--------- This is this is useful. This is good swag. >> Should I should I start using it right now? Good evening everyone. >> I hereby announce that pursuant to section five of the open public meetings
act hello. >> Hi. >> Sorry guys. >> Hi everybody. Hello. >> We're going to be real quick for you guys. >> Okay. I hereby announce that pursuant to section five of the open public meetings act that adequate notice of this meeting has been provided in the notice which was sent to the Asbury Park Press the
Two River Times and posted on the bulletin board in Township Hall and filed in the township clerk's office on January 3rd 2025. Mayor Foster >> here, >> Miss Lam Mountain >> here. >> Mr. Imprevude is not here this evening. Mr. Lucarelli >> here. >> Mr. Romano here. >> Mayor, you have a quorum.
>> Thank you very much, Wendy. Can we all please stand for a pledge of allegiance followed by a moment of silence? I also >> All right. So, pretty cool packed meeting, multiple reasons. We're going to start off first. Uh, Miss Lou, would you care to please come up and let's,
uh, congratulate these fine young students on their art performances. >> Yes. Okay. So, okay. Can you hear? >> Okay. Good evening. Chonging Chenlu, the chair
of heritage committee is here to do my final report and presentation. The Homedale Heritage Committee hosted our 2025
Heritage Day on Sunday, October 26. Thank you so much for everyone who involved in this successful and wonderful event.
Um, special appreciation go to Homedale High School. Dr. Harro is here. Um, thank you for them to
allowing us to use their beautiful uh building and taking took care of everything on site for us as much as they can do. Thank you so much Dr. Harris
and to Mr. Lucarelli who delivered tons of pumpkins with different sizes and the plants to uh form from Pantano outdoor supply center
to high school to the areas we used. Thank you so much DJ and to Mrs. Lantern, thank you for everything from our bottom of the hearts
and to thank you. You thank you to help us to assist us, assist us and support the heritage committee. I told her don't cry. Um, thank you so much as as the the
township leazison for two years. So, thank you so much. You will be greatly missed. Thank you. Um at the heritage day we also hosted a cultural in art contest.
Tonight we going to award those winners. First place wrong. Um her her art title is Echoes of Home.
And this is a little scholarship for you. This scholarship, this scholarship was donated in cash
um at the event. So, thank you so much for those uh donors to make this possible. Um the second place is Julia Lee the Mist
of conflict. Oh by the way Rang L right is our home high school student and Julie Ali is from biotech. Thank you. is also our
resident just for he study at uh biotech. The third place went to so zoya Thomas her work title is unity in color.
This is third place and we also have two honorable mentions. The first one went to Rachel Hunt. Unfortunately, Rachel got a very serious injuries. So, she cannot come today. However, her art
teacher going to accept the award on behalf of uh Rachel, Miss Matana. Okay. Another honorable mention also went to Zoya.
Her title is um under the lights. Pick it up. Okay. So now I we need to get And also All right. So, let's get the photo
done first. All right. So, Dr. Harris, please. Dr. Okay. We have our committee members to join us. Zoya also from um Biotech
High School and of course Rachel is our Homedale High School student. Thank you so much. >> Congratulations. Miss Lou, thank you for all your work with the heritage committee. Fantastic job. Amazing turnout. I think things
went incredibly well. Kim, you did a dynamite job again. Way to get your hands dirty, your feet dirty, everything, and make sure that thing went off really well. So, phenomenal job by you guys. Congrats again, ladies and thank you. And we're going to move right along,
fellas. We'll get you guys moving here. So, we have a proclamation on the Homeell Township Committee this evening. Whereas, on behalf of the governing body and all the citizens of our community, it gives me great deal of pleasure to express to all members of the 2025 Homedale High School varsity football
team our sincere congratulations for winning the program's first ever state sectional title. Nice job, boys. Whereas the team beat all of their top 10 ranked opponents in the Shore Conference, including Donovan Catholic, Rumson Fair Haven, Middletown North,
Middletown North, and Neptune. And whereas the team ranked number one in the short conference in points per game with an average of 43 points per game and set new school records for single season offensive categories, including passing yards, total offensive yards,
total touchdowns, total points scored, and total receiving yards. Again, well done, boys. Whereas the players were led, supported, and encouraged in their endeavors and successes by head coach Noel Kavanaaugh, assistant coaches Dave Sherman, Joe
Castellano, Michael Oxley, Dallas Clem, Shae Richardson, volunteer coaches Steve Leo, Nick Tyson, strength and conditioning coach Scott Wetzel, athletic director Michael Cassali, and athletic trainer Kyle Hidle. Now therefore, be it resolved by the mayor
and township committee of the township of Homedale on this ninth day of November, 2025, that congratulation be extended to the players, coaches, assistant coaches, athletic trainers, and team managers both personally and officially on behalf of the residents of the community for their outstanding
achievements. Be it further resolved that a suitably engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to the team as a small token of the esteem in which they are held. and be it further resolved that all best wishes be extended to all for their continued success in all of
their future endeavors. If I may, coach, can I ask you to come up and please read off the team's names, please? Thank you, Mayor Foster. Um really appreciate uh everyone who's supported us. Um this entire community has been unbelievable. Um and uh wanted
to, you know, say a special thanks to our administration. Um Dr. Harris is here tonight, which is awesome. Um obviously Mr. CEL um who helps us a lot and um you know Dr. Casone um but this entire community um the fans um have
been unbelievable and I wanted to you know thank all the parents um of these fine young men because um you've raised these and I say it over and over but you've raised these boys right. Um, so I wanted to make sure that uh we mentioned
everyone here. Um, so I'm going to go ahead numerically. Um, number one, Brandon Mueller. Um, this is going to this I'm Let's save the applause till the end because there is a lot of names. Um,
number two, Michael Teddiscoco. Uh, number three, Matt Shyman. Number four, James Murphy. Number five, Joseph Bardi. Number seven, Antonio Zapia. Number eight, Marcos Velios. Number 10, Maximus
Shim. Number 11, Jack Cannon. Number 12, Dylan Carry. Number 13, Yanni Rexinis. Number 14, Carmine Alipertie. Number 15, Tommy Fletcher. Number 17, Christian
Gomez. Number 18, Hunter Sanfalippo. Number 20, Shawn Diaz. Number 21, Alex Skolo. Number 22, Dylan McDonald. Number 23, Aiden SEA. Number 25, Anthony
Serini. Number 26, Gavin Sharp. Number 27, Ryan Pescore. Number 29, Tam Sheriff. Number 30, Ryan Costello. Number 31, Christian Varane. Number 32, Charles Murphy. Number 33, Peter
Barardi. Number 34, Tyler Carry. Number 36, Luca Naparano. Number 44, Grayson Crowder. Number 50, Teddy Kakcomomas. Number 51, Luke Shice. She actually sorry for the mis
pronunciation. Um, number 52, Santiago Bell. Number 53, Gavin Mason. Number 54, Devin Behol. Number 55, Robert Medishvki.
Number 56, Jackson Need. Number 57, Ryder Ston. Number 58, Lucas Messa. Number 60, James Abbottton. Number 65, Daniel and Prevadudo. Number 66, Andrew
Klein. Number 67, Peter Sheis. Number 68, Michael Longear. Number 72, Luca Vasiliatis. Number 74, Vincenzo Emodio. Number 75, John Gan. Number 76, Carmine Denty.
Number 77, Jack Tiller. Number 79, Jack Bodsford. Number 82, Justin Smith. Number 83, Javi Wright. Number 85, Mimmude Ganim. Number 88, Joseph Hav.
And number 89, Zame Samra. Um, you can now go ahead and applause. >> Hey fell fellas, why don't we get you guys up here? We're going to spread you out along the deis along the top here. Let's see if we can get a picture and give you guys a resolution, please.
Hey guys, seriously go up top you guys. A lot of you bigger than me. Might not seem like it, but you are. >> All right. Now, the rest of you guys start piling up top. top and all around. >> Me too. Me too.
>> Um, also just wanted to mention um just postseason awards. Um, Jack Cannon has um won uh the state player of the year for Max Preps. Um, not an easy honor uh to accomplish and he's done that. Um, and he's also into running for other
player of the year awards uh by different publications. Um, Coach Sherman, uh, Coach Dave Sherman, our offensive line coach, uh, defensive line coach, and assistant head coach, has been nominated for, uh, assistant coach of the year in the state. Um, so that
that's a big accomplishment as well. Um, so I just wanted to make sure uh, we mentioned those things. Um and um James Murphy is uh was on the um Jersey Sports Zone uh all state uh team as well.
Congratulations. You're welcome. What's that? Just bear with us, guys. One minute. We're going to get the wall shut so we can get the real show Part: 2
So they're exempt from conventional taxes and they come off of the ratable base. Instead, they make a payment that is a direct payment to the municipality that's used to keep the municipal tax levy lower. Let's talk about the actual
numbers. The township collects about $7.3 million in pilot revenue. that. Remember I said there was about $17 million and change 17.7 in revenue. 7 million of that is
pilot revenue. Without, keep this in mind, without the pilot revenue, the township's tax levy would be $22 million, assuming the same level of services that it provides today. All right. Strategic benefits of pilots.
Well, why why do municipalities do them? Well, the first uh most important thing here is it's to unlock development feasibility. Uh the whole concept of a pilot, if a property could be developed without a
pilot, if it could pay conventional taxes, the municipalities and every property owner should say just pay conventional taxes. That's really the answer. If you can do it under if you could do this development under conventional taxes, that is certainly
what should happen in all cases with pilots, what is certainly supposed to be statewide at least is that the municipality should not be granting a pilot unless the development was unable to be done without with without the
pilot. Um, it could support community goals. So it could help make affordable unit obligation compliance, historical preservation, infrastructure improvements, development of community centers, recreational facilities can
make all that financially possible. All of these things cost money and everybody wants to see certain things happen in their town and uh you know generally they want to see developers do certain things but those things do cost
money and it hurts the bottom line and it's less so about the the investability of the project and much more so about the financeability of the project. Can these developers go and get financing? Uh but they have to prove to the banks
that the project is profitable at a certain level. So pilot subsidies will generally reduce the amount the annual cost that property owners have. Um if it's a rental project, the the concept there is to
increase the cash flows. And if it's a for sale unit project, it's to decrease the amount of money that the property owner is paying in in what would otherwise be taxes and to provide some certainty and stability. And the way that helps a developer is it
makes the units more marketable and it makes them um uh probably enhances the value to some degree. the two most common questions that about pilots. So there's there's going to be a line of 20 people. Now it's down
to 10 after this is over. All right. So do pilot agreements negatively affect the school budget? That's the big question. And the short answer and quite frankly the long answer is no. What I have underlined there is does it affect
the school budget? The answer is no. And we'll explain why. That's $67.8 million is again that's the shortfall. That's not decided based on who's paying taxes in the town. It's not decided on what property is aratable,
what property is not aratable. That's decided based on the expenses that the school has and the revenue sources that the school has. So that $67.7 million is going to exist regardless. And that amount is going to get distributed to
the property owners that are paying conventional taxes. So don't worry, I'm not done on that yet. We're not walking away from it. So let's forget about the pilots for a moment. Let's just give a hypothetical, completely hypothetical scenario where
we have a church or a charity that purchases a I don't know, we'll pull a number out of the air, 22.75, oddly specific number. uh $22.75 million property. Obviously, it's going to become exempt,
right? So, right now, that property would be paying about $350,000 in taxes because again, they pay the same rate that everybody else does, 1.539 in 2025, uh 22.75 million assessment.
Of that, 350,000, 241,000 are school taxes. so so-called school taxes. The properties moved to the exempt list and stops contributing towards taxes entirely. All right, this is the
scenario that we're working with. It's a church charity that buys this $22.75 million property. They stop paying taxes. The question is, does a school get $241,000, right? They get $241,000 less now. No, they don't. They still
need what they need. They need the $67.7 million. So they still have to collect that amount of money. That's still their tax levy. It's unchanged. Again, it's the shortfall. Well, if that's I mean, certainly
there's some impact here, right? And yes, of course there is. If that property is not paying the $350,000 in taxes, well, then somebody must be paying it. So, how does it actually affect if and again, we're not even talking about
pilots yet. We're talking about a property that just simply goes on the exempt tax list. Okay. What happens in the calculation is the amount that needs to be collected is unchanged. What happens is the the value of the
town is decreased. That 22.75 million assessment is no longer it's on the now it's on the exempt list. So the town is not worth 6.372 billion. It's worth 6.35 billion. Well, what does that mean? Your tax levy is
still 98 million. Arguably, because the town value would be 3/10en of a percent lower, you'd be paying slightly less con uh county taxes and slightly less uh um uh open space taxes. I was going to add a slide, but Wendy would have had my
head if I added another slide here. So, we're going to just call it 98 million. It's probably 9840,000. And it's probably 9820,000. I don't know. It's marginal different marginally different. So the way the calculation work is you take the same
$98 million that has to be raised. You have a lower value town. You get a higher tax rate. All right? So if because what's happening very simply is that $350,000 that that property was paying is being redistributed to every other property
owner in town. So the average assessment in 2025 was a million32 out of 1.539% the actual average taxes or the actual taxes on the average residential assessment was 15,893.
If we took that hypothetical property, the totally hypothetical property, and we moved that to the exempt list, the tax rate would or the taxes on the average residential house would have been $52 higher. Well, let's play this through. What if
that property paid uh over $2 million in what we call pilot revenue and the town kept $2 million of that pilot revenue? This is what would happen in this hypothetical scenario.
$14.8 million would change assuming the same level of services and uh no additional expenses to the township. That $14.8 million would be reduced to 12.8 million. There's no change to the calculation
here. It's still a one. It's still a 6.35 billion town after we back out this 22.75. [snorts] the 98 million changes the 96 million the six divided by the 6.35 you now have a 1.512
tax rate. What does that mean? Well, that means that under that scenario, even though that property was moved onto the exempt list, the tax the taxes on the average house would go down by $279,000. $279. $279,000 would be great. You'd be
we'd be paying you to live here. So $279 lower under that scenario. So that's the same scenario. It's a property going on the exempt list. However, that property is paying what equates to $2 million in taxes. All right. So that really
leads me to that that addresses some aspect of this question. How do the pilots affect the property owners of the town? That's really the key question. That's it's not about the question is not really how does it affect the school budget. It doesn't. It's how does it affect the property owners of the town?
That's the key element here. And of course, it's not a simple answer. It depends. So, when you're evaluating pilots, there's a few key questions that you have to ask. Number one, would the project happen
at without the pilot? That's the the the key question. The number one sole question is can that project happen without the pilot? All right. Number two, if it wasn't built, what would the tax revenues have been on that
site if it remained undeveloped? That's another question that you have to consider. [snorts] How does the pilot revenue stream affect the township's budget and its tax levy? Did the existence of the project
increase cost to the township? Generally when develop development is happening the key the number one question that people will ask is how many how many children are going to come out school age children are going to come out of that development how much is it going to increase the the cost to the school and then the other things you
know is it does it mean more road paving or garbage collection I guess here I think you you pay for your own garbage but you know those are the types of questions that you have to ask will it increase costs okay and and if so how much uh did the project advance key uh key
township goals, affordable housing obligations, infrastructure investment, historic preservation, recreational facilities, community centers, etc. And then finally, did the project create synergistic effects prompting additional redevelopment in the area or did it
boost prop township values to any degree? Uh I think probably well, we'll talk about that shortly. So I looked far and wide thinking for a case study for something to evaluate here and I found something in Mammoth
County. It's a site Bell Labs Lucen. You may have heard of it. So that property was redeveloped uh from 2014 time frame to I guess recently. It took uh I would say
eight years or so, nine years to be fully developed. Now, this may be a little bit small to see back here, but this chart goes back to the 1990s. What that property used to pay in taxes, how it used to contribute
to the municipality in taxes, relieving taxes off of everybody else in town. Now, in the '9s, that was the Bell Labs years, they were paying about $4.5 million in taxes.
That's at a time that the tax levy of the town was only 30 $40 million. They were essentially paying 15 10 to 15% of the township's taxes, relieving it off of everybody else in town. Well, we all know how this story
unfolded. As the site became obsolete and eventually abandoned, the property's contribution rapidly declined down to a half a million dollars. From $4.5 million down to a half a million dollars
in 2009, 10 11 that continued into 2010, 11, 12, 13, 14, they were paying about a half a million dollars. And this is at a time that the tax levy of the town had increased. it increased from uh 40 30 40 million to 70 80 million and the the
amount that that property was contributing towards taxes decreased uh from 4.5 to 500,000. Well, [clears throat] of course, we know what happened. It got redevelopment began. pilots were
authorized on the uh on the site for the the uh the the Regency units as well as the building the Bell the Bell Works building. Now uh you could see immediately from 2014 to 15 before a shovel even entered the ground the taxes
had increased. Why is that? Well, I could tell you why. Because I was the assessor. I increased the value of the property. As soon as they subdivided it, that property is more valuable. As soon as they got approvals, that property is more valuable. Instantly, I increased the assessment from 26 million to 46
million in a single year. They started paying uh in go from 550 to about $927,000 in taxes before even putting a shovel in the ground. Then the redevelopment begins and you have three real three
components there. You have 40 single family houses which are now valued over $2.5 million on average. I I would say um you have the 185 uh 55 and up units that are paying pilot
uh pilot revenue directly to the town and then you have the Bell Works pro Bell Works building itself. When you combine all of those things, how much is that property now contributing? Well, it took a few years to ratchet up
and again, this is largely why you'd see the tax levy of the township be able to remain flat because we're getting additional revenue sources. Costs everywhere have gone up. So, um, you know, they've gone up on government the
government side as well, believe it or not. So in 2023 to 2025, we're now collecting about $8.5 million, which is about double what we were collecting in the heyday. And uh you
know, we're still not at the point where we're collecting 10%. It's contributing about 9 to 8 n%, but it's a lot tougher to contribute 10% when the tax levy is $98 million. Right? So here's a fancier slide of that same
information. We have our Bell Labs years where the property was paying in the four million the $4.5 million range. The Lucent years where it started to decline. Abandoned property years where we're pay they're paying uh half a million dollars.
Property gets subdivided a million dollars. Uh redevelopment years the revenue really starts to ratchet up and then stabilization is where we're at today. The it's all fully occupied. All units are paying their pilot in the regency and uh the the building is fully
occupied. So which the revenues in the building will increase which would and the rate increases. So this will continue to creep up. Same thing with the units in the regency. They're continuing to pay more every year as well. So this number will continue to
increase. All right. So, here we are at Vonnage and unfortunately this is a uh a similar looking chart. This property I used to have this property assessed for what I thought was
a com comfortable value of about $40 million and we had some appeals in the past and they ended up just walking away from the appeals when Vonnage was on the site and I didn't think we had any problem there. Well, Vonnage ended up leaving and I
started COVID happened 2020. I start to become a little bit concerned about the large office space market and I begin to decrease the assessment. The building is now vacant, right? They don't need the space. At first, they only needed before even went completely dark, they only
needed a portion of the building. So, start to decrease the assessment to down from 40 million to 35 million. I still thought we were in a comfortable range. Well, the owners of the property have a fire sale on um on office space
and this property ends up trading for about $17 million. So, what's it worth? Is it worth $35 million or is it worth $17 million? Of course, appeals are filed and uh generally property owner just like a single family house that was purchased
at a certain price, they'd be looking for an assessment value of that price. In this case, we negotiated a number of $22.75 million assessment for 2024 2025.
The technical term of this uh this decline here is not good. We went from 800,000 to down to $350,000. And that is not a good situation. And you know, you we could go back to the
Lucent property and see what that looks like. So, can redevelopment help? I'm not going to cover this uh slide. This is an overview of the project. There's four phases, which I'm going to
get into each phase individually. This is just an overview. So, um we'll we'll we'll jump right to to that. Yep. In addition to in addition to all of these uh you know the units that are
going to be built there and the senior center and the skilled nursing facility which again we'll get into each phase where it's sand volleyball court walking trails a chip and putt green and a helellipad so I could commute to work easier.
The helellipads for emergency services by the way. And then other benefits uh inclusive of this project is 42 affordable units that would go towards the affordable obligation that the township has the affordable unit
obligation. All of this stuff costs money. So the project is certainly it's considering everything that needs to be added here. Considering the scope of the project, it is certainly it's not financially feasible under conventional
tax scenario. The project cost is going to be nearly $200 million. There's a long development period with high carrying costs. There's specific financing challenges with skilled nursing facilities, which is one of the
phases of the project. And when it you when you boil it down to the financeability, will will banks will lenders lend for this type of project? uh considering the scope and all of the requirements that are needed and
interest rates and project costs, uh what banks need to see in many cases is certainty. And aside from the one of the biggest benefits of a pilot to a developer and
to a bank that's providing the lending, it's that you're getting a lower amount. Sure. But it's more so about the certainty because the way that the payments are structured provide better certainty than what conventional taxes do.
So let's go through the phases. Don't worry, I'm almost done. Uh phase one is 105 for sale units. The total project cost of phase one is $77 million. Uh there's 83 market units, 21
affordable units. This is the project phase that is going to uh provide the 7,000 square foot community center >> in the building. >> In the building all of Yes. Yes. >> They're not. >> Good point. So all of all of these units are in the building and that's what's
highlighted on this uh this chart here. I think what high phase one highlights the backside I presume. Andy could correct me if I'm wrong. That's probably where the tennis courts and all of that will would be the open to the public tennis courts. I think I in basketball courts and all that.
>> All right. So, P questions at the end, please. >> Yes, it is. We'll take we'll take them at the end. >> Yes, they're a question if they're age restricted. The answer is yes. But please save all questions till the end.
Um so the pilot calculation what is what was negotiated and what is part of this financial arrangement uh with the developer that's being proposed here. So the calculation would be 1.25%
of a sale of a sale or resale price. That number was chosen specifically because 1 point the tax rate next year in the township the town went up about 9.41% in value. If you assume a 3% increase to the tax levy next year, the
tax rate next year will be around 1.456%. That 1.25 represents 87% and change. That number was chosen specifically if you remember the some of the prior slides, one of the prior slides, how
much how much is kept within the township of every dollar, it's 86 cents. So, it was important to us to have the pilot payment represent a number that's greater than uh what would otherwise be kept within the township.
So, uh there's an annual rate escalator consistent with the tax however the tax levy changes uh or 2.5%. There's a 90% cap placed on these units of conventional taxes. So, essentially they're going to be paying 87% of
conventional taxes. uh and every year it's going to change and be reanalyzed similar to the way that the Regency is done. Although that calculation is is very different the base calculation, but there is the same 90% cap. We have to evaluate every year on every single
unit. What would conventional taxes otherwise be? What's 90% of that number? That's the cap of the what we call annual service charge. In addition to that, they pay a 2% administrative fee. So, it's effectively 92% of conventional taxes, 91.8 8 or somewhere somewhere in
that ballpark. Um, in this this project, no different 2% administrative fee. Now, the township is required to remit 5% of the annual service charge to the county and a portion of this annual service charge will be pledged to repay a
redevelopment area bond uh uh the debt service of a redevelopment area bond. So, what's important here? There's two figures that are important. what the projections are as far as the payment and what the projections are of what the
township would retain. So phase one full occupancy based on average sale prices projected at $990,000 on units um for the market units and $177,000 on
the affordable units. The projections put the pilot revenue at in the first year 1,94,000. From that 1,94,000, essentially the township would keep about 90% of it. Uh 974,000.
Going moving on to phase two. I don't think I need to belabor the phase two because it's very similar to phase one. Now phase two is these are town houses. So, these are not in the existing building, but these are four sale town houses the same way that
phase one was four sale units. And uh there's 52 market units and 13 affordable units. All of these phase one, phase two, everything is is age restricted. All right. All of the units whether be it market or be it
affordable. So there's 52 market 13 uh affordable. Same calculation mechanics. The projection there 783,000 in payments. The township keeps 679,000.
So phase one and phase two were up to about a million uh keeping about a million two a million7 or so. Keep in mind that the property now contributes $350,000. Phase three is the skilled nursing facility that's projected to be
approximately 70,000 square feet. The calculation there for the annual service charge is slightly different large very different I guess I should say. Um $3.25 per square foot is what would be paid as
the annual service charge. There's an annual escalator of 2.5% 90% conventional tax cap 2% administrative fee and the same concept there. uh the amount that gets remitted to the county and the amount that is
pledged to pay the redevelopment area bond. So in phase three, year one was project is projected to be $291,000 of payment. The township keeping 217,000. Phase four, these are rental apartments,
age restricted before Andy hits me. um 32 units market, eight units affordable. So a total of 40 units calculation there different these are not for sale units. Uh it's based on
their annual gross revenue. It's a percentage of the annual gross revenue starting at 11% ending in year 30 at 14%. And that's probably a question. This is a 30-year arrangement on all phases. All right. 2% administrative
fee, 5% annual service charge. uh that's projected at $200,000 and change. Township retaining most of it about 196,000. So what does that look like if you uh project that over time with
typical increases of 2 and a.5%. The project the property right now undeveloped pays it'll probably pay about 371,000 this year because taxes will go up. The property I now have valued at 25. The deal of the 22.75 is
over. It's now assessed at 25.5 um for now and the project uh fully developed. Now my note there the disclaimer is this is assuming all phases are built just for
comparative purposes. The reality is this would be staged in over time, but I put all of the years of the pilot revenue in one year to compare it to what taxes currently are. All right. So, year one, you're looking at about almost
$2.5 million, $2.3 million of payment compared to the 371,000 of um taxes right now. More important to the property owners of the township? Well, what about what stays within the township?
Of that 371,000 at 86.4% the township would keep within the township $321,000 compared to the pilot at projections at uh almost $2.1 million.
So, when you package it all together, this is what you're looking at. you're looking at a project that's gonna um >> totals. >> Yeah, the totals. So, over the 30-year span, if you add up what the township would be retain would be retained in the
township uh as undeveloped, it would be about $14 million. That's assuming it remains undeveloped for 30 years, of course, right? Um and under the projected pilot, it's $94 million.
So I'll just leave this slide I guess up on the screen because this is an overview of probably all the relevant information uh the benefits that is uh being granted to the town under the project uh and the what the pilot revenue retention is.
That's the key word. What is a township going to retain in the pilot revenue? So you know if you remember back to my slides with the hypothetical there's a reason I chose those numbers. obviously uh that I was hinting towards. It's a $22.75
million assessment that pays $350,000 in taxes right now. And uh the pilot is projected to retain over $2 million. >> Eric, first off, thank you very much for taking time out of your evening tonight away from your family to present for us. I know this isn't a common occurrence
for you, but thank you very much. >> [applause] >> I'm happy to do so. No problem. >> For everybody in the audience, these slides will all be posted online so that everybody can get a copy. We don't expect you to memorize everything that you saw here this evening. It will be out there and it will be posted uh
before and whenever we get to moving hopefully on this ordinance. This board, this committee, excuse me, which has been a large supporter of our school system, intends, even though the schools will not lose any funding, we intend to give the schools $245,000 per year as part of a shared service along with the
escalators that are in the pilot for the township as well. So, that being said, Wendy, could we move on to item eight, please? >> Sure. This would be for approval of the minutes for the September 9th executive and public sessions, the September 25th
public session, the October 14th executive and public sessions, and the October 28th executive and public sessions. >> Can we get a motion? >> Move. >> Second, >> Miss Lton. >> Yes. >> Mr. Lucarelli. >> Yes. For the minutes for the meetings
that I was at, not for the ones I was absent. >> July noted. Mr. Romano. >> Yes. except for the 28th that I was absent at. >> Thank you. And Mayor Foster. >> Yes. Thank you, Wendy. >> All right. All the minutes have been successfully approved. Thank you. >> All right. So, obviously our agenda, we
just kind of flip-flopped a little bit just so that we could let Mr. Aguiard do his presentation first. So, we are going to do public comment. Again, as I mentioned earlier, please just raise your hand. We'll get through everybody who has a question. We appreciate all your patience and all you guys sitting through that presentation. So, without
further ado, public comments on agenda items only. Michael, do you have a comment? >> Uh, just a reminder, I know we usually make the uh statement for the regular public comment, but the time limit also applies to the uh public comment on agenda items only. So, Wendy will be keeping the time on that. >> Thank you, Michael. >> Three minute time limit.
>> Any questions on agenda items only? >> Lance, come on up. Yeah. >> One thing as a point of order, I would encourage everyone in your comment to raise whatever questions you have after your comments concluded. Uh if the mayor thinks it's appropriate, he'll direct to
Mr. Auar, Mr. Bayer, our special counsel who's um firsthand handled this uh pilot agreement's also available as well as myself. And then we'll respond as appropriate. Um, this isn't a deposition, so we want to make sure in advance that this >> and that's what I was going to just remind you. It's not a Q&A. So, we're
going to go through your comments, Lance, and we'll we'll address them as best we can. >> Okay. So, no opportunity for really questions. >> You can you can ask your questions and then after you complete your public comment, which includes whatever questions you have, we'll work on answering those. >> So, a separate question then. I mean,
you've said before there's this isn't a Q&A session. So, when is our opportunity for Q&A? >> You can call me anytime. >> Okay. >> You can call anybody on the committee anytime. I spoken to sever many of these people. >> All right. Um All right. First off, would have been helpful to have this presentation prior to this meeting.
>> A lot of work went into he was working on it probably until 5. >> Still would have been helpful for for us to see. >> Okay. >> Questions. Well, I mean, >> just to be clear, it's not being passed. So, you will have time to go home,
review, several weeks, and come back. >> Mayor, if I could just say, it's going to be a public hearing on the ordinance, correct? >> Right. This is an introduction. >> Gotcha. Okay. >> We have to introduce it at some point. >> Yeah. No, understood. Understood. Just trying to >> grasp everything. So, one thing that I
didn't see included on the chart there was the impact to schools, right? Where it's 240 now, right, that we're getting from that property and whatever we got from from Bell Works in the past, but there's no line that goes to zero >> for the schools. >> Well, based on what you just said now
that you're going to do that, but for for Bell Works, it does. I'd like some clarity on the uh Bell Works the town homes and homes what they pay because according to the county records they don't pay any taxes from what I saw. So I I'd like to understand that
there was a there was a statement about the cap is 90%. But that doesn't mean that's the minimum. That's what actually is being paid. So I'd like to understand what that number is. Plus I guess there's a 2% administrative fee that goes to that. >> Sure. Michael, is that something we can
release to the public? I believe it is. But can we >> Sure. >> I just want to Are you through, Lance? >> No. >> Okay. All right. >> Um, isn't the amount of the P So, I saw this graph up there. It the It seems like that graph just keeps going up, but
isn't isn't there the the agreement with the pilot, won't that be capped at some number? Isn't that capped at some maximum number that they can pay? or is it based again on some 90% of whatever the assessments the the levy needs to be? >> Keep going. Finish your comments, then
we're going to get back to you. And then on the uh on the the the public space on the Vonnage property, what's the cost to the town for that construction, upkeep, maintenance, and
how does the the the waste factor in to the waste question that's been raised on that property already? Is that part of that equation? that 40,000 daily. I think that's the number. 40,000 gallons daily limit,
right? So, so how does that factor into that? Um, that's it for now. >> All right. >> Unless I'll save it for the end. >> Yes. Thank you, Les. >> Uh, sure. So, thank you, mayor. Um, >> uh, again, the
the school is the their levy is budget based their expenses uh less the revenue sources. It's when you have a this is not a question of how it affects the school budget because it doesn't affect the school budget. It affects the property owners of the town.
the $350,000 that that property in this hypothetical example in the in the slides here, uh the $350,000 that they would be paying is redistributed to be paid by everybody else. Uh but at the same time, in the in the case of a
pilot, you have property owners in that property also contributing separate from conventional taxes. In this case, $2 million that would go to reduce the township uh tax levy. Can I answer about the uh continue with the uh
>> go ahead and I was gonna ask Andy to add and then I was gonna add some comments but you you finish up where you're going please. >> So um one of the other questions was what is being collected at the regency and at the at bail works. Uh this is literally on this slideshow right uh I brought it back up on the screen here.
uh these numbers here there's columns estimated uh regency pilot revenue retention and the reason that for the the disclaimers there is this is not what is collected this is what is actually retained this is actually a more important number this is what's
retained by the township uh 2.6 $2.7 million retained on the regency and about $4.2 $2 million on the Bell Works building. Uh the reason there's a difference from what which I covered in some slides. The reason there's a
difference between what's collected and what's retained is we have to uh remmit 5% of the annual service charge to the county, but we also collect the administrative fee. These numbers include are inclusive of the administrative fee. What was the other question? There was one other question.
I thought >> he asked about the is there a cap to the pilot which Andy Andy or Eric, which one of you guys would like to take that? There's no cap. >> There's no cap. >> Uh public space. What is the cost to the township? >> Well, yeah. So, they're donating five
acres of land. So, it's just Right. So, that's just like maintaining land and then the se the 7,000 square feet is being constructed and donated to the township. So it's like whatever it would cost to maintain your office building or
you know or whatever or your library whatever space you have that would be it. >> So >> okay and the last one was how does the waste factor into the cost of the township as well. >> I I think maybe I'll jump in on that one. Uh the township is still evaluating plans on how exactly to use the 5 acres
of space. Um, I believe that, you know, part of the calculus so far has been that, uh, the pilot revenues will allow and assist in funding the township improvement that is intended to take place there to address, uh, first responder, uh, concerns in South
Homeell. And in terms of any, uh, waste treatment that's required, uh, the township intends to install its own septic system specific to that parcel. Um, so it's not tying into the uh current package plant that's on the site and there was no need to for the
township to involve itself in the uh condominium uh setup that they have for that. So there is no cost uh for the township to uh address waste that would be addressed as part of the township improvements. >> I think that answers it. Thank you, Mike. >> Well, Lance, like like we said, the the
slides will be out there and we will be addressing this again. So anything further we could definitely get into more. question on the wast >> the rec center. >> Correct. >> Yes, that'll be part of the 40. Okay. >> Thank you, Liz. >> Just a reminder to everyone, please ask
your questions at once. We'll have you sit down. We want to make sure we get through everyone tonight. That's always been our ground rules and we want to make sure we adhere to them tonight so we can get through everyone. Thanks. >> Sometimes I'm too nice. I'm sorry. Karen, come on up. >> I'm not sure this is the right This is his questions on what he had to say.
>> Sorry. Put your name in. Thank you. >> Karen Strickland, 26 Hayward Hills Drive. I have a um I have a a statement on the ordinance. Should I read it now or come back later? >> Sure. >> Read it now. Okay. I'm reading a statement on the part of citizens for informed land use. Um as you know, a
pilot agreement developers receive property tax exemptions while the municipalities retain 90% of 95% of the funds collected. Thank you very much. This enables the township committee to bypass a typical 68% allocation to the school district, thus bloating the township budget while shortch changing
the schools. The real aim in allowing a pilot agreement is to encourage development that is beneficial to the community. The question here becomes the definition of the term beneficial. Is it beneficial to the township residents to be concerned about the quality and quantity of water being sent to the Swimming River Reservoir, source of
drinking water for [snorts] over 335,000 Mammoth County residents? Is it beneficial for a school district that um school district that is the reason many people move to Homedale to be denied revenue from this property and have to ask the township for funds that
were diverted away from the board of eds budget u not budget but board of the board of eds bucket that they could go to for uh to raise taxes since its inception 28 years ago has advocated for the protection of the swimming of the southern slope of homeale from high
density development because it is vital to the swimming river wershed and to the quality and quantity of our drinking water. The applicant is proposing using an antiquated treatment plant which does not adhere to current standards. Rather than upgrading this 50-year-old package septic plant, which has seen multiple violations, the developer is only
planning to replace parts. When the system fails from increased 247 usage from this highdensity residential development, who will be responsible for repairs, replacement of the system? Will the developer pay for the failed system or the onus fall on the residents or home build on the Azora residents or
home build taxpayers? CEO believes additional degradation to the wershed will occur because the applicant is using a 37y old percolation lagoon which sits inside the currently required 300 foot Willowbrook stream corridor buffer. The Willowbrook is an environmentally sensitive category 1 stream which flows
into the nearby swimming river reservoir. All the processed influent from the homes in Azor of Homedale will be dumped into Willoughbrook either directly or via the lagoon. It is disingenuous that the developer is asking for the additional dispensation of a pilot program to reduce taxes while
failing to spend the money necessary to protect our drinking water with a state-of-the-art septic plant system. Just a little bit more. While there is a community benefit to meeting our affordable housing obligation, Celu urges the township committee to find solutions without
negatively impacting the drinking water of residents. Incentivizing highdensity development is inconsistent with Oldm Mill's master plan and the New Jersey state planning area 5 designation for protecting environmentally sensitive areas that contain critical natural resources. The Azora development and the
pilot are detrimental to all of us. The schools don't have the benefit of a stable source of income. The taxpayers are forced to pay higher taxes when the BOE raises taxes to meet their budget demands. And the 335,000 county residents who get their drinking water from the Spring River reservoir suffer when the water becomes
contaminated and costs more to clean it. Coo sees no upside in improving this pilot and hopes you will take these issues into serious consideration when voting on the ordinance. Thank you. >> Thank you, Karen. [applause] Come on up, sir.
Alicia, we'll get to you next. >> Good. Uh, Mike Dero with 20 Hunley Road. Um, I just want to start by saying that that was that's a fantastic and don't hate me. That was a great presentation. It it really was. Um, I think part of the problem is a lot of people don't
understand how pilot works. Uh, but here's a funny story. I was standing here a couple years ago and we had kind of the same banter. I don't know if you hear this, but it was about the regency. And I said to the town committee at that point, it sounds like your point is you know what to do with the money better than the schools because I mean
ultimately and here folks the bottom like to boil it down, it's an 8 to 10% discount on the pilot, right? I mean that's what we're talking about off property taxes. So it's not like these guys are getting away with murder. They're they're really not. And a lot of times it is required to kind of get the funding and everything. So that's that's
a whole different story. Now whether you think it's going to happen with it or not that doesn't you know that doesn't matter but where I do kind of disagree and this is my statement is that that can kind of be worked out anyway with or without a pilot those payment you know that amount can be worked out but you're absolutely right it's go you know it it
takes it contributes to the pool so it doesn't really take away from the pool but what it does is allows the committee to happen so here was the funny story I said you guys are saying you know what to do with the money better than than we do and I knew everyone on the board at that point a little better and they said oh yeah Mike you're right they paid I'll
give them credit came right out and said it and said but don't worry come on we have kids in school too we won't like let anything happen and I said well that may be true now but it might not be true in the future so here's my only disagreement where that tends to fail is
that's only if the committee doesn't go and spend the money you guys might say hey with this pilot you know what we're good 31 point something million raised budget now we don't need you know I know costs are going to go up 3% But we're not going to spend any more money. But that's not what happened. And
since 2020, the committee has spent six million more. And I'm looking at you like you can't answer. I know. Sorry. Right. It went up about $6 million. >> That is literally the delta, right, of how much extra that the that the town controls rather than having the divvy up
6832 with the school. So what's happening is the school board is being put in this position being the bad guys. And you're going to hear from my better half. um but to argue and they're talking about cutting services and cutting teachers and eliminating staff
and everything else. We're hearing all these things. Um and that's all to to uh manage a budget shortfall that is less than that amount, right? So the committee and I and I get it too. There are a ton of expenses. Things went up. But the committee spent that money where
I was told nine years ago, don't worry about it, right? Right? And I said, "Hey, I don't know who's going to be there in the future and now we have to worry about it because that's exactly what's happening." So, I don't really mind quite honestly. I think look, there's very What are you going to do with this property? Something like being proposed or 80 ugly McMansions.
>> Really? I mean, that's >> or 800 town homes as presented to us. >> Well, well, right. I mean, but >> there's I I know someone's going to come in with a wish list 30 seconds. >> Keep going. >> Um, right. because I'm actually you know trying to actually say like it's it's
not a it's not a bad thing but I think what you're what collectively people are trying to say is by diver when when diverting is not the right word and I don't mean that in that sense but when the when the the pool of money is only controlled by the town
council to but to hear like well yes we're going to continue to contribute the 245 that the school is getting on the current um it's still leaving a shortfall Um, I would just ask that there be maybe some some more
communication. I know there's going to be some new board members coming in in in um in January. Um, more communication so that it's an understand because look that a huge value of this town is the school, right? I mean that it is what it is. I mean I mean I grew up one town
over, but I moved here because of the school system. Um, and it's important and if people start hearing, oh, we're going to cut services. Oh, we're going to do this. Oh, we're, you know, we're going to, you know, cut staff. You know, that becomes a problem. So, I would just encourage
looking at what I think I heard and I was about right like 2 million and change. Correct me if I was wrong. Eventually, two million change eventually looking at in the sense of like, well, if that was taxed in accordance with norm, you know, standard property taxes, the school will be
getting 1.4 round number. um and maybe willing to share that much of it coming to a shared service agreement where the 68% is contribute is is is you shared with the school given back to the school to help cover those budgets because
ultimately it's all coming out of our pockets. I mean you guys live in town. Why am I looking at him? It's all coming out of our pockets, right? Like it doesn't matter whoever's whatever committee is spending it. It doesn't matter. It's all coming out of our pockets. So to look at in that sense like everybody sort of understand that
you know how that split typically is one/ird 2/3 and you know kind of keep the money spread in that sense. Um otherwise again I haven't heard anyone explain it that well and I've been doing this a long time. So >> thank you >> 20 remember next year with the
assessment. [laughter] >> So thanks again guys. Have a have a good night. >> Mike thank you very much for your comments. So, I I spent a term on the board of education. I was chair of budget and finance and as the presentation showed, the schools do not lose any money. This board, as I mentioned earlier, has been
a huge proponent of the schools. The majority of the board of education, including superintendent, came here this year and thanked us publicly. The extra $245,000 is us adding. They they don't lose that money as we showed you. Like, you're not going to look at their budget next year and it went down because we lost the ratable. That's not the way it
works. But I understand the sentiment is out there that they can't increase their revenue. That is fair and that is accurate, but it's it's not the same as they lose money. But thank you for your comments, Michael. Alicia, please. >> Alicia Unison, 8 Riverside Lane. Appreciate your comments this evening,
the presentation that you all helped to congeal to present one side. >> Sure. that you've presented one side of this evening's concerns. The numbers you prepared this evening are based on a vacant building. Yes or
no? >> Alicia, it's not a public Q&A. Can you make your comments and then we're going to get back to them like we've done >> earlier? I felt like this evening's comments were based on a vacant building. I would like to know based on this development once it's finished the
conventional taxes where what what would that number be? and not on the value of an empty building. Um, I'd also like also like to ask if the allocation to the schools will be put in writing for the duration
of the pilot or if this promise can be broken where this TC to or when they decide to exit their positions. Um, I'm concerned that we're not presenting the full picture of what
we would actually get from this project if we weren't basing it on an empty building in comparison. Um, and that's my question. What would the actual conventional taxes be at the end of this project once it's built? What
would we be getting at that point? Thank you, >> Alicia. Thank you very much for your comments. I'm going to kick it back to you in a second, Eric, but I believe you made some comments, you know, assuming, you know, stayed vacant, but obviously not knowing what would be there, which is the challenge that we've been wrestling with the last two plus years
going back to when DJ was mayor. So, that's the hard part to quantify, Alicia. I do think it's certainly a valid question, but I really loved your question about will the funding continue once this board exits because as we know, a committee has never supported the schools like this before. Like, we
know that. And can it be overturned? Michael, I guess legally, can you answer that question? Because obviously I hope that's not the case. I hope I'm not signing something that's only going to be overturned. We've shown our support. We're going to continue. But Michael, can you answer that? And then we'll get to you, Eric. >> What are you referencing in terms of
>> So Alicia asked if let's say two years from now, somebody else were to get control of the township committee, can they change it back so that the schools no longer receive the pilot funding that we are looking to uh give them additionally? I mean, I would imagine just like you've done with the uh special law enforcement officers, we
would enter into a shared services agreement with the board of education. It could certainly have a term of years that will um make that agreement effective for the period of time that it runs. And that's a contract. So, you know, you can't just breach a contract. So, uh it would be established if if the
township committee and the board have that agreement. It wouldn't be able to be invalidated if it has a term of years like that. >> Excellent. Thank you, Michael. Eric, could you answer the other question, please? as best you can. I understand it's >> hypothetical as well. You came up with some hypotheticals before. >> Yeah, I I do have that number uh that
that was asked, >> but of course, keep in mind this is under a hypothetical scenario that the project is able to be developed under conventional tax scenario, which we don't believe it can be. Uh I I'm not I don't think anybody believes that it can
be. So, uh that number it would be about $2.69 69 million of taxes that the property would be paying assuming the hype that hypothetical under the pilot. That number is 2.3 million. That's so it's effectively 80% 80 I'm sorry 86% of
what taxes would otherwise be assuming the property was even able to be developed. to uh to just go on with that. As far as the retention goes, the retention difference, it's 88.9% retained versus if it was a conventional
tax scenario. And that's in the initial year um of of these projections. So, kind of the question, the way that it was framed was what will it will it be paying when the pilot is over? I mean, we're talking about 35 years from now. If we just assume two and a half% increases, uh that would put out like
$5.5 million. But nobody has that crystal ball. So we we don't know what it'll be paying in 30 years. >> Eric, thank you. >> Gentleman in the leather jacket there. >> How youall doing? John Phillips to Beverly Drive.
Um in the presentation mention was made that the uh pilot program is uh utilized in circumstances uh when development might not otherwise be possible and uh also to help make the
properties more marketable. So my question my first question >> John just try to stay close to the microphone. I'm sorry they just can't hear you in the back. >> Um my first question is there seems to be no time element to the pilot program. So in
other words, I understand that redevelopment might be difficult without a pilot program. I I do question the marketability aspect of the pilot program. I I don't think there's any problem with marketing property in Homeell. I don't think anyone has to be talked into trying to,
you know, to buy a home in uh Homedale with the properties that have been uh developed around Bell Works. They are now occupied. So, I I I failed to understand what the purpose of the pilot program is with regard to the
property owners of the private homes. Why are they still subject to the pilot program rather than just paying taxes like any other resident? Um similarly for the vonnage property um what happens when private ownership takes you know
takes possession of those units? Why are they still subject to uh the pilot program? The units have been developed and there's no need for marketing anymore because they've been sold. So, but they're still paying under the pilot program at a reduced rate even though the stated purpose of the pilot program
has, you know, uh expired. That's the first question I have. The second question I have is um what happens to the rental units at the uh property? what happens if uh I don't know who would own them but I guess the
developer or some subset of developer but over time if ownership of those property uh of the rental units changes how will the new owners be subject to the pilot program or any uh uh tax obligations in the town and um also I I
I I have to you know I understand you say that this doesn't affect the school budget and the school budget uh is set up to, you know, take care of our kids because that's why most of us moved to this town to begin with. But, you know, I have two kids in the school system and
I can tell you that, for example, uh, my wife has spent the last several weekends working on a website to raise funds for the high school robotics team because they don't have funding. And I also have seen kids uh involved with the theater programs and the arts programs uh in the
middle of performances have faulty uh uh um audio systems in the high school auditorium uh you know where sound just cuts out after everyone's worked for months to do these things. Um so I don't think that there's you know this there's uh no shortfall in school budgeting. So,
the fact that, you know, my concern is that these pilot programs outlive what their stated purpose was from the beginning and they're taking money away from schools that would otherwise be uh part of the school budget by the normal course of taxation. >> Thanks for your time.
>> Absolutely, John. Appreciate your question. So, I'm just going to answer briefly and then I'm going to turn it back over to Eric and possibly Andy as well. But you you mentioned about the marketability and I agree with you 100%. We're in a beautiful town, great spot, school system. It is, but what Eric spoke to was them being able to obtain
financing for the entire project. So, that's really not on the marketing side. It's more on the financing side to get it up and running. And I just want to clarify on the you said the single family homes in Bell Works. Are you talking about the 40some units or are you talking about the Regency? >> Okay. Because
Okay. So, there's the two. There's the the 55 and over which is part of the pilot and that's a contract so it runs for 30 years. So anybody who comes in new is still part of that agreement just like it would be for here. The single family homes are all taxed. They're not part of any pilot. Um Eric or Andy, do
you guys want to touch on any of the He was asking about the rental units which I believe is what it's the share of the revenue that comes in is how we make our money but if you guys can maybe touch on that. Yes, we get a percentage of the adjusted gross revenue of the rental project. Terms of the pilot, there was a
question about the length. It's 30 years. That's the statutory period under the long-term tax exemption law. Um uh the other question is that what happens if the project change ownership? So, the township under the redevelopment
agreement has to approve any assignment. The developer has to be financially worthy. and we get to review that and then uh but the pilot runs with the land. So the pi it's going to be recorded and it will run with the property for 30 years.
>> Thank you Andy. Michael >> and and just to put a finer point on the question about private parties. I think that's probably specific to individual property owners of units on the forale units. the the thought behind a pilot program is that the 30-year
subsidization, which when I say subsidization, I don't even like using that term because we're talking about a 10 to 20% discount off of what the conventional taxes would be. Um, we're not talking about, you know, going to the supermarket and something 50% off. That's not what this is. uh but
specifically on the private units that that subsidization is part of the calculus that allows the developer to complete the project and to get the investors to do so. We showed you slides talking about how a developer is looking to complete a $200 million project in
town. And this financing arrangement is the vehicle that the legislature has given towns to utilize to get that private development and to give them the certainty that they need in order to complete it. The result of that is that the enduser, which is the first purchaser, and then the ensuing
purchasers get the benefit of that. So that this if someone is in year 15 of a 30-year pilot, uh that's the result of what was done to allow the redeveloper to have completed the redevelopment.
>> Thank you, Michael. Mel, come on up. >> I'll get you next right behind Jay. >> Jay Yanello 18way drive, Mr. Foster, just following up on that point regarding the the town houses with the the pilot program. I'm actually not here
to question pilot or not, but in the spirit of we need the pilot to get the project off the ground. uh this committee and you in particular I believe correct me if I'm wrong reversed what was in the original plan for the
town houses which is okay we need a pilot to sell them within the project but once it's sold and flipped that sucker goes to market rates which then would help the school but if I remember correctly you guys said well no we're going to allow
an ongoing pilot for the new buyer because it was in I quote the spirit of the original deal. So that I think is problematic in the spirit of what kind of you're selling here. And I think bundling the comments so far and I've argued with good friends about this,
many you know the problem the population has, the citizens of Homedale has is whether it's you or other guys up there, the Homeell Township Committee marketing themselves as being very good stewards of the budget and not raising your taxes and
everything when you guys have benefited greatly from the soaring revenues from the pilot program. Whereas the school is starving with the 50% increase in busing rates and the health care that's gone through the roof. It continues to go through the roof. I realize your healthc
care has gone through the roof, but you've been sheltered by this. So what bundling I think the sentiment of all this is you can't have it both ways. You're not so great. You're we love that you're preserving land. We love that you're doing a hard job. I think you guys have
done a very good job, but you're benefiting by this soaring revenue and you're wearing it strongly. We're great. And meanwhile, the school is sucking win. We are possibly, and I know it's a conflict of interest because my wife is one of them, we're possibly talking
about outsourcing paraprofessionals for the severely special needs kids. That's a really ugly look. Do we want like these drunk substitutes that's coming that have been coming in, teachers? Do we want that for our special needs kids? That's a really ugly look. While we
spent, I don't know, $9 million on sports infrastructure over the past seven years. So, I think you have to keep it real. You guys, from what I remember, renewed a pilot program on units that should have gone to market rates. You guys boast at how you're keeping the budget wonderfully and
you're not raising taxes while the school is sucking wind. So, I hope in that context some people are pushing for a 40% cut of pilot or something toward the schools. I appreciate you're doing the officers. I appreciate you're contributing to the busing, but I think
you need to step it up, keep it real, and say we're going to give the school system a fixed x% because I know damn well there's a lot of cutting going in the schools. A lot of the classroom numbers and coverage is down. So, I just hope you guys keep that real. Quick
question. I was on the committee that assessed Vonnage and said it was an okay deal, this development. There was no talk of all these courts. Where are all these courts going? Is it in the back as you suggested earlier? Do you know where these courts are all going?
>> We we'll get you out a rendering of it, Jay. >> Okay. Because there's a lot of these sprayers of toilet water going in the back. Is it going to be near the courts? And last comment, I mean, seriously, and they're going to be needed if we're going to 40,000 gallons. Um, I forwarded an article to the township committee and
Mr. Collins today about the severe challenges with this developer. Um, severe legal challenges. Were you aware of that when we got into negotiations with this developer? >> Not until you sent me that email, Jay. >> Okay. Mr. Collins, would you like to
comment on us potentially doing this agreement with all these environmental considerations and risks with a developer with this history? >> Jay, we'll definitely comment. Are you done with your comments? >> Yeah. >> Okay. We we will definitely comment on that for sure. Uh Michael and I spoke about it earlier, so we we'll comment on we're not going to have a Q&A. I will
answer your question about the spirit of the pilot and why I voted to keep the taxes at 90%. As you just saw in the pilot demonstration, we don't keep 90% of our regular taxes here in town, Jay. So when I decided to keep it to 90% of
conventional taxes and keep that money here, that was a benefit to the township, which is what I signed on to do three years ago when I stood there and made my oath. That's why I did that. And as you pointed out many times in what you just said, yes, this committee is the first one to help the schools
year after year after year, starting with him and then with Roco and now with myself, and hopefully it continues. Eric, could you answer his question about that, please? >> Yeah. Well, yeah, just to kind of piggyback on that, it's not that the recalculation was uh putting those units
at market rate. It's that it put it substantially over market rate. So let's say and this is the dynamics of the complexities of the calculation in the regency which I'm not going to bore everybody with here but essentially because of the way that the interest rates are which is a factor of the
calculation and the high sale prices it resulted in the calculation being set at amounts that are near $30,000 while conventional taxes would only be about 21 or 22,000. So there is a decision made as the mayor said to cap it at that
90% 90% plus the 2% administrative fee. So it's actually >> we just it's not a it's not a back and forth. We we need to get to the other comments. >> I know but just real quickly really quick please. >> Why why wouldn't they why wouldn't they just be and I'm not trying to be cute. I don't understand it. Why wouldn't they just have been taxed like any other
asset any other? >> They're they're under a pilot they're under a pilot agreement. >> Doesn't that pilot break at that point or No. >> No. Oh, so the tax So the tax calculations are still different. >> The township committee had to take some sort of action to cap them off. Otherwise, the calculations on those
individuals would be $30,000 on something that taxes would otherwise be 22 >> because they're still under the 30-year thing. Exactly. Okay. I think that was underexplained. >> So, and Jay, we can't sit here unfortunately when we meet and when we try to govern, right, we can't sit here and go through everything that is every
aspect of every facet of everything in town. I I'm not saying that sarcastically. That's just the reality of our position up here. Yeah. So, we have to take all the facts which somebody will say, "Well, why did you do A, B, and C? Why not X, Y, and Z?" We're taking into account A through Z when we make all our decisions. Eric, I
appreciate you explaining that further. Ma'am, can you come up, please? >> Hey. Okay. Patty Dero, 20 Huntley Road. I have my notes written here. Um, Eric, I want to agree that was a very thorough invest like discussion on everything that's going on with the pilot. Um, I
like my husband was here back in 2014 when the Bell Works pilot was going on, but I just had a couple statements I wanted to say before I go to that. Um, I want to thank you all for all um, the efforts and the responsibility that you're doing to try to encourage development in our town.
I know that we all want what's best for our community, including school, strong schools, and stable tax base. I understand why a pilot program can attract investment, and I appreciate the success we've already seen with the Bell Works project. However, pilots also
redirect revenue away from the school district because they replace traditional property vales with payments that don't fully support our schools. As you know, Homedale schools rely on their share of property taxes for operating
costs and long-term stability. When a new pilot is approved, the school district receives little to no benefit from it. I respectfully ask that before approving another pilot, the council publicly shares the financial impact on the school district and consider whether
alternative arrangements such as short-term revenue sharing or not using pilots at all might better protect the schools. I'm not against development, but I'm in favor of development that supports all parties of Homeell. And I hope the council will closely work with
the board of education, which I know you have in more sense than other town councils, um, in any decision that you make is transparent, data driven, and fair to our students and taxpayers. Now, in saying that, the reason why we came back here in 2014, and I don't believe
any of you were on the town council at the time, was I had no problem with Bell Works in a pilot. We needed a pilot similar to the Vondage property to get that redeveloped. What I had a problem with was Regency. And as was stated tonight by Eric, $2.6 million is what
Regency gives our town. But if Regency wasn't a part of that pilot, the school system would get $1.7 million every year. 68% of those taxes if it was not part of the pilot. And we stood here, I stood here and asked the town council
not to include the Toll Brothers Regency as part of the pilot because why? The homes were going to sell. You didn't need it. Did you need Did they need it to build Bell Works? Absolutely. To redevelop Bell Works? Absolutely. They didn't need it for the senior housings.
They were going to sell. They were going to build it anyway. And that was proof because they're full. So, Vonnage is the same thing. There are many different types of pilots. There's not just a 30-year agreement. You have four phases.
Can I please ask you to reconsider your pilot ordinance, do phase one, 30 years, maybe the other phases, do the five-year share agreement, do a 10-year, there are other pilot agreements that you can do. In
turn, when those pilots then become no longer, you know, they're out of term five years or 10 years later, the tax revenue then goes directly to our schools. All of you here, I have been in the schools for 14 years. I am now proud
union president of our school district. You are the only committee that has worked with us and I appreciate that. And Brian, you sat on that board and you know how hard it is. But if the school board had that $1.7 million, which would
be 68% of the 2.6 six that Eric mentioned just now from Regency. Could you imagine how much the board can budget if they knew every year they were going to get that 1.7 million, but now we're not getting that for 30 years.
So, please, we're all in the transparency of you having these things on the agenda and you're going to go vote for it and you're doing an ordinance, but I'm asking you, there are options still. Don't rush into this. 30 years the Vonnage building absolutely
you have to redevelop the building. The 85 acres they don't need 30 years of a pilot. I said it before they're invested too much. The developers invested too much. They're going to build it. Please
reconsider the way you function this pilot. Thank you. >> [applause] >> Patty, thank you very much for your comments. Definitely appreciate it. Um, I just do want to point out, you know, like you mentioned in favor of development and stuff like that, but as
you stated at the end, this is actually a redevelopment. And again, this committee has been securing as much open space to prevent development as much as we can while also still working with the Trent mandated housing which has been looming over our shoulders for quite a while. So again, we're trying to walk that fine line, but I'm going to let uh
Michael address some of your other comments. >> Sure. So I I I think it's worth reiterating that if a particular project didn't have a pilot, that does not mean that there's automatically 68% of the advalorum calculation that the school
district would get an increased levy because the school digit school district's budget is set by the school district. when uh the if you recall back in the uh 2000s the school district actually had to get voter approval to even increase taxes and if that failed
it would come to the governing body for an override vote. The school district within the tax cap is able to raise your taxes. So essentially school districts in New Jersey are taxing bodies. They are capped at what they can increase both their budget and what they can increase the tax levy. And so they set
their budget like Eric was stating earlier. So their budget is set. You have the number 60some million dollars. They can vote to increase that budget within the cap and they will get that money. It's just a question of how that money is then given to them. Whether it comes from the advorum taxpayers that
pay the school taxes or in the township's case, there is a revenue stream that's supported by the pilot and there is the overall revenue stream that's supported by the advorum taxes. I think the the point that Eric's presentation is trying to make is that Homedale taxpayers pay into the tax pool
regardless. And so whether the township has the benefit of the pilot or not between the township and the school district imposing upon taxpayers what they need in order to fund their operations, essentially it it's out of the same pocket that you have in your in
your pants paying the tax bill. And so it it it is admittedly a confusing concept, but it is a misnomer to state that if you take what you would say is tantamount to advarm taxes, add 68% that's what the school district is would
get absent the pilot. That's not true. You add the further consideration that a pilot can't be granted in the first place unless it's established that the project couldn't be built without the pilot. So it's it's a false hypothetical because the project wouldn't exist without the hypo without the pilot. And the last thing I just point out is we
talked about this mayor at the last township committee meeting specific to the Vonnage property. Um this township committee did not um enter into redevelopment with this property owner for this um end use on a blank sheet of
paper saying hey we can consider any use we want and this is you know pick this out of thin air. Uh the township committee did this balancing uh the developers desires and needs in order to complete a project with the fact that as
the mayor just mentioned uh the township committee is grappling with Trentonmandated housing. And so in the absence of an agreement with this particular developer uh this developer very well could have participated in the fourth round affordable housing process which is happening this year 2025.
And as part of that process, had they not had a redevelopment agreement, a contract with the town to do what they're doing, there's no reason why they could not have participated in that fourth round process and submitted a plan and demanded to build hundreds of units on that property, which would have
had an impact upon the school system. If you developed an inclusionary housing project, it would not be an age restricted project that they would have proposed. It would have been one that would have had plenty of school-aged children who would have then been um entering the school system and the school system would not get any
increased funding as a result of that. They would have to increase taxes on everyone in order to fund those. >> Thank you, Michael. Next question. Come on up, Francine. >> Francine campus, two country square lane. And first of all, your
presentation was excellent. It kind of sheds some light on me, so I I do appreciate it. And of course, and we've heard it, so I won't repeat it, but this committee has really worked a lot with the schools, and I appreciate that. My question is, well, first of all, what I
think is lacking is we always say how much taxes we're getting from new development, but what's the expense to the town of having extra traffic? Okay. Um maybe road p paving uh more and this
is a senior thing more emergency services might which might lead us to have to go for paid services because we saw what it was like to get volunteers although it's a wonderful police department. I don't want to say anything about it. They're wonderful here but you know there's only so much strain on
them. So I don't want to sound critical but my thing is if this has all been working and I understand that the budget is the school budget is budget and it's part of that. Why is it now that our schools are talking about cutting
services or outservicing which I don't know if anybody's done an analysis when we outsourced busing we did it because we said we're going to save money in the end. Did we really? Because if costs go up for busing, those companies have to
pass it on to us. So, you know, in considering outsourcing, it may say it's like bait, bait and switch. I'm going to give you a good cheap price now, but over the years it's going to cost you what it would have cost you to begin with. But my question is, why is our
school system saying they have a $2.3 million deficit? It's looking to cut services and the town and and if I'm wrong on this figure, forgive me, has an $8 million surplus. So, I don't know. Is this working right?
And perhaps I'd be more agreeable to apply and I have no kids in the school system. So, I could care le No, I shouldn't say that. So, I'm not saying it because I have kids in the system. I do care about the school system. And selfishly, it so a good school system
makes a good town. When your school system goes down, so does your property values go down. Now, that might help. I might pay less taxes if my house wasn't valued. That but anyway, I'm just joking with this. In other words, my question is why is my the schools suffering? Bell
Works came in and that should have, you know, helped us. We're we're not. We're talking about a school system that I'm afraid is suffering from these pilot agreements. Thank you, >> Francine. Thank Thank you very much. and and thank you for what you do on the
boards and stuff. You know, you raised the the question about, you know, traffic congestion and and then the emergency services, every single one of those things, you know, we speak about on a daily basis every time we meet. So, with this redevelopment, it was basically how do
we try to mitigate all of those things? Because like we've mentioned here many times today, development is getting rammed down our throat. It's getting rammed down our throat. Look at the towns neighboring us. They all, not all, several of them just had very large
projects that they've been trying to fight with builder's remedies that they lost. I don't want that to happen while I'm sitting up here. I will do everything I can to prevent that from happening. That's my two cents on it. Michael, did you want to add something? Yeah, the I mean just generally speaking I would say
that certainly the struggles that the Homedale school district in their own words and school districts in general are having is not in any way attributable to pilots. It's attributable to um a lot of environmental issues um including in state law and I would just you know I
sat on the school board too the you know the the when you have cont when your budget is a supermajority labor and the contracts have increases that are well in excess of what you're allowed to increase your budget. You're going to have budgetary problems. And then you add in the fact that the state has cut
state aid to many suburban school districts and towns such as Homeell. The state has created a very difficult economic environment for school districts. And so if the districts are and you know if you read the newspaper neighboring communities, not just Homedale, are having the same exact
financial discussion on the school board side. >> Thank you, Michael. Come on up, Jason. Jason, thank you for all you do on the boards as well. >> Well, I was up here and say it to you guys first. >> So, thank you. Is this on? Thank you to everyone. Um DJ, Mayor Foster,
>> your name and address, please. >> Yes. Jason Burkel, 15 Hidden Hollow Terrace. Um, so again, I understand these late night sessions. Um, thank you, Eric. I'm a CFO, so I definitely appreciate your financial presentation. Spot on. Perfect. As you know, zoning
board Francine and I very concerned about environmental concerns here in Homeell. So, all I'm going to talk about here is environmental. And I've got a little kind of put together some things here because every every question I ask on a zoning board is how is this going to impact, you know, the environmental issues here in Homedale? We want to keep
this pristine. So I am concerned that the developer, the Vonnage redevelopment project, is not upgrading its wastewater management system to meet modern standards and instead is seeking to remain grandfathered under the D water
permits that are nearly 50 years old. It's a big problem. As it stands, waste water from this site is discharged directly into Willowbrook, which ultimately flows into the swimming water reservoir, the primary water source for Homeell and hundreds of thousands of
Mammoth County residents for six months of the year. The proposed redevelopment includes senior living, assisted living, and skilled nursing units. On average, individuals in assisted living and skilled nursing facilities are prescribed approximately 15 medications.
Wastewater treatment systems dating back to 1977 were not designed to remove these pharmaceuticals, meaning these substances could ultimately enter our drinking water supply. Big problem. Additionally, although the developer
refers to the the facility's waste water as gray water, it will in fact be black water as it includes effluent from toilets. This water would either flow into the reservoir or be be aer sorry my uh vocabulary here aerosolized and
released into the air we breathe. For these reasons, I'm asking the Homedale Township uh township committee to not approve any pilot program for the Vonnage redevelopment unless the developer commits to implementing a fully modern wastewater management
system, one that meets current standards and eliminates the discharge of untreated or inadequately treated wastewater into any waterway connected to our portable water supply. To do otherwise would be irresponsible. This project has the potential to contaminate
our drinking water affecting all of us and future generations. Thank you, mayor, for the opportunity to speak before you here tonight and the rest of the committee. [applause] >> Jason, thank thank you very much again for your service and everything. I can't
really get into really what you brought up there just because obviously it's before the the planning board, but I definitely will ask that developer addresses it more at the next meeting for sure because it's not my understanding, but I want them I wanted to I don't want to speak on something that's before your judicial body.
>> They have to spend more money. They're cutting. >> We I don't want to get back and forth, but we we'll get into that. Ralph, come on up. Ralph Blumenthal, 41 Stony Brook Road. I want to thank Brian Eric for an excellent presentation, for having a
good discussion. >> Hold the microphone closer. >> Yeah. Okay. You got to swallow it up. Uh that it's given people an opportunity to ask excellent questions and you need to do this kind of thing more often and get
it out get all the issues out in the open. I just have two specific questions. One, Brian, you mentioned that there is a tenative, I don't know if it's even in any budget yet, agreement or thought amongst the TC to contribute of the
pilot revenues, 245,000 or some number to the school system. Uh and you know as is brought up that's not if you just do it one year it's one thing but potentially you should create some sort of a services agreement that
as the pilot revenues go up as time goes on that the number goes up to address it and I think maybe even a bigger number would be appropriate. Uh second, and this will turn as much as
anything to Eric, but also maybe Mike, the one of the premises in what Eric presented is that the need for a pilot comes from what I'll call a shortfall in the financial planning for the project. That
without the pilot, the project, the project is not financially viable. Has the developer fully shared all their economics with you so that you can actually say that this is true?
I question it that you know a project of this sort at that price is going to depend so much on getting a 10% 15% reduction in the taxes and that that's what makes it possible versus not
possible. I I I could say unequivocally yes. I'll let Eric and Andy speak to the details and I would say that, you know, I'm sure that the the amounts were negotiated and the developer certainly would have preferred to have even more of a of a benefit, but we worked very hard to work
with them to provide the the least amount of benefit possible while making the project uh viable. >> I mean, if anyone knows Eric >> Yeah. I mean, I I've talked many times with Eric and >> I I he's >> if he says yes, I I'll go by that.
>> Let's just say the first meeting with the developer with Eric was not very um pleasant. [laughter] They were a little uh surprised at his uh tenacity and aggressiveness about um challenging assumptions and uh negotiating what
ultimately became, you know, the pilot. Yeah, there. So, but with that you could talk about what information was shared. >> Yeah. Well, they did share everything and uh you know it's not just myself that analyzed it. The township had financial adviserss as well. Um but even
with the pilot the returns on the project are are certainly sub 12% uh in the range of 10%. And you know when you're taking on that kind of risk that's really not that substantial. For example, um phase one, the total project
costs are about 77 million. And when you add up all the projected sale prices of the units, and these are not conservative numbers. This is assuming that they sell for $990,000 on those units inside of the current Vonnage building. Uh the return would be
$85 million. So, you're risking 77 million. as it's a 10 uh8 $8 million uh uh benefit, but to take on all that risk with $77 million. And it's not so much about whether the developer is willing to take that risk. Developers are
typically uh risk, you know, they they like to take risks, >> but they need to finance it. >> Can they get the financing? And you know, this goes back to the Bell Works project. A lot of people like to say today, well, that they should pay conventional taxes. But you have to rewind back to 2013
14, you know, could that was that project, forget about was it would you get an investor to take a chance. It's more about would you be able to get financing for probably three 400 million that's just on the building and and then however many hundreds of millions. I
mean this is a at this point 700 probably $800 million of of property over there uh between the regency and and bail works and that's not even including the 40 single family houses. So uh you know was there the appetite to to you know provide that lending at that
time. It's a different different situation and um I don't I think that's all I have on that. >> You've you've you've answered my question to the extent that you can. I trust you, especially Eric, to go through all the details.
>> And uh I'm not sure I don't think I want to do it or see it. I have to rely on you folks to do what's right for Home. >> Ralph, thank you for your comments. Appreciate it. Thank you. >> Thank you for your service to the board of education as well. I I know you served I believe you served as president
a couple years as well. So, thank you for all you've done for town as well. [applause] Come on up, Mr. G. Kim G HC Street. Um, [clears throat] normally I don't like to come up, but I I just want to come up to make certain points. Um, I know you mentioned several
times, but I think we should acknowledge that. Um, I don't know if you guys are the first one, but the this particular township committee has done a lot for the school board, and we certainly want to acknowledge that. I know you guys uh say that uh quite a bit, but um uh uh thank you. Um I want to tie in with what
Ralph just said in terms of um you mentioned that that was kind of new, the $245,000 in terms of from the pilot potential to school board. I would argue that uh if you could tie that in as some kind of percentage so that in fact when the revenue does increase that they would
have some kind of commensurate prout increase. That's something for you guys to to consider. Um, two is, um, I hopefully this doesn't get to his head too much, but that's a great presentation. Um, and um, this is coming from someone who likes numbers. Uh, however,
>> um, >> reality and um, hypothetical is very different. So, you know, you you did great job. No, no, don't get me wrong, and I I mean that sincerely, okay? uh you did a great job in presenting all this and you did a really good um presenting uh a lot of stuff so that the
rest of us who are not as immersed in this thing could understand it. Um, the only comment I want to make is a couple of things. Obviously, despite the examples you went through, real life is actually messier than what you just did because in your example, um, used the $2
million property and all the math works out basically and you said it's, you know, left pocket, right pocket kind of argument. The reality is that's not really true. Um, and part of it is the fact that Bell Works is a perfect example since you use that example. Uh
we knew at the time there was $500,000 uh drop in tax revenue, but the first few years in which the pilot went into effect when and I know it's not your department and uh Bill's not here so maybe Chris could jump in if he wants to is that when they did the budgeting
process the amount of tax levy they have as part of that process as we know you know you focus on the tax levy which is differential between the revenue and the expenditure appropriation they dropped the 500,000 Um, I'm sorry. The 500,000 they didn't get that uh until what maybe
the third year because in 2017 if I remember numbers right they got um you know on a net basis 80 something,000 and then that only went up to 200 something,000 the following year. So from a budget standpoint they took out a lot of the expected revenues and
therefore the tax levy actually had to increase and then on top of that after even it was successful some of the revenue were um and and appropriately but maybe too much is conservatively forecast. So in other words we got 7.5 million but what was in the budget was
not $7.5 million for last year as an example right? So there was um for a lack of better terms slippage there were excess revenue that came in. So in fact our tax rate did go up because it was a perfect world then and they did that then our tax rate wouldn't have been as
high. So it's not by much but I'm just saying is there was slippage there was excess re revenue. The last point I want to point out is that you know you you did a complete um there were multiple steps all in there and and we understand completely the budget is the budget. to
the school board. So several members here can decide whatever appropriate um budget that they need and required. Um however on the collection side getting how to fund that right that's an issue because um they are cap at the 2% as um
attorney mentioned but um also the fact that at the moment when a product goes into effect that ratable base did drop so before the mechanism to address um to to re-up the rate they in fact they did lose revenue now because of your
collection process you changed the rate and therefore you made them whole in terms of what they need to collect So, the last point I know that that went through is that um and you guys I know I try and do the best you can between the schools and and you know the the township and all the stuff you guys need but the at the state
legisl uh level there is a state bill and a companion uh assembly bill in fact that will require the sharing of pilots between a municipality and the school board. So, you know, everything again, let's take home out of the equation is
that everything is not always working hunky dory and where there's good faith in trying to solve a problem and issue because we're one town. But in fact, uh that is something being uh looked at. So, with that, thank you again for what you guys do. >> Thank you, Ken, for your comments. Uh I
just want to add I just want to add because I I didn't answer you, Ralph. You asked about, you know, the is it a one-year thing or is it continuing? And then just kind of tie into what Kin said as well. My hope is that it becomes part of the ordinance so that it does continue for the 30 years. And that's that's the whole point of doing it, right? To make sure that it's
going to continue to assist as much as possible. Uh, but on top of that, I've had people say we should give them more money. I've had people say we should give them less money. I've had people say we should give them no money because they're not losing money because of the pilots. So, we had to sit down and come up what we felt was fair and what we felt was right. And that's why we've worked with the school board every
single year. And as long as I'm here, I will push for that to continue as well, as I know my colleagues up here will as well. And that's kind of where we're at. Next question. Come on up, Pat. Man, you were patient. >> What's that?
>> The main one. >> Give me a few minutes here. >> No, no, it's at the end. >> This one? >> Yes. >> Patrick Tuska, 56 Line Road. Uh, Eric, congratulations. That was an excellent presentation. Uh, I followed it. The
numbers were were excellent. Can you talk to the mic, please? >> Oh, sorry. >> Um, start over. Patrick Tuska, 56 Line Road. >> Thank you. >> Excellent presentation. Love the numbers. Uh, they were all great. And, um, I want to thank the committee for
many years on doing this project. I think this is great for Homedale. 700 square foot community center, five acres of land, uh, pickle ball courts, basketball courts, senior complex, walking trails, biking paths. I didn't know about the chip and putt green and
of course I knew about the helport and it goes to our 42 uh 42 units go to our obligation for the next round. Homedale is essentially finished for the next round with this and the other projects uh on on 35. So I think this is a great
uh great thing for Homeell and thank you for uh moving this forward to the goal line. >> Thank you Pat. Sha did you have a question please? and thank you for your service. >> Thank you. >> My name is Surka Kore and I live at 43
Windswept Road. I just want to say at the outset that the following statements are made in my capacity as a private citizen and not in my capacity as a board member. These statements are also not representative of the board or its individual members and solely represent my own personal opinions. I got that out
of the way. Right. So I have a couple of comments and uh and a question. Um comments was that the first of all the presentation was excellent. I understood more about this than I ever did. Thank you very much. Um
so the school budget as you said was independent is an independent entity and school is not losing anything because of the pilot you know completely you know 100% right but neither is the township losing anything from the pilot that we
have township and we have schools township is gaining and school is not gaining township's not losing school is not losing and we are I would like to think like sisters to each other because whatever we both do will raise the taxes ultimately. Um so it seems like right
now the school is facing a huge budget deficit of you know it's going to get huger even of up to 6 million or even more as time goes on and the township has um a surplus of money. So there are two components. One has the surplus, the
other has the deficit. And I completely appreciate, you know, what the township did for the schools the last couple of years, but that is on a case by case yearby-year basis, you know. So, and it's better really to have something more consistent that's aortioned so that
we know what's coming. Um so so then if the township has a surplus I would think then you can reduce the municipal portion of the taxes and then if the school is raising taxes at least the public is gaining something from it. So ultimately we want the public to gain
something from it whether it's township or school. Correct. Or um you know it seems like it's a it's seems like common sense that the township will really share you know part of the pilot [clears throat] portion with the school or ask the public you know what they
think and see you know see what happens. So these are the comments. My question is, I mean, after listening to all this, it might seem like a dumb question, but like why can the pilot money not be shared? Is there some harm in doing so?
Is it unprecedented? Like nobody in this country has ever shared pilot money? Is it illegal, detrimental? Why is there such a resistance to sharing the pilot money? um so that they can be consistent um the
school can depend consistently on a certain amount coming in. So that's the question. >> Thank you Shereica again uh for for your comments. So as far as pilot agreements there there's you know you could write it up any way you want. Obviously with this project
and the other two projects that had the pilots in school, the main thought was the schools are not being impacted, right? They've been 55 and over and the other one was straight commercial. So they weren't adding any schools any kids to the school system. So I think that's the main thought that was behind that.
My personal opinion, and I'm not speaking for the rest of the committee, is after sitting on the, you know, school finance uh budget and finance board and and being part of that and and just looking at the state calculation, which isn't going to work. It doesn't work. It's over. It's done. it doesn't work. Every town around us is having the same issues and that's why we came up
with okay we are going to share this pilot which has not been done in town before. So we are going to share it and each year we will sit down like we've done and we will look at what we can help with. I personally don't feel it's prudent on behalf of our 17,000 residents to say okay we're going to
guarantee this amount because if we do lose ratables on the township level the schools do not. So we have to look at in my opinion on an annual basis and see where we can help and what we can do. That's just my two cents on it. Next question. >> Sorry, what was that said about losing ratables?
>> If if the township loses ratables, we lose money. The county and the schools are 100% funded every year regardless of what we bring in. So that's my point of that. Whereas if we committed to saying we're going to split it 50/50, we still have to give that even if we lose ratables somewhere else, the school
still would get that agreement. That's all that's my only point to that. Ma'am, >> I'll take your question. >> Hi there, >> Victoria Scottino, eight hidden hollow terrace. I had something prepared, but I'm not going to speak it. Uh, just to
say that ditto on many things that people have said, specifically Burkel, the person Jay in the back, and Karen Strickland. I would like to focus on something that went by pretty quickly about the water and the watershed. So, two questions for you as a team doesn't
have to be answered today. I would like to know what you will do to bring in a third party to look at the water and everything that's been proposed because it's completely subpar. It needs to be leveled to a much higher level than what it is proposed today. It must be running
at least minimum maximum 85% for it to actually be sufficient. And it's not the proposal is multiffold the size of what the current population was years ago at Vonnage. So I'd like to know what you will be doing to bring in a third party
apart from the current whomever's looking at it. The second is the planning board. I sit through those meetings and quite frankly it's a joke. So you mentioned it's going to go to the planning board. I'd like you to have a discussion with the planning board that they are there not to rubber stamp
whatever it is you want. They're there for our benefit to actually hear what's going on and plan. We're the residents that voted all of you in. You're here for us. I appreciate everything that you're doing. It feels like I'll rush through to get through with certain
things, but I'd like an answer of what you will be doing on those two things. Thank you so much. [applause] Thank you, Victoria. As I as I mentioned earlier, it is sitting with the planning board. We we will have them speak more about the the wastewater for sure. My
understanding from what most people have out there is very different, but again it's with the planning board. So I'm not going to speak to that. Um third party it's same part of it. We got to look at it as far as the planning board and see what we can uh do there. Michael >> mayor uh to respond to the question I
might also ask um Andy Bayer to speak to the redevelopment agreement. I I don't want to get into any specifics about the merits of the wastewater system because that is the subject of the planning board. And I know there's witnesses that are carried over, so we don't want to touch that. But it is here on the township committee side relevant to talk
about the fact that the redevelopment agreement has particularized terms uh that require the redeveloper to work with the township engineer and to account for the system in certain respects. So I do want to share that because there are some some terms. >> Yeah. the the agreement itself, Mike. So
the at the time we were negotiating this, the committee had the same concerns about the wastewater treatment plant that have been expressed this evening and I know over time. So the the provision in the redevelopment agreement
itself says is that the redeveloper is obligated to ensure the wastewater treatment plant is operational and licensed for the flow required for the facilities meaning the project that are operating on the site. Um they have to provide all information requested by the
township engineer to ensure that the wastewater treatment plant is properly operational and licensed for the flow. Um and it goes on to say any additions or upgrades as people want um
required shall be their responsibility. They have to get D approval. Um should redevelopers seek to construct any new facilities. um they have to provide all information that they submit to the D to the township and the township engineer
so that uh we have could have our experts review it and uh they have to obtain the township's engineers approval uh to proceed with any addition or upgrade. They're required to contract with the licensed operator to run and
maintain the wastewater treatment plant. Um and they're contractually obligated to um ensure it's in good operating condition and fully licensed. And they have to provide once the units go over to the condo association, they have to
post the maintenance bond for three years to ensure the transition between the developer and the uh and the condominium condominium association. So that's the the point is is that we always wanted to ensure that it's fully
licensed, fully up to D standards and uh subject to our engineers review and approval. >> Thank you, Eddie. Victoria, I just want to add one other uh point. I sat on the planning board for five years. So when when you say rubber stamp, there's a lot more going on behind the scenes. There's
a lot more conversations with the attorney, with the chair, the co-chair, the professionals. Everything you see at the meeting is not everything that goes on. I I've had meetings with other people in town here. They're more in the know, especially asking because the last thing they want, this is speaking personally when I served 5 years. The
last thing I want is to be up here without knowing exactly what's going on with each project at the time. And I'm not speaking about Vonnage right now. I'm just speaking about my experience on the planning board. Next question. >> Thank you. as as and as Andy just mentioned it, it
does have to get approval by the D and I I agree with everything you said there. >> Correct. >> Yes. Next question. Come on up, Pete. Peter Franco. Thank you everybody. Um in regards to
CHA and >> testing everybody >> Peter Franco Five Hopper Lane uh in regards to CHA the developer of this project uh and everything that's been coming out recently uh especially their
last project over what was it the uh the Salem uh the hospital down in Salem that they borrowed. I believe it was like almost $40 million in uh loans and uh grants from a uh a fund that they uh essentially screwed and they're in court now and they're being leaned uh and they
they failed to pay and uh the owners actually from what I've heard is is moving assets out of his name into his wife's name, but I think he got caught. But regardless, you guys bank on this pilot money. Is it a check from the developer that comes to you guys? If the check bounces, is that check going to be good? I mean, can you guarantee this
money is going to be there uh when this job is done? Um or or is this guy going to sell the project, you know, 10% 20% of the way through? Um the other thing, uh you're talking about uh risk. Who's taking the risk? You're saying the developer is taking a huge risk when
he's borrowing money from everybody, uh you know, to essentially get this project done. So, there is no risk on his part. It's the people that are putting the money up for him. You you're you're in finance. you would understand that. Um, going about the the bond, when we were here last time talking about the
bond on the treatment plant, they said absolutely not. He just mentioned a three-year bond. Uh, also a job of this size, 200 million, I think he said. Is he going to bond this job? Uh, does the pilot program eliminate the fact that he should bond this job as a company? Um,
the, uh, were there feasibility studies recently done after all this stuff coming out about the financial position that the developer, Bill Hogan, is in? um you know knowing that he is or was with the uh the Murphy administration and he was just named to Cheryl's
administration or I should say uh transition committee um you know being it just looks a little weird that he's being you know oh we're going to grandfather this grandfather that it just looks like he has hooks with the right people just my opinion. Um what else? Uh it seems like we're
banking on all four phases uh of this project and they keep saying if the plant fails after phase one uh if they pick up and leave now you have uh I'm not sure what the acreage is uh after phase one >> 87 acres >> uh 88 >> okay 88 acres but if say they just do
the building what does that leave us with 75 acres say >> just keep yeah just keep going >> 75 acres does that go for another reasonzoning for another use to generate more money or tax base uh for the town.
I would something else in the works for it. And um you know, I spoke to the lawyer that represented the the fund and you know, for that promisary note that that uh that he was trying to screw out of the money. I spoke to the people that ran the hospital, I spoke to the people that were on the board for the fund that
they set up. And um you know, aside from reaching in the couch and getting 50 years worth of advances on my Christmas money for my parents, I had two other investors that literally I called Bill last week and offered to buy the entire project out from underneath them. And he is adamant that this project is going
through. He's getting all of his approvals and everything is going to sell. So it just he seems a little overconfident on on what's going on knowing it hasn't passed the planning board and it hasn't passed the committee yet. So, it just it just looks crazy to me sitting on the outside and and and
trying to not scramble but put together uh real real opportunities to use this vonnage project other than this. And I I get the whole affordable housing uh which I think it was 17% would be very low income to low income. 33% or
whatever would be low to moderate. So, it it is low income, you know, according to >> Go ahead. >> No, I I I >> Yeah. Uh, you know, according to, you know, going back to when you went to my property and you ran your video and kind of tried to make me look like an idiot. Um, it's in the master plan and it says
it 37 very low uh to low, 3, I'm sorry, 13 very low to low, 37 affordable to low, and then 50 affordable. The 50% seems to be the only affordable part of what you're saying. So, essentially, I I think I am right on that. Um, you know,
and so on. Um, what else? I uh I think I covered everything here. >> Yeah, I think I'm good. >> Andy, can you touch on the the last part about Well, there's two things. Can you answer the question about the funds coming into the town and then can you answer the question about the affordable
units, please? Well, I I could address also because it's part of uh to obtain the u to apply for the pilot, the developer had to submit an application which is required by the by the law and
that actually shows that that they are putting in $67 million of equity into the project. Um and you can see this will be on file. We're not we're not going to go back and forth just because the time but but as far as Andy as far
as you know the pilot revenue can you speak to that like Pete intimated that if they sell but don't pay us like do you want to walk through how that works? >> It's like a uh it's just like normal taxation in that regard. So if if some if if the pilot payments are not made
then we get a lean on the property for just like any just like if it was a homeowner. But with that being said, like I said, I spoke to the lawyers. I spoke to the people that ran the hospital speak the people that ran the fund. They leaned five of his jobs from what they said. So if they leaned this
job and there's a profit and there's money to be given to the town, how >> So these are I don't like again I know Brian doesn't want us to go back and forth, but these are not these are like separate legal entities created for this project. urban entity renewal uh co
companies by law that are that are for this project. So if one has a judgment against Bill Kan for some other project, they don't get to they don't get to these projects. So they just don't they're separate legal entities. >> And and Pete, I just want to add, you're
bringing something that was you're bringing something up that was brought to the township's attention today when this is something that's been in the works close to three years. But with that, we're going to move on to the next question. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> [applause] >> Mono Kristen. >> Um Kristen Cero, five hotbrook lane. Um
first I want to support and emphasize what CU said. Polluting our drinking water for a tax break, it's not worth it. High density development in a rural conservation zone. Blatantly disregarding the Homeell master plan. It's not worth it. Um, is anybody here
tonight as a representative from the board of ed? No. Right. So, in the business world, if we're putting forth a proposal and we say we're doing this and it's going to be really good for you, you need to be there to speak to say it's good for me.
Do you understand? >> This was a presentation, Christian. We're not going through a Q&A. Your comments, please. >> It's rhetorical. Thank you. >> Thank you. [clears throat] So, if the Homedale Board of Ed was here, I'd like to hear them say, "Yes, this is good for us. This eases our
budget shortfalls, and we're not going to be hearing about all these horrible, you know, cuts to services, no more courtesy busing, all of that." Okay, make no mistake. There's a huge difference between what the tax payments to the school would be if this property
was built and taxed at a regular rate versus the pilot. Multiply that by 30 years. We're putting the schools in a in a ditch versus elevating them. We have a choice. Why wouldn't we take the better road?
Um we are sentence we are sentencing the school to suffer needlessly for 30 years. And regarding your buddies at CHA, if you lay down with dogs, you're going to come up with fleas. It's not going to work. Good luck.
>> Thank you, Kristen. [applause] Next question. Yeah, Joe. >> No, I I just want to comment on that. You know, I'm I'm the liazison of the board of ed and you know, as people have said, you know, this township committee has done a lot, more than any other
township committee for the schools. You know, uh year and a half ago, Mayor Prevadutoo and I worked with the uh leadership there to do the Crawford's Corner project, and that was the result of planning and good communication between the board of ed and the township committee to get that project done. As
the liaison this year, I have reached out to leadership at the board of ed multiple times and I have had zero meetings. Like I have wanted to plan for 2026 and there hasn't been any communication to us. There has been no planning. So I think it's important especially with this kind of crowd here to know that there needs to be some
accountability from the board of ed as well. Reached out multiple times to try to plan for 2026 and gotten radio silence. So you know again that's my liaison assignment. Nothing all year.
they say something different. >> So it's it's the board of ed president. I leazison directly with the president of the board of ed and I did that the year prior with Terrence Wall and as as much as he and I fought. We got the Crawford's Corner project. We met every quarter. We got the project. He planned
for it. He brought it to us. We executed it. There hadn't been anything this year. >> Thank you, Joe. Next question. Seeing none. >> Okay, Wendy, we're gonna move on. >> Sorry, I didn't see your hand up. Come
on up, please. >> Tanglewood. Um, so you said the project is age restricted. >> Sorry. >> The low-inccome housing project. You said it's age restricted. >> No. Okay. 55 and over. 55.
>> Okay. So, does that mean that no children are allowed to live there or are these 55 and older allowed to bring high school children into the school district? >> You finish all your comments and then we'll come back to that. >> Okay. So, that's that's one of the big questions. Um the other thing is the
comment is people move to Homeell as I did myself and a lot of my friends for the open space and a good school district which at this point it's $1.2 million per house and about 20 grand in
taxes that we're paying annually. Um the problem is we're cutting the schools. The the school district is cutting a ton of money with Paris. Kids in village currently are being put in front of screens to do Spanish
lessons because the Spanish teachers are cut. um the amount of money that the school is cutting at this point and for 2026 where already in the red 4 to6 million
is what I'm hearing. I don't see why and where we can find a project or if there were any proposals that would potentially bring money to the school district and do not require a pilot project. So that's my other question.
Thank you. Uh Eric, do you want to touch on that? I guess it was another question in regards to the school budget >> just about a project that would bring money to the school budget. Do you want to just kind of clarify that? >> I I mean the the school if you have a
development occur, it's it's not going to increase the amount that the school is collecting. Um it's just not how it works. the school comes up with their budget, their le tax levy based on what their needs are and less their revenue expenses.
Um, less the revenue less the expenses. So, it it's it's just simply not done. It's the calculation. Everybody has the calculation. Everybody that spoke today has the calculation reversed. Everybody's coming up to the microphone saying that having a property value as a
ratable is going to generate taxes. That's not how it works. you have it backwards. You the budget is determined and then it's distributed based on uh the way the values are relative to one another. As the tax assessor of the
township, uh it it doesn't matter to me what the tax levy is. Frankly, it's my goal is to just distribute it fairly based on the values relative to one another. And I hear back and forth with um with where
this revenue goes, whether it's the school or the the municipality. And I think what people are failing to recognize is that if you had a revenue source at the school um that at the it would be at the
expense of the township. So from the property owner's perspective, it's it's it's the left pocket and the right pocket. Okay. Best case scenario for the property owners of the town, it's a neutral. And the reason I say best case is because I don't know the calculation
of the school aid. There's state school aid involved that if the school had a new revenue source, I suspect I don't know this answer. The school board probably does. Uh it's likely or it's possible that the the
school would receive less state aid if you have a new revenue source. So I would just I guess I would caution everybody to do research on that um before you know I guess before directing revenue to a
certain to the from the left pocket to the right pocket because ultimately if you get less state aid overall that could be a negative impact. I said so basically in best case scenario it's neutral to the property owners of the town. In worst case it's a net negative.
There's no scenario where it's a net positive. So, and I'm I'm saying that I have no horse in the game between this discussion between the school and the township. It doesn't matter to me. Uh but I'm just speaking to you as the property owners of the town that that
could have a net uh negative benefit of increasing the overall tax levy of the township if you're going to receive less state aid towards the school. >> Thank you, Eric. Michael, did you want to add something? Yeah, just hearing Eric out, I just want to kind of make an analogy for everyone's benefit. Uh
because we continue to hear that if more um advorum taxes came out of the Vonnage property, the school district automatically gets more money. If the redevelopment plan allowed for the construction of two $2 million homes outside the ring road over at the
Vonnage property and those were conventionally taxed and they went online, the school district was not getting an extra dollar whatsoever. All that's going to result in is that everyone's taxes overall will go down a few dollars because less taxes need to be pulled out of your pocket because
there's more taxes coming out of those two $2 million homes to fund the overall taxes that are required to fund the township and the county. So, it's a complete misnomer that just because uh something is going there that would be conventionally taxed, the school
district's getting more money. Now the school district may be able to vote to raise the raise their budget and raise the tax levy commensurate with it and it becomes less of a tax it because there's an additional ratable but that's because the school district increased its budget which is what we're continuing to explain to everyone is what's in the
school district's power. >> Thank you Michael. Any further questions from somebody hang on one second. not bringing any. >> Yes, Andy, I'm sorry. Can you We did forget that. My apologies. >> Uh, yes. There wouldn't be school kids.
I'll remind everyone that this is a I mean there can be like adults living under age 55 in there who are children of the Right. But it's like an 8020 rule. So like generally 80% of the project has to be 55 and over. Mike, you have any?
>> No, no, no. But no kid. So I'm going to remind everyone too. >> Hey guys, hang on one second. just let him please explain. >> There's this is also an assisted living and a nursing home on this project and a senior rental. So the idea that like there's going to be families a wanting
like would want to live here. I don't think that would be the case but but the answer right Mike you're looking at me. I don't know if you have a different view >> unless there's a rare applicability of a federal disability law for a particular individual. Generally speaking, and I think we could speak to it, you know,
I'd defer to the school district, but my understanding is from the regency, there may be one or two individuals, but there's nothing that is um of any magnitude compared to what it would be if this was a a non age restricted project, which was the likely alternative here.
>> Thank you, Michael. can have. >> No, no, >> no, no, no, no, no, no, no. I was say I was speaking of adult children of >> of seniors. That's what I was speaking of. Not minors. >> Okay, let's um let's keep it let's keep
it public questions here. >> Did you Matt, do you have a question >> or comments? >> Hey guys. Hello. Matt Weissfeld, 10 Riverside Lane. I can't believe you're still going on. I mean, I I left like three hours ago and you're still going. So, more power to you. Um, just two
clarification things. First, is there an exit strategy in the event the developer ends up not working out from the lawsuit things and all that stuff. I'm not saying there is anything bad, but if it turns out that this is forbidden fruit and things can't go forward, is there an
exit strategy? Is there a way to get out of this? because I don't know a lot about it that just came out. I read it. I really don't I mean Mike might be like ah it's nonsense but to me it's frightening. So I kind of want to know like is there a way out if it's legit? >> Is that you done with your comments?
>> Oh I'm sorry. Let me get the whole thing. Um I'm sorry it was from the last thing that was just said. >> Oh thank you. So basically if you're 55 and older you can have kids though. I mean like they can have kids in there. They just
have to be over 55. >> I'm I'm saying I'm sorry. >> You can have I was saying adult children like you get like a >> Andy, will there be school age children as a matter of regular course? >> No. >> Thank you. >> No. >> Is it possible as as the attorney stated
if there is some kind of federal reason to allow you may you may encounter that. >> I'm just kind of trying to reask it because they're all still Yeah. >> Thank you, Matt. As far as the exit strategy and everything that came up, we're we we were just apprised of that today. So, we're going to continue to look into it and there's no discussion
on that. >> The other I guess the only point I'd make is that the developer here is the owner of the property. We don't it wasn't like it was like a pro like some land that the township sought to be redeveloped. A property owner came to
the township. We can't control who owns property. They own the property. they both right and they keep so whether it's CHA or some entity that Kolgan owns or is connected to we don't control that because he owns it and if he breaches if
there's a breach of the redevelopment agreement we have rights under that agreement so it's that is as well so if you if the project's not developed we have rights under the redevelopment agreement >> thank you Andy >> come on
I think >> yeah, >> we're we're at 10:20. Anybody who's been up asking questions again, we're going to postpone them to the next. We're going to take anybody who hasn't asked questions. >> Mary Ellen Princip Bethany Road just a suggestion for Mr. Mariano. Why don't
you go to one of their board meetings, stand up and talk to them? I know you're busy, but that's a way to get in touch with them. >> Thank you, Mary. [applause] Any other public comments?
>> Okay, Wendy, seeing none. >> Next on the agenda is the consent agenda, which would be for resolutions 2025 298 through 2025 310. >> Can we get a motion? >> Move. >> Second. >> Miss Lountton? >> Yes. >> Mr. Lucarelli?
>> Yes. >> Mr. Romano? >> Yes. >> Mayor Foster? >> Yes. >> Okay. Resolutions 2025298 through 2025310 have been successfully passed. Thank you. Next is introduction of ordinance 202530 which is an ordinance approving application for
long-term tax exemption and authorizing the execution of financial agreements with authorizing the execution of financial agreements for payments in lie of taxes with senior con condo urban renewal LLC. Senior Cottage Urban
Renewal LLC, Senior Care Urban Renewal LLC, and Senior Multi-Urban Renewal LLC, pursuant to the long-term tax exemption law and the redevelopment area bond financing law with respect to block 13
lot 15 23 Main Street in the township of Homedale in the county of Mammoth, state of New Jersey, and authorizing certain other actions in connection there with therewith. The motion is to adopt on first reading, published in the Asbury Park Press, and set the public hearing
for December 22nd, 2025. >> Can we get a motion, please? >> Motion. >> Move, >> Miss Lamount. >> Hold on. We had a motion from Committee Romano. Do you second? >> Did you I apologize. That was a second.
>> Okay. [laughter] >> Miss Mountain. >> Yes. >> Mr. Luca Rally. >> Uh, yes. And I also just want to thank Eric uh Andy and Mike and and Mayor uh for I I know this was a a marathon negotiation. Uh and I just want to thank you guys for your efforts and you did a
great job. Thank you very much. >> Mr. Romano, >> yes. >> Mayor Foster, >> yes. >> Okay. Ordinance 202530 will be set for public hearing. Thank you. Thank you. The next is introduction of ordinance 202531 which is authorizing lot line adjustment
for the property designated as block 27 lot six on the township tax in furtherance of the redevelopment of block 27 lot 7. The motion is to adopt on first reading published in the Aspbury Park Press and set the public hearing for December 22nd 2025.
>> Can I get a motion? >> Motion. >> Second. >> Miss La Mountain. >> Yes. >> Mr. Mr. Lucarelli, >> yes. >> Mr. Romano, >> yes. >> Mayor Foster, >> yes. >> Okay. Ordinance 202531 will be set for public hearing. Next is or uh introduction of ordinance 202532,
which is an ordinance authorizing an easement swap involving block 29, lot 3702 on the tax map of the township of Homedale. This motion is to adopt on first reading, published in the Asbury Park Press, and set the public hearing for December 22nd, 2025.
>> Can I get a motion? >> Motion. Second. >> Miss Mountain. >> Yes. >> Mr. Lucarelli. >> Yes. >> Mr. Romano. >> Yes. >> Mayor Foster. >> Yes. >> Okay. Ordinance 202532 will be set for public hearing. Next is hearing on
ordinance 202529 which is an ordinance amending section 2-26 titled Department of Police. >> Any public comments? >> Seeing none, Wendy. Okay. Can we get a motion?
>> Move. >> Second. >> Miss Lamount, >> yes. >> Mr. Lucerelli, >> yes. >> Mr. Ammano, >> yes. >> Mayor Foster, >> yes. >> Okay. Ordinance 202529 has been successfully passed. Thank you.
>> Uh we are not going to be having any departments or professional reports or committee reports for this evening due to obviously we had the presentation by Mr. Aguar. Again, thank you very much. So that is it for the business from the committee. We will open it up for public comment. Mr. Yanello, come on up. I'm
sorry. He got his hand up before you. You're next. >> Just really quickly, Mr. Foster, you said you would be commenting at the end of the meeting about the developments we learned about the uh property owner for Bonnage. >> No, I didn't say I'd be commenting on him today. I said we'll be looking into
them to further. Jay, we just got No, I didn't say I'd comment. You said it later. I don't know. I could go. >> I didn't mean 3 hours. I guess go to the tape. Sorry, I misunderstood. >> Thank you. We got the email earlier today. We'll look into it. The word frightening. It's very frightening and >> I heard every word everybody said today.
>> Desperate to do a deal with someone like this. It's sad if we are. >> Thank you, Jay. >> Please. >> I will. >> Jen and Ni, can you hear seven country square lane hometown? Um, I just heard how you you've uh passed those
ordinances. Um, you vote on them and then it ended with and you're going to vote on it or you're gonna have a public meeting. December 22nd. That sounds so unrealistic. If you want the public to come, December 22nd is really not a good
time to do it. What? So, I'm just asking you. I mean, it just looks it's a bad look for everybody. >> I got it. And we got this comment last time. Unfortunately, when we set the schedule, we only had one meeting. We still have a little business to attend to. And unfortunately, that's just the timing that we came up with as as the best possible.
>> Okay. Just be prepared for blowback in Absolutely. >> I I am very well prepared for it. >> Okay. I'll be up here again on December 22nd. >> I'll be here too. >> But uh I I also um I just heard everything u that that went on. I went to that meeting, the the planning board
meeting, and I this is just a comment. I truthfully felt not knowing most of the members of the planning board, I felt that just hearing what they had to say, there were some number of planning board members who just seemed to want to
rubber stamp that stamp what was going on. And it was so obvious. I mean, I really was just listening and said, "Wow, that person really wants this to be over and wants to accept this." It's a very important project and I know you guys understand it but you keep hearing
us get up here and one by one we're all saying something the also the um the bond we had heard somebody get up here and uh at the planning board and ask the developer about maybe put your money where your mouth is say you'll have a bond and he said for sure no we're not
going to do that. So, I'm not sure if that's a different bond that uh you mentioned. >> Excuse me, >> Jay. Please, Jay. >> Anyway, I don't know if >> Jay Jay, please Jay, I do not disrespect you ever. >> I'm asking for the same respect. Yes,
you are. You're yelling out in the middle of my meeting. I'm asking you not to. >> I'm asking you not to, sir. >> Thank you. >> So, >> Andy, uh Andy, can you please answer her question before she was interrupted? Well, I'm not sure the bond that we're speaking of though it before the board,
but >> correct. Just I want you to clarify only the redevelopment bond that you were talking about. We're not talking about the planning board. I already made I already answered the comments about the rubber stamp earlier and >> yeah, the redevelopment area bond is a nonreourse bond. That means the
developer will be obligated to repay the bond through the pilot through pilot through the p uh pilot payments. So the no township tax dollars repay that debt. >> One other question uh comment is we
haven't gotten to it yet. I think maybe it'll be the next planning board and also for you guys the traffic in that area has become horrendous in the last few years. I heard some people say um I don't know if it's on this board or the other one that oh well before all the
people from Vonnage worked there. the people who were working there in Vonnage was way before the last five years when so many people moved into this county. Maybe because of the pandemic, but if you I'm sure you all have seen Route 35, Route 34, Lloyd Road, everywhere, 520 is
just horrendous from 3:00 to 4:00. So, keep that in mind that there needs to be some kind of traffic study as well. >> Thank you, Jen. Definitely mentioned that earlier. Traffic is a huge concern. Ralph, come on up. Ralph Blumenthal, 41 Stony Brook Road.
Two quickies with regard to the vaage thing. I think it is a normal and I refer to Mike or Andy about this process with any development project after all the approvals are in.
Then prior to the issuing of construction permits, the applicant is required to bond for the entire cost of the improvements for that phase. Is that still in effect? Well, no. No. Historically, before the law changed, uh
developers had a bond. Did you have to do that now? So now they only you have to bond well strike that you have to bond if there's public improvements associated with the project. So like they're gonna they have to make a road improvement as a condition of the board
approval. >> But there isn't there bonding also on for maintenance. >> So after public improvement >> for a public improvement >> limited to public improvements. >> It's a public improvement after it's done then there's a maintenance function 53 of the land use law. Mike
>> then uh uh ordinance 2531 which is lot line adjustment for Crawford Hill that wasn't on the agenda 24 hours ago and is it now
>> can you talk to the mic please >> is the that lot line adjustment that indicated there's an exhibit for it is that online >> it is correct Michael and and Ralph that is something that we did add that was obviously done two years ago as as you're well aware of and we're just
still dealing with just let me finish quick we're still dealing with obviously the the owner of the property and what's going on so it was something that we had to have in place before the end of this year and we didn't feel it was a controversial item since it was already discussed >> good so I'll take a look at it online then >> it's online >> good thank you
>> thank you Ralph any other public comments >> thank you for >> come on up absolutely thank you Ralph Lance [clears throat] Loopy uh line road. These are in zero order. Um I'm still not clear on the 8020 rule. Not really sure what that means. I mean the
way I hear that is 80% of the housing 20% of the housing could have kids in it. I don't know what that means. So I' I'd like clarification on that. How do you audit that? How do you actually know what's going on? Um, still un unclear about the rec center and the costs
associated with that. Is is the developer paying for that rec center, the helellipad, all these other things, these pickle ball courts. Um, pickle speaking of pickle ball >> for all the development of that. Yes, they are. Ralph. >> Okay. >> Yes, >> Lance. >> Sorry, Lance. >> That's Ralph.
>> It's been, >> who pays we pay for the upkeep of the helellipad? What does it cost to to update a helellipad and maintain a helellipad? Do we have a budget for that? Do we do we know what that is? >> I don't believe we pay for that. >> Okay. Um,
speaking of pickle ball courts, the last meeting I asked about our pickle ball $1.3 million pickle ball courts in home. I was told I would get stats. Haven't received those. So, I don't know if we have those. We're prepared for that for tonight. >> Chris, we we we told him we'd get them into details with the grant and the funds that were utilized. The majority
were grants. If we can make sure we get that >> you have a website that you have to >> and let's ask Bob to well compile the website in it first year of existence. >> Yeah, I believe we'll be able to do that. >> I don't know why we needed to do that. You know, there's plenty of uh uh commercial pickle ball establishments
available for people to use. Uh how do I get a pilot? I'd like 8 to 10% off my bill. I don't have a kid in school anymore, so that'd be great for me if I could get a pilot. Um but let me know where I can get the paperwork for that. Um yeah the >> so none of the regency money because I think what a comment that was made
during this during the presentation was that the the everyone in the town pays the same taxes it goes all to the same places but I think we established that 185 uh in the regency are not paying taxes are paying some 90% of of that so
if the entire town's b tax rate was based on those 185 homes how much would the school get zero clarifies your point that you made that talked about you know it it just changes the the size of the pie. How many slices are out of it? So, you know, to to say that the pilot
doesn't impact school. Yes, the school budget is a school budget, right? But the amount of people paying for it changes with this and 185 people in Regency don't pay towards that school budget. I do and everyone else in this room does unless they live in one of those Regency dwellings. I think that's
an accurate statement. If I'm wrong, please correct me. uh why I don't understand why we care if a developer doesn't get a loan. So why are we develop you know giving this pilot because we're concerned that they won't get the financing. Okay. So the land
stays vacant. We get the 245 to the school, 100 to the town, whatever. It is what it is. It's what it's been. It hasn't changed any. So I I don't understand this. Um this property, the varnish property. So based on what I hear is the 30-year agreement is tied to
the property itself and those 185 units are tax reduced for the next 30 years or 30 years from the per sale date. What happens if this property what if it happens if it goes belly up something happens? Does that pilot apply to
whoever takes over the the property and whatever they do with it? Thank you. >> Thank you, Lance. I will say the one thing that I don't want to say I struggle with, but basically the one thing I had to come to terms with in my head, Lance, is is a great point that you brought up and I think the only in
my opinion really valid point about a a pilot and it's what about the people who aren't receiving the pilot because that is a 100% a great question and it's true that they are paying a little bit more in taxes. But if you asked me 10 years ago as a homeowner and you said, "Listen, we could do this development
over here and we can keep your taxes lower for a longer period of time that you will significantly benefit by this development." I would sign on for that. Now, I wasn't on the committee in 2016 when that was signed for, but I'm glad they did. And I'm hoping that this pilot that we're looking to move forward with
here has the same benefits to this town because I live in this town. I have four kids in the school system in this town. As I pointed out, I served on the board of ed and I'm very comfortable with the additional money we're giving them since they're not losing any money. We're trying to help them out as best we can, which we've done every year. And I I think overall as far as the uh traffic
and everything else we've discussed tonight and as far as what they have to go through to get their approvals, I I think what could have happened in the case of builder's remedy or what we were facing with the affordable mandated housing could have been a lot worse. That's my two cents. I'm not speaking for anybody else on the committee. Any
other public comments? Come on up, Ken. >> Ken Gha Street. Um, on the ordinance, there was a attached exhibit financial agreement that was actually not on the agenda. Will you provide that before the public hearing? >> Absolutely. >> Oh, I'm sorry. It was added uh later
today and it was updated and I alerted everybody as well. So, it is on there. >> Oh, okay. Thank you. >> And Ken, apologies again. Like it how many pages Andy? How many hundreds? you know, it the the process unfortunately just a lot going on and literally up until Yeah. And and literally up until
5:00 today, Eric and I were speaking, going back and forth. So, trying to get it in, trying to get it done. It'll all be out there. We've been transparent about every single thing and we're going to continue that. Any other public comments? >> Can I get a motion?