Howling Woods Farm for their incredible work they do right here in Jackson Town. I also want to take a moment and acknowledge the Bureau of Rental Housing Inspection. In just their first week of inspections, they've already uncovered a significant number of issues that are
now being addressed. I'm grateful for their work and their diligence and I look forward to seeing the continued positive impact they will have on our community. We have a full agenda tonight with a lot of important business to get through and I appreciate everyone for
being here. Thank you, >> Council Member Elliott. >> Uh thank you, Clerk Martin. Uh also congratulations to the uh Jackson 14U football team players and coaches. Um our team is proud of you and your accomplishments and keep up the great playing. And uh the Jets and Giants need
some really good players. So, uh maybe we can draft you a little early, but uh uh all joking aside, uh congratulations again and keep up the great work. Uh I read recently in the Jackson Times that Jackson was named the 16th safest town in New Jersey. Um, according to the
recently released 2026 Safe Wise crime rankings based on reported crime data submitted to the FBI, um, our town has been recognized before by Safe Wise as one of the safest towns around in the state of New Jersey. Uh, thank you to
the people who make this accomplishment possible, especially the women, the men and women of the JTPD. We are very thankful for all of them and support their efforts to keep our great town of Jackson safe and secure 24/7. Um, see a lot of young people here and
parents. Uh, just a reminder, the 2026 Jackson Township summer camp registration began on March 11th. Um, if you do not have a Civic Plus account, you have to create one if you want to uh register for summer camp this year in our town. Camp runs from Monday, uh,
June 29th to Friday, uh, April 14th. And uh the link for it in the trip information is on the recreation page on the Jackson Township's official page. If you have any questions, please reach out to the recreation department at 732 uh
9281260. And one last thing, um on behalf of Jackson residents and taxpayers, I hope to see and review this year's municipal budget and vote on it and soon. Thank you and have a good evening. >> Councilman Breie. >> Thank you. First, I want to congratulate
the 14U football team, their parents, their coaches for working with them and encouraging them to continue make us proud. Be proud sitting there. Give it the best you can all the time. Uh, I've talked to Mark Jenko, the engineer at Ocean County, trying to get an update on
traffic lights and so forth. I know the one on Diamond Road and 526 West Commodore is supposed to be there this summer. um he will give me a better update and he's going to update us with further information on jobs he's doing in town.
Howingwood's farm, I got to say one thing, they've been around forever. They've never had an incident and they they do so much with the people, but I want you to know they work very much with veterans and we appreciate that. Thank you. Thank you all for coming out tonight. Have a safe trip home.
Councilman Pollock. >> Uh it's uh we have some wonderful stuff going on tonight. Uh but I have to get to a little bit of business. It's been a while since I've been in front of this microphone and uh I got to start bringing up a couple things. Uh uh still about our town's affordable housing plan
and the overlay zones. I've asked repeatedly who these developers are, who's involved with the planning meetings. I still haven't received any clear answers. The township spent over $300,000 on a master plan, and our affordable housing planning was a part of that process. After all that money
and time, we still ended up putting 58% of our prospective affordable housing obligations in the Pinelands. Now, why would we do that? Pinelands land is usually very restricted and very difficult to develop on. And when something's difficult to develop on, guess what? The price is going to be
very low. When the government votes and creates overlay zones, that increases the price of this land for particular developers. And when you're able to just increase land value with a vote, it begs you to ask who owns this land, who is
part of this planning, and who is in these planning meetings, who benefits from these decisions. the public deserves to know because when land land values change because of government action, the public needs to know everything. He also kept a letter from the Pinelands Commission citing serious
concerns and urging us to table the ordinances from myself and other council members voting on it. How transparent is this government? I have to ask. Secondly, one of the biggest issues in Jackson, of course, is development. And due to being such a concern about this,
we have an open space fund. Now, people voted on this, right? They voted to be taxed. We fought a war over being taxed. Everybody in this town cares so deeply about development nature that they voted to be taxed because they want to protect
the land. Now, the use of these funds is supposed to be for the acquisition of lands and interest in lands for open space, recreation, conservation, and farmland preservation purposes. Is this what's happening in Jackson? Not necessarily. They've been using this
fund as a secondary parks and wreck fund to support pet projects, things like pickle ball courts, playground equipment, lawn care, and engineering fees for projects unrelated to land purchase and acquisition. And now I went through all the bills from January 2025
till now, and we've spent over half a million dollars on things unrelated to purchasing land, which is what people are most concerned about. Now, I've also created an ordinance that I'll be sending to our council president to help hopefully fix this problem. We'll see if
they can pass it, if it'll even come to a vote. But I'm also very concerned about the financial future of our town and how we're spending our tax money. Now, I have some regrets, to be honest, as a councilman. I regret some of my votes. I regret voting for some of the
spending. Um, and I'm kind of regretting the vote for our business administrator. I regret voting for what I thought were vehicles for our police. A Chevy Tahoe purchase with public funds for the police appears to have been assigned to our business administrator. Now, I know he's been made our public safety
director, but I wasn't aware of this. I don't think the public was aware of this. And this is after losing a $2 million lawsuit that had to do with that very role. And now there's a lot of things going on and everybody wants to go and blame the people before you, the
people before you, but the people here have been in office for years. They ran with prior administrations. They've controlled the council. They were involved in these votes. I don't know if you can call yourself a leader and just blame everything on the previous administration. I think the public
should be upset. They should come into these meetings. They should speak out. Um, and I think we should bring back an old tradition of bringing tomatoes to the meeting. And whenever you hear that word transparency, maybe you should throw it up front. All right? Because I'm sick
and tired of hearing that word and not getting any. This is why I'm here. I'm not here to make friends. I'm not here to smile and shake hands. I'm here to question what's going on in this town and hopefully make things better. We need real transparency. We need real
action from our officials, not hiding things, not doing things in the dark, not making backroom deals, because that's what's happening in this town. And I'm here to call it out. Have a great night, everybody. Thank you. >> The next item on the agenda is comments by Mayor C.
>> Thank you, Madam Oh, mine definitely works. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Um, good evening, everyone. I'd like to take a few moments tonight to provide an update on two important priorities for our administration as we move through 2026. improving traffic safety across Jackson
Township and maintaining a strong focus um approach on our rental safety bureau. First, regarding traffic safety, the administration continues to prioritize infrastructure improvements that directly impact the daily lives of our residents. We know that how important um safe and efficient roadways are for our
community and I'm pleased to report that several key traffic signals projects are moving forward. At Diamond Road and uh Commodore Boulevard that the council member is speaking of, that project remains on track and completion should be in July of this year. At South New
Prospect and Brewers Bridge, work has um progressed steadily and is expected to be completed and ready for final inspection uh at the end of this week. Additionally, at Harmony Road and Jackson Mills Road, our Ocean County crews have begun work in the signal activation anticipated by the end of
this week as well, end of next week. These projects are part of a broader ongoing efforts to reduce congestion, improve traffic flow, and most importantly, enhance safety at some of our busiest intersections. We will continue to invest in solutions that
protect both motorists and pedestrians throughout Jackson Township. Equally important and a top priority for this administration in 2026 is to stay focused on the strength and effectiveness of our rental safety housing bureau. I'm proud to announce that a Jackson Township Bureau of Rental
Safety and Inspections is now fully staffed and officially operating. As of March 16th, inspections are underway. The bureau was created to bring structural accountability and consistency at the oversight of rental properties in our community. Its purpose is simply is simple but critical to
ensure that all rental properties are properly registered, well-maintained, in full compliance with our local ordinances and safety standards. These inspections are about protecting residents and this administration will not allow boarding homes in Jackson Township. They are not about making sure
the family they are about making sure that the families living in rental homes are in safe condition and that the landlords are meeting their responsibility under the law. When I was uh took office, we recognized that there was an area that needed strong oversight and clearer uh processes. Establishing a
full staffed bureau allows us to deliver on that responsibility. As we move forward, the administration will remain disciplined and focused on strengthening this division because safety well- reggulated housing is essential for all overall quality of life in Jackson
Township. I'm going to have the business administrator elaborate a little bit more on our efforts, but I also wanted to talk about um the litter. There's been I've seen it throughout it's I've gotten emails regarding residential and commercial litter all over. I met with DPW actually over the weekend on Sunday.
One of the clerks came in um and we had a uh masterminding of how we can kind of be proactive instead of reacted to this. So, uh, upon her request, we created litterfree atjacktwpnew jersey.net and it says help curb litter.
If you see it, report it. So, any of these emails, it will go to DBW and we will just like our traffic safety email, our pothole email, our lights out email, our rental complaints email, all of these emails are sent to the right department so that they can take care of
it. And then once um 14U comes up, I'm have a couple words, but I'm going to wait till you guys come up to congratulate you personally away from my opening comments. Thank you everyone and have a great night. >> Administrator Terafeno. >> Thank you, Madam Clerk. I just wanted to shed a little light on the housing
bureau. Obviously, you've heard already that they're in their first week with Boots on the ground actually doing field inspections. Uh the goal going forward, they did about 30 inspections last week. The goal going forward is going to be about 50 inspections per week. And if anybody has any concerns or
anything like that, please refer to the website and they're answering all the emails that come in as they come in. I wanted to give an update on the police department. Uh in total, we've hired nine new officers and that's thanks to a grant that the mayor and former PSD Candido applied for and we were awarded
$875,000 to hire these officers which lessens the tax burden here for the community residents. Another goal by July is to have our traffic safety bureau fully staffed and operating seven days a week. So that should alleviate some of the uh calls and concern that the residents are
putting forth now. We've heard you and we're going to address those going forward. Thank you. >> The next item for tonight's meeting is an update from the Department of Public Works. Council President Bernstein. >> Thank you, Madam Clerk. As we welcome the arrival of spring, the public works department have been actively preparing
for the busy season ahead. Our team has been conducting routine maintenance and servicing of all equipment to ensure full readiness for the upcoming bulk and brush pickup program. These efforts are essential to maintaining efficiency and minimizing disruptions as we begin this important seasonal service for our community. In addition, Jackson Township
will participate in the Barnagget Bay Blitz by hosting his first 2026 Clean Communities Roadside Cleanup on April 12th. We look forward to working alongside volunteers and community partners to help keep our neighborhood clean and vibrant. As part of our clean communities program, Rolling Weather
LLC, a Rolling Weather Science Lab bus, will visit Jackson's elementary schools. This unique mobile education program offers interactive displays and hands-on learning experiences designed to engage students of all ages. Inside the bus, visitors can explore fully equipped weather station, view displays featuring
the largest recorded hellstone and snowflake, and examine historical modern weather equipment, experience a tornado in a tube, demonstration, and more. Additionally, crews have also begun working throughout our parks and playgrounds, focusing on cleanup, debris removal, and general upkeep. With warmer
weather approaching, our goal is to provide safe, clean, and welcoming outdoor spaces for residents to enjoy all season long. We appreciate the community's continued support and cooperation as we transition into spring operations. Thank you. >> The next item on the agenda is the small
business recognition. Council President Bernstein, >> Council Vice President, please. >> Thank you, Council President. All right. So, before we get started, I'm really excited. Uh, Jackson, there's a lot of good happening in Jackson. Don't, it's not all doom and gloom. We have a lot of good. We're not perfect, but we're
working on it. But right now, Howling Wood Howling Woods Farm, we're going to recognize them. Tonight is this council's pleasure to recognize Howling Woods Farm, a truly unique organization right here in Jackson Township. Howling
Woods Farm is one of only two wolf dog rescue facilities in the state of New Jersey, providing a safe refuge for these animals while also educating the public on responsible ownership and proper care. This work takes dedication,
compassion, and genuine commitment to both the animals and the community. Owner Mike and his team have demonstrated that commitment day in and day out, making a meaningful impact, not just here in Jackson, but beyond. We are also excited to have a trained service
wolf dog with us this evening as part of this recognition. I think that's the first time in Jackson Township history we've had a wolf in the municipal building. We are proud to recognize Howling Woods Farms and thank them for all they do. So, please would you all come on up and be recognized? Would my
council and colleagues join me in America, please? Absolutely. Madame clerk, continue. Perfect. Thank you. >> The next item on the agenda is the certificate of achievement portion. Council President Bernstein. >> Mayor Keun.
>> Thank you. So, we are honored to welcome the Jackson Jaguar 14U team here tonight to receive those well-earned certificates of merit, and I am proud to stand alongside the council in recognizing each and every one of you for this
outstanding accomplishment. On behalf of Jackson Township and as your mayor, I want to congratulate you on an incredible 2025 season and for capturing the New Jersey American Youth Football Championship title. Your 22 to0 victory over Manalopin was a true reflection of
your discipline, teamwork, and pride in your bringing home to your community. I also just want to say this is you guys, it's your 14. Some of you, I've heard from your coaches have been in the program in the with the Jackson Jag since 5U. So, you guys have grown up together. This is an amazing amazing. We
love We always love having the kids here and we love to um give you merits of achievement because it really is a an accomplishment. It shows teamwork, leadership, and working together to leave no man, as they say, left behind. And I would just ask that any future
council um or any administration continues to bring these 14 years, this is their last year. Some of them may continue uh to do football and to do their sports, but this is really the end of their uh their group, their time together as uh as a team, you know, growing up, some of you guys together.
So, I really think it's great and I'm super excited to uh to give you guys the merits. But thank you. Let's go, JACKSON. >> Make sure it's on. Nate Bas coming up. Noah Elfin, Braden Berkeley,
Noah Exuber, EJ McDaniel, Braden Hansen, Ben Johnson's not here. Tucker Jones, Jack Labella, Jacob Lamagra, Luca Marion, Dante Martin,
Manenzo Maza, >> Liam McKenna, Brendan Mercer, George Rosco, Joshua Shide, Christian Simlare, Zavon Spencer, Christian Tucker, Jaden Tucker,
Giovani White, Xavier Williams, Chad Ray, >> Mike Georgiano, >> Tim Carrera, Jonathan Berkeley, Mario Martinez, Matt Smith, Ian Liry,
>> Jack Clark, Anthony Maza, >> Aaron Exelbert. >> Wait, wait, one more. and and Brian Herzman. >> I want to go council up to join the picture. Look at me. >> Congratulations. Madame clerk, we're going to take a
60-second break just for anyone who's interested in staying. Feel free to stay. If you're here, feel free to leave. Thank you. Okay, we're going to continue the meeting in 15 seconds. Madam clerk, Oh, that's me next. Mad cler, that's
gonna be next. He's not here, but he's going to read it. >> Okay, we're going to continue the meeting. Um, if feel free to continue talking in the hall and uh celebrating. Congratulations again, Madame Clerk. We're back on air. >> Thank you. The next item on the agenda
is the proclamation portion. Council President Bernstein, >> Council Vice President uh Paul Mary, if you don't mind, >> we just restarted the meeting. Mayor >> Council Vice President Go >> Proclamation Township of Jackson whereas
the basis for this continuity of any society is educa is education and in the great township of Jackson the education of our youth is a priority and whereas in order to achieve its highest goals education must not only impart knowledge
but also teach students how to live forming and strengthening their moral character to make a better life for themselves as individuals and for society as a whole. Imparting moral and ethical values that have been the bedrock of society since the dawn of
civilization, including the values known as the seven nohide laws. And whereas a global spiritual leader and leading advocate for the advancement of education, the Rebi Rabbi Menchim M.
of righteous memory stressed that a moral and ethical education empowers every individual to develop their full potential in making the world a better place. And whereas such an education can nurture the unity of diverse peoples through encouraging increased acts of
goodness and kindness imbued with the awareness that even a single positive act of individual of an individual can change the world and usher in an era of global peace. And whereas March 29th, 2026 marks 124 years since Rabbiy's
birth. And this year marks the 76th anniversary of his leadership of the Chabbad Labovich movement. Chabbad is an acronym for wisdom, understanding, and knowledge. And Labovich means city of love. And whereas education and sharing
day is observed each year on the reb reby's birthday in recognition of his contribution towards education, morality, and acts of charity around the world. Now therefore, the mayor Jennifer Cune of Jackson Township do hereby
proclaim Sunday, March 29th, 2026 as education and sharing day in the township of Jackson and call upon the government officials, educators, volunteers, and citizens to work together to create a better, brighter, and more hopeful future for all. In
witness whereof I here unto set my hand and cause the great seal of the township of Jackson to be affixed at the municipal building this 29th day of March 2026. Thank you.
>> Thank you council vice president. >> Thank you. The next proclamation is the stroke awareness proclamation. >> Mayor Cune. >> Thank you council president. Whereas one in six people will have a stroke in their lifetime and 80% of families are affected. Additionally, stroke is the
leading cause of long-term disability, putting a tremendous financial burden on individuals, families, and as well as society. And whereas there is a life-saving treatment that must be administered within 3 to 4 and 1/2 hours once a system once a symptom begins. And
only a very small percentage of patients get to the hospital within the treatment window because the majority of people do not know how to spot a stroke or the importance importance of calling 911 immediately. And whereas the township of Jackson public and private schools will be encouraged to make a stroke to make
stroke smart, spot a stroke, stop a stroke, save a life part of the training for all students, facilities, and families. And whereas all of the township of Jackson health and safety focus entities such as hospitals, clinics, physicians, medical practices,
health departments, pharmacies, fire, EMS, public safety, and social services, and the department of aging and all city employees will be urged to participate in the improving the township of Jackson stroke literacy to educate all of its employees, volunteers, and associates
comm community associated communities. And whereas the Township of Jackson community, including businesses, civic or organizations, senior communities, faith-based organizations will be encouraged to participate and contribute to a stroke smart, spot a stroke, stop a
stroke, save a life campaign through the active citizenship efforts. And whereas the goal is to educate everyone in the township of Jackson about a stroke recognition and the importance of dialing 911 immediately and therefore reducing the onset of a stroke to 911 intervals to be measured by EMS and
local hospital systems and there uh be a model for the community, cities, commonwealth and states as well as the nation. Thereby advance the vision of a stroke smart America. Therefore, in the support of making the Township of
Jackson stroke smart, I Jennifer Cune, mayor of Jackson Township, do hereby proclaim on this day, March 24th, 2026, the Township of Jackson will here within be stroke smart listed as Strokes Smart Jackson Township. Thank you.
>> Thank you, Mayor. >> Mayor, is there someone here for >> Is there anybody here for to accept this? Oh, >> yes. I just want to make sure. Sorry. Thank you for coming again and uh we appreciate the awareness.
>> The next item on uh business is the second reading and public hearing ordinance 202604 amending and supplementing chapter 103 entitled vehicles and traffic article 14 schedules. At this time if any member of the public has any comment to make,
please address the council at the microphone and state your name and address clearly for the record. You'll have 5 minutes to speak and may only speak once. May I have a motion to open public comment? >> Motion. Second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? >> Elanar Hannam, Jackson, New Jersey. So
this is to to re make no parking along Lehi and Adelfi. >> Yes, >> correct. >> Okay. Is it both sides of the street? >> My understanding. Yes, Mr. McCucken. >> Southerntherly side of Lehi. >> Sorry. Easterly side of Adelfa. Sorry.
>> Southerntherly side of Lehi, easterly side of the Delphi. >> On both sides. >> South side of Lehi, easterly side alpha. Okay, that does not clarify exactly
where that is. So, um here's my concern. So, we have a facility that was approved by the planning board. Um, every time a facility in a high density housing development that was built
without this intention in the 60s is going to severely impact the people who live there and they have no say in the matter. So,
here's my concern. At what point is this facility going to be forced to finish its site plan? Would it agree to at what point? Or is it an unending until they can raise enough money to build the facility and then put in their parking
lot? >> Mr. McCullen, >> you would have to ask the planning board. I'm not familiar with all of the conditions and when they were required to complete it. The law dictates that they have two years and right now we have 1231
Aldrich Road coming up on its and keep looking at the time because I know you want to get rid of me. Um Aldrich Road looking coming up on its two years. That is state law. You cannot get a facility
approved and then sit with it until the people can raise enough money to actually build it. At the same time, you're inconveniencing everyone who lives there. You're destroying their quality of life. So, here's my concern. Also, this is an
equal protection argument because now you have people who cannot park in front of their own homes when they have, I don't know, Christmas dinner, Thanksgiving dinner, or I don't know, the Super Bowl game. They can't park. Their guests can't park. So, their
elderly mother and their disabled sister has to park blocks away to accommodate a facility that this town is going to allow to do absolutely nothing. And you're going to allow these type of
facilities to continuously every time they're put in in a highdensity neighborhood, this is what's going to happen. Where is the just cause for the residents? That is my question. >> So, um, Mr. McGucken, you and I had a conversation today about about creating
an ordinance and I think I wrote to you at high importance about allowing a permitting process anytime we create these ordinances that obviously would ban parking on on streets, a permitting process for residents who live there to get one or two permits um for guest
parking. Is that correct? >> Okay. So, that's that's something we are looking at right now. >> One or two. I had my St. Patrick's Day dinner on Saturday with my family. I had six cars. I have a double-sided 100 foot
driveway. I can accommodate it where I live. These people cannot. At the time that this was built, this development families had one car. It was built that way. >> So, Miss Adam, I I would support, and again, I can't speak for the attorneys
and for my colleagues on council. I would support a that the resident has an ability to request guest parking for for events. Um, permit parking. I'm not a lawyer. I will leave that to the attorney what the legalities of that are, but I I'm I'm okay with with I don't want to use unlimited, but higher
than one or two. Um, that that was a conversation I had with Mr. McCocking today. >> So, what do they have to do? Come to the town to get a permit every time they have decide to have a family dinner? >> Mr. McCain, do you have any thoughts on that? This ordinance would prohibit the
parking on those two sides of those two streets. And the council president suggesting that perhaps we should do an ordinance that allow properties when they live on those streets and >> Okay. So, >> I like your idea.
>> Yeah. >> So, we're turning our neighborhoods into parking lots to accommodate it is protection. This neighbor this ordinance prohibits the neighborhood from being a parking lot. They're going to park somewhere. You know that they're going to park up the
street. You know that. You know my issue. The ones that none of you are now, and I'll address that later, where they're parking all over the neighborhood now. >> Mrs. Mrs. Hannam, uh, while I'm up sitting up here behind this, I just have
something to say to you. Thank you. Thank you for being the person through the years who comes up here and speaks out. You're a patriot. This is this is what being a good American is. You come up, you speak your mind, you represent the town, you speak up for the people who won't get up here and speak. You do
your research. And listen, we may not always agree on every single thing, but you know what? We're blessed to have you. And I want to say that right behind this desk. Thank you. Okay. I wasn't going to come up and speak on this. But comments that were said, I cannot
just let them go. Last last year when the current mayor proposed a permitted parking against municipal or yeah county roads, you were in favor of >> when discussion about permitted parking
that they were discussing in Howell, you said I will never support permanent parking. >> That's not what I said. >> Yes, it is. And now tonight you're going back to you're gonna accept permanent funding. So which way? >> So m Mr. um I that's not what I said. What I said was and I I spoke to a
couple res >> I said at this point and I spoke to me colleagues on council um multiple colleagues on council um is that the consensus on council was that there was not support to ban parking overnight um on on our residential roads for throughout town. Um, I said that was
something that at this point I didn't say no to it, but I I said I grew up like that in in Ohio. >> I said I personally >> Okay, but either way I >> as we learn more as as as we learn more, we're all human beings and um I think
>> I will tell you said they're public streets. any resident that lives on them should be able to park their car in that spot, especially in these older developments where driveways are not supporting the number of cars that people have these
days. So, permanent parking where you in the old the originals was only for the residents that were in that that zone. Well, that person can come to my in front of my home and park their car, but I can't have my guests go in front of their house and park because we have
this loophole that says you have to have a permit within the first 100 feet. So, that's where when you get into these permits that you're talking about, be very careful how you work. >> Yeah. Thank you. I'm real quick on this ordinance. Sandra
Wachano, before you cut me off, uh, we strive for a place to ride. Um, everything you're doing right now is unconstitutional. I keep saying it. You're putting in orders. You're putting in permits. You're putting all that. That's the way you think you're going to tell these
people to pay more money on top of the taxes that they are already paying. I don't think so. Wait for what's coming, though. Council >> seeing no one come forward. Motion to close public forum. >> Second.
>> All in favor? >> I. >> I. >> Any opposed? I have a motion to adopt ordinance 202604. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Council member Barlli. Um, from what I know have read since the first reading
on this, the planning board, like Miss Hannah mentioned, they granted approval for future construction at the state of location in the ordinance. However, it hasn't happened yet, but it's still operating without the required approvals. This is a zoning issue that needs to be fixed and not be seeking a temporary parking fix from the governing
body. I think voting yes on this would set a bad president. Um, we got to stop putting band-aids on these matters that come before us that don't even have the zoning approvals to operate yet. So, I'm voting no on it.
>> Councilman Brazie. >> I'm voting yes on it. It's based on the safety from the point of the intersection, not the whole street. I vote yes. >> Councilman Pollock, >> I'm voting no on this. I think this decision sets a dangerous precedent.
Every time a building like this is forced into a residential neighborhood, it can lead to parking restrictions that unfairly burden the people who already live there. I'm not sure how any of this is fair to the residents who live there. You're disrupting neighborhoods, sometimes allowing these buildings to operate illegally, and we bend over
backwards to ensure they get approved. If these developments are going to be imposed in our residential areas, they must include their own adequate parking. They shouldn't be allowed to operate at all without a proper CO. I have to ask, how is this place not shut down? How are
we operating? We have our current mayor and council president spent a lot of time blaming the former administration for lack of enforcement. And now you're in control of the administration. You're in control of the council. And it feels like some people in this town play by a very different set of rules. We're
watching our town radically transform right before our eyes. And it's driven by rich and powerful outsiders from places like Lakewood. They throw around their money and political connections to upend our way of life. We've seen it and they admit it openly. We got groups demanding give us what
what we want or we'll sue. This is what we're dealing with. Even if they're doing something illegal, that's the craziness of it. And we just allow these things to happen because we're afraid of a lawsuit. We have to put our foot down sometimes. We have to find them. We have to stop these things from happening.
It's just everybody sees it. No one in this town is blind, but nobody has the balls to stand up and say something that's in a position of power. We need to do something and we can't change the rules for the people who are not doing the right thing. I vote no.
>> Council Vice President Paul Mary. >> So, I talked about this when we had the meeting at the middle school and I brought up all my concerns about this. I actually used the term band-aid then. Uh I said it would be immediate relief, but
I don't think this was a solution that we could just do all the time. I had a lot of concerns and I did speak with residents over the last month and a half and they've all expressed that this wouldn't be something that could fix issues around town. So I will also be
voting no on this. Council President Bernstein. >> Sure. So, Attorney McGawin, just to give everyone the the history of this ordinance, this was a condition of approval that the planning board put on that the the congregation there had to make the request for the ordinance. This was not a condition that the ordinance
had to be into effect. Um I correct, Mr. McCain, >> that is correct. It was a recommendation planning board that they do so and they made that request. >> Um I've spoken in the past couple weeks since the initial reading of this ordinance to to multiple residents within the neighborhood. to be honest, very few residents in the neighborhood
actually want this parking ban. Um and um while I do agree with council um Councilman Baressi that this there is a safety issue as at hand and I would ask the mayor and the business administrator if we could have a follow-up conversation with our chief of police. Um but I also will vote no on this.
>> Thank you. The motion does not carry. The next item of business is the second reading of public hearing of ordinance 20265 establishing chapter 164 entitled portable sanitary facilities. Madam clerk, be before you open the public, I
just want to um mention that attorney mcuckin as told me to mention before is that council received um multiple feedback from from residents and and from contractors who obviously um are out there in the field um making um different uh fixing houses and obviously
needing some of these portable toilets. Um we did make multiple um we we did make a minor change to the initial ordinance when it was introduced with the language of requiring a a survey. Um we did take that out after speaking to some of the contractors on the ground. Um at this point the ordinance requires
that it recommends obviously to be in the back when possible. When it's not possible there's a small fee. It lasts the the the permit lasts the the time frame of the construction and and the portable body must be removed before the
CO is is issued on the on the construction. Additionally, all the setback requirements must be met. So, I just wanted to put it out there. >> Thank you. At this time, if any member of the public has any comments to make, please address the council at the microphone and state your name and address clearly for the record. You'll
have five minutes to speak and may only speak once. May I have a motion to open public comment? Motion >> second. >> All in favor? >> I I >> Any opposed? >> Anyone can come up. >> Karen Hirsh, Jackson, New Jersey. Uh we
would like to thank Council President Bernstein and Councilman Pollock and all the other councilmen for working with us. Uh we had a few discussions about this and we really appreciate um here representing CJB Central Jersey
Association of Builders. We represent about a thousand local construction professionals in the area and we really appreciate everyone working with us and keeping the intent of the ordinance together with understanding the
perspective of the contractors. and I would like to thank you and I hope we could work together in the future. >> So again, Mr. Hirsh, thank you for reaching out. It was a pleasure and we had a lot of back and forth and uh you stayed on point. I think you understood the perspective of obviously the sounds like you're a Jackson resident yourself,
the quality of life that I think residents are demanding in their neighborhoods and I appreciate your your the communication that you had. Thank you. Elanar Hannah, Jackson, New Jersey. So, I just have a few questions regarding this ordinance. Um, so what happens with
all of the portaotties that are sitting in front of some of these facilities right now? >> Mr. McCen, >> apply to any new uh location of a portaotty. You would have to get a permit going forward. Okay. And who is enforcing this
>> ordinance? It is the zoning officer. >> The zoning officer. Okay. Thank you. >> Hi. Steve Fostain Jackson, owner of Clean Seat Portable Restrooms. First, I'd like to say if you're all supposed
to be our representatives, you do a terrible job. I sent a letter to each and every one of you, including the mayor. The only one I heard back from was an email from Mr. Bernstein, and it was only a couple sentence email, but at least he acknowledged he received an
email. And then Mr. Pollock had reached out via text message after it, after I was complaining to somebody else. But as far as the rest is, I didn't hear boo. Not one word. It's a shame that on your website you say, "Hey, contact.
Contact us." We send you his emails and they go ignored. Not a phone call, not a hey, got it, nothing. Absolutely embarrassing. You ought to resign. My opinion. Second of all, I understand that you had
concerns with portaotties or whatever. Did you just contact anybody? Did you contact United States Services is in Jackson? Clean seat portable restrooms is in Jackson. Did you just reach out and say, "Hey, this is the problem we're having. What do you recommend or where
can we do this or what can we do or how can we address it?" Nope. Not at all. I think it's bad enough the contractors are paying all the money that they're paying for inspection fees and things like that and now you wanted to put
another fee onto them. I think it's absolutely crazy. And I know on the original version you were going to charge people to have a backyard party. Absolutely ludicrous. And as far as putting them in the backyard, you can't service them that
way. Can't get the service truck in the back. hose isn't long enough to get back there to service it. I don't know. Pretty piss poor if you ask me. There was just so much with what was in the original bill and I'm told that there was some changes made. I haven't
seen the revision, so I really can't speak to it. But I'm here to tell you if you in put out a decent portaotty and you maintain it, service it on a weekly basis, there is no smell from the portaotties.
Sometimes location, you can't put 10 foot off the property line or in front of this or in front of that or not in the driveway because of dumpsters, building material and things like that. Someone has an active building permit. I don't know why they would need a permit
at all for a portaotty. If someone wants to have a backyard barbecue or party, graduation or whatever it is for them to have to go get a permit, absolutely ridiculous. Or what about the person that their plumbing breaks on a Saturday? Remember all that cold weather we had? I've gotten I had several calls
for people that had broken pipes. So now, how do they how do they deal with it? Oh, sorry. Have to hold it. Have to use the woods until till Monday till we can get a permit. >> Really? So, >> so I just,
>> so I just want to address your last, are you done? >> Yeah. >> Your last point that you just brought up that actually is in the ordinance that if you obviously have a plumbing issue or an emergency, you could get it on the weekend and then you apply. I think it's the first business day and that your permit would go retroactively from from that time. So that was addressed in the
in the permitting process. Um I think this is a a ordinance that came through with a lot of collaboration with as many we we did speak I apologize maybe we could have spoken more but we did do our research. Um I personally have observed many portaotties. This has been an issue that was probably brought up to this
council when council President Nixon was still the council president. Um and um I definitely have observed as my colleagues porter potties that could have been we could have used a little bit more um planning where we put them down for just plopping them on the sidewalks or 6 in off of the sidewalks
and I think um we understand the need for them and I think we've ensured it's a $50 fee. It's a onetime fee. You're right. The first ordinance was a lot harsher but we definitely we appreciate people like Mr. Hers and other contractors reaching out and I think we we came to a very if someone's making a party in the backyard for 24 hours which
probably doesn't need a servicing um it's no fee. So um and they can get it. So I think I think this this really takes into into account everyone's needs and concerns. >> Oh and that's fine. That's your opinion and that's that's all like I said >> but we definitely amended it and and
tried our hardest to work with as many different viewpoints as possible. But did you work with any companies that service porta potties, rent portaotties or anything like that? Like it's one thing to drive around town and see portaotties and say, "Oh, that's that looks terrible." Or, "Oh, that's unsightly." Or, "Oh, that's been there for six months," or whatever it is. And
I get that. I understand there's concerns, whatever. But if you're not talking to the people that do it that then I don't understand how you're making a rational decision. But like I said, for the rest of you, at least you did email me back. The rest of
you is ought to be ashamed of yourselves. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Good evening. My name is Brandon Rose, Jackson Township. Um, I would ask that you um not go through with this ordinance. Specifically, what I think
you're doing is you're setting people up for being in violation. This is kind of an obscure uh you know ordinance that would be put in place and I can tell you if somebody's having a party in the backyard, I'm not going to go looking through the ordinances to make sure I
register that that portaotty. I think the better way to handle this would be for you to look at it as a maintaining the property should somebody fail to do that just like if they're not cutting their grass or if they're leaving, you know, trash on the on the around their
property and not maintaining it that way. But I think essentially what this ordinance does is you're going to be um uh I guess taking it out on people that are unaware of this particular ordinance. And uh my last reading of it,
you know, was that you'd have to get a fee or you'd have to pay a fee to get a permit, but I understand that was that was removed. Um I understand your intent. I get it. you you want to maintain uh a nice area and people do have I guess you know some problems
seeing the portaotties there but for you know a construction site or somebody that's having a a you know a two-day party or a day party I think to have them jump through the hoops to get a permit to to have one of these I think
is just it's really not helping the town. >> So Mr. I just want to address one thing you just mentioned. I know a couple years ago um I um the council passed an ordinance requiring a permit for um a dumpster. Um and it was amended
originally required a survey. There was a lot of I think push back and and questions that various contractors came up with and I think I think and mayor and business administrator if we could just clarify this. Um you can you can file for such a permit online. Um I think the contractors have a I think
it's been a pretty smooth process. um from the people that I spoke to in the field. Again, obviously, everyone has their own personal experience. Um I think the process over here is going to be a similar process. I'm hoping that we can do this online also. Um we're not looking to to to make people's lives miserable in people's backyard. I think
everyone here is very much recognizes people's people's property rights, but we also do have situations where people are getting for summers and getting for long term. And there there are wonderful companies out here and there are some companies and there's some homeowners which unfortunately are abusing it. And it's it's definitely been something
which has been brought to this council's attention. But >> right, I and I understand I I understand the the tension behind it, but I think sometimes the unintended consequences end up hurting the actual citizens of the town. You mentioned a dumpster. A dumpster is a much larger usually a much
longer period of time that they're left on a property. Um I think the portaotties generally are construction where you know the whole property is is being used or a party. Yeah. party for maybe, you know, a weekend that they have it. Um, so I would just ask that
you consider that and take that into account when you vote. Thank you. >> Thank you, council. >> Do no one come forward? Motion to close public forum. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I >> I. >> Any opposed?
May I have a motion to adopt ordinance 20 2605? >> Motion. >> Second. >> Councilman Brellley. Uh, regarding this ordinance, I want to thank the residents who did come forward to speak on the matter. I voted no on this on the first reading. I'm not against the property
owner having a temporary portaotty if they need to for construction or home improvements, etc., but concerned about it presenting a detriment to their neighbors and affecting the uh aesthetics of neighborhoods in our town. Still concerned. However, I do understand the purpose of regulating
where pot portaotties can go with property setback requirements. I'm all for that. We don't have anything on the books right now concerning this issue and now with doing this we will. It's something looked around and a lot of other towns in our state don't have this kind of ordinance on the books. It's
also concerned about the length of time of these construction permits that the portaotties can be used for and that is being addressed in this ordinance. I recommended requiring portaotties be removed before major storms and screen the portaotties from public view. I think the portaotties should have only one place on the property and that's in
the backyard. But if it's going to be placed or it can be only placed in the front or side of a property particularly because of service and maintenance reasons because the host can't get back there to uh m uh to uh clean the portaotti um I think we should just specify where the units can't be placed
and in this uh case and in this ordinance they can't be placed on a sidewalk street or right away and we are addressing that concern as well in this ordinance and uh like everyone up here on the deis I'm a strong proponent of property owner rights and having the lease government overreach as possible.
We have to revisit this ordinance like any other ordinance that goes into into effect um to tighten it up. We can always do that on the council like with any uh other law um in order to protect the quality of life in our town. So I vote yes. Thanks, >> Councilman Brazie.
>> Yes. >> Councilman Pollock >> like to say uh it's really nice seeing a healthy debate over portaotties. Uh I got a uh I'm voting no on this. Uh I think there's been really great debate. I appreciate the public input. I appreciate all the changes that were
made. Um, you know, there are real abuses happening and that's why this has come to light. Uh, we've seen portaotties used as secondary bathrooms for overcrowded homes. Uh, they're tied to illegal pool rentals. Some people leave them sitting in front of their yards for extended periods of time and
that does need to be addressed. Uh, we also have to recognize that not everybody is abusing this. Some residents have legitimate temporary needs, construction, home repairs, septic issues, emergencies. Where I think we're going wrong with this is we're adding more government. We're adding more bureaucracy, and we're
adding more fees, uh, like construction sites. They're required to have these. Now, we're saying you have to have it, and then you have to have a permit, and then you have to pay us. I think that's a bit of government overreach. Uh, as I do this more and more, I value liberty
more and more. Uh, and I'd like to keep representing that up here. Um, I'm voting no on this, but I do appreciate that we're trying to address this issue and I I hope we can come to a good common ground. Everybody coming up and speaking, thank you, >> Council Vice President Paul Mary.
>> So, I do support this ordinance and I'll tell you why. Right now, it's unregulated. So, anybody can have a porta potty for as long as they want, wherever they want. It can be right up on your property line. So when you get out of your house and it's not your porta potty, but it's your neighbors, they can have it right in front of your property line, you're pulling out of
your driveway and you have a porta potty there forever. We have illegal pool renting in this community. We know that. I've seen portaotties in your backyard for 4 months. Construction sites, no doubt. You need it, you have it. We're not limiting how long you can. But let's
be real. If you're having a party and it's more than 10 days, you can get two extensions to make it 30 days. After that, you can't get any more extensions. I I've never attended a party for 30 days that you needed a porta potty. But what this does do, it allows for illegal
rentals to have an outside porta potty for people to use it. And we're trying to crack down on illegal renting. So why make it easier? Let's regulate it. Secondly, pool renting, like I said, is a big problem. It's there all summer. And also, I like that there is property line 15T if it's in the front of your home. We're not saying you can't put it
in the front of your home, but I don't want to smell your poop in my driveway. put it 15 feet away and if it's in your backyard it's 10 feet from your property line. I don't want your porta potty all year around. This is getting to look like a ghetto. We don't want Jackson becoming a ghetto. I'm we're working towards stopping this from happening
with debris, litter, illegal renting, pool renting, etc. This is one way to regulate it. And there's a $50 fee if you put it in front of your house. Yes. Because we want you to we want to urge you to put it in the back of your house. And quite frankly, if you're having a party, why are you having your guests go to the porta potty in front of your
house? It's weird. Put in the back of your house. Construction, no doubt. Maybe you can't put it in in front of your house. Pay the 50 bucks. It's not a huge ordeal, but there has to be some regulation. Right now, it's unregulated. I've knocked on residents doors. I spoken to about a half a dozen and they
and all six of them told me, "We need to regulate it. We need to figure something out because there is a problem here." where I'm walking around and there's porta parties right in the front by the sidewalk and now you got kids in the community playing and they're going in the porta potty. That's dangerous.
That's disgusting. So, we need to regulate this. I think this is good. This is good to have because who wants to live next to a porta party indefinitely? And if you have a construction site, you know what I like about this? Guess what? You don't get your CO unless you remove that portal party when the construction's done. So,
you want your CO, you want to be able to have your certificate of occupancy. Move the portal party. the construction's done. Get rid of it. There's no reason for you to have it there. And that's what we're seeing. Construction sites are done. Port is sitting there for who knows how long because it's unregulated. So I vote yes.
>> Council President Bernstein. >> So first of all, I appreciate the dialogue that the entire council has had on this issue. Um and we really heard um various different opinions. Um there were definitely members of of the council in the past, I would say, five, six weeks since we've been discussing this in more depth who have sent me
emails and called me looking to regulate in more. And obviously we we tried our best to keep in mind um all the various concerns um as we've done in the past um after an ordinance has passed. We value and we appreciate feedback from contractors, from homeowners, from the
porter body um you know companies also and we're going to continue to value that that feedback and um and I think this ordinance really is a testament to that because over the past five six weeks there's been various conversations and various levels of of back and forth. So I um like council vice president just
said I've seen it. We see it with the pools. Um I don't think anyone feels that that's appropriate. We see it throughout the throughout the town. And I think we can do a little bit better where we put them, where we place them. Right now, if this if we don't move forward with this ordinance, you can literally put it on your driveway next to your neighbor's yard. And this will
just require you to think before you drop it down. And um and I think the zoning and building um are are looking to continue to work together with our contractors to make everything as smooth and as as easy as and as safe as possible. So, I vote yes.
Motion carries. The next item of business is a second reading of public hearing of ordinance 2026 repealing and replacing chapter 334 of the township code entitled rent control for apartments and manufactured
home parks. At this time, if any member of the public has any comments to make, please address the council at the microphone and state your name and address clearly for the record. You'll have five minutes to speak and may only speak once. May I have a motion to open public comment? Motion >> second. >> All in favor? >> I.
>> Any opposed? >> Good evening. Lori Greenberg ask for appearing on behalf of all of the landlords of the mobile home parks. Um I'm going to be distributing although I've already emailed it to your council a letter for the record about the situation
>> here. Give it to the clerk if you don't mind. >> No problem. >> Yeah. On March 1st, 2026, as you know, the state statute became effective for rent increases and capped it at 3.5% and created a DCA
committee and gave them $2 million to hear resident and landlord complaints. The as a result, there's no emergency here. Our members, most of our parks have already come in for their 3.5% increase, which starts April 1st. So
there's no emergency to do this. The problem is Mr. Sullivan on December 11th agreed and the rent board agreed that they would include the landlords in crafting a modification to this ordinance to the township ordinance.
They did not. There was no meeting. I have met with this town over the last 35 years. We've crafted and avoided litigation by modifying the ordinance. But this time you have a tenant rent board member who wrote this change and
we oppose it and instead of including us, you've made something that's opening the township up for litigation. We don't want to litigate. I haven't litigated before. I've met with the town. We've had very good conversations, but now you're not talking to me. He's not
talking to me and he was supposed to. And I have that recorded. So I want to go over what's going on here. We have a serious conflict of interest by the by Mr. Sullivan. He's on the rent board. He's in MOA. He was involved in
crafting the state statute and he wrote this. He's got an ethics violation for doing this. This should have been written and developed with the township, not with one tenant. So, we oppose this. But on top of that, you're
putting in a 2.5% cap. Now, the CPI for the last 10 years, and it's in this packet, is over 3.5%. There's no basis for doing 2.5%. I have litigated this issue in Camden County and have a judge's 18page opinion
calling a 2.5% cap, a net opinion. I have sent an Oprah request to the town saying, "Where'd you get this number from?" They said they don't have anything. There's no background for how you got 2.5%. It doesn't relate to anything. The cost of housing has gone
up way more than 2.5%. So you're setting a number way lower than the CPI and the cost of housing. And you're doing it to benefit a tenant and his brother. So we are opposing this. We want to sit down and discuss this with you. This low number will depress property values,
impair maintenance and capital investment, force hardship applications, increase tax appeals, and predictably result in litigation. Like I said, I don't want to litigate. I want to negotiate. I want to work with you as I have many times in the past and had very good relationships with Jackson. You've
got a town. You've got a statewide ordinance. All the towns around you have adopted the statewide ordinance. Why you're going to adopt something that's 2.5% is a real problem and opens up the door. There's also permanent structural rent disparities which is really
complicated involving vacancy deontrol. Some people are paying 350 a month, some people are paying a,000. You can never catch up. And now it's going to get bigger and bigger this disparity. So that's also a big problem. You also have excessive penalties and due process
concerns. If the landlord does not pay a fine within 30 business days, even if they're opposing it, they lose their right for vacancy deontrol for five years. This was drafted by a tenant. So if we disagree with you and that tenant who sits on the rent board and gives us a
fine and we don't pay it, we lose five years of vacancy de control. You tell me how that's legal. Also, there's increased administrative burden and fiscal harm. The DCA is ready. It's got committees. It's got $2 million. Instead, you're going to have Jackson
spending money on litigation and on hearing these rent control hearings and on hearing all of the complaints that are going to come through from the landlords. We don't want to do that. We want to sit and talk to you. I've reached out to you to try to talk to you. Instead, I say I hear you say, "I'll see you in court." Go, "Yeah, you
will, but that's not how it's supposed to be. We're supposed to work together as a partnership. I've got eight landlords. They own lots of property. They're paying lots of taxes. I'm going to lose lose my time." So, in conclusion, I would say that your ordinance is procedurally flawed. This
procedure is flawed. And we want to work with you, all eight of the communities, and we have time because the increases are already passed. They start April 1st. So, please don't pass this. Table it. Set up a committee with the residents, with the town, with me, and
let's get this done right. Thank you. >> Hello everybody. I'm Joseph. Uh I'm Joseph Sullivan. Uh I'm the boogeyman that was just mentioned before. Uh the tenant that's out of control according to Miss
Greenberg. Uh, I'd like to bring to the attention of everyone here that on January 23rd, 2026, I sent an email with the draft proposal for the changes to our ordinance to Miss Greenberg. I stated, "I have attached the latest draft of the rent leveling ordinance for
Jackson Township. Please share your thoughts with me. I appreciate I appreciate your interest in helping." Regards, Joseph Sullivan, chairman, Jackson Township rent level. and I can provide that email to anyone on the council, the mayor administration or our attorneys.
Second, that ordinance, this ordinance that you are looking at tonight did not happen overnight. Many of the changes in this ordinance date back four years by committee, a
committee that consisted of myself, Gary Miller, a former member of our rent leveling board who's now living in Delaware, and Diane Dicapa, a former manager of Jackson Acres, one of the parks here in town.
Majority of this ordinance came out of that committee. when they come before you and they tell you they support the three and a half% statewide cap, then why did one of the people sitting in this audience who represents the
industry testify before the assembly and the senate opposing the state law? Interesting, isn't it? Now, they don't want local control. And that's what this is all about. You could have introduced this ordinance
with a 3 and a.5% cap, which under state law is as high as you can go and they would still be suing you. Why? They do not want a local rent control board.
They do not want local oversight. They don't want to have a place for the tenants to come locally and share some of the disgusting things we have seen in conditions in certain parks and apartments in this township.
They want to cut off the voice of the resident. And they attack me and they attack my brother and they make it sound like I wrote 30 pages of an ordinance all by myself without a legal degree.
I did not. It was run by committee. It was run by lawyers. Lawyers then reviewed. I personally reached out to Miss Greenberg and asked for her uh advice
and got nothing. That's the truth. What can I tell you? Why 2 and a.5%. If you take the average rent increase in manufactured home parks in Jackson Township over the last 30 years,
it is 2.5%. Run the number over 20 years, 2.5%. There seems to be a pattern there and a reason why this number was picked and chosen and I think it's very dependable. Now,
I could be the boogeyman of Miss Greenberg's dreams, or I could be the reality, a rent control board chairman who also happens to live in manufactured housing and works with a very uh engaged board of people who are residents of
this township and live in many different forms of housing. I work with attorneys and accountants who do not live in manufactured housing. and they all worked on this.
So, this idea that I pulled this out of my hat like some magician and then waved it in front of everybody and everybody here is so mesmerized by the spanguli that is Joe Sullivan. It's just ridiculous.
You'll hear from some residents tonight. They'll tell you how hard it is to pay their rent or pay their medicine. And that we had a rent control in Jackson that they sued us for before and we won.
It's not legal now. The state law is the state law and we have to abide by it. And the state law says you can set whatever amount you want for yearly increases as long as it's under three and a half%. That's the law in New Jersey and I think
we should keep our local control. Thank you for your time. >> Thank you. >> Good evening everyone. Sherry Williams, president, Fountain Head Homeowners Association, Fountain Head Park. Um,
2.5% is a good raise. 3.5% would be absurd when you consider that the majority of the parks in Jackson and even in the state are for seniors, fixed incomes,
possibly ill health. They can't go out and get a second job even working. I I couldn't even tell you how many people I know from my part that have had to get part-time jobs at Dollar Tree because the Social Security raises not keeping
up with the raises that they're getting on their utilities, on their rent. Um, I'm very lucky. My husband's retired military and a veteran and has disability, so I'm in one of the Thank
you. I'm in one of the good situations, but too many of the residents in Fountain Head are not. I'm consistently helping them to fill out applications for life, for the telephone, the gas, anything they can
get for services. I've helped people to to get to food banks outside of Jackson when Jackson is not able to be there enough for them. 2.5% is more than enough. And the last time this ordinance
was worked, it gave the advantage to the landlords, they were able to um extract additional fees from residents for pets. For pets that didn't even leave the home, they were getting a monthly fee
for. Um, so they were the idea was for them to have this extra money to be able to make improvements in the park. We managed to get two or three potholes filled before the last meeting. That's
the maintenance in Fountain Head. They don't cut dead trees, not in a timely fashion. They get cut eventually, but not until branches have fallen. They expect the residents to take care of that. These are people that can barely even buy food every month. They're not going to be able to pay
$2,000 per tree. And that's what uh I can't even remember the name of the company now, top of my head, but that's what it costs to take down a tree. Um we've got ruts in every road from where
the gas company came in and the asphalt has sunk down. It has become a hazard. we have to walk in the street because there are no sidewalks like they're supposed to be because the town never enforced their own ordinance requiring
the sidewalks in Fountain Head. Different phases were not supposed to be completed or even begun until certain things were done in the first phases. the town never they never went after any of that that
was in the ordinances and they never enforced any of it. Um we've got curbs that are crumbling. People with walkers cannot even walk down their driveways and go down their curbs because they're crumbling.
Um there's the the grounds are not properly graded. there are um I want I don't want to say divots bigger than a divot uh where water is collecting and ground is saturating
grass is not growing people can't maintain that the grounds by ordinance have to be leveled they have to be graded properly so as to not collect water and to not create a hazard
in the yards we've got people that live along the Matita Kong tributary which runs parallel to Cooksbridge homes along there that they're losing the backyards
because of the drain water and nothing is getting done. They need things they need gravel dropped back there. They need rocks dropped back there. Something to keep the ground from washing away. And that's been a fight for years and nothing gets done with it.
Um I there's just so much in there that is not being maintained and yet they put new homes in and they get the money in there for the new homes but no improvements have been made to the quality of life of the people that
are living there. Um, we didn't press the issue when it first started, but a couple of year uh year and a half, maybe two years ago now, there was a new fee added onto our water bill slash sewer bill that
>> Ma'am, I'm going to give you another 15 seconds. >> Thank you. It was tatamount to being an illegal rent increase. We didn't pursue it because we didn't want to start anything. Everything in the park was nice and quiet, but I think things have gone a little too far.
>> Okay. Thank you. >> Um, thank you. >> Thank you, >> Carlos Martins, Jackson, New Jersey. Um, I I don't live in in the in the housing that's being described here, but I have a lot of friends that do. I live by uh
Oak Tree Development. And uh speaking to my friends, many of them, yes, senior citizens, disabled, a lot of issues. Um I do consider and I
hope you consider the 2.5% uh to be more more than adequate. Um especially when you consider the services. Um tell you a story. I like to tell stories. Um, during this snowstorm,
it came to my ear from one of my friends at Oak Tree that someone on the Adas, I won't mention her name, um, actually went there because a resident who was disabled and elderly, um, needed to have
the driveway uh, PL, not plowed, you know, shoveled, cleaned, and all that kind of stuff. and um and one of my one of my friends called up the township and um and complained and um that person
with I think a crew went there and physically cleaned that up. um that I say I I mentioned that because it's an example of the services I think you've heard from me the other resident the type of services that even two whatever the they're not getting it you just
drive around there you could see that you know the the complexes um are are not maintaining um and doing what they're supposed to do as it is um and and now they're getting the increase. So, I just want to give that
testimony um some of the friends that I uh and to mention some of the friends that I have. >> Thank you. Anyone else? >> Hi, my name is Mary Beth Park. I represent New Jersey Manufactured
Housing Association um for the state. Um, I believe local rent control and the ordinance have become obsolete and should be deferred to the state. The state already has one in place. Joseph referred to the 2 and 12% the average over 30 years and in
that ordinance that's also including property taxes and 2 and a half% it's not going to cover that and property taxes. By doing by eliminating the local rent control, you would reduce administrative
costs for township while ensuring tenants maintain retain a meaningful relationship with you. Um this approach this approach would create efficiencies by eliminating the need for community owners to navigate two layers of um
administration without compromising tenant protections because they have the right to come and talk to you. They have the right to talk to their owners. Uh so overall by deferring to the state framework would streamline governance, reduce costs and maintain appropriate
channels for tenant engagement and oversight. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Anyone else? >> Hello, I'm Greg Greenberg. I'm with Lor's office. um statewide manufactured housing rent control laws governs and
limits municipal authority. The state of New Jersey recently enacted um PL 2025 chapter 85 establishing a comprehensive statewide rent control framework governing manufactured home communities where residents who own their homes and
lease the underlying land. The statute provides a 3.5% cap on annual rent increases for covered dwelling sites, including real estate taxes versus Jackson's 4.25% with real estate tax paths. Administration and enforcement by
the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, a landlord petition process permitting increases above 3.5% based on documented cost increases or capital improvements, tenant complaint and enforcement mechanisms. $2 million in state funding
to administer the program, which takes the pressure and liability away from Jackson. The um this protects the residents of Jackson and gives them better protection in the Jackson rent control ordinance. The statute expressly addresses municipal interaction. While it does not automatically eliminate all
municipal ordinances, it reflects clear legislative intent that the state assumed primarily regulatory responsibility. Many municipal municipalities including Tom's River, Egg Harbor Township, Manchester, Monroe Township, Weouth Township, and others
have already disbanded or are winding down local rent control in favor of the statewide framework. Jackson's attempt to impose a 2.5% cap, eliminate passroughs, and retain local enforcement authority reinserts the
township into a regulatory area that the state already structured and funded. There is no de demonstrative policy need for duplicative local control when the state statute provides tenant protections, administrative oversight, and a petition pro process. Why is
Jackson ignoring the statewide rent control framework? The state of New Jersey has already enacted a comprehensive statewide statute governing manufactured housing rent increases. That law sets a 3.5% annual cap and places administration with the
DCA. Many municipalities across New Jersey have chosen to defer the state framework rather than duplicative regulations. So the first question is simple. Why is Jackson choosing to impose an additional local system instead of adopting or deferring to the statewide statute that already protects
tenants and includes petition process? If the state determine 3.5% is the appropriate balance between tenant protection and economic viability, the council should explain why Jackson believes it knows better than the legislature and the DCA. What economic
studies support a 2.5% cap? The ordinance proposes a 2.5% cap, which is below both the statewide standard and long-term inflation. The data shows 10-year CPI averages around 3.5%. Shelter inflation frequently exceeds 4 to 6% in recent
years. So the council should answer what financial or economic studies were conducted to justify a 2.5% cap. What expert analysis conduct concluded that 2.5% is sustainable for property operations, taxes, insurance, and infrastructure costs? If no such studies
were done, on what basis was this number selected? Without evidence, the cap appears arbitrary and unsupported by economic reality. Why has vacancy deont control been effectively eliminated? Another serious concern is the restriction on vacancy deont control. Because rent cannot reset when homes are
sold, the ordinance has created massive disparities between tenants, often $350 to $1,000 per month, for similar lots. This raises similar questions. Why should two neighbors in identical homes pay radically different rents simply because one moved in earlier? Why is the ordinance allowed allowing certain
tenants to capture windfalls when they sell their homes because of artificially low rents? Why are future tenants forced to subsidize these disparities? In most regulatory systems, some mechanism exists to maintain fairness and reset distortion. This ordinance looks in
inequities and locks in equities in permanently. Why were pet fees and additional um occupant fees eliminated? For years, manufactured housing communities have been permitted to charge pet fees, additional occupate occupant fees. These are standard fees are allowed in apartment housing and
have historically been permitted in manufactured housing communities as well. So, the council should explain why are these fees suddenly prohibited for manufactured housing communities? Why are apartments allowed to charge them while manufactured housing communities are not? Why what factual or policy basis supports treating these housing
types differently? If no justification exists, the ordinance creates arbitrary and discrim- and disc discriminatory treatment. Why were landlords excluded from the drafting process? Another troubling issue is the process used to draft this ordinance. The ordinance was written with a significant involvement
um from the chairman of the rent leveling board who was also a tenant in manufactured housing community and an advocate. >> I give another 15 seconds. >> Okay. And an advocate for um tenant interest. This is clearly a conflict of interest. At the same time, landlords um the parties directly regulated by this
ordinance were not included in the drafting process despite assurance from rent board that they would be 12, 11,2 at the board. >> Thank you. >> Thank Viviano from Fountain Head. The statewide ordinance was developed over a period of time
and the state trade association which you just heard from Mary Beth participated as did attorneys and as did Mr. Sullivan. Everyone had their chance to say. Everyone made gave something so
that the ordinance that the law was constructed. Everyone, at least our side, we thought that when we were dealing with the legislature that we were dealing in good faith and honesty and that what you said there was going to carry. Yet our tenant, your your your statewide tenant
advocate came home and did an end run around at all to assist with this ordinance that you're about to uh um that you're intent upon upon uh passing.
I feel like I feel like that was just um what can I say dishonest um you know when the tax increase came
through from what I read in the newspaper for and it was uh you know too high for a one-year situation to occur. I understand from what I read in the newspaper that uh the the administration
met with the owners of the community and leaned on them to come up with a solution that was a multi-year uh tax uh increase so that it wouldn't put the hurt on the people all at once. Sounds like a a fair uh solution. But what
happens now? Now you have your ordinance. you you just made a deal with someone or made an ac someone someone reached an accommodation with someone and now it's thrown out. So what's transparency? Transparency seems to be kind of sort of lip service. Um you can
want to make a big deal about we have recycling every week now instead of twice a month. Well, we have overcrowding. We have growing pains in our township. So, you don't want it to look, as someone here said, like a I think I don't remember what the term was, but the equivalent of a a slum.
Well, obviously, if you're going to have overcrowding and you're going to have all those kind of things you you hear about and that you're working on every single day, you have to have you you basically had very little choice but to say, "Let's let's have more often recycling." And then if you have a lot
of illegal rentals, you're going to have a lot of evictions. Whether they're legal or they're illegal, doesn't matter to me. But all that stuff that they leave behind going to get thrown on the curb. Yeah, we need a second bulk pickup. So, let's not say that this was all to help the people who are paying
the highest taxes. Let's look at it for what it is. We have growing pains. We have problems and we don't have transparency. >> Council see no one come forward. I move to close public forum. >> Are you coming up? Lower Boyce, Maple Glenn, Jackson, New
Jersey. I am in support of the 2 and a half% as it should stay there. Um, in my particular home, the landlord has bought up just about all the empty trailers now, which
I understand, but he has not really fixed all the empty trailers. So, that's our unsightly that we have to live with, you know, and I really, you know, could understand if he was fixing the units and renting them where people could
could afford to live in them, it would be great. But he the rent he charges is enormous for a mobile home. Plus the other fact that when he buys a mobile home, at the time there was only a very low as far as they are going for back
then. Now they're going for 80 $80,000. The house next to me is going for $59,000. Now the people that came and look at them, they they wanted to buy the one, but because of the rent that they have to pay, they can't afford it. And uh
also on the uh apartment uh rentals, there is no admin an administrative freeze for the for the rent in the apartments. U but it's that's about all I have to say. Thank you. >> Thank you.
>> Deb Jones Jackson. Um, to be honest, I have no skin in this game when it comes to what is being discussed. I just don't understand why we're at such an impass. The state is offering something. The township through their own rent board
basically is declining it. If this is just a chapter, it's not the whole book. So, if we decline it and we let the township do what they want to do, then maybe we have to open it up again later and get the state involved. But if we don't need the state involved, why would
we have them involved? I just don't understand why it's an argument. We need to be more concerned about what our residents want and not what the state wants. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Only once. Mrs. Alvin Council, >> you no one come forward. I move to close
public forum. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? >> May I have a motion to adopt ordinance 2026? >> Motion. >> Second. >> Council member Ali. >> I appreciate uh the residents who have
come up and others uh regarding speaking on this matter. I am in support of this ordinance. I will continue to be in support of it. It uh not intended to help out a brother. um well, someone who's on the board and his brother. Actually, this is going to
benefit everyone that lives in our many mobile park home communities in Jackson, particularly senior citizens who live on fixed incomes. And it also maintains local control with our all volunteer rent leveling board. We've seen state
control in other municipalities, and the consequences are not pretty. So, with that in mind, I uh vote yes on this ordinance. 2026-06. Thank you, >> Councilman Brazy. And
>> thank you. Yes, Miss Greenberg. I've seen you here for over 30 years. I've been up here. We've we've faced each other before. The other thing is I don't know how many people ever attended rent control board in this town regularly. If you did, it's one of the hardest boards to sit on and what to have to evaluate
at every meeting and the needs of the people in these parks and the some of the landlords, not all of them, do not carry out what they should be carrying out. I for one, if we can take control of it and not have the state run it, I am much
in favor of that. If it falls, we could always go back to the state if we have to, but I really don't think we want to go back to the state for anything. Uh the stuff they've been passing lately I have no use for. So with that said, I vote yes on this. >> Councilman Pollock,
>> I'm going to be voting yes on this. Um I appreciate the debate. Uh but you know, our town's changing. Um everybody sees it and it's getting tougher and tougher to live here to be honest. You know, I know what it's like to struggle to pay rent. Uh I
I think most of us do. And if we could do something locally, not for one tenant, but for every tenant who lives here. And you got to realize these people, they're kind of the heart of Jackson. Uh these are the people I want to stay here. We want to keep it affordable enough for them to stay in
this town. You know, we love this town and this is a rare moment. I think you're going to see this council united on something. Is caring about our residents, caring about the tenants here, and we're going to put them first and we want to keep local control. Yes. Council Vice President Palm Mary.
>> Thank you. Uh look, I stand with our manufactured home community. Over the last two years, I visited every manufactured home uh community and I've spoken with many residents. Many of them are seniors. Many of them are veterans. Uh they're all for the most part on
fixed incomes. And this is just basic quality of life without the fear of becoming homeless. So we have to stand for that. We have to stand for local control because we've seen what Trenton has done to Jackson in the past and it's never been good. So, I vote yes.
>> Council President Bernstein. >> So, before I cast my vote, I just want to um just just clarify one thing on the record. Mr. Sullivan does not um is not the council president. He's not the council vice president. He's not a council member. He doesn't dictate what what gets put on this agenda. This
agenda is put together by council president together with the clerk and our attorneys and um with input from councel with input from the administration and um while obviously Mr. Sullivan has been a a listening ear, he has been an advocate for his community and all the communities here
in Jackson and he's someone who answers the phone at all times of the day to discuss this issue and other issues. Um um I think council is going to own this ordinance and we're not going to allow Mr. Sullivan to get all the credit for this ordinance. That being said, um I
did receive the correspondence from from the attorneys in the in the room. I have um I have consulted with our legal team throughout the process. This ordinance was um written and obviously had input of council and our legal team and I'm confident with our legal representation
and with their opinion and I vote yes. >> Motion carries. The next item of business is the first reading and introduction of ordinance 20 2607 authorizing the purchase of certain real property known as lot 81 block 2604
aka zero patter rear pursuant to NJSA 48125. Council President Bernstein are any comments on ordinance 20267? >> Yes. Um before I address this ordinance I just want to mention also we have a lot of ordinances on for first reading tonight. Um we um we obviously had a
council meeting that was canceled and there was a backlog. Some of these some of these are timesensitive and that's why we we move forward and um we will keep the public updated hopefully before the next meeting which ordinances will be on the next meeting and which ones will be the by the following meeting. But I felt it was important to start the
conversation on all these ordinances. So um ordinance 20267 is authorizing the purchase of certain real property known as lot 81 block 2604 aka 0 patteradisonson road pursuant to NGSA 40A12-5. This ordinance, if adopted, would authorize a purchase of vacant land
consisting of approximately 4.5 acres located located on Patterson Road. The purchase price is in is in accord with a fair market value appraisal obtained by the township from Integra Realy Resources valuing the property at $24,750. And I just want to take a moment and thank the mayor for keeping her foot on
the pedal on the her foot on the I guess the pedal for this one. Um I'm sorry. And um and obviously various residents. Um I see Mr. Haiti in the back. I know he he was integral in this also. So, thank you to all those involved in this. So, I Yes, that's the background. Madam clerk,
>> may I have a motion to approve ordinance 20267 on first reading and introduction and to authorize the notice of the public hearing? >> Motion. >> Second. >> Council member Elli. >> I'm glad to finally be voting on this ordinance 2026-07. Thank you to fellow Jackson resident and
environmental commission member Adam Haiti, who I see here is in the audience, for uh bringing this property to the council's attention. And thank you to Mayor Cune and my council colleagues are working on it. This is located in the area of Patterson Road near the Gats Middle School and Elms
Elementary School. I hope we can do more of these property acquisitions so we can protect our town's environment and save tax dollars. Jackson residents, we're always looking around for properties we can purchase with open space funds. So, please reach out to us as well if you
know of any parcels that are available for sale that we can look into. Yes. Thank you, >> Councilman Breie. >> Yes, >> Councilman Pollock. >> I have to thank uh all the people fighting for the environment out there
who are speaking up, bringing properties to us. We love it. Uh this is what our open space fund should be spent on. I'm appreciative that we're doing this and hopefully we could do more. Yes, >> Council Vice President Paul Mary. So, I just wanted to uh I wanted to give a little credit to someone who actually
voted for this already and he was very humble. He didn't give himself any credit, but Council Member Elli uh the emails that you were on, I I did see them. I I had a small part just allowing helping getting access to the property from from the school, but I did see your emails. I know you were pushing this
forward from the beginning. So, thank you and I vote yes. >> Thank Council Vice President appreciate the remarks. >> Council President Bernstein. >> So, um Council Vice President, you stole my thunder. I'm actually just going to thank you also. I know there was trouble getting access. This was next to the board of ed. So obviously you together
with the mayor were integral in um getting us access to this property and again thank you council vice president. I know this was a I'm sorry Councilman Blli. I know this was something which was very important and that you pushed for it. So I vote yes. >> Motion carries. The next item of business is the first
reading and introduction of ordinance 202608 amending chapter 98 of the township code with respect to dogs and kennels. Council president Bernstein, are there any comments on ordinance 2028? >> Um um I'm going to ask council legal
council just to explain this one quickly. >> Thank you. The council has received a number of issu complaints over the years uh over the last few months in particular with respect to uh properties having more than a large number of canines and dogs. This ordinance would
require anyone with more than five dogs to um license it as a kennel under chapter 98 of the township code. >> And I just want to add a thank you to Mr. Cheney and our animal control um and our zoning and Mr. Terafenkco um and the
residents um who were by that meeting who were discussing some of the quality of life issues. So that's how this came about. >> May I have a motion to approve ordinance 20268 on first reading and introduction and to authorize the notice of the public hearing? >> Motion.
>> Second. >> Councilman Brellley. >> Yes. >> Council Breie, >> yes. >> Councilman Pollock, >> yes. >> Council Vice President Paul Mary, >> yes. >> Council President Bernstein, >> yes. Motion carries. The next item of business is the first
reading introduction of ordinance 202609 amending and supplementing chapter 244 of the township code of the township of Jackson entitled land use and development regulations. Council President Bernstein, are there any comments on ordinance 202609? >> Yes. So this ordinance, if adopted, would address residents complaints
regarding storm water management for minor projects which would not otherwise be required to ensure protection of adjoining properties from runoff caused by construction. And and really this ordinance came about I think on a Friday myself and Mayor Cune um together with Mr. Conliff were were standing in the clerk's office about probably seven
eight months ago and um this issue came up about we're seeing obviously an increase in people doing um construction on their homes. We're losing a lot of we're adding a lot of impervious coverage and there's nowhere for the water to run off. So this is a historic ordinance. Most towns in New Jersey do not have this. um it will cost
homeowners a small fee to I mean a small amount to obviously to build a storm water, but it's really not fair that um for you to do construction and for you to ruin your neighbor's property. So, uh that's the background of this. >> You may have a motion to approve
ordinance 2029 on first reading and introduction and to authorize the notice of the public hearing. >> One second, Madam Cler. Hold on one second. Mr. McCen 2609 is the uh regulation. Yeah, that should be This would be what number would be? >> The storm order management is 2610.
>> Okay. >> The uh U-Hack regulations and the affordable housing is 2609. >> Oh, so we went out of order. >> Yes, we went out of order. It sounds like Okay. >> So, your motion is on >> I I mean we did we got a motion yet? I just gave an explanation. That wasn't a motion. >> Second.
>> It wasn't a motion yet, Mr. Bell. Yeah. >> And for the record, >> yeah, this is for 202610. >> Yeah. We're going to then we'll go back to '09 after, Madam Clerk. >> Okay. >> Yeah. So, we have a motion. Mr. Bellley made a motion and I will second it. >> Council member Belli.
>> Uh, yes. I hope this ordinance will help reduce the flooding problems um in our town and runoff to neighboring properties and developments. So, yes. >> Thank you, Councilman Brezie. >> Yes. >> Councilman Pollock.
>> I'm going to abstain on this one today. While yes, obviously flooding is a concern. Uh, I do also have a concern about homeowners uh and having to spend money uh to create changes to adhere to this. Um, I don't know if there's anything we could do to help lower the cost. I don't know if there's any type
of uh ready-made engineering uh we could have ready for them to make it real easy and make it cheaper for them that the town can provide. Um, you know, I'd like to just look into different things. I'm not against this at all. >> So, Councilman, I'm after the meeting. I will email you. I I did get a obviously
it was prevailing wage which a homeowner has a right to get a private contractor to do it to do it. I will send to I'll have the clerk send to all the council. I got it right before the meeting from our engineer just what the what the estimated cost of such a thing would be on a typical person doing 100 square feet,000 square feet etc. So I'll send that over to council later tonight.
>> I'm trying to wonder could we have like possibly like readymade engineering plans for them based off what they have. >> Everyone can do this. It's my understanding that everyone does their own construction. This would be a personal fee. For example, if I'm doing construction on my home, this is something I would have to build and I can get a quote from any private
contractor that I want. So, but I'll send over the the >> have a concern of engineering fees. >> I understand. This is not it's not an engineering fee you pay to the township. You'd pay to your own personal contract, >> but that's cost. >> Yeah, correct. >> I I have a concern about it, but thank you. I'll send it to you later against this. I think it's it's a positive
thing. >> Thank you, Council Vice President Paul Mary. >> Yes. >> Council President Bernstein. >> Yes. The motion carries again. That was for ordinance 202610 supplementing chapter 244 article 12 entitled design standards
and improvement specifications to include section 244 209. >> One second. Madam clerk, could we just go back to 09 first? >> 20269. >> I I'm sorry. I was reading the um ordinance title into the apologize. >> Thank you.
>> Which establishes storm water management requirements for non- major developments. And that motion carries on first reading. >> I apologize. >> Thank you. The next item of business is the first reading and introduction of ordinance 20269 amending and supplementing chapter 244 of the
township code of the township of Jackson entitled land use and development regulation. Council President Bernstein, are there any comments on ordinance 20269? >> Yes. So I have some comments. I'll try to keep it brief. Um the affordable housing ordinance contains the regulations concerning the administration of affordable housing in the fourth round. This ordinance is not
zoning. does not affect a specific piece of property. It incorporates and updates the existing ordinance regulations to be consistent with the newest fourth round rules. This ordinance contains uniform statewide rules that are applicable to all municipalities and in New Jersey and may not be changed except for limited circumstances including zoning or
permitted housing types. The regulations include detailed standards requirements for the following aspects of affordable housing. Um, and I'm just going to mention just one one example. There are control periods um which are minimum length of deed restriction for affordable units was 30 years is now going to be 40 years. This updates to
income eligibility based on the state standards. Um and also for example one of the things is that when you did home improvements from the rehab program you used to be able to if you left if you moved after two years three years have a payment plan now um anyone who gets a rehab grant from the township would be a
10-year deed restriction which I think is great. So that's just a background on it. May I have a motion to approve ordinance 202609 and first reading and introduction and to authorize the notice of the public hearing? >> Motion. >> Second. >> Councilman Belli, >> yes. >> Councilman Breie, >> yes.
>> Councilman Pollock, >> yes. >> Council Vice President Paul Mary, >> yes. >> Council President Bernstein, >> yes. >> Motion carries. The next item of business is the first reading and introduction of ordinance 202611 amending and supplementing
chapter 3 section 153J entitled going green community. Council president Bernstein are comments on ordinance 202611. >> Yes. The ordinance outlines the committee's purpose which includes supporting sustainable Jersey certification, promoting environmentally responsive responsible initiatives and
advising the mayor and council on sustainability of efforts that are both practical and cost-effective. It also establishes the committee structure consisting of five members appointed by the mayor including a member of the governing body, a municipal official and three residents. Terms, meeting requirements, reporting obligations and administrative procedures are also
defined within the ordinance. Overall, this ordinance formalizes the structure and responsibilities of the going green committee to support environmentally sustainable and community engagement within the township. The township has had a going green committee since last I remember the ordinance that we um looked into currently. We had representatives
from Liberty, representatives from Memorial. There were other committees that just didn't exist anymore in 2026. I want to thank resident uh Miss Reynolds for um for helping draft this ordinance and um and uh that's the background on this ordinance.
>> Thank you. May I have a motion to approve ordinance 20261 on a first reading and introduction and to authorize the notice of the public hearing? >> Motion. >> Second. >> Councilman Brelli, >> yes. >> Councilman Breie, >> yes. >> Councilman Pollock, >> yes. >> Council Vice President Paul Mary. So, I just want to say this is a smart, practical step forward for Jackson
Township. I think uh what we're doing here is strengthening and giving structure to our going green committee so it can actually be more effective pursuing grant opportunities, saving taxpayer dollars, improving how we operate as a municipality, and protecting the quality of life for our
residents. This isn't about buzzwords and checking a box, but it's really about putting together a group that can bring forward real affordable ideas and help move Jackson in the right direction. And I'm proud to support this ordinance and I look forward to seeing the positive impact it will have on our community. And one more thing in regards
to open space. I forgot who said it before, but I completely agree. Let's buy it and leave it as is. So I vote yes. >> Thank you. Council President Bernstein. >> Yes. >> Motion carries. The next item of business is the first reading and introduction of ordinance
202612 amending and supplementing chapter 372 article 3 entitled street openings. Council president Bernstein, are there any comments on ordinance 202612? >> Sure. This ordinance have adopted repeals and replaces chapter 372 of the township code with respect to street opening permits. The township believes
that roads paid for by the taxpayer should not become a patchwork of potholes every time a utility company or contractor has to work beneath the surface of a road. The ordinance requires curb to curb repaving of any type of street opening exceeding a very minor portion to avoid trenches and pothles from becoming formed because it
simply is cheaper for utilities companies to do it this way. And I think this is something which um I want to thank again Mr. Kunliff and and and the mayor for bringing this to my attention. Um I I we drive through town and we see people um the utility companies will open a small part of the road and then
across the street and uh it just looks horrible and it's not good for the road. So this hopefully will get more for the taxpayers. So that's the background. >> I have a motion to approve ordinance 202612 when first reading and introduction and to authorize the notice of the public hearing. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Councilman Blli.
>> Yes. >> Councilman Brassie. >> Uh this would be a blessing compared to all these three-foot openings we see like gullies down the roads. And all the utility companies are guilty of it. They open up a trench, put their pipes in whatever and they have somebody come in
and only pave the two feet. You just don't hold up going curb to curb the way it should be done. and I vote yes. >> Councilman Pollock, >> yes. >> Council Vice President Paul Mary, >> yes. >> Council President Bernstein, >> yes. >> Motion carries. The next item of business is the first reigning and
introduction of ordinance 202613, repealing and replacing chapter 204 of the township code entitled fire prevention. Council President Bernstein, are there any comments on ordinance 202613? >> Yes. Thank you, Madam Clerk. This ordinance, if adopted, would repeal and replace chapter 204 of the township code
related to fire prevention. It stems from a from a review of the current code requirements following suggestions made by the Department of Community Affairs to make it more consistent with amendments made to New Jersey Uniform Fire Safety Act NJSA 52:27D-192. And I just want to thank our fire chiefs
um for bringing this to our attention and uh um they've been asking for this for a couple weeks already and uh that's why I just felt it was timesensitive to make sure that we are in uniform together with DCA. May I have a motion to approve ordinance 202613 on first reading introduction to authorize the notice of the public hearing?
>> So moved. >> Second. >> Councilman Belli. >> Yes. >> Councilman Brazie? >> Yes. >> Councilman Pollock? >> Yes. >> Council Vice President Paul Mary? >> Yes. >> Council President Bernstein. >> Yes. >> Yes. Sorry. >> The next item of business is the payment
authorization of the bills and claims. The following abstensions are from Councilman Belli. Eye1. Council President Bernstein, are there any comments on the bills list? >> No, Madam Cler. >> May I have a motion to approve the bills
and claims with the abstensions noted? >> Motion. >> Second. >> Councilman Belli, >> abstaining on the one you mentioned. Yes. To the rest on the bills and claims agenda. >> Councilman Brezie. >> Yes. >> Councilman Pollock.
>> I'm just going to give a symbolic no to everything. I think we need to start really watching what we're spending money on, what it's going to, that the money is being used properly. I know it's a symbolic vote, but I'm just voting no. >> Council Vice President Paul Mary, >> yes. >> Council President Bernstein,
>> yes. >> Motion carries. >> The next item on the agenda is the consent agenda. Listed for tonight's consideration or resolutions 120 through 132, 2022, listed by title. Council President Bernstein, are there any comments on the consent agenda? Do we
have any um any resolutions from the consent agenda that anyone from the public wants us to take off and have a discussion? And is there any comments um from council on anything from the consent agenda? First, the public, raise your hand. >> And then and then I just want to before
I turn the floor over to my colleagues on council, I really just want to take a moment. and I was reviewing the the agenda right before the meeting again and really all these resolutions they're all in my opinion fantastic but really our collaboration of all council here I think um there almost every single
council member basically wrote one of these resolutions obviously sent it over we gave it to our legal team to amend and I'm sure my colleagues will have different points that they want to stress so council member >> uh yes resolution 120-2026 tonight's agenda I know council president and I went back and forth on
this and I want to thank you for approving this resolution for tonight's council consideration. Considering the craziness going on in our country and at this pivotal moment in our nation's history, I feel we on the Jackson Township Council, it's so important that
as elected officials to support the men and women in law enforcement and who serve at every level who keep our community safe and secure. And uh that's why I think it's really important my fellow council colleagues and I support and respects uh the hard and courageous and valuable and dangerous work of the
federal department of homeland security in the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement with the cooperation and participation with state, county, and local law enforcement officials. Remember, DHS and ICE were created in response to the September 11th, 2001
terrorist attacks on America. Why on earth would we not support them? I don't get it from the other side. So, we stand together with the millions and millions of Americans and with President Trump, Vice President Vance, and the Trump administration in support of DHS,
ICE, our local law enforcement agencies for law and order. My hope is that other governing bodies and our state and country will also support similar resolutions respecting and advocating for the work of DHS, ICE, and local law enforcement agencies who defend and protect our communities and great
country. Thank you. Anyone else from council? Council vice president. Anything? >> I have a few, but I'll I'll keep it short because I know my council colleagues have some that they also would like to discuss. I'm going to
discuss um resolution 124-2026 urging the state of New Jersey to establish fair and equitable school funding for Jackson Township and Jackson Township students. Uh tonight we are standing up for one simple principle, fairness. Every child in New Jersey
deserves a thorough and efficient education. We have districts in New Jersey receiving over $26,000 per student from New from Trenton, while Jackson receives only $3,400 per student from Trenton in funding. At
the same time, our residents are contributing over $68 million in state income tax, and only a fraction comes back to our schools. the rest gets pushed onto local taxpayers and that's not fair and that's not sustainable. And when the formula itself lacks
transparency, it raises even bigger concerns. This resolution is about standing up for our students, our taxpayers, and our community. Our kids deserve the same opportunity as every other child in this state. And tonight, we're making it clear. We're not going to stay silent about it. And I proudly
support that resolution. And if I could bring up just one more resolution that is uh very important on this. They're all very important, but one that I want to speak of tonight is resolution 121-2026, and that's supporting Assemblyman Alex Suiki's legislation requiring
transparency when LLC's purchase residential rental properties. Hidden ownership makes it difficult for municipalities to enforce housing and safety laws. Illegal conversions lead to overcrowding and strains on our schools and taxpayers. and transparency uh ensures accountability and protects our
neighborhoods. This is about fairness, enforcement, and the st and standing with Assemblyman Suiki to protect Jackson residents. Thank you, C. >> Councilman Pollock, anything? >> Uh yeah, I'd like to speak on two of these. Um
first, uh resolution 122 2026, uh which is urging review, enhancement, and enforcement of the 4-tonon weight restriction on Anderson Road. Uh, this resolution directs the township to review and strengthen the enforcement of the existing 4-tonon truck weight
restrictions on Anderson Road, including signage and police enforcement. Now, this is an important first step. We should have never allowed warehouses this close to residential homes. Excessive truck traffic has created real safety concerns for families who live in this area. I I go through there and I'm
shocked that we have warehouses right next to where people are raising children. I'm hoping this pushes the township to start taking meaningful action to protect the neighborhood and enforce the restrictions already on the books. And I really still think there's a lot more work to do when dealing with these warehouses.
And so let's go with the got it here. Okay. Uh R122. Uh, I'd like to uh thank uh first off our council vice president for uh always supporting our school system and speaking up for them. Uh I'd also like to speak on that
a little bit. Um now that is what's the number on that one? >> 124. >> 124. >> Thank you very much. Found it. Uh R24. Um now I'm going to speak on this not just as a councilman, but I'm going to speak on this as a father. Now I've been personally affected by what's going on
with the school funding cuts. My school went to Rosenour. Wonderful school, beautiful neighborhood. Man, we loved it. It was like the American dream. We lived down the block. My wife would walk my kid to school. He loved his teachers. He loved his classmates. And you know, I still distinctly remember having to tell
him that a school was going to close down and never reopen. He broke down crying in my arms. And that was like the first time I ever had him break down in front of me. And now these decisions being made by our governor by Trenton are affecting our children and our
families. I want the governor and I want Trenton to understand that this isn't just policy. This is impacting children's lives. We're dealing with the rising cost of private schools as well. And you add all this up and it's the destruction of our public education system. And now I'll go to the New
Jersey Constitution here. The legislature shall provide for the maintenance and support of a thorough and efficient system of free public schools for all the children in the state. That's not optional. It's a constitutional obligation. And right now, families like mine are questioning
whether the state is living up to it. We're losing schools, losing resources, and our children are the ones dealing with the consequences. It's not fair, and it needs to change. Our children deserve better, and it's time for the state to do what it's supposed to do.
Madame Clerk, I just You're done. Fine. I just wanted to just reiterate um and by R 21 um Assemblyman Suiki. Um it's hard to get anything passed obviously on the state level, but I appreciate the um hopefully he'll be successful, but I also appreciate um shining a spotlight
onto this. We are starting to see as the rental bureau um continues its inspections and continues its process. There's a lot and I'm hoping by the next council meeting we'll get a more thorough update. There's a lot of bumps and and different kinks that we have to work out as we go through the rental inspections and there's stuff that are
coming up and I think um our attorney together with administration and the rental bureau are going to be having a meeting in the next couple days just now that they've started their inspections. But obviously um knowing who owns a home and knowing who to contact is so important. So, um I just really want to thank Assemblyman Suiki for putting a
spotlight on this on a state level and hopefully this will pass and um hopefully our local Assemblyman who's sitting here will also support. I know he does, but this is an important another step to helping us with our rental issue here in town. >> May I have a motion to authorize the
consent agenda resolutions 120 through uh one, excuse me, 132 2026? >> Motion. >> Second. >> Councilman Brellley, >> yes. >> Councilman Brezie, >> yes. >> Councilman Pollock, >> yes. Council Vice President Paul Mary,
>> yes. I'm going to ask Trenton to stop stealing from our kids. Council President Bernstein. >> Yes. >> Motion carries. >> At this time, if any member of the public has any comments to make, please address the council at the microphone and state your name and address clearly for the record. You will have five
minutes to speak and may only speak once. May I have a motion to open public comment? >> No moved. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? >> My name is Frank JC. can't live at 189 Wild Dunes. Um, I came here this evening because I have something I'd like to
read to the council. And before I read it, I would also like to say some of the things I heard tonight kind of fortified what I wanted to say. You know, I heard tonight uh I witnessed uh someone talking about couple council members talked about everybody come to common
ground. I think you were one of those individuals who said that. Um, I also heard something about a need for the quality of life in Jackson. That was heard by a resident who was talking about one of the reforms. I also uh
heard somebody speaking about uh state control and that Jackson should control its own life. State has a we have to deal with the state, but we still have to control what we have here, the quality of life here. And um so at that, I'd like to read a statement. I also
have two copies of the statement. I don't know if I'm allowed to give it to somebody like the mayor or the council or whoever. >> Give it to the Give it to the clerk, please. >> Okay. Now, >> are you done? >> Oh, when I'm done. Okay. So, over the past few months, I have read and listened to comments from people living in Jackson as well as members of the
council during town meetings. It has become apparent uh that Jackson is in a crucial moment in time concerning its future. The rhetoric at the present time seems to be reflective of an us and them
rhetoric at the present time uh environment which in my opinion inhibits the development of a unified community that reflects a concern for all all residents. There's a prepundonderance of accusations all of which do not solve
problems but exacerbates the issues at hand. There are legitimate concerns that need serious and meaningful discourse concerning the future of Jackson. I believe that you as elected officials have the obligation to address this not
by party line or by personal beliefs, but rather with an open mind and with a singular interest in developing a future where all residents of Jackson Township can enjoy community that embraces the concerns of the residents at large. I
propose that you as individual members of the council engage in an exercise in which each of you contemplate a vision of what Jackson should look like in the future that encompasses the reality of an integrated community.
This exercise would provide the foundation for you as a council to then begin a collaborative process. I heard the word collaboration a couple of times tonight also. a process in which you as the governing body of Jackson will develop a long-term plan that supports a
unified vision for the residents of Jackson, one that can become a blueprint for others to follow. Um, and that is something I really I think that you have an opportunity here in Jackson to develop something for a talent that other talents can follow and
maybe make something reality come true. I have two questions for each of you which you can answer and I'll answer them to you. What are your personal visions and aspirations for Jackson over the next five years? Specifically, what
qualities or values do you believe should embody that that it should embody during this transformative period? And I suggest that if you don't have a vision or you don't are thinking of the future for Jackson, then I don't think you're doing the right I don't think you're
doing it in the right process. I hear you talk about things tonight, but they're always individual. It's not a vision. And then the second thing I'd like to ask you is, do you believe it is essential for the council to create a collaborative vision that provides the
essential framework for developing a successful integrated community that addresses the concerns of all of the residents? I think if you're not going to work as a unit and you don't have collaboration, then we just keep going on with what we're going on with. And I
say that with all due respect. I say it not angrily. I say it because I've lived here 22 years. County's a great town and I think we can't continually be concerned about individual problems when we should be concerned about this entirely as an integrated community for
the best of Jackson. Thank you. >> Thank Thank you. And I just want to first of all, if you don't mind to give it to the clerk, I just want to thank you for those thoughts. And but I will say for as a quick response to to what you just said is we have a very um diverse and unique council and I can
tell you obviously there's a lot of rhetoric and politics but I think every one of us um even those we sometimes disagree and sometimes we disagree very strongly um I think we all know how behind behind closed doors to shake hands and to try to work work hard and I think there's room for improvement and I definitely agree with you and I think
we're it's definitely something we're I think as a council and as an administration together we're trying to do a better job and I appreciate you spotlighting it. Thank you. >> Hello again, Sher Williams from Fafn Head. Uh I knew there was two more things at least soon as I sat down. I
was like, "Oh, I forgot." Okay. Um when Lori Greenberg mentioned that the land owner is who's paying the property tax wrong, we're paying the property tax. there's a separate pass through for the property tax that we the
residents are paying included with our rent. Um, another reason why I believe that the 2.5% is reasonable is that because of the state law, the landlord is now making a profit on that property
tax because they have now included the property tax in the base rents. There's no more breakout for them to do the 2.5% on just the base rent. it's including the property tax. So, why they're allowed to make that profit is beyond
me. Um, another thing I wanted to ask about was it was in the ordinances years ago, and I apologize. I've not had time lately to look it up if there's been any changes in how many homes the landlord
can own to rent out. It used to be a max of nine. I believe that Fountain Head is beyond that because a lot of them are being rented out. They're I mean there the rent from what I understand is comparable to what someone would pay for a two-bedroom
apartment. So that's not an issue if they decide that they want to pay that rent and they're good with it and they sign the lease more power to them. They can afford it. But we've got an awful lot of homes in there right now that have children and people under the age of 40. a lot
more than what I believe is allowed. Um, and from what I understand, there are no more CCOs being done in the mobile homes, which I think is a huge mistake. There's no more inspections on the mobile homes when they change ownership,
except now it's the fire department that's responsible just to check the alarms and to make sure that there is a fire extinguisher. big mistake. Please try to get the CCOs's put back in for the mobile homes.
I can't tell you how many homes in there people are getting sick that are buying these homes because there have been leaks and no mold was ever addressed. No mold tests are required before they're sold.
I mean, they're requiring water tests on our wellwater. Why are we not checking for molds? People are getting they're not getting proper training or pro not training but people are new owners are not getting
properly educated on how a mobile home is so much different from a stick house is what we call them. I can't tell you how many people that are new homeowners in Fountain Head this winter had frozen pipes. They knew
nothing about heat tape. should be standard to give them an education on heat tape. They knew nothing about heat tape. They knew nothing about how to try to prevent their pipes from freezing. It's a house to them. They don't realize it's a mo motor home. It's a motor
vehicle. It's registered with the state as a motor vehicle. Um I think that oh one more thing has nothing to do with us in the mobile home parks. Why does this town not fight for more raidables and less apartments and
condos and town houses? We need more raidables. We got to stop moving big families in here and stop overcrowding the schools and we're not getting the money from the state for these kids. It's just going to sap the hell out of
the budget. We need more ratables. businesses that are going to come in like the warehouses is fine, but how about businesses that people can, you know, go to restaurants, more restaurants, some more big box stores. All the towns around us have the box
stores. Granted, I don't want one in the middle of my neighborhood, but look at all the property going down County Line Road that's got great access to 195, the Parkway, the Turnpike. Well, that property down there where the concrete company used to be is a great place for a box store.
IKEA restaurants. We all want to go out and eat, but we're tired of doing the pizza places on every corner. >> That's all. Thank you. >> Williams, >> you are correct. Many years ago, I don't know how many, there was a number of
owner the landlord could own. I don't know what it is off hand. We can probably check the ask attorney. It was there many years ago at the beginning of the >> talking mobile homes. >> Yeah. If you could look into it and get back to us the next couple days, Mr. McCooken, we'll look into it. >> I also think we have to look into why no
CCOs's on the on the change of ownership. I think that's got to be almost standard. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Appreciate it. >> Good evening. Jim Slakia. Uh, since the last resident used the word in her
comments, I'm going to expand upon my favorite topic, the budget. State officials have already extended the 20 2026 municipal budget deadlines where introduction is now due by March
21st, March 31st and adoption by April 30th with an additional advancement in that it can be produced on the next available meeting that the other thing I did learn is that in January they
codified it to make these dates now permanent going in the future. years. That extra time was meant to improve planning and transparency, not delay it. And yet, here in Jackson, we still have
no clear public timeline, no shared internal calendar, and no meaningful communication about where the budget actually stands. What makes this even more concerning is that the mayor created a citizens budget advisory committee, a committee she publicly
described as a way to bring residents into the process. And that committee has not been involved in any part of the budget's development. Not one meeting, not one briefing, not one document. If the administration is serious about
transparency, then the committee should be engaged before the budget is introduced, not after decisions are already locked in. The state gave every municipality more time. The question now is whether Jackson is using that time
responsibly or simply using it to say less. Residents deserve clarity, not silence. And the advisory committee deserves a role, not a title. The local finance, as I said, has formally adopted the 20 the changes to
March 31st and to April 30th. These changes were made statewide, not just for Jackson, and they reflect the state's recognition that municipalities need more time to prepare accurate budgets. Even with the extended deadlines, transparency and timely
communication remains local responsibilities. Residents deserve to know how Jackson is using the additional time and whether we're on track. Extended deadlines don't eliminate the need for early planning, internal
coordination, and clear public updates. The question isn't just when the budget is introduced. It's whether the administration is using the extra time to produce a responsible, accurate, and resident focused budget.
The extended timeline gives the township more opportunity to involve residents, advisory committees, and department heads. This is a chance to improve transparency, not delay it. Given recent instances where the township attorney
advised the council president on another matter that it was better to say nothing, residents need assurance that the budget information will not be withheld. Silence is not a strategy. transparency is. So with that, I have a
some questions. Has the administration formally adjusted its internal budget calendar to align with the state's revised deadlines? And can that calendar be shared with the public? Are we currently on track to meet the March 31st introduction deadline? If not, what specific
obstacles remain? What steps has the CFO taken to ensure that the annual financial statement is completed by the revised March deadline? How will the administration use the extended timeline to improve transparency and public engagement
compared to prior years? Will the administration commit to releasing draft budget materials or summaries before formal introductions so residents can review them meaningfully? Given the township's attorney previous, as I said, previous advice to say
nothing on other matters, what assurances can you give that the budget information will not be withheld from the public? What specific cost, drivers, or revenue changes are expected to impact the 2026 budget, and how is the
administration preparing for them? How will the extended timeline affect capital planning, infrastructure priorities, and departmental requests? Has the administration evaluated whether temporary budget appropriations will need to increase due to the later
adoption date? How will a later adoption date affect tax build time, cash flow, and service delivery for residents? What opportunities will residents have to provide input before the budget is finalized?
I know there's a lot of questions. >> Thank you, Mr. Terfan. Is there anything that you want to respond to publicly at this point? >> Thank you, Council President. Obviously, uh I know you're going to be part of the budget review committee once, uh the
mayor makes her recommendations to council for review. So, that is an ongoing process. We do have a uh budget consulting firm that is actively working to put our budget together for review and recommendation by the mayor before presentation to council. And I would just defer to council when you're going
to um allow the budget committee to review that as well before uh public presentation. And one added note is obviously we do have the budget presentation on a public level and that's a time for all the community to come out and ask questions about the budget as well.
>> Thank you. >> Uh Mr. Seliki, I I'd like to enlighten you with uh all the information I have about the budget. Nothing. I've heard nothing about the budget. I'm still waiting as well.
>> Hello everybody. Uh Joseph Sullivan, 31 Catholic Court here in Jackson. I wanted to answer a couple things that came up later in the testimony on ordinance uh 2026-06. Um the young man was very impassioned about the idea that they should be able
to charge pet rental fees in somebody's privatelyowned home. Just let that sink in. You own your home and the landlord who owns the land underneath it says, "You you need to pay me a pet fee because you might make some destruction in that home."
This is the kind of industry residents of manufactured housing have been dealing with for a very long time. Um, I know a question came up about the limit of how many homes a uh a park owner can own in their own community and use as
rental properties. The ordinance, the existing ordinance says nine. I have to check the new ordinance to see if we adjust it. I know there was discussion in committees of adjusting it, but the problem we face is they're not breaking the law. And I'll
tell you why. You have nine owned by the husband. You have nine owned by the wife. You have nine owned by the daughter. You have nine owned by the grandson. I see nine in a park in our town. And it's legal. So whether or not there's anything we can legally do about
that, I I would defer to attorneys because I don't know if there's any way you could stop that. Um but I want to thank you all for your strong and vocal support of manufactured home residents in this community. And it was your
leadership, Mr. Bernstein, and the rest of the council. Every one of you, you had your input in this. This is your ordinance. This is the town's ordinance, the mayor. This isn't one person. This is a
community. And it all started up here. And you all agreed on everything. Even though, like you, Mr. Pollock said to me, we can't always agree on everything, but we all agreed on this. and I want to thank you for protecting the residents of manufactured housing in Jackson Township. Thank you.
>> Thank you, >> Elellanar Hannah, Jackson, New Jersey. Um, I'm just going to start off with the concern for safety. I've been asking for years to get a lefthand turn signal at Cedar Swamp.
527 528 is the main thoroughfare for Lakewood tractor trailers, dump trucks to get to 195. You have to wait three to four lights to get through and then you take your life into your hand to make a left. Been asking for years, but we can
put lights everywhere else. I'm sure it has not been brought up to county. Um, also that double they need a double light uh a double lane in the middle because when residents are trying to make a left out and those large trucks
that go too slow, you have the dotted line, cars are passing as we are pulling out and there's somebody's going to die. We also need the engine brake signs put back up that were taken down. That was
passed a long time ago. And now Cedar Swamp has turned into a tractor trailer uh stop. It needs to change. I've called the county. It's up to the town to write an ordinance to get no no parking signs over there by that intersection so that
those two tractor trailers can't park there overnight for 3 to 4 days. The tech needs to be fixed. People are emailing uh texting me. They cannot hear um the fact that it goes off during uh some of the land use board meetings and
no one can hear what is being said. It makes it very difficult uh to understand what's going on and it cannot be used as the meeting minutes because people cannot hear. When it comes to taxes, property taxes,
if I had a lean on my property taxes because I haven't paid, does the does the township negotiate a reduction? Is there like a negotiation? Say I'm like two or three years behind.
What happens? >> Attorney Mccucken. >> Sure. So the only time the township has done that is if the property is in foreclosure or if the property owner wishes to convey the land to the township. But other than that, if it's a
township own lean, the property sold the tax sale and there's an inram foreclosure proceeding if necessary after that. Private lean holders also purchase leans and they can forclose on the property as well. >> Okay. So it can't be negotiated for somebody buying it, you know, with a reduction.
>> Buying what? >> The property >> can't be ne for someone else buying it. >> Somebody's going to buy it. >> Yeah. >> And I do a lot of research and I talk to a lot of people. I'm just leaving it there. So, I do have a property over
about $3 million behind in taxes from 1991. And when we talked to about the fair funding for schools in which I am a teacher, when I did the math, it's about a million dollars that our school district is not getting from this property
and nothing was done. So, I'm also waiting on all the other tax leans uh in this town to see how much more money that our schools are not getting. And now I'd like to talk about 18 dear lane and transparency.
I have emailed all of you. Mr. Tarao here has pushed it along. Mr. Bernstein has pushed along. Oh, uh, the zoning officer will get back to you. Never got back to me. Uh, Mr. Pullman
will get back to me. Never emailed me. That is not transparent. So, I'm going to tell you what's going on. I have a house, 18 dearling. The house was purchased by two gentlemen. Cash deal because they got a cheap house. In three months time, the money maker, I'm going
to call him the money guy because he's the one that paid for the house cash. He pulled out, turned around, put the deed totally in the one gentleman's uh name who lives on the other side of New Prospect. With that, they turned around
and established it into a facility for gathering. The residents on Derling have to put traffic cones so that their family can park there because they were lining the roads. It has been addressed that I'm assuming that these people have been spoken to. So now the people they're
still using it illegally as a facility and now they're just parking all over the neighborhood to use this property. Now, the facilitator of the property lives at 14 Dear Lane, and that facilitator turned around and got it.
>> Miss S, I'll give you another 15 seconds. >> A 501c3 charitable um whatever for that property. What are you doing about it? Because it does not fall under our loopa because our loopa has
been established in this town. zoning has been established and that is why Brent Pullman is not getting back to me because it has to be shut down. So what are we doing? Why haven't I received Mr. Terafenko an email? Why hasn't the
zoning officer called me back or emailed me? Going crickets is not doing it. And I did in my last email tell you there is something that residents should know when this town does not act. It's called a writ of mandamus to force the town to
do their job. >> Miss Hannah, I gave you extra time. >> So I want to know what are we doing? >> Thank you. I I will have Mr. If after the meeting, Mr. Terafano, if you can talk to M Miss Hanam about >> Why can't he say it now? >> Why can't he say it now? Because
>> Miss Hanam, it's your five minutes up. I gave you an extra half hour. I >> to answer me. >> You answered other people after their time. >> Mr. McCen, >> Mr. Mr. President, I I did want to address the issue of the property taxes count um Miss Hatam brought up uh not
being paid to the school. The township pays the school every dollar of assessed value in taxes. The township is the one who has not received those tax funds, not the school district. The township is required by law to pay those taxes to the school even if we don't collect them. Um and that's the same in every
municipality. And every municipality has a reserve for uncollected taxes that affects your tax rate. So the school gets every dollar that they're entitled to under the assessed value of the municipality. >> Oh, that's good to know. Thank you. You're welcome. Can you answer my other question? >> Mr. Teran, do you want to answer now? You want to talk after the meeting?
>> So, Miss Hanner, I did email you back. Uh, so you're being a bit disingenuous with the correspondence back and forth. I just clear the >> Okay, you will call me or get back to me. Um we are actively working on this issue at 18 deer with the legal team and
the zoning officer uh Gina which she's compiling all the data that we need to do the background and we're talking to Mr. Pullman regarding this matter. We know it's a sensitive matter and we are actively following up on it and we continue to do that and we will keep you informed and I'm more than happy to talk
to you offline tomorrow about it >> and that's what I've been told and the residents have been told for months. >> Okay, Miss Hannah, I gave you extra time. >> Eight months. Thank you. >> Eight months on behalf of we strive for a place to ride. Um I was going to to read off but
um guys I don't know what to call you. Traitors. You're all traitors to us. You betrayed us. I have found so much stuff. Have any of you even checked up on my
name by any chance? Find out who I am. I did 364 days in jail for asking the police to leave my property. Okay, you should look into that. You paid them two $2 million. But I'm going
to continue. This is a a forensic audit for J Jackson Township. Um today I am here representing the citizen-led um audit. We aren't here to discuss development in
abstract. We are here to address the documented readiness of our township and high impact industrial load at the expense of the residents. Every Jackson resident is currently
being funneled into a digital meter transition that carries a $15 monthly optout out penalty. Our research shows this is not mere modernization. It is prquisite infrastructure tax to manage
this grid stability required for a massive 247 data center loads. You are asking residents to pay for the very grid. Harding me that only these secret blueprints actually require
the conflict of the court conflict zoning overlays in real estate ties. We are officially handing in exhibit M7. The exhibit identifies as critical conflict of interest
when our highest elected office is occupied by professional realtor activity brokering redevelopment parcels while sim simultaneously overseeing the zoning overlays in inflate
that inflate their value. Excuse me. Look at ordinance 25, excuse me, 2025-47 and 2025-48. These are not mixed use plans. They are
stealth industrial overlays. Jackson's land capacity is being reported at 15.6% nearly 10 times that of our industrial overlays, excuse me, neighbors. The the math is
being manufactured to justify the conversation of our rural rural residents residential plots into megalots for data centers campuses that bypass the environmental review process
under the guise of warehousing the accountability gap MUA and legal settlements. Let's talk about the MUA. We have identified a pattern of Jackson first appointments that consolidate
power across the planning of the utility boards. Recent resolutions to extend water manes and rural corridors are being marked as rate payer savings, but they p that primarily serve to prime
vacant land for developers like Dr. Horton before a single public notice is issued. Furthermore, we are auditing the sevenf figureure legal settlement paid out by former officials. This is
taxpayer money used to resolve power struggles and maintain culture to non-disclosure. When the residents are silenced or misled regarding the true nature of load expansion projects, it isn't just
communication gap. It is border disfranchisement. The demand immediate forensic action. We are serving the council today for a formal demand of action. An immediate moratorum of all industrial permits with
the AHI III or 111 or the POI overlay zones. Two, for full disclosure of the pilot agreements and their impact of our
school funding. three, a forensic audit of our property transfers involving Shells LLC's since 2023. We have already shared the exhibits with the New Jersey State Controller and the
Board of Public Utilities. We are hereby to hold the pen. The audit has begun and we demand the Jackson's land, the power be returned to its people. >> 10 more seconds. The backroom utility deals are over. Thank you.
>> Thank you. >> Carl, sorry. Carlos Martin, Jackson, New Jersey. Um, okay. I just wanted on the rent. So, I applaud you guys for all um voting yes. I thank you for that. And um
my friends, thank you for that. Um I did want to address a question that was raised up because as a good Republican libertarian, it does bother me to have control the the control government having control over us, right? Um and
bureaucracy and all all that ugly stuff that we don't like as Republicans, libertarians. But that's why the state that's why I don't want any mandates from the state. I don't want any mandates from federal
government because my voice my vote at that level means nothing. I think that was shown on Monday um on in Trenton it means nothing. So the so having a level u a renting commission here in Jackson
that looks over Jackson that takes care of Jackson people is the right way to go because my vote my voice means something a little something more means a little something more than it does at Trenton right or does it does it with the federal government that's why we want it
um that doesn't go against my my principles as a libertarian republican um so I just want to make that point because the was asked why why should the why should we locally have one when we already have one with the state and the answer to my the answer to that question
is what I just said um no federal or state mandates with that comes the schools right so right down the state is telling us what to do with our own schools with our own kids um and and
with our own citizens that is wrong we should be able to spend the money, our money, the way we feel it's necessary for our schools. With that, um, Assemblyman Alex Swiski also has
Proposition A2882 with the state, which says the state should reimburse us for uh, busing. The state should pay for all of that. um school busing by the way. So this is a
school. So um I would recommend similar to what you did today to pass something say we support we support um our assemblymen on on um on that ordinance. I'd also like to recommend so when I had
my trip when I went to Howell I met a wonderful lady grandmother um who's also pushing for this and I would like to invite her for the next call to come up here. She's a very good speaker um but she's just a resident grandmother. I'd like to invite her here
um and talk to you guys and uh and give her her point of view on the schools because this impacts obviously not just Jackson, it impacts all of us. Um definitely Ocean County. So, um she's actually from Mmouth because it's how but it impacts
everybody. So, um I'm going to try to get that done uh for our next our next meeting. Um, her name is Paula, by the way. And I think that's all I got. >> Oh.
>> Oh, plus Doge. What's going on? We're supposed to have a Doge. You know, I call Doge and anyway, Department of Jackson efficiency. >> So, >> um, what's happening with that? >> So, I just want to respond to your thing about Assemblyman Suiki. Um, I I'm almost positive it's not the first time
such a res, um, a similar language, um, law has come in front of the legislature. Unfortunately, the majority has refused to move that forward. I think previous um councils have passed the resolution, but I don't I I highly doubt I will get any push back on such a resolution. The state if the state mandates something, then the state
should be paying their fair share and not throwing it on the local taxpayers. The the formula makes no sense and the formula is a recipe for disaster. It's been pointed out in many many meetings both here and and by the board of ed and I think that's something that everyone on this count on this entire das from the you know from administration to
council would support. So you We'll consider that. Thank you, Carlos. >> Okay. C can I get an answer what's happening with Doge with with our department of uh >> So, I I think the I think the business administrator I think the business
administrator said we we hired by the last meeting a a third party to um to work within the budget and a third I'll call it neutral party. Um and their job is to go through that budget with a fine comb. and it's it's the budget is in the process of being put together and making
sure there is no wasteful spending. So, that will be made public. Um the council um unanimously voted on that at the last meeting and um I'm looking forward to getting update from the business administrator in the next couple days. >> Thank Jackson. Um, first off, tonight I heard
uh in this portaotti uh ordinance or whatever. Um, Councilman Paul Mary said that um portaotties and illegal rentals,
they're together. Then what do you have an inspection bureau for now? Aren't they going to eliminate your problems? I sometimes wonder where we're thinking because we're scattered. You already set up and implemented a
system to deal with it. So, one has nothing to do with the other. Okay. My main goal though is I've got a problem from months back. Last year sometime there was a woman who
stood up here and she asked about two holiday floating holidays that were given back to the employees and uh they were given the holidays and the floating holidays together. Um I assume
there's a contract uh and I assume the town deals with a lot of different contracts. So it gets me worried. And then we had the snowstorms and then there was overrides to the
contract that I consider it to be a blank check override because there was no it wasn't in the budget. There was no idea of how much money was going to be spent. So, it's a blank check. All right. And I'm
thinking, where's all this money coming from? How is it being appropriated? Why is contracts being ignored? You might as well not even have them. But then again, you start thinking about
some of the other contracts that you people have put out there and say, um, just for an argument, okay, there was a $5 million proposal on some parks and recreation and stuff like that. So,
somebody decides, hey, now wait a minute. We can get it passed for$ two million and get it passed for two million. There's a contract written up for that $2 million. And then somebody decides, well, we can get a signature to override that, give us five more million.
Where's the oversight? The way contracts, the way I read it on the township site is the mayor negotiates, then she brings that contract to you, then you vote on it
and send it back to the mayor. There was no votes. There was no negotiation. It was just money that was just spent. Don't know. I'm new at the game. I'm still learning a lot. I'm still learning
a lot. And there's a lot more to dig into, but I feel really really scared. And when I went into the election booth, okay, for the fire elections, I had to start thinking, I had to break my tax bill down. Now, what happens? Where is this money coming from? Are my taxes
going to go up that much? You know, how are we now? The fire department's looking for money. The school's looking for money. The county is looking for money. And the town, oh, the town's looking for money, too. they got to run. But it really scares you when you're voting and you're sitting there saying,
"I don't know what's going to happen by the end of the year." And to hear now that 2026 you don't have a budget yet, that's really scary cuz now where are taxes going to go? And you know, I I'm
I'm seriously uh you know, concerned because it seems like you can't answer to me, which you're supposed to be able to because you have no answers. So, you know, if you can address that
concern, I'd appreciate it. So, Attorney McGucken, um would you be able to address I think that what the res one of one of the things the residents is referring to is just the the contract process. I know um there was um given a a a incentive or a higher
rate to DPW to work during the snowstorm. And I'll just say that when we came in, I think the previous um budget for snow removal, I think we had $100,000, if I remember correctly, approximately allocated. Obviously, this year's winter was unprecedented. We haven't had a winter like this in in
many many years and um it obviously um left a strain I think about an hour or two hours of snow. We really used up most most of that budget. Um could we could we address like um the process of how the mayor has the authority and with the business administrator to I guess do a sidebar agreement or any of that
process? >> That's correct. When faced with an emergency situation, particularly a weather emergency, the mayor as the chief executive of the municipality has the authority to uh amend contracts to engage contracts with private contractors. Um many municipalities went
through this, particularly with respect to private contractors because no one has prepared for that type of snow in at least 15 years or so. Um private contractors could make a lot of money doing it elsewhere and doing it on in private instead of helping public entities. Um the mayor saw that issue.
she immediately began to address that issue and to get the roads clean and to get the plows working. Um she took actions which I think you know dealing with the emergency we had uh was quite quite appropriate and certainly legal. >> Um could you let me know where that's
written >> in the authority of mayor to control the personnel of the municipality. She's in charge of all personnel for the municipality in the >> she has the right to go over contracts. It doesn't mean nothing. >> If necessary in an emergency situation, yes, she can.
>> Okay. >> Thousands of dollars and and it's unaccountable, right? Anybody could just throw that number out there. 20, 30, 40, 50, 100. >> Write it off. >> No, she would she still has to explain that. And she has >> What budget does it come from?
>> I'm I'm sorry, I didn't hear your question. >> What budget does it come from? >> The municipal budget. >> We have a All we hear is there's money being spent temporary operating budget that's in place that was approved by the council. It's it's a percentage of last year's
budget. >> That's done every year. It's done in January and it continues until the new budget is adopted just like every other town in the state. And you'll see other towns in the state are in the same situation as Jackson. I don't I have not yet seen a town introduce their budget anywhere, but they're all coming and
you're going to see them all in the next few weeks. >> They're all coming after. >> Thank you, Mr. McCucken. >> Yeah. Thank you. Who's next? >> But don't don't think I'm just going to drop it. I'm going to look. >> You're you're invited. Yeah. >> Just to for my education as well as for
maybe everybody else's. >> Okay. So, I gave I I gave you extra time. So, we just got to keep keep moving. Yeah. >> Sorry. You I'm council president. Yeah. You mentioned $5 million. I know our township engineer was here at one of the last meetings and he was putting forth
proposals particularly for Camp Joy and I think one of the figures was 5 million. Yes, we didn't vote on anything. >> No, no, no, no. Okay. I thought you were >> You said as a hypothetical. >> I mean, it was eye opening for us to hear that number. We were and I think council president, you were asking for like what could some of these proposals go, you know, cost, but we haven't voted
on any proposals when I first brought it up that it was a hypothetical to >> Yeah. Okay. >> make an argument. >> Correct. >> Okay. It wasn't that it happened or was going to happen or >> that it could happen, >> right? I I I just want you to be clear with that that you know I'm not trying
to I'm trying to understand >> okay how this can happen because >> it could have easily been $500,000. >> Okay. So we'll we well let's follow up after me. I just got to keep the meeting. >> Appreciate your >> Thank you very much. Take care. >> I'm sure you all know why I'm here.
I've already dressed. If you don't mind just saying your name for the record, if you don't mind. >> I'm here speaking on behalf of Mortimer Warden. I've already addressed you all three times before since the disappearance of my best friend and Jackson Township
President Mortimer Wartman. When I spoke at the first meeting 55 days after November 21st, the last day Mortimer Wartman was seen. I asked why Chris Pollock is the only
one on the council to raise awareness or do anything to help us find Mortimer Wardman. The response I received from Council President Morai Bernstein and Mayor Cune did not answer my question.
You diverted personal responsibility over to law enforcement. Chris Pollock was the only one to apologize and promise to do more. At the second meeting I attended, I revealed how Morai Bernstein had asked
police directly about contacting a search and rescue squad. In the recording I played, Council President Bernstein told me that the police told him specifically that he should not contact a search and rescue squad. A
ridiculous notion given that Jackson Township is the third largest municipality by land area in New Jersey, but Jackson still does not have a dedicated search and rescue squad. I've also since learned that the fire department
was not informed or contacted about Mortimer's disappearance either. Your response was to send one request to Ocean County for an update on the case. We have not gotten a single update still after 124 days.
At the third meeting I attended, I only asked for an apology. Not a single one of you gave a response. Council President Bernstein deferred to the attorney who told me that the council has done everything they are required to do and that they cannot
interfere with an active investigation. I understand the need to respect the work of law enforcement. No one here is asking you to interfere with the investigation. But there's a difference between
interfering and supporting your residents when they need you the most. Right now, your residents are being asked to accept an action where leadership is still possible.
We cannot ignore the disturbing context. Mortimer Wartman was reported missing by Adam Zaluk, a man who recently plead guilty to threatening to kill my best friend
with a knife. I am not here to draw conclusions. That is the role of the investigators. But it underscores why this case deserves continuous urgency,
transparency where appropriate and visible sustained community effort. So let me be clear, there are concrete steps you can take that would not interfere with police work.
First, you can fund a standing community search support program, not to direct searches, but to sustain them. Allocate or collect funds for things like equipment rentals, printing updated materials, fuel stipens for organized volunteer efforts, and logistical
supplies. These are small barriers. You have the power to remove them now. Second, create a township managed information hub. Right now, information is scattered. Establish a single regularly
updated page on the township website with verified updates, search guidance from authorities, and clear instructions on how to help or submit tips. Make it a priority and pin it to the front page.
Third, use every official communications channel you have. Weekly, not once, not occasionally, not monthly, weekly. Amplification across township media, email alerts, and
public bulletin systems. Keep public awareness active. Attention fades unless you deliberately sustain it. Fourth, pass a formal resolution requesting structured periodic briefings from the lead
investigative investigative agency. Even if limited, these briefings matter. It ensures accountability, keeps the case visible at an institutional level, and reassures the public and more family
that all leads are still being pursued. Finally, acknowledge the reality that has made many community members feel unsafe and uneasy. I urge you to reconsider your positions, not by overstepping, but by stepping up.
You are all here to be leaders. It's still not too late to do more. Mortimer Wartman is still missing and still no one has found a single sign of him in Jackson Township. He could be anywhere. Please do everything you can to find your resident and my best
friend. Thank you. >> Well, thank you for your comments. Um, and I think you brought up some great ideas. Um, Mr. um, Madame Mayor and um, Mr. Business Administrator, Mr. Farfenco, I do see that the chief of police is here. I don't know if there's anything that she's able to say or any
more information. She's shaking her head. No. Um, but I would ask I again it's I I would ask if we could have a follow-up and discuss all those details as long as the chief of police and the police department are supportive of all those initiatives then obviously I I I think the council would support some of
those ideas. So if we could look into that tomorrow and keep the attention where where where it belongs. So thank you. >> Thank you. Anyone else? >> I'd like to thank uh Councilman Chris Pollock again for continuing to be the loudest voice on the council for Mortimer Wartman and his family. Thank
you. >> Thank you. >> Hello. Uh my name is Sex Barnett. I actually live in Lakeurst, so it's not too far of a drive from here, but I used to live in Princeton Junction, uh right near Trenton, Princeton, Hamilton, Robbinsville. I feel like I've been living in areas that are in between a
lot of the time. I'm here also on behalf of our friend Mortime Whartman. I met him and Nick in the New Brunswick music scene. Actually, I believe a lot of community has to do with the people in it. Uh you guys are your own community,
which you have discussed multiple times tonight that you guys are the people that are supposed to be doing things uh together on your community. Um the coordination and lack of amongst the community is frightening considering it has been 124 days. I know of people that
have gone missing and I found them in Jackson, the same place that Mortimer went missing. So for there to be zero zero evidence of him even being there upon a person saying he was and the camera evidence that was there and camera evidence that is not being given to the public which makes absolutely
zero sense as well is frightening. All of this is just very concerning considering you guys do have the ability and it was mentioned earlier that the mayor is able to engage in contracts. Now, I don't know if that only has to do with landscaping and plowing, but I would assume it has to do with other things. And you're shaking your head and
smiling at me, which would mean you guys can do more things and have denied that you are capable of doing more than is what is required. However, if she is capable of doing those things, you are capable of doing more, and that is what is required. And trying not to curse,
what is required is not always what is necessary. What is necessary is above what is required. and you guys still have not done that. I acknowledge Councilman Pollock for doing those things. I've been able to watch online a lot of the things you say. And though I do not agree with everything this council does, everything this township
has done, my aunt had to get help from offduty officers in Freehold to get out of an abusive situation that had existed in Jackson alone. Never existed when she was in another county living with this person. So why should another person in another county or she never lived had to get involved when Jackson Police
Department would not? And it's because of the same reason that she cannot also help. It's specifics and it's for your person. It's by your character. I believe this has to do with you people in your hearts and in your brains of what you can do and can't do. Because
bureaucracy versus policy doesn't necessarily exist when you just said you can do something more, but you only have done as what what is required. On the basis of Jackson being a ghetto, it has been a ghetto since the early 2000s. Whatever way you want to look at
it, I have lived in every single part of Jersey. When somebody asks where I am from, I say New Jersey. I have engaged in legal legal battles that haven't even gone to court. I've engaged in arguments that have felt like I'm being in court in public. Nothing that you guys have
done has shown that Jackson is an upper class area. I lived in a blue ribbon school district where Plainsboro High School North testing averages were crazy and kids were very smart. Many of them I know are dead because that is only the people that they test and they count the scores
for the reason I'm saying this is because no way you want to look at it will a portaotti be the measure of your people. It is the actual people that are involved in it genuinely suffering with a lack of anything else to say. I
just encourage every single person in a position of power to do something more than they propagate. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Anyone else? >> Good evening. Tom Gino, Cobain Road, Jackson. So earlier we were talking
about portaotty issues and the potential smells associated with. Okay. What about oppressive smells from male goats on an illegal commercial farm on Cobain Road? A residential neighborhood, not a commercial neighborhood. Been a month since my wife and I met
with some of the members um on the board and others in this audience. Um I feel no closer to a resolution today than I did on February 20th. In fact, it is well documented that many of you on this board have been copied on my
email chain that has presented indisputable evidence as to the many illegal businesses and violations at 390 Cobain Road. But yet nothing gets done. It's one big circle jerk. Okay? And that's what I pointed out on the night of Chris Pollock's uh swearing in. I I
did say I didn't want to go through a circle jerk. I was assured that we were going to have some kind of a meeting set up. Here I am on March 24th and I'm no closer to a resolution than I was on November whatever it was. Okay. In fact, the mayor has assured me
that something was going to get done on September 14th, Jackson Day. Okay. I spoke to her personally. It's now been over 6 months and I since I was told this and I'm not closer to a resolution I was two years ago. Okay. I would like to commend Chief Nelson for at least
having the police department step up and serve the resident of 390 Cobain Road with multiple summones since her swearing in some six weeks ago. I would like to also commend Chris Pollock, okay, for at least coming out to see what is going on at that once quiet
block. Roosters crowing repeatedly at midnight, not 6:00 a.m., midnight. Okay, I got I got schoolaged children, okay? as I'm sure many of you do and you wouldn't tolerate this if in fact you lived across the street from this debacle.
Okay. Roosters crowing repeatedly at midnight, dogs barking at all hours of the night where I can't even open my windows at night to get fresh air into my home. This is this is just repeated stuff I've said. I pay over $11,000 in taxes in this town. I can't even open a
window. I mean, seriously, what are we doing here? Okay. And now with spring upon us, I'm sure the advertised illegal petting farm with reviews will start to have constant action on Sundays when all you people are are off enjoying your weekend. I got to live across the street
from this. Okay. In fact, there was a recent email that went out to many of you here at my request for an update from our February 20th meeting with many town officials. It seems I have to be the one staying on top of this, okay? or
it gets buried under the rug. Okay. There was one disturbing email response which I which which I received which stated that the township official who I will which I will I will not name. Okay. Was trying to attempt to get the 390
CBain Road LLC and resident compliant for work done improvements change of use without proper permit approvals. For two years, 390 Cobain has adversely affected the quality of life and peaceful enjoyment to neighboring
residents. Why are we allowing him to become compliant when if it was not brought to the township officials attention, he would still be operating as a his advertised pay admission petting farm with some 5600 animals, okay? For sale animals on his farm,
synagogue services where he has at least 60 people in the home. Okay. Is the fire department aware of this? Okay. Weekly large gatherings. Okay. His illegal paved parking lot that is 20 cars per weekend without a neighbor neighbors be without the
neighbors being informed this was being done which is standard practice. Right. Anybody within 200 what is it? 200 feet 200 yards. Supposed to get a notice in the mail. Right. Got nothing. Got a parking lot though with 20 cars every weekend. Yeah. Okay. And and about 40
plus people that walk in. So that's I I I don't know. I'm not very good at math, but that come that comes out to at least 60 people. Why do we have ordinances and laws if we are not going to enforce them? >> This is my third time here. I mean guys, are we going to sit on this? Something
about >> I apologize. I want to respond. So I was at that meeting that we had in the administrator's office. One of those ideas that code enforcement together with um code enforcement animal control, Mr. Cheney does a great job managing both of them. Brought up was the ordinance that was introduced tonight. Tonight was the first we immediately
after that meeting contacted we have to give our code enforcement and our zoning the tools to be successful and I think the council unanimously adapted that ordinance tonight which came out of that meeting. I think that was a very big positive step giving giving the resources. I can tell you that I know that the mayor and the the business
administrator have been in constant communication with the chief of police with regard to making sure that all the various le um leverages of of positions within government are working in com together. I also think that our code enforcement wants to make sure they're following the law and make sure that
they have the resources to to enforce whatever they are enforcing. So, we are working with them and um we will continue to be be in touch through the business administrator with Mr. Cheney making sure that we have all everything possible to do. >> Well, I know that I know animal control has said that he's reduced his dog his
dogs there. But that does if if he's got one dog, okay? And we're not talking about a oneoff here. We all have animals. We all go see family relatives on Saturday night, whatever, and you come home at at midnight. Got to let your dog out, right? This is this human nature, okay? This is what we do. I'm
not talking about a one-off. I'm talking about every single night. I'm going to go home now. It's probably 10 o'clock, right? Guess what? I'm going home and I'm calling JPD because I'm sure his dogs are going to be barking. Okay, this this is a circle jerk. It's round and round. I got to live across streets. I'm
tired of like I said in our meeting, what is it? I got to take it into my own hands and then I end up like this. Come on. Okay, let's do something about it. >> Thank you. Anyone else? >> Holly Reynolds. I am on the environmental commission, but I'm only
speaking as a resident. Tonight, I have two requests that I would like to speak about. First, I ask the governing body consider adopting a resolution in support of the proposed New Jersey Green Amendment. The Green Amendment would add language to our state constitution recognizing that
every resident has a fundamental right to clean air, pure water, a stable climate, and a healthy environment. Communities across New Jersey are increasingly facing pressures from development. development, water quality concerns, flooding, and habitat loss. A
constitutional environmental rights amendment would ensure that these essential natural resources are protected not only for today's residents, but also future generations. By passing a resolution of support, this municipality would join other communities in affirming that
environmental protection is a fundamental right and a priority for our state. Such a resol resolution would send a clear message to our state legislators that local governments support stronger protections for our natural resources. As a community that
values open space, clean water, and responsible planning, I believe it is appropriate for this council to stand behind the principle that every New Jerseyian deserves a healthy environment. I respectfully request that the council consider placing a resolution supporting the New Jersey Green Amendment on a future agenda.
This brings me to my second request. I am asking the council to revisit and renegotiate Jackson Township's affordable housing obligation with a fair share housing center in light of the significant environmental constraints within our municipality. The Mount Laurel doctrine required
municipalities to provide a realistic opportunity for the development of the fair share of affordable housing. However, that obligation is expressly limited to land that is suitable, available, and developable. When a municipality can demonstrate that previously identified sites are
constrained by environmental or regulatory limitations, it may seek to revise its housing element and fair share plan in Jackson Township. This includes substantial constraints imposed by the Pilence Protection Act as well as areas regulated under the New Jersey
Freshwater Wetlands Protection Act. These constraints directly impact the realistic development potential required under New Jersey Housing Law. A new township administration can seek to re renegotiate its affordable housing settlement if it can demonstrate that a substantial portion of the
municipality's land is environmentally constrained and therefore undevelopable. These constraints significantly reduce the realistic land capacity available for development and should be fully considered when determining the township's affordable housing obligation. Environmental protections
that safeguard the Peland's ecosystem, wetlands, wildlife habitat, and water resources are essential to preserving the character of ecological health and our community. Renegotiating the obligation based on these factors will help ensure that Jackson Township can
meet its housing responsibilities while also protecting the environmentally sensitive lands that make up our community. I asked a township to come up with a competent sightspecific plan with environmental based evidence. I can even break it down for you. The total land in Jackson Township is about 64,000 acres.
after preserved and permanently restricted land and already developed land. Jackson is said to have over 1,700 acres of developable land. But that figure ignores reality. Once you factor in environmental constraints, sewer limitations, pine restrictions, and
zoning, most of that land cannot support high density housing. In truth, the land that is actually suitable for highdensity development is likely only about 100 to 250 acres. Jackson is not lacking land. It is constrained and our housing obligation must reflect that
reality. I look forward to the creation of the Jackson Township ERRI as soon as possible. The township's environmental resource inventory can and should serve as a foundational planning document in support of any effort to amend and strengthen the housing element and fair
fair share plan. An ERRI provides a comprehensive data-driven analysis of environmental constraints, including wetlands, groundwater recharge areas, threatened, and endangered species habitat, and lands regulated by the New Jersey Pinelands Commission. When properly updated and incorporated, the
ERRI can supply the objective technical evidence required to demonstrate that significant portions of Jackson Township are not developable under the standards established by the Mount Laurel Doctrine. the township can present a defensible evidence-based justification for adjusting its affordable housing
obligation while remaining compliant with constitutional requirements and protecting environmentally sensitive lands. Thank you. >> Thank you, Holly. And I Mr. Reynolds, I just want to mention to you I did speak today to the planner who's was tasked with the RRI and we made up she was traveling today to speak on Friday and
then set up a time for the next step of that process. So hopefully we'll be in touch in the next couple days. Thank you. ABRAHAM RITTERMAN, Cortellia Road. Good evening, council members. I live on
a block that is currently zoned R1 which requires a minimum lot size of 1 acre and includes a very expansive setback has very expensive setback requirements. However, the homes on our block were built approximately 30 years ago on lots
that are not nearly an acre. They are I think my lot is approximately one-third of an acre. Because of this mismatch, many of our existing structures are already beyond the current setback lines. As a result, even a minor ch even
a minor fixover of my front front steps would require me to go through the entire zoning process and get a variance to fix my shed. My shed is out of anything on my anything would require a
zoning um application. During the master plan review process, many of our neighbors petitioned the planning board to address the zoning an this zoning anomaly. The master plan ultimately included a
recommendation that the areas where lot sizes do not match the zoning requirements should be corrected. Now that we are several months into the new into the new council year and more more than six months since the master plan was published, I wanted to respectfully
ask whether the council has discussed a timeline or plan to implement these recommended zoning corrections. >> Thank you for your time and for your continued service to our community. >> So, thank you for coming. We appreciate it. Um I do remember um that part of the
master plan and having a discussion with the former zoning officer Mr. Papurro about I I forgot the legal term for it for lots that are not non-conforming Mr. Mr. >> nonform >> pre-existing non-conforming Mr. sent multiple lots throughout the town that had that where the zoning changed over the years and you are right that if
you wanna >> yeah if you want if you want to redo your deck >> I got I have all the stringencies of one acre but I'm a third of acre >> yeah so >> I'm not prodevelopment I moved here 10 years ago because I wanted to get away from a mess but just like on my personal property I can't fix >> so I will say as you saw tonight we had
a pretty packed agenda I will act I will follow with our attorney and over the next couple weeks and we will definitely look into that part of the master plan and seeing if there's a quick fix that would fix a lot of these issues that were brought up by our professionals. So, we we will look into it and um stay in touch.
>> Thank you. >> Anyone else? >> Seeing no one come forward. I move to close public forum. >> Second. >> All in favor? I >> Can I have a motion to close, please? >> Second. All >> in favor? I.
>> And again, thank you everyone for coming.