Flag of the United States of America and the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Good evening and welcome to the June 23rd, 2026 regular meeting of the
Jackson Township Council. Pursuant to the provisions of the New Jersey Open Public Meeting Act, adequate notice of this meeting was properly provided by transmitting a notice of the meeting on January 9th for publication. Notice of this meeting in the township council was posted in the corner of the municipal building on the township website in the
office of the municipal clerk. We'll begin with a roll call. Council member Belli >> here. >> Councilman Breie >> here. >> Councilman Pollock >> here. >> Council Vice President Paul Mary >> present. >> Council President Bernstein >> here. Also attending this evening is Mayor Cune, Attorney McGucken,
administrator Tara Franco, myself, Sandra Martin, and Veronica Dagger. We will now hear opening comments from the township council, starting with council president Bernstein. >> Thank you, Madam Clerk, and thank you for everyone who made it out even though the weather isn't exactly uh beautiful
out there. Um this past year or this year a a major priority of this governing body has been a focus on our housing rental concerns and issues. Um this past Friday had opportunity meeting with attorney mcuckin, our business administrator, our housing bureau um
chief together with uh his uh other employees from his department. They came with a long list of suggestions and ideas on where we can possibly fix up and make it even better. And we look forward, I'm hoping by the next council meeting to have those things ready. If anyone else has any comments over the
next week or so, feel free to send me an email if any of my colleagues have any ideas with regard to the bureau. Um, we're open and, uh, we would definitely consider them and see what we can do. Um, I am happy to report that we are seeing continued progress. It was a made me extremely happy. Um, there is a
dumpster on a certain rental house that was creating a lot of issues in my neighborhood. Um, and throughout town, we are slowly seeing some of those dumpsters of them taking down the illegal walls that they're putting up and cleaning up and hopefully those houses going back to what they're supposed to be single family homes.
Again, we continue to urge everyone to bring your your issues, bring your complaints, bring your suggestions, and bring your compliments if you're seeing the progress that's being made. Um, and we hope to continue to be able to tackle this issue as the year continues. Thank you, >> Council Vice President Paul Mary.
>> This week is a very positive week. We have a lot of students that are going to be moving up and graduating this week. And this is some one of the funnest weeks uh of the year for me. I I enjoy attending as many of those ceremonies as possible. It's seeing the next generation move forward. So, I just want
to congratulate all of the students that are moving up and graduating and their families. Uh I wish them luck in the next chapters of their life. And uh I just want to say congratulations. So, thank you, >> Council Member Elli. >> Uh thank you, Clerk Martin. Um, I asked
Mr. Terafenkco today if we can place a PSA on our township website and Christian David from IT did and very quickly, thank you uh, so much to both of you. Um, it's about Ocean County Board of Commissioners. They're placing a question on the ballot. I mentioned
this um, at a prior meeting. They're placing a question on the ballot this November for voters to decide on whether the county, which would include um, Jackson of course, should expand efforts to buy and preserve more land from development. The county has put together a website on the matter which is part of
the PSA that is on um our township website. As soon as you go to the township website, it will appear and it's uh it includes an interactive tax calculator for residents to check how increasing uh the open space tax by 1 cent uh would affect their overall tax
bill. You just have to click on the link provided there to uh access the interactive calculator. Christian, thank you. Um, and to learn more about the Ocean County Open Space Tax, the natural lands trust created in 1997 and what
increasing the tax by 1 cent more will help Ocean County do to help protect land from development and preserve the beautiful natural resources in our desirable county. In closing, um I concur with uh Council Vice President Paul Mary. I love this time of year as
much as the kids. Summer is here and school is out. looking forward to uh the graduations this week and congratulations to uh the Jackson Middle School 8th grade students uh including my grandson uh Lucas Stark who is being promoted to tomorrow to high school and
to the Jackson High School class of 2026 graduates who are uh graduating this Thursday. All the best to them all and uh in addition to their family and friends, Jackson Township is very proud of them and their achievements and sky's is the limit for their futures and thoughts or prayers are with them for
continued success. Good seeing you all. Have a good evening. >> Councilman Brassie. >> Well, thank you. Yes, I concur with my peers up here. It's a great time. Proud of all the kids moving up and graduating and their families. And let's hope and pray for them they make the right decisions in this very wild life we live
in now. They're going to have to make a lot of choices on where they're going and let's hope they make the right ones. Thank everybody for coming out tonight. Have a safe trip home. >> Councilman Pollock, >> I just want to say happy Father's Day to all the dads out there. I hope everybody
had a wonderful day on Sunday. I know being a dad is the most important thing in the world to me. And uh I moved out to Jackson after my wife got pregnant to, you know, live the rest of my life and have my family. And I think uh all
of us are concerned about the future especially for our children. Uh let's hope we just continue making good decisions to keep this a great place for future generations. Thank you. >> Item on the agenda is comments by Mayor Ke.
>> Thank you madam clerk. Good evening everyone. Again congratulations to the 2026 graduates and uh the kids moving up. just wanted to talk about uh a more responsive government. Uh we've been taking action to make some of our top
priorities to have residents have access so that they can actually uh communicate with us and ask and report issues that are around town. Um so all the little we have potholes at Jackson Township where if you want to report a pothole in the town where then it gets sent to DBW and
they go out there and fix it. We have traffic safety concerns which has been pretty much around for about I'd say eight month uh probably almost a year now. Uh that's a good one. All of these are at at Jacksontownship twwp newwe jersey.net. We also have street um streets out. So street lights you can
report them lights out at Jackson Township. This is been working very very well especially with our HOA communities. Um they report them to us and we send it to JCPL and they usually within 30 to 60 days go out there and fix them. And then the latest is litter free at Jackson Township where we've
been getting reports of areas that have um litter and illegal dumping and we've been sending them out to DPW and then also adding them to our community events for our litter cleanups. So, we're super excited about that. It has been working well. Um and I think it gives people a voice uh and I think the response is
pretty good and from the administration. Also, uh, as we commence this year's 250th anniversary on July 4th, we'll be celebrating Independence Day with a family-friendly cornhole tournament, face painting, and our popular flea market will be from 9 to 2. Um, this is
at the Justice Complex or I'm sorry, at Johnson Park at the Justice Complex. We are going to have on July 11th is going to be food trucks and fireworks. Uh, from 4:00 to 9:00. This will have bands. Um they will have um the beer tent will be there and lots of music and again
that will be at Johnson Park. So hope to see you all there and have a great night. >> Administrator Terara. >> Uh thank you madam clerk. Good evening everyone. Um and just to follow up on the mayor's uh list of upcoming special
events. Just a reminder 8:23 we're having our Jackson day with a rain date of 8:30 and we're going to be starting that at um 9:00 in the morning. It's going to be an all day event. We hopefully we'll have everybody in this attendance here as well as most of the residents in Jackson. Uh moving on, I
just want to highlight some of the notables from our housing department. So, right now we're averaging about 30 inspections per week. Uh we're still hovering around 1,594 rentals and from that we're violations.
We're at about 37,500 collected. And from the actual rental uh applications, we're at $159,400 collected, giving us a rough total of $196,000 since the inception of the
housing bureau. 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. And I just want to take the liberty and just before I mention this is just uh go off of our business administrator for a second. So, one of the things that residents have
been asking about is the fines and penalties of the housing bureau. We're we're not the housing bureau was not made and not created in order for the township to make money. The housing bureau was created to get compliance. And uh I think um in the initial inspections they have been finding many
issues and the reports that I've heard back from the housing bureau and from our administration is that the vast majority not all the vast majority of property owners and property managers so far whether it's out of fear or whether out of just being good neighbors um they have generally been complying so far and
we are seeing an uptick in people trying at least the next step and obviously if they go back to their um wrong ways the township will obviously will will proceed. But we are not we are so far we are we're not just so far we are not looking for it to be a money-making business. We are looking to see
compliance and so far um from the about 250 or so inspections that have done that we're we we're seeing it heading in that direction. Township public works operations remain on track ensuring residents continue to receive reliable and timely services. Residents are reminded that bulk and brush collection services are proceeding according to the
established schedules. Beginning Monday, June 29th, crews will commence bulk pickup in zone 1 and brush collection in zone 8. We appreciate residents continued cooperation in placing materials curbside in accordance with collection guidelines. On June 14th, the Jackson Township Clean Communities
Program in partnership with Keep America be beautiful participated in the Great American Cleanup. The event brought together 203 volunteers who collected 124 bags of litter, removing approximately 700 pounds of debris from the community. Their efforts continued
significantly to maintain the cleanliness and appearance of Jackson Township. Madame Clerk, >> the next item for tonight's agenda is the second reading and adoption of ordinance 2020 uh 202622 amending and supplementing chapter 251 of the
township code of the township of Jackson entitled licensing to establish requirements related to delinquent property taxes and property owner licensing. 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 have five minutes to
speak and may only speak once. May I have a motion open public comment? >> Motion. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? >> Council, >> seeing no one come forward. I motion to close. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> Any oppose?
May I have a motion to adopt or 202622? >> Motion. >> Second. >> Councilman Belli. >> Yes. Councilman Breie, >> yes. >> Councilman Pollock, uh, >> I'm voting yes. I think this is a good thing to have. Uh, I just always get concerned of how laws are used. I hope
nobody is specifically targeted. I hope it's applied equally to all people. And that's it. >> Council Vice President Paul Mary. >> I vote yes. >> Council President Bernstein. >> And I vote yes. And again, this is another ordinance where council is creating an ordinance and we are
expecting the administration and our tax office to do their jobs and make sure that if someone is behind on their taxes that those permits are withheld. So, we have to make sure there's collaboration from the building department, zoning office, and everyone um with the tax office. So, I vote yes.
>> The motion carries. The next item for tonight's meeting is the first reading and introduction of ordinance 202623 authorizing the purchase of certain real property known as lot 4 block 19501 aka 277 uh Grottown Road pursuant to NJSA
48125. Council President Bernstein, are there any comments? >> Yes. This ordinance, if adopted, will authorize the purchase of property located at 277 Grottown Road by the township for $795,000. This lot contains approximately 3.22 22 acres and is located in the RG2 zoning
district. And I want to thank um the mayor for bringing this um parcel to my attention and there was uh intense negotiations myself and the business administrator together with our attorney um participated in these negotiations and um it's my understanding this is a
just for the public this is a completely clean buildable lot that um Mr. breast, correct me if I'm wrong, that um as per the zoning there, you'd be able to put between six to eight homes and um we got it for a I think a pretty good price. In addition, this is um one of my
colleagues asked me this question. There is no water and sewer currently on the property, but in the area there are multiple developments that have been approved that would be bring already are bringing water and sewer to this property. So, um this would be a buildable lot that we are um hope hopefully maintaining for open space.
It's in the 208 plan for the uh MUA. It's been there for years. There's a deep pump station on the end of Grand Boulevard to feed that when it's fully developed. It's been a line that's going in there for years, but just not had used yet. Uh the area there, there's
development for many years for 693 homes. Miss McGucken may recall part of this. And it went around for many years back and forth. It got denied, turned down back and forth at the Pelands. the Pinelands came back and reduced their lot that they needed to either 9,000 or
7,000 square feet uh and it finally got approved in uh I think 2024. So, it is an area that's very developable. It'll be a wet line there for sewer and water and there's a good purchase to get that now before it adds on to that development.
>> Thank you, Madam Clerk. >> I have a motion to approve ordinance 2026 23 on first reading introduction and to authorize the notice of the public hearing. Motion second. >> Council member Elli. >> Um yeah, just some comments on the uh ordinance. This from what I researched,
this uh 3.2 acre property is located in the RG2 zone, which is in the regional growth area of our town where maximum density permissible is three dwelling units per unit. So we're preventing like nine or more housing units from being built at this location on Grotown Road. So I look at as every available and
valuable land or property purchase counts towards preserving and protecting our town's environment and promotes open space. Yes. Thank >> Councilman Breie. >> Yes. As I say the reasons why. Thank you. >> Councilman Pollock. >> Um I'm a little torn on this. Uh you're
talking 800k for 3.2 acres. I know it's in the RG2 zone. Um uh what are we planning to do with this? I guess is my main concern because there's a house on it. Um it's not like it's untouched land. I know
it's developable, but I don't know what's the plan. >> So, could I answer you? So, obviously that would be any any further action on this from um from the township would require a support from the governing body. Um I'm I'm going to turn to for to
Mr. mcuckin, but it's my understanding that the conversations I've had with most of my colleagues, including the mayor, is that we plan on possibly knocking down the house in the future and then just putting leaving trees, councilman, the council vice president mentioned, maybe a walking trail or something, another passive recreation in
that area, but I think at this point we're purchasing it and then I think we could have that conversation as a governing body of what we should do at the next step, but definitely not for development. >> Uh, did this go through the uh open space committee and have they spoken on this? This property did not go to the open
space committee. >> Um I have to speak because I am I am on pre >> president. Can I speak? >> Sure. >> I did send this to the open space committee. I am on the open space committee and I spoke with
>> if you if I could go grab the book and I could I could or send you the email. Um, I definitely sent it and it was definitely there and >> excuse me order. >> Order, order, order or mayor, please don't answer.
>> Order order. Sir, sir, >> you [clears throat] can't call out. When you get your five minutes, you can say anything you'd like, but you can't. >> It's you don't get to call out, sir. >> Okay. So, Mr. Pollock, it's still your time. Uh, I I'm not totally I'm obviously, like I
said, I'm torn. I I would like to hear from the Open Space Committee regarding this. Um, you know, >> that's that's how I feel about it. You know, I would I would motion to table this. Um, but that's me. >> You So, it's I don't think you can make
a motion once there's an active motion. You can either vote yes or no or abstain. So, >> right. Uh, >> that would be great >> for first reading. I'm just going to abstain on it. Then I would like to hear from the open space committee. If >> they come in here and and they support it and they like it, I I can definitely get behind it.
>> Sure. So, I'll just say is obviously I'm going to wait to hear back from the mayor after the meeting. Um, she the mayor said that she did send it to the open space committee, but either way, I would have no problem um resending it to the open space committee. I think it's a anyone who looks at this property, I think, is going to find it to be a great a great people come to the meetings and
asks us to buy open space. Um, and I think we are trying. So, but yes, I have no problem councilman resending it to the open space committee meeting. We have three weeks to the next council meeting and if the open space committee has anything to add to it, we'll definitely take that. >> Listen, I just wanted to run through
them and if they support it, I can get behind it. >> Absolutely. >> Thank you very much, >> Adam. Okay. Madam Clerk, please continue. Council Vice President Plomeary, >> what's you? >> So, um, as my colleagues were saying, this is zoned where nine homes could be
built if the if the or more if the township doesn't buy it. And it's also zoned that they didn't mention where if a developer buys it, they can actually build a school in this property. So, um, for the sake of saving some open space, what I'd like to see is that we give it
back to nature, we put trees, we plant them, and we leave it open space. I don't mind a gravel path. Um, as long as it's kind of out of the way, but I want to just give all of this back to I'd like to remove the home, plant trees,
and leave it open space if if I had my my call on it. But I don't want to see nine houses. I don't want to see a school in that space. I don't think we could um support that. So, I vote yes. >> Council President Bernstein. >> So, um again, I just thank all my
colleagues for all their their thoughts and I I and excuse me um and I um just want to say I absolutely agree there if this sale goes through um the governing body should um I would support leaving it like council vice president said. I think I I saw the nods up here. I think
that's definitely in in the right in the right way. Um, land is very expensive in Jackson. Buildable land is very expensive in Jackson and yes, there is a home on it and there are multiple ideas that we can possibly conversations we could have on that pro have with that. But, you know, no matter what we do,
sometimes we can't do right. Um, if we're not buying open space and we're not we're not doing our we're not doing our we're not doing our effort. I think a couple weeks ago one of the colleagues sent an email something we looked into about a property. We're constantly looking for for open space to purchase and um there's no big corruption or
scandal on this property. Um I'm not aware of anyone who's getting a kickback on this property. I think this is just a property owner that came to the mayor through the county and she brought it to to to me and to the business administrator and um I think it's something the council should look into
and uh this is introducing it and I vote yes. >> Just council press if I can. Yes. >> We have to purchase this stuff at the assessed value. We get outbid all day long and there's not a lot of opportunity. And I understand I would love to buy open space without a home on it because it's counterproductive at
times, but I'd love to buy as much open space as possible because again, if someone else comes in and scoops up this land, you're going to have nine houses on here in in 18 months. So, I'd like to preserve that. And that's that's my point on this. >> Madam Clerk, please continue.
>> The next item of business, >> I'm going to ask for order. We're we're being respectful. You'll have your five minutes at the end and feel free to say whatever you want. Then >> the next item of business is the payment authorization of bills and claims. The following abstensions are as followed.
Council vice president Paul Mary M02. Councilman Blli FU4 NJM6 NJSO4 NJS13 PTC1 and STA76. Council President Bernstein,
are there any comments? >> Yes. Um, I just want to read a quick uh comment into the record before we proceed with the bills and claims list. I would like to note that after careful review, I am removing two items from consideration this evening pending further review and clarification. The first is for and I apologize if I
mispronounced the name is Arrenzy McDermott Master and Murphy which is PO number 2650496 in the amount of $19,19.54. The second is a labor item under Rossina and Mandel PO265657
in the amount of $4,64548. These items will be held and brought back to council at a future meeting if appropriate. The motion before council is to approve the bills and claims list as amended with these removals. And just to clarify um I went through um these bills and um I had I had some questions
and we are in the process of reaching out to the vendors to get clarification. So, we are going to hold the first one is a $90,000 bill from the former labor attorney and the second one is a $4,600 bill approximately from our current labor attorney.
>> May I May I [clears throat] have a motion to approve the bills and claims list as amended? >> Motion. >> Second. >> Council Brley. >> Council Breie. >> Yes. >> Council Pollock. >> Yes. Council Vice President Paul Mary. >> Yes.
>> Council President Bernstein. >> Yes. And I want to take a moment and thank our administration for um working with some of our um gated communities, our senior communities for some of the snow reimbursement. That's something that I know has been a back and forth. Um and at least those communities
tonight were reimbursed for what they were contractually obligated to be reimbursed. So I vote yes. >> Motion carries. The next item on the agenda is the consent agenda. listed for tonight's consideration of resolutions 178 through 187 2026 listed by title.
Council President Barnstein, are any comments? >> Yes. So, I just want to take a moment and just highlight obviously the fire trucks and sorry, the fireworks and the food trucks um which were which were passing a resolution allowing for that. Um I also want to to um that's really it
for for myself. Does anyone from council have anything that they want to discuss from it or council council? We'll get there in a minute. >> Uh R 181 um
the uh park improvements uh which uh you know I went to each park just to double check it out. Uh Johnson Memorial certainly needs the improvements. I I wholeheartedly support that. Um the other parks are small. I didn't see anything.
>> Do you mind just moving your mic? It's Yeah. Sorry. Uh the other parks uh were pretty small. I didn't really see anything wrong with it that we needed to upgrade there. Um my issue is the continuous use of uh open space funding for these things. Um
you know, of course, do we do we budget for park maintenance and improvements? Um like I said, I do support this for Johnson because it's it's like a necessary thing uh just looking at it. But I I just we cannot continue spending
open space funds as a parks and wreck fund. That's my real issue here. It's like I don't want to vote against this. But I I like I do want Johnson to happen even with the open space fund because it's necessary.
>> Ma'am, >> sorry. Um Adam, please wait until it's your time. Is there a way to separate the smaller parks from Johnson or No, we're just one contract I'm assuming. >> So, it's my understanding and um I had this conversation with the clerk earlier today. We were going through it with a
fine comb. Um it was put together as one quote. Um obviously um going forward, you know, we can definitely ask the the departments to try to separate things when it's such a a large item. And uh and uh I guess I would say is um also going forward if any colleagues on
council want us to do that and we get it hopefully on Friday just feel free to reach out and we'll try to do a better job in that. Does anyone from the public want Adam? Which one do you want us to take off? >> Okay. So it's not question. We're going to take it off for council separate vote and then you feel free to ask questions
by open open public comment. Anyone else? Yes. So madam clerk if you could take off 181. >> Okay. So, if you could >> um hold on one second. >> No, >> no, it's not individuals with disabilities granted
>> for disabilities grant from the state. >> Madame clerk, do you want to take off 179 and 180 um 181 and then we can go for a vote? >> Thank you. May I have a motion to authorize the balance of the consent
agenda without resolutions 179 and 181 which will be voted on separately? >> Motion. >> Second. >> Councilman Brellley. >> Yes. >> Councilman Brezrey. >> Yes. >> Councilman Pollock. >> Yes. >> Council Vice President Paul Mary. >> Yes. >> Council President Bernstein.
>> Yes. >> Thank you. We have a motion to authorize resolution 179 2026. >> Motioned. Second. Councilman Brellley, >> yes. >> Counciloman Breie, >> yes. >> Councilman Pollock, >> yes. >> Council Vice President Paul Mary, >> yes.
>> Council President Bernstein, >> yes. Motion carries. >> May I have a motion to authorize resolution 1812026? >> Motion. Second. >> Council. >> Uh, yeah. Clerk Martin, I just have a few comments regarding resolution 181 uh-2026.
I was concerned as well, but you know, I visited Johnson Park, Flair Neighborhoods Park, and Harfield Park too to see what was going on uh for myself, see it for my own eyes. And um the tennis courts are in disrepair. Services are cracked on every one of the
courts. Uh there's grass growing out of them. There's uneven playing conditions which can be possibly cause unsafe playing conditions and causing preventable um injuries. So, the basketball courts courts are not much better in Johnson Park. They have
cracks, too. Uh resurfacing the tennis courts, repaving basketball courts with lines will help extend the surface life of the court, save costs in the long run instead of say doing it down the road. Um instead of recreation and public works who I spoke with, representatives from each department um that you know
they've been making temporary repairs every few years. So, this would also address concerns and complaints we've received from many residents concerning those recreational facilities and courts and most importantly protect the health and safety of residents and visitors who
use those courts. So, um yes, be in support of it. >> Councilman Breie, >> yes. >> Councilman Pollock, >> um I'm going to be voting yes, uh simply because I really want Johnson improved.
Um, you know, I got the actual information at like 1:30 today. Obviously, I couldn't go through the whole thing. Um, but you know, I'd like a little more information beforehand about stuff like information is great. I got today, but I got it today. If I
would get that beforehand, I'd be able to go through it, ask more questions. Um, like I said, I'm voting yes, but uh I think we really need to budget for park improvements and maintenance. Uh, and we need to stop using the open space
fund as a Rex fund. Um, you know, maybe there needs to be an audit of the spending over the years because it's probably adds up to millions not purchasing land and spent on recreation and parks. Um, it's something we need to
look into and hopefully change in the future. >> Council Vice President Pomeary. Yeah, these parks are in quite a bit of disarray and uh we have a lot of young folks that play daily on these parks. I'm more concerned about them getting injured, tripping, falling, and with Jackson Day approaching and they have
all day basketball tournaments, um you know, this this these parks don't represent Jackson Township. So, I vote yes to get them repaired. >> Council President Bernstein. >> So, first of all, I want to thank um um our um Mr. Miyabi and Mr. Bolinsky for working on this over the past couple
months. Um, I also want to thank Mr. um, Councilman Blli um, for following up and and asking for more more information in writing. That was great. And, uh, the summary is great. I also concur um, that um, with my colleagues here that the that all all the parks and we've had
residents from each of those neighborhoods, whether it's Harfield, whether it's Flair neighborhood, reach out to us asking us to look into their parks over the past, I would say, six months. Um, and I think these are badly needed improvements. Um, I also know when it comes to the open space fund is
if residents want us and I know we've had there's been difference of opinions from the from that mic in the past about the goal and the purpose and if if there is open space to purchase or there's not open space to purchase. Um, if residents want us in the future to go for a referendum to redefine the open space fund, I think that's something we
definitely could do. Um but for now um this there was never anything budgeted in the past in Jackson for rec fixing our recreation and these are badly needed and I think we're going to continue to try to do both here in Jackson and I vote yes >> car.
The next item on the agenda is the public comment. 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 clear for the record. You have five minutes to speak and may only speak once. May I have a motion open public comment? Motion second president.
>> I one second madam clerk. Mayor you want >> I I would just like to just kind of go I mean there was a lot of out regarding the open space committee um and as a member of the open space committee being told that I didn't inform my committee is extremely um just it's it's not
appropriate. So I just want to go through how all the council members actually were well aware of 277 Grottown as well as all the open space committee. I emailed you back in March. I emailed you in April. I asked, "Have you gone?" You guys said you were going to do your due diligence and go out to the
property. Every single council member was on it. If you look at your email, Friday, April 10th at 7:48 a.m. Your committee minutes, what's going on? Where are we at with this asset? How are you done doing your due diligence? I do send emails and I do keep track and I do follow up. I do not make statements that are inaccurate. I would never say that
you did not receive the information, council members, if you didn't. So, because you have ordinances and you don't recall what you were sent, please do not accuse me of not sending you the information prior to Thank you. >> Thank you, mayor. >> Did I question you sending me the information on that?
>> No. >> No, no, no. Don't look at me and say that. Don't do that. >> You'll have your You have your opportunity. >> No, you you'll have your opportunity. >> Was the parks this I got at 1:30. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I think >> I think she should watch how she speaks
to people, >> especially the public. >> Ma'am, do Adam. >> Adam, >> Jim, the floor is yours. One second. Clerk, did did the motion pass for opening it to the public? >> Yes, it did. >> Yeah. Okay. Making sure.
>> All right. First of all, the bills and claims, we need to do a better job of getting them out there within the 48 hours. This week, they weren't posted until almost noon time yesterday. doesn't give the residents a whole lot of time to go through them. You guys shouldn't be
voting on them if they're not posted 48 hours in advance, much like the agenda. That's that uh why I'm here tonight. So, I need to address the serious inconsistency between the 2026 adopted municipal budget and resolution
181-2026, which proposes spending more than 390,000 from the open space trust fund to update three basketball courts and one set of tennis courts. Just two weeks ago, when this council adopted the 2026 municipal budget, the open space trust
fund sheet contained no planned expenditures for the entire year. The 2026 column was completely blank. Residents were told through official adopted budget that no way open space funds were scheduled to be spent in
2026. Yet here we are only 14 days later being asked to approve nearly $400,000 in open space funding that was never disclosed, never listed, and never reflected in the budget the council voted to adopt. This
is not small not not a small oversight. This is a fundamental breakdown in transparency and fiscal planning. When the township publishes a budget showing zero open space expenditures for the year, residents have every right to rely on that information. When the council
adopts that budget, it becomes the official financial roadmap for the year. And when two weeks later, the township suddenly identifies almost 400,000 in spending that was not included in the road map, it raises legitimate questions. Why was the project not
included in the annual budget? When was the spend in planned and why was it not disclosed to the public? How can residents trust the accuracy of any part of the budget if major expenditures appear only after the adoption? This is not about whether park improvements are
good or bad. I agree this needs to be done. I live in Harfield. I saw it and I saw the pictures. This is about whether the township is following the law, following its own budget, and respecting the public's right to accurate
information. The open space trust fund is funded by residents. They deserve to know before the budget is adopted how their money will be used. They deserve a process that is transparent, predictable, and honest. I urge the council to explain how a budget with
zero spa open space expenditures becomes a budget with 390,000 in open space expenditures just two weeks later. I urge you to commit to a budget process that does not leave residents guessing about how their tax dollars are being
spent. And I understand in the open space world a a piece of land can come up late obviously after the budget is adopted. those kind of things. I understand this is not it. This is obviously something that's been in the works for a while and to to leave it off
the o the the budget the open space budget page is kind of a a significant flaw that you guys missed. [applause] Ray Katuna Leven form wrote um the interim mayor Jennifer you're correct you sent us a package in March um we
were anticipating a meeting we typically vote we were voted on a purchase of a 4.5 acre piece of property on Patterson we were not informed that this was being purchased all right and I spoke to the
other member of the open space pole noll couldn't make it tonight he's voting No, I'm still up in the air cuz I I'm looking at I'd like to know what the additional costs are going to be. It's knocking down the house. I think it's expensive. I think it's a hard sale, but
I haven't made a decision yet. We should have had a meeting to discuss it and we should have actually voted on it. So, we weren't given that right. This is not the first time. We spent a million dollars in buying playgrounds for the school district. I we were on the open
space committee. None of this discussion, we were never even sent anything for a million-doll purchase. So, and I don't agree that's a legal purchase. Uh considering the township's supposed to own the property, not the school district.
So, we were we need to vote on this. I want to table it. So, we sit down, have a meeting, and it should be majority vote. I don't want to interrupt your five minutes, so tell me when you're done, then I'll respond. >> Okay. And also, uh, my disappointment
with the budget. I mean, that I've looked at a lot of townships budgets over the years, and this is terrible. Do we have reserves for future lawsuits in the budget? What are we doing to cut costs? And will we have enough money by the end of the fiscal year? Because I
looking at it, I think it's questionable. Will we cutting? What are we doing? I mean, I see a big hiring spree. We're hiring a ton of employees, assistants, and what have you. I don't see very much in the way of actually saving the
taxpayers money. I just see we're spending it, and we're spending more than we're taking in. So, I mean, we should have a viable plan where we're looking to reduce costs, not increase spending. I mean, your capex expenditures are are off the rails. Salaries are off the
rails. We're hiring a lot of employees, a lot of assistants. I speak not for myself as well as the residents. I mean, everybody's concerned. >> Any comment? >> I'm I'm waiting for you to finish your all all of your comments because I don't want to take away.
>> Also, there's other rumors circulating on social media. As we all know, this is an election season. There's been accusations like the mayor just hired her boyfriend for uh recreation special events title uh created a whole new
title at a very hefty salary. Um I'm assuming with benefits. I mean I would maybe we should comment on these issues and dispel a lot of these rumors. The last one was costing the mayor $30,000 commission I read. Can we comment on
some of these issues? >> Anything else? That's it. >> Okay. So, first of all, I'm gonna I'm gonna Attorney Mucken, please correct me if I'm wrong. Um, but it is legal for the open space um fund to be used for parks, right? And and in
>> properties though, >> um, in 2023 um, I think just myself and Mr. Bell were on the council and the mayor and Mayor Keen was on council. Um the township purchased about a million dollars of parks to fix I think it was the Rosenire Elementary Park plus um I
don't remember there are two other um board of ed parks. Um was that legal? >> I assume it was. I don't recall the specific incident, but the township can share funds and is entitled to share funds >> with the board of education um and is entitled to purchase equipment for the
board of education just like we are with the fire department or >> first aid squads or any other nonprofit agency. Um but we are allowed to do that. >> Um >> and being on the committee, we were not presented with it and we did weren't able to vote.
>> So So Mr. Mr. Koner, that committee um um was appointed by the former mayor. I think you're good friends with Mayor Rand. You can reach out and ask him that question. I can only ask current mayor current mayor Cune a question about the current piece of of of purchase which you're saying
>> committee from both of the years that those transactions occurred. >> Correct. And I can't answer that question how the committee was run. It's my understanding that the open space committee is an advisory committee. Um, and has always been the role that >> Why did we vote on a 4 and a half acre
piece of property on Patterson Road? >> I can't answer. >> You should have a right to vote as a committee member. >> If you feel that the township should change the charter and change the process of the open space committee, it's definitely something that we could look into and discuss with our legal team. >> Again, we recently a couple of months
ago vot your time is up. Thank you. >> You don't know what this >> Carlos Martins um Jackson, New Jersey. I'm on the zoning board, but I'm here as a resident. Um opens. This is not the
public. It is. Oh, okay. So, okay. So, yes. Yeah. So, let me talk about the open space. Um, so this is something that was near and dear to my heart a long time ago. Um, when I first started asking about it and then learned that there was that referendum that changed everything and said now you can use it
for parks. Um, okay. I I do recommend let's put it back on and and and and see if the um if if my neighbors still want that. Uh because if I don't think if they knew exactly what they were voting for
like I said before it was called the open space trust fund and what the way it was sold was you were going to increase the the percentage that was going to come out of our taxes for it. Right? It was not called the open space and other municipal uses trust fund.
It's called the open space trust fund. So I know when I voted for it I didn't know what I was voting for. Um now that I know I wouldn't have voted for that. Um so that's one. Two is we might also consider maybe giving a little more power to the open space um committee. As
you said, it is just advisory, right? So their yes or no votes don't mean any really doesn't mean anything. It just gives advice to um to the mayor and maybe yourselves. But maybe we should give them more power, meaning that based on their vote, if they say no, then you
can't touch it for whatever purposes you want. Just a thought. >> Attorney McC. >> Yeah. The local land and buildings law establishes who has the authority. It's by statute and the only entity that has the authority is a tan council. They can't delegate that to an inferior body
or an advisory body or any other entity by statute. It can only be done by the governing body. Okay. Okay. Um All right. I will still say as an advisory body for you guys to know that the open space um trust fund committee that looked into it says no to something um
might be helpful to you guys. So, um, that would be that. Um, okay. So, that was that was that one. The other thing I wanted to mention, I didn't I'm I'm running late, so I didn't bring my notes, but last time on the bills,
right, there was that um there was going to be an assessment made. We paid a whole bunch of money for some consultants to do an assessment on whether we're going to save money on the energy. Do you do you remember that? >> Sure. Okay. Uh, so my question there is
when are we going to find out? When is that report coming out? And when it does come out, will you make it public? Uh, without having to request an Oprah and go through all that junk, just put it out there or mention it here um and let us know what that um with that resol
whatever they came up with. >> So when it's when it's going to be available, I would have to have the business administrator look into that tomorrow. But I yes, I could commit that as soon as council receives it, I will read it. um during a council meeting, >> right? Give us a summary if it's good or bad. Okay. Um
also, I I do think that you might want to consider when we do the bills, I know we can't there's no public comment. Um I see in other townships they do allow public comment before you guys vote yes or no on certain bills. Um I would like
that so I don't have to use my five minutes to go through that. I didn't bring them today, so I'm not going to go through them. Um, but that's something uh you might want to consider. I see other towns when they reduce the amount of time that public comment can be used
just five minutes. At that same time, they say, "Okay, but you can also comment on bills, on consent agenda items, things like that. Consider that. I I know I know it's not you don't have to, but maybe you should." Um, okay, that's all I got. >> Oh, wow. You have an extra minute,
Carlos. >> You have an extra minute. Wow. I got >> No, no, it's fine. I was joking. >> I got nothing else. Thank you. >> Thank you. Anyone else? >> Time doesn't roll over to the next meeting. Carlos >> Fred Marorrow Jackson. Uh, last meeting
I stood up here and I got very, very aggravated at stuff that was said by people from Westlake who have no care about anything but themselves. So after the meeting, the women from Westlake made two statements that I
found really, really ridiculous. The first one was the developer made a mistake and the second one was, well, we gave them their own entrance. Well, did a little bit of research.
West Lake Muse, which is part of Westlake, okay, was done in 2003. So the mistake took 20 years for somebody to recognize that it was a mistake. Sorry, don't think so. The next
thing was when they did the final paving of the front section of Westlake, the people from Westlake came to us and Robin's estate and said, "They're going to open that gate." And we said, "Not if we can help it." So, we went to the
developer representative who was opening the gate for the day and he said, 'Oh, no. This is designated as an emergency exit only. You don't believe me? I don't care. I know what I was told. So, it's an
emergency exit only. So, it'll never be opened up to a road. Well, after all your lines, after all your signs, after all your no turns, guess what? They're still making turns. They're not looking at the signs. They don't care about the
lines and they got a new one now. Now, they come out of the muse and they turn around in front of the first house they come to on our street and then go back down so that they can go down to South Boston Road.
South Boston Road was never made to be a physical road. It's too small. I've almost gotten creamed a couple of times. You don't believe me? Come to my neighborhood and live there for a while. Don't give me this. Well, we did it once, we did it twice, we did it three
times. It's a danger. And if I could save one person by opening my mouth, it's worth it to me. I don't care who the person is. Now to address the second comment
um for some reason or another I kept getting on to the planning board from meeting from last week on last Monday. I believe Mr. Breie you were there were you were you not? you were at the last planning board meeting and there was a comment made >> during that time about um
>> whichever site that they were working on that they looked towards county roads for their entrances for the amount of traffic. So I looked it up and the one thing every private community senior and
everything else like that has their main entrance is on a county road. Well, guess what? In the beginning, Westlake Muse emptied out onto a county road. Now, it emptied into a development. So,
no, they don't have their own entrance. They enter into a crowded development which has families, children, and everything else like that that I keep saying sooner or later law of averages is going to go against you.
This is ridiculous. It should have never been done to start with. And I'll tell you what, if the planning board had said that 20 years ago that that's how that entrance should have been, why should it have been changed 20 years
later by the town council? Because that's not right. It's not right to us. And let me tell you, I have nothing against the people in the muse. Some of them are pretty nice. They walk by, they say, "Hello, how you doing?" They drive by. They even stop at stop
signs, not like everybody else. So, you know, y'all can say whatever you want, but unless you're going to come and do due diligence and check everything out thoroughly, and I'll tell you what, the engineer, he's only going to do what you tell him to do. Design a road, design
this, design that. He's only going to do it. It might not be in his best interest to design it the way he would want to. He's just going to do it because it appeases you. Might not appease us. And you know, that's not right. that's
not right to us. I mean, and I do appreciate when I heard that, it clicked and that's when I went to the township's website and that's where I gathered all of this information from. It's not even that it came from me. The only thing I did check was real
estate websites that said Westlake Muse. Westlake. It doesn't say just the Muse. It might tomorrow. Who knows? because you know don't know who's going to turn to him and say hey you know you got to change your name but thanks a lot for listening see you next
meeting >> thank you >> Adam I'm on the environmental commission but I'm just speaking as a concerned severely concerned resident um I just want to talk about open space maybe you can we can have a back and forth you might be able to answer some of my
questions uh mucking respectfully uh when we utilize ize the Open Space Natural Trust. It's a trust. It's not just a fund. It's a It's a trust which is federally regulated. Are we not supposed to utilize that for parcels
that the township owns? >> So, um before before you No, before he before he answers, if it's going to be a question answer, he's going to be using part of your five minutes. I'll turn >> Yeah. >> I'm not aware of any such requirement. The open space fund is a budget line item within the township and the
township can use it for the purposes the public authorized by virtue of the referendum. >> Okay. Okay. Concerning uh 181 2026, do you think the council can u commit to more transparency and maybe itemize what
we're actually paying for? Uh the scope of work might be $30,000, but what does it actually what does it actually uncover? Do you think the council could commit to doing that? Like a $393,000 uh transaction should be itemized. >> So I think the resolution says it
>> within the within the title. >> I guess >> just tell me what you have in mind. >> For instance, let me maybe I'll give you an example, right? >> Um do you know who Ben Schaefer is? >> He's a playground company, >> right? How many playground companies does he have?
>> I have no idea. Okay. So, he has two playground companies. Do you know how much the town has paid him via the open space? >> I know. I know. He's built 95% of our playgrounds in town. >> Correct. It's over $2 million from our open space account that we've paid him >> over how many years?
>> Two and a half. >> Okay. >> So, you were the council vice president and Jen was the council president. So, that was under your watch. >> Okay. And can I ask you why he's charging us as if we're a for-profit company? I'm looking at a transaction of
for a playground of almost $350,000 and then the installation was over $150,000. Does that make sense? That's please answer that. Why is our installation fee
almost 60% of the actual playground? And that example is why I'm asking for itemized transactions, right? you authorize X amount of money for something, but you never actually detail how it's being utilized. Do you think you guys can commit to
doing that? >> I think we could commit to putting more information in the resolutions 100%. >> Okay. Do you know how much money has been spent on playgrounds and recreation over the last three years from the open space account? Do you have an idea?
>> I assume I was surprised to hear the $2 million number, but I would assume it's more based on the fact that you said that was in the past year and a half. because I'm not aware of that many upgrades. So, >> it's it's $2.4 million not including 2025 and 2026. So, add whatever you just
got to that. Do you think the township's happy spending almost $3 million on playgrounds, some to schools that we don't even have possession of anymore? Could you understand why residents might be a little frustrated?
Did you know how much money our open space account spent on turf, synthetic grass? Would anybody like to know? >> Add them to the chair. >> $800,000. Again, not including 2026.
So, I'm just trying to figure out why we're abusing our open space account. Do you think the council could commit to establishing uh the founding documents of the natural uh space trust so we can figure out exa exactly how this money is supposed to be used? >> What are you referring to?
>> What year was the open space uh trust established? >> I would have to ask attorney muck and I don't >> I want to say around 2002 something like that but the referendum was in 20 the last referendum was in 2020 I believe. >> 20 Okay. >> Okay. Okay. And does that list how the
money is supposed to be utilized? >> It indicates exactly what it can be utilized for. >> Okay. And are are turf fields and playgrounds? >> Yes. >> In addition to playgrounds owned by the board of education included. >> Any recreational facility or use as well as maintenance of those facilities was
permitted pursuant to the referendum. >> And if trust uh trust uses as well, >> if that money needs to be transferred, it would due process. Correct. I do not follow question for you. Why does our open space account have a debt
service? Why are why are we being charged interest and principles on our >> every open space any open space trust fund has a debt service because it's bond. >> Are we taking loans? >> Of course you bond money. You bond money in order to purchase open space in many occasions. That's
>> you're taking loans for open space when there's a levy that comes in quarterly from the taxpayers. does every other town in the state who has an open space fund. Because if a property cost $3 million, you don't write a check for $3 million. The benefit of that runs over 20 to 30 years. You borrow the money,
you put a down payment on it, and you pay the mortgage just like you do anytime you buy property. >> So, you just make a bunch of silly decisions and then go to the bank for a loan on behalf of the taxpayer. Just draining the taxpayer. >> That is exactly how all open space fund purchases are made. >> And you make $350,000 a year.
>> Adam, your time. I just $150,000 a year. >> So, Adam, your time is up. >> I'll say one last thing. One last thing. I can't believe this guy makes $300,000 a year. We gave him a car. Adam, your time is up. >> We gave him a car and we're paying. Did you know we're paying
[clears throat] for the median income in Jackson, Adam? He cut my mic off. Cut my mic off. >> Adam, now I just want to >> Adam. That's it. Order. >> I motion to close public forum.
>> Second. >> That's it. >> Yeah, he did. Second. Second. >> Favor. >> I. >> Any opposed? >> Motion carries. >> Okay. I have a motion to close the meeting. >> Motion. >> Second. >> All in favor? I. Have a great night,
everyone. Thank you for coming. >> Anybody else have to say?