Mayor, anybody else? >> Mayor Gio. Yes, I'm sorry. Mayor, there she is. Um, good to have you all with us tonight. closer to you. >> Um, so I'll call 7:00 and ask the city
clerk to read the statement of compliance with you about that. >> This meeting is being held in compliance with the open public meetings act with the meeting notice advertised in the chimes posted on the city's website on the legal notices page and sent out to members of the public on the list serve
department heads and the city engineer. The meeting agenda provides for action items known at the time of publication and is subject to change. This meeting is being recorded and streamed live using the Zoom meeting platform. >> Roll call, >> please. >> Councilwoman elect Kaminsky
>> here. Councilwoman Lambert here. Councilman elect live >> here. >> Councilman Stegman >> here. >> Mayor Noah >> here. All right. We'll begin by standing for the pledge of allegiance. remain standing for a moment of silence just to reflect on and to anticipate the good
work they're going to do ahead this year to stand. Okay. Thank you. She is this evening with an invitation. Reverend Don and Rabbi Jitz will offer
theation. Evening. >> Shalom and a happy new year. We gather here tonight in service to the vibrant community of Lambertville. As we mark the beginning of a new year, let us take a moment to reflect on the blessings we have received and the opportunities that
lie ahead. May this year bring strength to our hands as we work together to build a more compassionate and generous community. Let us honor the diversity that enriches our city, celebrating shared values of justice, kindness, and
respect. May we be inspired to deepen our connections with one another, to reach out in service, and to lift up those who are in need. May our city be a beacon of light where all feel welcomed, safe, valued, and heard. Together, let us offer our gratitude for the beauty of
this city, Lambertville, for the grace of new beginnings in a new year, and for the opportunities that await us. May we walk forward with hope, courage, and unity. Bless this city, its leaders, its residents, and all who come here. May we
all be blessed with good health, peace, and prosperity in the year ahead. >> And let us say, amen. How you going to sell that house election? >> The board of canvasers of Hunter County, New Jersey, relative to an election held
in the county of Hunteran on November 4, 2025 for the election of two three-year city council seats. The said board does determine that Karen J. Kaminsky and Evan Lie were duly elected to city council for the city of Lambertville.
The certification is signed by Mary Malf, county clerk, and Stephanie Pierce, chairman of the county board of campuses. Congratulations. Congratulations. Thank you. So I we are we're lacking Bible which we
couldn't find today but we do have a and my sons to help it. So >> may repeat after I state her name >> I Karen Kaminsky >> do solemnly swear >> do solemnly swear >> that I will support the Constitution of the United States
>> that I will support the Constitution of the United States >> and the Constitution of the State of New Jersey >> and the Constitution of the State of New Jersey >> that I will bear true, faith, and allegiance to the same >> that I will bear truth, faith, and allegiance to the same >> and the governments established in the United States
>> and the governments established in the United States >> and in this state >> and in this state >> under the authority of the people >> under the authority of the people >> and that I will faithfully >> and that I will faithfully >> impartially and justly >> impartially and justly >> perform all duties
>> perform all duties >> of the office of city council member >> of the office of city council member >> according to the best of my ability >> according to the best of his ability so we got >> congratulations She was running I
>> I Evan J. Do you solemnly swear >> do solemnly swear >> that I will support the Constitution of the United States >> that I will support the Constitution of the United States >> and the Constitution of the State of New Jersey >> and the Constitution of the State of New Jersey >> that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same >> that I will bear true faith and
allegiance to the same >> and the governments established in the United States >> and the governments established in the United States >> and in this state >> and in this state >> under the authority of the people >> under the authority of the people >> and that I will faithfully >> and that I will faithfully >> impartially and justly and partially and justly
>> perform all duties >> perform all duties >> of the office of city council member >> of the office of city council member >> according to the best of my ability >> according to the best of my ability. So help me out. >> Congratulations. Now at this time I would ask if anyone would care to make a nomination for the
position of council president >> like to nominate and lamp. >> Okay, council president. >> Uh are there any additional nominations? >> Hear hearing none. I would ask for a voice going in favor of electing Ben Lam
serve as council president. All those in favor, please say I. >> I. >> I.O.S. >> We're good. Congratulations. >> Thank you. and interrupt your ID. I, Benedetta Lambert, >> do solemnly swear
>> do solemnly swear >> that I will support the Constitution of the United States >> that I will support the Constitution of the United States >> and the Constitution of the State of New Jersey >> and the Constitution of the State of New Jersey >> that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same >> that I will bear true faith and
allegiance to the same >> and the governments established in the United States >> and the governments established in the United States >> and in this state >> and in this state under the authority of the people under the authority of the people and that I will faithfully >> and that I will faithfully
>> impartially and justly >> impartially and justly >> perform all duties >> perform all duties >> of the office of council president >> of the office of council president >> according to the best of my abilities >> according to the best of my ability so help me God
>> congratulations Let's do a group picture. That's right. That's right. Yes. And now according to tradition, we will uh ask the council members for any comment they might like to give at begin with. >> Well, I'd just like to before uh
Assemblywoman Drewless leaves, I just want to thank her again for coming. Um, you know, Michelle is a very special lady in Hunter County. She is the highest Democratic elected official from Hunter County. She's our assembly woman.
She rarely >> Barbara McConnell many decades ago and uh she represents part 100 in the legislature. She's a great friend. Happy to work with her. Thanks for coming to Lambert Hills. Thank you. and she's off to Lebanon to swear somebody else is
>> and her husband Michael. I also want to thank the mayor of Westwood Robin Deal for coming. Their husband John Dale look to working together and working with you. We have a lot of projects to tackle together and uh and we look
forward to a great relationship. So, and I of course I want to thank my family for coming. My boys, my oldest left, so I don't have to say that. Did he off my son Max from Missouri, you know, studying psychology and he set a
South High School record with the longest field goal in South. But I want to thank everybody for coming and I also want to thank certainly the voters at Lambertville for, you know, for reelecting me. Um, you know, I want to thank them for their confidence and
um and we look forward to working hard for them in in 2026. But most importantly, um, I always want to hear from from you and from you all. um your critique and your thoughts and your ideas and your concerns really, you
know, kind of help us along and and your you know, we're one big community here and uh we have as I say, but we also have each other's best interests at heart. So, you know, the doors always open and look forward to working with you in 2026 and you know, it's just
really nice to be here again and that you thought it was a good idea for me to come back. Um, but just a couple of things I just wanted to say that I hope in 2026, you know, aside from a year of joy, some of the things I hope that we can look forward to doing here is that
we prioritize our storm water. You know, the task is a little bit too big for us to study in house. I think we have to take a look at a system as I've said before and you know identify it its faults and identify some solutions and improvements and figure out how we're
gonna what that's going to cost and how it's going to do for us. We have to follow up on all of our environmental challenges. I commit to again moving ahead and helping everybody with their PAS problems on the hill. Um I just talked to Bridget tonight about an
issue. So, um, we look forward to working with D and the new administration to bring new, you know, some new eyes to this and to be working with West Dam on, um, a lot of the issues up there. Um, they have many residents that are affected, too. And,
um, we're off to a good start. Also, we'll have a great uh, little joint program to pay for further testing. Um, and our program is going to mirror route program and it'll be great for residents who who need a little help. And I want
to continue with DOT with a pedestrian plan that we have to get it on paper. You know, so far we have DOT's commitment. They're hiring have hired a consultant and look forward to doing some work in 2026 and maybe combining that with some downtown. But um most of
all I think that you know we we have to kind of solidify maybe our priorities and our vision and start talking about kind of some of the future what we vision for for Lambertville. kind of time. We have a lot of generational change here, a lot a lot of different
pressures and the more we get together and talk about our ideas and where we want our community go to go, I think it'll be um behoove us for success in the future of looking at projects and different issues that arise. So, thank
you again and I look forward to a happy new year for every Thank you. Um, so I don't have too much more to add other than what Karen said. Obviously, you know, thank you to the voters uh for the confidence uh as we, you know, take another term here. Um, I
think the reason why I decided I wanted to run again was we have a lot of unfinished business that hopefully we can complete this year, work towards. Um, you know, we've got a lot of challenges, but I think the more we work together, uh, you know, we can we can accomplish a lot. Uh, we've got a lot of
issues, as I said, but, you know, working together. Um, and I appreciate all the different things that different people on council offer. um you know just in terms of you know for example Steve all the years that you've had all your institutional knowledge um you know
Ben your leadership uh as well you know dealing with the community and Andrew all the time that you spend uh you know as mayor because it is a very difficult job and Karen all the advice and counsel that you've given us and all the hard work that you've done as well. I appreciate all that, but I also appreciate uh the residents coming out
and uh you know, asking very difficult questions. Uh you know, I know the amount of time that you guys spend to come to these meetings is a lot. Uh and I really appreciate that. Um so I just wanted to thank everyone for coming to these meetings, asking the difficult questions to keep us on track. Uh so
thank you very much. Good evening and happy new year and thank you for coming. I see some new faces, some old faces, some new faces only. Old faces. >> Just want to see if you're listening. Well, Lville is a small city with big
city responsibilities. As an elected official elected official, I do not take lightly my responsibilities to all the residents of our city and our business community that makes Lambertville Lambertville. There's not a decision that I have made
or will make without listening to residents concerns, speaking with my council members and mayor, and relying on the experience I have gained for over two decades of service to this city. And
I would like to thank Mayor Dave Delveio for first recognizing me in 1920. referenced me last night in 2001. >> Yes. >> To uh to get to get me involved in this
and I can thank him and corres him at the same time. But thank you so much for having confidence in me way back when to getting me involved in city government. Uh we do have a dedicated workforce
within our city departments from our clerk's office, construction, finance, library, court, OEM, the police, public works, fire department, tax collector and assessor's office, animal control,
and the LMUA. Our many boards and commissions are staffed by countless volunteers that bring their own experience to the table to make our city truly unique in the state and I will add our region as well.
These volunteers serve on many of our advisory and and committee uh commissions. is the Affordable Housing Authority, uh, Cable TV Advisory Committee, the Environmental Commission, Historic Preservation Commission, Human
Rights Commission, the LMUA board, Library Board, Parks and Rex, Planning and Zoning Board, Shade Tree Commission, Social Service and Public Assistance, and the Fire Commission. I think I got
everybody in the that one paragraph correctly. Um, these are people that that give up their free time to make this city what the city is, what we all love to call home, Lambertville, New Jersey. And thank you all for coming
here tonight. I thank my council members, uh, mayor Karen, Evan, and Ben. first day basis only time during the meeting and our and our professionals who make
sure that uh we get Lambertville right. So thank you all again. Much appreciated president. >> As usual, I have nothing prepared. Um I'd like to thank everyone for coming
this evening, members of the public as well as our honored guests, Reverend Al and Rabbi Jenitz. Thank you for coming and for your service or invocation. I'd also like to thank those that were here earlier and had to leave. Maybe not
Alex, but definitely Michelle and Michael Lulus. Um I I'd also like to thank my fellow council members for trusting me again to be uh serve as council president. I
really appreciate it and I hope uh I can again fulfill your your expectations in in this role. Um, you know, you guys are tough act to follow because you really said some some really significant important things. We
have a number of challenges for ahead of us in 2026. We had some pretty difficult challenges at 25. Um, but I think, you know, we're working our way through
those. We know what we're we know what we have to do. Um, and I for one will, you know, we know what we have to do and we have to continue to advocate for what's right
for this community to retain the character and the I'll say it the magic of Lamville as well as honor our social and uh regulatory obligations and you know port obligations.
uh you know we need to at the same time meet the challenges that are currently ahead of us but also look beyond we it's one of the reasons I believe we face some of the 2025 challenges is because we weren't really
we weren't quick enough on some of that so we have this opportunity to move forward and think beyond where we are and do a little more of proactive versus reactive. And I think that's a really
important shift for us to take in the coming year for the community and for all of us because I for one feel a lot better when I'm planning something and executing to a plan as opposed to reacting to fire drills every day. So,
um that's just kind of my DNA. Um but we we have as Karen pointed out a number of challenges with storm water management. We have a PAS. We also have um a master plan that needs to be updated and you know we we want to get on top of that
because that will help um position the community for what's coming a few you know years down the road. And it's important to think about I think one of the benefits of having some the challenges of 25 is that we have the
opportunity to see how the world is trying to you know how how the world is shifting and how we want to fit into it. So those are my thoughts and once again I'd like to thank u members of the community for coming my fellow council members mayor for your your support and
also let's not forget our city clerk and deputy clerk who keep all these meetings moving slowly slowly shall I tell them today we had a meeting about you upgrading the audio equipment.
>> So, what did you say? >> Anyway, thank you everyone and happy new year. and lied on the re-election. Congratulations to Council President Lambert who now begins her third year at council president.
Of course, congratulations to Councilman Segman. His first election to the council predates the official keeping of public records. >> Not in stone. >> Thank you, ma'am. >> I think that there are occasional moments when it's important to reflect
on where we've been, not just where we're going. Um and and to that end, I want to say that this governing body has now served the city of Lambertville since 2023. In our three years of shared municipal service, we've adopted 91 new or amended
ordinances and 554 resolutions. We've held at least 72 open public meetings. We have approved and administered budgets to totaling in excess of $23 million. We have been awarded and administered hundreds of thousands of dollars in
grant funded projects. We have marched in half a dozen parades. We have answered our telephones and our emails by the thousands. We have met with residents and business owners whose lives have been impacted by POS contamination, flooding, potholes, a
year-long bridge renovation, affordability, parking, tax increases, high school redevelopment, neighborhood issues, the park, and anything else you can think of up to and including facilitating the eradication
of mosquito larvi in a neighbor's bird bath. Okay, but that's true. We have slogged through tense meetings and strategized over lawsuits. We have overseen significant capital projects to our roads, our stormwater infrastructure, and several of our 13
municipally owned buildings. We've worked side by side with our 43 municipal employees to run the day by day to run the day-to-day operations of our 1.2 square mile city of 4,100 people. And that's what it's all about. the 4,100 people who live here, the
taxes they pay, the lives they live, their expectations of community. The impact of our local government on our residents is apparent in every decision we make. And I'll take the liberty in speaking for the governing body when I say we cherish that responsibility, especially knowing the
fundamental and sacred tenants of democracy are honored by our actions. Serving this community is a commitment both great and small, messy and routine, difficult and joyful. It is a continuation of something that's been done in one form or another since long
before our great-grandfathers walk the local byways. I'm always cognizant of that and I'm grateful to those who have served before me and those who serve alongside me. As the five of us begin our fourth year together, I want to say thank you Ben. I
want to say thank you to Karen, thank you to Evan, and thank you to Steve. Okay, let's begin. >> Um, we'll have our first public participation uh session. Uh, we where we welcome members of the public to the
podium to speak for up to three minutes. Uh, we do ask that you state your name and address for the record and uh we're not open for public comment. Is there grab it? >> Well, happy new year.
>> Congratulations everybody. >> And I want to thank you all for continuing to keep the PIA contamination front of mind. My name is Beth O'Brien. I live at two street. Um,
but I wanted to speak tonight to provide an update on the cond redevelopment area, particularly regarding the ongoing environmental and public health conditions that remain unresolved. For the record, I would like everyone to know that 92 wells have been tested on
Contel. 89 of those wells are contaminated with PAS and are not safe for consumption. Many of our neighbors still do not have access to clean, safe drinking water. And this has been going on for over a year. We know you're trying.
The New Jersey D opened a formal investigation last year to identify the source of the POS contamination affecting and the surrounding properties. That investigation includes the former city landfill and the tourist corporation site. At this time, the
investigation is ongoing and incomplete. The D updated that line of source requires access to all suspected properties. From what I know, the D has not been allowed to test the proposed debut on site, only the surrounding
properties. PEOS contamination is persistent and mobile and it is especially difficult to remunate. Residential development is the most sensitive land use the D evacuates. Once people are living there, the risks
and liabilities will multiply. Given these facts, I want to ask a question for the public record. Will the city continue to advance redevelopment actions, including redevelopment agreements, tax abatements, or constructs approvals
before the New Jersey BP has completed their PAS source identification and determines that the site is appropriate for residential use. This is not about opposing housing or affordable housing. Housing of any kind should not be built on land where contamination rates have not been fully
identified and addressed. Doing so does not resolve does not solve one obligation. It creates another. I urge the city to slow this process to insist on a complete environmental answer before advancing redevelopment and to ensure that current and future residents
are not asked to assume that could and should first be addressed. Thank you. Jeff 33 Wilson Street. I want to thank Beth. They're raising those issues and I want to thank the those who have been re reelected and sworn in and for their
work and the dedication that's going to be needed going forward. I want to further what you said because you cannot allow for a development of that density on an area that could be as
far as we know contaminated since the D itself called it the tourist investigation that kind of signals where they are and we should be asking our legislators and the town attorney to get D to go to court to get access to the
site. they have the authority under the spill act under Petra and a whole range of other laws because unless we know what's going on up there or whatever up there will end up down here and that's my first point the second point is I want to follow up on storm water that's
going to be a development with a tremendous impact D rules have believe me I know I've been fighting them for 40 years there's going to be areas of this town that are going to be directly affected especially swan tree and some
of the others. The town not only needs to go out and upset storm water structure but come up with a plan to deal with what's happening in our town not because of the development there but also in other parts of town where we're getting a lot of my neighborhood alone
has had 19 houses built all in on purpose in the last few years. So, so that's really critical because unless we deal with storm water and appropriate struggle issues, we're going to need snorkels, especially when we develop up on the hill. The second part about that total is they're going to clear at least
12 acres of trees to be mudslides through the steep slopes which are going to be traffic impacts, construction impacts. They're going to be huge. I don't think people in this room really understand the level of what's going to happen up on that hill when you when you take down part of a mountain built 20
retaining walls and and the amount of truck traffic and equipment and noise that's going to happen how v visible it's going to make. I've been through construction and you know dealing with these kinds of development. It's going to be mapped from the town itself has to repair for itself what's going to happen
construction getting but also potential for things like wildlife very lucky we hadn't flood in three years but guess what I live in this town years six floods so we're doing it and once we get the storm water our storm
water act together we're going to have serious problems my last and final point is that the people of this town have come out time and time again to want this town to do better. Whether it was all the people who put signs up about a
hotel that turned this into, you know, New Hope or the people who came out because they're concerned about KAS or up on the hill the development or even now I still get calls about what's going on with Coella Park and with um with the
village of park. We have a lot of work and a lot of problems ahead of us. But I will say that town would be a lot worse off people who showed up and held your feet to the fire and worked hard and did their homework like Beth did to try to
make you guys understand what this town is really about. This is a wonderful community and we have so many great attributes when you know everything from the folk club to the elves to the legion to live music. You can go down the list, but it may not be that way in the
future. Unless we work hard to keep the community moving forward, but also keeping what makes the town so bene. U Judy L 86 North Union Street. Happy New Year and congratulations. Uh to start this off, I'm almost
reluctant to say anything following the two incredibly important spokespeople who went before me. I obviously associate myself with their comments and agree with them. But my issue is related to that, but not not as clearly. Perhaps I wrote to the
members of council. I tell the audience that because I noticed that again we provide two and a half more days of vacation to our employees than the state does to its employees. Is that a bad thing for people to have vacation? Of course not. Do they also have vacation
days they can take? Yes, they do. I've been in public service most of my professional life. So I know how you deal with those issues. But my reason for coming up after the last two speakers to say this is because it seems so small and seems so irrelevant. But
the money that we spend to do that is money that we don't spend to do other things. And I think the points that were just made are about the money we need to be prepared to spend to do other things. So when we all I asked for in my letter
to council and all I ask for from anybody is where does this come from in terms of how much does it cost how much does it add to our budget and is it a thing that this is an expenditure that
we want to make not because we don't want to do right by our employees we've also given our employees raises I say I've been a public employee most of my life I know about that how that goes But we need to be balancing our priorities with an awareness. So I'm
just saying and I ask council before you vote on this. At least know what it's costing. At least know how this adds to a power budget expenditures. at least take that kind of attention so
that when we talk about PAS and when we talk about storm water control and we talk about going under this town and going under the streets and seeing what's going on we say oh it's so expensive we don't have the money let's know where we are spending money that might be able to go for them and maybe
it will turn out that it's free maybe it will turn out that it's very small it will turn out to be any number of things but what I don't know is what it is and I'm not sure that anybody knows what it is. But whenever we're affording our employees two and a half more days a year vacation than the state does and I
was working for the state when the state said you know what we have to take back some of these vacation days because we don't have the money. So, I know that governments make those decisions and I'm just asking although a little embarrassed to do it after these important issues that were raised, but
I'm just trying to make sure that our choices reflect the things that are really important to the whole town. And I don't know what this is cost. So, I don't know if this is one of them, but I'm asking you to let us know. Thank you.
Anyone else in the room? Anyone? >> How many people do we have online? >> We had eight. Now we have six. >> Okay. Um have a motion close public
comment. >> So moved. Second. >> All in favor, please say I. >> I. >> I. >> Thank you. >> Uh moving on to my appointments to boards and commissions. Uh it's up to I think a couple people have mentioned
already the importance of our boards and commissions in Lambertville. We have well over a hundred people who donate their time and uh people like Michelle out here serve on multiple boards in fact so and commissions. So it's important work and we have a lot of uh
experts and and uh hardworking individuals in this uh in this city who volunteer a lot of time to do this work and uh I'm I'm very very grateful for for each and every one of them. I will be attending all of the individual
reorganization meetings in January. It's a total of 14 um to thank uh every single member of every single board and commission personally uh and also to uh help them establish goals and activities for the year um or offer my assistance
with whatever they may need. Um, so I'm not going to read all of these names because it would take a very long time unless I'm required to, which I don't think I am, but they are all printed in the agenda and I see we've got a couple of people here tonight and I'm grateful for your coming this evening and I'm
grateful for your future service on the board and for your past service on the board and your continuing service boards. Um, are there any questions or comments from the bill about uh any of the departments? Just thanks. Okay. Without hearing none, I would ask
for a motion to authorize the consent agenda which is comprised of all of these appointments numbers 1 through 13. So >> 14. Thank you. Says 13 on my agenda. >> I know. >> Sorry. >> You don't want to forget about Mary. She
works hard. >> So I'm sorry we had you made a motion >> and second. >> All right. All in favor please say I. >> I. >> I. Thank you. Motion carries. Um resolutions. The following resolutions will be authorized using a consent
agenda. These are resolutions 01 2026 through 29 2026. The resolutions are considered routine should be enacted by one motion. If anybody on the city council would like to speak to a particular resolution, please let me know. We'll remove them and discuss it
separately. Um so all of these resolutions basically set us up for the year. They establish temporary budget. They established responsibilities. Uh they established uh holidays and working room schedules. Uh things like right to
know um tax tax uh tax assessor policies um uh garbage contracts and so forth and so on. They're all listed in here as well as all the professional service. Um so >> pull out 19-2026.
>> I just want to make some comments. >> Absolutely. >> Yeah. Um, so >> that's the holidays. >> Uh, 26 >> 18- 2020. >> Oh, I'm sorry. 19. >> Sure. 18. >> Okay. So,
>> wait a minute. No, I'm looking I'm looking at the >> Yeah. Staff policies and procedures. Holidays for 2026. >> Yeah. Holidays for 2026. 19 >> resolution number 2026. >> That's visible. Oh, I see. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah. >> So, uh should we how do we do this? I forget. Do we talk? >> So, what's resolution? >> We pull it out and then and then >> and then we do it separate. >> We do it separately. Okay. >> Okay. >> Consent would be one to 18 and then 20
through 29. >> All right. Is everybody clear on that? >> Yes. >> Okay. Um, so I would ask for a motion to adopt the consent agenda through 18 and then from 20 to 20 >> 9. So move.
>> Second. >> All in favor, please say I. >> I. >> I. >> All right. And now we'll take up the question of resolution number 19-2026. >> Right. And um with respect to uh Judy's commentary on the number of holidays and
the cost involved, I think it's um I'd like to propose that we we consider what the cost is, you know, where the costs are. And then um what I would also suggest for for consideration
is maybe um lowering the total number of holidays from you know like to whatever the state is. Okay. And following the state calendar but at the same time provide
employees with three floating holidays which I think the the state do they have 12 or 13? I don't know. But um you know that way if someone wants to take off the day after Thanksgiving, a bad
example probably, but um you know if they want a long weekend, they can kind of use that floating holiday and it's not their vacation time. Okay. Um that's how or if they wanted to take off uh a particular holiday. Uh another bad example is Good
Friday. Okay. just saying I'm not saying that's the one but that's just an example because not everyone um you know uh observes that particular holiday. So I, you know, it's kind of a um compromise approach where the total
number of days off don't doesn't change for employees, but what it does is it allows the city to operate for more days.
Okay, so for example, you have 16 paid holidays. I think we have 13 and a half, but anyway. Okay, you have 15. Let's forget the half day. You have 15 holidays. You scale it back to 12, but every employee gets three floating holidays.
And then the floating holidays are used at their discretion, not as vacation time. I don't know if I'd like but this is when I worked for a corporation this was what they implemented to allow people to take off certain you know
religious holidays or cultural days that they felt very passionate about but not enough to close the um operation of the company. So that's just a thought. Um, I don't think it affects, you know, I'm not I'm not pulling a rug under this
particular I just like to suggest that we consider it as a as a way of kind of um, you know, giving more to our taxpayers but not really taking away from the the U employees.
>> So, just a couple of uh thoughts on that if I may. So, last year we did reduce the number of holidays quite a few. It's Do you remember the number? We we we we trimmed it down. >> I think we took uh two and a half days away. >> Two and a half days away. And what what
I noticed this year u and and so a couple things I'd have to I'd have to ask Bill about whether this would constitute a change to the the HR policies and procedures or whether we could just do this sort of separately. We could take this question up at at the next meeting if the candidate comes to
it. Um but the other thing I I noticed is that because we reduced the number of holidays this year, what we found was that um the day after Christmas, for example, which was not a holiday, everybody but Lindsay took the day off. So Lindsay and I were wasn't was
>> everybody took off the day after Christmas. >> Everybody took the day down after Christmas, >> New Year, the day after New Year's. It was just you, >> right? So, so what happened was that on a day that we were originally scheduled to be open, everybody took a holiday and uh and and we closed city hall. Um and
then on New Year's Eve, uh the similar thing happened because last year or the two years ago, we allowed people to take New Year's Eve or a half day and Lindsay and I ended up working the day after New Year's when everybody else took the day off. So, you know, I'm happy to to think
about this, but I also want to point out that having set holidays is is potentially a better guide to knowing when city hall and the staff is there as opposed to you having to make a choice between who stays on which day after, you know, do do I let you know, who
makes the decision about who takes what the staffing level is? Is it superiority? Is it this? Is it? >> And who's gonna who's gonna make sure they're that's more HR? >> Well, and we're so small. So, what ends up doing is putting one person in the building. And I would be very honest
with you, I'm not comfortable being the only person in that building. So, um you know, I I was grateful Lindsay and but then the mayor said that he was going to work as well, right? >> Um but we shouldn't be putting our own employees in that either. I personally
like the idea of everyone knows the holiday, you know, people can relax. You know, I know my trash isn't getting picked up that day. I think the problem with having the floating ones, I think we might have problems providing the same service because we don't have control over the days they're going to float to take them. It just seems like
it might be a lot of work to to accomplish that. So, >> yeah. Yeah. I think it it is a big task to manage. Uh I also think too that you know um with having been a public employee that um you know it's different
than being in the private sector where you have merit raises. You get the same raise across the board. Part of your compensation is your is your holiday package. we're already talking about changes to to the health benefits and I I really I don't feel comfortable in in
in in changing it here because I I think employees um you know have a right as a public employee to to a complete package and it's kind of the package that we had agreed upon in in moving forward into this year. I feel much better about um
you know we can talk about it in the next negotiation but I think everybody took the raise that they were offered in the budget. This is part of that you know to me being a public employee like I said it's part of the package. the the
package to me is closed and I would feel more comfortable later on talking about it um you know in a further context if we do change our health benefits or whatever to be something that again is is a closed package but I don't feel
comfortable changing it right now in midstream >> well to be clear I wasn't suggesting to change it tonight that's not that's not that wasn't suggestion at all. Um it was just something to throw out there for
conversation and thought um to consider. That's all. Okay. Thanks. I'm happy to consider it. The only other obser is that you know around some of these holidays we see a drop off in the you know people coming to city hall. Um and
while certainly people who are working will work um it's not if it if it's if you're talking specifically about providing service in a given moment. um which we do every day. Uh you know, it's it's less of it's really less of an issue that I've seen in the last three,
four, you know, three or four years. My of my tenure being in city hall kind of right around the holidays, working half a day on Christmas Eve or so so forth and so on does tend to drop off. So, um you know, I feel like I I agree with Council Kaminsky's point that it's a
it's a it's benefit um and it's one that we can offer. for free. >> Well, I I think that the request that was made was to see how much extra it costs the taxpayer for those extra days off. So, let's get that number and then
we can talk about it further and the council will make decision whether having those days remain um is beneficial to the city every month, every day, every week of the year. So I I think it's hard to find
what that costs us because we're not taking into account the cost of when an employee leaves. Like for example, when we have someone that leaves our firm, we it cost us a lot of money to replace that employee. So it's hard to see. I mean the two day like I don't know how
we could come up like I don't come up with a number. >> I think it Yeah. Um >> well I we'll agree to disagree and I'm sure we'll take this up again. I'm pretty sure we can figure out what an employee makes per hour on you know if
the state could figure it out we can figure it out and if you're talking about four 202 days two work days you know how much that costs >> I can get that number for you for the council by the next meeting >> yeah I mean >> it's a straightforward
>> sorry just bringing it up sitter >> no I'm not trying to pull it dug out from any of this that was on our agenda tonight. I just wanted to make comments and in order to do that I had to separate this from the consent agenda. Right. >> Absolutely. I think it's a conversation
I'm always happy to have. I'm always happy to provide information. >> So yeah. >> So okay, I will do that and we'll have it ready for the next meeting. Um but uh I guess tonight I still like to entertain a motion to adopt this. So >> moved. Okay, I'll second it.
>> All in favor? I I >> Okay, thank you. Um, and before I move on, I'll just say hello to Shane, who's out here, who's just been appointed our new stormwater um, management engineer from CME. So, give a nice wave to everybody. Shane,
Shane's going to be helping us out. I'll be meeting with him next week. Um, I haven't told you that yet, but >> thanks for being here. We appreciate your uh, we appreciate the the relationship that we're about to embark on.
Um I did want to note um just one thing the u yeah for um uh the mediation >> invaded west >> all right
>> I was gonna say something >> yeah let's just let it die let's let it die quiet death um I I just wanted to point out that the mediation agreement uh for uh between the city and fair share housing um was adopted on as resolution
number 29 2026. This will be posted to the city website hopefully tomorrow or within the next day or two on the affordable housing uh web page so everybody can take a look at the uh the agreement that uh I will sign tomorrow that will uh meet our >> you might want to explain what that means.
>> Yeah, sure. >> This is our fourth round uh agreement for the next 10 years about what the city will do to obligations. Do you want to? >> So, so but what it does do is give us uh the protection against uh you know
further litigation. So basically they we we've settled with them. They've kind of if you want us they sure you know bless the number. So that means that there'll be no challenges from fair share the next 10 years as to you know our housing
plan. So many of them build. So there you go. Your hand >> and I'll thank Councilman L and everybody who participated in this last year. It was a lot of work. Um a lot of work. So I'm very pleased to have that
complete and it's not quite complete. We still have a couple of ordinances that we have to introduce in uh on the 22nd. There are some components which have to be adopted by the end of March pursuant to what's uh in in the uh in the agreement. So, um there'll be a little bit more information on that at the next
meeting and introduction of publicances. So, that's the end of the consent agenda. I just have a few announcements here. Um renewal of licenses, please visit uh the city website for um renewal of dog cat licenses, residential parking
permits have expired on uh the 20 on the 31st of December. Uh the full fee this year is 168 and the 613 is 127. Landlord registration opened and is due by the end of March. Um the schedule of 2026 reorganization meetings is on the
agenda. I'm not going to go through all of them. If you have a question about when one is, I'm happy to answer it. Um the convenience center hours uh this month are January 17th from 9 to noon and Wednesday, January 14th from 3 to 5. holidays. Martin Luther King uh Junior
Day uh was uh the 19th and the city office of order closed. A couple of other things. Um just a note. Uh the city does not uh collect Christmas trees. However, we just got an email today. Um the historical society and the PTA are scheduling pickups for Christmas
trees. It's a $20 suggested donation. Sign up information will be in matters this week. So, public are welcome to bring their Christmas trees to the parking lot at North Franklin Street where they get shipped or they can call um the the uh historical society and
arrange for a pickup. Um the the donation is suggested donation is $20 for that. So, um and just two other uh announcements for me. uh over the uh over over the holiday I had time to sort
of thumb through the Cavalo Park remedial investigation and remedial action report. Um and that's going to be posted to the city website as well. Um that report in total is 5,829 pages. Uh it's a monster report. So uh
it's uh >> is it double spaced? >> It's double spaced. Yes. >> Doublesided. >> Double sided. No. No, single-sided. And it's it's really worth having a look at. You don't have to look at the whole thing obviously, but there's a lot of
really fascinating maps to the old sandborn maps of the area, aerial photographs from the like 1930 and endless tables and charts. It's an incredible document. Uh, and I was glad to take a look at once.
I'll get it again. >> Take your word. >> Yeah, you'll have to take my word for it. It's a it's quaint document. Um, and just a note here, attack me. The E is currently silent as Cindy says. Uh I was up on the roof today doing a little investigative uh work trying to figure
out what the problem was and uh turns out I'm neither an an electrician nor a carpenter nor a plumber. So uh got to be working on that over the next week or so for us. Um but uh stay tuned. We'll get it up and running just as soon as we
come take a look for >> sending you up next. >> Yeah, but I I won't Yeah. >> Um and those are all the announcements I have. There'll be some more news uh coming forward in uh Landville Matters
and uh soon as they get organized. Um, and at this point I would open the com the meeting up for the second round of public participation. So same rules before please state your name and address and you have three minutes for uninterrupted time. >> Hi again.
So the D cannot complete its investigation without access to suspected source properties. Until that happens, this remains an incomplete investigation. So my question is about the timing. Will the city move forward
before the D can finish its work? >> Is that all you have to is that >> I'm just asking the question again a different offer. Go ahead. >> I'm just gonna say general build.
I think you'll see from the draft agreement that we have that the timelines are concluded and the requirements are going to be there. the I I don't know what PP's specific
timeline is for completion, but you'll see from the TRA redevelopment agreement when it's released that the city takes that into consideration. It's complicated by the agreement and that while the agreement
may be considered by the council prior to completion of DP's work and investigation that no construction can go forward. So they won't start tearing down the trees and start construction before the D says the
site is appropriate and safe for residential construction. anything that requires city approval, whether it's um site plan approval or issuance building permits, that's that's contemplated that that's not built to happen um prior to I
don't I can't tell you off my head about clearing trees and whether or not that meets or what you know is a requirement that the city has control over at this point. Um I I just don't know. I'm just not sure. So I don't want to say one way or the other but with regard to
construction you know approvals for construction that's probably so I can't say that I just we don't have a lot of information about D's day of D's investigation we have been in contact with
>> I mean the report was submitted in August and it was preliminary and nothing's been at least not posted to our website any updates from DPS I'm assuming we haven't updated >> we haven't got any We we have been in contact by email with some attorneys who
are you know either from the AG's office or inside the EP that are working on it that have maintain some communication or providing us um the last update which wasn't much really wasn't a document it's just everything is ongoing with
respect to the issue of site access um you know they were at the last conversation we had they were negotiating the property owner they had not initiated litigation in order to get access. So I think that's the less substantive update we have on that
front. We'll follow the contact this week to see if any exchange to know that the city won't let them start doing construction until the land's been >> approved. I'm not going to go into specifics in the area, but it's
comprehensive as far as the requirements for construction, the environmental obligations. We went through those sections in in great detail. So, all these issues haven't been considered as part of the screening. Um, it was
submitted to Kanian. We're waiting for their comments back and you know perhaps not discussion but once everything is finalized that'll be released to the public to see what um the governing body has been able to come up with as far as
adding those protections. >> Thank you. >> So that I would just add you know we're on we're on one track with the builder's remedy lawsuit that we have we have to follow our obligations under that agreement. The D We don't have control
over them, but what we can do is when we come up with this redevelopment agreement, we can try to give them the access that everyone has been asking for on this propert. And so that's very important. That's something that we have spent a lot of time on and is a very
important part of the redevelopment agreement to me. We and we do have a monthly call with D on PAS more on the individual wells, but they give us a status on on where they're at, whether these will be the
the the testing, the access, and what what steps they're taking. So, but the court also is watching us. >> Thank you. total 33 Wilson. I wanted to just follow
up. I wasn't going to get up. Do we know if they have their own LSRP? I know there are tech sites up there where you could see where they've been some over over the years drilling for testing on it. They may not have been but do we know if they themselves have hired an
LSRP? Probably I'm asking is because you know the history that I've been involved with for years, you know, the the clean water act violations with 550 andund New Jersey and Hickory um manner unions
where they ended up building on a contaminated site. I can go down the list of Jersey City and you said, you know, and and other places, but I didn't want to make sure that we have enough checks in place that don't try to change the system and uh you know, again, I guess we really need to put some
pressure on the D to gain access. they have the legal authority to do it. And I just thought of my mind, you know, and you know there are holes in the system as we all know park the holes in that system allow that part to be contaminated when it should have been
cleaned up. So it makes me nervous about direct. Thank you for realizing my question in terms of what is it costing us for vacation days and going into the budget season. I certainly appreciate a budget a an employment package and I happen to
think you know what it costs for employment package. That's how the state figured out they couldn't afford to give people the day after Thanksgiving off. So, all I'm asking as a as a citizen of the town and as a person who pays the increased taxes, all
I'm asking is please look at the budgeting that you're doing with what it costs because if we're giving more, example, if we're giving more days off than the state is,
we might not might not be looking at the costs the way the state is. So, it would just be helpful going into budget season if we the residents knew that people knew what they were deciding to do
because they knew what it was going to cost to do it. So, thank you for recognizing Thank you for coming trying to come up with an alternative. I recognize that there's a certain number of vacation days people get. I recognize that just giving them more days is not something employee an employer I've ever
had private or public has done. But you'll decide that sort of thing. But I I think you need to know that the tax is going up. People want to know what what we're buying. That's all. Thank you.
Anyone online? I'll make a motion to close the public comment period. You have a second. >> All in favor? >> I I believe that brings us to the
>> Yes. the possibility of an adjournment. Uh for before I ask for a motion to adjourn, I will say thank you again to everybody for coming this evening. Uh happy new year. We're very glad that you're all here and we're glad to be doing the job uh and the things that we do every day uh for uh for the city and
for all the residents uh in the community. So, thank you. Have a motion to adjurnn. >> So, move second. >> All in favor? I >> All right. Thank you. >> Thank you. Ian breath of