Heat. Heat. I hereby call this meeting of the Hell Township Council to order. This meeting is being held in accordance with the provisions of the Open Public Meetings Act and adequate notice of this meeting has been advertised in the manner prescribed by law. This agenda is
complete to the extent known and formal action will be taken. >> Roll call, please. >> Councilman Nadell, >> here. Councilwoman O'Donnell is absent this evening. Councilman Reubel >> here. >> Deputy Mayor Fischer >> here. >> And Mayor Leio is also absent this
evening. >> Okay. Uh is there a need to go into executive session this evening? >> Yes, we do. >> For purposes of uh property acquisition, litigation, and attorney client. >> Okay. Can I please have a motion to enter into exec? >> Motion.
>> Second. >> Councilman Nadell. >> Yes. >> Councilman Rubel. Yes. >> Deputy Mayor Fischer. >> Yes. >> Okay. Yes. >> Clerk, roll call, please. >> Councilman Nadell, >> here. >> Councilwoman O'Donnell is absent this evening. Councilman Reubel,
>> here. >> Deputy Mayor Fischer, >> here. >> And Mayor Leio is out this evening. >> Please rise for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation
under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> I'd ask to please remain standing. We'd like to take a moment of silence to honor Howell's own Shaun Aker. He passed away last week. He served our country in
the Air Force and then continued serving for 20 years in the New Jersey State Police. He was a loving husband, father, and son, and lifelong resident of Howell. Thank you. We have a proclamation this evening
which will be read by Councilman Nadell. Where are the health 14x35? heart defects are the most common deadly doctor and whereas parents, family members,
teachers infection are directly affected by heart and scientist. Now therefore encourage more residents to program
What is a V? What is a VSSD? described as a hole in the heart occurring in the wall that separates two lower chambers the right and the left
ventricles. This hole allows oxygen rich blood to flow from the left I forgot ventricle back to the
lungs works hard to work harder. Symptoms include fast breathing, sweating during feeding, poor weight gain, fatigue, and loud heart murmur.
Facts. F number one birth defect worldwide. 40,000 babies are born with are born every year with a CHD in the US. One of four kids need heart surgery
or other surgeries interventions to survive. Surgeries is not a cure. Most causes are unknown and 15 to 20% are related to known genetic factors. Yes.
Yeah. May I have a motion for the acceptance of minutes of December 16, 2025 and January 6, 2026? >> Motion. >> Second. >> Councilman Nadell. >> Yes. >> Council Councilman Rubel. >> Yes. >> Deputy Mayor Fischer.
>> Yes. Do we have reports? >> What dates did you have for that? >> I have December 16th >> and January 6th. >> Uh my apologies, Deputy Mayor. It should have been uh January 20th, 2026.
>> Make a motion to accept January 20th, 2026. Regular and exact. >> Second. >> Councilman Nadell. Yes. >> Councilman Rubel. Yes. >> Deputy Mayor Fischer. >> Yes. Do we have reports from our township officials?
>> Elsa, do you want to announce? >> Uh, do you want to do um >> Yes. Uh the clerk's office would like to announce that the pre- rabies vaccination clinic will take place on Saturday, February 28th at the public
works garage, uh 278 um Old Tavern Road, and it's from 9:00 a.m. till 12:30. Um if you can bring proof of the your most recent rabies vaccination, the vet will do a three-year uh shot. Otherwise, they will do a one year.
>> Thank you. I have nothing to add. >> My only additions is to remind everyone we have some upcoming workshop meetings to discuss a overnight parking permit uh process. Those meetings will be um open
to the public. We encourage the public to attend and participate. Um we want to hear your thoughts and comments uh on these proposed resolutions or ordinances. Um we're having two sessions. One's going to be during the day to accommodate some staff and one's
going to be at nighttime to accommodate uh people's working schedules. Uh those meetings are on one week from now uh the 17th at 100 p.m. And the other one is >> March 3rd at night at
>> 7 p.m. >> at 7 p.m. Notices will be posted online as well. >> Thank you. I'd like to now uh open the floor for the hearing of citizens and public comments. Clerk, I could read it.
Each person >> That's okay. Each person shall first give their name and address to the clerk. The council should be addressed as a collective body and not as individual members. Each person shall have one turn to address the council and comment shall not exceed a total of 5 minutes. Speakers shall be
notified when their time has run and no time extensions shall be permitted. >> I only have one name on the list. So, can we let >> Miss Elaine go first and then I'll go to the list? Oh, thank you. I didn't know that. I'm sorry.
>> That's okay. >> Uh, good evening, Mayor Deputy Mayor and Council. My name is Elaine Taylor, uh, 1055 Maxim Southern Road in Howell.
Hello. Um, I'm here tonight uh to advocate for the cold and hungry feral cats and the other animals in the township who are struggling just to survive.
Um, we know that there's a situation with the trap and release program and um I um want to encourage you to keep the program going
and um you know because it see it's been working very effectively and as you can see with the audience this evening there are many many many citizens that are very concerned about this
and um you know it saves thousands of lives. So I want you to just you know keep that in your mind. Um myself and a few other people would like
to set up a program within the township and have our own facility here. And we are hoping that you would consider I know that you may have buildings that
are unoccupied and heated and not being used for anything else, but if we could have a place where we could help these animals while they're in transition and maybe some animals that we can help
to foster or whatever, it would be greatly appreciated. We have to work out a lot more details about it and I just found out about this a week ago. So, you know, I spoke to our our
our attorney and she informed me about what's going on and and that it's going to go out for a bid again. And so, you know, I have a little bit of knowledge and I'm sure the people that are here want to have more knowledge as well.
So, um I would like to know if I could find out how much is in the budget for the trap and release program because I have really no knowledge whatsoever, but I'm
very concerned about it. Um, you know, I I don't want to see any any animals euthanized. And, you know, one of the problems that we have with this the system right now
is that there's nowhere to take the animals because there, you know, there's no room at the inn anywhere. So, you know, if we could just do our little part in our community and and work together here as
a community effort, you can see we have a lot of people here that are, I'm sure, willing to help and volunteer in some way. So, I'm sure other people will come up to speak on their behalf, but you know, I just wanted to share that. So,
thank you. Take that all into consideration. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Uh before we go to the next comment, I know we don't typically do this. I just want to say something because I think it'll help some people in the room just for knowledge perspective. Um tonight,
one of the resolutions we have on the agenda, we are rescending a prior resolution authorizing a contract to a um animal control company. Um, after discussing with them, we found out that some of our bid specifications weren't
as thorough and didn't cover all of the services that we were currently receiving. So, we've decided to resend that resolution. We never entered into any contract yet. So, we are we've decided we're going to go out to bid again, broaden our uh specifications
um hopefully to include a TNR program. um we we've heard from you. So, um I think that's that's what we're doing next. >> Thank you. >> I just I just like to add that um I've had extensive experience in the past with TNR programs, they're very
valuable. Um and the it is it's our commitment, my commitment that whatever direction we move in forward with is we will include as good a TNR program as we're running now, if not better. So that that's something that's very
important for the the community to understand. What we've been going through was was more of a process that we're required to go through, but it was never intentioned um to disrupt the our current services, only to enhance them.
So um look forward to working with the community to make sure that that happens. >> Thank you. Uh Mark Chikatano. >> Good evening everybody. Tonight I wanted to come here and talk
about something positive rather than usually when I come up I talk about something negative. I wanted to talk a little bit about the Hal Township Police Department. Uh years ago in 1983, I became a New Jersey State Conservation Officer with the Division
of Fish and Wildlife under DP. Uh for those of you in the room that aren't familiar, it's just a fancy title for game warden. And um during the next 32 years, I uh enforced natural resource law enforcement
throughout New Jersey, mostly related to marine fisheries, both commercial marine fisheries as well as recreational marine fisheries, size limits, bag limits, uh size limits on lobsters, uh illegal shell fishing.
During that period of time, uh, I had lots of opportunities to, uh, meet and associate with and work with other law enforcement agencies. And, um, what you tend to find is that there are police officers out there that
truly care about the job. And then there's police officers out there, like in any profession, that maybe don't care about the job. And uh I've always found that Hal Township Police really seemed to care about what they did. Um they didn't just have the uniform on to have
the uniform on. And I'll relate a quick story to you. Um one of the houses near me happens to be my the house immediately next door to me, which is now a rental, used to be a private ownership. And the gentleman
that lived there was a self-proclaimed bipolar schizophrenic alcoholic. And I actually became friends with him. And he seemed like a pretty nice guy. Was actually friendlier when he was drunk rather than when he was sober. And
he used to celebrate coming back from AA by filling his blender with strawberry yogurt and then the remaining room was filled with vodka and he would make a vodka smoothie. and he thought that was the greatest thing in the world to celebrate coming home.
Anyway, we became somewhat friendly until one night he decided to come at me with a 8-in butcher knife. And essentially, I was fortunate enough when I was outside that I was able to get into my house and lock my door at which
point he came up to the door and cut his wrists. Obviously, I called the Hal Township Police Department. They came there quickly and were able to get him disarmed, even though they probably could have used deadly force under the circumstances,
but they got him disarmed and then they treated him with compassion, kindness, got him the help that he needed, at least for the short term. He never fully recovered. But since that time, I've dealt with
Howal Township Police on a number of other issues from illegal dumping, traffic complaints, um problems with rentals, whatever they might be. And um over the years, I get the impression that they truly care
about what they're doing for the community. Uh you've heard it before, I'm sure, that law enforcement is a thankless job. It was thankless when I was involved in it and now it's really thankless. And the reality of it is that when
police are dealing with somebody, typically it's a negative experience. Somebody's either done something wrong or they've been in an accident or there's some kind of a problem and it just seems to come with the territory. But
as far as I'm concerned of the different departments I've dealt with, uh I think we're lucky in this town to have police, a police department that is dependable and I believe really cares about what their mission is and about the people in
the town. Thank you for the opportunity to be heard. >> Thank you. Is there anyone else that would like to come up? >> Good evening. My name is uh Freddy Sordo, 25 High Ridge Road. Um I come here tonight as a parent who's
interested in knowing the status of the Echol Lake Park project. Uh we my family and I'm sure other families in the neighborhood were excited about the original announcement to take advantage of the funding made available through Jake's law, but we haven't heard received an update in months. I emailed the township asking for an update in
early January and have yet to receive an update on it. Um so I'm here in person to hopefully get some clarity or you know be promised some clarity. Um so I guess in in to make it simple, I'm asking two questions. Is the project still on track? And when can we as a community expect to see work begin at
the park? Uh, you know, we all really want to see this for our kids. So, I look forward to an update. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Good evening. Thank you very much for having me. I'm Robert Frederick Alante of Freehold Burrow and for the past several years I've been involved in
Freehold Burrow's TNR program. I've been associated with Mayor Kaine and some other burough officials that have implemented and legislated and implemented a public TNR program and I urge you to to have this restored uh in
uh how uh TNR trapneuter vaccinate and return is really the most enlightened public policy and I know that's what you're dedicated to. We want facts and science and datadriven solutions. Uh we don't
want to go left. We don't want to go right. We want to go forward. And TNVR is the very best solution to an intractable problem. The problem of stray cats and feral cats is intractable. There's going to be a
downside to everything, anything you do. I find that feeding bans, there are municipalities that ban feeding on the logic that if citizens don't feed feral cats, the cats will determine there's no food there and will go elsewhere. That doesn't work. People like us will feed
them underground. If it's against the law and you get a ticket for it, it just drives it after dark and underground. It doesn't solve the problem. So, uh, doing nothing solve the doesn't solve the problem. It means that you have animals jumping in and out of dumpsters behind
restaurants and and and convenience stores and any place that there's dumpsters. So, we find that a TNR program and again, Mayor Kaine and other officials that I've worked with for the past several years that if a TNR program is implemented, a feral cat lives about
3 to five years without a a stable diet and medical care. And so what we try to do is bring the birth rate of kittens below the rate of natural attrition and then within 3 to 5 years you can have no
feral cats. We're not for feral cats. We don't want to manage colonies of cute little kitties. We want none to exist as a matter of public policy. So Freehold is renewing its um TNR program. Uh and so that is proof it speaks for itself.
So we believe that in an intractable problem with a downside to nearly everything, TNR, you remove a vector of disease uh uh uh uh transmission too uh when animals are vaccinated. Oh, and I did want to say also that in the
Atlantic Monthly about a year and a half ago is an article where there are science companies that are working on a oneshot uh injection where an animal can be trapped and simply darted right then and there and released and it will be sexually ne neutralized right then and
there. We don't have to surgery them. We don't have to hold them. We don't have to rehab them, take them back and forth to a vet. So, science is going to solve this in just a couple of years. But until then, I just believe that TNVR is the most sensible public policy. Thank you for having me. I hope I didn't speak
too long. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Hello, my name is Andrea Bara. I'm from Freeholds, 236 Park Avenue. I am an animal advocate, experienced trapper, but most importantly, I'm a volunteer. I
worked very closely with your residents since May 2022 to present right now with everybody to help the residents utilize the TNR program. I have been providing my personal traps, my trapping knowledge and information on the TNR program in
for Howell Township with Karen who runs the TNR program at the SPCA. I was advised that 311 cats were TNRed through this program from 22 to 25. 311
cats. Um, the SPCA took in off the streets 556 cats and kittens. I'll say it again. 556 cats and kittens they removed off the
streets of Howell and brought into their shelter. If these cats were not TNRed, the community, the cat population would have definitely swelled over a thousand cats. Not to mention, none of these cats would be vaccinated by the ra by a ra by the
rabies vaccination, which every cat does get when they go through the TNR program. Females can have two to three litter approximately two to three litters a year and they start giving birth around 5 to 6 months old. We have come so far
in the ha in in Howell with the TNR program. It's really shameful that this will not continue and we're going to be right back where we started from. The SPCA provided excellent prior TNR services.
Um in in Howell uh sorry one second. Um the facts and the science in this program it works. It's been successful. not only for your residents, but we're vaccinating vaccinating every cat in the
community that we can trap TNR trap new to release. Even people that don't like cats or it's a nuisance for for cats, they have dogs, they have other animals in their backyard, they're still going to be getting vaccinated. So,
um I'm not sure if this what what we were told when we called that Howell's going with a academy pest control service. Um couple concerns I have. A Academy will
not provide the TNR services that the SPCA will provide. Will A Academy take in cats and kittens from your township? And where would they go? Where will the stray dogs and the cats go to be held for seven days as required
by law? Will injured domestic animals be taken to a veterinarian to be examined before euthanasia? What will happen to the abandoned cats? Does a academy have a microchip scanner?
Because every friendly animal that the SPCA picks up that's called by a resident, they immediately scan them for a microchip to see if it's someone's pet. They could be looking for the animal. Um,
also, not only are we dealing with cats here, Howell has a huge farmland. We have horses, we have pigs, there's cattle, goats, sheep, um sheeps, lambs.
Will a academy pest control service also do all those kind of animals? SPCA they provide a 24 hours assistance. By law, they have to pick up any injured or sick animals. Does A Academy provide
24-hour service? Did Howell look into any of this? The staffing at A Academy, nowhere near the amount of animal control officers that the SPCA provides. Not only that,
but even if you go past A Academy, how many vehicles do they have? Each vehicle equipped with traps, transfers, nets. They're not. Um,
I'm happy to hear now that we're all here because a lot of everybody in here. If you're here for TNR, put your hands up real quick. These are all the people we helped, especially Jamie right here. Jamie helps a lot with me along with
Karen at the SPCA. We're trappers. We help your residents do what they need to do. >> It's been five minutes. Thank you. >> Okay. >> Jamie Ellers's 105 Vienna Road. I just want to emphasize what Andrea said. TNR
M U Mammoth County SPCA did fix 311 cats. If you divide that by two, that's 150 females. four kittens each twice a year, eight, we're up to about 1,200 cats that were
not born um with the program. So, please continue the TNR program. We work very hard with the residents. I'm also a volunteer with Rescue Ridge and Jersey Shore Animal Foundation and I do go out and trap and help your residents. I
provide traps. I give out information. I give out knowledge. But please continue. I just want to show you a diagram. I make copies for everybody of how a cat how it explodes. So, I think a picture is worth a thousand words. >> If you want to give it to our clerk,
she'll be able to disseminate. And thank you very much. Thank you. Good evening. Uh my name is Brian. I'm the executive director of Garn Animal Rescue and uh in 2018 I was actually the original developer of your TNR program
uh when I was with another organization. Um information has come to me over the last couple hours in regards to the direction that the town is looking to go. Um and my office remains ready and available to the township not just for a
program in the future if that becomes but for the policy and the ordinance provision side of it. Um our program whether it's through our organization or partner organizations uh currently operates uh within 80 plus municipalities across the state of New
Jersey uh with over roughly 18,000 cats in our through our TNR program in some capacity. Uh so through the council and the administration, however, my office can be available uh can be used by you guys in regards to policies in an
ordinance in any capacity. Uh I'll provide my card over to your attorney at the end of the meeting and we're we are here for you guys. Uh however that's needed. Thank you. >> Thank you. Sheila Hatami, as you know, my parents have um number of properties on Yellow
Brook Road. Um I'm not coming up here to complain. Um I just noticed when I was going over the assessments this year, sometimes they do assessment challenges. I don't know how much the council knows about assessments, but when you appeal
your assess, you know, the assessor makes a a value on your home and your land. And you can appeal before the tax court um in Mammoth County. You can look at the market value. Mammoth County does it every year. Some counties like Ocean
do it once every 10 years. um and you look at the value of similarly priced properties on that were sold on the market and aren't you know discounted in some way. Um you can challenge the market value
essentially based on the value of the structure on the home. You can't challenge underlying land values. In other words, you can't bring to the tax court, oh, this other property is um vacant, but it's selling at X. They won't consider that. It has to be a
similarly developed property. Um, and you can't say, "My neighbors assessed at whatever it is, why isn't my assessment the same thing as his?" Can't do that. Um, so what I noticed going over these is that a lot of them are um not uh I
apologize because I' I've been sick all week, so my voice is a little um but what I noticed with some of these is that the land values as opposed to the structural values are kind of all over the map. In some municipalities, you notice from parcel to parcel, similarly
sized parcels tend to have the same value. What I'm noticing with some of the properties we own here and some of the properties that I've seen in the property records that the values are are widely differentiating. For example, one property where it's 1 acre is
200,000. Another property that's another that's that's the same acre located right next door is 314,000. That's a big discrepancy. I can't challenge that in tax court. Um, a smaller property is 225,000.
Why is that different? Um, another smaller property is $261,000. It's similar in size to the $225,000 property. Well, what what is I mean, again, I don't I don't I'm not an assessor, right? They're always given the benefit of the doubt. I'm sure
there's some formula that's going on here. I'm just wondering if it can be explained to the public in some way because for example there are 20 acre property on Victory Road. The whole property itself is valued at $264,000.
That's not one acre. That's the whole property. The whole 20 acres. So, and that's in an SED zone which is um you know high value property. Um, and then so I don't know if you know there's a workshop meeting or a committee or
something where, you know, I know the budget's an issue. It doesn't seem to come up at budget meetings. You know, I think since our tax dollars are based on, you know, the calculations and the assessments, and it might be helpful for the public to know how they're coming up with these calculations because I can
tell you we're not the only ones affected. Um, and then I just came in on the the tail end of the TNR. I will say we are pretty close to the trailer park and a lot of times strays find us and adopt us and we have taken advantage of
the TNR program um to be able to um you know we've had cats that come and have kittens and we trap them and bring them to the program and get them you know tipped so that you know they're not running around stray. We take care of the ones we can. Unfortunately, of
course with all the wildlife there's there's all a risk they don't last that long. we get them adopted if we can. Um but anyway, um I know that SBA has run a lot of programs at the trailer park. I'm curious to know whether those will continue to run if that if the
trapneuter if there will be a trap neuter release program run by this new company that will uh will be able to go to if again strays find us and you know I I obviously don't want to contribute to the overpopulation problem. So thank you.
Thank you. Is there anyone else? >> Hello. My name is Katherine Zadey. I'm a resident of 12 lilac place how New Jersey and I came to speak against uh ordinance 26-02. Um I only found out this evening that you guys are holding
public workshops. Um, one of the issues I think is you guys need to have a better way to disseminate information to your public. I feel most of the information is relied on being disseminated through public supported social media pages and there should be a township um way to disseminate this
information. Um, I have a number of issues and I I was wondering if there's been any type of financial assessment this um ordinance will have on our town. um both in terms of uh the administrative costs to administer the program, the startoff cost of creating
these tags for ordinary parking as well as the costs associated with administering the program by having someone to enforce the ordinance. Um, I think I was wondering if there's been any financial assessment. And if there has been, is it can that be released to the public? And if there has not been a
financial assessment, why not? Cuz this is going to affect our budget, whether it's the 2026 budget or the 2027 budget. This is going to have to be a budget line item. Um, and we should know what this is going to cost our town. Um, so in summary, I just was speaking out
against this ordinance 26-2. on your agenda, you had an ordinance listed 26-06 for on and off streetet parking. Uh the link to access this ordinance is not working on the agenda, so I could not review that ordinance. Um and I did not find it anywhere else on your um
township page. So that ordinance 26-06 is not available for public um review right now and I don't know how that relates to ordinance 26-2. So thank you. >> Thank you. Good evening. I'm David Tidwell. I also
live in How at 12 Tulip Court. I didn't want to interrupt the TNR conversation, so I waited for the right opportunity. So, the previous uh person talked about what I want to talk about. I came across the information related to the parking ordinance in the how patch. When I
looked today, it said this was a conversation around the hearing and adoption. So the question I have is also related to and maybe the workshops will cover this but if this ordinance has been adopted and I'm assuming it has or it has okay
the questions that I have are in the information I read it's based on number of bedrooms which is a f a failed way to look at it because you could have a three-bedroom with four cars. So the question is how are you really
looking at this as far as figuring out the number of permits per household and should it be based on residents as opposed to number of bedrooms? Number two, the question I have is overnight guests that you may have at a
resident and also cost. Who's paying for these permits? Are residents going to have to purchase these permits or is how township going to give them out for free? Those are the questions I have. I'm happy to hear there's going to be workshops. I caught the second date. I didn't catch the first date. So, I'll be
on the lookout for when that date's going to be. But those are valid questions that your township has related to having a restriction on overnight parking. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Is there anyone else?
Good evening, Paul of Samurell Heritage Point. Um, I just wanted to speak um and show that I'm in favor of the overnight um parking ordinance. Um I think it's great that we're going to have some discussion um groups because there are
some people that are for it and some people that are against it. I know that for the people that live in my neighborhood, we are for it. Um because there can be as many as 30 to 40 cars parked around our homes overnight from
Friday night to Saturday night and it causes a problem. Just we just had we just had a major snowstorm. Um if these cars were parked on the road, there would have been a problem for the plows to get through. And there were some cars that were parked and did not move
despite the fact that we got calls um you know from the township saying move your cars. Um, I think if you don't live in a neighborhood where this is a very prominent action, where we have all of these cars parked in front of your
house, um, you know, obstructing uh, you know, emergency vehicles, um, ambulances can't park in front of the p the house of the person that they're trying to um, to help because there's cars parked in front of the house, private properties
being damaged. I had my mailbox knocked down several times. My neighbor across the street, three times he had his mailbox knocked down. So, I think if you don't live in in a community like where I live, you have no idea what kind of
problem this this is causing. So, that's all I wanted to say and thank you for having the discussion because I think it's going to be a good one. Thank you. >> Thank you. Good evening. My name is Christine De Vincent. I live at 119 Main Street. Um, sorry I'm not a
good public speaker. Um, I have an issue going on across the street from my home. Um, I live in a Main Street and we have a junkyard across the street. Um, I've reached out to code enforcement twice, tried to settle this with the neighbors,
and to no avail. And I was wondering what I do at this point about it. Um, there's a lot of safety issues on this property. There's abandoned vehicles all over. Um, tire fires are set, diesel fuel with sawdust
everywhere. Um, the there is no ingress egress. vehicles just abandoned without plates, which means it's junk. Um, uh, and I pay a lot of money in taxes and I shouldn't have to look at this.
It's Main Street and I'm wondering if the council could help me out on this issue. What do I do? >> So, we'll we'll answer questions at the end. Uh, I I didn't catch your name, though. >> Christine De Vincent's. >> Thank you. >> All right. 119 Main Street.
>> Thank you. >> Is there anyone else? Hello, my name is Kathy River. I live in Howell. I live in an association. I'm here regarding a TNR program for the cats. We have so many animals that are roaming and breeding and uh we we really
need to have this issue. I actually had a cat freeze to death on the side of my house last week. It was quite devastating for me. So, if we can do something about the problem of these cats just breeding and we can do there's so many people that will join the TNR
program to help catch them, have them taken care of, released and let them live the rest of their lives out without breeding. This is a big issue for us and we really need someone to understand that it was critical that we do something about it because what do we
do? They're all over and it's not their fault. People move away and leave them behind. People drop them off if they see other cats. People just leave them. And it's very, very sad. The kitten that the cat that died on the side of my house was a kitten. It was a small cat. It had
nowhere to go. It was trapped and it froze to death. So, please, if you can listen to our our pleading for someone to give us help for TNR program, we'd appreciate it. >> Thank you. Good evening, Betty Veles Gimble. I just
wanted to uh thank you for the pledge to continue the TNR program and to actually enhance it. Um I also heard you say that the um it went out back out to bid. Um I have a question um regarding
utilizing local um veterinarians through a professional service agreement. I'm not sure if that's possible. Um, you know, if we're supporting uh the local veterinarians, it sure would make it easier for residents who would volunteer
uh to trap and bring to the nearest uh veterinarian that would be uh with in on contract with the township. Um, you know, the residents, it's definitely an issue. We all know this. It's all over Facebook. Um and uh those of you those
of us who own farms a lot of times they're dropped off at our place uh and it's you know very costly but if we had the involvement of local veterinarians um I can go within 2 miles 3 miles and
handle the situation humanely um and help out and and also it would support the local veterinarians uh and keep the municipal funds within the local economy and it would build long-term relationships with the professionals who
understand the specific needs of our community. So, I'm just wondering if it is possible for our township to prioritize our, you know, and formally include local veterinarian participation as part of the current or future TNR program. I
would also like to thank council for the upcoming workshops regarding uh parking. It's important for the community to be able to come together um and collaborate uh and and um talk about our own special
needs regarding what area in Howell we do reside. So I appreciate that rather than just shoving something a policy down everybody's throat. So I really appreciate uh the collaboration that's uh coming. Thank you.
>> Thank you Betty. Is there anyone else? Okay. Yes. One more. >> Good evening. Leslie Shalier, 22 Miguel Road. I own a farm. Um, and I couldn't agree more with
this TNR program enhancing. Um, I agree with Betty. We get cats dropped off at our farm all the time. There is a lot of open space where I live and for some reason I would say monthly I have random cats showing up. There are people in
this room right now that have they're the salt of the earth. They go to bat to get these cats trapped, neutered, and re-released into the environment. Um it is it is it is thankless um in this cold
temperature. I mean, you could literally call one of these folks and say, "Hey, I need it. I need someone to trap this cat and keep it until it could get neutered." And they will do they will do it. No questions asked. Um, so please, you know, invest in in in enhancing the
program. Um, and look to the people in the town. If you hold a meeting about this, you will have these folks show up and talk to you and educate you because I I I have a feeling, you know, most people don't know about the trap and neuter program. And um I think it would be good like you're doing with this
parking permit, h hold a workshop to educate yourselves about um you know keeping the population down. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Hello. What do I have to tell you? my name.
>> You don't have to if you don't want to. >> My name is Jane Maic. I also live in Howell. Um I don't want to beat a dead horse with the TNR program here. But the one thing that we haven't mentioned is we're all trappers and the people that call on us and we do. I mean, I broke my
foot in December because I was running across the snow to trap a cat. So, we will go to the ends of the earth for these cats. But the problem is the people that are against TNR, they come to us and they they think we have a Disney World for cats. That's a common theme. They say just take these
cats and get rid of them. So if that township does not have a program that we that backs us as trappers, we don't have a leg to stand on. Then we don't we're not able to go and do our job. We're not able to trap these cats, get them vaccinated, and release them because the people don't want them back. So our
response to them is, "Oh, the town is a TNR town. That's our That's our response. You have to take the cats back. They live here. Doesn't matter if you want them in your backyard. This is where they live. So, we need the program here in Howell in order to support what
we're doing. It's a passion that we're doing and we're doing the town a favor and we need the town to help us out and do us a favor by keeping the program. So, you really need to make sure that happens. >> Thank you. Okay.
May I have a motion to close public comment? >> Motion to close. Second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> Okay. We ready to answer some of the questions? >> Absolutely.
>> Thank you. Uh I I'll I'll just reiterate on the TNR program. Um, as I said from the beginning, it was never the intention and never was the TNR program going to be uh eliminated. Um, again, we're we're going out for um request for
proposals uh for for a program. We're going to we're going to redefine what we were doing. Uh and to the extent that we can find ways to enhance it, we will do that. We're certainly open to having conversations with the community um about um how the program is working
today and what improvements perhaps that we can make with that. So, we're we're certainly open to that. I can't tonight tell you what we can and can't do, but we're certainly open to the discussion. We understand the importance of this to the community. Um in reference to So, that there was a lot
of discussion about TNR. Um that that's that's my answer to to all of it. Um is that we just look forward to working with the community to to to make this program as good if not better in the moving forward. Um
in reference to the questions about um assessments um property property assessments I think what was indicated or what was spoken here tonight is pretty accurate in terms of how the process works. Uh certainly if people have questions about that um
certainly can speak to the assessor's office and we'll look at whether what we can present during the budget process to make that um more understandable. Um questions about ordinances um that the or the 2602
ordinance uh again has not been adopted and that this part of the discussion of of the um workshops coming up tonight. the 260 26-06 to be introduced to the extent that it's
not available on the website. It will be I assume tomorrow. Um >> it was on there late in the afternoon. >> Okay. So it >> check right now to see make sure but it was there. >> It was there. Okay. So should be there now. If not it certainly will be
tomorrow. Um uh Mr. Mr. Vincent, if we if I could see you after uh the meeting, maybe I we can talk about how we can sol resolve your issue uh your your code issue and
>> the Echol Lake project. >> Yeah, I'm getting to that uh on the Echol Lake project. Um that project is viable is moving forward. Uh right now it's with we're we're uh at the D. Um, anybody that knows anything about the NJD
means that it's hurry up and wait. Um, we're waiting for a delineation of wetlands there and what where the buffer needs to be. Uh, once we get that delineation back and that determination back from the D, uh, which I'd like to tell you that we hope that that will be
in a matter of weeks, not months, but I can't certify that. Um, but then then we'll be able to move forward with the project. So, you know, it's definitely a um still more than viable. It's a project we're doing and we're just going through the process.
Okay. >> Have we posted the dates for the workshops, the February 17th and March 3rd on our website? They're there. Okay, great. >> So, I I'll just go off of that because it seemed like there was a little bit of a misunderstanding on how an ordinance
is adopted and passed. So just for transparency and so everybody understands an ordinance takes two meetings to uh be fully adopted. On the first meeting it's introduced and then uh it it can be introduced and then
there's a time period where a waiting time period before it comes back to the council and then it has to be voted on again before it is adopted. um for the permit parking ordinance if there is any substantial changes or
modifications to that ordinance. So if comments come out of this workshop where council feels that the the ordinance that we've already introduced needs to be modified at that point in time if there is a modification it would have to
be reintroduced and adopted. So depending on what comes out of this workshop meeting will depend the next steps on what happens to that ordinance. So just want to make clear that an ordinance isn't fully adopted after the
first reading. It has two readings before it becomes law. Um as far as ordinance that's um in line for introduction tonight. It's ordinance 2606 regarding um some on and
off streetet parking regulations. Um there were comments that it wasn't available online just so people know what that one is about. Um that ordinance was modified to um give the township stricter
regulations to control parking on municipal property. So your municipal parking lots um your parks. um we're limiting overnight parking um for those areas. We've also clarified that uh there shouldn't be vehicles parked on
front lawns. That was already part of our uh code, but we kind of tightened up those regulations and kind of uh gave stricter enforcement standards as well. So that's on ordinance 2606 that's in line for um introduction tonight, not
adoption. So, anybody who wants to look at it further, you still have plenty of time before um it comes to the council for adoption. >> Thank you. Um Councilman Dell, Council Member Rebell, do you have any comments?
>> Good. >> Uh no, no. Uh just want a couple things. Uh again, I just want to reiterate I want to thank our professionals for drilling deeper into the bid specs um and uh identifying that the TNR provisions were not in there and that we're re-releasing the bids so that we're providing equal to or greater than
services. Um and I wanted to uh echo something that that Betty actually said with with the parking ordinance. It is not our intention to force anything down anyone's throat. This is a community. Everyone has a say. Everyone is a resident here. We want to hear. We want
to get as much community engagement on these workshops as possible so that we can identify any individual nuances there might be so that we're targeting the problem as best as we can. We don't want to fix one problem and then create four more. So we we certainly urge you
to uh to participate as much as you can in the workshops. And uh third, I wanted to thank uh Mr. Gross for getting the uh the Gov pilot software across the finish line. That's uh something we've been working on since I started here in
August. Um just a brief background, it's basically revamping our entire software system uh in the township. Um it's going to help us streamline efficiencies across the board. There's different modules for all the different departments. It's going to help us
inventory uh equipment uh projects, contracts, uh parks and open space, better schedule, maintenance, uh maintenance and operations. Um, and also uh community uh interfaces for for code, for garbage pickup. It's
across the board a great thing. John helped us uh negotiate a great contract on that and I wanted to thank him. >> Thank you, Councilman Adele. We're good. Okay. >> Okay. We will vote on the consent agenda items. Does anyone wish to vote on any
of them separately? All right. Okay. May I have a motion to approve the consent agenda consisting of resolutions 26-82 through 26-101? >> Motion to approve. >> Have a second. >> Second. >> Councilman Nadal. >> Yes.
>> Councilman Rubel. >> Yes. >> Deputy Mayor Fischer. >> Yes. >> Okay. Unfinished business. Public hearing. Adoption of ordinances. Ordinance 26-01, an ordinance of the township of how clarifying and amending penalty provisions of the township code in
accordance with NJSA 4049-5. >> Motion uh >> for public. >> Would you like to open the public hearing? >> We need a motion. Can just open it. Open to public. If anyone wishes to to comment on
ordinance 26-01, uh they can come to the podium now. >> Hi, Sheila Hatami. I represent my parents who live, rent, and farm on Yellow Brook Road. Um, I'd like to draw your attention to whether or not the
rental ordinances are working the way you expected to work when enacting them before uh you enact this ordinance to increase fines. I believe that you as the policy makers enacted these yearly inspection requirements to increase rental dwelling inspections and prevent
overcrowding and multif family occupancy in single family zones. One of the properties that's been affected by these ordinances is owned by my 89year-old mother. Inspectors went to the property, took photographs, didn't
knock on the door, and left without conducting an inspection. No one spoke to the occupants. No one attempted to speak to my mother who lives across the road. Instead, a summon was issued. Now, the
summons comes with hefty fines, $1,000 or in some cases more. My mother first learned about it when she received a notice about the change in court date. After I appeared in court on that, a second summons was issued, also with
over $1,000 worth of fines. When I obtained a discovery, it became clear that the township had emailed my mother at an very old address. She doesn't check anymore. She doesn't do email anymore. that was not submitted with the annual registration.
So despite a yearly submission process with new information and despite physically being at the property, no inspect inspection was conducted and there was no meaningful
opportunity for her to cure any alleged deficiencies before she had to go to court to face thousands of dollars worth of fines. This is a property with long-term tenants known to the township. In this case, no one complained to code enforcement about a problem. This was
open and honest occupation. The township knows it's a res it's a rental because we file the registration every year. Section 178-4 of the township code authorizes enforcement officials to enter and examine dwellings at reasonable hours, including when an inspection is requested by the owner or
occupant. I don't see a requirement anywhere in the ordinances that inspections be deferred pending paperwork or action by another agency. If inspectors are already on site, inspection should occur. I hear sometimes things complaints from
the deis about the Democratic lawmakers in Trenton. Well, those Democratic inspectors have the same ordinances and they do not wait to come and inspect. They don't have any condition precedences. They come, they inspect,
they let you know what the results of the inspection are. They talk to you during the inspection. They let you know what you need to be what needs to be fixed either within 24 hours, 7 days, or 30 days depending on the condition. When I asked the tenants and I saw the
photos of the pictures from their backyard, the tenants were extremely disturbed to know that there was someone from the township creeping around their backyard taking photos and not announcing their presence.
I've heard things from the the council about constitutional rights being affected with some of the residences proposals regarding the rental properties. But it seems to me that might be some kind of trespass if you're
going into people's backyards and not letting them know that you're there. As council considers um increasing fines, I'd really before this before doing that, I'd encourage you to
look at the process and see whether it is improving housing conditions or conserving housing department resources or focusing attention on the properties that are causing the problems that residents have asked the council to address.
Perhaps it might be better to wait until the wrinkles in the process are ironed out before increasing fines. It might be helpful to know how implementation is playing out in real time to know whether fines actually need to be increased or are just intended to
supplement the budget. I think that the council is the policymaker is entitled to consider as part of their legislative authority that the ordinances are being administered as council intended. inspections first, clear notice, and a meaningful opportunity to cure before
bringing people into court. Without this analysis, increased fines risk penalizing long-term residents and their families for administrative breakdowns that they can't control. Thank you for your consideration, >> Sheila. This is actually uh eliminating the minimums. It's not
raising anything. >> It's not. It's eliminate, but it's so >> Is that correct, Kaylin? So yeah, this isn't raising any sort of fines. It's just saying that that it's
eliminating the minimum uh fine level, but still saying that it's within the municipal range for fines. So most fines can be anywhere between $100 all the way up to $2,000
for an ordinance violation before they establish a minimum fine of $1,000. This ordinance removes that minimum fine. So it can be anywhere within that ordinance range of or that municipal range from
$100 to $2,000. >> Okay? Because >> and it'll be up to the discretion of the judge typically when it comes down to that. Okay, that sounds better. Um because when I looked at the the comparative ordinance, the municipal the overarching municipal one, it seemed I
saw the $2,000 and I was like, "Oh, that's an increase from Yeah, if you were looking that it probably just the range." So that's as high as we can go as 2,00. So it's just the generic municipal standard for ordinance violations is we're kind of
modifying it to match the general standard. Okay, fair enough. But I'm still glad I brought this to your attention because, you know, I like to focus on process. Thank you, Caitlyn. I appreciate it. >> Thank you. >> Anyone else? >> Okay. May I have a motion to close the
public hearing? >> Motion to close. Second. >> All in favor? I. >> Introduction of ordinances. Ordinance 26-03. >> Vote on it. >> Motion to adopt Ordinance 261. >> Second.
>> Oh, I'm sorry, guys. I'm sorry. Councilman Nadell, >> yes. >> Councilman Rubel, >> yes. >> Deputy Mayor Fischer, >> yes. >> The ordinance is properly in adopted. >> Thank you. Uh, introduction of ordinances. Ordinance 26-03, an
ordinance to exceed the municipal budget appropriation limits and to establish a cap bank. We have a motion to introduce ordinance 26-03. >> Motion. Motion to introduce. >> Second. >> Councilman Nadell. >> Yes. >> Councilman Reubel. >> Yes.
>> Deputy Mayor Fischer. >> Yes. >> Ordinance 26-04, an ordinance amending chapter 139 fees of the township code to lower the amount of fees associated with late retail food handling license renewal fees. To
>> introduce. Second. Councilman Nadell. Councilman Rubel. >> Yes. >> Deputy Mayor Fischer. >> Yes. >> Ordinance 26-05, an ordinance authorizing the tax collector to cancel any and all taxes for the tax years 2024
and 2025 due on block 138.01 lot 26.03 owned by Affinity Partners Network Services Incorporated pursuant to and in accordance with NJSA 54-3.6C. Motion to introduce. >> Councilman Nadell. Councilman Rubel.
>> Yes. >> Deputy Mayor Fischer. >> Yes. >> Ordinance 26-06, ordinance amending numerous chapters of the revised general ordinances of the township of how to amend and add parking regulations related to on and off streetet parking. >> Introduce.
>> Second. >> Councilman Nadell. Councilman Reubel. >> Yes. >> Deputy Mayor Fischer. >> Yes. ordinances prop have been properly introduced. >> The next regularly scheduled council meeting will take place on February
24th, 2026. Executive session begins at 6:00 p.m. and regular section session will begin at 7 p.m. >> Motion to adjurnn. >> Motion to adjurnn. >> Second. >> All in favor? I I
>> Thank you.