It's 7:02. I call tonight's council meeting to order. Roll call. Bennett here. Leosa here. Millie here. Sasso here. Skiara here. Waki here. Matus here. Please rise and join us in the pledge of allegiance.
I aliance 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. Adequate notice of this meeting has been provided by the annual schedule of regular meetings. Herefore, adopted and
posted on the public bulletin board at the municipal building, emailed to the Herald News, the record in the Gazette, and all persons who requested the mailing such since November 19th, 2024. Approval of minutes. Have approval for the minutes of the regular meeting of
April 16, 2025. So move. Motion by WKEI. Motion by Sierra. Close enough. Second by WKI. Roll call. WKI. I'm going with yes.
Siara. Yes. Sasso. Yes. Millie. Yes. Leosa. Yes. Bennett. Yes. Matthews. Yes. Motion carries. Public comment. I now open the meeting to the public. If anyone desires to be heard, come forward to the microphone and seat your name for
the record. Seeing no one, entertain a motion to close the public portion of the meeting. So move. Sasso. Second. Was that WKI? WKI motion second by Sasso. All in favor? I. Motion carries.
Adoption of ordinances. We have budget ordinance 2366-25 2025 municipal budget appropriation limits to establish a cap bank pursuant to NJSA 48 col4-454 now open the meeting to the public anyone desires to be heard
regarding this ordinance please raise your hand come forward to the microphone seeing no one entertain a motion that this uh the hearing on this ordinance been closed and the ordinance has been posted in the bulletin board Public notices were customary posted, published in the record and made
available on the burough website and available to the public. Now therefore, be it resolved this ordinance be adopted and the clerk is authorized to advertise the same according to law. I have a motion. So moved. Motion by Millie. Second. Second by Leosa.
Roll call. Bennett. Yes. Leosa. Yes. Millie. Yes. Sasso. Yes. Skiara. Yes. Waki. Yes. Matthews. Yes. Motion carries. Ordinance 2367-25, an ordinance to further amend and supplement the code of the bureau of
Horththornne to revise various rates set forth in chapter 220 fees section 12 parks and recreation. I now open the meeting to the public. Anyone desires to be heard regarding this ordinance, please raise your hand and be recognized, come forward to the microphone and state your news. Seeing no one, I entertain a
motion that public hearing on this ordinance be closed and that it be resolved. This ordinance was posted on the bolt the board in which public notices are customarily posted published in the record and made available on the burough website and available to the public. Therefore be resolved this be uh ordinance be adopted
by the clerk and authorized to advertise the same according to law. Motion some move I got by Millie second. Second by Bennett. Roll call.
Waki, yes. Skiara, yes. Sasso, yes. Millie, yes. Leosa, yes. Bennett, yes. Matthews, yes. Motion carries. Ordinance 2368-25. Now, if you remember last when we introduced it, I said there was a typo on it and that item five should
have been deleted. Uh, this version that you currently have has that item deleted. An ordinance to fix the 2025 salaries, wages, and compensation of the employees of the burough of Horththornne County of Pacific, state of New Jersey. I now open a public meeting to the public. If
anyone desires to be heard on this ordinance, please raise your hand and be recognized. Come forward to the microphone, state your name. Seeing none, I entertain a motion the public hearing on this ordinance be closed and that it be resolved that this ordinance was posted on both the board on which public notices are customarily posted, published in the record and made
available on the burough website and available to the public. Therefore, be it resolved this ordinance be adopted and the clerk is authorized to advertise the same according to law. Have a motion. So move second. Motion by Bennett, second by Sasso. Any
discussion? I'm sorry. would you care to share? Um, okay. So, I'm sorry. Where are we at? Uh, well, we had a motion a motion in a second. Is there an issue? And that was Well, if we'll finish this, then I can
let you know cuz I'm going to have to go print some new res some new It's not regarding this issue, correct? This ordinance. It's not on this ordinance. Okay. Roll call. I didn't get the motion in the second. It was uh Bruce and there you go. Thank you. Uh Bennett, yes.
Leosa, yes. Millie, yes. Sasso, yes. Skiara, yes. Waki, yes. Matthews, no. Okay, motion carries. Should I stall? So, I'm sorry, um, President,
so the budget resolutions BR1 and BR2 have fallen off of this agenda. So, I need to go to my office and reprint the agenda before. So, if Michael, you want
to take over roll call? Okay. uh from the previous version. No, you're all good. It's been a moving target all day. What What do we the previous agenda before you got the revised one tonight at BR
01-25 and BR25 right before the resolutions. Right. We are adopting the budget we hope tonight. So, right. Yeah. It's like I said, we've been tinkering with the agenda all day today.
So, council president, you're up to ordinance number 2369, I believe. Yeah. Okay. If you recall for ordinance number 2369-25 at our last meeting, uh we introduced it making North D a one-way street on a temporary basis from Gala
Road into Prospect Park. While the Pique County administrator has indicated at this point, Prospect Park is not in concurrence. I thought we would and that we have to basically have a motion to table the ordinance that was introduced. Okay. Pending the resolution raised by
state county council. So, they told us to hurry up and do something and then they said, "Oops." I'm sure Michael will fill us in on detail. Yeah. No, I mean, it's really President. Um, well, don't we have the uh email that uh I that I
received the email that I received from uh the uh admin county administrator uh stated that uh the uh the the uh project would uh continue uh and uh
everything was was on order and it was going to be a temporary basis up to 60 days. Um then I we got I got an email from the administrator uh probably a week later or so, week and a half later uh saying that the uh mayor of Prospect
Park uh is not in concurrence with this at this time. Um, so the administrator and the mayor of Prospect Park had a meeting and um, what the mayor of Prospect Park would asked us to do is if we would wait until they make North
Sixth Street in Prospect Park a one way and that's going to coming the other way. Come uh, well no actually North Sixth Street goes down to basically right by um the uh the the bridge. So it'll be in concurrence with that
probably sometime October or November. So that's and and I said to I said to to to Matt, I said, "Matt, we've waited almost three years now. Another couple of months isn't going to I don't have an issue with that. It's just that the county kind of said they had
agreements from both towns. Let's move it forward and then oops. Nothing we did or anything. No, it's not it's actually it's nothing we did." you know, and so we're everything basically on our on our part is on hold right now. So what I'm asking for is a
resol a motion to table the ordinance the motion for 2369-25 and we'll pick it up at a future date. So move motion by Millie, motion to table and was there a second? Sasso second. Second by Sasso. This is just a
motion to table. Just a motion table. This is not approving or denying. It's just like it never happened. I will call the role then. No, no discussion on such a motion. But if I didn't vote on it, do I? You can still
mo uh vote on the motion to table. So, uh Waki, yes. Sierra, abstain. Sassa, yes. Millie, yes. Leosa, yes. Bennett, yes. Matthews, yes. Motion
carries. Okay. Old business. Joe, we'll start your way. Excellent. Um, if I could start with the management of recycling and trash collection trucks. I haven't heard anything since when I brought it up. I was just curious where we are. I have noticed trucks coming in and
starting going right after going over the bridge. I'm I'm curious if there's a list of times that they've been inspected prior to going out on the roads. I believe there is, Joe. Uh, I don't have the list here, but I believe there is a list. All
right. Because I did send a text, a email stating the truck just came over the Lincoln Avenue bridge from 20 and just started doing collection without even going to the DPW yard. So, I'm guessing that guy didn't get the memo.
He didn't get the memo. I know they have GPS. Yeah. So, I'm just curious, do we have some structure in place that says, you know, they're not going to hop right onto Franklin Avenue? They're supposed to, however
they come into Horththornne, no matter what bridge they cross, they're supposed to go up to the DPW yard at couple minutes before 7 at 7:00 have the truck get checked and then they can go out on their route. All right. because I know they park their employees cars in the
ball fields, come over Lincoln Avenue Bridge and drop them off or pick them up onto the trucks and then go. So, I really like similar to the geese police that you gave me if I could ask so kindly. Yeah.
All right. And then the next thing I have is the parking on North 8th Street continues to be on both sides. Were we ever able to address that establishment that didn't have the certificate of occupancy? The auto body place? Yes. On the auto
body place on North 8th Street. So the Gal Road North 8th Street that did it. No, there's there was two. The one on North A Street got closed down and they're not operating. That's cor that's where are these vehicles coming from that are parking and the one the at 150
GL road the other auto body place that's actually closed down now until he actually makes new application to the planning board separate votes Frank did you get an application for planning board for 150 auto body he didn't bring it in yet uh that I know they're open I
I see people working in there 150 auto is that the That's the one. That's the one where uh he sent him back. Sent him back a couple times because of the paperwork. He has no license. He has no state license. He has no license. Yeah. Right. And who who
then what authority goes in there and says stop working. Our zoning officer, our fire marshal, uh and I don't I don't think the police unless there's an altercation. But those the zoning and may I ask that we have
them visit and to please get the cars off North 8th Street because they're nice. They put cones behind them and they're very uh but you can't get a car or an ambulance or a fire engine. Let me ask you this. The cars that you saw on North A Street that
have cones on it cuz I saw the cones also. Aren't they Are they the people who live there? No, they're not. No. Okay. May I can give a little clar clarification for because I deal with a lot of people in this industry in the auto body
industry. They are able to work on their own vehicles, not anybody else's. If they're working on anyone else's vehicle, they can receive a huge fine. They have to have a certificate
from the state, right? If they don't have the state, it could be $5,000 a day. But if they're working on their own personal vehicles, they're allowed to do that. So that's just some clarification that you can, you know, you can call and just say, "Hey, we see them operating,
you know, and you may want to make a phone call and just say, "Hey, you may want to drop drop in and and see this. They're being very disruptive to the uh the neighborhood, but I will tell you that if they're working on their own vehicles, they're allowed to do it." Well, they they at 150 Goffel Road, they
actually were shut down because they're not working on their own vehicles. There you go. And the other thing too is if you go by there, the lot basically is full of vehicles. It's not it's not uh you know just three or four vehicles. They were told they they could have I
think four or six vehicles in the lot plus whatever vehicle is inside. Uh but he's he's got the whole thing. It's filled. I I'm just telling you how they can circumvent it, you know, and maybe just making a call to the state uh because they had to have a license in
order uh an auto body collision res. I I I know Glenn and uh and Chris did have a meeting uh and I know they went down there. Uh I don't I haven't I haven't asked them recently, but I will take care of it tomorrow. Thank you. I have
nothing else. While we're talking about Glenn and going out, you know that little repair shop that we approved at the planning board be behind what was that old bait and tackle shop? Yes. 43 Gothal Road. It looks like it's a junkyard back. There must be a hundred
cars back there there. Well, Glenn is actually Glenn since he's in that neighborhood. Glenn is working well that's almost on the at the corner of West uh Mohawk. Yeah. A little bit next to No, West. West. Um Glenn and and
Chris are definitely working in there because the auto body place was told either shape up or or we're going to we're going to pull your approval and the the building that has the number 43 on it. That building there, Glenn told
me that the guy the owner is working on another tenant to see what they can do. And the fella in the back, I believe he only had the repair shop. He only has room for four cars. Ah, so it's really the guy closest to Prospect Park that's
got all the correct extra cars. Exactly. Because the if you remember the guy the mechanic that's in the in the back of the number 43, he came to the planning board and we gave him approval. A small little business it sounded like. Exactly. Exactly. Yeah. Okay. That it
too. That's it. Michael, no. Not tonight. Thanks, Reena. Not tonight. Bruce, no sir. Anna Marie. Old business. I suspect my question will be answered by a burough attorney. So I have nothing. Dominic, I'm okay.
New business. Dominic, I'm okay. And Marie, new business. I just want to follow up at Burough Attorney. How are we doing on the um ordinance that we agreed upon for safety issues with all e items, ebike, e scooters, because now it's spring, they're all out. So I'd
like to button that up if we can. I will. Uh, I did tell you I'd try to have a draft in your hands for now. I did not get it done this week, but I will uh get it for you before the next meeting. And if we're good with it, we'll move it to the agenda. Okay. But yes, I owe you
that one two weeks from you. Thank you, sir. And and uh to answer your first question, I wasn't planning on reporting on Mr. Spoila's uh junkyard. Um but uh nothing has happened other thanward we have a trial date in June. We can't do
anything else before then. We are doing everything we can. We are giving him summones constantly. Um again he is just there is a problem there that he refuses to live neighborly with the rest. It's
it's a shame what this individual has done to our town and the fact that he keeps running for public office is an outright disgrace. I understand it's in the it's in the legal system Hopper right we have a trial date but the residents are so frustrated this we all know this is a
30-year-old boil on certainly all of his neighbors that properties touch. He's building another arsenal of garbage. So, I guess what you know I wanted to ask is it takes time for you to get a judge to
say go ahead go on the property and remove his garbage as we've done once before or twice I believe. Um and we you know the burrow has been so patient patient with this resident. So, um I personally am no longer patient. So, um,
I just want to say, can't we just start the ball rolling on another request from the judge to go on there and clean his property again? And, you know, honestly, aggravate him as much as he aggravates all of his residents because
it's nothing but a horrible uh, situation. Every time we do something, he finds more garbage to bring onto his property, more rubbish and more um he is just a a trash collector. There's something seriously wrong going on
there. We all know it. Um we have already instructed our EMS. They cannot enter that property if something happens there because it's a lifehazard situation. um how to treat something like this as a societal problem. We're not the only
communities dealing with this unfortunately and I've seen other communities equally frustrated by an individual who is except with this individual. He's far more calculating and uh it's a shame. It's what a disgraceful human being. I do understand
all that. You know, we know that he's far more patient than we are. But I'm I'm my voice right now is for the people that live boundary to boundary with him. It's not fair. And we represent
them. I'm just pushing this now. We need to push that envelope, make that push for that judgment to go on his property again and again and again because we work for the residents and those residents are suffering at his hand.
He's irritating all of us, but they're the ones who are at his hands suffering because he doesn't care. We have to care. We do care. And I know it's probably a cumbersome task for you. I get it. But we're hearing their complaints.
I get it. It's to I wouldn't want to live next door to him. Would you? He's punishing his neighbors and we know he can be very vindictive. So, I'm gonna keep asking and apparently he's smarter than most of the judges
he's been appearing before. He's just got more time. Um, and it's not fair. It's not our fault. I'm not suggesting that. But I say we have to have more as much wherewithal as we can possibly summons up for the residents that touch his property. Look, I know everyone here is frustrated with it and I wish there
was a magic potion to make it happen. It's not that he's smarter than the judges. He's not that he's harder working. Unfortunately, there are few answers to this kind of situation and so there were thousands of cases in the court and this one is not going to get a
priority over others. Unfortunately, it is not a life safety issue or an issue where but it's not in the sense of being able to declare it a property that for instance is in imminent danger where we could do something different. What was
our basis for the first court case? in there. We're not suggesting it's that, but we've been 30 years patient, Michael. So, we we can't just go into someone's property to look and see if you just drive by. I mean, we had a court case before. Let's continue to do our due diligence on behalf of our
residents. We are swallowing. I know that, but in terms of being able to go on the property and remove his garbage as we have, I believe it was two times a brief window to do so. He got an order stopping us from doing so and then he brought more garbage onto the
property. So what's prohibiting us from doing it again and again and again? The judges there is a judges. No, there is a court before there. Stop. There is a court order right now prohibiting us from doing that and that until we can
get back before a court to hear whether or not that order should be lifted. So that's where we stand. We have a court order from Judge Abdulhadi in Prospect Park who really took this very seriously and gave us freed us up to do this. It
was great. And then he got a superior court judge to stay the action. And that's what happened. We removed garbage. Now he wants to sue us for taking his garbage. I know he wants his garbage back. But that information that you just gave me and our residents is very important and I didn't know it
before. So hopefully that will assuage the residents that are that his hand suffering um a bit longer. So I appreciate that that sentence because I didn't know that so I couldn't relay it to the residents around him that um our hands are absolutely tied at this moment. So I appreciate that. I I could
I just piggyback one second and I know we talked about this what I'm going to bring up once before. Um, but could we have a re-evaluation from the fire department? Because if any of that rubbish in his front yard goes up, it is going to be detrimental to not
only his home but the neighbor's home. And I got to I I just using common sense. I got to think that there's a hazard is there. the the officials who have a right to declare a hazardous situation have never found that there is one that is and we've had those type of
situations where you have a public health situation. Uh, it's not that it's unsightly. It's disgraceful. It's wrong. It's it's unfair to the neighbors. But it is not a life safety issue that we
can go in and affirmatively enter someone's property without any legal cause or basis to do so. We can't just go into someone's house. I'm sensitive to what you're saying, but um I'm thinking about the people that live next door and saying you're telling me that
this stuff laying on the fence next to my my own property is not a hazard. If a match hits it and it goes up, I don't know. I look at it a little different. That's why I asked for a re-evaluation. Could you look at it again to see if we we will have our fire inspector look at
the property. We will have anyone who has such authority look at the property. But I'm telling you that there is a court order in place that stops us from doing that which all of you want us to do. And I I mean we're doing what we
can. I get it. And all of you are frustrated by it. And I am sensitive to that. How come he had no problem getting before a judge quickly to get a court order? But we can't. We have been before judges, Bruce, and unfortunately there
is a process that has to be followed. We also have a lawsuit against us. And rather than us really doing nothing with it, our GIF is defending it. And our GIF has turned this into a much bigger case than it needs be. And so there's
discovery going on and things like that. They're worried about defending the case. I'm worried about cleaning up the property. That doesn't help either. So he plays the system. He very well. He does. But, you know, again, maybe we'll hire him next time. Well, you know,
listen, all of the snide comments aside, we are working hard to try to fix this problem. And I know it's easy to sit there and say, "Do this, do this, do this." We are doing everything we can. It's just not as easy as everybody wants
to believe it is. Could I switch properties and ask a similar question? How's our Brookside uh situation? The Brookside situation has not changed because once again there is not a situation there where a inspector from
the burrow has been able to determine that there is a life safety issue. So now it's a vacant and abandoned property since it's not livable. Yes. Have they been added to the vacant and abandoned property list so that he can re uh
receive the fines that we are allowed to give for that? Key is on the vacant and abandoned. Okay, that's all. I didn't know the answer, so at least Yes. Okay, that good job. One for one for two. One for two. Figured he needed a bone. Thank you,
Raina. I actually I actually have something good news to share after all this. Um I just want to um announce that um Horththornne I've been working with the burrow with our recycling coordinator and our director. Um we are
having uh launching our Hawthorne plastic film recycling program. So we are um we will be collecting all kinds of produce bags, store bags, ice bags, ziplocks, cereal boxes, case overwrap of
your water, your paper towels, your your napkins, um newspaper sleeves, dry cleaning bags, and bubble wrap. and all those Amazon bags that we get that um as long as you can stretch the film, we're going to be um collecting that. So,
we're going to be launching this on Saturday um May 10th and we're really excited to finally get this off the ground. We've been talking about plastic film for the last several years. So, um we will be doing a press release tonight and um Lisa is working on our web page
with the information what you can recycle and what you can't recycle. So, it's not just the plastic bags that we used to have at the supermarkets. It's all the plastic bags that we have like your bread and your hamburger bowls. Um, so something that we're going to do and
we're launching on Saturday and it's permanent. It's at the recycling center, so 7 days a week. So, all those plastic bags you have downstairs that you've been collecting, I know there's been people out there. Um, we can just bring them down to the recycling center. We don't have to bring them to the
supermarkets anymore. Well, I don't think so. We We need to recycle. I'd like to get the tonnage for our tonnage report. So, just want to announce that and um it's all good news. It's just another item that we're adding to the um recycling center. Thanks,
Mike. No, not tonight. Thanks, Joe. I can't follow that. I just have one question. When are we doing the tree replanting in the spring? We're almost done. Really? Yeah, I didn't get the tree I
was looking for. Let me have it right now. All right, I'll talk to you later about the tree. It's actually not on my yard. It's on somebody else's yard, but it's between our driveways. We keep planting trees and they just die there or the deer are eating it. One or the other. I just
died. Okay. So, okay, that's all I have. We'll turn to administrative agenda presented by Mayor Lane. Thank you, Mr. President. Uh, this evening I have two proclamations. Uh and I would like uh one uh person to come up uh to
receive the uh me it's also mental health week uh mental health month. So uh this is fit and we are go it'll be in my report. We're going to have our u mayor's wellness walk and I'll explain
a little bit more on that and later but uh I'm wearing my green tie and pants blind you more comfortable than the t-shirts. Camera's right there. Okay. Whereas mental health is essential to everyone's
overall health and well-being and mental health conditions are real and prevalent in our nation. Whereas all American experience times of difficulty and stress in their lives and pre preservation is an effective way to
reduce the burden of mental health conditions. And whereas there is a strong research that animal companionship, humor, spirituality, religion, recreation, social connections, and well, and work life balance can help all Americans protect
their health and well-being. And whereas with effective treatment, those individuals with mental health and other chronic health conditions can recover and lead full productive lives. And whereas each business, school, government, agency, health care
provider, organization, and citizen shares the burden of mental health problems and as a res responsibility to promote mental wellness and support prevention efforts. Now therefore, the mayor and council of the burrow of Horththornne do hereby proclaim May 2025
as mental health awareness month in the burrow of Horththornne. And we also call upon the citizens, public and private institutions, businesses, and schools in Horththornne, New Jersey, to recommmit our community to the
increasing awareness and understanding of mental health, the steps our citizens can take to protect their their mental health, and to need for appropriate and accessible service for all the people with mental health conditions. In witness whereof I have unto set my hand
the cause of the seal of the burrow of Forthornne to be affixed this 7th day of May 2025 signed by myself as mayor and the full council. Thank you. As the chairman of the uh as uh committee I'd like to present that to you for you and
your committee. Thank you. And there you All right. The camera's right there. You want to say a few words? Oh. Um, all I'll say is we do have the walk on Sunday, May 18th. Uh, we've been inviting the schools. We've been inviting the community and, uh, it'll be
Sunday at 1:00. We'll be done by 3:30 and it's pretty simple. We have retro fitness gums. They warm everybody up. We take a walk through the park and afterwards there's some ice. some food and a bunch of the resources that our town provides for the community. A lot of the resources I think people uh
aren't even aware how much this town does offer for the community. Uh and so all those resources will be made available at that time. So uh Jim, tell them where May 18 at the Hawthorn High School. At the high school field my report I know where it is. I was letting him know. No, thank you for the
clarification. Yeah. May 18 1 p.m. we leave from the high school and then we walk through the park and we come back and uh our friends from St. Joe's mental health division will be there with more fun games for the kids. So, we have a lot going on that day and thank you for for what you do for us and uh the stigma
free committee that you're chair of also is uh just knocking it knocking it out of the park. So, thank you for everything that you do for us and for our our residents. Appreciate that. Thank you. All right. Thank you. Thank you. At this time, it's uh it's May and it's
EMS week and I'd like to have the uh chief to Timmy O'Brien to come up and uh I'll present this proclamation to he and uh the uh members of the uh and do you
want anybody else to come up? You want Come on. All you come on up. They're here. Come on, Chris. You too. All right, sir. Good. You're going to have to The camera's right there. You see it?
Come on, guys. Fill in. He doesn't bite. Come on. Come on. Don't be shy. Shorter in front, tall in back. Okay. This is a proclamation from the mayor and council, the bureau of Horththornne. Whereas emergency medical services is a vital public service and
whereas the members of the emergency medical service teams are are ready to provide life-saving care to those in need 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. And whereas access to quality emergency
care dra dramatically improves the survival and recovery rate of those who experience sudden illness or injury. And whereas the members of the emergency medical service teams, whether career or volunteer, engage in thousands of hours
of specialized training and continuing education to enhance their life-saving skills. And whereas is it appropriate to recognize and appreciate the value and this the accomplishments of the William B. Mwini Memorial Ambulance Corps
members that serve our community and keep us safe. Now therefore, be it resolved that the mayor and council of the burrow of Horththornne do hereby proclaim the week of May 18 through 24, 2025 as emergency medical services week in the burrow of Horththornne in
recognition to the Horththornne Volunteer Ambulance Corps and all those engaged in emergency service medical services activities and encourage the community to observe this week with the appropriate program ceremonies and activities and witness whereof I have
set my hand to the cause of the seal of the burrow of Forthornne to be affixed to the seventh day of May 2025 signed by me as the mayor and the full council. Congratulations and I just want to say thank you very much for all that you do for the burough president.
Congratulations. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Come on in. Go ahead. Go in the front. Come here, John. Break everything.
Cheese. One more. You blink. Thank you. Thank you guys. You're the best of the best. Thank you. Absolutely. Where you guys going? Keep going.
I don't know. Was it something we said? Don't leave. They have to go save lives. It gets exciting now. I think I heard an alarm go, right? Yeah. The tones went off. Stop it. Okay. Grace period for taxes that were
due was extended to Monday, May 12th. If you send in a postdated check for payment of the water or tax bills, it can be accepted and will be returned to you via US mail. put put the phone away or pay the
nationwide campaign which ran from April 1st to April 30th. The campaign was aimed at tackling distracted drivers and raising awareness among drivers about the deadly damages and and legal consequences for texting while driving. The Horththornne Police Department
promoted and engaged in this campaign. 25 Horththornne police officers dedicated a total of a thou a 100 hours towards this traffic safety initiative throughout the burrow resulting in 220 motor vehicle stops, 255 summones, 97
warnings, and nine arrests. Also, May is motorcycle and bicycle safety awareness month. I'll have more information in my Friday letter. On Sunday, May 18th, the mayor's annual Walk for Wellness will take place. The event begins at 1 p.m. at the
high school track. We will start with warm-ups with retro fitness. Have a walk through the park to the pond and back. And there will be vendors, food, and other attractions until 3:30 p.m. Please join us. It's all free. Many of you have called our
offices saying that they had no idea of of certain news events. I encourage you to sign up for NIXL for my for my newsletters or go to our website to read the newsletter and see the flyers which are now posted under
news. The ambulance corp will be holding a blood drive during EMS week at the ambulance building on Thursday, May 22nd from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. There will be free give giveaways to all the people who donated. Please try to make that
that uh day because there are so many people in hospitals today that need blood and the blood uh is ver is uh basically very short shortage. Our burough clerk and election official Lorie Fernandez reminds everyone that
primary election is Tuesday, June 10th. Polls will be open from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. The voter registration deadline for primary is Tuesday, May 20th. That would be for new voters. change of name or change of address.
Early voting for the primary is June 3rd through June 8th at the library. Weekdays and Saturdays, voting is available from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and on Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Please check our website and ca and
cable channels for more information. Our Memorial Day service and parade will take place on Monday, May 26. The service will be at 12:00 noon and the parade will step off at 1:30 p.m. This year's grand marshall is Paul Chaperco. Please join us in
remembering all of our brave service men and women who have given their life to for the for the freement freedom that we have and our the members of a service who are actually on active duty at present. And that concludes my report
and I'll turn it over to my attorney Michael Pasqua. Thank you, mayor. Um, as to the ambulance core, I just want to say this. John, of course, the mayor, uh, is a life member of the ambulance corp, one of its most dedicated
volunteers. He came to my house one Thanksgiving when my grandfather had an incident. There was John and Marggo on Thanksgiving Day in their volunteer uh outfits, and they could not have been more caring. My mother recently, as many of you know, fell and broke her arm. Um,
the ambulance was there quickly, compassionately. Matthew Fencart, who happened to be one of my daughter's closest friends growing up, so he knew my mother, uh, was the lead person with the group, and they were just phenomenal. You get more. The people of
this town can't appreciate what this group does. They buy their own rigs, they buy their own equipment. We don't buy their rigs, they pay for that. We end up with manh hours based on the volunteer hours. Some of these people
work 14 to600 volunteer hours a year, which is insane. That's a job in addition to their regular jobs. If we had a paid department, we'd pay them $1.5 million to do that, which they do for free. So,
when you have to write a check to a group in this town, write it to the ambulance court. or the band shell of course. Um I'm going to give a single issue report since I already report on other things. Anyway, um and that's on
affordable housing. Last night I was uh privileged to appear before the plating board and I want to give you the benefit of the same report, hopefully somewhat abbreviated. Um the planning board will be considering at its meeting of June
3rd two important items. The first of those items is the close out of the redevelopment study for the pan chemical site at one Washington. The pan chemical site, as you know, is one that we've authorized an area in need of
redevelopment study. The planning board will be determining whether or not that property qualifies as an area in need of redevelopment. It seemingly does on a pretty obvious basis since it's contaminated, vacant, all the things you
would look for for an area need of redevelopment. Uh the other thing they will be receiving and considering is a housing element and fair share plan. John Sabo's preparing that report. they will presumably or hopefully adopt that
report on June 3rd and then the next night it would come here um for consideration by this council. Your consideration would be an endorsement of that plan hopefully again approved and then if approved it would be upload to
the superior court and our immunity from builder's remedy lawsuits would continue. Um, it would be very easy for people to kind of cowboy it and say, "I'm against the whole concept, but that would expose the municipality to
builders remedies lawsuits that will result in, say, sevenstory buildings where we're trying to keep them at three. Uh, that would result in densities decided by a judge rather than those we're trying to decide on our own.
So I heartily encourage both the planning board and the council to really consider the housing element fair share plan seriously and realize that the alternative to playing by the rules
established as ownorous and un fun as they are is to expose the municipality to builders remedy lawsuits and they never go well. Ask the people in Angwood cliffs how that worked for them. They spent a million half dollars and they
lost badly. Um the two properties we are focusing on in our report and you will say it are the pan chemical site and the Hawthorne Chevy site right nearby. Those sites are both ones that we John Sabbo and I
looked at as likely to see redevelopment over the next 10 years. and it's one of the criteria you have to look at when you put together your vacant land adjustment analysis, which we're also looking at. Both of those sites are likely to develop sometime in the next
10 years. And if they were to develop for housing, they would generate a certain amount of housing. So that's the first step in the report, determining what our RDP, our realistic development potential would be and then ask for a vacant land adjustment for the rest. The
second part of the plan is how do we intend to meet that? We are going to be proposing some uh rehabilitation of both of those sites. The pan chemical site, we have a developer who we're working with to see if in fact we can get a
project there that we can live with. The original plan submitted by that developer was one we could not accept. It was housing at a density far beyond anything we've ever seen here before. underparked, overdeveloped. Um, we have
a notion that there's going to be housing on that site and I don't want the people of Hawthorne to think otherwise. It is right next to a train station. It is one that the developer insists they wish to develop for housing. And given its proximity to a
rail line, it's hard to imagine that any court is not going to automatically say it's a perfect spot for housing. There's housing across the street, there's housing next door, there's housing all in that area, including multif family. So again, that site is one that we are
going to John Sabo and I recommend to you as one conducive for housing. The Chevy site's a different site because it's in our NP district. It is within our development of downtown. We cannot just allow those sites to be developed
strictly as housing. So in those sites, while there is a notion we could recommend housing, it would always be coupled with a commercial aspect to it. So those are the two key properties to our redevelopment
um or not a redevelopment, but our affordable housing plan. You'll be receiving that report no later than the 23rd of May. That'll be in Lor's hands. It'll be provided to you. It'll be provided to the planning board. And
that's the protocol from here. Lori graciously has stepped up to do all the notice requirements for both the planning board and the municipality. Thank you, Lori. And John Sabo is working very hard to fine-tune the housing element of fair share plan. And
all I can say to you is um I hope you consider it in the context it's presented, which is we think best for Hawthorne. And that's all I have on the subject. It's not a great subject, but at the same time, um, we have done
reasonably well with some of the projects we've had by managing the right way. The bedroom project came out okay. Same thing with, uh, long time ago, Lafayette Hills. So, we have projects that we can look at and say, yeah, they're not terrible. They're not
everything we want, but they're not bad compromises. We hope for the same here. So, that's all I have. Thank you, Meredith. Thank you, Michael. We have now turn it over to our engineer, Joe Burn. Thank you, mayor. Uh the 2024 2025 roadway improvements uh that consist of
the local aid and road program. The NJ DOT uh has finally completed their review of the local aid project. We received their comments this morning and our office is uh working to turn that around um as quickly as possible so we
can get on to construction. Um, award of the road program is on the agenda for tonight to uh DLS contracting uh contingent on the approval uh by IBank of their division of civil rights documentation
uh which was recently submitted to their portal. Uh the Hawthorne Hockey Rink Improvements uh the project is also set to be awarded to uh Downs Tree Service uh tonight. uh the Franklin field bleacher
improvements project. Uh that project is now complete. Uh the Lewis Bay Second Public Library and Community Center roof leak uh pano roofing uh came by on Friday, May 2nd, and made some repairs. Our
inspector was present. Um we've advised the library to keep an eye out for any potential leaks in the future just to make sure the repairs were sufficient, that they stick. Um If there are any issues in the future, they will let me
know and we will act swiftly to get that fixed. But as for now, over the weekend, um there weren't any leaks, so fingers crossed. Uh Wagra Fields 2 and three, uh the bleacher improvements. Um bid
opening date is tenatively set for uh May 28th with an expected award date of uh the June 4th meeting. Uh we expect the project to advertise next week. And that concludes my report. Mayor, thank
you. Uh the only question the only question that I have is on the the sparring of the concrete uh sidewalks on uh Central Avenue. Could you when that that's ready to go for those residents, can you just give them
enough notice so in case they have to make plans of their vehicles or cars or driveways or they can, you know, not they don't get uh the last minute uh that we're coming tomorrow morning, so to speak. Absolutely, Mayor. We'll we'll give the following notice. Great. Thank
you. Now, I'll turn it over to my uh administrator, Mr. Eric Mau. Well, thank you, mayor. I want to start with an apology for the chaos uh caused by our shape-shifting agenda uh tonight. Um I both apologize both to the council and
the clerk. The administration will work to try to make sure this doesn't happen this way again. Um um the um budget for 2025 is uh being considered for adoption tonight. I want to urge the council to vote for it after
the public hearing. And once again, I want to thank the finance committee, the director of revenue and finance, Lori Foley, and all the department heads for their hard work on this budget. Um early pool membership registration at discounted rates for returning members um h has ended. A second and final
in-person registration uh session at regular rates will be held this Friday from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the municipal building. Subsequently, registration will be done in person at the pool during operating hours. Uh dates for registration for the summer recreation
program for children entering grades 1 through 8 are May 22nd and June 9th from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. also in the municipal building. On the day is tonight, although already listed on the agenda are resolutions R75
and 76, which set forth details for the NGIB financing of the phase 2 and phase 3 service line replacement projects, which are now complete um and with low interest bonds to be finalized when the NGIB sells its next round of bonds,
likely this fall, but maybe not um till next year. bonds for our NGIB lowinterest loan for a previous project, the PAS treatment system, are scheduled uh to be sold in about a month, giving us our loan payment schedule uh on that
project. Um resolution R80 um engages Boswell to um to locate our fire hydrants and our storm catch basins on our GIS system, continue our process of documenting locations for our physical assets. Um the Central Avenue storm
drain grant application which is the subject of resolutions R81 and 82 um will require easements for construction will which will likely postpone submission of this application. Um but I suggest we move ahead with the
resolutions. Um R83 um authorizes membership in the Somerset County um cooperative pricing system as we seek to maximize alternative purchasing opportunities to save taxpayer dollars here in town. Uh speaking of co-ops, Wayne Township has
joined the co-op we run for the single purpose of aggregating garbage disposal costs, becoming our sixth member municipality, but actually about doubling the amount of garbage that will be handled under our master contract. Alth this although this has no current benefit to the burrow, Wayne's
participation in our next round of bidding could improve the price we receive. Um resolution R84 um authorizes emergency repair of one of the pumps at the South Station Water Treatment and Pumping Facility. Um a grant application previously
authorized by the council for phase 4 of the streetscape is being finalized by our grant writer. Um, and let's see if I can skip that one. A late entry to the bill list and a significant one is a $28,000 payment to PSEG for an upgraded
service at the Gothal Hill Pump Station. This requires a little explanation. We were initially led to believe that there would be no cost to us for this, but we were then hit with uh this quote for $28,000. We tried both negotiating the price with PSENG and redesigning our
project to avoid the need for the of the PSENG upgrade, but neither uh was successful. Uh PSEG won't proceed without payment, and we're trying desperately to get the pump station back operational by the end of this month. Is our hope that all or most of the 28,000
will be covered as part of our insurance claim. Um I began with uh oh the uh just preview. We're going to be launching our website early next month. Lori Foley, Adam Marie, um Lisa Sloopmaker have been
really hard at work on that. And as long as soon as they get their deadbeat, um Department of Administration to get their uh information in on the updated website, uh um we'll we'll be ready to go. Um and finally, uh I began with an
apology. I'll end with one. Sorry this report was a little long, but I'm starting to realize how few opportunities I will opportunities I will have to do this and I want to get as many words in as possible. And that concludes my report. Thank you, Eric. But it's uh Lori Fernandez, not Lorie
Foley. I'm sorry. That's true. Apology number three. Apology number three. Lori, I just wanted to ask you, do you have anything you'd like to say about the upcoming elections? Um, thank feedback. Thank you, mayor. Um, yes,
thank you for your report on elections. I just wanted to add, um, one or two things, if I may. Um, voter registration deadline for the primary election, as the mayor mentioned, is May 20th. Um our
office, the clerk's office will remain open until 900 pm that night to receive your um applications for new registrations, name change or address change. Um the documents are online and you also can register online um on the
state website if you prefer. Um vote by mail ballots actually were mailed about two weeks ago. I know many people have received them. Just wanted to remind everybody the only way um the ways to return it to the county is by US mail.
Um but the dropbox in front of um the municipal building is um secure and under camera. So please utilize that. It is emptied um every other night by the sheriffs um who come and empty it and
take it back down town or you can deliver it um by hand down to the county uh board of elections office. Um do not bring it to the polling site on June 10th any polling site or during during
early voting as they cannot be accepted there. Um and I think that's it. The mayor mentioned early voting starts June 3rd at our library. It is open to all Pose County registered voters. Um and just as
a side note, uh the clerks um municipal clerks of New Jersey is working diligently to try to um continue as you vote in early voting. any any
machine, any count, any municipality within your county, you can go to any machine. So, we're trying to get that same um idea here on election day. So, if you're 33 and you're supposed to go to the the high school, you can vote at
the library and this and that. It's a it's all done electronically. So, we're trying to undo the um lines of which polling place you must go to cuz that's where your board and district is. So, that's something that they've been
working on. Um other than that, and in regards I'll jump on also the website, I'm just want to thank all the department heads and everybody else that has been involved with um updating their pages and their content and adding new
um information. We're excited for what we are going to be bringing. It's been cleaned up immensely. It is going to be extremely user friendly. Um so the target um is the middle of June to go
live. So we're getting there. So thank you to everybody who's had a hand in it. And that concludes my report. So thank you for your time. Thank you Lori. I'd also like to thank Amarie Sasso because she's been playing a very big part in that also with uh many many meetings
before the uh actual work on the website uh took place and she's still working with Lisa and with uh with Lori to uh you know any kind of uh up updates or whatever. So uh Amory, thank you for uh for your time that you're putting in.
It's a lot of time. I see you there. Thanks for putting me in coach. I appreciate it. this this has been on the table long before I arrived and uh it's we got a great team. So, I'm uh thrilled. It's going to be great for the residents. So, thank you. You're
welcome. Lori, just one question uh with regard to So, is the what you mentioned that you can go to any polling place at the general election to vote? Is that in effect now or is that going to be in effect? It's not in effect now. Okay. um
just during the early voting period at the library, right? You can you can go there. Anybody of the county can go and vote. Um you can vote in West Milford just during early voting at this point, but we the clerks um are trying to get
the same scenario on election day and it may even cut down on some of the polling sites that we have open, but but we'll see. Okay. It's a work in progress. Thank you, Mr. President. Uh, that concludes our administration report. Uh, we'll answer any questions
that the council may have. Questions, Dominic. I have questions, but it's going to take a long time. I think, Michael, longer than Eric's report. Who determines what who determines the property? Like you're talking pan chemical. We know it's contaminated. Who determines you can put housing on there
or not? You know what I'm saying? What the process is we as a municipality begin by looking at all vacant and developable sites, right? And when we finish with that analysis, we are required to next look to all sites that
within the next 10 years are likely to redevelop. So, while the pan chemical site is still undergoing cleanup and is a long way from being clean, um there is no question that within the next 10 years, it's going to clean up and be
ready for redevelopment. So, as a result, we have to count that acreage in our uh housing element and fair share plan at least for determining what's called our RDP, the realistic development potential. What we do with
the site is another story alto together but it has to be included at least for counting purposes. The state does to answer your question no further action report that states it's not contaminated but the DCA the department of consumer affairs determines this even though it's
an industrial contaminated site. Well the DCA doesn't know the um the DCA determines the number of units that we have to build. No, no. They um they only determined an initial hypothetical number which we fought from 300 down to
200. Um ultimately what decides the number of units is going to be the superior court. Um if if for instance if we decide we'll play it out. We say the
pan chemical site is not one that's good for housing. And we'd say we just don't want housing there because it's zoned industrial. It is contaminated. When when we said that last round because quite honestly it's showed zero movement
towards any kind of cleanup since that time. It's been leveled. It is cleaned up in terms of the buildings being removed. the ongoing treatment is there and we have a developer now who is ready to finish the e you know the
environmental cleanup of the site. So because of that that site will be available for redevelopment sometime within the next 10 years. Um and then the question would become so s we leave it out. I can assure you that that developer will have us in court tomorrow
morning. It'll be we'll file our report on June 30th and on July 1, that developer will have us in court and instead of us determining what goes on that site, a judge will determine it. And we won't get a three-story building. I can assure you of that. We will get a
six-story building, fivetory, something far bigger because Fairshare Housing and the Builders Association will be behind them. Um, it's not a great scenario, but that's what we're looking at. I'm waiting you, Frank. You're the man. Well, he didn't answer the question he
asked, Mike. Yeah. He said, "Who determines it's clean enough to put residential?" Oh, no. Who determines it's clean enough? That's what he said. I didn't understand you to say that. Sorry. I gave a very long answer. Otherwise, you didn't. Frank did answer it. I know. It's the D It's the D.
It's actually an LSRP. You're right, though, about the answer being longer than you thought. Sorry, Frank. It is an LSRP with DEP oversight and blessing. True. Raina, I had a follow-up question about pan
chemical. Not for Michael to answer. I'm going to go with Raina. Raina, you think she's shorter? You thought that's going to be better? I It's an easy question. All the tarps that were covering that large mound of dirt have disintegrated and are gone. Who's
responsible for putting new tarps on? The property owner clean up. Honestly, that pile has been there for a very long time. Yes. And there are storage tanks on that property. Can we start giving property maintenance because they shouldn't be there. They should be
removed. And I believe there's drums there, too. We certainly we have a scheduled meeting with the property owner coming up and we will say it's time for you to start throwing, you know, cleanup into high gear. One of the problems that's happening there is that
a court has determined that Pan Chemical is responsible to clean the property. Since Pan Chemical no longer owns the property, it's moving at a very, very slow pace and its insurance carrier, which is also funding the cleanup, is
moving at a very slow pace. uh the individual who now owns the property and controls its redevelopment is willing to speed up that pace, but he's not going to speed up the pace if he can't build something on it. And that's where we are. I'm just looking for the tarps that
were there and some remnants. I gave a long answer again. Property owner. We could have recycled them. Now we could have recycled them. Nice. We really should get property maintenance out there to put those tarps back on. Could we move on? Anything else? I'm fine. I'm
fine. So, of course, it's with the same subject matter. I'm going to try to keep it as brievated as I can. So, theoretically speaking, we're responsible for 200 affordable housing units over the next 10 years. Theoretically speaking, and I know there's credit for rehabilitation of
certain units. Let's just go with 200,000. I'm just trying to do the math in my head. How many developed units does that 200,000 mean? 500. two 200 units. It's 20% of whatever figure we have. So there'll be a thousand total
new units of construction. We've determined it just gets tight when we talk about No, no, no. I can tell you, you know, I can tell you that John's report and I've read it and we've gone through it in in detail will say that the realistic development potential of
this town is 23 affordable units over the next 10 years. So that is 20% of what's that about 115. So can which is in the hopper already which 115 No it's not but 115
including a goth road. No that was in the last round. So 115 new units being developed in this town in the next 10 years is realistic. That's not unrealistic. So we're looking at 23 affordable units and a unmet need of
177. I will tell you that fair share housing and the builders association will challenge that too and said we need to build more. We need to build at greater density. We're going to get sued no matter what. That's going to happen because we simply will never win that argument because we can't satisfy that.
The other part of my question is um for myself and for the resident's benefit, we know that we're not making this request. This is a you know being put on us. Are there other ingredients that come into play when making this uh
requirement on all of the municipalities? Because we have more responsibility than just developing the housing. We have the infrastructure uh requirements. We have to educate the children that will be living in these houses. What about that huge component
to developing these properties? The the state of New Jersey says suck it up. We don't care. Well, we have to care, right? And so this is part of our consideration in making these decisions. So one of the progress is wonderful and I want it but it has to make sense for
the rest of the foundation of the town. We can't collapse if you know we have to be responsible in these decisions. So it's part of our decision-m. So some of the considerations that you speak of are just those which are the infrastructure will it support um are we building
housing in areas where we can physically support it? The other thing is kids in school. That is an issue. Um the the positive if there is one is that every developer who wants to build in Hawthorne now wants to build apartments. The number of school kids who are
generated from apartment complexes are very small. Um the minimal numbers so which is good because our school population I don't know that we can say that for sure. No, it's we can absolutely say the history and the
statistics make that an absolute um you know, nobody wants to believe it, but there's developments in North Hilton that have gone in with 200 units and they said there'll be 10 kids, there's 11. I mean, it's like that fine. The numbers are really
there. So, um we we the school kids is not going to be the issue. And frankly, we have capacity in our schools. what we don't have necessarily is going to be infrastructure capacity uh for water storm water carrying and the like. So, and developers are going to have to
address those issues. That's a big concern uh for me. I want to, you know, be a part of making good decisions for the entire town. Um progress is wonderful and we we want to grow. We want to grow in a positive fashion and increase um uh uh improve
our makeup, right? Um, but I am concerned about that for for us as a whole. So, we want to make good decisions. And look, we're going to get sued no matter what if somebody doesn't get their way, a developer. We can't stop that. You know, towns all over the state are suing going against this
jagged pill that we're getting in terms of the affordable housing. It's going to happen just like you say it's happening. You get doled out 300, they'll come down to 200. And every developer that isn't going to get the quantity they want is going to sue. But the good news is this and this is why I say to you I urge you
to take positions that are understanding what the consequence are. So if we are in the court with let's suppose take take any parcel of land and we say this should be developed at x number of units
per acre x stories and we create all that and the developer wants more. The fact that we have already created the zoning that says here's what fits with our town actually gives us a significant leg up than if we just say we are
excluding this piece of property and we allow the developer to come in with a blank canvas in front of him and we've got a indefensible position. And if we are going to say no, you get to build zero on that site, we will get what
Anglewood Cliff's got, which is thousands of units of housing that they didn't want because they played it. That's an apple toapple situation, but I don't disagree with you about being compliant to the degree that we can, right? and to try to take it's it's one
of those things where you try to take control over that which you can control and uh do what you can to make things work. Thanks. I appreciate it. Bruce or no? I have a couple questions. Um for the
down street service that we're awarding tonight, the roller hockey rink, do we have a time frame, Eric, when we're planning on uh doing the work? Yeah, it has to be over the summer. So, so the end of June. Yeah, they they will start once uh the school school is out and
they will have to be done uh before um school is back in session. I think the estimate is for like four or five weeks total for the the project. So, if they start on time, they'll be done well before Labor Day. Okay. So, school ends
June 17th. the uh the agreement that was passed with the uh with the board of education uh states that work can't start until July 1st I believe but um and previously we were told it's not a
two not even a twoe pro project correct no it'll take approximately four to five weeks four or five weeks okay my memor is wrong okay so it's time is of the essence so if they started July 1 they have to start July on.
Okay. Rain is going to play a factor, I'm assuming. Um, it's not going to rain July. I checked. What about the second, third, fourth, fifth? No guarant. So, all right. Thank you. I'm not It It leaves a
few weeks of leeway. So, it shouldn't be an issue. All right. Okay. I mean, the good thing about this, there is nothing that the contractor has to order. It's just a matter we it's labor. We award the contract. We get the contract documents signed. We have a
pre-construction meeting and then they schedule the start for when we want them to start. There's nothing has to be ordered that we have to wait for delivery on what we that's already been ordered and it will be delivered in time for the contractor to start. And and
this contractor has not ever failed us. So well and there also lights that you could work a longer shift if you had to. you know, not saying right to double shift, but you can work till 6 or 7 o'clock. Well, let's face it, if you put Kevin downs on the job, it's going to happen. It brings a lot of comfort actually. What was your second question?
So, my second one, Eric, for the um NJIB, the phase two and phase three, did we get any principal forgiveness or are we getting a low interest? I don't know yet. We we submit everything and then they will make their determination. So
at the end I you know I think after everything goes into them but I I'm not that familiar with the process but that's my understanding however accurate or inaccurate it might be. First you have to pass the bill before you know what's in it.
Okay. Thanks Mike. We heard that before. No I have nothing. Thank you. Joe. Nothing. Okay. Have a motion. Anything else? No, that's all. Thank you. Have a motion to record the administrative agenda. Motion by me. Second. Second by
Bennett. All in favor? Motion carries. Introduction of ordinances. We have none. But then we'll move on to our public hearing for the 2025 municipal budget. I now open the meeting to the public. Anyone desires to be heard on the 2025 municipal budget of the Burough
of Fort, please come forward to the microphone. State your name for the record. Seeing no one, I entertain a motion to close the public hearing of the 2025 motion. Second. Motion by Bennett, second by Neely. All in favor? I.
Okay. We have budget resolutions. We have BR1-25 is authorization to read the 2025 municipal budget by title and BR2-25's adoption of the 2025 budget of
the burough of Fortn County Pay. It's not on my agenda. We want to see it. That was what she went to get. That's what she made a copy of. It was on your old agenda. On the old one. And I'm glad I had the old one because that gave me the stuff to read. Mine.
So, can I have a motion? So move second by Bennett, second by Leosa. Roll call. Council President, I apologize. Um we actually need roll call separately for each of these. That's what I thought, but we got them combined. Okay. Go back.
Do you want um this one? One of these has it the right way. No. So BR5-25 is to authorize to read the 2025 municipal budget by title 0125. Can I have a motion? So move
second. Motion by Bennett, second by Leosa. Roll call. Bennett, yes. Leosa, yes. Millie, yes. Sasso, yes. Skiara, yes. WKI, yes. Matthews, yes. Motion carries. BR2-25, adoption of the 2025 municipal
budget, Bur of Horththornne County, Pake. Have a motion. So move second. Motion by Bennett. Second by Leosa. God bless you. Roll call. WKI. Yes. Skiara. Yes. Sasso. Yes. Millie. Yes. Leosa. Yes. Bennett.
Yes. With apologies since that seems to be the style tonight. Matthews. No. No. Resolutions. Let me go back to the new one. We have cassette agenda.
R74-25 through84-25. R74-25 is a pool change fund. R75-25's NJIB note sale. R76-25's NJIB note sale. R74-25. Nope, forget that.
Never mind. I'm working on three different agendas here. R77-25 is the award of the 2025 and 2024 road improvement programs to DLS contracting. R78-25s award of the contract for the
purchase and delivery of calcium hypocchlorite chloride for drinking water uh kyon coin coin chemical R 79-25s awarded the contract for the roller hockey rink board replacement to down tree service
R-25's professional services arcgis online services and support Boswell Engineering R81-25 is authorized application for the DOT T 2025 LIF grant and central AB drainage improvements.
R82-25 authorize grant writers to submit the NJ DOT 2025 Lif grant application and R 83-25 is to authorize membership to Somerset County Co-op pricing system and R84-25
is emergency repair of effent pump one at South Station to rapid pump. I have a motion. So moved. Second. Motion by second. Second by Millie-25. No, there is no 85-25. No, Eric. This is different than the pump.
Very. Yeah. This this pump is at the south uh station. Yeah. No, I want to confirm that we pulled 85. That's what I thought. Okay.
Oh, we're full now. Well, it didn't make the second round. Yeah, it didn't get the first. It never really came into existence. It was in discussion. It was on the agenda, but it never materialized. So, that's why it's not here tonight. Okay. Roll call.
Bennett, yes. Leosa, yes. Mey, yes. Sasso, yes. Skiara, yes. WKI, yes. Matthews, yes. Motion carries. Reports of special committees. Joe, we'll start your way. Excellent. Let's start with the board of health. Rabies clinic is
May 13th in the pool parking lot. Now, just on the subject of geese with board of health, um board of health is asking that any of the any of the teams that are playing at any of our fields to please close the gates um after the
geese have their babies. They refuse to fly. So, the parents always stay with the geese. So, if you close the gate, they can't get back in onto our fields and more than likely stay in low drainage areas. So, please close the gates behind them. Switching to Shade
Tree Commission, we're looking for a community forest grant. Um, we're also looking for a see a Kind grant for the shade tree with an updated inventory. Um, and I'd also like to put to plug if any shade tree concerns or pruning,
please call 4275555 option six. That is all. No, not tonight. Um, not tonight. Bruce, no sir. Murray. Okay. The board of education met
last night and um I will first announce that they did approve their budget and we know that that's no easy task especially when they lose a lot of their state funding. So uh I applaud them for getting through that hurdle and um I first want to just say that there the high school student council ran the
meeting last night seamlessly. These kids impress me to death and um I would like to formally ask us to do that one time a year. how this we have. We have the schools didn't want to do it anymore. Are you kidding? I kid you not. Mr. Ward from the high school used to
coordinate for board of ed and the high school and the council. Take him out for dinner. We don't count. We would take him out to dinner. We would show him around the missile building. They they tore the building with the mayor. Wow. Uh and then they decided when he retired, we're not doing it anymore. Well, Laura used to give them a quiz.
That's right. Well, they ran the entire meeting. They performed as who they were sitting with and it was really good. It was always an enjoyable event when they came. Yeah, it sure was. Oh, well, maybe we can. Okay, done. Forget it. I'm not done. Good try, though. Jeez Louise.
They did um welcome the new superintendent, um Mr. Matt um Minganelli from Wayne. So, welcome to our town, Matt. Um welcome to the family. And of course, they're saying goodbye to uh our Dr. Rick Spino on his well-deserved retirement. He certainly
has left his mark on all of us. The children um gave retirement awards to well-deserved um retiring um professionals throughout the school system and they also acknowledged um and congratulated the 2024 2025 governor
educators of the year in summation. Congratulations to everybody who works for us, works for our children, works with our children, handles our children every day. We thank you. We applaud you. And to those who are fortunate enough to be retiring,
Godspeed. The next meeting for Board of Education will be held June 10th at the Horththorn High School at 7 p.m. That concludes my report. Look at Look at this. Look at all the stuff she know. Nothing or
something. Unbelievable. What? Whatever you Whatever you say, Am we liked it down here. Thank you. Good job. Good job, Amory. Wonderful. How about you, D? When I'm done, I'd like Are we done? I'd like to acknowledge our fire department on last a week ago, Tuesday morning,
there was a fire on 6th Avenue, a garage fire and again they saved the house was really going and then this on Monday morning at Columbia Bank there was a overheated fan and our boys, our boys I should say, the fire department, excuse me, Joe, our fire department went there
again and saved the building like 4:00 in the morning. 4:00 in the morning. You weren't there, Mary, were you? Of course. Yes, he was. He was sleeping. Wow. Wow. So, I want to just acknowledge that they do a fabulous job. They're volunteers like Ambulance Corps and they do a great job. So, thank you.
Okay. Chamber of Commerce wants to remind everyone that this week is small business week. So, please shop local and support our local businesses. The more you support them, the more they can help us when it's time to ask them for events and and things like that. planning board met last evening and as our attorney
outlined he discussed the redevelopment plans and time frames that we won't go into again and that's all I have correspondence we have none but we have bills have a motion to approve the bills and forward them to the treasurer
for payment so moved motion by ski second by second Millie okay roll call Woody abstain on the fire department. Yes. On all others. Skiara abstain. Ridgewood press. Yes. On all others. Sasso. Yes. Mey. Yes. Leosa
abstain on Horththorn Environmental Commission and yes on all others. Bennett. Yes. Matthews. Yes. Motion carries. Public comment. Now open the meeting to the public. If anyone desires to be heard, go forward to the microphone. State your name.
Did it light up green? Should see a little green ring around the There you go. Good evening. I'm Jack Lur, 319 Van Winkle Avenue. I come tonight with a
comment, a congratulation, and a question. My comment is that tonight's budget with a tax increase will be painful for some, but living in Hawthorne is still a bargain. Last year, our average property tax bill was less than our neighbors,
all of our neighbors except for Patterson. Less than Fairlon, Glennrock, Rididgewood, Wyoff, North Halen, and Prospect Park. We're doing a good job and thank you. That's my comment. It's half of what Glen Rocks is. Yeah. As you
know, I also believe in doing everything possible to find alternatives to increasing taxes. In 2021, over four years ago, I contacted the burough administrator about unclaimed funds belonging to Hawthorne. And I received the reply, "We'll look into this." Last year, I reached out again. And then in
February, I came to the council to alert you about Hawthorne's unclaimed money and offered to serve as an authorized third-party uh locator. The mayor followed up within 24 hours actually and uh said that they would rather have the
chief financial officer apply for the funds and with the budget process who were quite busy at the time. This week I spoke with Hawthorne CFO Lauri Foley and learned that the claims are being submitted. So, I want to say congratulations. How much are we getting
back? I hope that the amounts, if not large, will at least feel like it was worth the effort. I look forward to hearing how much we get back for Hawthorne. And on another topic, this is my question. I noticed that the other day uh actually I noticed today that we
have six police vehicles outside the municipal parking area on Grand with expired in uh inspection stickers, including four that should have been inspected last year, two that should have been inspected in 2023 and one vehicle that has no inspection sticker
at all. I was informed by the dispatcher that these vehicles are not being operated illegally. They're just parked there. Some of them haven't been used in over a year. I wonder if these are surplus vehicles. That's my question. Could they be sold to generate additional funds for the burrow? Will
you look into this? We have an auction every year where they take out the oldest cars. If we can rotate them into like a DPW or another department, we will. But there's generally about four cars because we try and buy uh four cars, three cars a year and then phase
out the other ones. And it's what gov.com or it's usually our auction auction site. Yeahv deals. Well, if you want to buy one act actually now with with with our with our fleet management
they will be disposed through enterprises uh uh network. Um, we get credit for it. Yes, we're getting we're getting credit for them and and we're upping the number we're getting rid of because we are downsizing the fleet as
we get newer vehicles. So, that's why there's more than four at this point because we're we're getting rid of more excess vehicles than we've had in the past. And it's not just the police department. Our DPW is going to be re getting rid of a couple vehicles that are past the life life cycle. Excellent.
So there might be a pickup truck if out there if you want to watch the two new ones there. They just came in this week, right, Mayor? We got they came in this week. They came in today. So that's why there's no stickers on them. They're also hybrid, right? Thank you for your time. I have a question for you. Yes. Why do you have two street addresses on
your front door? I've been busy with other things. Thank you so much. I'll take care of it in the next week. No, I don't care. I was just curious because it used to be an issue with your tax bill having a different address than the uh street address, but exactly. The
reason I'm asking is I was told we corrected all that and if if it has not been corrected, I wanted to follow up for you. Thank you. I don't care. It has been corrected. Okay, there you go. Appreciate it. Anyone else wish to be heard? I'd kind of like to get a second number
on my house. Go ahead. Probably had one. No, I just want to make sure that his was corrected. 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue is not available. Press the little button. Press the button. Kathy Sarapin 148 North Watch. Two quick questions. It's too bad you can't just raise your
hand when the subject comes up because Okay, so that house that is the eyes, can we find him or or We do every week. And and he just keeps paying it. No, he doesn't. No, he doesn't pay it. So then can't we sue him for not paying that? talk to Michael Kathy. What we are what
we've done is every day our inspector goes by, takes a picture and writes a summon. Uh and and I mean there's there's well over 200 summones that are sitting on the on the prosecutor's desk and uh going to the judge in Prospect
Park. And the reason that it's in Prospect Park is because the there's a conflict of interest between our judge and the uh defendant. And and the second one is just really quick. So those um new apartments that
are on Wagro Road, those are not fair housing. Yes. Those are fair housing. 17 of them are fair housing. 17. Yeah. The required. So that's why we have to do more because we don't have enough yet. Thank you very much. Well, it's a whole new round. That was third round. This is fourth round. That they came in the 2015
to 2025 round. Now we're in the 2025 to 2035 round. Fourth round. We have to find all new sites. I get Thank you very much. Anyone else wish to be heard, sir? Michael, could a new governor
potentially abolish fair share housing there? Well, no. That's what he No, that's what he said. He's h he's that's on his agenda. I understand a new governor could uh try to do things to substantially water down a lot of what's
in there, but the legislature would have to change the legislation and our courts have already ruled that affordable housing is a constitutional right. So to put your eggs in the basket
of November um it would be a very very long shot proposition. I wasn't advocating that. I was just curious as to how it works. But I mean look we do have people who try to get elected governor let's say and try
to issue administrative orders. I don't know if you ever saw anybody who tries to do that on a federal level, but he could also appeal he could also appeal it to the United States Supreme Court and they could rule on our court system and their definition of the
Constitution, which is probably more jurisdictional to be able to rule on that. I don't see that there's any likelihood of that because the decision made by the Supreme Court of this day was 1975, but it's been in control of that and no one has brought it to the federal court
to ask. Um, no, there were federal challenges to it also. But yeah. Yeah, we'll get Phil to do it. Yeah, he's pretty good at sir. Floor is yours. John Bello, 148 Washington Avenue. uh sitting home comfortably watching TV tonight, put you guys on for a minute
and immediately became angry when I listened to Michael's report about COA again and what that's doing to our town. I just want to make the public very clear because I think you all know very clear this is the Democrats in Trenton that jammed this down our throats. We have Lafayette Hills. We have 204 Wagra
Road. We have Nexus Plastics who's going to expand, put towers in because of liberal judges. There's an answer to all of this, and I disagree respectfully with Michael. January 2026, when Jack Chidurelli is our governor and we sweep this state with Republican legislators,
this will all change. The first thing on his agenda, Chidarelli, is to do away with COA. The second thing on his agenda is to start the school funding process and fix it so that our board of education doesn't get hamstrung with budgets that lose all their state aid.
It's it's disgusting what happens that the state the Trenton Democrats continue to kill our towns and they take care of their towns. You know, when when Newark's get 10 hundreds of millions of dollars in state aid and Horththornne
loses money. It's not a fair formula. When they come up with 200 fair housing units or a thousand new housing units in Horththornne when we don't have property, it's going to be pan chemical next. Then it's going to be Congress Mills and then they're going to take every little piece of property in this
town and jam high density housing into our community and ruin the fabric of what we have. So I encourage all of you to think about that when you go to the polls. Change has to come and it only comes through the election. Elections have consequences. So let's make sure we
do the right thing for Hawthorne. Thank you very much. Thank you, sir. Seeing no one else, can I entertain a motion to close the public portion of the meeting? Second by Millie, second by Bennett. All in favor? Our next council
meeting is Wednesday, May 21st at 7 p.m. Have a motion to adjurnn. Motion by, second by Sierra. All in favor? I. We'rejourned.