This meeting is called to order in accordance with the open public meeting act. Notice of this meeting was provided to the home news tribune in the star ledger on the Hammond Park planning on January 8, 2025 and was posted on the
borrow website at www.hv.com hvar.com and on the bulletin board of borrow 221 South Fifth Avenue in Highland Park, New Jersey, and has remained continuously posted as required by law. Fire exits are to my right and left of council chambers. Chief, can you lead us in the
pledge of allegiance? To the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Roll call. Mayor Foster. Yes. Council
member George here. Council member Hail here. Council member Hirsh here. Council President Kim Choan. Council member Hanik here. Council member Vargas here. Burough attorney here. And administrator Ha here. Okay. Um, council reports. I'm
going to start off with council member Vargas. Thank you, mayor. Um, my name is Vargas and I am the council leison for the arts and recreation department. Um, this Thursday, July 3rd, join us at Donaldson Park for our annual Independence Day celebration. This
year's event promises to be bigger, better, and more delicious than ever. We'll have a wide variety of vendors to offer cuisine and treats for many different cultures, perfect for dinner, snacks, or just indulging in something fun. We encourage all residents to come down early, enjoy a meal, explore the
options, and take part in the excitement. While the park officially opens at 6 p.m., food vendors will be ready to serve starting at 5:30, so you can eat and settle in before the festivities kick off. Here's a glimpse of what's expected this year. Balloon artists and still workers for
interactive entertainment. Free face painting for kids. Bounce house wide and obstacle course. A gaming truck with fun for all ages and vendors with unique novelty items and more. It's time to come together as a community, enjoy the summer, and celebrate. But I would be
remiss not to also reflect on what this holiday means. America turns 249 this year. It was and still is an experiment. One founded with ideals of liberty and justice, but also undeniable contradictions. A nation born from
revolution, yes, but also from stolen land, slavery, and the displacement and suffering of indigenous peoples. Today, we still grapple with those legacies. Our immigration system deports descendants of the very people whose ancestor lands we occupy. Families
struggle to access health care, to afford housing, and to live with dignity. And yet we watch as state budgets, including trends most recent, once again fails meaningfully to address the housing crisis and protect working families. So while we celebrate the
good, the community, the opportunity, and the resilience, let's also recommmit to doing the work to making America not just great as slogans, but fair, just, and liveable for everyone who calls it home. I hope to see you all at Dallas Park this Thursday. That's my tonight,
Council Member Hail. Thank you very much. My name is Matt Hail. I chair the economic development uh committee. Um just a couple things. Um uh so I I'm trying to to to work on something of of
trying to shop at least three places locally every week. Um and I think that's a good goal. Um this week I made a fantastic sea bass and salmon um coettes that I got at uh Superfresh. um followed it up with some very cream at
Dunkin Donuts um which I really really really really really liked and then I bought a new um zip drive from uh uh Cybernight Computers. So those are the three that I did this week. So um I think there are are are lots of places we should shop. So please make sure to
shop local. Um also uh as I mentioned last time, the zoning board is in desperate need of new members. Um, if you're interested in the zoning board, please see the website um, uh, the burough website for an application um, and get it in as fast as possible. It's a great opportunity um, to to get
involved with uh, with with with the burrow. Um, as uh, Councilwoman Vargas mentioned, fireworks are coming up. I just wanted to add a a quick note that that remember there are lots of people coming from all over the place and um, uh, and they may not exactly know the
parking rules or may they they may park in front of your house. So, please try not to yell at them or scream at them. Um, just be nice and say this isn't where you are or something like that, but let's uh let's let's make sure our visitors um don't uh think that we're
very wrong. So, please be nice um in that. Um I wanted to to just give a a quick update. I I know we we talk a lot about track day A and C and redevelopment. Um and I just wanted to sort of I recognize we all recognize um we want to get these things moving as
fast as we can. We made a commitment um to to doing all of these. Um but we also made a commitment to make sure that the back end of this, the infrastructure, the the the plumbing, the sewer, the water, um all of those things are something that are very very important to to to new developments like this. Um
and as a result, there's there's a whole host of um storm water, storm drain, storm management stuff um that has to get sort of sorted itself out. um it takes a long time to sort of make sure that we're doing the the infrastructure part right. So, I just wanted to let everybody know that one of the delays
that we're having right now is that we're working very very hard to make sure that all of those sort of backend things for this um uh these projects um are are are working um and and are done to the highest standards. Um same goes for South 3rd. Um we're again we're uh
starting our monthly stakeholder meetings, our our stakeholder meetings. Um we're hoping to have a larger community meeting by the end of summer about the south third plaza. Um and then lastly uh we are very close again um uh
to uh uh having a a a our study of an area in need of redevelopment um on the property and surrounding property. So that ought to be coming again very soon. It goes to the planning board and it comes to us. So that's um are some additional things. So there are a lot of things going on. There's a lot of things
going on behind the scenes about um you know just making sure that these projects um uh are are done correctly and done to the the best standards in the state and best standards of the world. So I just wanted to give everybody a little heads up on that and that's my report. Thank you council
member. Thank you mayor. Good evening everybody. My name is Matthew Pers. I chair the public works and public utilities committee. Um it was a dark and stormy night. I just wanted to like Snoopy. Anybody any Snoopy fans
here? Um, however, it is stormy out. Uh, and please, uh, you know, if you, if you've driven through town, as I know, Councilman George just just did, uh, there has been a water main break at Route 27 and North Adelaide Avenue. Um, and as a result, Route 27 southbound be closed to be hit with the traffic. Uh,
so that's already begun uh, at 3:00. um and is expected to remain closed well into the evening uh until about 2 am according to uh our team at Mils Water. I just wanted to thank them, Chief, the Highland Park Police Department, Terry
and your team for navigating this uh um and to the public. Apologies for the delays. Um um we will have this patched up and um the road will be in working order once again shortly. Uh however, in the meantime, uh all southbound traffic will
be detourred onto North Second Avenue and then onto Harrison Avenue and then onto River Road connecting Route 27 at the Albony Street Bridge. Motorists are advised, well, first please try to avoid the area if you can. Um but if you can't, motorists are advised to consider please consider an alternate route such
as route one if you get possible to avoid uh delays. Uh so just steer clear of the area if possible. Uh just a couple of other things. uh burrow offices are closed this Friday uh July 4th in terms of Independence Day and for
the remainder of the week the collection schedule is as follows. Uh tomorrow, Wednesday, July 2nd, uh garbage collection will be uh will take place in the business district and the south side. On Thursday, July 3rd, recycling will take place on the south side. And then on Friday, July 4th, there is no
garbage and no recycling. uh North Side and Triangle and Business District, you had your garbage collection and recycling collection Monday and Tuesday of this week. If for whatever reason uh you did miss those days, um if you can, please uh uh refrain to um please bring
your uh your receptacles back in uh and um we will resume normal schedule next week. So, thank you for your for your patience on that. Um Sustainable Highland Park, which I'm leazison, uh held its regular monthly meeting last week. uh really great stuff. Uh if you
are interested in uh environmental stewardship or environmental activism or being kind of part of uh you know work's role as an environmental leader, uh I would definitely encourage folks to come and um uh and sit in and observe and you know participate. It's you don't have to
be an appointed member uh to be uh to to feel like you're part of the club. Uh and uh uh just a few things coming up that you can be part of. On July 5th, uh there will be a community cleanup between 9:00 a.m. and 11 a.m. uh at the woods at the bottom of South 7th Avenue. We'll meet at the entrance at the paved
path at the intersection of South 7th and Donaldson Street. Gloves, buckets, and other supplies are provided. Please bring water. Uh July 17th at 7 p.m. Uh please join us for our adding color to your garden with native plants event uh at the Highland Park Public Library. um
where we'll learn about the importance of native plants in our ecosystem and the need to add native plants to our species. Uh return presenter and master gardener Sutar will introduce many colorful native plants that can beautify your space and support native bees, butterflies, and birds. and native
plants, you know, uh planting native plants does a a a a whole host of benefit to your property and to our and to our um uh and to our natural spaces around us, including storm water remediation. It prevents erosion. Uh and they can withstand droughts, too. Uh
they have deep roots that can really withstand, you know, extended stretches of dryness as we saw last summer and unfortunately as we'll see again. Uh so, um please come check that out. And then finally on July 20th at 9:00 a.m. uh there will be a community cleanup at the
Irving School where we will again come together uh uh to clean up and gloves, buckets and other supplies will be provided as usual. Uh the Highland Park Environmental Commission will hold its regular monthly meeting tomorrow, July 2nd at 800 PM on Zoom. You can get that
link at www.hbro.com. and the Shade Tree Advisory Committee will hold its regular meeting on Wednesday, July 9th at 7:30m. Please go to www.hpo.com for the link. That meeting is also virtual. And I just wanted to point out a couple of items uh on the consent
agenda today. Um item 9A and 9B are related to uh sustainable Highland Park, but also speak more toward the administrative priorities uh sustainable administrative priorities that uh the bureau does. uh just just just ju just
just as a matter of course um sustainable certification at the state level allows the uh you know allows the bureau more and better opportunities for more grants. So it's important that we uh take uh take action on on some key things. The first one item item 9A is a
sustainable land use pledge. We discussed this at our work session. Uh and uh this is a resolution adopted by a town to prioritize long-term community well-being by balancing economic, environmental, and social needs and making these decisions. This also commits Highland Park to reviewing and
potentially revising land use practices and planning policies to promote smart growth and sustainability. So this you know in many ways codifies the practices that that we we already we already take but uh this is an important step uh moving forward toward uh you know increasing our sustainable Jersey
certification and then 9B is a complete uh complete green streets policy and this is I don't want to steal Councilman George's thunder uh because this is really through the safe walking and cycling committee but I did just want to acknowledge it as part of our sustainable certification but this is very exciting so thank you but thank you
council. Um, and then items 9 C and 9D, uh, you'll just see some of our upcoming road projects as we apply for, uh, transportation trust funds and municipal aid, uh, to, uh, continue, uh, improving our 31 miles of municipal roadways. All
the while hopefully incorporating some of the best practices that we've identified uh, in our bicycle and pedestrian plan to achieve our complete and green streets. Uh, and that is my report. Mayor, thank you. Thank you.
Also, member George. Thank you, Mayor. My name is Phil George and I'm the on to the public safety uh committee. Um we've had several meetings in a row and we've reported several times um things are going well. Just a
couple of uh uh alerts from the police department and the fire department. Fourth of July holiday coming up. Number one, please, if you're going to party, you have people, you're going to celebrate, if you're going to smoke a little or drink a little, stay home,
relax, enjoy, or get a designated fire. Uh, we will be out in enforcing more for everyone else's safety than to enforce. But please be careful uh from the fire department. Fireworks are legal legal. There's actually uh several stores you
can pick them up in town. Please be careful. supervise your children if you're going to allow them to use fireworks. Um, we would rather see you enjoy, but please do it carefully. Uh, thank you, Councilman Hersha. Item
9B, the complete street setting streets inventory. Um, SWAC has worked very carefully along with Carrie Hair, the burough administrator, uh, to put that program together for a while. The resolution actually um sets uh policies
that we can they're not mandatory but highly recommended. They're statewide um and part of the uh overall state program to integrate bicyclists, pedestrians, safer streets, um use using the byways
and sidewalks much more carefully and to taking that into account when we do overall planning as well as individual project planning. Island Park has been much in the advancement of that for at least 10 years that I know of. But on top of that, this kind of
recognizes the work of of of our volunteers in particular the safe walking and cycling committee uh but makes it as a policy recommendation for us to follow. Um and just a couple of notes. Thank you,
U, Council Member Vargas, for reminding us um that despite um the history books that we see on television, um you know, 1776 is uh a play that I always watch on
July 2nd, uh when it was first broadcast and I saw the original um on Broadway um and the Hamilton. Uh so we fictionalize and celebrate in that way. Um but we should really be celebrating and not commiserating.
Um we should be unifying and not walking away because it's so difficult these days. Even the headlines just today are daunting. Um but regardless of that history, we need to stay together as a
county. We need to stay together as a population. every population individually, not as policy makers, but individually who walked away and said, "It's not in my backyard. I'm not going
to worry about it all that much." is gone. They lost everything. And it took generations. There are countries are still trying generations later to recoup what they lost by ignorance, by ignoring
the problem and not by being engaged. So as we celebrate, let's celebrate ourselves and what we can do for each other and keep mindful of what our in our our founding fathers and and and
mothers did for us 249 years ago. Right, wrong, or indifferent. Whether they were good or bad or mixed, they've given that to us for us to preserve. Let's be careful and let's celebrate. Thank you, Council Member Pson next.
Thank you, Mayor. Uh, tough act to follow. Um, my name is Jason Stomike. I'm the chair of the Health and Human Services Committee. Um, just within that, I just wanted to, uh, report on a few items. Uh, first up, um, this is our
last regular meeting until mid August. I wanted to reup my, uh, note from last session. uh that case of any extreme heat between now and then. Just want to remind folks to exercise caution, stay hydrated and stay indoors when possible. If you're in need of a place to cool
off, you're welcome to stop in at the community center hall and the library uh during the regular business hours. And uh we're also grateful to our community partner, the Reformed Church of Highland Park for making their pilgrim available to residents uh living during evening and weekend hours outside our municipal
building business hours. So, the hours are are as follows. The community center and Muro Hall are open Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 8:00 am to 400 pm. Tuesday from 8:00 a.m. to 6 p.m. Um, Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 1 p.m. closing weekends. Uh, the library, and this is important, I want to make a
little correction from the last time I reported on this matter, uh, which was I had did not have the library summer hours. Uh, so get into that right now, which is that they are open Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 pm. uh Wednesday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 5:00 pm, Saturday from 10:00 am
to 2 pm, and Sunday from 1 pm to 5:00 pm. And the Reformed Church at home park is open daily from 7 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. So, just want to talk about the upcoming food distributions for the month. Uh HP Gizlet Food will be providing free groceries every Tuesday and Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at the
Zone 16 Center at 600 Benner Street. Uh, and the Highland Park Food Pantry will also be distributing free groceries on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month, which is July 10th from 10th to 24th, from 9:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. uh, and from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. And I'll
also be distributing groceries on the Saturdays of those same week, the second 4th, which July 12th and the 26th, uh, from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. And this will be happening at the Highland Park Community Center at 220 South 6th Avenue. Uh, next I just want to note that the board of health will be holding
its next meeting uh, next Thursday, June 10th at 7 PM on Google Meet. Uh, the meeting link can be accessed on the uh, HBO calendar on the burough website at hbbo.com. I also wanted to encourage any folks out there who may be interested in joining
the human relations commission and working on events and programs that help bring our community together uh, to submit a volunteer application. There's still a few slots available. Um, so the volunteer application can be accessed on the website again at hpb.com.
Lastly, just wanted to put in a plug for resolution 725-81, which will award a contract for the purchase of the 2025 motive epic 4 electrics shuttle bus. Guys, this is it. The new we've all been waiting for and
I've been bringing up quite a bit. I don't know. As you may recall, there have been a number of resolutions passed in support of this and a lot of work behind the scenes. Thanks to the bro staff, thanks to you, Terry and your team for making to make this happen. And finally, we're at the last step. It's the last step.
Crazy. Then we got this the last step on our end to get this process to get this bus actually in our hand. So, thanks everyone for supporting this so far and I hope you'll continue to do so. Just one more time. Um, this will surely be welcomed by the many residents who rely
on our transportation assist. That is my report for tonight. Thank you. Our administrator, mayor, I don't have a report tonight. Thanks. Okay. Attorney Burns. I don't have a right. And now it's up to
me. Uh, last but not least, I do want to echo two of the voices that I heard tonight. And I'm hope every I'm wishing everyone a happy um fourth of July. And with that, as we celebrate the 4th, as council member Vargas mentioned, council
member George, that it was a hard fought battle for us to be celebrating the 4th of July. And every Memorial Day, I tend to say the cost of freedom is not free. And this certainly applies as we go and
we barbecue and we think about all the wonderful things that our country is. Let us work hard to maintain the wonderful things that our country is. Let us work hard and maintaining harmony and peace with each other. Um on that
note, I'm leaving that right there and wishing everyone a happy 4th of July. But council member Hail, he mentioned something that that is very very dear to my heart and that's shopping in Highland Park. And I also want to say that I went shopping in town. I ate at Chef Tan. I
went to Dunkin Donuts like you did. And I also went to the supermarket and I got something that most of you will not be familiar with. And it's a fruit from my native land and it's called bread fruit. Yes. And cava
cassava chips. And it was really good. And I'm happy to live in a town where I can find stuff that I really, really, really, really love and that I can go home and I spend that Sunday afternoon in my kitchen enjoying cooking and everything else. So, continue to shop in Highland Park, everyone. Thank you.
That's my report. And now it's time for public participation. Three minutes for speaker limited to items on this agenda. Comments from members of the public attending in person, which there is none, will be heard first, followed by
those attending on Zoom. Is there anyone on Zoom? Terry, excuse me. Four attendees on Zoom with no hands on. Okay, seeing none, may I have a motion to close public participation? So move. Second. Roll call. Council member, yes. Council
member Hail, yes. Council member Hirs, yes. Council member Ponic, yes. Council member Vargas, yes. uh consent agenda resolutions. May I ask any member of the council if there's anything on the the consent agenda you wish to separate or separate vote? Madam
Mayor, council member Hers and I don't believe we've heard enough from council member Pson about the electric bus that and and have a full discussion. I think that's I'd be very happy and excited to correct
that apparent oversight of my part about the uh the importance of the screen. I appreciate that. It's the number one question that's asked by the seniors every time we go to the committee center. Council member Vargas can attest to that. When is the bus coming?
Shuttles. Exactly. I hear about it all the time. my board's commissions. All right. Well, in that case, I withdraw. No other withdrawals. Okay. All right.
Um Oh, we voted on Ro. No, we did that. Okay. May I have a motion to adopt or reject the following items? 98 through 9 I. So move. Second. Roll call. Council member George. Yes. Council member Hail.
Yes. Council member Hirs. Yes. Council member Panic before I go on the community. I vote. Yes. Yes. Okay. Now we move to appointment zoning board of adjustment Robert Fletcher.
Alternate alternate member to reg to regular member. William Winfrey alternate member to regular member. Council on Aging appointing Carly Deonish. May I have a motion to confirm? Motion to confirm.
Roco member George. Gratefully. Yes. Council member Hail. Yes. And thank you to all the volunteers. Council member Hirs. Yes. Great group. Council member Piston. Yes. Thanks for your service everyone. Council member Vardius. Yes. And now it's time for the second public
public participation. and three minutes for speaker on any topic subject to conclude at 9:00 p.m. Comments from those who are attending on Zoom will be heard now. We are at three attendees with no hands up at this time. Okay. See none. May I
have a motion to May I have a motion to close public participation? So move. Second. Roll call. Council member George. Yes. Council member Hail. Yes. Council member Hurst. Yes. Council member Stone, yes. Council member
Vargas, yes. May I have a motion to adjourn? So moving everyone, please enjoy the holiday safely and happily. All in favor? Next meeting, August 12th. Have a safe summer, everyone.
Thank you.