Adequate notice of the January 22nd, 2026 special meeting of the township committee has been provided in accordance with the open public meetings act by posting written notice and agenda of the meeting on a bulletin board in the municipal building 1000 route 10 township of Hannover and by hand
delivering mailing or faxing such notice to the following newspapers. Morris County Daily Record, the Star Ledger, Hannover Eagle and by filing the same with the township clerk. >> Roll call. Command Mahill >> here. >> Commandment Faramosa >> here. Committeeman Francioli >> here. >> Committ Mhalco
>> here. >> Mayor Gallagher >> here. >> Five members in attendance. >> I please stand and join us for the pledge of allegiance. And please remain standing for a prayer led by Deputy Mayor Mike Mahalo. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of
America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Almighty God, please watch over and guide this governing body with an abundance of wisdom and understanding to
help make the best decisions for our residents. Please bless our first responders and township volunteers who help keep us all safe. Also, bless our township employees and residents. Lastly, please let us pray for the men and women of the US armed forces who stand vigil over us always. Amen. Amen.
Thank you, Mike. jump. Okay. Yes. Okay. Good evening everyone. Uh Joe Giorgio would like to put into the record a proclamation. Joe, would you like to read a summary of the
proclamation for the record, please? The reason why I want to do a summary is three pages long. So in the interest of time, I'm going to select the most pertinent passages from that proclamation. >> It's really good.
So, it's a proclamation of the township committee of the township of Hanover proclaiming January of each year as human trafficking awareness month in Hanover Township and especially in 2026 when the FIFA World Cup will be played
in New Jersey this year. Whereas human trafficking is among the world's fastest growing criminal enterprise and it profits from the exploitation of vulnerable populations including minors and adults. And whereas nearly 26
years after the passing of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, an estimated 27.6 6 million people are subjected to human trafficking globally with cases reported in every state and
territory. And whereas human trafficking is a brutalist crime against individuals that violates the most basic human rights and deprivives victims of every shred of personal freedom. And whereas
human trafficking occurs when a person is recruited, harbored or obtained through fraud, force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of sexual or labor exploitation.
Whereas victims can be United States citizens or non-citizens and can be any age or gender, but they have a shared experience of having been forced, trafficked, manipulated or threatened
into compliance with the criminals seeking to exploit them. And whereas large sporting events like the World Cup are known to increase the demand for sex trafficking.
And the World Cup in particular has also been associated with labor trafficking cases including construction, hospitality, retail industries and etc. It is especially important to
educate our communities and raise awareness before, during, and after this event. Whereas New Jerseyy's Metal Life Stadium will host eight matches for the 2026 FIFA World Cup from June 11, 2026
for over five weeks, including the World Cup final on July 19th, 2026 along with FanFest in Liberty State Park along the Jersey Shore and other locations.
And whereas the township of Hanover has resolved to make additional efforts to keep its residents aware of the warning signs, survivor informed prevention messaging and how to respond in the case
of suspected trafficking before, during, and after the 2026 FIFA World Cup. And whereas the township of handover is committed to ensuring that those impacted by human trafficking receive services that are traumainformed
and responsive to their individual needs. And whereas the township commends the work of the New Jersey Coalition Against Human Trafficking for its survivor inclusive efforts to end human trafficking in our state and beyond
through education, advocacy, and assistance to survivors and to increase coordination and visibility of New Jerseyy's commitment to end human trafficking. Now therefore, be it resolved by the township committee of the township of
Hanover in the county of Mars and state of New Jersey that it does hereby proclaim January of each year as human trafficking awareness month in the township of Hanover to raise awareness about the signs and consequences of
human trafficking, to promote opposition to human trafficking in all of its forms, and to encourage support for the survivors of human trafficking throughout the state of New Jersey and across the world to put an end to this
criminal activity and restore freedom and dignity to its survivors. Signed, Thomas A. Gallagher on behalf of the township committee dated today, January 22nd, 2026.
>> Thank you very much, Joseph. I just want to also add that I've gone to a few seminars regarding this topic and I thought I had somewhat of an understanding and Fern when you when you came into the mayor's wellness campaign
and discussed this with us I realized how much we had to learn and how much we should learn and how hard we had to educate our residents and all of our families and how hard we had to work. We can't learn enough and we can't learn it fast enough. So, I appreciate you bringing this to us and we do have a
very big mental health symposium coming to Hannover Township on February 5th. My entire team knows that this is important to me to Hannover Township and it it is also important to them and we will have reps from your coalition at our event and we would love to have as many of
your team as we can have because this isn't declaring a proclamation isn't one and done. This is serious. You know, you have me, you know, you have us. And uh again we we have a lot of work to do and we're prepared to do it. So thank you for bringing a lot of this to my attention.
>> I can say very short words. >> Okay. Um I just wanted to thank the Hannover Potential Committee for signing the proclamation. Um, the New Jersey Coalition Against Human Trafficking is a statewide survivorinformed nonprofit dedicated to
preventing human trafficking through education, collaboration, and community action. Um, I'm not going to mention the World Cup because Joe did a great job summarizing that. Um, I do thank you for your leadership, um, Mr. mayor and the rest of the committee um and your
commitment to signing this um proclamation and carrying it forward by doing the work that that we all need to do as you said. Um and I also wanted and you can relay this to thank the Hanover Township Police Department for
participating for the second year in a row in the New Jersey Coalition Against Human Trafficking Law Enforcement Conference um in Eatentown. They will be there again this year. Um it shows a real commitment to this issue. So I thank the police department and I thank
everybody on this day. Thank you. >> Thank you for why don't you we all do it together so we don't uh so nobody feels selfconcious. We stand together on this. Come on up guys. We'll go right in the middle and we'll get around you. How's that sound?
>> Sounds great. I just >> Thank you guys. You were great. You're always great. Okay, good. You all staying for the meeting? How nice. Okay, good evening everyone. First on
the agenda is a letter of resignation from senior citizen program coordinator Dial Ride dispatcher Sierra Cassiano effective January 30th, 2026. May I please have a motion to accept her resignation? I'll >> make the motion. Although it would be
sad to see her go. She does a terrific job for us. Work closely with her with the senior citizens. Um but sorry to see her go. She's moving on to Right Horizons. So second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> So accepted. Next is the introduction of
ordinance 4-2026. Ordinance 4-2026 is an ordinance of the township committee of the township of handover amending and supplementing section 125-4 entitled recreation department fees under chapter 125 of the
code of the township entitled fees with the inclusion of new 2026 fees related to various recreation and park administrative department programs and activities. Public hearing for ordinance 4 will take place on February 12th at 8:00 p.m. If
any member of the public would like to make comment regarding this ordinance, they may do so at that meeting. Now, introduction, may I please have a motion to introduce ordinance 4-2026? >> I'll make that motion. >> May I have a second? >> Second. >> On roll call, Committeeman Cahill.
>> Hi. >> Committeeman Feramosa. >> Hi. >> Committeeman Francioli. >> Hi. >> Committee Mahalo. >> Yes. >> Mayor Galler. >> Hi. So introduced. Next on the agenda, we have resolutions 34-2026
through 41-2026 as a consent agenda. Does any member of the committee have any questions or comments regarding any of these resolutions? >> Motion be approved. >> May I have a second?
>> Second. >> I'm sorry, I didn't hear you. >> And on roll call, Commander Cahill. >> Hi. Committee Feramosa. >> Hi. >> Committeeman Francioli. >> Hi. >> Committeeman Mahalco. Yes. Mayor Gallagher. >> Hi. >> So adopted. Next we have the approval of
raffle applications. RL3506 Whippony Park High School PTO raffle. RL3507 What's My Name? Casino Night. RL3508 St. Elizabeth's 50/50s. RL3509
St. Elizabeth off- premise merchandise raffle and RL3510 St. Elizabeth tricky tray raffle. May I please have a motion to approve the raffle applications? >> May I have a second? >> Second. >> All in favor? So approved and mayor and the members of the committee that clears
the agenda and I thank you very much. >> Thank you Christa. Great job. >> I just want to say especially to tap into who's with us tonight. uh what's my name casino night the what's my name initiative is a very very important initiative also because now with ride
sharing uh there's a lot of safety guidelines that are in place and uh unfortunately this group was put together because of a tragedy so I would like to talk to you after this this meeting and give you a little more information and maybe we can do a deep dive into what it is and the purpose of
it together thank you okay can I have a motion open to the public >> second all in favor I >> Okay. If anyone from the public would like to be heard, please step up to the podium, state your name, address, and you have four minutes. And Chris, please
raise that microphone a little bit. There you go. Okay. Hey, uh Chris Madison, 32 Sunset Drive, Whippony. Uh a couple, I guess, technical questions here. First, uh thank you for um following through with the resolutions for EDAC and
environmental and green team. I know we've been going back and forth a lot with emails on that stuff. Um, just for the specifics of it and following everything uh by the book. Uh, last week we elected Nadia as one of the co-chairs for green team, but she's not she wasn't
officially on the green team until 5 seconds ago when you made resolution 41 official. Do you want us to redo that election on February 2nd to make her an official co-chair? >> Joseph, how would that work? Yes, she could not put on the resolution as
recommending uh the appointments that recommended to uh to committee. But now that she is officially uh you should go back and make her the co-chair as you suggested. Okay, we'll
take care of that. No problem. Uh the second one was I I see on 39 that I'm listed as a regular member of environmental. Uh just to get clarification who who's the chair for environmental because I I did look through it. I don't see it spelled out.
>> So on the resolution um you can't >> okay but based on code um first of all committee makes the appointment committee.
>> Okay perfect. However, part two deals with the designation of the chair person and that is under the forces and control of the mayor. >> Right. I think you read that. >> Yeah.
>> So when a resolution is framed, the whereases basically provide a history of the actions that the township committee will take. The most important part of a resolution are the clauses that come under now
therefore be resolved by tension committee. Similar to an ordinance now therefore being ordained and the clauses specify what action is to be taken and voted on in this case because it's a twoprong thing. It's the counc committee
uh making you a member but then the designation of you as a chairperson comes under that big portion of chapter 22 and that is specified as item number three in the resolution
which says in accordance with 22-1B the mayor hereby designates Christopher Mattis to serve as the commission's chairman for term expiring on December 31st, 2026. >> I didn't realize that this was not the whole resolution.
>> So, you guys have more to it than what's shown on the agenda. Okay, that makes sense. >> So, it's it's embodied as a tree. >> And I did write that to you in your in the email, >> right? I just didn't know that you there was more to them than what was shown here. So, now I understand that better.
Thank you. Uh and traditionally in environmental that group has always voted to select the chair every January. Um I I see that the code does have that as a mayoral designation. So for the future, should we proceed with doing that through the mayor's office rather than holding elections every January?
>> That that portion of the code probably in my opinion should be updated to uh after the initial designation is made to probably have the members of environmental commission decision. That
seems to be but I I think basically the first designation should come from the mayor and then it'll be up to the tent committee whether or not to the alternates don't the alternate step up.
>> Yeah. >> I mean in the case of a vacancy >> the first alternate would move into into a regular position. Correct. Yes. >> Um and then the the last thing uh I know I'm out of time. I just wanted to throw it out there. I'd like to open
discussion with town hall on uh how we can um connect the environmental commission more directly to the planning board and the uh board of adjustments to receive copies of any large scale building projects that are happening. Um essentially to be added to the mailing
list to get that stuff uh proactively instead of us having to go and try to catch up to it after the fact and we can discuss it later. one of the functions of environmental commission to review plain water adjustment decisions. Well,
>> is that framed in the ordinance? >> In New Jersey state law 405D-27, it says local environmental commissions are entitled to receive copies of development applications from the planning board and board of adjustment. So, that's state law. So that allows us
to do such and uh I've offered to the group to as chair to do this as a a a job for us. It's not something we've done in large scale in the last couple years that I've been a member of it, but it's something that I think we need to
start weighing in on. That's all I have, but I'd like to just open the discussion on that. Uh not here, but you know, figure how how to best do that through email or or however. So Okay. Thank you. Thank you.
Anyone else? >> Lower it. Hi, my name is Diana Murray and I'm the co co-chair of the Hanover Democratic Committee and I reside in Whitby. So, I would like to speak about um the ice facility situation that's taking
place in Roxberry, but it's not too far from us. and the suggestion made by someone who sits on the board of ed, Mr. Skiff, posting on our Facebook town page on January 11th, that maybe they should come to handover.
I think this is um really a disastrous uh thing to say on Facebook, even if it was in just after what we have witnessed nationally in recent weeks, reports of aggressive ICE actions, widespread fear in communities, and troubling
enforcement practices. I'm really appalled that anyone in New Jersey who has eyes and half a brain could think that bringing ICE operations into our town would be acceptable. ICE does not belong here. The presence of armed
federal agents conducting immigration enforcement in a residential community is a bridge too far. These actions have led to people being questioned and detained based on appearance, creating fear and chaos rather than safety. This
is not who we are, and it is not what Hanover stands for. ICE does not belong here. The clearest example of what a danger ICE is to communities is obvious. When they are literally picking up Native Americans simply because they
have darker complexion and are detaining them, where are they planning to deport them? Let's think about that for a second. Native Americans. Let us be clear that ICE does not belong in Hanover Township or anywhere.
Back to Skiff's posting members. He is a member of the board of education and they are entrusted with protecting children. Encouraging ICE operations in our town invites fear, instability, and the possibility of aggressive
enforcement actions into our community. ICE does not belong here. We should debate immigration policy through lawful and democratic means, but actively inviting ICE into handover crosses a line. This is not a policy disagreement.
It is a fundamental failure of judgment. And Gregory Skiff has proven he does not deserve to sit on the board of ed. And I very strongly request that you as the counter as the committee request that he step down. Thank you.
>> Thank you. >> Anyone else? My name is Byron Hagen. I live in Whippony. Um, I would also like to make a statement um, address the statement made publicly by a sitting member of our
board of education suggesting an ICE detention center to be built here in Hanover. The board of education exists to educate and protect children. All children, not just the convenient ones, not just the ones whose families look or sound a certain way. Every child who walks
through our school doors, deserves to feel safe, valued, and welcomed in this community. When a school board member publicly suggests ICE set up in our town, an organization increasingly associated nationwide with family separation, human rights abuses, and the
murder of American citizens, it sends a chilling message to our students and families in this district. You are being watched. Your presence here is conditional. This is not about politics. This is about duty. A BOE member does not get to
casually speculate about detention facilities as food for thought when representing a school district that educates immigrant children. Words matter, especially when they come from people in power. This is not a neutral infrastructure
discussion, a zoning proposal, or an economic development plan. It was a flippant suggestion to place a federal detention facility in our town framed as a convenience issue. Highway access, airport proximity as if human confinement were just another logistics problem. Handover is not a holding pin.
Our community is not a bargaining chip and our schools are not insulated from the consequences of this rhetoric. I'm a Hispanic man. I came from a family with many fluent Spanish speakers that did not raise me to be bilingual out of fear that I would be otherized. I can't speak
the language of half of my family. Although I'm learning now. If you believe ICE belongs in handover, you're entitled to that opinion as a private citizen. But if you're elected to the board of education, you do not get to separate your words from your role. You carry the weight of this district every
time you speak publicly. And the same board of ed member expressed a willingness to work with ICE if they request to enter our schools. Schools where my children, our children are there to learn. I'm counting. I'm calling for accountability, not theatrics, not outrage, but clarity. Our
board of education members must reaffirm publicly and unequivocally that they serve all students and they they will not use their platform to promote fear, division, or dehumanization. Our children are watching. Our families are listening. We deserve leadership that
understands the power of their words and the responsibility of their office. Anything less is a disservice to our schools, our families, and our values. Thank you. Thank you. Anyone else?
Uh I'm Tim Murray. I live in Whipony. Um, two weeks ago, our neighbors up Route 10 in Roxberry, a town governed by Republicans like you guys, you know, uh,
voted to reject having an ICE facility there. Um, it's not because they they're against Trump or against ICE. They didn't want it in their town. Anthony Buco, the state senator, also made a
statement saying that it didn't belong in their town. But Greg Skiff said, "Oh, we we should have it here in in Hanover. We should have an ice facility right
there at the end of Ridgedale Road. um you know where kids take a bus to to the schools right there. He's he's a member of the board of education. It doesn't matter if you're Republican or or not. We don't
need armed people in our town doing the kinds of things they do, driving the way they drive. Have you seen these these videos of the way they drive? the the way they use their cars like like weapons and they're they're
they want to come to our town or he wants them to come to our town. I'm I'm calling on this committee to call on Greg Skiff to resign from the board of education. Thank you. Thank you. >> Fern walkin seedinals.
I think most of us have been watching as Immigration and Customs Enforcement, otherwise known as ICE, have been infiltrating our nearby communities like Dover and Morristown, and arresting immigrants, including children and US
citizens alike without any cause or due process. While we may feel differently about whether ICE should exist, I think we can all agree that the beatings, breakins, and killing and maming of US citizens
um and immigrants is horrific and in most cases illegal. Renee Good, a US citizen, was shot in the face in cold blood in Minnesota. And now people are harassing her six-year-old son in school
because they don't like the curriculum. ICE. ISIS's playbook is to dehumanize the victim, smear the community, and target children. Just yesterday, they arrested a 5-year-old boy to bait the
parents into coming outside to rescue him. ICE is sending a message. If you question authority, teach history honestly, or dare to humanize immigrants, they will come for you. Even if you're a tiny school full of children
mourning their friend's mom, I would assume that we as Hanover residents living among and next door to immigrant families, whether here legally or not, or actually US citizens, that we do not want ICE in our community. Whatever your reasons may be, as so many
people just suggested, maybe you're against this out of control ICE department. Maybe you don't want violence in your sleepy town community. Maybe you think your home prices will decline. Whatever the reason, Hanover Township does not want ICE arresting our residents. And we certainly don't want
to have an ICE detention center built in this town. Yet, that is exactly what our board of ed member Greg Skiff posted on Facebook. Basically, he invited ICE to set up here. If they chose not to set up in Roxberry, I'm almost done. I'm
appalled uh that as a elected member of the board of ed, he is supposed to protect our children and will put the children of this town in jeopardy. Um this is putting our residents, including our children, on the front lines. Uh it was a real suggestion to open our town
to ICE. Gregory Skiff has done this and he needs to step down. So I ask now the Canover Township Committee will whether they will denounce Mr. Skiff and ask him to step down. I also ask if you will pass a resolution like Roxbury did
against having an ICE facility in this town. I ask the Hanover Township to denounce the tactics that ICE uses to terrorize our neighbors and commit to not using the Hanover Township Police Department to assist ICE in any way. And
I would like a a comment or answers to those questions either in real time or in a statement. Thank you. >> Thank you, Fern. Anyone else?
I would like to answer two of them right now. One of them was by the majority of our residents that spoke, if not all. I said it in the paper and I shot from the hip and I got the approval of my attorney because it was clear. Hannover Township does not want
an ICE detention center or any detention center in Hannover Township. Period. And I even asked the reporter to write out the word period. We don't want it. And also any detention center identifies the
community. Look at any municipality that has any kind of detention center. I can go down a list. All you think about is the detention center. We are more than that. We work very, very hard to have a beautiful community that attracted my
family to live here. And thankfully to many, many people that worked extremely hard to create this beautiful municipality. And it's not easy to continue to preserve what we have, build on what we have, and I even talk about
respect and stigmaree. I say stigmafree is a beautiful slogan. if we practiced it and we don't practice it, we should practice it more, including me and most of the people I know. So, no, we do not want a detention facility here, ICE or
any other period. The the second part of that is the headline in the newspaper referred specifically to the Red Roof in. The Red Roof in is a major piece of our fourth round affordable housing
obligation. We are in court. Two different pieces of litigation with that property. So, if you notice, none of us referred to a detention center or that specific property because we know
how sensitive it is and we know that we're in court and it could hurt us if anything goes sideways with any of the negotiations that we do on behalf of all of our residents. So, as far as we're concerned and unless the federal heavy
hand comes down, only this body can change zoning and we have no intention on even entertaining that period. So, that that's two pieces. Now, when it comes to law enforcement, and you know,
I'm very good friends with Mayor Dowy and I'm I'm on the executive board for the League of Municipalities. We all have been talking about what we can do the way it's being done, our authority. And last night I had a very nice talk with Mayor Dowy and he talked to me
about a law that went into place in 2018 that limits and restricts what we can actually do on a municipal level. So I talked to my legal team last night and several times today because I wanted to give you a good answer on this, not just say, "Hey, that's a good idea. We'll talk about it." Cuz you know what that
means sometimes. So Jeff, if you could, I would like you to read into the minutes and explain to our residents what our authority is because I want a very clear answer on this one. And I know that one is prepared and I appreciate your time working with me on
this on the governing body. >> Absolutely, Mayor. You're welcome. Good evening. Recent national and local events regarding US immigration and customs enforcement activities have spurred questions and concerns from the public as to the role of New Jersey state and local law enforcement with
federal immigration authorities. The bottom line is this. The township committee and the township police have no say when it comes to federal civil immigration enforcement. The township committee has no role when it comes to directing township police on their role and responsibilities over enforcing
state criminal laws. Specifically regarding enforcement of federal im immigration laws. In 2018, the state of New Jersey attorney general issued the attorney general law enforcement directive number 2018-6,
which was later revised in 2019 and is commonly known as the immigrant trust directive. The immigrant trust directive continues to remain unchanged as of the present date. And as the New Jersey Attorney General is the chief law enforcement officer of the state, all state, county, and local law enforcement
officers must comply with this directive. This directive governs how New Jersey state, county, and local law enforcement officers interact with federal immigration authorities. It makes clear that there is a difference between state, county, and local law enforcement officers who
are responsible for enforcing state criminal law and federal immigration authorities who enforce federal civil immigration law. Under this directive, state, county, and local law enforcement may not stop, question, arrest, search, or detain
individuals solely based on actual or suspected immigration status. They may not ask about immigration status except in limited specified circumstances related to serious criminal matters. And they may not participate in civil immigration enforcement operations led by ICE except in very limited
circumstances set forth in the directive. New Jersey officers remain fully empowered to enforce state criminal laws, protect public safety, investigate crimes, and hold offenders accountable. At the same time, they are restricted from using state and local resources to enforce federal civil
immigration law, except to share information that is already public available, responding to requests tied to individuals charged with or convicted of serious criminal offenses, or cooperate cooperating when there is a warrant or order specifically issued by a judge through court proceedings.
This directive limits proactive outreach and bars participation in civil immigration raids or joint operations that are unrelated to a state or local criminal law objective. For residents, the practical takeaways are straightforward. First, local police are
here to serve and protect all community members. Reporting a crime or serving as a witness should not expose anyone to civil immigration enforcement by local authorities. Second, individuals in local or county custody will be treated in accordance with state law and the
directives rules. Third, if federal immigration authorities seek assistance, state and local agencies will evaluate those requests under the directives criteria, honoring judicial warrants and court orders and otherwise limiting involvement to what the directive
expressly permits. We encourage members of the public to continue engaging with state and local law enforcement, to report crimes, and to seek help when needed. The directive is designed to make every neighborhood safer by ensuring that victims and witnesses can work with police without fear, that
interactions will be used for civil immigration enforcement. If you have any other questions, we'll be happy to provide a copy of the Attorney General law enforcement directive to you as well as a recent information sheet that was prepared by the New Jersey Department of Human Services. Thank you very much. Uh Christa, I would
like you to send that entire piece to tap into so we can publish it. And the last thing I'll say about this too is if and I I did do my due diligence and make my phone calls. If we were to put forth anything other than referring to the to
the law, it would have been lip service. And I don't respect lip service. And we might have felt good for a little while, but it wouldn't it wouldn't have meant anything. So, this is an answer to a real question that a lot of us township leaders have and a lot of concern. So, I
I hope this cleared things up a little bit and that's going to be made public through Tap into and and if anybody wants a hard copy, we'll see that you get a hard copy. And I assume that the police department understands this this directive basically because um
I I I understand what it says. Basically, it says yes, under certain certain circumstances, they can work with the federal government, but for the most part, they're separate and they do not have to assist ICE or any federal
agency um to arrest uh without a judicial warrant or um you know, due cost like uh is stated in there, a serious um
serious and fractured series. >> Jeff is that's Jeff, you want to comment? Is that correct? >> Yeah. So, I I invite everybody to read this. The uh the police department and this and state and local law enforcement comply with this uh attorney general
directive because it's required. They have to. And uh I can assure you that our police department does the same. >> Okay. And will you not comment on >> I'm not comfortable commenting on that. >> The floor is still open if anybody would
like to make any more comments. Motion to close. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I. Motion to adjurnn. >> Second. All in favor? >> I. >> Thank you very much everybody. >> Yeah, that was good.