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Video-1: youtube.com/watch?v=AmlFGUPSfvU

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There's a lot of 127 ready. >> Good evening. Welcome. Good to see you all tonight. Thanks for joining us. Um we were in close session for a while

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uh discussing a couple of matters Kadanian and also uh matters related to the assessment of error 2020. Um so we're now back open and we will start as we always do by standing for the pledge of allegiance. Tonight we'll

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remain standing for a moment of silence in honor of Ida B. Wells who is a journalist, civil rights activist and co-founder of the NAACP. She was known for her anti-election campaigns in 199. >> Thank you. Please be seated. >> The council members had a chance to look

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at uh the minutes from June 18 close session uh open session and the June 24th special session and close session minutes. >> Yes. >> All right. Were there any corrections or objections? Um, there was a uh

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correction on the June 18th close session. No. Yeah, June 18th close session minutes, I think, or the I'm sorry, the June 24th special session minutes. The opening sentence had the wrong date, so I changed it. >> Thank you. I think otherwise >> you made a suggestion. I I wouldn't

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presume. >> I think otherwise I have to give myself a pat on the back because I wrote those minutes. >> Okay. >> So, I'm definitely going to vote in favor of them. Um well then may I have a motion to accept amendments please as noted. >> So moved. >> Second.

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>> All those in favor please say I. I. I. Thank you. Motion passes. I'll move on to the administrative reports. Um and for the public we've got some new administrative reports now included for the council to review. Uh included uh in the uh administrative reports are budget

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summaries uh detailed budget summaries and revenue summaries. This [snorts] is a new a new report for us to all have everybody. Um were there any questions about any of the reports or did anybody want to highlight anything? >> Okay. Um I'll just note that uh hotel

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revenue u tax revenue is $15,448.95. You have to go through the to scroll through the bowler report to find the page of 400 pages of bre. It'll come right up. >> Really? >> Yeah. >> No. No. >> I'm always like scroll into the middle

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around start looking for municipalities. Anyway, um thank you for that. >> Um all right. Unless there are any uh further comments, I would ask for a motion to accept the administrative reports. >> So move. >> Second.

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>> All those in favor, please say I. I. >> I. Thank you. Motion carries. Uh we're going to go in public participation here. Uh before we do, I just wanted to update uh the public on some uh some of the work we're doing around uh the 2025

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assessment error. So the council's met in close session a couple of times to discuss that uh error and uh related personnel matters um and procedural matters related to it. Um so just wanted to highlight that we are still having

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conversations about it. We uh had some communication from the county today with some good news. Um, so the county uh is going to make a um uh offer the city a portionment a taxport for the their

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share of the uh of the um uh yeah of uh and that should be I have to verify the number but should uh equate to the the amount the city paid to the county for those two quarters in the amount of $9,700. Um I will confirm that

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once I have a further conversation with the county about how that happens. Uh it will probably be an adjustment to the the the tax rate um here in the city from the county. So one of the conversations we're having is uh certainly we we uh acknowledge the you

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know the error. Um we're still working through some of the procedural matters that that uh that caused the error uh and then you know didn't get noticed for as long as it did. Um but I but I want to highlight a couple of the things that we you know you know some of the measures that we are implementing um

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that we've already started to implement just to uh to ensure that that things uh along this line do not happen again. So just some additional procedures that we've started to do um this year I think I may have not noted this the last meeting um the city's now requiring a

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second look at uh at the you know the book before it gets uh finalized. We're asking both the tax assessor and the county tax board to confirm in writing with the CFO uh and the mayor before the book is locked annually in January. So it's just another just another mechanism

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for uh review and for any conversation that may happen before the book is locked and the assessments are placed once the book once the assessment book is locked it can't be changed in a given year. So that'll be something that we'll do annually in January. Um the tax collector has already started to attend

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a monthly meeting of the finance committee. Um and she is providing list of delinquent taxpayers to uh both the finance committee and the council. Um and then uh quarterly we'll have a a more formal review of of those uh those delinquencies. Um the CFO is now going

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to submit a monthly budget status to the council packet actually to be the deputy treasurer. Um and the city uh has started to record its finance meetings for council members to review them. So, uh, that's certainly allowed and it's not a bad idea for those council members who, uh, cannot attend meetings because

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of open issues to, uh, to review what the finance team is doing and then to follow up with any questions they may have. And then lastly, not lastly, um but additionally, and I'll thank councilwoman Kaminsky for this. Tonight, we'll be introducing an

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ordinance to establish city council leaison to functional areas of the city, which will um uh you know, we'll decide uh who best on the council to represent or to act as a liazison to uh individual departments um so that we have greater communication not only among the

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departments but among the council and mayor. So, I'm very much looking forward to that conversation. Um I thank you for providing that uh ordinance which was so well written that I don't think Mr. had to make any changes. So I thank you for that and further asked the budget

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consultant to provide list of other and and any everybody on the finance team provide a list of other recommendations. Um the budget consultant sent me just today about 24 pages of uh recommendations in terms of the budget process generally and uh specifically

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how we how we handle like delinquencies and the certification of the tax book every year. So uh I think uh you know have a difficult situation. and we've made some good strides and we'll continue to work um toward proving the system and um we'll have some more

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information for you next month. I do need to clarify a few questions about process with the the county tax board. So, we just wanted to get that out there before beforehand so that if there were questions about it, we could uh just address them as they went along. Um and

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so now I will open it to the public. We ask you to step to the podium unless you have mobility issues uh to say your name and address and you have 3 minutes of uninterrupted time for your comments to council may or may not respond. >> Uh Jeff Total 33 Wilson Street. They say

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you have a redevelopment ordinance up for the Oakland CL property. Will there be a set a slight plan with it as well? >> No. Address that. >> So, we the council adopted a redevelopment plan year or so ago for uh

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that property and this is going to be this amendment tonight is specific to the farm market portion of property. Uh essentially we got the plans we received the plans from fisherman's mark and there were some minor bulk deviations from what's permitted in the um initial

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redevelopment plan. Normally these would be taken care of at the pl level during the site plan application process and they'd be handled by the planning board and the variance we grant one way or another. But to make sure that that's a smoother process in front of the planning board, our planner reviewed

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these proposed changes, found that they weren't tremendously inconsistent with what was initially proposed, and the council is just going to consider for adoption, codifying them, so that when the application is presented to the planning board, everything's in compliance. >> I just wanted to see what, you know, how

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it look like what, you know, infrastructure would be early access. I believe my understanding is that the plans are in progress or close to being finished a mill. Uh I do [clears throat] plan to submit to the plan board soonish. Uh yeah, I think it's uh I think they're working on them and you

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know I think this conversation with the department was precipitated by some uh DRCC preliminary discussions about um you know the creek on the south side of the property. >> Fish um any update? I mean you you mentioned

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you were enclosed on it. Any update on Canadian and happening with the um and also uh any update on D going on the side or going? >> Sure. Uh I meant to offer that update

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before uh as well. Um so we did meet with Kite. Uh we did have a mediation uh meeting with on July 7th sent um Mr. himself. Um and uh really not much happened at that

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meeting. Um and we did have a our next mediation meeting scheduled for July 21st. Uh and we did receive notice today that we now have a status conference instead. Well, I don't know if it's instead. I would assume it's instead. So with the court on uh 7:21 [snorts]

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to 2:30 in the afternoon. So that's really all I can say about it. Um >> any progress with D? >> Well, so yes, um we did send I did send um the D a formal letter to request on July 1st. I'm always happy to show that

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with anybody um requesting information about uh their process and site application and insight access. Um and I did hear back from Henry Gaja, the DP and the commissioner's office. Um, it's been assigned to division of law. Uh,

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I'm going to have some further conversations about uh about that with um with the D. I expect to make a telephone call. I hope the Navy meet with uh I'm going to ask you the commissioner um in the near future to continue to you know push hard for

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access. It's important. And then my final more of a comment. Um I've been noticing there's been a lot of housing being built in mostly in my area, but it seems that every time a new house goes in, a couple trees go down and they

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don't seem to get replaced. Um I mean two houses went on what was the backyard of a house on um on on South Union and they took almost the entire lot. They took down a couple of big trees in front. They're gone over by the Elks.

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They're building a fairly huge building that's over overshadowing [clears throat] the Elks. Um, and there's a wonderful big tree on the border with the neighbors Scott and and Jeff who are friends of mine and doesn't seem there's any place on that property to replace a tree. And so I think we

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really need to be looking at whether it's in sight plan or a tree ordinance is that, you know, I did the ordinance years ago for Jackson where it's four trees for everyone taken. and you can't put it on the site. I have to put it somewhere else. But I just am looking at seeing what's happening and other trees in the area are getting older and being

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taken down and so all of a sudden we're becoming an area without canopy and on hot days like this and bad air days are kind of important. >> Thanks for that. I I don't know specifically about those particular site plans. Um and it's been a while since

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I've read the sh ordinance. So, uh, I'm happy to follow up with you on that. And obviously, uh, we're big on trees and, um, but I don't I don't know how, uh, how how it's handled with those particular properties. So, thank >> Hello, Beth O'Brien to Hancock Street.

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Um, I wasn't able to take notes fast enough. Could you please repeat what the type of meeting is you're having with Kinian on July 21st? >> It's a stats conference uh with the court. So, judge judge. >> So, who will be attending that?

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>> Uh representing the city will be Mr. Opel and u the the conference uh [clears throat] request just came in this this evening. So, I have to confirm that the affordable housing attorney will attend. Um I will attend but won't be able to say anything. and just be the attorneys

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representing the city. >> And how does this differ from the meetings that you've had so far? >> Well, the meeting I'll let Mr. Opel speak to the u to to the we've had a few I think this will be the third um status comments with the court. We've had two

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mediation sessions with Kinian and those sessions are myself, the mayor and council president on city side. So the difference really is the mediation sessions are discussion just between city and kadian with the court appointed

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special adjudicator [clears throat] president kind of offering insight I guess is the way I'll describe it. Um >> but the judge is not there. >> The judge's not there. The special adjudicator reports back to the judge after these meetings. We've had two of those. Um there's the minimal progress

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in those two meetings. So I think based on that especially after the last one we had on July 7th the special adjudicator reported back to the court and I think the court is now the court initially wanted to meet and have a status comp

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but because we haven't really made much progress I think they've sped that up and the court wants to see what's going on essentially. civil report to the judge specifically on Tuesday and let him know uh where we stand and what our respective position

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>> and what is the hopeful outcome of that meeting >> status there's not not often decisions are made at status conferences it's more um the court will give the parties direction so they won't decide a specific issue but they'll give

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the parties direction to on how to further resolve I don't want to speculate on what that's going to be, but obviously I'll report back to the city and uh whatever that is to the extent we may probably will. >> Thank you. And and updating the website

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under residents under the development. Um are there any new updates to put on there because it the timeline is still is kind of saying October 2025 at the top of the page. That's uh that kind of went out the window when um

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>> I guess I'm the only one who's checking it out. >> Yeah, but that [clears throat] was uh that was a moment in time that kind of you know we're at the we're at the mercy we're in our schedule gets resolved. So, uh, you know, I I probably

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not put that timeline up again or something similar to it just because it's always subject to change and I don't want to give the nobody wants to be in the wrong direction as to what is potentially low. >> And just one other question, I'm sorry. Thank you for letting me time. Um

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on e courts there's the docket and the last thing that was posted was May 24th which was your papers to the court. Are there things happening that are not being posted on e courts or is it up to date?

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>> Uh everything I every every communication that either side has with the court has to be posted on e courts. So that that reflects the entire record so far. Uh you'll if you go back tonight you'll see that this new conference there's a scheduling entry

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uh you can check it now uh that came in this afternoon uh and there's been no documents exchanged between what was the last you sent >> your last letter >> your last letter on the May 24th >> there have been a documents exchanged between the city and gay health outside

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and the court since then >> thank you very much anytime you want to check shoot me an email or just call me. I'm happy to offer you an update or say there's no update. So, if that's something, please let me know. >> I know you missed me last month, but you

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know, it's my wife's birthday. Uh Dave Bird, 255 Buzzwick Avenue in Landerville. And following up on best, you know, questions about the judge and all. Uh educate me. Is is he happy? Is

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he not happy or is we're not going to get a sense until he makes a decision. We're gonna find out if the stats come. >> Yeah, we haven't really seen the judge in a while. He's been uh you know, we've been uh discussing this. Well, I

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haven't, but some folks have been discussing this with Kmanian, you know, kind of face to face and with the adjudicator on on some of the issues on redevelopment agreement. So the judge hasn't been >> Yeah.

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>> present or making, you know, giving any signal. >> Yeah. My my concern as a as a taxpayer, all right, is is the judge going to file and they just say, you know, no, they did what they need to do. You didn't and you know, the decisions made. All right.

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And I guess we just have to uh hope that that doesn't happen. If it doesn't, if it does, you can always appeal. >> You have to remember, too, for that to happen, there's got to be briefings. There's got to be a hearing and everything, but ultimately the judge could compel us to do something that the council does not want to do and we have

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to abide by that. That's happened before. So, you know, there's a legal process. I think the important thing to remember is that there's a lot of really difficult issues there and we've got to, you know, delve through and stand firm on a lot of them and that's why we're in the position we're in.

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>> Absolutely. And and stay strong. Um some other things just in looking at the resolutions. Um resolution 129 2026 there's a 15,000 grand uh $15,000 goldber. Uh what's the purpose of that

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and why was that placed on the nonfair and open? Uh last year we uh we appointed Paul Sigala to represent the city in legal action against the city by uh civil actions. Um and this is an

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extension of that. Um so uh we met with um them recently uh because of the the the the lawsuit the civil action um you know we've had them come in meet with the council provide a time frame a defense strategy and preliminary budget.

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Um and so that's why this is necessary. >> Let's continue continue. >> Yes. Got it. >> Um and resolution 133 2026 the purchasing alliance. Um will you be talking about what what the what that

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accomplishes? Because I mean as an agency or department you're already in a state you know perhaps they read this is something different and probably better but it's not necessarily better but it's just our needs for the moment. Uh, and this is for a police vehicle. Am I right, Cindy? >> Yes.

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>> So, uh, it's the best price for a police vehicle that we could find anywhere. And so, in order to get that price, you need to join the cooperative. Thank you. Sure. >> Yeah. Judy Gleon, 86 North Union Street. Um, I have a couple things, some of which have been touched on already, but

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following up a little bit on what's going on with D and referred to division of law. I just want to encourage you to realize the division of law is not going to do anything unless somebody's on them every day to do it because they've got a

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hundred things to do and they are going to do it's the greasy wheel always. And if we're just waiting to see, as I understand it, access to the property and the D studies are critical to the relevance and the veracity and whatever

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of your position dealing with resolving stuff with Cob Manion. And if we don't have that because we haven't gotten there, we will be the party that has not cooperated. We will be the party that is not trying. We come to the table as the

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party who's not trying. So, I don't know if you already have laid out all the ways in which to go after the division of law. If you know exactly who the division of law attorney is, if you're in touch with that person, if you're after them on a regular basis, but if you're not to make work for a stay long

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enough and use the division of law attorney long enough to say, you have to do it because they have got way too much to do. They're not bad attorneys. They're not bad people, but they need to be reminded every day of what's important. And for us, it's the whole case because if we don't have that, we

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don't have a position. So, enough on that. um second on the ever popular playground. As you may or may not know, there was a hearing on July 2nd and again

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the uh are we calling it Fisherman's Mark or are we calling it academy or what we're calling it? They said that they had not been able to

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get approval of a plan from the city. Well, that sounds like the city didn't do its job. And you know, I come up here all the time saying the city's not doing it. Well, in this case, I'm pretty sure the city can't approve a plan that is

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not a valid plan. So, the city is not being checked for doing their job. They didn't get a plan that was a decent plan. So they kind of approve it [clears throat] by the city I mean construction or whichever office it is Paul. Um but

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instead of letting the court believe we haven't done our job we would have ideally said wait a minute we don't have a plan that's an acceptable plan. Well the attorney for the city and the construction office for the city said to

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the judge yeah broke it. So they didn't say wait we don't have a plan that's not we're not the ones we don't have a plan. So again we are we are seeing how the system can work and how perhaps the system should work. So I'm asking again

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please go after it. Please find out what's going on because no one else is doing that may be doing that. And finally, I am led to understand that there's activity going on on the Finkele property that may or may not have been approved, that may or may not have gone through the construction process, that

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may or may not be okay. But things are going on there and we know that there are issues and there is resistance and there are questions and if nobody's looking, it's going on and we need to be looking. So, I don't

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know. I don't know how you guys handle who who needs to be looking, but I'm calling to your attention. Needs to be looking. Something's going on. Construction's going on. Activities going on. As far as I know, they haven't gone through any of the steps that you normally have to go through for

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construction. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Um, couple of points to just follow up on. So, uh, I think I I possibly didn't mention the date. So, I did hear back from the commissioner's office to my letter uh which was sent uh

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on July 1st. I think uh on July 2nd, I did get a response and I wanted to wait until I have the opportunity to [clears throat] speak to the council about this tonight. So, that's two weeks uh of kind of mulling this over and I did have conversations with Mr. Oak about possible next steps. Um and I

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wanted to talk to the council and I got some good advice uh from uh the council tonight on the best way to proceed. So, as I said earlier, I was going to call commissioner's office uh and seek to have a meeting with the commissioner and his chief of staff uh in regards to the

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uh division of law. So, I am working on that. Uh these things do take time and I understand uh better as well, not better, but as well as anybody the necessity of moving the salon and representing the city's position. Um, with respect to fisherman's mark,

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obviously we're not going to commentate on uh the judge's decision to do one thing or another. Uh, you know, they they they did they did present before the judge. Uh, and they did create a uh a a storm water plan which was reviewed

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by the city engineer a couple of days ago and uh sent to the construction office his comments uh on July 13th. So, that is well under review. Um and uh I haven't really looked at the plan but uh I have a copy of it and I know that it's

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being kind of reviewed by it has been reviewed already by the city engineer. Um with respect to finals um as a matter of fact uh the construction code official was over there yesterday with fire uh official um and there were followup questions that I had to ask the construction official today. So I called

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him at the beach um and he graciously took my call and filled me in on the details and I've got some follow-up work to do on that tomorrow. So, I'm aware of the situation uh and what the potential issues are over there and I'm handling them uh because tomorrow because the construction code official won't be in.

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I just want to make sure that the building is uh safe until he can come back and make sure that uh all the appropriate permits are filed. So, all of these things are being taken care of. Even Paul Stevens, 39 Cory Street. Uh

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couple of things. Um, if I remember correctly, we passed an ordinance saying dumpsters had to be covered when they're idle >> on the street. >> On the street, yes. And, uh, just this past Sunday, I walked by one that was right up from the city market. It was

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uncovered. I don't know if anybody's checking on these dumpsters when they get permits or not, >> but um, so yeah. And then we just want to be clear here. Um the redevelopment plan

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for the Hulcom property, excuse me. Um the amendment to it. This is the first reading tonight. Could we please make sure exhibit A gets posted as soon as the votes have come on? As soon as the votes over tonight, but I mean tomorrow

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sometime please so we can see what exhibit A is. Thank you. >> M if I may. >> Yes, please. >> Plan on doing the ordinance and exhibit A as one. So when you look at it, it's going to just be one document. >> Yeah.

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>> Will that document be available tomorrow? >> On Monday. >> Okay. >> Okay. Be on the website on Monday. >> Uh dumpsters are in fact required to have coverings. Um that's a state requirement came down through the MS428

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permit. uh when someone lets us know that a dumpster is uncovered, we send somebody from the department out to issue a violation. Um and uh you know we do from time to time sometimes people don't know it. Dumpster companies when we pass the ordinance we called everybody let let them know occasionally

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still uh people don't know um and we we ask them to correct it. They do right away and there are people who don't and then we sign the violations. So um but reporting is not you know we don't always catch these things. I I'm walking around town pretty regularly and I'm often calling the DPW. So, I would

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encourage you to either call me um you all have my telephone number to call me and I'll make sure that it gets taken care of right away or you can call city. >> I can tell you the couple times I've emailed city resolve right away. She doesn't go out right away. So, >> that's an easy one.

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>> Anyone online? May I have a motion to close the public comment period, please? So move >> second. All in favor, please say I. I. >> I. Thank you. Come on to resolutions to consent

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agenda. Um one one adjustment here on what did we say it was? >> Resolution 127 for a chapter 159 and that is for um one of the grants. adopt the drain grant should be in the

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amount of $2,000 policy. >> So um this is to consider adopting resolutions number 124 2026 through 136 2026. Are there any concerns or questions from the council that need uh

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with sensitive resolution of the consent agenda? I just want to make sure that the that does not include resolution number in spread that we have to pass the

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ordinance first. >> No, it does not. >> What number is the matter? >> I believe that's 137 and we have not received it. I waited for the very end hoping that the D would send us so we won't be adopting. >> Okay. All right. Thank you so much.

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Thank you. There is no further conversation. I would ask for a motion to adopt the consent agendas numbers 124 through 136 2026 to move. >> Second. >> All those in favor say I. >> I. >> I. The motion carries

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and the bills list. Everybody have a chance to look at the bill this month? >> Yes. >> Okay. I'll make a motion to approve the bill list. Second, please. >> All those in favor say I. >> I. Thank you. Motion carries. Uh first reading ordinances number one uh number

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15 2026 an ordinance in of the city of Lambertville County of Hon state of New Jersey adopting an amendment to the Hulcom farm redevelopment plan which was adopted on July 17, 2025. So we've already talked a little bit about this uh tonight. Um we will have a public

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hearing on this and on Octo August 20 uh 2026 uh gets introduced tonight. Uh this amendment is necessary for us to close on the sale of the old Walmart fisherman's mart. So there are any questions from the council. >> Okay. Have a motion to introduce an

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ordinance number 15, 2026 on first reading with the public hearing scheduled for August 20th. >> Salute. >> All those in favor? >> I I carries. Next is ordinance number 16-2026. It's an ordinance amending the Landville

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city code 2014 chapter 2 administrative code adding a new section 2-3.11 to establish city council leaison to municipal vendorville areas. So, we've already talked about this. Again, my thanks to Councilwoman um Kaminsky. I

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think this is a great idea. Having gone to a number of of other uh municipal committee meetings over the last six weeks, uh I see the value of this um and uh the reporting that's done at monthly meetings by committee members or council

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people who are really engaged in in in their work. So, thank you very much, Council Counciloman Kaminsky. I don't know you would like to say. >> Yeah. No, I I just have one um comment. I mean, this follows up kind of from where we were at the end of June

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about, you know, getting being able for us to get more involved and um help giving order at, you know, at city hall and and being able to spread out some of the work. Um so, I have put together this ordinance. So, one comment I just

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wanted to toss around is that I I had kind of arbitrarily set up the four categories, you know, and I in taking a look at it, you know, I thought maybe the construction office ought to go with public safety and maybe we should add planning instead of the construction

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office to public works and engineering. It's kind of uh it's a kind of a minor change. I don't know if our attorney will agree with us, but I I I don't know that the you know the I hadn't thought about it complet thought it through in

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the end but in making up the poor list I just wanted to throw it out there that the you know kind of combinations were >> open they weren't like >> can I make a suggestion? >> Yeah. Yeah, sure. that that we amend the before it's introduced, but we amend it

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so that every year you decide what you want and we add that to the rework because as you get into it, you may decide this doesn't work but this does. Does that make sense? >> Absolutely. and and often times when there's any I don't anticipate any

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changes but looking forward um my my experience is that um you have council members who have some background in their professional lives or you know prior work experience in one of these categories and and maybe you want to change it up so that it fits the composition of the council the time. So

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I think it's a good idea. >> So that so would the wording just be the following will have a leazison assigned to them? I mean that would keep it broad. So that we could >> I I I think that the changes and we can put this on the record and and vote on on this version of it, but if nobody has

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any issue um section one establishment of council leaison, city council may annually designate one or more council members to serve as council leazison to the following functional areas and then we would add comma u which are subject to change uh based on

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resolution of the council uh during reorganization meeting or something to that effect. Um but >> is that in lie of naming A to D and just leave >> and then and then right now I would say subsection B would be amend say public works engineering and planning and then

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subsection C would say public safety fire EMS construction office >> was that to me >> yes [clears throat] I think those are two really good I >> right yeah so it's like everyone with a badge because everybody's you know interactive

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>> well it reflects you know that they have different council people and you know you can match them up with relevant experiences. Well, well, would it would it be better not to group them now and just list list them and people

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can cherrypick to see what they want to >> kind of like the listing now. That's why I opened it up to say if anybody had any rejiggering in the listing, let's like rejigger it. But I think we do. My my only thought is that we give it some order so that we can get going you know

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so if and you know some of the discussions we've had you know if you think that there's a shuffle in here >> okay so we could shuffle even with this we can still >> well right now yeah now we're shuffling >> no I mean do you have a thought it in

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terms of the the combinations of A through D is there a shift that you would like to make within that >> not at the you know since we're not not at this moment but I certainly think that we should not have to go through

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>> changing this amending this by ordinance if this grouping thing doesn't work >> right and I think that's where um Cindy Cindy's language covers that part so there's two two different ways that the ordinance will do it Cindy will put in

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that that language that we'll amend it so it can get adjusted easily and we don't have to re amend it. And then my only thought was now if there was this particular uh assortment that anybody wanted in their

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A, B, C or D, you know that that suggestion would be up for discussion now. We could do it now. I mean I already made a you know a little tweak there. So >> I think I could tweak that. But if you

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anybody else wanted to go with it, >> did you want to make a change in >> I did I made I suggested in B it would be public works engineering and planning and then C would be public safety, fire,

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EMS and construction office. So adding planning and putting planning, engineering and public works together and then having public safety, fire, EMS and like the construction office together because a lot of their they you

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know fire overlaps with construction. So to separate fire out from construction might not be good. Al also um under the council liaons

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the second bullet uh what is attend department meetings when invited. So I mean invited to go to >> let's say you can come by yourself >> right you can invite yourself

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>> we're invited >> loose interpretation here >> we could take out what competition who's been involved the most gets a star invited >> in it was to get to make it to uh be

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able to match our um our form of government. So, not to overstep and have an ordinance that wasn't appropriate in our form of government because we couldn't uh you you can't assign like

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a a power to a council person that they don't have under the Faulner Act. So the idea of like I think when invited when I went back and looked at it after talking about it was to kind of just soften it that you weren't leading the department

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in a way that would conflict with appropriate >> form of government. Yeah. Or as appropriate in ter other than what I change it to appropriate I'm I'm okay with that. >> Yeah. Yeah. or get invited

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>> or you're going to but then also hey you know you [laughter] know serious I mean in a way of of of being able to say it doesn't mean that it's all on one side of the road that you as being one being involved in in

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your area can you know if it was okay the city clerk's office you could call Cindy and say, "Oh, hey, I ought to be there, you know, and do that." You know, you don't we don't have to be, you know, passive. We can be active. I guess, you know, you can stick your foot in the

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door. >> And you're a administrative is the is the clerk's office, the people that are the >> Right. Right. >> Is that basically sure included in that circle? >> It's off to bring a cake or cookies.

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>> Oh, there you go. It's burden. The burden of a is food too. That's right. That's usually the public works love. >> The other question I have is indeed

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there's a business administrator listed in there. >> Going down >> ABC on the >> I would think the BA would be part of the administrator. >> Well, I just find the city code. So I think >> I'm sorry

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>> that position is quantified in the city code even though it's not filled right now. So um I think this is just this commerce but that that position's ever built. >> So suppose we don't hire a business administrator. We have a different title doing it.

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>> Well actually what really need to do is the business administrator ordinance as it's written right now. Um even if we ever were to bring one on you wouldn't do it the way it's done. And we I think we've talked talked about that, but I feel very strongly about that. You read

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that business administrator ordinance and it's a it's a you know it's it yeah it's not the way to run uh to run government. So >> tighten tighten this up and move on.

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>> Is everybody good with this? >> Yeah, I just nitpicking on letter D. So it seems to me that none of those items listed there are actual departments like we have parks and recreation which

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is a commission and I'm a liaison to that community celebrations. I don't I'm not sure what's what it did scope for that. >> You have to hot dogs for the bar. No, but we have them in in terms of a lot of

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these um like if you go through our ordinances and then I mean you can add to D. That's what I mean. I mean I didn't get you know spend thinking about it but there was a like a

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community celebrations person that gets uh appropriate but there are a lot of you know some different things to kind of coordinate with or beef up if but that's for like somebody who's into that you know if you're not in you know and you want you know make that different I

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also think too that our parks and w just what parks and w does could you know you can supplement that and I I know we're not interested in buying new new um open space but and

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then also tackling I thought the idea of of what goes on with Hulcom Park and this property and so it's kind of a bigger >> yeah bigger issue when you know in that

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because that seems to be there's f money involved in that to me And there's a lot of open questions there, >> right? >> Which is a big part of it because I I do think that we as a council need to in

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terms of our our parks and recreation operates and what we do there. I think we should personally have more input to it and and and have um you know and

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you know h have a role in it in partnering with them. It's a big part of the the community too >> and and even the public safety aspect of it. Um, you know, we have a whole park and school system along a state highway

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that, you know, needs some tending to. [clears throat] >> So, if you want to add something to it or something, you know, I I think it's in a pretty good form for us to move forward and then if we need to modify it as we apply it, I think we should go

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ahead and modify. Well, yeah, it gives us the ball to I mean, we won't be appointing until September. So, you know, we're only talking about three months before we would probably potentially. >> The one other thing actually they bring up too that we didn't include in this is probably the libraries libraries

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>> which see that and being in that >> on the library board, >> right? I think that that you don't need to be there alone of being there with a council person participating in library stuff. the library has a big um you know

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a big role in the community and >> about the LMUA do you see that >> and that's a great that's a good one too that's a great that's a that is um you know I was just reading today on their

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announcement about you know upgrading the the system with new mapping and I was like I didn't know that you know and that's a great suggestion That's a great We could add it to B. We could add it to D. We could add it to,

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you know, to beef up um, you know, to your point on D LMU would be. >> So, do we want to restructure it and then renotice it or want to move forward? >> I think I think we I would just uh if

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everybody's good with this, I would just add LMU A to D. I think that's a great >> That's a good one. I mean, no, it's an awesome one. And um um and then >> and then move forward. >> Yeah. >> I think so. >> Okay.

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>> When uh >> there's a lot of stuff I mean there's a lot of stuff to more emerging. You know, I may say the library kind of is on there, you know, operates more um out there, but we have

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a lot of of uh interface with LMU. Probably we'll have more. >> Yeah. >> Well, we'll just have to see how it goes and change it if we need to. >> Why don't we put include Why don't we put something? Can we put something

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including but not limited to? and then do A through D bill. That way we could including but not limited to that way we could make changes without having to get a uh if an an amendment to the ordinance

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or is it too broad? >> I thought we were adding to this list that amendments could be made by resolution after reorganization. >> Right. >> Yeah. >> Okay. So this >> Yeah. So you could Yeah. So that does that, >> right?

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>> So what So to my suggestion, >> oh, Cindy was saying how she was suggested to handle that was that >> but my question is suppose it's something that happens mid year and we and we've already passed the the

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resolution [clears throat] as January >> amend the resolution. I I I think also that a lot of these areas are broadly described as it is. I mean there is an assistance of city departments but for

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example administration is relatively broad as the mayor mentioned he's he sits on the board for the library. There's issues regarding the library. I think the council leazison under subsection A could potentially if there's a desire midyear for example I think that's that's something where the

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library could fit into there it could also probably fit into um potentially date as well I would think so I think that there's there's some discretion where we don't need to be need to have that specificity this

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>> uh s since the only organization or there are very few organizations that do citywide events. U two that come to mind. Well, we have this where does where does that fall in

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the c community celebration? >> But if it's the chef festival that is that would that go into that or is there a relationship we have on council >> to be to be have a representative from

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council attend the chamber meeting? I think that's that's most talked about when I said that a lot of these can be broadly interpreted because I I think Chamber of Commerce events would definitely fall under >> like a hard

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stop could you know thing like once we start doing it I think then we'll get a feel for what it is. I wouldn't want to say oh right now oh a council person has to go to every chamber meeting and every shadfest meeting and every whatever but

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if there was something around it that needed work and attention and it turned out to be more laborious than the usual thing then that person would step up and be involved in it. I think you kind you know you want to say it's like we used

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to call it fudging it but it's kind of like I think that if we get some parameters down we see how it goes it's only going to be six will be a reorg and b have winter coats on before you know it and uh and we could

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>> you know see if we need to tweak it then or see if it's you know bomb I don't but we'll try to you um you know maybe chip in these things lua

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slash library could be a whatever it is >> so it's a living document >> a living document >> it's a living document process yeah >> uh so I'm going to make a motion to

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introduce uh as amended or as rewritten whatever you want as amended ordinance number 16-20220 26 with a public hearing and second reading like August. What is it? The 20th.

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>> The 20th. Um, is there a second? >> Second. Second. >> Josh, let you make a motion so we can go ahead. >> Motion. Yeah. Go ahead. Second. >> Okay. All in favor, please say I.

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>> I. Thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, councel. >> Uh second reading ordinances, uh ordinance number 12-2026. this ordinance of the city of Lambertville and the county of Hon, New Jersey, providing for various capital

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improvements of and for the city appropriating $863,000 therefore and authorizing the issuance of $819,850 in general improvement bonds or notes of the city to finance the same. So, we've

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talked about this uh everything's been laid out very concisely in the uh in the ordinance. So, I'm going to begin immediately by opening this up to public hearing. Is there any members of the public who wish to speak to this ordinance? If so, please step to the

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podium. Dave Bird with the MUA talking about that. There is some work that uh we're planning. Go ahead, >> Dave. I'm sorry. This is just about the ordinance. So we're not quite as

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related to capital ordinance. Do you mind holding on to that thought until the second public comment period? >> Yeah. >> Thank you. >> Um anybody in line? Okay. So having no one in the room wishes to speak to this ordinance motion to close the public

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comment period, please. >> Second. >> All in favor, please say I. >> I. >> I. Uh any >> can you mark up number so we know how much additional that this is going to cost the average taxpayers

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>> in this amount of the bond. >> No we go through this every time because we don't know how it's going to be financed yet. So >> Oh that was my second question. >> Yeah >> because we >> Yes. As a as a >> so bond anticipation note it may get

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rolled over. We that's a decision we won't make uh for a while yet. So no way for for us to tell what the average impact is going to be in any given year. Of course, the tax rate changes uh every year. So um and that fluctuates uh regardless of what the what the payment

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is for the uh the long-term bond. And so yes, I >> but but we will have a figure at one point. Well, we we we can get a figure at any time from our financial advisor about the amorization of the long-term uh debt

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structure and what that what that is annually. We haven't done it in a while, but uh periodically we we get a table which will show how much the debt service is based on the current factors and where the debt currently is and at what rate. So, uh

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>> but we know how much our debt service is with our current bond is now. We do. I don't know off the top of my head. >> No, I'm not asking. I'm just saying that that information. So somewhere along the pipeline, we'll find out what the effect is on the average

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taxpayer for the 863,000. >> Probably not for several years, right? Because >> that makes no sense. >> Well, because the >> Am I asking the wrong question? >> Because it's a temporary. It's unfunded, right? So until it's funded

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>> and it could go three years before we fund it, >> right? >> That's correct. I can't really add more to that, but that is correct. >> Yeah, >> so it's an anticipation note. You anticipate that you're you're spending this money. You anticipate you're going

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to go out to market and fund it. >> But the re in reality is, you know, some of these things like for for for the maintenance of buildings, right? I think there's 300,000 in this. >> Yes. >> In the end, we may only spend a h 100,000. So when we actually go for a

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note, it may not be the 300,000, which is one of the reasons why you can't say what it's going to cost today. Plus, we don't know three years from now what tax rate, what the rate, right? >> So it's absolutely

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>> too many variables because we don't also what a credit rating's going to be. All those things come into play. >> You buy a house, you know what the payments are going to be. >> Yes. Because you're funding it, >> but we're not funding it maybe for three years.

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>> And then we vote on funding it anyway. So, >> correct. >> Okay. >> Uh, any other questions? >> Okay. Hearing none, I'm ask for a motion to what is this

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time? 12 2026 >> 12 2026 on second reading granting final approval motions. Thank you. Please >> councilomani. >> Yes.

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>> Councilman Lie. >> Yes. >> Council President Lambert. >> Yes. >> Councilman Segman. >> Yes. >> May. >> Yes. Thank you. And it's good to see that we're putting money aside to address the overarching question is

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we're we're putting money aside or will be to address the problems with the buildings and properties the city already. >> Yes, we've done a good job I think in the last few years of taking care of our buildings. >> We're looking forward to getting city hall painted.

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>> Me too. >> Um yes. Uh, next is an ordinance number >> 13 >> 13-2026 an ordinance to amend the Lambertville city code 2014 chapter 11. Um, this ordinance

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amends the Lambertville city code chapter 11 to include safety standards for the sale or lease of property as they relate to smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, and secondary power sources as in generators. Anyone in the public wish to speak to this ordinance? We'll open the public

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hearing. Anyone online? I'll make a motion to close the public hearing. Do I have a second, please? >> Second. >> All in favor of closing the public hearing, please say I. >> I. I. The motion carries. Uh, is there any further conversation from the

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council on this ordinance? >> It's a great idea to have the secondary power notice. And I believe there's are there stickers available now we can get from the department by department. >> That's a sticker that says there's the

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secondary source of power. >> Yes, there are. You get it from your generator supplier. >> Really? >> Yes, you do. You call them up and you tell them. I can't remember the code, but there's a specific standard. >> Ask me how I know because I just got

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one. Okay. >> I needed it to sell my house. Oh, so you called the um Yeah, I called the uh the provider who's the same one I used. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I'll tell them to give me yours. >> Yeah. They slap it on the generator even

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though that's not what it says in the ordinance. That's what the fire chief told. >> Okay. Well, >> and I passed. [laughter] What else you want? No. Not Not that much. Um, >> I'm not I'm not >> Are you done? >> Yeah.

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>> Okay. >> Okay. Um, so may I have a motion to adopt? >> What What is the city committee on section 9 about that? >> The city >> hereby covenants on behalf of the city.

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What is the city committee here? >> Oh, that's where it ends. We already passed. What's wrong about? >> Well, yeah. I'm just curious. What is the city? What is What is the city committee? >> Said the meeting would be over 45 million.

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>> They never said that. >> I said you're not going to be here. >> 45 minutes. >> We have a motion. Do we have a second? >> Second. >> All those in favor of adopting the ordinance in question. Um second

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reading. [clears throat] >> Thank you very much, Council President. Please say I. I. Motion carries. The ordinance adopted. Um ordinance number 14, 2026. This ordinance will amend the Lambertville city code 2014 chapter 7 traffic section

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7-4.7 handicap parking to include handicap parking space in front of 19 South Main for David and Velcio. Um this is uh for Indian parking space. And just a reminder that uh because it's on a state highway, it gets assigned to the the the

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actual individual who has the plaqueard. Um at this point, I would open the public hearing floor number 146. >> Well, I'm going to need to step off the dance for this. I think my head

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over there. >> Oh goodness. No comments. I don't see uh anyone wishing to make a public comment about this. So I will ask for a motion to close the public comment on ordinance number 14, 2026. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I and I'm going to jump right into

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asking for a motion to adopt ordinance 14-2026 on second reading grant final approval. >> Second. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I >> I council and abstain. Okay. Um resolution 137 has been removed from the

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agenda for reasons already noted. Uh correspondence none. Um I would like to appoint to hear his alternate one on the environmental commission with the term pending December 31, 2027. Uh Matt serving Matthew serving on the uh

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environmental resource inventory um ad hoc committee and he's doing a bang up job. He's doing tremendous work and I I feel confident that you make excellent um addition to the environmental commission. Any questions about this appointment? >> No.

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>> Okay. Uh we have a motion, please. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I >> I Okay. Motion carries. Um just a couple of updates here. Um abandoned vacant properties. I want to

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thank um Cindy for her continued work on this uh and Lindsay as well. Lindsay met with um Greg Verino this week to discuss some concerns uh on properties in town and uh it's always nice to see movement on this. So 40 South Union Street as you

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know just out here city was successful in getting the property owned to clean up the the rear yard and remove the debris. Um they reported they've secured the windows. However, the second there's a second floor window that remains either open or broken. Um we're also waiting for them to pay their property taxes. So Cindy's reached out and had

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numerous emails with the property owner um which we [clears throat] finally able to contact. So there is communication happening there. Um and [clears throat] uh you all know that the city attorneys recommended that we consult with the planner to discuss potential rehabilitation plans for this other

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designated properties. Um this this would obviously cost money to do and we're kind of a tight budget here. So, you know, I would ask for possible input on this general question. Um, you know, having a planner get involved, having people get involved in a

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rehabilitation plan for a property that is on the market or likely to sell. Um, you know, is what what's your anybody? Uh, obviously these properties, the couple couple of them in town are kind of visual lights

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and potential safety concerns. Um, and We have a responsibility across the board um to maintain certain standards in the city. Um and we also have a responsibility to act wise the taxpayers. So it's a little bit of a kind of a tight robot here. I just want

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to see if anybody had any initial uh comp any initial thoughts on the subject may not be anything. I doubt we'll we'll consider it deeply tonight but uh we should be thinking about it as it comes to policy. Sounds like we're going to think about

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it. I >> I do think maybe that there's going to be a couple different avenues going down the road that we might be able to investigate aside from getting a planner involved right away. Um and I do think that continuing to apply pressure does

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help. Um and when I I talked about avenues, I mean they have the tax sale coming up. they haven't paid their taxes, it's going to go into tax there and someone's, you know, going to pay the taxes and potentially down the road foreclosed. Um, so it's not just for

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him. There are there's, you know, 42 Swan Street's kind of in the same thing. They have to pay taxes. Um, >> village apartments, >> village apartments, that's going into tax sale again. However, I do know that

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um that the property the people who have a lean on the property are in a foreclosure process. The the current owner has come in to see the tax collector. I don't know whether they'll be able to come up with the money to um you know to

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>> repay the lean. >> So um the city, let's be clear, we sell tax leans. So, we're not holding on waiting for that money for for the village apartments that's been sold and the the the person who has the lean on

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the property is foreclosing. Whether they follow through or not, we're still made whole. >> So, um so there are different things that we can do. We do have I want to say um three properties that we're right now looking at serious

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and the one across the street is new. But you're in conversation with all of them. So I think that's a good Is that a good first step? I personally would like to see kind of that uh unfold a little bit longer or we really consider uh rehabilitation plans, but I think it's

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something we should be thinking about. >> Yeah. And it is frustrating because they the property owners don't always respond quickly. Sometimes it takes two, three weeks to get something from them. But um I still continue to apply the pressure.

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>> Thank you. >> Whatever that work >> for a good job in fact the results you get. Um all right. So moving on sandwich boards. Uh I did meet with the

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ad hoc committee for sandwich board consideration and as you might imagine it was a lively meeting. Um I think at at the end of an hour and a half um the only initial recommendation or not even a recommendation but the only the one

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thing that we were leaning into as a group was potentially um allowing sandwich boards kind of a multi- business sandwich board kind of like what the chamber has um at strategic locations

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um but they would have to be of a higher quality. So there's a lot of conversation about uh sandwich boards and science in general. Um we're just trying to focus on sandwich boards at the moment. So we came away from that meeting um not having a lot of vigorous

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discussion about sandwich boards in general. Um but you know there was some potential interest in um in kind of similar to what the chamber has put out these larger sandwich boards in places where there's plenty of room where you

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know you're directing foot traffic down down a street to see x y and z of x y and z. Um the other uh the other um actionable item that we decided on and I haven't uh haven't discussed this with the construction code official zoning officer yet. Um, so if he's back from

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the beach and listening to the m the meeting, he'll get some new information. Um, I think I'm going to go out with with the zoning officer and we're going to just do some measurements in the central business district to understand, you know, that the um the required uh

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sidewalk width for uh ADA accessibility and that could drive a lot of our decision-m policy uh in terms of what's uh what what can be uh done and what can't be done. Um, so I think that's the next step having just a, you know, we'll go out with the tax maps. We'll just

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mark it out, you know, property by property. We'll just do it the old fashioned way. Sort of see where we're constrained by ADA requirements. Um, and then revisit based on that. I think that there are going to be a lot of locations, you know, the entire north side of Church Street, for example,

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where it's just going to be in them, right? Um, because you have sidewalks and places that are only less than three feet wide, right? So to make a kind of a formal assessment of what's possible in terms of space um and then to come back and sort of reexamine it. Um and there

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was also you know some general questions. There were a lot of questions about you know in some situations uh you know for example would we allow restaurants to use them chalkboards out front when the menus are changing. So to highlight you know kind of new new

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things that are happening. um would we take into consideration the certain shops that don't have overhanging signs for whatever reason or can't have them? Right? So, this is a lot of questions here. So, we're going to meet again, but I want to go out first and understand really the the physical constraints in

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the central business district. So, hang tight on that. Um, so it's a, as you understand, it's a complex question and lots of lots of it was a lively meeting, but a lot of good points were raised and I think that I think that we we made a

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little bit of progress. Um, Cindy, uh, I want you to talk about NJ Homes because you really been the star of this company. >> Well, thank you. And not really a star, but um, we applied, um, for the grant to be part of the New Jersey Homes

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Affordable Building Club. Um, so it's an opportunity that will provide training, technical assistance, funding, and access to resources for affordable housing and we received notice uh this week that we we were accepted into the

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program. We're one of 13 municipalities and only two of them, Lamberall and Flemington and Hunter County. So, um, it requires a two-year commitment. It provides 12 training sessions, um ongoing technical assistance and self

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staff and redevelopment funding. Um it's a second cycle for them. So they just finished the first and actually they're on the second year of the first. So the first year you meet monthly for 12 months and then after that you you know

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there are follow-up meetings. Um so Lindsay and I will join a monthly meeting with other 13 municipalities. Topics will include life cycle housing DCA data resources groundwork and planning project development community

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engagement partners and development evaluation of projects affordable housing financing municipal tool toolbox and local housing programs and partnerships. Um, and the reason this is so important is by being part of this,

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it opens up funding for us. You have to be part of this in order to be eligible for different funding for redevelopment projects. Um, I don't know what they are, but I know that they go up to $300,000. Um, and as part of this, um, I've been

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invited to the governor's con conference on housing and economic development in Atlantic City on September 29th and 30th as part of this group. So, I'm really looking forward to it. I think um you know it could open up some some

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different ideas um and just being with groups all throughoutund and the state of New Jersey and throwing ideas back and forth. I'm really looking forward to maybe some options, things that we haven't explored before. >> That's awesome. Thanks.

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>> Yeah, incredible work. Thank you so much, Cindy. Appreciate it. Um I have a couple of other announcements. uh the library the new elevator in the library past state inspection today. So we're going to have a ribbon cutting ceremony for that and u very exciting news. Um so

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that's been an ongoing issue for many many years. Um and lastly I just wanted to update everyone on um the the regional resilience grant. So um as of today we had um uh eight municipalities

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who have uh decided to join uh in this regional resilience application grant. Um I've been to meetings in almost all of the municipalities to uh to answer questions and to talk a little bit about the climate change related hazard vulnerability assessment which is now a

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requirement under municipal land use law. um that will be one of the benefits that individual municipalities will gain from participation in this grant. Um it's been a tremendous amount of work so far. The application will be submitted either tomorrow or Monday. Um and so

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I've coordinated eight municipalities and the um the watershed institute and the land conservancy. Um we're submitting an application that's more than 100 pages um that includes uh probably a dozen maps that have been uh

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either pulled from websites, open space maps and things like that. But the watershed institute has created uh six maps especially for our selfidentified region. Um so I I can't be I couldn't be more excited about this grant. Um I think it's going to be a very impressive

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undertaking to get eight municipalities across 150 square miles to work together to uh to undertake some resilience play. Um so uh you know more more on that probably at matters next week. Um once the application is sent through I'll

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have I'll uh send it to the council for for for them to take a look at. Uh and we'll also post a copy of it on the city website for anybody who's interested in seeing you know what what the hazard risks are in Pennington Paddington Burough for example. So the communities

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who are in um are Stockton, Delaware, Lambertville, Westwell, East Anwell Burough, Hopewell Township and Pennington. So uh lot of work, a lot of lot of good stuff, a lot of great ideas already exchanged. So uh stay tuned. I

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think it's going to be wonderful. I was up in West Ammo last night at their township committee meeting um and they uh they they decided to move forward uh in this process as well. So uh just goes to show that there are leaders across the across the area regardless of

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political uh and kind of cultural and and even uh you know just kind of historical considerations really see this as something that's significant. And I think it's interesting that, you know, four of the municipalities uh are less than one square mile um with

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populations of under 4,000 and three of those municipalities are surrounded by only one other municipality and the fourth one is surrounded by two um and and that's us. But we're really we had Delaware Township on the north side and then the other four um municipalities

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are rural municipalities with um a total population of about 36,000 and square miles of about 146 uh square miles. So it's a nice mix of communities and I've been really pleased and and happy to work with uh local uh mayors. It's been

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nice getting to know everybody. So I'll keep everybody updated on that, but I'm super excited to be able to this expedition. So, will we >> It's already been a tremendous amount of work uh for for for Lindsay and Cindy. So, thank you so much. >> It's been great, though.

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>> Yeah. Um two other announcements. Uh our council work sessions will resume on September 3rd. Um so, our next council meeting will be August 20th. Uh and uh if it doesn't rain, uh we hope that all of you will join us for the picnic at Welcome uh Alton Park on Saturday um

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between 4 and 7. the rain dates Sunday and it looks like it's going to rain. We'll post something on the Facebook page probably by noon on Saturday. Um, but should be a fun event. So now I would open this up to the second public participation session here. >> Oh, you know, I'm sorry, one other one

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other announcement. I just wanted to let everybody know that the remedial investigation work is going on at Kabala Park. The first round of testing was done. I just received an email yesterday um uh that the initial four samples that they sent out exceeded the applicable D

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hypological soil standards. Um but on an up note um the wetland delineation results are favorable. So the wetland delineation has determined that the canal bank does not meet the criteria for regulated wetland which will make the which will make the uh the remediation work a little bit more

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straightforward. Uh there are some initial uh there are some additional samples that were collected and now have to be sent out for for uh for results. I'll probably have those in another week or so. So I will keep everybody updated on that project as well. So back to the

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public comment Brian took street. Congratulations, Cindy, on your new extended role. It sounds really exciting and it's going to be good work. >> Thank you. >> Um, when you were talking about um collecting taxes and things like that,

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you said the words visual blade and safety concerns and it brought to my mind what the heck is happening at Village Apartments. Has there been any movement on cleaning up that space? because that is certainly visual delight

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and a safety concern. >> Uh there has not um you know we have safety concerns about uh the property in the past. We have called the property owners. Um there was a concern about grat infestation at one point. Yeah. And um we did call the property owners. They

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did send somebody out. They they do keep the grass but um so if there are property maintenance issues, we have reached out. Um it's been a while since I've had any direct contact. I did in fact meet the representative when she was um when she popped into the tax collector's office. So we chatted for anything that's about the property

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generally but um you know I can't speak to any any plans that they have at the moment. >> Sure. Anyone else? How many people do we have online? >> Six. >> Six. Nice to have them all. I think my

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sister might be online tonight. She said she was going to join as you said. Dave, >> question. Dave, >> you had a question. >> Did you? Yeah, you >> I forgot what it is. Ellen, >> me away. >> No, you already made the decision, but

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that's okay. Uh just one of the uh improvements that is under $800,000 is uh some work on uh South Union Street and Swan Street. And I just wanted to let you heads up in case you didn't have

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a turn for Mike. Um there's going to be some uh major work done uh in some of those areas that may you know you may want to be talking to make sure we know what we're doing. It's a that we're actually an improvement of the the

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pipeline the sewer pipeline right which goes right down the middle of the street. >> I'm so glad you told me that because u I know I know the problem that you're talking about um with the the Yes. I but I did not uh I I did not know that they were planning on making some

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improvements. So, you know, we've worked so diligently with Violia to for them to make their infrastructure improvements and for us to follow with our road work. Um and uh I guess I should be checking in with the LFA as well because I bet you know there's there's changes

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happening. Yeah. Well, thanks for thanks for bringing that up. I'll follow up with Mike. I appreciate that. You want a map? No. Seems quick. You got to make sure no one wants to speak.

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>> Hello. >> Hello. >> You want to go ahead? >> Hello. You want to go ahead? I see you're listed as iPhone 3.

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Hi. Can you hear me? This is iPhone 3. This is iPhone 3. Can you hear me? Yes, we can hear you. >> I just wanted to say hi. I just wanted to say hi to my brother Andrew. >> Hi. Hi, Andrew.

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>> Can you say your name and address for the record, please? >> My name is Teresa Ride Out from Lello, Massachusetts. And I think you're all doing a great job down there. Maybe you should come up here and uh do some work up in Lello because we could

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use some help. All right. >> All right. iPhone 3 signing out. >> All right. Thanks, >> Teresa. Chill is a bad spelling. >> R I D E O U T

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>> I don't really Well, um I'll ask a motion to the public comment period. On that note, please say I. >> I. My gratitude for another meeting in which we did good things for the city. I'll ask for a motion to please.

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>> All in favor? >> Thank you everyone. >> All right. Go ahead. >> Okay. >> Yeah.

