Yeah. >> Good evening everyone and welcome to this evening's caucus meeting September 25th, 2025. I'll I'll read the statement. We'll have a pledge of allegiance and then begin. Adequate notice of this meeting has been given in accordance with the open public meetings act pursuant to public laws
1975. Said notice was advertising Aspberry Park Press in the beacon and was posted on the bulletin board showing the time and place of the meeting. I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under
God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Moment of silence, please. >> Oh, that's right. Item number one, the Dborah Heart and Lung Center. So, those of you that know me know my career is public health and
uh for over the course of the past 12 years, fortunate enough to be put up here by you. Uh I have invited different um health entities, hospital associations. were blessed in this county to have wonderful hospitals um
and federally qualified health centers, but in particular, I thought it was important we have here the CEO of the Bora Heart and Lung Center, Jim Andrews, uh whom I have worked with him and his staff for the past seven years, uh on
our legislatively required community health improvement plan and the importance of um what Dborah does. they they stay focused on the cardiovascular disorders and things in that nature and and in that lane because for each of the seven years that I've overseen the
community health improvement plan, heart attack is the number one killer in New Jersey. It's number one. A lot of it's prevent preventative, but I thought it was important enough for a public service announcement uh for Mr. Andrew to come in and just give a a brief story
and background of the Dborah Heart and Lung Center is a worldrenowned center. They take care of people from every continent. So Jim going to enter the microphone and say a few words. Thank you. >> Welcome. >> Thank you. Thank you. Thank you mayor. Thank you committee members. Uh thank
you residents of Lacy Township. So as the mayor mentioned, my name is Jim Andrews. I'm the president CEO of Dborah Heart and Lung Center. Uh we're just around the corner. We are a nonprofit hospital in Browns Mills, New Jersey. We've been established here for over 103
years. Uh but we don't have 103y old infrastructure. We just built a brand new uh impatient pavilion uh which services all heart, lung and vascular disease. But this isn't uh DBOR commercial. I I truly am passionate
about two things. One is heart health and the other is patient empowerment. And these are two things that I think are critically important for the residents of Lacy Township. Uh in matters of heart health, what I don't
want to see is residents of Lacy Township become a statistic. As Peter mentioned, we have a disease rate for heart and vascular disease that is double that of just northern New Jersey. It's one of the highest rates in the
country for all rates of heart and vascular disease. And that's expected to grow. It's expected to grow by 20% over the next 10 years because people age into heart and vascular disease. And I don't want the residents of southern New
Jersey to be a statistic. When it comes to heart health, the most important thing that anyone can do is get their heart checked. And again, this isn't a commercial for Dborah. I would encourage them to go anywhere they want to get
their heart checked. I I talked to my mom and says, "You got to go get checked." She says, "I don't want to hear what the doctor has to say." That is the wrong answer when it comes to matters of your heart and your lung. You need to be proactive about your heart
health. And so the question is, where do I go? And the answer is nuance. The right answer is wherever is best for you. And you won't hear a lot of hospital CEOs get up here and tell you to go wherever you want for your heart
health and don't come to don't come to to my hospital. But that's what I'm saying because I want to see people proactive about their heart health and align with a heart center that's best for them. And the best way to do that is
what I call patient empowerment. So patient empowerment simply put is the ability for the patient to become an informed consumer with their health care which is becoming increasingly difficult
in today's healthcare environment because of the barriers that are put up when it comes to where you go price transparency information to the information that really matters which is quality. So to the residents of Lacy
Township, I would say become an empowered patient of your healthcare. Ask three things. That are the three things that you would ask if you were buying a car or buying a sandwich. How much is this going to cost me? Is it any good? And where and when can I
get it? Those three things make you an empowered patient when it comes to your own health care. Let's talk about financial transparency, right? How much is this going to cost me? There are f federal regulations that are out there
that mandate hospitals post their financial data online so that you know how much is it's going to cost. It's in like a 25 megabyte file that you can't download, you can't read it. It's incredibly challenging. Part of what I
advocate for on a daily basis is change in how the health care system is working today. When it comes to financial transparency, the patient has the right to call the hospital, call the finance office and say, "How much is this going to cost
me?" You might get a roundabout answer given your insurance, what your deductible is on the year. But if you are an empowered patient, you should be able to have an idea around how much it's going to cost you to get a
procedure in a hospital. You shouldn't be waiting for that bill to come when you're already home and it gets there a month or two later. Call the hospital, demand the insight and transparency into the prices for your care. The second
piece, the quality. Is this any good? Right? So, New Jersey Department of Health publishes quality outcome data on key procedures, not all procedures. They publish it on open heart surgery. Dbor is number one in the state when it comes
to mortality rankings. But that number aside, we are able to look at what open heart surgery outcomes are in the state of New Jersey. But that's as far as it goes. If you're getting a caization, if you're getting a vascular procedure, if
you're getting a trans catheter valve procedure, that information is only accessible by third parties. So patients need to educate themselves on the third-party information and on the outcomes data. You can go to US News reports. You can go to CMS and look at
the star rating for your hospital. Um or you can go to the registry that is national database for your procedure. I would encourage everyone to be able to do that. I feel that the care in New Jersey stacks up against everyone else in the country. If nothing else, I want
people to walk away from this conversation knowing that New Jersey is one of the best states in the country to receive heart. Regardless of the organization, I think all the organizations work incredibly well together, but it is the best place that
people can get their care. There's no reason you should be crossing a river to receive care anywhere else than in the state of New Jersey. I think that's critical for the people of Lacy Township to know because you have the best heart care right around the corner from you.
The third is the patients right to choose. And this is the one I'm most passionate about because I've seen patients land in emergency departments throughout the state of New Jersey and be told where they need to go for their care. I've seen them walk into a PCP
office and be told where they need to get a specialty consult from. Not just on the heart side, but it could be oncology, could be orthopedics, it could be GI. The patient has the right to choose. So if you have the transparency when it comes to price, if you have the
transparency when it comes to quality, make the right decision for you. Pick an organization that aligns with what you want for your own health care, how it's delivered from a quality standpoint,
from a price transparency standpoint, from a cultural standpoint. Be in charge of your financial, mental, and more importantly physical well-being by being an empowered patient. So with heart care
and being proactive about it, being an empowered patient, I just want to make sure that Dbor stands on those grounds. I feel like we're an amazing hospital. We deliver amazing care, but I want patients to be empowered and vote with their feet because I think it makes
everyone better and it raises the level of care across the state of New Jersey the more information we can give patients. So with your support and with the support of Lacy Township, I hope everyone's advocating for that. Thank you very much, committee. >> Thank you.
>> I just I just want to close with saying, you know, full disclosure, I've been working with Brian and and uh Jim, not as long, but with with Brian from Dborah Heart and Lung. uh with the statistics that they give us at the county level, we're able to produce um a really comprehensive community health needs
assessment, community health improvement plan, it pro provides for a medical home for people. Um and these are folks that uh give their time uh and provide a a level of care that's really second to none. But importantly, it's those
statistics that I get and that I'm able to carve out um to really steer policy with our partnership for healthy ocean county and meetings that these gentlemen have all been to and and many other organizations. So um I want to thank you for coming. Thank you for the education
and uh I wish you were very well. Any questions? Anybody? >> I just got one comment. One, I want to thank you for coming because hate to say it, I was one of the statistics of not paying attention and putting things off.
And anybody watching this on TV, please listen uh rewatch this once or twice and listen to this gentleman because I know myself I went I was perfectly healthy at least in my opinion and one second feel like a million bucks
and the next se second being in an ambulance going to the hospital because you had a heart attack and we're creatures of habit. This gentleman hit it right on the head. We're not empowered. We're creatures of habit. I didn't learn the first time.
The second time I was a little smarter. But because of the fine healthc care that is in this state and and hard health, I can now be up here. And this isn't what they usually suggest if you got a heart problem. It's beyond government.
But please, you know, there's so many in this room that it has touched either our families or ourselves, but uh please listen, pay attention because it creeps up on you without even thinking about it. Thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you for being here.
No further business. Motion to adjurnn. >> No further business. Motion to adjurnn. >> Second. All >> in favor? >> I >> I >> Okay, we'll move right into our township meeting. Township of Lacy meeting September 25th. Adequate notice is given to this meeting
in accordance with the open public meetings act pursuant to public laws in 1975. said notice was advertised in the Asbury Park Press in the Beacon and was posted on the bulletin board showing the time and place of the meeting. And so since we had the moment of silence in the pledge of allegiance, we're going to
move right into the meeting this evening for item number one, first reading of ordinance 2025-16, providing for dredging and engineering services. the bond ordinance of the council for Blazy County of Ocean State, New Jersey providing for dredging and
engineering surveying services appropriating $615,110. Therefore, and authorizing the issuance of $584,110 bonds and notes to finance a portion of the cost thereof authorized in and by the township of Lacy in the county of
Ocean, state of New Jersey. We have um a potential opportunity to join in with the state dredging project um that's taking place right now to have one additional lagoon dredged. >> Move it. >> Second. >> Mr. Kennes. >> Yes. >> Mr. La. >> Yes. >> Mr. McDonald. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Juliano. >> Yes.
>> Mayor Ker. >> Yes. M number two. Second reading of ordinance 2025-15 authorizing the sale of block 2383 lots 1-6 37 and 38 to the adjoining property owner. Ordinance of the Township of Lacy, County of Ocean, State
of New Jersey, authorizing the sale of block 2383, lots 1 through 6, 37, and 38 on the municipal tax map to Elise and Ronald Spafford in accordance with the provisions of NJSA48, calling 12-13B. We're selling the undersized lots joining property owner. Um, this is
second reading. Open the floor for public comment. >> See, now make a motion to close it. >> Second. All >> in favor? >> I second. >> Mr. McDonald, >> yes. >> Mr. Pennis, >> yes. >> Mrs. Mr. Juliano, >> yes. >> Mr. Lang, >> yes. >> Mayor Certo, >> yes. Item number three, resolution
2025-259, reinstating Lacy used auto to the township list of towing contractors. >> Resolution of the township of Lacy, County of Ocean, state of New Jersey, reinstating Lacy used auto to the Lacy Township rotating list of towing contractors in accordance with chapter
309 of the township code of the township of Lacy entitled towing and storage. >> Move it. >> Second. >> Mrs. Juliano. >> Yes. >> Mr. Kennes. Yes, >> Mr. McDonald. >> Yes, >> Mr. Lraine. >> Yes, >> Mayor Curt. >> Yes. >> Item number four, resolution 2025-260
authorizing a a chapter 159, the municipal budget community development block grant. >> Resolution of the Township of Lacy County of Ocean State of New Jersey providing for the insertion of a special item of revenue and appropriation in the 2025 municipal budget of the township of Lacy pursuant to NJSA4A
4-87. This is for the community development block grant is it is in the amount of 40,000. >> Move it. >> Second. >> Mrs. Juliano? >> Yes. >> Mr. Kennes? >> Yes. >> Mr. McDonald? >> Yes. >> Mr. Lee? >> Yes. >> Mayor Keruto? >> Yes. Item number five, resolution 2025-261
authorizing a chapter 159, the municipal budget national opioid settlement fund. Resolution of the Township of Lacy, County of Ocean, State of New Jersey, providing for the insertion of a special item of revenue and appropriation in the 2025 municipal budget of the Township of Lacy pursuant to NJSA4A
4-87. This is for the National Opioid Settlement 2025 and it is for $45,000. >> Move it. >> Second, >> Mr. McDonald. >> Yes. >> Mr. Laray, >> yes. >> Mr. Kennes, >> yes. >> Mrs. >> Yes. >> Mayor Kola. >> Yes. Item number six, resolution 2025-262
authorizing the execution of anou with Ocean County RSVP. >> Resolution of the township of Lacy County of Ocean State of New Jersey authorizing the execution of a memorandum of understanding with Ocean County RSVP. This is to um obtain volunteers for community programs uh
specifically for our municipal lines. >> Move it. >> A second. >> Mr. Juliano. >> Yes. >> Mr. Kennes. >> Yes. >> Mr. McDonald. >> Yes. >> Mr. Lee. >> Uh yes. Yes. And I just want to say that this uh program is run through the county senior services and uh I'm proud
to uh be able to be part of that, but uh they do a lot of volunteer programs throughout the county. So, yes. >> Thank you, Mayor Kola. >> Yes. Item number seven, resolution 2025-263 awarding a contract for the rental of John Deere loaders. Resolution of the
Township of Lacy, County of Ocean State of New Jersey, awarding a contract to Jessco for the rental of three John Deere loaders with JRB quick disconnect coupler 2024 or newer for the fall 2025 leaf collection and the 2025 2026 snow
season. >> Second, >> Mr. McDonald. >> Yes. >> Mr. Pennis, >> yes. >> Mr. Juliana, >> yes. >> Mr. Lay, >> yes. >> Mayor Kerto, >> yes. Item number eight, resolution 2025-264 awarding a contract for the purchase of performance cold asphalt mix.
>> Resolution of the township of Lacy County of Ocean City, New Jersey, awarding a contract for the purchase of easy street or equivalent performance cold asphalt mix. >> Second, >> Mr. McDonald. >> Yes. >> Mr. Kennel, >> yes. >> Mrs. Juliano, >> yes. >> Mr. Laray, >> yes. >> Mayor Keruto,
>> yes. Item number nine, resolution 2025-265 awarding a contract for the lakeside drive bulkhead replacement project phases 3 and four. >> Resolution of the township of Lacy County of Ocean State of New Jersey awarding a contract to Easy Docks
Unlimited for the Lakeside Drive Bulkhead phase 3 and phase 4 replacement project. This project is um $999,738 and is partially funded by the county. >> Move it. >> Second, >> Mrs. Juliano. >> Yes, >> Mr. Mr. Lay.
>> Yes. >> Mr. Kenneth. >> Yes. >> Mr. McDonald. >> Yes. >> Mayor Keruto. >> Yes. Item number 10, resolution 2025-266, awarding the contract for webpage support services. >> Resolution of the township of Lacy County of Ocean State of New Jersey awarding a contract to Civic Plus for
webpage support services. >> Move. >> Second. >> Mr. McDonald. >> Yes. >> Mr. Kennet. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Juliano? >> Yes. >> Mr. Laay? >> Yes. >> Mayor Curuto? >> Yes. Item number 11, resolution 2025-267 authorizing the conveyance of property to the Fork River Volunteer Fire
Company. >> Resolution of the Township of Lacy County of Ocean State of New Jersey authorizing the conveyance of property to the Fork of River Volunteer Fire Company in accordance with NJSA 482-21A. This is the um Bamber Firehouse. It is now going to Fork River.
>> Second, >> Mr. McDonald. Yes. >> Mr. Kennes, >> yes. >> Mrs. Juliano, yes. >> Mr. Laray, >> yes. Mary Kerto. >> Yes. Item number 12, resolution 2025-268 authorizing an employee leave of absence. >> Resolution of the township of Lacy County of Ocean State of New Jersey
authorizing a leave of absence for Anthony Moriel in accordance with the family medical leave act. >> Move it. >> Second. >> Mr. Lorraine. >> Yes. >> Mr. Kennet. >> Yes. >> Mr. McDonald. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Juliano. >> Yes. >> Mary Curtis.
>> Yes. Item number 13, resolution 2025-269 authorizing an extension to an employes leave of absence. >> Resolution of the township of Lacy County of Ocean City, New Jersey, authorizing an extension to the leave of absence for Richard Tupper. >> Move it. >> Second, >> Mr. Laay. >> Yes. >> Mr. McDonald.
>> Yes. >> Mr. Kennes, >> yes. >> Mr. >> Yes. >> Mayor Kola. >> Yes. M number 14, resolution 2025-270 accepting the retirement of a municipal employee. Resolution of the township of Lacy County of Ocean State of New Jersey accepting the retirement of a municipal employee.
>> Second, >> Mr. McDonald. >> Yes. >> Mr. Kennes, >> yes. >> Mrs. Juliano, >> yes. >> Mr. Lang, >> yes. >> Mayor Certo, >> yes. Item number 15, resolution 2025-271 authorizing the appointment of a full-time clerk. >> Resolution of the Township of Lacy
County of Ocean, State of New Jersey, appointing Aaron Skavakus to the permanent full-time position of clerk for the Lacy Township Clerk's Office. >> Move it. >> Second, >> Mr. Mr. McDonald. >> Yes. >> Mr. Kennes, >> yes. >> Mr. Julia, >> yes. >> Mr. Laay, >> yes. >> Mary, >> yes. Item number 16, resolution
2025-272, authorizing the tax collector to cancel taxes due to a disabled veteran tax exemption. >> Resolution of the Township of Lacy County of Ocean, State of New Jersey, authorizing the tax collector to cancel 2025 taxes due on a property granted the
100% disabled veteran exemption and refund the resulting credit balance. >> Move it. >> Second, >> Mrs. Juliano. >> Yes. >> Mr. Kennis, >> yes. >> Mr. Mr. McDonald, >> yes. >> Mr. Laray, >> yes. >> Mayor Folo, >> yes. Item number 17, resolution 2025-273, authorizing the placement of a lean on
block 1450, lot 19, >> resolution of the township of Lacy, County of Ocean State of New Jersey, accepting the certification of the director of public works concerning costs incurred in the removal of debris and the cleaning up of the property located at block 1450, lot 19, and authorizing the placement of a lean
against said property for said costs. Move it. >> Second. >> Mr. Laray, >> yes. >> Mr. Kennes, >> yes. >> Mr. McDonald, >> yes. >> Mrs. Juliano, >> yes. >> Mayor Cutoto, >> yes. I'm number 18, resolution 2025-274, authorizing the refund of deposit monies.
>> Resolution of the Township of Lacy County of Ocean, State of New Jersey, authorizing the refund of deposits held for the use of municipal facilities. >> Move it. Second, >> Mrs. Juliana. >> Yes. >> Mr. Kennes, yes. >> Mr. McDonald, yes. >> Mr. Lay, >> yes. Mayor Cell,
>> yes. M number 19, resolution 2025-275 authorizing the payment of township bills. >> Resolution of the township of Lacy County of Ocean, State of New Jersey, authorizing the payment of township bills. This is in the amount of 1,289,676.65. >> Second, >> Mr. McDonald.
>> Yes. >> Mr. Kenn, >> yes. >> Mr. Juliana, >> yes. >> Mr. Laay, >> yes. >> Mayor Cutoa, >> yes. >> Mr. McDonald, do you have an >> You're right. I keep forgetting that. I abstain on T 0035. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, Amy.
>> You're welcome. >> Item number 20, motion to approve caucus meeting minutes from September 11th, 2025. >> Move it. >> Move it. Second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> Item number 20. Item number 21. Motion to approve township meeting minutes from September 11th, 2025.
>> Move it. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> One clarification if I may. No fault of uh my good colleagues taking those minutes down. In the minutes it says that I met with New Jersey Natural Gas and JCPNL. I met with New Jersey Natural Gas and we're meeting with JCPNL
tomorrow at the municipal alliance lunchon. So that's on me. Um my good colleagues here were not remissed. They they wonderful people. So thank you. Item number 21 >> number 22 motion to approve executive
session meeting minutes from September 11th, 2025. >> Second. All >> in favor? >> I. And number 23, motion to approve junior membership in the forkid river volunteer fire company for Daniel Toner. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I.
>> Great young man, Mr. Toner. >> Comments from the committee. Deputy Mayor Kennes. >> Just briefly, mayor. Thank you. Um I can't Did I mention last meeting about we're getting challenged by the fair share? Did I I did. All right. Well, we're getting challenged by fair share. So, they want us to build more
affordable housing. So, I said it again. Um and then um the the first item on our agenda was um first reading for an ordinance to do additional dredging. We're trying to piggy back on to the state to do dredging at Bayside Beach, do the inlets um at the Fork of Beach
area and a reminder that this weekend is Lacy Day and hopefully the weather holds out and see everybody lace day. It's a good community event. Those are my comments. >> Thank you, Deputy Mayor. Committeeman McDonald. >> Thank you, Mayor. a couple, pardon me,
couple of things, uh, I guess it was Wednesday morning, I attended the Ocean County Mayor's Association breakfast with the mayor and we had the Mrs. Buckler was there and telling us all the good things or bad things depending on how you look at it that are going to
happen in the state of New Jersey before we turn over to a new new governor. The first thing she broke broke out was that the health benefits for 2026 will be 36.5% increase for our employees. Think about
that. And then the state now they broken out the state employees a little differently. They're only getting 19%. I don't know how that works, but that's what's happening. And when I talked to her after the meeting because she had mentioned that she
thought the reserves were mismanaged. Now, anybody knows anything about reserves knows cash bills, notes, CDs, things like that that don't you really can't you're not going to make a whole lot of money, but you're
not going to lose any money at all to the tune of $200 million mismanaged. So, that's what they have to do. They got to borrow money for our employees so that they can meet their needs projection going forward. That's coming
out of our pocket. I had a big problem with that. I to me the attorney general ought to be all over that how they mismanage it because I do not believe that they can give loans out which is the only way this stuff gets mismanaged.
If you get a loan, you know, it goes belly up. Oh well. But the $200 million is a lot of money. Um, a couple of the other things were were just amazing what they had to pardon me. What what they what she was saying um
and it's actually quite frightening some of the things that she was saying is that this lame duck session is going to go balls to the wall. They're they're lining it all up. Murphy's going to say adios. He walks
out of there and that's going to be the end of it. And I think one of the ones I had to laugh doesn't affect Lacy, but up in Upper Freehold in Allentown, they're fighting over the warehouses. There's actually a bill that these
lunatics are saying that I think it's Freehold Burrow or Freehold can tell Allentown they don't approve of that project for for warehouses, so therefore they can't build it. Think about that. That's like if Chris Connor is with Senator Connor
live beside me and I wanted to put a a pool in, he could come over and tell me no >> and we have no no recourse. >> But I wouldn't want you swimming in my pool. So I probably >> Well, this is it goes against everything that this great country stands for. And
you're what we're finding out now is that these independent departments are putting regulations out that the assembly and the senate have never ever approved. And the biggest one is for guys like Steve or Mr. Committee
mean Kenneth for developers. They actually had a bill. The D put out a thousandpage paper, thousand pages had four regulations in it, 250 a piece that goes against
the uh low-income housing. Literally goes against it. So now they got to figure out how they're going to adjust this thing. I was sitting there. I was I had to have a third cup of coffee and I know Army never do that. So, but that's mayor, you
were there, you know, it was it was insane. >> Well, I'll I'll piggy back on some of the stuff. So, it was shocking. >> I just that's that's that's what I got. Come out to Lacy Day. Um we'll have everybody will be there and it's a little different this year than
the last couple years. Uh we added some joint add some things to it to make it a little bit better. So, with that, mayor, it's all yours. >> Thank you, committeeman. Committee woman. Thank you, mayor. Um, just want to say that on tomorrow is the senior
lunchon. On Saturday, we have a run for the heroes. It'll be passing by here at approximately 9:00. Um, and then I think they go out to the Lutheran church. So, either one. And also the high school, they'll be in front of there, too. So, it's it's done every year. Um, also of
course of Lacy Day, it's a big event. Get the kids out and get everybody out and enjoy it. And then there's also um down at Cafrey's there's the veterans um are doing the wingfest um again to raise money for our veterans association. So if anybody's out and about stop in other
than that mayor thank you. >> Thank you. Wonderful comments Mr. Laura. >> Okay. >> I almost thought something was going to be missed that I could say. >> Thanks for the wing fest. >> You can repeat it.
But anyway, uh the first thing on our agenda, which Steve already talked about, uh this just came up recently with the dredging process going on in the bay. That's always a long drawn out process getting it approved, going through the federal government, the state, the whole
nine yards. And they always do it in phases. And this phase is being done right now is taking care of part of the town. Then it was skipping over and going down where town and south. And we're keeping our fingers crossed. This is a unique opportunity if we put keep
this together and put it together where it could save this town hundreds of thousands of dollars by piggybacking on this and getting it done. And it'll also help us to have to uh revisit this in
the next year, two years or three years. So if we can put this together, it's going to be huge. Uh the other thing I wanted to mention which I do most months is the uh Ocean County Social Services outreach bus that comes around the town uh for anybody
that can't get to Tom's River for any of the social services. And this month it'll be in Lacy four different times. On the 9th and the 23rd it'll be at Lacy Treatment Centers uh in Wingingham Village. I mean, Lacy
Treatment Centers from 9:00 to 12:00. The Lacy United Methodist Church, it'll be at at the 14th and the 28th from 9:30 to 1. And probably one of the I mean, being new up
here, I mean, you do get hit with different business going on, different things and stuff like this. Probably the most eyeopening is what uh Mr. McDonald brought up. You sit in the audience, you listen to
the news, you hear what the state may want to do, might do. The ideas in her head. You have no idea when you're sitting up here. The stuff you hear, you see,
and luckily a lot of it don't make it far. But it makes you sit back and wonder how things are as good as they are with some of the people that come up with the ideas and regulations coming through from either the federal or state
government. So a lot of times we really don't realize how appreciative we should be of how good we got it because if everything that's put into bills or ideas
out of some of these people's minds is staggering. So I just want to say that because I I'll tell you what, sometimes you walk out of a meeting your mouth open and you just don't know what to say because it's that mindblowing. Thank you. That's all I have today.
>> May May, May I just jump in? I forgot. Absolutely. Two little things I forgot to mention. I'm sorry. Um forgetting I won't be here before to talk about it. On October 9th, Thursday night, uh the Lenoka Harbor Fire Volunteer Fire Company is having an open house, a fire
prevention open house. A good event for people to go to if you are available. It's a great uh thing to show up and you know you can learn some stuff about your uh you know what you should have in the house and what you shouldn't have in the house. So again that's October 9th. It's a Thursday evening from 7 to 9 at the
Lenoka Harbor Firehouse which is on Warren Avenue in Lenoka Harbor. And the other thing that I wanted to mention the other night I had the privilege of going out with the Fork River Fire Company. Um, and what they were doing was demonstrating uh the new equipment that
they have gotten that'll be on the new fire truck that comes next year. And uh it is just amazing what this equipment can do. It truly is just absolutely unbelievable. Open take a roof off a car, hold a car up. It it's it's it's
unbelievable. And of course, they are very grateful to us as a township to to buy them this equipment. So they, you know, were glad to show it to me and show me just how things were, you know, used properly, you know, and of course it gave the opportunity for any of the newer fire people that had come in to
use this equipment that had never used it before. So it was very interesting truly. Thank you, mayor. >> Thank you so much. >> Yes, sir. >> One last thing. I was so upset by this health rate increase. I may have gotten myself in a little bit of trouble
>> because I went up to her after the meeting and she asked everybody wanted to volunteer for the state health task force. So I said yes I will and without knowing the ramifications of what it took on but I'm I going to be on it as
when I get back from my trip and hopefully I can have some input and make some sense out of what they're trying to do. So >> give them hell. Give them hell. Uh, thank you. I'll have a few comments and, uh, to dovetail first on our
committee woman, uh, Peggy Sue. Uh, ran into, uh, committee woman Juliano in the parking lot the other day of Walmart. Um, it's always great to run into her and she's a great asset to our town and this committee. Um, but I wanted to say
thank you, so she reminded me. Um, the police department was had several officers out there doing a baby seat well check. That's really important. And I was looking at some of these baby seats. I didn't even know that they have an expiration date. So, they expire like milk or bread or something. And so, uh,
there's a lot you may not know if you have loved ones. You got to make sure that seats in the right way because it's for real. Now, some of the heartburn that Committeeman McDonald was talking about. some of the other things to dovetail on that meeting was just so shocking. I'm there trying to write it
down and I really ran out of paper. There was she spoke for 40 minutes and she didn't say one thing that was good. I'm always saying protect our house. We're going to disagree here in a few minutes. Somebody's going to come up to the microphone. That's okay. But we protect our house. And what Mr. McDonald
was talking about and what I witnessed with him the other day was several things that were very troubling. home rule with our land use. This is under attack. This is the core. This these are things that make our town what they are. Whatever beautiful part of the
town you live near the lakes. I love those lakes. I fish in them. You live out in Bamber. I go out there. I took my daughter to these parks. Wherever. I love Cranberry Hill. I like walking through Shopright. All of it. All under attack. And I'm going to use that word attack because if you want to put up an
accessory structure, if you want to put some sheetrock up in your in your in your shed or just have some basic heating and air conditioning or your garage, you can do that because their goal is multifamily. They do not like single family homes. And if you want to build something on the water, it's even
more difficult. But if you want to turn an office building 15,000 square feet, I was talking to Mr. Kenneth right after Mr. McDonald and I got back uh from the Ocean County Mayors Association meeting and I said, "Steve, you know, if if you have a strip mall and it's only 75%
filled, the state can come in now with this proposed legislation in this lame duck session, which is unfair, do it in the light of day and not when people are off and and and one governor is leaving and another one gets elected and come in regardless of who that governor is." I I
don't think that that's the right thing for transparency for the people. However, so now that the proposal is that 25%, now that room, that section of that strip mall can be occupied. They're changing everything right from under our noses. And they hope that you're too
busy or you're too tired or you're doing plumbing or you're pushing a pencil or you're doing an Excel spreadsheet and that you won't notice. We've talked up here before about this. The most important thing because it goes through the fiber of our town. Think of our town as a quilt, right? So now it's getting
eroded from the bottom. And once one little thread goes bad, it starts to come unraveled and undone. And this is what I call blue state building. And I I did not want to get political, but when this happens, it's done for a reason. They do this when they want to do
congressional redistricting. You have to keep your eyes open and be informed. Look at some of these S bills. An S bill is even more dangerous than an A bill because that's the assembly. When it gets up to the S, it's already at the Senate. And this governor, he will rubber stamp it. He's he knows he's out of power. He will rubber stamp it. And
then it's very difficult once things are in place to get them undone. So please be cognizant of it. Listen to what our our land use professionals, Mr. McDonald, Mr. Mr. Kennes have a combined 60 or so years. And of course here, Mr. Laray as well on the planning board, the
zoning board. Lean on him. Ask him questions. Ask me questions. If I don't, most people have my cell phone. If I don't know the the answer, I'll get the answer. But what we heard the other day, and I'm glad Mr. McDonald was there, was downright scary. I mean, this is a power grab to change
us at our core. So, be be aware. Um, I'd be remiss if I didn't name two names here um of people that have passed recently in the last couple of weeks. Two, one I knew better than the other.
uh Peter Rukus uh who passed on August 30th of 20 2025. He was a a lifetime Hall of Fame Rotarian. And I have said to Veronica, you know, we're up here 12 years. I think Stephen and I are the most tenured up here right now.
So, we've gone to hundreds hundreds of meetings. That one I went to. Is Veronica there? I can't see her. >> Yeah, I'm sitting. Sorry. >> Uh a year or two ago had all the past presidents of Rotarians. These people are selfless individuals. So all of these names, Tony Angona, Veronica, Gary
Quinn, Peter Rukus, uh, Heather Scandlin, people I'm leaving out by the dozens or the hundreds. If you have an opportunity, uh, to see what the Rotarians do, you know, go to Gilly Park. It's one of a hundred things. It's a it's a remarkable group of individuals. Another person that passed
on August 16th, uh, Laura Kosia, she loved the township. Karachia, I apologize. President of LTHS PTA, um, Ocean County woman of achievement, proud Rotarian,
um, multiple numerous titles, constantly working, doing work here for Rotary Food Bank. Um, she was beloved. I had one of my colleagues from Ocean County Health Department, now works at the Centers for Disease Control, call me up screaming, crying, said, "What are you crying for? You just had a baby. It's the happiest
time in your life." And then and that's how I found out about it. And then I called Veronica. So I I'm up here to be honest all the time. I I did not know her, but I wanted to say some good words about her because of the uh outpouring of affection I came across.
I'll close with we're always trying to support business up here. Um, I was up the block for a ribbon cutting uh with Code One Creations Textiles and T-shirts right there behind JT Bagels uh with the Southern Ocean Chamber. And also, um, on
October 8th at Murray Grove, there's going to be a bumpers and business expo. It's a car show, but it's also going to be meet and greet. We're trying to support businesses through non-traditional means. So, I'm hopeful that people attend that. Um, if you have any interest at all, uh, just take a
look at any anything on Facebook. It's always being posted. So, with that, I will open up the floor to public comment this evening. Yes, ma'am. >> Just your name, not where you live. Thank you, Miss Lumpky. >> There we go. How you doing? Uh, Allison
Lemi. Um, Lacy Township resident on Sun Sunset Drive. Um, okay. I took a look at our agenda this evening and there's a lot of detail you know lean placed on this and you know
all of that and lot lots of detail regarding financial small financial decisions and it surprised me and I know that it's sort of a separate entity over there in the school board
but there is a current referendum going on So we're a big ask 28 million and our entire budget the entire municipal budget from last year 2024 was 41 million.
So this is 68% of our entire municipal budget. That's a big number. Like at what point do you start talking about it? Is it 70% of the our entire budget? 80% 90% double the
budget. You know, this is 68% of our entire municipal budget that they're asking for. And it's just seems to be a little ridiculous that nobody's talking about it. Nobody's even saying like, "Hey, you know what? You might want to
pay attention to what's going on in the town. We have this, that, and the other thing." just in a general way because it really is uh not a small thing and uh you know it's worrisome that these are you know there's a big old loose cannon
going on over there and it's a big ask and so just trying to make a point here that there are some people that are paying attention because it's kind of scary uh >> I just want to say
>> because I and I know multip of us that we sit up here. We're not going to tell you how to vote or how you should vote, >> but we constantly say, and I know you hear it out of me all the time >> with these things because they are very important. Learn, listen, go to the
proper meetings. Everybody should vote knowing with what goes on. I'm not going to ever tell you how to vote. My opinion may not be your opinion or somebody else's, but I say it constantly. And when somebody comes up here and says we're not saying something, I am saying
something. Learn, listen, educate, and when you go into that voting booth, pull the lever that you think is proper because you are exactly right. But to say that we don't I'm not going to force my opinions down
your throat and which I out of respect. I know you wouldn't throw them down my throat, but >> the best thing people can do is learn, listen, go to the meeting, and make the decision that they think right for them.
>> Good to hear. Thank you. >> You're welcome. Uh there was also some concern expressed uh regarding some bills and meetings that you went to I guess where there's discussion about uh circumventing land use
and uh you know you losing control right getting cut out of the decision-m process >> you know with regards to land use >> uh currently right now there's uh Senate Bill S4423 three. And what that is doing
is um basically cutting Lacy Township officials out of the decision decision making process >> to decide whether or not four nuclear power plants are going to be built on
the old Oyster Creek site. So, you know, that's over on the congressional side right now and in one of their committees, you know, and um I'm just wondering what have have you done, if anything, to counter that or to
express your concern regarding you being cut out of the decision-making equation. It allows BPU only to decide, yeah, we can put a nuclear plant there and keep the nuclear waste there, too. We could answer that. >> Okay. What have you done? >> We keep in very close contact and we
have an extremely good relationship with our ninth legislative district. It's a senior Republican in New Jersey, Assemblyman Brian Rump um and and also Assemblyman Meyer and of course Senator Armato. They know how we feel. Who knows
how we feel. We want to have a say in the land use in our town. We don't think that's outlandish. We don't think that's unreasonable. That's what I'll say about it. Trust me when I tell you there's a lot of academic capital up here. There's a lot of empirical experience up here.
We stand up strong and tall. We don't have any fear. And often times, you know, people say, "Oh, you just you just vote." Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Trust me, we have spirited disagreements. But on this, we're shouldertoshoulder. So, we're advocating for our town. I can I
can without getting too deep into the woods and some of these things are being litigated now. I trust me when I tell you we're on top of that. >> Anything on the record? >> Any letters? >> Yeah. >> Any meetings? >> Yeah. >> Any emails? >> There was a letter sent on behalf of the
governing body to the ninth legislative district. Exactly. About some of your concerns. >> Okay, good. >> That was when it first initially came out, which was months ago at this point now. >> Correct. Yes. May or June? >> Yeah. hit whatever it was. I don't have it here in front of me obviously, so I
can't give you a date. >> Yeah, jumped right on it. >> So, okay. And I would expect that hopefully there would be some followup or, you know, maybe get the township, you know, educate educ educate our residents because, uh, you know, we also
have a say and, you know, I imagine there's a lot of support for this type of um, >> you know, construction environmentally. It's disable >> you are us. We're on the same page with you with this particular topic. So I
preempted Mr. McDonald. Go ahead, Tim. >> I don't think for one second that whole is going to stand by and let this happen. Who has a very big powerful lobbying group. They're not going to let the state tell them where they can put it with property that they bought and
they decommissioning at a cost of $150 million. They're not just because that's in the bill. >> Holtech. They have uh the purse strings of the >> decommissioning. But now they have purse strings. They got the lobby and they got the lawyers to take the state on. I don't think's going to stand by for one
second and let this go on because they got way too much money tied up in there. They've announced four new, you know, fault modular reactors and they've also announced in June of this year that they're going public next year. So they're not going to let this happen. So
the again, we're we're on it. I've talked to I've talked to the ninth legislative district. I've talked to a couple uh I talked to Miss Mr. Cherelli about it when it first came out. Okay? I I about it. He's he wants nuclear power
in here. Trust me, he wants the state out of our hair. >> And there's and there's a lot of moving parts to this. Um there's a lot of stuff whether it's litigation or different reasons that we can't divulge. But even with the small modular reactors, which
is the big thing that's everybody's hearing about right now, the state hasn't even approved them to be in the state yet. >> Yeah, >> that's still being worked out. So there's so many movement parts. Who knows when this could be happening. Um,
but we're constantly on top of it and uh there's more more small meetings than you could even imagine uh going on between the different entities and we're all pretty much on the same page because we all have the same concerns. >> Well, it's not so much the concern of
whether or not it's there or it's coming or or whatever. It's just my concern is that we are that that bill S4423 is only designed to cut us out. >> Yes. Of >> in the process >> even in taxation,
>> right? >> Well, yes. I'm very familiar with that. I was very upset when I saw it. >> I know. So, it's that that's the only goal of that bill is to cut us out. >> It's a money. It's a money grab. >> It's it's a it's a way around. And that's my concern is that, you know, I
mean, whether or not, you know, if it's it's it's got this momentum, it's most likely going to happen, >> unfortunately. >> The other thing is we can challenge that bill. If it passes, we can go to court over it >> and see where it happens. That would
cost us some money, but that's >> I don't think for a second we wouldn't do that. >> I don't think we would fight for that. >> Well, I And that's my question tonight is what are you doing in the meantime? like what what have you >> we're fully aware of just about I don't want to say everything but we're we're
well verssed in most things that go on land use wise around anything around this township anything real estate related or litigation related we can't comment at all in public there's been multiple meetings over the power plant over the years um we simply cannot comment on them but we're fully aware of
your issues um because they as Pete said there are issues as well >> okay so >> and one thing I learned years ago before I was even up here is I would ask why can't we get these answers for different things and especially when you got the
NRC on top of everybody, >> right? >> It's a federal government. Guess what? >> They don't have to talk tell us do what they want which really pisses us off >> pisses everybody off. I mean to be told you cannot >> you ask questions about your own
community, your own land use certainly. Well, the federal government oversteps it. If they want to tell us they tell us. I mean, and I got to say this committee pushes hard to get the answers. Not going to say they always come, >> okay? >> But we're pushing hard.
>> One last point. Uh, and this kind of ties the two things together, two points that I was trying to make. Um, one was like a money issue and second was, you know, nuclear issue. Um,
I ran for public office back in 2013. Part of my platform was, hey, you know, we have this nuclear waste fund which was being contributed by 1 cent tax at the time. You know, you pay your electric bill, you pay 1 cent tax. So, I don't know, you pay like, I don't know,
15 cents a year or something like that. >> But it all adds up and there's billions of dollars in this nuclear waste fund. And they stopped collecting that tax in 2014. But there's still like $49 billion
roughly, give or take a billion. Okay? And then you have these multiple states with multiple repositories of nuclear waste. And there's different types of nuclear waste. There's, you know, weapons, you know, you make
weapons and you have like this kind of nuclear waste. And then you have spent nuclear fuel rods, which are like the more dangerous kind, which is what we have a plethora of here in Lacy Township. So,
long story short, if you take that 49 or 47 billion fund, which is just kind of sitting there, and you just look at the interest alone, conservatively, it's like a 1.5 billion, maybe 1.7.
If you just take that interest, right, they can keep all the marbles, but if you just take the interest alone and divvy it up into the maybe 75 state locations conservatively, like if you, you know, you conservatively look at the interest
rate and conservatively look at the number, we could get just from the interest 10 million a year. >> But that nuclear waste fund was only set up for Yaka Mountain. >> Yeah. So it can't be used for anything else which we are >> which you're correct and it has to be
appropriated through the federal government budget in order to disperse or but first they have to change the law to allow that nuclear waste fund to utilize the funds to people like Lacy Township >> right well you know they they stopped collecting in 2014 because Yuckah
Mountain went by the wayside. So if they're saying that Yucka Mountain isn't a thing, >> right? >> Then what is taking its place? Us. We've been Yucka Mountain for decades and we're going to be for the foreseeable
future because tech and all of their, you know, whatever. We're going to get rid of the nuclear waste and send in New Mexico in eight years. And everybody said, "Okay." And you know, and then that's not a thing. So we are Yucka Mountain. Yuck Mountain was supposed to get funding for infrastructure and
schools >> and then here we are looking at a referendum, you know. So, but we're sitting on a gold mine. Let's compartment like I don't think nuclear power plants should go there and finishes farm should not be touched, but that's a whole another dimension of fun
for me. But compartmentalize down that nuclear waste is there. It's going to be there and we are sitting on a gold mine. We need to get that funding. Come on. Come on. Like, we'reware. What are you doing towards getting that?
>> Give Congressman Smith's office a call cuz it's got to come from the federal government. They're not >> They're not going to listen to us. They're not going to listen to us. >> Well, let's put that number out there loud and clear because we It's not >> And give Congressman Vanrew cuz he's got a section of of
>> Well, actually, it's Van Drew's district where the whole tech is, >> right? So, give his district. >> Give them a call and get on it. I mean, it's not that we haven't >> I tried back in 2013 >> talked to them about this to a blue in the face. >> Yeah. >> And trying to get some of that >> I haven't heard anything about it in the
last 12 years from you guys. >> Well, yeah. I mean, we haven't put it in the paper, but we've talked to them. I mean, >> nuclear waste has been there. >> The NRC, >> they're tight with the money. >> Oh, okay. Our money. It's just I mean
it's this fund specifically designed for >> states that are the repositories and what are we? I mean if we aren't then who is so >> you know it's just a it's just an easy fix and it's a win-win. We just want the interest
>> we got to give the microphone to somebody else that's way over. >> Oh way over two minutes. >> Okay. Well I appreciate your time. appreciate you >> and have a good night. >> Thank you. >> Other comments this evening?
>> Yes, ma'am. >> Okay, that's a little better. >> Regina Desa, Sunset Drive, Sunrise Beach. I have a couple of basic comments and then um my usual complaint. Um the paper ballots are out. We got one
yesterday. Um I want to let residents know, please don't misplace them or discard them because it's a real pain to get a new one. You have to go to Tom's River and see the board of elections. And by now, if you're not registered to vote, you're running out of time to vote
November 4th. Please register to vote. If you are not registered, make sure your address is correct as well. It has to agree with the voter registration records. If you did not get an a mail-in ballot and you won't be in town for the election, apply for a mail-in ballot now
if you need it before you run out of time. Most of the information and forms are on oceanount clerk.com. And item seven, Amy, you got a little typo there. >> I'm sorry. >> You got a little typo on item seven. Did you know it?
>> No. >> D E R E. >> It's printed on every lawn mower. Okay. >> Well, it probably spell check probably automatically correct. >> Yeah. They don't know. Yeah. It doesn't know >> really.
>> Yeah. If you can fix that. >> It was on the agenda. Okay. Part of >> the resolution. >> The resolution got it right. >> Okay. >> It's a tough crowd. >> Yeah. >> All right. This thing came in the mail, I think yesterday, too. This is the highest payment we've ever had to make.
And it's we we paid 27.50 when we first moved here. This payment is almost that much. So, my taxes have tripled since I moved here in 26 years. We are not happy campers. And then Dborah is going to have a lot more patience with Lacy tax
stress bills this week. And we were getting some testing yesterday. And it was so funny to see him. >> Virginia, I was thinking about that when he was talking >> the tax bill say that >> because a lot of people in order to get that anchor tax rebate or whatever
rebate first, you have to qualify for it, but you have to pay first, >> right? >> These November bills are picking up the rear from the August 1st bills that didn't >> capture enough for the estimated bill. Oh, yeah. That's why everybody got the
whammy bill for November 1st. So, you might have to dig into your Christmas club a little bit to pay your tax bill this quarter, >> and you sure don't want to have interest compounded on your highest tax payment ever. >> Thank you. Yes, sir. Mr. Bender,
>> Barry Bender somewhere in Lacy Township. Um, in regard to uh what Miss Leky was talking about years ago, and I don't know if there's anyone here who was sitting on the committee at the time, the we used to call refer to it as the
host community fund, and they took a fraction of a penny from everyone who was paying money getting power from a nuclear power plant. Um many years ago I remember a gentleman Jim Latellier, many of you know Jim, uh he spoke about the host community fund
and I just wanted to say that yeah the reactor is in um Congressman Andrew's district, but we should be talking to every Congress person in the state of New Jersey saying, "Look guys, we got spent fuel
rods here. Why aren't you going to bat for us?" I had a conversation with a former senator uh back oh god was it 2016 when he got elected I forget or made it might have even been before uh and I went on a uh he was swearing
someone in here in Ocean County uh that night and I met him at the crabs claw in and spoke to him about the host community fund and he said well I'm going to be looking into that and months and months and months went by and numerous phone calls and finally I was told that there was nothing he could do,
which if you put that on your strawberries, they'll grow really, really big, if you know what I'm saying. Uh, but we need to be on every single federal elected official in the state of New Jersey saying, "Guys, uh, they're here. There's no plans for them going
anywhere." Okay? And as I mentioned, you were at the I you might have left already, mayor, uh, when I spoke at the NRC hearing the night of that fire. Okay? There was no way to get out of here. So, some of that money could go a
long long way to improving that that situation. That's all I want to say. Thank you for your time. >> Thank you, Mr. Bender. >> Other comments this evening, >> Mr. Bnik. >> Wow. How do you move this thing down
here? There you go. Sorry, Regina. You're so small. >> I didn't say that, Regina. >> The only one that says that. >> He said that, Regina. >> Oh, well, got to make it a little comical, right? >> Yes. >> All right. So, uh, good evening, members of the township committee and Lacy
Citizens. Uh, my name is Richard Bidnik, chair of the Lacy Citizens for Responsible Government. And the first thing that I have on my agenda to talk tonight about is the proposed Lacy School District referendum which will be voted on on election day. So I want the
public to have some real numbers because what we're getting from the school as we know they hide and they use deceit to try to convince people to vote for this. So I'm going to say this. The bond is for 28,838,000. At a four and a quarter% bond for 20
years, the interest would be $24,512,300 for a total cost of 53,350,300. Anticipated state aid payment of $21,340,120. Final estimated payment of Lacy School District via taxpayers would be 32,10,180.
The prices are way over inflated. No architect is needed for this project yet because they're going through the state bond program. They have to have one costing $1.857 million of wasted taxpayers money. There
is absolutely no cost estimates supplied by vendors to back up any of these costs. And if the district had been serious, this would have been done. But they didn't do it. And they didn't do it for a reason. Better solution and much
more cost-effective plan would be to peacemeal the projects via priority. I know the high school is the biggest issue. I was told the cost would be much less than the $13 million that they're asking for. The district has a history
of not being forthcoming. They were caught last referendum literally lying to the public and hiding information that we, the voters, were entitled to see. Impossible for us to support such an effort since it's the same nonsense
happening again. The public has suffered a 20% tax increase over the last year with the decreased services. We have all sacrificed enough. We will get a $111
tax deduction if the referendum fails. Now, I'm not exactly sure. She's using whatever the average assessed value is. Veronica, what is that? Do you know have that that off the top? It's 200 and some >> 288 or something like that. >> Yeah, something 283 or something like that. Yes. But many households will see
a much larger tax reduction because their homes are assessed much higher. The board is claiming there'll be no tax increase to the taxpayer. Absolute baloney. When they rip off the solar panels, which will not be paid off until 2029,
and they're not replacing them or putting them back on, which will cause the district's electric bills to skyrocket. When asked how they're going to pay for this, you get crickets. It's sad that we have no faith in the board of education to manage our
schools. Their unemployment contracts are also highly favorable to the teachers and the administrators versus the board who ultimately represents we the taxpayers. We need to have a favorably balanced
contract situation, not one that is 70% in favor of the employees and rising. That is outrageous, especially since the district knew for years about their income reductions from the state. Again, fiscal mismanagement. It seems the board
is in bed with the unions versus being in bed with we, the taxpayers, who they are elected to represent. Two, I had a conversation yesterday with Dan Toader Hayden, a future upcoming leader and former student of Lacy
schools and a very, very intelligent young man. He told me that the bathrooms in the high school are disgusting. Students smoke and vape in these bathrooms, and the teachers seem to allow it. To paraphrase Dan, he
overheard one teacher saying to another who was going to be replacing the sitting monitor, "Don't sit too close to the door. You might get high." This is absolutely outrageous. I didn't want to use Dan's name in this comment, but he insisted when I spoke to him on the
phone. Maybe our police department needs to monitor our school bathrooms, or maybe the teachers should sit inside the bathrooms and do the monitoring. The more I hear, the worse things are at our schools. Four, the latest school
statistics. There are only 3,215 students in grades 1 to 12. Way down from where it was back in 2010 when we had roughly 5,100 students. with preK and K coming in, which is about 601
students. On top of that number, we're at a total of 3,914, which is still 1,200 less than what we had when I started Lacy Citizens 15 years ago. The board of education is trying to pass a new public
participation policy for their business meetings. It is unconstitutional on several fronts. And again, the board is trying to silence their critics, trying to put in a policy which risks unconstitutional viewpoint discrimination besides trying to limit
what we speak about. All school business is definitely fair game. They even put in a clause reading campaigning for or against political candidates or ballot measures will be prohibited. They also do not get to decide what is
defamatory or derogatory as the first amendment protects even repugnant speech. As a former state librarian and library director, any form of censorship, either written or spoken, is to be condemned. One man's art is
another man's pornography. And that is something that I have always lived by. And I will protect anyone's right to say whatever they want to say. And even when I'm attacked at the school boards meetings, I have never ever asked to people to be silenced from what they
want to say. I just prefer that this board president controls the meeting. That's the problem. Last Friday, September 19th, I received a threatening letter from Mr. Manning, one of the board of education attorneys. He threatened me with legal action
because I used the school's logo in informing the public of the Lacy Citizens for Responsible Government's upcoming candidates forum. Just to show you how fiscally irresponsible this board president and superintendent are, they spent our hardearned tax monies on
this frivolous nonsense like this. All Miss Clauss had to do was to send me an email and ask me not to use the logo and it would wouldn't have been an issue. The school board has been put on notice that we feel we are being targeted by an
elected body and this will not be tolerated. A candidate running for school board has lifted the Lacy Lion right from the logo and I expect that he will receive the same threatening letter that I did. Because of this, I'm telling
everyone, because of this, I'm telling everyone, stop making donations to our school district. This is what they are wasting your money on, attacking the people and the groups which are trying to make them accountable.
Four, everyone has gotten their new tax bills, and the town has been ablaze on social media. Mr. Cartalo, you did nothing to stop this year's major tax increach, which has affected all of us.
You would not come to a meeting and stand up for the taxpayers. We all know who your alliance is with, and it isn't with the struggling taxpayers of Lacy. In my humble opinion, you do not deserve to be reelected. You have failed all of
us terribly. I would be willing to give anyone a shot but you sir had your chance and you failed us. It gives me no great pleasure to say this. I have appreciated how you have conducted these meetings but I cannot stand by and
remain silent when the person who could have made an impact was nowhere to be found when we needed you. You made sure you showed up though for the media when the fire was taking place. You showed up for the cornerstone part two grand
opening, but you could not show up for a school board budget vote which negatively negatively affected every single taxpayer in our town. This is not leadership, sir. A true leader would have taken himself out of his comfort zone and did the right thing. That is
exactly what I have been doing. I, sir, do that every day when I have to call people out such as yourself. It gives me no great pleasure to say these things, but it would be unconscionable if I did not. You've talked about this idea of making
Lacy into a film town. Sir, this is never going to happen. There are so many hurdles and ordinances and infrastructure changes that would need to be made for this fantasy to become reality. We're not Kate May his Historic
District. We've destroyed practically all of our historic buildings. And who do you think is going to land up having to manage this fantasy and all the work that would need to be done? >> It's over 10 minutes. >> I'm almost done. I have a better
suggestion for you. Clean up Deerhead Lake so it can be swimmable again and move that whibbit to the lake that lake and return the natural beauty to Lake Barnagot. This would actually be something that all of our residents
could enjoy. And you know what? I don't care if it costs a million dollars. Thank you. >> You wonderful. Thank you. Any other comments this evening? >> Seeing none, motion to close the floor. >> Second. >> Mr. Kis. >> Yes. >> Mr. Juliana. >> Yes.
>> Mr. Lion. >> Yes. >> Mr. McDonald. >> Yes. >> Mary Gola. >> Yes. >> Resolution 2025-276. Resolution of the town of Lacy County of Ocean State, New Jersey, authorizing the convening of an executive session in accordance with the open public meeting act to discuss contractual matters. >> Move it. >> Second,
>> Mr. McDonald. >> Yes. >> Mr. Ry, >> yes. >> Mr. Kennon, >> yes. >> Mr. Jul, >> yes. Mayor, >> yes. >> Move it. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I. No further business. >> Say that while we come back here. Thank you.