is the recycling
trucks uh they're typically libr brand recycling trucks they're the one armed Bandits that you see picking up the pink recycling containers no one ever said that the shredder was going to take long to get in fact I believe the shredder will be able to purchase probably within
a month of adoption report okay Miss Corner also asked for list of the projects of the $10 million and that's something that we provided members of the audience before residents Miss will provide a copy of that same thing that count receed so we'll provide that to
this point uh Miss Kelly uh how can we U bear with me for a second whatever we pay for goes to that project that yes that we're not moving line items to another line item uh and that it's meant for that particular
project and not a special special interest any want to comment on that no because I don't know particularly what instance we're talking about um there are times where we budget for things and they come in under budget
there are times when they come in over and there are times where they're exactly where we anticipated them today there are times there are transfers that take place regarding those projects you are permitted to use yes as long as it's within the category
so you can add a street to the roads you can add a piece of equipment to the vehicle section we can add police purchases to the police section okay uh Mr paoro uh wanted clarification from the last Mee that
borrowing of vehicles that it has that we have to show that we have cash on hand we have to borrow in order to purchase that vehicle you WR a clarification on that yeah the CFO was required to provide a certification of availability of funds when we go to go
out for bid correct me if I'm wrong Mrs ER but uh yeah you need to have a certification availability fund before go out okay uh Mr Don Savage from Hilltop uh asked about how has the $3
million been returned to taxpayers the MUA had $6 million $6.2 million uh that they had accumulated over time we use uh half of those monies uh in tax relief to the taxpayers uh and there's still money
remaining from that and and that most likely go back the tax relief to the residents had that not uh that $6.2 million remaining with the MUA that would have never been returned to you as res we just sat there
um you asked a question about response and interaction uh you miss Savage you indicated you've watched some of the meetings in the past there's been back and forth sometimes uh where the conversation has been the most Pleasant
and it's a back and forth and I think to be frank with you this is more constructive and there's questions that are be asked and comments everyone responding back everyone's respectful of each other no one has a cap call each other uh since we started this in
January uh see this coin came again and an example that if the township approves the capital uh budget in February it doesn't show in the operating budget uh because it hasn't been paid for so the
operating budget uh with the balance um as we go for it won't include it until the following year I believe that is correct yes okay uh Mr swe the first time he came to the microphone uh
indicated that uh history is served as an indicator that when we pay interest on a loan for three years and then the fifth year uh we Bond up uh that bond lengthens that debt and then raises debt services and taxes and he wants the once know if
he's understanding that correctly is that the practice of question okay that we pay for a are you okay no I'm not okay you for asking all right so that we pay interest
on a loan for three years and on the fifth year we Bond up and the bond lengthens the debt and it raises our debt service and our taxes so he wants to wants to understand that correctly so typically we would take each of the
years that are in the form of notes and when we reach a point in time where we have maybe four five or six years worth of uh notes through uh through Bond anticip through bondes that were
adopted with various Capital Improvements in there we would then go to permanent financing and at that point that is when that issuance would have that maturity scheduled approximately 11
years uh on the axm payment Chief you want to answer that it indicates second out of payment two of six and Mr s indicated isn't this the fifth year so we're our current body born cameras are coming to the end of their life uh also
um new technology was coming out new body War cam we are required by the Attorney General uh and statute to have body worn cameras also a new less lethal updated less lethal device called the taser 10 has just recently been approved
by the Attorney General of the state of New Jersey currently carry the T or seven this is very uh a much uh improved less lethal device that every officer uh on patrol will be carrying um it uh our
Fleet cameras every police car is equipped with a camera system to record not only in front behind but also a prisoner that would be in the back uh these were coming to the end of their uh life as well and knowing they were coming to the end of their life with this new technology we were able to
negotiate with axon and lock in for the new system at the 2024 pricing uh we estimated based on what they were projecting the 2025 pricing to be um saves us approximately
$143,000 a year for the amount of equipment that we would have to do have to have and so that also enabled us to uh utilize $299,000 in New Jersey JY State funding uh of a grant that we had you could not
we appli for this grant U I want to say three four years ago uh however we were not allowed to use it until we purchased new equipment so this has been held in esro by uh the New Jersey attorney general's office and a grant that we were already approved now that we're
getting that equipment we have almost $3,000 to use towards the payments uh which reduce the cost for us this year so we basically renegotiated and are getting all new uh equipment um which it was a uh I in my
opinion I presented it to the administration uh as a a win we're getting the new improved less lethal equipment less lethal weapons new uh equipment in every police car the other thing also over the course of the years as our fleets changed the number of
officers changed we had peace meal contracts meaning we had a contract for body War C that was separate uh Fleet camera system and separate for the tasers we were able to consolidate all this um it's called the safety plan so
everything's Consolidated together um we're and we're able to I believe in the long term is these prices this is there's no question this equipment is expensive as it goes we are uh mandated to have it uh so we really negotiated to
get the best pricing um by locking in to the 2024 pricing with guaranteed increases if we didn't do that for 2025 and further so in in the long term uh we just kind we Consolidated last year's
payment in together with it uh and and are rolling it through for another five years it'll end September 2029 thank you Chief uh Mr S I asked council did you look at last year's budgets compared the previous year and I did I know there's
members of council that had inquired with Mr cartis regarding that uh the P public works generator uh Mr swe provided a figure that $800,000 with this 150 we it's brute will come to
$800,000 and is yet to be installed can you give us an update on that Mr Carter yeah no we have been buying generators uh I know that he's waiting on a generator he being taek who's in charge of our buildings he's a supervisor in charge of buildings a generator for the
fuel system um because right now we don't have a generator connected to that system you that would be dangerous not to have that so we are buying the generators there's multiple generators there are multiple
generators uh with the engineering design uh Mr sweet question $250,000 over the last three years engineering design you like comment on that I would defer to how many 72inch lawn mowers do we
need Mr swe gave a count of nine I'm I know you're not on the ground level there ground floor where public works but that's something you can find out for us I can and I encourage Mr swe to contact me when he received the buding
two weeks ago but he did not do that okay all right Miss Henry had asked about $10 million borrows sorry syndrome did I not Mr cars please uh $10
million was borrowed it never said lights uh going in there uh there's various projects how did TVA know um I anyone from council contact tbaa I don't believe I wish Miss Henry would
just say who it was rather than playing this dance but uh there are footings over at tvaa we did make payment this is the second payment uh so anyone's Affiliated or has been on them fields are aware that there are footings and the groundwork has been laid to have
lights put in over at the TVA Fields uh Mr Ben thank you for your comments from TVA uh Mr mlo thank you for your comments uh Mr Des thank you for your comments Mr leader uh you asked
about equipment you indicate is this equipment for yard work and why do we have a contract with marks can you tell us a little bit about that contract and what their responsibilities I mean so we have I guess right now about 65 Fields U
many of them are you know big grass fields like W you know some some of the areas out of BU Community Park we're cutting all those areas uh what we go out for bid for when he refers to Marksman they were
the low bidder was the actual cutting of the retention Basin which is a very diffic difficult process and it's uh it really beats the heck out of the uh the equipment that used uh to get in there and cut the basins uh so they do those
and I believe they also have the contract for uh a couple of our buildings for Landscaping Maintenance on those buildings but we are definitely out cutting grass during grass season every day okay uh Mr leer also comment
about the black box theater um the bids regarding the bids that uh were for that uh it was separate why we including capital and indicate that it's not aess lock it up uh until we have money um so
the bids that we accepted um or on the bid report I guess he's questioning thatal budg why we have well when I met with the mayor and we went through to discuss the budget
and we met with representative FR it became obvious we needed to put some money into Capital to get this project finished is there's uh intent and goal to open that that black boox theater I
believe in August so we are on schedule to do that okay uh Mr swe came back up again and asked about the lights not against the lights um why borrow $1 million to get lights iiel pay for their lights that is true iiel came to uh
Council here and indicated uh they did not want to wait to have lights and that they would go out and secure lights on their own and as counts count I think I was only member of council will you hear Michelle that time okay like sure if you
want you to go out and and and and borrow and pay for them that's that's fine um on the roof repair uh Mr s had indicated that early early borrowing uh on things that are not fixed or replaced uh that we spend spend
only $200,000 on roof but we borrow $300,000 more why are we borrowing our we did a lot of that move that that's an answered roof have to do the front of the building all that all that
metallic uh sheeting there that is that's all the that's the roof it's not the actual on top of the building roof it's the Mansion around the we still have portions that need to still be finished the area along where the tax drive-thru window still needs to be
finished and uh we are using that money through the RO with the batting cages uh $200,000 was borrow last year 100k this year and why are we paying interest on this they have not well as you know we went out for bid
the bids came in I think 1.4 million so that point we just had put the breakes on that project and scale it back well we haven't we haven't come up with anything yet as to how want to fill that
Gap okay uh the cash counterfeit machine $800 includ yeah we have this discussion every year Mr sweet doesn't like anything that goes to the lower uh level with regard to the maturity schedule that approved by the state of
New Jersey whether you like it or not it's five years and and on obviously for 40 years as Mr leader out uh that was also included the smart board is that $4,500 figure uh the high torque uh
brush spreader U Mr swed indicated that we have no problem borrowing if we needed to borrow and a moment's notes we that he Illustrated when we borrowed for insurance uh it was actually $4 million
was we had the catr insurance claims uh so he has I guess the question clarification why the borro on the high torque brush and I pointed out it's not that it's not the brush grinder it's not the shredder that is taking long to get
it is the recycling V taking long to get that's for not not only for cl for everybody okay uh he asked did we look at this budget I'm sorry uh he asked if we looked at this budget uh what's our debt service now at
this present time what is our debt yeah well I I written down Debt Service I don't huh I can answer that okay um right now our total debt service um is 1.09% of our three-year average value
and we're as a municipality we're allowed to increase it to three and a half% so we are well underneath where we need to be so so wait is it if you're asking what The Debt Service is for the 2025 budget we know what that debt service is
we know what the principal and interest payments are on the bonds and those we know what the payments are on the green Aces so what what Chris talking about is the municipalities permitted to go the three and a half% of the average of the
last three equalized value assess values of the town so our equalized value is about 4 5 billion so when you take three and a half% of that we would be able to borrow up to $16 million right now we're
at about 65 so I do not consider us to be on the highend the engineering jobs are they scheduled or will they well we kind of address that earlier has still be done or at least starting and you anticipate them to be uh starting and completion at
the end of this year by the end of this year correct uh Miss coin came up back again was and read a statement talked about what the effect that early borrowing has on the taxpayer uh M Mar clear came up and appreciate the lights Mr leer came back up again talked about
the roof of this building and talked about the other building needs roof or the other building uh so uh behind us is the parking lot Mr leader to the left of us is the senior center and the tax office um so that's why I was asking for clarification about the shingles that
you're seeing are those shingles I think the plan is to finish this building here this year yeah the i' have to get back okay and then miss Henry uh that the root of this light issue is
that Count Council or the folks that are up here not operating with sheer transparency and the email was sent out on Tuesday an email how do they know how did the select you know what was on the agenda and what was posted stop the bull crap and uh provide transparency well I
will be very transparent uh no one here on Council sent any email out TBA has been a longtime partner of the township they they are in that facility and I would imagine the administration would have a conversation regarding uh lights and the installation of lights and what
would be included in the capital budget for that particular project and that program over in Valley br so all right I a motion on this ordinance I'll make that motion is there a
second on the question roll call please Mr yes Mrs alel Mrs Grace love wter Mr yes ordinance 0-255 ordinance amending chapter 8131
entitled speed limits on the code of the township of Gloucester to establish speed limit reduction along the Black Horse Pike in the township of GL County of Canon state of New Jersey this is to have the speed limit Amendment from 40 mes hour to 35 miles per hour on old
black horse fight for the entire land we'll Now open up the public heing list anyone like to speak on this Mr leader David leader Hunnington Avenue glendor I thank the chief and the people he's
worked with to have the speed limit looked at and adjusted last meeting I said I didn't know whether that was a County Road or a Township Road I never got an answer to that question however I found out that it's a
County Road primarily the extension of Summerdale Road so I applaud the effort to bring that speed limit to 35 and I ask that it is not enough um if you drive on Station Avenue
with homes on either side and see the school children being left out of school I know they stepped up their patrols they put up additional signage on Station Avenue and it appears to be much safer as a result of that work but
Station Avenue is 25 miles per hour and I would urge the council and the chief to pursue having that speed limit lower to 30 or 25 thank you thank you anyone else like
to speak on this see this is again Stacy smgl 1680 old blackor Spike just again just to say thank you guys so much for all the work that you're doing and the please for stepping up and for hearing how um
dangerous it was but also um on behalf of U Mr Tor and um unfortunately Mrs Mrs Tor passed away recently but they were just super thrilled that we got to this point as well so thank you guys so much for hearing all the concerns thank you
anyone else see now public hearing Mr leader thank you for your comments and uh for that Chiefs here uh take a look at Station Avenue um Miss SM thank you for your comments I entertain a
motion there second second on the question roll call please Mr yes Mrs Al yes wter yes next is ordinance first reading introduction there will be a hearing at
its second reading ordinance 0-25 06 ordinance amending ch 31- 34A of the code of the township of gler entitled vehicles and traffic of the code of the township of gler what this does is it designates uh the handicap uh parking
for 198 Breen Ridge Drive I have a motion please is there a question roll call please yes love wter first yes ordinance 0-25 d07 ordinance
amending ordinance 0-23 d10 entitled ordinance creating chapter 38 of the code of the township of BL entitled New Jersey motion picture and television commission which will allow motion picture and television filming in the township of gler County of Canon state
of New Jersey may I have a motion please on the question roll call please yes yes next is our consent agenda any council member like to have any item removed please speak up hearing none I entertain a motion to accept the consent
agenda as presented on the question roll call please yes yes resolution 79 resolution budget transfers between appropriation reses calendar year 2024 current fund budget I
have a motion please so move on the question roll call please yes Walter yes we have some gp. access emails we actually have three of
them however one of them uh it seems to have a fictitious address uh so this individual I'll reach out directly to um that address that they listed don't no
there's not even a dress in town for it uh so I'll address that directly uh first OV is from Maurice Chandler at 1485 kiry Road sville hello I'm emailing to see if trash we picked up on kirley road this week our trash
day is Monday how retrie fell on Sunday February 1625 which affected the area the street was closed for almost 24 hours on the trash day and today is February 17 2025 trash was collected thank you for following up on that Mr
ctis our next egov is from Miss fretz 85 Cherry Circle a wire commercial trucks allowed to park on property owned by guer Township along with the trucks there's a debris on the ground and truck parts and trash bags the trucks had made
ruts on the property as well is not an attractive look for the area either the location is on Ty and Co by skeers the trucks had the name Orchard holding so they're not Township Vehicles why are they permitted to be left there and what project are they working on is it a
private company like windy town or new rentals on EO road we have an ordinance that prohibits signs from being on that property and all these trucks and debris look even worse thank you for any information have regards this matter miss bretts these are NJ doot workers uh they have been parking there for a week
and they have two days remaining they're working on a box and Light post at the point and also under uh the route 42 overpass the contact information uh is Orchard Holdings construction but they
are subcontract out by the Department of Transportation now we go to our second public portion a public comment U this comments for this portion is for 30 minutes uh speaker can speak speak one time there's five minutes for
each speaker gentlemen uh Gable court I said you would go first man' you'll go after him [Music] okay even Council the second time up here today again very quick just curious
if there's any updates on Gable Court as I explained the last meeting I've been I had a house bill here six years ago there's 18 houses in that community in myself we don't have our roads paid I'm just curious to find out you know is
it in the budget for 2025 to have our streets sted can I add your name real quick I'm sorry Jerry BR Jerry BR Mr car so uh Mr car I believe this is one that we were pulling the bombs on that's correct right now so
weed we talked last meeting and also the mayor's office conference it's still in litigation it's being handled by a litigation Council we've dealt for several years trying to settle the matter with bondex with Bing company
they just at one point would say they would agree to do the work the contractor went default bankrupt then they back out of the deal and it was pack forth back and forth they recognize they have a bond obligation to do that and they're going
to do it but they just won't come to a price and that's why it's in litigation when we met with the May it was indicated very positively that uh try to get accomplished in this year right and so we're looking at money that
we have remaining from last year's uh streets Improvement and I believe that it's the mayor's intention to as Council to utilize that money for that project and we'll see the am I correct
go can I comment on that yeah yeah so just you said they're initiating enle through how do we how can we you can make your comments and then we'll answer after I'm sorry no no no no no you can keep going sir all I need to know at the
I just feel like every time I come here it says this an litigation how can us homeowners in n g courp be notified that where we in the process of litigations okay ma'am you your
hand when I put in the application can we have your name please ohler 198 Reen Rich Drive can you say it again the CLK didn't get your name can you say it again your clerk the clerk didn't get your name Deborah K
C good Miss C good evening oh hi um when I put in the application for the handicap parking sign I included an an two attachments and I don't see
anything on here with regard to acknowledging either of the attachments um regrettably a Silber living facility has been put in immediately next to my home and the way they
Park they Park in the wrong direction across parking uh uh driveways when they go to pull into the driveway the car is stuck out in the middle of the sidewalk where kids have to turn around and walk around it I requested a handicap parking
place because my mother is 100 years old and I can't wait to get home to to her now and to see how she's doing I'm 70 with a bunch of medical issues all I had asked was and if you I gave him copies
if you look at the statutes or the regulations under the FDA or rather Federal uh housing and uh Ada each of these 10 people or better can apply for a
disability I would like to be able to park in front of my own house to help my mother and myself all I was asking for was can you put a placard up there and I'll pay you don't even have to pay for
it that has the parking IDs for my mother and me there's nothing in the in the ordinance that says it can't be done like I say I'll pay for it myself I gave him paperwork if you want to see an example from what where my Mother
originally lived I mean it's right here parking is it is becoming ridiculous my and I know you don't want to hear about all the trash I'm now finding on my lawn and this and that and
everything else it's like I now live in a dump can you at least at least at least turn around and say yeah with these two stickers I even when I talked to doctor
doctor when I talked to officer M he turned around he said to me you want one parking place or you want two because there are two stickers or placards involved I said I don't want to be a pig okay I just want to be able to park
either one of two cars there that was it I mean there's not like I said there's nothing in the ordinance that says that a little sign can't go up that says ID this and ID that I'll pay for that
myself so what's your feedback so we respond at the end but I know you want to get back to your 100y old mother yeah I'm not sure if you heard but we had a first reading of an ordinance to designate in front of your home a handicap spot yeah I know it was
on page 14 okay so I don't understand I can explain what she's looking for is specific per parking space permit she wants that parking space to be specific to her plard number that is not allowed
under New Jersey statute I am not aware that it's allowed unless we write it into the ordinance that that's allowed we'd have to resarch search that generally when you put handicapped parking it is for anyone who has handicapped parking space okay so if
someone has a valid handicap parking placard they can park in a handicap parking space we do not I'm not aware of having it for a specific person okay I don't believe that that's what she's looking at I can talk to Mr McGill talk
to Mr carmir she has an example of Clifton that does that just just by putting a sign up on the poll that gives my officers no enforceability whatsoever if another person with a handicap blackard or handicap tags parks in that
space that's the conflict Miss gu will look into that for you okay I would appreciate it thank you and did you call me earlier oh like I said short sweet and I'll pay for the
sign myself okay Mr swe follow Mr PA by Miss by gentleman Eagle shirt and if we have [Music] time Sam sweet from Ariel again um with
regards to the generators that Mr Caris said uh that they're putting in um I Opa requested those and I've gotten back that uh they haven't been put in so either that's opah request violation or
Mr cartis is flat out Ling um as far as and and I have the paperwork that shows that so I don't inform we're not supposed to go back and forth Mr cartis so all right so that's
number one number two my question with regarding the debt and the past performance and everything Mr cartis clearly explained it earlier which is the exact reading that I explained it except Mr ctis will refuse to say that I'm right on anything I would appreciate it if I am right that you actually
acknowledge that as far as the high torque Shredder Mr cartis I think doesn't realize that Mark Twain once said if you don't lie there's nothing to remember Mr ctis had said that the reason that in a
prior meeting I can bring up the video and I can email it all to you that the reason we're getting this High TW Shredder is because the machine that we bought earlier tanked out or crapped out because it was being used wrong we need and then we were using
another machine for that and we were spending $400,000 a year on that so that's why we buying this 910,000 machine he also stated that it will take two years for this to get here for that he stated that on video so I literally appreciate it in the future that if Mr
Caris stops lying show me right don't call me a liar I'm going to call you a liar because that's what you are right now okay and then as far as yes he did ask me to get back to him with with questions on that but how many mowers
was not answered how many mowers do we need especially since we do as Mr leer pointed out we have a uh contract with marks the Landscaping we also have major turf fields so a 72 lawn mower to have nine of them do we have nine of them in public
works and that was not answered what and how many do we need that that and I would love if Mr lone would chip in with that answer I know he's not here but he knows how to get a hold of me and I'd had like to say one last thing I'm I would love love to say that I'm shocked that we all voted
for it and that we're capitalizing $800 cash counterfeit machine that's going to cost this Township $1,600 and Mr ctis and I will agree to disagree on this but to bond something that's going to take 10 years to pay off it's $800 I'm sure we could take up a collection among the
people in this town in this room and come up with $800 to pay for a cash machine that's now going to cost this Township $1,600 over the course of its lifetime and probably not be in service by the time we pay it it's economics 101 very disappointed again in Council just to not even just blow off what we're
saying and not even care and it's really easy to spend other people's monies when it's not yours than thank you thank you thank you Mr Boro Ray padora Ariel I'll be brief because it is getting
late so your new uh you new methodology of not listening uh quite clearly to the questions and then answering at the very end and my proof that you're not listening well is because a young lady walked up her and asked what the debt service was what you looking for was a a
total and you blurted out percentages according to Trenton and other municipalities she was looking for Debt Service payments that was an answer uh also um up the time that we come to these
meetings and the changes have been going on there's a few things that ought to make people acoss the township shake their heads so me and a few friends came up with a top five list that would make your head shake um and we can go back just to the last few years the glendor ambulance building
uh you're procurement of it the amount of money you put into it uh and now we're collecting no taxes from it and we're renting it out rentree taxfree um to a uh for-profit organization uh
medical industry is doing very very well right now you go buy any Hospital you'll see Wings put on with somebody's name on it what have you and this even though the fact is they provide a service to us all um they make a lot of money and they charge for a ride and yet we still
continue to give a medical facility like that worth billions and billions of dollars that for free that's something make your head Shake in the past you've um had back and forth with the Housing Authority selling the same piece of property back and forth and back and forth and it it boarded on on lawful at
one point and uh and then um you guys talked about through the Housing Authority remed remediating um Vic homes and maybe even considering that to be uh part of our affordable housing requirement don't remember that ever
happening the discussion kind of went blank and that went on that was another thing that was uh in the top five the Black Box Community Center now I'm not a math major play one on TV nor am I real good at it but if you add the numbers
that are so far on that back and I had asked you early on if you guys uh bought that site on scene because who in the hell would buy a building filled with aestus that you know you have to remediate the answer to that is glester
Township um so you got 129,000 this cost 71,000 reconstruction 25,000 on a facade uh with some grant money another $500,000 in inial Grants additional grants then another $400,000 of GT and
other grants and and now you put out the bid for some more work to be done on it at 1.8 million and that now has it building at 2.8 million 2.875 million um that's a hell of a building and I don't
even think there's anything in mortown quite worth that but this is glester Township maybe take a look at how much is going into that and at the end we'll collect no taxes from that the people that had that when it was vacant were still paying taxes on it and we're not going to collect any taxes at the end of
the day if um if you give it to a nonprofit it's not going to pay any taxes um then we have um number two Public Works uh needed a boiler and U you had R&V come in here and uh state
right here at this desk uh that the uh boiler need to be updated was going to go in the same exact room and the same exact spot and we had a bill if I'm not mistaken from R&V for $37,000 and it looks to me and other
folks that have heard this uh they got paid $37,000 to say uh yeah right back there where it was before that' be great 37 Grand and then of course number one is the most recent is the uh dissolving
of the MUA and attempt to sell the sewer and uh we'd like to see our bills stay where they're at and again it looks like uh for each time uh that we're going to review the sewer sale and again the
township voters overwhelmingly Crush that um you're still going to borrow and borrow and borrow to fix the sewers and um and again when you have that much cash on hand you want to keep on swiping the people's uh credit card at some
point start thinking of the children and the grandchildren of this Township and what you're doing today them you always say it's for the children doesn't seem like it that's the top five of things that go one um can't wait to see what's ahead thank you very
much for your [Music] time Denise coin choose Landing um first of all I'd like to make a comment about President ricado's comment uh regarding the new um structure of the meetings and
how the conversations in the past weren't always Pleasant um I'm not aware the democracy has to be pleasant um I'm certain that a lot of times it's not and democracy supposed to be about
transparency and accountability not about Pleasant discussion debates often are not pleasant but they're about getting answers and getting to the truth um as far as uh the bond that was
approved for the sewer and the $300,000 I told you about that you said um was approved for that purpose um you said you would go back and look at that ordinance I I'd like to know what good
that does when you approved the bond tonight and if you want to do your research you can look at December 9th at the 41 minute mark because that's when you said that the $300,000 was going to be used to hook up that neighborhood so you people approved a
million dooll Bond tonight not knowing whether or not $300,000 was already approved for that so how much money did you approve for that sewer hookup do you even know and what the heck good does it do to research something that's already
approved and the third thing is Jazelle Brown remember her she sent an egov in with no phone number no address and refused to give it because she said she felt unsafe you read that
eov but yet you won't read one tonight because somebody supposedly sent in a fictitious address why do you have to give an address to ask your representative government a question and expect an answer why do you have to do that do you
even know my real name who am I you don't even know my real name and I come here meeting after meeting for years and I speak and I ask questions and you give me answers I guarantee you you don't know
my name so please explain to me why you have to give personal information and have it verified in order to ask a question from your representative government that is not democracy thank
you m hi everyone I've been saying since August my name is Nancy Kelly guess what it's not never told you my real name um
okay just a quick little thing here that I have I just want to read um I've heard the phrase everything goes up I've heard it four to five times in the last two Council meetings the expression everything goes up is sad poor and a pathetic
justification for tax increases it doesn't lack specifics well-rounded connections between the rise in prices and the actual need for government spending the phrase that everything goes up does not it's just broad it's
unfocused and to hear that multiple times it's insulting Council should focus on policies that combat inflation support ways to have economic stability there are alternative Solutions than just saying everything goes up is it a
want is it a need I don't want to hear that again everything does not go up I went through my home budget my cable bill hasn't gone up it's been the same $35 for a good six or
seven years my satellite bill hasn't gone up in probably 15 years my life insurance hasn't gone up my triaa membership has not gone up my gym membership my favorite sneakers at my sneaker store hasn't gone up my health
care actually has gone down my employer fought for hundreds of employees and we had our health care reduced so oh and my local guy my corner guy who changes my oil he hasn't gone up so the excuse that
everything goes up doesn't work thank you thank you anyone else [Music] [Music] gentlemen hello again everybody I just like to uh let you know
um Rob runquist at 1890 new Brooklyn andreal Road and yes I am right in the middle of this ongoing Mayhem that goes on with the intersection of choose Landing Road and new Brooklyn Road
and I'm talking about car accidents and they continue to keep happening I I just wanted to uh ask is there a proposal to put a traffic light there or to block off right where Jersey auto body
is because I've seen head on collisions I you know I can't even tell you how many uh auto body parts I've taken off in front of my house and you know this it's splintered all over the place this goes on and on and on and now
with the Wawa there when you com combine the traffic that was there and the traffic that is now there when they're coming out onto new Brooklyn Road and making a left and going past Jersey Auto Body well there's a turnoff there to go down choose
Landing Road to go to wrap around Jersey Auto Body okay so now thank you they either make the turn or they change their mind and they keep going straight down to Brooklyn aial Road right in front of my
house and that's where the collisions that's where they come right there right there along the wall there you have all that paneling behind you that's the grid that aial is and along that you have cr Keys Road you have
Jarvis Road you have Hicktown Road excuse me garw road then Hicktown Road and they all go toward H Hill all right well along over the years I've been in aiel since 1982 I've seen a lot of traffic lights
go up uh is there any proposal to eliminate that that problem there because it's ongoing any officer in this room will tell
you it happens all the time I had a a lady she ended up on my lawn a couple years ago went right through the fence if it wasn't for the pine trees that are in front of my property she would have ended up probably in my garage or in my
house I'm 150 ft off the road so I'm just looking out for everybody's safety and I've been out there a long long time and when you can hear crunching metal from 150 ft away inside your own home
it's you know it it's pretty common it really is I've seen head on collisions I've seen people hurt I've seen people taken away you know and um number of years ago my
next door neighbor his his home is real close to the road right next door to to me directly across from Jersey AO body in the winter time somebody slid off the road went through the intersection and and his gas main was in the front of the
house and the house the house was hit and the gas M did not go off luckily so that's all I have to say and I hope a proposal of some kind can be done for everyone's safety thank you thank you Mr Ron have
time for one last speaker Mr leader David leer from avue glendor I apologize to councel for being out of order in two cases once I don't know the rules I don't know when I can speak on
an item the documents that are provided by the clerk say this is the agenda for the meeting but you trying to speak on an agenda I didn't find out that you're in violation of the standard protocols I don't know what those Protocols
are um I did not get a chance to speak on r25 col 0279 and I don't know why other people have come up here they were told that they were out of order wait till
later your public doesn't know the rules if you have have more specific definitions of the meeting rules and the proper etiquette for addressing council at different portions of the meeting I urge you to publish
that at one of the previous meetings several previous meetings I asked about the C Township's organizational chart I believe it is dated 23 um or earlier
and I I bring it up every few months I know that the people that I talk with Township residents are asking Who's got what position and what in the town what is the names of this
department who's that department report to we don't know if that document is accurate as it's in place now or not further I asked two months ago about your organizational chart Mr
marado turned to Mr camir and said what is the status is that is there any any legal thing a month later I come back with my action item list saying Mr car Mr carmir
needs to be assigned to this action item because no action items that Council takes I beg your pardon many action items that Council takes at one meeting are not carried over to Future meetings so that's why I created that document of
open Action items I realize not 100% of them are Council action items somewh from we the people but there's still things in that list that people want to address want Council to
address and it's not getting any attention so I ask again who is is responsible for generating an updated organizational chart for the township of gler uh on
the budget transfers I don't know what inside the cat means it's a phrase right underneath the account title inside the cat previously when I asked about documents like this Council said that as long as the two
figures are in the bottom match that that's a good thing that means it's accurate well it may mean that's accurate if there's more background information if you take the word of your Finance people 100% of the time without doing
any research and double-checking there may be mistakes made there people there's errors made by accounting people as well uh so yeah the two items match and it looks like to me that the electricity of OE paid for all these other
departments expenses that's an assumption I make I don't know whether that's true or not because for the third time I've asked for this form to be explained to me on eov email
addresses uh it's a web form web form is not email I am a Web Master web forms are not email if you request someone's email address the courtesy in web development is they get
copied on the text that they send to you on the web mail I've asked for that to be included in future it planning I've gotten no feedback on that action item this is not the first time I brought it
up I see my time is up thank you for hearing thank you that's the end of our second comment public portion uh Mr Brown is left for the evening uh Mr cars Mr car can we get
a timeline on that for cable Court more definitive timeline yes so um if you can relay that to your neighbor I do appreciate I asked Mr Carter administrator Mr car solic to get some
more to definitive timeline for G Court I'm going to obtain that timeline for you and for Mr Brown okay uh Miss Custer's left for the evening regarding her handicapped parking spot Mr swe made some
comments I don't know if there's any questions that were in there he did have a question about the generators and the Oprah and about it being inaccurate the answer you got from Mr ctis Mr ctis I'm sorry um there a question about the high torque Shredder uh and a quote from Mark
Twain sorry I'm I didn't write that quote down z um and that the machine was uh being used the wrong way the shredder and then how many mowers uh 72 in we have nine of them how many do we
need well we we the MERS youire that information afterwards but starting the torque can can you the generators can you comment on that Mr Carson yeah I was told by Bob ta who's
in charge of buildings and who's in charge of buying those generators that we are in fact buying the generators there are individual generators one is for H Lane Senior Center one is for the gas pumps I will have to get the rest of
that list we buy that to you Mr sweet says that I said that the shredder won't be available for two years I don't recall saying that what I said was that the recycling truck sometimes takes a year and a half to get um so that was
not that was not something I said okay uh Mr poor came up and gave his top five Ra's no longer here I counted six so he's correct he's not a math major um glendor ambulance building housing
Authority the some it back and forth remedy uh remediation vacant homes the Bank building uh Public Works boiler and dissolve in the MUA so that's six uh Miss coin made a comment about uh
this new structure of the meeting and the baits are not pleasant and uh the bond for the sewer what good does it use and looking back at something I'm still going to go back and take a look at that the 41 minute mark thank you very much M
uh in regards to Miss jelle Brown uh and feeling un safe U I believe in transparency and apparently Miss Po's aware of what was in that email that was sent what so u in regards to Miss Kelly
um youus Miss Kelly uh regarding uh policies and solutions and that um that when we say that things go up it's a pathetic justification uh shared with us that nothing is increased prior to listen to
that Mr runquist regarding that traffic light I know that uh police department has spoken to Mr rers on the way out and Mr leader uh resolution 079 was in the first public portion and no one raised their hand Mr leader so you had an opportunity to speak during the first
public portion but you did not raise your hand no one said you could not speak at that time I raised my hand at the GLE I apologize okay uh in regards to organizational chart that's an administrative function we're a legislative branch here that is an administrative function that Alles with
the administration Mr cars can take that back uh to the administration and Mr cars can you provide a layman's term for what inside the cab is so inside the cab in the way the budget is constructed
there are uh I believe 28 or 29 Pages state budget document uh the uh first uh 18 pages of that document or 199 pages are items that are considered inside the cap so they're subject to the cap the
cola ordinance that we just recently passed we increased it two and a half% to three and a half% there are items that are considered outside the Caps that they don't fall within that two and a half% or 3 and a half% they are the
items that fall after sheet 19 they're usually Debt Service the capital Improvement fund uh the reserve for un collected taxes some of the grants so when transfers take place the rule is
you can transfer from inside the cap to inside the cap from inside the cap to outside the cap from outside the cap to outside the cap but never outside the cap to inside the cap and then you you can listen to
T I think we're recording now okay so that's the explanation for what the C does all right M uh pulling of directors Please Mr car Mr CIS Chiefs I just want to make
uh Council aware that um you know it was a dangerous it was a bad weekend for law enforcement throughout the country K hit hit a little bit close to home it is uh last night we had a candid officer with two years on graduated
Police Academy with many of our officers who was stabbed in his neck by a uh unprovoked during an unprovoked attack 1100 block of Broadway in Camden uh from an emotionally disturbed person who came up from behind and stabbed it in the neet um he's still in critical but
stable condition he's going to need to undergo several surgeries uh his name is AER Joshua mcnight um he has 23 years old he was a Marine uh two years on the job so I just asked you to keep them been in uh contact even just uh during
the meeting with Chief Rodriguez from Cy County Police Department but also in Virginia Beach uh two officers were killed in the line of duty on Friday evening at about 11:30 uh ties to Gloucester Township his father uh the
officer slain officer's father uh is a resident gler Township it's a retired cden police officer friend of mine someone I've work with um he was a SWAT officer for many years in Camden City so uh he's also the president father is the
president of the centurians motorcycle club which is a Law Enforcement Motorcycle first responder motorcycle club so we've been supporting him I spoke to him yesterday morning uh from from that is also the slain officer's brother is a state corrections officer
lives in Blackwood as well um the officer's mother lives in linen wall at this time so uh hit close to home um uh I believe the young man was from Gloucester Township Christopher Reese but uh those two officers New York
Pennsylvania and also an officer a sheriff's officer from Mississippi so just to keep you informed uh even though these places are you know they weren't from our region but they're tied very close to to us so I just ask you to keep those families your thoughts and prayers
so thank thank youel this is everyone have a great night and a great week thank [Music] you comments but I also want to keep a strong prayer for police officers
[Music] Walter congratulations to honores this evening thank you for coming out thank you for your comments I entertain a motion to adjourn so move second all those in favor have