Thank you. Mayor, would you like to proceed? Yes, please. Good evening. This is the meeting of Burough Highlands Mayor and Council regular meeting on Wednesday, March 4th, 2026. The requirements provided for the open public meeting public meetings act have been satisfied. Notice of this meeting
was probably given by transmission to the Aspberry Park Press and the River Times and by posting at the Burough Highlands Municipal Building and website and filing with the Burough Clerk all on January 1st, 2026. 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 roll call. Council member Santes here. >> Council member Chalac here.
>> Council Melnik here. >> Council Pesky here. Mayor Bulan >> here. >> Thank you. First, we have approval of minutes February 18th, 2026 meeting minutes. I will offer >> I will second. >> Council member Svantes, yes. Council
Chilac, yes. Councelor Melnick, yes. Council President Chesky, yes. >> Mayor Bulan, >> yes. >> Motion carries to approve February 18th, 2026 meeting minutes. Next we have public hearing on proposed ordinances 02604 amending chapter 2 section 41
um section 4 41.1 schedule A of section 41.3 and section 41.5 of the bur of the code of the burough highlands. Um at this time I'd like to make a point of order that there are no there is no
public. Um therefore I will go ahead and just uh offer this resolution. >> Second. >> Council member Cvantes. >> Yes. >> Council Tat. >> Yes. >> Councelor Malnik. >> Yes. >> Council President. >> Yes. >> Mayor Bulan. >> Yes.
>> Motion carries. 02604 pass on second and final reading. Next we have introduction of proposed ordinance 02605 removing restricted parking space in front of residents previously occupied by a person with disabilities. Um yet again there is no public present
and so I will u offer this ordinance. I'll >> second. >> Council member Svantes. >> Yes. >> Council Chak. >> Yes. >> Councelor Melnik. >> Yes. >> Council President Schevsky. >> Yes. >> Mayor Bulan. >> Yes. >> Motion carries to pass 02605 on first reading with a public hearing
to be held on March 18th, 2026. Next we have resolution R26077 authorizing emergency contract for replacement of manhole frame and cover on Route 36. >> I'll offer I'll second.
>> Council member Svantes. >> Yes. >> Council Chap. >> Yes. Council me >> just before. >> Mhm. >> What kind of manhole was it? Was it >> the sewer >> to to the local sewer or Highland sewer or was it a drainage for the highway?
saying a sewer for a park sewer >> sanitary sewer storm sewer. >> Yeah. >> So, so that would then be municipal responsibility even though it's on the county road. No, nobody's going to argue getting it fixed before the plowing. We
had no benefit of time to to negotiate. >> But just the fact that it was on 36, >> like I I think that there's some nuances to whose manhole is it as to who has to pay for it. Oh, I agree. And the way they whip out
it like three days before Yeah. >> demanding it. Yeah. >> And and for a non-trivial amount of $15,000, like that's a little heavy-handed. So, I don't I don't know what what our recourse is other than to pay the bill for sure. But to the extent
that going back to the county and saying this was or the state at that matter, right, state route, >> it's it's both. It is both a county road and a state road. We're the least positioned to fix >> what's going on. >> Perhaps um Mr. Ball could help us with a strongly worded letter that we could
send to both the state and the county in regards to this payment. >> Awesome. Cool. >> Great. That's good. >> Can I just ask you who installed the sewer >> in 1930? It was installed. >> This is the same sewer from 1930. >> Yeah, I think it was Josh Huddy who
actually >> didn't tell me about the sewer. Um, and all these years it's been a the cap has been a problem with plowing or just now it became a problem about it like a few days before >> before the storm was rolling in
>> and it's on the bridge >> on the exit ramp like >> Okay. Yeah, since I was on there I a few days ago I was I was looking for >> Well, yeah, I guess but I didn't see any manhole cover. I don't know. It's right in front of um It's right in front of
the Etealle Park. >> Okay. Okay. Which is also owned by the state. >> Okay. >> All right. Still a lot of money for sure. >> I vote yes, but I'm thankful for us to reach out and see what the state andor county would do. >> Absolutely agree.
>> Okay. >> Council President Schevy, >> I concur. >> Mayor Bulan. >> Yes. >> Thank you. Motion carries to adopt resolution R26077. Next we have consent agenda. Mayor, would you like me to read the resolutions by title? >> Yes, please.
>> R 26078, approving revised closeout change order number two, declaring acceptance of contract for the Shore Drive pedestrian improvements project and amending resolution number 26047. R 26079 authorizing payment of bills. R
26080 authorizing the refund of voter safety course registration fees. R26081 authorizing execution of an agreement for snow removal and street lighting reimbursement between the Burough Highlands and Bayoint Condominium Association.
>> Do we have an offer? >> I'll offer. >> I'll second. >> Council member Svantes. >> Yes. >> Council me? >> Yes. >> Council me? >> Yes. >> Council President? >> Yes. >> Mayor Bulan? >> Yes. Motion carries to adopt resolutions R26078
through R2681. Next we have mayor's report. Um for uh our February upper dates are for emergency services. Uh first aid squad had 25, fire 35, and police uh
711. And I just wanted to make a special mention to the Highlands Fire Department as well as all of the mutual aid that came to help when there was a structure fire at 129 uh Marina Bay Court. They kept the fire to just one of the
buildings that are adjacent to others um which was huge. Uh it could have been a very terrible result and it was not. So, our thanks to uh our fire department and everyone else that uh responded, of which there were many.
Um back to the report, uh code enforcement had uh six summons, one morning, 10 reports, 16 inspections, six permits, and six opens. The building department had 37 inspections for 25 passed, eight
failed, zero not ready, and 22 permits uh were issued. um regionalization to include CBRE. We are the mayors are still meeting but there's not really a lot of uh movement
here. I'm going to reach out to both Declan Ocamarind and Vopal and see if the state has uh any other thoughts on how we can move this forward. Um for the land use board,
which is a new feature I'm adding to the board. Uh we had um uh Sea Streaks uh parking lot, we had our first hearing on 1218 for zoning and parking improvements. The second hearing date has not yet been scheduled, but they uh assured me that their attorney was going
to reach out to our land use attorney. Um, also at the February meeting, we had our affordable housing update from the burough planner and we had uh two um Sharky at 9 Shbury was extended. Solar
powered at uh 44 Miller was moved to the March 12th meeting and 17 Locust also was granted an extension. Um nothing to report on the areas of redevelopment.
Uh for current projects, uh two of the four valves uh that we're looking to replace have been completed. We're looking to get those last two done by the end of the week this week, permitting, you know, weather permitting. I know it's supposed to be
kind of wild monsooning tomorrow, but possibly Friday might be an option. Um for overlook they are back at work and they have been uh for the last couple of days and then once they're finished with
that uh they're looking for about maybe a month or so to wrap that up and then they're going to jump right over to Frank Hall. Um moving through one grant that we are uh looking to
go for uh in the before the end of this month is uh from the Hudson River Foundation and that is to replace and upgrade all of the other outfalls throughout town. So uh we should hear back from that probably in the summer.
And those are all of my updates. Um, again, I will note uh just for the record that there is no public uh with us this evening. Um, and if if does anyone else have anything they want to add before we
>> just real quick? Sure. Just to congratulate Leo on winning the chili cook off. >> Oh, yes, for sure. >> I appreciate it. >> And the Guinness Run is coming up on the ETH. And then of course the big parade. So everybody say your prayers that the
weather is good for the for the St. Patty's Day parade. >> And that's okay. Anyone else? I have a question about racialization that just went through my mind while you were talking and that is did he ever discern
>> for real for real that if a vote came that Highlands and Atlantic Highlands would be counted as one for a voting pool that it wouldn't be just Atlantic Highlands voting and Highlands voting but because we are >> and it's one district
>> it's one district >> so it's the majority of the two towns together >> together Yes. >> Interested. >> Anything else? >> Do I have a motion to adjurnn? >> Motion. >> Okay. >> All in favor?
>> I. >> Thank you. Meeting adjourned at 7:12. Have a good night, everyone. >> Make a record on this one. I think so.