Okay, it's 7 o'clock. Let's call meeting to order. Michelle, will you read Notice the records show that adequate notice of this regular meeting of the mayor and council being held Tuesday, May 20th, 2025 has been provided by the meeting notice which was sent to the
Aspbury Park Press and the Star Ledger posted on the bulletin boards and the B clerk as required by the open public meeting. Thank you. Will you do the roll call, please? Council member Brady here. Council member G here. Council member
Mcamera here. Council member Mura here, Council Member Ryland here, Council President Beckham here, and Mayor Arano here. Thank you. Okay, will everybody join us in the pledge of allegiance and also remain standing for moment of silence.
I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. So, I'd like to uh say a few
words for um ex-chief Bertram Morris, who was also a firefighter and an ex-chief, you know, in our town. He did pass away on May 4th, um sorry, April 23rd. Thank you. Before we go into committee
reports, I actually wanted to read a proclamation for the 56th annual professional municipal clerk's week. So, this is dedicated to Michelle Clark. Whereas the office of the professional municipal clerk is a timehonored and essential court of the
local governments everywhere and serves as a hub of information central to the fundamental functions of local governments and communities. Whereas while a title clerk and its responsibilities has evolved over time, municipal clerks occupied one of the
oldest and most respected public servant positions with the role of recordkeeping rooted in biblical civilization. Whereas municipal clerks provide the professional link between citizens, local governing bodies, and government
agencies and entitled entities at many levels and often operate with understated expectations and considerable demands placed upon them. Whereas professional municipal clerks effectuate extraordinary versatility,
accuracy, and patience while pledging to be ever mindful of their neutrality and impartiality, rendering equal service to all. Whereas in New Jersey, a municipal clerk is the heart of all local government functions, performing core
duties as secretary of the municipal corporation, secretary to the governing body, chief administration officer for all elections held in the municipality, chief registar of voters in the municipality, administrative officer
responsible for accepting and issuing applications for licenses and permits. public records custodian and performing such other duties as imposed by state and local requirement. Michelle, you need a raise. Whereas it's fitting and appropriate to
observe the 56th annual professional municipal clerks week by recognizing the accomplishments of professional municipal clerks everywhere and to specifically acknowledge and commend Keyport Bar Michelle Clark for her unwavering
dedication and hard work to serve the public and advance the municipal public profession. Now therefore I Rose Panio mayor along with Federal Council establishing hereby recognize and proclaim the week of May 4th through May
10th professional municipal clerk's week and further extend appreciation to our professional bar clerk Michelle Clark and to all professional municipal clerks for the vital services they perform and their exemplary dedication to the
communities they represent. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. You got a nice Thank you. Okay, we're going to go right into committee reports. Uh, Council Member
Brady for Environmental Commission. Unfortunately, we did not have a quorum to hold an official meeting. We did discuss some current topics such as the flooding experienced on Division Street and possible remediation efforts to undertake while construction occurs at 25 East Front Street. We are
currently waiting for some engineering specifications based on inquiries we have made with regards to replacing the ineffective duct build with an appropriate flapper bow. Um, our next meeting, we don't have a meeting this month because of Memorial Day. So, our next meeting is Monday, June 23rd at
8:00m right here. For recreation, we discussed our next event starting with the food truck festival. It will be held on Saturday, May 31st with a rain of June 1st. Gates open at 11:00 a.m. and festivities go to 8:00
p.m. Uh, members of the recreation commission have offered to help the American Museum of the Beer Tent should they need it. Please make plans to attend and feel free to share with all your friends and family. We will be hosting the Pride event at the waterfront on Wednesday, June 11th in the evening. Plans are still being
finalized, but we are building upon our successful event last year. Uh job postings for the summer camp director and counselor just closed and we're in the interviewing stage right now. More information will be forthcoming, but the plan is to hold the camp primarily during the month of July. Our summer
movies start on June 25th with Mufasa at Dusk. And our next meeting is Monday, June 2nd at 7 p.m. Municipal Alliance, we also did not have a quorum for our main meeting, but we did did discuss hosting a table for the car show on June 5th. Whoops on June 12th and National Night
Out on August 5th. We'll see you there and we will not be holding a June meeting since uh we will be at Wolf. Thank you, Council Member Gross. Okay. Uh so for the police department for the month of April, there were 624 There are some seats in the middle right
there if you wanted to come. I see you guys standing. Thank you. Sorry. Yeah. Yeah. 1,624 calls for service in April and 6,270 years. Uh for the construction department uh for UC there were 110
total inspections 25 building 22 electric 24 fire 14 mechanical and 25 plumbing for code enforcement there were 56 42 for rentals seven for house sales seven for lead and there were 11 code
viations issued for the treasurer's report uh there was $1,876 uh in total collected that 157 for dog licenses, $820 for cat
licenses, $6 for American civil union licenses. We had 13 $1,370 death certificates and 195 for food handlers. Uh for KBC to announce at the recent KVC meeting, the board approved taking on
responsibility for organizing the 2026 St. Patrick's Day parade with support from Hank and Don Young. A formal proposal will be committed for the governing body before council member M. Uh thank you. Uh I'll start with DPW. It is the outdoor season
and that means lots of busy DPW employees as you go around the burrow. Some of the efforts you'll see are that they rebuilt the dock at the boat ramp and worked with the uh company to install new floating docks. The old docks will be dismantled and removed in
the coming weeks. Street sweeping round one was done. The next uh round will be in the weeks after Fourth of July. Leaf and branch pickup are completed. So if anybody has uh bags from now until I think the next time pickup is going to be in September. So in the interim, you
can drop your bags at the yard on Saturday mornings. Park maintenance between DPW, our contractual service, Department of Corrections, and Keyport Garden Club members. The parks are looking very welcoming. As always, residents are asked to notify DPW if
they notice any issues in our parks. Fire hydrant repair broad and hurly still waiting for the parts to come in. Delays are due to supply chain and tariffs. Green team, our explore the bayshore series speaker for May, Stephen not from safe coastal wildlife spoke
about American eels, crucial part of the Raridan Bay ecosystem. Next week on Wednesday, May 28th, we will welcome Erica Klene, who's a recent entomology graduate, lab man, and lab manager for the bee team at Ruckers, and she's also
a Keyport resident. Erica recently met with the Girl Scouts at the Elizabeth Street Community Garden as they were installing bee hotels, and she'll help us understand more about the thousands of species of wild bees that are under stress from increasing human activity.
We hope you can join us at 6:30 next Wednesday right here in this room. Green team will also be available during the Keyport Garden Walk days to help the garden club and share information about sustainable Jersey and our local green team. Cannabis first
quarter 2025 revenue from municipal taxes was $46,436. As mentioned in my April report, revenue from last year, which was only the end of April through the end of the year was $116,000. And that's it. Thank you.
Thank you, Council Member Merlin. Thank you, Mayor. Planning Board. Cash Street is this Thursday. Cash Street's postponed to June 26. So, if anybody's in the audience, want to know that redevelopment, but nothing happened.
They can't they can't hear you. You might want to my closer. Okay. For the planning board is this Thursday. Cash Street has been postponed to June 26 meeting. Redevelopment. We've been in conversation, but not this point.
Nothing at this time to report. Miss Mcamera just reported on public works, but I also see Bill and his crew doing a great job around town. Thank you to them. KBBC, I attended the meeting. I'm happy to see
that KBBC is supporting the parade this year, taking that over. We also talked in visual improvements that having new garbage pels through town and working on signs and streetscapes. Other business, um, I see
a lot of the grass. Here's a seat up here. In other business, I see a lot of people cutting the grass, landscapers, and blowing in the street just like when the leaves fall in the fall. Kim, can you please address this?
I know there's an ordinance and it's bad for the storm drains. That's all I have to report. Mayor, thank you. Council member Ryland, thank you. First aid has had 583 runs uh this year so far for finance. We're introducing
the budget this evening. That was worked on by the CFO, B administrator, department heads, and council members. Uh for the fire department, um the month of April fire responses is 44.
Year to date is 156. Uh there were two fires that the chief wanted me to share with the public. On April 11th, a commercial building fire was reported on Cast Street. Department crews arrived in under five minutes. The fire was placed under control in under 9 minutes and was
determined to be out in under 12 minutes. On April 12th, a residential fire with multiple explosions was reported. The crews arrived in under four minutes. The fire was placed under control in under seven minutes and was determined to be out in under 10 minutes. Since the beginning of the
transformation of reorganization, the fire department and its equipment, the response times from times of dispatch to arrival on scene has decreased to an average of four minutes. The members on apparatus has risen to an average of five members to apparatus. This is great
news for all of us. And that's all. Thank you, council president. Thank you, Mayor. Uh for NP, four of the picnic tables down at Beach Park have been installed and the fifth one is expected to be installed soon. For Harbor Commission, they had just asked, we had
a meeting last night. Um we're still working towards finalizing everything for the snapper contest, which will take the next few months. And I was asked to pass along information that the um US Coast Guard auxiliary safe voting course for New Jersey certification will be at
Airport Plaza Saturday, May 31st. Um, it's a one-day course, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 pm, $80 per person. Includes textbook and exam. Discounts available for families, military, police, fire, and EMTs. Individuals completing this course receive the New Jersey boating safety
certificate required for anybody operating a power boat or PWC. Seating is limited and if anyone is interested in this course, they are to call or text 732-5135758 and leave a message for Christina. And I also wanted to thank
DPW for starting an installation on the Hometown Hero banners that started today. They're hoping to finish them tomorrow pending any rain. I want to thank KBBC for the brackets that they project. Everyone who participated in getting a banner. We have 21 banners
that will be hanging in our town between Memorial Day and Veterans Day. And I want to thank Denise Nellis and VA Humphrey for helping me continue to work on that and finally get this done. You can Thank you, mayor. Thank you. Uh KBBC
I love keyboard day and taste of keyboard did very well. We didn't sell out as we did in previous years and we contribute that because it was during Mother's Day weekend. So next year we'll think of another weekend to do it, not Mother's Day weekend. I'd like to thank all that were involved and volunteered
as well as DPW police who did an outstanding job. Uh business all all of our businesses participated and the art society and garden club. So we were very happy to see everybody out and about. Um we continue to have some complaints from
the board regarding the garbage in the business district. So we'd like to see if that can be addressed with property maintenance. I know that we have sent out some violations. So, they'd like to continue with that. And maybe they need more cans, but we have to really see what our ordinance states on that. I
don't know because they're leaving the garbage they're leaving their garbage on the the sidewalk with all garbage bags laying on the ground. So, it has been addressed several times. I believe uh Paul Murphy is here for property maintenance and you guys have addressed that. We would have to discuss it
because of our contract. Okay. Um the KBBC would also like to address how can we send something out to the businesses if they're responsible for cleaning in front of their businesses because we're finding a lot of small airplane bottles throughout the town as well as cigarette butts. So
maybe clean communities can help out also. But is there something that we can send out to the businesses because they should really? Um yeah, I don't have a problem. Um, I will definitely talk to property maintenance about that. Like I sent out
the notices, the letters as well to the west street in relation to the garbage and maybe we can work in conjunction with the KBBC. Maybe there's some type of you guys can contact people as well. We'll work together. Yeah, the KBBC has also approved taking on the St.
Patrick's Day parade as you have heard. It is going to be March 21st, 2026. Uh we will be putting it before the governing body. The KBBC is contributing $6,000 from the KBBC to sponsor the parade. Uh the bands, we
have three of the bands already. Um the KBBC board would would also like to see how can we make uniform garbage cans with Councilman Mera, he actually had addressed that. Um the Mammoth County official travel guide is out. So we have
the KBBC, our events, keyboard events are in here. Two of the events did not make it because it had to go published prior to which is the food truck festival as well as the Italian festival. Um the library there's been a
little bit of an issue with the website working. So if anybody has been trying to get into the library website there was a little fluke that actually was happening and our library director is working on it. The summer programs for the library they're being worked on including story walk. Story walk walk
used to be on the Henry Hudson trail. So I made the recommendation maybe when our Cedar Street park is done and the walkway we could put the story walk around there. I think that would be nice to draw people down to our new park. Ed and Nancy Karu have started working on the gardens at the library.
So we'd like to thank them. We have put together our 250th semientennial planning committee. So we're going to start having our meetings. We're looking to have it the first meeting May 27th at 6:15 here because Tom Galla who's actually helping
me with it, he has a lot of information he'd like to share with our committee. Um the status of the fire hydrant on Broad and Hurley was still waiting for the rest of the parts. Bill Kane has checked with the hydrant company last week. They're still waiting on two pieces to arrive. It's scheduled to be
shipped to them on or about June 12th, unfortunately due to supply issues and tariffs. Everything's a little bit slower. So, just so everybody knows, we are working on that. And I believe there's only two more out. Correct. And that's
it. Okay. Do we have a motion to open to the public for um agenda items only? Motion. Second. All in favor? And remember, this is public comment only. If there's something that keep I
know if there's something that we can't answer, we will get back to you. Uh Dennis Dopoulos, 778 Beer Street report. Um the introduced budget, what is the uh levy increase for municipal
parks? Remember, it's public comment. Okay. I'd like to know what the me what the uh levy increase is for public purposes. If you can reveal that and also I want to thank mayor
council and the art society for about the honoring of Charles Marvel. Um this is something and I'm I'm not looking to take credit. I think I think that the folks that have pushed this across the finish line deserve all the credit in
the world. Um, but we've been I've been asking for this for quite some time now and uh I really do appreciate it. I did read the resolution, but what I would love to do, the resolution is great, but I think the resolution that we wrote a
few years back really captures part of uh what this was intended to do with with your permission. This is not official and I'm also in in homage to the art society as well. Um and it is a little bit over the top
too, I think. Uh whereas the Burrow Keepford is recognized as an arts, cultural, and entertainment hub throughout the county at Mon. And whereas the burrow in its master plan recognizes the importance of arts, culture, and entertainment in
substantially contributing to the burrow's character and history. Whereas one of the features of the arts community at the burrow was a mosaic was a mosaic sculpture that was unfortunately destroyed in supertorm
Sandy. And whereas at the July 2nd 2013 meeting of the Keep Burough Council, Art Society of Keep presented a plan to replace the destroyed sculpture with permanent mosaic sculptures which will be located near the Bonus.
Whereas the late Charles Marlo participated in all phases of this project and along with other members regularly worked to complete the project which was accomplished on October in October of 2017. And whereas a society of keep
Charles Mer shared the duties of quote project manager and motivator that helped ensure the mosaic sculptures project would be would be completed. And whereas Charles Merla's contributions to the burrow were not limited to those associated with the art
society of keyboard as he also directly participated in the keyboard garden club and served on the board of trustees of the keyport business improvement district organization. And whereas Charles Merl's legacy includes leadership his dedication to keyport his
self selfless example of volunteering as well as his advocacy of small businesses in Keyport. And whereas members of the art society of Keeport and many citizens of Keeport agree that Charles Merlo's legacy is evident even today and especially represented in the mosaic
sculptures on First and Broad Street. Now therefore be it resolved by the borrow burrow council blah blah blah um that uh well I'm not going to read the rest of it because it went into a whole thing about making the day Charles
Mara Day and all of that. We really went over the top. We really thought he deserved that. Um, and finally, real quick, the last interaction I had about the mosaic sculptures with Charlie was during a rainstorm before I was elected to council and he brought he asked me to
go over there and we were standing there with umbrellas and he just painted this beautiful picture of what the sculptures really were. I never realized until I got the low down from him. I miss him dearly. There are a lot of other people in this burrow that miss him dearly.
Obviously, his brothers are here and you all you guys have my respect as far as Charlie is concerned and I just want to thank you again. Uh while you know I think we could have expanded the resolution a little more. Um I'm I'm
really really grateful to uh you and the art society for bringing this forth and making it finally happen. Thank you. Thank you. Anybody else? Pakora 106 Chamber Avenue. I I agree
with Denny too about the um honoring of Charlie Mera. You know, when I first came to town 20 years ago, he was instrumental in creating the art scene here. And I remember when I first bought my house, he was actually uh you know one of the people who led
all the initiatives that turned this into you know it was sold as an art an artist community and uh he really uh you know added a lot to the town. So I'm glad to see that he's being honored. But my question actually is about um ordinance 2025-06. Um this is the one what we
don't have a 06. Oh okay. What's the third ordinance? 166 agenda consent agenda. Is that what you're talking about? Oh, I'm talking about the alley. Yeah, you're in public. After the the other Okay, I'll do that. Okay. Sorry.
Thank you. Anybody else? Elbert J. Graham Jr. 22 St. Gary's Place. Good evening, Madam Mayor. Administrator, Bal Council. Good evening, Chief. First of all, a few things. First of all, on keyboard day, outstanding. You all did an outstanding
job. Beautiful. And I'd like to thank the mayor and the burl administrator for buying me some ice cream, which is pretty good. But y'all, we enjoyed ourselves, believe me, back then. But anyway, um on resolution
2025-1266 authorizing the window contracts. Can you all explain that? Yes. Uh local public contracts law authorizes um purchases, but there is something called pay to play. Uh window contracts fall between the
$17,500 threshold and the $44,000 threshold. So it's just acknowledging that these businesses are below the threshold but have about the pay to pay threshold. Okay. And uh one more thing before I stop. Uh as far as Mr. Charles Merl goes, I definitely agree with
everything Mr. Patopolis said about him and everything like that. He deserves the honor. Thank you. Thank you. Anybody else? Okay. Do we have a motion to close to the public? All in favor?
Okay. For the governing body, is there anything on the cons consent agenda that we would like to discuss? Any questions? Um I I just have one quick one. Uh resolution 171 for the first aid use of
veterans park. If um when we respond back to them on the assuming everybody's okay with that, if we can just give them a copy of the current um permit application, it lists a lot more of the rules and regulations than
this one that they submitted from Laur. Yeah. So, I know it just has a you know, it's more detailed as to things like that. And I guess my question is also there 12 tables. They're supplying the tables, right? They're not asking for tables. It says on here 12 tables, so I just
wanted to make sure. I haven't I haven't gotten a request for them. It says use of 12 picnic tables. I'll find out. Okay. If they if they do, they'll they'll sign a hold on. Okay. Anybody else? Okay. Okay. Do you
have a motion to approve R2025-164 through R2025-173? Motion second. Council member Brady. Yes. Council member Gross. Yes. Council member McNamera. Yes. Council member Mara. Yes.
On all. Abstain on 173. Council member Riley. Yes. and council president Becky. Yes. Thank you. Thank you. Um public hearing adoption of ordinances ordinance number 2025-04 municipal alliance committee
chairperson Michelle will you please read the ordinance by title. This is an ordinance of the burough council of the burough keyboard in the county of mammoth state of New Jersey amending burough code chapter 2 administration section 2-7.9 municipal alliance committee.
Thank you. Do we have a motion to open to the public? Motion second. All in favor? Elbert J. Grab Jr. 22 St. Peter's Place. Uh on this ordinance 40.5-04 can more or less explain it in layman's
terms. Yeah. So, the state says that um for the municipal alliance committees, we're required to have a chairperson uh appointed and there are restrictions on who is eligible for that position. So, this just amends the code to allow for
the position of the chairperson and puts those restrictions in our burough code. Okay. Well, okay. Why would we have to have an ordinance for that? because our our code currently sets forth all the requirements for the municipal alliance
committee and then this is just bringing it into compliance with the state requirements. Okay. All right. Thank you. Thank you. Anybody else? This is about the this is a public hearing on the municipal alliance. Is that what you were talking about? Okay.
Do we have a motion to close to the public? Motion. Second. All in favor? Do we have a motion to adopt the ordinance? Motion. Second. Roll call, please. Council member Brady, yes. Council member Gross, yes. Council member
McNamera, yes. Council member Mura, yes. Council member Riley, yes. Council President Reio, yes. Thank you. Thank you. We have a motion authorizing the clerk to publish the ordinance as adopted. Motion second. All in favor?
Thank you. Ordinance number 2025-05 West Front Street loading zone keyport fishery. Michelle will read the ordinance by title. This is an ordinance of the Boa Council of the Boa Keyport in the county of Mammoth State of New Jersey amending
Burough Code Chapter 7A traffic schedules schedule 13 zones. Thank you. Do we have a motion to open to the public? Motion second. All in favor? Hi. Do we have anyone from the public that
would like to speak on that? Elmo, you're going to keep us busy tonight. Keeping you all on your toes so that you all get paid for. Anyway, J. There you go. See that? Okay.
There you go. Okay. Anyway, Elmer J Graham Jr. 22 St. Peter's place again in layman's terms. Why can he can he explain this? What's what's the Andy will explain it? It's just designating a loading zone in
front of the fishery to restrict people from parking in that area. Okay. Yeah, that believe me that is a problem in front of fishery. You take your life you take your life in your hands for that. Thank you. Thank you. Do we have anyone else from the public?
Do you have a motion to close to the public motion? Second. All in favor? Mayor, can I ask a question on that? Do do we know with the loading zone, will it stipulate anything like length of time somebody can be there that it should only be commercial vehicles or
anything? I mean, it is the requirements in the code. I I can't remember whether it's 15 or 30 minutes at a time, but does that need to be stipulated on any signage or to make your lives easier? It it would
be it should be on the sign. Yes. Okay. So, you can talk to me about what you want on the sign. Thank you. Motion. Motion to adopt the second. All in favor? Oh, sorry. That's a vote.
Sorry, Michelle. Council member Brady. Yes. Council member Gross. Yes. Council member McNeel. Yes. Council member Mura. Yes. Council member Riley. Yes. Council President. Yes. Thank you. Thank you. Ordinance number
2025-06 designating alley between block 21.01 Oh, sorry. It's because Kathleen messed me up. Motion authorizing the clerk to publish the ordinance as adopted.
Second. All in favor? I. All right. Ordinance number 2025-06 designating the alley between block 21.01, blocks 53 and 54 as a one-way street. Michelle, will you read the
ordinance by item? An ordinance of the burough council of the bor in the county of Mammoth, state of New Jersey, amending burrow code, chapter 7A, traffic schedules, schedule 9, oneway streets. Thank you. Do we have a motion
to open to the public? Motion. Second. All in favor? Do we have a mot? There you go, Alissa. Now is your turn. Okay. One minute. All right. All right.
So, I just actually have a couple questions. Uh, so this, um, is State your name. Oh, yes. Alyssa Pakora 106 Shinger Avenue. And so this ordinance, uh, is making the alley into a one-way street, right? And so I just wanted to
know first, is the alley currently uh, a private property or is that burrowed property? Yeah, it's designated as an easement, but it doesn't specify whether it's one way or two-way. Um, it's it's actually both this ordinance and the next ordinance are in conjunction with
recommendations from the county on access since it involves the county road. So, they recommended making it a one-way alley from Broad Street to the rear of the property and then to utilize the municipal lot at the rear. So the the next ordinance is for the cross
access easement between those adjacent properties, but currently yes, it's an easement for public access. Okay. For that alley. Okay. So then it's currently public property as opposed to public. And so then u and so then will it be
considered a borrowed road then uh if you do change it into the oneway and who will maintain it? I guess it's still burrow. You know, it might not meet the requirements to be designated as a road, but it is for right of way for access to vehicles, but only one way. Okay. It
will be. Yes. Okay. And isn't there a parking lot right uh through there? And so what what effect will uh this this have on uh the public parking situation because we know that parking is tight uh already. Well, the parking lot is still remaining there. We're not removing the
parking lot. You can access it from American Legion Drive. Okay. All right. Those are my questions and I just I guess I was wondering too, you know, was there any additional cost to taxpayers as a result of making this change? It's already an easement that's held by the
borrow for right away anyway. So any cost per Thank you. Anybody else? Do we have a motion to close to the public? All in favor? Do we have a motion to adopt the ordinance?
Michelle, please. Council member Brady, yes. Council member Gross, yes. Council member McNamera, yes. Council member, abstain. Council member Riley, yes. And council president, yes.
We have a motion authorizing the clerk to publish the ordinance as adopted. Motion. Second. All in favor? Thank you. Ordinance number 2025-07 cross access easement between
18-24 Broad Street and Barrow Parking Law. Michelle, may we read the ordinance by title? An ordinance of the Burough Council at the Ber of Keyport in the County of Mammoth State of New Jersey authorizing a cross easement with the
owner of block 21.01, 1 lot 54 for access between lot 54 and the burrow parking lot located at block 21.01 lot 49. Thank you. We have a motion to open to the public. Motion second. All in
favor? Do we have anyone from the public that would like to speak on that? Elmer. J Graham J2 St. Peters Place um in layman's terms what does it mean
access so the last ordinance was to designate this alley as one way and then at the point where it meets the municipal parking lot there's now going to cross access ement to allow access between the municipal parking lot property and the adjacent property which
is 18 to 24 street. Okay. So I guess that'll make it easier on traffic. It's making it so that it's just allowing for oneway traffic through that area. Oh, okay. That's good. All right. Thank you. Thank you, Elmer. Do you have
anybody else speaking on that? Okay. Do we have a motion to close to the public? Motion. All in favor? Can I answer the question? I was going to mess you up. Yeah. So, the the uh behind the building, that lot that's there, that's part of the
buildings property. No, that's private property. That's private property. Okay. And is that going to be a parking lot and stuff like that? No. Okay. And then I was over there today. So, it's just this tiny little like is
that just seems like And that's going to be the traffic fl like so the traffic that's exiting that parking lot and then going through our lot. I mean it's really it's Yeah, like this big Well, they do it now. I think
that's not open. The business isn't open yet. No, you're right. But I understand people still cut through there. Yeah, people cut through there all day long. But the reason is because if you come up to the broad street side Oh, you definitely don't want people You don't want that. You're up on the street already. Yeah. No, but I mean, are we
going to do anything about that? Like being able to get from the one lap to the other because it's just it's it's not really highlighted. We could do people just like go right out of the curve. We we could make we could make something happen like it has to be a
safety issue. You know, I'm saying that it was like I said, it happens. It's been going through now. It is. Yeah, it's because it could be two-way at that
point, right? Going from our lot to to the the business. Mr. Schwarz is here, so maybe we could talk on it later and see what it be. Hey, do we have a motion to adopt the ordinance? Motion
second, please. Council member Braden, yes. Council member Gross, yes. Council member Mcameron, yes. Council member Merlin, abstain. Council member Riley, yes. And Council President Beckham, yes. Thank you. Thank you. Do we have a motion
authorizing the clerk to publish the ordinance as adopted? Motion. Second. All in favor? I. Okay. So now we're going to have a presentation by Amy Ghaltz, which is our deputy clerk. Amy, are you ready? Yes.
This is for Film Ready New Jersey, just so everybody knows. I know that everybody knows that Netflix is moved in the area. So we want to be compliant with Film Ready New Jersey. And we've been working for almost two years on this.
Just grab that. That's fine. Do you want us to lower the legs a little bit? The other way. Jojo popcorn. Hello. Okay. Yes. So, as the mayor said, my name is Amy and I am your deputy
clerk and I'm so pleased to be here and share this presentation with you about New Jersey Home Ready. So, first of all, what is New Jersey Film Ready? It's a five-step certification process that the state provides to designate a municipality or perhaps even a county as
being film ready. It's a way to elevate and enhance a municipality or government entities ability to bring in the film production industry. So specifically the film ready um program is sponsored by the New Jersey Motion Picture and Television Commission
and they set up this program and I'm going to talk a little bit about it and where we are in the process. So some of the advantages of the film ready certification uh it provides tangible benefits for the municipality and for businesses and specifically it
it really is an opportunity to provide immeasurable benefits for the community. Um, you know, there's obviously a sense of pride when you see on the TV screen like, "Oh my gosh, that's Keyboard. That's that's my neighbor's house, you know, that's our library." And, uh, the
film commission really likes to say that being film ready is an opportunity to show off everything from the ordinary to the extraordinary. And and really Keyport has so much to offer. Specifically, municipalities can attain
the film ready community status recognition, which supports us being a place that the film industry wants to come and film at. Uh, the municipality has unlimited access to uploading location photos. Their locations are tagged as being
located in a film ready community. We have the ability to publicize the film ready designation and use the logo so our film permit can say we're a film ready community. And obviously we can get ongoing support and services from the film commission. And that's the acronym for the film
commission, the motion TV commission. This really brings business to businesses. It's not just about showing off something in town. It could be exterior being filmed. It could be the interior being filmed. But everyone
who's filming or part of the production, they need coffee. They need laundry services. They need catering to eat. So this is this is more than just showing off somewhere in the film but this is supporting the life cycle of the film production
and one question I have for so if they have to choose if they come into our town they have to choose our caterers our dry cleaners unless they can't find it and then they go to another not necessarily but by coming
into our town they get access to a a directory of the services that are in keyboard and so that highlights our businesses for them. So that's an excellent question. So I I do want to mention this is about bringing business
to our businesses. It's opportunities for our local businesses. Again, it's not just about where we're filming and showing off those locations. It is about the coffee that people buy and and so much more. Um, but another feature is
that by being film ready, businesses can list themselves in the production services directory that any production coming into this state of New Jersey can look at. And so this is something that we have a lot of antique shops and
specialty shops, vintage shops. If if people are looking for period pieces, they can say, "Where can I go to a whole bunch of shops to find something? Oh my gosh, check out our main street." like not Main Street as the title of the street, but check out our downtown.
There are still so a wonderful way to highlight what's in court. Our New Jersey film ready certification process is a five-step process. And of those five steps, we have already completed four of them. So, uh, the
first step is to becoming a film ready community is attending a workshop. and Mayor Rano has attended this workshop and I also attended the workshop after her designating a film ready liazison. Thank you. And and that was the
designation that did not require burough council approval but just an employee has to be designated adopting a formal permit process. We do have an ordinance and I'm going to talk about that in a subsequent slide. We have to upload film locations.
Some of those actually existed before I worked on them, but I've uploaded additional locations as well as added photos to the locations that were already there. And I do want to shout out to Jack who's here because Jack gave me some of his photos to use for the
update process. So, thank you very very much. And lastly is to submit a list of local resources which I've already submitted a directory to the health commission. Um I I just want to give you a little bit of history. So, I submitted the keyboard film ready application in
December 2023. Um, and then the film commission decided that they wanted to go through a formal rule making process. So, through the attorney general's office, the state rules and regulations um had to be written. There was a public comment period. Only rules and
regulations in the state of New Jersey now. And you can't be film ready certified until it's approved subject to these rules and regulations. Since those rules and regulations took effect before we received
approval, we now have to comply with the rules and regulations that have been established by the state. So, um, our office received feedback from the commission in late March 2025, and that's really what brought me
here before you today is that our ordinance that's been on the books for over 20 years has to be amended in order for us to comply with the rules and regulations for New Jersey Film Ready certification.
Um, just as a little bit of additional detail, um, once we adopt an updated ordinance in Keyport, the commission estimates it will take approximately two weeks, 10 business days to review everything and issue preliminary
approval. After they issue preliminary approval, it would go to the commission's board who would subsequently officially approve it and then we'd be officially certified as New Jersey Film Ready. The commission is meeting in July. Um, I don't have the
date written down, but so from a practical standpoint, by approving an updated ordinance before July, then then this could actually move forward and we could potentially be fully descertified by July. Um, so
that's that's a little bit of a timeline for you there. the changes to burough code. Specifically, the film commission provided five points that have to be updated in the current bureau code. And
um so everything that you you've seen for the the draft ordinance that's before you incorporates these items, these five items. It doesn't go any further beyond it. It just it meets the the changes that have been requested specifically from the commission. The
five changes. Yes. These five changes the film commission has put up on their website a film ordinance a sample fee schedule. Uh that's what's up there right now that you can see. I know it's kind of small but it is also
available on the website. And I just wanted to point out some of those fees. And I will also talk specifically about Keyport and our neighbors. So in Keyport, our current filming fee is $500, $500 flat. Um whether that's for 5
days or 5 months, it's just $500. Um so one of the recommendations from the film commission is to charge a daily fee. um and not to exceed a certain amount based on if it's a major motion picture or not a major motion
picture. I also wanted to bring up nearby municipalities um which already meet the filming fees in the sample ordinance from the film commission. And this was just my looking at a couple of different municipalities.
This is not um it I did not look at every municipality in Lebanon County. I just did a small selection near us. So the municipalities that have highlighted those six, Atlantic Highlands, Highlands, Hondell, Kingsburg, Madawani, Union Beach, they all have film fees
that are no more than the maximum that the film commission would allow. Right now, um I asked the film commission, there are 27 municipalities that are film ready certified and five additional have preliminary approvals.
Only one municipality in Mammoth County is among that 32 and that's Little Silver. They have preliminary approval. But again, all of these neighboring municipalities, they at least are within the fee structure. I
was also told by the film commission that many Mammoth County municipalities are in progress with their film ready certification. So, I imagine that all of us are like, we want to get announced by July. Let's go, go, go. Uh, but I haven't spoken to them, so I don't know
exactly where they are in the process. As I mentioned, July is when the commission will formally meet to review all the preliminary approvals and provide that certification. I just wanted to provide a recap on what's to come. So, we have
to review the changes and comply with the film ready program requirements, which we've done. We have to amend burough code. Today we would introduce that ordinance and at the next meeting we could adopt it and once it's adopted we would submit the revised ordinance to
the film commission where we get preliminary approval and finally be certified once their board meets. Some people are very excited about showing off what they have to offer whether it's their business or their home. Whether you just want to
show off the outside of your home or the inside of your home, that's up to you. Same with your business. But if you're interested also in being part of our production services directory, anyone can reach out to me anytime. My email address is deputy clerk@
keyportonline.com and I'm happy to to walk anyone through that and also to help supplement their directory listing or their location listing on the New Jersey Real Scout website which is the location finder for production services.
And then I didn't have any audio, but [Music] Amy, great job. I know that you've been working on it for a long time. Um I'm happy to answer any questions about the organs or so everybody also in the
audience we've already been approached by several actors that have come out here to to um you know use our explor and that wasn't your next Does the governing body have any
questions before we open to the public? Oh, it's just an introduction. Sorry about that. Thank you very much. Thank you, Amy. Great job. Okay. Do we have a motion to introduce? Motion.
Second. Council member Brady, yes. Council member Gross, yes. Council member Mcameron, yes. Council member Mo, yes. Council member Riley, yes. And Council President, yes. Thank you. We have a motion authorizing the clerk to publish
the ordinance as introduced for public hearing. Second. All in favor? Okay. So the next is the ordinance the color ordinance. Shall we read the ordinance? I tell you an ordinance of
the burough council of the key port in the county of Mamoth state of New Jersey. Ordinance to exceed the municipal budget appropriation limits and to establish a cap NJSA 484-5. Thank you. Do we have a motion to
introduce motion? Please. Council member Reed. Yes. Council member Briggs. Yes. Council member McNamera. Yes. Council member Mo. Yes. Council member Ryan. Yes. And council president.
Yes. Thank you. We have a motion authorizing the clerk to publish the ordinance as introduced for public hearing. Second. All in favor? I. Okay. Introduction of the 2025 municipal
budget. Uh resolution number 2025-174. Introducing the 2025 municipal budget. Michelle, will you read the budget by 10? This is the municipal budget of Abama Keyport County, New Jersey for the year 2025. Thank you. Do
we have a motion to intro? Is this the introduction? Yeah, we have a motion. Motion second. Council member Brady, yes. Council member Gross, yes. Council member Ma,
yes. Council member Mura, yes. Council member Riley, yes. And council president, yes. Thank you. Do we have a motion authorizing the clerk to publish the budget summary is introduced for a public hearing to be held June 17th, 2025?
Motion. Second. All in favor? I'm sorry that motion. Thank you. Okay. Approval of minutes. September 3rd, 2024 workshop meeting. November 15, 2024 special meeting. May 6th regular
meeting. We have a motion. Second. All in favor? I reports. Municipal clerk's report for April 2025. Tax water store collectors report April 2025. Board of Health
Treasures report April 2025. Building department report for April 2025. Municipal Court Report April 25 2025. Do we have a motion? Motion. Second. All in favor? Okay. Before we go into public comment,
I would like um Andrew Ball to re uh you know speak on the subdivision that's going to be held at the planning board on Thursday night because everybody thinks we're selling the waterfront. That's not it. So let him please speak on this. So this application again
scheduled for Thursday the 22nd. It's appearing before the planning board. The borrow has applied to subdivide uh the property along uh American Legion Drive and it's going to create 22 and proposed to create 22 lots. Um this is part of a
process that's been in place for years now. Uh American Legion Drive used to be right along the bulkhead. It was relocated down to its current location. uh and the tax maps and official documents of the burrow were never updated to reflect those new uh street
boundaries and the resulting lots. Part of this process went through D approval because the road's previous location to its new location actually technically constitute a diversion of parkland. It's for recreation and open space. So the D
has approved that because the street is essentially the same um area and the has approved its relocation and the new designation of what used to be the street as official parkland. Um but the final step in this process which was
authorized by resolution last year um in April 2024 was to subdivide the property and now officially designate the new boundaries of American Major Drive and the resulting lots. It does create a
number of lots which have lines that are contiguous to the adjacent properties uh along American Legion Drive, but it does not either give away or sell any of the borrowed property. If the burrow ever
decided in the future that it wanted to sell any of those parcels, uh if under the local lands and buildings law in New Jersey, we would have to authorize that by ordinance. It would obviously then go to a public hearing uh for determination on whether we want to consider selling
it at either a public auction for the properties or if they're smaller parcels, it could potentially be sold at a private sale to the adjacent property owners. But again, uh this subdivision does not result in the sale or giving away any of those properties. It would be subject to an ordinance at a later
date if that's ever decided. Right. And so that everybody also understands what you see on social media is not really what's happening. That's why I know many of you are here because everybody thought we were selling the waterfront. So I want everybody to know we are not selling the waterfront. So keep that in
mind when you read social media. You want to see what's happening, come to a meeting. Andrew, is that any of the lots that you're talking about being close to being buildable? I most of them are small. Most of them
are not buildable. And so they're all like more adjacent pieces, right? Most of them. Yeah. I can't say whether there's any that do put them all together, you probably have a lot. The area is very irregular. I'll say
that. Thank you. Some of those include current parking lots. Correct. Yes. So, behind Nemo's and then uh wrong um before you get to Burley's like a behind the and then over by Bley. So there's
actually at least three parcels that are municipal park. That's the road. And we're not selling the parking lots either. So keep that in mind. Well, is that separate from the lots? But we're not selling anything.
No, I'm just asking like these lines for the 22 spots, do they go through the parking lots that are there? Yes. Yeah, they do actually. Yes, it starts. It starts the roadway starts from 31 33 35
to 39. So if I'm not mistaken, I believe that Trevor Taylor sent a map. He did and it'll he has a map and actually this is today's emails on this. I just want everybody to know this is what our ber administrator goes through and this is
what our attorneys have to go through every day when someone questions one little piece of it. So when everybody's wondering why our attorney bills go up, it's because the questioning over and over the same thing that was discussed in executive session.
That was just the council members because I'm pretty sure that the public isn't it's not a dig. It's just letting everybody know where questions you can. Yeah, I can. But I want when the when the budgets pass so everybody understands where attorney bills come.
This is where they come from. No, thank you. I think that's supposed to ask questions because the attorney anyone can always ask questions. I'm just saying I want everybody to understand this is where the bills come from for our attorney in
a lot of other areas as well. I'm sure. Great. And I guess my question is going back to the way it was explained, the original thing we had to do is to be compliant for green acres. So that was
to redo I I guess the question from a lot of people that I've gotten is why is it not just the one or two lots, why is it 22 23 lots? Because it gives that implication of them parceling them off. And if we ever wanted to do that, why
wouldn't we just, if that was an arrangement we were going to do, why are the taxpayers paying to do the subdivision is the thing I've been asked. I can answer. Andy was not here. We discussed this in February of 2024 in executive session with the engineer, our
attorney. I was in executive session as well. And they can't hear you. Sorry. I'm usually louder. Sorry. Um, I'll start over. Um in February of 2024, it was before uh the governing body in
executive session. Um one it came about that we have a grant that required the completion of the subdivision. Um we have a grant over for Fireman's Park that area. Um we never completed that as the requirement. Um, in that same
executive session, we discussed there was one property that did ask um they had interest if the burrow ever were to get rid of it or want to sell it, compliment it, uh, vacate it, they currently um, do use that area that um,
they would be interested. In that executive session, the guarding body said that would not be a bad idea to do that. So, we would already have to do a separate subdivision for that. the engineer presented to the governing body that we could do it do each parcel. So that way going forward in the public we
wouldn't go back do another application pay the professionals and do it again for each subdivision you'd then be paying again and as we know professional rates do go up and to have it all done at one time but to be clear borrowed property cannot be given away um by a VA
by an engineer by the attorney this is something that has to be done by the governing body by so I just want to be clear there's there's no other story to be given that's it. That's that's it. So, it was before the governing body. They made a decision. The proposal went
before for a vote uh by resolution. It was clear in the proposal what was being done and um that's where we're at today. Thank you. Okay. Do we have a motion to open to the public? Second. All in
favor? In favor, please. I favor. Thank you. Anyone from the public? Remember this is public comment only. My name is I'm sorry. It's public comment only. So I'm just reminding everybody.
Oh, are we I'm sorry. No, no, it's just for public comment. I can't ask questions, right? But we can get back to you if there's something we can't answer. Okay. Was there ever going to be time we can ask questions. No, it's public comment. Well, now is when you would want to get, right? So, put it out
and then we'll get back to there's nothing. Well, my name is Kathy Graham and I'm with 25 Murder Avenue and uh my first comment would be that the attorney mentioned that there was a D approval issued and I'd like to know
when that was done. Uh my second comment is that something I would like to know is uh if this property is still listed as green acres property on our green acres
list. Uh the third thing I would like to know is what state approvals were given in order to do this because uh it's my opinion my not my opinion but my
uh my belief that the state must approve before you go to the planning board. Um, so if the state did give any approvals to that, I'd like to know what date and um, if the property is on Green
Acres List, it is my understanding that property of equity must be replaced. So I'd like to know which property that is and it has to be equity
you know equivalent property which would be adjacent to a park and with a water view etc. And um and I think that's it for now. So I have most of the answers. 2017 uh DB did approve this. It approved the relocation of the road and as you
said determined that it was equivalent value the prior location of the road right adjacent to the bulkhead to its current location today. So that diversion or the exchange of park land was approved by D. I don't have the exact date but I know 2017 was when that
was approved. The Rossy as far as I understand it was updated in 2017 but does not reflect the current property designations which is partially why we need to you know subdivide and have a little trouble understanding some of the things that you're saying.
The first thing that you said was the D approved which property to acquaint. So this all stems from the relocation of American Legion Drive, right? So previously it ran right near the bulkhead and it was relocated to its
current position today. That swap was the the location it is today used to be Funded Parkway. So DP took the old location of the road and accepted that in exchange for the current designation
of the road and that approved that swap as a diversion because it's essentially equal area. It was slightly more that D got as parkland as a result of that new relocation. So we have all the documentations. It's all a matter of
public record and I'm sure we can. So the property that you're discussing now is not on the list anymore as as property. It's not on our list. It's it's got outdated references to the old lots which we need to update the rosy to
reflect the new subdivided properties once those are officially in place. But our tax maps and our recreation and open space inventory, when I say rosy, that's what that stands for, reflect the old designations. The tax maps at the old location of American Legion Drive. So, the borrow needs to finalize this
process by going through the subdivision in order to have the new lots, have the new road designated, and then be able to record those final documents to close this thing out. I'm still having a trouble understanding that the the property that you're
discussing subdividing the property that is on the planning board and I'm asking questions. Is that okay now? Yeah. Okay. Well, it's might not be able to answer. He has all the answers. So he may not have all the dates in front of him. Is the property that you are going to the
planning board to have sub to receive permission to be subdivided is listed but you are going to change it. You're going to update it so it's not on cleaning. No. So it's it's
reconfiguring, right? Because the the designations are the old designations and include where the road used to be, but now need to update to reflect the current lot sizes and the current lot designations for what is going to exist there, what does exist there now. And
those new configurations are done with the state approval. Yes, I get it. You're thinking, are we reducing or adding to our Rosy? Yes, I think that's the question. Are we adding or reducing the roster? So adding
by a additional land, a tiny sliver that it's almost exactly the same amount of parkland, but this is just it's just due to the the road previously going along the bulkhead and now being relocated. But those it's new areas, it's new lots that
are designated. So the documents need to be updated to show what the acreages are, what the lot designations are. and the 2017 approval um there's not a limit in the amount of time because I know it requires environmental studies
and things is you know I mean there has been some changes there with with some collapses and things like that um you know does an approval from 2017 still apply in in that amount of time considering it needs environmental study
yes I'm not aware of any restrictions that would prevent us from relying on there. But there are there's two different parcels, right? There's the the Rossi stuff and then there's the burrow owned property that is not part of neighbor. It's all in this same Yeah,
it's all Thank you. Thank you, Sammy. And just so everybody knows, this is on the planning board this Thursday. Am I correct, this Thursday? This is a question you might want to answer. council, you say
that we're the old tax map from I guess 2007 is the one you're referring to, right? I don't know the date of the old, but it's the one that reflects the old road, right? No, the new tax map which is published
with Mammoth County reflects the new one. May I approach? Sure. Chief Chief, it's my it's my iPad. He can come with me. That's fine. Is that right, Chief B? The one on the burrow website shows the old, right? It does.
It's never been updated. That's That's the new one that's on the county website. And it shows the new road. This was done by CME. So, you guys might want to think rethink that. It also has it also has the lot contiguous with the parking and
everything else and the parking lots designated. So, even so, it there's been no official subdivision of that property. So it's it won't be legally binding until the borrow goes through that subdivision process, right? I mean the the the the lots and blocks right
now that are established in the in the tax map are legally binding, right? And they were established not until the subdivisions approved. Which subdivision? The one that's currently board on Thursday, right? Well, that's a
diff that those subdivisions aren't approved, right? like this tax map, these these blocks and lots, these meets and bounds, this plaid is approved, is is is legally binding, is it not? I'm not
really sure. I'm grasping this. My understanding, and maybe there's something I'm missing here, but my understanding is the subdivision, those current designations have never been approved formally, which is why we need to go through the subdivision process. So CMA submitted it to Mon County, but
it wasn't No, no, the C the borrower submitted it. I'm sorry, mayor. That's okay. So I'm just asking. So CMA when they we submitted, but CMA drew up the plans for threw up. Right. Yes. CME prepared the plans for the subdivision
and apparently this it's on the it's on the right. and it's on the county board of taxation tax website has the official tax map of people and I know that the tax map that's currently on the borrow website is the old
one you guys might want to we'll look into it further but um if I could jump in quickly um it was the state themselves that said that it was not done and we had to do it like I had brought up the grant that we had it's
that it was never filed. The what? The subdivision. So the state that it was not complete, right? The subdivision that moved the road to its current location there. The one that you're looking at right there. Yeah. That
that's the tax map. That's right. So what the tax map is representing is not the legal subdivision. Okay. Thank you again. Anybody else? Yeah, Michael. Mike, you dropped something.
Mike Lane, 512. I have a couple of exhibits that I Yeah, sure. Back in the I was heavily involved in the execution
of the changes at the uh waterfront park and uh I got the Army Corps of Engineers involved because the birds design uh was totally unacceptable. They were going to
build a bulkhead 4 feet wood above the uh ground level. Uh I brought the Army Corps of Engineers in and they said absolutely no. And then I worked on
getting multiple public hearings on the plan. Uh we had public hearings in this building with more than the number of people here tonight. whole house and the recommendation from the public and I have multiple documents from the state
people who attended those meetings that uh this was a good idea to move from a waterfront roadway to a waterfront park. And what's interesting in and this this
piece of paper I gave you illustrates it is we did not change the boundaries of the waterfront park or the green acre by moving the roadway. The boundary for
the waterfront park was the southern uh edge of the properties on 48 I'm sorry on West Front Street with 24 business lots to eliminated the boundary of
the Green Acres Waterfront Park and that was unchanged between moving the the uh roadway from being along the bulkhead to being along the back section of the
property. We didn't change. What's happening now is there's a quote need to take the area between the roadway and the existing unchanged waterfront area and subdivided
into 22 different lots. That's what's going on. Now, I have a second exhibit to illustrate that. Kim, did you get an exhibit? No.
What do you need? Can you get something? Do you need something from here? No, I'll get it. Is it? You need this? Yeah. Okay. I need the officer to and I'd like to have the
leftovers from these handouts for the later week. Now, what this picture shows is that we're taking the area between the roadway and the southern boundary of the of
the business lots on West Front, which delineate the edge of the waterfront part. And we're putting in that sliver of ground 22 new
lots. 22 new lots. And the new lots are all designed to match exactly the lot lines of the existing businesses. And example, one of
the the new lots is shown in green is the lot behind it's lot 40 I think 401 lot 40 and 421 which is the lot behind the new construction with the mixed juice building that's going on at 36
west front which they have already in their plans designated as the access road to get into their underground parking lot. 36 or 31 West. 31 West. Sorry. I think I marked 31.
Uh but it's the site of the new construction. So this these 21 lots are exact match to the boundaries of the
businesses on just outside of the green acres waterfront park boundary which is unchanged. So we have created between the waterfront park boundary and the roadway
22 new lots. Why? Why? What's going on? It sure looks to me to be a setup. It's not a setup. Mike, please. I'm going to use the term. It's not a setup. Please. It is a setup. It's not a setup. What do What do you
think? We're making something out of this. We're not We're trying to be in compliance. I mean, you heard our attorney say, you heard Kim, I forward to you tonight, Mr. Robbie Berg, and I don't think he's here, did an extensive memo on the fact that there's no need
for this at all, that and and I copied it to all the members of council. I copied it to him and it's extensive documentation and he was heavily involved as I was in the
development and change of the location of the road and that's all we did was change the location of the road. Now Mike, your five minutes is up. I would like more than five minutes. I asked the council to allow me more than
five minutes. No. What would the council like to do? I'm okay with and what I my bottom line is what I'm proposing is that you take an option to not go before the
planning board that's coming and delay it until you have more time to understand what's going on. and to really look at Mr. Bergen extensive documentation of the fact that this is
unnecessary that we did a tremendous job when we worked the problem and documenting now and I have a binder with all of the green acres listings over the decades.
And there's no there's no change in the work area. Um now so yes you you have put a notice out for
a subdivision 22 lots. Now, what's interesting, there's no delineation in the application. If you go on the planning board site, there's no delineation of why, what's what's the reason for this subject. Uh,
and that should be listed under the section on the planning board relative to your application, and it's not. So, that's a real gap. And as I said, the the only thing you've done is snuck or put 22 blocks into the
area between the roadway and the uh original waterfront boundary. Now, what's interesting is all the lots match the width of the
businesses above it above the boundary for the waterfront park. The lots, most of them are 50 ft wide. Some of the lots are 20 by 50, which means you got a,000 square ft. Some of the lots are bigger
than 25 50. Some are less than uh 10 by 50 or around 10 by 50, 500 square, but all those lots that you're creating are in the general commercial district. And so if
you move those lots to the owners, which they all line up with, you're going to create the opportunity to completely change the nature of the waterfront park. the opportunity and we and we had the
problem if if you remember a couple years ago, one of the owners of the property on West Front Street uh used his driveway in the back to run a
uh food business uh like like we have at the park where you can have hamburgers and hot dogs. and he was taking away business from our um legal hot dog
stand at Beach Park. And the the Beach Park application is paying a fee to the burrow and this person was basically putting the hot dog vendor out of business at each park. And so the burrow
moved in and shut back down. So these 22 lots is the potential going forward for the nature of the fireman's park
west for the for the waterfront park to change significantly. And so I ask you to hold off on your planning board hearing until you do a little more investigation. Um the secondly is how much how much is it
costing I mean that was a tremendous effort by CME to define these 22 lots and what's interesting none of the 22 lots are defined by survey they're defined by where
where pipes were in the ground, you know, marker markers. And I don't know if you know the history of the first street properties when we did the bulkhead work, but you can't count on those pipes in the ground to be
valid. We had to remeasure them all because I give an example. When my next door neighbor put in a concrete wall, she moved the pipes, moved the boundary markers. And so the work that CMA is
doing, if I read the drawing correctly, and I gave you a copy of it, if you look at it, you say pipe pipe pipe pipe is, you know, quote, and we didn't we didn't do surveys. A sub subdivision requires
surveys. And then you're going to have these 22 lots. Every one of these lots has to be registered right at the county. So we're going to have all that expense. The lots are we going to create deeds for the
lots. All the other lots have deeds associated with them. And those deeds in the past have restrictions on what the the use of the lot is. So we're creating lots without surveys. for creating lots without
deeds. Uh, and they all have to be registered. How much is all this costing us? What how much is it costing the taxpayer? Have you looked at that? So, I ask you go into the stall mode for a month
or two till you really get this under your belt. And uh because we're we're talking about spending an additional taxpayer money in addition to all the filings and and the deeds etc.
paying attorneys to represent the burrow and the planning board here and also to give you time to really look into this extensive document that uh Mr.
Robert Fergen who was mayor when this was all going on provided by email and asked for to be distributed and I will take the opportunity to distribute to everybody that gets my emails really extensive and it says
there's no basis at all for what you want to do. And so I ask you just to pause just to pause just like uh Castry is pausing for two months until June. Just pause
it. pause this operation until you can actually get it on the air. Get get a complete understanding of what's going on. And again, if you look at that exhibit I gave you, why are we
creating this strip in in between the roadway and the property line to put 22 watts? Thank you, Mr. May correct the record if that's okay. I apologize for the
interruption. It wasn't CME who I don't my recollection was it was CME that did this because it was done around when I was on council but it's uh it's Waltz that's uh who was it Waltz who said yeah
hold on one second. It's the same James Waltz 2008 is what's on the on the uh county website right now and that reflects American Legion drive as it is now. My apologies. Thank you. Kenny
Schwarz T&M was involved and I have a whole set of engineers not Kenny Schwarz 52 Brook. Uh I don't I don't like to get up here. I didn't want to say anything. When I heard the thing
about setup, uh I want to talk about it. Um I uh two a couple of things. First, if you for now, I don't come to a million meetings, but my hearing is not great. I can't hear back there. So, I was hoping, you know, raising the level.
The other thing is maybe you can move that TV over and put another TV and face it that way. But that's nothing to do with this, but I thought it made sense for 600 bucks. Um, I own a few of those lots that we're talking about. And on a practical
basis, when I saw what they were, this was pointed out to me. I got to be practically very honest with you. I don't care about those lots. All they look to me is more gravel that I have to be worried about
that somebody's going to slip on and I'm going to get a lawsuit. If you go and look at those lots, they're just an extension of the properties that you can't, at least the ones that I'm aware
of that I can't use. So if you if it's a big problem and the town wants to keep them, I don't want them. Okay? And I mean that. I could care less about those pieces of property because I think the thing is what it
sounds when you make a nefarious uh accusation. It sounds like, oh, they're giving away free lots. Well, I'll tell you what I'm getting. I'm getting more liability. I'm getting more gravel. I'm getting more
nothing. Okay. And you can make all the inua in insinuations you want, but it's wrong. And believe me when I tell you, if you want to keep my lots or you want to give them to Mike,
you can give it to him. Patrick Moroni, 313 Main Street. Good evening. Uh kind of want to change the subject just a little. Um interested in the possibility of video recording these meetings and putting them up. Actually
started that tonight. She's just doing as a laptop right now. Okay. Yeah. Hopefully we're getting a good copy of this and I'll post it. Working on it. Okay. Been working on it.
Was waiting for access to the owl camera. I brought my laptop tonight. She got the like if you if you were absent. She That's what she's doing. She just got I just got Yeah. Not too long ago. She's just Oh, I see. Okay. So, it's I
just have to figure out how much time today to figure out how to connect page and and we can just see, you know, we want um the only thing just kind of comes to I'm kind of an aesthetics guy coming into town. You
know, I'm just wondering of ways to like beautify Broad Street. You know, I we were considered those uh like flags that that hang on on, you know, telephone poles banners. I should say there' be like a thing here and a thing there.
It's kind of like, you know, you could change, oh, you know, history, you know, a keyboard or or you know, they change with the season or something like that. I I see these in other, you know, historic towns. It's just seem like a nice kind of thing. Yeah, I think Broad
Street's a little underwhelming town. And I also kind of wanted to say the same thing about Front Street. Um, it just see I don't know. It seems like it's it's kind of dirty and maybe there's like two trees on Front
Street and looks like maybe there used to be nice trees there and there, you know, I don't know. I understand cost money. I know it's always cost money, but that's just my comments and you don't have to
respond with that. It's just my name is K 46 East Street. Um, I have to say that Keeput, this beautiful town that we live in, is definitely at crossroads
right now. Crossroads in terms of what will happen to it in the future in terms of development. And people are cynical, especially after last year, a
developer was allowed to run rough shot, destroy property, and destruct people's lives. So people are naturally cynical. They love the character of the town. They're out here showing it as they should. So the not having seen the maps,
I will be attending the meeting Thursday. The interesting point that Michael brings up is that they run exactly with the property coming down from Front Street, right? What are the possibilities of one of
those property owners obtaining their lot behind them and extending and building that way and building something like the monstrosity we have on Front Street? Well, they can't they can't build without the council's approval to
sell the lot and that's not what we're we're so why were the lots drawn up there? Uh we've already that we drew these lines because somebody approached us about buying a piece of property. So to say right now that that's not why it's being done is not true. Couldn't it have been drawn up just as borrow land
and green acres for simplicity and to save the taxpayers the money of all the engineering cost? I asked the same question. Well, I'm asking it now could have been drawn differently. Certainly it could have been much
simpler and much less expensive. Correct. I don't know what the cost. Well, you wouldn't have to draw 22 lots up. You just draw one line for federal land, one line for green acres. So, naturally, you've gone through the expense of this. People are cynical
again. And I'd have to say deservedly so. People love this town. They love the character of this town. And there's certain things that are happening in this town which are not in character with the town that the people grew up with, that the people moved to, and the people here love.
Um so if it was drawn up as green acres and burrow land just two different classifications two simple classifications we would have the guarantee of enjoying this property the residents not only the residents how many visitors do we get on
the prominade I mean this is one of the key attractions of course and people are worried that you're going to ruin it so what guarant ities do we have that that will never happen. Thank you.
[Applause] Hello, my name is Laura Day, 100 Jackson Street, Keyport. What is your name? I'm sorry. Laura Day, 100 Jackson Street, Keyport. Uh, my appearance here tonight is to ask Keyport Council to prohibit a
public util utilities opt out fee for smart readers in the bureau of Keyport. In exhibit one that I've just handed out, federal law states that smart meters are to be requested by homeowners. HR6, known as the Energy
Policy Act of 2005, states on page 370 in section 1252, Smart Metering, Subparagraph A, 14A, the key words are quote, upon customer request, end quote. In some
paragraph A14 C, the key words are quote customer requesting end quote. In exhibit two, a state the state of New Jersey legislation bill is pending A4786 quote prohibits public utilities
from charging smart meter opt out fees. End quote. There is no guarantee that any bill will pass. This is why I bring this subject in front of my town's council members. As previous as previously stated, federal law makes smart meters a
choice. Therefore, Jersey Central Power and Light or JCPNL also makes smart meters an option. Many people choose not to get them. JCPNL calls this an opt out. But at the same time, JCPNL employs a
strong armed tactic to force a monthly meter reading fee to these customers who never changed their service plan. Meter reading was always a part of the utility service ever since the advent of home electricity. I believe this opt- out fee
is extortion. Additionally, I believe this opt- out fee is discrimination. The added charge is not a rate increase, but it is a penalty for selected group of customers who fail to exceed to JCPNL's
objective. In exhibit 3, on March 28th, 25, JCPNL started charging me $15 a month meter reading fee. The March electric bill demonstrates an actual meter read. On
exhibit 4, April 29th 25, JCPNL charged me $15 a month for a meter reading fee. This April electric bill demonstrates an estimated meter read. JCPNL committed lararseny by taking a monthly read meter reading fee
with an estimated bill. Exhibit five. Another pending state legislation bill is 8 A 1292. quote, "Requires electric public utilities to obtain written consent and
provide written disclosure prior to installing smart meters." End quote. The public utilities never asked customers for written consent. JCPNL simply bulldozed their way onto private property changing out meters. If you did
not want a smart meter, you have to pay $4446 to have it taken out. This demonstr This is demonstrated in exhibit six, JCPNL's introduction to smart meters. Our home's electrical service can now be remotely controlled using
smart meters. These meters are two-way communication devices that we did not authorize on our property. These devices are part of an advanced network like the internet. This network is not impervious to cyber
attack. Smart meering can be disabled by a computer worm. The exposure, this exposure is a clear and present danger that was caused by the electric public utilities in which a homeowner has no way of
thwarting this imminent threat to their domain. In exhibit seven, the underwriters laboratory states that smart readers are limited to 600 volts maximum. This statement should also apply to the opt- out digital meters referred to in
exhibit six. A high voltage transformer surge can blow out an electronic meter, creating a fire hazard. Exhibit 8 demonstrates that thousands of homes had their smart meters explode when a truck
crashed into a utility pole. In conclusion, smart meters only benefit the public utility company. I ask the keyword council to stop the corruption in this juris jurisdiction and support a no opt out fee for public
utility smart meters. Second, please order restitution to homeowners for any damage caused by the electric utility in the course of their objective including the above stated via 446.
Lastly, please order that homeowners may have the option to revert to their original electromechanical beater to avoid fire hazard. Thank you. Thank you. Anybody else?
Can I go for Hi. Oh, you I don't even see you. Nicole Hen, a Carney Street keyport. Um, I have several things I'd like to uh ask John. Um, I live on County Street. It's a very narrow, tight street, as some of you have driven down. Um, our access
point is through Barn Street, which is also narrow. Um, at one point, I believe it was a oneway. I'm not sure. I can't really find that information, but it operates as a two-way in and out of our section, which is the closest to Burrow Hall, this side. And the challenge is we're seeing an influx of cars over the
last two years, and I've lived in my home for 17 years. the last two years, I can count five, six, seven cars a day coming down Barn Street and making the illegal turn and going the wrong way down um Card Street. Um we've called the police department several times in the
past, especially with festivals and things, people not knowing, but it doesn't matter how many times we yell, it you can't catch them because they're going too fast. And the challenge is when they get all the way down the street to Elizabeth, there's no stop sign there because it's one way. So, the fact that we haven't had a crash yet is
pretty much a miracle. There's also a lot of small children now within the neighborhood. Um, they ride their bikes and these cars going down the wrong way is is definitely a risk. The second issue we have is the parking so close to the corners, especially coming out of
Barn Street to turn onto Main Street. Um, both sides of Main Street coming out of Barnes, there's always cars parked very close to the corner. And even though it's not yellow per se where they're parking, it's very difficult to try to make a right or even a left out of that area. And because it's the only
access out that we have down that end of the street, um it potent it potentially causes a safety risk for for drivers. Um again, um we're noticing people parking in the no park section on Barn Street, which again there's no parking on that
street as well. So I guess my question is what can we do to rectify that just be short of bothering chief every day? You'll have to get involved. I'll take Okay, we'll have a chat. Okay, perfect. Um my last thing I'd like to bring up is
um in 2013 we um were enrolled in a uh Mammoth County annual reassessment on our taxes. Um it was supposed to be a 5-year pilot program and it's 2025 and it's still continuing. So my question is um what what is town doing to um
potentially um get us out of that program um since I don't see it being a benefit to us any longer. Um I know other municipalities who are enrolled in Mon County have been um engaging in litigation to opt out. So I'm just curious if we know or have a plan how do
we get ourselves out of that? Thank you. Somebody else. There you go. Lo, 77 West Front Street. Uh, mayor, council, neighbors, good evening. It's my first time up here. I'm pretty new to town about a year and a half. Um, just I
hate to be labor the topic of the subdivision, but just a couple quick questions. Um, so do we know what logic was used like any requirements specifically around the 22 subdivided lots? I think we'll have to talk with our
engineer on that. Okay. Because I I heard a lot. You can also come to the planning board on Thursday because I will be there. Yeah. So, I I just wanted to make a note because I heard a lot of reference to like the existing property lines just extending outward, but behind lots 27
through 31, that's not the case. So, that's like actually larger, and that happens to be behind my property, so I'm most concerned. So, um, and the next question would be, um, is there any thoughts or plans around leasing, like short-term leasing any of that property?
I know you mentioned not selling and for the record I didn't send you an email but I'm just curious like you know I I heard mention of like a hot dog stand or something like that. Is that on anyone's mind? No. Okay. All right. Thank you very much. Appreciate it.
That's helmet J Graham Jr. 22 St. Peters plays a few things. Uh on a first of all, on a lighter note, as far as the Mets are at Boston tonight at Pedway Park for you Mets fans, top of the seventh inning, Red Sox Red Sox flee two to nothing. But
you know, we can come back for that and we're going to come back and beat those Yankees the next time. So City. Okay. Anyway, um another thing as far as the waterfront goes and this everything in this beautiful burough keyboard, let me
tell you something. This mayor and this council very much have the taxpayers's interest at heart, believe me. And they're doing an outstanding job on that. So, it is important that the planning board meeting is
important on Thursday night. So, okay, two other things. Uh, you've heard me talk about this before and I'll talk about it again. It's about we care, adult daycare. I go there twice a week. It's on Highway 35, Kings Highway in
Middletown in Middletown Redbank. I help them out. They help me out. Uh, believe me, the staff there is outstanding, especially with people that uh have advanced dementia and everything like that. And believe me, I I see it every
time I go there. For I would recommend them to any caregiver of a loved one, please consider We Care Adult Daycare. Like I said, the staff is outstanding and they have a Facebook
page and uh they're excellent. I highly recommend them. One last thing, I'm a member of the American Legion rared post 23 here in Teapport and uh any honorably discharged veteran is welcome to join
us. We meet the first Thursdays of every month at 19:30 hours at 7:30 for youm for you civilians and uh they're an excellent organization again American Legion rar post23 and please any honorably discharged
veteran is welcome to join us thank you thank you I would also like to state on um Monday Memorial Day American Legion they have a ceremony that they do at um They have one at the library, one at the World War I memorial. There are two new
that they're adding. They're also going to have it at four different cemeteries. There's also one in front of the Legion and then we have one at the waterfront. So, if anyone wants to attend, it starts at 11 a.m. in the morning. Anybody
else? Susan, my name is Suzanne. 141 she um I'm not sure if I need to address Mr. confirm or in the council, but towards the end from the water to the
end of Walmart all the way down the first street, I guess they think this is the Indy500. Um there's been multiple residents um that almost got hit. People walking their dogs because there's not ample sidewalks on all sides.
And also from uh Oak Street one like that that stop sign it's like way far back. They don't even like stop and when I'm pulling out of my driveway if I take my time because
they just come right around they don't stop. I've been almost hit numerous times and like something needs to be done because it's really dangerous for not just myself but residents. years people moving in with kids and babies
and it's just really bad and it's been bad for several years and plus the street isn't like a smooth. So when you're coming off of first street like you got to kind of go on the other side because there's like dips and you're
going to get holes in your tires and like they don't stop. They just fly right down. And when I'm coming off of first I only have to go up a little bit. I put my blinker on and they see me and they just keep moving. They don't stop.
And it's not even the tractor trailers. It's the regular residents around there and something needs to be addressed because somebody's going to get hit or severe car accident and it's like really
bad. Chief, thank you. Um, can I also mention that it's really important if you call the police department number too when it's happening so they can send someone out. Okay. Well, when I'm going off
Hello. Uh, Donna Baranza, 163 First Street, formerly 294 First Street. Um, so I just wanted to thank you for the opportunity. It's I wish I could have come to these earlier.
Uh, but I'm retired now, so I'm here. Um, so I just want to say there was some mention of traffic. Um, living on First Street, you know, we've been fighting problems with traffic for many years. Uh, people driving down, going way over
the speed limit. Um, I I think there, you know, there could be other options to slow people down whether it's stop signs, traffic lights, speed bumps, something because um, we have a lot of new residents and I noticed a lot more
people too out walking around and that it's you're too close to the road when you're walking on the sidewalk on First Street and there's a beautiful new playground right down by the waterfront and there is no sign on the road saying that there is a playground there. So, I
think more more signage we put out, please slow down signs, you know, maybe some more, you know, remember our children live here, you know, please be careful just and I'm happy to be part of a committee or whatever to enforce it.
But, you know, we've got a camera, speed camera, check them, and they just I mean, it's insane how fast they go. And I know everyone's aware of it, everyone's heard about it, and it's not enforced and it's just dangerous all around. Um, so thank you for that. Um,
the subdivision at Waterfront, I mean, yeah, a lot of us are here because of that. Um, you know, because we are worried. I walk down there every single day down First Street onto the boardwalk and and it's an amazing, beautiful place to be. But, you know, I think we're all
nervous about all the development. There's a lot of development. Now, I've only been in Keyport seven years. Um, but you know, it is adding traffic and activity and people are worried that
things will be sold out and and it's, you know, whether there is an easement that can be done or, you know, eliminate the roadway to regular traffic. We also have a lot of bikers coming through town and it's, you know, hate to say, it's a
quaint small town, but it doesn't seem to be um dayto-day. It doesn't seem that way. Um anyway, uh I think that's almost it. And I was just curious what the status is of Cedar Street Park. We started
that. So, yeah. Um we're getting at this port. Yeah. Sorry. Um, we're looking at this portion that we're doing right now. We keep applying for more grants more and more. So, it's not going to be available all summer the
for pickle ball, tennis, any of that. I don't I don't believe so. There's a possibility if they go ahead of schedule. We'll be sure to let everyone know, but yeah, maybe signage at the park when the project is due to be completed. All right. Thank you. Thank you.
That's my girlfriend. I am getting older question. John Snider 163 First Street. Um I bought her a gun, but she doesn't a radar gun for the cars, but then it scares him, but she doesn't she doesn't use it. So, thank
you. Can I talk about 250 real quick? I'm on the committee the Mammoth County Clerk and Tom Arnown committee. They've been on it for the last couple of years. I've got a couple assignments that I'm working on. I go to all the meetings so I can be your representative. I don't see anybody there from the historical
society. We do. Tom Gallow is actually Oh, yes. I saw him last time. Yeah, that's right. But but you're more than welcome. Tom's okay. No, no, we have a nice committee. So, if you'd like Yeah. No, no, I would like to be part of it. In fact, I mentioned Keyport in my new book
that's coming out July 4th uh about fighting for freedom on Ritton Bay. And a lot of people don't know that there was lots of battles in the boats and the mosquito fleets and and there were floating mines actually in barrels back
in the days. Hi, how are you? Uh so that's good. But yeah, and then I'm also doing a a guide, a traveling guide book uh for the clerk on uh all the different places you can go in Mammoth County. So, it's a kind of a travel guide that you can go here and here. This will be a
location as well. So, it's but it's all revolutionary war kind of sites that'll be out and then u say oh and I have another boat another book coming out in a couple of weeks all about boating. It's called me and my floaty
thing. Chicago. Thank you. Anybody else? John. Oh, go ahead. You can come up here. Hi. Good evening. My name is uh Charles Miller. I live at 19 Green Grove Avenue. I've been in Keeport since
1980, I think it is. uh three of my five children have been born in my house in Newport. So, and I have been to other council me over the years. So, I was influenced by the social media about the subdivisions. I I'm still not I I
appreciate the clarification that you're saying you're not selling anything or anything, just we designing those subdivisions, but I'm still a little confused. If I was to turn down uh by Mike's uh Mike Subs going down American Legion Drive and I'm driving down there.
Are you talking about the property from the roads right up to the buildings? No, it's a it's actually around where all the buildings are. Keep going. It's the whole way down. Yeah. Yeah. All the way down. But it's all that property to the right of the road, right? Because
right honestly I had visions that you're gonna take that parking lot where the UK agenda is and put condominiums there. Who knows? But but that's how you think. I appreciate coming here and hearing some of the clarification because every I walk down that we walk almost that
prominade every and I remember the old prominade and we walk down there all the time and you just from the right side that it's almost like a parking lot the old parking lot there. not, you know, so it is a mess. It's not, you know, and even for those businesses that are now
trying to come out the backside. It looks like they're coming out with balconies and everything trying to see the view. So, I'd be, you know, I don't know what's going to happen or whatever, but I would hate to see some condominiums going in there and because I live all around town, you see it a lot
of building going on. Every square inch is trying to be taken. So my my comment is just watch out for us. I don't want that stuff in my town. I agree with you. Thank you. John Merilla, 34 Broad Street. Two
things um mayor. One is um across the street from Raring Cove, the uh old Peterson's Marina. I have been been in touch with some of the homeowners from Marian Cove and uh they've questioned and it's a
good question. I know the dirt that was moved and relocated to Peterson's property um is under D uh rules and guidelines right now because they took that over. I guess it was a violation. However, I do
believe strongly that the council can weigh in on that and if they're not going to move it because it's got to sit at least cover it. Um, you know, so those people that are new to keep for work don't have to look at it for the
second summer. I I I really think it's, you know, it's not a good look. Can you look at that? I I haven't seen it. I mean, I know it has to stay for a certain amount of time, but I do agree when you I don't know what enforcement measure we can speak to the cracks me up. If it's a D
violation, why would you leave it uncovered? The rains and water is going to hit it and if it was contaminated, contamination is going to spread. I mean, I appreciate it. The second thing is just a a general comment on what you're
dealing with. When I ran for council in 1985, first thing I did was I looked at a 1961 master plan um the year I was born. And in the master plan, it identified Legion Drive as something
that's got got to happen eventually to mo motivate traffic and parkland. and didn't talk too much about like a parking lot. Uh but eventually um in the
60s uh that land was basically um I I don't think there was a word used that people gave up. No one gave up nothing. They lost their rights to that property. They lost their riparian rights. They lost their
property so a road could be built with a parking lot. Okay? Even though then it was never completed. It was a three-phase project that traveled through three years of the 60s, 66, 67,
and 68. Was never completed 100%. Drainage wasn't done. Curbing wasn't done. That was supposed to be done because the burrow had no money. one property owner refused to give up their riparian rights until this day it's documented that they didn't give up
their riparian rights. So all what I'm saying is in 2000 someone said how much is it going to cost the taxpayers? Well in 2008 we spent millions on a waterfront park which everybody loves in
our bur beautiful burrow. Everyone from out of our barrel comes to to see a beautiful waterfront and enjoy it because there was vision. I don't really care who was the mayor at the time or who was the council. They deserve credit
because it was a waterfront guideline and we got funding for it. Now, moving forward, last year, the council did in April a resolution, and the only council member that honestly commented was
councilwoman McNamera. She asked the question on resolution 147 who some questions regarding green acres as I remember and the engineer I addressed them and the council voted
unanimously to move forward with what you're doing today. So all I'm saying is now you talk about transparency, you talk about um compliance, I think you're all taking the steps that need to be done to
complete the job. Okay. And what I see see now is uh some truth, some not truth. The bottom line is it's all in public documentation. The resolution
24147 was passed. You hired CME to do a study. Now you have to go to the technical part going before the planning board. That's another hearing that the public can be heard. This is a public the public had last year to identify. In
2008 there was many meetings many meetings public meetings regarding the waterfunk park. We lost 88 parking spaces for a park. Most people in Keyport love the idea of the park versus
the parking lot. Even though our master plan in ' 61 identified our number one issue in Keyport in the future will be parking. In 2025, what is our biggest issue? Parking. It's not a bad problem. It's a
good problem. That means people are from out of town coming into town because of our success. So what I say to you is tonight I applaud all of you for moving in the right direction of transparency and compliance with the water fund.
Thank you. Thank you. [Applause] just there was earlier in the meeting there was a input on uh approving the town for making movies and I don't know how many of you are around for the when
the movie was made in town but they is the property at the corner of uh Broad West. Yeah. Uh but that operation set up
uh food service on East Front and totally blocked the street for a day or two. And so I ask you to think about that the movie companies who come into town should if they're going to set up
their equipment and and uh serve food etc. they should do it on uh empty parking lots. Example the yach club parking lot is empty most of the day most of the
week. uh or they set up their food operation in one of the uh major facilities in towns like
McDougas. And so the the as I say during that movie shoot there was a couple streets blocked for a couple days and and that's that that's an issue. might it's all addressed in the new ordinance. That's why I say I think it's make sure
that's covered in the new ordinance. It is. Okay. Great. That's great. Um secondly, uh I just want to comment on the exhibit that I hand out that had the great big yellow street with the 22 lots. I should have done that in green
because that that is green acre property. That is Green Acres property that you subdivided and you can use it for parking spaces in in the
park. Uh but you really can't can't give it to adjacent property owners and which is happening with one of the properties and One one more thing I want to mention is
that uh in the past you've been very conscientious about if you vote on an issue that you uh if you have a conflict that you don't participate in. And there's a couple of people on council that own properties or manage properties
that are in the south side of west front in in those lots. Thank you. Thank you. Anybody else? Do we have a motion to close?
Second. All in favor? I Okay, we are actually Jonathan. Yeah, I think we actually public session. Can I go to the Yeah, actually. Yeah, you can sit up here if you want. Okay. Is this Does this mic work like amplify?
All right. [Music] So, for those of you on the council all know me, I'm Jonathan Cohen, uh the employment attorney for the burrow. Uh we're doing something a little bit unusual today, which is an employee has
been served with what's known as a rights notice, which basically means that they have the opportunity to make a choice. Uh that choice is either to retain their personnel privacy rights and have their employment discussed in
executive session which is where obviously we excuse the public and and then we discuss the employee whatever the issue is with the employee. The employee also has the right under Rice versus Union County Board of Education, which was a 1978 case. And you know, we
talk about it all the time, this Rice notice, that if they want to, and sometimes they do, and and tonight is one of those occasions, they can elect to have their employment discussed in executive session and sorry, in public session like we're doing right now. So,
the way that, you know, I recommend handling it and the way I typically handle it when when an employee uh makes that request is basically it's like we're opening the window is opening the doors on what we would normally do in executive session. The employee uh when
they elect to have their employment discussed in public session, they're uh allowing us to discuss what would normally be private personnel information regarding them in public. and they're they're making that choice on a knowing basis. Okay. Um it's it
doesn't mean that it's a hearing, right? Basically, what it is is it's as though everybody left the room and we're having that discussion only we're having it with everybody still in a room. So, it's not back and forth. It's really what we would discuss in executive,
right? Obviously, we have to be maybe a little bit more circumspect than we would be if we were truly only in an executive session because there could be other employees who might be implicated that we still have to protect their privacy rights. But even in that case, in executive session, we would not talk
about employees unless they were riceed. So obviously we have to be mindful of that that if any employee was not riceed that we're not we're not going to, you know, implicate their name or talk about their employment if we can avoid it. So in this case, the employee who was
riceed was Paul Murphy. Uh Paul Murphy is our code enforcement officer and I believe just going by the name on on his uh shirt is the gentleman sitting behind me. So uh Mr. Murphy has elected to have his employment dis discussed in
executive session. So just like not in exe I I'm sorry in in public. Okay. So, just like we would normally do it if we were in executive session, basically the burough administrator and I and and the burough attorney and you will have a
discussion regarding what brings us here tonight. Now, uh the first thing that I would normally say to preface uh the discussion if we were in executive session, I'll say it here also is uh what we're Mr. Murphy was given
something along the lines of a written reprimand or a written warning by the burough administrator. Um, it was in relation to not having sent, if I understand correctly, copies of summones to members
of the public who received notices of violations. And my understanding is that he was counseledled uh by the burough administrator and that the reason why he he said he didn't do it was because he thought that the court sent the notices
out which in fact I think the court does do right but nevertheless it is proper procedure for him to also send it out. So that was why uh the burough administrator, you know, didn't my understanding didn't go super hard on him, but rather, you know, gave him a
written warning and said, "From now on, you got to follow policies and procedures." But when we're talking about things like written reprimands and verbal reprimands and even minor discipline of five days or less, these are things that you know really you
entrust your burough uh administrator to handle on the civilian side of the building. When it comes to the law enforcement side of the building, you want your chief doing it. So we shouldn't really feel like this is uh something we should get used to having a
practice of you know having these types of discussions about employee minor discipline of employees or counseling of employees or written verbal reprimands. This case was a little bit different uh for for a couple reasons. One reason was
in a prior version of the ordinance that some of you may have relied upon because it hasn't been fixed on our website. It said that the code enforcement officer uh uh reports to the council. Okay. Turns out that should have been updated.
I'm sure we'll talk to our IT people about that. Uh but in 2024 in uh ordinance 202406, numerous uh positions that used to be listed as reporting to the council were amended to report to the borrow
administrator. That includes the zoning officer, the engineer, the code enforcement officer. And frankly, you know, that probably was a good ordinance because typically when you're in a civil service jurisdiction and the burough administrator is your pointing
authority, you want a straight line of reporting for most employees. Obviously, not for your statutory employees like your clerk, your CFO, etc. um tax assessor, tax collector. But when it comes to most of your employees, it does
make sense if if if the civil service is going to have to run through the administrator that the administrator is the one who's supervising them. Obviously, the administrator is the one who's here every day uh and is the one who has to handle the day-to-day affairs of of the jurisdiction. So for that
reason, we really don't want to find ourselves meddling or so to speak or or or having the effect the perceived effect of, you know, telling the administrator how she should be handling small matters of discipline. It's up to her to figure out how to how to keep the
how to keep the trains running on time. So you mean from the governing body, they shouldn't actually be interfering with the day-to-day business that Kim has to deal, right? And and I'm saying that particularly in this regard relative to discipline, right? Because, you know, some of you may I just don't
want want the impression to be given that this is something that it's normal that we're up here talking about a written reprimand for for an employee. You know, there there was uh Can we see proof of the written reprimand? Um yeah, Kim, do you have copies of it? Not here.
Um you might have I I have one copy. You guys can pass it around, but unfortunately I don't have copies of it. I didn't ever think that we were supposed to be monitoring if the BA was coming.
But I don't see we are waiting still if you can take any conversations outside please. So the question that she has is the council supposed like are we am I supposed to go to instruction and say what did you do today? Let me
see like where did where is the line? because we've been told so many times what we're supposed to do or not do and then I like I can't even believe that we're having this right now or where this came from or why we're sitting here. Right. So, you know, with regard to this specific situation, it was
brought I I you know, I I don't have the full genesis of it. I would probably turn it over to the burough administrator to give you a little bit more color. I know that there were uh there were some issues that were raised by a resident and also Councilwoman McNamera.
Um, so that that had to do with it also, uh, which was Kim, do you want to kind of jump in and and take it? Sure. Where do you want me to start? I mean, uh, just if you could just give the chronological, you know, how this kind of came about. So, um, I was asked to
have a meeting with the resident. The resident uh, came in who wanted a witness for Councilwoman McNamera. Um, it was brought up at that meeting that council was contacting that resident to complain about Mr.
Murphy. Um, and that so were employees asking this resident to please come forward and put in complaints against him. Um, I told him that's not the proper process on how we do things. I'm sorry. Did you just say that council was contacting a resident to come and
make complaints? That's what that's what he said to me. He did that. It was in the meeting. Nope. He did. He said council. Yes. He said the meeting that I went to with the president. That absolutely did not. Yes, it did because he even said, "Well, it wasn't I'm not blaming councilwoman McNamera." He said
he said it right right then and there. He did. And did he use names for counsel or he just said council? No, he just said council. Well, she was here because he did and I made sure that I I contacted right after
um so what was that meeting? He had zoning complaints. Um not all were under the perview of Mr. Murphy. There were different issues. Some fell under UCC. He brought up that there was
someone a business that received a violation through the court, not through Mr. Murphy. Um, Councilwoman McNamera verified she heard the same thing. Then the next that same week, another
employee emailed the mayor and council copied me saying that that the office that they were in had issues with Mr. Murphy because they went through one of the drawers um that is Mr. Murphy's desk
and they found the ticket book and proceeded to make copies of the ticket book which did state that it was mandatory court appearance and that they didn't mail it to the uh people receiving the violation. Um I went ahead called employment
council. Can I ask one question? So this violation book was in the desk. I take it our guests aren't locked up. No, but isn't he an official? He is an official and I don't think that's a proper That's another issue that I'm
meeting with the department head about. Um because he was not aware of it as well. So I wound up I spoke with our employment council. I did the letter of
reprimand. I counseledled Mr. Murphy. He signed the letter um a few days later um in my office and I wound up that I received an email from Councilwoman McMa notice Mr.
Murphy. I don't know why he's writed. Um I wasn't given the actual reason. So I'm really not what what we're doing. This written warning right here because the warning is telling him to make a procedure for something that already exists that he
was not following. No, it did not. There is not a written policy. I looked it up myself today. Okay. You just happened to look up or you knew this was happening. I'm so confused. Yes, we were told that that there was a rice notice issued and this is what we
were coming here to discuss. Well, I knew there was a race. That's what executive session was. We all got an email from the employee with all of the stuff. But again, I didn't know any issue that was happening because I I we're not privy to the information
that's happening in the offices. If if you if someone else is and I'm mistaken like I'm I'm not like I don't know email with all the copies of the I don't know what he's doing. I don't know what anyone in constru I don't know what anyone up there is doing. I don't know why some people do and some people don't
because I didn't think it was part of our job on council to know the daily what is going on up there. I know I can't ask you what's going on there of of court appearances. I think it's a significant issue. So I I think what needs to happen going forward and I
you know I think everybody's got their point of view and everyone is elected and doing their best to serve the members of the community but to the council president's point you you have an administrator to administrate what goes on with the employees. So the
proper procedure is really if a resident comes to you and says to you, I've got a problem with XYZ employee, right? The next call should really be to the administrator and that's the end of it. Unless of course it's a police officer, then it's a totally different thing. You
know, it goes to the chief for internal affairs, but really depending on which side of the house it's on. If it's law enforcement, it goes to the chief. If it's civilian, it should it should go to the administrator. But at what point does council get to step in when there's continued issues that haven't been addressed? Well, if if there's an issue
with the administrator, then that's something that the council really needs to bring up with the administrator, right? Because the administrator's job is to administrate the town. So, at some point, it becomes not the issue with the employee like Mr. Murphy. It becomes your issue with your administrator. So,
and you know, I I don't mean to be that direct except that really that's kind of what it is. You have to put your trust in your administrator to handle the day-to-day affairs of the of of the town or else the town's just not going to function. You It's very hard to have, you know, seven chefs plus the
administrator cooking the soup and have it turn out okay. That all having been said, you know, we're here because uh Councilwoman McNamera requested it. I think it was a valid request, especially considering the prior version of the of the code did say and if you if you went
on the website, the prior version of the code did say that the code enforcement officer reports to you. Uh I think that the new ordinance is more appropriate change that the other, right? So it needs to get updated online. We're here because we're here,
but it turns out that there's a lot going on with Mr. Murphy and you I I do think that under the circumstances because privilege of the four already happened, he probably should get the customary 5 minutes or so to speak uh once we're done with our executive
session. Um but you know, obviously from what from what the administrator said, there's a couple things going on here. Number one is the fact that he uh you know got a written warning for not not following uh what the administrator
believes is the correct procedure which is to inform members of the public uh who get the notices of violation that they that they got a summon not just wait for the court to issue them but then also uh you know I I think that Mr. Murphy has raised his own complaints as
well and and then I know Councilwoman McNamera has her own uh issues as well uh with regard to this employee that you know uh she wanted to to raise. So you know I think before Mr. Murphy speaks. Probably it's appropriate to let Councilwoman McNamera say her uh what
she why she wanted the employee rights. Okay. Yeah. I didn't think this is how it was all going down. So, I'm glad I actually wrote some stuff up to just refer to. So, I was at that May uh 5th meeting with the resident who uh the VA took
notes and I I'm sure the resident kept his copy of all of the things that were on there. There were many things, not just the 17 summones that were issued from 2024 and 2025.
um where the copies the two copies that are supposed to go to the property owner never went. So there's a copy that's supposed to either be mailed or handd delivered to the property owner and there's one that's supposed to go via
certified mail. All of those were still in the book. The first time any of these people knew that there was a summons written was when they got notice from the courts. A couple of them came into Burough Hall and nobody could present to
them a summon. They had no idea why they were being asked to go to court. The resident had that information that there were 17. That's from the ones that were told. No, but I'm saying you're saying in the meeting that you had with the res
the resident had the information of what 17 summones didn't go out. Where did that No, I'm saying the resident said that 17. You said the resident said 177. So I'm I'm combining two things. The the resident knew that a few businesses had
gotten notice of court appearance and never gotten anything. That's all they knew. It was the same day or the next day that we got the email with the 17 in the book that was found. And I I don't know about anybody else. I went to the
sender of the email. I go to the source of who sends us I don't just say I don't know anything to us about an official. Are you letting me speak or absolutely talking Kathleen? I don't want to miss knowing that. That's a hugely important
part of it. Jonathan, that's not what I'm saying. So, I'll answer the council president's question, but I do think Miss McNamera um should should really be able to finish. But to answer your question, no, I think that the appropriate mechanism is to go to
the administrator uh going forward. But that being said, you know, Councilwoman McNamera, you know, I know your train of thought was probably interrupted there. So, all right. So, I'm going to go back to some of this. So, there were a few
other things that came up in this conversation. I did not take any notes in this meeting. The burough administrator did and the resident had their own list. Um there was a concern that came up about mail that mail is
sitting in a cubby up there for a few he said a few weeks. Um it's been two weeks since that meeting. That mail is all still there. Somebody told me there are things in there like summones and things from the court. That's all for zoning.
It's just been sitting there. Um so two and a half weeks after meeting it's still there. It was mentioned that uh there was a recent meeting with a property owner uh his lawyer the BA and I believe Mr. Murphy. Um and that was in
regard to a text with vulgarity in it that was sent to a property owner. Um, these are some of the things that this resident was bringing up. Council on that it was there was a text that was sent by Mr. Murphy, right? With
Bulgarity in it to property owner or this was this was the resident that was in this meeting or a different res. It was not. No, no, it was a property owner. A property owner was in the meeting brought it up. Yes. at the end of the meeting is bringing up so
property owner received a text from Mr. with you actually it's the mean that and I set in 171 but that wasn't okay okay the only thing I had added to
that conversation when the resident was finished was that I had gotten questions from a couple of residents about and I had already addressed this with the burough administrator um that all of these westfront street properties had gotten notices is about
their garbage. And I actually had two residents reach out to me very concerned. One actually had a fight with her husband because she yelled at him like, "What are you doing to our garbage that we're getting this notice that complaining about how was supposed to put it out?" And VA explained to me that
it apparently went out to all West Front Street properties. It didn't say you're in compliance or not in compliance. It just was kind of however it was written, but it had their names and addresses on it. Um, and then I shared at that point in that meeting that I heard that there
were a few businesses who had not received either copy of summones from the burrow but received notice of court appearance. And then the governing body received the communication from the construction office. it was either that day or the next day with 17 copies um
that were issued in 2024 and 25 where the only copies um that were missing were the ones that went to the court. Um, I made it my business to go to one of these uh people who had uh gotten a
request to go to court who explained that they came to Burrow Hall and nobody could provide them any summons and he didn't know why he was going to court. He also complained about how things went down at the court that it was a little
testy um with Mr. uh Murphy there uh who was on the Zoom. Um so each and every one of these non-delivered delivered summones to me are an issue and to just lump them just seems tough. I mean this is over probably I don't know if it's as
much as a one-year span but definitely started in 2024. Um, so we have businesses that receive notices from a court unable to get any information or copy of the summons from the burrow when they come here. Um,
people getting notices at for court with no idea why. Some of them, according to people that I spoke to, even just went and paid the fines because they thought they had lost the signs. They didn't realize they had never gotten a sentence. They didn't know what they were doing. they just wanted to stay in
the good graces of the municipality. They just went and paid the font. So, it's um looking at what we received, you know, it's it's kind of a moot point, but there's a lot of inconsistencies in
the way they were written out. Some were written out to the business owner, some were written out to the property owner. Um the the one person I spoke to his had the the property owner's address uh in
to communicate with not the business reaching out to them. Um, so a a lot of different things like that that um and then I guess you know we've been told
that the um November 2024 issue where a resident came here in December last year at the December 17th meeting, the resident came in and um was concerned because Mr. Murphy had entered her home
and um I made sure that I looked at the um footage from the bodywn camera a couple days later. Um and in that it's not that
she is ever stepped back from what she said. She actually walks through the whole thing. Um, but she didn't want to file a criminal report because she didn't want to ruin the young man's career. Um, but she did specifically ask
um, you know, for a sit down with um, other officials in the municipality and Mr. Murphy to go over it. I don't know if any of that ever happened. I don't know if the bur administrator um, looked at the the body warning
camera footage. I mean that's you know um so I I think that went to the house 3 days later what the administrator came to the meeting and so the police followed up to see you know if there was
anything else that she wanted to do. So the administrator's indicating I'll let you speak for yourself. You're indicating this is the first you've heard of this. I know of the incident. I was told that it was looked into by the police department. I wasn't offered a video to look at. I don't know any of
this story. I opened it. Yeah. But I went with my what my my being told it was looked into. I wasn't doing my own investigation by any means. I rely on my department heads and
my professionals. This is a lot of background information that has never even been shared with me. no one has come to my office about any code violations that they haven't received a notice to. So, if they're going to another employee, that's a problem cuz
that employee is not even sharing that information with me. Clearly, I think there's several issues going on here. Number one, you know, the way that we discipline employees is progressive discipline in the state of New Jersey. All right, for public employees, Bach
versus West New York, famous case. Everybody who does this kind of law knows it. Basically, what it says is unless there's some kind of particularly egregious incident, we start out with the mo least severe form of discipline and we kind of hit each one and hope
that the employee will learn and correct their behavior. So when it comes to the idea, okay, these, you know, 17 things are 17 separate incidents, it's hard to look at it that way from a progressive discipline standpoint because unless the employee was written up once and then he
did it again, written up again and then did it a third time, it's really not from a progressive discipline situation, 17 separate incidents. It's okay. Now he's been written up. But his disciplinary file as I understand it was
really empty coming into before that uh written reprimand there was nothing in it. So for for the administrator to escalated to something further you know we're in a civil service jurisdiction. So if it's a six-day suspension or more that means that you're going to have an
office of administrative law trial. It's going to go to the civil service commission. It's going to be a whole drawn out process. And one of the questions that the ALJ is going to ask is why didn't you do progressive discipline? If the person hadn't been counseledled, hadn't any verbal uh
reprimands in their record, hadn't any written, that's going to be harder to have discipline sustained. So, what needs to happen if you have problem employees, I'm not necessarily saying that Mr. Murphy is a problem employee, but just generally, whether it's an
employee who gets the report or a council person, it needs to go to the administrator and then it's the administrator's job to properly document that and to go through the progressive discipline scale starting with reprimands, moving on to slight
suspensions, to bigger suspensions, and then ultimately if the employee doesn't get their act together, they could get terminated. Um, but that you you don't just jump to termination unless it's something particularly egregious. And also it one second. So I have a
question. So if the council has any issues, they shouldn't be doing their own investigation to go to Kim for her to do the investigation on the employee. Correct. That's 100% correct. Unless it's a police if it's a police officer. You say you were prohibited from doing
an investigation. I'd say it's a bad practice because what ends up happening is it's ultimately going to rest in the hands of the administrator to meet out discipline. So, you know, you folks have enough to do uh as council people legislatively handling constituent
services, things of that nature. You don't need to uh you know, do investigations of employees that the administrator be doing if they're one wasn't done after this came in. Right. Well, I would say if you believe
that the administrator and you know I don't want look the administrator was raced and did request executive session. So that's a separate discussion to have an executive session. Um but you know it sounds like that's a question not about the employee but about the administrator if that's if that's what you how you
feel. Well it's actually a twofold issue. So right now we're dealing with the employee who's sitting right here. Um, I would one assert that it is an egregious occurrence when somebody walks into somebody's house without knocking. That is an egregious occurrence. Something should have been documented, which goes to another part of the root
issue here is that we wanted to follow up because we don't feel that anything's being taken seriously and being documented. So, so this is the first time he's been noticed, but it's not the first instance we've been made aware of. Yes, we are allowed to talk to members of the public because we are their
elected officials and they come and seek us out. So there's nothing that prohibits us legally or otherwise from discussing this with members of the public when they approach us. Further, again going to his corrective action to make a procedure, there's a procedure that exists. It's 16-5.14. So he does not need to write
one. One exists and he didn't follow it. So to make his corrective action to write a procedure seems a little redundant and ridiculous. Finally, by him not issuing these summones to the people involved as per the procedure
that already exists, this prevented any of the members of the public, any of the businesses from rectifying the issue themselves, from not having to appear at court from being able to dispute instead of just paying sentences because they assume they lost it. You're removing the
abilities from the public because somebody here is not doing their job. So I find that absolutely falls under the purview of mayor and counsel because we're here to represent everybody out there. Right. Brady, I don't know about those two instances though. So this which two instances? The ones that you
just brought up about two people that had to pay. I I don't even this was never even brought to me. The fact that these summones were never given directly to the homeowners to the businesses was absolutely brought to you because it was brought to all of us. So,
you did know that these summones did not go out, right? And I spoke with the assumption is there that these people didn't know anything before a mandatory court appearance. So, now they're required to accommodate the schedule of the court to show up to dispute to
dispute a violation they know nothing of. But it was a mandatory court appearance with bar. They don't know that because they didn't get anything ahead of time. All they got was a court appearance. But it was a mandatory court appearance. I I'm not saying what he did was right or wrong, but on the ticket itself, it
said it was a mandatory court appearance. So either way, they would have been going to court to speak about it. If we want to split hairs, but the the issue is that these people should have received these sentences. I don't think you would like to disagree. No, I
don't disagree with that. Notice they were going to get the court notice. You're legally and required by our ordinance to get a copy of the summons in the mail. And is that I'm sorry, was that a change to an ordinance anywhere?
Because I'm pretty sure this pro this procedure goes back years. This is not something new. It was not something he was not treated, which we did explain that. I did explain that to Mr. Murphy when we had our meeting. Should he have not known that prior to 2024?
I don't know. But I think Well, he's been here since 200, right? So, nothing changed. So, why why does that make this? I don't know if anything changed, though. This is what I'm saying. This is the first time it was brought to me, so I didn't know it existed. The other incident with that woman that came here,
I didn't ask for body cameras, but I did ask the police. Yeah, but I'm saying I I didn't know to ask for body count, but we did follow up to ask you and nothing was documented in his file
because there was no finding brought to me. That's not So, a couple things real quick, Councilwoman Brady, before uh you know, we move on because I think that you raised some points that merit addressing. Number one, you know, to to clarify, and I think Andy would agree
with me on this. It's not that council members can't talk to members of the public. You 100% can. That's part of your job, right? And you should be talking to members of the public. Um the qu the question is what do you do after a member of the public brings you a complaint against an employee? And what
I think uh or a burrow employee brings you a complaint against the or correct whether it's a resident or a burrow employee. What I believe is the correct procedure is if it's a law enforcement officer that's being complained of then or or somebody who's a clerical employee
within the police department perhaps it should be brought to the the chief of police which was right and uh in certain instances that would result in an internal affairs uh complaint and investigation by internal affairs and that's how it would be handled with
sworn law enforcement officer. Uh if a resident or another employee comes to you with a complaint about a civilian employee, the appropriate mechanism is to bring it to the burrow administrator and you can continue to ask the borrow administrator
and make sure that what the borrow administrator says to you makes sense. But that having been said, the borrow administrator ultimately has discretion to meet out the discipline that they deem to be appropriate. So in this
instance, my personal experience is that the the spectrum of discipline that was assigned for just isolating the 17 summones was within the spectrum of discipline. I would if you sent me to a
office of administrative law to defend a major discipline, let's say a 15-day suspension or a 30-day suspension or a termination based on a first defense with a with a employee who has, you know, personnel file that looks like this with one piece of paper in it. You
know, I'm going to have a hard time I'm going to have a hard time sustaining that discipline with a judge. I'm probably going to have to try to get some kind of a mediation with the with the employees attorney. And sometimes that happens. I've been in cases where I
say we need to start disciplining employees more because this is an employee. I'm not talking about Mr. Murphy, but this is an employee who, you know, everybody thinks isn't a great employee, yet their jacket looks like this. So, how am I going to defend, you know, a major discipline against an
employee whose jacket looks like this? So you need to start documenting discipline, but not in a retaliatory way. You we can't go from zero to 100 for an employee who's been around for 20 years and then all of a sudden they get 15 disciplinary notices in a month. You
know, that's going to look odd to a judge as well. So, you know, you have to look at the whole spectrum from from Kim's perspective as the administrator. She's got to, you know, make a determination based on the information that's provided to her. And if you know
I I think if you just look at the 17 summones issue, a written reprimand is a reasonable determination. She probably could have gone a little bit further, but I don't think she could have gotten a major discipline. I think she could have, let's say, if she had said to me, you know, Jonathan, as employment
attorney, you know, I really feel strongly about this. I I I'm upset that residents, you know, didn't get proper notification. I believe that a one-day suspension, you know, would would teach the employee a lesson. I would say, okay, you know, I would support you.
That doesn't sound unreasonable to me because you're still not implicating the major discipline of 6 days or more that would get you to an OAL hearing. So, that would be within the spectrum of what the administrator could do. And it's not my job as the employment attorney to really argue with her. I'm
just trying to protect the legal risks of the burrow and not get us in a situation that could either get us sued or where you're spending a lot of money on a civil service case that you're not going to win at the end, right? Or there's nothing where the squeeze isn't worth the juice. So, at some point, you
know, you got, you know, I have to as the burough attorney for labor and the burough attorney as well, we, you know, we all have to basically trust that the administrator knows her staff and is making appropriate decisions. Um, and in this particular
case, we don't have the body warn camera as part of what she was looking at. Uh, we don't have necessarily, you know, some prior discipline from years ago that never ended up in the file. Um, or or an incident that never ended up in
discipline. So, really all we're working with is We're pretending we don't have an incident that didn't end up in the file that came up last fall. No, I mean, we can discuss that. So, that that came up. I was here last fall, right? There there was an incident where this employee was alleged to have, you know,
basically creeped out uh, you know, a resident and and forced her to file charges and then withdraw those charges. But it was never investigated at the time. I never saw anything that said the charges were withdrawn. Well, I don't remember the exact details of it. What I
do remember is that it never ended up in their disciplinary file and that you know what I also remember from it was that that you know there's nobody in the president administration whose fault that was because that you know was years before anybody in the president administration was even here but it wasn't speaking to an employes file. it
wasn't in the so it's either in the file or it's not in the file to be in the file there needs to be timely discipline that's that with this it's sort of due process you know it should should it have been handled differently at that time you know very possibly so but
I mean I you can't from a legal perspective I'll tell you if I went to the office of administrative law let's just go with that if I said to the judge yes judge you know what Mr. Murphy doesn't have a documented discipline, but wait till you get a load of what didn't end up in his file from six years
ago or 5 years ago. The judge is is not going to give me much credence on that because it's either in the disciplinary file or it's not in the disciplinary file. So, we still have a situation though where things don't appear to be getting in the file. So, there's you're saying that was an empty file. There's
nothing in there about the resident who came. There's nothing about this meeting that um our burough attorney and you were at with the the property owner who came in. None of that is in a file. That's just No, no, no, no. We're
talking about an incident from six years ago. Well, anything that's happened with me, I do keep record. I do keep it in the personal file. Write different than keeping things in a file. Oh, do we use camps here? Yes.
Okay. So, So we so so everybody's on the same page before I got here but yeah so everyone's on the same page camps is the is the is the software basically whatever it is it's kind of like an internet system so when personnel actions take place the
appointing authority which is the burough administrator in this form of government puts that into the system and then it gets transmitted to civil service any well functioning civil service jurisdiction you know is using camps and information is being
transmitted on a regular basis to the civil service commission whether it's a change in employee title or uh you know disciplinary action or or many other potential things. So can I ask a question? Yeah. So as far as council
following up on things, so say a resident comes to an issue, they bring it to the borrow administrator, are we allowed to inquire, was this handled? Yes. Yeah, I think you do. And and and Kim, you would would you have a problem with that? No, not at all. To what? Not I don't want to know
anybody's business, but to what level of detail are council members allowed to inquire about this without it going to a rice notice and all this information? I mean, what can you share? Like say a resident is like, "Was that ever dealt with?" I mean, I don't want to tell them. Okay. I don't feel like that's my
place to tell a resident. No, that's so yeah, to answer your question, um you you only need a rights notice if there's going to be a quorum of you. So unless there's four of you, then you can talk about the employee with Kim or anybody
with each other, etc., but not members of the public because members of the public uh it's private personnel information. So Mr. Murphy by electing a public hearing waved his right to a private to keep his personnel information private tonight. But
generally speaking, it's the obligation of all of you not to share with the public what you learn about employees personnel files through your role on the governing body. That doesn't mean that you can't discuss it in groups together with the administrator, etc. If you've
got, you know, what whatever the issue is. So to give your example, uh, Council Person Riley, if if in fact, let's say you got a complaint from a resident and you wanted to make sure that it was taken seriously, you bring it to the burough administrator, you know, and
then maybe a day later or a week later, you know, you ask her what's the status, you come back, go around a month later. If you feel like she's not handling it appropriately, you could bring that to her attention. You know, how can we make sure this gets into the file? because I
think that's what the issue is. Well, it's in it's in the file, right? In the file. Yeah. I keep a personal file. I I did I inherited I don't understand like is this allowed to be shared with that one council person who's in the firing
uh upon the request of a council person to ask what discipline was undertaken relative to particular matter. So let's say, you know, let's just use a completely fictional hypothetical employee, right? You get a report that hypothetical
employee uh misbehaved at work and made a coworker feel uncomfortable. You bring it to the council to the administrator's attention and say something needs to be done about this, right? And then, you know, you could come back and say what
was done, you know, there was an investigation. what was the what was the status of the investigation and you know there are ways to to stay apprised of the situation and you know there there's nothing that says that the administrator can't show you a copy like we just did
of a personnel action the pro the the question I mean the issue is that you can't then take that and put it on Facebook right or or or even give it to the resident so where you're in a bit of a tough situation admittedly is so the resident or employee brings to your attention
I think that my coworker or I think that employee X did something wrong. And you say, "Okay, I'm going to bring it up with a burough administrator." You bring it up with the burough administrator and then they want to know what was done, right? That's not something that they're entitled to find out. Um, and you say
that it was handled. You say it was handled. You could say it was resolved. That's basically what you should be saying. Yeah. And what you really should say is, you know, hey, look, the matter was addressed, but it's because of the private personnel information of the employee. I'm not permitted to to speak further than that.
Anything else that I want to clarify, too, I put things in personal file, but it doesn't mean somebody as well. It's for record. So that way, if something maybe does happen again, I do have I mean, I I don't want anyone thinking
I'm taking anything lightly here. I don't take anything lightly when it comes to the employees. Um, things are addressed. I don't share dayto-day what I'm addressing things with the employees. My problem is I do have employees that are going to council but
not coming to me. And by the time it does get trickled down to me, I don't even understand what the like the extent of what the issue is. There are things that were brought up by a resident that came to my office that I wasn't even
aware of. And I did. I documented everything that was said and I went over it with I think I went over with Jonathan. Uh we went over how to handle things, but a lot of those things that he brought up weren't even Mr. Murphy's position.
And you know, I I don't want to witch hunt people either, right? Like I want to make sure this is a fair quality environment for the employees and the residents. If residents aren't being sent to my window to speak to me and I don't know about things, I can't address
it. And any resident that I'm sure that you have ever spoke to, has dealt with me, has said that I have followed through whatever it is that I've ever given to. Well, let's just be clear. This isn't this isn't about the burough administrator right now. This is about know that any employee if something's
brought to me, it's not going to the wayside. I don't care if I've known the employee my entire life like personally don't like them. It doesn't matter. I have a job to do. So, I'm going to do my job and make sure that everything's handled. It's But
yeah, right. All I was saying is like you know I I see this quickly turning into you know uh putting the burough administrator into question which is obviously not the purpose of of this particular uh session exercise. What we're really you know discussing is
number one uh what happened with Mr. Murphy and number two, what the appropriate protocol is going forward because I, you know, I don't think that you want to see me frequently driving over here from Madawan to discuss with you verbal reprimands versus written
reprimands. Should it have been a one-day suspension? Should it have been a two-day suspension? Should it have been a three-day suspension? Right. Um, so that's really not a matter that the governing body is supposed to uh, you know, spend their time handling. You've
got enough important things to deal with. Personnel issues are the province of the administrator uh uh or or the chief of police, but when it does get to a severe level of discipline, obviously you're going to be brought in right where uh you know before you get into
litigation posture or you know after threatened litigation or if you're going to be spending money on a civil service case or a union matter that's going to that's going to be brought to your attention. But when it comes to minor disciplines, that's something that you probably uh you know shouldn't have hear
about in a council meeting. Doesn't mean you can't talk to the DA about it offline, but you know, that's something that really we we shouldn't be making a regular practice of discussing. I'm not saying that anything tonight is is improper because there were unique
circumstances surrounding this particular incident. So we I would like to actually speak on this. Yeah. I mean my suggestion is you you know we you typically give five minutes to so if he wants to speak I I'd say where you know anybody wants to
speak on his behalf should be given five minutes to do that or you know anything about the matter. Mr. Can I state other employees names? Am I prohibited from doing that? Uh you're not a member of the governing body so technically you know you can. You know, I would request
as as labor council that you you try not to to to you know, potentially embarrass other employees if you could avoid it. But, you know, that's it's your constitutional right to, you know, talk about uh you know, you're not a member of of the uh governing body. So,
good. Thank you. I certainly wish this didn't all go this way. This was not necessarily my choice. This was via the rights notice sent by Councilman McNamera. make it clear. I don't even believe that this is ultimately because of Councilman McNamera. This is because
of Lori Graham and office staff upstairs and because powers that they used to have over my job duties and job duties that are now the responsibility of me and other personnel up there have been taken away and I don't like they lost the power. Okay. The employee and Councilman
McNamera have affected my employment. They've affected my income. They've affected my health. and he has sought out to defame my name and my reputation, which is what has occurred, okay, multiple times. If my oper request that I submitted a while ago had been fulfilled, I would have had
further information tonight to back that up and support that. I still have an outstanding opener request. All right, we've admitted that she's taken on her own investigation into these matters that were put out there. All right. The to go backwards into
um Miss Abramitz's incident that we're claiming happened. If you'd like, I can send you the picture I took from inside the dwelling of Miss Abram's husband laying in his bed in the basement apartment where
there's not supposed to be one conversing with me. When I explained to him who I was, and I handed him my business card and then proceeded to take the pictures, the issues came up when I documented the illegal work they were doing in the basement, which was
reported by George Wallen. Then the next day, Mr. Abramitch showed up with my business card in hand that she had gotten from her husband that I conversed with when I entered her house as I was led in by one of her multiple tenants that lives there in the front. Okay? So,
let's get this clear. I've been a fire inspector for going on 30 years. It's my profession doing people businesses and her homes. I do it on a daily basis. I know how it's done and how to document things that don't feel right. So, if you want to see the picture of Mr. problem with his husband in her bed
in his bed in the basement conversing with me. I'll give it to you. We'll move on from that one. All right. As Miss McNamera said, the issue is arising because people are coming in here and asking for copies copies of their summones and nobody has
information to provide to them. Who should be providing information to them other than the issuing officer? Is this because Lori and Jesse upstairs aren't privy to the information and can't intervene and interject themselves into the violations that are being
handled by the officers and the public? Because that's what it seems like. If somebody comes in and says, "I have a piece of paper legal notice from Burough of Keyport, okay? And it's property maintenance or code enforcement." Should be a simple answer. Direct them to the
officer. But that's not what happens. It doesn't happen on a daily basis. They intervene and they interject and they interfere and it's been happening for a long time. It happened yesterday, probably happened today, it'll happen tomorrow. That's the problem that the
people are. And as she said, people are coming in and they don't have any information. Not that they're directed to me and I spoke to them or communicated with them or emailed them and I was nasty or mean or vulgar, whatever the next thing is going to be that I didn't give them information.
They're not provided with information. They're not provided with information because they're not directed to me or the officer that issued them the warning or the summits. Okay. On the issuing, Miss Brady, the ordinance that you reference 16-5.14, it's a recycling and garbage
ordinance that code enforcement, but it's not. It's a recycling and garbage ordinance and it specifies M for subject covered in that ordinance. 16 is for that. It doesn't spell out how a summon has to be issued or should be issued.
There is no policy on that. Okay, I appreciate you looking into it. It's more than most people do. I appreciate you looking into it, but it doesn't cover that. There is no policy. That's why I wrote that on the written reprimand that I had that I signed that there is no policy. I did not violate a
policy. Every summon that gets issued was marked court appearance required. The blue copy comes out of the book and went to the police records window to Shauna. This is the policy. They take it. An officer drives it to court in Middletown and the court sends
out their notices. That person then gets in the mail a notice from the court with all the information on it, contact information included. If there's any problems, legal notice from the court. If you don't like the legal notice from the court, take it up with the judge in
the court and maybe change it. But all the information is on there. But the problem was people were coming over here going upstairs and being met by the employees upstairs who were then creating a negative narrative which was then pushed back to the people who who
received the violation of their summones and then fed business to Miss McNamera. Right. Mr. Mera is a contractor in this town. I don't see him in Burl Hall. Miss Veio's husband and
father-in-law work in Burough Hall. I don't see her in Burough Hall. Mr. Gross is my liazison for my department. I don't see him in Bur Hall. Miss McNamera saw her in Bur Hall last week up in the office. And Jesse wrap up. I see her in there all the
time. Again, this is about defamation of character affecting my employment, affecting my income, and it ultimately affected my health. to put out a negative narrative to either stop me from advancing my career and position here to the zoning office or to allow
the deficiency and ineffectiveness and inequalities that were occurring in the zoning office. In year time that myself and Trevor at the direction of the administrator have revamped the zoning
office and redone everything, the only thing that's come out time after time is a negative narrative. Not one time has Miss McNamera said any point any problems? What have you found? Any recommendations? How do we make this
better going forward? You all know how many people come in here on a monthly basis complain about things like junk yards in the middle of neighborhoods. Want to know how it happens? And I'm not talking about Cash Street. It's all on full display for anybody to see. And it's the same names
over and over again. But we don't ask those questions. We just want to spin a negative narrative to discredit me and discredit my words. And a question you should be asking yourselves as representatives of the taxpayers and the citizens of this town. Why is there such a spin to discrediting
me in my words? That's the question. Thank you. Anybody else want to speak on on this issue regarding what you just heard? No. Okay. If I may just add something, I come in
uh maybe every two to three months to pay my property tax or my water bill. When I'm here, I say hi to people. So, it's it's not like I'm working here on a regular basis. Okay. Thank you. I think
um does anyone have any additional questions for for me or for Andy or for Kim? Okay. So I think we could uh go back and uh you know move on with the meeting. Thank you.
Do we still have another executive session? Can we do the executive and then go out too? It's not just me. No, he's got to read his motion to exact whereas the open public meetings act permits an executive session not open to the public
may be held for certain specified purposes when authorized by resolution and whereas it's necessary for discuss in a session not open to the public personnel matters pursuing to NJSA 104128 now therefore be resolved by the mayor and council of the ver county mama state New Jersey as follows when the
mayor and council assembled in public session on May 2025 and determined that Executive session post shall be held on May 20th, 2025 at approximately 12 discussion matters related to the specified items
above resolution will take effective. Thank you. Do we have a motion to go into the second? All in favor? I 10.