Mayor, would you like to proceed? >> Yes, please. >> Good evening. This is the meeting of the Burough Highlands Mayor and Council regular meeting on Wednesday, October 15, 2025. The notice requirements provided for in the open public meetings act have been satisfied. Notice of this meeting was
properly given by transmission to the Aspberry Park Press and the Two River Times and by posting at the Burough Highlands Municipal Building and finally with Burough Clerk all on January 1st, 2025. Items listed on the agenda are subject to change. Please stand for the pledge of allegiance.
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> I will now do a roll call. Council member Santes,
>> council >> here. Council me >> here. >> Council President Sheski. >> Mayor Bulan >> here. >> Thank you. First, we have approval of minutes. October 1st, 2025 meeting minutes. >> Walker, >> I'll second. >> Council member Svantes,
>> yes. >> Council Chil, >> yes. >> Council me, >> yes. >> Mayor Bologn, >> yes. >> Motion carries to approve October 1st, 2025 meeting minutes. Next, we have October 1st, 2025 executive session minutes. >> I'll second.
>> Council member Santes, >> yes. >> Council Chal, >> yes. >> Council me, >> yes. >> Council uh Mayor Bulan, >> yes. Thank you. Motion carries to approve ocean um October 1st, 2025 executive session minutes. Next, we have public hearing on proposed ordinance 02523
amending chapter 10 buildings and housing section 10-2 fees of the code of the burough highlands. Are there any questions about this um ordinances before we open it to the public? >> No. Okay, we are open to the public if
anyone has any um question regarding this change in fees. It's a a downward change. It was $125. It's down to 30. Um and this is just extending
>> um let me see right here. It's the uniform construction code uh fee schedule for continuing uh certified uh the certificate of occupancy. Any questions, >> gentlemen? No. Okay. With that, I will
close the public portion and I will offer this ordinance. >> I'll second. >> Council member Svantes, >> yes. >> Council Chuck, >> yes. >> Councilor Melnick, >> yes. >> Mayor Ban, >> yes. >> Motion carries. Bill 2523 passed on second and final hearing. Next we have
resolutions R2186 authorizing adoption of amendments to the bureau's personnel policies and procedures manual and personnel policies and procedures manual supervisory supplement and distribution of personnel policies and procedures manual and personnel policies and procedures manual supervisory
supplements. >> Mike, if you'd like to take a couple of minutes. Sure. Uh every two years the insurance requires us to update our personal policies and procedures and to provide training. So this is our update from 2023 and we're looking at a
training schedule probably the last week of the month >> and that'll be during the day. >> Correct. >> Uh could we have that I don't know. I guess you might I need to check with Ellen, but if there's any way that we
can have that recorded that way we could participate in it or at least >> Okay. >> Um, anyone have any questions? >> Anything you can consider as categorized as significant changes here or is this just routine caring feed?
>> Yep. >> Okay. >> I will make the offer. >> A second. Council member Svantes, >> yes. >> Council, >> yes. >> Council me, >> yes. >> Mayor Bulan, >> yes.
>> Motion carries to adopt resolution R25186. Next, we have R25187 providing for the transfer of surplus funds. >> And I'm assuming these were um suggestions made by the CFO.
>> Correct. and email November after November 1st. You want to do it now. >> Okay, I'm fine with that. >> All good. >> Yes. >> Yep.
>> Okay, then I'll offer it. >> Council, >> yes. >> Councilman Chilac, >> yes. >> Council Melnik, >> yes. >> Mayor Ban, >> yes. >> Motion carries to adopt resolution R25187. Next, we have consent agenda. Mayor, would you like me to read the
resolutions by title? >> Yes, please. >> R 25188 designating Art Chica Builders as the exclusive redeveloper of the certain property located at 289 Bay Avenue identified as block 81 lot 12 on the tax map of the Borrowed Highlands
and authorizing the execution of a redevelopment agreement. R2189 amending resolution 25183 entitled property tax cancellation. R25190 confirming temporary appointment of patrolman. R25191
approving a membership application for the Highlands First Aid Squad. R25182 I'm sorry 92 affirming the Burough Highland civil rights policy with respect to all officials, appointees, employees, prospective employees, volunteers, independent contractors, and
members of the public that come into contact with municipal employees, officials, and volunteers. R25193 authorizing payment of bills. >> Do we have an author? >> Um, okay. >> Go ahead, Karen. >> Uh, I I have a question. I hope Mike you
can answer. I saw on uh the bills um collaborative leadership from at Fairly Dickinson, but there wasn't and it was $4,670. I didn't see uh
>> uh there's a man in class that works. >> Okay. >> Okay. That's uh Spencer, right? Yeah. >> Mhm. >> Okay.
>> Just any You have more questions? >> No, no, no. I just wanted to know who it was for and what it was going. Sure. >> Um so just as far as the uh redevelopment agreement, so that 289 that's that's a vacant lot. Is this our first vacant lot that we're going to have in the redevelopment zone since we done that?
>> Yes. There's um this um is they're actually um thinking of coming back to the land use board because uh their original idea was to do dry flood proofing >> which is incredibly expensive. Yeah. >> Um so now they're looking towards their
architect to see if maybe um having a FEMA okayed elevator so that they could lift it, have all of the parking underneath and open space underneath and then um have the retail floor on the first floor
and then the two apartments above that to get it 100% out of the flood zone. >> Awesome. So, as soon as they make that decision, I'll make everyone aware um as to which way they're going to go. But, uh yeah, dry flood proofing is really expensive. >> It's just exciting to see.
>> Exactly. The first vacant live, right? >> Yeah. First vacant live. >> It's about time. Yeah. >> It's been years. >> No other questions. >> Okay. >> All right. So, Don, you want to offer it? >> Oh, I'll sure. >> Okay. I'll second. Council member
Suvantes. >> Yeah. >> Come on. Council member. Yes. >> Council member Melnik. >> Yes. >> Mayor Bulan. >> Yes. >> Motion carries to adopt resolutions R2188 through R251 193. Next we have administrative report and
best practices. Best% of our score overachievers. Very good. Um, one of the questions from the budget has
access. Yes, we have to do that every year to have money set. Another budget question toward the end of the first month of the fiscal year files annual best statement with individual government services.
Um an environmental question do we have a vehicle charging station? Yes, we do. Um there's another local government ethics law for ethics question
for transparency of government require local government officers manually and we do that >> and we Let's go to the general section
through [Music] some of the questions which just okay here's another share services uh NJSA 4865-4
requires the copy share service with the division of local services and yes we do that and the last is discussed during the council meeting so there
>> okay well done thank you anyone have anything else that they want to discuss before we go to public portion >> okay then can you please read the meeting statement Public portion. Individuals wishing to address the council shall be recognized by the presiding officer and shall give
their name, address, and the group of any they represent. Although the council encourages public participation, it reserves the right through its presiding officer to terminate remarks to and or by any individual not in keeping with the conduct of a proper and efficient meeting. If any individual refuses to
conduct themselves in a proper manner, they will be removed from the meeting. The council will not during the public portion of this meeting discuss matters involving employments, appointments, termination of employment, negotiations, terms and conditions of employment, evaluation of the performance of,
promotion or discussion of any specific prospective or current employee. There's a 3minut time limit for your comments. Katie Joseph about the update on the situation with us.
I sent an email last week. I contacted Mike and I just like to know what's happening comment to me regarding that and the There are some resolutions. Uh I did speak uh with Spencer and I
think he talked about this and he said they it was agreed upon by you and by him where um and you mentioned that they're in the wrong you felt that they were put in the wrong place. Um, I just about it and Joe,
I've seen pictures of it so he can see if they are where it seems the last few days. Did it help at all? >> They're not doing anything. They didn't feel anything, which I've been talking about for almost 4 years
now. Supposed to be filled. That's where supposed to go. And according to your report, that's where it was supposed to go. >> They were supposed to go in the crater site.
We were concerned about getting them to that crater. Correct. And the water that was coming down from that section to the crater was jamming them up and making the water go towards that trench that existed, which is what I believe
to again protect. The goal was to have the ultimate goal of you from the Phoenix has been to have the most amount of protection for your property from water rushing down from trench in a cleared area where the
property next to you was coming down very steeply and then it would come down to the property. The idea was if we establish that would have impact of keeping water from coming out to the property that would be the successful
move. Uh I understand that the recommendation was pretty much that was correct. So very low location again but they just filled in the hole and then water bypass the lower point
just came rushing down still negative impact that's necessary in contradiction to your report we were all there where that big crater is which is the lowest point for the water was
going to get anywhere There was the opposite around the circles around the circles here. Those eight vals were placed in the wrong location that were put in area one. They were supposed to be placed in area two.
Did you see Mr. I think it would be helpful with pictures that you have. As I said, the pictures will go. I have them on my phone. They will not they will not show how these cells were placed. These kinds
of understand where they where they should be and if there was I understand based on the site conditions that happened all the time. I'm sure we'll take a look and determine if anything else, but can you at least
picture the situation? This is not complicated. This is very simple. Hay bells were installed. They were installed in the wrong place. I was in shock when I went there.
I'm not creating this. our family came with this. I have no reason to even want to be here complaining. I want to be here and say thank you for doing the job properly. Nobody called me but it did.
I didn't even know it was done until 3 weeks later. And by that time the hay bales had been rained upon. It would be difficult to move on to get water like that. We would move them myself. As you all know, I put 40 in
there myself. It's not healthy for me that somebody can't go out to the site and meet me be there with them. Okay? So, we can see this for what it really is and I don't know what else to do. I
don't want to be here. As you can see, I'm getting aggregated now. Okay. The hands are a total contradiction to the report where they place it. I can show you the report here. I invite everybody in this room to come out over
these stupid hangouts. It's ridiculous. When I went to see where they were, I was like in shock. That's not where you decided. That big crater still exists. I don't know what else to say. Sending
all the photos in the world. Not going to do it justice. Just can't capture the camera. I try and thank you for listening to me. I don't want to come here again. And I don't want to be made to feel
that what I'm telling you is not reality. That's not who I am. I'm not making this up. I'm living in a twilight. He had a big meeting out there. Okay. I'm with
everybody. I must be living somewhere else. Nobody believes [Music] also the indifference and the challenging verify. Am I the one?
I think I'm right until I'm proven otherwise. I'm not an unreasonable person. should have rise to this level or something like that. I want to make a joke about Nightmare on North Beach
Street. All I want us to do is is to is to be done with this. I thought the hands were going to be placed to be placed to be done with this. I want to say thank you. That's all I want to do. I want to go
away. Nobody wants to hear from me. I get that laying a person one way or the other. I just want the hat. I was put in the right place. That's it. No more than that. If there's any further comments,
let this gentleman speak. Hey. Okay. Thank [Music] you. >> Oh god. a lot of things passed around. >> Okay. Um yeah, this summer refuge
university had a meeting at the state of climate and I was unable to attend but I did get their their 60 page report that I read and just a few things I'd like to highlight on here. Um first off that precipitation is
more variable. What they have found meaning that it rains they're finding that we're getting more inches during these storms than we used to and they've documented you know number percentage increase that we have more 2 in of rain
than 4 in. We're also seeing more dry periods where we're seeing um more dry months and you think we're kind of still in the middle of the drought. um temperature has increased uh since the 1900s uh they documented that
temperature has increased 4° F and uh last year was the second warmest year in New Jersey and I know the past several years have been documented as warmer years so it's trend is continuing
uh and then finally about sea level the rise in sea level is accelerating uh from uh 1980s uh to 19 2024 uh they've documented that the sea level
was rising 2.2 in per decade. And I think one of the surprising statistics that they have is that they've documented since 1911 in Atlantic City uh sea level has risen 19 in and again
that is part of sea level rise partly subsidance of the land affect um the apparent sea level rise. Um now about a year ago uh it was uh
council uh put a ballot question and uh in my opinion the way it was written it was written and worded to fail and it definitely did um it did not um uh give
any positive things for the corporate hearing study. I believe it was one-sided and um did not you know say how much money the federal government was committing did not say how much money the state government was committing and our share which was put
as you know on the letter I guess $13 million we have to pay but it didn't say that that was good% of what the total cost is so in reality the work they were doing the project they were working on was a real market um since the election
Uh again, uh I've heard and I think most people have read that the Trump administration is trying to more or less defund FEMA. And what they're doing is cutting money going to FEMA. They also trying to take disaster relief and take
the federal government's hands and put it in the state's hands. Um and um I think as you all know, they also felt that Mont Hills project was defunded. the money was taken away because it was a wasteful project and
wasteful spending. So I think my question for this council is um the way the battle question was working I really don't know maybe most of the people in town did not want the project did not want a wall or anything that the court
engineers came up with but I don't think we know that uh because the question did not get both sides so I think it was a very unfair question I don't think it was representative of what was happening and did not project what could be happening in the future. You know,
again, I think the study from Retro University says the water's coming and it's still temperature rising and it's rising more in the northern hemisphere and the southern hemisphere. What does that higher temperature do? It melts glaciers and that documentations of
glacial melting both in Antarctica and Greenland. Um so uh my question to you is what is this council's plans since that project has been killed? What is your plan to protect highlands from
catastrophic from sea level rise from increasing storm intensity um over the next 10 20 50 100 years? Thank you. [Music]
Uh, one thing I will address and in and all of the things that you just said is that the Trump administration did not cancel our Mammoth Hills project. They canceled the entire brick for the entire country. It wasn't just
that they canceled our one project. They canceled hundreds of millions of dollars that were going to be um for projects, resiliency projects that were going to be done in in every state in the country
and in some tribal lands as well. Um, we are working with engineering and with our grant writers to find other sources of funding that are not tied to the federal government. Uh, we are working
with the state and the county um and with the uh the infrastructure bank, the I bank. uh as well as um uh there's also one federal that we were looking at that was at the USDA for
storm water um cuz but obviously now we can't do much because nobody's working in Washington. So that's why we're really poised to uh look for state, county, and also um there are some
grants out there that are from individual corporations. So we're looking at all of those in order to help. Please >> just project. >> No, it's for everything. everything is we've been looking at the last few
months since the translation conversion of the project to the street pump station and street pump station area we talk as recently as last week with the bank uh specifically the chant program which uh they are going to be
reconing themselves because their internal doctrine was tied to And though you know we were on that in 2026 state program didn't want to be tied to FEMA which covered up for that month. So
we are very much in uh talks with them and we'll be reconfiguring with them in January that we can possibly we're talking 5 million and then possibility phase two would be the possible 25 million that they would have available
uh state level for permit projects that are designed ready to go on shelf to biders because milestone in terms of electronic design it's not in which area these are design projects
that just need funding. So right now we're letting the state catch up to the federal reignment and then we'll be there ready uh to act able to act hopefully as soon as next year on the small assets of that project being north
street and street the larger portion of the project harbor um at times uh we're talking about transportation program which roads uh there's grant funding for further for design in as
much as $100,000 in design uh grant that's out there. So all these things are on the table because not just our community but many communities are in this partnership. We have a plan out state is looking at our community and
other communities to help out. So so 25 million was that what that is for old projects in New Jersey. So we'd be putting in our project ready shovel ready project along with
co but again you got to think about the fact that perise dwise where our communities are versus our project because how close we are project
a great idea is a great idea 3 years we started three years ago Anyone else? >> No. All good. Then I will uh close public portion and our motion to adjurnn.
I'll second. All >> in favor? I. >> Thank you. Meeting adjourns at 7:31.