This meeting is called to order in accordance with the public open public meeting act. Notice of this meeting was provided to the home news tribune the star ledger the Highland Park planet on January 8th 2025 and was posted on borrow website
at www.hpbar.com at hpbro.com and on the bulletin board of borrow 221 South 5th Avenue in Highland Park, New Jersey and has remained continuously posted as required by law. Chief, can you lead us in the pledge of allegiance?
I to my right and left to flag and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. >> Welcome. Mayor Foster
>> here. Council member George >> present. >> Council member Hail >> here. Council member Hir >> here. >> Council President Kim Choan. >> Council member Pelli >> here. >> Council member Vargas >> here. >> Here. Administrator >> here.
>> Awards and presentation. Tonight we have um an award for World Mental Health Awareness Month, which is this month. And I'm going to ask Council Member Jason to please read that. >> Thank you very much, Mayor. Good evening, everyone. Uh I will get right
to it. proclamation and recognition of World Mental Health Awareness Day presented October 21st, 2025. Whereas the governing body of the Burough Highland Park is deeply committed to protecting enhancing the well-being of residents of the town and whereas through conversations with members of
vulnerable populations in town, the bureau became acutely aware of the impacts of mental health, the impacts on mental health of the comic. uh statewide studies bear out these impacts with the New Jersey Hospital Association reporting in April 2021 that a greater share of emergency department
patients presented with a mental, behavioral or drug and or substance use disorder diagnosis during the pandemic compared to prior years. Um the prevalence of these disorders increased most dramatically among children under 18 and already vulnerable population. And whereas the World Federation of
Mental Health in a recently released report, access to service, mental health catastrophes, and emergencies, points out that an estimated 22% of people who are affected by emergency situations will experience depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder, or other mental health crises.
And whereas due to climate change, the state New Jersey is experiencing an increased incidence of extreme weather events that present emergency conditions, which aggravate mental health conditions, especially among vulnerable populations. And whereas the state of New Jersey officer offers services that can assist residents in
addressing mental health challenges, Middle Sex County offers behavioral health navigators who provide free support for all residents across the county who are dealing with mental health and substance abuse disorders. And the bureau offers the services of skilled social worker who works with a range of residents that struggle mental
health challenges. And whereas the world federation for mental health recently called attention to concerns in this area by declaring October 10th as world mental health day. Now therefore I Jason on behalf of LC Foster mayor of Highland Park do hereby
commend the World Federation for mental health for bringing welcome attention to the need for robust services on the state, county and local levels to support our residents mental health needs and do in retrospect recognize October 10th as World Mental Health Day. But thanks Jason for pushing on that
one. We really needed us to acknowledge and recognize that one because it's time. We're in that season where everybody needs a little bit of mental health and encouragement. With that said, may I have a motion to to approve
minutes for September 2nd, 2025 regular meeting, September 9th, 2025 work session and executive session September 16th, 2025 regular session and executive session September 30th, 2025
work session as distributed. >> So move call. Council member George, >> I'll abstain on the second. I wasn't there on yeses to the rest. >> Council member Hail, >> yes. >> Council member Hirs, >> yes. >> Council member Ponic, >> yes.
>> Council member Vargas, >> yes. >> And now we're going to move to council report. And I'm going to start up with council member Vardis. >> Thank you, mayor. Good evening, everybody. My name is Vargas and I'm the for the arts and recreation commissions.
Um, first I want to extend my heartful thanks to the wonderful staff of the Iowa Park Community Center, Kim, Anmarie, Simone, Janet, Nicole, and Megan, as well as all the volunteers involved. Um, sorry if I'm leaving any things out. Um, they organized today's
October lunchon, which was a great event with a packed house of about 100 attendees and a fantastic Elvis impersonator who kept everyone smiling and singing along was so much fun. um the level of care and attention to detail the team puts into every event
that they organize truly shows all the services that they organize for the community. I'm very grateful for their work and for the invitation to be part of it. Um moving on to updates from our commissions way ahead of my report. Um okay, the arts commission has been very busy. They
currently have a scale grow contest and um there still have some openings if anybody's interested in um in entering that. For information on how to participate, visit the High Park Arts Commission social media pages. We do have an Instagram as well as ebook and it's also on their website at
hpartscommission.com. Participants will receive a scarecrow kit complete with burlap twine markers and a PVC um pipe frame. and they can compete in one of the three categories to win a prize. The categories are most
creative lady and Michelle. I did not come up with these but they are very cute. Um all the scarecrows will be displayed in downtown American Avenue. So look out for that. Also save the date for December 7th when the arts commission will host its poetry
festival. It promises to be an inspiring and creative event. I will not be judging it because I will be one of the participants um since I've taken up spoken words lately since I've been on the commission. So, um it's been quite fun. Uh, the
commission will also host a youth leave printing workshop in collaboration with BAS's cultural center this Sunday, October 26, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. And it's going to be at the community center, I believe. Or perhaps it's going
to be, sorry, I may have the location incorrect. Um, please go on their website or on the social medias at the correct um, location. The workshop is open to youth ages eight and up. um and just get more information um to secure a spot. Department of Community Services,
as I mentioned before, they had the event today um but tomorrow from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. they will host New Jersey property tax um event representative representatives from the division of taxation will assist residents in filing for the anchor program and the New
Jersey state um the state New Jersey program for senior homeowners. Um, please make sure to um if you are interested and you qualify, please go down to the community center um to get help and how to um apply for those programs. On Friday, October um 24th,
there will be an LGBTQ plus and aging community event at the Metex College from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. addressing important topics related to aging with the LGBTQ plus community. On November 5th from 10:00 a.m. to 11, it will be a
transit for older adults workshop designed to increase awareness of accessible public transportation options here in Middle Sex County. To register, please contact Nicole at 7328190052 extension 3115.
Um, also the Veterans Day parade is coming up on Tuesday, November 11th at 11:00 a.m. And also there will be a Thanksgiving lunchon on November 24th. The holiday lunchon will be on December 16th at
subsequent um council meetings. I will make sure to remind everybody of these dates. Recreation. Um they are now a lot of um their winter fitness classes, yoga and taichi are opening up. Um if you're interested, please register at highland
park.com. They also have youth winter basketball leagues are opening up starting November 25th for ages three for grades three to four and grades 5 to eight. Um you have to register by December 9th. There's
also a girls um basketball week for grades five through eight. Um so please make sure to go on their website to register. They're also looking for volunteer um coaches, so please contact the recreation department at 7228190052.
There'll be more Halloween events coming up. Um the Halloween costume parade and festival will take place on Sunday, October 26 at from 1 to 8 here at the community center and zone 6. Teen um the teen center zone 6 will host the
Halloween movie night magic magic bus spooky Halloween adventure on Wednesday, October 29th from 5 to 8 here um on Benner Street. There will be few snacks and treats for the attendees. The historical commission. Sorry, it's been a while since we had a meeting, so
there's a lot of updates. The historical commission has been so busy applying for grants. Um, and so stay um stay tuned for their community history project which will be they will be launching in the new year as well as a ladies and
liberty project. Both will be um I will have more information on that in future council meetings. And please reserve the date for sun of Sunday, November 23rd for the Lafi Life Waste program which will take place at the community center.
This is going to be a familyfriendly event which will feature arts and crafts exhibits refreshment and a demonstration by Carla Messenger, a representative and descendant of the Lapi tribe. Carla will also read from her children's book when the shad shadbush blooms. Um, so that's
very exciting and I'm very happy that the historical commission is bringing that to the community. Um, and that concludes my tonight. >> Thank you, Council Member Dale. >> Okay. >> Okay. Um, hi everybody. My name is Matt
Hail and I chair the economic development committee. Um, I wanted to start off by saying uh uh we had a great meeting about our track day redevelopment uh last week. We had about 100 people show up. Um uh and I wanted to especially thank Terry and Tuja and
Chris and Deb Kentlick who's our developer um who came out and gave presentations about uh about the ideas and the plans for track day. Um it was a great event. We had a lot of uh good input from people, a lot of good excitement from people about track day.
Um really excited about this project and and to get it moving forward. Um so thanks to everybody who helped put it on and thanks to everybody who presented and most importantly thanks to everybody who came and gave your ideas um putting those into the mix. Um as we move ahead with with track day. Um also wanted to
to say thanks again for the garage sale. Um this is a a great yearly event. Um, and uh, I I heard a story about um, uh, one of the participants in the garage sale um, uh, sells their goods in order
to raise money for a charity. Um, I'm not sure that we're supposed to do that, but they do it anyway. They made $5,000 on the first day, which is pretty amazing. And they had a huge set up for it. Um, but there was really really a lot of great participation um, uh, all over town and lots of great deals and
bargains. Um uh and it wouldn't be the garage sale without bulk pickup on the days afterwards and that's a a great addition. Um I know how hard it is uh to do a bulk pickup. Um so I just wanted to thank um all our folks uh who take care
of that. So that was good. Um, I also just wanted to, um, uh, earlier this month, uh, I was able to remotely join a meeting with the county, uh, EDA about all of the, um, exciting things that are going on in Middle Sex County for economic development. Um, it really
feels like we have a partner in the county uh, to to help us um, uh, with economic development. And they have a huge number of programs for small businesses. Things like paying for websites, paying for rent, paying for help um to buy buildings. Um and I know
I've said this before, but if you are a small business or thinking starting a small business, um there really are a tremendous amount of state and county resources uh to to reach out to. Um our point person on this is is Ratua and so you can certainly reach out to her um
for for details on those. But anybody who is contemplating or owning a small business, I I encourage um to to look into those resources because they really are quite extensive. Um and then just on the the same reminder, um the the end of the year as we approach the end of the
year um uh is often a difficult time for our local businesses. Um uh and I as as you're doing your holiday shopping, as you're doing your end of year shopping, um it really is important that we try and help our local businesses through kind of the doldrums of the year. They
do they do better during the year when we have people out walking about and around. Um uh but the end of the year is always a little bit tough for our businesses. So, anything you can do um to go and and shop at our local businesses. Um I'll highlight one of them. We have a new sweet shop in town,
Lea Suites. Um, uh, I am desperately trying to lose weight, so I have not ate I' have not gone there yet. Um, but soon as I get to my target weight, I'm going as fast as I can because it looks amazing. Chocolate buy chocolate things. Oh my gosh,
they're amazing. So, um, so please, if you uh uh um are not trying to lose weight, go there um uh because it it looks like an amazing place. So, and that's my report. >> Thank you. Even if you were trying to lose weight, it's it's a treat. So, it's
well worth it. They got me. They got me. It's really good. Council member, you be like me. I got an iced coffee and I got one like sweet thing. It is really good though. And they did an amazing job on the inside. >> Beautiful.
>> I mean, this is where safe drugs used to be. And this is it's just I mean it really goes to show when someone invests in these properties and they can turn it into a modern retail location. It's >> fantastic. >> Yeah, it really is. So, and like our trees, a lot of our a lot of our
commercial retail spaces are aging. Um and so on that my name is Matthew Hirs. Uh I chair the public works and public utilities committee. Um and I just have a uh slightly brief report. I'm sorry I just have in front of me. There we go.
Um on first reading tonight you'll see a uh ordinance 252110 or the first reading um addressing bamboo um as as many of you know bamboo is a highly invasive and destructive plant species um that has been prohibited in in residential planting in
neighboring townsville Edison Piscataway uh and now park is moving forward on doing on doing the same. Uh this would not penalize existing properties with bamboo but it would make sure that the bamboo is contained to the property and then obviously um uh if if it passes uh
that there would be no new bamboo planting. Um just a little context that might find that that you might find interesting. Um, this is something as as liazison of the environmental commission, uh, this is something that we've been working with for a while and thanks to the public works and public utilities committee, uh, Councilman Hail
and Councilman George, uh, for, uh, for for reviewing this as well. Um, uh, the environmental commission has been working on this, uh, and we had a goal of getting of getting this on the agenda this year. Um but really what what what brought this into you know into into
real light is um the work that we did at the Felton Avenue Tab lot um which is just a small pocket park over on Felton Avenue. Uh there is a property adjacent with bamboo and it has you know it causes a lot of it caused a lot of disturbances in the asphalt underneath. So when they went to do the new
surfacing and Terry you can speak speak to this as well. um they discovered that, you know, there would need to be something in place to prevent the bamboo from pushing through the new uh flooring of the of the park. So, here's some minor engineering feet. There's a steel beam installed 3 feet underground to
prevent the bamboo from actually encroach growing under and encroaching, but that's how invasive it is. It can really find a way and it can be really destructive. So, this is um this is long overdue and I got thank thank you mayor and council president for making sure that this is on the agenda. Uh just a
few other things. Uh Sustainable Highland Park will hold its monthly meeting uh tomorrow at 7:30. Join us online or in person. We are hybrid. We're going to be meeting downstairs in person um at the meeting room uh here at the municipal building. Uh new and familiar faces are welcome and we really hope to see you there. It really has
turned into kind of a catchall for environmental activism, environmental interest, stewardship, anything. Uh as folks really look for ways to get more involved and get their hands dirty on the local level. Um, if you still have a few things left after the townwide garage sale, uh, uh, Sustainable
Highland Park has identified some local spots where you can donate or rehome them sustainably. Um just uh and I had this up here, but if you if you can find that resource on their Facebook page uh at Sustainable Highland Park uh and please check it out because if you did
miss the vote on the bolt collection as uh Councilman Pal said, uh well, not only do you have one more day, but you may want to find an opportunity to repurpose some of those items instead of going into a landfill. I hate seeing that stuff go into landfills, but sometimes that's the only option, obviously. Um, so on uh there was a bulk
pickup uh today uh October 21st and then there's another one on Thursday, October 23rd. So if you have additional items that you need to leave curbside, uh please put them out, but um put them out by tomorrow evening just so they're not sitting there um all day. Uh the borrow will collect curbside bulk trash in all
uh Hannah Park neighborhoods. And these are the two um pickups where you do not need an appointment. Uh please note that materials may be placed at curbside. This is the This is the uh this is the preamble. Uh no sooner than 1 hour before sundown of the day prior to
scheduled pickup and they need to be properly secured or bundled. Uh and there is a list of acceptable items on the burough website at www.hbro.com. Why? Because it can be a tripping hazard. Our sidewalks are narrow. A lot of folks are walking. We really just
need to make sure that uh the stuff does not uh does not encroach upon our walkways. And and and and and roadways. Um, however, I'm sure many of you have seen the uh the postc garage sale gatherers out uh and I love that.
Uh um you know, just getting getting what's left and hopefully finding some new treasures. Uh and then finally, please remember that there's no recycling collection this week uh in L for instead we're doing the bulk pickup. Recycling collection will resume next week, the week of October 27th. Uh check
out sustainable the sustainable spotlight uh this week um on again on um sustainable HP uh on Facebook. Uh it features Highland Parks resident Will Payne and his work with the little free garden. Uh it's really cool. So please check it out. Um Woodbridge Avenue.
You've noticed some road work and road reconfiguration on Woodbridge Avenue. I hope everybody is dealing with that as best as they can. I certainly am as I leave town every morning and drive on Woodbridge Avenue and have to kind of adjust to the new to the new road uh configuration. Uh there there is no
parking on either side of Woodbridge Avenue right now from Vulker Street to Kra Road which is just over the Edison border. And this allows the contractor to uh work on the roadway for the um and and to stage their equipment in preparation for uh the construction activities which are water mane uh
replacements. Uh this project will transition into a roadway reconstruction phase uh over time. This will include new curbs, sidewalks, storm water drainage, and repaving of the project area. Um we are grateful to the county road. So we're grateful to the county
for its collaboration on this. Uh and we definitely appreciate uh the patience of residents and businesses particularly along the corridor. If you have any uh concerns or any um uh or any concerns, please reach out uh and we will be sure to address them. Uh early voting uh
starts this Saturday, October 26th. It's uh and that'll be through Sunday, November 2nd for the 2025 general election. Hours are Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 pm. No appointment is necessary. If you are registered in Middle Sex County, you can vote at any
of the locations available that are also you can find find them online at Middle Sex CountyJ.gov. Um, but East Brunswick, Edison, Monroe, New Brunswick, Oldbridge, Kamboy, Scatteraway, Serville, South Brunswick, and Woodbridge, many of those are very adjacent to Highland Park. And so it's a
really great opportunity. I voted early in person last year and uh it was really cool. Uh, and um, I just wanted to uh, thank everybody for the uh, uh, it was great to see everybody on the townwide garage sale. It's always a really great community event. We did not make $5,000,
but we didn't have a good cause either. So, it was uh, it was just to get rid of junk. Uh, but that is the spirit of it and it's a really uh, I always feel that it's a great community building event. So, thanks to Century 21 and uh police and everybody else who makes this uh uh
herculean task go seamlessly. That's my report. Thank >> Thank you, >> Council Member George. >> Uh thank you, Mayor. Good evening, everyone. I'm Phil George and I'm the leazison between Council and the public
safety agencies in the town. U also want to uh thank the entire town for a great yard sale. It was a lot of fun. Uh there was a just a good atmosphere in the air and everybody was just having a lot of fun talking with everybody. It was a
delightful time. Uh in the police department coming up, we have the trunk or treat Halloween event on Wednesday, October 29th at the community center from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Uh it's become something of an event. And if you've caught the last two years, people
are really going out of their way to decorate their cars, make them creepy. Uh uh they have uh uh smoke coming out of them and flashing lights and everything and it's not just a little trick or treat for the kids. The adults are having a really good time. It really is quite a delight. I think it's going
to be even bigger with the signups we have so far. Uh so it's free for everyone. Just come down and enjoy and have a good have a good time. Um, the Highland Park Police Department also provided safe, effective, and quiet support for the No Kings event on
Saturday. Their vigilance, common sense, and accepting attitude helped to make this a safe and community forward event. I just want to read the following thanks that we received from uh someone uh online today with regard to the police
department. We wanted to thank you for your help in allowing us to have a successful no kings rally on Saturday. We appreciated the department's support in pulling off the rally in a safe and orderly way. The department's cooperative attitude and commitment to
providing a safe space for the exercise of our first amendment rights of freedom of speech and assembly are deeply appreciated. Um I heard that from a lot of people walking around the town both on Saturday at the event and on Sunday
as well. Um so we want thank you for taking a moment to thank our police department police force for their presence and patience especially uh with the inflatable sharks which I found fascinating. Our public safety organizations were honored last night with awards from the
Knights of Columbus at St. Paul's Church. Mayor Elsie and I were there to congratulate police officer John Larage, who was honored for his role on an emergency call which saved a child who had stopped breathing. Firefighter Ryan
Masker handled a blaze on a couch which had turned into a fire engulfing an entire room with just a handheld extinguisher until a hose could be deployed and getting the occupants out to safety as well. EMT Chaplain Becky
Lower was honored for her decorate decades of service to the organization from answering calls and emergencies to handling patients to administrative work to staffing into training. The library staff is very excited beyond words to
kick off the one book one town event which we've been talking about for months. It starts this Thursday at 7 pm. We've been talking about it for a while. the entire town will be reading the Heaven and Earth grocery store. Here's my hard copy. They gave they ordered 50
copies uh which are gone. And a lot of people I spoke to over the weekend have their own copies. Um it won't just be a one-time event. The kickoff is Thursday at 7 o'clock at the library. There's a there's music, there's food, um there's readings, there's uh introductions,
there's other events going on. And almost once a week for the next two months, there's an event either at the library or here or other venues. Um there'll be uh book readings. There'll be um uh discussion groups, art events,
films, writing workshops, collage workshops um here in the community center. Um and you you need to tune in on the on the website. The library staff is so excited about this event. Um, and they really worked hard to put it
together and I think it's going to be an absolute delight. And finally, uh, just a nod to the fire department. They continued their monthly training session. The last one was really something. They were doing emergency vehicle extractions. And there's nothing
more fun than the sound of a chainsaw on bare metal while we were watching it and practicing. Um, I I I did lose quite a few fillings, but it was interesting watching everybody do the work. Um, these are real hands-on training with
our professionals as our full-time as well as our volunteers and the volunteer squad turnout is really great. The training is phenomenal and our department is really stepping it stepping up uh to the mark. Thank you, Mayor.
>> Thank you, Council Member Post. >> Thank you, Mayor. My name is Jason Stalick. I chair the Health and Human Services Committee. Um, and then so within that realm, so first up in my report for tonight, I wanted to highlight an item on the agenda, and that's resolution 10-25-239,
which supports the passage of the New Jersey Immigrant Trust Act. So, what this resolution does is support legislation at the state level to essentially codify the long-standing costs and practice of the state to let our local law enforcement officers focus on doing their jobs and keeping our
communities safe. It's been working well certainly here and it deserves to be continued. Uh we don't need our local police officers focus being shifted away from protecting our families, friends, and neighbors to instead being conscripted into carrying out the federal government's responsibilities. And this is all the more necessary right
now when we see the current federal administration's approach to immigration enforcement. So, I ask my colleagues to support this resolution and hope to see this legislation ultimately passed uh with any amendments needed to get it over the finish line to ensure it complies fully with the constitution and to set appropriate boundaries for local
law enforcement so they can do what's necessary to keep our communities safe. And then uh moving on to a completely utterly manner. Um it's sort of redundant of my colleague Councilman George's uh part of his uh report but uh
the human relations commission on the lesson on 2 is also in conjunction with the library hosting these upcoming one book one town uh series of events which centers around the book the heaven and earth grocery store. Yes. >> I got
you got a good one. Um, so at like Councilman George said, this Thursday, October 23rd, 7 p.m. is the kickoff event, which will feature light refreshments, an introduction to the book, an author, and a readaloud from the novel. Um, I think a couple of us
here might be participating in that reading, including myself. Um, so that will be a lot of fun. Um, and then I'm not going to repeat everything that Councilman George said about the series of events, but I just want to highlight a couple of the uh events that uh are coming up in the next few days. So, uh,
up next on the following Tuesday, October 28th, 7 p.m., we'll have an event on black and Jewish music in the 1930s. Musician Paul Shapiro presents a multimedia lecture about the musical connections between black and Jewish musicians in the 1930s, including some of the bands featured in the Heaven and
Earth Groceries program. Uh then on Tuesday, November 4th at 7 pm, there will be an all ages concert the High Standards Trio where you'll be invited to experience the swinging sounds of the clubs, bands, and promoters in the Heavenary grocery store book. The High Standards Trio revives the spirit of the
1920s with a library mix of jazz, rag time, and blues. All of those events I just mentioned will be located at the library, but as Phil mentioned before, uh there will be a number of other uh events as part of the series coming up in the the next month. um that will be
located some in the library, some here, uh some community center. So, I encourage everyone to keep an eye out, go to the Highland Park Libraries website and check out the dates, times, and locations for all these additional uh wonderful events. Uh and then just a
couple of uh few uh notes for uh before I close and that's to say that sticking with relations commission they'll be having their monthly meeting tomorrow night at 7 p.m. They'll be in a lower level conference room right here in Burough Hall, but you can also attend remotely to get the link. Go to the
burough website hbro.com to find that link. And then also tomorrow will be the monthly meeting of the commission for universal access. Um they'll be meeting at 5:00 pm uh at the fishbowl conference room right on this level right here at Federal Hall. Uh and
you can also attend that meeting uh with the link also available.com and that is my report for tonight. >> Thank you administrator. I do have a couple items here. Thank you. Um, just to jump in, I would like
to echo Councilman Hails comments regarding the meeting we held last week regarding the redevelopment on what we call tract A. Uh, the turnout was great and the conversation was really great. I did want to let you know that the materials from that meeting are on our
website. Uh you can find it if you go to hpbro.com navigate to government navigate to redevelopment and then navigate to uh the redevelopment uh tract A to D. You can find the video from the presentation
as well as the slide deck. Um so I encourage you if you weren't able to attend to take a look and if you have any questions or comments feel free to reach out to me. I'm happy to make time to hear what you have to say and your ideas. Uh so again, hpbau.com you can
find the link uh to the video for the meeting. It's also on our YouTube channel if you're familiar with that. Um need to take a moment to talk about a topic that we talk about one time a year. The annual best practices checklist. Uh which for those of you who
aren't familiar is something that the state of New Jersey requires municipalities to fill out every year as a way of gauging their practices as well as where training might be required. And it covers a host of areas from how we
operate from a financial standpoint or implementing new regulations such as lead service lines uh you know uh inspections. Um so it's uh an annual tradition and one of the reasons it's important is a it just
reminds us of all the things we're supposed to be doing. Uh, but it also is they link the completion of the survey uh to the getting all of your state aid. And so I'm pleased to report we
completed the the uh inventory. Um, you need to get at least 32 or more points to get 100% and we have met that goal. We got a score of 40. Uh, so I'm pleased to report. Um, and I mean there's always more to work on, but it's always nice to
pass with some some grace. Uh, so, um, I just wanted to make sure council was aware and the public was aware that we we do do that every year. Um, and if you have any questions about, um, any of the specific questions on the survey, I'm happy to uh, answer those questions.
But, uh, they just to let you know, they do vary those questions from year to year. So, it's not, you know, you never know what you're going to get. Uh, so anyway, I was pleased and I I do want to thank our CFO, Naria Champion, who uh took the lead on completing the bulk of
the survey and then we we finish it up together uh last week and we'll be submitting it this week um in time for the deadline. Um the other matter I just wanted to point out is another item on the agenda. Um it's uh
an ordinance we're introducing to um uh adopt the redevelopment plan for 330-334 Ritton Avenue, otherwise known as our former Wraid, a location that includes the building as well as the parking
areas in the rear. Uh we discussed it quite at length our previous work session. The primary um the plan is being adopted using the rehab statute. So there's a basically authorizes the establishment of a redevelopment plan.
Uh this is not a redevelopment area for a variety of reasons which I won't get into right now. Um and the focus of the plan is essentially around providing for some additional permitted uses for the building. Um especially in light of how
large the building is. It's a 15,000 square foot space. Uh it's designed very specifically to be a writ uh retail building. So retrofitting can be quite expensive and trying to you know basically learn from where other places
have had some success in um recruiting different tenants uh try to permit some of those uses. Among the uses uh that the plan outlines are medical uses such as urgent care um as well as potentially
child daycare uses as well as uh entertainment uh downtown kind of entertainment uses. We tried to be a little more expansive. It also includes some of the other permitted uses we've used in previous red plans. Um the other important uh element of the plan is it
links that additional zoning those permitted uses to uh a cross access easement through the property uh through to south third. So basically connecting south third uh to south fourth through the parking areas in the rear lot. Um so
the hope is that we get a win-win. will get a uh not vacant building as well as that connect important connection uh that we've been striving to get since the early 2000s. So anyway, that's on for tonight. Uh and as is a resolution to refer that plan over to the planning
board for master plan consistency review and I just wanted to make sure everybody knew what it was and and if they had any questions here opportunity. Uh and that's my report. Mayor, >> Burough Attorney Vang, >> I know everyone's favorite part of the
evening is the burough attorney's report. So, um, so, uh, I want to just expand a little bit more on on one of the council reports speaking about the ordinance that's on today, uh, specifically regarding bamboo. Um, and just to kind of explain to everyone, uh,
and a little basic overview about what the effect will be on the general public, the ordinance, uh, seeks to, it effectively grades two buckets. The first bucket is uh areas where there is bamboo already planted in the ground. The ordinance does not require you to
remove existing planted bamboo. Uh for for all intent and purposes, you are grandfathered in because it's already in the ground. The areas that do not have bamboo planted in ground will not be able to plant new bamboo. By the way,
existing properties will not be able to plant new bamboo either. new bamboo planting in any ground is going to be barred upon passage. The question then comes to back to the places where the bamboo is already in existence as to what happens if it begins to encroach.
>> Obviously, and I'm sure we everyone is sort of familiar with bamboo, it is incredibly invasive and it it chances are if you see a stalk coming through, there is a network underground which is very very difficult to control. And unfortunately, if it's not in your yard
at first, but it's now going through your foundation, you're the one who now has to deal with it. So, what the ordinance says is that you can keep your existing bamboo in your property, but if it encroaches onto someone else's property, you will then be required to remediate that that encroachment. That
may include the complete removal of all bamboo on your property depending on how extensive uh it is. Uh but what effectively will happen is you'll get a notice if you are in violation or if you're thought to be in violation, you'll get a notice from from the bureau. It will outline for you what
they believe the issue is and what they believe the corrective action would be. And at that point, I would encourage everyone, ordinance or not, to then engage the bureau to determine what's the best course to correct the problem for your property. If the problem is not corrected, because we've all
acknowledged that it is invasive, the most extreme thing the bureau can do is come in, remove the bamboo, and then put a lean on the property for the cost of doing that removal. This is not intended to target individuals. I love the way it looks, you know, and if it could just be
up on top, it would be wonderful, but we all know the reality of it. So, um, for those folks who are a little nervous because they see bamboo in their backyard and they're going, "Oh my gosh, I don't the the thought of having to rip it off." I understand. You can take preventative actions to ensure that it doesn't go into your neighbor's
property. It's probably good practice to do so. But until you've gotten a formal notice that it has encroached, you'll be allowed to keep it there. If you're looking at your backyard after the passage and going, you know, bamboo would look great. I'm sorry. You're you're you're not going to be able to do it. Um so I hope that that is kind of
gives everyone a basic understanding about how the ordinance will work in practice uh and why it's so important to do. Um the other aspect is and it's just my my daily spiel. We are coming up on the public participation aspects of this meeting. So there's two opportunities for the public to speak. The first one
is going to come right after the mayor's report. It's you'll be afforded three minutes and that's for any item on the agenda. So that your ordinance is on first reading and the resolution. So, if you'd like to to make your comments about this bamboo ordinance or something else, that's your opportunity to do so. There'll be a second opportunity for the public to speak at the conclusion, and
that is for any other topic not on the agenda that you want to bring to council's attention. These are not back and forth, so it's three minutes for you to come in to to kind of say what you have to say. At the conclusion of those time periods, the council will respond to any question that they deem fit to
respond to. Uh if there was an ordinance on passage for second reading, there would be a third opportunity for the public to speak on that ordinance alone. We don't have anything on that tonight. I know everyone's disappointed in that, but uh we'll be a little faster. So, I hope that that clarifies everything. And obviously, if you have questions, we'd love to hear. Thank you.
>> Thank you. And now it's time for my report. And I'll make it brief. And I will not be undone. And I will say that this Thursday at 700 p.m. it's the reading and I'm so excited
about the reading of the the the community reading of the Heaven and Earth grocery store. It really if you haven't got a copy, I would strongly encourage you to get a copy of it because it speaks to the time in which we are living. as a teaser. It happens
to be about a community that chooses love over fair. And it so happens that um this was done by James McBride. And it talks about a small town similar to us and the
population of blacks and Jews that decided to love each other over fear. And it's really an intriguing read. So please, please, please go out, get a copy of the book. And I think that word the the message in the book is timely.
It's needed and especially environment that we're living in right now globally in the United States. So I think it will help to make us all be a little bit more to tolerant of each other. and um the jazz, the blues, the the rag time that
you'll hear after the other stuff that's coming up really ties into the book and what the book is about and coming together of people. Um with that said, uh this past Sunday I attended Asha EMTT. They had their 25 years of
community service and this year this program was New Jersey diaper program and the Ida Kushner grant they they received the grant from the Ida Kushner Foundation and they were able to implement diapers for people around
Middle Sex County who really needed it. And Matt Felman was um a resident here in Highland Park. He really shepherd the program along with Lee Livingston and and Diane Hoffman. They really made sure that um the Ida Kushner grant went a
long way. And the awardee this past Sunday was Matt Felman and for his great work in making all of this possible for people who were diaper insecure that there is a place where you can go get free diaper free of charge. So that was
another wonderful event that I attended this past Sunday and I am going to talk a little bit more. I have been I have received a number of emails and phone calls from a lot of residents and and their frustration about the wood uh the
road work on Woodbridge Avenue. Let me explain. I think it's about 10 to 12 years now we have been trying to partner with the county to get the word the road work done on Woodbridge Avenue. Why is it needed? Why is it desperately needed?
Whenever it rains dlo the corner of Duclo and Woodbridge floods every single time for year after year after year. What has happened? They continue to fix the road but they never drilled down. Now, it's an opportunity
for them to drill the road down, to mill it down, and to get it level. So, there's actually sidewalks that will be implemented in in that space. It will avoid the flooding of water in that area. And I believe that at some point with all the milling and we'll see clear
lines so people can cross easily. So, that is going to be addressed and hopefully we'll get some trees in that area in that walkway that we can't do anything right now with. So, um be patient. It's going to take some time. I travel that way too twice a day and we
just have to all lot a little bit more time every day, maybe five minutes more to a lot to make sure that this well needed road work gets completed. Thank you. And now with that said, I am going to go
into public participation. Three minutes total per speaker on items on this agenda. Comments from members of the public attending in person will be heard first, followed by those who attend on Zoom. Anyone wishes to speak, please come up to the microphone and announce
yourself name and address. >> Oh, our microphone is off. Yeah, >> let me just move it over. >> We like it here if that's okay because we get more >> finding it the sometimes the >> Yeah, we have to Yeah. It's redundant. >> Speaking this direction.
>> Yeah. Yeah. >> Okay. All right. Well, good evening everyone. I'm Mary Curran. I live at 67 Cleveland Avenue. I know many of you know that. One of the things you might not know about me is that for the last 35 years, I've taught English as a
second language. And for 20 plus years, I have prepared teachers to teach English as a second language. Um, and you know, in addition to language development, we're also working with teachers so that they are making sure
that they um create welcoming, safe spaces for the newcomers in our community. So, I'm here tonight to ask you to pass the resolution on the Immigrant Trust Act so that we can create a safe, welcoming space for our
newcomers, for the immigrants, for the refugees who live here in Highland Park. And um I think it gives us the opportunity to do what you said happens in the book too, to really lead with love over fear, right? And um this way
we can think about those vulnerable members in our community, help them feel welcomed and safe and really put humanity forward. Um humanity first and protect those rights of the rights of
our newcomers. And um I'm sure we all want to do this to lead with humanity and lessen the fears so that our community members won't feel scared when it's time to send kids to school or to get health care that they need and um
all the things that they have a right to. So um I just want to ask you to do that. It's good for all of us, not only for the newcomers. All of us want our community to be to to receive the education or the health care etc that
they need. So please consider that request. Thank you. >> Um this is weird I'm talking to your backs. >> Sorry I'm just gonna the light is on and I apologize. Okay. Um, my name is my time is just starting now, right?
>> We're gonna try to reconnect. >> Great. Thank you. >> Um, maybe I'll just Can I move it back? Sure. Um, okay. My name is Ellen Wit. I live here in Highland Park. I also work with dire deportation and immigration
response here in Highland Park along with many other people. So I just wanted to speak in support of the resolution for the immigrant trust act tonight. Um I um feel like it's very urgent that this get passed in the legislature. I'm
very concerned that in January we may have open season on immigrants and we need to ensure that people are protected, that all of our rights are protected. Um, and if uh this is not passed, you could easily have ICE in our
communities even more. It has they have been in our community already. You all may not know that, but they have been in Highland Park. But um we need to make sure that our uh facilities, our police, our so
forth are not um collaborating in carrying out uh raids on people who are possibly immigrants. So the only concern I had or my question about the resolution is is where you're going to
direct it, uh where it will go. Um because it's very important in my mind at this point that it needs to go to this uh the speaker of the assembly uh Coughlin and it needs to go to the
president of the sen senatequtari um because that's actually who is preventing it from getting a democratic hearing in the committees. Uh there are many people who do support it. um many of the legislature is are sponsors, but
it's not getting a hearing. And if anybody wants to make any additions, changes or whatever, they're not even getting the opportunity to discuss it and make any of those changes, much less get it onto the floor of the legislature. So, uh so I just want to make sure that it is going to get to
those locations. Um and um and I think it's it's important step that we're taking. Uh I know this past weekend the know king's march I guess some people said it could be as many as a thousand people were here in Highland Park and of course there are like 50 of them all
over the state and this time I think one of the central themes actually was deep deep concerns about the conduct of ICE in in many communities. And I just want to point out just this past week, we had
someone pulled over on Route 18 and by ICE and had both the passenger and the driver's side windows broken out. They had no warrant, nothing. They just carried that out. So, it's critical that we get this kind of thing pass. Thank
you. >> Yeah. Hi, my name is Helen Ni and I've lived in Highland Park for almost 40 years and um I'm again I also volunteer with Dyer and but I wanted to speak from a different angle. I've also been a pediatric social worker at St. Peter's
Hospital for 28 years and as a social worker I've seen people seen children especially with serious depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, eating disorders, ADHD behavioral disorders that are often trauma related. Let me tell you about some of my young patients
um that I've seen at St. Peters. An 8-year-old boy who stopped eating. He became severely dehydrated, had to go to the emergency room for introvenous. A 12-year-old girl became severely depressed, had a grief reaction, and needed counseling. Um many young children with sleep disorders afraid to
go to sleep because they were worried and feared that their parent would be taken away. A teen girl who told me she hates her life. She she doesn't want to live. She stopped going to school and needed medication and counseling. All these children had one thing in common. One of their parents or even a
grandparent was detained by ICE. Immigration raids and detainment disrupts not only the lives of those detained but the lives of their family including innocent children and the children often as you know are citizens of this country. loss of income, stability, loss of housing, less food,
less medical care, less schooling, and the cases of older children, often they have to drop out of school to go to work to help support their family if their parent is taken away. So, it causes a lot of stress for everyone in the community, especially the vulnerable, the children, and it's not their fault.
They were here. They were born here. They're citizens. And there are studies that show about trauma in childhood how that impacts children's health in the future leads to poor health mental health issues an increase in addiction poor academic performance and decreased
life expectancy. There's just not enough counselors, therapists or psychologists to go around to care for these children. And these children are our future. And some kids are not going to school. They're even afraid because their parents are fearful of taking them there. Parents have stopped taking their
kids to the pediatric visit. The visits are down by about a third. Um, at St. Peters, children deserve to live their lives without fear that a parent or grandparent will be taken away from them. And the parents are working, as you know, very hard, putting in long hours, a tedious jobs that are often
very difficult. The parents care about their children's future and will sacrifice everything to help them grow up to be fully functioning citizens in the United States. So allowing waste to go on unabated in such a diverse community such as ours is unacceptable and abominable. We need safe zones at
schools and hospitals to allow the children to get the education and the medical care that they need and deserve. And we need to pass the immigration trust act because our children need and deserve protection from Thank you.
Anyone else in the Oh, >> hi. Uh, Abby Stern Cardell, Harper Street. Um, so I'll just say really quickly, thank you in advance for passing the immigrant trust act. I've heard multiple people speak about this at this council meeting before and I know that it's been a long time coming
or sometime coming. So, thank you. Um, with regard to the redevelopment plan at the Wraid space, um, I brought this up previously, so I know you've all heard from me. Um, I'd like to add a couple of points um, for specific consideration. I don't know when, um, when you all have
last walked past Irving and the Irving playground, but um, this is an area where there are kids outside playing, and you don't want to be standing around. You don't want to be looking like you're on your phone hanging out or um loitering or anything that could be
perceived as being near the children inappropriately. This is what could happen with a daycare in the a prime spot in downtown Highland Park. I am very much in support of daycarees opening in other places. I think this is
a really problematic uh potential. Um, uh, I don't know if there's really a potential of a daycare that's interested. Um, whether or not there is, including that in the redevelopment, um, packet that you have is is extremely
problematic, if that is a real possibility now or in the future. Um, I know that some of you feel you have to vote yes in order to see redevelopment move forward. As you all know, I'm a big supporter of redevelopment. um taking a little bit of time to to make
this correct because it has long-term serious implications on our town is a tiny blip in the overall benefit that we could see in that corner. um this vote and I I admit I don't fully know the process of how many votes need to happen
still but these votes um to make that could make this happen um will significantly affect our downtown and um I think these reasons along with others I've emailed you I have huge concerns about um a daycare being one of the line
items I know it's a tiny line item and an overall very good plan but every detail does matter Um, one other unrelated thing, um, garage sales, amazing weekend. I saw some of you guys. Um, I heard of a situation where a family was going to do
a bake sale and they were told by the Middle Sex Department of Health that they couldn't through a notice, which is really upsetting because that's just not in line with the attitude of our town. So, I don't know if we're getting, you know, somebody going around reporting,
but um there I I would like to see I know Middle Sex Department of Health is different from Highland Park, but I've heard some other reports of um unnecessary complaints instead of focusing our code enforcement on things like sidewalks that are really critical for our town. So, thank you.
>> Thank you. Hi, I'm Catherine Hunt down in Monro Township from come to speak in favor of passing the resolution for the Immigrant Trust Act. Have you ever wondered what you would have been doing to infer in
the Holocaust? Well, if you'd like to know, just look at what you're doing now. Pastor Nim started out supporting Hitler, but eventually he saw he was mistaken and he wrote the poem which begins first they came for the
communists but I wasn't a communist so I didn't speak up and then it goes on to different groups of people and finally they came for me and there was nobody left to speak up for me. Today in the US, the path to authoritarianism is
being built on the backs of immigrants faster than many of us anticipated. The fascists have started with immigrants, but they will not end with immigrants. Unless all of us step up and speak out eventually and pretty soon, they are
going to come for all of us. which is why we need to step up right now and wrap our arms around our immigrant brothers and sisters because they are the ones who are feeling the pain right now. But eventually that pain is going to manifest and it's going to be
directed towards the rest of us. It will take we the people to defend our democracy. That is why we need to hope that you will join us in the fight. What more can we and you do? Well, this is
the my turn, your turn part. Those of us in the community have been involved with our churches and our community groups. And one of the things that we've done is that we train. We train know your rights. Do you know your rights training for individuals,
businesses, even the warehouses? Well, in Chicago, the city is doing know your rights training block by block. your turn. What do you think you can do
as Highland Park City Council? And we accompany we accompany people to their court appointments, to other appointments, to medical appointments, to school when to help them shop, when
they're afraid to go by themselves. Nurture >> 30 seconds. What can you do? in there and ask you to please support the Immigrant Trust Act. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Hi, I'm Tony Faber from Scotch Plains.
Thank you for allowing me to speak here today. Uh, in case anyone here thinks Katherine may have been being overly alarmist by comparing the actions of ICE to to fascism, I'll point out that we now have uh overund I'm, if you didn't guess, speaking in support of the
Immigrant uh Trust Act resolution. Thank you. Uh, we have over 170 instances of American citizens being arrested or detained in raids. And I'm talking American citizens being indefinitely detained without being charged. Uh so if
you think this is only about immigrants and not the rest of us, uh one would be mistaken. Uh ICE is behaving illegally, which is a key reason we have to step beyond what we would ordinarily do to support this resolution. Uh they are not
respecting the need for warrants. As has been mentioned here many times, they are tricking, bullying, or even just breaking their way into homes, cars, and businesses to carry people away. Uh we can't rely on the federal court system
to stop this from happening. Uh the federal court system either supports these actions or the administration is ICE is defying them. There are 27 reports of ICE using tear gas in Chicago after a federal court ordered them not to do so. Gassing local police and
reporters in many instances. Um you know that uh ICE has refused to allow inspections of its facilities. You know this from Delaney Hall here in New Jersey, but this is happening all over the country. Uh and as I said, we can't allow on the courts. Uh the ninth uh
circuit basically said that uh in allowing uh the National Guard to support ICE in Portland that uh it expressed the opinion that courts cannot challenge a president's use of troops for civilian use. Uh and the Supreme
Court has also supported uh uh searches without a warrant based on merely the appearance or skin color of people to detain them for this. So this is obviously I know you all know an extremely serious situation. So I ask that like has been said that you not
only support the resolution, advance this over to Scuturi in the Senate, Coughlin in the Assembly, and also look at any other places locally that you may see make may make a difference uh in making sure that our communities stay
safe. Thank you very much. >> Anyone else in the public? >> Terry, easier one hand up on Excuse me. I have one hand up on Zoom. Okay. So, we'll go to that first. >> Duncan, if you could just confirm it's
you. >> Hello. I'm uh on Duncan. I'm actually Rav Duncan's son. >> Okay. >> Uh yes, I live in Highland Park on Lawrence and I'm a high school student.
So, one thing that we learn in high school is that this nation was built off of the backs of immigrants. You see, this nation has pro um prided itself in supporting immigrants and it is honestly
dishonesting or is heartfelt to hear what ICE is doing. They go they take people off of streets and they unconstitutionally do this. This is not allowed. You cannot make people just disappear if they are a citizen. And imagine being in school sitting and not
worrying about what your class and homework, but worrying about, you know, your parents being not there when you go back home. And it is taxing on the mind. I mean, stress at this age is common, but this type of stress is just
unhealthy. And I think that's why it's so crucial that we have to pass the immigrant uh trust act because it's not one thing just to pass it here but to push it forward. I mean I cannot vote I
cannot vote for governor. So, I cannot really push my opinions of this further than just saying to you today to vote on this act, but to not only do that, but to push it forward, to give it passed so
that New Jersey can vote on this before January and so that we can protect, you know, these citizens who are here. Thank you. >> Immigrants. >> Oh, and immigrants. And I'd like to quickly ask if is possible for Ravit Duncan to talk after this as well. I
don't know if that's possible. >> Go ahead. >> Hi, I'm Ravit Duncan. I'm his mom. I live in Lawrence also. Uh I wanted to first of all thank you for putting this resolution uh up. I think it's very important. Uh thank you also Jason uh
Pastelli for speaking in favor of it. Um, I think everyone has already said pretty much uh all that that needs to be said. It's critical. It's critical now more than ever. I want to implore you one more time to see this step as a
first step, right? Passing it in Highland Park. Super important. That's the first step. I'm I'm begging you to use every leverage, every power, every network uh opportunity that you have to push on the legislature
uh to push on anyone that you think has power to push on this legislator on the legislators. It's really really important that we get this done to protect our communities um and our immigrants uh who uh live here, who you
know shop at Highland Park, uh who support uh the town in so many the the burough in so many different ways. So, thank you. Please pass this and and please continue to push on it. >> Thank you. Anyone else? I do see one
other hand up. Lauren Antelino, you can confirm it's you. >> Hi. Yes. Yeah. My name is Lauren Antelino. I live on Highland Avenue in Highland Park and I'm also here to voice my support for the Immigrant Trust Act. I think it's really important that we
protect all members of the community. One thing I love about Highland Park is how diverse it is and I'd love for all of my neighbors to feel safe in town. And I would also urge you to continue moving this forward. As many other people have mentioned tonight, um this
is something that needs to gain some traction at a statewide level. Thank you. >> All right, mayor. That's all we have. Thank you. >> Okay, seeing that none, may I have a motion to
close public participation? >> So move. >> Second. Roseville. >> Council member George, >> yes. >> Council member Hail, >> yes. >> Council member Hirs, >> yes. >> Council member Pelnik, >> yes. >> And council member Hort.
>> Yes. >> Um, ordinance requiring a first reading. Cler, could you please report an introduction of ordinance number 25217? An ordinance adopting the redevelopment plan entitled 330 334 Rton Avenue
redevelopment plan pursuant to NJSA 4A12A.1 EDSC by the economic development and planning committee for consideration of passage on first reading by title. >> May I have a motion to approve ordinance number 252117
on introduction? >> Second roll. >> Council member Hor. >> Yes. >> Council member Hail. >> Yes. >> Council member Hirs. >> Yes. Council member Pristanic. >> Yes. >> Council member Vargas. >> Yes. >> Ordinance number 25-2118.
Cler, please report an introduction of ordinance. >> Ordinance amending chapter 303 of the Burl High Guard code entitled property maintenance to include article 5 entitled bamboo plants by the health and human services committee for consideration of passage on first reading by title. May
>> I have a motion to approve ordinance? >> Second. Roll call. Council member, >> yes. >> Council member Hail, >> yes. >> Council member Hirs. >> Council member Calic, >> yes. >> And council member Vargas. >> Yes.
>> Okay. Now we move to the consent agenda uh resolution. May I ask any member of the council if there's anything that they would like on the consent agenda to be separated and pulled on this consent agenda? I'd like to separate 12 in.
>> Okay. All right. With the separation of 12 in. Okay. May I have a motion to approve 12 A minus 12 N through 12B? So move.
Second. >> Roll call. Council member George. >> I see that we're reappointed. um judge at Herman to the position of municipal judge. It's been an institution and a very fair and caring municipal
judge who has shown a lot of us the way to do things right and vote. Yes. >> Council member Hail. >> Yes. >> Council member Her >> concur regarding judgement. Yes. >> Council member Piston. >> Yes. >> Council member Vargas.
>> Yes. >> Thank you. Now we're going to go to 12n resolution to support the passage of New Jersey Immigrant Trust Act. Senate bill number 36. Um Senate Bill number 3672, Assembly
Bill number A4987. We separated that out. So we're going to that's was separated for a separate vote. So I'm going to call um everyone individually. Um, coun council member >> need a motion. >> Need a motion. May I have a
move? >> Second. >> Okay. All in favor? >> Okay. Roll call. >> Council member George. >> I wish it was as easy to eliminate an invasive steering species like ice as it
was to eliminate bamboo. Uh, that being said, there's a message that goes along with this. Um, and that is it is critical. No matter who you support, what you believe, what party you're from, we have to get our damned
asses out and vote simply because it will be gone by next year if we are not careful. There are people out there who reinvented the brown shirts in Germany in 1932. And if you don't believe it,
read Vulkar Oric's volume one of the rise of Hitler. They are the same. And it is frightening how subtle and easy it is to do it because as you said, we got rid of the communists. But I didn't
care. I wasn't watching. And so it goes. Highland Park was in the leadership early on, you know, during the first round of immigrant enforcement was back what, Matt? 2015, 2016, >> 2007, and then 2017
>> when we when we adopted our our own particular version. And I think that since that time, we've remained resolute with the police department, especially under the new management that we've had for the last decade or so. Uh adamant in
that um this reinforces our commitment to that and also takes it to the state level as well. Um the immigrant immigrant trust act will not be an end all for everything, but it certainly shows the commitment. We have to show
the commitment of Highland Park. We have to show our neighbors um that we're committed to this for all of us because it is coming. And I vote yes. >> Council member Hail. >> Um
I want to thank everybody who came out tonight to support this resolution. Um it's an incredibly important and it's a significant issue and it's worthy of a a strong discussion. All the arguments that were made tonight um are are compelling. There's no doubt about that.
Everybody has seen the horrific videos of masked ICE and Homeland Security thugs taking people into custody whether out with or without cause at the direction of the chief bully in charge. That's not the America that I love and it's certainly not who we are or who we
should be as a people. This deserves our full attention and our full fight. But at this time, I'm not sure that I agree that the Immigrant Trust Act, as it stands, is the way to do it. I know that's not what people want to hear. I know that it would be a lot simpler and
a lot easier to just let it pass without comment or concern. But I do have some comments and concerns, and staying silent isn't what any of us should be doing at this time. So, I wanted to let people know what my concerns are.
First of all, we're being asked to pressure the state legislature to take legislators to take up the ITA before the upcoming elections. There's currently no voting days that are scheduled before the election. That would mean that the legislature would have to call a special session in order
to pass this. And in my mind, that would mean that there is an intense focus on that special section. It would become the only thing that is talked about in the final days of the election. and putting on my political science professor hat, I argued that that would
likely hurt pro-immigrant candidates and help anti-immigrant candidates. And the reason for this is that it is easy to make erroneous and false claims about what the ITA does. You'll hear claims that it gives special treatment
to people who are undocumented. It doesn't. It doesn't. And we all know that but we all know that in in campaigns, truth is often a rare commodity. And in the reality of election season, especially at the end of it, small changes matter.
A second concern is we hear all the time that the ITA simply codifies the existing immigrant trust directly, which is the current state guidance in this area. And it's worked very well. As we've heard, our police department has been a leader in the state um prior to
the immigrant trust director in making sure that um uh we're we're not using immigration um as a penalty. Um but there are differences between the immigrant trust directive and the
immigrant trust act. In section 2B subsections five and six of the directive, clearly it states that asking about immigration status can be acceptable when persons have been convicted or charged of serious crimes
and asking about it is gerine to that investigation. In appendix A of the immigrant trust directive, it lists some of those crimes where it is it is acceptable to ask. assault, stalking, criminal sexual abuse, bias, intimidation, arson, endangering the
welfare of children, witness tampering, or retaliation, eluding a law enforcement officer, uh, violation of restraining orders, domestic violent orders, and manufacturing and transporting weapons. The Immigrant Trust Act, as it currently
stands, eliminates these crimes as exceptions in situations where law enforcement can ask anything about immigration status. And I disagree with them. I'm not a lawyer. I'm not a law enforcement officer. And I do believe that these situations are likely to be
rare, but I worry that not having them may make it more difficult to prosecute these bad actors. And that's not good for anyone. card because every time an undocumented person gets off from a conviction, Fox News and anti-immigrant
zealots use it to unfairly paint the vast majority of of our undocumented residents. We know that the vast majority are lawabiding and hardworking people who just want a better life. But that doesn't mean a small portion of them aren't truly bad actors. And I want
all the tools available to catch, incarcerate, and deport those bad actors. Um, and I worry that this current emission will make that more difficult. I know that we are all desperate to do something to stop the march to authoritarianism and we feel
the pressure to act and to act now. And I do understand that. I really do understand that. But I'm not convinced at this time that pushing to have the ITA passed immediately without much debate is the right way to do that. I'd
welcome a full scale I'd welcome a full scale and open debate on all aspects of the ITA. And regardless of what happens in November, I believe we're going to get it. And I think that the method of of take a page out of Abby on a different
case. I think it is important that we take the time to make sure the actions that we're taking are the right actions because we aren't going to have many second chances. I know this isn't a popular position. I know that this is
not something that um that people will necessarily enjoy me talking about, but this is the way that I see things. I think that we need to take the time, let the legislature take the time to have the full debate about the ITA to make sure that the ITA meets all of the
requirements to protect our our communities and to protect our immigrant neighbors. So, I vote no. >> Council member H. >> Thank you. Um, I just have I just have couple quick bullets here. Um,
oh boy. Uh this so this work did start I mean at the at the local level as Councilman George you know well beyond well well before 2017 when we did the um uh inclusive communities resolution municipal ID uh and all those other things that are necessary in order to
make a resident feel safe have access to to to local public services and also you know be kind of ingrained in the fabric of the community which is really important particularly when it comes to law enforcement. We need people to feel comfortable around municipal services whether they're entering a police
station, public library here. These are safe spaces where you can where you can report crimes where you can express concern where you can be vulnerable and tell people who will protect you what how you know what is what what you are facing. So that is really important I
think in any community and as stewards of of this community. It's you know one of in my opinion one of our top priorities to make residents our neighbors feel safe and welcome uh and that they are not um uh disadvantaged when it comes to the services that are
offered blindly regardless of status. We never ask status about anything. We don't ask people if they live here unless it's for very specific reasons. You know if you're looking for a permit or something like that. Um but obviously you don't have to be here, you don't have to live here, have an address here to enjoy H Highland Park and what it
offers. So there's that. I wanted to thank um the advocates uh you know who have been steadfast in working on this u not only today but every day through the years as well. I you know Alan and I have worked together for many years and
my my professional work brings me into this space often. and I work in housing, affordable housing and housing justice, which obviously includes marginalized and disadvantaged communities, particularly those under distress like our immigrant populations, particularly now in New Jersey. Um, so this advocacy
is important. Uh, the buy getting the buyin from local governments is not trivial. Getting the buyin from local mayors and council is essential when it comes to act activating at the legislative at the state legislative level. And I will note that um the
co-sponsors on this um on this legislation are are are significant, including our own uh assembly representation here in the 18th district. Um I do want to acknowledge any if there if there are concerns about about about the bill as written. Um I'm
sure Assemblywoman Park uh and Senator Johnson would be more than happy to engage in discussion. When it comes to discussing this bill, unfortunately, this legislation hasn't even been available to have a discussion at the state level uh as it has not been put up for any uh committee hearing um
discussions yet. Unfortunately, um you know, I do view that I do view the work of our immigr of our federal immigration agencies, the the specifically the work that we see that is meant to shock and awe us and put us in fear. I view that very explicitly as
dirty work. I feel view feel that as dirty and illegal work. And I personally, as long as we're here, I don't want us participating in this work in any way, shape, or form. I don't want us considering participating in this
work in any way, shape, or form because we have far more important work to do here at the local level. Island Park has is is very diverse as when it comes to worldviews, when it comes to backgrounds, and our police and our leadership have done an incredible job,
you know, um walking those lines, making sure that the dynamics are are in in tune with one another, making sure that we can all be here and exist, you know, despite differing viewpoints and worldviews. Uh so that is really important. Um, I do want to um uh, you
know, just note that, you know, as we see the federal government really increase funding u for for immigration enforcement, we are being defunded. Remember when defund the police? I've never said that from this day as far. Do you remember when and I've never supported that concept either, but do you remember when that was a third rail?
You would get pillaried if you said anything like that. Now they're defunding everything else. Where's the outrage there? They're defunding everything else. >> Where is the outrage? Our federal government is not working for us right
now. And I think it's really important when it comes to these type of ministerial maneuvers that we can take. This is normal what we're doing. We're voting on a resolution in support of a law that we would like to see passed. Joining the majority of the legislature
who wants to see this bill passed. This is normal. But what's h this but this is a normal response to extremely abnormal times at the federal level. So if it feels like that this is really you know oh we're doing what we can I agree Katherine we all have to figure out our
lane. We have to figure out what we're whether we're activists whether we're public servants whatever role that we have there is a lane for us to operate and it's important that we all work together in order to achieve those goals. Um, I was at Del Tany Hall the when uh, Congresswoman Congresswoman
MacGyver um was arrested uh, along with Mayor Baraka. Um, um, 80year-old representative Bonnie Watson Coleman was there as well in the scrum surrounded by goons, you know, really threatening stuff. These are representatives of
Congress. These are people who who deserve our and who are respectable and deserve our respect. This is how they operate. This is how this is not going to deescalate what we're seeing in the news. The way that ICE behaves disrupts communities. Can you imagine if we now
Ellen did mention that ICE has been in town. Can you imagine if we saw the displays here in Highland Park right on the avenue like we see like like like we're seeing all over the place. We would lose our minds. And I don't know how we would handle that. But it
certainly that whatever was happening would not have the support of our local police and our and our legislative leaders need to hear that. Um I can say a lot more mayor but I am a strong yes on this and it's time for legislature to pass this. It's the least we can do and I hope they hear us. Thank you.
>> Thank you council member. >> Thank you. Yeah. So I already gave my spiel in support of this resolution. I just want to thank my colleagues all of them the ones I agree with you. you guys a tremendous job out there. You probably outshone my earlier statement on this um
but I do want to just extend uh you know thanks to uh my colleague Councilman Hail. Uh even though we disagree on the approach to this particular resolution, I do feel that um the big picture here is too important um that we do need to act now. But I am hopeful and optimistic
that as we try to work through elevating this, we can engage with public safety experts that we have uh right here in town to figure out if there's a provision or two that we feel needs to be adjusted in order to make sure that our paramount goal of keeping everyone safe is in fact met. Um so happy to
explore that and help raise that as this moves through the process, but I I vote yes. Council member Vargas, >> I just want to start by saying something. So, only um fluent Spanish
speaking person up here. Um I I am Puerto Rican, but I have the privilege of being born a US citizen. So, I don't have the experiences or the fear that some of my brothers and sisters in the Hispanic community were suffering. um
that very real fear, but knowing that people who are US citizens and may look different, may speak a different language, are being detained, I have that fear. Um, a couple of months ago, I went on a bus trip to Texas with
one of my children. Don't ask me. I don't I don't like to fly so much, but I went on this bus trip and I was afraid. I was afraid. It took I have a real But I took my passport um with me as a backup because I wasn't
sure if when I was speaking Spanish on a bus with my daughter or speaking on the phone with my father whether I would be a target to be detained um you know stopped and questioned and whether I would be believed that my documents were
real um and valid. Um so I do have that fear. You know, two years ago, I was at at um Shopright in East Brunswick, and I was eating in Spanish with with um with my father, and I was targeted by another um customer um who did not appreciate
that I was speaking Spanish at the supermarket. Um that's my first language. So, I have as a Puerto Rican, I do have certain privileges, but I do have that fear that I can no longer speak my own language without being targeted. I've
seen friends of mine who are afraid of taking, you know, we we heard a lot of of accounts here. I personally know people who were afraid of taking their kids to school, um having their US citizen children pick them up at the door of their jobs because they're
afraid to step outside for more than five minutes and possibly, you know, have eyes lurking around the corner coming to pick them up. And I understand that there is a fear um where there's some of these, you know, undocumented people may have criminal backgrounds and
so on and so forth. But I think that's such a small percentage um of people just like Highland Park has you know US citizens that there's a small percentage of people here that may be bad actors but the greater community
are lawabiding community u members and so that's what we have to go with. We have to protect the majority of the undocumented immigrants whatever you want to call them. Many of them have a right to be here. many of them came with
permissions with visas and work permits and they're still being targeted. They're still being taken away. So, I am very passionate about this and um my vote is yes. >> All right. So what do I say now?
>> It's appointment. >> Okay. So we have um just to to let everyone know we have >> four yes >> four yeses and one no. So it carries. So we'll move forward with that. There was
a question there was a question earlier that when this reso is passed where does it go? And I'm going to ask you, Jen, because you do that part of it once we do this. >> We usually send it to our local assembly, senators, and the governor's office.
>> So, you heard it goes to our local um assembly, senate, governor's office, Mrs. >> It goes to it. It pretty much goes to everyone. >> The president of the senate and the speaker of the house.
>> It Yes, it goes to everyone. Correct. It goes out. It goes out to everyone. >> Okay. And um with that said, now we're going to move on to appointments. Human Relations Commission Marlene Sketcherini for
library layers on Highland Park volunteer um department mayor Majed. Uh, crossing guard, Kevin Royce, Nia Presley, Jessica Howard, Genevie Puit. May I have a motion to confirm? >> So move.
>> Second. >> Voca. >> Council member George. >> Yes. >> Council member Hail. >> Yes. >> Council member H. >> Yes. >> Council member Ponic. >> I just want to say that Molina has been a very helpful asset in volunteering relations commission as unofficial
library now. So very happy uh for this to move forward. and council member Vargas. >> Yes. >> Okay. Now it's time for the second um public participation. Three minutes on any topic subject to conclude at 9:00
p.m. Persons who are attending in person will be heard first followed by those on Zoom. Please come to the microphone is right here. >> Okay. So, Ellen Wit, Highland Park. Um, so I want to just say a couple of things about the resolution since,
uh, Councilman Hail raised some questions. Number one, I think we have been pressing for people to take this up. The expectation is that in the lame duck session, this could actually be voted on before the new governor takes
over in January. I I don't recall anybody saying calling a special session. I mean, I missed that part. Did anybody call for a special session before the elections to vote on this? No, we've been pressing. But honestly, we've been pressing for a
while. This has been out there all year long. Uh there was even a earlier version of it. It's been going on for a long time and it has sat in committee all year long. So that's a big problem in our just
democratic functioning that something is just sitting and not being allowed to be discussed when so many people feel it's such a critical issue. Number two, I'm well aware that it's not identical to the directive. It's meant to strengthen
it's meant to strengthen it. And I think that there I think that we raised this at the last two council meetings. I can't you know we brought this up and honestly I think if Councilman Hail had any questions about this thing there
there's been opportunity to have raised and discussed questions and you know that Dyer is here in town perfectly capable of discussing all the details that are in this in comparison to the directive. Um,
one of the the big problems is not really so much the first section a it's the second section which is always been considered very problematic in terms of constitutional rights. The idea that
the local jail could hold someone past the time that they are supposed to be released without charges because they're past the time that they're supposed to be released to be able to hold them for the convenience of ICE to come and pick them
up later. And that's, you know, called a retainer. And that has been where this question has come up. Should you do that in certain instances? Now, they did carveouts to really allow for that. >> 30 seconds. >> And it's been it's proven to be very
problematic. All kinds of issues has really created problems for families. And I could discuss that with you in detail of exactly what is happening. But the reality is exactly what uh Matt Hurst said, which is if you have if if the Democratic Party who has
control of it had some questions about this, they could bring it up in the committee so that amendments could be made. You could discuss it, you could change it, you could alter it. I personally think as it is, it's very strong and exactly on the money, but it could be discussed. But right now, we
got nothing and we are going into January with nothing. My name is Brienne Peters. I'm also a resident of Highland Park on South >> Brienne. Brienne Peters. I'm also a resident of Highland Park on South Second Avenue. Um I want to um say that
I'm incredibly grateful for your support of the Immigrant Trust Act. So, thank you for um your actions tonight. Um, I do want to echo what Ellen said uh tonight and everything um about the actual act and to your statement
um that we are now in the hiding people stage of this administration. Um and we see this in Chicago and who else what else is happening, you know, outside of viral publications. Um I I understand that it's an election year and I understand that everyone wants to tread
lightly um to get reelected or elected and and things. Um but it is it really is critical to to send it out to the powers that be. Um folks are you know immigrants are the backbone of our country and positively impact our day-to-day life as we've
chatted about here tonight. Um you know our these they're getting abducted off the street out of their jobs from their homes and directly from their vehicles and it's wildly inhumane. These folks are not criminals. They are contributing members to our economy and our society.
What the act does is ensures that all residents of our townships and the rest of New Jersey are protected. That police and both elected and unelected officials cannot work or share information with ICE to continue and serve and to protect all of the residents of Highland Park, not work with ICE or at the discretion
of the federal government. This bill ensures all residents here feel safe accessing municipal services, feel safe reporting crimes and cooperating with law enforcement. um that municipal and county resources are not diverted to enforce federal immigration law, but to support all
residents here regardless of immigration status. And that is really critical before the the election. And again, like Alan said, we're going into January with nothing. And this has been around for for about a year now. Um the Constitution guarantees due process uh
to anyone on US soil. And we see that this process has not been followed nationwide. We also start every um council meeting with pledge of allegiance um you know liberty and justice for all and we're not really we're not seeing that at all across the nation including in New Jersey. And I
want to make sure that we are remaining uh morally and ethically sound supporting the constitution and the pledge of allegiance to ensure these rights are respected and to protect our immigrant neighbors. And I again I just appreciate that you passed this resolution tonight but um >> you have a couple things to think about.
So thanks a lot. appreciate it. Oops. >> Does that work pretty well? >> There you go. >> Okay. Thank you. Um, yes, Katherine. And I just wanted to say that um this
vote does not require or ask for a special legislative session. Um, and what it does, it it opens us opens up the legislature to to please advance
this bill through the natural process, which would be first of all, it has to go to the committees. Then it has to pass the committees. The bill has not passed either committee yet, which means it has not had the debate that it's
supposed to have. We're asking for the debate. That's what we're asking for to go through the process so we can have a debate. Now, they're not going to do this before
the vote, you know, November 4th because they're not going to have a special session to do it. It's just going to be during the lame duck. That's what we're asking for is just to continue. what is the way they naturally do things? And so
that's what we're asking for. Uh so just to make that part clear. Uh and this is flood the bones. It's just asking if you'll make two calls to call the Senate President
to let this bill be heard before the Senate Judiciary Committee because that's the committee it's in. so that it can come to a full Senate vote then and then call Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin
and ask him to let the immigrant trust act be heard in the Assembly Oversight Reform and Federal Relations Committee so it can come to a full assembly vote. These are the two things that are
necessary before it can go to a floor vote. So, I'll just This is what you could do if you would make those two phone calls. That would be great. Thank you very much. >> Okay, those are handouts.
>> Yes, I can give these to you to give them. Please give them to Terry. I'll give you Terry. >> Thank you so much. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Good evening. I am Jenny Pasaki. Yes, it's the same name, but I do pronounce the P. I am a resident of Cranberry, and
I appreciate the fact that you're giving me permission to speak in the housing park forum. I just have two things to say. Number one, I am a social worker. I'm a community social worker, but last year I worked well earlier last year I
worked in a school in South River where many of the students are immigrants themselves. Their parents are immigrants. Their grandparents are immigrants. I had young people as young as nine or 10 years old coming into my
office crying because they were afraid to leave home because they didn't know if their parents would be there when they got home. I had one little boy who said to me,"Wh does President Trump hate my family so much?" And honest to God, I didn't know what to tell him. And I
appreciate the fact that you have voted in favor of this resolution, but it needs to go further than that. And that's the second piece of what I wanted to discuss. I do a lot of advocacy and I have spoken to various members of our legislature, some of whom have already
signed off on the immigrant trust act. And then when you ask them what parts of it they are concerned about, you get told, well, honestly, we discussed it so long ago, we don't even remember all the details of it. I got that from my own
assemblyman who was not the assemblyman for Highland Park. We need to have a discussion. We need to have a very thorough discussion. We need to have our legislators behind this and also informed about what it means so
that they can push it forward in a way that keeps everyone safe so that children aren't afraid to go to school so that people can go into a hospital and know they're going to get served not because of their immigrant status. I also used to be a domestic violence
hearing officer in Hudson County and I had people afraid to come before me, survivors of domestic violence, because they were afraid they were going to have to divulge their immigrant status and that was going to open up a whole can of worms for their family, endangering them
further. I need the legislature to be informed. I need them to be able to pass this and make it airtight as best they can. And I appreciate you coming up and adding to
the support of this action. Thank you. Is there anyone online? >> Mayor, we have three attendees. Okay, seeing none, may I see no further, may I have a motion to close public participation? >> Second.
>> Roll call. >> Council member George, >> yes. >> Council member Hail, >> yes. >> Council member Hir, >> yes. >> Council member Tony, >> yes. >> Council member, >> yes. >> May I have a motion to adjurnn? >> Second. >> All in favor?
>> I. >> Okay. Our next council meeting will schedule for November 25th at 7:00 p.m. And thank you all for coming out. Thank you all for sharing your thoughts, your opinions, and expressing them with us so
eagerly. Thank you. Have a good night.